[Kevin, LP: 3900 → 3700]
The Red-Eyes Black Dragon, revived through Red-Eyes Alternative and empowered to double ATK, still failed to last even a single turn and fell.
By only the second turn, the watching students were already stunned. Bathed in the sunset glow, the field was scarred as if the duel had raged for hours.
When a Duelist's spirit and will burn to their limits, even the monsters they summon are affected, unleashing destruction far beyond ordinary battles.
These two, locked in a fated duel, were truly trading full-force blows. In this needle-against-needle clash, the first to step back would lose everything.
"Follow-up attack, Summoned Skull!—Lightning Drop!"
Revived by Kuriboh, Summoned Skull detonated thunder beneath the sunset once more, shattering Kevin's other monster, [Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight].
[Kevin, LP: 3700 → 3000]
"Set one card, turn end."
With the God-tier punch correcting the Seth siblings and seizing back the field, Miles slapped a set card into his back row.
Of course, calling it a complete reversal would be premature.
Winged Kuriboh's combo with Dystopia was strong—so strong even a doubled-ATK Red-Eyes Black Dragon couldn't withstand it.
However, the ATK boost from the Quick-Play Spell [Berserker Crush] lasts only until the end of the turn.
As Miles ended his turn, the black wings stretching to the end of the sky folded back to normal.
[Winged Kuriboh, ATK: 5000 → 300]
Leaving a 300-ATK Winged Kuriboh on the field was dangerous for Miles, who only had 1700 Life Points remaining.
Even if Winged Kuriboh being destroyed would reduce all battle damage that turn to 0, if his LP hit 0 from damage it took before being destroyed, it would be over.
Everything depended on whether Kevin could summon a monster next turn with more than 2000 ATK.
"Heh, there's no way he can't."
In truth, Miles knew it well—every counterpunch in this all-out duel would only be fiercer than the last.
…
Dark Aisha said, "I've never seen you this excited, Miles. Is dueling really that fun?"
Miles replied, "When it's against a worthy opponent, it's the best."
"Then… are you going to use that card? The one you summoned yourself?"
"If the chance comes, why wouldn't I? Be ready to bring it out anytime, Aisha."
"Mm, I got it."
…
Kevin opened his eyes again after weathering the God-fist's impact. "Even a punch from a God—I've seen it before! My turn, draw!"
Everything Miles had done up to now had appeared countless times in Kevin's mental simulations.
After both sides blasted the field clean, Kevin drew from his Spirit Eyes.
"Let's make this even more fun, Miles!—Continuous Spell [Card of Safe Return], activate!"
[Whenever a monster is Special Summoned from your Graveyard, draw 3 cards.]
A single flourish, and the draw engine hit the table. Paired with Red-Eyes's easy revival, Card of Safe Return was a perfect match.
Sure enough, the Trap Kevin had set flipped in tandem with the Spell.
"Trap Card, [Red-Eyes Spirit], activate!"
[Target 1 "Red-Eyes" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.]
"Reignite your fighting soul beneath this sunset—Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
"Roooar!!"
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK: 2400]
The unyielding soul of the Black Dragon guided its revival— which in turn triggered Card of Safe Return, letting Kevin draw three cards.
Fresh cards slid into his hand, among them a key card symbolizing Fusion Academy itself.
"This turn, you'll witness it, Miles—the Fusion that embodies Red-Eyes's infinite potential!—Spell Card [Polymerization], activate!"
As the spiral of twilight light engulfed the field, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon on Kevin's field and the [Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact] in his hand soared skyward and converged at a single point.
"Fusion the Red-Eyes Black Dragon with Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact! A raging meteor falling through the sunset—ignite the crimson sky!—Fusion Summon [Meteor Black Comet Dragon]!"
[Meteor Black Comet Dragon] Level 8│DARK│Dragon│Fusion│Effect│3500 ATK / 2000 DEF
Materials: 1 Level 7 "Red-Eyes" monster + 1 Level 6 Dragon monster
The burning comet dragon split the firmament with a roar, its flame-black wings dyeing the Duel Arena as crimson as the evening sky.
Born of Kevin Seth's resolve—after defying Reigun Seth and battling Lord Kaiser—Red-Eyes's mightiest Fusion form descended once more to face Miles.
"When [Meteor Black Comet Dragon] is Fusion Summoned, its effect activates!"
[If this card is Fusion Summoned: You can send 1 "Red-Eyes" monster from your hand or Deck to the GY, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to half that monster's original ATK.]
"I send [Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon] (ATK 2400) from my Deck to the Graveyard to burn you for half its ATK! Fall—'Meteor Burn!!'"
Using a Red-Eyes monster as ammunition, a meteor shower rained down from the crimson sky.
Fueled by Kevin's resolve, the effect shook the entire arena. Scorching shards of rubble sprayed outward from the impact.
[Aisha, LP: 1700 → 500]
Miles's already meager Life Points slid even lower beneath the searing pain, as if the dragons' roars were echoing straight into the Duelists' souls.
"Red-Eyes's strongest Fusion—time to end this in one strike. Battle!"
With 3500 ATK, Meteor Black Comet Dragon could win whether it destroyed Summoned Skull or Winged Kuriboh.
"Soar to the summit—Meteor Black Comet Dragon! 'Starflame Roar!!'"
A blazing claw tore the air; falling meteors and fire intertwined into the brightest breath of destruction.
Faced with certain defeat no matter which monster fell, Miles chose decisively—destroy them both himself.
"Trap Card, [High Rate Draw], activate!"
[Destroy 2 or more of your monsters; draw 1 card for every 2 monsters destroyed.]
The only Trap he had set last turn was a card to destroy his own monsters—startling Kevin mid-onslaught.
For the first time, Miles made a move Kevin had never imagined.
"With High Rate Draw, I destroy my [Summoned Skull] and [Winged Kuriboh], and draw 1 card!"
A three-for-one seemed like a massive loss—but that wasn't the point.
A holy light unfolded before Miles, nullifying the starflame crashing down from above.
"The turn Winged Kuriboh is destroyed, all battle damage I take becomes 0!"
By destroying Winged Kuriboh preemptively, Miles avoided battle damage—and with the draw, he grasped a hope for the next turn.
"So it won't be that easy, huh." Kevin slapped another card down. "I set one card. Turn end!"
"You've finally brought out Red-Eyes's strongest Fusion, Kevin. Then I should answer in kind—with my own card."
Dark Aisha yelled, "I'm ready, Miles!"
"What a coincidence—I'm ready too. My turn, draw!"
After drawing, Miles hurled the card he'd drawn off the Trap onto the field.
"Spell Card, [Joker's Straight], activate!"
[Discard 1 card; Special Summon 1 'Queen's Knight' from your Deck; add 1 'King's Knight' or 'Jack's Knight' from your Deck to your hand, then you can Normal Summon 1 monster. For the rest of this turn, you can only Special Summon LIGHT Warrior monsters from your Extra Deck.]
"I discard a card to activate Joker's Straight, Special Summon [Queen's Knight], then Normal Summon the added [King's Knight]! After that—the three Knights assemble!"
[Queen's Knight, ATK: 1500]
[King's Knight, ATK: 1600]
[Jack's Knight, DEF: 1000]
Of the trio, only Jack's Knight—representing the Jack—was Special Summoned in Defense Position.
"The Three Knights are here—are you going for [Arcana Knight Joker]?" Nova exclaimed. "Only a Fusion that strong can outmuscle Meteor Black Comet Dragon!"
"Ohoho, finally, proper Fusion tempo." In the Headmaster's office, Vice Principal Raiden stroked his beard, satisfied.
"Show them the possibilities of Fusion, my excellent students!"
And the next second, Miles's line sent Raiden tumbling off his chair and under the desk.
"I overlay my Level 4 [King's Knight] and Level 4 [Queen's Knight]! Xyz Summon!"
"Xyz Summon!?"
From under the desk, Raiden stared in disbelief.
"Student Aisha Carlos is using an Xyz Summon! Is that even possible!?"
"Very possible. Face it, Headmaster—his strength isn't just about Fusion." Kaima, long since familiar with Miles and Aisha's Xyz potential, was unfazed by a mere Rank 4.
What concerned her was how a Rank 4 would surpass Kevin's 3500-ATK Meteor Black Comet Dragon.
"My battle begins here—the white wings that bear hope. Messenger of light, appear! [Number 39: Utopia]!"
[Number 39: Utopia] Rank 4│LIGHT│Warrior│Xyz│Effect│2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
Materials: 2 Level 4 monsters
Bathed in knightly radiance, the Xyz warrior's wings of hope caught the sunset's blush, reflecting in every eye present.
It was also Aisha's first time displaying her Xyz Summon potential so publicly at Fusion Academy.
The place erupted, as expected.
"An Xyz Summon—it really is an Xyz Summon!"
"Aisha Carlos, the academy's strongest, not only uses Fusion—she can Xyz too!"
"Uh, is using Xyz Summons at Fusion Academy actually okay?"
"Come on, it's awesome! Mastering two summoning methods!"
Unsurprisingly, the younger students adapted faster than the old guard.
Rather than a standard Fusion counterattack, Miles's Xyz line sent the atmosphere to a new peak.
"[Number 39: Utopia]?" Kevin had known Xyz was possible, but seeing Utopia for the first time meant this path had never appeared in his simulations.
From here on, the battle entered unknown territory for him.
And for Miles as well.
Aisha asked, puzzled: "In such an important duel, I'm happy you summoned Utopia—but can he beat Meteor Black Comet Dragon?"
Miles shouted, "Aisha, your Utopia is necessary!"
Aisha muttered, "I-I'm necessary?"
"And after that comes my own summoned card—one of the possibilities branching from Utopia! Rank-Up through chaos!"
After the Capital, when Miles learned he could bring cards out from the Soul Room, he had asked Dark Aisha to teach him how to summon Duel Monsters into this world.
He worked at it through the entire break. He had only succeeded once—but the step from zero to one was a leap in essence.
That first success meant the door to infinite possibilities had opened.
He wasn't the only one secretly grinding over vacation—Ren and Kevin weren't alone in that.
"This is my own summoning, Kevin!"
Chaotic Xyz light covered Utopia in an instant.
"Using Utopia as material, I perform a Chaos Xyz Change! Appear, [Number C39: Utopia Ray]—messenger who turns chaos into light!"
...
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