"Tch, I'm just subbing in for the Legendary Dragons, so why am I the one getting hurt?"
An almost-lethal Flash Flame Wing Strike made the red-haired Headmaster's scalp tingle, and she couldn't help but cry out.
"What a shame, Miles. Just 200 more damage and you'd have had the win."
Irene had no intention of letting the opponent hang on by a thread, but sometimes you just couldn't squeeze out that last bit of damage.
"You did great, Ren. That fusion with Flame Wingman? You basically wiped out all the Legendary Dragons. Seriously impressive!"
"Really? I'm really that good? Hehehe~ It's all thanks to you, Miles!"
Praised by Miles, the cool redhead who had been commanding her HEROes a moment ago instantly reverted to a bashful little girl, scratching her cheek nonstop.
The Headmaster interjected, "From now on, Fusion Academy has a new rule—no flirting during Duels!"
Ren and Aisha fired back in unison, "We weren't flirting!"
With the Amulet Dragon destroyed, the Headmaster drew a card and tossed a Dark Magician from the Graveyard onto the field.
"Amulet Dragon's parting effect activates—when it's destroyed, I can Special Summon Dark Magician from my Graveyard!"
A highly convincing last words-style effect. That attack from Flame Wingman had only taken out the Legendary Dragon mount, Timaeus, leaving Dark Magician unscathed.
[Dark Magician DEF: 2100]
Reappearing on the field, the Headmaster—now at just 200 LP—had her Dark Magician assume a cautious Defense Position.
Kevin commented, "They did take down all the Legendary Dragons... but Dark Magician is still here. Then again, Miles and Ren have a massive advantage now. ...Wait, why did I say Miles?"
In terms of LP, Miles was still at a full [Miles, LP: 4000], while the Headmaster was barely hanging on at [Headmaster (Legendary Dragons), LP: 200].
Field-wise, Flame Wingman also overpowered Dark Magician.
"I Set one card and end my turn!"
Ren placed her final card face-down, hoping it would be the last support Miles needed to claim victory in this Trial Duel.
"My turn—draw!"
At the start of her turn, the Headmaster wondered what kind of card the Legendary Dragons would guide her to, now that all three had been used.
"So that's how it is... I see. That's another way to play it."
The moment she saw the card, the Headmaster understood the Legendary Dragons' intent.
"—I activate the Spell Card A Feather of the Phoenix!"
[Discard 1 card from your hand, then target 1 card in your Graveyard; place that card on top of your Deck.]
"I discard 1 card and return The Fang of Critias from my Graveyard to the top of my Deck!"
"So that's how she plans to recycle the Legendary Dragons."
The Legendary Dragons—or rather, the Nameless Dragons—have card faces that show no info, not even the card type. So effects like Monster Reborn or Magical Stone Excavation, which require specific types, wouldn't work on them.
However, A Feather of the Phoenix had no such restriction—it could return any card from the Graveyard.
The only downside was placing it on top of the Deck, meaning you'd have to wait until your next Draw Phase to use it.
Ren said, "Headmaster, you're down to just one card in hand. Next turn, even if Dark Magician is in Defense Position, he won't be able to stop Flame Wingman!"
Even a monster in Defense Position would still result in damage equal to Flame Wingman's Attack if destroyed. And Dark Magician's 2500 Attack? More than enough to be fatal.
"Hmph, of course I know that."
The Headmaster deliberately raised her card, her mysterious smile deepening.
"Now's the perfect time to say that line!—Looks like neither of us has the hand size left to keep this Duel going."
"That line!"
Aisha immediately tensed. Even with Miles' soul inside, her signature ahoge stood straight up.
And then came the card that perfectly matched the quote.
"—I activate the Spell Card—Card of Sanctity!"
The most-used of the Three Great Sanctity Cards in the anime. Not the strongest in effect, but definitely the most iconic.
[Both players draw until they have 6 cards in hand.]
"Since I have no cards in hand, I draw 6 cards from my Deck!"
Promptly, the Headmaster drew 6 cards, including the Fang of Critias she'd just returned to her Deck.
As for Miles and Ren, only one could benefit from the Card of Sanctity, since this was a Tag Duel.
Otherwise, in a 1v2 Duel, allowing both partners to refill their hands would be absurd. Even Miles would call that an unfair win.
Miles had 1 card left; Ren had none.
The optimal choice would be to let Ren draw 6.
However, since Miles had the next turn, giving him the draw made more strategic sense.
"Miles, you draw! I believe in you!" Ren volunteered. "As long as you win next turn, I won't need more cards anyway!"
"Alright, no need to be polite among friends. Draw!"
Riding the wind of sanctity, Miles drew 5 cards.
"Among friends, huh..."
Now it was time to see how the Headmaster would play.
Guided by the will of the Legendary Dragons, she had specifically retrieved Fang of Critias. No way she wasn't planning something.
Sure enough, with a full hand of 6, the Headmaster flipped two cards—Fang of Critias and a Trap Card.
"In the name of legends, awaken the power of the Trap Card—I fuse The Fang of Critias with the Trap Card, Ring of Destruction!"
"With Ring of Destruction?!" Kevin gasped.
That B-tier classic Trap, Ring of Destruction, was in Kevin's own Deck, too. Its simple but brutal effect: destroy a monster and deal its ATK as damage to both players.
Used smartly, it could secure a win from an LP advantage—or take both players out in a last-ditch trade.
Now fused with the Legendary Dragon... what kind of monster would that create?
"Exploding dragon of cyclical ruin, roar and descend!—Fusion Summon: Destruction Dragon!"
[Destruction Dragon] Level 8│DARK│Dragon│Fusion│ATK 2000 / DEF 3000
Ring of Destruction became a belt of explosive black steel wrapped around Critias's body, transforming it into the all-consuming Destruction Dragon.
"Destruction Dragon's effect activates!"
Upon Fusion Summon, its effect triggered: the Legendary Dragon roared a ring of fire that locked onto Flame Wingman.
[Once per turn: Target 1 card on your opponent's field; destroy it. Then, if it was a Monster, inflict damage equal to its original ATK.]
"Using Destruction Dragon's effect, I destroy Flame Wingman and inflict damage equal to its Attack!"
Last turn, Flame Wingman had already delivered damage equal to its Attack. Now, the Legendary Dragon returned the favor.
[Aisha & Ren, LP: 4000 → 1500]
"Aaaaaaah!"
An eruption of flame engulfed Miles and Ren, launching them into the trees.
"Wait, isn't Ring of Destruction supposed to damage both sides?!"
Kevin was stunned at how the Legendary Dragon had enhanced the card—no more mutual burn. Now it only harmed the opponent.
A once-per-turn, side-effect-free Ring of Destruction? Just as terrifying as Mirror Force Dragon.
Now Miles and Ren were both within the opponent's kill range.
"I switch Dark Magician to Attack Position!"
The Headmaster wouldn't miss this opening—holding back would betray the Legendary Dragon's will.
"Then I activate the Spell Card Monster Reborn to revive Blizzard Princess from my Graveyard!"
Legendary Dragon Fusions can only be Special Summoned through their specific methods, so she couldn't revive Amulet or Mirror Force Dragon.
Her only legal target: the Spellcaster used last turn as Fusion material.
[Blizzard Princess] Level 8│LIGHT│Spellcaster│ATK 2800
Despite her cute, blue-haired appearance, this Spellcaster hit harder than Dark Magician, matching Mirror Force Dragon's 2800 Attack.
"It's time to battle! The full force of the Legendary Dragons' trial! Destruction Dragon, direct attack—Legendary Detonation!"
With their remaining LP, any one of the three enemy monsters could end them.
At the crucial moment, Miles flipped his last Set Quick-Play Spell.
"—Quick-Play Spell—Flute of Summoning Kuriboh!"
The flute's melody cut through the scorched air, slightly calming the inferno.
[Choose 1 'Kuriboh' or 'Winged Kuriboh' from your Deck; add it to your hand or Special Summon it.]
"I Special Summon Winged Kuriboh in Defense Position!"
[Winged Kuriboh DEF: 200]
The angel-winged fluffball floated before Miles, blocking Destruction Dragon's fire.
"Crap, that's not enough!" Kevin shouted. "That blocked one hit, but what about the other two high-ATK monsters?!"
"It's enough! Winged Kuriboh's will lets us survive to next turn. That's its effect!"
[When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: You take no battle damage for the rest of this turn.]
The angel wings spread protectively around Miles and Ren, shielding them from lethal damage.
Ren relaxed. "That's Little Aisha's monster's willpower for you. Reliable!"
"Definitely reliable—Kuriboh and Aisha alike."
As long as they survived this turn. Miles glanced at his boosted hand thanks to Card of Sanctity. The Headmaster only had 2200 LP left—he could Xyz Summon Dark Aisha's Baby Tiragon and finish this.
"That's a dangerous glint in your eye, Little Aisha," the Headmaster chuckled. "But I won't give you that chance! I activate Supremacy Berry!"
[If your LP is lower than your opponent's, gain 2000 LP. Otherwise, take 1000 damage.]
"With only 200 LP, I gain 2000 more!"
[Headmaster (Legendary Dragons), LP: 200 → 2200]
"2200 LP plus two powerful Spellcasters and a Legendary Dragon—that's a safe buffer, right? Now I activate A Feather of the Phoenix again, discarding 1 card to return The Eye of Timaeus to the top of my Deck."
With that, she used all 6 cards from the Card of Sanctity in one turn.
Placing The Eye of Timaeus atop her Deck made perfect sense—with Dark Magician still on the field, she could fuse again next turn.
"Now then, let's see how you plan to overcome the Legendary Dragons' trial, Heir Chosen by the Millennium Puzzle~"
"Taunting your student in a life-or-death Duel isn't very becoming, Headmaster..."
Miles furrowed his brows, pondering how to use his handful of ragtag monsters to break through.
That's when Aisha's voice emerged from within the Millennium Puzzle.
"Miles, did you hear that voice just now?"
"What voice?"
"Timaeus's voice."
"Timaeus?"
He'd just seen the Headmaster return that card to the top of her Deck.
"Why can you hear him, Aisha?"
"I don't really know. But inside the Millennium Puzzle... I just can. Maybe it's because of Timaeus's connection to the Puzzle's previous wielder."
Only Aisha, inside the Millennium Puzzle, could hear the Legendary Dragon whispering—not a roar, but clear words, as if speaking in his original knightly tone.
"What did he say, Aisha?"
"Timaeus said… only a Legendary Dragon can defeat another. If we, too, are worthy Heroes, we can wield that power."
"Us, use the power of a Legendary Dragon?"
How? All the cards were in the Headmaster's Deck.
Then Miles suddenly realized another possibility.
If he was truly a chosen Hero, then maybe—just maybe—he could draw it too.
"If I'm right... Then this draw!"
To confirm the possibility, Miles slid his fingers across the top of his Deck—above Spirit Eyes.
"My turn—draw!"
A dazzling light, and the card Miles drew... was exactly what he'd hoped for.
Among the 40 cards in Aisha's Deck, only one could link to the power of the Legendary Dragons.
...
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