Before coming here, Hikaru carefully watched the duel between Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood.
Partly to see what new cards Weevil had now.
Partly to check whether he was up to any shady tricks during the duel.
Even with Tierra by his side, Hikaru couldn't let his guard down.
After all, Tierra was the kind of goddess who, the moment she got bored, would just pretend not to exist. If she found the duel too boring halfway, then back at the workshop, Hikaru would be left relying on his own physical strength to deal with any underhanded tactics from Weevil.
And seeing that duel unfold the way it did...
Hikaru naturally came up with a new plan.
Tactically speaking, Weevil and Rex had similarities, but also distinct differences.
For example, Rex leaned more toward destruction, while Weevil focused on restriction.
Not that it mattered too much. What did matter was that Rex's tactics were brutally simple.
Self-destruction.
Of course, with Metamorphosed Insect Queen on the field, Insects couldn't be destroyed by effects, so during their duel, Rex attacked first, then self-destructed.
And notably, when dueling Rex, Weevil didn't bother using Card Destruction to cycle his Eradicating Aerosol. He just played it outright.
Different opponents. Even with the same preset hand, the tactics varied.
Similarly, it was hard for Hikaru's deck to copy Rex's approach perfectly.
After all, he didn't exactly have any board-nuking cards.
But he did have something else.
"Normal Summon, Elemental HERO Prisma!"
Hikaru summoned Prisma from his hand once again.
"Prisma's effect. Once per turn, reveal a Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck, send one of its listed materials from Deck to Graveyard, and its name becomes that monster's name.
I send Dark Magician from my Deck to the Graveyard."
"D-Dark Magician?!"
Weevil gasped.
Even the staff nearby craned their necks for a better look. The camera crew kicked into overdrive, scrambling for close-up shots of the legendary card.
Everyone had heard Hikaru owned it, but seeing it on TV was one thing. Seeing it live was another.
"Next, I activate the effect of Field Spell, Fusion Recycling Plant. Once per turn, I discard a card to add Polymerization from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand."
Hikaru had restructured his deck a bit, cutting down regular Polymerizations to make room for more versatile Fusions and Special Summons.
Still, last turn he hadn't used this effect because he'd drawn two [Polymerization] already, so there was no need to discard anything.
"I discard Metalfoes Fusion from my hand to activate it. Then, add [Polymerization] from the Graveyard to hand."
"And now I trigger the effect of Metalfoes Fusion. Shuffle it back into the Deck, then draw 1 card."
Hikaru returned it to the Deck. After a brief shuffle, one card popped out.
His brow lifted.
"Oh... well then."
This was exactly the piece he needed.
"Activate Continuous Spell, Strength in Unity."
A card nobody had ever seen before.
But when everyone saw the artwork, a Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon with Black Luster Soldier riding atop it, launching a combined attack, they instantly understood. This card was ridiculous.
At least in this world.
"W-What is that?!" Weevil instinctively stepped back.
That image had haunted him with plenty of pain before. Don't ask how. It just had.
"Activate Spell, Polymerization." Hikaru ignored him. "I fuse Elemental HERO Prisma, whose name is treated as Dark Magician, with Black Luster Soldier from my hand.
One who draws power from Light, and one from Darkness.
When Light and Dark entwine, Chaos descends.
Fusion Summon, Level 8, Master of Chaos!"
A warrior clad in radiant golden armor flung his cape aside, raising a massive sword and shield, tearing through space to stand beside Hikaru.
[Master of Chaos] Level 8│DARK│Spellcaster│3000 ATK
"OHHHH!! It's real! Hikaru's legendary Black Magician Chaos form!!" The cameraman snapped photo after photo.
"Dark Magician... combined with..." Rex Raptor whispered in awe, watching through the broadcast.
"Master of Chaos's effect activates. When Fusion Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 LIGHT or DARK monster from the Graveyard. I choose Elemental HERO Prisma."
"And at the same time, Strength in Unity activates. If I Fusion or Ritual Summon a monster using Blue-Eyes White Dragon or Dark Magician, I can target 1 card on your field or in your Graveyard and banish it.
I banish your Insect Neglect."
"No!" Weevil howled as his Continuous Spell vanished.
As long as [Insect Neglect] remained, he could banish an Insect from his Graveyard to negate an attack.
"You... you knew I would rely on that card... you planned this!"
"Planned? No. You chose to draw that card. Don't blame me." Hikaru shot back.
Weevil recoiled.
"Master of Chaos activates again. I Tribute both a LIGHT and a DARK monster on my field to banish every monster you control."
"Everything?!" Weevil spun toward his insects. "No, don't banish my bugs!!"
Too late.
"I Tribute Master of Chaos and Prisma..."
The Master of Chaos raised his sword. His body shimmered, turning translucent. With a single slash, reality split open. The insects desperately clawed at the ground, but one by one they were sucked into the void. Gone.
"Damn it... But now your field's empty too! You copied Rex, but it's pointless."
"I've still got a card in hand!" Hikaru slid it onto the Duel Disk. "I activate Equip Spell, Re-Fusion.
Pay 800 Life Points to Special Summon a Fusion Monster from my Graveyard. Return, Master of Chaos!"
[Hikaru, LP: 1400 → 600]
"Haaa!!"
[Master of Chaos] phased back from the void, returning from the underworld itself.
"Direct attack!"
"AAAAAAHHHH!!"
[Weevil, LP: 4000 → 1000]
Hikaru glanced at his Graveyard.
He paused for a moment, then decided to hold one card back just to be safe.
"I banish [Fusion Substitute] from the Graveyard to activate its effect. Return 1 Fusion Monster from my Graveyard to the Extra Deck, then draw 1 card."
Last turn, since his Graveyard had no Fusion Monsters, this was a dead card he threw for Card Destruction. Now, it cycled.
Hikaru drew, and his eyes widened.
It's here.
The card Rex Raptor gave him, the finisher.
...
Bonus Chapter