"To think I'd have to get serious against the likes of you... this really puts me in a foul mood!"
As Aleister's words fell, the calm aura around him suddenly turned murderous. The killing intent was so intense that Alicia, standing closest to him, felt her hair stand on end, her breath almost catching in her throat.
Abruptly, then, in the next moment, Yuui's power enveloped her, and all discomfort vanished.
"Yuui-san!" Alicia turned toward him, asking cautiously, "Can the Headmaster really win?"
To be honest, by this point in the duel, things had gone far beyond the little girl's understanding of what a duel could be.
After all, the duels she had fought alongside Yuui had never reached such a level of intensity. Every move here was a gamble where one wrong step could lead to total defeat, leaving no room for luck or mistakes.
"I don't know either!" Yuui shook his head. "At this stage, it all depends on their luck and their bond with their decks. Whichever side wavers, even by a hair, will lose instantly.
So, all we can do now... is believe in the Headmaster's strength!"
Seeing the grave expression on Yuui's face, Alicia realized it was the first time she had ever seen him like this.
On the field, Hamon let out another cold snort at Aleister's bold declaration.
"Hmph, very well. Then show me—this so-called 'serious mode' of yours!"
"You'll see it soon enough!" Aleister replied without further argument, raising his hand. "Battle Phase ends. I activate the effect of Invocation in my Graveyard! While this card is in the Graveyard, I can target one of my banished Aleister the Invoker, return this card to the Deck, and add that monster to my hand.
Return to me once more—my other self!"
The staff- and grimoire-wielding young man returned once more from beyond dimensions, transforming back into a card that flew into his master's hand. Aleister spoke calmly: "End turn!"
"My turn! Draw!!"
A faint blue light sliced through the air, and a new pressure erupted from Instructor Claire's body. Feeling that immense surge of power, Hamon arched his brow slightly and muttered, "You're coming out now?"
"We can't afford to drag this on any longer. Let's end it this turn! And the tributes for summoning my avatar are ready—this is the perfect opportunity!"
The voice of Raviel, Lord of Phantasms, came from Instructor Claire's mouth. Hearing it, everyone in the academy building was startled, the same thought flashing through their minds… Could it be that the final Sacred Beast was about to appear this turn?!
Sure enough, Hamon replied, "Very well, then. End this duel yourself!"
With that, Hamon relinquished control of Instructor Claire's body, returning it to Raviel. A deep blue demonic shadow rose behind her, and a rumbling voice, as if echoing from the depths of the earth, shook the entire space.
"Come, Aleister! This will be the final turn!"
Raviel raised his hand. "Manifest once more, oh phantasm of ice and thunder! I switch Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, from face-down Defense Position to Attack Position!"
"ROAR!!!"
Lightning crashed. Frost swept the air. The dark-gold skeletal demon reappeared, its roar louder than thunder itself.
[Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, ATK 4000]
"Next, I tribute my three Nightmare Archfiend Tokens to Special Summon my avatar!" Raviel raised the blue card high, roaring aloud.
The three Nightmare Archfiends wreathed in emerald-green flames screamed in agony before dissolving into light that sank into the earth. A pale blue radiance pierced the heavens as a massive shadow began to take form.
"The one who annihilates all life with absolute destruction, the mightiest of the Sacred Beasts who wields the power of ruin—descend! My avatar—Raviel, Lord of Phantasms!!"
The deep blue demon descended amid blinding light that split the heavens. With wings vast enough to rend the sky, claws sharp enough to shred anything, and a body towering like a mountain, it struck the earth.
In that instant, the ground cracked, fire erupted, and cries of despair echoed across the field.
Under the stunned gazes of all faculty and students of Saint Fusion Academy, the final Sacred Beast—Raviel, Lord of Phantasms—had arrived!
[Raviel, Lord of Phantasms, ATK 4000]
"A-again... another monster with 4000 Attack?!"
"D it, is fate mocking us?! How can monsters like that just keep appearing?!"
"It's fine! Even if that demon has 4000 Attack, it's still affected by Gravity Bind—it can't attack!"
"Let's hope the Headmaster draws something next turn that can turn the tide! These Sacred Beasts are too terrifying!"
After Hamon's reappearance, the sudden arrival of Raviel made everyone's hearts sink even further.
No one could tell where this duel was headed. Looking at the two colossal, godlike monsters that stood towering over the field, no one could imagine any possible way to defeat them.
All they could do now was hope that the Continuous Trap Gravity Bind could slow down the opponent's assault.
But Raviel's next words showed them just how overwhelming the Sacred Beasts truly were.
"Battle Phase! Hamon, attack Invoked Raidjin!"
"ROAAAAR!!"
Hamon's entire body erupted in lightning again. Bolts of blue-white electricity shot into the storm clouds above.
"What?! I thought monsters Level 4 and higher couldn't attack!"
"For crying out loud, is that demon cheating or what?!"
As the bolts struck down, everyone inside the academy building cried out in disbelief. How could Hamon still attack under Gravity Bind's restriction?
Raviel seemed to sense their confusion and answered coldly: "Ignorant humans! We, the Three Sacred Beasts, are beings that rival the gods themselves! Our race, the Phantasm Beasts, possess innate resistance—we are unaffected by any Trap Card effects! To think such things could bind us... pure delusion!"
"What?! An innate resistance?! That's even possible?!"
"My god... unaffected by Trap Cards, and they can even negate Spell and Trap effects—how do you even fight something like that?!"
"So this is the power of the legendary Sacred Beasts... terrifying beyond belief!"
"Heh heh heh, that's right—tremble before us, you human mongrels!"
Savoring the fear emanating from the students and teachers, Raviel burst into manic laughter. Then, as if passing judgment, he gestured toward Aleister's field. "Now, reclaim your domain, Hamon! Cerulean Skyfire!!"
"ROAR!!"
Amid Hamon's thunderous roar came a deafening clap of thunder. In the next instant, a massive bolt of blue lightning—thick as a water barrel—crashed down toward Raidjin.
"Don't be afraid!!!"
Aleister's aged yet powerful and resounding roar once again shattered the fear in the hearts of the teachers and students. The old man looked at the descending lightning with utter disdain in his eyes.
"It's nothing more than a counterfeit imitation of the gods! So what if its power is great? Before us Duelists, it still has to bow down in submission!!"
Everyone turned their gaze toward the old man again. In the face of that thunderous might, his back stood tall and straight like a pillar supporting the heavens.
Then they heard Aleister roar once more: "The effect of Invoked Raidjin activates! Once per turn, I can target one face-up monster on the field and change it to face-down Defense Position. This effect can also be activated during your turn!
"I choose your Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, and turn it face-down Defense Position once again. Go, Raidjin! Show this Sacred Beast whose lightning reigns supreme!
"Sword of Lightning Retribution!!"
"What!?"
Amid Raviel's startled voice, the silver-armored knight swung his lightning-forged blade, cleaving through the incoming azure thunder.
Then, with a backhand slash, he released two arcs of lightning toward Hamon, forcing the Sacred Beast back into face-down Defense Position.
[Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder → Face-down Defense Position, ATK 4000 → DEF 4000]
This dramatic turn of events instantly reignited everyone's morale. The teachers and students inside the academy building were so excited their faces flushed as if they'd just received an adrenaline shot.
In contrast to the elation of the Saint Fusion Academy crowd, Raviel's expression turned dark and grim.
He cast a glance at the spectral figure of Hamon beside him, whose eyes seemed to hold a faint trace of resentment—as if to say, "Boss, what's going on with you?"
Raviel had no answer. Gritting his teeth, he glared at the Invoked Raidjin on Aleister's field. "To think a lowly Level 5 monster could possess such power... I truly underestimated you.
"However, its effect only lasts for one turn! Now, it's my avatar's attack!
"Go, my avatar! Attack Invoked Raidjin—Heavenly Devastation Fist!!"
"ROOOAR!!"
Raviel bellowed as pale blue flames engulfed his body. The boundless power of destruction gathered into his right fist, the energy radiating from it like lightning, reducing everything nearby to ashes.
Seeing this, Aleister's pupils contracted sharply. He spun around and shouted toward the academy building: "Everyone, brace for impact!!"
"Too late!!"
With Raviel's thunderous roar, the Sacred Beast unleashed a punch like a collapsing mountain, its devastating force surging toward the tiny silver knight.
BOOM!!!
The resulting shockwave spread in all directions like a falling meteor. The dueling ground, already devastated by the arrival of the two previous Sacred Beasts, was obliterated completely.
When the dust finally settled, a massive crater—at least five meters deep—yawned before the academy building. Even though the building itself wasn't directly on the dueling field, the aftershock from that single punch caused severe damage.
Chunks of wall plaster fell, several walls and floors collapsed, and countless teachers and students were injured by the shockwave.
Fortunately, when Aleister called out his warning, everyone inside had already gathered under Autrys's direction and joined forces, channeling their Duel Spirits' power to protect the building's structure and prevent total collapse.
Otherwise, even the aftershock from that single blow of Raviel's would have been enough to reduce the entire academy building to rubble.
As for our protagonist, Alicia, she had already been warned by Yuui to run far from the dueling ground the moment Raviel appeared.
Yuui also had her summon her other two Spirits—Elemental HERO Stratos and Slower Swallow—to combine their strength. Thanks to their efforts, Alicia narrowly survived the devastating aftershock from Raviel's punch.
Regardless, both Spirits had completely exhausted their magical energy in the process. In the end, it was only because Yuui poured out nearly all the magic he had left that the girl managed to survive.
Now Alicia lay on the ground, her face and clothes covered in dust. She had no time to care about the brand-new outfit she'd just received.
Looking at the towering deep-blue demon, she asked in a trembling voice, "Yuui-san... was that the Sacred Beast's full power?"
Yuui's body flickered faintly, his form partially transparent from the heavy depletion of his magic.
Hearing her question, he shook his head. "No... that was merely one of Raviel's ordinary attacks."
"Ordinary... attack!?"
Alicia swallowed hard, staring once more at the terrifying demon. For the first time, she truly understood what kind of being could rival the gods.
And she wasn't alone. Every conscious teacher and student now realized what the term "Sacred Beast" truly meant.
Earlier, Uria, Lord of Searing Flames, had left too fast and too comically for anyone to grasp its power. (Uria: "Fight me fair and square! Using such underhanded tricks doesn't count!!:)
Then came Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, who revealed just the tip of the iceberg of the Sacred Beasts' power.
And now, Raviel, Lord of Phantasms, had proven the legend true… these were demons that could indeed rival the gods.
As everyone quaked in fear at Raviel's overwhelming might, an aged yet thunderous voice rang out once more.
"Raviel! Was that your attack!? Pathetic... I barely felt a thing!!"
...
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