"This wraps it up!"
Lorenzo laughed.
"B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core, attack 'Cyber Angel Natasha'!"
The warship's energy core began charging; warheads and barrels extended all over the hull.
Target locked. A dense storm of fire erupted; missiles filled the sky like a bullet curtain. Crossing beams wove into a vast net sweeping toward Alexis's field. The lone Cyber Angel facing the barrage made for a stark contrast.
But Alexis didn't budge. "Cyber Angel Natasha, effect activate. When your own Ritual Monster is chosen as the attack target, you can negate that attack.
Natasha herself is a Ritual Monster!"
A vortex of golden magic surged up as a shield before Natasha, forming a defensive spiral that withstood Blaster Cannon Core's bombardment. The fierce barrage licked the barrier but failed to leave a mark.
"Life recovery and attack negation," Lorenzo muttered, understanding. "So this angel is a defensive type?
But I'm not done. I still have 'B.E.S. Tetran' to attack!"
The second warship's core lit up as well. Power flowed in; all cannons charged. Four mechanical arms lashed out, like a predator closing in.
Tetran's ATK might not be enough to finish the kill, but at this moment it no longer had any counters.
In other words, B.E.S. Tetran's energy core was totally exposed. If it entered battle one more time, the core would be crushed and Tetran would self-destruct by its own effect.
And at that moment, the Continuous Spell "Boss Rush" would trigger, letting him freely search any B.E.S. from the Deck to the field—of course he'd fetch the ship best suited to crack the current board and secure lethal.
"Natasha's effect," Alexis said. "Attacks on a Ritual Monster are negated!"
Lorenzo: "!"
Wait—your attack negation doesn't have a once-per-turn clause!?
Only now did he realize this thing was an attack lock. Same kind of shut-in stall as Gravity Bind or Level Limit – Area B.
The warship's barrage was once again intercepted by Natasha's energy vortex—like punching full-force into cotton.
"Because the attack was negated, no battle occurred," Alexis said. "Therefore, even with no counters, 'B.E.S. Tetran' won't be destroyed by its own effect, and 'Boss Rush' won't trigger.
You can't Special Summon a new B.E.S. from the Deck."
"Tch." Lorenzo pouted.
Clearly, his game plan was to Summon B.E.S.s, spend counters for effects or battle, then when the counters were gone, let the ship self-destruct and use "Boss Rush" to morph into a new ship, sustaining pressure with a constant stream of powerful B.E.S.s.
So it was obvious—Natasha was the worst kind of matchup for him. An attack lock effectively cut his search chain; he couldn't self-destruct via battle and thus couldn't freely fetch from the Deck.
"First you had crazy direct attacks, now an attack lock," Lorenzo frowned. "Alexis Rhodes, you weren't this kind of duelist before."
"People change," Alexis said firmly. "That's called growth."
Lorenzo shook his head.
"As expected, this academy is filthy and dark. Even someone as pure as Alexis couldn't avoid being tainted. That's why the great Light is needed to purify it!
The Society of Light is exactly the power this academy needs most!"
"Nonsensical…" Alexis facepalmed. "You've been like this from the start. I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Is that so?"
Lorenzo sneered.
"No matter. Once I win this duel, I'll make your body understand on a deeper level. Then you'll grasp the beauty of Light and the truth of the universe."
He drew two more cards in a breath.
"I set two cards in the back row. Turn end."
"I don't know what you're on about, but I give my all in a duel," Alexis said. "My turn—draw!
First, I activate 'Cyber Angel Natasha'!
Once per turn, target a monster you control and recover LP equal to half of that monster's ATK!"
Lorenzo: "You only have Natasha herself on your field."
"Right. I choose 'Cyber Angel Natasha', and recover 500 LP—half her ATK."
Natasha let out a clear cry, her body wrapped in golden light. The radiance streamed like a golden brook into Alexis.
[Alexis, LP 1200 → 1700]
"Next, I Normal Summon 'Cyber Petit Angel'."
A pink mechanical cherub appeared, with angelic wings and a dainty halo.
[Cyber Petit Angel, ATK 300]
"When Cyber Petit Angel is Summoned, I add the Ritual Spell 'Machine Angel Ritual' from my Deck to my hand."
Alexis fanned her Deck, took a card, then shuffled and returned the Deck to her Duel Disk.
"Then I activate the Ritual Spell 'Machine Angel Ritual'!
Tribute monsters from hand and/or field whose total Levels meet or exceed the Ritual Monster's Level, and Ritual Summon a 'Cyber Angel' Ritual Monster."
As she spoke, golden light flared on both Petit Angel and Natasha.
"I tribute Level 2 'Cyber Petit Angel' and Level 5 'Cyber Angel Natasha' as materials! Ritual Summon!
Angel who guards the Way with holy power and purges evil, descend now—
—Level 6, Cyber Angel Idaten, Summon!"
A voluptuous cyber angel strode forth through sacrificial flames, majestic and fierce.
[Cyber Angel Idaten, ATK 1600]
"When Idaten is Ritual Summoned, I can add a Ritual Spell from my Deck or GY to my hand."
"This angel's a springboard for further Rituals?"
Lorenzo snapped.
"No way! I activate my Set card—Trap Card: Zero Hole!"
He slammed a button on his Duel Disk; a Set card flipped open.
"When your opponent Summons, Flip Summons, or Special Summons an Effect Monster: negate that monster's effect and destroy it!"