"Do you know why, when you were explaining your philosophy, many soldiers weren't paying attention? Even during a duel, what they thought of first was my Fusion Cycle, not the sacrifice of those rhetorical statements?"
"It's true. Part of it is because I'm more well-known. But beyond that, there are things you can never change—an invasion is an invasion, no matter how pretty the words sound!"
!
Lilos' heart pounded heavily.
When Tenjo Hikari uttered these words, that terrifying feeling he experienced by the sea resurfaced in his heart once more.
It was as if, at this moment, it wasn't Tenjo Hikari with fewer Life Points, but rather him—as if on that day, it wasn't himself overlooking Tenjo Hikari, but Tenjo Hikari scrutinizing him from above!
"I Normal Summon Keeper of Dragon Magic!"
Keeper of Dragon Magic, LV 4, Dark Attribute, Dragon-Type, Attack Power 1800.
"Hey, hey, hey, this monster looks just like Brother Tenjo!"
"Tsk, it's Fusion Monster Tenjo Hikari—" a few soldiers from the Fusion Army cursed under their breath.
Being able to have your likeness etched onto a card is quite an honor.
"Keeper of Dragon Magic's effect, upon successful Summon·Special Summon, discards 1 Hand Card for activation. Adds 1 Normal Spell Card with 'Polymerization' in its name from the Deck to the Hand."
Tenjo Hikari's Deck didn't move; countless cards transformed into data, floating before him.
Yugo and Rin stood behind him, instantly witnessing the dazzling variety of Fusion options, exclaiming in awe.
"Fusion Spell—Fossil Fusion."
"What!?" Lilos turned pale, "It's Fossil Fusion!?"
Darn, he only remembered Invocation could Fusion summon monsters in both Graveyards, but forgot about this card—
"Spell Card, Fossil Fusion!" Tenjo Hikari inserted the card into the Duel Disk, "Exclude Fusion Material decided by a 'Fossil' Fusion Monster from both players' Graveyards, and then Fusion Summon!
Fusion Conditions are Rock-Type monsters and LV 5·6 monsters from your Graveyard."
"Rock? Ah—"
"That's right, I exclude from your Graveyard Invoked Magellanica and your LV 6 Stegocyber!
Fusion Summon, Fossil Machine Skull Wagon!"
The skeletal remains of a dinosaur and rock began to merge. After a whirl, a skeletal dinosaur car appeared.
Fossil Machine Skull Wagon, LV 6, Earth Attribute, Rock-Type, Attack Power 1700.
"Tsk..." Lilos cursed softly.
"You're thinking of using monsters in the Grave to prevent direct attacks or battle damage, right? Indeed, it's part of the strategy. But—how can one assume they'll never be mistaken on their side?
Just like your tactics given to that noble, weren't they wrong?"
Tenjo Hikari never assumed he'd always be smooth sailing, never believed his strategy absolutely successful.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been struck unexpectedly by Teacher Daitokuji and Wave of Light even having prepared thoroughly.
"It's not over yet. Your strategy involves repetitive destruction, revival, and battle, effect resistance. Yet, what did you think when witnessing my Overload Future Fusion?"
"Huh?"
"Hum—Keeper of Dragon Magic's effect! Shows the opponent 1 Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck for activation. Special Summons 1 monster with that fusion monster's name from the Graveyard in Face-down Position.
I Special Summon Dark Magician!"
A red magician giggled coldly, spinning his form, concealing himself with a curtain, appearing on his field.
"Quick-Play Spell Card, Secrets of Dark Magic.
This card can Fusion Summon or Ritual Summon."
"Ritual?" Lilos widened his eyes, "You even have Ritual Magic—"
"There's always a time of inspiration," Tenjo Hikari replied, "I won't let companions languish in the lab indefinitely—anyway, I'm activating Secrets of Dark Magic's Fusion effect. Uses monsters containing 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' in Hand·on Field as Fusion Material, Special Summons 1 Fusion Monster!"
"...Wait, Dark Magician... Could it be!"
"Indeed—that 'could it be!' Haven't seen it for so long, right? But this time, it's the genuine one!
Go, Gaia!"
"Oh! My lord!"
Gaia responded beside Tenjo Hikari: "Let this guy, who dares brazenly use lofty excuses to invade others, know the true 'belief'!"
As the 'Great Lord,' what it most despises just might be Lilos and spirits like him!
"Fusion Conditions, Dark Magician and a Ritual Monster with 'Chaos.'"
"One power guiding light, another guiding darkness!"
"When light and dark powers intertwine, chaos descends!
Appear.
LV 8, Master of Chaos!"
The armored warrior flung away his cloak, wielded the long sword and shield in his hand, slashing through the void, abruptly appearing by Tenjo Hikari's side.
Master of Chaos, LV 8, Dark Attribute, Spellcaster-Type, Attack Power 3000.
"Oh, oh, oh, so cool!" Yugo exclaimed excitedly.
Lilos, meanwhile, turned ashen.
Darn—his trump card feared nothing but Master of Chaos!
"But, it's fine. Your field lacks Light Attribute monsters, and Normal Summon is used..." For a moment, he recalled the activation condition for Master of Chaos's effect and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Heh... Master of Chaos's effect, when Fusion Summoned, targets 1 Light·Dark Attribute monster in your Graveyard to activate. Special Summons that monster!"
Tenjo Hikari raised the Duel Disk in his left hand, where a clean beam automatically sparkled. At this moment, Lilos suddenly recalled—that Keeper of Dragon Magic discarded a card!
"Thunder Dragonmatrix!"
Zz-la!
A dragon egg as tall as a person fell from the sky.
Thunder Dragonmatrix, LV 1, Light Attribute, Thunder-Type, Attack Power 0.
"Oh—look at this size, the little guy should soon continue to evolve, huh?" On the side, Tierra commented upon seeing the giant dragon egg, casually telling Tenjo Hikari, "Although it doesn't seem like a Fusion Monster indeed."
Perhaps it'll turn into Thunder Dragondark?
Tenjo Hikari pondered for a moment, not rushing to ask about the Thunder Dragonmatrix, and gazed at his opponent.
Lilos already understood, yet he seemed intent on resisting defiantly, bracing himself with hands before him.
Those soldiers from the Fusion Army were different, seasoned enough to already protect Lilos before them.
Tenjo Hikari squinted slightly, raised his right hand: "Then—activate the monster effect! Master of Chaos's effect, releases 1 Light and Dark Attribute monster from the field for activation, banishes all monsters on the field!
I release Keeper of Dragon Magic and Thunder Dragonmatrix!"
"Creation of Heaven and Earth!"
Although the card does not hold Gaia's power but that of the original Black Luster Soldier, Gaia wielded it with ease, gently moving the big sword in his right hand, seemingly tearing open a "wound" in the world, two enormous dinosaurs furiously writhing but inevitably sucked inside, vanishing without a trace.
"..." Lilos remained silent.
So, Tenjo Hikari's previous Overload Future Fusion anticipated this.
He never even considered Normal Monsters in my Graveyard!
"Battle, direct attack," Tenjo Hikari gestured casually, two monsters automatically charging forward towards Lilos.
The vehicle first knocked him to the ground, then Gaia appeared instantly behind him.
The massive sword contained his anger towards the invaders, his determination as 'Great Lord' to protect the weaker spirits, and his absolute warrior power achieved through his status as 'Black Luster Soldier'!
Lilos, LP: 3500→1800→0.
Lilos felt the pain penetrating through his body, with chaotic power striking down to render him, a single-minded individual, completely incapable of holding cards, losing consciousness amidst anguished cries.
And just as he collapsed, the duel's imagery simultaneously dissipated.
But—
At that moment, Tenjo Hikari suddenly sensed a burning sensation.
Lilos's body gradually faded, eventually transforming into a burning flame—Tierra said it was his soul, the soul seeming drawn by some force, flying into the sky, causing the sky to appear much redder.