Down to just 1500 life—her burn strategy was piling up steadily.
Akiza's signature tempo—collecting residual burn damage—had finally forced her opponent's LP below half. She felt a thrill of anticipation, as if she could see the goddess of victory already.
Just one more push, and she'd have her revenge for Sayer.
The thought of Sayer brought a wave of grief and rage, but Akiza quickly channeled it into fury.
"We've always been hated, despised. Our only home left is right here—this last place. Why is even that being ripped away?!"
Akiza snarled.
Kira replied calmly, "Maybe for you that's true. But hey, remember—Sayer was no saint. One day, you might even thank me—"
"Shut up! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!!"
Akiza screamed. The glow on the Dragon Mark at the back of her hand flared brighter. A burst of energy cracked the floor, walls, and ceiling.
She was beyond reason now. Sayer had died, and now, this man dared slander him as well.
"Getting angrier, I see," Kira muttered.
The provocation was working. And he wasn't even lying.
"I want you dead!" Akiza roared, her psychic power exploding outward. Her headband snapped and clattered to the floor as her rose-colored hair flew wildly around her, charged with tangible fury.
Kira recognized that. It was something she used to keep her power bound—once it broke, her powers ran wild.
"No need to hold back anymore. Yes, I am a witch—a witch!"
Clutching the searing mark, Akiza gritted her teeth.
"Sayer is gone—there's nothing left for me. I'll use these forbidden powers to destroy it all—everything! BATTLE!"
She swung her hand, igniting her will.
"Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis, attack Rose Token!"
[Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis, ATK 1100]
[Rose Token, ATK 800]
The enormous tendrils pierced through the rose token, shattering it with a violent blast. The shockwave sent Kira staggering.
[Kira, LP 1500 → LP 1200]
"And here's Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis's effect! After it attacks, it destroys itself!"
With a resounding boom, Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis exploded, its blood-red petals riding the blast in a swirling vortex—eerily beautiful.
"When Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis is destroyed and sent to the grave, deal 800 damage to the opponent!"
Another burst of flame howled from her graveyard straight into Kira.
[Kira, LP 1200 → LP 400]
"I switch all my Rose Tokens to defense position, and set a card. Turn end."
[Rose Token, ATK 800 → DEF 800]
After setting her card, Akiza's orangish eyes blazed like fire.
"Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis's other effect: At the end of your turn, if it's in the graveyard, you can banish a Plant monster to special summon it back in face-up defense! I banish 'Botanical Girl' from my graveyard—Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis, rise again!"
Pulled back from the grave, the burning blossom returned to her field.
[Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis—DEF 0]
"And right now, 'Black Garden' activates! Since I've summoned a monster, your field gets another Rose Token!"
[Rose Token—ATK 800]
"And of course, Rose Flame triggers! That's another 500 to you!"
A fireball streaked from the trap, striking Kira yet again.
400 LP left!
Akiza clenched her fists, holding her breath.
Just one more push!
She was the strongest duelist in Arcadia Movement, even Sayer admitted as much. Plus, today her luck seemed especially strong; her opponent was using Plants, too—so Rose Flame would mop up as soon as he summoned anything.
Now for the finishing blow!
"As expected of Akiza, the number one in Arcadia Movement," said Kira quietly, eyes closed.
"Sayer must be so proud of you."
"You don't deserve to say his name!" Akiza roared, her hair whipped up by rage.
"Take Rose Flame's damage and go burn in hell with your regrets!"
"Well, I suppose I'd better start drafting my apology to the afterlife—wait, hold on."
Suddenly, Kira opened his eyes, as if remembering something. He glanced at a card set at his feet.
"But look at that—I still have a set card!"
Akiza: "?"
"Let's see what it is... oh my!"
Kira mimicked the commentator's famous catchphrase from 5DS.
"It's... 'Rainbow Life!'"
His set card flipped. Above his head, a brilliant rainbow appeared, raining down colorful light.
"Activate 'Rainbow Life' by discarding a card. All damage you would take this turn becomes LP gain instead, and your life points are restored to the amount they were at the start of the turn. Then, on top of that, you gain LP equal to the damage you would have taken."
Kira: LP 400 → LP 2500 → LP 4600]
"And then I still take the 500 from Rose Flame..."
[Kira, LP 4600 → LP 4100]
"So, let's see... huh?" Kira smiled. "Seems I've gone above 4000 LP now?"
Akiza covered her mouth, stumbling back.
"No... How could this happen?"
Her opponent's LP had shot back to over 4000—all her efforts up to now wasted in a single moment.