Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu, LV 10, Dark Attribute, Fiend-Type, Attack Power 3000.
"Another one with Red Dragon Archfiend level ATK?" Carly trembled nervously.
"Ccapac Apu attack!" Kiryu laughed loudly.
"Activate Trap Card, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow—"
"It's useless, Earthbound Immortals are unaffected by Spell and Trap Cards!"
"...Then we'll counterattack, Stardust, Top Runner!"
"Hehehe." The two Monsters rushed forward to withstand but unexpectedly passed through Apu's hand, while Apu directly targeted Yusei.
"What's going on?" everyone exclaimed.
"Earthbound Immortals can attack directly," Kiryu continued with a sneer, "You're finished, Yusei!"
Boom boom boom—
The giant's hand slowly descended, unstoppable, irresistible.
Boom!
A blue mushroom cloud rose out of nowhere, as if an explosion.
"Hahahaha, hahaha—ha—ah?"
The smoke cleared, revealing Yusei rushing out unscathed.
"How is it possible?"
"I discarded this card—Swift Scarecrow."
Swift Scarecrow, when an opponent's Monster declares a direct attack, discard this card from the Hand Card. That attack is negated, and the Battle Phase ends.
Kiryu recalled this card's effect.
"Tch, just playing tricks..." Kiryu, seeing this, didn't care, "Earthbound Immortals can't be targeted— you can't choose it as an attack target. Likewise, as long as it's on the field, you can't attack directly. You're bound to lose, Yusei!"
"Hahahaha—this world, it seems like it's about to end. Let me think about how I'll create this new world as The One's messenger? Hmm, indeed, remove merchants and everything else, leaving only Duelists. Hahahaha—"
Yusei looked at the cards in his left hand, those he had not used, in prolonged silence.
"No."
"Hmm?"
"I said no." Yusei spoke calmly, "There is still a possibility."
"I don't believe hope is extinguished, nor do I hope this world is destined only for apocalypse."
Kiryu squinted his eyes.
Yusei closed his eyes, as if returning to that white world.
To that desolate post-apocalyptic wasteland, even devoid of breath.
[Battles between God and God are endless. Have you truly decided to help one side?]
[The positive pole, or the negative pole?]
[But it's no use; no matter which side, this is humanity's last choice.]
[Humanity... has no hope unless... from the beginning, "Synchro" is severed.]
"No!"
Suddenly he opened his eyes wide.
Fire, storm, Earthbound Immortal's breath, buffeted his body in chaos.
Crack—
The helmet already battered by countless impacts, finally cracked, revealing underneath, Yusei's current face.
"Yusei!?" "Yusei!" Jack and Crow exclaimed simultaneously.
"How could it be!" "What is this—" Two women couldn't help but cover their mouths, somewhat not daring to see the scene.
"You..." Kiryu momentarily forgot his anger and hatred.
This Yusei behind him, the right half of his face as if eroded by something sinister, madly emanating black mist.
No.
Not black mist, but... numbers?
That appearance, as if infected by some bizarre disease. Or like infested by a Cyber Evil God, crazily growing tentacles.
No wonder—
No wonder Yusei hadn't appeared publicly all this time; no wonder he hadn't even removed his helmet.
"It doesn't matter, this is just a reaction from unfit compatibility with the 'Artificial God.'" Yusei didn't care about his body's pain, focused on the Duel, "Kiryu, I believe—deep in your heart, you are still one of us!
I believe, as long as everyone, as long as all of us overcome the difficulties together, we can definitely correct our world's apocalypse!
Since Hikari can proclaim 'Polymerization is the noblest way to Summon,' then we also should not and cannot fear the power of 'Synchro'!"
"What are you saying—"
"What I want to say is... sorry. Kiryu—draw!"
He glanced at the card he drew: "Activate Spell Card The Shallow Grave."
"Is—is that a Spell Card that lets both players Special Summon Monsters!?" Carly exclaimed.
"That guy—"
"You..." Kiryu stared blankly at his old friend.
"I know, you had suffered, I know you experienced death, I know you don't believe me. But it's okay—I'll use drawing cards, use helping you resurrect Monsters, to make you believe, to let you understand my thoughts."
"As per The Shallow Grave's effect, each player selects 1 Monster from their Graveyard, and Set it on the field Face-down Position."
"I choose... Stardust Dragon."
"Hundred Eyes Dragon..."
"Then, I tribute the Face-down Stardust Dragon and the Stardust Mirage on the field."
"Tribute?" All spectators were puzzled.
"Huh? Two Stardusts?" Shinji exclaimed.
Tenjo Hikari heard this and couldn't help but widen his eyes.
Rattle—
The two Monsters dissolved into starlight and vanished.
A flame kindled on Yusei's hand.
Then, the flame was tossed into the air, a human face observed the mortal world through a mirror, showing a compassionate smile.
Next came mechanical limbs, shields, wings, all appearing simultaneously!
"Normal Summon, Metaion, the Timelord!"
Metaion, the Timelord, LV 10, Fire Attribute, Fairy-Type, Attack Power 0!
The card Yusei had held from the beginning, always reluctant to use!
Buzz—Buzzing—
Yusei couldn't help instinctively cover his right eye, the electric current even scalding his eye, emitting a charred smell, as Kiryu then realized why, through the Hundred Eyes Dragon and Earthbound Immortal's attack, Yusei showed no fear.
Because he had become accustomed to pain!
"But its Attack Power is 0!"
"It doesn't matter—Metaion attack Hundred Eyes Dragon!"
"Are you crazy? The DEF of Hundred Eyes Dragon is 2500 points! You will lose the Duel directly—"
"The damage Timelords take in battle is 0."
Metaion held up its hands and casually crushed a ball of fire, hitting the Set Monster, then drifted there idly, looking at the Earthbound Immortal with interest.
What's the point of this?
Kiryu was puzzled.
The holy light slowly replaced the geo in the sky, the sky seemed to brighten unknowingly.
"Metaion's effect, activated at the end of the Battle Phase this card battled in. All Monsters on the field, except this one, return to their owners' Hand Cards, dealing 300 damage per Monster."
"!!"
"All right, so now both Hundred Eyes Dragon and the Earthbound Immortal are taken care of, eh!" Carly shouted excitedly, turning to look at Jack, hoping to hear Jack's agreement.
But as she turned her head, she saw Jack looking dumbfounded at the ground.
Crow's helmet unknowingly fell to the ground, yet he had no reaction.
At this moment, they finally realized.
Yusei, unknown to them, had given up the identity of "Dragon Sign"!
He wanted to secure the victory for "The One" as a "human"—he wanted to bring power to humanity's side!
So he accepted cyber modifications!
At this time, the few hundred damage points didn't really bother Kiryu anymore, he just opened his mouth, dumbfoundedly looking at Yusei.
Earthbound Immortal and Timelord collided in the air, two genuine "Gods" erupted with terrifying waves.
"Ugh—"
"Ah—"
Yusei felt increasingly unable to control the God's power, and Kiryu also felt the wrath coming from the Earthbound Immortal.
Buzz—
Boom!
The entire geo began to explode in various places.
All the power began to rampage.
Crash—
Ultimately, Yusei couldn't hold on for long, he was blasted off the vehicle.
Kiryu didn't fare much better, engulfed by the purple flames in the Earthbound Immortal's backlash!
Seeing this, Tenjo Hikari hurriedly jumped on his D-wheel, leaping down.
Unexpectedly...
In the end, it still "pulled the plug."
No wonder, Yusei came to seek his help now.