"My turn!" Once again, it was Hibiki Koyo's turn.
Although he was at a slight disadvantage in the last exchange, it didn't have a significant impact. Resource-wise, he wasn't at a loss, and this turn he just needed to reverse the situation on the field and strike back in one go.
"Activate the Magic Card 'Angel's Charity'." Hibiki Koyo said, "Draw three cards from the card deck, then discard two cards from your hand to the Graveyard."
It was clear that Hibiki Koyo had already planned his strategic approach. After drawing three new cards, he almost instantly selected the two he was ready to discard.
"Discard to the Graveyard 'Elemental Hero Shadow Mist' effect activate." Hibiki Koyo said, "When this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can add a 'Hero' monster from your deck to your hand.
I add 'Elemental Hero Heat' to my hand from the card deck."
A card popped out from the deck and was taken into Hibiki Koyo's hand.
"Next is 'Pot of Greed', draw two more cards.
Then activate the Magic Card 'Fusion Recovery'! Return the Magic Card 'Fusion' from the Graveyard, as well as 'Elemental Hero Blazeman', used as a Fusion Material, to the hand!"
Two cards popped out from his Graveyard, and Youyu watched as his opponent's hand cards quickly increased, realizing that a major play was brewing.
"Activate again from the hand, Magic Card 'Fusion'!" Hibiki Koyo slammed down the Fusion Card he just retrieved, "Fuse 'Elemental Hero Blazeman', 'Elemental Hero Heat', and 'Elemental Hero Woodsman', triple fusion!
Fusion conditions met, three 'Elemental Hero' monsters! Fusion Summon!
The gathered elements call forth a new miracle upon the earth, resonating thunderously through the earth's core—
—Elemental Hero Core!!!"
The tri-fusion of Elemental Heroes, three different heroes merged beneath the crust. Tumultuous magma gathered beneath the surface, with a column of light carrying elemental turbulence breaking through the crust's constraints, arriving with a god-like majesty.
It was a white giant, akin to 'Earth Hero' from the Planet Series, covered in magma-like red patterns with a fiery core in its chest as if swirling with molten lava.
Elemental Hero Core, summon!
[Elemental Hero Core, Attack 2700]
"Even the Core showed up..." Youyu murmured.
In the Yu-Gi-Oh series, it's common knowledge that the protagonists' monsters have all kinds of chaotic evolutionary forms and new disguises, and this 'Core' is indeed the evolution of the Planet Series' 'Elemental Hero Earth', whose attack and spiritual power dramatically surpass those of Earth Hero.
The Earth Hero held by Tragoedia has been confirmed, and in fact, Brother Lobster was kind enough to bring it to Youyu as a gift during his last visit to Duel Academy. So now the Earth Hero is already in Youyu's deck.
It is foreseeable that this evolved form 'Elemental Hero Core' is also a new trump card stuffed into Hibiki Koyo's deck by Tragoedia.
"Battle!" Hibiki Koyo shouted, "Attack with 'Elemental Hero Core'!"
The white giant's whole body patterns lit up, and the magma-like energy coursed rapidly through every channel of its body. Dark-red light roiled hotly within the conduits, surging into the core in its chest.
A fiery ray burst from the hero's palm, the beam burning through the air. With a hissing sound mixed with white smoke, electromagnetic force clung to the hot impact, piercing the armor of Masked Hero.
"Core's effect!" Hibiki Koyo called, "During battle, its attack doubles!" (Original effect)
[Elemental Hero Core, Attack 2700 → Attack 5400]
Merely from an attack power standpoint, it was a rather domineering ability, strong enough to surpass the Five-Headed Dragon at the top tier of Duel Monsters.
The effect of the real card Core is a weakened version; its attack only doubles when attacked by an opponent, and only once per turn. This is hardly comparable to the original effect, which boosts attack power upon entering the attack declaration step.
The impressive 5400 attack points were too much for Masked Hero: Mist Water. The blue-and-white armor was instantly shattered and the hero was sent off the field under the Core's assault.
A combat damage of 3000, if this strike goes through, it will lead to an instant kill!
"Flip cover card." Youyu waved his hand, "Continuous Trap 'Magicians' Defense'!"
The cover card turned over, the trap's card image showed Dark Magician Girl and Apple Magician Girl casting spells together—it was clearly a trap related to the Magician Girl series.
"As long as there is a Spellcaster-Type monster on my field, any damage I take is halved." Youyu said, "Now that there's a 'Dark Magician' on my field, combat damage is halved!"
[Youyu, LP 3000 → LP 1500]
"Blocked it, huh." Hibiki Koyo said quietly, "Then Core's second effect! If Core destroys a monster, destroy two cards on the opponent's field!" (Original effect)
Another ability far superior to the real card version. Reality's Core can only destroy one monster at the end of the Battle Phase after battling, whereas this original version allows him to blast any two cards when he destroys a monster.
Regardless of actual value in combat, this effect certainly befits his status as the Duel King's deck ace.
"Destroy 'Magicians' Defense' and 'Dark Magician'!"
Electromagnetic force shot out from the white Elemental Hero's body, with flashes crackling from every energy conduit, sparking from his limbs and fingertips.
Dark Magician and the Continuous Trap were both struck, turning to dust on the dueling field in an instant.
"Now, the subsequent effect of the Continuous Trap 'Magicians' Defense'." Youyu briefly displayed the trap before sending it to the Graveyard, "When this card is sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon a Spellcaster-Type from the Graveyard!
I resurrect 'Chocolate Magician Girl'!"
The magic incantation activated, complex spell symbols encircled the array's edge like a rotating wheel. The playful Chocolate Magician Girl flew out, her small wings flapping rhythmically.
[Chocolate Magician Girl, Attack 1600]
Hibiki Koyo frowned slightly.
Is this deck from the First Duel King a mix of Black Magic, Magician Girl... and Masked Hero?
No, it might not be that simple.
He felt somewhat bewildered. Even after so many exchanges of offense and defense, he still hadn't figured out what kind of strategy his opponent was using.
"I set three cover cards and end my turn!"