Chapter 60

It is Xiao Liu's turn.

Her body does not move, but the puppet strings on her body are pulling the giant cards frantically. The cards are slowly lifted into the air, then suddenly thrown onto the ground.

Boom—

Accompanied by a roar, the card transforms into a monster. Its bright yellow armor reveals its identity; it is a monster that Bai Jing is also quite familiar with.

Gem-Knight Tourmaline, Level 4, Earth Attribute, Thunder-Type, ATK 1600.

Immediately after, she pulls out another Spell Card and displays it.

Particle Fusion!

By sending monsters on the field to the Graveyard, perform a "Gem-Knight" Fusion!

The Tourmaline on the field and the Sapphire on the field mix together, spinning wildly. Before long, a golden-armored warrior, taller and more ferocious than Tourmaline, emerges on the field.

Gem-Knight Topaz, Level 6, Earth Attribute, Thunder-Type, ATK 1800.

Because Gem-Knight Sapphire was sent from the field to the Graveyard, she can choose one card on Tenjou Hikari's field to return to the hand. She selects the Midrash on the field. At the same time, she must activate the effect of Particle Fusion.

When a Fusion Summon of a monster is successful via Particle Fusion, you can banish this card from the Graveyard and choose one Fusion Material with "Gem-Knight" in its name used for that Fusion Summon. The Fusion Summoned monster gains ATK equal to that monster's value.

She reveals Tourmaline.

In other words—

Gem-Knight Topaz, ATK: 1800 → 3400.

At the same time, the Midrash on Tenjou Hikari's field is struck by Sapphire's shield. Because it is a Fusion Monster, it cannot be returned to the hand, so it must be returned to the Extra Deck.

Xiao Liu's operations do not stop. Because Midrash was returned to the Extra Deck, she can now activate the effect of Particle Fusion again—if the opponent has a monster on the field, she can Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight from the Deck!

This time it is—

Bai Jing and one Fire Attribute monster!

Accompanied by the rising of pitch-black flames, a warrior whose hands flow like magma, holding a giant red magma sword, slowly emerges on the field.

Gem-Knight Citrine, Level 7, Earth Attribute, Pyro-Type, ATK 2200.

It slowly raises its hand, using puppet strings to pull the monster forward to attack.

Topaz's attack!

Like a doll, it is forcibly dragged to attack Thunder Dragon Colossus. The ATK, far higher than Thunder Dragon Colossus, makes the twin blades in its hands appear incomparably sharp.

"Thunder Dragon Colossus can banish a Thunder-Type monster from the Graveyard to prevent its own destruction! I banish Thunder Dragon from the Graveyard!"

But—

The damage must still be taken.

Tenjou Hikari mutters silently.

Tenjou Hikari LP: 3700 → 2900.

Just as Tenjou Hikari prepares to face the attack, Bai Jing, who is attached to him, suddenly manifests. Before Tenjou Hikari can call out to it, it leaps out violently.

It catches all the incoming puppet strings at once. Immediately after, when those puppet strings try to retreat, it uses its body to bind them tightly.

"Captain!?"

"Lord Tenjou!!" It grits its teeth and shouts with all its might, "Even though you comforted me, saying this isn't my fault and that I just need to correct the mistakes, but—I absolutely cannot allow myself to stand by and watch while you are in front of me!

Just like how you, Lord Tenjou, took the initiative to duel those erroneous Fusion users!

Just like what Lord Midrash said!

This is my responsibility, my honor!

Lord Tenjou, let me be the one to end this pain!!"

Xiao Liu is expressionless, continuing to control Topaz—

Topaz can attack twice per turn!

It is dragged along, continuing to attack.

Tenjou Hikari LP: 2900 → 2100.

Tenjou Hikari also takes the opportunity to banish the second Thunder Dragon from the Graveyard.

At the same time, more puppet strings attack. Originally, Bai Jing lets out a roar, intercepting all these puppet strings, even biting them tightly with its teeth.

Seeing that both attacks were unsuccessful, Xiao Liu shows not a hint of panic.

Then—

She slowly opens a Trap!

Trap Card!

Brilliant Fusion!

On the card art are Bai Jing and countless gems!

Xiao Liu silently reveals one Gem-Knight card from her hand, then uses both Citrine and Topaz on the field as Fusion Materials.

Countless gems.

Even the gem symbolizing Xiao Liu is there. These gems light up from the grave, from the darkness, and then transform into a brilliant, noble knight holding a giant sword embedded with gems—

The Fusion condition is... three "Gem-Knight" monsters!

Gem-Knight Master Diamond!

Gem-Knight Master Diamond, Level 9, Earth Attribute, Rock-Type, ATK 2900.

Gem-Knight Master Diamond's ATK increases by 100 for every monster with "Gem-" in its name in the Graveyard. Currently, there are... 12 Gem-Knights in Xiao Liu's Graveyard!

Gem-Knight Master Diamond, ATK: 2900 → 4100!

It slowly raises its hand and then strikes toward Bai Jing—

Countless puppet strings attack.

Logically, given the size of Bai Jing's body and the intensity of its energy, it should not be able to withstand this magnitude of puppet strings, but it roars once again, showing no fear of the incoming palm, catching all the attacking threads, and letting out a heart-wrenching cry.

In its ears, it seems to hear the resentment of those puppet-fied spirits, the pain of those who became experimental subjects!

Words like "Come keep me company," "Why must I suffer this," "I will make you suffer this too," and "I want to die" roll frantically in its ears like scriptures. Every second, the words and struggles of a dozen spirits ring in its ears!

However, even so, it does not give an inch—

It shouts loudly at all the puppet-fied spirits and even humans around it:

"I am a knight of the glorious Gem-Knight order. My duty and honor are to protect the weak!"

"Come on, let me bear all your pain, all your anger!!!"

In the distance, Tierra, standing with Tenjou Hikari, withdraws her cold gaze and cannot help but nod slightly: "This is more like it..."

Tenjou Hikari LP: 2100 → 600.

He looks up at Bai Jing in the sky.

At this very moment, it has been wrapped into a bundle by the puppet strings, yet under so many strings, it has not lost its focus at all, choosing instead to endure it.

This is truly...

Originally, Tenjou Hikari could have used the effect of El Shaddoll Wendigo to protect Thunder Dragon Colossus from being destroyed this turn—but at this moment, Xiao Liu has no cards left in her hand or on her field.

That means his previous strategy has already been completed!

From the moment Xiao Liu controlled the puppet strings to attack him, he had been thinking about how to win, and then he discovered that Xiao Liu had no reason; it only wanted to attack frantically. If it couldn't attack, it would do its best to disperse the things blocking its attacks—

Then, his strategy was very simple.

Let the opponent run out of cards, and that would be enough.

Indeed, Master Diamond's ATK is very high.

But—what use is that?

"My turn—" Tenjou Hikari quickly draws a card.

He wants to end the duel quickly so that Bai Jing suffers less pain.

"Then—I also activate the Spell Card—Particle Fusion!"

The same Spell, the same card, the same materials, but—the goal and the thought are completely different!

"Send Gem-Knight Bai Jing and Gem-Knight Tourmaline from the Deck to the Graveyard! Fusion Summon—Gem-Knight Prismaura!"

Bai Jing, with a gun and shield as weapons and a red cloak on its back, appears on Tenjou Hikari's field as always, only this time, it seems even more dazzling and brighter than ever before!

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

"After Particle Fusion is activated, until the end of the turn, I cannot Special Summon Fusion Monsters from the Extra Deck other than Gem-Knights, but—it doesn't matter! Open the set card! Trap Card—Waste Fusion!"

Different from the Trap that gathers all gems to transform into the supreme form, this is another Trap Card—this is the card Bai Jing felt when it suffered its disaster.

"Banish the Fusion Materials determined by a 'Gem-Knight' Fusion Monster from the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster!"

"The monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed during the End Phase!"

"I banish Tourmaline and Bai Jing from the Graveyard to perform a Fusion!"

"The Fusion condition is a Gem-Knight monster and a Rock-Type monster!"

"Tourmaline and the Rock-Type Bai Jing perform a Fusion!"

"Fusion Summon! Although it is a 'copy', the knight's honor will never be inferior to the original—"

"Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli!"

"Come to my side!"

Lady Lapis Lazuli... is it?

Tierra looks at this card, then looks at Tenjou Hikari, and cannot help but chuckle.

Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli, Level 8, Earth Attribute, Rock-Type, ATK 2900.

The knight, who should have been dull and lusterless, is now shining with bright light. Its shell seems full of cracks, but the body beneath the cracks seems even whiter and brighter!

"Prismaura's effect: discard one 'Gem-Knight' card to destroy one face-up card on the field!"

"I discard Gem-Knight Sapphire—destroy, Gem-Knight Master Diamond!"

Boom—

Without any resistance, the Master Diamond looks directly at Prismaura, as if looking into a mirror, and silently disappears from the field.

"And then—total attack!!"

"It's done! Let me—let Bai Jing, let us together, grant you release!"

Accompanied by Tenjou Hikari's command, in the sky, Bai Jing also pulls up all the puppet strings, controlling all the puppet strings, controlling everything upon itself!

Clang—

Puppet Xiao Liu LP: 4000 → 1550 → 0

The countless puppets around seem to lose their power all at once and collapse, but before they collapse, Bai Jing has already pulled all the strings onto itself, preventing them from collapsing, and instead, they rely on it, continuing to "stand" in the world like this!

And after these actions are finished, those strings seem to rebound automatically, slowly shrinking and merging into its body! It has endured this pain and power!

"Heh..." Tierra chuckles, "It seems I was wrong. Not a fake, not a copy. Tenjou Hikari, it is your unique Duel Spirit."

"Ha—that goes without saying."

Chapter 4, requesting monthly tickets~

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