CHAPTER 403: CHAPTER 402: FIGHTING TO THE END

[Elemental HERO Absolute Zero, ATK 6000!]

"Next, Terra’s effect activates. I can tribute an Elemental HERO on my field, and Terra gains that monster’s ATK and DEF values!"

Koyo declared.

"So, I tribute ’Elemental HERO Great Tornado.’ Terra gains its attack power!

Earth Magma!!!"

Great Tornado’s body dissolved into particles of light, all its energy absorbed into Terra.

Terra’s whole body instantly turned a fiery red, like magma erupting from deep in the earth. Unleashed, destructive power surged as a blazing dragon of molten lava fired from his back, exuding heat enough to melt metal.

[Elemental HERO Terra Firma, ATK 2500 → 5300]

"Two monsters: one with ATK 5300, one with ATK 6000!"

Jaden’s eyes were full of awe.

This is the power of the man called the greatest hero on earth—Koyo, counterattacking from the brink!

Kira watched silently, chin in hand.

If it were him, he’d probably have Terra absorb Absolute Zero’s attack too. That way, Terra’s ATK would break ten thousand, and more importantly, he could trigger Absolute Zero’s best effect: "Absolute Zero"—when it leaves the field, destroy all opposing monsters.

Then he remembered: oh, right, that effect was added in the card game’s version.

In the manga, Absolute Zero only gained ATK based on the number of WATER monsters on the field. But in the real card game, that effect is ignored; people use Absolute Zero just for its field-wipe.

So even in Koyo’s powerful HERO deck, there are still areas to improve.

Too bad—if Absolute Zero had the field-wipe, Koyo could have done even more.

Actually, he thought, absorbing Great Tornado wasn’t strictly necessary. Terra’s boosted ATK would revert at the end of the turn.

But, well, it’s a soul card—powering up for morale is pretty normal.

"Battle!" Koyo shouted. "First, ’Elemental HERO Terra Firma’ attacks ’Elemental HERO The Shining’!"

Terra’s attack was more than enough. The opponent’s monsters, weakened by Great Tornado, had their stats halved. If Koyo’s all-out attack landed, it would be a comeback from the edge!

Of course, things wouldn’t go that smoothly.

"Trap Card, ’Relieve Monster,’" the Arbiter said. "When an opponent’s monster declares an attack, I can return a monster from my field to my hand, then Special Summon a Level 4 monster from my hand."

He glanced at his monsters.

"I’ll return ’Elemental HERO Phoenix Enforcer’ to my hand, and Special Summon this card—

—Orichalcos Kyutora." (Anime card)

Phoenix Enforcer disappeared in a blaze, returning to the deck. A bizarre, spiky monster appeared in his back row, its body dominated by a single eerie eye.

[Orichalcos Kyutora, ATK 500 → 1000] (Orichalcos boost)

"What?" Koyo frowned.

Not only was the monster’s appearance strange, but its position was odd—it appeared behind the four Elemental HEROes, in the Spell/Trap zone.

"Seal of Orichalcos, second effect: my Monster Zones and Spell/Trap Zones are interchangeable. Monsters can be summoned to the back row."

The Arbiter explained calmly.

"Also, until all monsters in my front row are destroyed, you can’t target my back row monsters for attacks."

Koyo’s frown deepened.

Such a bizarre effect.

And that monster made him uneasy.

In the audience, Seto Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

"That guy."

He couldn’t possibly forget this card.

It was one of Dartz’s key cards.

"Abandoned the HERO deck and finally brought out his true monsters?" Kaiba said quietly.

In a way, it was an acknowledgment of Koyo as an opponent.

But now, Koyo couldn’t back down.

"Battle resumes, but my attack continues," Koyo said. "Continue attacking ’Elemental HERO The Shining’!"

[Elemental HERO The Shining, ATK 2750]

Earth Magma Slash!

Terra’s molten blade cut through The Shining, melting and destroying the hero.

"Nice!" Jaden said. "That’s massive damage!"

"No," Kira shook his head.

"Huh?"

After The Shining was destroyed, the fire and energy released were sucked into Kyutora’s eye—the newly summoned, ominous monster.

And the Arbiter’s Life Points were unscathed.

"What?" Koyo was shocked.

"Orichalcos Kyutora’s effect absorbs battle damage," the Arbiter said. "As long as it’s on the field, all battle damage I would take becomes zero."

Koyo gritted his teeth.

Due to Seal of Orichalcos, he couldn’t attack Kyutora until the front row monsters were gone. But if Kyutora wasn’t destroyed, he couldn’t inflict any damage.

He glanced at the three remaining HEROes on the opponent’s field.

Normally, even if you couldn’t inflict damage, you’d at least reduce the opponent’s monsters.

But that ominous eye, especially the way it absorbed energy, gave him a chill.

"So, will you continue attacking?" the Arbiter asked.

"I stop my attacks. End turn."

Koyo took a deep breath.

He couldn’t say why—maybe it was a duelist’s instinct.

As if a voice inside warned him: don’t attack, or something worse will happen.

"Oh? You sensed danger from Kyutora and stopped? Heh, sharp instinct for someone with no idea of my tactics—truly the gift of a top duelist.

But it changes nothing."

The Arbiter slowly raised his arm.

"My turn. Draw."

"I activate my set card, Trap Card ’Alchemy Cycle.’ All my face-up monsters’ original ATK becomes 0."

[Elemental HERO Nova Master, ATK 500]

[Elemental HERO Great Tornado, ATK 500]

[Elemental HERO Escuridao, ATK 600]

[Orichalcos Kyutora, ATK 500]

Only Escuridao, due to a HERO in the graveyard, had more than 500 ATK; the rest reverted to 500.

Koyo was confused: "You reduced your own monsters’ ATK to zero?"

"Now, battle."

The Arbiter waved his hand.

"Elemental HERO Escuridao, attack ’Elemental HERO Absolute Zero.’"

[Elemental HERO Absolute Zero, ATK 5000]

With only Absolute Zero and five monsters on the field, Absolute Zero’s ATK dropped slightly, but was still 5000.

Escuridao was instantly frozen and shattered.

"Battle damage is still absorbed by Kyutora," the Arbiter said. "Plus, when a monster with 0 ATK is destroyed by battle due to ’Alchemy Cycle,’ I draw one card."

He drew a card.

"Next, Nova Master attacks Absolute Zero."

[Nova Master, ATK 500]

[Absolute Zero, ATK 4500]

Nova Master was frozen and shattered.

"Again, battle damage is absorbed; I draw a card," said the Arbiter. "Next, Great Tornado attacks."

[Great Tornado, ATK 500]

[Absolute Zero, ATK 4000]

Great Tornado was also frozen and destroyed.

"Finally, Orichalcos Kyutora attacks Absolute Zero."

[Orichalcos Kyutora, ATK 500]

[Absolute Zero, ATK 3500]

"Even this monster is attacking?"

Koyo started to sweat.

A terrible sense of foreboding—there was a trick here.

He could feel it, hidden behind that eerie eye.

Something was about to emerge!

Kira sighed softly: "This is it."

"To force ’that one’ out, Koyo is a proud duelist," Kaiba said calmly. "But it’s over."

Only they understood what was coming next.

When Absolute Zero froze Kyutora as well, as the latter was annihilated by the HERO’s power, it was as if a forbidden seal had been broken.

Even the Seal of Orichalcos responded—six-pointed stars flickered green, the earth shook, and the sky was filled with a green glow, as if fearing the arrival of a demon god.

"When Orichalcos Kyutora leaves the field in any way, its hidden seal is broken."

The Arbiter raised his Duel Disk, and a pillar of green light shot from his deck as a massive demon god descended.

Orichalcos Shunoros, summoned!

"Orichalcos Shunoros?"

Koyo looked up, feeling it took everything he had just to face this god. The pressure was so great he could barely move his fingers.

Even Kaiba’s face darkened, silent for a moment.

This is it.

Back when he and Atem teamed up against Dartz, Kaiba only made it to this point. He lost to this god.

"That’s right. Shunoros’s ATK equals the total battle damage Kyutora absorbed before leaving the field, plus 500 from the Seal of Orichalcos.

So now, Shunoros’s ATK is—"

[Orichalcos Shunoros ATK ? → ATK 17950]

Seventeen thousand, nine hundred fifty!

"That monster’s back, brother!" Mokuba also shuddered.

"Yeah," Kaiba grunted.

In fact, when he and Atem fought it, Shunoros’s ATK was over twenty thousand—this is actually a bit less.

But the result is the same.

"You made it this far, so I’ll acknowledge your effort," the Arbiter said. "Letting me summon Shunoros was beyond my expectations.

But it’s about time to finish this. Next—"

His voice was calm.

"Orichalcos Shunoros, attack ’Elemental HERO Terra Firma.’"

It was as if all the barrier’s power channeled into the god, green light swirling around its body, forming a ring that slashed through Terra.

Terra was cut in half, the ring continuing its path, striking Koyo directly.

Koyo let out a muffled grunt, his body flying back uncontrollably.

His vision blurred, the voices calling his name faded away.

So, in the end, I lost.

A little regret, but he had done his best.

At least, he fought to the very end as a duelist.

[Koyo, LP 100 → LP 0]