Ryuki: 4000 | Hand: 5
Reiji: 4000 | Hand: 5
The tension in the Maiami Arena was thick enough to cut through steel. The towering holoscreens flashed the dueling field's data as duelists from every school leaned forward in their seats. Yuzu, Sora, Gongenzaka, and the rest of the You Show group sat front row, while the LDS trio—Masumi, Hokuto, and Yaiba—watched intently from the opposite end. All eyes were locked on the two duelists in the spotlight.
Ryuki stood calmly on one end of the canyon field projected by the Real Solid Vision system, his violet eyes reflecting the digital sunlight pouring down from the virtual sky. Across from him, on the opposite cliffside, stood Akaba Reiji, a vision of composure and pride as he adjusted his glasses with a soft gleam.
"Since I picked the field, I'll let you go first," Ryuki offered, his tone courteous, yet firm.
Reiji gave a graceful nod. "Very well. I'll begin."
Turn 1 - Reiji
"I activate the Continuous Spell—Dark Contract with the Hell Gate!"
A massive obsidian portal materialized behind Reiji, lined with glowing red runes and chains that slithered like serpents. The eerie hum of the contract resonated through the arena, sending a cold shiver down many spines.
"In each of my Standby Phases, I take 1000 points of damage. But for now, once per turn, I can add a Level 4 or lower D/D monster from my Deck to my hand."
The crowd murmured at the mention of damage. Many of the younger students blinked in confusion at what appeared to be self-sabotage.
"He takes damage... on his own turn?" Gongenzaka's brow furrowed. "I, the man Gongenzaka, find that quite risky."
Sora licked his lollipop with amusement. "Heh. Gon-chan, high risks mean high rewards. You'll see."
Reiji continued as a card ejected from his deck. "I add D/D Cerberus to my hand."
"'DD'... What does that mean?" Futoshi tilted his head, puzzled.
"Different Dimension," Ruri answered with calm precision, watching Reiji's moves closely. "It refers to an alternate reality. D/D monsters manipulate dimensions and timelines."
Beside her, Rin remained quiet, eyes narrowed slightly. She could feel the pressure rising—this wasn't just an ordinary duel.
Reiji wasn't done yet. He revealed another card with a flourish. "I activate another Continuous Spell—Dark Contract with the Swamp King!"
Dark vines slithered from the ground, conjuring a bubbling black swamp at Reiji's feet, pulsing with unholy energy.
"This card has the same drawback—I will take 1000 damage during each of my Standby Phases."
"That's two thousand damage every turn!" Yuzu gasped from the bleachers.
"What is he thinking?" Yuya muttered. "He's willingly cornering himself."
Ruri and Rin's expressions tightened, both sensing Ryuki's focus sharpening.
"With Swamp King's effect, I can Fusion Summon a Fiend-Type Fusion Monster using monsters from my hand or field—without a Fusion Spell!"
Gasps and whispers exploded around the arena. Fusion without a spell? Even the LDS Fusion students sat up straighter.
"I fuse D/D Cerberus and D/D Berfometh from my hand!"
The two creatures appeared beside Reiji—Cerberus with its snarling triple heads and Berfometh with its twisted, half-beast form. They howled and shrieked as they were drawn into a spiraling vortex of dark light.
Reiji extended his hand, voice commanding as thunder echoed through the virtual sky:
"Hellhound flashing your vicious fangs! Abomination created in madness! Amidst the light swirling in the netherworld, join together and give birth to a new king!"
"Fusion Summon! Be born—Level 7! D/D/D Oracle King d'Arc!!"
With a roar, the vortex exploded, revealing a majestic fiend in white-gold armor and a sweeping crimson cape. A crown of horns curled from her head, and a wicked longsword gleamed in her hand as she pointed it directly at Ryuki. Her eyes burned with divine judgment.
D/D/D Oracle King d'Arc
Level 7 / DARK / Fiend / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2000
The crowd fell silent in awe. Even Yuya, who was no stranger to theatrical summoning, felt his pulse quicken.
"A Fusion Summon on the very first turn," he whispered.
"So Akaba Reiji is a Fusion user after all," Gongenzaka murmured, arms crossed as he observed the field.
"But this is different," Ayu said. "These monsters aren't just 'Fusion'—they're D/D/D."
"Three D's? What does the third one even mean?" Tatsuya asked.
Ruri shook her head. "Even I don't know. But that third D... it's what makes them dangerous."
On the field, Reiji set one card face-down. "I set 2 cards face-down. I end my turn."
As his hologram faded, Reiji stood tall, one hand behind his back in the style of a seasoned tactician.
Reiji: 4000 | Hand: 1
Ryuki: 4000 | Hand: 5
Turn 2 - Ryuki
The entire arena fell into a hush of anticipation, all eyes locked onto the field where Himejima Ryuki stood. The students of You Show, LDS, and Leo Institute all leaned forward, curious to see how this mysterious duelist—one endorsed so heavily by Yuya and praised by Ruri and Rin—would take on Akaba Reiji.
Ruri and Rin, however, had paused. Their hearts stirred not just with pride, but with a curious unease.
"That look in his eyes..." Rin murmured, her voice caught somewhere between awe and apprehension.
"It's not the same fire he had in Academia," Ruri added quietly. "This... is something deeper."
Sora, lounging on the bench nearby with a half-eaten candy stick, tilted his head. "So, what kind of deck does Ryuki-sensei use? You two keep hyping him up like he's some boss-level final boss."
"He primarily uses Fusion Summons—focusing on dragons with overwhelming power and devastating effects," Ruri replied, calm and steady.
"One time, he summoned one of his top monsters—Supreme Heavenly Emperor Dragon, Dragonic Overlord "The Ace". That thing had 4000 ATK," Rin said as she pulled the card from her case and passed it around.
Yuya and the others blinked wide as they read its effect text.
"No way... it can copy the effects of other dragons?" Yaiba blurted out.
"And it can attack again just by discarding three cards?" Masumi added, her expression darkening. "That'd tear through most fields like nothing."
Ruri nodded grimly. "But none of that compares to his strongest monster. If it attacks a monster that was Special Summoned..." she hesitated, her voice softening, "...he automatically wins the duel."
"What?!" Ayu gasped.
"But if he fails to defeat his opponent during that turn, he loses the duel instead," Rin finished for her, a note of gravity in her tone. "That power... it's not something to be used lightly. We saw it once, and I'll never forget what it felt like."
A chill briefly passed through their group. The memory of Ryuki's Zeroth Dragon lingered like a scar on their minds—beautiful, terrifying, absolute.
"So, with effects like that... Ryuki-sensei must be insanely strong, right?" Ayu asked.
Ruri offered a soft nod, her hand clutching tightly around her deck case.
Ryuki faced Reiji with calm calculation. He held his Duel Disk at the ready as his two spirit companions—Dran and Tigar—hovered silently beside him in their spectral forms, their eyes alight with excitement.
"Dran. Tigar. This is your debut," Ryuki said with a smirk. Then he called out, "Atashi no turn! DRAW!"
He drew his card and looked at it just once before closing his eyes. His PSYqualia pulsed faintly, his vision sharpening.
Then he turned to the stands.
"YUYA!! I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM YOU!!"
Yuya stood up immediately. "SHOW THEM WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM ME, RYUKI!! GO MAKE ME PROUD!!"
"From my hand, I use my Scale 1, Chrono Dran G and Scale 7, Chrono Tigar G and set the Pendulum Scale!"
Two towering pillars of light erupted beside him, illuminating the floating forms of the Time Beasts.
Chrono Dran G
Level 2 / DARK / Zodiac Time Beast / Pendulum / Tuner / Effect
ATK: 800 / DEF: 500 | Pendulum Scale: 1
Chrono Tigar G
Level 2 / EARTH / Zodiac Time Beast / Pendulum / Tuner / Effect
ATK: 1000 / DEF: 900 | Pendulum Scale: 7
The audience erupted in shock.
"Pendulum cards?!?" Gongenzaka barked.
"Wait—Ryuki can Pendulum Summon too?!" Yuzu shouted.
"But—Gear Chronicle?!" Ruri's eyes widened.
"He's not using Kagero this time?!" Rin added, equally stunned.
Sora dropped his candy. "Yuya... you knew about this?"
Yuya smiled proudly. "He asked me to teach him Pendulum Summoning. So I did."
"Hmph," Reiji mused with a rare smirk. "It seems you've found another way to surprise me, Himejima Ryuki."
Ryuki returned a nod. "Glad to hear it. With this, I can summon monster from levels 2 to 6 simultaneously!!"
He raised his hand, the PSYqualia mark flaring as time itself seemed to halt.
"O guardians of time and gears of fate—Align the axes of the past and future! Shatter the chains of causality and stride toward destiny!
Pendulum Summon!!
Manifest now across time's horizon—my comrades!!"
A swirling rift appeared behind him, flanked by two celestial bodies: Earth and Planet Cray.
From it, two streaks of orange and violet light surged out.
"I summon! Chronobeat Buffalo and Chronospin Serpent from my hand!!"
Chronobeat Buffalo
Level 6 / EARTH / Zodiac Time Beast / Pendulum / Effect
ATK: 2300 / DEF: 1500 | Pendulum Scale: 1
Chronospin Serpent
Level 6 / DARK / Zodiac Time Beast / Pendulum / Effect
ATK: 2200 / DEF: 1200 | Pendulum Scale: 3
Buffalo landed with a quake—its massive gear-driven limbs gleaming red and blue. The serpent uncoiled with a sinister hiss, spinning the gear at its throat.
Yuzu turned to the girls beside her. "Ruri, Rin... what even is this deck?"
"Gear Chronicle," Rin explained. "It's new—even for us. It's all about temporal manipulation. Their effects revolve around disrupting the field by sending cards to the bottom of the deck."
Yaiba looked spooked. "That's nuts. It could destroy your setup in one move."
"Especially if they target Extra Deck monsters," Hokuto added darkly.
Ryuki held up a card. "Next—I activate my Spell: Zodiac Calling! By paying 500 Life Points, I draw cards equal to the number of Zodiac Time Beasts I control!"
His field shimmered with the four beasts.
Ryuki: 4000 → 3500
"I draw four cards!"
The crowd gasped.
"Hand refill... just like that?!" Tatsuya stammered.
Then Ryuki turned to the Pendulum Zones—and spoke not to his audience, but to his monsters.
"Dran. Tigar. You ready?"
"Always, Ryuki!" chirped Chrono Dran G.
"Let's make this count, partner!" answered Chrono Tigar G.
The silence that followed was deafening.
"...Did his monsters just talk?" Himika muttered from the control room, eyes wide behind the glass.
"Now, I activate Chrono Dran G's Pendulum Skill!" Ryuki declared. "While it's in the Pendulum Zone, I can use it as a Tuner for a "Chronojet" or "Chronodragon" Synchro Summon!"
"A Tuner?!" Yaiba shouted.
"Gear Chronicle does Synchro too?!" Rin echoed.
"I tune my Level 2 Chrono Dran G with my Level 6 Chronobeat Buffalo!"
Chrono Dran G exited the light, transforming into two glowing rings. Chronobeat Buffalo leapt into the center—
"Time, converge into the pulse of revolution! Gears that mark fate, answer my call and accelerate destiny!
Synchro Summon! Onward, Level 8! — Chronojet Dragon G!!"
A new dragon emerged—sleek, mature, powerful. Its thrusters ignited with blue flame.
Chronojet Dragon G
Level 8 / DARK / Zodiac Time Beast / Synchro / Pendulum / Effect
ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2000 | Pendulum Scale: 1
"Pendulum... to Synchro..." Gongenzaka said in awe.
"Pendulum-Synchro," Yuya whispered with a grin. "You've come far, Ryuki."
Yuzu smiled softly. "You're not jealous?"
"The old me might've been," Yuya said. "But Pendulum Summoning should be shared. I still aim to be the best... but I'll help others rise too."
Back on the field, Ryuki's confidence never wavered.
"I activate Chrono Tigar G's Pendulum Skill—just like Dran, it becomes a Tuner!"
"I tune my Level 2 Chrono Tigar G with my Level 6 Chronospin Serpent!"
Chrono Tigar G left its pillar and became 2 glowing Synchro Rings as Chronospin Serpent coiled up and jumped into the center of the rings.
"Great devourer of hours, beast that sunders the past and future—
Awaken from the rifts between time!
Synchro Summon! Roar forth, Level 8! — Chronofang Tiger G!!"
Chronofang Tiger G
Level 8 / EARTH / Zodiac Time Beast / Synchro / Pendulum / Effect
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2300 | Pendulum Scale: 1
Chronojet G and Chronofang G now stood at Ryuki's side.
Ruri clutched her chest, speechless. "Amazing..."
"And to think—this is the first time he's ever used this deck," Rin murmured.
"What?! He's dueling Reiji with a new deck?!" Masumi gasped.
"He's either nuts or brilliant," Yaiba said, grinning. "Either way—I'm all in."
Ryuki looked at his field. "Though I have two powerful Synchro Monsters... I cannot attack."
He gestured toward his Spell.
"Zodiac Calling restricts my attacks unless I control the same number of Zodiac Time Beasts as the number of cards I drew—which was four. I only have two monsters. So, no battle this turn."
The crowd groaned in disappointment, but Ryuki simply smirked.
"No matter. My turn's not over yet..."
"Though I cannot attack... I can at least do this!" Ryuki declared as his monster let out a roar. "I activate Chronofang Tiger G's skill! Once per turn, I can banish 1 'Zodiac Time Beast' from my hand, Deck, Graveyard, or face-up Extra Deck!"
He revealed a card from his deck.
"I banish Chronocharge Unicorn from my Deck!"
A phantom of the unicorn galloped into a spiraling clock behind Chronofang Tiger G. The beast's arm rose skyward as a massive ethereal timepiece appeared in the air, its gears turning violently.
"And with that—your two Dark Contracts are sent to the bottom of your Deck!"
Dark Contract with the Hell Gate and Dark Contract with the Swamp King shimmered, distorted like static, and were sucked into the vortex created by the clock.
The audience gasped. Even Hokuto was wide-eyed. "He got rid of both Dark Contracts just like that!?"
Reiji's eyes narrowed with interest as he folded his arms. "Such power. Impressive. This is the first time I've faced a duelist whose deck manipulates both field and deck with such precision."
Ryuki smiled humbly. "Thanks. But I'm not quite finished yet."
He gestured to his monster once more.
"I activate Chronofang Tiger G's continuous skill! For every card I've banished, this card gains 300 ATK! And since I used Chronospin Serpent as a Synchro Material, Chronofang G gets 500 ATK and DEF!"
Chronofang Tiger G
ATK: 2800 → 3600 / DEF: 2300 → 2800
The monster gave a mechanical roar as its fangs gleamed with temporal energy.
"I set two cards face-down. That will end my turn."
Two glowing holograms appeared behind his beasts, pulsing with hidden threat.
Reiji: 4000 | Hand: 1
Ryuki: 3500 | Hand: 4
Turn 3 - Reiji
The coliseum fell into a hush, as though the entire city had stopped breathing in anticipation. All eyes locked on the lone figure on the far side of the Action Field.
Akaba Reiji stood composed, his sharp gaze studying the field—and the Flame Monarch who stood across from him, calm as a placid lake.
Reiji adjusted his glasses, the light catching the lens with a quiet gleam.
"My turn! Draw!" His voice echoed, confident and commanding.
He glanced down at the card he'd drawn and gave a faint nod before addressing his opponent.
"I must say... It's quite impressive that you managed to dismantle the very setup I carefully constructed."
Ryuki returned a faint smile. "Thanks. When I saw your Contracts, something didn't sit right. I couldn't believe you'd willingly cut your own LP so early—especially not without insurance. That told me there was a catch."
He looked directly into Reiji's eyes. "Your Fusion Monster... d'Arc. My guess? She nullifies all damage and converts it into LP gain instead."
A wave of gasps swept through the stands.
"He saw through it...?" Masumi murmured.
"That's Ryuki-sensei for you!" Sora exclaimed, his admiration only growing.
"His insight is... unbelievable," Yuzu said, her voice tinged with awe.
"No wonder Pendulum Summoning progressed so much under his guidance..."
Yuya, standing beside them, nodded slowly.
"Yeah... I wanted to teach Ryuki about Pendulum Summoning. Instead, he taught me what it could really become."
"Are you saying Pendulum can empower Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Summoning?" Hokuto asked, his tone serious.
"Yes. Ryuki figured it out. He found the answer."
Back on the field, Reiji gave a faint chuckle.
"Indeed... d'Arc would have converted the 2000 damage from my Contracts into 2000 LP instead. But you disarmed me before I could capitalize. Impressive."
He flourished a new card.
"Now then—let's continue. I activate the Spell Card, Card of Sanctity! We each draw until we hold six cards."
Both Duelists swiftly refilled their hands, fresh momentum surging into Reiji's side.
"I summon the Tuner Monster: D/D Nighthowling!"
A shrieking fiend erupted onto the field, its grotesque jaws wide open in a maddening howl.
D/D Nighthowling
Level 3 / DARK / Fiend / Tuner / Effect
ATK: 300 / DEF: 600
"A Tuner?!" Futoshi yelped.
"Then that means—"
"Reiji's also a Synchro user!" Tatsuya finished, wide-eyed.
"When Nighthowling is summoned, I can Special Summon a D/D monster from my Graveyard with its ATK reduced to 0!"
The monster's gaping maw widened unnaturally—then spat out another demon onto the field.
D/D Berfometh
Level 4 / DARK / Fiend / Effect
ATK: 1400 → 0 / DEF: 1800
Ryuki narrowed his eyes. "A Level 3 Tuner and a Level 4 non-Tuner... here it comes."
The air rippled.
"I tune my Level 3 D/D Nighthowling with my Level 4 D/D Berfometh!"
The sound of a shriek tore through the air as three emerald rings encircled Berfometh. Then, in a surge of energy—
"Howls that pierce the dead of night! With the speed of wind, crown the one who commands the tempests! Synchro Summon! Be born—Level 7! D/D/D Alexander the Gale Overlord!"
A storm coalesced as a warrior descended from the sky, wielding a sword that cleaved the very wind itself.
D/D/D Alexander the Gale Overlord
Level 7 / WIND / Fiend / Synchro / Effect / Domination
ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2000
"He Synchro Summoned a D/D/D monster too...?" Gongenzaka said in disbelief.
Reiji raised another card.
"I activate the Trap Card: D/D Soul Exchange! By releasing a D/D/D monster, I Special Summon another from my Extra Deck whose level or rank is lower than 1 or 2. I release d'Arc to call forth—D/D/D Temujin the Flame Overlord!
Flames erupted around d'Arc as she vanished, replaced by a ferocious warlord wreathed in fire.
D/D/D Temujin the Flame Overlord
Level 6 / FIRE / Fiend / Fusion / Effect / Domination
ATK: 2000 / DEF: 1500
"He gave up his damage-nullifier for that?" Sora blinked—
Only for Reiji to continue.
"When a D/D monster is summoned, Alexander's effect activates—when a D/D monster is summoned, I select 1 D/D monster in my graveyard. I choose D/D Nighthowling from my Graveyard!"
The screeching beast returned once more.
"And Temujin's effect as well—When a D/D monster is summoned, I can Special Summon a D/D from the Graveyard! Return once more, D/D Berfometh!
The battlefield rippled with infernal energy as both monsters returned.
"Next, I activate Berfometh's effect! Once per turn, I can target another D/D monster I control and make its Level the same as Berfometh's. I choose Nighthowling!
D/D Nighthowling
Level 3 → 4
Ryuki exhaled. "Two Level 4 monsters... He's going for an Xyz now."
Reiji swept his hand forward.
"I overlay Level 4 Nighthowling and Berfometh! I build the Overlay Network!"
Two purple lights spiraled upward into a black vortex that tore open the air.
"To subjugate every dimension across time and space, descend now from your throne! Xyz Summon! Arise—Rank 4! D/D/D Caesar the Wave Overlord!"
A commanding presence surged from the vortex—a tyrant cloaked in a flood of tidal might.
D/D/D Caesar the Wave Overlord
Rank 4 / WATER / Fiend / Xyz / Effect / Domination
ATK: 2400 / DEF: 1200 | OU: 2
Yuzu trembled. "He's mastered Xyz too?"
"Fusion, Synchro, Xyz... Just how far does Reiji's skill go?" Ruri whispered.
Rin didn't respond. Her gaze never left the battlefield.
"Ryuki is going to win... I believe in him."
Reiji stepped forward, his tone calm and regal.
"D/D/D. Different Dimension Demon. Each one a king that rules over a different plane of reality. Let me show you what happens... when the Three Kings unite their strength."
His eyes glinted with intensity.
"Now—let their authority shake the cosmos!"
He raised his arm.
"D/D/D!! DOMINATION!!"
A wave of energy burst from the three monsters. Their auras intensified—winds howled, flames surged, and tides roared.
Ryuki's eyes widened. "Reiji... you didn't—!"
"Domination." Reiji's voice boomed over the roaring energy.
"A unique keyword effect granted only to my D/D/D monsters. To activate it, I must control three or more monsters among Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, Ritual, or Pendulum types."
The crowd erupted in gasps and cheers.
"Reiji has a keyword too?!" Ruri gasped.
"What's the big deal about a keyword?" Yaiba asked.
"Keywords are special mechanics. Each applies to only a handful of decks," Rin explained with gravity.
"Mine is Brave—I can only activate it when I have three or fewer cards in hand. And Rin has Wave, where it can be activated depending on the number of attacks made in the battle phase."
The LDS trio absorbed the information with awe.
"Now witness the true might of Domination!" Reiji commanded.
"Caesar the Wave Overlord's Domination activates! Until the End Phase, all my D/D/D monsters gain 500 ATK for every D/D/D monster I control!"
Three monsters—1500 total ATK boost.
Temujin the Flame Overlord
ATK: 2000 → 3500
Alexander the Gale Overlord
ATK: 2500 → 4000
Caesar the Wave Overlord
ATK: 2400 → 3900
Even Ryuki's composed stance shifted as the immense power made the air heavy.
"Temujin's Domination now activates!" Reiji declared.
"For every other D/D/D monster I control, I destroy one Spell or Trap on your field. I destroy both of your set cards!"
Temujin's burning eyes glowed—and in a flash of flame, Ryuki's two set cards exploded in a wave of embers.
The stands erupted.
"He wiped the backrow completely!"
"And those monsters—so strong!"
Back on the field, Reiji's gaze never wavered.
"Himejima Ryuki. This is what it means to face the kings of all dimensions. Will your power of time endure this storm?"
Ryuki placed a hand on his Duel Disk, unfazed by the pressure.
"Like they say... you won't know unless you try."
Reiji's eyes narrowed, calculating his options, as he thrust his arm forward.
"Battle. Caesar attacks Chronofang Tiger G!"
The tides roared behind Caesar the Wave Overlord as it surged forward, riding a colossal wall of water. But even before the strike connected, Ryuki raised his hand sharply—his calm demeanor never fading, even as his eyes flashed with light.
"I activate the skill of my monster in my Extra Deck!" Ryuki announced. "If a Zodiac Time Beast is targeted for an attack, I can Synchro Summon this card using monsters from my hand or field!"
Gasps echoed across the You Show crowd as his Duel Disk whirred. From his hand, two monsters appeared: one a small white rabbit clad in mechanical goggles, the other a jackal-like figure standing tall and regal.
"I tune my Level 3 Chronovolley Rabbit and Level 5 Chronoethos Jackal!"
Chronovolley Rabbit appeared, gears spinning along its limbs, hopping beside Ryuki with energy. Chronoethos Jackal—a fierce Anubis-inspired warrior with glowing violet lines—stood poised with its golden staff, emanating ancient energy.
Three synchro rings burst from the rabbit's form and spun around Jackal, lifting him into the air.
"Echoes eternal, lull the violent tide! Shield us with your timeless rhythm and undo despair!" Ryuki's chant resounded, his voice echoing like a hymn through the battlefield.
"Synchro Summon! Sing of stillness, Level 8! — Time Maiden of Eternity, Uluru!"
The water from Caesar's attack halted mid-air, frozen in time. A monumental hourglass manifested, shielding Ryuki's field. Behind it emerged Uluru, a serene and beautiful woman cloaked in a black-and-white gear-adorned dress, her long dark hair fluttering like silk as the gears behind her whirred softly.
Time Maiden of Eternity, Uluru
Level 8 / LIGHT / Gearoid / Synchro-Tuner / Pendulum / Effect
ATK: 0 / DEF: 2000 | Pendulum Scale: 13
The crowd erupted.
"Whoa! He Synchro Summoned on his opponent's turn?!" shouted Hokuto, stunned.
Yaiba's eyes sparkled. "Incredible... He's combining everything—just like a true master of time."
Yuzu turned to Rin. "Rin, isn't that the same thing you did before?"
Rin nodded. "Yes... but Ryuki's synchronization is something else entirely. He's dancing through time itself."
The tide from Caesar slammed into the hourglass, but the waters parted as Uluru raised her hand. The force rebounded, and Reiji staggered back, taking the blow instead.
Reiji: 4000 → 3900
Reiji frowned. "How did I take damage? Your monster should've been destroyed."
Ryuki tapped Uluru's card calmly. "Uluru's battle-based skill activates when she's summoned this way. She can't be destroyed by battle, and she gains 500 DEF for each face-up Zodiac Time Beast Pendulum Monster in my Extra Deck. Right now, there are four."
Time Maiden of Eternity, Uluru
DEF: 2000 → 4000
Uluru folded her arms, and the hourglass behind her grew larger, glowing as four golden spheres spun within. The moment she did, Reiji's monsters recoiled from an unseen pressure.
But Reiji wasn't finished.
"Then I'll attack Chronojet Dragon with Alexander!"
Alexander the Gale Overlord spun into the air, unleashing a gale-infused barrage toward Chronojet. But his trajectory twisted.
"You would be welcome to try," Ryuki said, still calm, "but Uluru has another skill. When there are three or more Zodiac Time Beasts face-up in my Extra Deck, she becomes the only valid attack target!"
Uluru stood before her allies as the target shifted toward her, golden sand flowing around her shield.
Reiji's voice hardened. "So you'll take the damage instead. In that case... I'll make it count."
"Alexander's Domination activates!" he declared. "When attacking a monster of equal or higher Level, he gains 300 ATK for each of that monsters Level! Uluru is Level 8, therefore Alexander gains 2400 ATK!"
Alexander the Gale Overlord
ATK: 4000 → 6400
"Brace yourself, Uluru!" Ryuki called, a rare urgency in his tone.
Uluru closed her eyes, her hourglass forming a full temporal shield in front of her. Alexander slashed down with a sword bathed in turbulent wind.
BOOOOOM!
A shockwave tore through the field as the storm struck. Though Uluru withstood the blow, arcs of wind escaped around her, slicing through Ryuki's coat. Blood misted the air as the aftershock pushed him back.
Ryuki: 3500 → 1100
Ruri and Rin gasped, clutching each other's hands. Through PSYqualia, they could feel the force that had torn into him. Uluru's dress rippled, still glowing. But Ryuki... was kneeling.
"R-Ryuki!" Yuzu cried out from the stands, taking a step forward.
Rin's brows knit. "He's still okay. Barely... but he's standing."
On the field, Ryuki exhaled slowly and stood tall once more. His jacket was torn, but his eyes burned with resolve.
Reiji raised his hand again. "Temujin's attack is next."
The infernal warlord readied his axe, its flames dancing ominously.
Ryuki smirked. "You could try. But Uluru's effect is still in play. You must attack her if you choose to attack at all."
Reiji's hand hovered for a moment, then lowered.
"Very well. With Temujin's low ATK, I'll end my Battle Phase." He flipped over three cards. "I set three cards face-down."
"And with the end of the Battle Phase, all my Domination effects end."
Temujin the Flame Overlord
ATK: 3500 → 2000
Alexander the Gale Overlord
ATK: 6400 → 2500
Caesar the Wave Overlord
ATK: 3900 → 2400
As his monsters powered down, Uluru turned to face Ryuki with a warm, approving nod. Her form shimmered and floated into the air.
"Uluru's skill activates. After the Battle Phase, she moves into my Pendulum Zone."
A light pillar descended as she hovered into the left side of Ryuki's Duel Disk. Her Pendulum Scale shimmered.
Uluru's Pendulum Scale: 13
Cheers returned from the crowd—but now filled with tension. The duel had reached a new high.
Reiji: 3900 LP | Hand: 2
Ryuki: 1100 LP | Hand: 4
To be Continued on the Next Part....