Chapter 37

"Two-Headed Thunder Dragon?!"

"How is this possible? This is a card Tenjou Hikari has never used before!"

In an underground research facility, the laboratory's screen was playing a duel scene through a blood-red filter.

"Damn it, this data wasn't input into One-Eyed Bear's brain!"

"Tenjou Hikari's deck is full of variables; no one knows what Fusion monster he'll pull out. It's not your fault for missing it." A researcher stepped forward and coughed, telling them not to panic. "Besides, it's just a mere Fusion monster with no effect. What's there to be afraid of!"

"One-Eyed Fighter is our current masterpiece in spirit modification. How could an ordinary human possibly defeat it?"

With the director's explanation, the group of researchers breathed a slight sigh of relief. While they were nervously watching the big screen, a girl with a purple ponytail tied back with a yellow headband peeked in, curiously glancing at the screen.

A duel?

She leaned against the door, watching the duel with curiosity.

"Battle. Two-Headed Thunder Dragon, attack."

"Activate Trap Card, Messenger of Peace!" Seeing Tenjou Hikari controlling the two-headed dragon that looked so strange you couldn't tell where the head ended and the body began, One-Eyed Fighter opened his face-down card without hesitation. "Too naive, human!"

"The effect of Messenger of Peace: I take zero battle damage this turn, and my monsters cannot be destroyed by battle."

"Oh." Tenjou Hikari wasn't surprised. He shrugged and said, "Main Phase 2."

"At this moment, the effect of Heavy Fighter!" The Heavy Armored Rhino that had been on the field let out a cry, and then its body slowly turned translucent. "When the Battle Phase in which this card battled ends, I can return this card to the deck and Special Summon a Gladiator Beast other than [Gladiator Beast Heavy Fighter] from my deck to my field!"

"I Special Summon, Gladiator Beast Lanista!"

"Caw!"

A green bird clad in armor flew down from the sky.

Gladiator Beast Lanista, Level 4, Wind Attribute, Winged Beast-Type, ATK 1500.

"Beautiful. With this, I can Fusion Summon Caesar next turn!"

"Hahaha, let that ignorant Tenjou Hikari know what true Fusion is!"

Tenjou Hikari?

The purple-haired girl tilted her head curiously.

Is the duelist on the left named Tenjou Hikari?

"He clearly had Heavy Fighter with higher DEF, yet he switched to a monster with 1500 ATK? Brother Hikari, I feel like the opponent must have a trap." After a few days of systematic learning (getting beaten up), Kokukawa Haruto had gained some new understanding. Seeing this 1500 ATK monster, he immediately felt something was wrong.

"Ha, Haruto, your reaction is really fast." Tenjou Hikari nodded. "That's right. As far as I know, Gladiator Beasts have a Fusion monster called Gladiator Beast Caesar. It doesn't need a Fusion card. As long as you have Lanista and another Gladiator Beast monster, you can return them from the field to the deck and perform a Fusion Summon from the Extra Deck.

When that monster is Special Summoned, it can destroy up to two cards on the field. It's very powerful."

"..."

The air solidified, thick as deathly silence. The entire research institute fell into silence.

"How, how does he know about Gladiator Beasts?" someone couldn't help but ask.

"No, that's impossible, right? Those are cards that only duelists in the Professor's [Barracks] could possibly obtain?"

"They are powerful cards completely different from those useless Ancient Gear series on the surface. Only trainees in the Barracks are qualified to use them. How does he know about them!"

The Gladiator Beast series was a deck not released in the world; it was a series Akaba Leo had explored and obtained himself. They were internal cards of the "Fusion Army" in the true sense!

"Don't panic! Even if he knows, so what!" The director interrupted their clamor. "Even if he knows, he's just watching his own death!"

He stared fixedly at the screen, at Tenjou Hikari.

"Brother Hikari, how did you know its effect?"

"I am a duelist who pursues the ultimate in Fusion. There is no Fusion I don't know." Tenjou Hikari chuckled, spreading his hands with confidence.

Ultimate Fusion?

The purple-haired girl nodded gently.

Mm-hmm, so amazing.

"My turn continues. Main Phase 2. Normal Summon, Gem-Knight Tourmaline."

"The Fusion condition is a Gem-Knight and a Thunder-Type monster—I activate the Spell Card, Substitute Fusion." Tenjou Hikari revealed the card in his hand.

"Substitute Fusion?" Another thing everyone had never seen before.

"Substitute Fusion is treated as [Fusion] by name in the rules." Tenjou Hikari explained casually. "Therefore, it and the original Fusion can only have a total of three copies in the deck. But that's not important.

Substitute Fusion is a Fusion Spell that can only fuse monsters on the field.

I fuse Gem-Knight Tourmaline and Two-Headed Thunder Dragon."

"Let's go, Captain!"

"Fusion Summon! Gem-Knight Prismaura!"

The cool, shining great knight returns!

Gem-Knight Prismaura, Level 7, Earth Attribute, Thunder-Type, ATK 2450.

"Using a Fusion monster as Fusion material for a Fusion Summon—" Kokukawa Haruto swallowed hard. He felt that whenever he could use Xyz monsters as Xyz materials for an Xyz Summon, he would catch up to Tenjou Hikari in his understanding of summoning.

"Next, activate the effect of Substitute Fusion in the Graveyard. Banish it from the Graveyard and target one Fusion monster in your Graveyard. Return that Fusion monster to the Extra Deck, and draw one card."

Tenjou Hikari stuffed the Two-Headed Thunder Dragon back into the Extra Deck and then drew a card.

"Activate the effect of Gem-Knight Prismaura. Send a Gem-Knight Fusion from my hand to the Graveyard and target one face-up card on the field. Destroy that face-up card—of course, I'll destroy Lanista!"

"Ugh—" One-Eyed Bear let out a low growl.

"It's not over yet. I activate the effect of Thunder Dragon in my hand, discarding it to add two other Thunder Dragons from my deck to my hand."

"Wow..." In the research institute, a researcher couldn't help but sigh. "After all that, it actually went back to the way it was at the beginning..."

"And even changed to a different Fusion monster..."

"So... so strong."

"Ahem!" The director coughed.

Several researchers who were amazed quickly shut up.

"Set one card. Your turn." Tenjou Hikari spread his hands and ended his turn.

The director took a deep breath.

"Increase the dosage, increase the electric shock, increase the influence of the shadows. We absolutely cannot fail today. This is an order directly from the Professor!!"

"Yes!"

An order directly from the Professor?

The purple-haired girl was even more curious.

She tiptoed into the research institute, sat cross-legged on a chair, and watched the duel intently.

Let her see exactly what kind of person would make the Professor target them personally.

"Woooah, roar roar roar—" Powerful electric currents flashed across One-Eyed Fighter's body. Immediately after, the black energy and wriggling insects on its body became even more manic. After a burst of painful cries, its already bright red eyes emitted an even more soul-stirring red light.

"Ahhhhh!"

"I must win, ahhhhh!" It screamed in pain.

Tenjou Hikari's expression gradually darkened.

How despicable...

He touched the card on his chest and narrowed his eyes.

Seeking recommendations, seeking monthly tickets.

Reached the top ten of the new book list. To celebrate, I'm adding an extra chapter today! Writing hard!

So refreshing!

By the way, recommending a friend's new book.

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(End of chapter)