"Clear Wing Synchro Dragon?"
Yusaku raised an eyebrow. "So you're running a Synchro line too?"
"That's the difference between me and that idiot Karasu!" Nightshroud threw his head back and laughed smugly. "The Deck I built is a perfect system where Fusion and Synchro coexist!"
After that manic laugh, he pulled out another card and slammed it onto his Duel Disk.
"Next, I activate the Equip Spell Predaplast!"
"This card's effect targets 1 'Predaplant' monster in my Graveyard! I Special Summon that monster to the field, then equip this card to it!"
"I choose to Special Summon Predaplant Byblisp from my Graveyard!"
A flash of green light, and the little spider reappeared on the field.
Predaplant Byblisp
ATK 0
"Next, I'm going to Special Summon the king I just brought out-"
Nightshroud had not even finished speaking when the abnormality struck.
Boom-!
A massive black裂缝 tore open across the roof of the arena. Beyond it, countless stars were visible, and from the depths of that crack came a suffocating pressure so terrifying it made the air itself feel heavy.
The smile on Nightshroud's face froze instantly. His brows drew together.
In the next second, a giant meteor burning with chaotic flames came hurtling down from the crack, carrying with it the terrifying force to crush even the stars, and smashed directly into the center of the arena!
"Nibiru, the Primal Being?!"
The moment he saw the true form of that meteor, Nightshroud's pupils shrank violently and he cried out in shock.
BOOM-!!!
A deafening explosion erupted. A terrifying shockwave exploded outward from the center of the field and spread in every direction. The three monsters on Nightshroud's field, in the face of that absolute force, vanished like frost under the blazing sun. They could not resist in the slightest. In an instant, they were vaporized, leaving not even a trace behind.
When the dust finally began to settle, only a gigantic Token stitched together from the remains of the destroyed monsters remained on the field.
Primal Being Token
ATK 3500
(P.S. 1000 + 2500 + 0)
"The effect of Nibiru, the Primal Being," Yusaku said with a faint smile as he looked at Nightshroud's ashen face, "I assume you're familiar with it?"
Nightshroud clenched his teeth as he looked at the now-empty field on his side.
"You could have activated that card long ago. Why wait until now?"
Yusaku only glanced at him calmly, his tone carrying a trace of mockery.
"Because the number of monsters you had on the field before wasn't enough to pose any real threat. Nibiru's effect wouldn't have gotten full value. But after you summoned Predaplant Byblisp, I changed my mind."
He raised one hand and lightly tapped the edge of his Duel Disk.
"A Level 7 Synchro Monster, plus a Tuner... Heh. What were you trying to Summon there? If I'm not mistaken, your next step was going to be Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon, right?"
He looked straight at him.
"Tell me. Am I right?"
Nightshroud let out a cold snort.
"You don't seriously think 3 copies of Nibiru, the Primal Being are enough to stop me, do you? Then you're looking down on how well-built this Deck really is!"
With that, he yanked another card from his hand and slammed it down.
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Predapractice!"
"This card's effect lets me Special Summon 1 'Predaplant' monster from my hand! After that, I can add 1 'Predap' card from my Deck to my hand, except another copy of this card! And this card doesn't have a once-per-turn restriction!"
Nightshroud pulled a card from his hand and slapped it onto the Duel Disk.
"I Special Summon Predaplant Pterapenthes from my hand!"
A burst of emerald summoning light exploded outward, and a tiny green ant-like creature burst up from the ground. On its back were three miniature pitcher plants growing like parasites.
Predaplant Pterapenthes
Level 1 / Plant / Effect
ATK 100
"Then, by Predapractice's follow-up effect, I search the Equip Spell Predaplast from my Deck and add it to my hand!"
After adding the searched card, he immediately turned back to his Deck.
"Predaplast doesn't have a once-per-turn restriction, so I can activate it again! I Special Summon Predaplant Pterapenthes from my Graveyard and equip this card to it!"
Predaplant Pterapenthes
ATK 1000
The moment the Summon finished, Nightshroud's offense did not slow for even a moment. He raised his hand toward the Graveyard and shouted like thunder.
"I'm still not done! I activate the other effect of Blood Rose Dragon in my Graveyard!"
"While this card is in my Graveyard, I can banish it and 1 Plant monster in my Graveyard to Special Summon 1 Dragon monster from my hand or Graveyard!"
"I banish Blood Rose Dragon and Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra from my Graveyard, then Special Summon Clear Wing Synchro Dragon from my Graveyard!"
A pillar of silver-white light shot into the sky, and the dragon wrapped in wings of light once again tore through the air above the field.
Clear Wing Synchro Dragon
ATK 2500
"Next, I activate the effect of Predaplant Pterapenthes on my field!"
Nightshroud's voice rang out again, full of force.
"This card can target a monster on my field, or an opponent's monster with a Predator Counter! I Tribute that monster, then Special Summon 1 'Predaplant' monster from my Deck!"
He pointed directly at the ominous Token on his field.
"I choose to Tribute my Primal Being Token! Special Summon Predaplant Chlamydosundew from my Deck!"
Boom-!
That giant flaming stone instantly shattered and dissolved into countless motes of light.
In its place appeared a green lizard-like creature, its back covered in numerous red cherry-like insect traps, with glistening sticky fluid oozing from the openings, alluring and lethal at the same time.
Predaplant Chlamydosundew
Level 2 / Plant / Effect
ATK 600
"I'm still not done! I activate the other effect of Predaplant Byblisp in my Graveyard!"
Nightshroud shouted.
"I can banish this card from my Graveyard, then activate 1 of 2 effects! Either place a Predator Counter on 1 face-up monster on the field, or Set 1 Fusion Spell from my Graveyard or banishment!"
"I choose to banish this card!"
As those words fell, a red light flashed from the Graveyard, and Nightshroud pointed toward Yusaku's field.
"Then I place a Predator Counter on your Nibiru, the Primal Being!"
The red light lashed out like a whip and struck the burning meteor hard. In that instant, the flames covering its surface dimmed.
Nibiru, the Primal Being
Predator Counter: 0 -> 1
At the moment the counter was placed, Nibiru's Level instantly dropped to 1.
Level: 11 -> 1
After placing the counter, Nightshroud shouted:
"At this moment, I activate Predaplant Chlamydosundew's effect!"
"This effect can only be activated during my Main Phase! I Fusion Summon 1 DARK Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck using this card itself, monsters from my hand or field, and any of my opponent's monsters with Predator Counters as Fusion Material!"
"This monster has another effect too: while it is in the Monster Zone, any monsters with Predator Counters used as Fusion Material are treated as DARK!"
Nightshroud looked at Yusaku with a cold smile full of confidence.
"By that effect, your Nibiru, the Primal Being is now treated as a DARK monster! And the Fusion Monster I want to Summon requires 2 non-Token DARK monsters on the field!"
He swung his hand sharply, his voice boiling with fanatic excitement.
"I use your Nibiru, the Primal Being and my Predaplant Chlamydosundew as Fusion Materials and send them to the Graveyard!"
"Fusion Summon! The predator born from the abyss, Level 8 - Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!"
A dark crimson Fusion vortex exploded open, and from it roared a dragon of deep red. Its wings looked like withered leaves, and the poisonous stinger at the end of its tail shone with lethal cold light.
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon
Level 8 / Dragon / Fusion / Effect
ATK 2800
"I'm still not done!" Nightshroud pulled another card from his hand and slammed it onto the Duel Disk. "I activate the Spell Card Ultra Polymerization!"
"This card's effect lets me pay 2000 Life Points to activate it! I send the 2 Fusion Material monsters listed on a Fusion Monster from my field to the Graveyard, then Fusion Summon that monster from my Extra Deck! Most importantly, my opponent cannot activate any card or effect in response to this card's activation!"
"I activate it and pay 2000 LP!"
[Nightshroud LP 8000 -> 6000]
"The monster I'm about to Summon has this Fusion requirement - 1 Fusion Monster plus 1 DARK monster!"
Nightshroud's finger stabbed sharply toward the field.
"I send the Fusion Monster Predaplant Pterapenthes on my field, and the DARK monster Predaplant Pterapenthes, to the Graveyard as Fusion Material!"
"Fusion Summon! The thorn dragon that devours all, Level 8 - Predaplant Dragostapelia!!!"
The 2 lights were instantly sucked into the Fusion vortex. In the next moment, thorny vines exploded outward in every direction as a demonic dragon covered in spikes spread its wings and emerged.
Predaplant Dragostapelia
Level 8 / Plant / Fusion / Effect
ATK 2700
The moment Dragostapelia landed, Nightshroud's voice rang out again, refusing to give his opponent even a second to breathe.
"I activate the effect of the Predaplant Pterapenthes that was just sent to the Graveyard!"
"If this card is sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, or destroyed by battle, I can activate its effect and add 1 'Predap' card from my Deck to my hand, except itself!"
"What I search is the Trap Card Predaplanet!"
The moment the new card entered his hand, Nightshroud turned his gaze back toward the Graveyard, a deep and unreadable smile at the corner of his lips.
"I activate Ultra Polymerization's other effect in the Graveyard!"
"I can banish this card from my Graveyard, then target 1 monster Fusion Summoned by its effect! I Special Summon the Fusion Materials used to Fusion Summon that monster from my Graveyard! The monsters Special Summoned by this effect have their ATK and DEF become 0, and their effects are negated!"
"I activate this effect! My target is Predaplant Dragostapelia on the field! I Special Summon Predaplant Pterapenthes and Predaplant Pterapenthes from my Graveyard!"
Two dim green lights rose from the Graveyard, and the 2 monsters reappeared.
Predaplant Pterapenthes
ATK 0
Predaplant Pterapenthes
ATK 0
The instant the monsters appeared, Nightshroud immediately played another card from his hand.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Instant Fusion!"
"This card's effect lets me pay 2000 LP to target 1 Effect Monster on the field and Special Summon from my Extra Deck 1 monster with the same Type and Attribute, but a different Level! The monster Special Summoned by this effect has its effects negated!"
"After that, I can choose 1 of 2 effects-"
"- either use the Special Summoned monster and the targeted monster as Fusion Material to Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster!"
Nightshroud looked at Yusaku.
"I choose the first effect, targeting the Level 5 Predaplant Pterapenthes on my field, then Special Summon the monster in my Extra Deck with a different Level but the same Type and Attribute - Predaplant Chimerafflesia!"
As he finished speaking, the summoning effect erupted. A giant maw tore open the vortex, and a huge green carnivorous flower slammed heavily onto the field. Thick vines spread wildly across the ground as drool dripped from its jagged petals.
Predaplant Chimerafflesia
Plant / Fusion / Effect
ATK 2500
"Then, by Instant Fusion's follow-up effect-"
Nightshroud's voice carried the last edge of madness.
"I send the Predaplant Chimerafflesia I just Summoned and the Predaplant Pterapenthes on my field to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials-"
"Come forth! My ace monster- Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon!"
The instant those words were spoken, the two monsters turned into streams of light and flew into the bottomless Fusion vortex in the sky.
In the next moment, a terrifying dragon capable of shaking even the dimensional barrier itself strode out of the vortex.
Its scales shimmered with an oily poisonous green glow in the darkness, and dozens of vine-like tendrils extended from its body, with dark green venom constantly dripping from the suckers at their tips.
As its wings moved, pink and green torrents of chaotic energy swept across the field. The air filled with a choking toxic haze, and every current of wind seemed to carry the icy killing intent of a predator locking onto its prey.
Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon
Level 10 / Dragon / Fusion / Effect
ATK 3600
"Lastly-" Nightshroud took a deep breath, then Set the last 2 cards from his hand onto the Duel Disk. "I Set 2 cards and end my turn!"
Hum-
After two crisp sounds, 2 face-down cards lay quietly in Nightshroud's back row.
"Finally done?"
Yusaku glanced over the monsters on Nightshroud's field and placed his hand on his Deck.
"Then it's my turn. Draw!"
He had only just added the drawn card to his hand when Nightshroud's mocking voice rang out from the other side.
"At the moment your Draw Phase ends-"
Nightshroud suddenly threw up his hand.
"I flip my face-down card! I activate the Trap Card Predaplanet!"
The face-down card instantly flipped open, spreading a sinister reddish-brown glow across the field.
(End of Chapter)
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