# Chapter 74: Dragon Knight Leiser
Before sunrise on the second day, all the Warriors and survivors gathered in the grand plaza before the central church in the Orion District.
Everyone looked solemn, silently gazing at the man in front of them.
"Everyone, I won't waste any more words. We have no retreat. Before us are ferocious enemies that outnumber us several times over. Behind us are the people we must protect," Yūga Hōzumi said slowly.
"I have staked the future of Heartland City on this day. Do you all have the confidence to win this grand gamble with me?" Yūga Hōzumi raised his right arm, which was tied with a red scarf, and shouted.
"Fight!" The crowd below raised their right arms and responded loudly.
"Depart!" Yūga Hōzumi waved his hand lightly, looking at Kaito, Yao, Yuto, and Serena beside him. After nodding to them, they each led a unit of 400 people and set off in their predetermined directions.
Subsequently, Shinjō Katsu, Miura Makoto, and Allen led 1,000 people into the alleys of the Orion District, dispersing to eliminate the infiltrating enemy squads one by one.
The remaining 2,000 people, under the command of Garros, rested in place, awaiting the changing of the guard in eight hours.
...
When Yūga Hōzumi and the others arrived at the battlefield and set up their defenses on the narrow main road, a ray of dawn broke through the east, piercing the night sky of Heartland City.
As the sky gradually brightened, units of the Blue Uniform Legion, clad in uniforms and wearing masks, marched in orderly steps from the end of the main road.
"Are they here?" Kaito coldly watched the red-haired man in light armor at the front of the formation and activated his Duel Disk.
"You are the defenders of this road?" The red-haired man chuckled softly. "You seem to have some spirit. You are worthy of becoming my trophy, the Dragon Knight, Leiser."
Kaito had no desire to waste words with him. He clenched his fists and let out a low growl.
Dazzling light bloomed from Kaito's chest. This light flowed over his body, turning his open trench coat pure white as faint cyan patterns slowly appeared at the corners of his eyes.
As Kaito entered Photon Mode, the members of the Resistance Army behind him roared and charged forward, each finding an opponent.
"Just a charlatan putting on a show." The red-haired man, Leiser, now a Dragon Knight, watched the changes in Kaito's body, curled his lip in disdain, and activated his Duel Disk.
"Duel!" x2
"My turn!" Leiser took the first turn.
"I activate the Field Spell, Charging Gaia!"
As Leiser placed the card into the Field Zone on his Duel Disk, the dueling ring around them was instantly engulfed in raging flames.
"The effect of Charging Gaia! I show my opponent one 'Dark Knight Gaia' monster in my hand to add one Level 5 Dragon monster from my Deck to my hand."
Leiser revealed a card from his hand. "I reveal Gaia the Magical Knight, whose name is treated as 'Dark Knight Gaia' by the rules! I add Curse of Dragon, the Cursed Dragon from my Deck to my hand!"
"If I control no monsters, or if my opponent controls a monster with 2300 or more ATK, I can Normal Summon this card without tributing."
"I summon Gaia the Magical Knight in Attack Position!"
"When Gaia the Magical Knight is successfully Normal or Special Summoned, I can Special Summon one Level 5 Dragon monster from my hand or Graveyard in Defense Position!"
"Appear! Curse of Dragon, the Cursed Dragon!"
"When Curse of Dragon, the Cursed Dragon is successfully Normal or Special Summoned, I can add one Spell or Trap Card that mentions 'Dragon Knight Gaia' from my Deck to my hand."
"I add the Spell Card, Spiral Fusion, to my hand!"
"I activate the Spell Card, Spiral Fusion! I fuse Gaia the Magical Knight and Curse of Dragon, the Cursed Dragon on my field!"
Leiser clasped his hands together. The knight and the dragon before him transformed into two streams of light, one blue and one red, and merged.
"O knight who bears the name of the earth, O evil dragon who brings ill omens! Merge as one and descend in the name of the knight! Conquer this battlefield of roaring flames! Fusion Summon! Level 7! Dragonic Knight Gaia!"
As Leiser called out the monster's name, a golden dragon carrying a knight with a red spear emerged from a red-and-blue vortex. The wind from its wings fanned the surrounding flames, making them burn even fiercer. The knight on the dragon's back pointed his spear down at Kaito.
"A 'Dragon Knight Gaia' monster Fusion Summoned with Spiral Fusion gains 2600 ATK, and it can attack monsters up to two times during each Battle Phase."
"And as long as Dragonic Knight Gaia is in the Monster Zone, its name is treated as 'Dragon Knight Gaia,' so its ATK increases by 2600!"
Dragonic Knight Gaia ATK: 2600 → 5200
"I set two cards and end my turn," Leiser said.
"My turn! I draw!" Facing the oppressive Dragon Knight, Kaito calmly drew his card.
"When I control no monsters, I can Special Summon this card!"
"Appear! Photon Thrasher!"
"When I control a 'Photon' or 'Galaxy' monster, I can Special Summon this card!"
"Appear! Photon Vanisher!"
"When Photon Vanisher is successfully Special Summoned, I can add one 'Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon' from my Deck to my hand!"
"I overlay my two Level 4 monsters!"
"Descend! O dragon that guides the light of the galaxy! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Starliege Photon Blast Dragon!"
Starliege Photon Blast Dragon ATK: 2000
"When Starliege Photon Blast Dragon is successfully Xyz Summoned, I can Special Summon one Photon monster from my hand!"
A javelin with a red tip slowly formed in Kaito's hand.
Kaito hurled it into the air, and the javelin whistled as it flew upward.
"O galaxy, shining in the darkness! Become the light of hope and dwell within me! Incarnation of light, descend now! Appear, Level 8! Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!"
The javelin Kaito had thrown unfolded iridescent wings amidst a dazzling light. The coalescing light took the form of a great dragon and landed before Kaito. A brilliant galaxy swirled within the dragon's eyes as it faced off against the Dragon Knight before Leiser.
Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon ATK: 3000
"A beautiful dragon," Leiser praised, looking at the dragon of light. "However, with only 3000 ATK, it's not enough to defeat my Dragonic Knight Gaia."
"Is that so?" Kaito smiled mysteriously. "Battle!"
"Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, attack Dragonic Knight Gaia!"
"I activate the effect of Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon! When it battles an opponent's monster, I can target that monster and banish them both until the end of the turn!"
Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon opened its mouth and spewed a brilliant stream of draconic breath toward the Dragon Knight in mid-air. At the same time, its iridescent wings began to glow.
But then something strange happened. From the raging flames surrounding them, a serpent of fire shot out and coiled tightly around Galaxy-Eyes, extinguishing the light on its wings.
...
(end of chapter)