Chapter 401: Hero's Soul

Infernal Gainer's direct attack, Dark Diffusion!

Everyone saw that before this blow fell, Xiang Hongye seemed to have lost consciousness and fallen.

"Hongye!"

Xiang Lu couldn't hold back and tried to rush onto the stage, but was bounced back by the Orichalcos barrier without surprise.

"Looks like it's over," Kaiba also said.

But Xiang Hongye had already tried his best; it was not easy for him to persist to this point in his state. It's just that the opponent he faced was not one he could win against in the first place...

Just at this moment, a ball of fire suddenly erupted on his field, condensed into a human shape, and blocked in front of him with arms crossed.

Elemental HERO Burstinatrix!

【Elemental HERO Burstinatrix, DEF 1000】

An unexpected turn of events; everyone didn't expect that Infernal Gainer's decisive blow would actually land entirely on the Burstinatrix that popped out from nowhere at the very last moment!

"Ho, you actually still have defensive means?" The Arbiter was also slightly surprised.

The reason why it appeared at this juncture was undoubtedly because of another set card Xiang Hongye activated in the back row.

Trap Card - Enemy Alarm. When the opponent declares an attack, Special Summon a monster from the hand, and the opponent must forcibly attack that monster. (Original effect)

Obviously, Burstinatrix appeared through this effect and blocked this blow as a shield.

It's just that...

"Hasn't he already lost consciousness!?"

Mokuba looked at Xiang Hongye, who had already fallen to the ground, in surprise.

Could it be that the monster jumped out on its own to block the knife for its master? Is it that metaphysical?

"No," Kaiba said.

Everyone then noticed that Xiang Hongye, who had fallen to the ground, had his right hand pressing on the Duel Disk, seemingly pressing the button to activate the trap.

It was his own operation.

"This guy..." The Arbiter couldn't help but frown slightly.

He soon realized that Xiang Hongye had already passed out.

It's just that even when he fainted, his body stubbornly refused to accept defeat, almost instinctively activating the trap to block this blow.

"Mr. Hongye..."

Judai looked blankly at Xiang Hongye, who was unconscious on the stage, and muttered to himself.

He remembered what Xiang Hongye said to him earnestly while patting him on the shoulder before boarding the ship.

Always maintain a passionate heart for dueling.

At that time, he only felt that this was a matter of course. But now he deeply realized what kind of weight this seemingly simple sentence carried.

Xiang Hongye was using all his will, using his life, to personally interpret his philosophy to Judai.

The path he insisted on as a proud duelist.

Just at this moment, Xiang Hongye's fingers, who had fainted on the stage, suddenly moved.

Then slowly, he supported the ground with both hands, gritted his teeth, and slowly stood up again.

"Mr... Hongye..." Judai was almost unable to speak.

"It's enough, Hongye." Xiang Lu's voice was already choked with sobs. "You have already..."

But Xiang Hongye stood up, his face as pale as paper, yet he easily made a face at her.

Then he looked at the Arbiter again: "Why did you stop? I still have life points left, and there are still cards in the deck..."

The Arbiter smiled slightly.

"Then as you wish."

He waved his hand.

"Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, the final direct attack."

【Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman, ATK 5500】

The final direct hit, 5500 ATK, the green light of Orichalcos mixed into the pure white scorching radiance of Shining Flare Wingman, condensed into a light bomb like the scorching sun between his palms, its volume and energy expanding rapidly.

This would also be the strongest blow so far!

Xiang Hongye stood trembling, but facing the endless white light that seemed to annihilate everything, there was no fear in his eyes.

"Optical Storm," the Arbiter said.

Xiang Hongye took a step forward, the image of destruction reflected in his eyes, but there was no confusion.

That cold voice echoed in his mind again.

"From now on, every time you duel, your 'life' will be reduced along with your deck."

He had already decided.

Rather than living as a mortal, he would rather die as a duelist.

Even if he fell, his duelist soul would not dissipate. His enthusiasm, his spirit, would be inherited by a more excellent junior, never to be extinguished.

Boom!!!

Shining Flare Wingman's destructive light stream almost submerged the entire half of the field here, and Xiang Hongye's figure was swallowed along with it.

Judai couldn't help but shout: "Mr. Hongye!"

Kaiba also said indifferently: "Is it over?"

Although he failed to achieve the result he expected, at least Xiang Hongye fought to the last moment as a duelist, and also won Kaiba's respect.

However...

"Cough, cough, cough, cough..."

Shining Flare Wingman's blinding radiance dissipated, and the sky-high black smoke gradually dispersed. Only then did everyone see Xiang Hongye half-kneeling on the ground, seemingly having almost no strength left to stand up.

But he was still alive.

"What?" The Arbiter was also surprised.

A direct attack from Shining Flare Wingman of over 5000, having endured such an attack, why is he still...?

"I activated... a trap."

Xiang Hongye gasped, pointing to a trap card that stood up in front of him.

"Trap Card, Hero's Soul."

Hero's Soul. The turn a monster with "Hero" in its name is destroyed, it can be activated when the player's life points reach zero, giving one chance to restore life points to 100. (Original card)

"Hero's Soul..." Judai was stunned.

This card was simply the most realistic portrayal of Xiang Hongye right now.

Looking at Xiang Hongye's back on the stage at this time, Judai only felt that the figure, which seemed to be crumbling at any time, looked so tall, simply like an invincible giant.

"You took all five hits of the Elemental HEROes; I'm starting to look at you with new eyes," the Arbiter said.

"Your attacks have all ended," Xiang Hongye gasped heavily. "The effect of 'Chain Material', monsters summoned through that effect must all be destroyed during the End Phase of the turn."

"This effect is not limited to the End Phase when 'Chain Material' is activated, but as long as it reaches the End Phase and those monsters are still on the field, it must be activated."

"Although you avoided the previous End Phase through a turn jump, at the end of this turn, those monsters will still be destroyed."

What Xiang Hongye did was not just defense. Although the deployment the Arbiter made using Chain Material was indeed fatal, it was also a suicide attack. Once Xiang Hongye survived this round of all-out attacks, the opponent's entire field would self-destruct, revealing a fatal flaw.

In this way, it turned into Xiang Hongye's advantage instead.

"Indeed, but that's on the premise that I don't have this card."

The Arbiter calmly played another card in his hand.

"Quick-Play Spell 'Book of Eclipse', change all monsters on the field to face-down Defense Position."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 402 =====