The arrival of the ultimate Earthbound Immortal shook the sky itself.
The air above had already been stained gray with smoke from the explosions—nonetheless, now, with its descent, even that light was swallowed, and the heavens fell into total darkness.
"The vulture Earthbound Immortal... what is that monster?!"
From atop the leyline tower, Krista—who could see the Duel more clearly than the people on the ground—understood exactly how terrifying this was. All of this apocalyptic change in the sky… and it all started because of a single [Mystic Tomato].
Monsters with 1500 or less Attack weren't all small fry.
"An ultimate Earthbound Immortal with only 1 Attack Point..."
Miles's brow tightened. There was no way he'd let his guard down just because it only had 1 Attack.
Everyone knew: in Duel Monsters, the higher the Level on a monster with 0 Attack / 0 Defense, the more absurd the effect.
And an ultimate Earthbound Immortal with 1 Attack / 1 Defense? Rarer than that. No explanation needed to know its effect would be broken.
"He summoned a god in the first turn of a Turbo Duel?"
Nidhogg—himself a bearer of the Three Polar Gods—could feel it. Only this thing, this vulture circling in the sky, had the overwhelming presence deserving of the word "god."
A being with god-tier strength, and yet its Summon requirements were far simpler than any other god.
"The summoning of divinity should not be this convenient," Nidhogg muttered.
"I Set 1 card and end my turn."
After that probe attack had pulled out an ultimate Earthbound Immortal, Miles could only Set a card and end his first turn going second.
"My turn. Draw!"
The riders crossed again on the blood-red aerial track.
[Demolish, SPC: 1 → 2]
[Miles, SPC: 1 → 2]
As the one who went first, Demolish reached the crucial 2 Speed Counters first.
"I activate [Speed Spell - Angel Baton]. I draw 2 cards from my Deck, then discard [Earthbound Greater Linewalker] from my hand."
Right on time, he used a filtration effect—then immediately sent the Linewalker, the Earthbound priest, to the Graveyard.
Then, he flipped open the Continuous Trap he'd Set last turn.
"Continuous Trap, [Call of the Haunted], activate. I Special Summon [Earthbound Greater Linewalker] in Attack Position."
Sent to the Graveyard, then Special Summoned right back—clean and effortless. After the ultimate Earthbound Immortal, the musclebound high priest descended as well.
[Earthbound Greater Linewalker] Level 8│DARK│Fiend│2900 ATK / 2900 DEF
"I activate [Earthbound Greater Linewalker]'s effect!"
[During your Main Phase: Add 1 'Earthbound Immortal' monster from your Deck or Graveyard to your hand.]
"I add [Earthbound Immortal Chacu Challhua] from my Deck to my hand."
Miles hadn't fought that one yet, but from the glimpse he caught of the art, it looked like a whale.
And based on what he'd already seen in earlier Turbo Duels with Ren's HERO Deck, the Earthbound Immortals in this world weren't restricted to 'only 1 can exist on the field.'
Meaning: if Demolish had the means, he could flood the board with Earthbound Immortals.
"You already have an ultimate Earthbound Immortal on the field and you're still adding more gods? You're not worried about bricking?"
"All Earthbound Immortals gathered here are guided by the will of the earth."
After searching, Demolish lifted the god card and looked down at the burning land.
From the sky, the entire Axet Republic was stained a deep, destructive red.
A landscape where it wouldn't be surprising if everything exploded in the next second.
"Human will alone cannot resist an ordained annihilation. Would-be savior—this Duel will prove it."
With that proclamation of inevitable ruin, the vulture Earthbound Immortal, Wiraqocha Rasca, beat its vast black wings, ushering in catastrophe.
"Feel the power of the ultimate Earthbound Immortal!"
"So it's happening after all," Miles muttered.
If the ultimate Earthbound Immortal descended turn one, then he'd already braced himself for this.
If he couldn't survive this effect, then he couldn't win this final Turbo Duel.
This was part of his resolve.
"I activate [Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca]'s effect!"
[Once per turn: You can skip your Battle Phase; make your opponent's Life Points 1.]
"What kind of busted effect IS THAT?!"
The ultimate Earthbound Immortal revealed its trump card—and panic erupted across Axet as everyone watching from below felt a chill crawl up their spine.
"Take the wrath of the earth itself—the rage of the ultimate Earthbound Immortal!"
The gargantuan vulture opened its beak. The leyline's crimson destruction that had been projected into the sky as the 'track' now poured into its maw.
Becoming one with that ruin, the creature's massive black body glowed with warped, violent red light.
"—Polar Submission!!"
All that power detonated at once from the vulture's beak, slamming straight into Miles.
"Aaaaaaaaaugh!!"
[Miles, LP: 4000 → 1]
By turn three of the final Turbo Duel... Miles's remaining Life Points were 1.
The Crystal Wing Mode D-Wheel was blasted back by the impact; spiraling, nearly falling, Miles barely managed to steady himself midair.
"Are you okay, Mr. Miles!?" Aisha cried.
"More or less... still alive," Miles groaned. Then, with guilt: "Sorry, Aisha. I keep putting your body through this kind of danger."
Thinking back… every time it came down to a final boss Duel, it was always Aisha's body taking the punishment.
Chaos Phantasm. The strongest Wicked God. Now, even the ultimate Earthbound Immortal had punched her.
If this world had achievements, Aisha would unlock: [One Who Got Punched by Every God].
Or maybe: [One Who Punched Every God].
Regardless, even though Miles had been crushed down to a single Life Point, [Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca] had paid the price: it had to skip its Battle Phase this turn.
It couldn't reduce him to 1 LP and immediately finish him off in battle in the same turn.
Which meant… this absurd god actually handed Miles one critical breath.
"I survived your ultimate Earthbound Immortal, Demolish!"
Only by standing at the edge of death and refusing to fall could a Duelist's resolve be proven.
"Even after experiencing absolute power, you still haven't surrendered?"
For the first time, Demolish's expression shifted, his brow lifting slightly.
"Then the next turn will be the true execution. I Set 2 cards and end my turn."
"Give up? How could I give up now? This is perfect! My turn—draw!"
The riders crossed again, and Miles drew for his turn as their speed climbed.
[Miles, SPC: 2 → 3]
[Demolish, SPC: 2 → 3]
"...What did you just say?" Demolish asked.
"I said, it's too good an opportunity to quit! I activate [Speed Spell - Angel Baton]!"
Right on the turn where his Speed Counters hit the threshold, Miles fired off Angel Baton—draw 2, discard 1. The key card slid into his hand.
"Here we go! I Normal Summon [King's Knight] in Attack Position!"
[King's Knight] Level 4│LIGHT│Warrior│1600 ATK / 1400 DEF
The golden-armored King's Knight appeared, and his royal blade crossed with Queen's Knight's sword.
"When I control both Queen's Knight and King's Knight, I Special Summon [Jack's Knight] in Attack Position from my Deck!"
[Jack's Knight] Level 5│LIGHT│Warrior│1900 ATK / 1000 DEF
The Royal Knights assembled. Albeit what Miles needed now wasn't Royal Straight, but something else entirely—a force that meant hope inside despair.
"I've got two Level 4 monsters. Time to go, Aisha!"
"Ossu, Mr. Miles!"
Miles swept his arm, and the two Level 4 stars of King's Knight and Queen's Knight overlapped—causing the Duelists from XYZ Academy to jolt.
"That light... An Xyz Summon!" Leon shouted. "Aisha Carlos of Fusion Academy can Synchro Summon and Xyz Summon?! And that mark… No.39!"
For someone who wielded all three sacred summoning methods, it was only a matter of time until Aisha stunned XYZ Academy with Xyz. However, doing it now, here, in front of all Axet, in the final Turbo Duel against a god—that was another level.
"My battle begins here! Bearer of hope with white wings—descend! [Number 39: Utopia]!"
[Number 39: Utopia] Rank 4│LIGHT│Warrior│2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
[2 Level 4 monsters]
Bathed in knightly radiance, the Xyz Warrior spread its gleaming wings of hope. Its light ignited the blackened sky painted by the Earthbound Immortal, reflecting in the eyes of all below.
But Utopia alone wasn't enough.
Miles needed something stronger.
Locking the win and the loss often came down to a single instant.
"Keep evolving, Utopia!"
Miles thrust his arm forward, calling down a higher form of Xyz—chaotic light.
"One of the possibilities that branches from Utopia—Chaos Rank-Up!"
In a surge of chaotic radiance, Utopia was engulfed.
"I use Utopia as Xyz Material to perform a Chaos Xyz Change! Appear now—CNo.39, the one who turns chaos into light! [Number C39: Utopia Ray]!"
On the crimson track of ruin, the white armor and feathers of Utopia darkened as they ascended, gaining black edges and a second blade—an enormous, transforming chaos sword alongside the original star-sword.
[Number C39: Utopia Ray] Rank 4│LIGHT│Warrior│2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
[3 Level 4 LIGHT monsters]
[This card can also be Xyz Summoned by placing it on top of a "Number 39: Utopia" you control.]
"You really think I'd give up on a chance like this? Thanks for putting me at 1 Life Point."
[Number C39: Utopia Ray] can only use its effect if the controller's Life Points are below 1000.
[Miles, LP: 1]
At 1 Life Point... even Utopia Ray itself would bow and acknowledge him. You literally couldn't get any lower.
...
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