"—Quick-Play Spell, activate! [De-Fusion]!"
The card excavated earlier by Sylvan Princessprite—[De-Fusion]—whose purpose after Aisha's chain of Xyz Summons had baffled everyone, was now flipped at a moment so tense that no one even dared to breathe.
Before her, the massive icy scythe of [Number C103: Ragnafinity] was descending, aimed precisely at the ATK-boosted Winged Dragon of Ra.
Behind her stood Aisha Carlos, with only 1 Life Point remaining, on the brink of defeat.
With a single [De-Fusion], she completely overturned the situation.
Quaedes said coldly, "Don't be foolish, Aisha Carlos. There isn't a single Fusion Monster on your field."
"There may not be any Fusion Monsters… but watch carefully. A God Card can be used like this too!"
Still in her divine-synchronized state, Aisha raised her arm and pointed toward Ra, whose body was about to be engulfed by ice.
"The target of my De-Fusion is—[The Winged Dragon of Ra]!"
"What?!" The Emperor was startled.
Upon declaring the target of De-Fusion, the golden hue tinting Aisha Carlos' short hair and eyes gradually faded back to their original colors.
"After activating [The Winged Dragon of Ra]'s effect and absorbing all my Life Points, I can also use [De-Fusion] to解除 the soul connection state!"
Divine flames surged out from Ra's body and re-gathered around Aisha, transforming into a torrent of scorching life force.
[You can pay LP so that you only have 1 left; this card gains ATK/DEF equal to the amount paid. After this effect resolves, you can activate "De-Fusion" to restore your LP equal to this card's ATK, and this card's ATK becomes 0.]
"Divine conversion—De-Fusion! All of Ra's ATK becomes my Life Points!"
[Aisha Carlos, LP: 1 → 7900]
At the critical moment, the massive recovery allowed Aisha to escape the lethal range of the descending ice scythe.
At the same time, because Ra's ATK returned to 0—matching its original ATK—the effect of [Number C103: Ragnafinity], which only applied to monsters whose current ATK differed from their original ATK, failed to apply. No damage was inflicted, and Ra was not banished.
"I—I did it… Mr. Miles!"
Her breathing quickened from tension. This was Aisha's first time using this effect.
As for how she even knew Ra possessed such a hidden interaction… it could only be said that her usual casual conversations with Miles had paid off.
---
Aisha: "(?oωo?) Mr. Miles, Ra's effect to absorb Life Points for massive ATK is amazing, but if its attack gets stopped and I'm left with only 1 Life Point, that feels really dangerous."
Miles: "Emmmm~ If it feels dangerous, why not try adding a [De-Fusion] to your Deck?"
"(OдO;) De-Fusion? Would that actually work?"
"Well… that's how it worked in the anime."
"?(.ヘ°) Anime?"
"Ahem. By the way, after you separate from Ra, there are other cards that can combo with it too."
---
After Ra's ATK returned to 0 due to [De-Fusion], Aisha flipped her second Set Trap Card as well.
"—Trap Card, activate! [Card of Last Will]!"
[When the ATK of a monster you control changes. Draw until you have 5 cards in your hand.]
A draw effect rivaling the power of a Treasure Card. Combined with Ra and [De-Fusion], it perfectly resolved Aisha's dwindling hand.
"By the effect of [Card of Last Will], I draw until I have five cards!"
Drawing five cards in succession, though Ra had temporarily lost its offensive power, Aisha's own momentum was now fully restored to its peak.
Quaedes said coldly, "A draw effect? That depends on whether you'll live long enough to use it."
Her ice-blue eyes swept across the battlefield. Ra's ATK was now 0, meaning Aisha effectively had no usable combat power on her field. This was the perfect moment to break through.
"—Spell Card, activate! [Graceful Charity]!"
Quaedes had been holding [Graceful Charity] in her hand, saving its filtering effect until now.
"I draw three cards from my Deck, then send [Crystal Shark] and [Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force] from my hand to the Graveyard. Next, I Normal Summon [Cyber Shark]!"
[Cyber Shark] Level 5│WATER│Fish│2100 ATK
[If you control a face-up WATER monster, you can Normal Summon this card without Tributing.]
Because Quaedes controlled the WATER monster Ragnazero on her field, she could Normal Summon the Level 5 [Cyber Shark] without Tributing.
"Now I activate the effect of [Crystal Shark] that I just sent to the Graveyard."
[If this card is in your hand or GY: You can target 1 WATER monster you control; Special Summon this card, and if you do, that monster's ATK becomes half its current ATK. If this Special Summoned card leaves the field, banish it.]
"I halve the ATK of [Cyber Shark] and Special Summon [Crystal Shark] from the Graveyard!"
[Crystal Shark] Level 5│WATER│Fish│1100 ATK
The shark monster clad in radiant crystal revived from the Graveyard, having absorbed half of another monster's ATK.
With that, Quaedes successfully assembled two Level 5 monsters on her field.
"I overlay [Cyber Shark] and [Crystal Shark]! Appear, Number 73! Sacred drop fallen into chaos—display your power and evolve in Chaos!—[Number 73: Abyss Splash]!"
[Number 73: Abyss Splash] Rank 5│WATER│Warrior│2400 ATK
[2 Level 5 WATER monsters]
The Xyz overlay completed. The WATER Warrior monster, wielding a raging spear, stepped forth upon the waves—Rank 5, Number 73.
At the same moment the Rank 5 Xyz Summon was completed, the Chaos Rank-Up Magic in Quaedes' Graveyard responded.
"Now I activate the effect of [Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force] that was sent to the Graveyard."
[If a Rank 5 or higher Xyz Monster is Special Summoned to your field while this card is in your GY, you can add this card to your hand.]
"Because I Special Summoned the Rank 5 [Number 73: Abyss Splash], I retrieve the Rank-Up Magic from my Graveyard—and activate it immediately!"
The two cards she had discarded with [Graceful Charity] were immediately recycled and used, effectively gaining two free cards.
[Target 1 Rank 5 or higher Xyz Monster you control; Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 "Chaos Number" or "CXyz" monster that is 1 Rank higher than that monster, by using it as material.]
Light and darkness of Chaos intertwined, instantly enveloping the spear-wielding form of [Number 73: Abyss Splash], evolving it into a higher-ranked Chaos form.
"Appear, Chaos Number 73! Break through the currents of the Chaos vortex—now pierce the raging torrent that connects heaven and earth!—[Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash]!"
[Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash] Rank 6│WATER│Warrior│3000 ATK
Upgrading from Rank 5 "Number" to Rank 6 "Chaos Number," its golden armor transformed into blazing crimson Chaos. Abyss Supra Splash—a Chaos Xyz capable of even contending against the infinite-ATK Obelisk.
With 3000 ATK and 2800 ATK Chaos Xyz monsters, totaling 5800 ATK, it was clear that Emperor Quaedes was not yet satisfied.
Her only thought was full offense—to eliminate Aisha Carlos, whose field currently had 0 battle power, within this very turn.
"I activate the Spell Card Monster Reborn! O final Photon Dragon, become the trump card with which I seize victory! Revive and Special Summon—Number C107: Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon!"
[Number C107: Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon, ATK: 4500]
As the added finishing move, the golden dragon with three heads surged onto the field with 4500 Attack.
With this, Emperor Quaedes' total Attack power surpassed ten thousand.
"With a mere 7900 Life Points, you think you can withstand my assault? Cling to your naive fantasies and drown within this raging torrent, Aisha Carlos! Battle!"
Leading an Xyz army boasting ten thousand Attack, Quaedes charged into this turn's Battle Phase. Amid raging waves, freezing frost, and radiant light, the transcendent space-time dragon roared as it lunged toward Aisha.
"—Chaos Cascade Spear!"
The first to strike was Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash. In a single furious thrust of its raging torrent, it instantly submerged The Winged Dragon of Ra, whose Attack stood at 0.
[Aisha Carlos, LP: 7900 → 4900]
"Next, a direct attack! — 'Grand Scythe of Frozen Burial'!"
"The effect of Kuriboh (Clean) in my Graveyard activates!"
With no intention of taking the direct attack head-on, Aisha called forth Kuriboh (Clean), which had been sent to the Graveyard last turn as the cost for activating Lightning Twin Swords - Thunderclap.
[When your opponent declares a direct attack: You can banish this card from your Graveyard; draw 1 card. If the drawn card is a Monster, you can Special Summon it. If you do, change the attack target to that monster.]
"If I draw a Monster Card, I can Special Summon it directly to block this attack. Draw!"
Her fingertips brushed across the Deck. Accompanied by a resounding dragon's roar, Aisha successfully drew the monster in her Deck with the highest Attack that could be Special Summoned directly.
The awakened Legendary Dragon.
"Special Summon Timaeus the United Dragon!"
[Timaeus the United Dragon] Level 8│LIGHT│Dragon│2800 ATK
The physical manifestation and awakening of The Eye of Timaeus—the Legendary Dragon—Timaeus the United Dragon possessed 2800 Attack, exactly equal to that of Number C103: Ragnafinity.
The dragon's breath of light clashed against the frozen scythe of the Chaos Xyz, their powers colliding in the sky above the field.
"No matter how high your Attack may be, you cannot obstruct me. Open your eyes and engrave this into your memory—the effect of Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash!"
[Once per damage calculation, if this card battles an opponent's monster: You can detach 1 material from this card; during that damage calculation only, the Attack of your battling monster becomes equal to the Attack of the opponent's monster it is battling.]
"I detach the Xyz Material Crystal Shark, and raise Disaster Leo's Attack by the amount of Timaeus the United Dragon's Attack!"
[Number C103: Ragnafinity, ATK: 2800 → 5600]
The funeral ice scythe stirred up a raging torrent, its Attack directly stacking and doubling as the icy blade cleaved the united dragon in two.
Even Obelisk the Tormentor, with infinite Attack, had failed to withstand this effect before. Clearly, the Legendary Dragon alone stood no chance of resisting it.
[Aisha Carlos, LP: 4900 → 2100]
"And with this strike, it ends!"
On Quaedes' field, the three heads of the golden dragon had long since gathered a terrifying space-time burst, poised to unleash.
"The final direct attack! Ultimate Spacetime Spiral Bullet!!"
The triple burst of light that shattered the field spiraled together into an even more terrifying mass of energy, the Spacetime Spiral Bullet blasting straight toward Aisha's empty field.
The overwhelming power drew gasps from everyone present. Even when facing Royal Knights, even when facing the legendary God Cards, Emperor Quaedes of the Empire displayed an almost crushing level of strength as he surged toward victory.
"What a monster…" Even Zepha Soroya, his own elder brother, gave that evaluation.
"It's not over yet!" Aisha pulled a card from her fingertips and hurled it forward, directly into the spiraling light of spacetime.
Even with no monsters on her field, even with no Set cards in her back row, as long as Aisha Carlos still held cards in her hand, her Deck contained infinite possibilities.
"I discard Kuriboh from my hand to negate this battle damage!"
The tiny and fragile Kuriboh materialized before the massive, dazzling Ultimate Spacetime Spiral Bullet, completely blocking the battle damage from this direct attack.
Quaedes' pale blue brows furrowed slightly. "A futile struggle from a weak monster? Very well. I Set one card and end my turn!"
Though his crucial finishing blow had been stopped by Kuriboh, and he was displeased, Quaedes did not dwell on it.
"Even if you've desperately clung to life, Aisha Carlos, do your weaklings have any strength left?"
Quaedes' current field held a combined Attack exceeding ten thousand. Moreover, after its Chaos Rank-Up, Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash could not be destroyed by card effects and could allow all monsters on the field to skyrocket in Attack without restriction.
Aisha understood clearly that if she did not deal with Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash, no matter how high the Attack of the monsters she summoned, it would be meaningless.
At a moment like this, the card that could barely turn the tide… In Aisha's mind appeared the image of the pink-haired girl who strode barefoot through flames.
Kurikara Divincarnate, who could devour the opponent's monsters by Tributing them.
It was a monster Aisha had only succeeded in Summoning after her sister Alice had prayed at the shrine and obtained a blank card.
If Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash activated its effect, she could directly devour it and Summon Kurikara Divincarnate.
Thinking this, Aisha placed her fingertips atop the Deck of Spirit Eyes, her gaze turning toward Alice Carlos within the crowd.
Her sister's card would be the key to breaking the deadlock.
"Please, Sis, lend me your strength! My turn—Draw!"
It was the decisive draw. Yet the card Aisha drew was not Kurikara Divincarnate.
However, there was still a chance. The card she drew was the Spell Card Pot of Avarice, which allowed her to continue drawing.
"—I activate the Spell Card Pot of Avarice! I shuffle 5 Monster Cards from my Graveyard into the Deck, then draw 2 cards!"
She selected monsters in her Graveyard to return.
In the end, Aisha shuffled Skull Servant, White Duston, Volcanic Rat, Sylvan Princessprout, and The Winged Dragon of Ra back into her Deck.
Even Aisha herself could not explain why she chose to return The Winged Dragon of Ra. It was as if some unseen providence guided her hand.
"Drawww!"
Drawing two cards in succession, crimson flames once again ignited at Aisha's slender fingertips.
From within the hidden Millennium Ring, Elra's voice suddenly rang out. "That's impressive, little sister! To evolve your power in this way?"
"What do you mean?" Alice asked in confusion.
"Originally, this draw should indeed have been Kurikara Divincarnate. But when Aisha shuffled The Winged Dragon of Ra back into the Deck, the devouring card infused with divine power evolved in form!"
A card imbued with devouring power entrusted by Alice, capable of being Summoned by Tributing the opponent's monsters, had evolved into the form of a god.
Now in Aisha's hand, the monster that even left her in shock—The Winged Dragon of Ra - Sphere Mode.
An unintentional act of sisterly coordination had been achieved. And at this very moment, Emperor Quaedes had exactly three monsters on his field.
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