"Unyielding roar! Now shake the heavens and the earth! Bestow upon me this peerless might of a sovereign! Synchro Summon—Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!"
"Rank 8! Carve the path of fated victory! Xyz Summon—Destiny Leo!"
The second Turbo Duel match began. Representing Synchron Academy was Lost Vela, summoning a new form of Red Dragon Archfiend—Scarlight—distinctly different from his previous Synchro.
On the Xyz Academy side, what surprised Miles was that their team captain, Leon, chose not to reserve himself for the final day.
For the third day's lineup, Xyz Academy sent out the exact same duelists as on the second day—Lloyd and Leon Gate.
That meant the final day's lineup for each academy could already be easily inferred. And that was exactly what surprised Miles.
Among Xyz Academy's team, Korys Diane undoubtedly appeared to be the weakest, yet she was being saved for the most crucial final duel.
Then again, Fusion Academy wasn't really in a position to criticize considering that their side had done something arguably even more outrageous: sending a first-year student, Ecclesia, to fight in the decisive final match.
"Your lion won't stop my dragon!—[Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend]'s effect activates!"
This new Red Dragon Archfiend form, bearing the title "Scarlight," referred to the mark that appeared on the dragon's right eye after Lost's string of defeats.
[Once per turn, during your Main Phase: Destroy all Special Summoned Effect Monsters with ATK less than or equal to this card's ATK, except this card. Then inflict 500 damage to your opponent for each monster destroyed by this effect.]
Compared to the original Red Dragon Archfiend, this new one had a much more straightforward field-wiping effect, destroying any monster with lower Attack.
However, Destiny Leo's 3200 Attack surpassed the dragon's 3000.
"My Attack is higher!"
As his dragon's flames surged, Lost flipped a set card.
"I activate the Trap Card—'Synchro Strike'! All Synchro Monsters on the field gain 500 ATK for each material used for their Summon! My Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend was Synchro Summoned using two monsters—so its Attack rises by 1000!"
[Scarlight, ATK: 3000 → 4000]
"—Absolute Dominion Flame!!"
The crimson-clawed dragon smashed its talons into the ground, releasing a wave of infernal energy that engulfed Destiny Leo.
[Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo] was destroyed.
The crowd was stunned. Leon's core monster—his trump card, Destiny Leo—had been obliterated in a single turn.
"Then Scarlight's effect activates! You take damage equal to 500 times the number of destroyed monsters!"
[Leon, LP: 4000 → 3500]
"It's over!" Lost revved his D-Wheel, racing through a blaze of crimson flames. "Direct attack, Scarlight—Searing Crimson Inferno!"
The dragon's roar tore through the battlefield, its fiery breath swallowing Leon's D-Wheel whole.
"I activate the Trap Card—'Rainbow Life'! By discarding one card, all the damage I take this turn becomes Life Point recovery instead!"
The card discarded as cost glimmered with evolving light.
"I discard 'Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force' to activate Rainbow Life!"
A radiant barrier of rainbow light expanded around Leon, absorbing all the damage he would have taken this turn.
[Leon, LP: 3500 → 8500]
Even the 500 effect damage from earlier was reversed into healing, raising his Life Points to a new peak.
"Tch." Lost clicked his tongue. "Even if you recover all that, without your key monster—[Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo]—you're nothing but target practice for my dragon."
He slammed down a card. "I Set one card and end my turn."
"Have you considered… that I wanted you to destroy my Destiny Leo?"
"What?!"
"My turn—draw!"
The riders switched places on the track as Leon drew his opening card for the turn.
"I activate the Spell Card—'Monster Reborn'! I revive [Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo] from my Graveyard!"
Bathed in the sacred light of rebirth, the lion's throne rose once again.
However, this time, the majestic Destiny Leo seated upon it no longer held the royal sword that carved the mark of victory.
"Using 'Monster Reborn' to revive Destiny Leo means you can't trigger its alternate win condition, right?" Irena observed.
Having fought Leon before, she knew that [Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo] could only fulfill its special win condition by detaching its own three Xyz Materials.
A monster revived by Monster Reborn had no materials—not even one—and thus couldn't activate that effect at all. It was merely a 3200-ATK beater.
"But the lion doesn't fight in just one way! Show them your true fangs, Leo!"
Leon accelerated, his D-Wheel roaring forward like a charging lion, matching Lost's blazing pace.
"I activate the effect of 'Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force' in my Graveyard!"
The card Leon had discarded last turn as the cost for 'Rainbow Life.'
[If this card is in your Graveyard and you Special Summon a Rank 5 or higher Xyz Monster, you can add this card from your Graveyard to your hand.]
"Since Destiny Leo was Special Summoned, I add this card from my Graveyard to my hand—and immediately activate it! Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force!"
For the first time, Leon Gate revealed the other evolutionary path of Xyz Summoning—the power of the Rank-Up-Magic cards.
[Target 1 Rank 5 or higher Xyz Monster you control; Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 'Number C' or 'Chaos Xyz' Monster that is 1 Rank higher than that monster, by using it as material. (This is treated as an Xyz Summon.)]
The Chaos Rank-Up energy burst forth from the card, swirling around the throne that encircled the Destiny Leo.
"I target my Rank 8 Destiny Leo for Rank-Up! I overlay it to summon a Rank 9 Chaos Xyz Monster!"
A new Chaos card stacked atop Destiny Leo. Though it still bore the form of the lion, its presence carried an even heavier, fate-crushing aura.
"Arise—[Number C88: Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo]! Roaring soul of fury, awaken the wrath that can annihilate all!"
[Number C88: Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo] Rank 9│DARK│Machine│3500 ATK / 2500 DEF
[4 Level 9 Monsters]
Its summoning condition demanded four Level 9 monsters, a nearly impossible feat, unless performed by ranking up [Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo].
With golden wings spread wide, the Disaster Leo roared, its voice echoing like a herald of divine catastrophe.
Having completed the Rank-Up, Leon immediately activated his monster's effect.
"—Maximum Calamity! [Number C88: Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo]'s effect activates!"
[If this card is Xyz Summoned by using "Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo" as material, it gains this effect. ● Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; inflict 4000 damage to your opponent.]
"Having inherited the power of Destiny Leo, the Rank-Up Chaos Disaster Leo can deal 4000 damage directly to you!"
"Four thousand damage… just like that?" Even Miles was shocked by the sheer brutality of the original Disaster Leo's effect.
Effect damage of 4000 points… in most cases, that was enough to end a duel in one strike.
"Roar! And unleash it, Maximum Calamity!"
The lethal blast of energy surged toward Lost.
"Heh, so you actually fell for it!"
Racing alongside his blazing dragon, Lost flipped his set counter trap.
"—I activate the Counter Trap, 'Crimson Fire'!"
[If you control a 'Red Dragon Archfiend' in face-up position and your opponent activates a Spell, Trap, or Monster effect that inflicts damage: That effect's damage is negated, and your opponent takes double that damage instead.]
One of [Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend]'s effects allows it to be treated as "Red Dragon Archfiend" while on the field or in the Graveyard.
Lost never expected that the trap card he had included merely because its name sounded cool—fitting his chuunibyou aesthetic—would unleash such a terrifying counter.
"By the flames of the Red Dragon, return the calamity twice over—Crimson Fire!"
The crimson dragon spread its wings, shielding itself from the Chaos lion's roar. Raising its head, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend opened its jaws, absorbing the fiery chaos and reflecting it back in full.
"Double the damage—that's 8000 points, all on you!"
The explosion that followed was devastating—not quite a nuclear blast; regardless, enough for 'Crimson Fire' to fracture the entire Turbo Duel track.
[Leon, LP: 8500 → 500]
All the Life Points he had just recovered were instantly burned away.
"You brought this on yourself!" Lost shouted. "No one should even be able to use an effect that deals 4000 direct damage!"
"No, Lost." With a low growl blending with the roar of his engine, Leon Gate burst through the pillar of flame. "In the end—I still win. I end my turn and activate [Number C88: Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo]'s final effect!"
[During the End Phase, if this card has no Xyz Materials attached to it, you win the Duel.]
It shared the same alternate win condition as Destiny Leo—but far less demanding. Whereas Destiny Leo required detaching all three of its materials, the Chaos Rank-Up version needed only to have no materials remaining.
And this Disaster Leo had only one material to begin with—the Destiny Leo used for its Rank-Up.
That material had already been detached when Leon used the 4000-damage effect.
"Four thousand damage… just an extra effect before the instant win?" Aisha was stunned. "Rank-Up Magic Chaos Xyz Change… that's incredible, Mr. Miles!"
Envious? If you are, go print one yourself.
"The victory condition is met—the clock of destiny now points to triumph! This is the final roar of Disaster Leo—Final Crackdown!"
Through the power of Chaos Rank-Up, Disaster Leo achieved a special victory reversal. Lost couldn't escape defeat… and this time, it was more spectacular than ever.
Miles suddenly realized something. "Wait… has Lost ever actually won a duel?"
Thinking back, from the very first day they met in the Axet Republic, she hadn't won a single one… not even their first duel.
Then again, her name is Lost. Losing seems to fit.
Axet's Legend of No Wins—Synchron Academy's Queen of Crashes.
Looks like Luca's title finally has an heir.
The second match ended. Only one Turbo Duel remained for the day—and it was to be the debut of Fusion Academy's secret weapon, Ecclesia.
Her opponent would be the last duelist from Synchron Academy yet to appear—Takehiko Izumi's younger sister, the quiet and withdrawn Aoyao Izumi.
"Go get 'em, Ecclesia!" Irena cheered. "Fuse that Synchro Monster while you're at it!"
Ren had already demonstrated twice how to use 'Super Polymerization' to absorb even Xyz Monsters into Fusion.
Though Ecclesia lacked such an overpowering card, her Saintly power, combined with her summoned [Fallen of Albaz], would still allow her to fuse the opponent's monsters—a perfect representation of Fusion's ultimate principle.
To fuse Xyz and Synchro alike—to return all to Fusion.
Miles could already imagine Vice Principal Raiden's wrinkled face splitting into the happiest grin upon hearing that result.
Ren declared encouragingly, "Then let's do it! For Principal Raiden in heaven!"
Aisha reminded her in a whisper, "Ren-chan… the Principal isn't dead."
"Mmph…" Ecclesia clutched her stomach, face crumpling with distress. o((⊙﹏⊙))o ".…The pressure's too much… I'm so hungry…"
Though only a first-year student, the tiny Saint bore the weight of expectations far beyond her age.
...
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