"Spell Card, Fusion Substitute, fuse the two Monsters on the field, return once more, Chimerafflesia."
Tenjo Hikari's classic flower crown finally truly descended into this forest.
Tenjo Hikari pointed to the blue gem on the opponent's field: "Activate the effect of Predaplant Chimerafflesia, choose one Monster on the opponent's field with a lower level than it. Banish that card."
The massive plant wrapped its roots and stems around the head of Gem-Knight, lifting it up and sending it out of the Dueling Arena, slowly dissipating into points of light.
"Battle phase, Chimerafflesia attacks the opponent—"
"Wait—" Kagurazaka raised his hand at this time, gently shaking it, "Before that, open the Set Card."
"Continuous Trap Card, Toll Increase."
The Trap slowly flipped open, emitting a faint purple light, standing on Kagurazaka's field.
"As long as this card exists on the field, both players must send a card to the Graveyard before declaring an attack."
Tenjo Hikari frowned.
He looked at his Hand Cards.
Besides the Edge Imp retrieved, Tenjo Hikari had 3 Hand Cards.
The Chain's effect has already been activated, sending it to the Graveyard now would cause sustainability issues in the next turn.
And the other three cards...
"Then I won't attack, I'll Set a card, end the turn."
"Giving up on causing damage, opted for a more stable approach?" Manjome looked at the situation, his expression slightly serious.
This was the first time he saw Tenjo Hikari's rhythm being controlled by the opponent's tactics and cards in a duel.
"The so-called Ultimate Fusion Duelist, is this all there is?" Yubel teased rather uninterestedly, then drew a card from the Deck.
She glanced down briefly, then played: "Spell Card, Akashic Records, draw two cards from the Deck. If the drawn cards have been used in the duel so far, banish those cards directly."
Tenjo Hikari's eyebrows twitched.
It seems this card was not Kagurazaka's.
Yubel drew two cards from the deck quietly, displayed them, showing they were unused cards, then placed them into her hand.
"A price must be paid to attack, but using this card allows you to skip the battle, and proceed with [battle]... Hehehe, Equip Spell Card, Future Fusion!"
Tenjo Hikari's pupils slightly contracted.
Here it comes, Kagurazaka's Future Fusion!
Countless clocks appeared in the sky, their hands spinning in the air, gradually turning black and dark.
These darkened clocks were like mirrors, occasionally glancing into them would reveal strange scenes.
In the dark mirrors, Kagurazaka's shadow could be seen, he seemed to be in a "Duel Academy," enjoying quite a happy life.
"Do you see it? He's living very happily in that world. In that world, he has no suffering, no torment, no cold stares from others, he can enjoy everything."
"Is he dreaming?" Manjome immediately realized the possibility.
"Looks like he's caught in a sweet dream, can't wake up." Tenjo Hikari also thought.
"If only I could become stronger, if only I had made that choice back then, if only I tried harder—But the world doesn't have so many 'ifs', some people struggle all their lives, unable to catch up with the flash of genius." Yubel spoke in Kagurazaka's voice, "Kagurazaka, this human has always admired you because you made him feel [fusion] in the duel, and in front of him, defeated the [Phantasm], making him excited."
"Phantasm!?" Judai caught a detail, "Hikari, you faced Phantasm alone!?"
Tenjo Hikari nodded, without denial.
"But it was your selfishness, your arrogance, that led this person down the path of no return."
"You advocate your fusion, your dueling, calling friends, yet showing no concern for those ordinary classmates—such as you, the darkness within is too well hidden."
"Hah?" Manjome laughed, "Hahaha, truly baseless speculation, Tenjo, this Spirit is crazy."
"Crazy? You haven't realized," Yubel said calmly, "That day, the Otherworld God hovering over Duel Island, you all must have seen, isn't it Tenjo Hikari's Spirit Card?
He had the ability to protect all classmates but continued to let spirits roam freely, without action, just waiting in place!
Today's situation is the result of his inaction, isn't it?"
She raised her finger, speaking while Kagurazaka's voice echoed, and the pitch-black clocks began to echo Kagurazaka's own thoughts: "You possess alchemy talents, able to modify glasses to see the spirit's true form; you have extraordinary dueling ability, can actively attack the spirit's dwelling like Judai; you have the reputation to unite classmates, but each day you only wait for the school's arrangement.
Having the ability yet not using it, how can you be called [Fusion]?
It's simply [Absolute Not Leaving Fusion] [Complete Absorption Fusion] [Ultimate Self Fusion]!"
As she spoke, she looked towards Judai's direction: "Having the ability yet calmly waiting for the situation to severely deteriorate, leading to today's scenario, doesn't it also bear responsibility for you?
This body, just because you didn't act, tried to summon me, wanting me to save him?"