Black lightning thundered.
A fusion demon from the abyss raised its fearsome claws, drawing lightning as it stood face-to-face with Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Ren gasped. "Archfiend's Manifestation! Miles—no, Aisha—actually summoned it!"
Archfiend's Manifestation was the ace card used by Dark Duelist Megan during her Shadow Game duel with Ren half a year ago.
Its fusion materials? Just Summoned Skull and a DARK monster.
Knowing that key combo, and with Miles' current command of Summoned Skull, he used the DARK-attribute Relinkuriboh to successfully fuse it.
Miles raised Aisha's arm and pointed toward Archfiend's Manifestation, declaring its effect.
"While Archfiend's Manifestation is on the field, it is also treated as 'Summoned Skull,' and all of your 'Summoned Skull' monsters gain 500 ATK!"
[Archfiend's Manifestation, ATK: 2500 → 3000]
Dark lightning solidified into a suit of thunderous armor, wrapping around the skeletal fiend. In a flash, its power matched Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
The same audience members who had sneered at Aisha's weak monsters now fell silent, slapped speechless by a fusion summon.
In the stands, Alice cupped her chin with a complex expression, eyes narrowed at the storm-wreathed fiend.
"I didn't think my little sister would summon a monster like that. I always figured Aisha'd stick to cute creatures... Is this genetics at play?"
"It's time to battle, Kaima! Archfiend's Manifestation—attack her Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Fusion Thunder Break!!"
3000 vs. 3000. Lightning jaws clashed with brilliant white flames. An explosion erupted across the field.
"A double KO? So that's all you can do. Counterattack—Burst Stream of Destruction!"
Kaima scoffed. She viewed this method of summoning as inferior—Summoning Blue-Eyes required fewer resources than fusing two monsters.
"A double KO? Wrong! Thunder will overwhelm light! I activate this effect!"
Miles pointed to the Graveyard and drew a card from it.
Relinkuriboh returned.
Archfiend's Manifestation and Relinkuriboh together forced back Blue-Eyes' blast.
"I banish Relinkuriboh from my Graveyard to prevent Archfiend's Manifestation from being destroyed. That means only your Blue-Eyes is destroyed!"
Lightning cut through light. Surrounded by black thunder, Blue-Eyes let out one last roar before it shattered.
"Hmph? Using garbage effects to fight back... so typical of you, Aisha Carlos."
"To be acknowledged by Kaima Seth—what an honor. I end my turn!"
Though he used up his hand, Miles still had two face-down cards from the first turn.
"Acknowledged? You've misunderstood something, Aisha Carlos. My turn. Draw!"
As Kaima drew, her presence grew even more oppressive.
Only now did Miles and Aisha realize—until now, all of Kaima's duels ended in a single turn. This was her first true Round 2.
And it was only because Exchange had disrupted her usual OTK.
"You've beaten Kevin. You've beaten Luca Slint. You even beat the Sacred Beasts with Irena. Yes, your victories are real. But every win came from strong cards. I've never once acknowledged your worthless monsters."
She saw the truth:
Red-Eyes won against Kevin.
Arcana Knight Joker won against Luca.
Master of Chaos won against the Sacred Beasts.
"Weakness has no power to change fate. Only absolute strength matters in Duel Monsters! Just like in life—those destined for greatness summon the strongest monsters!"
She echoed Reigun Seth's words, but with her own conviction.
"Spell Card activate: Trade-In!"
[Discard 1 Level 8 monster; draw 2 cards.]
"I discard a second Blue-Eyes to draw two cards! Then activate Ancient Rules—Special Summon my last Blue-Eyes from my hand!"
[Blue-Eyes White Dragon, ATK: 3000]
"ROAR—!!"
The proud sovereign of light returned to the field to face the lightning-cloaked demon.
Aisha said, "Only one Blue-Eyes left. 3000 ATK vs. 3000... It's another draw."
Indeed, Kaima wasn't about to settle for a tie. She slammed another card to the field.
"Now I'll show you the ultimate dragon! A power your pathetic monsters can never overcome! Spell Card activate: Dragon's Mirror!"
[Banish Fusion Materials listed on a Dragon Fusion Monster from your field or Graveyard; Fusion Summon that monster from your Extra Deck.]
The Dragon-type version of Magicalized Fusion—it used the field and Graveyard for Fusion Summon.
And Kaima had just what she needed: three Blue-Eyes.
Aisha said, "It's coming—Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"
"No... this feels stronger!"
A stronger pressure flooded the arena. The aura of three Blue-Eyes spiraling behind Kaima was nothing like her Fusion against Luca.
"Now, evolve—and crush everything in your path! Fusion Summon! Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!!"
...
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