Chapter 169: Counterfeit? Replica? One of a Kind!

Xiao Liu's turn.

Her body did not move; the puppet strings on her body violently tugged at a massive card, which was slowly lifted into the air, then abruptly thrown onto the ground.

Boom—

Amid a thunderous roar, the card transformed into a monster, its bright yellow armor proclaiming its identity—the same monster Bai Jing knew well.

Gem Knight·Huang Bi, Level 4, Earth Attribute, Thunder Tribe, ATK 1600.

Immediately after, she pulled out another Magic Card and revealed it.

Granule Fusion!

By sending a monster on the field to the graveyard, perform a "Gem Knight" fusion!

Huang Bi on the field and Lan Yu on the field merged, spinning wildly; soon, a taller, more formidable golden-armored warrior appeared on the field.

Gem Knight·Lan Yu, Level 6, Earth Attribute, Thunder Tribe, ATK 1800.

Since Huang Bi was sent from the field to the graveyard, it can choose one card on Tenjo Hikari's field to return to the hand. It selected Midelash on the field, and simultaneously activated Granule Fusion's effect.

When Granule Fusion successfully Fusion Summons a monster, you can banish this card from the graveyard and target one Fusion Material monster with "Gem Knight" in its name from that Fusion Summon. Increase the Fusion Summoned monster's ATK by that monster's ATK value.

It revealed Huang Bi.

In other words—

Gem Knight·Lan Yu, ATK: 1800 → 3400.

Meanwhile, Midelash on Tenjo Hikari's field was struck by Lan Yu's shield; since it was a Fusion Monster, it could not return to the hand, so it was sent to the Extra Deck instead.

Xiao Liu's actions did not stop; since Midelash was returned to the Extra Deck, she could now activate Granule Fusion's effect again—when the opponent has a monster on the field, you can Fusion Summon a Gem Knight from the deck!

This time—

Bai Jing and one Fire-Attribute monster!

Amid rising black flames, a warrior slowly appeared on the field, his hands flowing like lava, wielding a massive red lava sword.

Gem Knight·Cheng Huang Jing, Level 7, Earth Attribute, Fire Tribe, ATK 2200.

It slowly raised its hand, using puppet strings to drag the monster forward for an attack.

Lan Yu's attack!

Like a puppet, it was forcibly yanked toward Lei Lei Yuanlong; its vastly superior ATK made its twin blades appear razor-sharp.

"Lei Lei Yuanlong can banish a Thunder Tribe monster from the graveyard to replace its own destruction! I banish Lei Long from the graveyard!"

But—

The damage still had to be taken.

Tenjo Hikari muttered silently.

Tenjo Hikari LP: 3700 → 2900.

Just as Tenjo Hikari prepared to endure the attack, Bai Jing suddenly manifested on his body; before he could call out to it, it leapt forward.

The incoming puppet strings were all caught at once; as they tried to retreat, it wrapped its body tightly around them.

"Captain!?"

"Lord Tenjo!!" it gritted its teeth and screamed with all its strength, "Even though you comforted me, saying this isn't my fault, that correcting the mistake is enough—but I cannot allow myself to stand here and merely watch!

Just as Lord Tenjo, you yourself chose to duel those flawed Fusionists!

Just as Lord Midelash said!

This is my responsibility, my honor!

Lord Tenjo, let me end this suffering!!"

Xiao Liu's expression remained blank as she continued controlling Lan Yu—

Lan Yu can attack twice per turn!

It was dragged forward again, continuing its assault.

Tenjo Hikari LP: 2900 → 2100.

Tenjo Hikari also banished his second Lei Long from the graveyard.

Meanwhile, more puppet strings surged forward; Bai Jing roared loudly, intercepting them all, even biting them fiercely with its teeth.

Seeing both attacks fail, Xiao Liu showed not the slightest alarm.

Then—

She slowly activated a Trap Card!

Trap Card!

Gemstone Fusion!

The card's illustration showed Bai Jing and countless gemstones!

Xiao Liu silently revealed one Gem Knight card from her hand, then used Cheng Huang Jing and Lan Yu on the field as Fusion Materials.

Countless gemstones.

Even the gemstone symbolizing Xiao Liu glowed to life, emerging from graves and darkness, coalescing into a noble knight wielding a massive, gem-encrusted greatsword—

Fusion Condition: Three "Gem Knight" monsters!

Gem Knight King·Hui Zuan!

Gem Knight King·Hui Zuan, Level 9, Earth Attribute, Rock Tribe, ATK 2900.

The Gem Knight King's ATK increases by 100 points for each "Gem"-named monster in the graveyard; currently, Xiao Liu's graveyard contains… twelve Gem Knights!

Gem Knight King·Hui Zuan, ATK: 2900 → 4100!

It slowly raised its hand and slammed it toward Bai Jing—

Countless puppet strings surged forward.

Logically, with Bai Jing's size and energy level, such a volume of strings should have overwhelmed it—but it roared again, undaunted by the approaching palm, catching every single thread, screaming in agony.

In its ears, it seemed to hear the resentful whispers of the puppeteered spirits, the agony of those turned into test subjects!

Phrases like "Come join me," "Why must I suffer this?" "I'll make you suffer too," "I want to die"—these echoed like sacred texts, dozens of spirits' voices and struggles screaming in its ears every second!

Yet even so, it refused to yield an inch—

It shouted toward all the puppeteered spirits and humans around it:

"I am a knight of the Honorable Gem Knight Order; my duty and honor is to protect the weak!"

"Come! Your pain, your rage—let me bear it all!!!"

Far away, Ye La, standing beside Tenjo Hikari, withdrew her cold gaze and nodded slightly: "Now that's more like it…"

Tenjo Hikari LP: 2100 → 600.

He looked up at Bai Jing in the sky.

At this moment, it was wrapped entirely in puppet strings like a dumpling, yet beneath that overwhelming mass, it showed no sign of collapse—only enduring.

This is truly…

Originally, Tenjo Hikari could have used Shen Ying Yi·Wendigo's effect to protect Lei Lei Yuanlong from destruction this turn—but at this moment, Xiao Liu had no cards left in hand or on the field.

That meant his earlier strategy had succeeded!

From the moment Xiao Liu began using puppet strings to attack him, he had been thinking how to win—and realized she had no rationality; she only sought to attack wildly. If she couldn't attack, she'd clear away anything blocking her—

So his plan was simple.

Make the opponent exhaust all their cards, and that's enough.

True, Hui Zuan's ATK was extremely high.

But—what did that matter?

"My turn—" Tenjo Hikari swiftly drew a card.

He needed to end the duel quickly, so Bai Jing would suffer less.

"Then—I activate a Magic Card—Granule Fusion!"

Same Magic, same card, same materials—but the target and intent were utterly different!

"Send Gem Knight Bai Jing and Gem Knight Huang Bi from the deck to the graveyard! Fusion Summon—Gem Knight Guang Ling Jing!"

Bai Jing, armed with spear and shield, draped in a red cloak, appeared on Tenjo Hikari's field as always—but this time, it shone brighter, more radiant than ever before!

Gem Knight·Guang Ling Jing, Level 7, Earth Attribute, Thunder Tribe, ATK 2450.

"After Granule Fusion activates, until the end of this turn, I cannot Special Summon any Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck except Gem Knights—but—no matter! Reveal the face-down card! Trap Card—Waste Stone Fusion!"

Unlike the Trap that gathered all gemstones into a supreme form, this Trap Card was the one Bai Jing had felt during his ordeal.

"Banish the Fusion Materials designated for a 'Gem Knight' Fusion Monster from the graveyard, and Fusion Summon one Fusion Monster!

This monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed at the End Phase!"

"I banish Huang Bi and Bai Jing from the graveyard to perform Fusion!"

"Fusion Condition: A Gem Knight monster and a Rock Tribe monster!"

"Huang Bi and Rock Tribe Bai Jing fuse!"

"Fusion Summon! Though it is a 'copy,' its honor will not fall short of the original knight—"

"Gem Knight·Fang Zuan!"

"Come to my side!"

Fang Zuan…?

Ye La looked at the card, then at Tenjo Hikari, and couldn't help but smile slightly.

Gem Knight·Fang Zuan, Level 8, Earth Attribute, Rock Tribe, ATK 2900.

Once meant to be dull and dark, this knight now shimmered with brilliant light; its body seemed cracked, yet beneath those cracks, its form appeared whiter, brighter than ever!

"Guang Ling Jing's effect: Discard one 'Gem Knight' card to destroy one face-up card on the field!"

"I discard the Gem Knight Jadeite—Destroy! Gem Knight King!"

BOOM—

Without any resistance, the Knight King stared directly at the Light Prism Crystal, as if gazing into a mirror, and silently vanished from the field.

"And now—Total Attack!!"

"This is complete! Let me—let Bai Jing, let us together, grant you all liberation!"

Under Tenjo Hikari's command, in the sky, Bai Jing pulled every single puppet string taut, drawing all the puppet strings, all of it, onto herself!

CLANG—

Puppet Xiao Liu LP: 4000→1550→0

Countless puppets around them suddenly lost power and collapsed—but before they fell, Bai Jing had already drawn every string onto herself, preventing them from falling, instead keeping them "standing" on the world, supported by her!

After these actions ended, the strings recoiled as if automatically springing back, slowly contracting and merging into her body! She bore the pain and power!

"Heh..." Tierra laughed lightly, "It seems I was mistaken. It's not a counterfeit, not a replica. Tenjo Hikari, it belongs to you—a unique Duel Spirit."

"Hah—of course it does."

Chapter Four, request monthly votes~

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(End of Chapter)