[Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo] destroyedWith the radiant shattering kick, the blow from Koga—transformed from Mokey Mokey—instantly caused Ryan's trump card, the Gimmick Puppet of Leo, to disintegrate, its massive mechanical body breaking apart on the spot.
"It was destroyed on the very first turn!"
The maid Tali swept away the despair she'd felt earlier upon seeing Mokey Mokey. Her eyes now shone as if illuminated by the light of a HERO.
"So there really is a way to fight like that. Just like you said, Miss! It's incredible!"
"Y-yes… that's right."
Quite different. The shift in tone and style had long surpassed Sylvia's imagination.
Just what kind of person was this?
White Dragon, demons, Mokey Mokey, HEROes… was it really possible for a single person's Deck to contain so many elements at once?
It was simply too abnormal.
Even secretly activating the "Eye of God", Sylvia was still unable to peer into Miles' soul form during the duel.
This time, it was blocked by the backs of two young girls standing side by side.
"This is the first time I've ever encountered a duelist like this."
If you said Miles' soul was darkness, then he could command dragons of light, command angels (tofu blocks), and call forth radiant Masked HEROes.
But if you said his soul was light, then he could open the gates of hell inside a holy cathedral, and even directly summon a brand-new demonic Tuner monster right there in the church.
Sylvia's turbulent emotions never had a moment of rest.
Of course, complicated feelings aside, when it came to the outcome of this duel, Sylvia still hoped Miles would win.
After all, this duel concerned the safety of her family's maid—strange XP and all.
"I retract what I said earlier. It seems I really did underestimate you."
As the Gimmick Puppet of Leo collapsed, Ryan's attitude shifted at once.
"Still, if you're capable of serving as a royal guard, then this level of strength is only natural."
"My Life Points didn't drop?" Miles raised an eyebrow in confusion.
After the Gimmick Puppet of Leo was destroyed, Miles had been waiting for the damage calculation that would reduce Ryan's Life Points.
Yet even as the Gimmick Puppet of Leo all shattered and vanished from the field, Ryan's Life Points didn't budge in the slightest.
"To break destiny is often the beginning of calamity. Then, as Count Carlos wished, let me broaden your horizons!"
After [Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo] was destroyed in battle by Koga, Ryan raised his hand and flipped over a face-down card in his back row.
"—Trap Card [Time Machine], activate!"
[When a monster you or your opponent controls is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: negate the battle damage, and Special Summon that monster to its owner's field in the same battle position it was in when destroyed.]
As the Trap Card activated, a black time machine billowing with thick steam appeared on Ryan's field.
Right after, the tightly sealed doors of the time machine opened, and the Gimmick Puppet of Leo—gripping its kingly greatsword—slowly emerged from within.
[Gimmick Puppet of Leo, ATK: 3200]
Reviving a destroyed monster and negating battle damage, the Trap Card completed an effect akin to reversing the flow of time.
However, there was one crucial difference compared to before the battle.
Because [Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo] was an Xyz Monster, after being destroyed, sent to the Graveyard, and then Special Summoned again, all of the Xyz Materials that had been stacked beneath it were now gone.
"The Gimmick Puppet of Leo has no Xyz Materials left," Nova said, growing a little nervous.
Irena explained, "There's no need to worry, Nova. The Gimmick Puppet of Leo's special victory condition requires all Xyz Materials to be removed by its own effect. Removal through destruction and revival like this doesn't win the duel."
If anything, having lost all of its Xyz Materials, the Gimmick Puppet of Leo was now nothing more than a vanilla monster with 3200 Attack.
Sylvia hurriedly warned, "Be careful, Miles. This is also part of Ryan's strategy."
Ryan scoffed. "Even if you tell him, he won't understand the situation anyway. Give it up, Sylvia."
Did Miles not understand the situation? He understood it far better than most people present.
A Gimmick Puppet of Leo revived with all its Xyz Materials gone was the perfect springboard for Chaos Disaster.
Back during the Synchron Academy Turbo Duel Tournament, Lost Vela had been mercilessly crushed by this exact move, earning the infamous title of the second 'winless legend' after Luca.
Nonetheless, Miles had long since prepared a countermeasure for this tactic.
After ending the Battle Phase, Miles drew a Spell Card from his hand and flung it onto the field.
"—Spell Card [Foolish Burial]!"
[Send 1 monster from your Deck to the GY.]
The effect was simple and direct: send a monster from the Deck to the Graveyard. It might look simple, but Foolish Burial was anything but foolish.
Do you even know the value of a precise graveyard setup?
"Hm?" Ryan couldn't see which card Miles had sent to the Graveyard. He only sensed that, at the instant the card hit the Graveyard, golden flames flared up.
A card that was already burning before its effect had even activated—he had never heard of anything like that.
"Finally, I set two cards face-down. Turn end!"
Blowing through his entire hand on the very first turn, Miles now only had the HERO monster he'd searched with Shadow Mist's effect left in hand.
Resource conservation? That didn't exist. Anyone planning to drag things out against the Gimmick Puppet of Leo had something wrong with their head.
"My turn, draw!"
As his turn began, Ryan swept his gaze over the card he'd just drawn.
"A card that shatters destiny. Your timing couldn't be better. This ends now!"
Without hesitating for even a second, Ryan raised the card he'd drawn high above his head.
"The lion's way of battle is far from singular. Here, let the fangs of calamity be revealed in full!—Activate [Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force]!"
Rank-Up-Magic represented yet another evolutionary path for Xyz Monsters.
"This is the glory of the Gate family—Rank-Up Summon!"
[Target 1 Rank 5 or higher Xyz Monster you control; Special Summon from your Extra Deck, 1 "Number C" or "CXyz" monster that is 1 Rank higher than that monster you control, by using it as the Xyz Material. (This Special Summon is treated as an Xyz Summon. Xyz Materials attached to it also become Xyz Materials on the Summoned monster.)]
Chaos Rank-Up power erupted from the card, swirling around the throne and the massive Gimmick Puppet of Leo.
"Appear, Chaos No.88! Let the surging roar of the soul awaken the wrath that can destroy everything—Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo!"
[Number C88: Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo] Rank 9│DARK│Machine│3500 ATK
[Level 9 monsters ×4]
An absurdly harsh summoning requirement of four Level 9 monsters—or alternatively, performing an Xyz Summon by Ranking Up the Gimmick Puppet of Leo.
Spreading its magnificent golden wings, Disaster Leo roared as though truly capable of heralding catastrophe itself.
Sylvia cried out in alarm, "This is bad… he still managed to summon it!"
Bad. This was beyond bad.
Once the Gimmick Puppet of Leo, which symbolized a special victory condition, was Chaos Ranked-Up into Disaster Leo, its effects became even more terrifying.
It was no exaggeration to say that every single effect of Disaster Leo was a thunderous proclamation of absolute victory.
Ryan Gate roared, "Witness the invincible power of the ultimate Chaos Lion! I activate the effect of [Number C88: Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo]!"
[If this card is Xyz Summoned by Ranking Up "Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo": Once per turn, you can detach 1 material from this card; inflict 4000 damage to your opponent.]
Because Disaster Leo had been Rank-Up Summoned using the Gimmick Puppet of Leo, the Lion itself was now stacked beneath it as Xyz Material.
"After inheriting the power of the Gimmick Puppet of Leo and Ranking Up into the Chaos Disaster Leo, it can deal you 4000 damage directly with its effect!"
Detaching its sole Xyz Material, the Chaos Disaster Leo spread its golden wings wide, condensing a one-hit-kill explosion of energy within its jaws.
"This means I win! Roar! Maximum Calamity!"
Effect damage of 4000 points was, in most cases, an outright one-shot kill—a blatantly unfair effect. The explosive shock of Maximum Calamity surged madly toward Miles.
"I was waiting for this exact move! All damage, all calamity, endless chaos—let it all be borne by the gods!"
"By the gods?" Ryan and Sylvia exclaimed almost in unison, their shock unmistakable.
"—Trap Card activate [Graverobber]! Change this card's effect to that of 1 Spell/Trap Card in your opponent's Graveyard!"
The grave-robbing scoundrel slipped into Ryan Gate's Graveyard just before the explosion struck, stealing away a key Spell Card.
The [Monster Reborn] Ryan had used during his first-turn setup!
"I copy the effect of [Monster Reborn] to revive a monster from my Graveyard!"
A resurrection cross radiating holy brilliance emerged, carving out a last remaining sanctuary before the onrushing calamity.
The monsters in Miles' Graveyard were practically public knowledge… except for the card he'd sent there last turn with [Foolish Burial].
"Don't tell me Mr. Miles put…!" Aisha, who had lent him the card, realized it instantly. "Did he send the god to the Graveyard?!"
Flames from the sun blazed forth, engulfing the holy resurrection cross in divine fire.
"The god shall be reborn between heaven and earth, and when the time comes, take the form of an immortal phoenix, consigning demons to eternal rest upon the land!"
Miles chanted the incantation—this was the special form revealed only when the God Card [The Winged Dragon of Ra] was revived from the Graveyard.
"—Special Summon! The Winged Dragon of Ra, Immortal Phoenix!"
In its Immortal Phoenix form, the god annihilated the calamity roaring toward him.
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Chapter 528: 528: DSMW [528]
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