NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 316
"Even though your monsters are cute, the number of them doesn't determine their battle power!"
Hoshino, who had just spoken, suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity. It was as if, during her duel with Pegasus, he had once told her, "A duelist who uses weak monsters to flood the field."
But today, fate had turned the tables—she had encountered someone even better at flooding the field. Dartz's 1-star monsters already extended beyond the monster zone.
"Did you forget the effect of Orichalcos Deuteros, Hoshino?"
Dartz spread his arms, and with a low hum, a blue barrier shimmered, siphoning the life force of her Duel Monsters once again and infusing it into his own body.
"Because I have six monsters on my field, the Seal restores 500 Life Points for each of them, totaling 3000 points!"
[Dartz LP: 3000 → 6000]
Watching from the sidelines, Mokuba stomped his foot anxiously.
"If we keep letting Dartz recover and strengthen himself like this, Hoshino's chances of winning will get slimmer and slimmer!"
Kaiba stood with his arms crossed, frowning in silence. Even though the monster designs were deceptively cute, this was still a duel within the Seal of Orichalcos. He couldn't help but feel uneasy for Hoshino.
But there was no other choice. The overwhelming defensive power of Orichalcos Deuteros loomed over them. A reckless attack would only lead to heavy losses.
"Hoshino is waiting for the right moment. Summoning more of these weakling monsters won't determine the outcome."
"Is that really the case, Kaiba?"
Midway through his turn, Dartz suddenly addressed him.
"Someone like you, who worships card power, must look down on weak monsters like these, huh?"
Mokuba immediately jumped in.
"Monsters like yours couldn't even touch my brother's Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Dartz only smirked.
"But my so-called 'weak' monsters are about to defeat the Duel King—a feat even Kaiba himself couldn't achieve."
As he waved his finger mockingly at Mokuba and Kaiba, a faint glow flickered in his Graveyard.
"I activate the effect of [Fusion Substitute] in my Graveyard! By banishing it, I return Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon from my Graveyard to my Extra Deck. Then, I draw one card from my deck!"
With no cards left in his hand, Dartz relied entirely on the strategic setup he had orchestrated from the start of the duel. As if mocking mere mortals, he casually pulled off what seemed like a miraculous draw.
"I activate the Spell Card I just drew..."
The last available slot on Dartz's Duel Disk opened, allowing him to launch his next move.
"—the Equip Spell Card [Amulet of Ambition]! I equip it to Volcanic Rat!"
At the center of the battlefield, a golden eye suddenly appeared, fully opening and emitting a dazzling glow upon Volcanic Rat, which had remained protected in the backline until now.
"Roar!!!"
The Volcanic Rat, as if mutated by an unknown force, broke through its biological limits. Its body expanded exponentially, its once-cute fangs elongating into massive, razor-sharp weapons radiating fiery menace.
"Attack and crush Mordred, my adorable Volcanic Rat!"
To be fair, the creature before them had long since ceased to resemble anything adorable. The monstrous transformation wasn't just for show—its newfound ferocity carried devastating power.
"Only Normal Monsters can be equipped with Amulet of Ambition. When the equipped monster battles an opponent's monster of a higher level, it gains ATK equal to the level difference × 500!"
[True Samadhi Fire Mordred – Level 9]
"With a level difference of 8, Volcanic Rat gains 4000 ATK!"
[Volcanic Rat ATK: 1000 → 5000]
Under the combined influence of the Orichalcos' power and the Amulet of Ambition, the Volcanic Rat—now boasting an ATK surpassing that of the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon—had transformed into a ferocious behemoth.
Mokuba panicked.
"This is bad! If Hoshino's last monster is destroyed, she'll be left defenseless against the remaining five!"
Even though those five monsters were only Level 1, the Orichalcos' effect granted them all a 500 ATK boost. Their combined attack would be more than enough to wipe out Hoshino's remaining Life Points.
"We need a way to stop this berserk Rat's attack! Activating my face-down Quick-Play Spell Card—[Phantasmal Summoning]!"
The Spell instantly activated, ejecting two Heroic Spirit monsters from Hoshino's Graveyard.
"With Phantasmal Summoning, I banish two monsters from my Graveyard to Fusion Summon!"
Kaiba narrowed his eyes.
"Does Hoshino even have the right materials in her Graveyard to summon a Fusion Monster that can turn this around?"
With Okita and Nobunaga already banished, the number of available monsters in Hoshino's Graveyard could be counted on one hand. Surviving under such limited resources wouldn't be easy.
"As long as I can block this attack, there's still hope! Using a new fusion method I've learned—I'll banish two Warrior-type Heroic Spirit monsters from my Graveyard as Fusion Materials!"
A radiant light burst forth. The brand-new card in Hoshino's hand, forged in the face of crisis, awakened an unyielding wall of defense.
"Block it!! Fusion Summon in Defense Position—[Heroic Spirit - Mash Kyrielight Ortenaus]!"
[Heroic Spirit - Mash Kyrielight Ortenaus ★★★★★ (Level 5)]
[Earth] [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] [ATK 1000 / DEF 2000]
[Materials: 2 Warrior-type Heroic Spirit monsters]
"Ortinax, all systems green. Spirit Origin excitation rate... maintaining 60%. It'll be okay... I can fight!"
Now clad in a Spirit Origin exoskeleton, Mash's heavily armored form exuded a mechanical, battle-ready aura.
"I banished Mash Kyrielight and Sanson from my Graveyard as Fusion Materials to summon this new Mash! And now, I activate her effect!"
[If this card is Fusion Summoned using Heroic Spirit - Mash Kyrielight as a material, it cannot be destroyed by your opponent's attacks or effects. Also, your opponent cannot target other monsters for attacks.]
The Ortenaus—originally designed to compensate for Mash's loss of Galahad's support—was now reinforced by the remnants of Galahad's strength, further amplifying her abilities.
"True Name... frozen deployment! This is the castle of fantasy that holds many paths and wishes... Answer my call—Mold Camelot!"
The reinforced shield linked to Ortenaus fully expanded, forming a protective barrier in front of Mordred.
The rampaging Volcanic Rat, now a massive, frenzied beast, charged at full speed. However, Hoshino's impenetrable defense, forged at the last possible moment, remained unwavering.
Under normal circumstances, Mash's shield might have wavered under such an impact. But with Ortenaus' support, the shield remained embedded in the ground—unmovable, unshaken, a bastion of unyielding defense.
"Dartz, now we're on equal footing!" Hoshino's voice carried newfound confidence as she stood behind the shield.
"The Orichalcos Deuteros and Mash Ortenaus's absolute defense—if neither can break through the other, this duel's outcome might need to be re-evaluated," someone remarked.
For once, Dartz bit his lip in frustration, showing a rare expression of displeasure. "Such extraordinary resilience... Just as Rafael reported. Even without being chosen by the Legendary Dragons, Hoshino, your existence is still a threat to Doma's plan."
"Plan? What's so great about destroying and remaking the world? Those are just pretty excuses! Ignoring humanity's will to survive and deciding their fate for them…"
Hoshino's fingers curled into fists, her knuckles cracking under the pressure. Having experienced the future firsthand, she had witnessed the struggles and efforts of humanity and duelists from different timelines fighting to survive.
Even her future selves—one from ten years ahead and another from a distant timeline—had chosen to entrust their power to the present Hoshino, even if they could never share the same future.
"This world, this timeline—I absolutely won't let you destroy it!"
Dartz blinked in slight surprise at Hoshino's sudden determination. "Hoshino, you…"
"It's my turn! Draw—!"
Seizing the moment, Hoshino used a technique she had learned from Kaiba, cutting Dartz off before he could regain momentum.
"I was wrong earlier—I take back what I said about 'neither of us being able to break through the other's defenses'!" As she drew her card, she simultaneously adjusted the positions of her defending monsters on her duel disk.
"I switch Mordred and Mash to Attack Position! Then, I enter the Battle Phase!"
The battle commenced with Hoshino's spirited attack declaration. Within the Seal, the scorching flames of Mordred ignited once more.
"Go, Mordred! Target Mokey Mokey—and this time, don't burn it to ashes!"
Mordred grinned menacingly, her eyes gleaming with ferocity. "No problem, Master! This time, there won't even be ashes left! These blazing flames can scorch the heavens themselves—let it all burn to nothing!"
A sea of flames surged forward, crashing toward Dartz's monsters with overwhelming force.
"Fool. An attack like that will never breach Orichalcos Deuteros!"
The barrier beneath Dartz's feet stirred. With a smirk, he offered Mokey Mokey as a tribute to the graveyard.
As expected, the circular sealing barrier reacted, transforming into a prison that not only contained the flames but also ensnared Mordred within.
"Orichalcos Deuteros's effect activates! By tributing Mokey Mokey, I negate Mordred's attack and destroy her!"
A single tap of Dartz's finger triggered the Seal's power. Blue flames erupted, engulfing Mordred completely.
[Heroic Spirit – True Samadhi Fire Mordred destroyed]
Dartz laughed triumphantly. "Hahaha! That was reckless, Hoshino. Duels aren't won with brute force and enthusiasm alone!"
"Playtime is over. Just as I planned, your reliance on the Seal's effects will ultimately lead to your downfall. You'll never defeat me!"
Reckless? No. Hoshino never dueled without a plan. Every step, from her attack to her opponent's counterplay, had been carefully calculated.
"True Samadhi Fire Mordred's effect activates! When she's destroyed by an effect, I can Special Summon [Heroic Spirit - Knight of the Round Table Mordred] from my deck in Defense Position, ignoring its summoning conditions!"
If Dartz hadn't used the Seal's effect to destroy Fire Mordred, Hoshino wouldn't have been able to execute this move.
"Oh my—!"
A crimson sword light cut through the dissipating blue flames. The next moment, a new Mordred emerged—this time clad in the armor of a Knight of the Round Table. Her sword, Clarent, gleamed with a violent red glow as she twirled it in her grasp.
[Heroic Spirit - Knight of the Round Table Mordred★★★★★★★ (Level 7)][Fire][Warrior/Effect][ATK 2200/DEF 2000]
Dartz scoffed. "Even if you summoned a new Heroic Spirit, it doesn't change anything. I still have five monsters to serve as sacrifices for defense. You'll never break through Orichalcos Deuteros!"
"Get real, Dartz. They're nothing more than weaklings! No matter how much you strengthen them with the Seal or your Equip Cards, there's one thing you can't change!"
"Knight of the Round Table Mordred's effect activates!"
A surge of crimson lightning gathered at the peak of Clarent, shrouding it in destructive energy.
"Mordred's effect lets me destroy one 'Artoria'-type monster from my hand or field. Then, I can destroy monsters on your field whose combined Levels are less than or equal to the destroyed monster's Level!"
"Levels... lower than the destroyed monster…"
Dartz's face twisted in realization, and he instinctively stepped back.
Hoshino held up a card from her hand, her smile full of confidence. "Figured it out, didn't you? No matter how much you strengthen them, you can't change their Levels!"
"I destroy the Level 8 [Heroic Spirit - Artoria Pendragon] from my hand! Your entire field only has a total of five Levels combined!"
Clarent's crimson lightning surged to its limit. Mordred's helmet split open, revealing her golden hair flowing with energy. Her piercing gaze locked onto her target.
"This is the cursed sword that felled my Father—Clarent Blood Arthur!"
The crimson lightning cleaved through the Seal's inscriptions, obliterating every monster on Dartz's field in an instant.
"With no monsters left, you can't activate Orichalcos Deuteros! And since Spirit Barrier requires at least one monster on your field, that effect is now void. It's checkmate!"
"Checkmate? Don't be ridiculous!" Dartz scoffed. "Mordred is in Defense Position! The only monster you have left to attack with is Mash, and her ATK is only 1000! My LP is still at 6000!"
Even with his monsters gone, the Seal's healing had left Dartz with a significant buffer. He clung to that fact desperately.
"Stop lying to yourself, Dartz. You've already lost!"
Hoshino slid her final card into the duel disk. In response, Mash's Ortenaus began radiating a dazzling glow, activating at full power.
"Senpai! Spirit Origin Awakening Rate surpassing 90%! If it's now, we can do it!"
"Then let's go all out! Strike with your ultimate shield bash!"
"Quick-Play Spell—[Hero Creation] activates! Mash gains 1000 ATK!"
[Heroic Spirit - Mash Kyrielight Ortenaus ATK 1000 → 2000]
"Jet propulsion system, engage!" The mechanical systems on Mash's shield roared to life, boosting her speed to unprecedented levels.
"Shockwave Impact Plate—loaded! Initiating assault!"
[When this card declares an attack, its ATK is doubled until the end of the Battle Phase.]
[Mash ATK 2000 → 4000]
"OOOOOOH! Fall before this strike!"
Jet-propelled, Mash launched herself at Dartz with overwhelming force.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" Dartz let out a final, agonized scream as the shield crashed into him.
"Due to Hero Creation's effect, this attack deals double battle damage! That's 8000 damage in total! Do you have enough Life Points left for this?"
With Hoshino's victory declaration, the Seal of Orichalcos finally shattered.
[Dartz LP 6000 → 0]
(*****)
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