Jack's Knight, Level 5, raised his blade and pierced through the Tuner aura of the Level 3 Ghost Ogre, combining for a total of 8 stars. The Synchro Summon burst forth with starlight more dazzling than the distant night sky.
★★★ + ★★★★★ = ★★★★★★★★
"Soar, Stardust Dragon!"
"Roooaaar!"
[Stardust Dragon] Level 8│WIND│Dragon/Synchro/Effect│2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
[1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters]
Amidst the radiance of the Synchro Summon, the dragon turned with elegance, spreading its magnificent wings and scattering stardust across the sunset sky, leaving everyone spellbound.
"It's Synchro—really Synchro!"
"Aisha Carlos has mastered three Summon methods!"
"Three Summoning methods in a single Deck… is that even possible for a Duelist?!"
"Academy's strongest… it's beyond imagination!"
The cheers for this Synchro Summon were even louder than when Utopia appeared. This final Summon proved that Aisha Carlos had truly achieved dominance with all three methods.
What's that? You say Aisha hasn't used Fusion this duel?
Please, as the strongest of Fusion Academy, do you think she can't use Fusion Summoning?
"Aisha! Aisha! Aisha!" ×N
At some point, the chaotic shouts had unified into chants of her name. Leading the rhythm was none other than Princess Nova herself, screaming at the top of her lungs.
So it was you starting the chant all along.
"This counts as gathered prayers too, doesn't it?"
Bathed in the crowd's unified cheering, Miles stood with Stardust on one side and Utopia on the other, facing Kevin's Legendary Dragon born of a Trap Card.
Kevin's expression hardened. "Stardust Dragon, huh? You've even mastered Synchro Summoning. Miles, just how strong do you intend to get?"
"Until I become the strongest. This duel, too, is a step along that path. Shine in the sunset starlight, Stardust!"
In answer to Miles, Stardust Dragon's wings spread as its brilliance lit the Duel Field.
"Both Utopia and Stardust Dragon have 2500 Attack. Neither can surpass Mirror Force Dragon's 2800."
"It's only an Attack gap. I've already prepared for this!"
From Miles's Graveyard came the Trap Card discarded last turn by [Joker's Straight]. Now it gleamed once again.
"I banish [Skill Successor] from the Graveyard to activate its effect!"
[Banish this card from your Graveyard; target 1 face-up monster you control, it gains 800 ATK until the end of this turn. You cannot activate this effect on the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard, and only during your turn.]
"With Skill Successor, [Number 39: Utopia] gains 800 Attack! Raise your blade under this stardust, Utopia!"
[Utopia, ATK: 2500 → 3300]
Spreading its twin wings of light, Utopia shone alongside Stardust Dragon.
"An Attack of 3300! Do you know what this means, Kevin?!"
An 800 boost might seem ordinary in most cases.
However, here, in the late game, with both sides drained of resources and Life Points, it was nothing less than a lethal cross-counter straight to Kevin's face.
[Kevin, LP: 500]
Utopia now surpassed Mirror Force Dragon's Attack by exactly 500.
"With Skill Successor's boost from the Graveyard, I'll break through the match point! Go, Utopia—'Hope Sword Skill Slash!!'"
Under the starlight, Utopia dashed forward, its blade carving a radiant arc aimed at Mirror Force Dragon's reflective body.
"Miles… you, what are you thinking?!"
As Utopia struck, the dragon born from Mirror Force reflected countless shards of starlight back at it.
"When attacked, Mirror Force Dragon reflects all incoming assaults, destroying every card on your field!"
Kevin activated Mirror Force Dragon's effect, the permanent Mirror Force shield unleashing destruction in a flood of rebounding starlight.
"This strike will destroy both your monsters! In the name of legend, obliterate everything—Mirror Force Nova Burst!!"
For the students, seeing a Legendary Dragon fused with Mirror Force for the first time was shocking. To them, reflecting every attack into a field wipe was absolute defense.
Anyhow, Miles had seen Mirror Force Dragon before.
Back during the Trial Duel with the Legendary Dragons, he had already witnessed this nearly impenetrable wall of reflection.
"This is exactly what I was waiting for, Kevin!"
Miles gazed upward as the reflected starlight exploded across the sky.
Within his green eyes, the destructive light transformed into the stardust of gathered prayers, shining to protect.
Yes—Miles knew Mirror Force Dragon's effect.
However, Kevin didn't know Stardust Dragon's.
That was the difference in information within this duel.
"Shine, Stardust Dragon!"
Soaring through the reflecting brilliance, Stardust Dragon twisted elegantly, flying straight at the Legendary Dragon and clamping its mirrored body in its claws.
"Impossible! What's happening?!"
Kevin stared in disbelief as his Legendary Dragon was held fast.
"All destruction, all ruin—let the Dragon of Hope born from prayers take it away! Stardust Dragon's effect negates all destruction!"
[When a Spell, Trap, or monster effect that would destroy a card(s) on the field is activated: Tribute this card; negate the activation, and destroy it.]
Stardust Dragon Tributed itself to negate destruction.
The gentle light that once even halted the Wicked God's self-destruction now wrapped around the reflected annihilation, quelling it as well.
"—Victim Sanctuary!!"
"Roooooar!!"
With Miles's cry, Stardust Dragon shone at full brilliance, and together with the Legendary Dragon, vanished into the interwoven twilight of starlight and sunset.
The familiar, gentle radiance reminded everyone—this was the Dragon of Stars that had saved them from the abyss of the Wicked God's detonation just yesterday.
...
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