"And because the number of cards on the field has changed, your Magma Neos' ATK decreases."
[Elemental HERO Magma Neos, ATK 6300 → ATK 5900]
Looking at the mountain-sized black monster, Alicia felt a wave of physical and mental disgust so strong she nearly vomited.
Fortunately, she held it back.
"Ugh even if Magma Neos' ATK went down, your monster only has 3500 ATK, so you can't beat him, guh"
"Is that so? But little girl, did you forget? This old man still has one more card he hasn't used!"
As he spoke, the Magical Scientist waved his hand and flipped over the final card before him. "I activate my Set card, the Quick-Play Spell Enemy Controller. This card has two effects. I can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; that monster's battle position changes. Or I can Tribute 1 monster I control, then target 1 face-up monster my opponent controls and take control of it until the End Phase."
"What!" Alicia was shocked. "Taking control of the opponent's monster!?"
"Correct!" The Magical Scientist showed a faint smile. "At the end of this Duel, let this old man witness the full power of your Magma Neos!
"I activate the second effect. I Tribute my Myutant Synthesis, then target your Magma Neos and take control of him until the end of the turn!"
A device shaped like a game controller appeared on the Magical Scientist's field. As he input a sequence of commands, Myutant Synthesis on the field dissolved into particles of light. Then the controller's cables shot out, piercing into Magma Neos' body.
"Magma Neos!!"
The light in Magma Neos' eyes flickered. In Alicia's unwilling gaze, he moved to the Magical Scientist's field. At the same time, the card data on Alicia's Duel Disk turned into light and transferred to the Magical Scientist's Duel Disk.
[Elemental HERO Magma Neos, ATK 5900 → ATK 5100]
"Because two more cards left the field, Magma Neos' ATK decreases by 800 again! Even so, that ATK is more than enough!" The Magical Scientist then checked the information displayed for Magma Neos on his Duel Disk.
"As expected, it's not just about increasing ATK!"
The Magical Scientist looked at Magma Neos, astonished by its field-wiping return effect. He had to admit that this "Triple Contact Fusion" monster was truly eye-opening.
And judging by the artwork he saw earlier on NEXT, the Neo-Spacian monsters that support Neos seem to number six in total, corresponding to six elemental powers.
That means Neos should have at least six two-monster fusion forms and at least three three-monster fusion forms.
And adding the fusion form Yuui showed before—Grandmerge—this single monster line had more evolutionary forms than he ever imagined. The "versatility" Neos possessed was truly astonishing.
The Magical Scientist lifted his head toward the frustrated Alicia and Yuui. His corpse-like face stretched again into a faint smile.
"Now, the Duel ends! Entering the Battle Phase, I use Myutant Ultimus to attack Neo-Spacian Glow Moss!!"
"ROAR!!"
A serpent head with a violet-red eye lunged toward Glow Moss.
Abruptly, then, upon seeing this, Alicia immediately raised her hand. "Don't even think about it! I activate the effect of Necro Gardna in my Graveyard! By banishing this card during your turn, I can make one of your attacks this turn become negated!"
The spectral image of a white-haired, red-armored undead warrior appeared in front of Glow Moss, attempting to block the strike.
Seeing him, Alice, outside the field, was surprised—when had Alicia… no, when had Albaz sent that card to the Graveyard?
Meanwhile, the Magical Scientist suddenly remembered. "It was the card sent to the Graveyard earlier by Liquid Soldier's effect. You sure waited long enough to use it, but sadly, it won't matter.
"I activate Ultimus' effect! Once per turn, when a card or effect is activated, I can banish 1 Myutant card of the same type—Monster, Spell, or Trap—from my hand, Graveyard, or face-up field, and if I do, negate that activation and banish it!"
"A full negation type… and it banishes instead of destroys!"
Alicia clenched her tiny fists. Even though Yuui had already explained Ultimus' effect to her, she still wanted to try struggling.
Regardless, it was useless.
The Magical Scientist took the Myutant Synthesis he had just sent to the Graveyard and placed it into the banished zone. "I banish the Monster card Myutant Synthesis and negate your Necro Gardna's effect—then banish it! Utter Devouring!!"
A second serpent head from Ultimus lunged forth, devouring Necro Gardnar's spectral form. Then the first serpent head bit down on Glow Moss, shattering it.
[Elemental HERO Magma Neos, ATK 5100 → ATK 4800]
[Alicia, LP: 4200]
4800 ATK. 4200 Life Points. As long as the Magical Scientist ordered Magma Neos to attack next, the Duel would end in Yuui and Alicia's defeat.
However, the Magical Scientist suddenly stopped. He pulled his Deck from the Duel Disk, forcefully ending the Duel.
"Huh!?" Alicia stared in confusion at his action. Then the Magical Scientist tossed Magma Neos' card back to her.
Alicia hurriedly caught it, and he said, "With your current strength, being able to fight this far against this old man is already impressive. If we continued, someone would die. I'm part of the Academy after all—killing a student in a Duel wouldn't look good.
"As for cardmaking, setting aside your personal capabilities, just based on the sheer versatility that this Neos possesses, this old man agrees to teach you both cardmaking!
"From now on, come to me after class every day. This old man will teach you thoroughly. I hope that someday, you will let me witness monsters that reach—or even surpass—the realm of gods!"
...
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