[Momoyo/Zane, 2400 LP]
[Yumi/Celina, 3700 LP]
"It's my turn, draw!" Zane drew before his gaze shifted down at the drawn card.
"I activate Pot of Avarice." A purple pot with a face manifested on his field. Its eyes gleamed once before the entire vessel shattered violently, scattering purple shards.
"This lets me return five monsters from our grave back into the deck, shuffled, and draw two cards."
Three Cyber Dragons, Cyber Jormungardr, and Armored Cybern popped out from his grave, as he returned them to his deck, shuffled it, before drawing two cards.
"And now... the real play begins."
He slapped down a spell without hesitation.
"I activate the Equip Spell, Future Fusion! I send a Cyber Dragon and the other twenty-two Machine monsters in my deck to the graveyard to Fusion Summon, Chimeratech Overdragon!"
A massive portal opened behind Zane and Momoyo. From it, twenty-three different machine monsters flickered into view for a heartbeat before being violently dragged into the abyss, their metallic screams echoing as they disappeared into the grave.
The ground shook.
From the Obelisk side, a metallic orb rose, massive, humming like a reactor core. Then...
Twenty-three mechanical dragon heads erupted out of it, each one snapping awake with a hiss, forming a gigantic hydra of steel.
"Chimeratech Overdragon's original ATK and DEF become the number of fusion materials times 800."
The monster let out a deafening mechanical roar that rattled the stadium.
[Chimeratech Overdragon, 18,400 ATK]
Spectators froze. Celina instinctively leaned back. Yumi simply tilted his head with mild curiosity, as if watching a museum exhibit rather than an 18,000+ ATK murder machine.
So… Zane could summon it now?
Yumi narrowed his eyes.
Does that mean he already went Hell Kaiser… then somehow came back?
Then Yumi decided that he would ask his sister about this later.
"Chimeratech Overdragon can attack a number of times equal to its fusion materials," Zane announced.
This causes even the spectators to feel nervous as a powerful monster with 18,400 ATK that can attack twenty-three times in one turn is a bit overkill.
"And when this card is summoned, all cards on my field are sent to the grave."
Momoyo and Zane's remaining backrow slid into the graveyard automatically.
Celina's heartbeat spiked, but Yumi rested a hand on her back.
"Relax. Future Fusion prevents it from attacking this turn. Or being tributed."
Yumi shrugged lightly.
After all, Yumi also has a copy of the anime version of Future Fusion, but he just never bothers with it since his deck was already too powerful for many to even keep up; so there is no need to make his opponent lose more hope.
"Hmm, now that the second year is just around the corner, should I make a new deck?" He murmurs more to himself than to anyone else.
Sure, using Sky Striker HERO is fun and all, but without powerful opponents to duel against, it feels like bullying the weak.
After hearing him, Celina let out a sigh of relief from the first part, while completely ignoring the second part.
Zane's eyes locked onto them. "Don't think you're safe, Celina."
He raised another card. "Quickplay spell, Cybernetic Fusion Support! By paying half my Life Points!"
[Momoyo/Zane, 2400 -> 1200 LP]
"Now I can fusion summon a Machine Fusion monster by banishing monsters from my hand, field, and graveyard!"
Zane then placed down another card. "Spell card, Greater Polymerization!"
"I fused the Chimeratech Overdragon on my field, a Cyber Dragon in my grave, and the twenty-three machine monsters in my graveyard!"
Twenty-four other machine monsters in his graveyards vanished alongside the Chimeratech Overdragon on his field.
"Fusion Summon! Chimeratech Overdragon No.2!"
The Overdragon on the field exploded into light, then reformed, larger, more grotesque, all twenty-five heads opening their jaws at once.
[Chimeratech Overdragon, 20,000 ATK]
Even the crowd had gone beyond screaming, there was only stunned silence.
"Not just that, Chimeratech Overdragon No.2, summoned using Greater Polymerization, gains the effect that it can't be destroyed by card effect, and it can inflict piercing battle damage!"
Zane said with a smile, causing the spectator to grow even paler.
A 20,000 ATK monster that can attack 25 times in one turn, with immunity to destruction effects, and can inflict piercing battle damage.
Although they weren't the ones facing that massive overdragon, they still couldn't help but feel awe and terrified.
Currently, many players' understanding of the game and their skills are still quite low, with the strongest monster they can muster being a monster with 2000 or a bit more ATK, with many can't even reach the attack power of 3000.
Zane extended his arm.
"Battle! Chimeratech Overdragon, attack Lunalight Panther Dancer! Evolution Result BURST!!"
One of the mechanical heads fired a blinding beam. The stadium shook as the blast tore across the field.
"Trap card, Final Fusion!"
Celina threw her hand forward. The trap flipped open, glowing brightly.
"When both our monsters battle, everyone takes damage equal to their combined ATK!"
Zane's eyes widened, and the audience gasped. Seeing that she wasn't trying to win, but trying to pull a draw.
Suddenly, Momoyo let out an amused chuckle.
"Final Fusion, huh? Not bad... I also have one of those, too." She said with a smirk before raising a card in her hand. "I activate the effect of Junkuriboh."
She discarded the tiny steel ball, its spirit form appearing, floating boldly in front of them. "If I were to take damage that makes my Life Point drop to zero. I can discard this card, take no damage from that card or effect, and destroy it."
Junkuriboh squeaked and detonated, tanking the massive explosion from Final Fusion for the two Obelisks.
"So... this really is it, huh..." Celina uttered, seeing that her plan had failed.
Now, even if they managed to block the damage from her Final Fusion, they would also need to deal with the follow-up damage from the battle between Chimeratech Overdragon and Lunalight Panther Dancer.
"What are you doing, Celina?" Yumi's calm voice cut through her rising panic.
She turned to him, only to see his smile.
"Maybe the pressure's too much for a side cast like you."
He turned toward the incoming blast, grin widening.
"Well then, time for the sadistic duelist to take the stage."
From Yumi's graveyard, a card shot out.
"I removed the Sword of Promised Victory from play. Once per duel, I can banish this card from my graveyard, and until the end of this turn, my Life Points won't change."
A spectral sword descended from the sky, plunging into the ground before them. The explosion engulfed the two Slifers.
But when the dust cleared, Celina and Yumi were still standing, gripping the ghostly hilt before them, as the Life Points remained the same even when their monster was shattered by the blast.
The crowd erupted in disbelief.
Even Zane froze, eyes widening faintly. "...As expected of Slifer. Your potential really is limitless."
He breathed out, then placed three cards face-down.
"I set three cards. Turn end."
Yumi didn't respond; he just smiled, watching the Sword of Promised Victory slowly disappear.
After seeing Celina use Final Fusion, he originally wasn't going to use the Sword of Promised Victory's protection effect in the grave. But when Momoyo steps in and uses Junkuriboh to block the intensional draw, he also steps in.
"You just have to ruin a nostalgic moment, huh?" Yumi murmurs with a smile, finding that ending this duel with Final Fusion would have felt right.
"Tch! What nonsense are you even talking about?" Momoyo asks, knowing that her brother is talking about her.
"It didn't matter anymore. My turn, draw!"
Yumi drew, and even before he could begin.
"Trap card, Mask of Restrict. Neither player can tribute cards."
Zane flipped the card instantly, his expression unwavering.
Yumi's eyes drifted to the massive sea turtle in his hand, the one that Tribute an opponent's monsters to be Special Summon.
But with that trap face-up, he now can't just tribute the massive overdragon to get rid of it.
"I banished the two copies of Take Over 5 in my deck, and the one in my grave to draw three cards."
Behind him, three ethereal spell cards materialized and shattered into a cascade of yellow lights, scattering like fireflies before he drew three fresh cards.
"Spell card, The Warrior Returning Alive!" Yumi slapped the card down. "I return the Warrior monster Sky Striker Ace - Roze to my hand."
He took Roze back, fingers brushing the card with familiarity, before immediately placing down the next card.
"Spell card, Sky Striker Maneuver - Scissors Cross. I target a Level 4 Sky Striker Ace in my graveyard and return it to my hand. And since I have three or more spells in my grave… I can Special Summon it."
A card shot up from his graveyard slot.
"I'll Special Summon Raye."
The air rippled. Blue digital code spiraled upward like rising flame pillars, slowly shaping into the slender form of Raye, sword drawn, eyes calm.
[Sky Striker Ace - Raye, 1500 ATK]
"Continuous trap, Skill Drain!" Zane quickly flipped another card up. "I pay 1000 Life Points, and all face-up monsters on the field have their effect negated."
[Momoyo/Zane, 1200 -> 200 LP]
Even with only 200 Life Points remaining, Zane didn't look concerned. His confidence was solid.
Yumi, on the other hand, didn't even blink.
"Since a Sky Striker Ace was summoned… I can Special Summon Roze from my hand."
Another surge of blue data. Roze stepped forward beside Raye, blades drawn. The two swordmaidens faced the colossal Overdragon without a tremor.
[Sky Striker Ace - Roze, 1500 ATK]
Yumi didn't pause.
"Spell card, Card Destruction. We all discard our hands and draw the same number of cards."
All four duelists sent their cards to the graveyard, then drew new ones.
Yumi's next card was already sliding into place.
"Sky Striker Maneuver - Jamming Waves. I destroy your final face-down. And because I have three or more spells in my grave… I can destroy a monster on the field."
His gaze was fixed directly on the machine abomination.
"I target your Chimeratech Overdragon."
Zane crossed his arms, lips curling into a confident smile.
"It's no use. Even if its effects are negated, Chimeratech Overdragon still keeps the bonus from Greater Polymerization."
Although all of their effect are negated, the massive Chimeratech Overdragon still has its 20,000 ATK, along with the piercing effect and immune to destruction effect granted by Greater Polymerization.
Yumi has suspected this already, but his main target is the face-down card.
The blue energy waves spread out, hitting Zane's face down, and revealing the trap card, Magic Cylinder.
Yumi smiles and continues with his play.
"Spell card, Monster Reborn. I'll bring Sky Striker Ace - Zero back."
A brilliant white light appeared on his field. From it stepped Zero, armor gleaming, sword in hand.
[Sky Striker Ace - Zero, 2000 ATK]
"And now… I Normal Summon Sky Striker HERO - Yumi."
The card form of himself appeared in a swirl of red digital flame, scarf fluttering dramatically.
[Sky Striker HERO - Yumi, 1000 ATK]
Four Sky Strikers stood together against the towering metallic hydra. The image alone sent the audience into a frenzy, even if they knew the stats weren't even close.
But Yumi's tone never changed.
"The fusion condition is five Effect Monsters on the field."
Confusion rippled across the arena.
"Five effect monsters?" Everyone murmurs in confusion, seeing only four monsters on his field.
The earth cracked.
A massive ravine tore open beneath the field, splitting the ground like a hungry beast.
Raye, Roze, Zero, and (Card) Yumi didn't resist; they willingly dropped into the abyss, their forms swallowed by shadows.
But the crack didn't stop there.
It spread toward Chimeratech Overdragon, widening even further.
The mechanical hydra let out a deafening metallic roar as its massive frame was pulled downward into the abyss.
"What!?" gasps resonated across the arena.
The ravine snapped shut, leaving an eerie silence.
Then black mists seeped out from the cracks like living smoke.
"That's right," Yumi's voice rang through the eerie quiet. "I can use one of your effect monsters as material."
He raised his arm. "Fusion Summon."
The crimson sky, already ominous from Celina's field spell, darkened even further. As if the world itself held its breath.
A cold, oppressive aura washed over the spectators. Someone shrieked. Someone else fainted.
"Arise… Underworld Goddess of the Closed World."
From the black mist emerged a woman draped in gothic elegance, skin pale, hair short and inky black, eyes glowing crimson.
She was beautiful, like Lady Death.
Behind her, the black fog coalesced into a serpentine shadow with glowing blue eyes.
[Underworld Goddess of the Closed World, 3000 ATK]
Half the male population of Duel Academy:
"…I-I think I'm in love..."
"My goddess, please step on me!"
"Mom, I found my religion..."
The other half:
"WHY IS SHE HIS CARD!?"
"IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME, NOT HIM!? IT'S NOT FAIR!!"
"DAMN IT, THAT BASTARD IS TAKING ALL THE BEAUTIES!"
Yumi simply ignored them like usual before waving his hand forward.
"Underworld Goddess, players direct attack!"
She lifted her staff.
The ground beneath the Obelisks erupted. A towering pillar of crimson light swallowed Zane and Momoyo whole, like divine punishment from hell itself.
[Momoyo/Zane, 200 -> 0 LP]
The pillar faded, and the duel ended. The duel arena returned to normal, and the goddess disappeared.
"Gotcha! That was a fun duel." Yumi said with a smile, giving his signature two-finger salute.
Momoyo fell straight onto her butt, exhaling like she'd just run a marathon.
"Damn it… that was so close." She jabbed a finger toward Zane. "I told you, if you want to beat my little brother, you're gonna need to give him some deadweight. Maybe your brother, that way it can be like a duel between siblings."
Syrus: pain noises in the background
"Celina is like a sister to me," Zane replied calmly. "So this still counts."
Syrus: loud crying in the background
"Besides… winning like that wouldn't sit right with me."
Momoyo paused… then grudgingly nodded.
"When you put it like that… you're right."
Her gaze shifted toward the two Slifers walking toward them.
...
With the graduation duel wrapped up, the rest of Duel Academy shifted effortlessly into celebration mode. Music blasted, banners fluttered, and the Third Years officially stepped into their well-earned freedom.
And after witnessing that duel, the entire Academy was buzzing with anticipation for next year.
Momoyo finished retelling her infamous tale, and Yumi nearly folded over from laughing.
"Ha! So that's the story of Hell Kaiser." Yumi wheezed, clutching his stomach. He could barely hold back tears.
"Please don't bring that up." Zane exhaled deeply, crossing his arms and looking away. His expression was the picture of calm dignity, exactly the kind of dignity a man uses to cover spiritual devastation. "People make mistakes. I was… stupid and wasn't thinking straight back then."
After losing to Momoyo's endless catalogue of annoying tactics, trick plays, psychological warfare, and outright bullying-through-dueling, Zane snapped.
For two weeks he descended into his emo arc, renamed himself Hell Kaiser, swore vengeance, and trained like he was preparing to fight God Himself.
It made sense. It also didn't help.
Because he still lost.
Worse, at the peak of his frustration and humiliation, he'd snapped at Momoyo, the one person who had actually pushed him to improve. He had shouted, dead in her face, that they weren't friends.
And that… had been the wrong sentence to say to a girl who could count her friends on one and a half hands.
Momoyo's eyebrow had shifted. Her smile had vanished.
And Zane had been hospitalized for two months.
By the time he was discharged, still pale, weakened, and moving like someone unplugged his animations, he discovered that despite nearly dying, he was still considered a top duelist. No one could push him the way Momoyo had. That realization hit him harder than any direct attack.
So he started chasing her. Literally. Through hallways, cafeteria lines, courtyards, trying to apologize, explain himself, or at least not get punched again.
Naturally, people saw a tall, handsome, blue-haired boy following a strong, beautiful black-haired girl around like a lost dog and immediately came to the worst possible conclusion.
Rumors exploded. Momoyo and Zane had dated, then broken up, and now Zane desperately wanted her back.
Zane spent another three weeks in the infirmary because of those rumors.
And only then, during those weeks when he was once again stuck in a medical bed, glaring at the ceiling and reevaluating his life choices, did Momoyo finally start visiting him.
First once. Then twice. Then often enough that the nurses gave them "privacy time," together.
Slowly, painfully, awkwardly… they rebuilt their friendship.