"I activate the Trap Card 'New Cosmic Expansion' from my hand!"
Judai slotted a card from his hand into the Duel Disc. At once, a Trap Card really did materialize directly in his back row, rippling with a wave of golden light on its surface.
The Evil God said, "A Trap Card activated from the hand?"
"That's right." Judai said, "Trap Card 'New Cosmic Expansion'—if there are no cards on my field, this card can also be activated from the hand.
From my hand or Graveyard, I choose any number of 'New Space Hero' and 'Elemental HERO Neos' and Special Summon them to the field in Defense Position!"
Cards shot out of Judai's Graveyard in quick succession. He swept several cards into his hand in one go and held them up for his opponent to see.
"The 'Elemental HERO Neos' that was sent to the Graveyard by 'Elemental Hero Liquid Man's' effect last turn, then the 'New Space Hero: Earth Mole' and 'New Space Hero: Wave Dolphin' discarded by the Magic Card 'Transformation Contact' just now, and the 'New Space Hero: Sky Hummingbird' discarded to the Graveyard by 'Angel's Charity.'
Four cards in total, all Special Summoned to the field!"
Judai slammed the four Monsters onto the Duel Disc in one breath. The four Monster Zones on his field lit up with pillars of light, four different colors shooting into the sky, each beam converging into the silhouette of a Cosmic Hero.
[New Space Hero: Wave Dolphin, Defense Power 800]
[New Space Hero: Sky Hummingbird, Defense Power 600]
[New Space Hero: Earth Mole, Defense Power 300]
[Elemental HERO Neos, Defense Power 2000]
The Evil God's expression shifted slightly. "Just one card, and he summoned four Monsters..."
Judai added, "However, the Monsters summoned by the effect of 'New Cosmic Expansion' all have their effects negated."
The Evil God said blandly, "Even though there are many, in Defense Position they can't attack, and with their effects negated they're no threat at all."
As he spoke, he let out a cold chuckle.
"Not a single one is a match for Supreme Sun. Well, as walls they can at least stall for a bit... heh heh."
He let out two sinister laughs and didn't continue, but in his heart he was thinking, no matter how many walls there are, what meaning do they have before the Eraser? Even four Monsters are just one 'End of All Things' away from being wiped out by the Eraser.
Judai said, "Next I activate the Magic Card 'New Space Gift.'
If I control a 'New Space Hero' Monster, I can draw from my Card Deck a number of cards equal to the number of 'New Space Hero' Monsters on my field!"
Only now did the Evil God show a faint hint of surprise. "Nani?"
"Right now I have three 'New Space Hero' on my field." Judai said, "So I draw three cards from my Card Deck!"
Sky Hummingbird raised its head, taking the lead in shouting, "Judai! Take our power!"
With that, its wings beat. Hummingbird, Mole, and Dolphin each released a surge of Energy Fluctuation from their bodies, which flowed into the top of Judai's Card Deck. Judai's Card Deck seemed to be empowered; the top three cards, as if liberated, automatically popped out, and Judai drew them into his hand.
After drawing, Judai's movements paused slightly. He slowly raised his head and looked toward the Evil God.
"I don't know you."
Judai said quietly.
"To be honest, I can't say I've ever had some grand wish like saving the world or bringing smiles to people's faces through Duels... I've mostly always Dueled for myself, just for fun.
But today is different."
His tone shifted.
If the classmates at the school who were familiar with Judai were here, they would likely be extremely shocked. Because even the partners who had spent day and night with Judai up to this third year would probably find it hard to believe that such a gloomy, unfamiliar voice could come from Judai's mouth.
"Only today, only you... are the opponent I absolutely must defeat no matter what."
"Because if I don't, then if someday, after I die, I have a chance to meet that guy again... I don't think I'd have the face to see him, would I?"
Even Yubel at his side couldn't help but speak out. "Judai..."
Even she, for a moment, felt that Judai looked somewhat unfamiliar right now.
That red-clad back carried a hint of sorrow, a hint of loneliness, and something almost never seen on this optimistic boy... anger.
And the Evil God on the other side noticed even more clearly that at some point the boy's eyes had turned golden.
A piercing, heart-stabbing gold, so sharp that one didn't dare look at it directly.
"I return 'Elemental HERO Neos,' 'New Space Hero: Earth Mole,' 'New Space Hero: Sky Hummingbird,' and 'New Space Hero: Water-colored Dolphin'—these four Monsters—from the field back to the Card Deck!
Quadruple Contact Fusion!"
Yubel: "!"
The Evil God: "!"
Quadruple Contact!?
Not only the Evil God, even Yubel's mind was blank. Did Judai have this kind of Monster before?
After she returned, she had roughly gone through Judai's Card Deck, but she didn't recall there being anything like this...
"The Fusion materials are 'Elemental HERO Neos' plus three 'New Space Hero' Monsters with different Attributes!"
Judai raised his arm high.
Neos seemed to raise his arm with him. The three New Space Heroes beside him turned into blue, gold, and red lights, each blessing Neos's body. Neos was bathed entirely in the three-colored radiance, the light brilliantly shifting, and his body seemed to be rapidly growing larger.
"Mysterious light, call forth the miracle of the Cosmos——
——Elemental HERO Cosmos Neos, Summon!!!"
[Elemental HERO Cosmos Neos, Attack Power 3500]
The new Neos, a brand-new power born from Judai after gaining new strength, was a new form Neos had evolved into as his master advanced.
Commonly known as "printed card."
The human-shaped Evil God narrowed his eyes slightly.
"This power... you've summoned something dangerous again."
Judai revealed a card in his hand. "I activate the Magic Card 'Great Storm.'
Destroy all Magic and Trap Cards on the field!"
Judai pointed toward the Evil God's back row.
"Your Continuous Magic and Cover Cards, all destroyed!"
The Evil God only sneered.
"You only remember my back row now? Too late!
I activate my Cover Card, Continuous Trap - Call of the Living Dead!"
The Evil God burst into loud laughter.
"I Special Summon a Monster from the Graveyard to the field in Attack Position. And of course, the one I'm reviving is myself——
——Evil God Eraser!
No matter what your Monster can do, let it be destroyed!"
But after laughing a few times, he suddenly realized something was wrong.
Wait a minute...
The Trap didn't respond.
The Evil God's pupils contracted.
"What...!?"
"I already guessed that was a Trap to revive the Eraser, and I also knew you probably wouldn't activate it before I launched my attack." Judai said, "But at the very moment 'Elemental HERO Cosmos Neos' was Summoned, you had already lost your timing to activate it.
Elemental HERO Cosmos Neos's effect!
When this card is successfully Summoned, for this turn, your opponent cannot activate the effects of any cards activated on the field!
And your opponent also cannot chain any Magic, Trap, or Monster Effects to the activation of this effect!"
The Evil God: "!"