# Chapter 4: Number Card
"Do you think this is all I've got?" Yūga Hōzumi sneered, looking at the rusty giant on his opponent's field.
"I still have two Level 4 monsters on my field."
"What?" the Academy Army Vanguard frowned.
"I overlay the Level 4 Gagaga Magician and Gogogo Banchou - Gagaga Coat!"
A card ejected from the Duel Disk's Extra Zone, and Yūga Hōzumi reached out to take it.
But at that moment, strands of black electricity surged from the card, flowing along Yūga Hōzumi's right arm and throughout his entire body. Yūga Hōzumi couldn't help but cry out in pain as a massive black vortex appeared in the sky.
"Brother Yūga Hōzumi!"
"Chief!"
The onlookers cried out anxiously.
On Yūga Hōzumi's right hand and in the center of the vortex in the sky, a number—70—appeared. Enduring the searing pain from the black electricity, Yūga Hōzumi shouted with great difficulty:
"O great net woven from the world's sins! Settle the score with all my enemies! Xyz Summon! Number 70: Malevolent Sin!"
From the black vortex, a large, ghostly blue spider descended on a silk thread. The blood-red number 70 on its abdomen and the two sharp, chilling fangs on its head heralded the monster's danger.
"Is summoning a Number monster in this world always this intense?" Yūga Hōzumi gasped, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead as he murmured.
"Just putting on a show." The Academy Army Vanguard could also feel the dangerous aura emanating from the monster before him. After taking half a step back, he still spoke defiantly.
"I activate the effect of Number 70: Malevolent Sin! Once per turn, by detaching one Xyz Material from this card, I can target one of your monsters and banish it until your next Standby Phase."
One of the black orbs orbiting Malevolent Sin flew high into the air, transforming into a colossal, sky-shrouding net that descended upon the Ancient Gear Ultimate Giant.
A moment after the net fell, it vanished from the field, taking the enveloped mechanical giant with it to the Different Dimension.
"Battle! Number 70: Malevolent Sin, attack directly!"
The moment Yūga Hōzumi's words fell, the upside-down Malevolent Sin on the field impatiently swung forward on its silk thread, its sharp fangs snapping open and shut.
"I activate the Continuous Trap, Ancient Gear Reborn!"
"The effect of Ancient Gear Reborn! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can target one 'Ancient Gear' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! A monster Special Summoned by this effect gains 200 ATK."
"Return from the Graveyard! Ancient Gear Dragon!"
As the opponent's Continuous Trap activated, a gigantic altar appeared out of thin air. From atop the altar, countless rusty parts flew out and reassembled in mid-air. In an instant, a mechanical dragon was soaring over the field once more.
Ancient Gear Dragon ATK: 3000 → 3200
"What's the matter? Are you going to attack?" the Academy Army Vanguard taunted, looking at Malevolent Sin, which had stopped its attack due to the replay.
"It's still no good?" the onlookers said, dejected.
"I set two cards and end my turn." Yūga Hōzumi gritted his teeth as he ended his turn.
"I'll bury you this turn! My turn! I draw!" the Academy Army Vanguard sneered.
"At this moment, the Ancient Gear Ultimate Giant that was banished by your monster's effect returns to my field!"
With a loud roar, the Ancient Gear Ultimate Giant returned from the Different Dimension, its terrifying form reappearing on the field.
Ancient Gear Ultimate Giant ATK: 4400
"Next, I summon in Attack Position! Ancient Gear Wyvern!"
"When Ancient Gear Wyvern is summoned, its effect activates! I add one 'Ancient Gear' card from my Deck to my hand! After this effect resolves, I cannot Set cards for the rest of this turn."
"I add Ancient Gear Bomb to my hand!"
"Battle!" The Academy Army Vanguard declared, taking the searched card from his Duel Disk and waving his hand to enter the Battle Phase.
Just then, Yūga Hōzumi revealed a face-down card. "Most of your monsters have effects that lock down the Battle Phase, preventing your opponent from activating Spells or Traps when they attack, right? So at this moment, I activate the Trap Card, Masterpiece Puzzle!"
"I target two monsters in my Graveyard, Special Summon them with their effects negated, and then, using only those two monsters as material, I Xyz Summon one LIGHT 'Utopia' Xyz Monster."
"I Special Summon Utopic Onomatopeia and Gogogo Banchou - Gagaga Coat from the Graveyard with their effects negated! Then, I overlay these two Level 4 monsters!"
The revealed Trap glowed, and a golden Emperor's Key flashed. The two monsters, reborn in light, transformed into two golden orbs of light and flew towards the Stardust Vortex overhead.
Yūga Hōzumi gritted his teeth and took the card that ejected from his Duel Disk's Extra Zone. The expected sharp pain didn't come. Instead, a warm light enveloped him. On his right hand and within the Stardust Vortex above, the red number 39 appeared. Then, amidst the dazzling radiance, a golden-armored warrior named Hope slowly descended.
"Xyz Summon! Appear, warrior of hope! Number 39: Hope Emperor Utopia!"
As Yūga Hōzumi's voice faded, the descended golden-armored warrior spread its wings, caught the longsword falling from the sky, and gave it a powerful swing.
Number 39: Hope Emperor Utopia ATK: 2500
After Utopia appeared, Yūga Hōzumi, standing behind it, gulped. The reason was simple. "This is so damn cool! I definitely made the right choice," Yūga Hōzumi murmured softly.
"Hmph, another Number Card? Just a pointless struggle!" the Academy Army Vanguard said, gritting his teeth.
"Ancient Gear Ultimate Giant, attack Number 70: Malevolent Sin!"
The Ancient Gear Ultimate Giant slowly raised its arm and brought a heavy fist smashing down.
"I activate the effect of Hope Emperor Utopia! When any monster declares an attack, I can detach one Xyz Material from this card to negate the attack! Moon God Shield!"
Hope Emperor Utopia moved to block the iron fist aimed at its teammate. Its wings folded in front of it, and one of the orbiting orbs of light turned into a stream of light that flowed into them. Then, a peaceful wave emanated from the wings to meet the opponent's attack. Under the effect of this wave, the massive iron fist struck nothing but empty air.
"Then, Ancient Gear Dragon, attack Malevolent Sin!"
"I activate the effect of Hope Emperor Utopia! When any monster declares an attack, I can detach one Xyz Material from this card to negate the attack! Moon God Shield!"
Utopia once again shielded its teammate. Another golden orb orbiting it also transformed into the ripple emanating from its wings, nullifying the mechanical giant's attack.
"So it's just a stalling effect? Fine, I'll end my turn," the Academy Army Vanguard said through gritted teeth.
"My turn! I draw!" Yūga Hōzumi drew a card.
"I activate the effect of Constellar Ptolemy M7! Once per turn, by detaching one Xyz Material, I can target one monster on either field or in either Graveyard and return it to its owner's hand!"
"I'm returning Ancient Gear Ultimate Giant to your hand!"
"Next, I activate the effect of Number 70: Malevolent Sin! Once per turn, by detaching one Xyz Material, I can target a monster on your field and banish it until your next Standby Phase!"
"I banish Ancient Gear Dragon!"
Under the effects of Yūga Hōzumi's two monsters, the opponent's two powerful monsters both left the field. In the blink of an eye, the only thing left on the opponent's field was an Ancient Gear Wyvern with 1700 ATK.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card, Overlay Rebirth!"
"I target one Xyz Monster on the field and attach this card to it as an Xyz Material."
The Spell Card in Yūga Hōzumi's hand transformed into a new small orb of light and began to circle around Hope Emperor Utopia.
...
(end of chapter)