Listen to the Voice of God

Gulp

In a fleeting moment, Yamaguchi felt a spark of envy, even admiration, for Hikaru.

As someone who'd spent three years in the Fusion Club, two of which under Leo Akaba, he had internalized obedience to the man down to his bones.

By following Leo Akaba, he gained powerful decks, overwhelming strength, the status of a Blue dorm representative, and the comfort of a streamlined academic life. No worries about exams. No need to plan for post-graduation, Professor had it all laid out.

He believed "Fusion is the noblest summoning method" because it freed him from thinking about other dimensions. It freed him from the pressure of studying new mechanics.

But today, Hikaru presented a completely different ideology.

No!

He couldn't lose!

If he lost, what had the past three years even meant?

"My turn! I remember Dark Balter the Terrible has an effect that lets it negate Normal Spell Cards by paying 1000 LP, right?"

Hikaru raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"Then I just won't use any Normal Spells!"

"I Normal Summon Gladiator Beast Laquari!"

He slapped down a card, a fierce beast leaping through a ring of fire.

[Gladiator Beast Laquari] Level 4 | FIRE | Beast-Warrior | 1800 ATK

"Next, Quick-Play Spell, Indomitable Gladiator Beast! It gives one Gladiator Beast monster on the field 500 extra ATK until the end of the turn!"

"That puts Laquari at 2300 ATK!"

"Battle! Laquari, Attack!"

The beast king rode flames straight at the devil. Hikaru raised his hand to block the heat as Dark Balter the Terrible disappeared.

[Amaki Hikaru, LP: 4000 → 3700]

"Gladiator Beasts return to the Deck at the end of battle to Special Summon another." Bastion, who had attended at some point, folded his arms and said. "Hikaru used Gyzarus once, a powerful Fusion Monster that destroys two cards when summoned.

It doesn't even need Polymerization. Just the materials."

"And Gladiator Beast Darius, one of the materials, can destroy Spell/Trap Cards," he added seriously.

Though Hikaru only took 300 damage, the balance of victory seemed to shift.

Or did it?

"Right now, I activate my set card!" Hikaru shouted. "Trap Card, Shaddoll Core!"

"It becomes a Monster Card and is summoned to the field!"

A large, black, ominous sphere surged onto the field, which anyone familiar with Hikaru's deck might recognize as well as Winda's head.

[Shaddoll Core] Level 9 | DARK | Spellcaster | 1450 ATK / 1950 DEF

"He summoned a monster during this time?"

Yamaguchi looked confused.

So did the surrounding students.

Only Jaden noticed the green-haired spirit by Hikaru's side emerging again, curiously watching.

"End of Battle Phase, Laquari returns to Deck to Special Summon a different Gladiator Beast from the Deck."

"Then, I flip another card!" Hikaru snapped his fingers. "Witness this moment, everyone!"

'?'

Jaden and the others exchanged looks.

That tone?

"Quick-Play Fusion Spell, El Shaddoll Fusion!"

"I fuse the Shaddoll Core on my field and the Tuner Monster, Shaddoll Falco, from my hand as materials!"

"TUNER MONSTER!?" Yamaguchi staggered backward.

"A TUNER MONSTER?!" The crowd echoed in shock.

"No way! Tuner Monsters just arrived at Duel Academy!" Even the agents in black suits were rattled, frantically double-checking.

"Using a Tuner as Fusion Material." Fusion Club students recalled Hikaru's past remarks.

He'd meant it seriously all along!

"That card has the green-haired spirit on it!" Chazz focused intently.

Was this Hikaru's true ace monster?

"Oooh! Is it finally making its debut?! Hikaru's partner?!"

"Listen closely!" Hikaru slowly drew a monster from his Extra Deck, holding it up with care. "The divine voice, the sacred words, comprehend and obey the will of divinity!

Fusion Summon!

Descend!

El Shaddoll Winda!"

The sky dimmed as Hikaru placed the card on his Duel Disk. Dark clouds gathered above the shop. A lone figure descended, wielding a staff and riding a mechanical dragon. She had a green side ponytail, metallic joints, and no puppet strings.

Except purple threads bound her dragon mount.

[El Shaddoll Winda] Level 5 | DARK | Spellcaster | 2200 ATK

'Huh?'

Chazz and Jaden blinked, then looked at each other.

Hikaru had summoned that monster. But the spirit;

She was still floating beside him!

"Hmm-hmm~ Look at the design, Hikaru! Isn't my Winda body beautiful?"

"Uh, well..." Hikaru wasn't sure how to answer, since Tierra was currently using Winda's body.

Tierra obviously wouldn't go punch people herself.

Not only was Hikaru against it, but with her current power, she could kill or seriously injure someone in a Duel, and this wasn't a Shadow Game.

Also, though she resided in Winda's card, she never treated it as her "home." Unlike other spirits who didn't even manifest, she appeared freely and often beside Hikaru. Proof enough.

After all, she was a god and had standards.

To send her out for something so petty?

Absolutely not! Way beneath her!

"Now I activate both effects: Shaddoll Core and Shaddoll Falco from the Graveyard! Core lets me add a Shaddoll Spell/Trap from GY to hand, I choose El Shaddoll Fusion! Falco's effect lets me Special Summon it facedown!"

Hikaru retrieved the Spell, then displayed Falco before setting it again.

"Th-this..." Yamaguchi stood frozen. He only reacted when the agents urged him to continue his turn.

Hikaru had...he really had used a Tuner Monster as Fusion Material!

He wasn't joking… He truly embraced every summoning method and still believed that Fusion was the noblest!

He was serious!

Yamaguchi shook his head, but the image of Hikaru shouting and using a Tuner haunted his mind.

'This...'

His worldview was shaken.

"N-no matter—" He shook his head. "Anyway, Laquari returns, I Special Summon Darius! Then, I activate Double Tag Team! It lets me Special Summon?!"

Hikaru shook his head with a grin. Tierra mirrored him, lifting one finger.

"Sorry. While Winda is on the field, each player can only Special Summon once per turn."

"WHAT?!"

Yamaguchi froze in place.