The Dystopia charged at Yuji very quickly, his right fist ready to strike.
"When my opponent's monster declares a direct attack, I can Special Summon [Gagaga Gardna] from my hand!"
At the critical moment, Yuji slapped a card from his hand onto the duel disk, and a warrior appeared before him, blocking Dystopia's punch with the shield in his hand.
[Gagaga Gardna] DEF: 2000
After Dystopia smashed the giant shield with one punch, Ed sneered. "Keep struggling! [Destiny HERO - Drilldark] attacks directly!"
"At this moment! I activate my Trap Card, [Damage Diet]! This turn, all damage I receive is halved!"
The rotating drill bit landed on Itadori's body. Although the damage was reduced due to the trap's effect, the physical impact from the direct attack still made Yuji groan.
Yuji Itadori LP: 2400→1600
"How long are you going to grovel?" Ed frowned. "Then, the second [Drilldark] attacks directly!"
Another direct attack from a Drilldark landed on Itadori's body. Yuji grunted, swallowed the blood in his mouth, and struggled to stand straight.
Yuji Itadori LP: 1600→800
"Tch, I end my turn," Ed said.
"Did I survive?" Yuji gasped and said with difficulty.
"That's right, I let you survive this turn." Ed said. "However, how are you going to break through my defense now that you have nothing on the field?"
"Don't forget, I haven't drawn a card yet." Yuji stared at Ed, saying every word, while taking something from the system's backpack.
"What is that?" Ed frowned at the item in Itadori's hand—a light golden pendant.
"This is the hope of our XYZ dimension." Yuji said.
[Warning! Warning! The current host's physical condition does not support the use of this item. Forcible use will aggravate the current host's injuries.]
[Warning! Warning!]
Ignoring the system's warnings, Yuji placed the broken Emperor's Key against his heart and chose to use it.
Massive energy gushed out from the Emperor's Key, frantically flooding through every particle in Itadori's body.
[The Broken Emperor's Key has been used. The exclusive skill ZEXAL XYZ Evolution has been temporarily unlocked.]
Enduring the severe pain from the raging energy in his body, Yuji Itadori shouted word by word:
"I will build the XYZ network by myself! XYZ Transform ZEXAL!"
A bright galaxy slowly formed above Yuji Itadori's head. In the galaxy's center, a beam of light fell on Yuji's body, slowly sorting out the raging energy within him.
In the light, Itadori's original black hair began to grow longer and was slowly dyed golden by the light.
His clothes transformed into a white bodysuit in the light, and fiery red armor pieces appeared on Yuji's body piece by piece.
"What is this?" The sudden change made Ed's expression shift, and a bad feeling suddenly rose in his heart.
The light slowly dissipated, and Yuji , with blonde hair and wearing fiery red half-armor, revealed his figure in the light.
"This is called ZEXAL. It brings hope to this dimension and sounds the death knell for you at the same time." Yuji said slowly.
[ZEXAL XYZ Evolution has been completed. [Number C39: Utopia Ray] has been temporarily added to the Extra Deck.]
At this moment, Yuji suddenly felt omnipotent. In this state, every draw was destined to be perfect.
"Stop talking nonsense." Ed gritted his teeth.
"My turn! Draw!"
"I activate the Spell Card, [Gagagadraw]!"
"I banish 3 'Gagaga' monsters from my graveyard and draw two cards!"
"Everything is inevitable for the strongest duelist." Before drawing, Yuji suddenly spoke.
After Yuji's voice fell, the card at the top of the deck suddenly lit up with dazzling light.
[Skill: Shining Draw—place a ZEXAL WEAPON or ZEXAL SERVANT card from outside the deck on top of your deck.]
"Draw!" Yuji roared and drew two cards.
"I summon [Gogogo Golem] in Attack Position!" Yuji didn't even look at the cards in his hand before slapping one onto the duel disk.
"The effect of [Dodododwarf Gogogoglove] in my Graveyard activates!"
"While this card is in the Graveyard, if I control a 'Gogogo' or 'Dododo' monster other than this card, I can Special Summon this card."
"I overlay two Level 4 monsters!"
Yuji pointed to the sky with his right hand, and the number 39 on the back of his hand lit up. Dazzling light shot from his hand to the sky, instantly forming a bright galaxy. In the Milky Way, the number 39 shone in sync with the number on his right hand.
"XYZ Summon! Rank 4! Warrior of Hope! [Number 39: Utopia]!"
In the golden galaxy, the radiant Hope walked out slowly, aiming his sword at the Dystopia on the opponent's field.
"Next, I overlay Rank 4 [Utopia] again!"
"Come forth! The sword of hope that shatters all evil driven by the power of chaos!"
"Chaos XYZ Evolution!"
"Rank 4! [Number C39: Utopia Ray]!"
The armor on Utopia began to fade away, and after several changes, it became a prototype and fell into the black vortex on the ground.
A moment later, Utopia returned in a black form with a giant sword on his back!
[Number C39: Utopia Ray] ATK: 2500
"Chaos Number?" Ed frowned at the monster before Yuji , his duelist instincts sounding the alarm.
"If my LP is 2000 or more less than my opponent's, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!"
"Appear! [ZW - Pegasus Twin Saber]!"
"The effect of [ZW - Pegasus Twin Saber] activates!"
"This card can be equipped to a 'Utopia' monster as an Equip Card that increases its ATK by 1000!"
The twin-winged pegasus that just appeared on Yuji's field leaped high and transformed into a white longsword in the air, falling into Utopia Ray's hands.
[Number C39: Utopia Ray] ATK: 2500→3500
"The effect of [Number C39: Utopia Ray] activates!"
"If my LP is 1000 or less, I can detach 1 XYZ material from this card—until the end of the turn, this card gains 500 ATK, and 1 monster my opponent controls loses 1000 ATK until the end of the turn! Overlay Charge!"
[Number C39: Utopia Ray] ATK: 3500→4000
[Destiny HERO - Dystopia] ATK: 2800→1800
"Fool! Have you forgotten Dystopia's effect?" Ed sneered. "The effect of [Destiny HERO - Dystopia] activates!"
"When this card's ATK is different from its original ATK, I can target 1 card on the field and destroy it, then this card's ATK becomes its original value! Sublime Justice!"
"At this moment, the effect of the equipped [ZW - Pegasus Twin Saber] activates! Once per turn, while this card is equipped, I can negate the activation of a monster effect on my opponent's field!"
"What?!"
The longsword in Utopia Ray's hand flashed, and the incoming purple cross vanished instantly.
"I detach Utopia Ray's remaining two XYZ materials and use the effect again!"
[Number C39: Utopia Ray] ATK: 4000→4500→5000
[Destiny HERO - Dystopia] ATK: 1800→800→0
"Battle! [Utopia Ray] attacks [Dystopia]! Utopia Rising Chaos Slash!"
Utopia Ray raised the great sword in his hand and slashed at the Dystopia.
"Will I fall here?" Ed muttered as he watched the giant sword approaching, but was instantly swallowed by the sword's light.
Ed Phoenix LP: 4000→0
...
(End of this chapter)