Predaplant Chimerafflesia was destroyed by Dangerous. After that, Aster's gaze shifted to the Fighting Flame Dragon.
He didn't know what this monster's effect was, but one thing was certain:
It was FIRE-Attribute.
A FIRE Fusion Monster, made from a FIRE Warrior and a Dragon—its design was distinctly related to Flame Swordsman.
Obviously, another Flame Swordsman-linked card.
He could choose not to attack.
However, in doing so, next turn, Hikaru would still have a FIRE Fusion Monster on the field, because during the Standby Phase, the Flame Swordsman he sent to the "future" would return.
Given that…he may as well attack now.
"Plasma attacks Fighting Flame Dragon!"
Fighting Flame Dragon was caught in Plasma's claw and torn apart.
"Then I Special Summon—Mirage Swordsman."
The golden-armored warrior reappeared on Hikaru's field once more.
[Mirage Swordsman] Level 8│FIRE│Warrior│2800 ATK
"End of turn."
"My turn—Draw!"
Hikaru glanced at his hand. 'Fusion Substitute?'
He frowned. Not suitable.
"Now, Predaplant Chimerafflesia's effect activates! When this card is sent to the Graveyard, during the next Standby Phase, I can add a Spell/Trap that lists "Fusion" from my Deck to my hand."
'!!!'
"A monster effect that searches any Fusion-related card!"
"Seriously perfect for Amaki Hikaru."
"Wow… even if it's the second time seeing it, it really hits how far Hikaru's pursuit of Fusion has come..."
In fact, in a few days, Hikaru might even pull off fusing into a monster whose name includes "Fusion."
Regretfully, he couldn't do that now.
"I add Fusion Recycling Plant from my Deck to my hand, then activate it."
RUMBLE—
The familiar Fusion-only Field Spell rose across the Duel Field.
Hikaru could've chosen a more versatile card, but right now, drawing a fresh card was the better move.
"I activate Fusion Recycling Plant's effect: Discard 1 card to add 1 "Polymerization" from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand."
He retrieved a Fusion from his Deck.
"Then, from the Graveyard, Fusion Substitute's effect: Return Chimerafflesia to the Extra Deck to draw 1 card."
Hikaru drew.
Re-Fusion.
That worked—now he didn't need to use Dragon's Mirror.
"Tierra?"
"Hah... Are you doubting me?" Tierra answered irritably.
Everything was ready!
"Then here we go—
"Battle Phase!!"
Hikaru shouted, "Mirage Swordsman, attack Destiny HERO - Plasma!"
"Huh? That's suicide!"
"Yeah, even if Plasma only has 1900 Attack, Aster Phoenix can still use his effect!"
Exactly—
Dangerous's effect could still be used!
But that was also the issue!
If Aster used Dangerous's effect now, with only one card in hand, he wouldn't be able to discard another Destiny HERO later. Then, Mirage Swordsman's effect would be active again!
However… if he didn't activate it, Hikaru's Mirage Swordsman attacking Plasma would still be a death sentence!
Because Plasma was all he had left. If he lost it...
And inside that card, his father's soul still lingered.
"I activate Dangerous's monster effect! Discard 1 card and send Destiny HERO - Double Dude from Deck to Graveyard! All Destiny HERO monsters I control gain 1600 ATK!"
[Destiny HERO - Plasma, ATK: 1900 → 3500]
"But that means you have to shuffle, Aster!"
Hikaru struck the heart of the issue, pointing at Aster: "When you manipulate your Deck to send a card to the Graveyard, you must shuffle!
"And if D - Force isn't on the top of your Deck afterward, Plasma loses the ability to negate the effects of all opponent monsters!
"So come on, Aster!
"Shuffle!
"Will it be decided by Destiny or by your own decision?
"It all rides on this shuffle!"
Shuffle!
Everyone held their breath, watching Aster. He looked down at his Deck, both afraid and... hopeful.
Hopeful about what this shuffle might mean.
He picked up his Deck, refused to let the Duel Disk auto-shuffle, and slowly shuffled it by hand, eyes closed.
Everyone stared at his hands. KaibaCorp's cameras zoomed in, broadcasting the shuffle to the entire site.
As Aster shuffled, D - Force repeatedly reappeared near the top of the Deck. Every time he casually cut, it almost landed on top again.
That was Destiny's "favor."
Then suddenly—
Aster froze.
He swallowed instinctively, then slowly opened his eyes and looked at the top card of his Deck.
'!!!'
His eyes widened.
D - Force was nowhere to be seen…
It was at the bottom of the Deck!
"Haha..." Hikaru let out a soft laugh. "Battle continues!!"
"Mirage Swordsman attacks Destiny HERO - Plasma!!"
"Mirror-Flame Slash!!"
Mirage Swordsman charged the bloody warrior, whose body unleashed a torrent of swallowed souls like a black hole.
Anyhow, Mirage Swordsman's body glowed with a sacred power that shielded him from the onslaught.
"Mirage Swordsman's effect! During the damage step of battle, destroy both battling monsters!"
"What?!"
"Meaning—no matter what Aster does—"
"Plasma will be destroyed!"
Blue fire erupted and engulfed Plasma. A burst of blinding white light exploded across the sky.
"AAAH!!"
The crowd gasped.
As Plasma exploded, Aster suddenly found himself in a violet space!
Where was this...
"Aster."
A gentle voice called from behind. He turned in shock.
"Fa... Father."
Elsewhere, a small figure rested her chin in her hand, watching. Tierra, as a Goddess of Rebirth and Machinery, had used her Authority…
To release a soul. To reincarnate it.
"Father—Dad!!" Aster could barely speak.
"Aster, you've grown," his father said, relieved. "Sorry, I kept you trapped in a frozen clock."
"No, I..."
"However, now, it's time for that clock to tick again."
"I used to think Plasma was my creation, but when I dwelled within it, I realized I was wrong.
"Just like Pegasus receiving inspiration from the cosmos to create the God Cards, I, too, received divine insight to craft that card.
"That said, its true form was never unlocked. It was possessed by evil. That's why it became what it did!"
"You were too fixated on my death to see it."
He gently embraced Aster.
"Stop blaming yourself, my proud son. Defeating D.D. and destroying the card wasn't the second death of your father.
"It was the salvation of our souls.
"You are a true Hero, Aster!
"Defeat the evil. Restore that card's true form!"
Without realizing it, Aster's tears had already begun to flow.
The Light Force struggled violently, desperate to corrupt this human vessel. It longed for his potential.
Yet, with his father's soul revealed and his true feelings laid bare… This born Hero reclaimed his pride.
'Father... watch me now!'
In the next instant, he reappeared on the Duel Field, took a deep breath, wiped his eyes, and smiled.
"Well done, President Hikaru!"
"However, because Mirage Swordsman destroyed himself with his own effect, he can't revive!"
'True.'
Hikaru looked at his hand.
"I activate Spell Card: Re-Fusion. Pay 800 LP to revive Fighting Flame Dragon."
[Hikaru, LP: 2600 → 1800]
[Fighting Flame Dragon] Level 5│FIRE│Dragon│1700 ATK
"I set one card. Turn end."
"My turn. Draw!"
"Now, Flame Swordsman crosses the river of time and returns to my field!"
[Flame Swordsman] Level 5│FIRE│Warrior│1600 DEF
Aster drew, "Ha… I drew Pot of Avarice! Return 5 monsters from my Graveyard to my Deck and draw 2 cards!
"Diamond Dude, Doom Lord, Dreadmaster, Denier... and Destiny HERO - Plasma, back to Deck!"
His Deck began rapidly shuffling.
After a moment, the shuffle stopped.
Through the card tint, he saw D - Force still at the bottom of the Deck.
"Heh."
He looked at the two cards he drew.
One was... a Trap Card featuring Plasma he'd never seen before:
Trap Card, Break the Destiny!!
He clenched his fist. This must have been from his father… a card placed into his Deck just moments ago. A card that told him not to give up.
Then—the other was...
The card that would lead him to victory!
"I activate Normal Spell, Pot of Benevolence! Target 2 cards in both players' Graveyards. Return them to their respective Decks, then banish this card. I return your Mirage Swordsman and my Pot of Greed! That way, you can't use Dark Flare Knight's evolution effect!"
"Dangerous, attack the returning Flame Swordsman! Defeat the card that symbolizes the President's soul!"
"Hah—like I'd let you destroy it that easily!" Hikaru grinned. "It crossed time, fate, countless hardships, and bonded with me. It's the starting point of my Fusion path!
"It is my ace monster!"
"I activate Trap Card—Fusion Duplication!"
The Trap flipped, showing Magical Scientist and the creation of Ready Fusion.
Aster blinked.
"This card can be activated once per turn. Target 1 "Fusion" Normal or Quick-Play Spell in either Graveyard. Banish that Spell and apply its effect."
"From your Graveyard," Hikaru said.
'No way!'
"That's right, Aster—I choose your "Polymerization"!"
"I don't care about Destiny or Hero—you've always been a Fusion Club member, and you've always been my friend! So let me use your Fusion now!
"I activate Fusion Duplication's effect—replicating Polymerization!
"I fuse Flame Swordsman and Fighting Flame Dragon!"
The fire dragon coiled around the Swordsman.
"They're fusing two Fusion Monsters??"
"Fusion of a Fusion Monster??"
"Fusing Fighting Flame Dragon, which itself was fused from Flame Swordsman??"
Everyone held their breath.
This time, Flame Swordsman didn't yell playfully. He solemnly raised his oversized greatsword. His armor cracked, then was reforged into a grander, brighter design.
Just like Tierra said, he and Mirage were long overdue for evolution.
Mirage refused to evolve into anything but a Fusion support monster.
That said, Flamesword's energy had always been too great!
"Fusion Materials: Flame Swordsman and Fighting Flame Dragon!"
Aster was shocked, "A Fusion with specific listed materials?!"
Hikaru hadn't used such a monster in ages.
But…
This was the original form of Fusion!
He raised both hands. Fire surged across his palms. Then he clasped his hands together.
"The swordsman who controls fire! The flame dragon that wields a greatsword!
Unite with the power of Fusion, and take on a new form—stand by my side!"
"My most trusted companion—
"Fusion Summon!
"My partner, my friend, my symbol!"
"Level 8! Ultimate Flame Swordsman!!"
BOOM!!!
Fire engulfed the sky, scorching the crimson veil!
[Ultimate Flame Swordsman] Level 8│FIRE│Warrior│2800 ATK
Seeing the flaming greatsword, the dragon coiled around the swordsman, and that steadfast warrior's face, Aster was momentarily dazed.
[You chose Fusion. I chose Hero. We are no different.]
He almost heard it.
"Ha..."
Yeah…
He remembered now.
Was it really because his father died that he chose HEROes?
No—he had already been playing with HERO cards as a child, joyfully.
His father created Destiny HEROes because he loved them.
"2800... huh. Battle continues! Dangerous attacks Ultimate Flame Swordsman!!"
He charged into the flames, laughing: "I activate Dangerous's effect! Discard 1 card, send 1 Destiny HERO from Deck to Graveyard. All Destiny HEROes gain 800 ATK!"
[Dangerous, ATK: 2000 → 2800]
"Same ATK as Ultimate Flame Swordsman!"
"Whoa..."
Though their ATKs were even, the Duelists delivered an impact none could believe.
At Aster's cry, Dangerous cast off his binding chains. For the first time, he stopped hiding himself!
The HERO power within him exploded, transforming into rainbow light aimed at the Supreme Swordsman.
Even against a stronger foe, he would give it his all!
This was the HERO of "Destiny!"
"Ha..." Hikaru smiled back. "Then I strike back!
"Ultimate Flame Swordsman's effect: At the start of damage calculation during battle, double its ATK, then destroy it during the End Phase!"
"It doubles!?" Aster gasped.
[Ultimate Flame Swordsman, ATK: 2800 → 5600]
"WHOA!! 5600!!"
"It surpassed Five-Headed Dragon!!"
The crowd erupted.
From the duelists' philosophies, to the shocking reveals, to unseen cards—
For students cooped up at this site, this Duel wasn't just exciting.
It was inspiring.
Now, Ultimate Flame Swordsman's ATK far exceeded Dangerous's!
"No matter! Keep going, Dangerous! Show them our spirit!"
"Let's go, Flameblade!!"
BOOM—
Like a comet smashing Earth, the two warriors clashed. Dangerous spun his mighty blade like a cyclone, trying to snuff out the fire—
But the more the fire was fanned, the more it blazed!
The flames pierced through Dangerous, spreading to Aster himself.
[Aster Phoenix, LP: 2400 → 0]
"Haha…"
Aster laughed again.
His heart raced.
Then he shook his head with a smile.
Seriously, what am I getting all fired up for?