The World!
Perhaps time sped up, or maybe it paused, or perhaps a slice of it was taken away...
...Whatever the case may be, the result was that Youyu's turn was skipped, and it was once again Saiou's turn.
In other words, the attack permissions of "Arcana Force XXI - The World" have been reset!
"It's about time for the curtain of destiny to fall!" Saiou shouted, "Go, 'Arcana Force XXI - The World', direct attack on Youyu!
Over Catastrophe!!!"
Saiou's face twisted with a grimace as a pillar of white light of destruction blasted towards the hole in the ceiling! The ground trembled, space roared, and "The World's" attack came crashing down from every direction, as if it were the final judgment descended by the gods.
"It's a success!" Many members of the Light Society began to exult.
They almost directly congratulated "Lord Saiou" on his victory.
"...Activate the effect of 'Swift Scarecrow' from my hand," Youyu said calmly, drawing a card from his hand, "when the opponent declares a direct attack, discard this card. That attack is negated, and then the Battle Phase ends prematurely."
The overwhelming attack collided with the scarecrow's barrier, and the energy vortex dispersed in all directions. The display on the Duel Disc automatically switched to "Main Phase 2."
"What!?"
Saiou's exaggerated smile instantly froze.
Wait, the Duel King had this card in his hand all along... so why didn't he activate it during the last turn when I directly attacked with "Chocolate Magician Girl"?
Could it be... he knew about "The World's" ability all along?
That's impossible!
The Arcana Force is a series unique to him, Saiou Takuma, the only one in the world. It's a deck blessed by destiny, the ultimate tool to write the future.
No one knows the hidden abilities of each Arcana Force card, especially "Arcana Force XXI - The World" which he kept as his ace. He had never used "The World's" power in front of others before.
Saiou believed Youyu couldn't possibly know about "The World's" ability in advance, attributing it to Youyu's extraordinary intuition as the absolute king.
"What a terrifying intuition, saved by experience and instinct," Saiou muttered, drawing two cards.
"Set two cards, and end my turn."
The society members looked at Youyu in astonishment.
"As expected, the Duel King is not ordinary, such an attack was actually withstood..."
"Well, Lord Saiou must have anticipated this to some extent. Destiny has long been decided, as is the outcome of this duel! You can tell from Lord Saiou's composure!"
Saiou: Wearing a dramatic expression.
"My turn, draw," Youyu said, "I summon 'Keeper of Dragon Magic'."
[Keeper of Dragon Magic, ATK 1800]
"The effect of 'Keeper of Dragon Magic': when successfully summoned, discard one card from your hand and add a 'Fusion' Normal Magic from the deck to the hand."
A card from the hand was discarded to the graveyard, then Youyu drew a card that popped out of the deck.
"I add the Magic Card 'Double Fusion' to my hand." (Anime card)
"Next, I activate the subsequent effect of 'Keeper of Dragon Magic'! Show a Fusion Monster Card to your opponent, and Special Summon the Fusion Material required by that monster from the graveyard in face-down Defense Position!"
Youyu revealed a Fusion Monster: "I reveal 'Dark Cavalry', and Special Summon the discarded Fusion Material 'Dark Magician' from the graveyard!"
The Keeper of Dragon Magic swept his lance, and with a flourish of the cloak, he pointed to a black vortex, from which the black-robed Magician wielding a Magic Staff emerged, making a brief appearance before quickly covering the field in card form.
"Next, Magic Card 'Double Fusion' is activated!" Youyu declared, "Pay 500 Life Points, and I can use the effect of 'Fusion' twice this turn!"
[Youyu, LP 1800 → LP 1300]
"I fuse 'Elemental Hero Sparkman' in my hand with the Water Attribute 'Elemental Hero Liquidman'! The fusion requirement is a 'Hero' plus a Water Attribute Monster! Fusion Summon!
Born from the abyss of extreme cold, with the absolute power of ice and snow to freeze everything—
——Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!"
The Hero of Light and Water flew into one of the dual vortices in the air, with a blusterous wind, the ice turned into a white whirlwind descending, and the Hero in snowy white armor gracefully landed amidst a storm of snowflakes.
[Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, ATK 2500]
"The effect of 'Elemental Hero Liquidman': when sent to the graveyard as fusion material for a 'Hero', draw two cards from the deck, then discard one card from your hand."
Completing the card drawing and discarding operation, Youyu swiftly pointed again to the swirling vortex above.
"Activate the effect of 'Double Fusion' again! I fuse the 'Dark Magician' set in face-down position on the field and the Warrior-Type 'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero'!"
Saiou couldn't help but be surprised: "Dark Magician and... Elemental Hero fusion!?"
"The fusion requirement is a 'Dark Magician' plus any Warrior-Type Monster!
Fusion Summon! The Black Magic Knight who tramples the mountains and rivers—
——Dark Cavalry, Summon!!!"
The black-robed Magician and azure Warrior soared into the air and fused once again. The light column nearly pierced through the earth, the sharp lance opened the curtain of light, and the black-armored Warrior mounted on horseback, iron hooves galloping through the air.
[Dark Cavalry, ATK 2800]
Saiou frowned: "What exactly are you planning?"
"The effect of 'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero'!" Youyu declared, "When Absolute Zero leaves the field, destroy all opponent's monsters on the field!
Absolute Zero!"
The members of the society were shocked: "There's actually such a combo?"
"This is bad, if Lord Saiou's monsters are destroyed, next he'll have to face a direct attack from Dark Cavalry..."
"Heh, so this was your plan." Saiou's tone rose, "But! Destiny is a step ahead! Reveal the Set Card, Trap Card 'Hierophant's Staff'! The opponent draws one card, and this turn, cards you control cannot be destroyed!" (Anime card)
Invincible Hierophant!
The frozen wave of Absolute Zero rushed forward, but Saiou just laughed wildly, repeatedly chanting "Muda Muda Muda," as that frosty wave was entirely bounced away by the invincible Hierophant.
"Not being able to destroy..." Youyu commented as he drew a card.
"Exactly!" Saiou snapped, "Moreover, my 'Arcana Force XXI - The World' surpasses your 'Dark Cavalry' in both power and speed!"
He definitely means attack power... doesn't he?
"Then there's also the effect of 'Dark Cavalry'.
This card's attack power increases by 100 points for each Magic Trap Card on both players' fields and in their graveyards. Now, there are seven Magic Trap Cards in total on the fields and in the graveyards, so the attack power increases by 700."
[Dark Cavalry, ATK 2800 → ATK 3500]
Saiou, who had just been countered, smirked: "Crap, he surpassed me..."
But Youyu's narrative wasn't over yet: "Next, I banish the Dragon-Type monster 'Keeper of Dragon Magic' on the field from play, so I can Special Summon a card from my hand—
——Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!!!"
Saiou almost yelled.
What on earth are you going to summon next!?