Netherworld Lady's direct attack, Dark Diffusion!
Everyone witnessed that before this blow struck, Hibiki Momiji seemed to have lost consciousness and collapsed.
"Momiji!"
Hibiki Midori couldn't hold back and tried to rush onto the stage, but unsurprisingly, was bounced back by the Orichalcos Barrier.
"It seems it's over now." Kaiba also said.
But Hibiki Momiji had already done his best; to endure to this point, given his condition, was already not easy. Yet the opponent he faced was never someone he could defeat...
At that moment, a burst of flames suddenly erupted on his field, forming a humanoid shape, with arms crossed in front of him.
Elemental Hero Flame Lady!
[Elemental Hero Flame Lady, Defense Power 1000]
An unexpected turn of events, no one expected that Netherworld Lady's decisive blow would crash into Flame Lady, who appeared out of nowhere, at the very last moment!
"Oh, there's still a means of defense?" The Judge was slightly surprised.
Obviously appearing at this critical moment was undoubtedly due to a Cover Card activated by Hibiki Momiji in his back field.
Trap Card - Enemy Attack Alert. When the opponent declares an attack, Special Summon a monster from your hand, the opponent must forcibly attack that monster. (Original effect)
Evidently, Flame Lady appeared through this effect, acting as a shield to block the attack.
However...
"But he already lost consciousness?!"
Keihei looked in surprise at Hibiki Momiji, who was already collapsed on the ground.
Could it be the monster jumped out on its own to shield its master? Is it that metaphysical?
"No." Kaiba said.
Only then did everyone notice that Hibiki Momiji, lying on the ground, had his right hand placed on the Duel Disc, seemingly pressing the button to activate the Trap.
It was his own operation.
"This guy..." Even the Judge couldn't help but furrow his brow slightly.
He quickly realized that Hibiki Momiji had already fainted.
It was just that even after fainting, his body stubbornly refused to accept defeat, almost through sheer instinct, activated the Trap to block the strike.
"Mr. Momiji..."
Judai stared blankly at the unconscious Hibiki Momiji on the stage, muttering to himself.
He recalled how before boarding the ship, Hibiki Momiji patted his shoulder and earnestly imparted words to him.
Always maintain a passionate heart for dueling.
Back then, he thought it was just natural. But now he deeply realized how much weight that seemingly simple sentence carried.
Hibiki Momiji, using all his will, with his life, was personally interpreting his philosophy to Judai.
The path he insisted on as a proud duelist.
Just then, Hibiki Momiji, who was collapsed on the stage, suddenly moved a finger.
Then slowly, he propped himself up with both hands on the ground, gritting his teeth, and once again slowly stood up.
"Momiji... sir..." Judai was almost speechless.
"It's enough already, Momiji." Hibiki Midori's voice was already tearful, "You've already..."
But Hibiki Momiji stood up, his face pale as paper, yet he playfully made a face at her.
Then he looked back at the Judge: "What's... stopping? I still have Life Points left, and there are still cards in my deck..."
The Judge smiled slightly.
"As you wish."
He waved his hand.
"Elemental Hero Flash Hero, final direct attack."
[Elemental Hero Flash Hero, Attack Power 5500]
The final direct hit, with an Attack Power of 5500, the green glow of Orichalcos mixed into the pure white blazing light of Flash Hero, condensing into a sun-like Light Bullet between its palms, its size and energy expanding rapidly.
This would also be the strongest attack yet!
Hibiki Momiji trembled as he stood, but looked straight at the endless white light seemingly poised to annihilate everything, with no fear in his eyes.
"Optical Storm." The Judge said.
Hibiki Momiji stepped forward, his eyes reflecting the image of destruction, yet with no hesitation.
The cold voice once again echoed in his mind.
"From now on, every time you duel again, your 'life' will diminish with your card deck."
He had already decided.
Rather than living as a mere mortal, he preferred to die as a duelist.
Even if he fell, his duelist's soul would not vanish. His fervor, his spirit, would be inherited by brighter future generations, never extinguished.
Boom!!!
Flash Hero's devastating light stream nearly engulfed half of the field, and Hibiki Momiji was swallowed by it.
Judai couldn't help but shout out: "Mr. Momiji!"
Kaiba also said calmly: "Is it over then?"
Although it didn't achieve the result he expected, at least Hibiki Momiji fought to the last moment as a duelist, earning Kaiba's respect.
However...
"Cough... cough cough..."
The blinding brilliance of Flash Hero faded away, and the soaring black smoke gradually dispersed. Only then did everyone see Hibiki Momiji on one knee, seemingly almost out of strength to stand.
But he was still alive.
"What?" The Judge was also surprised.
A direct attack from the 5500 Flash Hero, how could he still...?
"I activated... a trap."
Hibiki Momiji gasped, pointing at a Trap Card standing upright in front of him.
"Trap Card... Hero's Soul."
Hero's Soul. In a round where a monster with "Hero" in its name is destroyed, it can be activated when the player's Life Points reach zero, providing one chance to restore Life Points to 100. (Original Card)
"Hero's Soul..." Judai was already mesmerized.
This card seemed to embody Hibiki Momiji's real situation right now.
Looking at Hibiki Momiji's silhouette on the stage, Judai felt that shaky figure seemed so towering, like an invincible giant.
"You've taken on the five-fold attacks of the Elemental Heroes, I'm starting to see you in a new light." The Judge said.
"Your attacks are all finished." Hibiki Momiji panted heavily, "The effect of 'Chain Material', during the end phase, all monsters summoned through that effect must be destroyed.
The effect is not limited to the end phase when 'Chain Material' is activated but must activate as long as those monsters are still on the field at the end phase.
Though you bypassed the last end phase by skipping turns, at the end of this turn, those monsters will still be destroyed."
Hibiki Momiji wasn't just on the defense. Even though the Judge's expansion using Chain Material was deadly, it was also a self-destructive attack. Once Hibiki Momiji survived this wave of full assault, the opponent's entire field would blow up, revealing a fatal flaw.
This turn of events would then become Hibiki Momiji's advantage.
"Indeed, but that's assuming I don't have this card."
The Judge calmly played another card from his hand.
"Speed Attack Magic 'Book of the Solar Eclipse', turning all monsters on the field to face-down Defense Position."