CHAPTER 399: CHAPTER 398: TOTAL HERO ASSAULT (BONUS)

"Is the Arbiter not even taking this duel seriously?" Seto Kaiba frowned, arms crossed.

Koyo—is he not even able to gauge his opponent’s depth?

"I activate Spell Card ’Card of Sanctity’."

The Arbiter revealed an iconic draw card.

"Until both players’ hands have six cards, each draws from their Deck." (Anime Effect.)

Koyo gritted his teeth.

He’d had to sacrifice Terra to deal with Sphinx, leaving his field empty. But the Arbiter only had one card left—he figured he could defend against any follow-up.

But with his hand refilled in an instant, the danger level shot up.

"Next, this card—"

The Arbiter revealed another from his hand.

"Field Spell ’Fusion Gate’. This card replaces Polymerization—fusion materials are banished instead of sent to the Graveyard."

A pitch-black vortex appeared above the Arbiter’s field.

"Now I activate my set card."

The Arbiter flipped his back row.

"Trap Card ’Chain Material’. This turn, for Fusion Summons, I can use materials from my hand, Deck, field, or Graveyard, banishing them instead."

Koyo: "!"

The combo of Fusion Gate and Chain Material lets him use any fusion materials from Deck or Graveyard at will...

"First, the Wind-attribute ’Elemental Hero Avian’ sent to Graveyard last turn, and ’Elemental Hero Bladedge’ from the Deck.

Fusion requirements: Elemental Hero + any Wind monster. Fusion Summon—

—Elemental Hero Great Tornado!"

It was as if all the fury and power of heaven and earth became an invisible hand, tearing the field apart. A howling tornado, like a primordial beast, roared with overwhelming force.

The tornado hero descended, body mostly shrouded in storm, wings of a cyclone, standing at the eye of chaos.

[Elemental Hero Great Tornado, ATK 2800]

"Not done yet. Again, using ’Fusion Gate’ for Fusion Summon.

And thanks to ’Chain Material’, I can choose materials from the Deck.

From the Deck: ’Elemental Hero Clayman’ and the DARK ’Elemental Hero Necroshade’.

Fusion requirement: Elemental Hero + any DARK monster. Fusion Summon—

—Elemental HERO Escuridao!"

This time, darkness coalesced into human form, with menacing black claws and eyes deep as the abyss.

[Elemental HERO Escuridao, ATK 2500]

"Two powerful Heroes fused in a single turn?" Jaden couldn’t hold back.

"And it continues," the Arbiter said blandly. "Once again, ’Fusion Gate’ and ’Chain Material’—this time, materials from Grave and Deck.

Banishing ’Elemental Hero Bubbleman’ from Deck, and FIRE ’Elemental HERO Burstinatrix’ from Graveyard.

Fusion requirement: Elemental Hero + FIRE monster. Fusion Summon—

—Elemental Hero Nova Master!"

A hero clad in fiery armor, cape billowing like flames.

[Elemental Hero Nova Master, ATK 2600]

"Again, ’Fusion Gate’—banish ’Elemental HERO Voltic’ from Deck, and LIGHT ’Elemental HERO Sparkman’ from Deck.

Fusion requirement: Elemental Hero + any LIGHT monster. Fusion Summon—

—Elemental Hero Shining!"

A dazzling hero, as radiant as the sun, emerged from blinding light, arms crossed, surveying the field from above.

Elemental HERO The Shining, ATK 2600]

Plus the original Phoenix Enforcer summoned at the start—five fusion Heroes filled the field in an instant!

"Ugh..."

Koyo gritted his teeth.

For the first time in his life, he felt such pressure from the Elemental Heroes he was most proud of.

"This guy is insanely strong," Zane said. "To set up an entire formation in just one turn..."

"Mr. Koyo..." Jaden said.

"Fusion Gate allows unlimited fusion, and Chain Material lets you pick any materials. Isn’t that basically invincible?" Mokuba gasped.

"Well, not exactly," Kira said. "You can’t attack the turn you use Chain Material, and all monsters Fusion Summoned by Chain Material are destroyed at the end phase."

"Oh, I see."

Mokuba nodded.

"I thought so. Looks strong, but really, they can’t attack and self-destruct at the end. Just a paper tiger."

"Well, Fusion Gate’s job is done. Now I activate this card—"

The Arbiter revealed another card.

Though his voice was calm, the moment he played it, the entire arena was engulfed in endless green light.

"Field Spell—Seal of Orichalcos!"

Only one Field Spell can exist, so Fusion Gate shattered as it was replaced. The Hexagram Barrier unfolded, covering the duel field.

Koyo’s face hardened.

He remembered this frightening barrier from previous duels—within it, the loser faces death.

"I can’t attack the turn I used Chain Material, so even with this formation, it means nothing. They’ll all be destroyed at the end phase... is that what you’re thinking?" the Arbiter said coolly.

Koyo: "..."

He’d been seen through.

That’s how it should be. With Chain Material active, even Phoenix Enforcer, summoned at the start of the turn, couldn’t attack.

So why did his opponent do all this?

"You must think this is pointless, but what about with this card?"

The Arbiter shouted,

"I activate the Spell Card, ’Mischief of the Time Goddess’! Skip an entire turn, jumping right to my next Battle Phase!" (Anime effect)

"What?!" Koyo finally lost his composure.

The audience erupted.

He actually skipped to the next turn!?

’Mischief of the Time Goddess’—first used in the DM anime by Kaiba’s opponent Zigfried von Schroeder, and in GX by the Prince of Ojin and Sartorius, in the famous "Zero Turn Kill" scene.

For years, players considered this card’s effect too broken to ever be printed, but it was eventually released with heavy restrictions.

The anime art shows it as a Normal Spell, but the real card became a Quick-Play Spell, "can only be activated at the end of the Battle Phase." Most importantly, it was restricted to "Valkyrie" monsters only.

Though it kept the original "skip a turn" effect, its practical use was much diminished.

But without that restriction, the card is absolutely terrifying.

Like now.

"Entering my new turn’s Battle Phase—because a turn has passed, Chain Material’s attack restriction is gone.

And since the End Phase was skipped, all the Heroes summoned by Chain Material are NOT destroyed.

So now the question is—"

The Arbiter smiled slightly.

"As the world’s strongest hero, Koyo, how will you withstand a total assault from the Elemental Heroes?"