"Use Hope as Xyz Material, and perform a Chaos Xyz Change! Appear, Number C39! Messenger who turns chaos into light—Utopia Ray!"
An Ascended Rank-Up Xyz Summon completed atop the original Xyz Monster. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, Utopia's pure white wings and armor gradually transformed into black as it ascended.
At the same time, in addition to the Star Sword in his hand, another massive Chaos Blade—capable of stretching and transforming—appeared behind him.
[Number C39: Utopia Ray│LIGHT│Warrior│2500 ATK / 2000 DEF]
[3 Level 4 LIGHT Monsters]
[This card can also be Xyz Summoned by placing it on top of a "Number 39: Utopia" you control.]
Aisha said, "Mr. Miles's brand new card just overlaid right on top of mine!"
Using the original [Number 39: Utopia] as a stepping stone was the only way to overlay into Utopia Ray. That was why Miles had said Aisha's Hope was so important.
Kevin was perplexed, "An Xyz Monster with the same Attack and Rank… just re-overlayed again? No, it definitely won't be that simple!"
Since Miles had made it clear this was his very own Chaos Rank-Up Summon, there was no way it would merely be a color change.
Shrouded in the light of Chaos Xyz, Utopia Ray truly held power capable of surpassing Meteor Black Dragon and splitting the earth apart.
[Aisha Carlos, LP: 500]
"Heh, locked down perfectly!"
Glancing at his remaining Life Points, Miles's lips curled into a mysterious, confident smile.
The hidden ace brought forth after locking his LP low—turning the tables from the brink of defeat was the true way to wield Utopia Ray.
"I activate Number C39: Utopia Ray's effect! Draw your blade, Utopia Ray—!"
With Miles's roar of effect activation, Utopia Ray slid the Star Sword back into its sheath at his waist, and with both arms drew out the massive Chaos Blade behind him.
"Restriction! The effect of [Number C39: Utopia Ray] can only be activated when your remaining Life Points are 1000 or less!"
[Detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; until the End Phase, this card gains 500 Attack, and 1 monster your opponent controls loses 1000 Attack. This effect can only be activated and resolved while you have 1000 or fewer Life Points.]
For Utopia Ray's lock-LP counterstrike, Miles detached [Queen's Knight] from beneath the card to meet the activation cost.
"By detaching one Xyz Material, Utopia Ray's Attack increases by 500, while Meteor Black Dragon's Attack decreases by 1000! —Overlay Charge!"
Upon activation, the Chaos Blade stretched and expanded, its blade length doubling from before.
[Number C39: Utopia Ray, ATK: 2500 → 3000]
[Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK: 3500 → 2500]
An Attack swing of 1500 in total—a direct turnaround.
Yet, that wasn't all.
Number C39: Utopia Ray's effect wasn't limited to once per turn. As the saying goes, effects without a once-per-turn clause are nothing short of unfair.
As long as it still had Xyz Materials beneath it, Utopia Ray's LP-lock boost could keep firing.
"There are still two more Xyz Materials under Utopia Ray. I'll detach [King's Knight] to activate its effect!"
[Utopia Ray, ATK: 3000 → 3500]
[Meteor Black Dragon, ATK: 2500 → 1500]
"Next, I detach [Number 39: Utopia] to activate its effect! One last boost—Triple Overlay Charge!"
[Utopia Ray, ATK: 3500 → 4000]
[Meteor Black Dragon, ATK: 1500 → 500]
Three consecutive Overlay Charges. Each time the effect activated, the Chaos Blade in Utopia Ray's hand stretched and multiplied in size.
By the third activation, the massive sword had grown to rival a warship's blade from a mecha battle.
The colossal weapon spanning the entire Duel Arena could easily cut down even the empire's massive warships with a single swing.
Completely crushed by Utopia Ray's overwhelming aura, the Meteor Black Dragon in the sky now had only a pitiful 500 Attack remaining.
Kaima, spectating, exclaimed, "Three consecutive activations raised Utopia Ray's Attack to 4000 while cutting the opponent's monster by 3000!"
No wonder such an effect came with the strict condition of only activating below 1000 Life Points.
Even if a 3000-Attack Blue-Eyes White Dragon stood before Utopia Ray, once its effect was triggered, Blue-Eyes would be reduced to 0, and its controller's full 4000 LP could be wiped out in a single blow.
Thinking of this, Kaima Seth shivered.
Kevin's expression grew more serious. "So this is Miles's Chaos Xyz card… It really is absurd."
Though Meteor Black Dragon still had 500 Attack left instead of being reduced to zero, Kevin's remaining LP could not withstand that massive blade crossing the Duel Arena.
Even knowing he couldn't withstand it, in this duel, the one to falter first would face defeat.
"Ready yourself, Kevin."
"Come, Miles!"
"Battle!"
With the declaration of the Battle Phase, Utopia Ray's massive sword locked onto the Meteor Black Dragon in the sky, with no room to evade… simply because the blade was too enormous.
"The sword that cuts down meteors—Go, Number C39: Utopia Ray!"
The massive blade swung down, space itself cleaving as the strike pressed toward Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
"—Hope Sword Chaos Slash!!!"
"We'll meet it head-on, Meteor Black Dragon!"
Kevin looked at his set card in the back row.
To be honest, he had wanted to save this Trap for a more critical moment.
However, Miles's Chaos Rank-Up had come with overwhelming force, aiming to one-shot him through Meteor Black Dragon's 3500 Attack.
"—Trap Card activate: [Soul Strike]!"
[If your LP are 4000 or less, when a monster you control battles an opponent's monster, pay half your LP; target 1 monster you control, it gains ATK equal to the difference between your current LP and 4000 until the end of the opponent's turn.]
"I activate [Soul Strike] to power up Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
[Kevin, LP: 3000 → 1500]
The lower your LP, the greater the explosive Attack boost this card could grant.
Even so, Miles hadn't given him the chance to reach lower LP.
If not used now, there'd be no next chance.
4000 - 1500 = 2500
"Even if this 2500 boost won't surpass it, roar with your soul, Meteor Black Dragon!"
[Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK: 500 → 3000]
"—Starflame Roar!!"
Even as flames and meteors burst forth in counterattack, Utopia Ray's colossal Chaos Blade still cut through the inferno, mercilessly slashing down Meteor Black Comet Dragon.
[Meteor Black Comet Dragon destroyed]
The giant blade crashed down upon the scarred Duel Platform, cleaving the already broken flooring into two. The gale-force wind pressure from its swing shook both sides, nearly toppling the students watching from the sidelines.
"Aaaahhh!"
[Kevin, LP: 1500 → 500]
One blade to lock LP. Thanks to the Attack boost provided by [Soul Strike], Kevin barely survived Utopia Ray's Chaos Slash.
[Aisha, LP: 500]
Now both sides' Life Points were tied again. Regardless, Miles's counterattack after locking his LP, that Chaos Slash, was undoubtedly overwhelming with the aura of a true powerhouse.
Yes… the aura of an Xyz powerhouse.
"So cool! This is Xyz Summoning?!"
"The fused Meteor Black Dragon couldn't even fight back!"
"Just needing monsters of the same Level to call forth miracles… it's truly a Summon full of possibilities!"
Inside the principal's office, Vice Principal Raiden slumped at the window in despair, his old face full of grievance.
"That's not it, children… You must believe in the miracle of Fusion too!"
"Give it up, Principal." At this point, Kaima even sounded a little gleeful.
The old man's thinking was far too outdated. The new generation of Duelists should be just as Miles had said: mastering multiple Summon methods was the path to becoming the strongest.
And Kaima wasn't worried—she had both Fusion and Xyz cards in her Deck.
From the wreckage of the Chaos Slash, Kevin Seth rose again. His black trench coat was stained with dust and rubble, leaving him looking a little disheveled.
"The battle isn't over yet! When [Meteor Black Comet Dragon] is destroyed, its effect activates!"
[If this card is sent from the Monster Zone to the Graveyard: Target 1 Normal Monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.]
"Rise once more from my Graveyard, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK: 2400]
It was already the third time Red-Eyes Black Dragon had been revived from the Graveyard. Though not powerful on its own, in Kevin's Red-Eyes-focused Deck, bringing it back was effortless.
This was further supported by his Continuous Spell [Card of Safe Return].
"When Red-Eyes Black Dragon is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I draw three cards from my Deck!"
With Red-Eyes's revival came three fresh cards in hand. Glancing at them, Kevin's eyes lit up with renewed fighting spirit despite his battered state from Utopia Ray's strike.
"Finally, Critias! With this card, the scales of victory will tilt back toward me, Miles!"
Miles threw a card face-down onto the field. "I Set a card. Turn end!"
Knowing Meteor Black Comet Dragon's last revival effect, Miles had chosen to Special Summon [Jack's Knight] in Defense Position.
If Utopia Ray couldn't end it in one blow, then with only 1900 Attack, Jack's Knight couldn't break through the revived Red-Eyes. Summoning it in Attack Position would only put him at risk.
As Miles ended his turn, Utopia Ray's power-up faded. Its massive blade shrank back, and its Attack returned to 2500.
"My turn—Draw!"
Kevin drew: the Trap Card [Mirror Force].
The Fang of Critias had answered his resolve at this crucial moment of the duel.
"Now—revive the legend, Critias! I fuse the [Fang of Critias] in my hand with the Trap Card [Mirror Force], awakening the hidden potential sealed within!"
He hurled both the Legendary Dragon and Trap Card toward the sunset sky.
From the nameless card surface, the Legendary Dragon manifested, spreading its wings. The Trap Card [Mirror Force] radiated a dazzling reflective brilliance, covering Critias's body.
"—By the name of legend, awaken! Fusion Summon! [Mirror Force Dragon]!"
[Mirror Force Dragon] Level 8│LIGHT│Dragon│Fusion│2800 ATK / 1200 DEF]
[The Fang of Critias + Mirror Force]
The mirrored body of the dragon refracted light in all directions. By fusing with a Trap Card, the Legendary Dragon awakened its hidden potential, giving birth to a brand-new monster.
"That's the fusion of the Legendary Dragon—so cool!"
"It can even fuse with a Trap Card?!"
Fusion's reputation shifted instantly, carried along by the momentum of the duel. Especially since ordinary students had never seen a Trap Card fused like this before.
"Battle, Miles! With Mirror Force Dragon, destroy Utopia Ray!"
The Legendary Dragon fused with a Trap boasted 2800 Attack, surpassing Utopia Ray's restored 2500.
After unleashing one mighty strike, Utopia Ray, left with no Xyz Materials, had no further power to fight back.
"—Noble Burst!"
The mirrored dragon's body refracted the sunset into a brilliant beam that engulfed the Chaos Xyz monster.
[Number C39: Utopia Ray destroyed]
Having fulfilled its duty with a single decisive strike, Utopia Ray exited the field in glory.
[Miles, LP: 500 → 200]
"And now, Red-Eyes Black Dragon—destroy [Jack's Knight]! —'Inferno Fire Blast!'"
"Not this time, Kevin."
Instead of protecting Utopia Ray, Miles flipped his Set card as Jack's Knight was about to be destroyed.
"—Trap Card activate: [Xyz Reborn]!"
[Target 1 Xyz Monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it, then attach this card to it as Xyz Material.]
"Revive and shine once more—[Number 39: Utopia]!"
[Number 39: Utopia, ATK: 2500]
The original Utopia was Special Summoned, with [Xyz Reborn] attached beneath it as Xyz Material. Miles declared its protective effect immediately.
"Utopia's effect! By detaching one Xyz Material, negate the opponent's attack! Shield it, Utopia—'Light Wing Shield!'"
Detaching its lone Xyz Material, Utopia raised its shield, nullifying the Black Dragon's flames and protecting Jack's Knight.
There was only one reason—to safeguard that Jack's Knight standing with its shield. It was the key to breaking through Kevin's [Mirror Force Dragon].
Mirror Force Dragon's effect was essentially a permanent [Mirror Force] set on Kevin's field.
If Miles declared an attack, the reflection would wipe out his entire field instead.
That's right—Mirror Force Dragon carried the power to destroy everything on the field. This was critical not only for Kevin, but for Miles as well.
"I Set a card. Turn end."
"My turn—Draw!"
He drew: the A-rank Spell Card [Pot of Greed]. Though not as overwhelming as Kevin's [Card of Safe Return], the shattering of its green vessel still brought Miles two new cards.
That left him with four cards. The duel's outcome rested within them.
"I Normal Summon, in Defense Position—[Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit]!"
[Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit] Level 3│LIGHT│Psychic/Tuner│0 ATK / 1800 DEF
The twin-tailed girl clutching a blue charm appeared. Though commonly used as a powerful hand trap, Miles had never treated her that way.
Because for him, Ghost Ogre's Tuner status was far more valuable—especially for Aisha's Deck.
"A Tuner monster?!"
The manifestation of a monster bearing the special "Tuner" designation once again sent ripples of tension through the field.
"Wait—Aisha Carlos, what are you doing? Calm down!"
Now, Vice Principal Raiden regretted letting the entire student body witness this duel.
Even Kaima's eyes widened in shock.
"When did he learn this?!"
Kaima had thought having both Fusion and Xyz Summoning was enough to relax. Albeit Miles had just pulled ahead once again.
"Let dragons fight dragons, Kevin! This is the Summon I'll use to break through the Legendary Dragon!"
As the sun dipped below the horizon and the duel dragged on, faint starlight began to glimmer in the darkening sky.
However, compared to Miles's Summon, the radiance gathering on the field was brighter still.
"Finally, it's my turn to appear!"
"Gathering hopes will become a shining new star, a path of light! Synchro Summon! Soar—Stardust Dragon!"
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[Patreon.com/RedZTL]