Chapter 95: Undying! Indestructible!
All duel long, Amano had watched Latir execute one beautiful Masked HERO transformation after another during the Battle Phase. Now, finally, it was his turn.
A Quick-Play Spell that could be activated during the Battle Phase.
Instant Fusion.
The final fusion spiral, the one that would reshape destiny, expanded on Amano's field.
"I fuse Vision HERO Trinity and Destiny HERO Malicious on my field!"
"What?!" Latir's composure cracked. "You're fusing two completely different HERO categories together?! HEROes can do that?!"
"I'm going to change everything you think you know about D, Latir!"
Amano thrust Finesse's arm toward the Instant Fusion spiral. In the space where destiny and the unknown met, the fire of fate ignited to the sound of a phoenix's cry.
Undying! Indestructible!
The most beautiful! The most powerful!
"Only those who have looked through fate can grasp the reins of fate!"
"Phoenix fire feathers tear the curtain of the final end!"
"Fusion Summon!"
"DESTINY HERO - DOOMSDAY PHOENIX!!"
[Destiny HERO - Doomsday Phoenix] [8-Star / DARK / Warrior / Fusion / Effect]
[ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2100]
[Materials: Level 6 or higher "HERO" monster + "Destiny HERO" monster]
The immortal flame of undying destiny blazed out from the Instant Fusion spiral, coiling and condensing into the shape of a phoenix. It landed on the field with the full bearing of a HERO who would never fall, never break.
Trinity fused with Malicious. A Vision HERO and a Destiny HERO, two completely different lineages. And what emerged wore the pride of something that transcended both.
Amano: 'Finesse, this is the Fusion I brought for you. The one that holds the power to control and change destiny!'
Finesse: 'Doomsday Phoenix, it really does match my name! Amano!!'
"From here on, the only thing destiny has waiting for us is victory!"
That line, Amano didn't send through the mental channel. He said it out loud.
Latir blinked. "Us?"
"Keep fighting, Doomsday Phoenix!"
The Special Summon had happened mid-Battle Phase, which meant the sequence continued. The battle was still running.
"Even with a new monster," Latir said quickly, steadying herself, "Doomsday Phoenix only has 2500 ATK. Both my remaining Masked HEROes still outpower it. Dian is at 2800, and Koga, with one less monster on your field now, has 3000 ATK."
Both surviving Masked HEROes exceeded Doomsday Phoenix's raw numbers. On paper, she was still ahead.
"Don't rush to conclusions, Latir." Amano pointed at the field. "Destiny's fire has been burning this whole time."
Latir noticed it then. Her entire field was wrapped in red-black flames that hadn't been there a moment ago.
"Destiny HERO - Doomsday Phoenix's effect!"
[All monsters your opponent controls lose ATK equal to the number of HERO monsters in your GY x200.]
"The undying phoenix inherits the will of every fallen hero. It burns the flame of destiny hotter with each warrior who has passed!"
In that instant, from behind Doomsday Phoenix, the silhouettes of the duel's fallen gathered: Destiny HERO Dasher, Disk Commander, Diamond Dude, Malicious, Tenacious, Dominance, Vision HERO Trinity.
Seven HERO monsters in the Graveyard.
"Seven HEROes in my Graveyard. Every monster you control loses 1400 ATK!"
[Masked HERO Koga] [ATK: 3000 -> 1600]
[Masked HERO Dian] [ATK: 2800 -> 1400]
"Now the phoenix flame can melt even diamond."
Amano raised Finesse's Duel Disk arm. The card in the monster zone burned steadily, the mark of destiny's strongest Fusion blazing on in its slot.
"Doomsday Phoenix attacks Masked HERO Dian!"
All the destiny fire burning across the field gathered into the phoenix's wings. Doomsday Phoenix burned to a temperature of 3,550 degrees.
Why 3,550?
Because that was the temperature required to melt a diamond.
"Burn through!!"
"'Destiny Hellfire: Phoenix Wing Inferno'!!"
Doomsday Phoenix took the form of a pure combustion phoenix and drove straight into Dian. The indestructible diamond shattered in a single moment, undone by the heat of fate.
[Masked HERO Dian: destroyed]
Latir LP: 2800 -> 1700
"AHHH!"
The physical feedback of flame washing over her suit was not nothing. If the Wein family hero suit hadn't been built to absorb damage, this attack at this temperature might have caused actual burns.
"Remarkable, Finesse. One year apart and you've grown this far. Perhaps I've been underestimating you all along."
She acknowledged it. But Amano could read the field. Latir hadn't accepted that she'd lose.
Doomsday Phoenix had finished its attack sequence. Koga was still standing on Latir's field. And next turn, Koga could activate its effect during Amano's turn too. Banish Dian from the Graveyard, subtract 1800 ATK from Doomsday Phoenix. The phoenix would drop to 700 ATK.
"You don't have a next turn."
Amano read her intentions and closed his fingers around the final card in hand.
This card was altered destiny. And it was also inevitable destiny.
Because this card was the third card Dominance had reshuffled into position. However destiny moved from here, this card was always going to reach Amano's hand. That was the arrangement he'd made.
This was his card from the start.
Amano's third Destiny Draw: Double Spell.
He'd loaded it into Finesse's deck yesterday during his adjustments. The logic was simple: weekly duels took place between Fusion Academy students, and Fusion Academy students used Fusion Spells. Stealing a Fusion Spell from the opponent's Graveyard via Double Spell would give an extra Fusion opportunity.
But Double Spell was a Normal Spell, and Normal Spells couldn't be activated during the Battle Phase.
Unless.
Amano pointed at the face-down card he'd Set on his very first turn, the card that had been sitting there since the opening moves of the duel.
"Trap Card: Sonic Chant, activate!"
[Sonic Chant] [Trap: Send 1 Normal Spell from your hand to the GY; apply that Spell's effect, ignoring any costs.]
This card had never been printed as a real card. It came from the theatrical film, it had existed only in animation. But in Eden, it existed.
Send a Normal Spell from hand to Graveyard. Treat it as that Spell activating, without paying costs.
Double Spell's cost was discarding one card from hand. Sonic Chant bypassed it entirely.
"I chain Sonic Chant's effect, activating Double Spell! And simultaneously, I chain Destiny HERO - Doomsday Phoenix's effect!"
[Doomsday Phoenix] [During either player's turn: Target 1 card you control and 1 card on the field; destroy both.]
A non-targeting destruction effect. No targeting declaration, no window to respond before targets were locked in. A single cost: one card Amano controlled.
"Doomsday Phoenix's effect destroys my Sonic Chant, and your Masked HERO Koga, simultaneously!"
"'Destiny Phoenix: Fate Reversal'!!"
In the same instant, the destiny phoenix fire split in two directions. Both cards burned to ash at once.
[Sonic Chant: destroyed]
[Masked HERO Koga: destroyed]
Cold technical note: destruction was not negation. Even though Sonic Chant was destroyed in the chain, the effect it had already triggered did not disappear. Double Spell resolved in full.
Amano collected the card from Latir's Graveyard.
All three Masked HEROes had fallen.
Latir's field was empty. And she only now registered what had just been taken from her.
"Quick-Play Spell: Mask Change, activate!"
Mask Change. From Latir Wein's own Graveyard. Now in Amano's possession, now activating from Finesse's Duel Disk.
The Quick-Play Spell turned into a transformation belt. This time it appeared around Doomsday Phoenix's waist.
"Transform. Henshin."
In the midst of destiny's roaring fire, Doomsday Phoenix activated the Masked transformation belt. Dark armor cut through the flames, locking into place piece by piece over the phoenix's frame, the transformation completing into a new hero form.
"I send Destiny HERO - Doomsday Phoenix to the Graveyard. Special Summon the DARK-attribute Masked HERO from my Extra Deck!"
"Impossible." Latir stepped back. One step, then another. "Why do you have a Masked HERO in your Extra Deck? Why can you activate Mask Change?!"
Because there was no reason not to.
Amano held a full HERO archetype Extra Deck. Every HERO series. Masked HEROes were HEROes.
"Burning to the end of destiny's fire. The phoenix body transforms into a blade of shadow. Soul of the dark hero, awaken!"
"Armor merging!!"
"MASKED HERO DARK LAW!!"
[Masked HERO Dark Law] [8-Star / DARK / Warrior / Fusion / Effect]
[ATK: 2800 / DEF: 1200]
The final Special Summon of this extended Battle Phase. The one blow that would settle the outcome.
"This is the last hit. Go, Masked HERO Dark Law!!"
Dark justice gathered at the striking foot. As Dark Law moved, the image of a true demon's face seemed to howl from the heel, concentrating every thread of destiny into a single decisive point.
"'Destiny Rider Kick'!!"
The demon screamed. The dark explosion consumed Latir completely, stripping away every remaining LP.
Latir LP: 1700 -> 0
The battle between heroes had burned all the way to the final end of fate, and Amano, piloting Finesse's heroes, won.
Dark Law, the hero who had delivered the killing blow, stood with arms crossed, back turned to the explosion effect going off behind him, posture completely composed.
True heroes never look back at the explosion.
[WEEKLY DUEL]
[WINNER: FINESSE WEIN (AMANO REI)]