If Hibiki Koyo had activated this Holy Vest even a moment later — waiting until Light Fang was summoned — then Youyu could have commanded "Masked Hero Koga" to chain and activate this card, lowering the attack power of Absolute Zero before the Holy Vest could take effect, rendering its protection meaningless.
But that didn't happen.
"Absolute Zero's attack continues!" Hibiki Koyo shouted, "Attack 'Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight'!"
The hero of ice and snow charged bravely, while the knightly girl fearlessly swung her sword.
The magical girl silently chanted spells, and the power of Black Magic surged. A circular array appeared on the sword's hilt, and ancient, complex magical texts slithered down the dragon's spine.
The blazing sword light slashed down, and the high-temperature blade broke through the white armor of the hero. The dragon's breath shattered him to pieces.
[Hibiki Koyo, LP 1600 → LP 900]
But what followed was a storm that froze the heavens and the earth!
Crystals of ice spread rapidly, and Youyu's entire field seemed to have entered an ice age. The great dragon and the girl on its back were sealed into ice sculptures. The Masked Hero of Light, which had just emerged, didn't even have a chance to showcase its power before both it and its armor were frozen.
A blizzard swept through, and in an instant, Youyu's splendid lineup disappeared completely, swept away into a white expanse by Absolute Zero's overwhelming force.
This left Youyu's field empty, while Hibiki Koyo still had three heroes from "Elemental Hero Core" after Fusion Dispel and they hadn't attacked!
"Elemental Hero Heat's attack power will increase by 200 for each 'Elemental Hero' present on its field!" Hibiki Koyo stated.
[Elemental Hero Heat, ATK 1600 → ATK 2200]
At this moment, Youyu had no monsters to defend against the attack, nor any trap cards to turn the tide!
"This duel, I've got it in the bag!" Hibiki Koyo commanded loudly, "Elemental Hero Heat, direct attack!"
Heat stomped his foot, a long trail of heat waves stretched behind him as he shot straight forward, aiming for victory in this duel!
"...Discarding 'Kiteroid' from my hand." Youyu calmly revealed a card, "Negate one direct attack."
Heat's fierce assault crashed into the phantom of the glider, like hitting an impregnable wall, without success.
Hibiki Koyo frowned slightly, "Then, 'Elemental Hero Blazeman,' direct attack."
Youyu waved his hand again: "Activate the effect of 'Kiteroid' in the graveyard. Remove this card from play from the graveyard, negate the direct attack again."
The second assault by the Elemental Heroes also failed, as Blazeman was repelled in the face of the invincible defense of Kiteroid.
But Hibiki Koyo did not get flustered, "Then the third attack. 'Elemental Hero Woodsman,' direct attack!"
This time, Youyu had no more defenses, allowing Woodsman to pass through his unprotected front line and land a punch on himself.
[Youyu, LP 1500 → LP 500]
"You must think my attacks end here."
Hibiki Koyo coldly sneered, slowly drawing another card from his hand.
"You're going to be disappointed."
"Hmm?"
Hibiki Koyo raised his arm high: "Quick-Play Magic - Instant Fusion! Fuse the monsters on the field for a Fusion Summon!"
Youyu's eyes lightly moved.
A Fusion Summon during the Battle Phase?
"Of course, the monster to be fused is this guy!"
Hibiki Koyo drew a Fusion Monster Card.
"Fuse 'Elemental Hero Blazeman,' 'Elemental Hero Heat,' and 'Elemental Hero Woodsman' for a triple Fusion Summon! Return once again to the field —
— Elemental Hero Core!!!"
It was as if the Earth itself was roaring, and the crust trembled under the workings of magma! The soul buried deep within the Earth roared as if an untamed beast sought to break free. The white elemental giant emerged from the lava's embrace!
Watching the three Elemental Heroes swirl into the fusion vortex, the trembling earth, and the magma bubbling up, even Youyu couldn't help but be impressed.
"To summon an ace under such circumstances... The second-generation Duel King certainly isn't just a title."
Thinking back, it seems Hibiki Koyo turned into this due to a loss to the big lobster back then?
This suggests Youyu might have underestimated Tragoedia and that the lobster itself... might indeed be a bit strong?
"Thank you for the compliment." Hibiki Koyo's tone remained cold and unyielding, "Legends are destined to be surpassed. And here, I will surpass you."
In the final aftermath, there were no monsters or set cards, and even when 'Woodsman' successfully attacked directly, Youyu had no defensive responses.
As logic would have it, up to this point, Hibiki Koyo should indeed have claimed this game.
"A beautiful strategy, your ability was clearly evident in those continuous attacks." Youyu smiled, "However, as a senior, I'll kindly remind you, it seems you've slightly overlooked just a smidgen of detail."
Hibiki Koyo: "?"
"The card I discarded earlier as a cost to activate 'Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight's' effect from my hand."
Youyu drew a card that popped out from the graveyard and displayed it.
"'Makyura the Destructor,' which allows me to activate trap cards from my hand during this turn."
Hibiki Koyo was secretly startled.
Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight, on the surface, appeared to have a powerful card-destroying effect during the opponent's turn, but that was just surface-level. It actually could discard "Makyura the Destructor" during the opponent's turn, secretly setting more unseen traps?
"So chaining your activation of 'Instant Fusion,' I activate from my hand, the trap 'Summon Limit - Monster Charge Attack'." A trap card appeared in front of Youyu, "This card can be activated when the opponent special summons monsters.
All those special summoned monsters have to switch to attack position, and they must attack this turn."
Hibiki Koyo: "?"
What's the point of this?
He had planned to attack from the beginning, and there was no way he would squander such a great opportunity for offense even without this trap.
As the effect resolved, light erupted from the fusion vortex. The white giant stood on the ground, magma flowing along its body, massive and imposing, steam sizzling from various parts of its body, making its form appear ethereal and warped under the intense heat.
[Elemental Hero Core, ATK 2700]
Of course, it was in attack position—and it has no way to switch to defense position. Under the constraints of "Summon Limit - Monster Charge Attack," the monsters special summoned had to be in attack mode and must attack.
Then Youyu revealed the next card.
"Trap Card 'Damaged Mask'!" Youyu declared, "Revive 'Masked Hero' from the graveyard ignoring summoning conditions, but then destroy it during this turn's end phase!"
Hibiki Koyo: "!"
Oh no...
"Revive 'Masked Hero Koga' from the graveyard!"
A shining light pierced the horizon like a shooting star, tearing through the thick clouds! The hero radiated golden light, with its blade coated in a watery luminescence.
[Masked Hero Koga, ATK 2500]
"Koga's attack power increases by 500 for each monster on the opponent's field!"
[Masked Hero Koga, ATK 2500 → ATK 3000]
"Koga's follow-up effect!" Youyu revealed a card bounced from the graveyard, "I banish 'Masked Hero: Mist Water' from the graveyard, reducing 'Elemental Hero Core's' attack power by 2400 until the end of the turn!"
[Elemental Hero Core, ATK 2700 → ATK 300]
Hibiki Koyo stared blankly as his once-proud ace became fragile and weak, watching the radiant Masked Hero prepare to launch, he foresaw the subsequent developments, feeling an unprecedented helplessness.
He had done all that he could, played every card he had.
He gave it his all.
And then lost.
"'Summon Limit - Monster Charge Attack' triggers, forcing Core to attack." Youyu said, "During the battle step, its attack will double."
[Elemental Hero Core, ATK 300 → ATK 600]
Of course, such an increase was entirely ineffective.
Masked Hero Koga shot forward as if slicing through space itself, swinging the blade in its hand. The golden light blade let out a triumphant whistle as it sliced through Core's sturdy body, and the white giant collapsed like a crumbling mountain.
[Hibiki Koyo, LP 900 → LP 0]