What is this power!?"
The first to react wasn't Celina or Sarina, but Light Force, who was controlling Sartorius's shadow.
The more powerful the entity, the more it could sense just how terrifying the card Amaki Hikaru was about to use truly was.
"Wait…"
Precisely because of that, it couldn't allow that card to activate.
"Activate Counter Trap, Magic Jammer... Wh-What!?"
"Useless!"
Hikaru held the card aloft, lightning converging from every direction.
"Super Polymerization's activation can't be responded to by anything, an invincible power!"
"Release the ultimate power!"
"Absolutely invincible!"
"Super Polymerization!"
"Th-This..." Sartorius's shadow stood dumbfounded at the sight.
Even Light Force could do nothing, stunned as the card activated before its eyes.
It… couldn't even reverse time at this moment!
The instant the card activated, everything had already been decided!
"I see now..." Light Force finally came to a realization, the first to understand the truth.
"The potential you possess to destroy countless dimensions... it wasn't that unknown god from another world, was it...?"
"Aaaaah!!!" Hikaru raised the card, forcing into being a Fusion Monster that didn't even exist in his Deck, as Super Polymerization frantically siphoned his power.
For victory, for everything.
He felt his body lighten, his soul seemingly drifting.
"So this power… doesn't entirely belong to you." Seeing this, Light Force continued, "Indeed, it holds world-ending might, the ultimate answer of Fusion...
BUT!!
Before the fusion is complete, its power will destroy you!"
Light Force sneered, its form flickering: "So the answer to this world... is still destruction, after all."
Just then, Tierra cursed under her breath, muttering, "Guess I'll just go back to sleep again if I have to!" She reached out and grabbed Hikaru's right hand. Light erupted from her body as several silver-white demons emerged, each lending its power.
Light Force froze.
Flame Swordsman, Dark Flare Knight, Gem-Knight Crystal, Fullmetal Alkahest, Thousand-Eyes Idol, Andal, A-Assault Core, countless of Hikaru's companions appeared at once, offering their strength.
At the same time.
Dasher, Denier, Dreadmaster, Drawhand, Dangerous, Dystopia, the HEROes belonging to Aster Phoenix also appeared beside Hikaru, giving him power.
Hikaru felt the pain gradually subside.
A gentle light began to shine.
The Fool, The Hierophant, The Devil, The Sun, and... The World manifested beside him.
"What are you all doing!!!" Sartorius's shadow roared in fury.
Yet, that wasn't all.
The souls sealed inside Chaos Ruler, the figures of Aster and Sartorius, fully manifested beside Hikaru, joining him in touching the card.
"Fuse it all, turn destruction into rebirth."
"Take my power!"
"Fuse Phoenix Enforcer on the field with Malicious on the field!!!"
The two monsters leapt high, diving into the massive vortex.
"The world, humanity, the process of dueling, it is smashing and recreating, refining all into a new form!
Fusion Summon!!!
Level 8!
Destiny HERO."
A card spontaneously formed in Hikaru's hand. Amid violet light, a figure slashed into existence, a card cracked and fragile, as if it could shatter at any moment, was born into his hand.
"Become the undying hero!"
"Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer!"
Blazing flames surged upward as a hero unfurled its wings and slowly descended.
Destruction, death, pain, but in the end, what awaited was… rebirth.
"Unbelievable..." Light Force was truly stunned.
[Destiny HERO - Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer] Level 8│DARK│Warrior│2500 ATK
"This is... the hero born from Fusion!" Celina covered her mouth in awe. "All of it... the fusion of all powers..."
Hikaru panted heavily, hands on his thighs, hunched over as he gasped. "Ready to atone yet, Light Force?"
"...Interesting. Fascinating, human!" Light Force finally reacted with true emotion upon seeing the monster. "I'm indeed shocked you could wield such a powerful card without being destroyed, regardless, its Attack is only 2500. As long as Chaos Ruler remains, your monster can't activate its effect!"
"Heh, while Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer is on the field, all your monsters." Hikaru straightened, stretched out his hand, and mimed grabbing two monsters, "lose 200 Attack for each HERO in my Graveyard!"
"...What!? Another passive effect!?" Light Force gasped.
"Currently, the HEROes in my Graveyard are..."
Hikaru looked toward his Graveyard. One by one, HERO shadows appeared: "Avian, Burstinatrix, Phoenix Enforcer, Malicious, Denier, Celestial, Disc Commander, Dystopia, a total of 8. So, all your monsters lose 1600 Attack!"
"What!?" Sartorius's shadow's eyes widened.
[Chaos Ruler, ATK: 3300 → 1700]
[Dark Ruler, ATK: 4000 → 2400]
"Tch..."
"Battle! Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer attacks Chaos Ruler!"
"Eternal Flame Wings!"
The undying hero soared into the air, body ablaze, incinerating the monster that once ruled light and darkness.
Residual flames scorched Sartorius's body, reducing his LP.
[Sartorius's Shadow, LP: 8100 → 7300]
"Still, Dark Ruler has 4000 Defense!" Light Force breathed a short-lived sigh of relief.
Dark Ruler, in Upright Position, has a double attack effect, but shifts to Defense Position after the second attack.
That 4000 Defense, those two monsters couldn't break through!
"Since Chaos Ruler is destroyed, I can now activate effects again! Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer's effect! Once per turn, on either player's turn: destroy one card you control and one card on the field!"
"What?!"
"I choose Phoenix Enforcer and your Dark Ruler!"
"Tch..."
Phoenix Enforcer ignited, flames consuming the Dark Ruler.
Now, Sartorius's field was empty.
"To destroy your Dark Ruler, you gave up your hard-earned ace? Looks like..."
"Phoenix Enforcer's effect!"
"...?"
"If this card is destroyed by battle or card effect: During the next Standby Phase, Special Summon 1 Destiny HERO from your Graveyard!"
Hikaru tapped his forehead lightly: "You haven't forgotten the name 'Phoenix Enforcer,' have you?"
"It revives itself from destruction!?" Celina gasped.
Each of those three effects sounded outrageous on its own. Together, they were beyond outrageous!
"...Destroyed, then returns from death, endlessly cycling, reborn anew..." Tierra looked at the fallen Phoenix Enforcer, surprise on her face. "I think I like this card."
"Destruction... and rebirth?" Light Force's form trembled violently. It seemed barely able to remain stable.
"Battle continues. Colossus attacks directly!"
Colossus charged at Sartorius's shadow, unleashing a storm of thunder in retaliation for earlier abuse.
[Sartorius's Shadow, LP: 7300 → 4700]
"End of turn."
Sartorius's shadow was stunned. He drew his card almost instinctively.
Light Barrier began to rotate, landing Upright.
Although this time, he had no heart to celebrate.
Because…
That monster, Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer, reappeared on Hikaru's field!
"So that's what you meant..." Light Force finally understood what Hikaru meant earlier.
[Unless you rewind to turn one, you absolutely cannot win.]
At this moment, even if time were reversed to the beginning, Hikaru could use Fusion Destiny to summon this HERO right from the start! From the very beginning, from the origin, he could erase all 'death', 'destruction', and 'domination.'
With Thunder Dragon Colossus on the field, Sartorius's shadow couldn't add any card from the Deck to the hand, even if Light Force succeeded in retrieving itself, it would only gain 300 LP via a Continuous Spell.
And because Phoenix Enforcer was present, no matter what was summoned, Hikaru could destroy it before it became a threat.
Light Force stared in shock.
Had it... lost?
Was there truly nothing left to control?
Despite having over 8000 LP, invincible monsters, and the ability to manipulate destiny, it lost?
And in a way where nothing it did could've saved it!?
"Defense Summon, The Lovers."
The copied shadow of Sartorius still continued to duel, even though it was clear to everyone he had already lost.
This... was Dueling?
"It's useless. At your End Phase, I destroy Phoenix Enforcer to also destroy your Lovers!"
"My turn, draw. Return from destruction once more, undying HERO!"
The burning Phoenix rose from the Graveyard. In that moment, its form seemed to overlap with Aster's own.
In a single duel, Hikaru had used nearly every Fusion card in his Deck to create this moment.
He smiled.
"Battle! Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer and Thunder Dragon Colossus, direct attack!"
Phoenix Enforcer burned with fire, Colossus roared with thunder.
"Aaaaargh!"
[Sartorius's Shadow, LP: 4700 → 0]
Amid lightning and fire, Sartorius's shadow's Life Points fell to zero.
He slowly knelt down, upper body rigid, eyes dull as he opened his mouth and released countless burning white lights. His form gradually reverted to that of a normal human.
The radiant light began to fade. Hikaru noticed the light converging on the tower was dispersing, and the pain of forcing out Phoenix Enforcer faded from his body.
What should have been a power that destroyed everything was instead, just as promised, slowly restoring his body and healing what was lost.
He looked at the card in his hand. Like melting ice, it softly crumbled into pieces and vanished into the air. However, its power stayed in the Decks of Hikaru and Aster.
"Truly... you have shown me something beyond belief."
The world, the universe, and all existence shimmered around Hikaru, wrapping him in a cosmic embrace.
His heart skipped a beat.
It was time to face Light Force directly.