Chapter 240
"I set three cards and end my turn."
Z-one placed the drawn cards into the D-Wheel Duel Disk and declared the end of his turn.
Rin Seiya's voice drifted up from the overlay space. "Junior, are we just going to watch Yusei Fudo duel? Do you think he can hear us talking?"
"That honestly stumped me. This is my first time using this skill."
If Z-one could hear everything Rin Seiya was saying and had been listening to her call him Yusei Fudo this whole time... well. He would probably not be bothered by it in the slightest. More likely the opposite. For all that Z-one was the final villain of 5D's, he was also on record as the franchise's most committed Yusei Fudo devotee. His admiration for the man was not below that of a certain white-haired senpai standing right beside Amano.
The turn passed to Prayano.
But after encountering a Timelord for the first time, the system operating the mechanical undead seemed to bog down at the code level, its responses slowing to a crawl.
"My turn! Draw!"
After roughly twenty seconds of delay, the machine forced itself to pull a card from its D-Wheel deck. But it only had two Speed Counters this turn, and its two Speed Spells in hand were the same ones that had been openly revealed last turn. Both required four or more Speed Counters to activate. Neither could be used.
And even if it had managed to keep burning Life Points, Z-one's LP had already been restored to full by Randion the Timelord's post-battle effect.
"I proceed to the Battle Phase and then..."
The system locked up again for several more seconds.
Z-one currently had only Randion the Timelord on his field. But Randion could not be destroyed by battle or card effects, and it reduced all battle damage to its controller to zero. Even with eighteen consecutive attacks between the Cyber Dragon and the Meklord God sitting on Prayano's field, none of them could break through a single Timelord's defense.
And since Randion was not a Synchro Monster, the Meklord God's Synchro-absorption effect had no valid target.
Rin Seiya sounded genuinely impressed. "One card just completely locked down the entire board! Yusei Fudo really is incredible!"
He was not Yusei Fudo, but as Rin Seiya said the words, Amano caught the faintest trace of a smile at the corner of Z-one's mouth.
"I... end this turn."
After all that hesitation, after declaring entry into the Battle Phase, Prayano did nothing and passed.
Whatever state the controlling system was in, the field itself was completely locked. Nothing was getting through.
The turn passed back to Z-one.
"My turn. Draw." He paused. "During the Standby Phase, the field effect of Randion the Timelord activates."
[During your Standby Phase, return this card to the Deck.]
The divine column floating above the high-speed circuit dissolved into light and returned to Z-one's deck.
Rin Seiya immediately understood the consequences. "A powerful monster comes with a price, naturally. It returns to the Deck during the Standby Phase... that is unfortunate isn't it... Wait!"
She had caught the key detail.
Timelords return to the deck during the Standby Phase. Which meant...
"The deck can never run out of cards!"
No matter how many mechanical units kept coming, as long as the Timelord always returned to the deck, the possibility of losing to attrition was simply removed from the equation.
Rin Seiya kept going. "But at that rate, how long would this take to actually end? This battle feels like it could go all night. What if someone needs to use the bathroom in the middle? We are in soul form so we probably do not need to, but does Yusei Fudo need to use the bathroom?"
It had been approaching late afternoon when the final Academy Challenge Tournament match began, the sun already sitting low. The extended overtime of the chase duel had pushed well past sunset. Eden Tower's programmed night sky had descended over the city, and the artificial stars drifted across the false dome above.
"It will not drag on."
Z-one looked toward the three face-down cards on his back row.
"This turn, it ends."
Amano had assumed the moment Z-one appeared with the Timelords that they were settling in for an endless war of attrition against unlimited opponents. Z-one had other intentions.
Z-one flipped one of the face-down cards. "I activate the Continuous Trap card, Void Mechanism!"
[Void Mechanism]
[Continuous Trap]
[Once per turn, when you control no monsters, you can Tribute Summon 1 Level 10 or higher monster from your hand without Tributes.]
[Void Mechanism]
"I Tribute Summon without Tributes: guide of the seated angel, fountain of creation. Yahaphon the Timelord!"
[Yahaphon the Timelord]
[Level 10 WATER]
[Angel / Effect]
[ATK: 0 / DEF: 0]
[This card cannot be destroyed by effects or battle. Battle damage this card inflicts on its controller becomes 0. When this card battles, all cards in the opponent's Spell and Trap Zones return to the owner's Deck and are shuffled. When this card leaves the field, the controller draws until they have 5 cards in hand. While this card is on the field, the controller cannot Summon other monsters. During the Standby Phase, return this card to the Deck.]
[Anime version.]
The second Timelord emerged in a pillar of deep blue light above the track, like a pillar of water guiding the birth of life.
"I activate my last card in hand: Speed Spell - Super Tuning!"
[Speed Spell - Super Tuning]
[Speed Spell]
[Activate when you have 3 or more Speed Counters. Tribute 1 monster you control. Special Summon 1 Tuner monster from your hand or Deck with a Level equal to or less than the Tributed monster's Level.]
"I Tribute Level 10 Yahaphon the Timelord from my field and Special Summon a Level 4 Tuner from my Deck: Radiant Star Dragon!"
[Radiant Star Dragon]
[Level 4 LIGHT]
[Dragon / Tuner / Effect]
[ATK: 0 / DEF: 0]
[Once per turn, during your opponent's Main Phase, you can target 1 Dragon-Type Synchro Monster in your GY and Special Summon this card from your hand, then Special Summon that Synchro Monster with its effects negated; afterwards, you can Synchro Summon 1 Dragon-Type Synchro Monster using monsters you control. If this card is used as Synchro Material for a Dragon-Type Synchro Monster, that Synchro Monster cannot be destroyed by battle.]
The Red Dragon's familiar roar echoed across the artificial night sky. The Tuner Z-one had called out looked exactly like a Red Dragon, one of the many forms the Red Dragon lineage could take.
What surprised Amano more than the card's appearance was the fact that Z-one was using a Tuner at all. The last man standing, the one who had once believed Synchro Summoning would bring the world to ruin, had changed his mind.
Z-one continued without pause. "When Yahaphon the Timelord leaves the field, its effect activates!"
[When this card leaves the field, the controller draws until they have 5 cards in hand.]
This was the anime-original Timelord's full power intact. A single card whose departure effect was equivalent to a clean Card of Demise with no downside attached.
With a refreshed five-card hand, Z-one activated another Speed Spell.
"Speed Spell - Temp Resurrection! I Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower monster from my GY with its ATK reduced to 0. I revive Timelord Witch from the GY!"
[Timelord Witch returned to field. ATK: 0]
"I Tribute Timelord Witch as two Tributes and Tribute Summon from my hand: wisdom, reason, the stellar heaven at the origin of creation! Supreme Father! Rashion the Timelord!!"
[Rashion the Timelord]
[Level 10 Angel / Effect]
[ATK: 0 / DEF: 0]
[This card cannot be destroyed by effects or battle. Battle damage this card inflicts on its controller becomes 0. When this card battles, all monsters on the opponent's field and all cards in the opponent's GY return to the owner's Deck and are shuffled, and the opponent takes 1000 damage each time they draw during their Draw Phase. While this card is on the field, the controller cannot Summon other monsters. During the Standby Phase, return this card to the Deck.]
[Anime version.]
A pillar of roaring flame erupted on the high-speed circuit, its crimson fire blazing away the darkness of the artificial night.
After Rashion materialized, Z-one flipped the second face-down card.
"Infinite Mechanism activates!"
[Infinite Mechanism]
[Continuous Trap]
[Activate by sending Void Mechanism from your field to the GY. Once per turn, you can Special Summon 1 Level 10 or higher Timelord monster from your hand. While this card is face-up on the field, the effect of Timelord monsters that prevents the controller from Summoning other monsters is negated.]
[Void Mechanism sent to GY]
The single ring of the Void Mechanism, now joined to the Infinite Mechanism, became two interlocking rings: zero and zero connecting to form the infinite symbol.
The restriction that normally prevented multiple Timelords from occupying the same field was lifted.
"Come! The solar heaven at the heart of the world tree, archangel who governs all life! Special Summon: Michion the Timelord!!"
[Michion the Timelord]
[Level 10 FIRE]
[Angel / Effect]
[ATK: 0 / DEF: 0]
[This card cannot be destroyed by effects or battle. Battle damage this card inflicts on its controller becomes 0. When this card battles, the opponent's LP becomes half their current total. While this card is on the field, the controller cannot Summon other monsters. During the Standby Phase, return this card to the Deck.]
[Anime version.]
A second flame pillar blazed into being alongside the first. Both burned in the artificial darkness, the light of the second one carrying something warmer and closer to original flame, like the face of a young woman reflected on the surface of the pillar.
"Two Timelord monsters on the field at once!" Prayano's fear multiplied visibly. The endless stream of undead machines following behind instinctively slowed, none of them wanting to approach.
"Speed Spell - Level Harmony activates! I discard 1 monster from my hand and all monsters on the field become that monster's Level!" Z-one discarded the card. "I discard Level 3 Banisher of the Light! All monsters on the field become Level 3!"
Amano raised his head. "Z-one specifically changed the Timelords' Levels. Is a Synchro Summon coming?"
But in raw power terms, the anime-version Timelords already outclassed most Synchro Monsters. Against a Synchro-killer deck, there was no practical reason to Synchro Summon. And yet Z-one had said this turn would be the end.
Just not losing was not enough.
"Winning every remaining duel in this turn! Battle, Timelords!"
Z-one pushed the D-Wheel's speed and led the Timelords and the Radiant Star Dragon into the Battle Phase.
"Rashion the Timelord attacks Meklord God: Meklord Infinity!"
Zero ATK against four thousand ATK. No damage. No destruction.
"After battle, Rashion the Timelord's effect activates!"
[When this card battles, all monsters on the opponent's field and all cards in the opponent's GY return to the owner's Deck and are shuffled.]
"Blazing stellar heaven, burn your opponent's field away with divine fire!"
A wave of flame rolled across the racing circuit, sweeping every card on Prayano's side of the field back into the deck: Meklord God, Chimeratech Terminator Dragon, Chimeratech Overdragon. And alongside them, every card the undead machines had accumulated in the GY over the entire series of consecutive duels.
Every resource. Gone.
Amano breathed out. "One hit wipes the entire board."
Amano had used Gabrion the Timelord's field-clear effect against Kaiba Chiaki once, but that came with the side effect of making the opponent draw cards equal to the number of monsters destroyed. Rashion carried none of that baggage. It cleared the field and the GY simultaneously, left nothing behind, and gave nothing away.
"Next, Michion the Timelord declares a direct attack! After battle, Michion the Timelord's effect activates!"
[When this card battles, the opponent's LP becomes half their current total.]
Where Rashion had burned everything on the field to nothing, Michion turned its divine fire directly on the mechanical body of the undead.
Prayano LP: 4000 to 2000.
The flames burned for nearly a minute. When the fire pillar dissipated into the artificial starless sky, the false human face mounted on the machine's exterior charred and fell away entirely.
"It makes no difference," Prayano said, voice crackling from the heat damage. "Even if you defeat me, it makes no difference. Like the name of the Meklord Emperors themselves, our existence is infinite. Against an infinite number of dueling machines, the only outcome waiting for Synchro is defeat."
From the overlay space, Rin Seiya's voice came quieter than usual. "The number is actually infinite..."
They had assumed that even from a fortress duel, if they stalled long enough they would eventually exhaust the machines. An unlimited count of opponents was a different kind of despair entirely.
Z-one spoke.
"I once believed the same. That only destruction awaited Synchro. Yusei Fudo is the one who taught me this hope."
Rin Seiya blinked. "Yusei Fudo taught you that? But aren't you Yusei Fudo?"
Z-one reached for the final face-down card on his back row and flipped it open.
"Synchro Summoning builds bridges that connect the hearts of people. In a future that extends through infinite evolution, it is Synchro that can truly reach the light of hope."
"Trap Card, Emergency Synchro!"
[Emergency Synchro]
[Trap Card]
[Can only be activated during the Battle Phase. Synchro Summon 1 Synchro Monster.]
Under the false stars of Eden Tower, true stardust light connected across Z-one's field. Three monster cards aligned in radiant sequence, assembling into the Synchro equation that pointed toward the final victory.
Level 4 Tuner: Radiant Star Dragon. Level 3 non-Tuner: Rashion the Timelord. Level 3 non-Tuner: Michion the Timelord.
Z-one swept the three cards into the light. "This is the Synchro that transcends gods and rules alike! I tune Radiant Star Dragon with Rashion the Timelord and Michion the Timelord!"
The Red Dragon's four-ring Synchro halo expanded and passed through both Timelord columns, drawing out an absolute brilliance of stardust power.
Level 4 plus Level 3 plus Level 3 equals Level 10!
"Let the gathered hope of Synchro guide the stardust of the star sea to the far edge, and illuminate the road to the final victory!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 10!"
"Light the absolute victory in the heart of despair! Light god descends! Stardust Colossus!!"
[Stardust Colossus]
[Level 10 LIGHT]
[Angel / Synchro / Effect]
[ATK: 3000 / DEF: 3000]
[LIGHT Attribute Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner Angel-Type monsters]
[This card can only be Special Summoned by Synchro Summon. When this card reduces the opponent's LP to 0 through a direct attack, the controller wins the match.]
Rin Seiya stared at the arrival. "A Synchro Monster with the same ATK and DEF as Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"Senpai. Even now?"
"And it is enormous!"
The true Stardust Colossus descended beneath the false night sky of Eden Tower, its colossal body glowing with golden stardust, feet planted on the Speed World circuit and head reaching the highest point of the artificial dome.
"Is this really a Synchro Summon Yusei Fudo could perform?" Rin Seiya wondered.
"This is Z-one's Synchro," Amano said quietly.
"Z-one?"
The Synchro Summon condition required two non-Tuner Angel-Type monsters. Yusei Fudo's deck was built around Dragons, Warriors, and Machines. The Timelords were all Angels, which made this Synchro Summon uniquely Z-one's.
The last man in the world, the one who had inherited Yusei Fudo's will and refused to abandon the hope of Synchro, had himself become a light that could gather hearts together.
"This strike ends every remaining duel at once!"
Since the Synchro Summon had occurred during the Battle Phase through Emergency Synchro, the freshly summoned Stardust Colossus could still declare an attack in the same phase.
The two Timelords had cleared the field and halved the Life Points. The road to victory had been lit up completely. There was nothing left standing in the way.
"Direct attack! Stardust Colossus!!"
The Stardust Colossus, vast enough to span the entire ceiling of the mid-level district, swung its fist wreathed in countless golden stars at the now-empty Prayano.
"Stellar Judgment! Victory Light of Order!!"
The golden fist, trailing an arc of infinite stars, buried Prayano completely in radiance.
Prayano LP: 2000 to 0.
The mechanical unit in front was not the only one that dissolved. Every undead machine following in the convoy behind simultaneously broke apart into golden stardust particles that drifted upward into the false night sky.
Rin Seiya's voice rose in disbelief. "They disappeared!"
Not the Accel Synchro kind of disappearing. The machines behind them, the ones that should have been numberless, had all vanished in a single blow.
Even if the system code had granted the undead machines the near-cheating authority to run consecutive battles indefinitely, Z-one had bypassed the entire mechanism by winning at the root level.
"This is the one effect of Stardust Colossus."
[When this card reduces the opponent's LP to 0 through a direct attack, the controller wins the match.]
Rin Seiya could barely contain herself. "There is an actual victory condition like that?!"
Not a duel victory. A match victory. The effect called the entire Academy Challenge Tournament to a close in a single declaration.
The match that had stretched from afternoon to deep into the night, the final Academy Challenge Tournament stage that had been dragged on far too long, ended with Stardust Colossus's last blow and a match-level victory announced by the effect.
[Academy Challenge Tournament]
[Duel Concluded]
[Winner]
[Z...]
The Eva system's victory announcement froze mid-word. A pause. Then the electronic voice corrected itself and delivered a new announcement.
[Winner]
[Rin Seiya!!]
When Rin Seiya's name rang out from Eva's victory call, Z-one, still riding the D-Wheel, allowed himself an expression of complete satisfaction.
"Leaving this victory to you," he said quietly, "is more than enough."
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