Chapter 77

"This is my full power!"

Asuka began her operation, revealing another card from her hand. On the green Spell card, flowing golden light rippled.

"Spell Card 'Preparation of Rites'!

Add one Ritual monster of Level 7 or lower from my deck to my hand, then I can select one Ritual Spell card from my Graveyard and add it to my hand!"

She pulled out her deck, unfolded it, and quickly selected a card and showed it.

"I add Level 6 'Cyber Angel - Idaten' from my deck to my hand!"

The deck was shuffled and inserted back into the duel disk. Then, golden light shot out from the Graveyard zone of her duel disk, and a card was ejected from it.

"This card, which was discarded as the activation cost for 'Blessing Church - Ritual Church' just now, the Ritual Spell 'Machine Angel Ritual', returns to my hand!"

As she said this, she immediately inserted the searched card into the duel disk.

"Activate Ritual Spell 'Machine Angel Ritual'! Use monsters from my hand and field as Offerings to Ritual Summon a 'Cyber Angel' Ritual monster whose total level is equal to or higher than the Offering monsters!"

She revealed the two Ritual monsters she had just searched in one breath.

"I use Level 6 'Cyber Angel - Benten' as an Offering, Ritual Summon!

Appear, the incarnation of light and wisdom—

—Level 6, Cyber Angel - Idaten!"

The altar of the machine ritual appeared, Benten's figure flashed briefly, and soon turned into a pillar of light shooting into the sky; the full-figured and tall Cyber Angel appeared from the pillar of light.

【Cyber Angel - Idaten, Attack 1600】

The physical Benten had added the powerful ability of 'when this card is used as an Offering, I can search for one Angel-type Light-attribute monster from the deck', but that was an original physical card from ten years later; it didn't seem to have this effect in the anime original version.

However, anime characters could naturally draw the cards they wanted, so they didn't particularly need the search effect.

Asuka followed with a wave of her hand.

"'Cyber Angel - Idaten' effect! When this card is successfully Ritual Summoned, return one Spell card from the Graveyard to my hand!" (Anime effect)

The physical version of Idaten was changed to only be able to recover Ritual Spells, but it could not only recover from the Graveyard but also search from the deck. The anime original version of Idaten could recover any Spell; it could be said that each had its pros and cons.

"I recover this card from the Graveyard... Spell Card 'Book of Magic in the Pot'." Asuka said, "Then activate Spell Card 'Book of Magic in the Pot' again! Both sides draw three more cards from their deck!"

Fujiki You Xuan calmly accepted the three cards the opponent sent over again: "Planning to decide the outcome within this turn?"

Although the risk of sending resources to the opponent was huge, Asuka's decision under the current situation wasn't necessarily wrong. Because Fujiki You Xuan had the XYZ-Dragon Cannon on the field that could destroy cards and had full immunity, and Asuka, with only 200 life points left, would almost be sentenced to death next turn if she did nothing, so she could only gamble this turn.

This was the same principle as sometimes having to 'play through Maxx "C"' in modern Yu-Gi-Oh. The opponent activated 'Maxx "C"' during your turn, and as long as you Special Summon once, the opponent draws a card. And if you want to develop your field, you have to perform a large number of Special Summons, sometimes sending the opponent a huge amount of resources of more than ten cards in one turn.

But even if they understood this principle, many people would still choose to risk sending half a deck of resources to the opponent to play through Maxx "C". As the saying goes, gamble a bit and the bicycle might turn into a motorcycle; what if you manage to kill the opponent while playing through Maxx "C" this turn?

"Then I Normal Summon 'Cyber Petit Angel'!"

【Cyber Petit Angel, Attack 300】

"Cyber Petit Angel's effect, when this card is successfully Summoned, add one Ritual Spell 'Machine Angel Ritual' from my deck to my hand."

Asuka unfolded her deck to search again, and then immediately played the searched card again.

"Activate the Ritual Spell 'Machine Angel Ritual' searched from the deck again! This time, use Level 2 'Cyber Petit Angel' and 'Cyber Angel - Idaten' on the field as Offerings to perform a more advanced Ritual Summon!

Use the power of brilliance to illuminate the path forward, Angel of Light, descend here—

—Level 8, Cyber Angel - Dakini!!!"

The two angels disappeared into the ritual altar, the spiral pillar of light shot into the sky again, and the sacred four-armed angel rotated and flew out, holding a long blue staff in two hands and a sword in each of the other two hands, her aura as dignified as a queen.

【Cyber Angel - Dakini, Attack 2700】

Cyber Angel - Dakini, also the strongest monster used by Asuka in the TV series, her true trump card.

The physical 'Cyber Angel - Idaten' could add 1000 attack points to the Ritual monster on her field when used as an Offering and sent to the Graveyard, but that was also an original physical card.

"Cyber Angel - Dakini's effect!" Asuka waved her hand, "When this card is successfully Ritual Summoned, the opponent must select one monster on their field and send it to the Graveyard!

And you only have one monster on your field now, so you have no choice..."

Asuka pointed at Fujiki You Xuan's field.

"You can only choose 'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' to send to the Graveyard!"

The entire audience couldn't help but exclaim again.

Of course, there were also the voices of some poor students mixed in. For example, the laggard of Osiris Red, Marufuji Sho: "Eh? Isn't 'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' protected by 'Super Shell' and unaffected by any Spell, Trap, or monster effects?"

Misawa Daichi, the representative of top students who appeared beside them at some point, explained with his arms crossed: "Because Dakini's effect doesn't affect the opponent's monster, but the opponent duelist.

'Must select one monster on your field and send it to the Graveyard', this is an effect used on the opponent duelist. Fujiki You Xuan-kun accepts this effect and sends 'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' to the Graveyard; the nature is the same as him using 'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' as an Offering to send it to the Graveyard, so no matter how strong the immunity is, it cannot resist this kind of field-clearing method."

"Eh, is that so!?" Marufuji Sho was greatly shocked.

Realizing this, everyone looked at Asuka with increasing admiration. Especially Senior Kohinata Xinghua, who seemed to have completely forgotten that they were in a competitive relationship and also forgot why they were playing cards.

"Facing a monster with complete immunity that is almost invincible, and with life points running out... even in such a situation, did she find a means to reverse it?"

"Did she actually find the weakness of absolute immunity?" Fujiki You Xuan smiled.

"There is no monster that cannot be defeated." Asuka also smiled, "Any monster has a method to be conquered. This is the answer I, as a duelist, give."

"A good answer, but... unfortunately, I won't go easy either. Before Dakini's effect takes effect, activate set card!"

Fujiki You Xuan raised his arm, and the set card in the back row flipped over.

"Trap Card - Interdimensional Matter Transporter!

Until the end of the turn, banish one face-up monster on my field from the game!"

The high-tech transporter broke through the dimensional barrier and came, opening a huge vortex, sucking XYZ-Dragon Cannon into it without a trace.

Asuka: "!!!"

It actually ran away?

"In this way, when Dakini's effect resolves, there is no monster on my field." Fujiki You Xuan said, "Naturally, I can't choose a monster to send to the Graveyard."

"But in this way, your field has become empty." Asuka shouted, "Then 'Cyber Angel - Dakini', direct attack!"

Dakini flew out, her twin blades slashing straight at Fujiki You Xuan, who had an empty field.

With 2700 attack power, this strike was also enough to decide the outcome!

But just as that blade was about to fall, only a burst of white light suddenly bloomed, and a layer of transparent, illusory defensive gate blocked the blade slashed down by the Cyber Angel.

"Trap Card 'Counter Gate'." Fujiki You Xuan said, "Can only be activated when the opponent's monster declares a direct attack. Negate that attack, and I draw one card from my deck."

Dazzling white light exploded, instantly bouncing away the Cyber Angel's blade. Fujiki You Xuan drew a card accordingly, and Asuka's fatal strike returned without success.

"Alright... then I set one card on the field, turn end."

Asuka's turn ended, and the students nearby couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

It was too intense...

Such high-speed offense and defense, and endless methods, were really exciting for most students who were still in the 'Axe Raider' stage of hacking at each other. Regardless of the result, they were already impressed by both duelists.

And at this moment, Asuka was also under huge pressure.

She had already exhausted all her strength, even to the point of being somewhat overdrawn, but she could only reach this point. She still hadn't broken through the opponent's line of defense.

No, the opponent didn't even seem to have any obvious sense of tension.

Is this my limit now...

"End Phase, the effect of 'Interdimensional Matter Transporter' ends." Fujiki You Xuan said calmly, "'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' returns to the field."

【XYZ-Dragon Cannon, Attack 2800】

"Next is my turn, draw." Fujiki You Xuan said, "Dragon Cannon's effect activates. Discard one card from my hand, destroy one card on the opponent's field.

I discard one card from my hand, destroy 'Cyber Angel - Dakini'!"

"I expected that!" Asuka shouted, "Open set card, Continuous Trap - Chain of Demise!"

The Trap card flipped over, and deep green demon chains shot out from the card, flexibly binding the heavy Dragon Cannon tightly like a snake, unable to move even a bit.

"'Chain of Demise' can bind one monster on the opponent's field; that monster cannot attack, and its effects are negated!" Asuka said, "Although your 'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' had 'Super Shell' protection before and was unaffected by Trap effects, 'Super Shell' is a Trap used as an Equip Card.

And last turn, you used 'Interdimensional Matter Transporter' to make 'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' leave the field, so the Equip Card naturally lost its target. So now, the 'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' that has returned to the field no longer has Trap immunity!"

"Beautiful." Gold-medal commentator Misawa Daichi continued to provide commentary, "In this way, Dragon Cannon can neither destroy cards nor attack, locking down Fujiki You Xuan's offense in one breath!"

"Tenjoin-san is also amazing!" Judai also watched with glowing eyes, "Ahhhh, I really want to duel her! I also really want to duel Fujiki You Xuan-kun! Both are so strong..."

Fujiki You Xuan still just smiled.

"As expected, she still hid a countermeasure for XYZ; she is indeed amazing."

Whether it was deck strength or the duelist's destiny power, even Asuka at the current stage had significantly left most students of Duel Academy behind by eight streets. It was indeed not unreasonable to say she was the most anticipated strongest newcomer candidate.

But in this way, her resources had also been completely emptied.

It was over.

"I Normal Summon 'V-Tiger Jet'." Fujiki You Xuan said calmly.

【V-Tiger Jet, Attack 1600】

"At this moment, the effect of Continuous Spell 'Dimension Hangar' activates." Fujiki You Xuan said, "When a monster is Summoned to my field, if among the Union monsters banished by the Hangar's effect, there is a monster card that lists the name of the Summoned monster, those Union monsters can be Special Summoned from the banished zone."

Fujiki You Xuan revealed another card from the banished zone.

"Therefore, I Special Summon 'W-Wing Catapult' from the banished zone."

【W-Wing Catapult, Attack 1300】

"'V-Tiger Jet' plus 'W-Wing Catapult', transform and combine!"

The two newly appeared mechas began to transform and combine, releasing electric currents that attracted each other, nesting and assembling, and soon completed the two-in-one transformation.

"VW-Tiger Catapult, Contact Fusion!"

【VW-Tiger Catapult, Attack 2000】

"Then use 'VW-Tiger Catapult' and 'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' on the field for further transformation and combination!

Gathered power turns into an invincible Dragon Cannon, release the power to crush everything with roaring artillery fire! Five-part combination—

—Level 8, VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!!!"

The two mechas began to transform again, attracting and assembling each other. As the sound of metal friction and parts operation grew louder, they gradually transformed into the figure of a metal giant standing tall. The steel soles stepped as if the arena floor was trembling, the red wings of the dragon unfolded behind it, and the steel giant's body continuously bloomed with dazzling electric arcs.

It was just that after turning into the giant form, the position of Y-Dragon Head was a bit harder to describe. It could only be said that the Great Evil God Zorc, appreciating this design art, would surely call it an expert.

【VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon, Attack 3000】

"It's actually a five-part combination..."

Asuka looked up at the huge steel giant, momentarily stunned.

My limit... stops here?

"After the Contact Fusion, Chain of Demise naturally lost its target." Fujiki You Xuan said, "Then 'VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon', effect activate.

Once per turn, I can directly banish any one card on the opponent's field from the game.

Therefore, directly banish 'Cyber Angel - Dakini' from the game!

Off-field Bombardment!"

Electric light leaped on the steel giant, and the cannon barrels locked onto Dakini's location. Dazzling electric arcs leaped, and a light track like an electromagnetic cannon pierced through, penetrating Dakini's body and turning it into a phantom.

"Then 'VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon', direct attack!"

Fujiki You Xuan tilted his head to brew the skill name.

"... Justice from the Sky!"

Several cannon barrels on the mecha giant popped open, and all the barrels locked on simultaneously. Dazzling light beams, scorching artillery fire, missiles filling the sky, the overwhelming bombardment surged like blocking the sky and sun...

Asuka gently closed her eyes.

I see.

I lost...

Boom—!

【Tenjoin Asuka, LP200→LP0】

(End of chapter)