"From my hand, I activate the effect of [Kuriphoton]!"
The photon barrier colliding with the falling Neptune came from one of the hand traps in Aisha's Deck.
[Send this card from your hand to the Graveyard and pay half your Life Points to activate it. All damage you take this turn becomes 0. This effect can also be activated during your opponent's turn.]
By paying half of their Life Points, [Kuriphoton] could nullify all damage. It was one of the few cards capable of blocking the 5000 points of effect damage from the fully immune [Tyrant Neptune], even on the opponent's very first turn.
Spreading the radiant wings that extended from their fusion behind him, Miles raised a single hand and held up the enormous image of Neptune crashing down from the cosmos.
[Miles × Aisha, LP: 2500 → 1250]
They had managed to block it, though there was one drawback. Earlier, Miles had already taken 1500 points of damage from the effect of [Lyrilusc - Independent Nightingale].
If he had been able to foresee Zepha's follow-up summon of [Tyrant Neptune], he could have discarded [Kuriphoton] when Independent Nightingale first activated its burn effect and avoided taking that 1500 damage.
Of course, that was only hindsight. Tyrant Neptune—one of the Planet cards rooted deep within the empire's darkness—who would have expected the strongest of them to be in Prince Zepha's hands?
"Forbidden power…" Alester frowned as he looked toward Neptune in the night sky.
There existed the "Gate of Truth," which symbolized the pinnacle of Duel Monsters' combat power. Alester had once been fortunate enough to reach that domain and glimpse it for a brief moment.
Though it was only an instant, within that higher-dimensional space an overwhelming flood of information had poured into his mind.
That was why he clearly remembered that [Tyrant Neptune] was also a monster ranked within the Gate of Truth. In another world, it was said to be called—Forbidden Power.
"Starting with a monster-level bombardment like this… how unreasonable."
If the opponent had not been Miles or Aisha, the vast majority of Duelists would have already been defeated during Zepha's very first turn.
Holding up the crashing Neptune with a single hand through the photon barrier, Miles no longer bothered dwelling on the extra 1500 damage he had taken earlier.
"It's just 1500 Life Points. I'll give them to you!"
The fused wings of light behind him expanded many times over. With a roar, Miles clenched the hand holding back the massive Neptune, forming a fist. A destructive beam erupted into the night sky and shattered the falling celestial body above his head.
Even facing Tyrant Neptune—6000 Attack, immunity to all other card effects, and capable of dealing 5000 effect damage every turn—even though it was still the opening of the duel and his Life Points had already dropped to 1250 before his turn even began, Miles felt no fear.
That was the absolute confidence born from fusing with Aisha Carlos, greater than at any moment before.
"Come on, continue, Zepha! You don't think the duel ends here, do you!"
Amid the shattered fragments of the destroyed celestial body, Miles himself—flying beneath the starry sky—looked more like a god.
At least more like one than the colossal Numerounius standing behind Zepha as a backdrop.
"To think you could withstand the collision of the strongest Planet card. Heh… yes, only a duel like this has meaning! Meaning to prove to the entire world that my power is the strongest!"
Zepha drew another card from his hand and activated it.
"—Spell Card [Card of Sanctity] activated!"
The greatest of the three treasure cards, allowing both players to draw until they each had six cards in their hands. If anything deserved to be called forbidden power, it might well be this card.
After performing an Xyz Summon, then a Fusion Summon, and finally Tribute Summoning [Tyrant Neptune], Zepha had already used four cards from his hand.
But with [Card of Sanctity], Zepha's hand returned to the same state as after drawing for the first turn—six cards. In other words, he had effectively gained a 6000 Attack, fully immune monster for free.
Miles also gained a small benefit from this.
Since Miles and Aisha had not yet drawn for their second turn, and had used the hand trap [Kuriphoton], they had four cards left in hand. After the effect resolved, they would also gain two free cards.
"Draw!" ×2
Both sides drew cards at the same time.
"This is…?!"
Normally, after drawing cards, one would first look at the cards just drawn.
But Miles instead looked toward the top of his Deck—the mysterious card back resting at the very top after drawing two cards.
How dazzling. Miles had never experienced a draw that shone with such brilliance.
"I set three cards and end my turn!"
After replenishing his hand, Zepha declared the end of his first turn with three face-down cards.
The turn passed. A duel that had nearly ended in an FTK had finally reached Miles.
"Miles, Aisha!" Irena looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle.
When did it start?
Back at the academy, everyone could still enjoy dueling on equal footing.
But before anyone realized it, these two had already gone far ahead, growing strong to a level that was difficult to describe.
Even as a third-year senior at the Duel Academy, Irena knew very clearly that she could no longer reach the realm those two now stood in.
"You absolutely have to win! You two are the strongest!"
Even when facing Zepha with [Tyrant Neptune]—a monster with 6000 Attack and complete immunity to other card effects—along with three Set cards in the back row, Irena firmly believed the combination of Miles and Aisha could break through it.
"It's our turn now, Mr. Miles."
"That's right. This turn, let's show our brand-new power!"
Miles raised the Spirit Eyes on his arm and placed his finger on the mysterious card at the top, shining brilliantly.
"Zepha, the [Card of Sanctity] you activated earlier brought the light here ahead of time!"
"What?!"
In theory, if Zepha had not activated [Card of Sanctity] and allowed Miles and Aisha to draw two additional cards as well, this card would not have appeared until two turns later.
Of course, that was only the "theoretical" level that followed common sense.
"For a true Duelist, everything is inevitable! Draw!"
Beneath the pitch-black starry sky shrouded by the god of destruction, Miles drew the shining card that cut through the darkness.
"That feeling!" Quaedes was startled by the familiar sensation. "The Seven Emperors' Sword? No…"
Quaedes could sense that the card in Miles' hand was similar to [Rank-Up-Magic - The Seventh One], a card that could be revealed during the Draw Phase.
But unlike the chaotic Xyz power of The Seventh One, this draw carried the pure brilliance of hope.
"Shining Draw!!"
The Spell Card called [Shining Draw] radiated incomparable brilliance at Miles' fingertips.
[By revealing this card during your Draw Phase when you draw it for your normal draw, during that turn's Main Phase 1 you can target 1 "Number 39: Utopia" Xyz Monster you control and activate this card from your hand by choosing 1 of the following effects.]
"During my Draw Phase, I reveal the Spell Card [Shining Draw]!"
Holding the card revealed, grasping the pure shining hope in his hand. On Miles and Aisha's field right now, they only lacked the No.39 that would guide that shining hope into existence.
"—Spell Card [The Equation of Victory] activated!"
This was the precursor power of Miles and Aisha's fusion awakening, a card already revealed in Miles' duel against Quaedes.
[If only your opponent controls a monster, you can declare "The Equation of Victory is complete!" to activate this card. Special Summon 1 "Number" Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck, except a "Number C" monster. Then place this card beneath that monster as Xyz Material.]
As part of the activation requirement of the card, the declaration had to be shouted.
Miles & Aisha: "The Equation of Victory is complete!!"
Answering their call for victory, a "Number" monster that guided hope descended from the Extra Deck.
"Appear, No.39! My battle begins here. White wings that carry hope! Messenger of light—[Number 39: Utopia]!"
[Number 39: Utopia] Rank 4│LIGHT│Warrior│2500 ATK
To oppose the devouring Neptune, Number 39: Utopia spread its white wings beneath the starry sky, raising the blade that would guide the effect of [Shining Draw].
"Next is the effect of the Spell Card [Shining Draw]!"
This card required targeting a "Number 39: Utopia" monster on your field to activate, offering two possible effects.
[● Special Summon 1 "Number 39: Utopia" Xyz Monster with a different name from your Extra Deck by placing it on top of the targeted monster as an Xyz Summon.
[● Equip the targeted monster with any number of "ZW" monsters with different names from your Deck or Extra Deck as Equip Cards.]
However, simply stacking another Xyz Summon was not enough to display the strongest power born from their fusion.
So Miles chose the following effect—
"With the effect of [Shining Draw], I select different "ZW" monsters from my Deck and Extra Deck and equip them to Utopia!"
"ZW?"
It was quite a new term. Even Nova and Irena from the Duel Academy had never seen it before.
That was only natural, because this was the true power awakened after Miles and Aisha fused together.
Five cards of different forms, like equipment yet also resembling divine beasts, flew out one after another from Miles and Aisha's Deck.
"First equip—[ZW - Tornado Bringer]!!!"
[You can equip this card to your "Number 39: Utopia" monster as an Equip Card that gives it 1300 Attack. While this card is equipped, your opponent cannot target the equipped monster with card effects. If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle, destroy this card instead.]
[Number 39: Utopia, ATK: 2500 → 3800]
The crimson dragon transformed into a brand-new blade in Utopia's hand. While increasing its Attack, it granted Number 39: Utopia protection from being targeted.
"Second equip—[ZW - Lightning Blade]!!!"
[You can equip this card to your "Number 39: Utopia" monster as an Equip Card that gives it 1200 Attack. While this card is equipped, "ZW" cards you control cannot be destroyed by your opponent's effects. If the equipped monster would be destroyed by a card effect, destroy this card instead.]
[Number 39: Utopia, ATK: 3800 → 5000]
The lightning-white tiger became the second blade. While further strengthening Utopia's Attack, it granted all "ZW" cards on the field protection from destruction by effects.
"Third equip—[ZW - Eagle Claw]!"
[You can equip this card to your "Number 39: Utopia" monster as an Equip Card that gives it 2000 Attack.]
[Number 39: Utopia, ATK: 5000 → 7000]
With the third ZW equipped, the 2000 Attack boost from Eagle Claw pushed Utopia's Attack past Tyrant Neptune's 6000.
Neptune possessed complete immunity to effects, but not protection from battle destruction. At this point, Utopia could already destroy it in battle.
But the power released by the shining draw—something even Miles himself could not restrain—was not finished yet.
The effect of the Spell Card [Shining Draw] could not only equip "ZW" monsters from the Deck, it could also equip them from the Extra Deck.
"Fourth equip—[ZW - Leo Arms]!"
[You can equip this monster to a monster you control with "Utopia" in its name as an Equip Card that gives it 3000 Attack.]
A roaring lion armor wrapped around Utopia's body. The terrifying 3000 Attack boost from the Xyz "ZW" monster from the Extra Deck instantly raised Utopia's Attack to ten thousand.
[Number 39: Utopia, ATK: 7000 → 10000]
"It's not over yet!" Miles roared toward the shining sky. "This is the final, fifth equip—[ZW - Dragonic Halberd]!"
[ZW - Dragonic Halberd Effect: You can equip this monster to a monster you control with "Utopia" in its name as an Equip Card that gives it 3000 Attack.]
Another 3000 Attack boost. With the heavily armored dragon halberd joining the twin dragon-tiger blades in Utopia's hands, the power of five ZW weapons combined together, pushing Number 39: Utopia's Attack to a terrifying 13000.
[Number 39: Utopia, ATK: 10000 → 13000]
From the very beginning, Miles and Aisha's fusion had never regarded the mere 6000 Attack, fully immune Tyrant Neptune as a threat.
Because on their side, there existed a shining power of hope that far surpassed it.
"Fully armed and covered—the strongest form of Number 39: Utopia! The one who still hasn't recognized the true nature of this duel… is you, Zepha!"
===
PS: To achieve the fully armed Utopia in one shot, the effect of [Shining Draw] in this story is different from the real card. Please keep that in mind~
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