Despite getting a free Pot of Greed, Aster didn't look particularly happy and continued the Duel.
"I activate the Spell Card, Polyrization."
He slowly slid a Spell Card into his Duel Disk. "I fuse the two Destiny HEROes on my field.
Fusion Materials: Two Destiny HERO monsters."
"CO ON! Destiny HERO - Dystopia!"
As Aster operated his Duel Disk, the two monsters on his field rged together, forming a high-tech-looking Hero with golden pauldrons and a golden mask. At the top of the mask was a bold letter "D."
Then, Dystopia rubbed his hands together. Two dark orbs of energy appeared in his palms like twin black holes.
[Destiny HERO - Dystopia] Level 8│DARK│Warrior│2800 ATK
"Dystopia's monster effect activates. When this card is Fusion Summoned, inflict damage to the opponent equal to the Attack of one Level 4 or lower Destiny HERO in my Graveyard! I choose Diamond Dude!"
"Oppression Palm!"
Dystopia rushed up to Hikaru and slamd his right hand onto his shoulder. At first, there was no visible reaction. Then—BOOM! Hikaru instinctively clutched his shoulder, sucking in a sharp breath.
[Hikaru, LP: 4000 → 2600]
"He struck first!"
"As expected of a Pro Duelist."
"It's not over. I activate the effect of the second Malicious in my Graveyard—banish it to Special Summon a third from the Deck!"
Wow...
Rather than losing Life Points, it was seeing the third Trunks Guy get summoned that made Hikaru grin.
After all, in the OCG, you'd practically never see a "third" Malicious.
"Spell Card, Riryoku!"
"Target two face-up monsters on the field. Until the end of this turn, halve the Attack of one target, and increase the other's Attack by the sa amount!
I halve Dystopia's Attack and raise Malicious's!"
[Dystopia, ATK: 2800 → 1400]
[Malicious, ATK: 800 → 2200]
"Huh? Their Attack values didn't really change anything. What's the point?"
So students voiced confusion.
"Maybe Aster Phoenix wants to deal more damage—"
'No!'
Celina suddenly rembered.
Dystopia's effect!
"At this mont, Dystopia's monster effect activates!" Aster raised his right hand. "Once per turn, if this card's current Attack differs from its original, I can target one card on the field; destroy it, and this card's Attack reverts to its original value. This is a Quick Effect that can be used on either player's turn!"
"Ah!?"
"Oh no! If Fla Swordsman is destroyed here, Hikaru won't have any monsters left!"
"Aster Phoenix—he's trying to end this Duel this turn!"
The crowd buzzed at Aster's power.
With just a few cards and minimal hand usage, he had Fusion Summoned a powerful high-level monster, repeated monster summons, boosted Attack, and now could destroy enemy monsters.
If Aster completed this chain, Hikaru would lose this turn!
"Dystopia's effect! Return to original Attack! Destroy one monster on your opponent's field!"
"Exalted Justice!"
[Dystopia, ATK: 1400 → 2800]
Dystopia charged at Fla Swordsman. The swordsman swung his massive blade to defend himself, but no matter how hard he tried, his power was absorbed and—BANG! He shattered into pieces.
"And now I atta—!?"
Just as Aster prepared to launch a direct attack and end what had turned into a disappointing Duel, he noticed the burning ring of fire on the field had not disappeared.
In fact, the flas were still raging!
They turned from red to black, and that black fire spread around the field.
"What's going on?"
"Wait, does Fla Swordsman have an effect?"
"No, I thought it was vanilla..."
The students looked around, puzzled. No one could offer an explanation.
Then, as the flas engulfed the entire field, they gradually shifted from black to blue—
"I activate a monster effect!"
"A monster effect?!" Aster was stunned. "Don't tell there's a Fla Swordsman from another dinsion with an effect?"
"No—the effect I'm activating isn't Fla Swordsman's. It's…
The monster effect of Mirage Swordsman in my Graveyard!"
'Who is that!?'
Aster was utterly shocked.
The Graveyard?
It was the monster sent there by Fla Swordsrealm!
BOOM!
Before he could think further, the black flas fully transford into blue fire. From the sky, two great swords spiraled down, followed by a black silhouette slowly forming between them.
Under everyone's gaze, the black armor on the figure began to crack, revealing gleaming, radiant gold beneath.
"HAAAH!"
The swordsman grasped the twin blades and danced forward, slashing through the air, completely stopping the two Destiny HEROes from attempting a direct attack.
Then, he calmly stood guard beside Hikaru.
"If this card is in your hand or Graveyard, and a face-up FIRE Fusion Monster you control is destroyed by battle or card effect, you can Special Summon this card."
"This is the new form of the knight who has overco countless trials and carved a path for —
Mirage Swordsman!"
[Mirage Swordsman] Level 8│FIRE│Warrior│2800 ATK
Having endured it all, taking every fall for Hikaru without complaint, Black Fla had finally, after having his true feelings exposed by Tierra, let go of the desire to only be a Fusion Monster—and evolved.
"Mirage Swordsman... could it be... Mirage Knight?" Aster, ever knowledgeable, realized. He rembered how Dark Flare Knight could summon Mirage Knight after being destroyed in battle.
"That card's an evolution of Dark Flare Knight!"
"It went from Fusion Monster to Tribute Monster?"
"But it's still related to Fusion."
"Amaki Hikaru... he even achieved that."
So were amazed, so in awe, so confused, and others incredulous.
They'd heard of cards evolving alongside their Duelists—but seeing it with their own eyes felt like a dream.
Mirage Swordsman had 2800 Attack—the sa as the now-restored Dystopia. A direct attack would be pointless.
Even if they clashed, it wouldn't end the Duel. Malicious couldn't do it either. So it was clearly better for Aster to keep Dystopia alive.
However, beyond the technical choices of this turn, a ripple ran through Aster's heart, which had felt like dead, still water until now.
To walk alongside your card—to evolve together!
This legendary story had appeared right before his eyes. For soone who loved Duel Monsters, it was a shock.
Yet, because of that, as a spark of vitality returned to him and he began to reflect on himself... the pain only deepened.
Compared to Hikaru, who grew alongside his monsters and pursued Fusion wholeheartedly, he… he was just using Heroes for revenge.
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