"Sever time and space! Oni Flame Phantom Slash!!"
Aisha Carlos's brand-new ace Xyz Monster, with one fiery sword draw, used a mere Rank 2 effect to banish the Level 10 Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder to another dimension.
"Hamon got banished?!"
Staring blankly at the now-banished Hamon, the white-haired loli hanging from the Millennium Ring still hadn't fully processed what Aisha had just done in that instant.
She had first Summoned a Level 2 weakling Priestess, then used a Trap to Special Summon another weakling Priestess, overlaid them into an Xyz, and finished with a single swing that banished Hamon.
"Is that even legal?"
Onibimaru Soul Sweeper's effect banishes a monster until the opponent's End Phase.
While it doesn't destroy Hamon outright, and Hamon will return at the end of the Millennium Ring's next turn, for now, the field was cleared.
More importantly, Hamon had been banished, not destroyed.
That meant its last will effect—which nullifies all damage during the turn it's destroyed—wouldn't activate.
Irena exclaimed, "That means all damage this turn actually goes through?! You're amazing, Aisha!"
She truly was. Having used an Xyz Summon inherited from her dark self, Aisha Yuna Carlos, even without Miles's support, now stood among the top-tier first-years.
Aisha calculated aloud, "Onibimaru has 1900 Attack. Dark Magician Girl has 2000. That's 3900 direct damage this turn."
The Millennium Ring had 4000 LP left. That would leave her with just 100, but against Hamon, you had to go all in whenever you had an opening.
"Actually, it won't be just 3900."
Miles rotated a card in his hand and switched Dark Magician Girl from Defense to Attack Position.
Rising confidently to her feet, Dark Magician Girl twirled her wand with one hand and struck a proud, adorable pose.
"Dark Magician Girl gains 300 Attack if Dark Magician is in the Graveyard."
[Dark Magician Girl, ATK: 2000 → 2300]
With the crucial boost gained from her mentor who had been destroyed earlier by Hamon, her Attack rose to 2300. Combined with Onibimaru's 1900, their total now surpassed the Millennium Ring's 4000 LP.
"That's so like you, Miles. Always pulling out an extra 300 Attack at the perfect moment."
That was just Dark Magician Girl's own effect—Miles had nothing to do with it. Still, in Aisha's heart, he was undeniably the most reliable person in the world.
"Then this turn, with the strength that belongs to me, Miles, and Irena-senpai combined, let's win this Duel!"
As she declared her Battle Phase, both Onibimaru Soul Sweeper and the empowered Dark Magician Girl prepared to strike.
"Seems I underestimated you."
The white-haired loli lowered her head. Her voice dipped low, sending a chill down their spines.
"Aisha Carlos... I thought you were just a worthless host for the Millennium Puzzle's spirit. Seems I was careless."
A second Spirit Eye lit up on her arm. If until now she'd been Dueling using the Eye stolen from Irena, then the dark power now unleashed marked a deeper, more sinister Summoning method.
"During your Battle Phase, I activate the effect of Juragedo, a monster in my hand."
[This card can only be activated during either player's Battle Phase. Special Summon this card from your hand, then gain 1000 Life Points.]
"I Special Summon Juragedo in Defense Position and recover 1000 LP!"
[Juragedo] Level 4│DARK│Fiend / Effect│1700 ATK / 1300 DEF
[Millennium Ring, LP: 4000 → 5000]
Irena was surprised, "A Fiend hand trap? No Traps in her Deck, but she's packing hand traps? That's so underhanded!"
Not only had she summoned a blocker, but she also recovered 1000 LP, throwing off their lethal setup.
"Continue the attack! Onibimaru Soul Sweeper!"
Even if a monster had appeared, they couldn't waste this turn. The strategy remained: deal as much damage as possible while Hamon was gone.
"Slash down Juragedo! Phantom Sweep!!"
Leaping forward, Onibimaru raised its cleaver, cutting into the defending Juragedo.
"You fell for it!"
With a sinister smile, both Spirit Eyes on the loli's arms unleashed overwhelming dark energy, rivaling even Hamon's presence.
"You declared an attack, right? Then you've triggered absolute darkness! I activate the effect of Darkness Neosphere!"
[This card cannot be Normal Summoned. When an opponent declares an attack, you can send 1 Fiend from your hand and 1 Fiend from your field to the Graveyard to Special Summon this card from your hand.]
"When you declared that attack, I sent Juragedo from the field and Phantasmal Martyrs from my hand to the Graveyard to call forth ultimate darkness! Descend now—Darkness Neosphere!"
[Darkness Neosphere] Level 10│DARK│Fiend / Effect│4000 ATK / 4000 DEF
[This card cannot be destroyed by battle.]
As if gathering all the world's darkness, the fallen angel monster bore both demonic and angelic wings.
"4000 Attack and Defense, and it can't be destroyed by battle?!"
Aisha Carlos had no choice but to halt her attack mid-motion.
They had just banished Hamon, only for this equally devastating monster to rise in its place.
Irena: "This is just absurd. How can she have a second monster on par with a Sacred Beast?!"
"I end my Battle Phase."
Aisha couldn't continue. With Darkness Neosphere on the field, none of her monsters could push through.
And worst of all—at the opponent's End Phase, Hamon would return.
"Ahhoha!"
"Stay calm, Aisha! Focus!"
As Aisha neared a meltdown, Miles called out to her.
"You did great this turn. And remember, we're fighting together! If you can't clear the board, I will!"
He held up the card he drew earlier via The Dark Magicians.
"Miles..."
"If you believe in me, then pass that hope to me. Next turn, I'll take out both the Sacred Beast and this divine monstrosity!"
"Of course I do... I'm the one who believes in you the most in the world! So this card... It's yours, Miles!"
Aisha Set her most important card, passing the torch to Miles instead of using it herself.
"I Set 1 card and end my turn!"
"Done with your last words? Then prepare to be swallowed by absolute darkness. My turn, Draw!"
Now commanding Darkness Neosphere, the white-haired loli drew her next card.
"Hahahaha! Whether it's the god of darkness or luck, they're all on my side! I won't wait for Hamon to return during the End Phase. I activate Equip Spell: D.D.R. - Different Dimension Reincarnation!"
[Discard 1 card; target 1 of your banished monsters; Special Summon it in Attack Position and equip this card to it. If this card leaves the field, destroy that monster.]
She discarded her last card to pay the cost and brought back Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder from the Banished Zone.
[Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder] ATK: 4000
"Now I control two monsters with 4000 Attack! You have no shred of hope left in this Shadow Game!"
With a thunder-wielding Sacred Beast and a winged divine terror before them, both towering over the battlefield, despair loomed.
"This is the kind of Duel that deserves to be called a clash between Relic Holders! Let the mortals feel true helplessness!"
As her power surged to its peak, the white-haired loli's over-the-top performance reached new heights.
"Now, the final battle that brings darkness to an end! Hamon, crush Dark Magician Girl! Lost Paradise Thunder!!"
The Sacred Beast's thunder obliterated the proud and adorable Dark Magician Girl.
[Miles & Aisha, LP: 3000 → 1300]
"And Hamon's effect activates! Inflict 1000 effect damage!"
[Miles & Aisha, LP: 1300 → 300]
"Aaaaaaahhh!!"
A single strike nearly wiped out 3000 LP. The Shadow Game's pain was all too real. Both Aisha and Irena were blasted several meters from the shock.
"That hurt so much, Miles..."
"Tell me about it."
Using Irena's body as a not-so-plush cushion, Miles caught the lighter Aisha in his arms.
"Miles, this is kinda inappropriate..."
"What? Irena herself isn't even complaining."
Irena said, "Well, I'm not thrilled about being a cushion, but I can't complain about getting this close to Aisha. Wait… why can't I feel anything?! Did I get ripped off?!"
"Oi, oi, oi!"
The loli's roar came crashing down, as Darkness Neosphere gathered black energy in its claws.
"Still flirting while on death's door? I'll erase your souls with this strike!"
A pillar of darkness blasted forth from Neosfear's claws, its mere shockwave strong enough to shatter the earth. The deadly beam surged toward Aisha's last monster, Onibimaru Soul Sweeper.
"Dark Divinity Soul Crusher!!"
"We haven't lost yet!" Miles shouted. "Aisha, block it with that card!"
"Got it, Miles!"
With precise timing, Aisha threw the card forward to intercept the beam.
It was the newest monster card she had Summoned during that morning's class.
"When I would take battle damage, I can discard Kuriboh from my hand to reduce the damage to 0!"
Kuriboh appeared in its classic fluffball form. Though Onibimaru Soul Sweeper was destroyed, it absorbed the deadly impact, preventing any damage.
Irena was impressed, "A Fiend hand trap, huh? Playing that in a crisis was seriously cool, Aisha."
Okay, Irena, double standards much? When the opponent played a Fiend hand trap like Juragedo, you weren't so complimentary.
The white-haired loli's delicate features twisted with even deeper irritation.
"Even after your bodies and souls have been battered and broken, you still choose to fight on? You infuriating fools who don't understand your place... Turn end!"
"No, the one who doesn't understand is you!"
Beaten and bruised, the two girls staggered to their feet at the Shadow Game barrier's edge.
They were indeed struggling to stand.
Regardless, in Miles's hand was the hope he drew turns ago with The Dark Magicians' effect.
"My turn! Draw!"
"This is it. Time to end things with the potential of Fusion Academy!"
"Spell Card activate: Magicalized Fusion!"
...
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