"Draw!" With a determine look, Riko drew the card. After seeing it, a smile bloom on her face. It's the third Summoned Skull.
Ryuji watching with a wary look as the red energy start to spread to her hand, he looks at his hand for a moment and make a move. "I set two cards and end my turn."
At the moment Ryuji end his turn, the dark mist covered his duel disk start to vanished. Three turns have pass by and the effect of Deck Devastation Virus ended.
"Then it's my turn, draw!" Riko look at her hand with a thoughtful look. 'Just one more card and my combo is complete. But... can I draw it? Nah, I definitely will.'
With a confident in her bond with her deck, Riko make her action. "I activate Ancient Rules which let me Special Summon 1 Level 5 or higher Normal Monster from my hand, I Special Summon the last Summoned Skull from my hand!"
[Summoned Skull, atk: 2500]
Ryuji took a moment to appreciate the sight before him, it's very special. Mainly because she's the only person he knows except Kaiba who use 3 copies of their ace monster.
After summoning all of her Summoned Skull, the aura around clearly grows stronger. "Next, because I just summon a normal monster so I can activate Piercing the Darkness effect and draw 1 card.
The card I just draw is Pot of Avarice, I activate it and return D.D. Crow, Lava Golem, Archfiend's Ascent and 2 Archfiend Heiress to my deck, then draw 2 cards."
"Next, I activate Xyz Treasure; Since there's 3 xyz monster on the field, I can draw 3 cards from my deck!" Riko quickly refill her hand once again.
"Here I come! I activate continuous spell Solidarity; If I have only 1 original Type of monster in my Graveyard, all monsters I control with the same Type gain 800 ATK. Right now I only have Fiend type monster in my graveyard so all of my Summoned Skull atk increase by 800!"
[Summoned Skull, atk: 2500 -> 3300] X3
"Now, witness my ultimate combo! I activate Delta Attacker; I can only activate this card while there are 3 Normal Monsters of the same name on my field. The 3 Normal Monsters of the same name can attack my opponent directly during the turn this card is activated. That mean all of my Summoned Skull can attack directly this turn!"
Ryuji analysis the situation calmly. 'So this is why she gather 3 Summoned Skull on her field. I was thinking she was about to summon some super strong Rank 6 monster. If it's just this then she can keep dreaming about defeat me.' Ryuji thought arrogantly, he feels that find a way to deal with the mysterious Number monster is more important.
Contrast to Ryuji carefree, the audience was extremely shocked seeing Riko's combo.
"This is insane! Who could have think of such combo using only Normal Monster!?"
"3 3300 atk monsters, all attack directly. That's 9900 damages total!"
"Even if that kid has double the LP he has now, he still could not survive this."
'Typical NPC line...' Ryuji can't help but thinking.
"I enter Battle Phase; I use Summoned Skull 1 to attack you directly!"
"I activate my trap card Survival Instinct; I can banish any number of Dinosaur monsters from your GY; gain 400 LP for each Dinosaur monster banished to activate this card. I banish Bayerock Dragon, Kaitoptera, Super-Ancient Dinobeast, Dinovatus Docus, Super Conductor Tyranno, Horned Saurus, Sabersaurus X3, Evolsaur Elias, Hyper Hammerhead, Flowerdino. Total 12 Dinosaur monsters, so I gain 4800 LP!"
[Ryuji, LP: 4200 -> 9000]
"At the same time, Kaitoptera activate it effect when banished; I can Special Summon it, then I can add 1 "Polymerization" from your GY to my hand. Alright, let's see if you can clear my LP."
[Kaitoptera, def: 1000]
"Hmph! Just 9000 LP, see me breakthrough it!" Riko say arrogantly as the first attack contact.
[Ryuji, LP: 9000 -> 5700]
"Now come the second hit!" The second Summoned Skull immediately gather a large amount of electric energy launch it forward to Ryuji.
Ryuji watch calmly as the attack come close to him. Before it makes contact, a few metal pieces gather forming a shield with kite shape before him completely stop the attack. "Kiteroid effect: I can remove this card from the game when it is in my Graveyard, any Battle Damage I would receive from a direct attack becomes 0."
Riko eyes widen with realization. 'No wonder he didn't look worry at all; I almost forgot that card was also send to the graveyard by Deck Devastation Virus.' Although her attack was stop, Riko didn't look too disappoint.
Ryuji ask curiously, "Now one of your attacks is stop, your last Summoned Skull can't make enough damage to end battle, what are you gonna do now?"
Riko give him a smirking in respond. "Not enough damage? Don't look down on my monster! I use my last Summoned Skull to attack your Dragonlark Pairen!" Summoned Skull continues its attack, but this time its target is change to Ryuji monster.
Riko quickly show another card on her hand, "I activate Quick-Play Spell Action Magic - Full Turn! This turn, double any battle damage that a player takes from battles involving 2 monsters. Next, I activate Piercing the Darkness effect; My Summoned Skull will gain ATK equal to your Dragonlark Pairen's atk!"
[Summoned Skull, atk: 3300 -> 6000]
Outside the field, Kari did a quick calculate before speaking worriedly. "Oh no! If the attack succeeds, then Ryuji will have to take 6600 damage and he will lose instantly!" What she says make other worry as well. The others immediately tense up after hearing what Kari say.
Contrast to his friends worry, Ryuji stood calmly as the attack cone closer. Then he asks a question that seem out of place. "Did you know that in Duel Monster, there's a very interesting rule that people often overlook?"
Riko tilt her head in confused, although she not knowing why he ask that but still answer honestly. "This game have too many rules to remember, which rule are you asking about?"
Ryuji: "When a monster is being use as material for Xyz Monster, it isn't treated as being on the field, in the graveyard or banished. So, when those cards were sent to the graveyard, some of their effect may be unable to activate. For example, a monster with effect that say, 'banish this card when it leaves the field'."
Riko frow further, "What does that have anything to do with-" Her voice was cut off when she searches though her mind, there's a monster that fit what he says.
Her voice tremble as she looks at Ryuji graveyard, a monster she has overlook and forgot about. "That monster is in your graveyard, right? The monster you use to Special Summon Dragonlark Pairen and was send to the graveyard when you use Mystik Wok."
Ryuji smirk as he reaches inside his graveyard and take out a card. "I pay 1000 LP to activate Stegocyber effect; Special Summon this card, and I take no battle damage from my opponent's monster attacks."
[Stegocyber, def: 2400]
[Ryuji, LP: 5700 -> 4700]
"Not only I didn't take any battle damage, since Stegocyber has been Special Summon from the graveyard, my Dragonlark Pairen won't get destroy by battle."
Riko look as her monster attack got stop completely, unable to deal the slightest damage. "Sign... After all that I still can't defeat you huh? But I'm not gonna admit defeat, I activate One Day of Peace; Each player draws 1 card, and neither player takes damage until the end of the opponent's next turn. I set 1 card and end my turn."
"Then it's my turn once again, draw!" Ryuji look a bit disappointed, if it's not because of Riko's One Day of Peace then he can just Fusion Summon Horned Saurus to attack directly and win the game. 'Plot armor level luck.'
Shake all the unnecessary though out of his head, Ryuji refocused to the duel. "First, I tribute Tornado Dragon to summon Evolsaur Terias!"
[Evolsaur Terias, atk: 2400]
"I overlay Terias and Stegocyber to Xyz Summon a Rank 6 monster, appear my last Evolzar, Evolzar Solda!"
[Evolzar Solda, atk: 2600]
Finally, the strongest and weakest Evolzar set foot on the field. Strongest because it has the highest atk and can easily beat other Evolzar in a 1v1, weakest because it's the only one can't negate.
"Now, I activate Double Spell; I discard 1 spell card and place Pot of Avarice in your graveyard to my zone. Then I activate Pot of Avarice; I return Evolzar Dolkka, Evolzar Lars, Tornado Dragon, Inzektor Dragonfly and Inzektor Centipede to my deck, then draw 2 cards.
Next, I activate Leviair the Sea Dragon effect to bring back Hyper Hammerhead in my banish zone! Now, I overlay once more using Kaitoptera and Hyper Hammerhead, appear on the field once more Tornado Dragon!"
[Tornado Dragon, def: 2000]
"I see, so that's why you choose my Pot of Avarice instead of Xyz Reborn huh?" Riko look at the storm dragon with helplessness, her back rows aren't safe anymore. The only question is which one would he choose, her mystery set card or other two?
Ryuji quickly make his decision. "I destroy your Solidarity!" Like he said before, although his deck is strong in control and disrupt other play, but it lacks powerful monster backing it. Without Inzektor support his deck is struggling over Riko monster, so his only choice now is reduced their atk to have a chance to fight back.
[Summoned Skull, atk: 3300 -> 2500] X3
Seeing he destroys her Solidarity, Riko brace herself knowing he will go full attack this turn. "Trying to take advantage of my One Day of Peace huh? Go on then!"
Ryuji just smiles at her provoking. "Don't be impatient, before enter Battle Phase, I activate my set card Supersoaring; Target 1 Dinosaur monster that is banished or in either GY; Special Summon it to my field. I Special Summon Hyper Hammerhead to my field!"
[Hyper Hammerhead, atk: 1500]
"Now all the setup is done, I enter Battle Phase and attack your Summoned Skull with Dragonlark Pairen!"
Riko glance at Hyper Hammerhead that just been Special Summon from the graveyard and glance back at Dragonlark Pairen. "Sign... I activate my trap card Transaction Rollback; By paying half of my LP, then target 1 Normal Trap in my opponent's GY; this effect becomes that card's activation effect. I copy Waboku in your graveyard! This turn none of my monster will be destroy by battle."
[Riko, LP: 1700 -> 850]
Everyone eyes widen in surprised including Ryuji, their never see a trap card copy your opponent own trap card before. As for Ryuji, he surprised because he didn't expect this card already exist in this era.
Seeing his monster attack make no damages, Ryuji doesn't bother much and keep attacking. "Then this time I attack your Summoned Skull with Hyper Hammerhead!"
'Attack with lower atk monster?' Riko fell into deep thoughts, trying to make sense of Ryuji action. "I see, you are trying to get rid of the weakness of your field while making space for your Evo-Singularity to activate, isn't it?"
"Haha, that's a part of it, but you are mistake something. None of my monster are weakness, every one of them hold the power of their own."
Riko immediately tense up, wonder if the monster has a powerful effect. But the next screen makes the corner of her mouth twitching. The dinosaur directly crashes into her monster and turn into pieces. "That's it? I thought you say-"
Then under her bewildered eyes, her Summoned Skull get lauch back, return to her hand. Ryuji smile mischievously. "Hyper Hammerhead effect; At the end of the Damage Step, if an opponent's monster that battled this card is not destroyed: Return that opponent's monster to the hand."
"Next, I set one card and activate Exchange; Both players reveal their hands and add 1 card from each other's hand to their hand. I already know your last card, so we'll skip that." Ryuji directly throw the last card on his hand towards Riko and she did the same. "I end my turn. Hope you like my card~"
Riko look speechless at the card on her hand and silently clenching her hand. 'Polymerization, and he talk like he has seen a person other than himself using fusion monster. Who in their right mind would use fusion in this century!?' Riko look up to Ryuji with her pupils turn red.
Ryuji notice as the red energy begin to cover Riko entire body. 'Did I go overboard or did the Number monster make her more easily to lose control of her emotion?'
Just as Riko reach out for her duel disk, something unexpected happen-
*BOOM*
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