"Is it finally coming to an end… the battle between the Chariot and the Fool?"
Inside a pure white room, Sartorius stared intently at the two Tarot cards laid out on the table.
The upright Chariot and the reversed Fool—symbols of victory and potential—representing Aster and Hoshino respectively.
Even without personally watching the duel, simply gazing at the Tarot cards was enough for Sartorius to sense that the battle was nearing its conclusion.
"The girl who defeated the Three Sacred Beasts… will she be able to pry open another crack in the river of fate, standing before the victorious Chariot? How intriguing…"
(***)
"—Excalibur Morgan!!"
Because Dogma's ATK had been reduced to 0, in theory Limited/Zero Over could no longer boost the Holy Night Knight King's attack.
But that was fine—after all, as long as [Clock Tower of the Nether Prison] remained on the field, Hoshino couldn't deal damage to Edo anyway.
Instead, it was Limited/Zero Over's drawback that mattered—during the End Phase, Hoshino would take damage equal to Saber Santa Alter's ATK.
"It's useless! D is invincible! I activate the effect of Destiny HERO – Dreamer in my Graveyard!"
One of the Level 1 Destiny HEROes sent to the Graveyard earlier via Graceful Charity.
At the very moment the roaring energy of the holy sword was about to obliterate Dogma, Aster activated its effect.
[Destiny HERO - Dreamer – Effect: While this card is in the Graveyard, when your "Destiny HERO" monster is involved in damage calculation, you can Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. That monster is not destroyed by that battle, and the battle damage you take becomes 0.]
"Turn battle into a dream! I Special Summon Destiny HERO - Dreamer in Defense Position—and Dogma will not be destroyed by this battle!"
The scenery swallowed the violent energy of the holy sword into nothingness. Bathed in dreamlike light, Dreamer appeared on Aster's field in Defense Position.
"Damn it—manipulating dreams?!" Her attack blocked, Artoria flared with sudden anger. "You bastard—are you Merlin or something?! I'll smash you!"
"Calm down, Artoria," Hoshino said. "If it's summoned in Defense Position, even Limited/Zero Over can't force it to attack."
Dreamer laughed playfully, its slender body bouncing about as if mocking Artoria—only further fueling the black-haired king's fury.
"Even if I couldn't destroy it, reducing a 3400-ATK monster to 0 drastically lowers the threat."
Still, the fact that both Level 1 Destiny HEROes Aster discarded turned out to be critical Graveyard cards made Hoshino sigh inwardly. A seasoned pro's grasp of the big picture might actually surpass his own.
"I end the Battle Phase. And I still haven't used my Normal Summon this turn."
Tossing a third card into the Monster Zone, Aster summoned yet another Destiny HERO.
"—I Normal Summon Destiny HERO – Captain Tenacious in Attack Position!"
[Destiny HERO - Captain Tenacious ★★★ (Level 3)][DARK][Warrior/Effect][ATK 800/DEF 800]
["Now that looks like a proper Destiny HERO statline. Dogma was just absurd."]
"Finally, I Set two cards and end my turn. Then, Hoshino—you should pay the price for that power's backlash."
[Aster's: 1 Hand Card | 2 Set Cards]
An overclocked Spirit Origin, after exceeding its limits, inevitably suffers damage—that is the double-edged nature of power.
[Limited/Zero Over – Effect: During the End Phase of the turn this card's first effect was activated, destroy the equipped monster, banish this card, and you take effect damage equal to that monster's ATK.]
"So that's it… shame I didn't get to punch that Merlin guy."
[Artoria Pendragon (Santa Alter) destroyed]
[Hoshino LP 8600 → 6100]
Under 4000-LP rules, a drawback like this could easily result in instant defeat.
"My turn—draw!"
As Hoshino drew, Aster immediately activated Dogma's effect.
"At this moment, Dogma's effect activates—"
[As long as this card remains on the field, during each opponent's Standby Phase, their LP becomes half.]
[Hoshino LP 6100 → 3050]
"Even with its ATK reduced to zero, it can still drain that much LP… what an unreasonable hero."
["Careful, aibo. Things just got real fast."]
Before the Destiny HEROes appeared, Hoshino had held an overwhelming advantage.
But once they entered play, Illya and Tamamo were sent to the future, Limited/Zero Over failed to eliminate Aster's ace, and Aster clawed back momentum through Destiny HERO resource generation.
Combined with the damage immunity from Clock Tower Prison, this first clash against D felt brutally difficult.
And now—Hoshino stood with an empty field, facing three Destiny HEROes.
"It's not over yet," Hoshino said, glancing at her remaining two cards and forcing a smile. "At least I still have one move left. If I bet everything on this… maybe I can break it."
Placing a Spell Card onto the Duel Disk, Hoshino launched her decisive counterattack.
"—I activate the Spell Card Another Ending!"
[Another Ending – Effect: Discard 1 "Heroic Spirit" monster or a Spell Card that lists "Heroic Spirit" in its text; target 1 Spell Card in either player's Graveyard and add it to your hand.]
"With Another Ending, I discard Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga, and add Monster Reborn from your Graveyard to my hand!"
"Reviving a monster now?" Aster flicked the card through the air. "Take it. Struggling is meaningless before Destiny HEROes!"
"Enough with the 'destiny' talk—it's annoying!" Hoshino activated the card immediately, pulling her long-slumbering ace from the Graveyard.
"—My fate doesn't need anyone else to decide it! Monster Reborn, Special Summon Heroic Spirit – Okita Soji!"
[Heroic Spirit – Okita Soji ★★★★★★★ (Level 7)][WIND][Warrior/Effect][ATK 2500/DEF 2000]
"I thought I wouldn't get a chance to appear this time~"
Materializing, Okita squinted one eye stylishly. "So Illya got sent to the future, huh? Figures—this is when the real ace, the invincible Okita, steps in!"
Hoshino searched his Deck and declared:
"When Okita is Special Summoned, I can Set one Spell or Trap that lists 'Okita Soji' from my Deck—and it can be activated this turn!"
Activating it immediately, Okita took off as jets ignited behind her.
"Come on! Trap Card—Beyond the Azure Sky! When activated, it equips to Okita, increasing ATK and DEF by 500!"
[Okita ATK 2500 → 3000]
"Take this—Okita's ultimate sword!"
Entering the Battle Phase, Okita darted through the night sky, her blade gleaming with icy light.
"My target is Dogma, whose ATK has been reduced to 0!"
"—Divine speed! Sonic flash! Three-in-one secret art! 'Finisher—Jet Three-Stage Thrust!!'"
Three brilliant thrusts tore through the night as Okita pushed her jet-assisted sword style to its absolute limit.
[Destiny HERO Dogma destroyed]
"It's useless," Aster said calmly. "Even if you destroy Dogma, as long as Clock Tower Prison is on the field, you still can't deal damage."
Jaden suddenly pumped his fist. "I get it! Sensei's strategy! If Okita equipped with Beyond the Azure Sky destroys Dogma—"
"Oh!" Mash followed instantly. "Beyond the Azure Sky lets you Special Summon a monster from the Graveyard with the same Level as the destroyed monster!"
[Once per turn, if this card's equipped monster destroys an opponent's monster by battle: Special Summon 1 'Heroic Spirit' monster from your hand or Graveyard with the same Level.]
"Exactly!" Holding up the card drawn from the Graveyard, Hoshino declared:
"Because Another Ending sent Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga to the Graveyard—and she's Level 8, just like Dogma!"
Slamming the card onto the Duel Disk, flames of Honnō-ji erupted beneath the dark clock tower.
"—And when Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga is Special Summoned, I can activate the Field Spell Burning Honnō-ji directly from my Deck!"
Clara immediately understood. "If a new Field Spell is activated, Aster's Clock Tower Prison will be replaced—meaning Hoshino's attacks can finally deal damage!"
"This is the combined finishing move of Nobunaga and Okita—breaking free from the shackles of fate. Go—Special Summon!"
[Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][FIRE][Warrior/Effect][ATK 3000/DEF 2500]
"I'm here to help, Okita!" Descending from the sky, Nobunaga—engulfed in flames—crashed down into the center of the field.
"—The set Trap Card activates D – Hyper Nova!"
However, before Nobunaga could even properly land, Aster immediately activated the Trap he had set last turn.
[D - Hyper Nova Trap Effect: If you control a "Destiny HERO" monster, and your opponent has 1 or more Special Summoned monsters, you can activate this card when your opponent Special Summons a monster. Negate the effects of that Special Summoned monster, and destroy it.]
"D·HERO—heroes of destiny—leave no openings!"
Aster declared, "Because Okita was Special Summoned, the activation conditions for D - Hyper Nova are fulfilled! Therefore, the second Special Summoned monster—Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga—has its effects negated and is destroyed!"
The explosive power of the D Supernova instantly blasted Nobunaga away before she could even touch the ground, sending her—along with the blazing inferno of Honnō-ji—soaring into the distant sky like a falling star.
"Okita… I'm heading out again! I'll leave the rest to you!"
[Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga Destroyed]
Because this destruction occurred while her effects were negated, Nobunaga's Burning Honnō-ji effect could not activate.
"Ahh, Nobu's really useless… dropping the ball at such a critical moment." Shielding her forehead, Okita sighed as she watched Nobunaga streak across the sky like a meteor.
"That's why you're stuck with the same stat line as the eternal runner-up, Blue-Eyes White Dragon—while I, Okita-san, have ace-level stats! Pff—cough!"
[Weakness] +1
[Heroic Spirit – Okita Souji ATK 3000 → 2900]
Well… now you're not ace-level anymore either.
["Even tougher than expected, these Destiny HEROes. I thought your combo, aibo, would decide the duel cleanly like before."]
"Even so, when it's time to act, you act. Okita's effect activates! When this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, it can make one additional attack!"
She locked onto the other Attack Position monster on Aster's field—Destiny HERO – Captain Tenacious.
"Take this! Inheriting Nobu's will—Okita's second strike! 'Mumei Sandan-Zuki!'"
"I already told you—D has no weaknesses!"
Flipping over his final face-down card, Aster enveloped Captain Tenacious in a black energy shield.
"The last Trap Card activates—D - Shield!"
[D - Shield Trap Effect: When an Attack Position "Destiny HERO" monster you control is targeted for an attack: Target it; change it to Defense Position and equip it with this card. The equipped monster cannot be destroyed by battle.]
"I change my Attack Position Captain Tenacious to Defense Position, and due to D - Shield, it won't be destroyed by battle!"
[Destiny HERO – Captain Tenacious DEF: 800]
It was like a blade swung with full force crashing into unbreakable stone—the rebound shock numbed Okita's grip.
"Ugh—damn it! Nobu didn't die for this!"
[Weakness] x2
[Okita ATK 2900 → 2800]
"So this is your full power? Then you no longer have any chance of victory, Hoshino."
Glancing at Hoshino's completely depleted hand, and at Okita coughing up blood twice on the field, Aster felt victory was within reach.
"A duel isn't decided until the very last moment. Besides—I still have one trump card I haven't used yet!"
Lowering her Duel Disk, Hoshino chose to end her turn, her gaze falling on the single set card at her feet.
"I'll have to stake all my hope on this card… please—activate at the perfect moment!"
This was the card Hoshino had set from the very start of the duel, never once finding a chance to activate it.
But if her calculations were correct, the next turn would be the decisive moment—whether this card could settle everything in one blow.
"Your turn. This is the final turn!"
[Hoshino: 0 Hand Cards | 1 Set Cards]
"My turn. Draw! And at this very moment—Captain Tenacious's effect activates!"
[During your Standby Phase: You can Special Summon 1 "Destiny HERO" monster that was destroyed by battle during the previous turn from your Graveyard.]
"I revive the Dogma that was destroyed last turn!"
[Destiny HERO - Dogma ATK 3400]
Once Special Summoned again, Dogma's Attack returned to its original 3400—no longer weakened.
["So as long as Captain Tenacious remains on the field, Destiny HEROes can be revived endlessly? And with the Trap's effect, it can't even be destroyed by battle… what a nightmare."]
"Next—thanks to Diamond Dude's effect last turn, Fusion Destiny was sent to the Graveyard. This turn, during my Main Phase, I can activate it!"
Another card sent into the future—even though Diamond Dude was already destroyed and gone, Aster could still use its effect.
"I activate Fusion Destiny, fusing Destiny HEROes from my hand and Deck! I fuse Destiny HERO - Dasher from my hand with Destiny HERO - Dreamer from my Deck! Appear—the overlapping D—Destiny HERO - Dystopia!"
[Destiny HERO - Dystopia ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][DARK][Warrior/Fusion/Effect][ATK 2800/DEF 2400]
A brand-new Destiny HERO descended for the first time through Fusion.
"Next—Dystopia's effect! When this card is Fusion Summoned, I can target 1 monster used as its Fusion Material, and deal damage equal to that monster's ATK!"
Aster took Dasher, one of the Fusion Materials, from the Graveyard and showed it to Hoshino.
"Dasher has 2100 ATK—so you take 2100 effect damage! Go—Dystopia Shot!"
A beam of dark light pierced Hoshino's frail body, once again stripping away a massive amount of Life Points.
[Hoshino LP 3050 → 950]
"Hoshino, in your current state, you can't withstand destiny's onslaught this turn. The D that controls fate and opens the path to the future is invincible!"
"The power that leads to the future, huh? Then let me use that future too—right now!"
Without warning, the radiance of an Xyz Network reappeared on Hoshino's field. A massive azure mech descended, bringing with it the final hope of victory.
"Doom Lord's effect! The Heroic Spirit – Tamamo-no-Mae MegaMix that was sent two turns into the future returns to the field now!"
On Hoshino's raised Duel Disk, the endpoint connecting to the future manifested once more—the black Xyz Card reappearing.
"Migu~! Across dimensions, bound by love—Tamamo has crossed space and time to return to Master's side!"
[Heroic Spirit – Tamamo-no-Mae MegaMix ATK 2500]