"Kaito-san!"
That was the first thing that she shouted, right after disembarking her coaster ride that was quite wonky and arguably fun, if not for the dread that sank on her stomach at the knowledge that she was going to be dueling someone on live television, one that would be shown to the whole world at that.
She still couldn't fathom that she had made it this far, she knew that it was only thanks to her friends that she could have gotten here, but the fact still remained that he was here. As one of the finalists of the World Duel Carnival.
In essence, she had achieved her goal. Of standing along with Yuto and her brother, of being at the same stage as them. Of no longer simply looking at their backs as they improved ahead of her and left her behind.
But deep down, she also knew that they had their own reasons for trying thai hard, for doing their bests to reach this far into the tournament where the strongest are pit against one another.
After all, Kaito was her friend too.
"So it's you." His voice was cold, with no feeling of warmth or friendliness that she was used to hearing from him in the years that she's known him. Standing up from the tree stump that he was sitting from.
"Kaito-san-"
"Let's get this over with." He interrupted before she could even begin, lifting his left hand and activating his yellow crescent duel blade. "You're in my way. I'll be sure to make it quick."
She was understandably taken aback by his words. His action, posture, everything around him seems to be completely different from the Kaito that she knew.
But still, Ruri knew what she was here for. "Fine then. If that's how you want to do it." She said, taking a deep breath as she lifted her left hand, manifesting her own duel blade to meet against his. "Then I will do what Nii-san couldn't and beat some sense into you!"
"Hmph." Was the grunt that he replied with in the face of her bold declaration.
And thus, unbeknownst to the pair, the last duel of the quarter finals of the World Duel Carnival began.
""DUEL!!""
Ruri Kurosaki: 4000LP
Kaito Tenjo: 4000LP
"I will take first! My turn!" Ruri declared aloud, taking the first turn of their duel and forgoing the draw in doing so.
Yet in spite of that, even knowing that his opponent's deck was at its strongest should it go second with its ability to attack directly multiple times, Kaito remained unmoved.
"Hmph. Do as you wish." The blonde haired teen said standoffishly, letting air escape out of his nose as he stood menacingly before her. "Then go ahead. Whatever it is that you do, I will easily dismantle it."
"!" The statement sent a shock to Ruri, because she was now seeing for the first time just how… truly changed Kaito was. 'He… normally wouldn't have said anything like that.' Because the Kaito that she knew was kind, supportive, a loving person who would want their opponent to do their best so that he could meet them with all that he has.
And yet here he was, condescending, mocking even. So assured at his own victory that he was all but declaring that whatever it was that she was going to do, it would all be for naught even when she hadn't even started.
'Just what happened to you Kaito-san?' She briefly thought, before shaking her head. 'No! I came here not to just bring him back, but to win! I made a promise to Serena and Mei, I promised myself that I would be stronger! I won't let all of this be for nothing!'
"We'll see about that!" She shouted back, her eyes burning with determination, something that had unknowingly Made Kaito shocked at the sheer will behind her voice.
"I will start by activating the Spell! Lyrilusc - Bird Call!" Ruri declared, beginning the duel by placing the Spell Card onto her duel blade, manifesting the card's holographic projection before her.
"This card allows me to take one 'Lyrilusc' monster from my deck, and either add it to my hand or send it to the graveyard!" She declared, explaining the card's effect. "I will add Lyrilusc - Celestine Wagtail from my deck to my hand!"
Revealing the card and then adding it into her hand, Ruri shuffled the monster card into her hand. Yet that wasn't the end of the card's effect. "Then in addition, I can also special summon one 'Lyrilusc' monster with a different name from my hand!"
"What?" The blonde duelist narrowed his eyes upon hearing the continuation. "So it's a Spell that adds and special summons from the hand?"
Taking a card from her hand, the ravenette revealed a differently named Lyrilusc monster from her hand. "I will special summon Lyrilusc - Cobalt Sparrow!" She declared, placing her monster card onto her glowing duel blade, and her monster appeared flourishing her wings onto the field.
Lyrilusc - Cobalt Sparrow - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 0/100
"And I will activate the effect of my Lyrilusc - Cobalt Sparrow!" She declared, waving her hand forwards as the monster sang. "If this card is special summoned, I can add one Level 1 Winged Beast monster from my deck to my hand!"
The newly summoned brown-winged winged beast flapped her wings as she then added a monster card from her deck to her hand. "I will add Lyrilusc - Sapphire Swallow from my deck to my hand!" Ruri declared as she added a second named monster into her hand.
"Then I will activate the effect of Lyrilusc - Sapphire Swallow in my hand!" And immediately continued by taking out that very card, revealing it to her opponent.
"If I control a Winged Beast monster, I can special summon this card and another Level 1 Winged Beast monster from my hand!" She said, explaining the monster card's effect. "Come! Lyrilusc - Sapphire Swallow! And Lyrilusc -Celestine Wagtail!"
And with a wave of her hand, a pair of monsters appeared on her side of the field. A pair of anthrophomorphised birds descended onto the field with a flap of their wings. Both the blue feathered Sapphire Swallow and the silver feathered Celestine Wagtail dancing in the field.
Lyrilusc - Sapphire Swallow - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 100/0
Lyrilusc - Celestine Wagtail - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 200/0
"Three monsters." Kaito muttered aloud as the two additional monsters hit the board, narrowing his eyes as they went back and forth from the monsters that Ruri had assembled, and the girl herself.
"Now I will activate the effect of Celestine Wagtail!" The ravenette declared with a wave of her hand, gesturing towards the silver feathered monster that she had brought forth onto the field.
"If she is special summoned,I can add one 'Lyrilusc' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" She shouted, explaining the card's on summon effect as she flapped her shining silver wings.
With the monster card's effect fully explained, Ruri then continued to resolve it by revealing a card that she was adding into her hand. "I will add the Trap, Lyrilusc - Phantom Feathers from my deck to my hand!" She shouted, shuffling the card into what was now her four card hand.
And she does, adding the monster card from her deck to her hand before shuffling her now four card hand. "Now I will take the Level 1 Lyrilusc - Cobalt Sparrows and the Level 1 Lyrilusc - Sapphire Swallow, and overlay them!"
Shouting so, the two monsters twirled on the field, glowing and turning into glowing green lights. "With these pair of monsters, I will construct an overlay network!" Both of which proceeded to enter the shining galactical vortex that appeared in front of her.
"Oh birds with beautiful wings! Descend and perform your song on the battlefield!" And she proceeded to finish the chant as she swung her hand down. "XYZ Summon!"
"Sing! Lyrilusc - Recital Starling!" And her new monster then descended, reciting her beautiful tunes as feathers as black as the night itself fluttered all around her. The black winged XYZ Monster settled right next to her lightly coloured counterpart as she arrived onto the field with two green glowing orbs hovering around her.
Lyrilusc - Recital Starling - Wind/XYZ/Winged Beast /Rank 1/Effect: 0/0 OV: 2
The monster then soon descended, hovering ever so slightly above the ground right in front of her summoner with both wings crossing in front of itself, positioning itself in defence even with its nonexistent attack and defence points
"As Recital Starling is made with Cobalt Sparrow as material, she now can't be targeted by your card effects!" She shouted, pointing her hand towards her stoic opponent while doing so.
"And then Recital Starling's effect! If she is XYZ Summoned, I can target one face-up monster on the field, and have it gain 300 attack and defence for each material that is attached to this card!" Ruri said, reading the card's effect aloud.
Following that, she then pointed to the monster itself. "I will target Recital Starling herself! And increase her attack and defence by 600 points!"
Lyrilusc - Recital Starling - Wind/XYZ/Winged Beast /Rank 1/Effect: 600/600 OV: 2
"I will activate the effect of Recital Starling!" She declared as she waved her hand outwards, pointing towards the beautifully feathered XYZ Monster.
"Once per turn, I can detach one material from this card, to add one Level 1 Winged Beast monster from my deck to my hand!" She shouted as she waved her hand out towards the winged beast with feathers as dark as the night sky. "Bird Song!"
And the monster once more flapped her wings in preparation, absorbing one of the three overlay units that she possessed into herself to activate her effect.
Lyrilusc - Recital Starling - Wind/XYZ/Winged Beast /Rank 1/Effect: 600/600 OV: 1
Then proceeded to sing, a brave and encouraging tune that filled the entire battlefield. "I will add Lyrilusc - Beryl Canary from my deck to my hand!" And she revealed a brand new card that her opponent had never seen before.
"Beryl Canary?" Kaito muttered the card name with slightly narrowed eyes. "A card I've never heard before." In his mind, he raised the danger level of the duelist before him, of one of the friends that he no longer deserved to have.
"And I will activate Beryl Canary's effect!" She spoke, revealing the card in her hand that she had just added. "If this card is in my hand, I can target one 'Lyrilusc' monster in my graveyard, special summon both this card and that monster!"
"A summon from the graveyard? The one that you detached for Recital Starling then." Kaito summarized, knowing that the card was the only one target that she possessed.
"Right! I will target the Lyrilusc Cobalt Sparrow that I detached, and special summon both these monsters!" She shouted, taking both the card from her hand and the one on her graveyard.
"Go! Beryl Canary!" And then placed them both on her duel blade, allowing a shining golden feathered Lyrilusc to manifest onto the field, along with the return of the brown feathered Cobalt Sparrow.
Lyrilusc - Beryl Canary - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 0/200
Lyrilusc - Cobalt Sparrow - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 0/100
"So now you have three monsters on the field then." Her opponent summarized yet again, already seeing where she was going as she had all but filled her board with monsters, and intending to use all of these materials for an XYZ Summon.
And she does, waving her hand forwards towards the three monsters as she declared. "Now I will take the three Level 1 Lyrilusc - Celestine Wagtail, Beryl Canary, and Cobalt Sparrows and overlay all of them!"
The three monsters twirled on the field, glowing and turning into glowing green lights as all of them proceeded to enter the shining galactical vortex that appeared in front of her once more.
"With these three monsters, I will construct an overlay network!" She declared aloud, and the vortex exploded with light. "Oh birds with marvelous wings! Descend and shine brightly on the battlefield! XYZ Summon!" And so she completed her summoning chant, calling out for the summon of her new monster.
"Dance! Lyrilusc - Ensemblue Robin!" And her monster then descended, flapping its beautiful shining blue wings as it descended onto the field, spreading its wings wide as three whole glowing green orbs orbited around her, golden ornaments glinting under the moonlight as the monster hung in the air, forming a looming shadow on the opponent's field.
Lyrilusc - Ensemblue Robin - Wind/Winged Beast /XYZ/Rank 1/Effect: 0/0 OV: 3
"What?" And for the first time, an evident surprise could be seen on Kaito's face, his eyes widening ever so slightly. "Ensemblue Robin? Not Assembled Nightingale?" The shock was of course caused by the appearance of an XYZ Monster that he was unfamiliar with.
He had thought that that monster would be what she would end with, a monster that, if she had used the same materials, would be essentially indestructible by both battle and card effect along with being untargetable.
So for her to instead summon another monster? She had diverged from his expectations. "Just what are you planning?" Ruri gulped as she met Kaito's glare with one of her own, not backing down in the fight of spirit.
-
"Whoa what's that!?" Allen called out as he saw the screen focus on the gigantic feathered XYZ Monster, three shining green overlay materials orbiting the monster as it hovered in front of its summoned.
"That's not Ruri's usual XYZ Monster…" Sayaka muttered, eyeing the monster critically as she ruffled through her mind of the cards that she knew her best friend had.
"Fufufu, that's her new ace in the hole of course!" Mei couldn't help but puff her chest at their surprise. Though she knew now from Ruri's explanation that the new cards came from Yuuna. 'Not surprising really now that I think about it. The cards that she can apparently make are always crazy strong for what it's worth.'
"Yeah." Serena agreed along with her friend as she nodded her head. "If it wasn't for that, she'd have had a hard time going through us both."
"Those other new ones also did help her make what is essentially the same board too." The purple haired girl nodded, agreeing with her friend's statement.
"Wait, she beat both of you!? At the same time!?" The shock that Myu had was evident with how wide her eyes were.
"Yeah, it was a really hard fought duel." The ponytailed girl nodded again with a proud grin, "Those new cards really do make her deck go for even more grind than it already is."
"The fact that she has an additional names in Beryl Canary and Celestine Wagtail changes how the deck works completely. And then there was that one card to…" Mei muttered as she remembered the duel from not long ago, shaking her head to stop herself from reminiscing.
"Anyway we should focus back on the duel! Ruri's still going through her turn."
-
"Ensemblue Robin gains 500 attack for each material that's attached to her, meaning that she currently has 600 attack points!" She said, explaining the monster's continuous effect as a green glow enveloped the winged XYZ Monster.
"So it will have 1500 then"
"But that's not all! Beryl Canary and Cobalt Sparrow also give her additional effects! Like Recital Starling, Ensemblue Robin that used Cobalt Sparrow can't be targeted by your card effects, and since she used Beryl Canary as material from the field, she gains an additional 200 attack and her control can't switch!"
A golden and green glow surrounded the newly formed giant XYZ Monster. Beating her beautiful shining wings as its strength increased in droves.
Lyrilusc - Ensemblue Robin - Wind/Winged Beast /XYZ/Rank 1/Effect: 1700/0 OV: 3
"What?!" Yet the statement of the effect that lingered was what shocked Kaito the most, not the increase in attack points that the monster now possessed. "It can't be targeted, and its controller can't be switched?! This is-"
"This strategy was made specifically because I know you and your cards Kaito-san." Ruri declared, gripping her hand into fists. "I didn't think that I would ever duel against you like this, but… even still!"
She raised the hand and then pointed towards him. "I will give it my all, and defeat you!" She boldly declared so, before taking out another card from her hand. "I will activate the Continuous Spell - Lyrilusc Bird Sanctuary!"
With the card activated, its shining projection formed behind her monsters, remaining on the field as Continuous Spells do. "Then I will use its effect! If I control an XYZ Monster with 3 or more materials, I can draw one card!"
And as she has Ensemblue robin on her field, that requirement was already met. "So I will draw one!" With that the cards in her hand went up to two.
"I will set two cards, and end my turn" And with that, Ruri ended her turn with a pair of XYZ Monster, a pair of set cards in her backrow in addition to the Continuous Spell, and two remaining cards in her hand.
-
"Oh! Amazing! Absolutely superb!" Mr. Heartland screamed from his podium, levitating high in the air as he sang praises for the duelist whose turn had just finished. "To think that from the most graceful of creatures, competitor Ruri had managed to swarm the field with two deceitfully strong XYZ Monsters! How truly magnificent! It's making my heart burrrrrrn!"
The stadium was filled with cheers, equally supportive of the unfolding duel on the screens before them.
"Whoa can't believe she summoned two XYZ Monsters in one turn!"
"Did you see how many monsters she summoned?! That's crazy!"
"Yeah but like, they're super weak right? Their attacks doesn't even reach 2000!"
Hearing their cheers brought the ever smiling man to beam even harder, twirling the cane in his hand as he spoke yet again. "Now, with all that said however. Will this pair of beautiful winged maidens that she had summoned be enough to face against the infamous Kaito!? Let's find out!"
-
"Nii-san and Yuto, everyone is worried about you."
The words were met with silence. It was what she had expected really. Considering how he had closed himself off to even Nii-san and Yuto, there was little chance that she could be the one that could crack what shell he had formed around himself.
But that didn't mean that she couldn't try. That she shouldn't try simply because the outcome was predetermined.
"We lost contact with you for a whole month, Kaito. No, maybe even longer isn't it? It was ever since that small exhibition at the school." And oh did that feel like something that had happened ages ago.
"And the moment someone, when Nii-san and Yuto found you, you were… stealing cards?" She shook her head, she knew that wasn't right. "No that's not it. You were gathering them weren't you? These Number cards?"
His rigid form stopped, it was really only years of having known the person in front of her that he could have noticed the slight change. "I'm right aren't I?" She said, receiving no other response.
Even knowing full well that she wasn't going to get any answers, she still asked. "Why are you doing this?" She asked softly, eyes looking deep into Kaito's own.
"Whatever is happening, I know that we can help you. Please, Kaito-san." She begged, pleaded with her hands on her chest. "If there's anything that you need help with, nii-san and-"
"You."
She stopped. It was the first answer, the first word that she had managed to get out from her friend.
And it was anything but kind.
His blue grey eyes glared, filled with hatred and anger, pure rage and malice that made her flinch at their ferocity. "You think you know-you ASSUME-!" He spoke, trembled, a mere inch from his tipping point.
How could they speak as if they could help him? He knows Shun, he knows Yuto, he knows Ruri as well. Should anything happen to one of them, he knew that the other two would just fall in the same hole that he had dug himself into.
But he wasn't them. He couldn't let them be him. He had to keep them as far away as possible.
He will save Haruto. He has to.
"You wouldn't understand!" He shouted as he pushed forward, throwing his hand to the side and roaring out at the top of his lungs. "NONE OF YOU DO!"
Ruri winced, stepping back as her eyes went wide at the anger that her earnest plea had caused watching him with fear clear in her eyes. But that didn't matter to him. She was just another obstacle to overcome. To save Haruto.
"My turn! I draw!" He roared, drawing the top card of his deck to begin his turn, and did not waste any time to make his first play. "I will normal summon Photon Delta Wing!" ANd summoned forth a mechanical plane that manifested, leaving a trail of yellow light in its wake.
Photon Delta Wing - Light/Machine/Level 4/Effect: 1800/900
"And I will use its effect!" He declared, waving his hand to the side. "If this card is normal summoned, I can special summon one 'Photon Delta Wing' from my hand or deck in defence position, but I cannot special summon for the rest of this turn except light monsters!"
"That's! A normal summon that gets another one from the deck!?" Ruri said in shock as she regained her composure.
"Come! Photon Delta Wing!" And the blonde duelist immediately summoned forth the second copy of the monster onto the field, letting it fly alongside its normal summoned counterpart on his field.
Photon Delta Wing - Light/Machine/Level 4/Effect: 1800/900
"Two Level 4 monsters!" The ravenette whispered, and it was only thanks to Yuto and Nii-san informing her of Kaito's change did she make her decision to interfere with his plays, knowing that he now played Rank 4 monsters instead of simply Rank 8s.
"Then I will activate Ensemblue Robin's effect!" She declared, motioning towards her XYZ Monster as she fluffed her own feathers.
"That monster's effect." Kaito muttered, his boiling anger cooling back into something resembling cold calculating calmness, yet she could still see it hiding behind his grey eyes. "if its anything similar to Assembled Nightingale then-"
"If my opponent special summons a monster except during the Damage Step, I can detach one material from Ensemblue Robin, then target one of those special summoned monsters, return that monster back to the hand!"
"What?" Her opponent spoke as his eyes widened ever so slightly upon hearing her words. "It's not a protection effect?"
The winged monster in question flapped her majestic wings, taking in one of the three floating materials that orbited around it into itself. Letting out one last beat of her wings as each of their feathers glowed with power.
Lyrilusc - Ensemblue Robin - Wind/Winged Beast /XYZ/Rank 1/Effect: 1200/0 OV: 2
"And I will target your newly summoned Photon Delta Wing, and return it back to your hand!" She shouted, pointing towards the monster in question as the effect then resolved, with her glowing blue wings flapping and sending an equally ethereal gale that blew the summoned mechanical plane in the air, dissolving it into golden particles as it returned to the card in Kaito's hand.
"Tch." The blonde clicked his tongue, eyeing the monster in a new light. "So that's how it is then. Fine, I will special summon Photon Vanisher in my hand!" He immediately continued as soon as the chain of effects resolved, summoning forth another monster to once more fill the field. Summoning forth the galactical rifle wielding warrior onto the field.
Photon Vanisher - Light/Warrior/Level 4/Effect: 2000/0
"Another Level 4 monster!"
"Photon Vanisher cannot be normal or special summoned, and must first be special summoned from my hand while I control a 'Photon' or 'Galaxy' monster." Kaito explained the monster's innate summoning condition, before he then swung his hand forwards once more.
"Then I will use its effect! If this card is special summoned, I can add one 'Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon' from my deck to my hand!" He declared, activating the monster's on summon effect as soon as it hit the field.
"Then I will use Ensemblue Robin's effect once again!" Ruri declared, waving her hand towards her own monster, the monster letting out a cry as she flapped her wings, letting ethereal blue feathers fall around her with a beat.
"What!?" This time Kaito's shock was more prevalent, his surprise more clearly evident than before. "That effect isn't a once per turn!?"
"That's right! I can use Ensemblue Robin's effect as long as I have materials to do so!" The ravenette spoke with a small grin at taking her opponent off guard. "I will detach one more material from her, to target and return Photon Vanisher to your hand!"
And once more the ethereal feathered XYZ Monster struck with a beat of her wings, returning the monster that was summoned back to his hand after using its second overlay material.
Lyrilusc - Ensemblue Robin - Wind/Winged Beast /XYZ/Rank 1/Effect: 700/0 OV: 1
"Then I will add Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon from my deck to my hand." The blonde teen spoke with an even tone, adding the card from his deck to his hand as the chain of effect resolves.
"That's-!" Ruri exclaimed as she saw the card that he added. "The main deck Galaxy-Eyes Dragon!"
"You…" Kaito trailed off, his eyes leaving her and turning towards the XYZ Monster that now only had a single material under her. 'With it only having a single material, it now only has 700 attack. I could have possibly attacked with Photon Delta Wing earlier to remove it but…'
His gaze then moved slightly, towards the face-down card that hid behind both of the XYZ Monster on Ruri's side of the field. 'That set card, Lyrilusc - Phantom Feathers is in the way. Ensemblue Robin right now has a higher attack than Recital Starling, she could protect it from battle either way.'
"So I have to trigger it again one more time then." He muttered to himself, glancing down to the cards in his hand as his mind decided on his next move.
"Then next I will use the effect of Galaxy Brave in my hand!" He shouted as he revealed the card in his hand, showing it to his opponent.
"A monster effect in the hand this time?" Ruri whispered, readying herself for whatever effect the monster may have.
"If this card is in my hand, I can reveal one 'Photon' monster in my hand, special summon this card, and if I do, its Level becomes the Level of that 'Photon' monster!" Kaito explained, before he then showed a second card for said effect.
"I will reveal the Level 4 Photon Vanisher that you returned to my hand, and special summon Galaxy Brave!" The blonde then placed the card onto his duel blade, and a giant armored galactic knight formed on his field.
Galaxy Brave - Light/Warrior/Level 8/Effect: 0/0
And summoned with its own effect, a glowing golden aura enveloped the monster as its Level modulated to match the revealed monster card.
Galaxy Brave - Light/Warrior/Level 4/Effect: 0/0
"Another one!" And by that of course she meant another Level 4 monster that made it onto the field, of course intended to be used as a material for a Rank 4 XYZ Monster.
'Kaito-san has six whole cards in his hand. A Photon Delta Wing, Photon Vanisher and Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon.' She summarized the information that she knew of her opponent's hand.
'He's been trying to summon Level 4 monsters over and over to go for a Rank 4 monster, so it has to be integral to whatever he's planning to do next.' She tried to remember what Yuto told her of his duel with Kaito against III and V, and her brother's duel against him.
'Nii-san and Yuto said that Kaito has a Rank 4 monster that could special summon one of those Main Deck Galaxy-Eyes dragons of his with its effect, so is that the one that he's going for? But then he also added it to his hand, does that mean that he has more than one?'
And with that thought she glanced towards her newest XYZ Monster, the one who had almost exhausted all of her overlay materials. 'I've already used so much to try and prevent him from going into the Rank 4… if I don't use it now, then it would be for nothing…'
Ruri thought made her realise that perhaps her hastiness on using her XYZ Monster's effect was not the correct move.
'I need to remember correctly.' She scrunched her brows as she focused. 'Yuto and nii-san said that Kaito-san's card needs to use its effect by detaching its overlay materials to activate its effect, which means that on summon, if I return it to hand with Ensemblue Robin then-'
"I will take these two monsters, and overlay them!" kaito cut off her trail of thought with that declaration, raising his hand as both of the monsters began to glow. "I will take the Level 4 Photon Delta Wing and the now Level 4 Galaxy Brave, and overlay them!"
And transformed into shining pillars of light, crossing one another as a galactical vortex appeared right in front of Kaito. "With these two monsters, I will form an overlay network!" Before the trailing pillars then entered the vortex of energy.
"XYZ Summon!" Before it then exploded into rainbow light that enveloped the field. "Descend! Starliege Photon Blast Dragon!" And descending from the pillar of light that formed was an armoured dragon, with glowing blue wings of light spread wide and two golden overlay units orbiting the monster.
Starliege Photon Blast Dragon - Light/Dragon/XYZ/Rank 4/Effect: 1800/2500 OV: 2
"A Rank 4!" Ruri exclaimed upon seeing the monster be summoned. 'Is this the one that Nii-san and Yuto talked about? If that's the case then-'
"Then I will use its effect!" Kaito immediately declared upon the monster's summon, the dragon in question letting out a roar as it spread its wings.
"What-!?"
"If this card is XYZ Summoned, I can special summon one 'Photon' monster from my hand!" He declared, pointing towards his singular XYZ Monster. "And while this XYZ Summoned monster is on the field, you cannot target monsters that I control with 2000 or more attack with card effects, and they cannot be destroyed by your card effect!"
"W-what!?" Ruri's eyes went wide, her mind catching up to her opponent's explanation. "Then that means-!"
"As long as it stays on the field, you won't be able to use your Ensemblue Robin." The blonde spoke out, noting how the ravenette's XYZ Monster's effect needed to target to return the monster to hand.
"Ugh!" She grunted as her mind whirled of a way to solve this situation, she came to a realisation. Eyes going wide, she declared her own effect in the same chain. "But since Starliege Photon Blast Dragon has 1800, it doesn't prevent itself from being targeted!"
The raven haired duelist then pointed towards the newly summoned XYZ Monster. "So I will use Ensemblue Robin's effect, to return it to the hand!" She declared, using the last material of Ensemblue Robin to return the newly summoned XYZ Monster back to the hand, or in this case, Extra Deck.
Lyrilusc - Ensemblue Robin - Wind/Winged Beast /XYZ/Rank 1/Effect: 200/0 OV: 0
Yet the chain of effects still resolved, with Starliege Photon Blast Dragon's effect to summon a monster from the hand, taking the form of dissipating golden threads of energy.
From those dissipating energy came a red trident, one with a large gem embedded in its centre. Kaito hefted it easily with one hand, twirling it, and throwing it upwards towards the sky.
The thrown trident then glowed brightly, hanging in mid air as it released galactical particles all around it, slowly taking form. "The galaxy that shines in the darkness. Become the light of hope and my very servant. The incarnation of light, descend here!"
With his right hand outstretched upwards, Kaito shouted his monster's name. "Appear now, Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!" And before him materialised a fierce dragon, one whose eyes was like the galaxy itself, standing taller than all of his XYZ Monsters, spreading both its bright blue wings of energy as it let out a roar that reverberated throughout the area around them.
Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon - Light/Dragon/Level 8/Effect: 3000/2500
"This is-!" Ruri trembled as the galactical dragon's presence shook her. "Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!"
"Then I will activate the Spell, Galaxy Expedition!" Kaito declared, placing the card on his crescent duel disk and allowing it to shine in front of him after taking form. "If I control a Level 5 or higher 'Photon' or 'Galaxy' monster, I can special summon one Level 5 or higher 'Photon' or 'Galaxy' monster from my deck in defense position."
"A Spell that summons a monster straight from the deck!" And the fact that it was summoning a Level 5 or higher monster could only mean one thing.
"Come! Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon!" And Kaito summoned forth a second galactical dragon onto the field, this one differing in colour with its most white scales, letting out green ethereal light in its wake.
Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon - Light/Dragon/Level 8/Effect: 3000/2500
"Another Galaxy-Eyes Dragon? And it's a Level 8 monster too!" Ruri clenched her fist as she stared down the pair of dragons that now stood on her opponent's side of the field, of course knowing where the line of play her opponent would continue with them on field.
What she hadn't expected however was the card that he would play next instead. "Then I will use the Quick-Play Spell, Photon Stream of Destruction!" he declared, the card's holographic projection forming in front of him and shining with energy.
"Wha-!?"
"If I control a 'Galaxy-Eyes' monster, this card allows me to target one card on the field, and banish that target!" Kaito shouted out the card's effect, and pointed towards one of the two set cards on Ruri's field. "I will target your leftmost set card, and banish it!"
The galactical dragon in question let out another dragonic roar as its wings spread wide, energy forming in front of its maw as it gathered power to banish the set card out of existence.
"Kuh! Then I'll activate my set card! The Trap, Lyrilusc - Phantom Feathers!" And she responded by flipping up the card in question, revealing it to be the archetypal set card that she had set.
"This card allows me to target one 'Lyrilusc' monster that you control, the attack of all monsters that you currently control becomes that monster's current attack, and their Levels or Ranks becomes 1!"
And with the explanation out of the way, she waved her hand and motioned towards the monster with the lowest attack points that she had on the field. "I will target Ensemblue Robin! And lower both of your monster's attack to 200!"
Ensemblue Robin, weakened without overlay materials as she was, spread her wings one more time, sending a barrage of ethereal blue feathers circled and enveloped both dragonic monsters that were on Kaito's side of the field, weakening them and drastically lowering their Levels as they let out a weakened growl.
Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon - Light/Dragon/Level 1/Effect: 200/2500
Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon - Light/Dragon/Level 1/Effect: 200/2500
"Hmph, but then that card will be banished! Go! Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon! Photon Stream of Destruction!" The first galactical dragon obeyed its summoner's command and unleashed a devastating ray of light that decimated the set card in question, making Ruri flinch back as she held both hands in front of her to defend from the resulting explosion.
"Kya!"
"But I'm not done!" Yet her opponent gave her no time to breathe, as he continued on with his turn without wasting a single moment. "I will take the Level 1 Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon and the Level 1 Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon, and overlay them!"
"W-what!?" Her eyes went wide as soon as she cleared the smoke from her surrounding area, watching as both dragons let out their echoing dragonic roar as both transformed into giant pillars of light. "But those monsters are-! Two Level 1 monsters?! That means a Rank 1!?"
"With these two monsters, I will construct an overlay network!" And the two golden pillars crossed one another as they entered the galactical vortex of black and gold. "XYZ Summon!" And creating a large explosion of light as a new monster emerged."
"Appear! Number 63! Shamoji Soldier!" The monster that took form was nothing like what she imagined Kaito would ever summon, for unlike the many galactical warriors that he had summoned and the gigantic dragons that he had manifested, the XYZ Monster's form was comical, a caricature of a bold of rice with legs holding a pair of chopsticks as if they were blades and a head made of a paddle. The number 63 shone on its head as a pair of overlay material orbited around its body.
Number 63: Shamoji Soldier - Light/Fairy/XYZ/Rank 1/Effect: 0/2000 OV: 2
Ruri, most likely like all the others, were admittedly taken aback by the monster's appearance and the contrast with all of the others cards that Kaito had summoned throughout the duel. "H-huh?"
If her opponent had any problem with her obvious shock however, he showed none of it as he simply continued on with his turn. Waving forward towards the newly summoned XYZ Monster, he declared. "I will activate Shamoji Soldier's effect!" With the monster in question letting out a childish cry as it raised the chopsticks it held in each hand.
"Once per turn, I can detach one XYZ Material from this card, I can either at the start of your next Standby Phase, each player draw one card, or have each player gain 1000 Life Points." The blonde spoke, explaining the monster's effect as it waved around the oversized chopsticks in its hands.
"I will choose the first option, and have the both of us draw on the next Standby Phase." He chose, as the small XYZ Monster swung its chopstick and took one of the two overlay materials that it had to pay for its effect.
Number 63: Shamoji Soldier - Light/Fairy/XYZ/Rank 1/Effect: 0/2000 OV: 1
"A draw for both players on my Standby Phase? But why-"
"And now I will activate Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon's effect!" Kaito declared, cutting her off once more. "If this card is detached from an XYZ Monster to activate that monster's effect, I can take 1 'Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon' from my hand or deck, and either special summon it or attach it to an XYZ Monster that I control as material!"
"I-it special summons a monster if it's detached as an XYZ Material!?" Ruri's eyes widened. "So the reason you activated that monster's effect was for this!?"
And within Kaito's hand, the crimson trident formed one more. "Descend once more! Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!" With a roar, he threw it high towards the heavens, and with a galactical explosion, another dragon that embodied the galaxy formed with a roar.
Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon - Light/Dragon/Level 8/Effect: 3000/2500
"A second Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!" Ruri gaped at the second copy's appearance, most certainly not expecting for something like this to be something that she would have to face.
"But I'm not done yet! I will activate the Equip Spell, Galaxy Zero!" Kaito shouted, revealing the last unknown card that he had in his hand, that being yet another form of extension.
"Galaxy Zero lets me target one 'Photon' or 'Galaxy' monster in my graveyard, and special summon it in face-up attack position, and equip it with this card." He said, beginning with the card's effect before continuing. "That monster cannot attack, nor can it activate its effects. If it would be destroyed during the Battle Phase, I can destroy this card instead!"
With the card's explanation done, the galactical dragon duelist swiped his hand to the side and declared his target. "I will target Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon! And special summon it back onto the field!"
Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon - Light/Dragon/Level 8/Effect: 3000/2500
"N-no way! You still could get two Level 8 monsters!?" And all that Ruri could do was gape as she watched her opponent manage to assemble the same pair of monsters onto the field yet again.
"Then I will take these two monsters, and overlay them!" Kaito immediately shouted, raising his right hand outwards and, for the third time of his turn, motioned for an XYZ Summon. And the summoned Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon and Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon both roared as they turned into golden pillars of light.
"With these two monsters, I will construct an overlay network!" And the two golden pillars crossed one another as they entered the galactical vortex of black and gold, creating a large explosion of light as a new monster emerged.
"Appear! Galactic Warrior of Light! Number 90!" What appeared was a gigantic dark blue cocoon, with a stylized red numeral 90 on it. "Darkness and light wandering in the universe. Sorrowful warriors who sleep in the interstice, gather your powers and open the door of the truth! Galaxy-Eyes Photon Lord!"
And slowly the 'cocoon' unformed itself, revealing it to be a shield and pieces of armour, the armoured warrior then taking its full form with a large blade of blue energy in one hand, and a towering shield in the other, standing menacingly alongside the other XYZ Monsters on the side of his field in defence position with two glowing materials orbiting around the monster.
Number 90: Galaxy-Eyes Photon Lord - Light/Warrior/XYZ/Rank 8/Effect: 2500/3000 OV: 2
"That's!" Ruri realised upon seeing the monster, the sheer presence that it exuded as it plunged the tip of its blade onto the grassy ground below. 'The XYZ Monster that Nii-san and Yuto spoke of! The one with the ability to negate and destroy my monster's effect!' She immediately put up her guard, knowing full well how strong the card was.
"If this card has a 'Photon' card as material, it cannot be destroyed by card effects. Now Battle!" And without wasting a moment, the blonde immediately went and entered the Battle Phase, clearly intending to clear out her field through it.
"I will attack Ensemblue Robin with Galaxy-Eyes Photon Lord! Galaxy Sword!" With a warrior's roar, the armoured galactical monster dashed forward, hefting both its gigantic shield and sword in each hand before bringing them down against the ethereal blue feathered XYZ Monster.
"!" She braced herself as the attack came, and in the short time her mind raced.
'If this attack lands, I would take 2300 damage! I can use the graveyard effect of Phantom Feathers to have them be the same attack but-' A brief shine of the attacking monster's shining numeral reminded her of the nature of her opponent's monster.
'But Numbers Monsters can only be destroyed by battle against another monster, so if anything I should probably save it for a different attack.' Steeling herself, Ruri surrendered herself to the oncoming attack.
Her monster's beautiful mystical feathers could do nothing as the galactical blue energy sword came down upon it, slicing her down with a last screech as she exploded into golden particles of light.
"KYAAAA!" And she could do nothing in the face of such an attack, nothing but to hold on as much as she could as the storm of the explosion engulfed her.
Ruri Kurosaki: 1700LP
"Kuh! Then I will activate the effect of Ensemblue Robin my the graveyard!" She declared in the midsts of the cloud of dust, waving her hand to clear away the ones in her closest vicinity.
"An effect in the graveyard?" Her opponent muttered, narrowing his eyes closely.
"If this card in my possession is sent to the graveyard by an opponent's card, I can target one other 'Lyrilusc' monster in my graveyard, and add it to my hand!" She declared, explaining the monster's effect to float upon being removed from the field.
"I will target back Lyrilusc - Beryl Canary to add it back from the graveyard to my hand!" She shouted, declared her target for the effect.
"A follow up then." Kaito summarized immediately upon hearing the effect's description, his face scrunching as he shouted. 'And as its effect was activated in the Damage Step I can't use the effect of Photon Lord to negate it' He thought bitterly.
So the effect then resolved, allowing her to add the monster back onto her hand.
"Then with that I will end my turn." And with all that done, Kaito ended his turn fully managing to break through and decimate the board that Ruri had managed to form. Though not entirely of course, as she still possessed the first XYZ Monster and a singular set backrow.
Kaito still ended his turn with a fully known hand, a Photon Delta Wing and a Photon Vanisher in hand, while the two XYZ Monsters that he had summoned stood with as much menace that the strange food based monster and a galactic space knight could manage.
-
"Oh the agony! The horror! Who would have thought that such a reversal would be possible?!" Mr. Heartland spoke dramatically, cradling his head in both hands, his mouth agape.
"The contestant Kaito Tenjo had managed to not only overcome the difficult field that his opponent had formed, in bouncing back his monsters to the hand not once, not twice, but thrice! Yet somehow overcoming all of it and also ending out with a strong XYZ Monster of his own!" He twirled, grabbing the cane that he had allowed to rest at his floating podium and spun.
"Just what could possibly happen next in this duel!" He ended his speech, rousing the audience into shouts and screams of excitement.
"Wait, couldn't Kaito have just negated Ruri's effect that adds a monster or something? That big lug that he summoned can just negate effects right?" Allen was the one to ask, knowing of the card's effect from one of Yuuna's ramblings.
"Right, that's what that one does." Mei muttered, remembering the card's effect from Yuto's explanation, not even asking how Allen knew what he does. "It has something to do with the Damage Step I believe. It's an incredibly complicated phase, I don't think I could even explain fully how it works."
"Ugh, so its one of those complicated things that goes over my head the teacher keeps explaining in class." The brown haired boy groaned, remembering the teacher that kept trying his best to explain a topic that he couldn't understand fully.
"Gah who cares! I'll just continue watching how this all goes!"
And so they all refocused their attention back onto the ongoing duel.
-
"Then it's my turn! I draw!" The ravenette shouted, taking drawing a card for her second turn of the duel as she began with four cards in her hand.
"Then I will activate the effect of Photon Lord." And right during her Draw Phase, Kaito declared the effect of his XYZ Monster.
"During your turn, as a Quick Effect, I can take one 'Photon' or 'Galaxy' card from my deck, and either add it to my hand or attach this card as material." Saying so, the blonde then revealed a card from his hand.
"I will add Photon Jumper from my deck to my hand." Showing it, Kaito then proceeded to add the card into his collection.
"And then during the Standby Phase, the effect of Shamoji Soldier would resolve and have us to each draw one card." As soon as they entered Ruri's Standby Phase, the effect of Kaito's other Number Monster that had been activated in the previous turn let both player draw a card.
"Hm." Ruri gave a huff as she drew, with Kaito sitting at an almost full hand at four cards, while she returned to five.
'So in additional to the new Photon Jumper he also has a different card from the draw.' She thought, glancing at the field of monsters that her opponent had. 'And he doesn't have any set card, but Photon Lord is still a card that I can't truly deal with.'
The ravenette glanced down at the card in her hand, and began to think. 'The only cards that he knows I have is the Beryl Canary that I added, and so what I have to do is-'
"I will activate Recital Starling's effect!" She declared as she threw her hand forward, and her one and only remaining XYZ Monster flapped her wings. "I will detach her last material, to add one Level One Winged Beast monster from my deck to my hand!"
Lyrilusc - Recital Starling - Wind/XYZ/Winged Beast /Rank 1/Effect: 600/0 OV: 0
"..." Kaito narrowed his eyes at the card's effect activation, before simply closing his eyes. Not deigning to use his monster's effect to interrupt at this point.
And so Recital Starling's effect resolved, and allowed her to add another card into her hand. "I will add a second Lyrilusc - Sapphire Swallow from my deck to my hand!" Ruri spoke aloud as she took the card and added it to her hand.
"Now I will activate the effect of Beryl Canary in my hand!" She declared aloud as she revealed the card that she had added in her opponent's turn. "I will target the Celestine Wagtail in my graveyard, and special summon both it and this card!"
"Then I will respond by activated the effect if Galaxy-Eyes Photon Lord!" Her opponent declared in response, shouting as she pointed towards the blade wielding galactical warrior.
"Here it is!" Ruri clicked her tongue, bracing herself as she knew what was to come from both her brother and Yuto.
"When an opponent's monster activates its effect, I can detach one material from this card to negate that effect, then if the detached material was a 'Galaxy Card', it is also destroyed!" Kaito explained, finally speaking aloud the card effect that she had been wary of the whole duel.
The giant warrior of light raised its blade of light once more, allowing his weapon to absorb one of the materials that floated along the monster and allowing him to activate his effect.
Number 90: Galaxy-Eyes Photon Lord - Light/Warrior/XYZ/Rank 8/Effect: 2500/3000 OV: 1
"Then as the detached monster was Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon, your Beryl Canary is also destroyed!" He declared, not only negating the effect of the monster in her hand but also additionally destroying it as the chain resolved.
"Kuh!" The girl grunted as the card on her hand was destroyed.
"Then Afterglow's effect activates!" Kaito declared on a new chain, waving his hand to the side as he activated the detached monster's effect. "And it allows me to special summon my third and last Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon from my deck!"
Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon - Light/Dragon/Level 8/Effect: 3000/2500
"The third one!" She couldn't help but shout as she saw the third and final copy of the gigantic galactical dragon to appear on the field, spreading its wings and letting out a roar as it did so.
"Then-!" Ruri took the the card that she had added earlier, and revealed it. "I will activate the effect of Sapphire Swallow! Since I control Recital Starling, I can special summon it and another Level 1 Winged Beast monster from my hand."
So with that declared effect she revealed another card in her hand. "So I will summon both it and Slower Swallow in my hand!" And as she placed both cards in her duel blade, both the blue feathered Lyrilusc and a large swallow with a bag of flowers flew onto the field.
Lyrilusc - Sapphire Swallow - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 100/0
Slower Swallow - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 100/100
"Two Level 1 monsters." Kaito muttered, his eyes narrowing on the pair of newly summoned monsters. "But those aren't enough to defeat me if you plan on summoning Assembled Nightingale."
"If that's the case, then I will use this!" Ruri shouted, throwing her hand forwards. "The Quick-Play Spell! Swallow's Nest!" And she flipped up the one card that she had set on the earlier turn, allowing its projected form to shine with light.
"This card allows me to tribute one face-up Winged Beast monster, to special summon one Winged Beast monster with the same Level from my deck!" She declared, and proceeded to reveal a card straight from her deck. "I will special summon a second Celestine Wagtail from my deck!"
The bag wearing swallow let out a chirp as it turned into particles of light, only to reform into the silver feathered Lyrilus who danced on the field.
Lyrilusc - Celestine Wagtail - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 200/0
"Then I will activate its effect! As it is special summoned, I will add another 'Lyrilusc' Spell or Trap from my deck to my hand!" The ravenette declared as the newly summoned monster flapped her wings. "And I will add another Lyrilus Bird Call to my hand!"
Adding the card, she did not immediately activate it as she used another card first. "Next, I will activate another Quick-Play Spell, Swallow's Cowrie!" And used up another card that was in her hand.
"Unlike Swallow's Nest, Swallow's Cowrie lets me tribute a Winged Beast monster from my hand or my field, and instead of summoning it, it lets me add a monster of the same Level to my hand instead!" Ruri explained the card's effect, and waved her hand towards a monster in her field.
"I will tribute my Celestine Wagtail, to add Lyrilusc - Turquoise Warbler from my deck to my hand!" She shouted aloud, the silver feathered Lyrilusc disappearing into motes of golden light as she added yet another card into her arsenal.
And with the set up, prepared, she then activated the Spell that she had added moments earlier. "Then I will use it! Adding one 'Lyrilusc' monster to my hand or sending it to the graveyard and then special summoning another with a different name from my hand!"
"So this was all just to summon Turquoise Warbler from your hand." Kaito spoke aloud as she re-read the card's effect yet again, having found out what she was planning. "You want to use its effect when it's special summoned from the hand."
"I really can't get one over you." Ruri chuckled, smiling ever so slightly as her opponent completely read her move. "I will add another Lyrilusc - Celestine Wagtail, and special summon Lyrilusc - Turquoise Warbler from my hand!"
The Spell card resolved, and allowed the ravenette to add the final copy of Sapphire Swallow onto her hand, and placed the other declared target onto her duel blade, allowing the light green feathered Lyrilusc to descend onto the field.
Lyrilusc - Turquoise Warbler - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 1000/100
"Then I will activate her effect!" Ruri shouts as she throws her hand forwards. "If this card is special summoned from my hand, I can special summon one 'Lyrilusc' monster from my hand or graveyard!"
Just as swiftly, she opened her duel disk's graveyard slot and took out a card to show to her opponent as soon as the effect resolves. "I will special summon back Lyrilusc - Cobalt Sparrow!" And allowed back the brown feathered Winged Beast.
Lyrilusc - Cobalt Sparrow - Wind/Winged Beast/Level 1/Effect: 0/100
"Now Cobalt Sparrow's effect! Since she is special summoned, I can add another Level 1 Winged Beast to my hand! I'll add the second Beryl Canary!" She took, and added yet another card from her deck to her hand."
"Another follow up." Kaito narrowed his eyes at the card that she had just added, then moving his gaze towards the trio of monsters that she had assembled onto the field. "And three monsters on the field."
"That's right!" She shouted as loudly as she could, raising her hand. "I will take the Level 1 Lyrilusc - Sapphire Swallow, Turquoise Warbler, and Cobalt Sparrow, and overlay all three of them!"
All three monsters raised their wings as they became shining green pillars of light, flying high into the fake sky of the. "I will form the overlay network with these three monsters!" Before entering the galactical vortex that formed before her.
"Oh birds with beautiful wings! Descend and nobly shine on the battlefield! XYZ Summon!" And so she completed her summoning chant, Ruri dropped her hand down as light exploded from the vortex of light.
"Dance! Lyrilusc - Assembled Nightingale!" And her monster then descended, flapping its beautiful wings as it descended onto the field, spreading its wings wide as two glowing green orbs orbited around her very own signature XYZ Monster. Three shining green orbs orbiting the summoned XYZ Monster.
Lyrilusc - Assembled Nightingale - Wind/XYZ/Winged Beast /Rank 1/Effect: 0/0 OV: 3
"As you already know, Assembled Nightingale gains 200 attack for each material that it has, and as its made with Cobalt Sparrow, it cannot be targeted by your card effects." Ruri clarified as the monster slowly descended to hover slightly in front of her.
Lyrilusc - Assembled Nightingale - Wind/XYZ/Winged Beast /Rank 1/Effect: 600/0 OV: 3
"Then as it is made with Sapphire Swallow, as its XYZ Summoned, I can also attach an additional 'Lyrilusc' monster from the graveyard onto it as material. And I chose the Beryl Canary in my grave." A small hole in reality appeared beneath the newly summoned monster, and an additional green orb flew off to orbit the monster.
Lyrilusc - Assembled Nightingale - Wind/XYZ/Winged Beast /Rank 1/Effect: 800/0 OV: 4
"Then I will use the effect of Celestine Wagtail in my graveyard." She declared, placing her hand over her duel disk. "If this is in my graveyard, I can target one 'Lyrilusc' XYZ Monster that I control and attach this to it as material, and I'll of course target Assembled Nightingale!"
A see through form the Celestine Wagtail formed briefly on the field, dancing around Assembled Nightingale as it slowly transformed into yet another overlay material.
Lyrilusc - Assembled Nightingale - Wind/XYZ/Winged Beast /Rank 1/Effect: 1000/0 OV: 5
"Now I'll use Bird Sanctuary's effect! Since I control a monster with more than three materials, I can draw one card!" She declared, adding on another card onto her hand. "Then I'll be using its second effect, targeting two Winged Beast XYZ Monsters that I control, and attack one of them to the other as material!"
The card's effect explained, she waved her hand towards the two monsters on her field. "I will target both Lyrilusc - Recital Starling and Lyrilusc - Assembled Nightingale, and attach the former to the latter!" And both monsters danced with one another, before the black and golden feathered XYZ Monster transformed into the sixth glowing green orb that orbited Assembled Nightingale.
Lyrilusc - Assembled Nightingale - Wind/XYZ/Winged Beast /Rank 1/Effect: 1200/0 OV: 6
"A six material Assembled Nightingale." Kaito muttered, an amount of awe and shock making its way through his mask of calm as he watched Ruri declare her next move.
-
"Whoa, that's six whole materials! She could have just gone and finished at just five but she went ahead and got six!" Allen shouted with his jaw dropped right on the floor as he saw the giant screen.
"Is she making sure that he doesn't have a way to stop any of its attacks? Its excessive, but I suppose that makes sense." Mei muttered as she nodded along.
"T-that might be the case." Sayaka nodded as well. "K-Kaito-san must surely have expected that she would do something like this from the start, so he may have made some precautions. But against an Assembled Nightingale that can attack directly six times…"
Serena frowned from her seat as she watched a one of the many floating screens at the center of the stadium, one that zoomed in on Kaito's face to see his still calm expression, unheeding of the crowd's loud cheers and shouts.
"No." She said after a brief moment. "He definitely has something up his sleeves."
-
"Now Battle!" Ruri declared as she shot her hand forward, "I will attack directly with Assembled Nightingale!" And the brightly coloured feathers flew off from Assembled Nightingale, soaring through the sky and leaving them in her wake.
She weaved and dodged between Kaito's many monsters, from Photon Lord's blade to Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon's claws, and went directly to strike Kaito.
It was one of the many attacks that would end this duel on this very turn, one that would secure her victory due to the monster's multi and direct attacking nature. And her opponent did nothing but close his eyes.
Yet the attack… would never reach him. "From my hand, I will activate the effect of Photon Jumper!" Kaito declared aloud, taking the monster card and raising it above his head, creating a blinding flash of light as a red cape shrouded his form and defended him from the attack.
"W-what!?" Ruri gasped as the attack was reflected off of the crimson cape, with her monster leaping and flying back to her side in a single moment.
That crimson cape then unfurled itself, revealing Kaito standing next to yet another galactical monster wielding said red cape in its left hand.
"When an opponent's monster declares a direct attack, I can activate Photon Jumper's effect." Kaito began, his voice even and calm with his eyes slowly opening to show that intense glare that she was not used from him.
"I will skip my next Battle Phase, and special summon this card from my hand, then end this Battle Phase." The blonde continued to explain, explaining the effect that had not only defended him from the attack, but had also shattered her entire plan to end the duel here and now.
Photon Jumper - Light/Warrior/Level 4/Effect: 0/0
"W-what?!" And just as he had said,as soon as Ruri checked her duel disk, the Battle Phase had indeed been prematurely stopped. Throwing her straight onto her second Main Phase of the duel. "This is-!"
"Just as you had made a strategy against me, I had made a strategy to go against you." Kaito said as she snapped her head to look towards him, and even if it was brief, she could have believed that a ghost of a smile formed at the corner of his face before it turned into a stern poker face that he had worn throughout the duel.
"Kaito…" She called out his name, a multitude of feelings twirling in her stomach right this very moment. She's frustrated of course that her plan hadn't worked, extremely so since he had apparently planned it right from the start seeing as he had added Photon Jumper into his hand right at the start of her turn!
But she was also… proud. Proud that she had cornered him this far, proud that she had made it so that Kaito of all people had devised a strategy to counter her own.
And most importantly… there was a feeling of competitiveness. A small smile that she couldn't stop from growing at the corner of her mouth. An anxiety that bubbled from her chest that asked her a pair of simple questions.
'What was he going to do next?' and 'how was she going to beat that.
The answer, was obvious of course.
"I will set one card face-down, and end my turn!"' She shouted, ending her turn with a singular XYZ Monster, one face-down set card, and three cards in her hand. The two of them of course being the cards that she had added, the second and third copy of Beryl Canary and Celestine Wagtail respectively.
-
"And he. Has. STOPPED IT! Kaito Tenjo has gone and stopped his opponent's relentless attack!"
The crowd cheered and roared as the words of Mr. Heartland continued to give the play by play of the duel that unfolded before their very eyes.
"That's crazy! He just set that up the entire time? From the very start of the turn?!" Allen was yet again the loudest of their small group, ruffling through his hair with his hands as he stared at the close up on the blonde Galaxy duelist with awe.
"I suppose in hindsight it isn't an unbelievable response." Mei begrudgingly admitted, feeling annoyed for her raven haired friend. "With how obvious her dueling style is with attack directly multiple times with Assembled Nightingale, searching for a way to get Photon Jumper to buy another turn would be the safest plan as any."
"It'd buy him a turn, but that's just that." Serena added her own thoughts onto the conversation, narrowing her eyes towards the screen that showed Photon Jumper. "That thing might have stopped the attack, but he doesn't exactly have a way to get it out of the field."
"It? Ah, you mean Assembled Nightingale!" Sayaka said, getting a nod from the ponytailed girl as she fixed her glasses to reassess her view on the ongoing duel. "I see, since Kaito-san usually get monsters out by battle or by using Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon to steal them, he can't win!"
"Becasue of Photon Jumper he won't get the next Battle Phase, and also because of Cobalt Sparrow under the Assembled Nightingale!" And finishing Sayaka's explanation was Myu, whose eyes sparkled with awe and joy. "That's amazing!"
"Still, she's not completely out of the woods just yet." Mei let out a sigh, a hand under her chin as she watched the blonde duelist drawing for turn. "We still don't know what other cards he has under his sleeves."