The stage for the quarterfinals was already towering high above the audience. Standing on the stage, Mitsuzawa Daichi could feel a sense of excitement and passion.
He looked at Manjome Jun, who also stepped onto the stage, and showed a friendly smile: "It's been a long time since we had a proper duel, Thunder."
"Indeed, it seems we only sparred during the first semester," Manjome nodded, reminiscing.
That's right, the two of them hadn't dueled many times.
Of course, what they were referring to were serious duels. Within the Fusion Department, they had dueled many times on various decks at the department table.
Boom boom boom——
Fireworks exploded, and the holographic images of the two appeared before the audience.
"Duel!" they shouted simultaneously.
Duel Academy Main School, Mitsuzawa Daichi, LP: 4000.
Duel Academy Main School, Manjome Jun, LP: 4000.
Boom!
Flames rose behind both of them.
Neither of them had a signature card rise up.
Although someone from Kaiba Company thought they could give Manjome the Light and Darkness Dragon, Manjome had refused.
On the other hand, Mitsuzawa Daichi used several decks in this finale, featuring various attributes, even using Amazoness cards, so Kaiba Company couldn't find any particular representative card of his.
"I'll take the first move, draw card——" Mitsuzawa Daichi drew a card.
"Activate Spell Card, Pot of Greed, draw two cards."
Mitsuzawa Daichi drew two cards, glanced over them: "Then, I activate the Spell Card, Graceful Charity. This card lets me draw three cards and then discard two from my hand."
"Draw card——"
He drew two more cards from his deck, then his eyes lit up.
Nice!
[Dragon's Mirror].
The first card for his key chain was in hand!
He evaluated his hand cards again, noticed a Continuous Trap and a monster, calculated mentally for a while, and then smiled: "Discard Chemicritter Dioxogre and Chemicritter Oxy Ox from my hand to the graveyard."
"Oh—— is it Chemicritter?" Manjome couldn't help commenting when seeing those series of cards, "You didn't use Chemicritter much in the previous matches, are you finally using them now?"
"Yes, dueling you is not the time for tests," Mitsuzawa Daichi eyed his hand card, "Activate Spell Card, Monster Reborn, revive the Chemicritter Dioxogre from the graveyard, and then perform another summon."
A bizarre-looking, giant combined monster appeared beside him, with a chemical formula of dioxide on its body.
Chemicritter Dioxogre, Level 8, Dark Attribute, Fiend-Type, ATK 2800.
"Dioxogre——" Manjome's lips couldn't help but curl into a smile.
Some familiar friends also couldn't help but smile.
Seeing this monster, they couldn't help but recall the jokes Tenjo Hikari often made with Mitsuzawa Daichi.
However, in such a formal setting, Manjome wouldn't mention it, just lightly chuckled and nodded: "Summoning a monster with 2800 ATK on the first turn, is that your strategy?"
"Strategy? No——" Mitsuzawa Daichi shook his head, "This is just [preparation]."
Preparation?
Manjome raised an eyebrow.
"When I went to the Amazoness Camp with Hikari, I had many thoughts."
"Ah—— I heard about that, you and a spirit——"
"Cough cough cough, that's something not necessary to mention here!" Mitsuzawa Daichi hurriedly interrupted Manjome's tactless words with a cough, saying, "But, you're not entirely wrong.
After that, I've been thinking about how the Fusion Army attacked the X Dimension, causing communication barriers between our two dimensions. This situation is bound to occur in the future.
After all, humans by themselves can't fully understand each other. Between different dimensions, there will inevitably be mutual caution, and eventually, misunderstandings and conflicts out of common sense or suspicion might arise even between spirits and humans, leading to [hatred].
So, I plan to use this direction as my path to proceed towards all future dimensions."
Manjome looked at him in surprise.
"That's not an easy task, Mitsuzawa, how will you do it?" Manjome voiced the doubts of countless people and spirits, "There are language differences between countries, different dimensions don't even have the same summoning methods, how can you handle something like that on your own?"
"It's simple, no matter what dimension, no matter if it's spirit or human, there is always one thing that will never change!" Mitsuzawa Daichi answered confidently.
"What is it?" Manjome asked, puzzled.
"Mathematics!"
!!
Not only was Manjome startled, but some young spectators watching the match were visibly surprised too.
"In any world, any dimension, whether spirit or human, all dimensions, as long as you're a duelist, there's something you must learn——mathematics!" Mitsuzawa Daichi extended his hand forward towards Manjome and said, "Hence, as long as there are [formulas] and [numbers], there is a way to bring peace to all, allowing everyone to interact.
I want to be that dimension diplomat of mathematics."
"...Hahaha, incredible, Mitsuzawa!" Manjome suddenly laughed aloud, "Then give it your all, because I'm the one who transcends past, present, and future to become the strongest duelist! If you don't show your fullest here, it will be hard for people to trust you!"
"Ha, of course I understand—set two cards, end turn!"
"My turn, draw card—at this moment, activate Quick-Play Spell Card, Armed Dragon's Thunder, to Special Summon one 'Armed Dragon' Monster in Defense Position from the Deck.
Special Summon, Armed Dragon LV3!"
"Then—during the Standby Phase, activate Armed Dragon LV3's effect, sending this card to the Graveyard during the Standby Phase and activate. Special Summon one 'Armed Dragon LV5' from hand or Deck!
Evolve, my dragon!"
The petite armored dragon slowly grows larger, then transforms into a robust young armored dragon.
Armed Dragon LV5, Level 5, Wind Attribute, Dragon-Type, ATK 2400.
"Using Quick-Play Spell to summon the weakest LV3 during the Draw Phase, then directly evolving it into LV5—"
"Wow, LV Monster!"
"I didn't expect to see such Legendary Level Monster."
LV Monsters may not be strong, but they are extremely rare; each LV series monster is very rare, and seeing Manjome using such a card, the audience naturally gets excited.
"Want to use LV5's effect to directly destroy my Dioxogre? It won't be so easy—Armed Dragon must discard a monster with higher ATK than the opposing monster before evolving into LV10.
2800 points, Thunder, even for you it's not easy, right?"
"However, very regrettably—"
"Tch, do you have it just right?"
"Indeed—Mitsuzawa, activate Armed Dragon LV5's effect, discard Armed Dragon Thunder LV7 from hand; its ATK is precisely 2800 points!"
Discarding the LV7 Armed Dragon directly!?
Armed Dragon LV5 hand seemingly lights up with intense lightning, it leaps forward toward Dioxogre, an electric punch drops, instantly shattering Dioxogre.
Mitsuzawa Daichi shields himself from the storm stirred by the explosion, yet doesn't show a bit of impatience.
"Armed Dragon Thunder LV7's Monster Effect can be activated when this card is sent to the Graveyard by a Dragon-Type monster effect. Add one 'Armed Dragon' from Deck to hand!"
"I'll add Pile Armed Dragon to my hand, then immediately activate its effect—by discarding one Wind Attribute or LV7 or higher Dragon-Type monster other than this card from my hand, I can directly Special Summon. I'll send Armed Dragon Thunder LV3 to the Graveyard. Special Summon!"
A giant Armed Dragon LV7 jumps beside LV5 with a bang, then grabs a huge pile driver, roaring at the sky.
Pile Armed Dragon, Level 7, Wind Attribute, Dragon-Type, ATK 2800.
"Then, Armed Dragon Thunder LV3, like LV7, has an effect that triggers when sent to the Graveyard by a Dragon-Type effect—draw one card."
Manjome draws a card in an instant, glances down.
"It's not over, activate Pile Armed Dragon's effect, send Armed Dragon Thunder LV5 from Deck to the Graveyard, increase its ATK—then, Armed Dragon LV5's effect, add one LV 5 or higher Dragon-Type Wind Attribute monster from Deck to hand—I'll add Armed Dragon LV10!"
Pile Armed Dragon, ATK: 2800→4300
"Wow..."
"2400 and 2800 monsters, Special Summoned without any cost."
"Moreover, it even destroyed the opponent's monster!"
"And increased its attack power!!"
Just like Mitsuzawa Daichi said.
Math is the most "direct."
Manjome didn't waste a single card, not only Special Summoned a monster enough to instantly kill 4000 LP, but also directly destroyed Mitsuzawa Daichi's monster, anyone who has watched a duel would know just how exaggerated Manjome's actions are in this world.
"Tsk... Manjome, why did he become so formidable?" Fubuki doesn't quite understand, what's the reason for that sudden transformation, just like opening the Ren and Du Meridians.
"Thunder—haha, that guy..." Judai watches the duel, his face showing a pure smile.
"Battle! Mitsuzawa! If you can't block even this—"
"Trap Card, Waboku!" Mitsuzawa Daichi calmly says, with a hint of apology, "Sorry, Thunder, peace, peace. Starting off so violently will scare off people who could be friends."
"...Heh." Manjome chuckles and shakes his head.
It's reasonable.
"Set two cards, end turn."
Pile Armed Dragon, ATK: 4300→2800.
Then, he crosses his arms, calmly waiting to see what Mitsuzawa Daichi will do.
"My turn, draw card—"
Mitsuzawa Daichi draws a card, glances at it, and his mouth curves up.
Here it comes—
The crucial 'second' card!
He shows a confident smile, next to him, Tania's hologram also nods gently at him.
"It's on, Thunder—"
"Come on, Mitsuzawa!"
"Activate Spell Card! Dragon's Mirror!"