Chapter 132: Alternative Timeline: Duel Academy - 9

[Yumi, LP 1800]

[Paradox, LP 3400]

[Z-one, LP 4000]

Z-one looked down at the cards in his hand, narrowing his gaze as he considered his options.

There really wasn't much he could do here. Yumi's field was packed with powerful monsters, including an omni-negate in the form of Chaos, which was equipped with an effect that made it immune to the opponent's card effects. On top of that, there was Masquerade, the draconic armored girl who charged them 600 Life Points every time they activated a card or effect.

It was an obnoxious combination to deal with.

Masquerade's effect forced both Z-one and Paradox to think carefully about every move they made. If they activated too many cards, they would lose their Life Points before they could even get their strategies going. But if they held back, they would have to face Yumi's overwhelming field with whatever little they had left.

And Chaos was an even bigger problem.

As long as that black-and-white warrior remained on the field, any face-up card effect they tried to use could be negated. They couldn't simply throw out their strongest cards and hope for the best.

Still, the two men from the future had already identified their real target.

Yumi.

Or, more specifically, the Sky Striker HERO - Yumi equipped to Chaos.

The monster stood behind Chaos, and its effect was the reason their attacks and card effects had failed to get rid of the warrior. As long as that little nuisance remained on the field, Chaos would continue to enjoy its protection.

If they wanted to turn this duel around, they needed to remove it first.

"Since I control no monsters, I can Normal Summon Hailon, the Timelord!"

Z-one threw down a card, and a bright light spread across his field.

A gigantic mechanical monster appeared, its design resembling Metaion's. However, its color scheme was different, and its body had a noticeably different build, with larger arms and a more imposing frame.

The massive machine settled onto the field, its mechanical body looming over the Duelists below.

[Hailon, the Timelord, 0 ATK]

Z-one immediately reached for another card.

"I activate the Spell Card, Empress's Crown! I can only activate this card while I control a Timelord monster, and it allows me to draw two cards for each Extra Deck monster you currently control!"

[Z-one, LP 4000 -> 3400]

"Heh?" Yumi raised an eyebrow.

He hadn't expected Z-one to pull out a new Spell Card at this point. Considering the situation, the effect was certainly worth paying attention to.

Unfortunately for Z-one, Yumi wasn't going to let him resolve it so easily.

"I activate Chaos's effect! I negate your Spell Card!"

Yumi thrust his hand forward, and Chaos mirrored his movement. The warrior raised its palm as a spiraling beam of black-and-white energy shot across the field.

The beam struck Empress's Crown before the Spell could resolve. Its light flickered, the card lost its color, and it shattered into particles that scattered into the air.

Z-one's expression tightened.

But he didn't stop there.

Without wasting a second, he pulled another card from his hand and activated it.

"I activate Pot of Greed; this lets me draw two cards."

[Z-one, LP 3400 -> 2800]

Drawing two cards from his deck, Z-one narrowed his gaze toward the drawn cards and his eyes lid up.

Adding to his hand, he placed the other one down on his field.

"Quick-Play Spell, Mystical Space Typhoon! I destroy a card in the Spell and Trap Zone!"

[Z-one, LP 2800 -> 2200]

A spinning cyclone erupted from the Spell Card and tore across the field. Rather than targeting one of Yumi's face-down cards, it struck Sky Striker HERO - Yumi, who was standing behind Chaos.

The small HERO barely had time to react before the powerful wind engulfed him. His body broke apart into pieces of blue data, which scattered and disappeared.

And just like that, the protection surrounding Chaos was gone.

With Sky Striker HERO - Yumi no longer on the field, Yumi was left controlling only DARK and LIGHT Attribute monsters. Sunrise's continuous effect weakened accordingly, and the ATK of his monsters dropped.

[Contrast HERO Chaos, 5200 -> 3400 ATK]

[Elemental HERO Isolde, 2800 -> 2000 ATK]

[Sky Striker Ace - Masquerade, 3500 -> 2700 ATK]

[Elemental HERO Sunrise, 3700 -> 2900 ATK]

"Sky Striker HERO - Yumi's effect!" Yumi called out before Z-one could continue. "When he's destroyed, I can send the top five cards of my Deck to the Graveyard. And if I have three or more Spells in my Graveyard, I can add one of them to my hand!"

Five cards shot out from the top of his Deck.

Yumi quickly picked them up, checked their names, and selected one to add to his hand. The remaining four went straight to the Graveyard.

Z-one watched carefully, but he wasn't about to give Yumi any more time than necessary.

He raised another card.

"I activate the Spell Card, The End of the Storm!"

[Z-one, LP 2200 -> 1600]

The sky above Duel Academy suddenly darkened.

The bright blue atmosphere turned a deep crimson as ominous red clouds gathered overhead. A powerful wind swept across the rooftop, growing stronger with every passing second until it was difficult to stand still.

Yumi raised his right arm in front of his face, shielding his eyes as the wind battered him.

The storm wasn't just affecting the duelists. Dirt and debris were torn from the ground, trees bent under the pressure, and parts of the makeshift barriers set up around the island were ripped loose and carried away by the violent gusts.

Then the storm descended upon the field.

Yumi watched as his monsters struggled against the raging winds. One after another, their bodies were swallowed by the storm before dissolving into particles of light.

Chaos disappeared, Isolde vanished, and Masquerade and Sunrise were swept away as well, leaving Yumi's field almost completely empty.

For a brief moment, the rooftop was obscured by the raging storm. Then the winds began to weaken, the crimson clouds gradually dispersed, and the sky returned to normal.

The destruction left behind made it clear just how powerful the Spell had been.

[Yumi, LP 1800 -> 600]

Yumi glanced at his empty field, then looked toward Z-one. Despite his low Life Points, he didn't appear particularly shaken.

"Since a Sky Striker Ace monster left my field, I can Special Summon Raye from my Graveyard!"

His Graveyard Zone began to glow brightly as a card emerged.

Blue data gathered on the field, forming the familiar figure of a young girl. Raye materialized in a flash of light and landed firmly on her feet, her sword already in hand.

She immediately stepped in front of Yumi, holding her blade ready as she faced the two men from the future.

[Sky Striker Ace - Raye, 1500 ATK]

"Heh?" Yumi narrowed his eyes as he noticed something strange.

Despite the storm destroying every monster on his field, Paradox's monsters were still standing.

Before he could ask, Paradox spoke up, a smug smile spreading across his face.

"Malefic Heroic Spirit Jeanne d'Arc's effect! Once per turn, I can reduce her ATK by 1000 until the end of this turn. In exchange, my monsters cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, and I take no battle damage!"

Paradox glanced down at Yumi, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Battle! Hailon, attack Raye!" Z-one pointed toward Yumi's remaining monster.

The gigantic Timelord began to move. Its enormous body lurched forward, and one massive hand swung down toward Raye and Yumi with enough force to shake the entire rooftop.

Raye immediately raised her sword, but the sheer size of the attack left little room to dodge.

The gigantic hand slammed into the rooftop.

The impact shook the entire Duel Academy building. Concrete cracked beneath the blow, and large chunks of the roof broke apart and fell toward the school grounds below. A thick cloud of dust erupted from the impact site, spreading across the field and obscuring everything in its path.

For a moment, it looked as though Raye had been buried beneath the massive machine's attack.

Then a shadow moved inside the dust cloud.

Raye emerged, sprinting up Hailon's enormous hand. Her boots struck the metallic surface as she raced toward its arm, keeping her balance while the machine tried to pull away.

At the same time, several matchlocks flew out from the opposite side of the dust cloud. Oda Nobunaga appeared among them, carrying Yumi in her arms in a princess-style carry as she swiftly moved him out of danger.

"Quick-Play Spell, Sky Striker Mecha - Widow Anchor!"

One of Yumi's face-down cards flipped open.

"I target Hailon and negate its effect!"

A large mechanical claw shot out from the Spell's energy, snapping shut around Hailon's wrist. The force pulled the Timelord's arm downward, disrupting its movement just as Raye reached the upper part of its body.

With her sword firmly in hand, Raye leaped forward and thrust her blade directly into the massive screen that served as Hailon's face.

The screen fractured like shattered glass. Cracks spread across its surface before the image displayed on it vanished completely.

Hailon's enormous body staggered. Then it began to fall backward.

The massive Timelord crashed down onto the school grounds below, its weight tearing through a section of the fence wall and crushing several trees beneath its body. The impact sent another wave of dust and debris into the air.

[Z-one, LP 1600 -> 100]

Raye landed on top of Hailon's fallen body, her sword still in hand. She raised her head and narrowed her eyes at the two men from the future, standing ready in case either of them tried something else.

Z-one stared down at his defeated Timelord. With his options running low, Z-one reached for the last card in his hand.

"I activate the Spell Card, Swords of Revealing Light."

A brilliant light flashed above the field.

Three walls of glowing swords descended from the sky, forming barriers between the three Duelists. The shining blades stood in a protective formation, separating Z-one from Yumi and buying him some much-needed time.

"Turn end."

Yumi landed safely back on his feet as Oda Nobunaga began to fade away, her body dissolving into particles of light before returning to him.

"My turn. Draw."

Yumi drew a card and briefly glanced at it before turning his attention back to the field.

Raye was already moving.

She landed in front of him, her body suddenly glowing with a bright light. The familiar armor covering her began to change, its shape shifting as more layers of armor formed around her body.

Unlike her usual sleek, skin-tight armor with its relatively slim protective pieces, this new form was much bulkier. Heavy armor covered her limbs and torso, giving her a more mechanical appearance. The additional plating made her look less like a human wearing armor and more like a combat mecha built for battle.

Yumi raised his hand.

"Henshin! Prototype Sky Striker Ace - Amatsu!"

The light surrounding Raye burst outward, revealing her form in all its mechanical glory. Amatsu settled onto the field, ready for battle.

[Prototype Sky Striker Ace - Amatsu, 1500 ATK]

"Since a Sky Striker Ace has been summoned, I can Special Summon Roze from my hand!"

Yumi raised the card before placing it onto his Duel Disk.

Blue data gathered beside Amatsu, gradually forming the slender figure of a silver-haired girl with twin tails. Wearing a black uniform and holding a saber in her hand, Roze materialized on the field and took her place beside the other Sky Striker Ace.

[Sky Striker Ace - Roze, 1500 ATK]

With both monsters standing before him, Yumi casually raised his right hand and slicked his hair back.

"Photon Change."

Photon energy spread across his body, coating him in a bright glow. His red jacket changed to a vivid magenta, while the black clothing beneath it shifted to white. The transformation was quick, but the change in his appearance was obvious.

Both men from the future flinched.

They had already witnessed Yumi using strange abilities alongside his Duel Monster Spirits, but this was something different. He had changed his appearance in an instant without using any card they recognized.

Neither Z-one nor Paradox had any idea what they had just witnessed.

And judging by the way Yumi carried on as though nothing unusual had happened, this was probably normal for him.

That realization wasn't particularly reassuring.

"Now, I use my Level 4 Roze and Level 4 Amatsu to create the Overlay Network!"

Yumi swept his right hand outward.

A black vortex opened in front of him, surrounded by a brilliant golden glow. The space around it seemed to distort as the vortex began to spin, drawing the attention of everyone watching.

Roze and Amatsu both began to glow.

Their bodies turned into streams of light that spiraled toward the vortex before disappearing inside it. The black opening grew brighter, and a golden beam shot upward as the two streams of light merged within.

Then, the vortex burst apart.

A new figure emerged from the golden light.

It was a mature woman with short silver hair, dressed in a dark purple and black bodysuit that fitted closely around her body. A long purple cape wrapped around her neck, partially covering the elegant black suit beneath it. Her appearance carried a sense of maturity and confidence that set her apart from the younger Sky Striker Aces.

Two glowing orbs floated around her body, slowly orbiting her as she appeared on the field.

"Xyz Summon! Sky Striker Ace - Redoer!"

[Sky Striker Ace - Redoer, 2400 ATK]

For a moment, both Z-one and Paradox simply stared at the newly summoned monster.

They had seen Fusion Summons and Synchro Summons throughout their lives. But this method was entirely different from anything they had encountered.

The card displayed on Yumi's Duel Disk even had a black frame, unlike the cards they were accustomed to seeing.

"What kind of Summoning method was that?" Paradox muttered, unable to hide his confusion.

Z-one didn't answer immediately. His gaze remained fixed on Redoer, trying to figure out what kind of monster Yumi had just summoned and what it was capable of doing.

Unfortunately, he had no information to work with.

And after everything Yumi had done so far, neither of them was willing to assume that this new monster was harmless.

Yumi reached for another card and placed it onto his Duel Disk.

"I set one card. Turn end."

A face-down card materialized behind Redoer before fading into place, leaving the newly summoned monster standing at the front of Yumi.

"My turn," Paradox declared, placing his fingers on top of his Deck. "I activate Malefic World's effect. Instead of drawing a card, I can add a random Malefic monster from my Deck to my hand."

His Deck began to shuffle on its own before a card shot out from the top. Paradox caught it between his fingers, ready to continue his turn.

Just then, Yumi cut in.

"Redoer's effect activates!"

Paradox's hand stopped for a moment as Yumi casually interrupted him once again.

"During the Standby Phase, I can attach the top card of my opponent's Deck to Redoer as material. And since I'm facing two opponents..."

Yumi paused, allowing a smug smirk to spread across his face.

The top cards of both Paradox's and Z-one's Decks suddenly shot out, transforming into small orbs of light as they flew toward Redoer. The two orbs began circling around the silver-haired woman, joining the materials already orbiting her body.

"...That means I get two materials instead of one. Pretty convenient, don't you think?"

Paradox could only scoff at him.

"Whatever trick you're planning, it won't work! Not when that HERO of yours isn't here anymore!"

He looked down at Yumi from his elevated position, his expression filled with disdain. There was no denying that Yumi's strength had been overwhelming throughout the Duel, and Paradox had already witnessed enough to understand how dangerous his opponent could be.

However, with Contrast HERO Chaos no longer on the field, something seemed to have changed in Paradox's attitude.

In his eyes, Yumi had fallen from the position of someone worthy of his attention to little more than an opponent he could afford to look down on. Apparently, without that particular HERO standing beside him, Yumi was no longer someone Paradox considered his equal.

It was a rather interesting trait of his.

Instead of dealing with each Yu-Gi-Oh! protagonist individually, as anyone with a functioning brain might have suggested, Paradox had decided to challenge all three of them at once. Apparently, he considered their combined efforts so insignificant that fighting them together would simply save him some time.

And now, even after witnessing Yumi's ridiculous plays, he was still acting as though he had everything under control.

Honestly, Yumi found it both hilarious and amusing.

He couldn't help wondering what kind of expression Paradox would make if he lost this Duel and ended up getting robbed by Yumi all over again.

Sure, this was a different Paradox from another dimension, so technically, they weren't the same person.

But Paradox was still Paradox.

An old Ferrari was still a Ferrari, after all.

For some reason, Paradox suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

He frowned and quickly shook his head, trying to get rid of the strange discomfort that had come over him. He had no idea where that feeling had come from, but he certainly wasn't going to let it distract him from the Duel.

"I Normal Summon Malefic Parallel Gear!"

Paradox placed the card onto his Duel Disk, and a yellow-and-black creature resembling a massive mechanical gear materialized on his field. Its body rotated with a mechanical grinding sound as it took its place before its master.

[Malefic Parallel Gear, 0 ATK]

"Now, I—"

"I activate Redoer's effect!"

Paradox's expression twitched.

Once again, Yumi had interrupted him before he could even finish declaring his play.

"By detaching one material from Redoer, I can activate an effect depending on whether the material is a Monster, Spell, or Trap Card."

Yumi explained it with the same casual tone he might have used to explain something as simple as the weather. Meanwhile, one of the glowing orbs circling Redoer suddenly burst into light.

Redoer lowered her body into a crouch, placing one hand against the ground as the effect took hold.

"The material I just detached is Malefic Paradigm Shift, a Trap Card. And because I detached a Trap, I can return one face-up card on your field to the top of your Deck!"

Paradox's eyes widened.

He immediately understood what Yumi was aiming for.

"Y-YAMERO!"

Unfortunately, his desperate outburst came far too late.

The Malefic World in his Field Spell Zone began to glow before dissolving into countless particles of light. The particles gathered together and shot back toward Paradox's Deck, where they reassembled into a card and settled neatly on top.

The entire process happened so quickly that Paradox barely had time to react before his Field Spell was gone.

And with Malefic World no longer on the field, the consequences followed immediately.

The Malefic monsters under Paradox's control began to crack and shatter, their bodies breaking apart into countless particles before disappearing completely. One after another, they vanished from the field, leaving him with nothing to show for his previous plays.

Paradox stood frozen.

The confident expression he had worn only moments ago was gone, replaced by a look of utter despair. He stared at the empty spaces where his monsters had stood, seemingly struggling to accept how easily his entire field had been dismantled.

All that effort, all those cards, and all that confidence.

Gone in a single move... again.

Watching the scene unfold, Z-one couldn't help but feel a little sorry for his comrade.

Against ordinary opponents, their Decks would have been powerful, perhaps even nearly unbeatable. Their strategies had been designed around their unique monsters and the effects that supported them, allowing them to overwhelm opponents who couldn't keep up.

But against the monster in pink standing before them?

Their carefully prepared strategies seemed little more than a circus performance meant to entertain him.

Meanwhile, Paradox lowered his head, his shoulders slumping as he stared at the field he had once been so confident about.

"...Turn end."

There was nothing else he could do.

With Malefic World gone and all his Malefic monsters destroyed, Paradox could only end his turn in defeat, having accomplished practically nothing.