The separated ZW weapons—two dragons and a tiger—roared and lunged together toward Zepha's empty field at the end of the Battle Phase.
"So even mere beast armaments can unleash such power. I admit it—I underestimated you by quite a bit before!"
With all three Set cards already used, Zepha, standing on an empty field, had no choice but to exhaust every one of his survival methods in a single turn against Miles' relentless assault.
"I banish [Spiritual Swords of Revealing Light] from my Graveyard to activate its effect!"
[During your opponent's turn, you can banish this card from your Graveyard; your opponent's monsters cannot attack directly this turn.]
The final ripple of the Spiritual Swords formed a radiant barrier before Zepha, blocking the additional direct attacks from Miles' ZW weapons this turn.
"Just as expected—you'd use that trick."
Since [Spiritual Swords of Revealing Light] was in Zepha's Graveyard, he would certainly banish it to survive a lethal direct attack. Therefore, forcing out that survival effect with the "Dragon-Tiger Formation" was already a success for Miles.
"I end the Battle Phase of this turn. Then I activate the effects of the ZW monsters on my field—[ZW - Dragonic Halberd], [ZW - Tornado Bringer], and [ZW - Lightning Blade]!"
The shared ability of ZW monsters was that when they existed independently on the field, they could transform back into Equip Cards for [Number 39: Utopia].
"—'Dragon and Tiger Return · ZW Re-Equip'!"
[Number 39: Utopia, ATK: 2500 → 8000]
After re-equipping the three ZW weapons, Utopia returned to its super form: 8000 Attack, untargetable, and protected by double destruction substitution in battle and effects.
"Finally, I set one card and end my turn."
With a Set card placed, the turn changed. After enduring Miles' fierce assault, Zepha—on an empty field—drew for his turn.
"My turn, draw!"
The moment Zepha drew his card, the countless stars in the night sky seemed to rotate once.
Miles: "This… Looks like we'll need to be careful."
Aisha: "Eh? 0v0"
"Just one turn later, and the feeling this guy gives off has completely changed."
To be honest, Miles had been dueling with a fairly calm and confident mindset up until now.
The reason was simple—the power he gained after fusing with Aisha was simply too strong.
On top of that, Zepha's strength had not seemed as troublesome as expected, leaving Miles unsure how he could possibly lose.
But that relaxed confidence ended just now.
Although an ordinary observer could not see it, facing Zepha directly in this god-domain duel beneath the colossal god of destruction, Miles could clearly sense it.
As the turns of the duel progressed, the chaos residing within Zepha seemed to be swelling—almost like an evolution.
Correspondingly, the oppressive aura Zepha emitted now was completely different from the previous turn.
"Is it that thing?!"
Miles suddenly looked toward the enormous god of destruction in the sky. The same black-and-white chaotic wings that overlapped with Zepha's soul were faintly fluttering in the starry sky.
Number C1000: Numerounius, the chaotic dream god, was not merely a backdrop in this duel.
It was gradually intruding into the duel itself—and Zepha was the medium.
By amplifying the summoner's Deck, it was manifesting its own power.
"It's time you experience the terror of the chaotic god of destruction!"
Clearly, this was exactly the development Zepha desired—the development sought by someone who craved power.
"This is the power of a god that creates heaven and earth and rewrites everything! —Field Spell [Numeron Network], activate!"
As Zepha tossed the Field Spell from his fingertips into the sky, the night sky instantly transformed. Crimson and dark-purple networks replaced the ordinary overlay network of Xyz light.
"This is a card that can only be used by the 'Numeron God' who possesses the power of creation and destruction! Open your eyes and witness it—the very first 'Number' monsters in the world!"
Miles × Aisha: "The first 'Number' monsters?"
"Activate the effect of the Field Spell [Numeron Network]!"
[Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can send 1 "Numeron" Normal Spell from your Deck to the Graveyard whose activation conditions are met; this effect becomes that Spell's effect when that card is activated.]
"The Numeron power that rewrites everything—even the form of existence itself can be changed! With the effect of [Numeron Network], I send the Spell [Numeron Calling] from my Deck to the Graveyard!"
The Field Spell's appearance changed, becoming the effect of another Numeron Spell Card being activated.
[If "Numeron Network" is in your Field Zone and you control no monsters: Special Summon up to 4 "Numeron Gate" Xyz Monsters with different names from your Extra Deck. Monsters Special Summoned by this effect are banished during the End Phase.]
Within the black starry sky, chaotic Numeron gates appeared through the Spell's effect and slowly opened.
From the massive gates of chaos, four differently shaped Numeron Gate Xyz Monsters emerged from within.
"Using the Field Spell [Numeron Network], I activate the effect of the Spell [Numeron Calling]! From my Extra Deck, I can summon four different 'Numeron Gate' Xyz monsters!"
According to Zepha's description, what appeared on the field now were the very first 'Number' monsters in the world.
"This is the ultimate Numeron! Appear—Number 1! The towering gate of hell—when its unbreakable doors open, a fragment of hope must be abandoned! [Number 1: Numeron Gate Ekam]!"
[Number 1: Numeron Gate Ekam] Rank 1 │ LIGHT │ Machine │ ATK 1000 DEF 100
[3 Level 1 monsters]
"Number 1!?"
Since it was the very first "Number" in the world, its designation was naturally Number 1.
But Zepha's summoning was not finished yet.
"Next—[Number 2: Numeron Gate Dve]!"
"[Number 3: Numeron Gate Trini]!"
"[Number 4: Numeron Gate Catvari]!"
A total of four differently shaped Numeron Gates—Xyz monsters—assembled before Zepha through Special Summoning.
"Numbers 1 through 4—these four Xyz monsters are the very first 'Number' cards in the world!"
The four Numeron Gates shared identical stats: Rank 1 LIGHT Machine monsters, each with 1000 ATK.
To be honest, a single Numeron Gate—the earliest "Number" card—did not feel particularly overwhelming on its own.
Although when all four gates appeared together, the oppressive force they unleashed was undeniable. Even with [Number 39: Utopia] standing on the field equipped with ZW weapons, Miles could clearly feel the primal impact.
"—Spell Card [Memories of Hope]!" Zepha continued, throwing another card.
[You can only activate 1 card with this name per turn. Draw cards equal to the number of "Number" Xyz Monsters you control.]
"Since I control four monsters—Number 1 through Number 4—I draw four cards from my Deck!"
With the four Numeron Gates working in tandem with [Memories of Hope] to generate a surge of card advantage, Zepha revealed a confident smile as he drew his new cards.
"Before these towering gates of hell, be destroyed by the Numeron power that rewrites everything! Battle!"
With that declaration, Zepha entered the Battle Phase of this turn. Commanding the first four "Number" cards, the four Numeron Gates launched their assault toward Miles.
"[Number 1: Numeron Gate Ekam], attack [Number 39: Utopia]! — 'Numeron Creation Rupture'!"
Using a monster with only 1000 ATK to challenge Miles' [Number 39: Utopia], which possessed 8000 ATK, seemed like sheer madness, leaving the spectators stunned.
"Hmph!" At the moment he declared Number 1's attack, Zepha threw out another newly drawn card.
"—Quick-Play Spell [Limiter Removal] activated!"
[Double the ATK of all Machine monsters you control until the End Phase. Destroy those monsters during the End Phase.]
This Quick-Play Spell doubled the ATK of every Machine monster on Zepha's field for the turn.
At that moment, all four Numeron Gates—each a Machine monster—had their ATK doubled from 1000 to 2000.
And the End Phase destruction that comes as the cost of Limiter Removal is effectively meaningless, because Numeron Gate monsters are all banished at the end of the turn anyway.
[Number 1: Numeron Gate Ekam] Level 1│LIGHT│Machine│2000 ATK
"That's still far from enough, Zepha!" Miles said.
However, even though Numeron Gate Ekam's attack had doubled from 1000 to 2000, there was still a huge gap compared to Number 39: Utopia, whose attack had reached 8000 after being equipped with a ZW weapon.
Zepha Soroya had only just recovered to 4000 Life Points—one touch would mean death.
"Then how about adding this card as well! — Quick-Play Spell activate: Forbidden Droplet!"
[Forbidden Droplet Quick-Play Spell Effect: Send any number of other cards from your hand and/or field to the Graveyard; choose that many Effect Monsters your opponent controls (without targeting). Until the end of the turn, those monsters have their attack halved and their effects negated.]
"From my hand, I send another Numeron Network to the Graveyard. I activate Forbidden Droplet to halve the attack of Number 39: Utopia and negate its effects!"
Because Forbidden Droplet does not target, even Number 39: Utopia equipped with the Tornado Bringer (ZW - Tornado Bringer) had to take the debuff—its effects negated and its attack cut in half.
What confused Miles, however, was that Forbidden Droplet could have used the currently activating Limiter Removal as its cost through a Chain. Yet Zepha Soroya had deliberately wasted another Numeron Network from his hand instead.
But regardless of the process, Forbidden Droplet's effect resolved successfully. The weakening light of chaos wrapped layer upon layer around Number 39: Utopia.
[Number 39: Utopia, ATK: 8000 → 4000]
"Now crash into it head-on—Number 1: Numeron Gate Ekam!"
As one side weakened and the other strengthened, the gap between the halved Utopia and the doubled Numeron Gate shrank to 2000 Attack—an amount Zepha Soroya's remaining Life Points could withstand.
"Counterattack, Utopia!"
Of course, a smaller gap did not mean no gap. Even now, Utopia still had the greater battle power. Miles immediately issued the counterattack command.
"—Hope Sword: ZEXAL Double Dragonic Halberd Assault!"
The ZW weapon formed by twin swords and a heavy halberd danced brilliantly, roaring with the fury of beastly spirits as it collided with the chaotic explosion fired by Numeron Gate Ekam.
[Zepha Soroya, LP: 4000 → 2000]
The three beast spirits inflicted 2000 points of battle damage, blasting Zepha even farther beneath the starry sky.
But this time, Zepha had been prepared. He was not as miserable as he had been the previous turn.
"Number 1: Numeron Gate Ekam's effect—this card cannot be destroyed by battle! And after the battle, its Xyz effect will trigger!"
[When this card battles an opponent's monster, at the end of the Damage Step: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; the attack of all "Numeron" monsters you control becomes doubled until the end of the turn.]
Using its resistance to battle destruction, he deliberately rammed into the attack to trigger the effect that doubles the attack of every Numeron monster on the field. That was the coordinated combat style of the Numeron Gates.
But one thing still did not make sense.
"That's not right!" Miles retorted. "A Numeron Gate Special Summoned directly from the Extra Deck doesn't have any Xyz Materials attached!"
Activating that effect requires detaching an Xyz Material. And as everyone knows, Xyz Monsters Special Summoned directly from the Extra Deck have no materials stacked beneath them.
"Don't underestimate the original Number—the Numeron power that rewrites everything!"
Zepha Soroya declared confidently. At the same time, Numeron Network—the Field Spell spread across the entire starry sky—sent crimson light spreading through every synapse.
"This is the effect of the Field Spell, Numeron Network!"
[While this card is in the Field Zone, when a "Numeron" Xyz Monster you control activates an effect by detaching Xyz Material, you can activate that effect without detaching material instead.]
With the power of Numeron, even the fact that there were no Xyz Materials was "rewritten."
"Number 1: Numeron Gate Ekam's post-battle effect—double the attack of all Numeron Gates on the field!"
First their attack had doubled through Limiter Removal. Then their own effect triggered, doubling the attack of the four Numeron Gates on the field once again, raising them all to 4000.
And yet three Numeron Gates had still not attacked. This was the beginning of the destruction unleashed by the world's very first Number cards.
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