Chapter 774 - 774

After the strongest Evil God, The Wicked Avatar, and the strongest Egyptian God, The Winged Dragon of Ra, even Yubel's ultimate evolution, Yubel – Ultimate Nightmare, fell beneath the combined barrage of this comedy duo's blades and gunpowder.

"The effect of 'Heroic Spirit – Okita Souji: Ikedaya Incident' inflicts damage to the opponent equal to the DEF of the monster sent to the Graveyard. But because 'Yubel – Ultimate Nightmare' has 0 DEF, you barely managed to cling to life, Supreme King."

["Aibo, saying things like 'you barely clung to life' makes you sound like a villain. You should probably use that line less often."]

However, the current situation really was just as Hoshino had said. Supreme King Jaden had barely managed to survive.

Hoshino continued provoking him.

"Yubel – Ultimate Nightmare has been destroyed, and I still have the Evil God with the highest ATK on my field that hasn't attacked yet. Are you prepared, bad student?"

"..."

There was no way to read any emotional fluctuations from Supreme King Jaden's expression. He simply remained silent.

"Do it, The Wicked Avatar! No need to hold back. Give him a full-power direct attack!!"

The Evil God, which had taken on the appearance of Illya wielding the holy sword, raised the golden Sword of Victory high above its head.

Unlike the sacred radiance it had unleashed before, it now released a black light that erupted toward the heavens.

"Don't blame me, brat! I didn't particularly like this world to begin with, but at the very least, I don't want to see her destroy it with your hands!"

The Evil God brought the sword down with all its might.

A black shockwave that seemed to cleave the earth itself crashed toward the defenseless Supreme King. Rather than resembling the Sword of Victory, its destructive energy looked more like the massive beam unleashed by Morgan Alter.

"Trap Card, activate!"

Just as the attack was about to arrive, Supreme King Jaden flipped over the only Set card in his back row.

"Muda da! Trap Cards have no effect against a god!"

Although almost everyone present already knew this, Hoshino simply wanted to shout out the classic line.

["Yeah, yeah. And normally, at a time like this, the opponent would immediately follow up with…"]

"This Trap wasn't activated against a god."

Even though he couldn't hear Hoshino Alter's voice, Supreme King Jaden unexpectedly played along.

"The Trap Card I'm using is — Necro Fusion!"

[Necro Fusion — Normal Trap Effect: Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, by banishing Fusion Materials mentioned on it from your GY face-down, but it cannot attack this turn.]

The souls of the dead plunged deep into the Graveyard section of Supreme King Jaden's specially designed black Duel Disk. With mournful cries, they dragged out the three cards that would serve as Fusion Materials.

"I banish the three monsters in my Graveyard — Elemental HERO Sparkman, Elemental HERO Neos, and Elemental HERO Stratos — face-down as Fusion Materials!"

This rare Trap Fusion card, much like Miracle Fusion, allowed a Fusion Summon to be performed using monsters in the Graveyard.

The price, however, was that the Fusion Materials had to be banished face-down.

And being banished face-down was practically equivalent to sentencing those cards to death for the remainder of the Duel.

Just as the name Necro Fusion implied.

Supreme King Jaden raised his arm. At the direction pointed to by his fingertip, three souls of the dead became entangled with one another.

"Come forth, Necro Fusion — Elemental HERO Core!"

[Elemental HERO Core ★★★★★★★★★ (Level 9)][EARTH][Warrior/Fusion/Effect][ATK 2700/DEF 2200]

[3 "Elemental HERO" monsters]

Born amid the special effects of the dead souls, this abnormal Elemental HERO possessed the energy of the planet's core.

Nearly twice the size of an ordinary HERO, Elemental HERO Core stood on Supreme King Jaden's field in Attack Position.

Hoshino said, "You dare perform a Fusion Summon in Attack Position right in front of a god? Then, Supreme King, I'm afraid you may not have enough Life Points left."

[Supreme King Jaden LP 1100]

Taking on Illya's appearance while wielding the holy sword, The Wicked Avatar currently possessed 3,901 ATK.

A direct attack would be more than enough to completely deplete Supreme King Jaden's remaining Life Points.

"Continue the attack, The Wicked Avatar!"

There was no intention of retracting the attack.

The black holy sword descended once more, roaring toward Elemental HERO Core.

Supreme King Jaden declared his counterattack.

"Elemental HERO Core's effect! Once per turn, when this card is targeted for an attack, I can activate its effect! Its ATK becomes double until the end of the Damage Step!"

Core entered its counterattack state.

Its originally silver body turned a blazing crimson, as though it had absorbed the energy of the planet's core. Its enormous body expanded even further.

"Core Fluctuation — BURST!"

[Elemental HERO Core ATK 2700 → 5400]

With its doubled ATK, the Elemental HERO Core summoned through Supreme King Jaden's Necro Fusion instantly surpassed Illya.

"Counterattack, Core! Lava Burst Fist!"

"Too naive! Do you really think something like that can stop the attack of an Evil God?!"

Just as Core had surpassed Illya and become the monster with the highest ATK on the entire field, The Wicked Avatar on Hoshino's field rapidly changed its form.

"The Wicked Avatar's effect! This card's ATK will always become 1 point higher than the ATK of the monster with the highest ATK on the field!"

[The Wicked Avatar ATK 5401]

The Evil God mercilessly transformed from the form of little Illya into a gigantic, pitch-black version of Elemental HERO Core.

Continuing its attack, The Wicked Avatar imitated its opponent's movements and swung its fist forward, colliding directly with the genuine Core's Lava Burst Fist.

The two armored fists collided.

Amid a deafening sound of shattering metal, even Elemental HERO Core — whose ATK had been doubled to surpass the legendary Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon — was still crushed beneath the Evil God's attack.

[Supreme King Jaden LP 1100 → 1099]

[Elemental HERO Core] destroyed.

Alexis cried out in shock.

"Even Core, with its ATK doubled during the Battle Phase, still isn't a match for the Evil God?!"

Minazuki stared in disbelief.

"This is… truly invincible…"

After destroying Core, the Evil God once again returned to its little Illya form. Enjoying the praise echoing in her ears, she wore a satisfied smile.

Supreme King Jaden picked up the destroyed Elemental HERO Core card from his Duel Disk and sent it to the Graveyard.

Then he said —

"When Elemental HERO Core is destroyed, its effect activates! When this card is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can target 1 Level 8 or lower 'Elemental HERO' Fusion Monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that monster, ignoring its Summoning conditions!"

Among the "Elemental HERO" Fusion Monsters in Supreme King Jaden's Graveyard, Elemental HERO Nova Master had already been banished face-down as Fusion Material. That left only one Fusion Monster — the one that had appeared at the very beginning of the Duel.

"Revive! Special Summon Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman!"

[Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman ATK 2500]

Returning to the field, Flare Wingman spread its wings once more, shining brilliantly.

Despite having fused with Yubel's dark power and become the Supreme King, Jaden still chose to summon this monster that represented the light.

"Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman inherits the power of the Elemental HEROes in my Graveyard, gaining 300 ATK for each one. And right now, Elemental HERO Shadow Mist still remains in my Graveyard!"

[Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman ATK 2500 → 2800]

It was only one HERO, and only a 300-point increase.

But for Flare Wingman, those 300 points allowed it to cross a crucial threshold.

With 2800 ATK, Flare Wingman surpassed Okita's 2500 ATK. It also surpassed Illya, who would lose the boost from Phantasm Contact at the end of the turn.

On Supreme King Jaden's next turn, a counterattack combined with Flare Wingman's effect — inflicting damage equal to the ATK of a monster it destroys — would give him a chance to completely burn through Hoshino's remaining 2000 Life Points.

Of course, Hoshino knew the effects of the Elemental HEROes just as well.

There was no way she would overlook this.

"Activate the effect of Magical Girl – Miyu!"

Hoshino had already searched Miyu into her hand using the effect of Artoria Lily Illya. She had been waiting precisely for this moment — the opportunity to launch another attack.

"By sending Miyu from my hand to the Graveyard, I can return one Magical Girl Fusion Monster on the field to the Extra Deck! Then I can Special Summon a Magical Girl Fusion Monster with a different form to my field!"

Holding the golden Sword of Victory vertically in front of her eyes, Illya was enveloped by the radiance of her Dream Summon evolution.

In that instant, her form crossed a trajectory spanning several decades.

"No longer an inexperienced girl walking along a path of blooming flowers, but the power of King Arthur after her growth!"

"Go, Illya! Fusion Summon — Magical Girl – Artoria Illya!!"

[Magical Girl – Artoria Illya ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][LIGHT][Dragon/Fusion/Effect][ATK 2700/DEF 2000]

"Transformation complete, Master. This is the complete form of the Holy Sword!"

The Sword in the Stone — the Golden Sword of Victory — evolved into the Sword of the Lake, Excalibur.

On top of her heavy armor, Illya now wore an additional thick cloak, perfectly reproducing the dignity and warmth of King Arthur.

Hoshino continued declaring the effect.

"When Magical Girl – Artoria Illya is successfully Special Summoned, I can Set 1 Spell/Trap Card from my Deck that mentions 'Artoria' on my field."

After thinking for a moment, Hoshino selected a card from her Deck and Set it in her back row.

Alexis asked suspiciously, "But with that ATK, Illya still can't surpass Flare Wingman, right?"

Akasha reminded her, "Yeah, Hoshino-nee! Even if you Set Artoria's exclusive card, you can't activate it unless it's a Quick-Play Spell during the Battle Phase!"

Hoshino answered firmly.

"That's enough. The radiance gathered within the Star Sword, combined with the true name of the miracle in the hands of the undefeated king, is enough to 'swear' victory at this very moment! Battle! Then activate Magical Girl – Artoria Illya's effect!"

In Illya's hands, Excalibur, several times brighter than the Golden Sword of Victory, gathered the breath of the stars above and the torrent of glorious life.

[Once, at the start of the Damage Step when this card battles: You can reveal any number of "Heroic Spirit" monsters in your hand to your opponent. This card gains 1000 ATK and DEF until the end of the turn for each card revealed.]

Illya raised her voice.

"Heroic Spirits who have crossed through the ages! This sword is the embodiment of the sorrowful yet noble dreams held at the moment of death by every soldier who vanished upon the battlefields of the past and future! Such wills deserve to be praised! Such faith must be carried through!"

Illya truly was worthy of being called Irisviel's daughter.

She spoke almost the exact same words as her mother, and to Hoshino, there was not the slightest sense of incongruity.

"Each Heroic Spirit monster gives Illya 1000 ATK!"

Alexis recalled, "I remember that Senpai should still have two cards left in her hand, right?"

Minazuki excitedly said, "As long as she reveals just one Heroic Spirit monster, Illya's ATK will surpass Flare Wingman!"

Akasha became even more excited.

"If she can reveal two Heroic Spirit monsters, this attack will be enough to completely reduce Supreme King's Life Points to zero and end the Duel!"

"So how many does she actually have?"

The overly excited reactions of the other two made even Alexis start feeling nervous.

One after another, Hoshino flipped over the cards in her hand and revealed the "key" Heroic Spirit monsters she had been holding onto.

[Heroic Spirit – Okita Souji]

[Heroic Spirit – Oda Nobunaga]

Akasha:

"(╬￣皿￣) Damn! These two bastards were stuck in her hand the entire time?!"

Although throughout this Duel, Okita and Nobunaga had repeatedly appeared on the field, jumping in and out and constantly changing forms —

Those were merely alternate forms created through different Heroic Spirit monsters and Xyz Summons.

The actual Okita and Nobunaga had been quietly sitting in Hoshino's hand all this time.

Alexis was stunned.

"Senpai… has actually been suffering from a dead hand with those two cards stuck in her hand the entire time? And even under those circumstances, she completely suppressed Supreme King and Yubel?!"

This was already a difference in realm that transcended the gap in raw strength.

Hoshino had started the Duel with only four cards in her opening hand, yet from beginning to end, she had completely suppressed Supreme King and Yubel, who had twelve cards between them at the beginning.

"You're the real monster here."

Even Supreme King Jaden's normally cold and emotionless expression couldn't completely hide his reaction after realizing this.

"Yadaze! Who cares whether her hand was clogged or not?!"

Minazuki excitedly pumped his fist.

"Headmistress has two Heroic Spirit monsters in her hand right now! That means Illya gains 2000 ATK and can win the Duel with one attack!"

The radiance of the Heroic Spirits gathered within Excalibur.

Illya's ATK rose to 4700.

That was enough to destroy Flare Wingman — and Supreme King Jaden along with it.

"Even so, the combined power of Yubel and myself will not lose! Activate the effect of Elemental HERO Honest Neos in my hand!"

Supreme King Jaden likewise revealed the card in his hand.

Clearly, this Elemental HERO Honest Neos was not the copy he had searched last turn using Stratos.

"So that's the one you inherited from Yubel."

Hoshino immediately understood what was happening.

[Elemental HERO Honest Neos — Effect (Quick Effect): You can discard this card, then target 1 "HERO" monster on the field; it gains 2500 ATK until the end of this turn.]

The gleaming wings of Flare Wingman expanded and evolved into a form covered in fluttering white feathers.

Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman received the 2500 ATK boost from Honest Neos.

At the same time, because the number of Elemental HERO monsters in the Graveyard had increased, Flare Wingman's own effect granted it another 300 ATK.

[Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman ATK 2800 → 5600]

"Even if Illya's ATK rises to 4700, the HERO's ATK is still higher at this moment!"

Supreme King Jaden roared in response.

"Decide the winner of this clash of brilliance, Flare Wingman!"

"Flame Shot—!!"

"— Excalibur!!"

Flare Wingman counterattacked.

Its entire body transformed into the radiant light of a shining HERO, colliding head-on with the roaring holy light of Excalibur.

The light scorched the earth.

At this point, Supreme King's Castle no longer possessed any of the gloom that had once enveloped it in darkness.

Minazuki lamented:

"Damn! It's still a little short!"

"As expected, being only slightly stronger than Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon still isn't enough!"

"Who said I was only slightly stronger than Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon?"

A mysterious smile appeared at the corner of Hoshino's mouth.

She flipped over yet another Heroic Spirit monster from her hand.

"What?!"

"Senpai, how can she still have a third monster?!"

"Impossible! After Hoshino-nee used Miyu, she should have only had two cards left in her hand!"

The three of them stared wide-eyed.

For a moment, Hoshino no longer looked like a Duelist.

She looked like a magician.

Hoshino smiled and explained.

"Hehehe. The effect of the Quick-Play Spell Purely Bloom, which I used during the first turn and which is currently in my Graveyard—"

[Purely Bloom — Quick-Play Spell Effect: You can banish this card from your Graveyard; add 1 "Lily" monster from your Deck to your hand. You cannot Special Summon the monster added by this effect during this turn. This effect cannot be activated during the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard.]

Hoshino had anticipated from the very beginning that she would use Illya's Excalibur to launch an attack this turn.

So she had taken the initiative and added Medea Lily from her Deck to her hand.

"Souji, Nobunaga, and Medea! Three Heroic Spirit monsters in total! Magical Girl – Artoria Illya's ATK increases by 3000 during this battle!"

[Magical Girl – Artoria Illya ATK 4700 → 5700]

"This is my full power—!!"

Illya shouted as she swung Excalibur with all her strength.

The holy sword's slash overwhelmed Flare Wingman's attack power and crashed into the earth, creating a pillar of light that surged all the way into the heavens.

[Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman] destroyed.

[Supreme King Jaden LP 1099 → 999]