Chapter 39: Expensive and Cheap Cards
Within the gale winds dispersing the field's flame embers, the fused monster's form gradually materialized.
This time, it was a true HERO.
Landing from a half-crouching position, allowing the gale to billow his tattered cape behind him.
"A new HERO Fusion!" Finesse exclaimed excitedly. "Amano, you really can Fusion Summon true HEROes!"
Young miss, it's only because you're here that I can Fusion Summon true HEROes.
Thanks to the Bond Resonance skill's complete "HERO" Extra Deck unlock, Amano could now use even more HERO Fusions than Finesse herself.
What limited him was simply having too few HERO monsters in his Main Deck.
[Elemental HERO Great Tornado] [ATK: 2800]
Fusion requirements: one "Elemental HERO" monster and one WIND Attribute monster.
Though it was a HERO monster, the materials weren't restricted to two HEROes.
So Amano using Sky Dragon as fusion material still successfully completed the Fusion Summon.
With 2800 ATK, Great Tornado's respectable attack power was already sufficient to breakthrough most Battle Ox-tier duels in the lower districts.
However, this attack power that was already quite high compared to other lower district duelists, when facing Nanki'in Sakuya...
"Very cool, but not quite enough," observing bodyguard Ryoma commented with a smile.
His young mistress's Shiranui Samurai could spike its ATK to 3000 during battle.
"It's enough!" Amano forcefully played the card born from fusion onto his Duel Disk, declaring its effect.
"When Elemental HERO Great Tornado is Fusion Summoned successfully, all monsters on my opponent's field have their ATK and DEF halved!"
Slowly raising his arm to guide the gale winds, Great Tornado spread the halving effect across Nanki'in Sakuya's entire field.
At this moment, Sakuya only had one monster on the field.
[Shiranui Samurai] [ATK: 1800 → 900]
"Now our side has higher ATK!"
Raising his hand to command the gales, Amano declared entry into this turn's Battle Phase.
"Battle, Great Tornado!"
"Counter, Shiranui Samurai!"
Showing no fear even against the gale winds, Nanki'in Sakuya counterattacked while activating her samurai's effect.
"Banish Sensei from the Graveyard—double stack for 1200 ATK boost!"
[Shiranui Samurai] [ATK: 900 + 1200 → 2100]
The samurai drawing its blade in blazing fire once more slashed explosive flames to counter the raging incoming gale.
Since both sides were battling in an official duel arena, the Duel Disk projections' battle effects were maximized.
The storm rolled with surging heat waves, as if truly exploding in the sky above, immersing everyone present in the shock of this intense clash.
Amano couldn't help but reflect—if the Yu-Gi-Oh! he'd played in his previous life could present battle effects this realistic and spectacular beyond the anime, it would've truly become the ultimate "Yu-Gi-Oh!" globally.
[Shiranui Samurai] destroyed
Nanki'in Sakuya LP: 4000 → 3300
As the samurai was shredded into data by Great Tornado's storm, the numbers representing Sakuya's Life Points on the Duel Disk also jumped and decreased.
However, when the girl picked up the destroyed card from her Duel Disk, crimson flames still burned on her pale fingertips.
"Even if Shiranui Samurai is destroyed by battle, the warrior's will of fire won't easily dissipate! This is the samurai's final effect!"
[If this card battles an opponent's monster, banish that monster after damage calculation.]
A single spark can ignite the gale winds. The flames lingering on Nanki'in Sakuya's fingertips were ignited by the girl's snap, fire instantly spreading to Great Tornado.
The banish-after-damage-calculation effect meant even if the samurai was destroyed, it would take the opponent's monster with it.
[Elemental HERO Great Tornado] banished
After the collision of gale winds and flames, ultimately nothing remained on the field.
Both sides returned to an empty board state.
"What an amazing duel!"
"Never thought we'd see this level of dueling in the Tower's lower districts!"
"Both sides are really showing skill!"
Though initially everyone gathered to watch the spectacle, some for beautiful girls dueling—
In the end, what truly captivated them was the collision of duelists' souls during battle.
"That unknown guy over there, keep it up!"
Amano even earned encouraging cheers from strangers thanks to that HERO Fusion.
Though the "unknown" part was unnecessary.
Amano looked at his Duel Disk, unable to help sighing: "So this is dueling in this world. It's amazing!"
His previous two duels had carried stakes too heavy, leaving Amano no room to enjoy dueling's pleasure.
Though this duel was also to resolve a dispute—
The intense collision of real monster projections, combined with the enthusiastic cheering atmosphere outside the duel arena, gradually let Amano enjoy himself.
Real Yu-Gi-Oh!—really fun!
Fun aside, Amano had unknowingly fallen into an awkward situation again.
With only 1000 Life Points remaining and an empty field, he couldn't survive the next turn.
"I activate the Spell Card O - Oversoul!"
Like H-Heated Heart, another HERO support card borrowed from Finesse.
[O - Oversoul] [Spell Card: Target 1 "Elemental HERO" Normal Monster in your GY; Special Summon it.]
Even though this card's effect was low enough to make Amano want to laugh—
In this trash-picked deck full of weak monsters, it could barely qualify as one of Amano's special summon supplements.
"I revive Elemental HERO Avian from the Graveyard in Defense Position!"
The HERO revived from the Graveyard, gale winds rising again, blowing through Amano's black hair.
"Nanki'in Sakuya, the HERO's will won't dissipate so easily either!"
[Avian] [DEF: 1000]
Amano didn't revive Avian in Attack Position before battle simply because his Life Points were too low and Avian's ATK wasn't high.
1000 ATK—if he didn't set it to Defense Position, should Nanki'in Sakuya summon another Shiranui Samurai next turn, he'd be finished.
As expected from Eden Tower's major family exclusive decks. Even Nanki'in Sakuya who'd just inherited the deck, unable to use Shiranui's Synchro Demon Blade, was still this troublesome to fight.
"My turn ends. Your move, Nanki'in!"
"And it ends like that?"
Her delicate, cold eyes looked toward Amano's field as Nanki'in Sakuya spoke with an aloof tone.
"Then you've lost, Amano. My turn, draw!"
Too fragile—no Set cards on the field, only one monster with 1000 DEF, Elemental HERO Avian.
This turn, as long as Nanki'in Sakuya pulled out a special summon point and performed two monster summons, breaking through Amano's incredibly fragile wall, victory's scales would tip toward her.
As for special summon points?
Compared to Amano's pitifully low-effect O - Oversoul, Sakuya as the sole heir of this generation being groomed as successor—
The girl's pale slender fingers drew her hand card, tracing a holy light through the air.
"I activate the Spell Card Monster Reborn!"
"Monster Reborn!?"
Not just Amano—Sakuya shocked the entire arena.
Not only because that iconic cross-adorned card art was an unparalleled classic among Yu-Gi-Oh! cards—
But because of this card's effect and its value within Eden Tower.
600,000 Eva Points per card—20 times the price of Polymerization, and perpetually in a state of having price but no market.
600,000—in the lower districts, that could buy you a life. Yet now the Nanki'in young miss casually held it between her fingertips.
[Monster Reborn] [Spell Card: Target 1 monster in either player's GY; Special Summon it to your field.]
Especially after Amano had just activated O - Oversoul last turn, this card's appearance made its superior effect all the more apparent.
No restrictions whatsoever—could revive any monster from either player's Graveyard.
—Completely outclassed!
"What I'm reviving is, of course, Shiranui Samurai!"
Last turn, Great Tornado had been banished, not in the Graveyard. Of course, even if it hadn't been banished, Elemental HERO Great Tornado couldn't be revived through Special Summon anyway.
Because Great Tornado's card text included summoning restrictions: [Must be Fusion Summoned.]
"If just this surprises you, Amano, seems Finesse hasn't treated you that well."
Finesse awkwardly scratched her head in the background.
No helping it—even the young miss herself wasn't wealthy. Amano naturally wouldn't blame her for such things.
"If just Monster Reborn surprises you, it's far too early, Amano!"
After reviving Shiranui Samurai from the Graveyard, Nanki'in Sakuya's pale fingertips flicked out another spell card expensive beyond measure.
"Nanki'in Style Secret Technique!"
"I activate the Spell Card Dimension Fusion!"
Isn't your Nanki'in Family going a bit too far?
Using banned cards as secret techniques!