Kevin's old friend Cyber End Dragon, now wielding 8000 ATK, still couldn't destroy Red-Eyes Black Dragon in Defense Position thanks to Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact.
But unlike Chimeratech Overdragon's 30-hit potential, Cyber End Dragon had one very crucial effect:
[If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.]
That piercing damage made all the difference.
The flaming 8000-point evolution could do what thirty mechanical heads couldn't—break through Meteor Dragon's ironclad defense.
Even if Red-Eyes couldn't be destroyed, the Duelist's LP couldn't survive that hit.
"Unleash the full power of eternal evolution and vaporize Red-Eyes Black Dragon! Battle, Cyber End Dragon!"
As Deion roared into the Battle Phase, his now double-sized Cyber End Dragon focused its three heads and released an enormous beam of light at Kevin's Red-Eyes.
"Eternal Evolution Burst!!"
"Pushing the offensive that hard… Are you being too impatient, Deion?"
With calm eyes, Kevin flipped his second Set Trap.
"Trap Card activate: Three Strikes Barrier!"
[If your opponent controls exactly 3 cards, activate one of the following:
• Your monsters cannot be destroyed by battle this turn.
• You take no battle damage this turn.
• Whenever your monster inflicts battle damage this turn, you gain that much LP.]
Deion's field had exactly three cards: Cyber End Dragon, Chimeratech Overdragon, and Cyber Dinosaur.
"I choose: take no battle damage this turn!"
Triple-layered barriers flared to life. Cyber End Dragon's flames crashed harmlessly into Kevin's field, scorching only the platform.
Kevin pointed forward: "You just overplayed your hand, Deion. If your attack doesn't end the Duel, Power Bond's backlash damage will hit you for 4000!"
Power Bond doubled Cyber End's ATK, but inflicted that same amount of damage during the End Phase.
"I already planned for that. This duel is rare—I want to enjoy it to the end, not lose to recoil."
After the failed attack, Deion continued his turn.
"I Normal Summon from my hand: Cyber Kirin."
[Cyber Kirin] Level 3│LIGHT│Machine│300 ATK
Miles said, "Wait, he summoned a monster from hand?"
Future Fusion had already sent his whole Deck to the Graveyard. If he still had a monster in hand, it had to have been there from the start.
"I tribute Cyber Kirin to activate its effect: I take no effect damage this turn!"
The flash of a sacred beast galloped across the field, leaving behind a shield of shimmering digital light.
"Now Power Bond's downside is gone, and my 8000 ATK Cyber End Dragon remains! I switch Cyber Dinosaur to Defense Position, Set 1 card, and end my turn!"
Cyber Kirin's reveal also warned Kevin that Deion's hand wasn't empty of monsters. His final card might be another monster or even a Quick-Play.
"My turn! Draw!"
Deion shouted, "During your Standby Phase, discard all 4 cards you drew with Mirage of Nightmare!"
Kevin retorted, "No need. I activate the Quick-Play Spell: Emergency Provisions!"
[Emergency Provisions │ Quick-Play Spell Effect:
Send any number of other Spell/Trap Cards you control to the GY; gain 1000 LP for each.]
"I send Continuous Spell Mirage of Nightmare to the Graveyard and recover 1000 LP! That also lets me dodge its discard drawback."
[Kevin, LP: 3900 → 4900]
Both Duelists had now successfully negated their respective card drawbacks. But Kevin's hand held something else—something weighty.
Of the four cards in Kevin's hand, three were forced into it by Reigun Seth before the Duel.
("Kevin, use these cards to crush that royal brat. This is your only chance to make up for your failures.")
There was never room for negotiation. Reigun—his own father—treated him like a disposable tool.
The three cards? System Down.
[Pay 1000 LP; banish all Machine monsters your opponent controls and in their GY.]
A perfect counter to Deion's Machine army.
If Kevin played just one, it would wipe Deion's entire field and Graveyard.
An open field, a revived Red-Eyes, direct attack—Kevin could win the Duel right here.
Win?
Could this really be called a victory?
After witnessing the fire in Irena and Ren's Duel—after feeling the weight of Deion's struggle...
On this battlefield where everyone gave their all, using a card forcibly handed down by his father to exploit a prepared match-up against Cyber Dragons…
Was that truly a victory worth anything?
Seeing Kevin hesitate, Reigun Seth smirked in satisfaction.
"So, you drew it after all. With all those cards last turn, even a failure like you should have it by now. Do it. Use what I gave you to crush the royals. Prove the Seths are supreme."
"Kevin..."
In the staging area, Kaima hugged her arms tightly, fingers tapping in frustration.
Unlike their father, Kaima understood Kevin. She knew exactly what that pause meant.
("Don't do anything foolish, Kevin. You know full well what defying Father leads to.")
Born shackled by duty, even unwilling heirs like them couldn't escape the Seth family's will.
"Spell Card activate..."
Kevin gritted his teeth and slowly pulled out a card.
Reigun's grip on his seat tightened in glee.
"That's it, Kevin! Crush Deion with my card. Prove that royalty kneels before the Seth family!"
"I... I have dignity too!"
With a roar of resolve, Kevin slammed his card onto the field.
"Spell Card activate: Reload!"
[Return all cards in your hand to your Deck, then draw the same number of cards.]
"I shuffle all three copies of System Down into my Deck and draw three new cards!"
"Bakana!!" Reigun's face turned purple with rage.
"You useless brat! You actually threw away System Down?! What the hell are you thinking?!"
Any one of those three cards could have won the Duel. But Kevin had rejected the Seth family's path.
"Kevin Seth, you actually—?!"
Not even Deion could hide his shock. Kevin had just thrown away the perfect counter combo.
"I'm going to be the world's strongest Duelist! No family command, no archaic chain will hold me back!"
With a fresh draw from Reload, Kevin pulled three new cards. The glow at his fingertips sparkled with possibility.
"Spell Card activate: Polymerization! Witness the black dragon of possibility! I fuse Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact on my field!"
Two roaring dragons ignited, crossing in the sky like meteors, fusing as one.
"Watch this, Aisha Carlos! This is the fusion form I created myself! Fusion Summon! Meteor Black Comet Dragon!!"
[Meteor Black Comet Dragon] Level 8│DARK│Dragon│3500 ATK
[1 Level 7 "Red-Eyes" monster + 1 Level 6 Dragon monster]
...
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