"You actually blocked it? Just one more strike to go—what a pity!"

Deion Kaiser scratched his head with his rough hand, clearly frustrated.

"If only I could break past the bottleneck of five consecutive attacks. If I could manage that, I'd win Duels much faster."

It wasn't as though Kaiser hadn't tried to land a five-hit Cyber Dragon combo before.

That said, the difference between a four-hit and five-hit combo felt like a metaphysical wall.

Every time he felt he was close, something was always just barely missing.

"I set one card. Turn end."

"Alright, fine. I admit it. It's time for me to start struggling."

Blown to the Duel Arena's edge by Cyber Twin Dragon's direct attack, Miles stepped back into the center, LP locked at 200.

"My turn, draw!"

The card drawn wasn't the [Polymerization] Irene had hoped for.

"Miles, you said we no longer need Polymerization. Why's that?"

"Because of [Fusion Gate], of course," Miles answered patiently. "It's an A-rank rare card, so it's normal if you haven't seen it. But remember this: Field Spells affect both players once activated."

"Field Spell... Fusion Gate! I get it now, Miles!"

Irene, momentarily dazed, snapped back into understanding.

"Exactly! That means we can use it too—the [Fusion Gate] that's in the Field Spell Zone!"

Taking advantage of the opponent's A-rank Field Spell for free, Miles held up two HERO monsters from his hand as Fusion Materials, and cast them into the background-merged [Fusion Gate].

"I also activate [Fusion Gate]'s effect. I banish [Elemental HERO Avian] and [Elemental HERO Burstinatrix] from my hand to Fusion Summon—[Elemental HERO Flame Wingman]!"

[Elemental HERO Flame Wingman] Level 6│WIND│Warrior / Fusion / Effect│2100 ATK

[Elemental HERO Avian + Elemental HERO Burstinatrix]

This was Irene's first Fusion HERO and the one that turned the tide during her first Soul Exchange Duel with Miles.

Flame Wingman descended dramatically through a fusion of fire and wind.

"It worked, Miles! Flame Wingman is here!"

"Using my own Fusion against me? Now things are getting interesting."

Seeing his own [Fusion Gate] used against him to summon a HERO Fusion, Kaiser's fighting spirit was reignited.

"Still, can your Fusion HERO with 2100 Attack really stand up to Cyber Twin Dragon?"

"Oh, it can. Watch closely, Kaiser-senpai."

Miles played the key Field Spell drawn with Bubbleman's effect and Miracle's Wake.

"Here we go, here we go, Miles!"

Even in her soul state, Irene felt her blood pumping.

"Time to put on a show, Miles!"

Miles and Irene said in unison, "Heroes fight on their own battlefield!"

"Field Spell [Skyscraper] activate!"

Raising the Field Spell above his head, Miles shattered Deion Kaiser's [Fusion Gate].

Dueling on the Spirit Continent followed more traditional rules—only one Field Spell can exist between both players; a newly activated Field Spell directly replaces and destroys the previous one.

This rule prevented visual weirdness like half the arena being [Fusion Gate] and the other half [Skyscraper].

Standing tall, Flame Wingman took his place atop the towering [Skyscraper], rising into the HERO city skyline.

"While [Skyscraper] is active, when an Elemental HERO battles a monster with higher Attack, it gains 1000 Attack!"

Known for slaying even 3000-ATK monsters, Flame Wingman had no issue taking down the 2800-ATK Cyber Twin Dragon.

"Next, I Normal Summon in Attack Position—[Elemental HERO Sparkman]!"

[Elemental HERO Sparkman, ATK: 1600]

Recovered earlier through [HERO Blast], Sparkman zipped through the city as a bolt of lightning.

Although Miles knew Sparkman and Flame Wingman could fuse into an upgraded form, the math didn't favor it.

With [Skyscraper]'s 1000-point boost, it equaled Shining Flame Wingman's total anyway, and he'd lose Sparkman's follow-up attack.

"This is enough—the HERO counterstrike! Flame Wingman, destroy Cyber Twin Dragon!"

[Flame Wingman, ATK: 2100 → 3100]

"'Skyscraper Shoot'!"

Flame Wingman charged, clashing with Cyber Twin Dragon's Photon Stream. The force from the tower's peak turned the tide.

[Cyber Twin Dragon] Destroyed

[Deion Kaiser, LP: 3200 → 2900]

"And now bonus damage! Flame Wingman's effect inflicts damage equal to the destroyed monster's Attack! 'Flamed Breaker'!"

A burst of justice-scorching flame engulfed Deion Kaiser.

[Deion Kaiser, LP: 2900 → 100]

"Final hit! Elemental HERO Sparkman! 'Lightning Knight Kick'!"

Sparkman cut through the night with a streak of lightning.

"My turn to struggle, huh?!"

Kaiser gritted his teeth and stepped forward, shattering the hero's flames with sheer force.

"Continuous Trap Card activate: [Metal Reflect Slime]!"

[After activation, it becomes an Effect Monster (Aqua / WATER / Level 10 / 0 ATK / 3000 DEF) in Defense Position. Still treated as a Trap.]

The Trap transformed into a defensive monster with 3000 Defense, blocking Sparkman's path.

"With the opponent's monster count changing, I can retract my attack. Sparkman, disengage!"

Sparkman retreated just in time. With only 200 LP left, crashing into Metal Reflect Slime would've ended the Duel.

"Damn. That locked his LP at 100."

Miles had a bad feeling.

[Irene, LP: 200]

[Deion, LP: 100]

Miles had exhausted his offensive options this turn, practically handing Kaiser a perfect comeback setup.

"Is this bad, Miles?"

"Hard to say. Depends on what he draws next."

Setting his last 2 cards, Miles ended his turn.

"I set two cards. Turn end!"

Maybe it wasn't all bad?

[Fusion Gate] was gone. And in Spirit Continent, cards followed anime-maxed effects. [Skyscraper] could trigger during the opponent's turn, too.

Meaning, even to beat Sparkman, you'd need at least 2600 ATK.

Unless Deion drew a Fusion Spell and matching materials, getting past that would be hard.

"My turn, draw!"

With a thunderous draw that nearly crushed the card, Kaiser roared:

"Watch closely! This is me and my Cyber Dragon's ultimate struggle for victory! Spell Card [Metamorphosis] activate!"

"Metamorphosis?!" Miles was stunned.

An A-rank banned Spell—Deion had drawn it now of all times.

[Tribute 1 monster you control; Special Summon 1 Fusion Monster with the same Level from your Extra Deck.]

"I Tribute my Level 10 [Metal Reflect Slime] to Special Summon a Fusion Monster of the same Level from my Extra Deck!"

"That thing's Level 10?!" Irene exclaimed.

Students watching gasped in unison.

No one had paid attention to the fact that a defensive Trap Monster like Metal Reflect Slime had such a high Level.

Ten glowing stars representing its Level circled the field, then channeled into the Extra Deck.

"Feast your eyes! I Special Summon my Level 10 Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck! The ultimate Cyber Dragon! Shine with eternal evolution and take your strongest form—Cyber End Dragon!"

[Cyber End Dragon] Level 10│LIGHT│Machine / Fusion / Effect│4000 ATK

A monster requiring three Cyber Dragons to fuse, now summoned with terrifying ease.

The triple-headed Cyber End Dragon roared into the night sky above the [Skyscraper], a mechanized titan of destruction.

...

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