[Yumi, LP 4000]
[Momoyo, LP 7900]
"Get ready, little brother, because I won't be holding back!" Momoyo declared with conviction. She pulled a card from her hand and slammed it onto her Duel Disk.
"Spell card, Harpie's Feather Duster, destroyed all Spell and Trap you control!"
A massive feather appeared just before Yumi's side, ready to sweep away his back row.
"I'll chain it with my quickplay spell, Spell Textbook. Discard my entire hand, shuffle my deck, and draw one card. If it's a spell, I can activate it!" Yumi's hand is already zero, so he just shuffled his deck and drew a single card.
His fingers slid the top card free. "Spell card, Take Over 5, send the top five cards from my deck to my grave."
The cards slid neatly into his graveyard just as the Feather Duster swept across his field, clearing his Spell and Trap, revealing Dark Spell Regeneration and Transaction Rollback.
[Momoyo, LP 7900 -> 9400]
Momoyo's eyes gleamed. "I activate The Iris Swordsoul's effect, during the Main Phase, if a monster, whose effect is negated while it's on the field, I get to Special Summon her from my hand!"
All of Yumi's monsters currently have their effect negated due to Dark Ruler No More, completing the condition for Iris to be Special Summoned.
A radiant glow erupted, and an elegant swordswoman materialized, blade flashing beneath the setting sun.
[The Iris Swordsoul, 2500 ATK]
"And she won't be alone." Momoyo revealed another card with a flourish. "Next, I activate Regenesis Dragon's effect from my hand. If there is a monster with 2500 original ATK or DEF on the field, I get to Special Summon this card."
A surge of silver light erupted as a four-winged dragon descended, its shining scales glimmering with divine radiance.
[Regenesis Dragon, 2500 ATK]
"I set one card, then I activate the Spell Card, Card of Demise! I draw until I have five cards in my hand, but during my fifth turn, I must discard my entire hand!"
[Momoyo, LP 9400 -> 9900]
In one sweeping motion, she refilled her hand.
"Now… Spell Card Polymerization! I fused the Ritual Monster Black Luster Soldier and King of the Swamp in my hand! King of the Swamp's effect let it be substituted for a fusion material with its name being mentioned!"
The Black Luster Soldier stood tall, while King of the Swamp warped into the form of a towering three-headed dragon with azure scales and piercing blue eyes. Together, they merged in a vortex of power.
"Fusion Summon! Rise, Dragon Master Knight!"
The warrior mounted the colossal dragon, its roar shaking the island as raw power radiated from its form.
[Dragon Master Knight, 5000 ATK]
"And don't forget, Dragon Master Knight gains 500 ATK for every Dragon on the field and in the grave except it!" She said as her dragon let out a loud, threatening roar.
[Dragon Master Knight, 5000 -> 5500 ATK]
"And I'm not done!" Momoyo's voice thundered across the duel. "By banishing the Level 8 Black Luster Soldier from my grave, I get to Special Summon, Yakusa, Lord of the Eight Thunders."
[Momoyo, LP 9900 -> 10,400]
The Black Luster Soldier card popped out from her grave, and a massive white wyrm emerged, its body wreathed in smoke, eight blazing yin-yang orbs circling it with ominous power.
[Yakusa, Lord of the Eight Thunders, 2000 ATK]
"Battle! Tear his field apart!" she commanded, her army of monsters surging forward. In an instant, Yumi's monsters were obliterated beneath the overwhelming force covering his entire field in smoke.
As the chaos subsided, Yumi's voice cut through the large smoke cloud. "At this moment, Raye returns to my side!"
Before his monster could reappear, Momoyo smirked and slammed down her final card. "Quickplay spell, Called by the Grave. Target one monster in your grave, banish it, and I negate that monster effect."
Her gaze locked back with her younger brother. "I'll banish Sky Striker Ace - Raye."
Raye's card popped out from his grave before vanishing.
[Momoyo, LP 10,400 -> 11,400]
Momoyo crossed her arms, her expression a mix of pride and challenge as her field of monsters loomed behind her. "Your move, little brother. Turn end."
She puffed up her already large chest, looking at him with a smug grin.
"Now that your ace is gone, what are you gonna do? My Life Points are nearly triple yours. No cards in your hand, nothing on your field. Can you really pull a comeback after this, little brother?"
It had been a long time since Yumi felt this much pressure in a duel. His chest was tight, his nerves sharp, but a small smile tugged at his lips before quickly fading.
"Draw!"
Yumi drew his card before looking down at it. "I removed my three copies of Take Over Five, drawing three more cards!" Yumi banished the two Take Over Five in his deck and the one in his grave, before drawing three new cards.
[Momoyo, LP 11,400 -> 12,900]
"I activate Vision HERO Fairs from my hand, sending the Elemental HERO Lady Heat in my hand to the grave, and Special Summon it!" Yumi slipped Lady Heat into his grave before placing Fairs onto his Duel Disk.
[Vision HERO Fairs, 1600]
"Fairs's effect, I set the Vision HERO Increase in my Spell and Trap zone." Yumi then placed Increase down. The phantom figure appeared behind the Vision HERO Fairs.
"Increase's effect, I send Fairs to the grave to Special Summon this card from my Spell and Trap zone." The phantom solidified, landing with force.
[Vision HERO Increase, 900 ATK]
"Upon being summoned from the Spell and Trap zone, Increase's effect activated! Special Summon a HERO from my deck!" Yumi pulls a card out from his deck and places it on his Duel Disk. "Show yourself, Vyon!"
[Vision HERO Vyon, 1000 ATK]
"Vyon's effect activates, I send Elemental HERO Shadow Mist to my grave!" The moment the dark heroine hit the graveyard, Yumi activated her effect. "Shadow Mist's effect, I added Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier to my hand!"
"Vyon's effect, I remove Fairs from my grave to add Polymerization from my deck to my hand!"
[Momoyo, LP 12,900 -> 13,400]
"Spell card," He spun the card in his hand and raised it high. "Polymerization! I fuse Increase, Vyon, and Liquid Soldier! Show yourself, the Ultimate Vision HERO Trinity!"
The three HEROes leapt into a swirling vortex, merging into a crimson titan that slammed into the sand with explosive force.
[Vision HERO Trinity, 2500 ATK]
"Liquid Soldier's effect, when this card is used for a fusion summon, I get to draw two cards, then discard one card." Yumi said, but before he could draw.
But Momoyo cut him off. "Iris's effect activates, since you Special Summon a monster from your Extra Deck, I can destroy it!"
The swordswoman slashes the air, summoning a magic circle beneath Trinity, detonating him in a burst of light.
The shockwave rippled across the beach, Yumi's magenta hair whipping in the wind. He calmly drew two cards, discarded one, then raised his Duel Disk.
"I remove Revenge Return in my grave, I can bring a monster destroyed by a card effect back to my field! Return to me, Trinity!" Yumi raised his Duel Disk as the crimson titan burst back onto the field.
[Momoyo, LP 13,400 -> 13,900]
[Vision HERO Trinity, 2500 ATK]
Yumi placed down another card. "I activate the Equip spell, Favorite Hero! I equip this to Trinity."
[Momoyo, LP 13,900 -> 14,400]
"Battle!" Yumi said, before waving his arm. "Favorite Hero's effect directly activates a field spell from my deck!"
Yumi pulls out his deck and selects his card one more.
"I activate the field spell, Duel Tower!"
The ground trembled as the legendary tower erupted skyward, standing between the two siblings like a monument of fate, in the same location where the first Battle City final had happened.
[Momoyo, LP 14,400 -> 14,900]
Momoyo's eyes gleamed. "So this is the Duel Tower… the very stage of the Battle City finals. Impressive."
"Favorite Hero's effect, while there is a field spell present, the equipped monster gains ATK equal to its original DEF."
The titan's crimson core pulsed with power.
[Vision HERO Trinity, 2500 -> 4500 ATK]
"Duel Tower's effect, at the start of the Battle Phase, each player can reveal a monster from their deck." Yumi declares as they both pull out their deck and choose their card.
They pulled their cards.
"Surgical Striker - H.A.M.P." Yumi raised his chosen card.
[Surgical Striker - H.A.M.P., 2500 ATK]
"Kuriboh." Momoyo raised her chosen card.
[Kuriboh, 300 ATK]
"Banished, both of them face down!" Yumi said as the two removed their chosen cards from play.
[Momoyo, LP 14,900 -> 15,900]
"And the player who removed the monster with the highest ATK can Special Summon a monster from their hand." Yumi said, causing Momoyo to look annoyed.
"You could have said that earlier!" She complained as Yumi revealed the card in his hand.
"Show yourself, Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!"
A radiant blue light erupted, the colossal dragon descending with wings of photon energy.
[Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, 3000 ATK]
"Impressive... where did you even get that card?" She asks, eyeing the dragon in awe. But her Dragon Master Knight roared in response, its aura surging.
[Dragon Master Knight, 5500 -> 6000 ATK]
"The Special Summoned monster can attack directly while it's on the field," Yumi revealed the final effect of Duel Tower.
"Trinity, attack Regenesis Dragon!" Yumi commanded, and the crimson hero charged toward the dragon.
"I activate Regenesis Dragon's effect, by tributing it, I can banish a card in your Spell and Trap zone!" Momoyo waved her hand as the massive dragon disappeared from her field.
"Quickplay spell, Effect Shut, when you activate an Effect Monster's effect, negate it and destroy it!" Yumi raised the final card in his hand, as the Regenesis Dragon's effect got negated from within the grave.
[Momoyo, LP 15,900 -> 16,400]
He then waved his hand. "Trinity, crush Yakusa, Lord of the Eight Thunders, Trinity Crush!"
The power engine inside the crimson hero roared to life as he charged directly at the massive wyrm, smashing his fist into the white wyrm.
[Momoyo, LP 16,400 -> 13,900]
"Trinity, finish Iris! Trinity Crush!"
The titan's strike obliterated the swordswoman.
[Momoyo, LP 13,900 -> 11,900]
"Now Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon player direct attack! Photon Stream of Destruction!"
The mighty dragon roared, unleashing a storm of photon energy straight at Momoyo.
[Momoyo, LP 11,900 -> 8,900]
With nothing else left, Yumi lowered his arm. "Turn end."
"Not bad, little brother," Momoyo said with a smile. "From an empty hand, no field, and a Life Point disadvantage, you still managed to pull off a comeback."
"My turn, draw!" She swiftly drew her next card, her lips curling when she saw it. "Perfect. Spell card, Change of Heart! I'll take control of your Ultimate Vision HERO!"
An ethereal angel with two contrasting wings appeared, dragging Trinity over to Momoyo's side.
[Momoyo, LP 8,900 -> 9,400]
"Battle! Trinity, attack and destroy Galaxy-Eyes!" she commanded.
The crimson hero leapt forward, fist cocked back, but Yumi raised his arm sharply.
"Galaxy-Eyes' effect, activate! I banish both it and your Dragon Master Knight!"
Galaxy-Eyes roared, its body bursting into radiant photon light, pulling the towering Dragon Master Knight into the void with it.
[Momoyo, LP 9,400 -> 10,400]
"Trinity might be able to attack three times in one turn, but he can't attack directly!" Yumi said as the crimson hero quickly jumped back with his target now disappeared.
Momoyo clicked her tongue, narrowing her eyes. "Tch, such an annoying effect." She exhaled through her nose. "Turn end."
"At this moment, our monsters return to their owner's field, and Galaxy-Eyes gains 500 ATK for each two levels of the other banished monster.
Both dragons reappeared on the field, and the effect of Change of Heart was lifted, and the crimson hero returned to Yumi's side.
[Dragon Master Knight, 5000 -> 6000 ATK]
[Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, 3000 -> 6000 ATK]
"My turn, draw!" Yumi declared, pulling a card from his deck before glancing at it.
Since Galaxy-Eyes had removed itself from the field with its own effect, the direct attack granted by Duel Tower had vanished.
Yumi's gaze sharpened as he looked toward his older sister. "I activate Galaxy-Eyes' effect, banishing it along with Trinity from my field!"
In an instant, both the dragon and the crimson hero vanished into light.
[Momoyo, LP 10,400 -> 11,400]
"Turn end," Yumi said firmly, lowering his hand. "Now I trigger Galaxy-Eyes' effect, and chain it with Duel Tower's final ability!"
The Duel Tower trembled violently as Yumi's voice rang out. "During the End Phase, if this card remains on the field until my second End Phase after activation, destroy every card on the field!"
A deafening blast followed. The massive tower erupted in flames, its collapse echoing the destruction of the original Duel Tower at the end of Battle City.
All remaining cards were annihilated, the battlefield reverting to the quiet sunset beach where the siblings stood.
Then, the spatial rift tore open once more, and light surged forth as the photon dragon and ultimate vision hero returned.
[Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, 3000 -> 5000 ATK]
[Vision HERO Trinity, 2500 ATK]
"So that's your plan, hud. Nuking the entire field," Momoyo muttered, placing her hand on her deck. "My turn! Draw!"
She glanced at her card, a smirk curling across her lips.
"Spell card, Card of Sanctity! Both players draw until they have six cards!"
Both siblings drew their hands full. Momoyo's smirk only widened.
"I tribute your Galaxy-Eyes to special summon, Jizukiru, the Star Destroying Kaiju!"
Galaxy-Eyes vanished in radiant light, replaced by a colossal machine-like beast. Black metallic scales fused with molten lava-like skin, its hulking frame towering. Its arms resembled serpentine heads that could unleash searing heat rays, while its lower body coiled like a massive serpent's tail. From its head, a single glowing crimson eye glared down.
[Jizukiru, the Star Destroying Kaiju, 3300 ATK]
"Spell card, Owner's Seal! Return all monsters on the field to their owner's side!"
The Kaiju roared before surging back to Momoyo's field.
"Finally, I activate the spell card, Metamorphosis, and I send my Level 10 Jizukiru to the grave to Special Summon the Level 10 Fusion monster, Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chenqying!"
The towering Kaiju let out a final roar before its body cracked apart and shattered, revealing a warrior of sheer majesty. With a flowing silver-white mane and ornate red-and-blue Chinese armor, the sovereign raised a massive crimson greatsword in one hand.
[Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chenqying, 3000 ATK]
"Huh… that works too," Yumi muttered under his breath. He didn't think that the Swordsoul boss monster, after having a makeover into a Fusion Monster, could be cheated out of the Extra Deck so easily.
Momoyo raised her hand as energy flared. "For each banished card, Chenqying gains 100 ATK and DEF, while your monster loses the same!"
Their graveyards pulsed, projecting the lingering afterimages of their banished cards.
With Momoyo having nine cards and Yumi having seven cards.
[Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chenqying, 3000 -> 4600 ATK]
[Vision HERO Trinity, 2500 -> 900 ATK]
"I set three cards face-down!" She placed them without hesitation.
"Battle, go Chenqying, destroy Trinity! God Force!"
The sovereign warrior swung his massive blade, cleaving through the crimson hero in a devastating slash that erupted into an explosion.
"Ahhh!" Yumi cried out as the blast hurled him across the beach, his body crashing hard into the surf.
[Yumi, LP 4000 -> 300]
"Turn end," Momoyo declared, her sharp gaze locked on her brother.
Yumi clenched his teeth, realizing that with the force of that last attack, Momoyo had infused it with her spirit energy, causing him to feel some of the pain directly.
"Did you forget the reason you wear that Duel Disk?" Momoyo's voice cut through, firm and serious.
"My reason…?" he murmured.
"I never asked what happened in your past, or why accusations scarred you so deeply," she said, her eyes steady. "That's because I respect your privacy. I believed that one day, you'd open up and share that pain with me. You once told me, didn't you? That the reason you duel is to bring smiles to others and protect their happiness."
She pointed at him, her words striking like a whip.
"You duel because you want to help people. Whatever form it takes, you believe dueling can create a better future. Isn't that what Yumi Uzushi stands for!?"
Her words pierced through the fog in his heart, reminding him. This world wasn't like the one he came from. Here, the apocalypse, the end of everything, those weren't distant possibilities. They could happen at any time. And when they did, people stood against it through dueling… fighting for their futures.
That was why he had chosen to be a duelist. To make sure he would never be powerless when that time comes.
Yumi let out a long breath as he slowly pushed himself up from the salty water. "This is terrible… getting a pep talk from you of all people," he muttered with a crooked smile, seawater dripping down his frame.
"But I remember now." His grin widened, sharp and defiant. "I am a… selfish, sadistic, narcissistic, egotistic..." He flicked his jacket back, shaking water from his cards. "... and a righteous duelist fighting for justice and peace!"
Momoyo couldn't help but smile at that. Seeing her brother's grin return, watching those dull eyes ignite with light again, filled her with relief.
"My turn! Draw!" Yumi snapped his card from the deck in a swift, confident motion.
"Trap card, open! D.D. Dynamite! You take 300 damage for every one of your removed from play cards!" One of Momoyo's set cards flipped open.
A dimensional bomb appeared in front of Yumi, strapped with burning red sticks of dynamite, ready to blow.
"I activate Clear Kuriboh's effect, negating the effect damage!" Yumi sent the tiny creature to the grave, and the blast fizzled harmlessly.
"You really had to draw into that, huh?" Momoyo said, shaking her head with a smile.
"Thanks for the cards, sis," he replied smugly, sliding another into his Duel Disk.
"Spell card, Miracle Fusion! I banish Masked HERO Dust Crow and Masked HERO Ray from my grave!"
The two fallen heroes rose from the grave, diving into a swirling vortex of light.
"As the power of Light and Dark unite, the HERO of black and white emerges!"
A figure stepped forward from the vortex, one foot black, the other white. Their cyan eyes blazed with determination, and the split armor gleamed, half dark, half light. Scarves of black and white whipped in the ocean wind as the hero landed with a heavy step.
"Contrast HERO Chaos!"
[Contrast HERO Chaos, 3000 ATK]