"Destiny HEROs," Kira said. "A rare branch of the HERO series indeed."
He paused, then smiled.
"Speaking of which, I've heard there's a young HERO user at Duel Academy with some potential. You two should trade notes sometime."
"Jaden Yuki, is it." Aster frowned.
Sartorius had been mentioning him often of late.
"Oh? So you know already."
"A mediocrity," Aster said bluntly. "I'm not like someone who uses HERO power for his own amusement.
Heroes bear a heavy fate—they can only advance by fighting. Our reasons for fighting, what we shoulder—it's not the same. Don't compare me to someone like that."
"A heavy fate borne by Heroes, huh…" Kira smiled. "But is that truly the fate of the Heroes, or are you binding your Destiny HEROs with your own so-called fate?"
"What did you say?"
Aster snapped.
"What do you know about me or my Destiny HEROs?"
He refused to argue further and continued.
"Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude's effect! Once per turn, reveal the top card of my Deck. If it's a Normal Spell, send it to the GY. Next turn's Standby Phase, I can activate that card's effect.
If it's not, return it to the bottom of the Deck."
Diamond Dude is a fascinating card. Not because its raw power is absurd, but because it's uniquely positioned in the entire card pool—still unmatched even today.
Activating the effect of a Spell you "hit" means you ignore its activation conditions and costs. In other words, if there were a Spell with a near-impossible cost but an effect that says "You win the Duel," and Diamond Dude mills it, you can ignore the ridiculous condition and just apply "win the Duel."
It's hard to use consistently, but the ceiling is obvious. Back in the day, people built all sorts of "trick" decks around it, even full Spell-centric builds.
Of course, in reality it comes down to luck—will you hit a Spell, and will it matter?
But this is anime. At least when Aster is on screen, Diamond Dude never seems to miss.
"I hit the Spell Card Trade-In."
Sure enough, Aster revealed the Spell.
"Trade-In lets me discard a Level 8 monster to draw two. Per Diamond Dude, I send Trade-In to the GY."
He slid the Spell into the Graveyard. A chill glimmer flashed over Diamond Dude's facets.
"Next turn, during my Standby, I'll apply 'draw two from Deck' without discarding a Level 8."
"As expected of a pro," Kira nodded.
Not that the line was flashy—just that Aster never whiffed. With Diamond Dude, he always hit a Spell.
"Next, I activate the Spell: Over Destiny!" Aster said. "Target a Destiny HERO in my GY, then Special Summon a Destiny HERO from my Deck with a Level less than or equal to half of the targeted monster's Level.
I target Destiny HERO - Malicious in my GY!"
As he spoke, a ghostly image of Malicious rose behind him.
"Malicious is Level 6," Kira noted.
"Right—so I can Special Summon a Level 3 or lower Destiny HERO from my Deck."
Aster raised his arm; a beam of golden light shot from his Deck.
"Come on! Destiny HERO - Doom Lord!"
The beam hit the floor and took form—the vigilante from recent urban rumors. Demonic silhouette, blood-red cape, landing in a superhero crouch.
[Destiny HERO - Doom Lord, ATK 600]
"Monsters Special Summoned by Over Destiny are destroyed during the End Phase," Aster said. "But that's enough.
I then activate Destiny HERO - Malicious's GY effect! I banish Malicious to Special Summon another copy from my Deck."
He retrieved the GY card, showed it, tucked it into the holder, then raised his Duel Disk. Another beam of light—arms spread, a D blazing on his chest, the cruel aura of a dark hero—roared onto the field.
[Destiny HERO - Malicious, ATK 800]
"Three monsters on turn one." Kira chuckled. "So this is top-tier pro power?"
"I'm not done."
Aster lifted his hand, voice clear.
He'd heard of Revolver, and he knew today's opponent was dangerous. He didn't hold back—he didn't even use the Elemental HERO build from the pro circuit. He opened with his trump: Destiny HEROs.
"I tribute my three Destiny HEROs—Diamond Dude, Malicious , and Doom Lord!"
Transparent pillars of light surged skyward. A storm kicked up, tossing his suit hem and silver bangs. The three Destiny HEROs were swallowed in turn, fusing into a massive, burly figure descending with overwhelming force.
"Destiny HERO – Dogma, Special Summon!"
Vast black bone-wings spread. A helm masked his face; silver chains wound his neck like the embodiment of fate's shackles. The white blade in his hand gleamed with lethal chill, a storm swirling around him.
[Destiny HERO – Dogma, ATK 3400]
One of Aster's strongest aces before Dreadmaster entered the anime—his preeminent trump.
"Dogma cannot be Normal Summoned; it can only be Special Summoned by tributing three monsters including a Destiny HERO," Aster said.
"And I'm not done. From my hand, I activate this!"
A hidden slot popped open on his Duel Disk. He slammed a card in; the slot swallowed it.
"I activate the Field Spell: Clock Tower Prison!"
Night swallowed the sky. A massive black tower speared upward. Golden hands froze upon the clock at its pinnacle, as if marking fate's countdown.
This was the domain of night—a tower that imprisoned fate's inmates.
"I set two and end my turn!"