MTLNOVEL Chapter 266: Chapter 266
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell [Flash Fusion]!"
As the Malefic World field spell activated, the entire space was sealed off. Mai, Shizuka, and Musashi—who had been outside the duel—vanished without a trace.
Now, in this surreal realm filled with swirling, vibrant colors, only three people and their dragons remained, locked in a life-or-death battle.
Jonouchi's Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon, summoned during the first turn, stood ready. Yet it was clear that Byakuya's Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon was the greater threat. Even so, Jonouchi's confidence surged as he revealed his next move: the Quick-Play Spell Flash Fusion.
[Flash Fusion Quick-Play Effect: Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters you control as Fusion Material. Destroy it during the End Phase.]
"The true potential of the Red-Eyes will now be unleashed! Using the effect of Flash Fusion, I'll perform a Fusion Summon with monsters from my hand and field!"
Jonouchi sent Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon from his field and another monster from his hand to the Graveyard. The icy dragon, braced for Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon's incoming attack, dissolved into beams of black light, merging with another dragon.
"I'll fuse Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon on my field with Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact from my hand!"
Dark energy erupted as the fusion completed, its aura completely overshadowing the light of Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon. A new, formidable dragon descended onto the battlefield.
"Fusion Summon—[Meteor Black Comet Dragon]!"
[Meteor Black Comet Dragon ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][DARK][Dragon/Fusion/Effect][ATK 3500/DEF 2000]
[Fusion Materials: 1 Level 7 "Red-Eyes" monster + 1 Level 6 Dragon monster]
Shrouded in flaming crimson energy, the massive dragon spread its enormous wings across the warped landscape of Malefic World, its presence as intense as a meteor streaking through the atmosphere.
"And now, your attack will backfire!" Jonouchi declared. As Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon's devastating light approached, Meteor Black Comet Dragon roared and retaliated.
"Counterattack, Meteor Black Comet Dragon—Black Inferno Meteor Blast!"
A barrage of fiery meteors erupted from the dragon's maw, overwhelming the destructive white light and obliterating the corrupted form of Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
[Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon – Destroyed]
[Byakuya's LP 4000 → 3500]
"It's not over yet!" Jonouchi said, pressing his advantage. "The effect of Meteor Black Comet Dragon activates upon Fusion Summon!"
[Meteor Black Comet Dragon Effect: If this card is Fusion Summoned: You can send 1 "Red-Eyes" monster from your hand or Deck to the GY, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to half the original ATK of that monster.]
"I'll send Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon from my Deck to the Graveyard and inflict damage equal to half its ATK!"
Jonouchi retrieved a card from his deck and sent it to the Graveyard. As he did, the wings of Meteor Black Comet Dragon ignited with blazing crimson flames.
"Take this—1200 points of direct damage from the Crimson Meteor Burn!"
Flames erupted from the dragon's wings, engulfing Byakuya's defenseless field.
[Byakuya's LP 3500 → 2300]
"Awesome move, Jonouchi!" Hoshino exclaimed, awestruck by the sudden counterattack. She could barely believe the power and skill Jonouchi now displayed. This was far beyond the carefree duelist she once knew.
Jonouchi rubbed his nose confidently. "It's not about me being awesome; it's about him being terrible! At this level, there's no way he could've beaten that arrogant Kaiba!"
Over the years, Jonouchi had grown into a powerful duelist. Hoshino couldn't even begin to fathom how strong Kaiba must have become.
"That said, I never believed he could beat Kaiba in the first place," Hoshino remarked. "Think about it—if what he says is true, that defeated duelists are erased from existence, then if he really beat Kaiba, we wouldn't even remember who Kaiba is, right?"
Jonouchi blinked, then grinned. "Hah! That actually makes sense! That guy's too stubborn to disappear anyway.""
Hoshino's logical reasoning provided irrefutable evidence that Kaiba had not been defeated, much to Jonouchi's relief.
But Byakuya wasn't fazed. Despite losing half his Life Points and his monster, he smirked. "Impressive, Jonouchi. But thanks to Flash Fusion, your Meteor Black Comet Dragon will be destroyed at the end of this turn!"
With a dramatic flourish, Byakuya revealed his next move.
"Furthermore, my Malefic World allows me to summon powerful monsters in succession! Watch as your efforts are crushed! I banish Red-Eyes Black Dragon from my Deck to Special Summon [Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon]!"
[Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon ★★★★★★★ (Level 7)][DARK][Dragon/Effect][ATK 2400/DEF 2000]
A corrupted version of Jonouchi's ace monster appeared on Byakuya's field, its white-accented wings and head glowing malevolently.
Jonouchi's fists clenched. "Damn it! He's using my Red-Eyes against me!"
Byakuya chuckled. "I set three cards face-down and end my turn! And now, due to the effect of Flash Fusion, your Meteor Black Comet Dragon is destroyed!"
As predicted, the mighty dragon disintegrated, vanishing from the field.
But Jonouchi smirked as he slid the card into his Graveyard. "Even though Meteor Black Comet Dragon is gone, the will of the Red-Eyes remains! I activate its final effect!"
[Meteor Black Comet Dragon Effect: If this card is sent from the Monster Zone to the GY: You can target 1 Normal Monster in your GY; Special Summon it.]
"I'll bring back the monster I sent to the Graveyard earlier—[Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon]!"
From the Graveyard, the mighty dragon reappeared, its crimson eyes glowing with determination.
[Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon ★★★★★★ (Level 7)][DARK][Dragon/Gemini/Effect][ATK 2400/DEF 2000]
[This card is treated as a Normal Monster while face-up on the field or in the Graveyard.]
The battlefield grew tense as Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon and Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon, both with equal attack power, glared at each other. Their fierce standoff embodied the will of their duelists—neither side willing to back down.
"Such tenacity, Jonouchi, but it's still futile in the face of Malefic!"
Breaking the intense standoff between the two black dragons, Byakuya activated a card from his duel disk.
"Face-down Trap Card, activate—[Malefic Claw Stream]!"
[Malefic Claw Stream Trap Card Effect: Activate only if you control a face-up "Malefic" monster. Select 1 monster your opponent controls and destroy it.]
A terrifying energy emanated from the claws of Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon, wrapping around the opposing Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon and crushing it.
[Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon – Destroyed]
Byakuya sneered. "What did I say? Now the one with an empty field is you! Hah!"
As the flames of the destroyed dragon extinguished, Jonouchi scratched his head awkwardly. "Sorry, Hoshino... I couldn't leave you a better field to work with. All that bravado earlier, huh?"
Hoshino smiled, shaking her head. "No need to apologize. That was already incredible. Honestly, you're the most dependable Jonouchi I've ever seen."
"Leave the rest to me!" she added confidently.
Although Hoshino wasn't at her prime—having lost some of her key cards since her duel with Marik—she knew she had to be cautious against a duelist from the future.
Byakuya scoffed. "Teaming up with such a no-name duelist, Jonouchi? She's probably just dragging you down!"
His dismissive attitude made it clear he underestimated Hoshino. His use of Malefic Claw Stream earlier was proof—he didn't see her as a threat.
But instead of getting angry, Hoshino smiled inwardly. Why waste energy on a dead man?
In this duel, only the winners would leave alive.
She drew her card with confidence, studying the duel disk's unfamiliar design.
"Let me figure this thing out," she muttered, adjusting to the newer model.
Though unfamiliar, the duel disk's purpose was clear: to enable duels. After a few moments of fiddling, she nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright. My turn—draw!" Hoshino declared, her voice filled with resolve. "A 'no-name duelist,' huh? Then get ready to see what this no-name can do!"
Her gaze flicked to the Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon looming on the opponent's field, then to Jonouchi.
"Hey, remember the first time we tag-teamed in a duel?"
Jonouchi scratched his head, embarrassed. "Kinda? The details are a little fuzzy, though."
It had been just a month ago for Hoshino, but for Jonouchi, it was a memory buried ten years in the past.
"We had the same monsters on the field back then: Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, and..."
With a dramatic flourish, she slapped a card onto her duel disk. Her tone shifted, commanding and determined.
"And this one—the Dragon-Slaying Hero, Siegfried!"
Jonouchi's eyes widened in recognition. "Siegfried? But Hoshino, didn't Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon just get destroyed by that trap? How can you summon it now?"
Even after ten years, Jonouchi vividly remembered Siegfried. "If I recall, Siegfried's effect lets it double its ATK by using a dragon as tribute, right? But it still needs a tribute to summon..."
Hoshino smiled confidently. "Blue-Eyes and Red-Eyes have evolved—so why shouldn't I? Watch closely. This is the power of [Heroic Spirit – Dragon-Blooded Knight Siegfried]!"
[Heroic Spirit – Dragon-Blooded Knight Siegfried ★★★★★★ (Level 6)][EARTH][Warrior/Effect][ATK 0/DEF 3000]
"You're summoning a Level 6 monster without a tribute? No... wait..." Byakuya faltered, realization dawning.
Pointing to Byakuya's field, Hoshino interrupted, her voice cutting through his confusion. "Who says I didn't tribute a monster?"
Siegfried's massive sword cleaved through Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon, slicing it cleanly in half.
"Your dragon's been tributed. Siegfried's effect—"
[This card can be Tribute Summoned by using 1 Dragon-Type monster from either player's field as Tribute. When Summoned this way, this card's Type is also treated as Dragon.]
"No! That... Heroic Spirit... This is...!" Byakuya's eyes widened in panic.
"Siegfried..." Jonouchi murmured, astonished.
"The Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon was tributed, so now Siegfried gains double its ATK!" Hoshino declared.
[Siegfried ATK 0 → 4800]
"Not only does Siegfried surpass Blue-Eyes White Dragon in strength, but it's also your worst nightmare!" Hoshino smirked.
"You called me a no name—now prove your strength by surviving this sword!"
Panic overtook Byakuya as he realized his overconfidence had cost him dearly. He braced himself as Siegfried raised its glowing blade.
"Dragon blood stains this sword, granting it unmatched power!" declared Siegfried.
"End this—direct attack!" Hoshino shouted.
The blade struck with devastating force, shaking the battlefield. Byakuya was left stunned.
"Wait... you said your name is Hoshino?" Byakuya stammered, his confidence shattered.
"Could it be... the one Lord Paradox warned about... the duelist hidden in time—Hoshino Chiyuki?!"
(*****)
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