"Quick-Play Spell—Mask Change II! Let Dark Magician Girl become a HERO too!"
Miles targeted the borrowed Dark Magician Girl with his HERO transformation spell.
Mask Change II was one of three transformation cards printed during his early experiments at the Magic Club, along with Mask Change and Form Change.
However, unlike the duel with Cyber Dragon, it wasn't until last week's special training with Ren that the card was finally awakened.
What sets Mask Change II apart is its unique ability to target non-HERO monsters.
If all three transformation cards were derived from the banned card Metamorphosis, then Mask Change II, which works on any monster, was the closest replica of the original.
[Discard 1 card, then target 1 face-up monster you control; send it to the Graveyard, and Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 "Masked HERO" monster with the same Attribute but a higher Level than that monster, treating it as a Special Summon by "Mask Change".]
"I discard Elemental HERO Burstinatrix to activate Mask Change II! Transform, Dark Magician Girl! Masked Change!"
Dark Magician Girl, now under Miles's control, struck a confident pose, hand on hip and staff raised.
"Henshin!"
A dark suit of armor materialized around her and tightly wrapped her in enchanted plating.
"Special Summon—the HERO who walks through shadows: Masked HERO Anki!"
[Masked HERO Anki] Level 8│DARK│Warrior│Fusion│2800 ATK
From adorable magical girl to sleek black-armored vigilante—all it took was one Mask Change II.
"You turned my Dark Magician Girl into a Masked HERO?!"
Irena's pale blue eyes trembled in disbelief. She had expected her monster to return at the end of the turn, but as Miles said, it was gone for good.
After all, it had been used as transformation fodder and sent to the Graveyard.
"What a cool comeback, Ren!"
"A HERO I've never seen before."
"That's our amazing little sister for you!"
Seeing Ren's field situation turned in an instant, the Austin brothers waved their flags with renewed vigor.
Plenty of spectators, too, were surprised by the unconventional comeback… "So that's another way HEROes can fight?"
"I end my turn!"
Even without any Set cards, Irena still had her Valkyria's attack lock in place, leaving no immediate opening.
"Even with a 2800 ATK Masked HERO, you still can't attack my Magical Valkyrias, Miles!"
"Are you sure about that? My turn, draw!"
Instantly, Miles launched into his Battle Phase.
"The Valkyria lock doesn't work on Masked HERO Anki!"
"Nani?!"
"Go straight for the opponent, Anki! Dark Knight Kick!!"
With a roaring leap, Anki's dark-empowered kick howled like a demon's face and tore past the two Valkyrias—directly striking Irena in the stomach and sending her flipping backward.
"Masked HERO Anki's effect: It can attack directly by ignoring all opposing monsters!"
The Valkyrias' effect only protected other Spellcasters from being attacked. Even so, since Irena's field was all Spellcasters, a direct attack bypassed the lock.
"Of course, Anki's damage is halved when attacking directly."
[Irena, LP: 3000 → 1600]
Irena stumbled to her feet, her witch hat knocked off and her ahoge—same style as Aisha's—now exposed.
"Geez, Miles. You really won't hold back even a little, huh? Not even for a date?"
"No matter the reason, I won't go easy in a Duel, Irena-senpai."
"Exactly! That's what a true Duelist does! Punch her with a HERO, Miles!"
If Irena kept relying on Valkyria's attack lock, Miles only needed two more kicks to win.
"We can't get complacent, Ren."
After all, as one of Fusion Academy's top second-years, the Gray Witch wouldn't be that easy. Especially after seeing her Deck.
This Duel was far from over.
After weighing his options, Miles Set the second transformation spell he'd drawn.
"I Set 1 card and end my turn."
Now with 2 Set cards, he was ready.
"My turn, draw."
Still wincing from Anki's hit, Irena drew her card and glanced at it.
"Playtime's over, Miles. This turn, I'm going all out!"
"Bring it, senpai."
She first activated a Normal Spell to call forth a special light.
"Spell Card—Ancient Rules! I Special Summon a Level 5+ Normal Monster from my hand. Come forth, the ultimate master of Black Magic: Dark Magician!"
[Dark Magician] Level 7│DARK│Spellcaster│2500 ATK
With a flourish of his staff, the tall Dark Magician emerged.
As the core of a Dark Magic Deck, he was potent in both rituals and raw power.
Still, Miles's Anki had higher ATK.
"Still not enough, Irena-senpai."
He returned her earlier taunt word-for-word. Miles didn't like leaving debts—except for Dark Magician Girl.
"Then how about this card!"
She revealed a Spell covered in blades.
"Spell Card—Thousand Knives!"
[If you control "Dark Magician": Target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy that target.]
With Dark Magician on the field, the spell targeted and aimed a flurry of daggers at Masked HERO Anki.
"Quick-Play Spell—Form Change!"
[Target 1 "HERO" Fusion Monster you control; return it to the Extra Deck, then Special Summon 1 "Masked HERO" monster from your Extra Deck with the same Level but a different name, treating it as a Special Summon by "Mask Change".]
It was the second transformation spell he'd Set.
Though Anki couldn't bypass the lock again, he could at least dodge destruction.
"I return Anki to the Extra Deck. Since the target no longer exists, Thousand Knives fizzles!"
As the daggers stabbed air, Anki leapt skyward and roared. His armor shattered and was replaced with a green aerodynamic suit and white cape.
"A storm of justice sweeps evil away! Go, Masked HERO Divine Wind!"
[Masked HERO Divine Wind] Level 8│WIND│Warrior│Fusion│2700 ATK
Like Anki, Divine Wind was Level 8, but WIND Attribute. Immune to battle destruction and restricting enemy attacks, he was Miles's next shield.
"Just like in training... You used the transformation spell to dodge destruction. You're amazing, Miles!"
"Avoiding destruction is great, but now Anki's gone. I can't break the Valkyria lock anymore."
The HERO Deck was built for battle. Its tools for breaking this lock were limited.
"Don't give me that sad face using Ren's body, Miles. I don't want to spam this strategy either. I told you—this turn, I'm going all out!"
A Tribute Summon light flared on Irena's field. Miles's eyes narrowed.
She Tributed both Valkyrias—the key to her lock.
"I Tribute both Magical Valkyrias to summon a chaotic fusion of light and darkness: Dark Magician of Chaos!"
[Dark Magician of Chaos] Level 8│DARK│Spellcaster│2800 ATK
Higher than even Dark Magician, the sorceress clad in black struck a dramatic pose.
"2800 ATK? Higher than Divine Wind. But Divine Wind can't be destroyed by battle anyway!"
"Hehe."
"When Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned, I can retrieve a Spell from my Graveyard. I choose—Thousand Knives!"
Then she activated it again.
This time, Divine Wind had no escape. The blades pierced through, shattering the HERO.
"Not a bad HERO, Miles. Anyhow, if you ask me, Dark Magic suits you better. Want to switch Decks?"
"How dare you! HEROes are way cooler!"
As she entered the Battle Phase, with Miles's field empty, Irena prepared for her finishers: Dark Magician of Chaos and Dark Magician.
"Victory is mine. Direct attacks from both will end it."
"You got one thing wrong, Irena-senpai. If you think HEROes are limited to Masked HEROes, you're dead wrong!"
Miles flipped his last Set card.
"Trap Card—Necro Fusion!"
[Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster by banishing Fusion Materials listed on it from your GY face-down, but it cannot attack this turn.]
"Irena-senpai has two top-tier Spellcasters. What HERO could withstand them?!"
"Let's fuse that man!"
From the Graveyard, he selected Elemental HERO Avian and Burstinatrix (previously discarded).
"Fusion Summon—Flame Wingman—Phoenix Form!"
...
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