Submarineroid!
The moment that divine spirit appeared, a stir rippled through the academy stands.
This was one of the most unspeakable god-cards in the Duel Academy over the past year, often showing up hand-in-hand with another godly item, Cycroid, leaving countless duelists with a deep, indelible psychological shadow.
It synergizes even better with "Megaroid City."
Just like now.
On the bleachers, Syrus grew more and more envious the longer he watched.
We're both using "Roid" monsters, but when I pull mine out everyone snickers—when Kira reveals his, it causes a huge uproar.
"I don't need to explain the Submarineroid, right? This card can attack directly."
Kira flicked his hand.
"Submarineroid, direct attack!"
The Submarineroid dove underground, slipped past Five-Headed Dragon, and surfaced from behind Zane's back row. Torpedoes loaded, trailing bubbly wakes as they roared forward!
"At this moment, the effect of 'Megaroid City.'" Kira said. "When a Machine monster battles, you can send a 'roid' monster from your Deck to the GY to switch that monster's original ATK and DEF for damage calculation only.
Of course, since 'Macro Cosmos' is on the field, it'll be banished instead of sent to the GY."
Kira took the card auto-fetched from his Deck, revealed it, tossed it into the air, and it was sucked straight into Macro Cosmos's vortex.
"Submarineroid's ATK/DEF swap!"
[Submarineroid, ATK 800 → ATK 1800]
"In that case—activate set card!" Zane shouted. "Trap Card: Power Wall!"
"Oh?"
Kira raised an eyebrow.
"Power Wall—during damage calculation, until the damage you would take becomes 0, you send the top cards of your Deck to the GY at a rate of one card per 100 damage!" (Anime effect)
Of course Kira knew Power Wall, he was just surprised Zane was this bold—activating it under Macro Cosmos.
Isn't he voluntarily yeeting his Deck into the banished zone?
"Submarineroid's swapped ATK is 1800, so from my Deck—"
Zane flicked his wrist—an armful of cards fanned into the air, forming a barrier before him.
"I send eighteen cards to the GY!"
The torpedoes detonated boom-boom-boom across the fluttering card-wall and were completely blocked.
"Macro Cosmos's effect—anything sent to the GY is banished instead," Kira reminded.
The eighteen cards Zane cast skyward all drifted, then turned to golden light and vanished.
In the stands, Syrus looked utterly baffled.
"What is big bro doing?"
In the blink of an eye, half his Deck had gone to another dimension—wasn't this suicide?
Jaden patted his shoulder and smiled. "He's Zane. He definitely has his reasons."
"Willing to banish that much just to block an attack, huh." Kira smiled. "After Submarineroid attacks, it switches to DEF Position by its effect.
I'll also switch 'Truckroid' to DEF Position."
[Submarineroid, ATK 800 → DEF 1800]
[Truckroid, ATK 1000 → DEF 2000]
"Then I set one card and end my turn."
"My turn—draw!"
As Zane drew, the vortex of another dimension reopened overhead. A Spell Card spun into view within the whirl, firing two golden beams into each player's Deck.
"Among the eighteen cards banished by 'Power Wall' last turn was 'Card from a Different Dimension,'" Zane said. "When this card is banished, it activates during your next Standby Phase—return it to your hand. And when it returns this way, both players draw two cards!" (Anime card)
Kira and Zane each drew two.
"And the activation condition is met now—"
Zane stepped forward, clenching his fist.
"Watch, Kira—this is proof of my evolution—my new power!
Activate set card—Spell Card 'Parallel World Fusion'! By shuffling banished monsters back into the Deck, conduct a Fusion Summon of a legal Fusion Monster!!!" (Anime effect)
"As expected."
Kira had more or less already guessed it.
So that's why Zane used Power Wall even into Macro Cosmos. He wasn't aiming for GY resources—he was stockpiling banished resources.
With his entire GY getting banished, it's deadly to his Deck, yes—but Zane had prepared countermeasures.
"I shuffle back two banished 'Cyber Dragons' to my Deck and Fusion Summon!
The Cyber Dragon's new strength—its brand-new evolution—
—Chimeratech Rampage Dragon!!!"
A never-before-seen Cyber Dragon form not shown in the anime—crackling arcs, grinding steel, a draconic roar—it descended onto Zane's field with a thunderous presence!
[Chimeratech Rampage Dragon, ATK 2100]
"Rolling out the new product right away," Kira said with a grin.
This was Zane's latest achievement since joining Kira's lab this term.
Of course, it was also the evolutionary path Kira had suggested and guided him toward.
"Yeah."
Zane nodded, speaking earnestly.
"This was thanks to your guidance. As a duelist, I've had two people of decisive influence.
One is Master Sheppard. He brought me into the path and entrusted the Cyber style to me."
In the stands, Sheppard's expression was complicated, and a bit moved.
"Zane—"
"And the other," Zane continued, "is you, Kira—who pointed me toward a new direction, helped me break through a limit, and gave me such a rare opportunity.
But even so, I won't go easy. Only by fighting you with everything I've realized can I prove my metamorphosis to you!"
He swept his arm.
"Chimeratech Rampage Dragon, effect activate!
When Fusion Summoned, target up to a number of Spells/Traps on the field equal to the number of Fusion Materials used—destroy them.
I used two materials, so I can destroy up to two Spells/Traps on the field!
I'll destroy the Continuous Trap 'Macro Cosmos,' and your other set card!"
Electric surges spewed from Rampage Dragon's maw. Macro Cosmos shattered to dust, while the other set flipped up and was crushed with a crack.
Trap Card—Dimensional Prison. A trap that can banish a monster when it declares an attack.
"Nice!" Syrus couldn't help cheering for his brother. "He not only dealt with the most troubling Macro Cosmos but also took out an even bigger latent threat!"
"Told you—he's Kaiser," Jaden laughed. "He won't go down that easy."
"And then the other effect! Once per turn, Rampage Dragon can send up to two LIGHT Machine monsters from the Deck to the GY.
This turn, besides its normal attack, it can attack an additional number of times equal to the number of monsters sent by this effect!"
"Oooh—backrow clearing and multi-attacking!" Jaden's eyes lit up. "Your brother's new Cyber Dragon is awesome, Sy!"
An OTK machine!