"My turn."
Hikaru wasted no words and immediately began his turn. The moment the duel started, the Duel Disk automatically presented him with a card. He glanced at it and acted without hesitation.
"Normal Summon, Myutant M-05!"
A strange creature encased in what appeared to be a cultivation chamber materialized on Hikaru's field.
"An unfamiliar card?"
"Hikaru still has cards up his sleeve!" The surrounding Fusion Army soldiers whispered among themselves.
The nobles, however, barely reacted. Those who had truly risen to the top of the S-Dimension knew exactly what Sayer had been working on, and by extension, they knew the secrets behind these cards.
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can activate its effect, add 1 Myutant monster from my Deck to my hand, except Myutant M-05. I add Myutant ST-46 to my hand."
"Next, I activate the second effect of Myutant M-05, Tribute this card, then banish 1 card from my hand or 1 face-up card on the field. Special Summon 1 monster from my hand or Deck, based on the banished card. I banish Myutant ST-46 from my hand, and since I banished a Monster, I Special Summon Myutant Beast!"
"Roooaar!!"
The tentacled creature convulsed wildly, then launched itself into the air. It collided with an unseen presence, twisting and merging in a violent fusion before reshaping into a towering monster.
Myutant Beast - Level 8 / EARTH / Beast-Type / ATK 2400
"Set one card. Turn end!"
"2400 ATK? That's all?"
"Ha, what an unremarkable opening."
"Couldn't even pull off a Fusion Summon. Looks like Hikaru's been rattled by the professor."
Several elite soldiers watching from the sidelines sneered.
Leo Akaba adjusted his cloak. Although he wasn't particularly devoted to dueling as a scientist, his exceptional memory and analytical mind more than compensated. He had already studied the intelligence the nobles provided, he knew that Myutant Beast could negate and banish a Spell Card the moment the opponent activated one.
So his approach was simple: bait the effect out first.
"My turn. Draw." Leo Akaba's expression was stone-cold.
"Activate Spell Card, Dark Hole."
"Destroy all monsters on the field."
Hikaru didn't flinch. He let the card resolve. If his opponent had drawn it, there was no point holding back, he might as well use the opportunity.
A massive void erupted at the center of the field, collapsing inward and swallowing everything in its reach.
"And now, Continuous Spell Card, Opening of the Spirit Gates!"
A weathered scroll of parchment descended from above. Behind Leo Akaba, the silhouette of a great blue demon appeared, its crimson eyes burning as they stared into his back.
That was Raviel, Lord of Phantasms.
Hikaru didn't hesitate for even a second. "Then, in response to your Spell Card activation, I chain Trap Card, Myutant Cry!"
"During the Main Phase: Fusion Summon 1 Myutant Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, by shuffling the Fusion Materials listed on it into the Deck, from among your cards on the field, Graveyard, and banished zone!"
"The Fusion condition is two Myutant monsters of different Attributes. I return Myutant Beast from my Graveyard and Myutant M-05 from my Graveyard to the Deck, Fusion Summon, Myutant Synthesis!"
"Return to Deck Fusion."
"Tch. He summoned that monster just to set up Fusion Materials? He really doesn't let anything go to waste."
Hikaru raised his right hand, calling out: "Fusion Summon!
Defense Position, Level 9, Myutant Synthesis!"
First, a flash of green, a green eye blinked, emitting light from the darkness. Then, countless branch-like tentacles extended outward from this "eye," finally filling the entire space.
Myutant Synthesis - Level 9 / WATER / Psychic-Type / DEF 2000
"Pfft, an evil and disgusting monster." A noblewoman couldn't help but comment under her breath.
For nobles, powerful cards were certainly powerful, but if they didn't match their personal tastes, even Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier would be discarded without a second thought.
This was the greatest "imbalance" of this world. For common people, decks assembled with all their heart and effort were nothing more than trash that nobles could casually throw aside.
Hikaru glanced at the noblewoman who had spoken. She immediately raised her fan, concealing her face.
Hikaru turned back to continue the Duel. "When this monster is Fusion Summoned: I can target 1 card on the field and destroy it. I destroy your Opening of the Spirit Gates."
Whoosh whoosh whoosh
Three tentacles shot toward Leo Akaba first, grabbing the falling scroll and tearing it to shreds. Leo Akaba watched without a flicker of emotion.
"Indeed, the set card was a Myutant Cry." Leo Akaba spoke as though he had seen through Hikaru completely. "You've always been like this, no matter the situation, always saving Fusion for last."
Hikaru waited to hear what profound insight Leo Akaba had to offer.
"But what, in the end, is the difference between you and them?" Leo Akaba swept his gaze across the Fusion Army soldiers. "Whether using Synchro Monsters or Fusion Monsters, everything ultimately converges to Fusion."
Leo Akaba continued: "I've warned you many times.
The power you wield, the god you rely on named Tierra, isn't that also a power born of darkness? And this artificial monster beside you, wasn't it born through human experimentation and Psychic Power research?
Hmph. Can your high-sounding words still deceive even yourself?"
"What is this madman saying? Hikaru, hand me your Duel Disk, I'll beat him to death!" Tierra, standing nearby, was once again infuriated by Leo Akaba.
Last time, she had dueled an entire match, and it wasn't until the very end that Tierra lost her temper, because Leo Akaba had said she was inferior to the Sacred Beasts. But this time, Leo Akaba had taken barely ten seconds to drive Tierra to the brink of madness, to the point where she wanted Hikaru to stop the Duel immediately so she could resort to her true specialty: an all-out brawl.
"Heh." Hikaru laughed. "Trying to bury your crimes with that kind of nonsense?
I'm like you?
No. My Duels, my experiments, my research, all of it has always been conducted collaboratively with my companions, never by forcing anyone to cooperate or serve as an unwilling test subject.
Leo Akaba, stop with this nonsense. You capture Duel Spirits for experiments. You turned Crystal and the others into something neither human nor spirit. You drove the Andal to madness. You invaded the entire Frightfur world. You even captured your own daughter and used her as an experimental subject. Your crimes are too numerous to count, and with all that, you still dare to shamelessly claim I'm no different from you?
Enough of your lies!!"
"Someone like you, who wanted to use modification technology on your own daughter, and even brainwash her, will never change my mind, nor make me doubt myself.
Don't foolishly dream of shaking my Duel state with words."
"Hmph."
In the laboratory, Ruri and Rin both looked at Serena, their eyes asking a wordless question.
"You were..."
Serena nodded.
Looking back now, if that experimental base hadn't been destroyed in time, perhaps the Parasite Fusioner experiment would still be ongoing, and perhaps she and Ruri would have already been fully brainwashed by now.
"Brainwashing?" Leo Akaba heard the word and shook his head slightly. "How could that be? After all, they are my daughters."
Hikaru raised an eyebrow.
Serena, watching the live feed, sat up straight.
"It's simply that, as a father's wish, shouldn't daughters lend their help?"
Serena stared blankly at the screen.
"Truly disgusting." Hikaru replied, his voice calm.
"Heh, no matter what, you no longer have any means to stop me, and my turn continues!
Normal Summon - Chaos Summoning Beast!"
A small skeletal demon roared onto the field. Hikaru narrowed his eyes at the sight.
"The effect of Chaos Summoning Beast, by Tributing it, I can Special Summon 1 of the Sacred Beasts from my hand, ignoring its Summoning Conditions!"
"I Tribute Chaos Summoning Beast, descend!
Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder!!"
Crack! boom!!
Thunder struck from outside the Elder Council hall and into it, and where the lightning hit, countless ice crystals formed. Within those countless ice crystals, a golden demon opened its eyes.
Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder - Level 10 / LIGHT / Thunder-Type / ATK 4000
"It's here, a Sacred Beast." Hikaru showed no emotional reaction at the sight. After all, this was already the second time he had faced this monster.
"Activate the effect of Chaos Summoning Beast in the GY!" Leo Akaba waved his hand, and the demon in the GY began to glow. "By banishing this card from the GY, I can add one Fallen Paradise from my Deck to my hand!"
A card automatically popped out of his Deck and flew into his hand.
Leo Akaba looked at the drawn card and casually placed it in the Field Zone. "If it weren't for Crowler's obstruction, I would have obtained this card long ago and replicated more using scientific methods.
If it had been earlier, perhaps my Deck would be completely finished by now. In that case, Ray would become the true 'first' female in the world, an existence like Eve.
But, you hindered my experiment."
?
It sounded different from what Hikaru had expected.
But it sounded even more unhinged than Hikaru had expected.
As Leo Akaba spoke, a huge ancient tree radiating vigorous life rose behind him.
But as the ancient tree grew, its leaves began to fall, and finally, a rotten apple dropped to the ground with a wet, squishy thud.
"The effect of Field Spell card, Fallen Paradise: If any Sacred Beast exists on the field, activate, draw 2 cards!"
Hikaru looked around, surveying the field.
It seemed this was a Fallen Paradise replicated by Leo Akaba through scientific means.
He recalled that the original Fallen Paradise's effect was: "If any of the Sacred Beasts exist on the field, once per turn, the controller of this card can select two cards from their Deck and add them to their hand."
That was even more terrifying than simply drawing two.
Of course, even as it was now, it was already outrageous enough.
"Battle! Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder attacks Myutant Synthesis, Thunder of Fallen Paradise!"
Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder roared to the sky. It was extremely unwilling, but there was nothing it could do to change that. It summoned lightning to strike the monster on Hikaru's field.
Boom!
The tentacles were frantically electrocuted, gradually turning black, then charred, and finally crumbling completely to ash.
"After Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder destroys a monster by battle, inflict 1000 damage to your opponent!"
Hikaru was prepared. He crossed his arms in front of him, bracing himself for what came next.
Hamon roared again, and countless thunderbolts assailed him from afar, one after another thudding into his body.
Hikaru, LP: 4000 → 3000.
"Master!"
"Brother Hikaru."
The few people watching the broadcast exclaimed in shock. They could see that as Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder's attack landed, Hikaru's body was indeed pierced by ice pillars, leaving many wounds. If the ice hadn't directly frozen them shut, perhaps the blood would have flowed uncontrollably.
But Hikaru paid no mind to his injuries. He simply spoke after his monster was destroyed: "The effect of Myutant Synthesis, Fusion Summoned. If this Fusion Summoned card is destroyed by your opponent: You can add 1 of your banished Myutant cards to your hand. I add the banished Myutant ST-46 to my hand."
Leo Akaba watched Hikaru replenish his hand, but he wasn't anxious. He remembered the effects of the other Myutant monsters well enough.
"I set one card, and with that, I end my turn."
He didn't seem nervous at all.
Having successfully navigated past one negation and one destruction with ease, Hikaru clearly had some skill. However, since Leo Akaba hadn't gotten the more troublesome Sacred Beast engine fully going, Hikaru wasn't too worried either.
At this point, Leo Akaba hadn't played any particularly overwhelming cards, but from his attitude and his card choices, Hikaru could already get a rough read on his strategy.
It had to be said, Leo Akaba, though perhaps mentally unhinged, had one undeniably sharp quality: he knew exactly what his advantages were.
In the original series, he had relied on his deeper understanding of Declan to suppress him, and Declan was already a top-tier Duelist by any measure.
And if Leo Akaba was drawing two cards and deploying powerful monsters every single turn, it would still be quite disadvantageous for Hikaru in the long run.
"My turn, Draw!"
Hikaru glanced at his hand.
"Field Spell card, Dream Mirror!"
"Tch." Leo Akaba immediately made a face as though he'd swallowed something foul.
Under the rules of this world, only one Field Spell could exist on the field at a time, for either player!
...
Stones??