"Xyz Summon! Rank 8—Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon!"
[Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon] Rank 8│LIGHT│Dragon│3000 ATK│2500 DEF
[2 Level 8 monsters]
The wings of the dragon descended through the rift of Xyz light, elevating the duel to a galactic-class collision. Both players' fields now shone with radiant draconic brilliance drawn straight from the cosmos.
Yuna Carlos, the willful ancestor, said she'd leave power behind for Aisha; even so, Miles never imagined she would just open a path to the Galaxy archetype itself inside this tiny Kuriboh Deck.
How on earth was Aisha supposed to use an 8-Rank Xyz like this?
"Galaxy-Eyes… versus Galaxy-Eyes?"
Rather than complaining about Yuna printing cards Aisha could never practically use, little Kaima's expression held only disbelief.
"Damn it! First you take my White Dragon—now even the power of Galaxy-Eyes?! You thief!"
If Kaima were in her original mature form, holding Spirit Eyes, she would have snatched the Blue-Eyes Deck back and marched forward to duel herself.
A Duelist's pride would never tolerate this constant cow-headed theft—especially theft of a Deck's very soul.
"Miles, you absolutely can't lose! You must beat her Galaxy-Eyes!"
The little loli was so furious she was seconds away from rolling on the floor.
Of course, Kaima would never actually do that. Regardless, she could only entrust her revenge to Miles—the same man who still owed her a duel loss from before.
"Beat… her Galaxy?"
Suddenly pressured by his sponsor again, Miles surveyed the field.
Both sides controlled a Galaxy-Eyes Dragon—however, Miles had the original [Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon], while Yuna Carlos had the evolved Xyz form [Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon].
Both had 3000 ATK, but Cipher Dragon carried yet another ability—one that also stole the opponent's monsters.
By detaching 1 material, once per turn until the end of the turn, she could take control of one of Miles's monsters.
Though difficult for Aisha to Summon normally, the effect itself… admittedly suited her quite well.
Fortunately, the turn this effect was activated, only Cipher Dragon could attack.
Meaning even if Miles's field were emptied by mind-control theft, he'd only take one 3000 ATK direct hit—nowhere near lethal with full LP.
"Evolve…"
Yuna Carlos's mysterious smile had not faded.
"The evolution isn't over yet, Miles! This next one is the summoning that reaches the end of the galaxy!"
Raising Aisha's arm—Spirit Eyes flashing—Yuna's dragon vibrated with galactic energy before diving back into Xyz light.
"An Xyz evolution?" Miles exclaimed.
This overly generous ancestor wasn't just printing Cipher Dragon—she was preparing a second evolution.
Honestly, in this situation, Miles wanted to say: Use my body instead. It's stronger.
Because having an ancient ancestor who freely prints you cosmic dragons? Extremely cool.
"I overlay on top of my Xyz Monster [Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon]—to Xyz Summon once more!"
Connected to the far side of the galaxy, the twice-evolved Cipher Dragon's brilliant form was covered by heavy, obsidian armor.
"Guided by the galaxy's light, awaken new power at the edge of the universe! Armed descent, Armor Xyz Summon! — Galaxy-Eyes Full Armor Photon Dragon!"
[Galaxy-Eyes Full Armor Photon Dragon] Rank 8│LIGHT│Dragon│4000 ATK│3500 DEF
[3 Level 8 monsters]
[You can also Xyz Summon this card by using a "Galaxy-Eyes" Xyz Monster you control as material, except "Galaxy-Eyes Full Armor Photon Dragon".]
Armored and assembled, as if wearing a fragment of the pitch-black cosmos, Full Armor Photon Dragon roared as its evolution explosion shattered the Xyz light.
"4000 Attack!"
The previous form had matched Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon—that said, after Xyz Evolution, the armored form downright surpassed it.
But raw ATK was meaningless against Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon.
No matter how strong the enemy, if they battled Photon Dragon, both would be banished by Photon Stream of Destruction—and Xyz Monsters would lose all their materials, while Photon Dragon's ATK would increase proportionally.
True to its name, it was the ultimate Galaxy-Eyes slayer.
"Of course I'm not dumb enough to try beating Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon in battle!"
Yuna detached a material and activated Full Armor's effect.
"With this armor forged from the universe itself, I'll punch open a crack in the galaxy! I detach [Starving Venom Fusion Dragon] to activate its Xyz effect!"
[Once per turn: You can detach 1 material from this card, then target 1 face-up card your opponent controls; destroy it.]
A simple, brutal removal effect—sometimes the simplest effects produced the most direct results.
Like Alternative White Dragon, Full Armor Photon Dragon could destroy a monster once per turn—but unlike Alternative, it did not lose its ability to attack after using the effect.
Even after blowing something up, it remained a 4000 ATK monster ready to battle.
"Before the might of Full Armor Photon Dragon—be crushed! —Armored Galaxy Break!!"
Clad in cosmic steel, spreading shimmering photon wings, the armored dragon charged straight toward Miles's Galaxy-Eyes.
"Crash back at her—Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!"
Miles countered, flipping one of his two face-down cards.
"Let Galaxy clash with Galaxy! I activate [Tachyon Spiral Galaxy]!"
[Target 1 Dragon "Galaxy" monster you control; it cannot be destroyed by battle this turn, and is unaffected by other cards' effects, except its own.]
Spiraling spacetime energy wrapped around [Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon], forming an absolute defensive barrier—one that could withstand even the pull of a cosmic black hole.
"I target Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon and activate [Tachyon Spiral Galaxy]. For this turn, Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon becomes completely immune to all effects except its own—and cannot be destroyed by battle!"
The first galactic collision burst like a supernova. Under effects so bright they bordered on light pollution, both Galaxy dragons emerged unscathed and flew apart after their clash.
"So you were hiding a Trap like this." Yuna Carlos raised a slender eyebrow, her curiosity visibly piqued. "Your Deck hardly even has any 'Galaxy' monsters. Aren't you afraid of bricking with a card like that?"
Miles didn't answer.
Because he couldn't.
Ask yourself that question, Kaima.
You really weren't afraid of bricking when you put that in?
But at least Miles hadn't bricked this time. Not only that, the card had saved his life at the most critical moment.
That too was proof of a Duelist's bond with their Deck.
"Let's keep going!"
Although Full Armor Photon Dragon's destruction effect had been stopped, Yuna had achieved her real objective.
She had successfully sent the Xyz Material beneath Full Armor Photon Dragon—[Starving Venom Fusion Dragon]—to the Graveyard.
"—I activate the Spell Card [Double Spell]! I can choose 1 Spell Card in your Graveyard and activate it as my own. I choose the [Monster Reborn] you used on your first turn, Miles!"
Another stolen card. Just like during the Academy Festival Duel, when Miles used [Double Spell] to steal Kaima's Graceful Charity—what goes around comes around.
The resurrection aura of Double Spell intertwined with the toxic mist that once covered the field, guiding it as it revived Starving Venom Fusion Dragon.
"Return to my field—Fusion Dragon that surpasses dimensional limits!"
[Starving Venom Fusion Dragon ATK: 2800]
After several turns of escalation, Yuna Carlos had fully completed her evolution.
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon and Galaxy-Eyes Full Armor Photon Dragon now stood together on her field.
If someone had told Miles at the start of the duel that Dark Aisha's small-fry Kuriboh Deck could produce this field?
He would have answered:
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible."
But here it was—Fusion power that surpassed dimensional law, and an evolved Galaxy dragon shining with cosmic radiance—both unquestionably, undeniably on Yuna Carlos's field.
These were gifts—power from the past, left behind by the Carlos ancestor—contrasting with Aisha's usual power from the future.
Only problem: Miles was the one eating all the hits to earn those gifts.
Every card Yuna printed in this duel was used to beat the life out of him.
Starving Venom was bad enough—and now she'd evolved even further.
"Prepare yourself, Miles!"
Guiding her twin dragons of light and darkness, Yuna Carlos declared the start of her Battle Phase.
"I attack your [Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon] with [Galaxy-Eyes Full Armor Photon Dragon]!"
'I'm not stupid enough to try breaking through Galaxy-Eyes by battling it!'
Yet in the end, Yuna did choose to let Galaxy fight Galaxy.
Even knowing Full Armor would be banished if Photon Dragon activated its effect—losing all its Xyz Materials—Yuna still pressed forward.
Because at this moment, Full Armor was not her only monster.
If Miles used Galaxy-Eyes's effect to banish both dragons, leaving himself with an empty field, he would immediately take a direct attack from Starving Venom Fusion Dragon.
"Galaxy-Eyes! Endure it with the battle protection granted by [Tachyon Spiral Galaxy]!"
After choosing, Miles withheld Galaxy-Eyes's banish effect. With Tachyon Spiral's absolute protection, he tanked the hit.
[Miles, LP: 4000 → 3000]
Even though Galaxy-Eyes couldn't be destroyed, battle damage still applied—as always.
Engineers call this 'working as intended.' Duelists call it 'pain.'
"I set one card and end my turn."
As Yuna Carlos set her final hand card and declared her turn's end, the spiraling spacetime barrier around Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon dissolved.
The effect lasted only one turn, leaving Galaxy-Eyes once again vulnerable.
"Now then, Miles… how will you fight this time?"
Worse than when Starving Venom first appeared: now Yuna's field held Starving Venom, Full Armor Photon Dragon, and an unknown Set card.
And Miles's hand was still completely open information: [Chaos Form] and [Blue-Eyes White Dragon].
"By the way, Yuna Carlos… if I lose this duel, what happens?"
Even a poisonous tiger won't eat her own cubs. As the Carlos ancestor, she wouldn't harm Aisha… right?
"If you lose a duel in this space, your consciousness gets forcibly ejected from the obelisk tower for losing qualification. In short, whether it's Obelisk the Tormentor or the god-slaying weapon, you won't be able to obtain either."
Not the worst of worst outcomes… still, devastating.
Not life-threatening like a Shadow Game—yet for Miles, having the God Cards and the Heavenly Tremor Airship right in front of him but unreachable was a fate worse than death.
And most crucially: without acquiring the "Heavenly Airship", the key to breaking the prehistoric seal, Miles and Kaima would still be stuck outside the obelisk tower unable to summon Duel Monsters…
Meaning they'd have to face the blackened Order Church forces, who had turned into Despia, without monsters.
Which was another kind of worst possible outcome entirely.
"I understand now." Miles placed his fingertips on the Deck slot of his Duel Disk. "If that's the case… then I must win this duel!"
Whether for the cards or to break through this dead end.
"Go, Miles!" little Kaima shouted.
"My turn—draw!"
His eyes swept across the newly drawn card. This was a draw that could decide everything.
"This draw has given me hope!"
A golden aura radiated from the card Miles held.
"—I activate the Spell Card [Trade-In]!"
[Trade-In – Spell: Discard 1 Level 8 monster; draw 2 cards.]
"This time, the chance to draw by offering the soul of a White Dragon—will awaken the strongest dragons sleeping within my Deck! I discard the Level 8 [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] to activate Trade-In!"
The dragon soul entered the Graveyard, the Deck glowed once again—this was the hope Miles grasped.
"Come to me!"
He drew two cards—and the twin dragon souls guided by Blue-Eyes answered.
Two Dragon cards entered Miles's hand at once.
"It's time—! I activate the Ritual Spell [Chaos Form]!"
[You can Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal the Level of the Ritual Monster you Ritual Summon, or banish "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" or "Dark Magician" from your Graveyard instead. Ritual Summon 1 "Chaos" Ritual Monster from your hand.]
The gate of chaos opened behind Miles—one turn late, but finally unleashing a MAX-level summon.
"I banish [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] from my Graveyard as the tribute for Chaos Form!"
The ritual gate—symbol of total annihilation—opened slowly, and from within the roaring storm emerged one of the strongest dragons sleeping in Kaima's Deck.
"Dragon of chaos that rends the earth—unleash your roar of overwhelming destruction! Ritual Summon—[Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon]!"
[Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon] Level 8│DARK│Dragon/Ritual/Effect│4000 ATK│0 DEF
[This card cannot be targeted or destroyed by opponent's card effects.]
Thunderous roars burst across the entire space. The arrival of the decisive Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon was the trumpeting war cry announcing Miles's final storm-like assault.
"Battle!!"
The moment the Ritual Summon resolved, Miles immediately entered the Battle Phase.
"With Photon Stream of Destruction, tear open the galactic void! [Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon], attack [Starving Venom Fusion Dragon] again—and banish you both!"
Dense galaxy particles enveloped the dragons, sending both Galaxy-Eyes and Starving Venom into another dimension.
"Nani?" Yuna blinked in clear surprise. "You're not banishing [Galaxy-Eyes Full Armor Photon Dragon] instead?"
Even if Miles feared Starving Venom's self-destruct effect, he could still banish Full Armor together with Galaxy-Eyes, then destroy Starving Venom afterward with Chaos MAX.
Chaos MAX couldn't be targeted nor destroyed by effects—it would overpower Starving Venom without issue.
But instead, by banishing Galaxy-Eyes and Starving Venom, Miles left only two monsters on the field:
Chaos MAX Dragon and Full Armor Photon Dragon—both with exactly 4000 ATK.
"Because I understand this Deck better than you do, Yuna Carlos. Only this battle route lets me defeat you this turn—with a storm of Blue-Eyes power!"
Carrying Miles's vow of victory, Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon spread its wings and charged toward the armored Galaxy-Eyes.
"Attack, Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon! MAX Photon Crusher!!"
"If our ATK is identical. Then I won't back down either! Counterattack, Galaxy-Eyes Full Armor Photon Dragon! Armored Galaxy Break!!"
Equal ATK collided—chaos light clashing against galactic radiance. The explosion shook the entire space.
Even those outside the obelisk tower could feel the cross-dimensional impact.
When the cosmic explosion cleared—Galaxy-Eyes Full Armor Photon Dragon remained.
Its black armor was cracked, but it survived.
Yuna Carlos declared: "The effect of [Relinkuriboh] in my Graveyard activates!"
[If a monster you control would be destroyed by battle, you can banish this card from your Graveyard instead.]
As Starving Venom Fusion Dragon's Fusion Material, Relinkuriboh had been in Yuna's Graveyard all along… and it could prevent one battle destruction.
No one understood this "small-fry Deck" better than Miles. There was no way he had forgotten this effect.
Meaning… if he had banished Full Armor earlier, he still would not have been able to destroy Starving Venom by battle. And he would have lost the chance to summon one more trump card.
Equal ATK meant mutual destruction—but only Chaos MAX truly perished. Full Armor survived thanks to Relinkuriboh's protection.
Yet the cracks glowing across its jet-black armor were exactly what Miles needed for his finishing blow.
"With that destruction, let the final tempest rise!"
Miles raised the last Dragon card in his hand. Behind him, the shattered space ruptured into fragments, revealing a deeper abyss beyond.
"O pure white power dwelling in the origin of infinite time! spread your wings that tremble with the echoes of souls! Appear from the azure abyss—Deep-Eyes White Dragon!!"
...
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