Chapter 364
As the summoning portal opened, a figure covered entirely in off-white armor rushed out.
"Then I'll summon the Tuner monster [Scrap Modifier]!"
The next second, light condensed, and a blue steel figure with a red core embedded in its abdomen emerged.
[Yusei Fudo's hand: 6 → 4]
"Oh~? These are all guys I miss... Are they going to synchronize right off the bat?"
Yusei didn't respond to the other party, but instead shouted, "I'm using a level 3 [Junk Forward] to level up a level 3 [Scrap-Iron Alteration]!"
"O holy lance that illuminates the starry sky, liberate souls and awaken the world!"
Synchro Summon! Come forth, [Stardust Assault Warrior]!
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of green light erupted, and a warrior modeled after Stardust Dragon broke through the light and descended into the air, moving forward with the Yusei.
[Stardust Assault Warrior: Attack Power 2100]
Upon seeing the monster, Jack was immediately taken aback. "It's [Stardust Assault Warrior]!? I've never seen you use a card like this before...?"
The unexpected turn of events caused Jack to frown. His previously high self-esteem crumbled, replaced by unease. Could it be that as he grew stronger, Yusei had also become stronger?
Yusei, unaware of the other's thoughts, then shouted, "Activate the monster effect of [Stardust Assault Warrior] at this very moment!"
"When this card Synchro Summon, if you control no other monsters, Special Summon 1 [Junk] monster from your Graveyard."
"Come back, [Scrap-Iron Alteration]!"
The image of the Scrap-Iron Alteration reappeared in the next moment.
"Furthermore, when [Scrap-Iron Alteration] is Normal or Special Summoned, you can choose to Level Up! of one [Scrap] monster you control by one level."
"Through this effect, I have reduced [Scrap-Iron Alteration]'s own level to two stars."
"Level 2 and Level 6, totaling Level 8 Synchro Materials... But your Stardust Dragon is still in my hands. What kind of monster can you summon under these circumstances?" Jack's doubts deepened.
Faced with Jack's question, Yusei didn't hesitate at all and shouted, "Go, Jack! I'll use a level 6 [Stardust Assault Warrior] to adjust the star level of a level 2 [Scrap-Iron Alteration]!"
"Let the glint of light pierce the sea of stars resonate throughout the world, making the pulse of the soul roar!"
"Synchro Summon! Appear, [Stardust Dragon]!"
In an instant, dazzling light illuminated the entire venue, and a giant silver-white dragon with starlight shimmering on its body reappeared.
'Roar--!'
[Stardust Dragon: Attack Power 2500]
Chapter Seven: Crimson Lotus VS Stardust
"Another Stardust Dragon!? And it even has the same posture as the Stardust Dragon... Interesting. It seems that a riding duel with you will be quite enjoyable, Yusei!"
Seeing Yusei summon a new ace greatly excited Jack.
Yusei ignored his opponent's reaction, saying, "I'll set up another card, end of turn."
[Yusei Fudo's hand: 4 → 3]
As Yusei's turn came to an end, Jack couldn't wait to draw a card.
"Sorry to keep you waiting! My turn, draw a card!"
[Jack Atlas's hand cards: 5→6]
(Yusei Fudo SPC1, Jack Atlas SPC1)
Jack flicked his wrist, revealing the card he had drawn, and a slight smile appeared on his lips, "Here it comes... Special Summon [Evil Dragon] from your hand only when the monster is on your opponent's field!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a passage opened, and a purple dragon with green wings flew out from it.
"If you Special Summon using this effect, the energy value will be halved."
[Dragon: Attack 2000 → 1000, Defense 2400 → 1200]
"I will summon [Dark Resonator] from my hand again."
In the blink of an eye, a demon holding a tuning fork appeared beside him.
[Jack Atlas's hand cards: 6→4]
Then Jack raised his voice and shouted, "Then I used a level 5 [Dragon] to stargaze a level 3 [Dark Resonator]!"
"The awe-inspiring power of a king is about to unfold; witness the earth-shattering force!"
"Synchro Summon! Wagatsumashi, [Red Dragon Archfiend]!"
The next moment, dazzling light of harmony burst forth, and a dragon's shadow appeared within the light. A dark red demonic dragon flapped its wings, broke through the light, and descended, flying at the same speed as the Wheel of Fortune.
'Roar--!!'
[Red Dragon Archfiend: Attack Power 3000]
"It's here? Red Dragon Archfiend..." Yusei didn't panic when he saw the dragon in front of him, whose attack power surpassed that of the Flash Dragon.
"Behold, Yusei! Evil yet beautiful, this is the majestic form of my Red Dragon Archfiend!"
Jack suddenly turned his wheel around to face Yusei, then waved his hand and roared, "Fight like this! [Red Dragon Archfiend] attacks [Stardust Dragon]! Swing the Crimson Hammer! Absolute Power Suppression!"
At his command, a ball of flame suddenly condensed on the Red Dragon Archfiend's right claw and swung it at the Flash Dragon behind it.
Upon seeing this, Yusei quickly said, "At this moment, the monster effect of [Stardust Dragon] activates, allowing one of your cards to remain undestroyed once per turn: Resonance Shield!"
Boom--!!!
Suddenly, a barrier appeared around the Flash Dragon, blocking the flames generated by the attack.
"Hmph, you've got some skills, Yusei! But you'll have to accept the damage from this battle!"
"Well..."
[Yusei Fudo: LP 4000 → 3500]
After the attack, Jack turned the car around, grabbed two cards from his hand, and placed them into the Spell & Trap Zone. "Two more Ambush cards, end of turn."
[Jack Atlas's hand cards: 4 → 2]
"My turn, draw a card!"
(Yusei Fudo SPC2, Jack Atlas SPC2)
Yusei glanced at the Trap Card he had drawn, then grabbed a Spell Card and threw it out. "When you have two or more Speed Counter, activate [Sp-High Speed Collision] from your hand to destroy [Red Dragon Archfiend] and [Stardust Dragon]!"
"Huh? This is a combo used in conjunction with Stardust's effect... But you're too naive. Do you think Red Dragon Archfiend would accept such humiliation?" Jack calmly pressed the button on the Duel Disk: "Activate the Trap Card [Space-Time Material Transfer Device]. Banish [Red Dragon Archfiend] until the end of the turn it is activated!"
And so, the dragon's figure was instantly transported to another location.
"Then, based on the effect of [Stardust Dragon], I won't be affected by this Speed Spell!"
"It's not over yet..."
As Yusei spoke, he pressed the button on the Duel Disk: "Activate the Trap Card [Stardust's Afterglow], Special Summon 1 [Stardust] monster from my Graveyard!"
"Awaken, [Stardust Assault Warrior]!"
As the passage opened, the assault soldiers reappeared.
[Stardust Assault Warrior: Attack Power 2100]
Yusei clearly wanted to seize the opportunity to win the game while the Red Dragon Archfiend was gone, but Jack still had a face-down card in his back row...
"Then, I'll summon the Tuner monster [Flower Synchron]!"
The moment the card was placed on the Duel Disk, the flower-shaped robot reappeared, hovering beside Yusei.
"Next, I used a level 6 [Stardust Assault Warrior] to tune a level 2 [Flower Synchron]!"
"Born of high speed, body! The time for revolution has come; deliver victory into my hands!"
"Synchro Summon! Shine, [Flower Knight]!" (PS: Sherry's card, it's from the Synchron series anyway, so I just used it.)
In a flash, light shone, countless pink petals danced in the air, and a female knight shaped like a flower drew her slender knight's sword and landed beside Yusei.
'Drink!!'
[Flower Knight: Attack Power 2700]
"Then, when [Flower Synchron] is used as Synchro Summon Material, Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower monster from your hand."
Then Yusei picked up another monster card and played it. "Come on, [The Mystic Piper]!"
As the sound faded, a bulky-looking piper was projected onto his side.
[Mystic Piper: Defense 0]
[Yusei Fudo's hand: 3 → 1]
After doing all that, Yusei stopped operating, as that was enough.
Because the effect of [Flower Knight] is that once per turn, when your opponent activates a Spell or Trap Card, negate and destroy it, this effect can perfectly counter Jack's only backrow card...
So Yusei decisively gave the order, "Battle begins! [Stardust Dragon] attacks you directly, Meteor Strike!"
Immediately, the Flash Dragon opened its mouth wide, and the power of starlight suddenly gathered in its mouth and burst out on the spot.
"Leaving absolutely no room for maneuver, as expected of you, Yusei! But will that kind of technique even work on me...?"
As Jack spoke, he suddenly grabbed a card from his hand and revealed it.
"When I activate the monster effect of [Battle Fader] from my hand, and my opponent declares a direct attack, I Special Summon this card from my hand and force the end of the Battle Phase!"
[Jack Atlas Cue Cards: 2 → 1]
"What?! It didn't activate the card?!"
Under Yusei's astonished gaze, a pendulum-shaped demon darted out, and at the same time, the dragon's breath, which had been condensed with starlight, dissipated.
Chapter Eight: Reclaiming the Stardust Dragon
Seeing Yusei's surprised expression, Jack burst into triumphant laughter. "Heh heh heh heh, hahahahaha! It's here, it's here, Yusei! Your wavering...!"
"Perform your own crisis, then seize the audience's cathartic desire with a magnificent counterattack—that's the king's duel!"
"You talk too much!"
Yusei, unfazed by such trash talk, declared, "My turn isn't over yet! The 'Mystic Piper's' 'Monster Effect' activates!"
"By releasing this card, you can draw one card from your deck. If you draw a Level 1 monster, you can draw another card."
As soon as he finished speaking, the piper exploded into pieces with a bang.
Then Yusei suddenly pulled out a card and flipped it over. "The card I drew is a Level 1 [Righty Saber], so I can draw another one."
"Two cards are placed in the final ambush; turn ends."
[Yusei Fudo's hand: 1→3→1]
"Two face-down cards, huh..." Jack said nonchalantly, "Then the monsters banished during the End Phase due to the effect of [Space-Time Material Transfer Device] return to my field... Come back, Crimson Demon!!"
The next moment, a passage opened, and the Red Dragon Archfiend passed through it and returned to the field.
"Then it was my turn, time to draw a card!"
(Yusei Fudo SPC3, Jack Atlas SPC3)
Jack glanced at his hand, then grabbed another card, a smirk playing on his lips. "Let me invite tonight's special guest! I'll release [Battle Fader] and Tribute Summon [Salvage Warrior]!"
As he slammed the card onto the Duel Disk, the Pendulum Demon vanished from the field, and at the same time, a 'broad' figure with blue skin and carrying iron chains appeared.
This time, Jack used Yusei's card...
Upon seeing the monster, Yusei suddenly realized. "Salvage Warrior... could it be that you're planning to...?"
"Hahahaha, just as you thought! [Salvage Warrior]'s monster effect activates: When this card is Tribute Summon, Special Summon 1 Tuner monster from your Graveyard."
"Come back, [Darkness Jiu★#◇▲4] `◎◆] search≌←Search: Resonator]!"
The little devil, clutching the tuning fork, solidified again beside Jack, then shouted, "I'm using a level 5 [Salvage Warrior] to stargaze a level 3 [Dark Resonator]!"
The little devil immediately struck a tuning fork, using the power of resonance to synchronize with the power of the Salvage Warrior, summoning new life forms.
"Behold those wings guided by the mighty wind! Synchro Summon! Charge, [Stardust Dragon]!!"
In an instant, a bright green light shone forth, and a giant silver-white dragon, almost identical to the Flash Dragon, spread its wide wings and emerged from the light.
'Roar--!!'
[Stardust Dragon: Attack Power 2500]