PS: Yay happy 900th chapter!
...
"What a terrifying combo."
Top commentator Misawa spoke gravely.
"With Future Fusion stacking a massive number of Reptiles in the graveyard, the effect of Damage = Reptile lets him call out monsters straight from the deck that start at 0 ATK, but gain huge boosts from those Reptiles in the grave.
That way, Kira can casually, repeatedly summon monsters with ATK over ten thousand."
"Repeatedly summoning monsters over ten thousand ATK..."
Syrus sucked in a sharp breath.
Something like that was practically unheard of.
"By the way, Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes can also gain ATK from Reptiles in the graveyard. But unlike Victory, Vennominon doesn't just draw power from Aliens alone."
Kira smiled.
"Vennominon's effect is: this card gains 500 ATK for each Reptile in the graveyard, with no archetype restriction.
Right now, Future Fusion has sent 25 Worm monsters from my deck to the graveyard. There was also Worm Victory that just went there, so that's a total of 26!"
In fact, there had also been a Worm Yagan that got blasted by Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem last turn, but Yagan had previously revived itself from the grave via its own effect. The drawback of that effect was that when a Yagan revived that way left the field, it had to be banished. So now that Yagan was already out of the game.
Even so, twenty-six Reptiles was already utterly terrifying.
"So now, Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes' ATK becomes..."
[Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes, ATK 13000]
"Thirteen thousand!?"
Crowler's Pot of Greed, smug face instantly twisted like a bitter gourd.
"Mamma mia!"
His proud Triple Fusion—Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem—now looked like a little brother in front of this Snake King!
"Well then, professors, are we still continuing the attack?" Kira smiled.
Bonaparte's expression was a bit sour, but he still grit his teeth.
"C-continue... Keep attacking!"
Bonaparte pointed at another monster on Kira's field.
"Toy Emperor, attack 'Worm Zex'!"
[Toy Emperor, ATK 2300]
[Worm Zex, ATK 1800]
Toy Emperor rode his steed forward, his longsword flashing with silver light as he drove it clean through the last remaining Worm Zex.
[Kira, LP 1700 → LP 1100]
"Toy Emperor's effect activates at this moment as well!" Bonaparte called. "When this card destroys an opponent's monster, I can add any Trap Card I like from my deck to my hand!"
Kira raised an eyebrow.
No archetype clause, no type restriction—search any Trap from the deck.
What a guy. This really was an anime-original multi-god card. No wonder they said Bonaparte's abilities could rival Crowler's; now he believed it.
Crowler kept frantically giving Bonaparte looks.
This Trap search was their last chance. Next turn, when that ten-thousand-plus ATK Snake King launched its assault, at least one of them was going to die.
Bonaparte shot a look back.
Relax, I got this. Rock solid.
Knowing each other inside and out—after all, they'd been rivals for so long—the two understood one another's thoughts so well that they could guess each other's intentions with just a glance.
"I'll search this Trap from my deck."
Bonaparte revealed a Trap Card.
"Mirror Force!"
Crowler gave him a big thumbs-up.
Very good. With Mirror Force, the so-called strongest shield, covering them, even a ten-thousand-ATK Snake King shouldn't be able to get through easily.
"Then I set a backrow card and end my turn, aru," Bonaparte said.
A single set backrow at this timing was basically the same as a face-up card. Everyone knew that card had to be Mirror Force.
Misawa folded his arms. "As expected of the head professors—even in this kind of desperate situation, they still found a way to defend. Kira has absolute advantage on the board, but facing Mirror Force, he can't just attack recklessly."
"My turn. Draw."
Kira rubbed at his brow, feigning a headache.
"Mirror Force, huh... Having the strongest shield up really is annoying."
A trace of smugness appeared on Bonaparte's face.
But before that smugness could last more than a few seconds, Kira's next words completely shattered it.
Kira smiled. "Still, professors, you remember, right? Future Fusion has finally reached my second Standby Phase."
The two professors: "!"
Indeed, because of the free-for-all format, Kira had had fewer turns than usual. Only now had it finally reached his second Standby Phase, and they'd almost forgotten about it.
In other words, the time had come for that terrifying twenty-five-fold Fusion to descend...
"The zero point and end point of all things, the ultimate Worm—
—Worm Zero, Fusion Summon!"
As Kira raised his hand, the card Future Fusion burst into dazzling golden light. A pillar of gold shot into the sky, and the clouds above churned like a roiling black sea. Under an invisible hand, they compacted into a massive, oppressive shape that exuded pure terror.
The final Worm—Worm Zero!
[Worm Zero, ATK ?]
"Worm Zero's ATK is determined by the number of different monster names used as its Fusion Materials," Kira said. "Its ATK becomes the number of distinct materials × 500."
The two professors' expressions grew even uglier.
Twenty-five materials had gone into Worm Zero's Fusion, so its ATK would be...
[Worm Zero, ATK ? → ATK 12000]
Another twelve-thousand-ATK monster!
They were done. Absolutely done.
To a normal duelist, 4000 ATK was already Obelisk-tier—something you hardly ever saw in a typical duel. 5000 ATK was Five-Headed Dragon-class, essentially considered the attack ceiling.
And yet, in this duel alone, how many ten-thousand-ATK monsters had Kira casually tossed onto the field?
It was like other people using their one, life-defining, "I'll brag about this for the rest of my days" ultimate move, and this guy was treating it like auto-attack spam. Ten-thousand-ATK monsters, in his hands, felt like random Level 4 grunts—he could pull out a handful of them without even thinking.
"Furthermore, Worm Zero gains additional effects based on the number of different types of monsters used as Fusion Materials," Kira continued calmly. "If Worm Zero is Fusion Summoned using four or more different types, once per turn I can banish a Reptile from my graveyard to send one monster on the field to the graveyard."
Kira casually plucked two Worm cards from his graveyard.
"I'll banish two Reptiles from the grave and send your 'Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem' and 'Toy Emperor' to the graveyard."
The ace monsters of Crowler and Bonaparte alike were utterly helpless before the invincible Worm Zero. Overwhelmed by the sheer difference in power, Toy Emperor and Ultimate Golem were both dragged into a mire of annihilation and vanished without a trace.
The two professors turned deathly pale.
Now, all their final, final hopes rested on that set Mirror Force behind Bonaparte. On the opposite side, two titanic, ten-thousand-ATK monsters were eyeing them like predators. Against such a force, they felt like ants facing giants; if not for the threat of that one Mirror Force, the enemy could have crushed them to dust with a casual step.
But even that last sliver of hope wouldn't last long.
"When Worm Zero is Fusion Summoned using two or more different types as material, it gains an effect: once per turn, I can Special Summon a Reptile from my graveyard in face-down Defense Position," Kira said.
He flipped up another Worm from the grave.
"I'll set Worm Apocalypse in face-down Defense Position."
Then he pressed the set button on his Duel Disk.
"Next, I activate a face-down Spell: Book of Taiyou. Flip a face-down monster on the field to face-up Attack Position.
I flip Worm Apocalypse to face-up Attack."
[Worm Apocalypse, ATK 300]
"Worm Apocalypse's Flip Effect: destroy one Spell or Trap Card on the field."
Both head professor's hearts lurched in unison and sank to rock bottom.
Kira crooked a finger.
"Destroy Mirror Force."
It was as good as a death sentence. Their last line of defense, their final talisman, vanished just like that.
"Of course, after banishing Reptiles from the grave, Vennominon's ATK goes down as well... but it doesn't matter. It's still more than enough."
Kira sounded unconcerned.
But the two professors were no longer listening to anything he said.
They looked at one another again. This time, in each other's eyes, they only saw the same shared despair.
"Professor Bonaparte..." Crowler muttered.
"Professor Crowler..." Bonaparte replied.
Almost unconsciously, both of them reached out a hand toward the other.
Like people at death's door—so close, and yet never again able to truly touch.
The onlookers were all speechless.
Why did it feel like they were watching a tragic pair of star-crossed lovers about to be silenced by a Demon King?
"This is the final blow."
The merciless Demon King had no sympathy. He only gave his last, ice-cold command.
"Vennominon, direct attack Professor Crowler. Worm Zero, direct attack Professor Bonaparte!"
[Crowler, LP 4000 → LP 0]
[Bonaparte, LP 2800 → LP 0]
...