Thud—!
In Lin Xingyao's hand, a newly opened bottle of electrolyte water slipped and dropped to the floor, spilling clear liquid everywhere.
Initially, she had only felt a bit of sour, stifling annoyance in her heart and intended to open the window for some fresh air. Yet, the moment she opened it, she witnessed an unbelievable sight outside.
A colossal blue-black giant had set the entire city ablaze.
If an ordinary person opened their window and saw this, their first reaction would likely be that they were hallucinating. Or perhaps they would think they had opened it wrong, closing the window only to open it again.
But Lin Xingyao recognized the identity of this giant at a single glance.
"Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu! Isn't that the Earthbound Immortal summoned by Kiryu Kyosuke as a Dark Signer?!"
Deeply familiar with the plot of the 5D's anime, Lin Xingyao instantly identified this highly recognizable Earthbound Immortal.
The giant Earthbound Immortal was the only entity in the anime to ever defeat Fudo Yusei. Although in the end, Yusei famously unscrewed a bolt to cause his Duel Runner to crash and interrupt the duel, if it had continued, Yusei would have undoubtedly lost that match.
That was an Earthbound Immortal that had defeated the Dueling King, Fudo Yusei.
Why was it appearing in the Middle Layer, and why had it set the city on fire?
Could this be a Shadow Game too?
Then, the person currently fighting in this Shadow Game couldn't possibly be...
The moment that name popped into Lin Xingyao's mind, she quickly shook her head to dismiss it.
How could someone be that unlucky?
[Destiny HERO - Drawhand] Destroyed
"Ahhhhhhh!!"
Finis (Amano Zero): LP 4000 → 2600
With her HERO monster crushed by the giant's palm, the battle damage combined with the howling wind pressure of the descending hand caused the Duel Runner to wobble violently along the burning track.
Finis cried out: "Are you okay, Amano?!"
In truth, if this were Amano Zero's own body, even taking this hit head-on wouldn't cause the bike to sway this badly.
Amano Zero replied: "Young Lady, you are too light. Remember to eat more in the future."
Finis: "Huh? You're talking about my weight at a time like this?!"
According to Fiona, this Moonlight Butterfly Duel Runner had once belonged to a legendary female duelist. Although its appearance and size—aside from the butterfly paint job on the rear wing—didn't look overly feminine, the vehicle was constructed from exceptionally lightweight materials. While this granted it high-speed characteristics, it also made the ride less stable than other Duel Runners.
Without sufficient skill, a rider would be far more likely to crash on this than on Jack Atlas's Wheel of Fortune.
Riding ahead along the burning track, the Soul Binder raised his hand again to declare the effect of the giant Earthbound Immortal hovering above.
"When Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu destroys an opponent's monster by battle: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the original ATK of that destroyed monster!"
It was a burn damage effect identical to the classic HERO finisher, Elemental HERO Flame Wingman.
This was precisely why the Soul Binder had chosen to destroy Amano Zero's monster even though the Earthbound Immortal possessed a direct attack effect. The final damage output would be exactly the same.
"Take all 1600 points of damage from the burning earth of the Earthbound Immortal!"
The walls of fire outlining the Nazca Lines grew fiercer on both sides of the track. A portion of the raging blue flames surged directly toward Amano Zero's Duel Runner.
Finis: LP 2600 → 1000
Didn't they say Turbo Duels have a slower pace in the early game?
How is it only the third turn, with Speed Counters just at 2, and my Life Points are already flickering like a candle in the wind?
As the Nazca-lined fire track burned hotter, Amano Zero noticed that beyond the fiery walls, many ordinary vehicles had crashed into one another while trying to evade the blaze.
The order that had only recently been restored to the Middle Layer was collapsing into chaos once again.
First came a Wicked God that paralyzed the network and extinguished the sky. Barely an hour later, an Earthbound Immortal blocked the roads and set the earth on fire.
With such a massive commotion, the excuse of a temporary glitch generated by the main host system, Eva, would no longer hold up.
If he didn't end this Turbo Duel as quickly as possible, the zone of destruction would only expand as the fire track continued to burn and extend.
"I activate my set card."
Amano Zero extended his arm outward from the Duel Runner, flipping up one of the set cards in his Spell and Trap Zone.
"Trap Card: [Destiny Signal] activate!"
[Destiny Signal] [Trap Card: When a monster you control is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Destiny HERO" monster from your hand or Deck.]
The Destiny HERO counterpart to Hero Signal, its effect was almost identical, allowing the special summon of a Level 4 or lower Destiny HERO monster.
Piercing through the burning blue flames of the dark track, a beam of light forming the letter 'D' reflected beneath the sky of the Middle Layer.
Although this faint beam of HERO light was highly inconspicuous compared to the colossal Earthbound Immortal, it stood out starkly against the backdrop of a city engulfed in disaster.
Even the Soul Binder spoke up slowly upon seeing the beam of light overhead.
"Do you wish to become the hero people long for in the face of disaster? Regrettable, for this very disaster was brought about by your own willful indulgence, Finis Wayne!"
Finis gasped: "Brought about by me?"
"Don't listen to a word from someone like him! That is a textbook villain line, Soul Binder!"
Acting as Finis's voice, Amano Zero shot back without the slightest hesitation.
"If one remains forever timid and dares not change a single thing out of fear of darkness retaliating, then such a 'hero' can never bear the weight of the people's expectations for justice!"
Illuminated by the Destiny Signal, Amano Zero searched out Finis's classic, iconic Destiny HERO monster from the deck and slammed it onto the Duel Runner's duel disk.
"I Special Summon [Destiny HERO - Diamond Dude] from my Deck!"
[Destiny HERO - Diamond Dude] [Level 4 / DARK]
[Warrior / Effect] [ATK: 1400] [DEF: 1600]
Brilliant diamonds reflected the HERO's light from the sky. Entering the field with a stylish pose, Diamond Dude slid along the burning track, his black cape billowing behind him.
The Soul Binder slid another card forward. "I end my Battle Phase, and activate [Speed Spell - Accelerate]!"
[Speed Spell - Accelerate] [Activate only when you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Send any number of cards from your hand to the Graveyard; increase your Speed Counters by 2 for each card sent.]
"I send one card from my hand to the Graveyard to increase my Speed Counters by 2!"
Soul Binder / Speed Counters: 2 → 4
Forcibly accelerating his Speed Counter accumulation, the Soul Binder—who was already in the lead—caused his pitch-black Duel Runner to surge forward even faster.
"Finally, I set one card and end my turn!"
"My turn, draw!"
As the turns swapped, Amano Zero drew his card, and the Speed Counters for both sides increased further.
Amano Zero / Speed Counters: 2 → 3
Soul Binder / Speed Counters: 4 → 5
"During my Standby Phase, the effect of [Destiny HERO - Drawhand] in my Graveyard activates!"
[If this card is sent to the Graveyard, during the next Standby Phase: You can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. If Special Summoned this way, banish it when it leaves the field.]
Reaching her fair hand into the Graveyard slot, Amano Zero pulled Drawhand's card back out and slapped it onto the Duel Runner's duel disk.
[Destiny HERO - Drawhand] [ATK: 1600]
"Furthermore, when Drawhand is successfully Special Summoned by the effect of a 'HERO' monster, both players draw 1 card from their Decks!"
Because Drawhand itself was a HERO, Special Summoning it via its own effect successfully triggered its draw effect.
"Next, I activate [Speed Spell - Angel Baton]! Since my Speed Counters are at 2 or more, I draw 2 cards from my Deck, then discard 1 card to the Graveyard."
The Turbo Duel equivalent to Graceful Charity. Amano Zero had swapped out exactly three copies for Finis earlier. After all, this card was practically one of the lifebloods of a Turbo Duel.
Following the draw filter, Amano Zero looked at the two Destiny HERO monsters running and sliding along the track. He had finally found a way to use HEROs to break through the Earthbound Immortal under these unique Turbo Duel conditions.
The Earthbound Immortal could not be affected by Spell or Trap effects, nor could it be targeted for attacks. To break through it, one could only rely on a monster's own effects.
And Finis's deck just so happened to contain exactly the right card.
"First, I activate the effect of [Destiny HERO - Diamond Dude]! I excavate the top card of my Deck. If it is a Normal Spell Card, it is sent to the Graveyard, and its effect can be activated in the Graveyard next turn!"
Amano Zero flipped over the top card of the Duel Runner's deck.
[Speed Spell - Speed Fusion]
Although it carried the prefix of a "Speed Spell," under the rules, Speed Spells were still categorized as Normal Spell Cards, making it fully compatible with the activation conditions of Diamond Dude's effect.And this [Speed Spell - Speed Fusion] was the only means among all Speed Spells that allowed HEROs to perform a Fusion Summon during a Turbo Duel.
Its activation requirement was 4 Speed Counters, and Amano Zero's current Duel Runner speed hadn't reached that threshold yet.
Amano Zero sent [Speed Spell - Speed Fusion] to the Graveyard first, waiting for the opportunity to perform a Fusion Summon next turn.
However, before a HERO fusion could truly descend, Amano Zero needed to prioritize dealing with the immediate threat posed by the Earthbound Immortal in front of him. He wouldn't survive another attack from it.
"For this turn's Normal Summon, I summon [Destiny HERO - Decider] from my hand!"
[Destiny HERO - Decider] [Level 4 / DARK]
[Warrior / Effect] [ATK: 1600] [DEF: 1000]
A third HERO monster charged into the burning track, forming a triple destiny alliance to oppose the giant Earthbound Immortal overhead.
Riding in the lead, the Soul Binder laughed. "It's useless! In a Turbo Duel, no matter how many weak HEROs you gather together, they cannot stand against an Earthbound Immortal!"
The Soul Binder had likely studied HERO decks. He had initiated this Shadow Game precisely because he was absolutely certain that in a Turbo Duel where Fusion Summoning was difficult, HEROs stood no chance against an Earthbound Immortal with Spell and Trap immunity.
Speeding forward, Amano Zero used Finis's rosy lips to curl into an arrogant yet cute smile.
"Even without using fusion, Destiny HEROs have their own destined way of fighting! I'll use this card to plunder your god!!"
"Plunder my god?"
The girl's slender arm swept across the Duel Runner's duel disk, and all three HERO card zones lit up simultaneously.
"I tribute all three HERO monsters on my field!"
"What?! A monster that requires three tributes?!" The Soul Binder's voice gradually shifted to astonishment.
A monster summoned by using three tributes was practically the summoning method of a true God Card.
That's right, a true God. It wasn't like an Earthbound Immortal, which merely bore the title of a "god" but did not actually possess the Divine Attribute.
Therefore, even though an Earthbound Immortal similarly possessed a high Level of 10, it was just like the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and only required two tributes.
"Let this card pass judgment on the Earthbound Immortal!"
The three Destiny HEROs dissolved into beams of black light, flowing into the card flashing with a crimson glow at Amano Zero's fingertips.
"With the ultimate power of destiny, bring an end to all fates!"
"The Ultimate D! Special Summon! [Destiny HERO - Plasma]!!"
[Destiny HERO - Plasma] [Level 8 / DARK]
[Warrior / Special Summon / Effect] [ATK: 1900] [DEF: 600]
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by Tributing 3 monsters you control.
At that exact moment, a crimson pool of blood erupted across the sky of the burning fire track.
Unfurling massive wings with a vibrant red hue even deeper than a demon's, the ultimate Destiny HERO slowly emerged from the pool of blood. Flapping its wings, it soared into the sky of the burning Shadow Game track.
This was the highest combat power among the HEROs that Finis's current deck could produce in a Turbo Duel without relying on a Fusion Summon.
"A monster summoned with three tributes... turns out it's still just a HERO monster after all."
The Soul Binder secretly let out a sigh of relief. For a second, he had almost thought Finis was about to summon a genuine God Card.
"No matter how powerful a HERO you summon, you cannot attack an Earthbound Immortal in a Turbo Duel!"
"There's no need to attack the Earthbound Immortal. On the contrary, I'll be taking the Earthbound Immortal for myself!"
"What did you say?"
"I said, I am going to plunder your god!"
As Amano Zero rode, he raised his hand and pointed at Plasma, who was flying above the Duel Runner leaving a trail of blood-red light.
"Targeting Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu, the effect of [Destiny HERO - Plasma] activates!"
Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; equip that target to this card (max. 1). This card gains ATK equal to half the original ATK of the monster equipped to it by this effect, and gains its effects.
"Let Plasma absorb all the power of the Earthbound Immortal and reign supreme over it!"
"Go! — Congealed Blood · Plundered Destiny!!"
Flapping its blood-red wings that blotted out the sky, Destiny HERO - Plasma opened the gaping maw of the demonic head on its right arm. The demonic head roared, unleashing the power of destiny toward the massive Earthbound Immortal ahead.
In the next second, the giant Earthbound Immortal, subdued and absorbed by destiny, vanished completely from the plain sight of everyone in the Middle Layer.
[Destiny HERO - Plasma] [ATK: 1900 → 3400]
Finis cheered excitedly: "Awesome! We've captured the power of a god!"
Having absorbed the Earthbound Immortal, Plasma successfully gained all of its effects, and its ATK even surpassed that of the Earthbound Immortal.
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