"Things are really looking bad." Banner narrowed his eyes, a bead of sweat sliding down. "Looks like it's my turn again—draw, nya~"
Dark Magician Girl: "Uh-oh… After such a one-sided beatdown, can Professor Banner still turn this around?"
"Seems I'll have to activate this card, nya—Spell Card: Alchemic Creation – Chaos Distill!"
A massive alchemy furnace materialized in the middle of the cosmic battlefield, drawing in the energy of the universe itself and refining it.
"The effect of Alchemic Creation – Chaos Distill can only be activated while Macro Cosmos is on the field. Both players Special Summon as many monsters from their banished zone as possible."
"A costless Dimension Fusion… but with conditions. Banner, what are you plotting?" Hoshino frowned.
[Helios – The Primordial Sun ATK 0]
Because of the Spell's effect, Banner moved Helios – The Primordial Sun from the banished zone back onto his Duel Disk.
But with all monsters returning from the banished zone, Helios lost every point of its accumulated ATK, leaving it nothing more than a nicely shaped decorative monster.
On Hoshino's side, three monsters—two Okita and one Lancelot—returned to the field, filling all five Monster Zones with a grand parade of Heroic Spirits.
Syrus blinked. "Uh… is Professor giving up…?"
"Heh heh, it's coming, nya!" With Helios back on the field, Banner looked strangely calm—even with Hoshino's field overflowing with Heroic Spirits.
"This is the greatest and most terrifying calamity of the Macro Cosmos—my finishing Spell! Quick-Play Spell – Planet Alignment!"
The moment Banner slapped the card onto his Duel Disk, the cosmic scenery shifted. The seven planets that once revolved separately around the sun aligned perfectly in a single orbit.
"Now, feel the shock of Planet Alignment, nya!"
[Planet Alignment – Quick-Play Spell
Effect: If "Helios – The Primordial Sun" is on the field: Destroy all monsters your opponent controls, and inflict 300 damage.]
The overwhelming gravity created by the planetary alignment produced a force stronger than a black hole, as if the entire universe were about to collapse.
"What kind of unreasonable card is this?! A Quick-Play Spell that wipes the opponent's whole field AND burns them?!" Akasha nearly screamed.
Even she, queen of degenerate stall decks, could only stare in disbelief.
The Duel Disk trembled under the impact. All of Hoshino's monsters were blasted away. Even Heroic Spirits were tiny and powerless before the might of the cosmos.
[Hoshino LP 3700 → 3400]
As they regained their balance, Jaden suddenly realized something.
"Wait, shouldn't Hercules Illya revive because of her effect? Even Planet Alignment shouldn't be able to permanently remove her!"
[Hercules Illya – Effect:
② If this card is sent to the GY by an opponent's card effect: Special Summon it.
The summoned card is unaffected by the type (Spell/Trap/Monster) of the card that sent it to the GY.]
Akasha shook her head. "No, not this time."
"Huh? Why not?"
"You forgot already?" she sighed. "Macro Cosmos is on the field. The Graveyard doesn't exist. If Hercules Illya can't be sent to the GY, her revival effect never triggers."
"To think even her immortality gets shut down… If Professor Banner planned all of this, that's terrifying."
Looking at Banner's calm, half-closed eyes, Jaden suddenly felt like he no longer understood this Professor he'd known since the day he enrolled.
"Since more monsters are now banished, Helios – The Primordial Sun gains additional ATK."
[Helios ATK: 500]
"…Feels kinda underwhelming though," Dark Magician Girl muttered.
Mana nodded. "Yeah, after such a dramatic cosmic spell, ending with only 500 ATK is… anticlimactic."
"It's not over yet, nya! After the celestial spectacle, the sun continues to evolve!" Banner pushed up his glasses and played another monster.
"From my hand, I activate the effect of Helios Duo Megistus!"
[This card can be Special Summoned by Tributing 1 "Helios – The Primordial Sun" you control.]
As the evolution was declared, the tiny sun atop Helios swelled dramatically, doubling in size.
[Helios Duo Megistus ★★★★★★ (Level 6)]
[LIGHT][Pyro/Effect][ATK ?/DEF ?]
Not only the sun, but Helios's once-tall, sensual figure swelled outward—only horizontally—turning her into a short, chubby solar goddess.
Akasha twitched. "She… put on weight. Is this really evolution?"
"Of course it is, nya! Helios Duo Megistus gains 300 ATK for every monster in the banished zone! And since Primordial Sun was tributed and banished, the total number becomes six!" (Edited Effect)
[Helios Duo Megistus ATK 0 → 1800]
"So she traded her figure for more power… but honestly, I liked the previous version better," Minazuki sighed.
"That wasn't even a girl—just a well-shaped sun…" Akasha muttered.
"And now… my last trump card, nya!" Banner slammed down his final card.
"From my hand, I activate Helios Trice Megistus!"
[This card can be Special Summoned by Tributing 1 "Helios Duo Megistus" you control.]
This evolution was different—the twin sun split and multiplied, forming three dazzling suns whose radiance illuminated the cosmos.
[Helios Trice Megistus ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)]
[LIGHT][Pyro/Effect][ATK ?/DEF ?]
"Helios Trice Megistus gains 500 ATK for every monster in the banished zone, nya! And since Duo Megistus was tributed and banished, the final total becomes seven!" (Edited Effect)
[Helios Trice Megistus ATK 0 → 3500]
"ATK 3500?! That's more than Hoshino's remaining Life Points!"
[Hoshino LP 3400]
Just a moment ago, Dark Magician Girl had been mocking Banner's weak monsters—only to be instantly slapped as a commentator.
"That's right, nya! This is the ultimate finishing blow of my Alchemy–Sun–Cosmos combo, nya!"
"Oh? Getting a little full of yourself. You look like you think you've already won."
Hoshino, who had been silent since Planet Alignment resolved, finally spoke.
"Hehe, I'm honored, nya. After all, Headmistress, you have no monsters left on your field~" Banner grinned proudly, his smile curling into a W-shape.
"Then let me ask you something—
If I knew perfectly well that the Graveyard was sealed by Macro Cosmos, and that Twelve Labors couldn't activate, why did I still summon Hercules Illya?"
Banner blinked. "Er… because of her high ATK, nya?"
Jaden: "Obviously she has Aura!"
Mana: "No, it's because Hoshino wants to regain confidence by staring at Illya's exposed figure!"
"Completely wrong. The real reason… is this card!"
Hoshino flipped over the single face-down he had from the previous turn, revealing a card burning brighter than the sun.
"—Quick-Play Spell: A Tale of Love and Hope!"
[A Tale of Love and Hope — Quick-Play Spell
Effect: Activate by targeting 1 "Heroic Spirit" monster you control. That monster gains the following effect:
● If this card leaves the field due to battle or an opponent's effect: Special Summon 1 "Heroic Spirit" monster from your Deck with the same Attribute but lower Level.]
"This is my soul card—the one that seizes victory! Since Magical Girl – Hercules Illya (Level 8 / EARTH) was destroyed, I Special Summon from my Deck—Heroic Spirit – Spartacus!"
[Heroic Spirit – Spartacus ★★★ (Level 3)]
[EARTH][Warrior/Effect][ATK 1500/DEF 1500]
"The light of rebellion—no matter how far into the cosmos it reaches, it shall never be extinguished!"
Spartacus roared as he faced the three blazing suns.
"N-Nani?! Spartacus?!"
Banner staggered in shock.
"You know this card's effect, don't you…? Checkmate."
With no hand cards, no backrow, and not even a Graveyard, Banner had no way out.
Ending Banner's turn, Hoshino immediately issued the final command.
"It's time, Spartacus—overthrow the sun!"
"Tyrannical flame is no sun—it is oppression!
And before my love, oppression must be destroyed!"
Spartacus charged straight into the three suns, detonating the cosmos in what could only be described as the greatest rebellion in history.
And in that moment—he conquered even the sun!
[Heroic Spirit – Spartacus is destroyed.]
[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 3400 → 1400]
"—And Spartacus's effect activates! When this card is destroyed by battle: I recover 500 LP, and my opponent takes 500 damage!"
[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 1400 → 1900]
[Banner LP: 500 → 0]
"Perfect down to the very last point—Headmistress, did you calculate all of this from turn one, nya?!!"
[Duel Over — Winner: Hoshino Chiyuki!]