"My turn!"
Rex yanked a card from his Deck. He glanced at the rest of his hand, then at Petiteranodon.
Good. This'll work!
"Normal Summon, Animadorned Archosaur."
A monster composed entirely of jade, looking less like a dinosaur and more like a crocodile, crouched onto Rex Raptor's field.
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: I can destroy one Dinosaur monster in my hand or face-up on my field, other than Animadorned Archosaur. Then, I add one Reptile, Sea Serpent, or Winged Beast monster with the same original Level as the destroyed monster, or one Evolution Pill Spell, from my Deck to my hand.
I destroy Petiteranodon in my hand and add Beta Evolution Pill - Ultranscendance from my Deck to my hand."
Boom!
The little green dinosaur, wrapped head to toe in explosives, self-destructed in an instant. The next second, a strange evolution pill spun through the air and dropped into his hand.
"An Evolution Pill?"
"Looks a bit peculiar."
"Ho ho ho, I see. Interesting, Rex." The old man chuckled warmly.
Beta Evolution Pill - Ultranscendance. The Dinosaur duelist from the Fusion Corps had used this card before. Hikaru wasn't the least bit surprised that Rex had obtained it.
Rex paid no attention to the murmuring around him and shouted: "Petiteranodon's effect! When this card is destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard: Special Summon one Level 4 or higher Dinosaur monster from the Deck!"
"I Special Summon a second Souleating Oviraptor!"
With just one card, Rex had swapped his hand, Special Summoned a monster, and left the spectators who'd been so eager to critique just moments ago one by one falling silent, none daring to comment directly, instead watching the field in hushed awe.
"Souleating Oviraptor's effect! When this card is summoned, I can take one Dinosaur monster from my Deck and add it to my hand or send it to the Graveyard. I add Babycerasaurus from my Deck to my hand!"
After Petiteranodon, another tearful little dinosaur, fully prepared to self-destruct, appeared in his hand.
"He searched again, and got a card that sounds remarkably similar to Petiteranodon?"
The duelists exchanged glances, recognizing the "loop." No matter what kind of duel it was, the ability to loop meant the tactic was both viable and repeatable.
Rex took Babycerasaurus from his Deck, then glanced at his field.
He now had an Animadorned Archosaur and a Souleating Oviraptor on the field, while his hand had gained a Babycerasaurus and an Evolution Pill out of thin air.
But even at this point, Rex Raptor still hadn't stopped his "exploration."
"Activate Spell Card, Ground Xeno! Add one Dinosaur Tuner or one Dinosaur Normal Monster from my Deck to my hand. After that, destroy one card in my hand. I add the Dinosaur Tuner monster Jurrac Aeolo to my hand! Then, I destroy Babycerasaurus in my hand."
As the plays continued, Rex suddenly dropped a bombshell that stunned every spectator in earshot.
A Tuner?
"At this moment, Babycerasaurus's effect activates."
"When Babycerasaurus is destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard: Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Dinosaur monster from the Deck!"
"He's still Special Summoning!?"
"Is this for real?"
"Heh, I guess that's what you'd expect from a 'Legend.'"
Only now did the watching duelists find themselves nodding in succession.
This was what a "Legend" looked like.
"I Special Summon from my Deck: Double-Headed Dino King Rex!"
Double-Headed Dino King Rex, Level 6, EARTH, Dinosaur, ATK 1600.
"Double-Headed Dino King Rex, that's an evolution of Two-Headed King Rex, isn't it?" Joey looked up at the massive two-headed dinosaur, unable to suppress a flicker of excitement.
"Looks like you haven't been slacking all these years, Rex!"
"Heh, of course not!"
Only when dueling Joey did Rex absolutely refuse to concede.
Two-Headed King Rex.
In the truest sense, the card that had accompanied him from childhood to the present.
He'd used this card in his duel against Hikaru too. It was his most trusted partner, one he would never abandon.
"Activate Double-Headed Dino King Rex's effect! When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can target one monster on the field whose ATK is lower than the combined ATK of all Dinosaur monsters I control, and destroy it!
I choose The Menacing Jinzo!"
Rex pointed at Joey's field.
If he could destroy Joey's monster, he'd be free to attack at will.
Joey only had one monster. Destroy it, and he'd be wide open for a direct assault!
The surrounding duelists clearly realized this too. Joey appeared to have no defenses at all, leading them to believe he might not survive to his next turn!
But then;
"At this moment, I also activate a monster effect from my hand!"
What?!
From his hand!
Joey suddenly chuckled. "Effect of Red-Eyes Soul! When the opponent Special Summons a monster, I can send this card from my hand or field to the Graveyard to activate: Special Summon one Red-Eyes monster other than Red-Eyes Soul from my hand or Deck!"
Red-Eyes!?
Rex froze.
"Come forth! Special Summon: Red-Eyes Baby Dragon!"
"Whoa!"
A small Red-Eyes Black Dragon let out a soft cry and alighted on Joey's head.
"Whoa!"
"There it is!"
"Red-Eyes Black Dragon! But why the baby form?"
"Yeah, doesn't he have stronger, more invincible Red-Eyes Black Dragons?"
Red-Eyes Baby Dragon, Level 3, DARK, Dragon, DEF 700.
Red-Eyes Black Dragon...
Back then, at Duelist Kingdom, he and Joey had dueled, and the prize was Red-Eyes Black Dragon. That was when the fates of Rex and Joey became irrevocably intertwined. He lost Red-Eyes Black Dragon to Joey.
Perhaps that was the so-called "Beginning of a Legend," and he was the one who set Joey's legend in motion.
He shook his head clear. No time for sentimentality. He looked at his hand.
"No matter! Activate Spell Card! Beta Evolution Pill - Ultranscendance! Tribute two monsters from my hand and/or field, including a Dinosaur monster. Special Summon one Level 5 or higher Dinosaur monster from my Deck or Extra Deck with ATK equal to or higher than the combined ATK of the Tributed monsters!
After this card resolves, for the rest of this turn, I cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck except Dragon, Dinosaur, Sea Serpent, or Wyrm monsters!"
"It can Special Summon directly from the Extra Deck?"
"What a powerful Spell Card!"
Joey watched the massive evolution pill materialize on the field and couldn't help but laugh. "Are you saying you're still evolving?"
"For power, for victory, of course I'll evolve!"
"I send Double-Headed Dino King Rex, which can't attack this turn, and the 0 ATK Animadorned Archosaur to the Graveyard!"
He looked at the Dinosaur King in his hand, and took a deep breath.
After his duel with Hikaru, after watching Hikaru defeat Weevil Underwood, after being told by Hikaru that he could have beaten Weevil back then, Rex had embarked on many new changes.
Working with the GX Tournament, serving as a Star Examiner, and getting to know more Dinosaur spirits.
At the Tipping Point, he'd received the help of many brand-new monsters.
But he'd hit a wall.
Stuck there, unable to move forward.
Synchro Summoning wasn't an easy power to master, especially after leaving the Tipping Point, where he couldn't even attempt it.
But his contact with Hikaru had already pushed that stagnant needle forward considerably.
"Evolve into the most sublime form!"
"My true soul!"
"The two opposing minds that have accompanied me my entire life!"
"Special Summon!"
"Level 9, Mighty Dino King Rex!"
"ROOAARRR!!!!"
The two-headed dragon's body expanded wildly. Countless spikes erupted from the massive dinosaur frame, and the wings that had once been tiny now spread wide enough to blot out the sky, as if shielding all beneath from wind and rain.
Mighty Dino King Rex, Level 9, EARTH, Dinosaur, ATK 3200.
"The Dino King, huh? Ho ho ho." Solomon stood with his hands behind his back, nodding.
Indeed, Rex Raptor right now truly had something of a "Dino King" about him.
Unfortunately, Rex looked at the card's effect text.
[If this card was not Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned this turn: Once per turn, you can target up to 2 monsters your opponent controls; destroy them.]
Though he had "evolved," the Dino King could only evolve this far.
But that was fine. He could still win!
"Activate Equip Spell, Premature Burial."
"Pay 800 Life Points to target one monster in my Graveyard and activate this card. Special Summon that monster in Attack Position and equip it with this card. When this card is destroyed, that monster is destroyed!"
Rex Raptor, LP: 3400 -> 2600.
"Revive, Double-Headed Dino King Rex!"
"1600 + 1600 + 3200!" Several nearby duelists immediately started discussing excitedly. "He can bring Joey's LP to zero in a single strike!"
"Yeah, that monster has even higher ATK than Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Could we actually see a legendary upset today!?"
"Incredible! As expected of a legendary duelist. He turned a single card into this entire board!"
Rex didn't pay attention to any of that. He took a deep breath, pointed at the little Red-Eyes across the field, and declared: "Double-Headed Dino King Rex, attack!"
BOOM!
The small Red-Eyes Black Dragon was destroyed in an instant.
"At this moment, Red-Eyes Baby Dragon's effect activates! When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: Special Summon one Level 7 or lower Red-Eyes monster from my Deck, and equip this card from the Graveyard to that monster as an Equip Card that increases ATK by 300!"
"Level 7 or lower Red-Eyes, could it be...?"
"That's right, Rex, it's him!" Joey thrust his hand straight toward his Deck. The card on the very top burst into a streak of light, transforming into a card blazing with black flames that flew into his hand!
"I Special Summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
"ROAARRR!!"
The cry of the jet-black dragon echoed across heaven and earth!
Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Level 7, DARK, Dragon, ATK 2400 -> 2700!
"Whoa, it actually appeared! The legendary Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
"This is the Dragon of Potential that stands alongside Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Hikaru gazed from the distance.
Dragon of Potential?
Dragon of Burning Blood!
Still, he had to admit, although he'd seen Red-Eyes Black Dragon several times before, the one Joey summoned simply carried more presence, more power.
"No matter. Mighty Dino King Rex, attack his Red-Eyes!"
The dinosaur king spread its twin wings, then lunged at Red-Eyes and clamped its jaws down, shattering it.
Joey, LP: 4000 -> 3500.
"Red-Eyes was destroyed!"
"But it's fine. At least this way, Joey survived the turn."
"Right, as long as he still has LP."
"Heh." Rex suddenly grinned at Joey as if raising a toast. "Sorry, Joey. When Mighty Dino King Rex destroys an opponent's monster by battle: This Battle Phase, this card can make a second attack!"
!!
"A double attack!?"
"3200 ATK and it can attack again?"
"This is bad! Joey's LP is 3500! If the Dino King and Oviraptor attack directly next."
"Ha, Rex," Joey suddenly broke into a smile. "Does this situation look familiar to you?"
?
"Back then, with Tyrant Dragon, it was the same thing, wasn't it?"
Tyrant Dragon?
Joey's words sent Rex's mind hurtling back to that moment.
Back during the Doma incident, he'd joined Doma and used the power of the Seal of Orichalcos to grow stronger, trying to defeat Joey.
That was when he summoned Tyrant Dragon, destroyed Red-Eyes in battle, then used a Trap to revive it, and used Tyrant Dragon's effect to attack again.
Attack again, revive Red-Eyes. Could it be?
"Red-Eyes Retro Dragon's effect, activate! When a Level 7 or lower Red-Eyes monster I control is destroyed by my opponent's attack or card effect and sent to the Graveyard: I can Special Summon this card from my hand in Defense Position, and Special Summon as many of those destroyed monsters as possible in the same battle position they were in when destroyed!"
"Then, Red-Eyes Baby Dragon's effect activates! When this card equipped to a monster is sent to the Graveyard: Add one Level 1 Dragon monster from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand. I choose Black Metal Dragon."
Red-Eyes Retro Dragon, Level 4, DARK, Dragon, DEF 1600.
A monster flickering with the blue glow of time appeared on Joey's field. For a fleeting moment, Rex thought he glimpsed that familiar monster: Time Wizard.
The "key to victory" from that duel long ago.
"Seriously, after all these years, you haven't changed at all."
Joey didn't bother with pleasantries, just laughed heartily, gesturing wildly with both hands, his face pulling off incredible, inimitable expressions.
"Then, Mighty Dino King Rex continues its attack on Red-Eyes! Sorry, Red-Eyes. For victory's sake, fall once more!"
Joey, LP: 3500 -> 2700.
"Souleating Oviraptor, attack Red-Eyes Retro Dragon!"
Oviraptor sprinted over to Retro Dragon, pounced, and smashed it apart.
"Battle Phase ends."
"Whew, that was close!"
"So close! For a second there, I thought Joey was finished!"
"Joey managed to survive that brutal assault without setting a single card, relying purely on his hand! That's amazing. Truly a legend!"
Solomon watched Rex, nodding continuously.
At his age, what he probably enjoyed most was watching a prodigal find his way back.
His all-out attack thwarted, Rex looked at Mighty Dino King Rex.
Next turn, Mighty Dino King Rex would gain its full power. At that point, he could effortlessly destroy all of Joey's monsters.
However.
Just in case, he still needed to survive the next turn.
"Souleating Oviraptor's effect: destroy Double-Headed Dino King Rex, and Special Summon Petiteranodon from the Graveyard in Defense Position."
Petiteranodon took the stage once more, tears streaming.
"Then, I set one card. Turn end."
The Trap Card he set was the power given to him by the Jurrac monsters he'd acquired along the way: Jurrac Impact. It could only be activated while he controlled a Dinosaur monster with 2500 or more ATK, and it would destroy all cards on the field.
With Petiteranodon in play, using this card should work out quite nicely.
Even if Joey summoned a monster capable of overpowering Dino King Rex, it would simply be destroyed outright.
"That's great, Rex."
?
He looked over at Joey.
Joey was ruffling his own hair. "Mai said that a guy like me probably has a hard time connecting with you through words, but through a Duel, I should be able to."
"After you were swallowed by the power of the Orichalcos, I swore I'd save your souls from within it. Even though our relationship grew more and more strained after that, I really didn't expect it to be this long without any contact."
He furrowed his brow, arms crossed, and said: "Honestly, I was a little worried, because I really don't get all that stuff, so I thought I'd put on a kind of show, you know, using Jinzo, The Legendary Fisherman, Red-Eyes, Insect Queen cards I received from other people, symbols of the bonds and friendships between us.
But, looks like you'd already started moving forward on your own two feet."
Those words struck Rex Raptor right at his core, jolting him awake in an instant.
That's right.
He really had already taken new steps forward!
Under the support of Hikaru, that kid!
"Maybe our relationship never got back to where it was before, but I'm still really glad you came out the other side. Because, Duelists like us were born to Duel.
Ten years, even the closest of friends can't stay by each other's side forever. After all, everyone has their own career, their own life's goals to pursue."
Joey reflected on that for a moment, then said: "If that's the case, then it ends here."
!?
Rex jolted in shock.
It can't be!
"Too slow, too slow, Rex!"
"You woke up way too late!
You've fallen so far behind, so far!!
Heh heh, you've been left in the dust!!"
"Rex!"
Joey's aura shifted in an instant.
A howling wind erupted!
Every onlooking Duelist was driven back by the tempest.
No, that wasn't a tempest!
That was presence!
Hikaru, witnessing this, felt something like a faint shiver.
His heart was pounding wildly!
Excitement.
An intense, almost frenzied excitement, he could feel it, a thrill impossible to put into words beating inside his chest.
More intense than the Wave of Light. More intense than Kaiba ten years ago. Far, far more intense!
A true Legend!
Not one of those "I dueled a Legend and became a Legend Duelist" types, a Legend in the truest sense of the word!!
"My turn, draw!"
He drew a card, glanced at it, and immediately played it:
"Normal Summon - Metal Illusionist!"
What is that?
Every spectator cried out inwardly.
Hikaru's eyes went wide.
Metalmorph
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can set 1 Metalmorph Trap Card from my Deck face-down on my field. If Max Metalmorph exists in my Graveyard, I can also draw 1 card!"
"Metalmorph?" Rex remembered, that was the Trap Card that supported Red-Eyes.
When did he...?
Ah, right. That Trap, the one he showed at the start, the Trap used to Special Summon Jinzo!
Joey set a card face-down, drew a card, then played another: "Not done yet. Send 1 face-down card I control to the Graveyard, Special Summon this card! Red-Eyes Metal Claws Dragon!"
A Red-Eyes Black Dragon with steel claws over both hands descended from the air and landed on Joey's field.
"Red-Eyes Metal Claws Dragon's effect, when this card is Normal or Special Summoned: If Max Metalmorph exists on my field or in my Graveyard, I can add 1 Metalmorph Trap from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand."
"I add the Trap from my Graveyard to my hand, then set it."
"Well? Want to respond to the set card?"
Rex was a little confused.
If it was only this much, there was absolutely no need to use a counter, because destroying everything on his own field at this moment would be more loss than gain.
His side had the higher ATK.
"Then, activate Trap Card! Max Metalmorph!"
"Huh?"
"What?"
"Wasn't that just set this turn!?"
"Y-Yeah! Isn't that against the rules?! That's completely illegal! But... but Joey-san doing it must mean he has a reason..."
"Quiet!! It's simple enough to understand, it's a monster effect!" Hikaru cut across the spectators' cries from the side.
"Ha, that's right." Joey nodded at Hikaru. "While Red-Eyes Metal Claws Dragon is on the field, Metalmorph Traps that were set this turn can still be activated."
"Unbelievable!!"
"That strong!?"
"Absolutely outrageous!"
Joey didn't dwell on it and continued: "Max Metalmorph - Tribute 1 face-up monster I control to activate. Special Summon 1 monster whose name is stated on Max Metalmorph's card text that cannot be Normal Summoned, from my hand, Deck, or Graveyard.
After that, I can treat this card as an Equip Card equipped to that monster granting: ATK and DEF +400, cannot be destroyed by Spell or monster effects, opponent cannot target the equipped monster with Spell or monster effect."
"I upgrade Red-Eyes!"
Ding ding ding
Steel was ferociously bolted onto Red-Eyes, piece by piece. An iron dragon, armored to the teeth in the most literal sense, descended slowly.
Red-Eyes Black Fullmetal Dragon - Level 8 - DARK - Machine - ATK 3400 → 3800.
"3800!"
"That surpasses the Dino King! And it's far beyond Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Rex swallowed. "Activate Trap Card, Jurrac Impact! I can activate this when I control a Dinosaur monster with 2500 or more ATK. Destroy all cards on the field!"
"Self-destruction?"
"He's going to blow everything up! But then his own field is wiped out too."
"No, this is actually a good thing! Because if Babycerasaurus on his side gets destroyed, he can Special Summon another monster!"
The watching Duelists buzzed with commentary about this development.
Only Hikaru knew.
The moment Metalmorph resolved, the game was already over.
"Ha, sorry, Rex, Red-Eyes Black Fullmetal Dragon's effect. When the opponent activates a card effect, I can activate: Negate that activation."
The Trap Card had just flipped, and then froze in place. The "Dinosaur Meteor" that had been gathering power in the sky vanished in an instant.
"It can't be!!" Rex Raptor was completely stunned.
"Heh." Joey looked toward Red-Eyes. Red-Eyes let out a roar.
The black dragon represented burning blood. After that effect resolved, he could inflict damage equal to the ATK of one of the opponent's Attack Position monsters.
That would be 3200 points!
But, he really disliked burning blood effects.
"Rex, it's time for the last card. In an ancient legend, there was a legendary sword saint who had defeated countless spirits. But after becoming invincible, he grew lonely, and so he armored himself in heavy steel."
"A sword saint?"
"That's right, the final trump card I used in that Duel! The sword saint reborn as a phoenix!"
"I equip Equip Spell Card Dark Dragon Tribe's Claw to Red-Eyes Black Fullmetal Dragon, then banish the equipped card to activate. Special Summon, Immortal Phoenix Gearfried!"
A towering sword saint clad in pure white armor, wreathed in flames, slowly strode forth from a summoning circle blazing like a fireball.
Immortal Phoenix Gearfried. Level 9. FIRE. Warrior. ATK 3000.
"The exact same ATK as Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"Hoho." Solomon stood with his hands behind his back and explained, "The Phoenix Gearfried can banish Equip Spell Cards from the field or Graveyard to Special Summon himself."
Joey picked up another card: "Equip Spell Card, Phoenix Gearblade, equip it to Gearfried."
Gearfried: 3000 → 3300.
"At the start of Gearfried's attack, I can equip 1 monster my opponent controls as an Equip Card that increases my ATK by 500.
That little Babycerasaurus over there is rather pitiful. I'll have Gearfried attack your Souleating Oviraptor, and equip Babycerasaurus along the way."
Gearfried: 3300 → 3800.
The blazing sword saint cleaved down on the dinosaur burning with blue fire.
Rex Raptor stretched out a hand, bracing himself against the impact.
Rex Raptor, LP: 2600 → 600.
"Then, Red-Eyes Black Fullmetal Dragon, attack!"
3800 − 3200 = 600.
Exactly.
Rex took a deep breath.
Was the gap between himself and Joey really this vast?
He felt a flash of anger, and a flash of regret, regret for wasting so many years.
But at the same time, he felt a surge of excitement!
Fine then, Joey. Just you wait. Wait for me. I will absolutely beat you with my own strength, with the Dueling philosophy I've rediscovered from the ground up, I'll beat you completely!
That day is not far off!
BOOM!
The black flames fell.
Rex Raptor, LP: 600 → 0.