Seeing the three giant snakes roaring toward him, Yuji said calmly:
"Yasuo, if you're still conscious, watch carefully—hope isn't something that can be shattered so easily."
"At this moment, I activate the effect of [Rainbow Kuriboh] in my Graveyard! While this card is in the Graveyard, when an opponent's monster declares a direct attack, I can Special Summon this card. If this card Special Summoned by this effect leaves the field, it's banished."
"Kuri!" On Yuji Itadori's field, a small purple ball with iridescent fur on its head jumped out and blocked in front of Yuji.
[Rainbow Kuriboh] DEF: 100
"This card..." Ophion gritted his teeth as he looked at the cute creature facing Ouroboros. "Is this the card that was sent to the graveyard using Ouroboros's effect?"
"Then survive this turn by relying on this trash." After the possessed Ouroboros destroyed [Rainbow Kuriboh], Ophion said coldly. "Your hope has been used up. You, with 0 cards on the field and in your hand, won't get a second chance. I'll end my turn like this."
"Yeah, I have nothing in my hand or on the field—all I can rely on is the next card draw." Yuji smiled brightly.
"However, I haven't given up hope. How could hope give up on me?"
"My turn! Draw!" Yuji drew what might be the last card in this duel.
"Just as I thought, the light of hope is still shining." Yuji looked at the drawn card and smiled.
"I summon [Gogogo Golem] in Attack Position!"
The rocks on the ground crackled together and transformed into a giant statue standing guard before Yuji.
[Gogogo Golem] ATK: 1800
"Is this your hope? This monster is nothing before Ouroboros!" Ophion sneered.
"Don't be so hasty. I activate the effect of [Dodododwarf Gogogoglove] in my graveyard!"
"While this card is in the Graveyard, if I control a 'Dododo' or 'Gogogo' monster other than this card, I can Special Summon this card."
"I overlay the 2 Level 4 monsters [Gogogo Golem] and [Dodododwarf Gogogoglove]!"
Yuji pointed his right hand to the sky, summoning the dazzling Milky Way. The red number 39 flashed brilliantly on the back of his right hand.
"Warrior of Hope! Arise!"
"XYZ Summon! [Number 39: Utopia Double]!"
In the dazzling Milky Way, the golden warrior of hope descended onto the field accompanied by light that could drive away all evil.
[Number 39: Utopia Double] DEF: 2500
"What is this! Ahhhh!" The moment the light brought by Utopia contacted the black mist surrounding Yasuo's body, the black mist melted like meeting the deadliest poison, and Ophion, controlling Yasuo's body, couldn't help but let out a shrill scream.
"I activate [Utopia Double]'s effect!"
"Once per turn, I can detach 1 material from this card to add 1 [Double or Nothing!] from my Deck to my hand, then Special Summon from my Extra Deck 1 'Utopia' XYZ Monster, except [Number 39: Utopia Double], by using this face-up card as material. Its ATK becomes doubled, but it cannot attack directly. This is treated as an XYZ Summon."
The wings behind [Utopia Double] flashed, and a golden orb merged into Yuji's deck. After a moment, Yuji pulled out the card that the duel disk automatically retrieved:
"XYZ transformation! Appear! [Number 39: Utopia]!"
The Utopia before Yuji Itadori grasped the second blade of light that fell from the sky and switched to an attacking stance, the light radiating from its body growing even stronger.
[Number 39: Utopia] ATK: 2500→5000
"Battle phase! [Utopia] attacks [Evilswarm Ouroboros]!"
"If the attack is only 5000, you can't defeat me!" Although Ophion struggled under Hope's light, he still gritted his teeth.
"I activate [Utopia]'s effect!"
"When a monster declares an attack, I can detach 1 XYZ material from this card to negate that attack."
"At this moment! I activate the Quick-Play Spell [Double or Nothing!]!"
"When a monster's attack is negated, I can target that monster—it can make a second attack during this Battle Phase, and if it does, its ATK is doubled during the Damage Step only."
"What?!" Ophion was horrified. The black mist surrounding Yasuo's body rapidly receded as he tried to flee.
"Attack! Utopia! Hope Rising Slash!" Yuji roared!
The blades in Utopia's hands burst with brilliant light at this moment. It spread its wings and slashed at the three giant snakes.
[Number 39: Utopia] ATK: 5000→10000
When the sword light fell, the three giant snakes disintegrated layer by layer, and Ophion behind them had nowhere to hide. The evil black mist within Sugihara Yasuo's body was instantly purified by Utopia's light.
Sugihara Yasuo LP: 4000→0
[Side quest completed, rewards have been issued]
[Side quest completion rate: 100%, additional UR treasure chest awarded]
As the sun set, Utopia's figure slowly disappeared, and Sugihara Yasuo, having lost his support, stumbled and fell to the ground.
"Boss!"
"Yasuo!"
Yuji and Renjiro hurriedly caught the crumbling Sugihara Yasuo.
At this moment, the runes in Yasuo's eyes had vanished. Although his breathing was as faint as gossamer thread, the destructive madness in his eyes was gone.
"Yuji... I'm sorry, I almost dragged you down with me." Yasuo said weakly.
"I saw the hope you spoke of." Yasuo looked at the night sky, stars reflected in his eyes, and said slowly.
"The future of this dimension... I leave to you."
"Don't talk like you're on your deathbed. That thing is gone, you're not dying." Yuji said, taking [Utopia] from his card pouch and placing it on Sugihara Yasuo's body.
(T/N: Bro, thats not a healing spell)
Utopia's card slowly released a layer of golden light, sustaining Sugihara Yasuo's fading vitality.
"Is this... the light of hope?" Yasuo struggled to smile, then fainted.
"Let's hurry back and get him to a doctor. His inhuman resilience probably came from that card. Now that thing is gone, we might be too late." Yuji looked at Renjiro and said.
"Right." Renjiro nodded and quickly ran to start the car.
The two rushed toward the camp with the dying Sugihara Yasuo, not daring to delay for a moment. On the way, they met the army of duelists from Sanjuku District who were panting from their march, and Renjiro only poked his head out to yell at them to return home.
Renjiro desperately slammed on the gas pedal, and the car that Yuji Itadori had rescued from the edge of being scrapped finally ended its mission in front of the military hospital in Sanjuku District. Renjiro carried Sugihara Yasuo inside and got him connected to life support equipment.
Outside the hospital's emergency room, Yuji finally had time to examine the rewards issued by the system.
The three cards rewarded by the quest were already in the system backpack, and the UR treasure box that Yuji Itadori cared about was also quietly sitting in the inventory.
...
(End of this chapter)