"It's this old fellow's turn."
The Duke drew a card from his Deck, studied his hand, and deliberated briefly.
First, to cycle some cards.
"I activate the Spell Card Allure of Darkness. I draw two cards, then banish one DARK monster from my hand." He drew two from his Deck, examined the rest of his hand, nodded lightly, and revealed a card. "I banish Annihilator Archfiend from my hand."
"Next, Normal Summon: Archfiend Cavalry!"
Neigh...
A skeletal knight riding a ghostly horse appeared on the Duke's field.
"Then, from my hand, Berserk Archfiend's effect! I target Archfiend Cavalry on my field. This card is Special Summoned, and then Archfiend Cavalry is destroyed!"
"RAAHH!!!"
A wild-haired fiend wielding a massive battleaxe howled onto the field.
Berserk Archfiend. Level 6, DARK Attribute, Fiend-Type. ATK 2000.
"Berserk Archfiend's effect activates. When this card is Special Summoned by its own effect, I can target face-up monsters my opponent controls, up to the number of monsters destroyed. This card gains ATK equal to the total original ATK of those targeted monsters, until the end of my next turn."
"I destroyed one of my own monsters, so I can target one monster on your field. My target is your Predaplant Chimerafflesia!"
Berserk Archfiend raised its great axe, roared, and shredded the surrounding plant roots, devouring them.
"At the same time, Archfiend Cavalry's effect activates. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: I target one Archfiend monster in my Graveyard other than Archfiend Cavalry and Special Summon it. The monster Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack this turn.
I Special Summon Archfiend Commander in Defense Position."
Berserk Archfiend, ATK: 2000 → 4500. Archfiend Commander. Level 6, DARK Attribute, Fiend-Type. DEF 1200.
Defense Position, no less. Very cautious indeed.
"4500 ATK! That rivals the legendary Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"
"Such incredible Attack Power!"
The Duke's subjects couldn't help cheering.
Effects and tactics required understanding the game, but raw ATK was raw ATK, plain for anyone to see.
"Then..." He looked at the cards in his hand. "Quick-Play Spell: Offerings to the Doomed. I target one face-up monster on the field and destroy it. I skip my next Draw Phase."
Offerings to the Doomed.
Hikaru was quite familiar with this card. A classic from Duel Links.
On the field, a strange funeral altar slowly lit up. Flames materialized from thin air, and before long, Chimerafflesia burned away in the inferno.
"Oh no!" Fräulein gasped.
She certainly didn't want Hikaru to lose.
But at this rate, Hikaru was being stripped of every means of resistance!
If Hikaru didn't use his Set cards, Berserk Archfiend with 4500 ATK could attack directly and win!
She wasn't the only one who realized this. The spectating spirits erupted in gasps.
"Berserk Archfiend, direct attack on the opponent!" Duke of Demise raised his hand. The stench of decay began to spread. As the "Duke," he rallied his fiend subordinates to charge.
Berserk Archfiend began gathering power, its massive battleaxe poised to fall.
"Flip Set cards!" Hikaru had no choice and immediately activated his face-downs.
First, the Trap Card: Chain Material.
Once activated, when Hikaru performed a Fusion this turn, he could banish Fusion Materials listed on a Fusion Monster Card from his hand, Deck, field, or Graveyard as Fusion Materials. On the turn it was activated, he couldn't attack, and any monster Fusion Summoned by this effect would be destroyed during the End Phase.
Then, chaining separately, after the first Trap resolved, he activated the Trap Card: Necro Fusion.
"From my Deck, I banish Ancient Gear Commander and Ancient Gear Hunting Hound, and Special Summon Ancient Gear Howitzer in Defense Position!"
Ancient Gear Howitzer. Level 8, EARTH Attribute, Machine-Type. DEF 1800.
"Ancient Gear..." Camula's expression soured. Losing to an "ugly" duelist had kept her up for a while. Every time she tried to sleep, Crowler's face would jolt her awake, making her skin crawl.
But she also knew that the one called Crowler was Hikaru's teacher, so using these cards was only natural.
"Ancient Gear Howitzer?" The old Duke studied it for a moment, then said slowly. "If I recall correctly, when this card is destroyed by battle, it can Special Summon an Ancient Gear monster from the Deck ignoring its Summoning conditions, correct?
I won't attack. After all, a monster Fusion Summoned via Chain Material is destroyed during the End Phase anyway.
I'll simply Set two cards and end my turn."
BOOM!
Ancient Gear Howitzer instantly vanished.
With that, Hikaru's field was completely empty. In his hand, only Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio remained.
"My my, if you'd just Fused me at the start of that guy's turn, you wouldn't be losing at all, would you?" Tierra watched Hikaru's predicament and couldn't resist a sarcastic remark.
Fräulein perked up her ears with curiosity.
As far as she knew, Winda shouldn't be capable of something like that?
"Don't be ridiculous. You know perfectly well there's only one Lilith and one Satan in this Deck, plus the Hex-Sealed Fusion creatures. None of them have strong enough effects to bring you out." Hikaru shot back. "Besides, there's no De-Fusion right now. What, you want a round trip to the Graveyard?"
Of course, more importantly, this wasn't a life-or-death battle. What would summoning Tierra even accomplish? Kill the opponent?
Completely unnecessary.
On the other side, Fräulein, Camula, and the countless vampires and fiends listened to Hikaru's words in total bewilderment.
What was that?
What was any of that?
What kind of Fusion Monster could be that powerful?
"My turn. Draw!" After chatting with Tierra, Hikaru drew a card from his Deck, glanced down, and frowned.
Tch...
"What could it be?" "Judging by his expression, it's a Spell Card."
"So, Lord Hikaru, what card is it?"
Hikaru shrugged and revealed the card for all the spirits to see.
Spell Card: Fusion Birth.
"It seems this Fusion won't be born after all." Duke of Demise chuckled heartily.
Hikaru didn't mind, sending the Spell to the Graveyard.
"Indeed, the Spell destruction is a real headache, Duke. But my Fusion will never stop here!" Hikaru narrowed his eyes and clenched his right fist. At the same time, countless vines began churning from the earth.
"Fusion Monster Predaplant Chimerafflesia's effect! When this card is sent to the Graveyard, it activates during my next Standby Phase: add one Spell Card with 'Fusion' in its name from the Deck to my hand!"
"Hm?" The Ghostrick Princess spoke for the first time, puzzled. "What good does that do?"
This was what many spirits were thinking.
Since any Spell added to hand would just be destroyed anyway, what was the point?
Only Fräulein couldn't help slowly widening her eyes.
"No." Hikaru's lips curved upward. "Eradicator Epidemic Virus's effect checks all cards the opponent draws within three of the opponent's turns, and destroys all cards of the declared type among them.
But!
Predaplant Chimerafflesia's effect adds the card directly to my hand. It's not 'drawing'!"
"Huh?" "Oh!"
"R-Right!"
"The dueling ceremony truly runs deep..."
Many onlookers watched as Hikaru began selecting a Spell from his Deck, only now realizing he had bypassed the virus's reach.
Hikaru grinned. "I choose the Equip Spell: Future Fusion!"
Hikaru didn't hold back. Since the opponent wasn't playing nice, he'd put on a show of overpowered Fusion.
"I activate the Spell Card, Future Fusion..." Hikaru slotted the Spell into his Spell/Trap Zone and couldn't help smiling.
With the invincible Future Fusion, one Fusion card was all he needed...
As a high-ranking spirit, Vampire Fräulein naturally knew this card too.
Once Future Fusion activated, everything would turn around...
"Not so fast!" But the Duke activated his swapped-in Trap at that very moment. "Trap Card: Dark Bribe!"
Hikaru's eyebrow twitched violently.
That was dirty, Duke.
"When the opponent activates a Spell or Trap Card: negate that activation and destroy it. The opponent draws one card."
Hikaru scratched the back of his head lightly.
On the field, the fusion clock symbolizing the future slowly cracked apart under a shower of gleaming gold coins.
"But wait, this means Lord Hikari gets to draw a card, right?"
"But... what good is drawing?"
Exactly.
It wasn't "adding to hand." It was "drawing"!
"Go ahead, Lord Hikari. You may draw."
Hikaru was somewhat exasperated. He drew a card, glanced down, and his brow lifted slightly. Then he revealed it to his opponent.
Without question, another Spell Card.
He sent it to the Graveyard.
"I activate the effect of Thunder Dragon Fusion, which was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard last turn."
"Another Fusion card effect from the Graveyard?" The Duke studied Hikaru with interest. "But since you didn't use it last turn, its effect must not be Fusion, correct?"
Hikaru nodded. "It's not Fusion itself, but a Fusion-related effect. An effect that gathers Fusion Materials. Thunder Dragon Fusion's effect: I banish this card from the Graveyard, which was not sent there this turn. I add one Thunder-Type monster from the Deck to my hand.
I add Thunder Dragon to my hand."
Hikaru took Thunder Dragon from his Deck into his hand. "Then, I activate Thunder Dragon's effect: I discard it from my hand, and add two more copies of Thunder Dragon from my Deck to my hand."
Hikaru discarded Thunder Dragon, then took two copies.
Hmm... he thought.
Having no Spells was definitely still a pain.
"Normal Summon: Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio."
A scorpion with a flower blooming on its tail, or perhaps a flower shaped like a scorpion, appeared spinning onto Hikaru's field.
Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio. Level 3, DARK Attribute, Plant-Type. ATK 1200.
"Ophrys Scorpio's effect: when this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I send one monster from my hand to the Graveyard to activate it. I Special Summon one Predaplant monster other than Ophrys Scorpio from my Deck."
Hikaru took a Thunder Dragon from his hand and sent it to the Graveyard, then opened his Deck. "The monster I choose is... Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra!"
A bizarre snake-plant coiled onto the field, wrapping around Hikaru's neck and coldly eyeing the enemy.
Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra. Level 3, DARK Attribute, Plant-Type. ATK 1000.
This card was one of the first two Predaplants Hikaru had ever crafted. It had later been fused with the original Sundew Kingii into Fusion Dragon, but since it was so important, Hikaru had recreated it afterward.
Come to think of it, this might actually be the first time Hikaru had successfully activated its effect.
"When Darlingtonia Cobra is Special Summoned by a Predaplant monster's effect: I add one Spell Card with 'Fusion' in its name from my Deck to my hand."
This card's search range was the same as Predaplant Chimerafflesia's: anything with "Fusion" in the name could be added to hand. In terms of convenience, it was even better than Chimerafflesia. Enough to grab Super Polymerization directly.
However, what the opponent's Set card might be was anyone's guess. This Duke was rather "underhanded." No wonder Earl of Demise's card text read "A gentleman on the outside, but evil on the inside. Not only humans, but even lesser fiends fear him."
"I add Fusion Substitute from my Deck to my hand."
"Another tactic that bypasses drawing and adds a Fusion Spell directly to hand!"
"How amazing! Even in this situation, he can still Fuse?"
Many spectating spirits were already taken aback. Even Vampire Fräulein, who had dueled Hikaru before, couldn't help nodding repeatedly.
It was precisely Hikaru's persistence with Fusion, his devotion to it, that had made her willingly hand over her true body card.
"I activate the Spell Card: Fusion Substitute!" Hikaru revealed the Spell once more. "With this card, I send Fusion Materials from my field to the Graveyard and perform a Fusion Summon!"
"Truly... remarkable." Duke of Demise nodded continuously. He never would have imagined that even under these circumstances, Hikaru could keep performing Fusions. This tenacity was exactly the kind of thing that satisfied an old-fashioned fiend like himself.
After all, it was for pride and dignity that he yearned to prove himself through dueling.
"However... the dueling ceremony is cruel, Hikari!
Flip Set card, activate!
Counter Trap: Magic Drain!"
Of course!
Hikaru cursed inwardly.
Of course it was a Counter Trap, and one that specifically targeted Spells!
A specter appeared beside Hikaru, reaching its claws toward Fusion Substitute.
"When the opponent activates a Spell Card: the opponent can discard one Spell Card from their hand to negate this card's effect. If they don't discard, that card's activation is negated and destroyed!"
Duke of Demise stood with hands behind his back, turning away like a lonely master.
"You may have cards in your hand, but that card is Thunder Dragon. So you cannot resist this effect!"
The magical vortex rising from the darkness began to be drained by the specter. With a series of cracks, the Fusion's existence vanished once more!
"It's over." Fräulein bit her lip.
"Looks like purple cutie is going to lose for sure." Camula tapped her forehead lightly with a finger. "Although the Duke can't draw next turn, he still has two monsters with over 2000 ATK on his field, and one even has 4500.
One attack and purple cutie is done."
She shook her head repeatedly. "It seems Fusion has its limits after all."
The other spirits murmured among themselves, nearly all reaching the same conclusion.
"Fusion has limits? Naive!" Hikaru caught Camula's words amid the chorus of voices and raised his voice. "If I stopped pursuing Fusion over something like this, then I, Hikaru Amagi, would have fallen on life's road long ago! How could I call myself someone who chases the ultimate Fusion?!"
!?
Fräulein and the Ghostrick Princess both looked stunned.
But...
But things were already this dire. What could he possibly do?
There was no way to Fuse anymore!
"I activate the effect of Fusion Substitute in the Graveyard!" Hikaru showed no signs of being affected. Tierra stood beside him with hands on her hips and a knowing smile, radiating confidence as if she were the one dueling. "I return one Fusion Monster from my Graveyard to the Extra Deck, banish this card, and then draw one card!"
"A Graveyard effect?" The Duke, still facing away, flinched slightly.
This effect...
He had prepared for being negated all along!
"That's right. I had already guessed that your Set cards would target my next Fusion. I just wasn't sure whether you'd destroy the Fusion Monster or the Fusion Spell.
But now, it doesn't matter!"
"Because your field and hand are likewise an open book!"
"But even if you activated Fusion Substitute and drew a card, what difference does it make!?"
"Heh heh heh..." Hikaru chuckled, then proceeded. "I return Predaplant Chimerafflesia to the Extra Deck and draw one card!"
He swiftly drew and immediately held it up for everyone to see. "Spell Card: Instant Fusion. Since it's a Spell, it's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard!"
Even if he drew a usable Fusion Spell, it would just get blown up by Eradicator Epidemic Virus anyway. Completely useless!
Every spirit was thinking the same thing.
"Ha ha ha! Wrong. The key isn't the draw, and it isn't the Spell Card." Hikaru narrowed his eyes. "The key is that my Fusion Monster returned to the Extra Deck!"
"Returned? So what? You still have no Fusion."
"Who says I don't have Fusion?"
!??
"I activate the effect of Aroma Blend in the Graveyard!"
What?
Duke of Demise was shocked. He spun around, fixing his hollow eye sockets on Hikaru's Graveyard.
Aroma Blend?
A card slowly rose from the Graveyard.
This card was...?
He froze.
It was the card drawn by Dark Bribe's effect, then destroyed by Eradicator Epidemic Virus!
"Aroma Blend is a Fusion Spell that can only perform Fusion from the Graveyard." Fragrant petals drifted slowly from the sky, dotting the surroundings, transforming this ancient, decaying camp into something gradually teeming with life.
"I banish this card from my Graveyard to activate it. I banish monsters from my hand and field as Fusion Materials to Fusion Summon one Plant-Type Fusion Monster."
Ah...
"Furthermore, if my LP are higher than my opponent's, I can also banish Plant-Type monsters from my Graveyard as Fusion Materials!"
What?!
His eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets.
"Ah..." Vampire Fräulein gasped softly. "He's Fusing again?"
"That's right. At this moment, in my Graveyard, the Fusion Materials I used last turn remain... Predaplant Sundew Kingii and Predaplant Byblisp.
I banish these two cards... and descend once more!"
Hikaru pressed his palms together.
"My faithful plant that has faced countless enemies and carried me past countless foes! Now, appear once more and show Fusion to my new friends!"
Rumble.
The plant that had once appeared in this world, having already sown its seeds, began churning from the earth on the other side.
Green branches filled the entire camp. The withered ancient trees gradually brimmed with life. An enormous, vivid flower stood tall amidst the cold wind!
Predaplant Chimerafflesia. Level 7, DARK Attribute, Plant-Type. ATK: 2500.
In this moment, it carried the aura of a "2500 ATK ace card," the entire monster radiating vigor.
"A-Amazing!"
"That's absolutely insane??"
"Even after all that, he can still Fuse?"
"Honestly, I thought the Duke's lockdown was already perfect!"
"Good grief, how many hand cards did Hikari even lose? And he can still Fuse?!"
The spirits chattered away, the entire camp erupting into a clamor.
Fräulein stared intently at Hikaru, feeling the "fighting spirit" that had faded from laziness slowly reigniting.
Fusion... was it really this fascinating?
Across the field, Duke of Demise screamed internally.
This is bad!
Chimerafflesia could search a "Fusion" Spell. Even in the best case, if Chimerafflesia and Berserk Archfiend destroyed each other in battle, next turn Lord Hikari could still add at least one "Fusion" Spell to his hand, while the Duke could only destroy one Predaplant at most.
The odds of a successful Fusion were extremely high.
Even if Hikaru drew another Spell next turn and couldn't fuse Thunder Dragon with Predaplant, the chances of victory were already slim...
"Chimerafflesia's effect! Once per turn, I can target one monster my opponent controls with a Level lower than this card's and banish it!"
Hikaru weighed the two fiends, then looked at Archfiend Commander.
"I banish Archfiend Commander."
He lost!?
The Duke's jaw dropped so far it literally dislocated.
He didn't even have hope left!
The ground beneath Archfiend Commander churned. It lost its footing as vines seized it and dragged it under, leaving it to watch the situation helplessly.
"Now, battle! Predaplant Chimerafflesia attacks Berserk Archfiend!"
"I activate Chimerafflesia's effect: my ATK increases by 1000, and Berserk Archfiend's ATK decreases by 1000!"
Predaplant Chimerafflesia, ATK: 2500 → 3500. Berserk Archfiend, ATK: 4500 → 3500.
Equal ATK.
Chimerafflesia roared and lunged at the fiend that had stolen its power. The fiend roared back, raising its battleaxe without an ounce of surrender.
The two collided. The next second, with a thunderous boom, both monsters shattered and vanished from the field.
With that...
Duke of Demise had no defenses left!
Although Hikaru could wait until next turn to get a Fusion Spell and finish with a Fusion Dragon, he didn't have the habit of making opponents wait an extra turn just to torment them.
"T-That was incredible..."
"Even with the Duke's all-out lockdown, he could still Fuse and still decide the match with Fusion..."
"No wonder he defeated the Lady. That's... so strong!"
"Battle continues. Ophrys Scorpio and Darlingtonia Cobra, direct attack. I win, Duke."
The Duke carefully fitted his eyes back into their sockets, reset his dislocated jaw, and sighed. "I'm getting old... Young man, you are truly remarkable. This devotion to Fusion, this old fellow acknowledges it!"
Duke of Demise, LP: 1500 → 300 → 0.