"Backlash is fine." Kira shrugged.
"I choose 'Spear Dragon'."
[Spear Dragon: ATK 1900]
The image of Spear Dragon took form, roaring and blasting away Aqua Dolphin's sound wave. Failing to destroy a weaker card, the effect instead rebounded on Kira.
[Kira: LP4000 → LP3500]
Still, Kira remained composed. With Aqua Dolphin at only 800 ATK, he'd expected none of Trueman's monsters would be weaker.
The 500 point loss didn't matter—it was worth it for hand information. Since Trueman used a different deck each appearance, scouting his hand could shape the duel's outcome.
"Set one card. Turn end."
"My turn. Draw!" said Trueman.
He added the new card to his hand, then moved another card forward with a chuckle. "Since you already saw it, no need to hide it. I'll activate the Continuous Spell—Future Fusion!"
Space warped above the field, creating dazzling prismatic illusions, like a pathway to an unknown future opening up.
"With Future Fusion, my monsters will fuse in the future. I can now send the required Fusion Materials from my deck to the Graveyard—then, two Standby Phases later, Special Summon the Fusion Monster!"
"I'll be fusing the Five-Headed Dragon! Its materials are any five Dragon monsters—so I'll send five from my deck to the Graveyard!"
Five dragons flashed above the field, one after another diving into the Graveyard, gathering might.
"Think you'll even last two turns?" said Kira.
"We'll see!" Trueman laughed. "Now I play Dragon's Mirror! I'll banish the five Dragons in my Graveyard to Fusion Summon—Five-Headed Dragon!!!"
The forms of the five dragons reappeared, merging in the swirling energy of the dragon mirror.
The glass ruptured, unleashing a cyclone of roaring magma. As the mist cleared, a titanic body descended—jade, blue and crimson heads, its wings unfurling to blot out the sun, all five sets of reptilian eyes lighting up, the air vibrating with primal energy.
[Five-Headed Dragon: ATK 5000]
Even Jaden trembled as a spectator—albeit with excitement.
"Five-Headed Dragon, the monster with the highest ATK in Duel Monsters! Even the Gods can't match that power!" Jaden exclaimed.
"Exactly. Now, I Normal Summon—Spear Dragon!"
[Spear Dragon: ATK 1900]
"Sorry Duel King, maybe you wanted to test your deck on me, but I've no interest in playing around—this match ends now! Spear Dragon, attack Aqua Dolphin!"
The spear-jawed dragon soared forward, diving straight through the defense of Aqua Dolphin. Water burst everywhere as the dolphin was destroyed.
[Kira: LP3500 → LP2400]
"When Spear Dragon attacks a Defense Position monster, it inflicts piercing damage—but then switches to Defense after attacking."
[Spear Dragon ATK 1900 → DEF 0]
"Now your field is wide open. Five-Headed Dragon, attack directly!"
All five heads rose, their throats shining with five-colored light. Shadowy energy, molten fire, slicing winds, freezing bubbles, and quaking stones all surged together into a wave of chaos that surged at Kira.
"Activate Set Spell—'NEXT'! Select any number of 'Neo-Spacian' monsters from my hand or Graveyard and Special Summon them in Defense Position—their effects are negated."
Three cards slid from the Graveyard as Kira played the trap.
"I Special Summon three Neo-Spacians: Grand Mole and Dark Panther (sent earlier by Convert Contact), and Aqua Dolphin, just destroyed by battle."
[Grand Mole: DEF 300]
[Dark Panther: DEF 500]
[Aqua Dolphin: DEF 800]
Three Neo-Spacian monsters formed a wall!
Trueman snorted. "Persistent, aren't you? Still, let's crack that dolphin again."
Five-Headed Dragon's breath once again destroyed Aqua Dolphin.
"End turn," said Trueman coolly. "A bunch of trash monsters to stall for time—is this your kingly strategy?"
"Stalling? No, no, no." Kira shook his head. "This turn, you'll die to these Neo-Spacians."
"What?" Trueman frowned.
Die to a bunch of less-than-1,000 ATK Neo-Spacians? Against Five-Headed Dragon?
"Can't believe it? Watch. My turn. Draw!"
"First, I activate 'Space Gift'. Since I control Neo-Spacians, I can draw a card from my deck for each different Neo-Spacian I control. With two kinds on my field, I draw two cards."
Kira quickly drew two more cards.
"Then, I Normal Summon—Cross Porter!"