"Bloody Doll's effect. The Xyz Monster I reveal from my Extra Deck is 'Number 40: Puppet of Gi-Gantic Heaven's String'!"
IV revealed another Xyz card.
Aster's heart tightened.
This guy... really had a second Number.
Two Numbers, those cards called "Rank-Up" that hadn't been in the previous intel, and the "CNO." cards whose effects after ranking up were absurdly powerful. Aster quickly realized that the man before him was likely an elite Duelist even in the Xyz Dimension.
"Heaven's String is Rank 8, so I can Special Summon a Level 8 'Puppet of Gi-Gantic' from my Deck."
A golden glow shot out from IV's Deck.
"I Special Summon the Level 8 'Puppet of Gi-Gantic Nightmare' from my Deck!"
Nightmare lived up to its name. It was truly a horrifying thing capable of becoming someone's nightmare. It had two terrifying heads like cursed dolls, with what seemed to be the bodies of ruined, twisted crawling cursed puppets stitched together between them. Its torso and limbs were warped and sinister; even ordinary horror movies had nothing this deranged.
[Puppet of Gi-Gantic Nightmare, ATK 1000]
"And I Special Summon 'Puppet of Gi-Gantic Bloody Doll' from my hand!"
[Puppet of Gi-Gantic Bloody Doll, ATK 400]
Aster said, "Two more Level 8 monsters?"
"Exactly!"
IV raised his arm. "I overlay the Level 8 'Puppet of Gi-Gantic Nightmare' and 'Puppet of Gi-Gantic Bloody Doll'!
I construct the Overlay Network with two monsters and Xyz Summon—
—Number 40: Puppet of Gi-Gantic Heaven's String!!!"
A scarlet rift suddenly tore open in the void, and the burning number "Number 40" appeared in the air like a brand. A two-meter-tall black figure slowly descended as though suspended by strings around its neck. Its single steel wing opened and closed mechanically, its wing blade scraping out harsh