"Destiny HERO – Dreadmaster, direct attack!"
Aster commanded at full volume.
"Heaven-Sunder Palm of the Soaring Sky!!!"
Kira: "…"
For a modern-urban Destiny HERO, that's awfully wuxia for a move name. Funny how it never felt out of place in the anime.
"Then I activate a set card," Kira said. "Trap Card: Intruder Alarm - Yellow Alert. When an opponent's monster declares an attack, Special Summon a monster from your hand. The opponent must then attack the monster you Summoned."
Kira revealed a card.
"I Special Summon 'Air Sphere.'"
[Air Sphere, DEF 300]
"Tch, stalling with chaff walls again?" Aster sneered. "Forced attack is forced attack. Go, Dreadmaster—crush that trash!"
"Hold up."
Kira smiled and flicked his hand.
"I also activate the Trap 'Atmospheric Transference'!"
A second back row flipped.
"When one of my 'Sphere' monsters is Special Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower 'Sphere' from my Deck."
Kira pulled an Sphere from his Deck.
"I Special Summon 'Synthesize Sphere.'"
[Synthesize Sphere, DEF 1000]
"And you haven't forgotten Synthesize's effect, right?" Kira smiled.
Aster said grimly, "On Summon, it can further Summon another Sphere…"
"Hahaha, a true pro—good memory," Kira said. "Synthesize Sphere: on Summon, Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Sphere from the Graveyard.
I revive 'Transforming Sphere.'"
[Transforming Sphere, DEF 100]
Aster's face twitched again.
Fighting this flock feels like yanking a turnip and pulling up the whole field—poke it and you've kicked a hornet's nest; a swarm floods out.
And of all things, it's this damned Transforming Sphere again…
Of course he remembered the 100/100 pest—it's the bull-headed controller…
Aster clenched his teeth.
His Dasher had the drawback of switching to Defense after battle, and that Transforming Sphere absorbs Defense Position monsters. The opponent's next turn was practically telegraphed.
In that case—
"Dreadmaster continues the attack," Aster growled. "Crush 'Air Sphere' first!"
Intruder Alarm - Yellow Alert forced the attack on Air Sphere. So he'd use Dreadmaster to smash it. He still had Doom Lord to swing; then Doom Lord could erase that accursed bull-headed bird—at least then he wouldn't be controlled next turn.
But things didn't go his way.
Dreadmaster's mountain-crushing palm slammed out—only to crash into an invisible Sphere barrier. The birds remained unscathed; not a scratch landed.
Aster: "!?"
Why!?
"Air Sphere's effect," Kira explained with a smile. "While you control another Sphere, your opponent cannot declare attacks."
Aster: "…"
So I've got the bull-headed controller…and now a total attack lock?
Are you done yet?
Aster's face darkened.
So I can't attack—meaning I just have to sit here and watch you control me?
What kind of birdbrain Deck is this!?
He glanced at his hand and drew out a Trap.
D – Shield.
Equip it to a Destiny HERO you control; when that Attack Position Destiny HERO becomes the target of an attack, switch it to Defense Position, and while equipped it cannot be destroyed by battle.
An absolute defense—the strongest shield.
If his read was right, next turn the opponent would absorb his remaining monsters, then target the lowest-ATK Doom Lord as the breach point. Equipping D – Shield to Doom Lord would make him a stout bulwark.
"I set one card and end my turn."
Destiny HERO – Dasher had already auto-shifted to Defense due to its own effect.
"At the end of the Battle Phase, the 'Air Sphere' Special Summoned by 'Intruder Alarm - Yellow Alert' returns to the hand," Kira said, and the little bird promptly hopped back.
"My turn—draw."
Kira continued.
"I Special Summon 'Breeze Sphere' from my hand."
[Breeze Sphere, ATK 700]
"Breeze can Special Summon itself if your opponent controls a Level 5 or higher monster," Kira said. "Then I banish the on-field 'Breeze Sphere,' 'Synthesize Sphere,' and another 'Synthesize Sphere' from my Graveyard.
With these three tributes, I call forth the ultimate Sphere—
—The Atmosphere, Summon!!!"
Gales surged, a hurricane roared. The ultimate Sphere spread its colossal wings and manifested amid the storm!
[The Atmosphere, ATK 1000]
"The Atmosphere!?"
Its presence felt nothing like the little ones; Aster's heart tightened.
"The Atmosphere's effect: once per turn, absorb any monster on your opponent's field as an Equip," Kira said with a casual wave. "I'll absorb 'Destiny HERO – Dreadmaster.'"
"NANI!?"
Aster's eyes nearly popped out.
More control?
Is there no end to this?
Dreadmaster bellowed and struggled, shackles clanking furiously. Useless—he was still absorbed in the end.
"Of course, Dreadmaster's original ATK is ?, so The Atmosphere can't gain any ATK from it," Kira shrugged.
"No matter. I discard a card to activate 'Transforming Sphere.' Absorb a Defense Position monster on your field.
I absorb the Defense Position 'Destiny HERO – Dasher' and gain its ATK."
Dasher was absorbed by the side bird; the Sphere's ATK spiked.
[Transforming Sphere, ATK 100 → ATK 2500]
"I activate my set Equip Spell 'D.D.R. - Different Dimension Reincarnation,' discarding a card to revive a monster that was banished."
Kira plucked a banished card from his case and waggled it.
"You said you sent this guy two turns into the future—he'd naturally return to my field during your next Standby Phase. But I prefer to give fate a little nudge—bring him back early—
—Thousand-Eyes Restrict, return!"
[Thousand-Eyes Restrict, ATK 0]
"Thousand-Eyes Restrict's effect: once per turn, absorb an opponent's monster as an Equip. This time I take 'Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude.'"
[Thousand-Eyes Restrict, ATK 0 → ATK 1400]
Aster: "."
"I activate my last set, the Continuous Trap 'Limit Reverse,' reviving a monster with 1000 or less ATK from my Graveyard.
I revive this one—Relinquished."
[Relinquished, ATK 0]
"Relinquished—absorb 'Destiny HERO - Doom Lord.'"
[Relinquished, ATK 0 → ATK 600]
Aster: "."
He was speechless.
What was there left to say?
Four monsters—an entire four of them.
All controlled in a single turn. Not just unheard of—it felt unthinkable since the dawn of dueling. He even wondered if this was the first time in history something so absurd had happened.
That's way too much control!
One turn, four bodies, four bull-headed absorbers…
If the opponent had left him even one—just the 600-ATK Doom Lord—with D – Shield's protection, he could have lived the turn.
But no.
Not a single monster left—everything controlled clean. The D – Shield in his back row became a decoration—no legal target.
"Transforming Sphere, Thousand-Eyes Restrict," Kira flicked his hand casually. "Direct attack."
Aster raised his head. Towering before him were the HEROes he trusted most—his very soul made flesh. Now they stood opposed to him, their immense shadows collapsing over him like Mount Everest (Mount Tai).
For a moment, Aster wavered.
Was this really…my fate?
[Aster, LP 3000 → LP 0]