"I set two cards and end my turn!"
Hikaru looked at his hand, mentally calculating his next moves.
The discarded cards had altered his original plan, with the biggest factor being he couldn't immediately deal with Crystal this turn.
But perhaps it wasn't a bad thing. Based on his calculations with his previous hand and the current one, the new cards in his deck gave him more stability, plus he had already drawn one extra card.
It was now Crystal's turn. With a roar, Crystal Normal Summoned a monster.
A crimson gem split, and from the shards emerged a knight cloaked in dark mist.
[Gem-Knight Tourmaline] Level 4│EARTH│Thunder│1600 ATK
Crystal pointed toward the opponent, and Gem-Knight Crystal leaped forward, charging toward Flame Swordsman.
"I flip my set card, Salamandra with Chain! This card can be equipped to a Fire Attribute monster, boosting its ATK by 700 points!"
[Flame Swordsman: 1800 → 2500]
Though Hikaru could have set them face-down, it was more efficient to destroy the opponent's monster directly.
"RAAARGH!!!" Flame Swordsman swapped his large sword for a chain and swung it, knocking Crystal's knight. With a painful scream, the knight was sent flying.
[Gem-Knight Crystal, LP: 4000 → 3950]
Crystal took the hit from the flames, shook his head, and the dark mist surrounding him lightened slightly. But it didn't affect his movements, he turned around and flipped over a set card.
Trap Card, Fragment Fusion!
This was the same card Hikaru had Super Fused earlier, so he wasn't surprised.
It was a Trap Card that allowed him to banish a "Gem-Knight" from the Graveyard for a Fusion Summon.
Crystal banished Gem-Knight Tourmaline on the field and a monster from the first turn that had been discarded, performing a Fusion Summon.
Two gems appeared on the field, colliding and shattering continuously.
Finally, from the rubble emerged a knight with dull colors.
A knight cloaked in a cape, wielding massive gauntlets and exuding a fierce aura!
[Gem-Knight Zirconia] Level 8│EARTH│Rock│2900 ATK
Fusion Materials: "Gem-Knight" and a "Rock-Type" monster!
It far surpassed Flame Swordsman in strength.
"This is it, we can't stop it now—"
"Don't let your knowledge limit your thinking! I activate my Trap Card, Flame Swordsdance!"
Hikaru activated the card, unable to suppress a satisfied grin.
In truth, this card was one of the most versatile in his deck currently, combining defense, summoning, and sustainability into a "Fusion."
However, since he first used it against Ryu, everyone had been wary of it and prepared for it. The last time he used it, he had only activated its Graveyard effect.
"If a monster is Special Summoned, I can Special Summon one Flame Swordsman or a Fusion monster mentioning it from my Extra Deck with Level 7 or lower. Then, change a monster on the field to face-down Defense Position!"
"Dark Flare."
"Yes!" Dark Flare Knight charged forward promptly. As he entered the field, dark flames swept across, enveloping the massive knight.
The two warriors now stood side by side, creating an imposing image on the field, guarding it, and preventing any harm to Hikaru.
"Cool..." The Alchemist finally sighed in awe. "Now, when the turn ends, that monster should be destroyed by its own Fusion Trap. Powerful cards always come with risks. It's over, we've won."
"Heh... Heh..."
'HUH!?'
The Alchemist jumped in shock, goosebumps rising on his skin. He stared at the dark misty knight, Hikaru's opponent, unable to believe what he was seeing. How could he still be smiling?
No, how could this already insane guy still have the consciousness to smile?!
As the Battle Phase ended, Crystal slowly reached into his hand and pulled out a Fusion!
The most basic Fusion!
Normally, the monster summoned by Fragment Fusion would be destroyed at the end of the turn, but even without his consciousness, Crystal was still a powerful warrior, acting on instinct!
He sent Zirconia and Tourmaline to the Graveyard, and a knight, with seven parts identical to him, purple lightning wrapping around him, and wielding a gun-shield, slowly descended beneath the thunder.
[Gem-Knight Prismaura] Level 7│EARTH│Thunder│2450 ATK
Another form of Crystal!
He laughed wildly, pointing at Flame Swordsman.
Flame Swordsman instinctively pointed at himself, still confused about what was happening, when Crystal discarded a card from his hand.
Then, a massive surge of electricity slammed down, sending Flame Swordsman flying off the field in an instant.
"Once per turn, Prismaura can discard one Gem-Knight card from the hand to the Graveyard and target one face-up card on the field. That card is destroyed." Hikaru stroked his chin, "Even though he's lost his sanity, he can still skip the side effect before it triggers and destroy the field with perfect timing, pretty impressive."
"Flame Swordsman, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, my lord." Flame Swordsman's body flickered, becoming somewhat ethereal. It was clear that the destructive effect of dark mist had left him in discomfort.
Fortunately, Hikaru hadn't lost any LP, so he was fine.
He drew a card, looked at it, and smiled, right now, he was in his strongest form.
He was stronger than when he dueled Jaden!
"I activate my Field Spell, Geartown!" Hikaru placed the card on the field zone, and the sound of gears rapidly spinning filled the air, resembling music and creating an unusually pleasant noise.
"As long as this card is on the field, both players need one less Tribute to summon Ancient Gear monsters. I will now tribute the Dark Flare Knight on the field and summon Ancient Gear Golem!"
The mechanical gear giant strode out from Geartown.
"Wow, it's here!" Flame Swordsman, who had been clutching his shoulder in pain, cheered with the Dark Flare Knight, both celebrating.
The Dark Flare Knight nodded proudly.
His lord summoned Ancient Gear Golem using the Dark Flare Knight, yet it was still incredibly astounding.
"Now, I activate the Spell Card, Ancient Gear Fusion!"
"Oh!!" The two warriors clenched their fists spiritedly, leaving the Alchemist completely confused. Seeing his blank expression, they eagerly started explaining the effect to him.
When using Ancient Gear Golem on the field as Fusion Material, any monster from the deck can be used as the Fusion Material!
"That's so strong!"
For an Alchemist, materials were everything, and in this closed space, even the materials were obtained from humans. So, even though he didn't understand much about dueling, he knew if he could freely use the Alchemic materials from the Alchemic base in this dimension, he could easily conduct all sorts of experiments!
Amidst the astonishment, Hikaru slammed his hands together to initiate the Fusion!
"I Fusion Summon, Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem!"
A gigantic mechanical being appeared, its massive form seemingly too large to fit within this narrow, enclosed dimension!
[Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem] Level 10│EARTH│Machine│4400 ATK!!
Hikaru grinned and shouted, "Ultimate Golem, attack!"
"Ultimate Gear Strike!"
"Now, I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Battle Fusion!"
"When a Fusion monster I control battles a monster on your field, that monster's ATK is increased by the ATK of the opponent's monster until the end of the Damage Step!"
[Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem, ATK: 4400 → 6850!]
"6850!!?" The Alchemist gaped, shocked to the point of being dazed.
As the attack commenced, Hikaru took out Super Fusion and held up the card amidst the thick smoke.
Ultimate Golem raised its fist, its eyes glowing red. Its massive fist swung through the air, growing larger as it approached.
Prismaura, with electric light sparking from it, tried to resist, but in an instant, it was pulverized. In the next moment, Crystal's dark aura surged and directly faced the Golem's attack.
He was instantly driven into the ground like a nail, his eyes clearing in the process.
Just as the dark mist around Crystal seemed about to spill over and escape, a powerful suction pulled it toward Hikaru, who grabbed it in his hands.
The card still wasn't fully formed, with only black dotted lines on its surface, suggesting that more "dark-mist-bound" spirits were needed to complete it. But just seeing the few words on it already excited Hikaru.
El Shaddoll Winda!
There was no other possibility, it had to be her!
What a bountiful harvest today!