Chapter 241: Unyielding Fighting Spirit

"Whew~ That really was an effective attack."

Jaden, having been knocked to the ground, didn't get up immediately. Instead, he sat up on the floor and suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

"What? Scared by that hit?" Fujiki You Xuan asked with a smile.

"Ha, you're joking, right?" Jaden patted his backside as he stood up, then laughed, "I'm just a little happy."

"This is how it should be. A duel should be the collision of both sides' souls. This way, I can finally feel it—Fujiki You Xuan, your burning soul is truly strong."

Fujiki You Xuan smiled: "So, are you admitting defeat?"

"Heh, how could that be?" Jaden said cheerfully, then continued, "My turn, draw!"

"At this moment, I activate my face-down card, the Trap Card 'Sixth Sense'!"

Jaden's face-down trap in the back row activated.

"I declare two numbers between 1 and 6, and you roll a die. If the result matches one of my declared numbers, I draw that many cards from my deck."

"If it doesn't match, I send that many cards from the top of my deck to the Graveyard."

"I see," Fujiki You Xuan chuckled, "Activating it during the Draw Phase, so you're avoiding the effect of 'Appropriate'?"

The effect of 'Appropriate' is that when the opponent draws a card outside of the Draw Phase, you draw two cards from your deck. Since Jaden activated 'Sixth Sense' during the Draw Phase, even if Jaden draws cards due to 'Sixth Sense', 'Appropriate' cannot be activated because it is still the Draw Phase.

"That's assuming you hit the number," Fujiki You Xuan said.

"Heh, I'm quite confident in my luck, not just my drawing," Jaden said, "The numbers I declare are 5 and 6!"

The die fell, rolled twice on the field, and slowly came to a stop.

It stopped on the number 6.

"Great! The die stopped on 6," Jaden said, "Therefore, I draw six cards from my deck!"

Fujiki You Xuan wasn't surprised in the slightest. One could only say that Jaden is worthy of being a top-tier duelist; he almost never misses in critical moments like this.

"I activate the Spell Card 'Soul Capture'!" Jaden said, "Destroy one monster on the opponent's field, then the opponent gains 1000 Life Points!"

He pointed at Fujiki You Xuan's field.

"First, that most troublesome guy... Destroy 'Black Luster Soldier'!"

Fujiki You Xuan responded immediately: "Then I activate the Continuous Trap 'Dimension Gate'! Banish one monster on my field from play."

"I banish 'Black Luster Soldier' from play!"

Jaden looked quite surprised: "'Dimension Gate'?"

A dimensional vortex opened, and Black Luster Soldier vanished into it. Jaden's destruction spell lost its target, and the capture failed.

"Interesting, this is really fun, Fujiki You Xuan! Alright, then this is my true full power, my beloved ace!" Jaden said, "First, I activate the Quick-Play Spell 'Burial from a Different Dimension', which allows me to return up to three banished monsters to the Graveyard."

"I return 'Elemental HERO Bubbleman' and 'Elemental HERO Sparkman', which you banished last turn, back to the Graveyard."

Jaden raised a card in his hand and shouted.

"Spell Card 'Miracle Fusion'!"

"Banish Fusion Material monsters from my Graveyard to perform a Fusion Summon for an 'Elemental HERO'!"

"I banish 'Elemental HERO Sparkman' and 'The Light - Hex-Sealed Fusion', which can substitute for any Fusion Material, from my Graveyard to perform a Fusion Summon!"

Sparkman and The Light - Hex-Sealed Fusion appeared on his field. After a burst of golden light, the latter quickly transformed into the image of Flame Wingman, and together with Sparkman, they were drawn into the fusion vortex.

"I use 'The Light - Hex-Sealed Fusion' to substitute for 'Elemental HERO Flame Wingman' and fuse it with Sparkman," Jaden said, "Appear amidst the shining radiance—"

"—Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman!!!"

A brilliant light erupted from the fusion vortex, and a metallic hero wrapped in divine radiance slowly descended. This was Jaden's current strongest ace, the evolved form of Flame Wingman after his second fusion.

【Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, ATK 2500】

"So, your strongest hero has appeared," Fujiki You Xuan also smiled.

"Even against a legendary monster, my Elemental HEROes won't show weakness," Jaden said loudly, "Shining Flare Wingman's monster effect!"

"This card's ATK increases by 300 for each Elemental HERO card in my Graveyard."

As he spoke, the images of various Elemental HEROes appeared on Jaden's field one after another. Besides those that had appeared in this duel, there were also those that hadn't, sent to the Graveyard via 'TakeOver5', the two fusions, and Card Guard.

Each Elemental HERO turned into a beam of light and merged into Shining Flare Wingman, each one making him more powerful.

"There are a total of nine Elemental HEROes in my Graveyard!" Jaden said, "Therefore, Shining Flare Wingman's ATK becomes..."

【Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, ATK 2500 -> ATK 5200】

"5200 ATK!" The students and teachers watching from the sidelines were moved.

"That's higher than the legendary Obelisk... No, even higher than the legendary Five-Headed Dragon!"

"Not only that, Shining Flare Wingman has the ability to inflict damage to the opponent equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster."

So, no matter which of Fujiki You Xuan's monsters he destroys, this punch would deal 5200 points of damage directly—a one-hit kill!

"Jaden's strongest hero is indeed a powerful OTK monster. If it lands even once, even at full health, it would be a one-hit kill."

Fujiki You Xuan paused and smiled slightly.

"Such a terrifying guy can't be left alone. I activate my face-down card!"

"Trap Card 'Infernal Polymerization'!"

The trap in his back row flipped over, and burning flames swept out like a tsunami. Before Shining Flare Wingman could even stand steady, he seemed about to be captured by the demonic claws within the flames.

"The effect of 'Infernal Polymerization': When the opponent successfully performs a Fusion Summon, I can Tribute a monster on my field to take control of that Fusion Monster!"

Syrus Truesdale was shocked: "Using 'Infernal Polymerization' at this timing? Doesn't that mean Big Brother's Shining Flare Wingman..."

"I Tribute 'Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning'!" Fujiki You Xuan said, "I take control of 'Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman'!"

Everyone in the arena held their breath.

At such a final moment, if the trap resolved, Jaden's strongest ace would be turned against him, and Jaden would likely have no power left to counterattack.

"Then I'll activate my face-down card too!" Jaden shouted, "Continuous Trap 'Dimension Gate'! Banish one monster on my field from play."

"I banish 'Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman' from play!"

A dimensional hole opened in mid-air, and Jaden's Elemental HERO was quickly sucked into it, avoiding the wave of flames.

Everyone: "!!!"

The same trap again!?

Are these two really just dismantling each other's moves like fellow disciples?

"I see..." Fujiki You Xuan also smiled slightly, "It means that, without realizing it, we have influenced each other more than I imagined..."

"Maybe so."

Jaden laughed heartily.

"Fujiki You Xuan is really interesting, and dueling with Fujiki You Xuan is super fun!"

Fujiki You Xuan smiled: "Save that talk for after you win."

"Heh, that goes without saying." Jaden said cheerfully.

The trump cards of both sides fled and vanished from the field, leaving the front rows of both players completely empty.

"Then I'll activate the Spell Card 'Trap Removal'!" Jaden said, "Destroy one face-up Trap Card on the field."

"I'm destroying my own card, the Continuous Trap 'Dimension Gate'!"

The spell took effect, and the 'Dimension Gate' on Jaden's field quickly shattered.

"The follow-up effect of 'Dimension Gate'," Jaden said, "When this card is sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon the monster banished by this card's effect!"

Fujiki You Xuan raised an eyebrow.

His instinct was to say, "Wait, don't make up rules," as all of the Elemental HERO fusion monsters have the restriction "Must be Fusion Summoned."

But he quickly remembered that in the second episode of the anime, Jaden tried to revive Flame Wingman with Monster Reborn.

Thinking about it, it seems that restriction didn't exist in the anime; it was added after the cards were released in the real game.

"Therefore, with my own 'Dimension Gate' destroyed, return to the field, Shining Flare Wingman!"

【Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, ATK 5200】

"And now, battle!" Jaden said, "Shining Flare Wingman, direct attack!"

Shining Flare Wingman spread his metallic wings, soared into the air, and carved a brilliant trajectory across the field as he charged toward Fujiki You Xuan!

"Then I'll use the follow-up effect of 'Dimension Gate' too!" Fujiki You Xuan said, "When the opponent declares a direct attack, I can send 'Dimension Gate' to the Graveyard."

"At the same time, the monster banished by this card's effect returns to the field!"

"Come back, Black Luster Soldier!"

【Black Luster Soldier, ATK 3000】

"But the situation hasn't changed, you know," Jaden said confidently, "Shining Flare Wingman's ATK is 5200. If this lands..."

"I activate my face-down card, the Quick-Play Spell 'Duel Fusion'!" Fujiki You Xuan said, "When a monster I control battles an opponent's monster, my monster's ATK increases by the opponent's monster's ATK!" (Original effect)

After being released in the real game, it was changed to only be activatable when a Fusion Monster battles, and the restriction "Can only be activated during the attack declaration" was added.

Although both Jaden and Zane were using Fusion Monsters in the anime, neither their descriptions nor the card text in the anime mentioned a Fusion Monster restriction, and the timing was written as "activate during battle." Thus, this type of ATK/DEF modification effect should be usable until before damage calculation.

Most ATK/DEF modification effects can be activated at the timing before damage calculation. Furthermore, the timing before damage calculation allows for new chains, meaning you don't have to chain immediately to the opponent's previous card effect; you can wait until the opponent's effect has resolved before starting a new chain to activate your effect.

"Therefore, Black Luster Soldier gains an ATK boost equal to Shining Flare Wingman's ATK—that is, 5200!"

【Black Luster Soldier, ATK 3000 -> ATK 8200】

"8200 ATK!"

Syrus Truesdale's mouth was already open wide enough to fit an apple.

That's even higher than Five-Headed Dragon... No, even higher than his brother's Power Bond-doubled Cyber End Dragon!

"Heh, as expected of Fujiki You Xuan, so strong, really so strong," Jaden laughed, "But I haven't reached my limit yet."

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell 'Trap Booster', discard one card from my hand, and I can activate a Trap Card from my hand with the correct timing as if it were this card's effect!" (Original card)

Jaden discarded a card from his hand and revealed a Trap Card.

"Trap Card 'Unification'!"

"Select one face-up monster on the opponent's field; all other monsters on the field have their ATK and DEF become the same as the selected monster until the end of the turn!"

"The one I select is, of course, the 'Black Luster Soldier' on your field, making Shining Flare Wingman's ATK the same value!"

【Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, ATK 5200 -> ATK 8200】

"Is the goal to destroy each other?"

"Not at all," Jaden chuckled, "I said, the one who wins in the end will be me."

"I activate the Trap Card 'Skill Successor' from the Graveyard!"

"During my turn, I banish this card from the Graveyard to increase the ATK of one monster on my field by 800 until the end of the turn."

"Increase 'Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman's ATK by another 800!"

【Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, ATK 8200 -> ATK 9000】

"9000 ATK!!!"

The crowd outside was stunned.

"With this, combined with Shining Flare Wingman's effect, if the battle resolves, Fujiki You Xuan will take 9000 points of damage," Jaden smiled, "What an interesting duel."

"Indeed, what an interesting duel."

Fujiki You Xuan gently closed his eyes.

"Thank you, Jaden."

After a pause, he slowly opened his eyes and smiled slightly.

"But even so... I don't intend to give up victory so easily."

"Eh?"

"I activate the Trap 'Unyielding Fighting Spirit'!" Fujiki You Xuan said, "When I only have one monster on my field, that monster's ATK increases by the ATK of the monster with the lowest ATK on the opponent's field until the end of the turn!"

Jaden's pupils contracted.

The monster with the lowest ATK on the opponent's field...

"That's right, you only have Shining Flare Wingman on your field," Fujiki You Xuan smiled, "Sorry, Jaden, let me once again gain Shining Flare Wingman's ATK!"

【Black Luster Soldier, ATK 8200 -> ATK 17200】

The students were beyond shocked, almost frozen.

ATK... 17,000.

In front of such power, even Five-Headed Dragon would be trash.

Watching Black Luster Soldier soar to an even more absurd level, Jaden looked up, watching the sword light that seemed to open the universe descend, momentarily lost in a daze.

"Unyielding Fighting Spirit... Is this what you found through dueling, Fujiki You Xuan?"

Before the light and dark sword energy descended, Jaden smiled again.

"Then let's go, Shining Flare Wingman!" he shouted, "We must respond to Fujiki You Xuan's fighting spirit with all our might!"

The two great aces clashed in a stunning collision!

Shining shots and light-dark chaos sword energy roared and exploded in the arena. The energy storm of the solid vision seemed about to break through the dome of the entire stadium!

【Jaden, LP 6300 -> LP 0】

(End of chapter)