Chapter 853: The Final Explosion

"My turn, draw!"

Akiza rekindled her fighting spirit.

This time it wasn't for revenge, or rather, it wasn't just for revenge anymore.

She was a duelist.

No matter when, no matter where, even in the darkest moment of her life, she had never betrayed this identity.

Yeah, once upon a time, that was also her pursuit and life ideal. She thought she had forgotten it long ago, but now it seems, how could it be so easy to forget?

Even in the most difficult moments, she didn't give up dueling, which was the best proof. It was such an obvious thing, why did she need Goodwin to remind her to realize it?

"Summon 'Night Rose Knight'!"

【Night Rose Knight, ATK 1000】

Akiza continued: "Night Rose Knight's monster effect, when this card is successfully summoned, Special Summon a Plant-Type monster of Level 4 or lower from my hand."

"Special Summon 'Dark Verger'!"

【Dark Verger, ATK 0】

"Level 3, Tuner monster 'Night Rose Knight'!"

"Level 2, 'Dark Verger'!"

"Two Level 1 'Evil Thorn'!"

"Tune!"

【3+2+1+1=7】

"Cold flames surround the world, dark flowers, bloom! Synchro Summon—"

"—Black Rose Dragon!!!"

Rose petals flew all over the sky, and under the embrace of the sea of flowers, the rose dragon descended under Akiza's summoning!

【Black Rose Dragon, ATK 2400】

"It appeared, your soul dragon," Fujiki You Xuan laughed.

Akiza looked up at Black Rose Dragon, her expression more complicated than in the past.

Yes. No matter when, Black Rose Dragon had always been by her side fighting. Experiencing with her, suffering with her.

She resented the power she was born with, but she never resented Black Rose Dragon, nor did she ever resent dueling itself.

Black Rose Dragon had always been one with her, fighting for her, and carrying her hatred, carrying all the pain.

"Activate Equip Spell 'Thorn of Hate'," Akiza said, "Equip it to Black Rose Dragon."

"The equipped monster's ATK increases by 600!"

【Black Rose Dragon, ATK 2400 -> ATK 3000】

"Then activate Black Rose Dragon's effect!" Akiza said, "Once per turn, banish a Plant-Type monster from my Graveyard, select a Defense Position monster on the opponent's field, and change that monster to Attack Position!"

"And, until the end of the turn, that monster's ATK becomes 0!"

Akiza revealed a Plant-Type monster in her Graveyard.

"I banish 'Evil Thorn' from my Graveyard, change 'Machina Fortress' from Defense to Attack Position, and its ATK becomes 0!"

Black Rose Dragon bit the Evil Thorn floating up from the Graveyard into pieces and absorbed its energy. At the same time, vine tentacles pierced out, binding the Machina Fortress in defensive posture, dragging the huge fortress up forcibly.

【Machina Fortress, ATK 2500 -> ATK 0】

In fact, Machina Fortress can check the opponent's hand and discard one card when it becomes the target of an opponent's monster effect. However, Akiza had no cards left in her hand, so it couldn't be activated.

"Lend me your power again, Black Rose Dragon!"

Akiza's apricot-colored eyes were full of determination.

"As a duelist!"

"Black Rose Dragon, attack 'Machina Fortress'!"

The reinforced Black Rose Dragon had 3000 ATK, and "Goodwin" had 700 Life Points left. As long as she destroyed the Fortress whose ATK was reduced to zero, it would be her victory!

Boom—

World-destroying magic flames, rolling flames swept across the opponent's field. Machina Fortress was melted and shattered by Black Rose's breath in an instant, burned into scrap iron. The psychic storm danced wildly.

Akiza panted heavily.

"Did I succeed?"

The smoke cleared, and the white-haired figure still stood there, calm and indifferent.

【Fujiki You Xuan, LP 700】

Akiza: "!"

"Quick-Play Spell 'Emergency Provisions', send the Continuous Spell 'Mirage of Nightmare' to the Graveyard, and recover 1000 Life Points."

Akiza bit her lip.

As expected, a difficult guy.

Fujiki You Xuan said: "When Machina Fortress is destroyed by battle, destroy any card on the opponent's field..."

"Useless," Akiza said coldly, "The effect of Equip Spell 'Thorn of Hate'!"

"The opponent's monster that battles with Black Rose Dragon equipped with Thorn of Hate cannot be destroyed by battle, and its ATK permanently decreases by 600 points after each battle."

Of course, now that the Fortress's ATK had already been reduced to zero by Black Rose Dragon's effect, it couldn't be decreased further.

"You have evolved, Akiza Izinski," Fujiki You Xuan smiled and praised, "The power contained in that blow just now is no longer just hatred. Only now have I begun to feel your soul as a duelist."

Akiza: "..."

Even if she didn't want to admit it, it was indeed so.

It wasn't just because of what this "Goodwin" just said, but also what Fudo Yusei said to her in the previous duel. Now she seemed to really not feel so disgusted with her power anymore.

Hatred, resentment, these were all dissipating.

Even for the first time in so many years, she remembered the innocent dreams of her childhood, the pure love and pursuit of dueling.

It was also the first time she looked at the Signer mark on her arm again, without resentfully thinking that this was a cursed mark, but instead the thought that "maybe this power can also be used for the right path" popped up.

"Well, it's about time to reach this step, my task is almost complete. Then let me quickly bring this duel to an end."

Akiza: "!"

Such an arrogant tone...

It sounded like this duel was just to play with her for some purpose. Now that he had played enough, he could end this duel casually.

Normally, hearing such words that were almost clearly belittling her, she should feel angry.

But for some reason, Akiza now couldn't get angry.

Even a voice deep in her heart was telling her that this person was just telling the truth.

"My turn, draw."

Fujiki You Xuan drew a card.

"Activate Spell card 'Necro Sacrifice'. Special Summon one to two monsters from my Graveyard to the opponent's field."

"I will take this card from my Graveyard..." (Original card)

Fujiki You Xuan smiled mysteriously and shook the Planetary card that had been in the spotlight last turn.

"Special Summon The Big Saturn to your field!"

【The Big Saturn, ATK 2800】

Akiza looked at Saturn appearing on her field in astonishment.

Giving it to her?

"Yeah, you're welcome," Fujiki You Xuan said, "Afterwards, according to the number of monsters summoned to the opponent's field by 'Necro Sacrifice', I can reduce the number of tributes accordingly, and summon a high-level monster from my hand without Tributing."

Fujiki You Xuan revealed the card in his hand.

"Therefore, reducing the number of monsters needed to be Tributed by one, I summon 'Cyber Dragon'!"

【Cyber Dragon, ATK 2100】

"Activate Spell card 'One for One'."

"Discard one monster card from my hand, and I can Special Summon one Level 1 monster from my Deck."

"Special Summon 'Tuningware' from my Deck!"

【Tuningware, ATK 100】

"And the hand I just discarded was the Level 1 Tuner 'Spore'. Spore can be Special Summoned from the Graveyard by discarding one card from the top of my Deck."

"Special Summon 'Spore' from the Graveyard!"

【Spore, ATK 0】

"Level 1, Spore! Level 1, Tuningware! Level 5, Cyber Dragon!"

"Tune!"

【1+1+5=7】

"Synchro Summon! Level 7—"

"—Seven Swords Warrior!"

【Seven Swords Warrior, ATK 2300】

"Then is the effect of 'Tuningware'," Fujiki You Xuan said, "When this card becomes a Synchro material, draw one card from my Deck."

Akiza: "Going through so much trouble just to summon this kind of thing? Even if you summon this kind of monster, it's not Black Rose Dragon's opponent..."

"Don't be in a hurry," Fujiki You Xuan smiled, "Then activate Equip Spell 'Black Pendant', equip it to 'Seven Swords Warrior'. Increase the equipped monster's ATK by 500."

【Seven Swords Warrior, ATK 2300 -> ATK 2800】

Akiza frowned: "That's just catching up to the same ATK as The Big Saturn..."

Could it be that he wants to perish together with The Big Saturn? But this thing was originally sent to her by the opponent?

What's the point of this?

"Seven Swords Warrior's effect, once per turn, when this card is equipped with an Equip Card, inflict 800 points of damage to the opponent."

【Akiza Izinski, LP 4000 -> LP 3200】

Struck by Seven Swords Warrior's sword, Akiza swayed and said: "This level..."

"Seven Swords Warrior's other effect," Fujiki You Xuan explained with a smile, "Once per turn, this card can send one Equip Card to the Graveyard."

"And, when the Equip Card on this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can select one face-up monster on the opponent's field and destroy it."

"Destroy one face-up monster on the opponent's field..."

"!!!"

Akiza stared at The Big Saturn with wide eyes.

Right, when The Big Saturn "is destroyed by a card controlled by the opponent," both sides take damage equal to The Big Saturn's ATK.

In that case, both sides would take 2800 points of damage...

"And when the Equip Spell 'Black Pendant' is sent from the field to the Graveyard, inflict 500 points of damage to the opponent," Fujiki You Xuan said lightly.

Akiza: "!!!"

Seven Swords Warrior inflicts 800 damage when equipped, 2800 damage when blowing up The Big Saturn, and Black Pendant adds another 500...

After a set of equipment combos, it can burst out 4100 points of damage in one breath.

OTK!

"But your Life Points are only 700 left!" Akiza said in a deep voice, "The moment The Big Saturn explodes, your LP will reach zero first..."

"Oh? Are you actually worried about me? I'm so touched."

Fujiki You Xuan laughed.

"But you don't have to worry about that.

Activate Spell card 'Trust Heart'."

"Tribute one monster of Level 2 or higher on my field, and add one Tuner monster with a Level less than or equal to half the Level of the Tributed monster from my Graveyard to my hand."

Fujiki You Xuan waved his hand to signal the Machina Fortress on the side.

"I tribute the Level 7 'Machina Fortress'!"

"Add the Level 1 Tuner monster 'Winged Kuriboh' from my Graveyard to my hand."

"Nani!?"

Akiza's eyes widened.

Winged Kuriboh... Right, the turn that thing is discarded from the hand, all effect damage taken by the controller is 0.

"Then I discard Winged Kuriboh, I will not take any effect damage this turn."

Akiza: "..."

"Alright, just as I said, the game is over," Fujiki You Xuan said lightly, "Although I would be happy to continue playing with you, unfortunately, I am pressed for time and have other things to do. So..."

He snapped his fingers.

"Seven Swords Warrior, send 'Black Pendant' to the Graveyard, destroy 'The Big Saturn'!"

Seven Swords Warrior slashed the final sword.

The Big Saturn suddenly burst the moment it took the sword strike, and the anti-matter torrent that seemed to annihilate the starry sky exploded from that steel core. The golden star ring fell, and the Black Rose Dragon on the field, the thorn equipment, along with The Big Saturn itself, seemed to be evaporated into quantum dust, bringing the end of the universe.

【Akiza Izinski, LP 3200 -> LP 0】

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 854 =====