Millennium-Eyes Restrict, Level 1, DARK, Spellcaster, ATK 0.
A monster far more powerful and imposing than Thousand-Eyes Restrict!
One look at its larger, more ornately radiant body was enough for everyone to grasp its strength.
Indeed, from a results perspective, this card was the evolved form of Thousand-Eyes Restrict!
"If it's an evolution of Thousand-Eyes Restrict, then wouldn't it have an even stronger effect?!" Franz swallowed hard.
He was already a personal fan of Pegasus, so he was well acquainted with many of Pegasus's cards.
And because Hikaru frequently used Thousand-Eyes Restrict and Relinquished, two cards that had been reprinted many times, to deal with powerful monsters, and because Hikaru's fame in their world kept growing, the cards had become increasingly well-known.
How simple, convenient, and effective Thousand-Eyes Restrict was when paired with Instant Fusion was something every duelist who wanted to study Hikaru's Fusion tactics understood clearly.
After all, with just a single Fusion Spell like Instant Fusion, you could deal with one monster no matter how astronomical its ATK. Extremely convenient.
An evolution of that monster would only be stronger!
"That's right. You're thinking correctly."
!!?
Pegasus's eyes went wide.
Hikaru flinched.
It took a moment for the others to process, and then they too stared in shock.
"How is that possible?!" Pegasus was stunned. "You can hear their thoughts through the security door?!"
"Heh heh heh ha ha ha. Pegasus, you're far too naive. That's not like you at all." The Millennium Eye lightly brushed its hair aside, then spoke. "I am you, and you are me. You didn't seriously think those doors designed to seal murderous spirits could block me, did you?"
Pegasus's expression darkened.
"Besides, you fool, I can hear anyone near you!" It laughed openly, looking at Hikaru. "So well before you even entered this arena, I already knew that once you heard I could read your thoughts, you'd resort to a 'randomized strategy.' At the end of the day, you're not the instinctive type of duelist. You're one who relies on strategy and calculated plays.
So no matter how random you go, you cannot stand against the power of Millennium-Eyes Restrict!"
The Millennium Eye's golden iris began radiating a dim, flickering light. "Because unlike Thousand-Eyes Restrict, Millennium-Eyes Restrict has no limit of 'only one equipped monster at a time!'"
"No way." Chumley swallowed.
"And that's not all. Any monster equipped to Millennium-Eyes Restrict has its same-name copies' monster effects negated and their attacks forbidden."
"That's so strong."
"It's really that powerful?!"
Hikaru frowned and countered. "But evolution comes at a cost. In exchange, Millennium-Eyes Restrict can't actively absorb other monsters on its own!"
It can't actively absorb other monsters?
If that was the case, it was at least somewhat more manageable.
But it sounded like it could still "passively" absorb other monsters?
That was still pretty frightening.
"Heh heh. True, that does mean Millennium-Eyes Restrict lacks initiative. But did you really think I'd come unprepared?"
He raised his hand and held up a card for everyone to see. "I activate the effect of Millennium-Eyes Illusionist from my hand! I discard this card from my hand, targeting one Effect Monster on my opponent's field.
I choose one Eyes Restrict Fusion Monster or Relinquished on my field, and equip the targeted opponent's monster to it as if equipped by that monster's effect.
Heh heh heh. And this effect can be activated during the opponent's turn as well."
Golden light swept across the field. The Millennium Eye looked at Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli on Hikaru's field and said, "You were planning to use Fusion Substitute for an on-field Fusion. And even if your Fusion Monster was dealt with, you'd use Fusion Substitute from the Graveyard to replenish your hand and create new possibilities.
Well then, I'll equip Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli to Millennium-Eyes Restrict!"
Before Lapis Lazuli could deploy her support ability, an invisible hand snatched her up. Then, accompanied by a flash of gold, she transformed into a small acrylic plate hovering above Millennium-Eyes Restrict's head.
Millennium-Eyes Restrict, ATK: 0 → 2300.
"Its ATK went up?!"
"Wait, if Millennium-Eyes Restrict can equip multiple monsters, doesn't that mean its ATK can climb that much higher?"
Five monsters!
If it equipped five, that would be 10,000!
And on top of that, the effects of all equipped monsters would be negated!
"What a powerful effect. But if that's the case, why did it bother explaining Millennium-Eyes Illusionist's effect specifically?" Chumley proved himself worthy of being a junior designer valued by Pegasus. Listening to the Millennium Eye describe the card effects, something felt off.
"Yeah." Franz was also mulling over the effect.
"Heh heh heh. It's simple. Millennium-Eyes Illusionist's effect in the Graveyard!" The Millennium Eye raised its right hand as if displaying a treasure. "Millennium-Eyes Illusionist has two effects, and both of this card's named effects can each be used once per turn!
If an Eyes Restrict monster or Relinquished is Special Summoned to my field, this card in the Graveyard can be added directly to my hand."
"I see." Franz nodded in understanding.
With that kind of effect, combined with some revival methods, it could recover the card during the opponent's turn and then use its effect again.
But why was the Millennium Eye so open about revealing all of this?
"Hikaru, is it? No wonder the people outside praise you so highly. You truly live up to your claim of being the Fusion duelist who 'knows every Fusion there is.' I'm impressed. The moment I used this card, its effect flashed through your mind."
Tch.
Oh!
Everyone had a sudden realization.
Hikaru recognized these cards!
No wonder.
It wasn't generosity. Since the opponent already knew everything through mind reading, it might as well flaunt its strength in front of the bystanders!
The Millennium Eye pointed at Hikaru's field. "Battle. Millennium-Eyes Restrict attacks Edge Imp Chain."
Green light flashed atop Millennium-Eyes Restrict's head. A gemstone beam sliced past Hikaru, shattering the monster.
"But it should be fine. If Chain is sent from the field to the Graveyard, he can search for a Frightfur card, right? That way, Hikaru still has follow-up tactics." Para spoke up.
"That's right. Although Frightfur Patchwork can only be activated once per turn, Hikaru's Deck should still have cards like Frightfur Fusion."
"Naive."
The Millennium Eye sneered. "Far too naive."
It glanced outside the room.
Although the specially treated glass prevented anyone inside the laboratory from seeing out, it didn't need to see.
It locked its gaze precisely on the Paradox Brothers and chuckled. "You think Hikaru would dare use that effect?"
Hikaru remained silent and shook his head.
"Why won't he activate the effect?"
The spectators outside were all confused.
"Millennium-Eyes Restrict's effect. Once per turn, when an opponent's monster activates its effect, I target one Effect Monster on my opponent's field or in their Graveyard. That opponent's Effect Monster is equipped to this card."
"Ugh." Chumley tapped the window. "So even if Hikaru uses the effect, it just gets absorbed and becomes an equip that adds 1200 ATK? And because it's equipped, the search effect can't even resolve."
Pegasus's brow furrowed deeply.
"NONONO. I wouldn't choose that card." The Millennium Eye mimicked Pegasus's mannerisms with uncanny precision, as if it truly were Pegasus. "Hikaru, if you want to activate that card's effect and retrieve Frightfur Fusion, go ahead. I promise you, I absolutely will not equip that Chain."
Hikaru was somewhat exasperated. He glanced away and ignored it. It wasn't that he feared Millennium-Eyes Restrict's effect. He recalled from his memory that this card's ruling notes stated it couldn't be activated during the Damage Step. But from the way it described things, perhaps it could be activated here. Regardless, the real issue was that Hikaru had only brought the Frightfur Patchwork engine for this duel. He had no other Frightfur Fusion cards, so there was nothing left to search for.
Seeing that Hikaru wasn't taking the bait, the Millennium Eye casually set two cards and didn't seem particularly disappointed.
"Why?" Chumley asked, puzzled.
Indeed, why?
Several Industrial Illusions employees and newcomers all raised the same question.
Why?
This thing didn't seem to be bluffing.
"It's that card." Pegasus suddenly spoke up, explaining to everyone. "The monster card A-Assault Core. That monster has the special effect of making the equipped monster unaffected by other opponent's monster effects."
"That effect remains active even when equipped to a card like Millennium-Eyes Restrict."
"Huh?" Chumley listened, momentarily confused. "But if it's equipped, wouldn't it be negated by Millennium-Eyes Restrict's effect?"
"No." Pegasus shook his head gently. "Chumley, if you want to become an outstanding designer, artistry alone won't be enough. You need to properly understand card effects and rulings.
Millennium-Eyes Restrict's effect negates the effects of monsters with the same original name as the monster equipped by its effect, and prevents those monsters from attacking. But as an Equip Card, A-Assault Core is treated as an Equip Spell. So it does have an active effect."
"Whoa." Chumley and Franz exclaimed simultaneously.
"I never designed a card this strong." Pegasus leaned his elbow against the glass. "A card like this has nothing but raw power. No aesthetic whatsoever."
"What are you talking about, Pegasus? You designed this card yourself! Relinquished was your creation from the very beginning!" The Millennium Eye looked displeased, snorted a few times, and glanced out the window before continuing. "Any duelist worth the name would naturally pursue stronger cards. That's how it's always been!
You think you can make this world, one that's witnessed other dimensions and encountered spirits, continue developing along the same old path? That's simply impossible!
Accept reality. Powerful cards are the truth of this world!"
The Millennium Eye snorted twice more, then turned to Hikaru. "Just like that Laundry Dragonmaid you're pinning all your hopes on. Its pathetic effect is completely useless. It can't carve out any so-called 'future' for you!
Now then, turn end. It's your move, Hikaru."
Hikaru frowned, studying the two set cards on the Millennium Eye's field.
"Draw."
"Before you do anything, I activate the Continuous Trap Card: Call of the Haunted. Revive Thousand-Eyes Restrict from the Graveyard." The Millennium Eye made its second play before Hikaru could act.
Thousand-Eyes Restrict, Level 1, DARK, Spellcaster, ATK 0.
"Then, because Thousand-Eyes Restrict was Special Summoned to the field, Millennium-Eyes Illusionist returns from the Graveyard to my hand."
"This is bad. Not only is there the evolved Millennium-Eyes Restrict, but now Thousand-Eyes Restrict is out too. While Thousand-Eyes Restrict is on the field, no other monsters can attack!" Franz felt the situation was getting hard to deal with.
"On top of that, Millennium-Eyes Illusionist was recovered from the Graveyard. Now, if Hikaru Fusion Summons a monster, it'll just get equipped to the Restrict by Millennium-Eyes Illusionist, won't it?" Despite the lab being kept cool by the air conditioning, he was breaking into a sweat watching this unfold.
Hikaru looked at the card he drew.
Spell Card: El Shaddoll Fusion.
Hikaru glanced at his hand.
He didn't currently have a Shaddoll monster in hand, so this card couldn't be used right away.
In that case, he'd go with Frightfur Patchwork.
Grab an Edge Imp and a Fusion Spell. Build up Fusion Materials and Fusion cards first.
"Wait. I activate a Trap Card!"
?!
"Trap Card: Mind Crush!"
What???
Hikaru froze.
It actually used it?!
Oh.
It really did!
That's playing dirty!
"What do you think you're doing, using a card like Mind Crush!" Pegasus completely lost his composure watching some strange entity wearing his face activate a card that felt both familiar and mortifying.
"Heh heh. If you possess the power to read minds, then you should capitalize on that advantage." The Millennium Eye didn't care in the slightest how embarrassed Pegasus felt. "Mind Crush's effect: declare a card name and activate. If the declared card is in the opponent's hand, the opponent discards all copies of that card. If the declared card is not in the opponent's hand, I randomly discard one card from my own hand."
"Tch." Hikaru's face twisted with annoyance. "So it was Mind Crush. No wonder it revived Restrict first."
Mind Crush couldn't be activated without cards in hand.
"Heh heh, Hikaru. I know. There's only one useful card left in your hand. Discard it. That card is: Frightfur Patchwork!"
Hikaru pursed his lips slightly and tossed Frightfur Patchwork to the Graveyard.
It wasn't that bad.
He'd seen other duelists run Mind Crush before. After all, in the modern era of dueling, there were plenty of search cards. A well-timed Mind Crush could sometimes be even more effective than Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring.
"So what exactly is 'Ash Blossom'?"
"Can't you read my mind?"
"I'd love to claim that I can, but I can only perceive things related to the duel."
Is that so.
"In any case, you can't do anything now. Just end your turn already." It looked supremely confident.
"True, if all I had were the cards currently in my hand, there'd be nothing I could do." Hikaru rubbed his chin, looking at his cards and thinking. "But this is only what's in my hand right now."
"?"
"I told you. The 'future' is something even I can't predict." Hikaru looked at the dazed and adorable Little Blue on his field, a smile forming on his lips. "Six cards have been milled, Little Blue drew me one card, and in the Graveyard there's still Metalfoes Fusion, which can be shuffled back into the Deck to let me shuffle and draw one card."
"One card. What can one card possibly do?" The Millennium Eye said dismissively. "That feeble little monster, and you talk about a 'future'? How laughable."
"You dare underestimate Little Blue? I'll have to show you then. The possibilities of Fusion."
Hikaru shuffled Metalfoes Fusion back into his Deck, let it auto-shuffle, then drew a card.
He glanced at it.
"Heh." Hikaru looked up at his opponent.
The opponent's brow twitched.
"I activate the Continuous Spell: Temple of the Kings."
An ancient temple rose behind Hikaru, its silhouette materializing.
"Temple of the Kings can send one Mystical Beast Serket on the field to the Graveyard to Special Summon one monster from my hand or Deck, or one Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck.
But you don't have a Prismsman in hand. You can't use that effect."
"Then I'll use its first effect. I can activate a Trap Card the same turn it's set. I'm going to set the card I just drew, then activate it immediately."
"Wh-What?"
"A Trap Card can be activated the turn it's set?"
"Huh?"
Hikaru slapped the card onto the field and activated it on the spot. "I activate the Trap Card: Fusion Duplication!"
Fusion Duplication?
"This card targets one 'Polymerization' or 'Fusion' Normal Spell in either player's Graveyard. Banish that card, and this card's effect becomes that Spell's activation effect!
The card I'm banishing is, of course: the Spell Card, Fusion Birth!"
!!
The card that Laundry Dragonmaid had sent to the Graveyard earlier!
"Send the top five cards of my Deck to the Graveyard. If the Fusion Materials for a Fusion are among them, then I perform a Fusion Summon!"
"How about that, Millennium Eye? This is a Fusion that bypasses every angle of your perception!"
"Tch. A card Pegasus gave you? But how can you be certain what those next five cards sent to the Graveyard will be?"
"Exactly." Hikaru raised his left hand before his face, placed his right hand on his Deck, and grinned. "Exactly! Millennium Eye, even I don't know what these five cards will be. Don't you find that exciting?!"
"Exciting?" The Millennium Eye scoffed. "Your Laundry Dragonmaid milled a full six cards and nothing useful came of it. Is this kind of effect really exciting?"
"Ha ha ha. Then let's see these five cards!"
Hikaru drew the top five cards from his Deck in one swift motion and revealed them.
Monster Card: Shaddoll Squamata. Monster Card: B-Buster Drake. Spell Card: The Eye of Timaeus. Spell Card: Instant Fusion. Spell Card: Invocation.
"Three Fusion Spells?! How many Fusion cards does he have?!" Anselm still couldn't get over Hikaru's Deck being stuffed with Fusions.
"Ah! It's a Shaddoll and a LIGHT monster!" Chumley immediately cheered.
"The Fusion Materials are assembled! How is that possible?!" The Millennium Eye couldn't believe its eyes.
Well, what did it expect? He'd milled eleven cards by now. It would be astronomically unlucky to mill twenty and not hit a valid pair.
"Begin Fusion! The Fusion conditions are a Shaddoll and a LIGHT monster!"
Hikaru thrust his fist high. "Fusion Summon!"
"Level 8: the divine light of Shaddoll, El Shaddoll Construct!"
A massive angel blazed with light in the air. Purple radiance shimmered throughout the entire laboratory.
"And in this moment, I activate the effects of cards on the field and in the Graveyard! When El Shaddoll Construct is Special Summoned: send one Shaddoll monster from my Deck to the Graveyard!
Shaddoll Squamata's effect: when this card is sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, send one Shaddoll card from my Deck to the Graveyard, other than Shaddoll Squamata!"
"Then I activate Millennium-Eyes Restrict's effect." The Millennium Eye showed no panic, pointing at Hikaru's field. "I'll equip your El Shaddoll Construct to Millennium-Eyes Restrict!"
"Ha! Then don't forget the card I drew this turn. Quick-Play Spell: El Shaddoll Fusion! This card can use monsters from my hand or field as Fusion Materials for a Fusion Summon!
I'm fusing El Shaddoll Construct and Laundry Dragonmaid for the WATER attribute El Shaddoll Fusion!"
Because he now had El Shaddoll Anoyatyllis in his Extra Deck, Hikaru could perform the WATER Shaddoll Fusion. But the Millennium Eye didn't simply stop its own play. "Heh heh, don't you forget either. This turn, I recovered this card to my hand: Millennium-Eyes Illusionist!
You have no monsters in your hand. So without Fusion Materials, you can't perform a Fusion Summon!
I'll use Millennium-Eyes Illusionist's effect to equip that ridiculous little monster to Millennium-Eyes Restrict!"
Millennium-Eyes Restrict's eyes locked onto Little Blue. She struggled for a moment, then let out a small "Wah!" and transformed into an acrylic plate, hanging beside Millennium-Eyes Restrict's crown.
On the other side, El Shaddoll Construct fared no better. Her originally massive form quickly shrank into a giant gemstone, hovering beside Millennium-Eyes Restrict.
Millennium-Eyes Restrict, ATK: 2300 → 5100 → 5600.
"5600?!"
"Whoa. That's already higher than Five-Headed Dragon."
"And because they've been turned into Restrict's equipment, their effects are negated too."
The Millennium Eye laughed, as if mocking Hikaru's overconfidence. "Well, Hikaru? Your so-called 'future' and so-called interesting 'possibilities' end right here."
"No." Hikaru held up one finger and smiled. "Don't forget. I still have one card's effect that's resolving."
One card?
"Shaddoll Squamata's effect: send Shaddoll Dragon from my Deck to the Graveyard!"
Hikaru pulled a card from his Deck and placed it in the Graveyard.
"New chain. Shaddoll Dragon's effect: when this card is sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, I can destroy one Spell or Trap Card on the field."
"No!" The Millennium Eye's expression shifted.
It should have used Restrict's effect to equip that card instead!
No, wait. If it had used Restrict's effect to equip Squamata, then Hikaru wouldn't have needed El Shaddoll Fusion and could have used Construct's effect to send Shaddoll Dragon to the Graveyard all the same.
And even if it had used Millennium-Eyes Illusionist to equip Construct, Hikaru could have still used El Shaddoll Fusion to perform a Fusion!
Even if it had chosen A-Assault Core, the result wouldn't have changed, because a Shaddoll Dragon would inevitably be sent to the Graveyard to destroy one of Restrict's equipped cards!
The Millennium Eye instantly grasped the full chain of interactions.
"Information is valuable, sure. But an open-hand duel isn't such a big deal!" Purple light flashed in Hikaru's eyes. "My dueling, my Fusion, even performed at random, is nothing to scoff at!
In fact, it's better this way! I've already prepared my strategy. But I won't abandon Fusion by instinct either! Because only by doing both can I truly reach the ultimate Fusion, pursuing higher, ever higher, eternally greater Fusion!"
"I destroy the equipped Construct on your field!"
Construct's gemstone shattered with a bang, and she materialized once more on Hikaru's field.
Millennium-Eyes Restrict, ATK: 5600 → 2800.
"Construct's effect: when this card is sent to the Graveyard, I target one Shaddoll Spell or Trap in my Graveyard. That card returns to my hand.
I choose: Shaddoll Fusion!"
This is bad!
The Millennium Eye suddenly realized something was very wrong.
There was a problem here.
Why was this happening?
Hadn't the very first mill just randomly dumped three powerful cards into the Graveyard?
"Fusion Substitute's effect activates in the Graveyard. I return Construct to the Deck, then draw one card!" Hikaru drew a card and glanced at it.
"Then I activate the recovered Shaddoll Fusion!"
This is bad!
The Millennium Eye felt sweat forming on its brow.
Maybe it had been too hasty. If it had known things would turn out like this, it definitely would have used Mind Crush to discard Fusion Duplication instead.
The future, and "possibilities"????
"Ohhh!" Chumley watched and finally understood what was happening.
"When my opponent controls a monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck, Shaddoll Fusion can use monsters from my Deck as Fusion Material.
I send Shaddoll Hedgehog and C-Crush Wyvern from my Deck to the Graveyard!"
Hikaru slowly spread his arms wide.
"The Fusion conditions are: a Shaddoll monster and a LIGHT monster!"
"Fallen angel and human, divine messenger and central control unit, everything converges into one!
Manifest!
The fallen colossus!"
Hikaru clapped his hands together.
"Fusion Summon!"
"Level 8, angel of the divine, El Shaddoll Construct!"
El Shaddoll Construct, Level 8, LIGHT, Fairy, ATK 2800.
The ancient colossus appeared once more in a blaze of glory!
This time, Lapis didn't feel shy or timid at all. After a brief moment to adjust to the body, she cheerfully said to Hikaru, "Lord Hikaru, use me to your heart's content!"
Hikaru smiled and nodded at her. It seemed that Lapis Lazuli's earlier defeat had made her want to redeem herself.
"When Construct is Special Summoned, I can send one Shaddoll card from my Deck to the Graveyard. I send Shaddoll Core to the Graveyard. Then, Shaddoll Core's effect: when this card is sent from the Deck to the Graveyard by an effect, I can add one Shaddoll Spell or Trap other than this card from my Graveyard to my hand.
I return El Shaddoll Fusion to my hand."
Hikaru flashed the recovered card.
"Before we knew it, half of Hikaru's Deck has been sent to the Graveyard." Franz studied Hikaru's thinning Deck, lost in thought.
"Destroy, shatter, recover, transcend. This is truly fascinating. This is the Fusion that Amagi-boy insists upon." Pegasus couldn't stop himself from applauding. "Beyond all foreseen possibilities, he sends cards to the Graveyard in random fashion, then performs Fusion after Fusion.
Even if the opponent knows Amagi-boy intends to Fuse, they can never predict the final outcome!"
"Hmph. Big talk." The Millennium Eye remained unconvinced. "As long as Thousand-Eyes Restrict is on the field, no monster other than Thousand-Eyes Restrict can attack."
It lowered its voice. "Although your Construct has the ability to destroy a Special Summoned monster at the start of the Damage Step when battling it, she can't attack!
Next turn, all I have to do is equip her to Thousand-Eyes Restrict, and you're finished."
"Finished, you say?"
Hikaru lightly tapped his forehead, then spoke. "I wonder if you've noticed. Somewhere in the middle of all the 'randomness,' I've already accomplished something without anyone realizing it."
Random?
Without anyone realizing?
"The Paradox Brothers watching from outside the lab should know what I've done."
"Done what?" The Paradox Brothers exchanged a glance, then simultaneously let out an "Ah!" and pointed at each other.
Just like Gate Guardian!
Hikaru couldn't see what was happening outside, but he could predict it.
"Right now, in my Graveyard, I've assembled A-Assault Core, B-Buster Drake, and C-Crush Wyvern!"
Huh?
"That's right. Starting from the very beginning, the material monster I sent to the Graveyard with Brilliant Fusion!"
"Wh-What? How is that possible?!" The Millennium Eye stared in disbelief. "Impossible. You never planned to do this from the start!"
"Of course not. With my Deck, assembling all three Union monsters is ridiculously hard. But Little Blue helped make it happen!" Hikaru genuinely hadn't planned for this either.
His Deck wasn't like Chazz's setup. Gathering all three Union monsters was supposed to be nearly impossible for him.
The Millennium Eye choked on its words.
Without Laundry Dragonmaid, if Hikaru had drawn Fusion Birth or Future Fusion, it would have hit them immediately with Mind Crush. Everything that followed would have been hopeless.
After all, it had known well in advance that Pegasus intended to give Hikaru the Fusion Birth card. It had been on maximum alert.
But precisely because Laundry Dragonmaid's effect had sent Fusion Birth to the Graveyard, it hadn't paid attention. It never imagined this outcome. Even though Hikaru was the type who overthought everything, the kind of duelist who had already memorized every monster in his Extra Deck before the duel even started!!
"Well then, it's time for a demonstration!"
Hikaru raised his hand.
The A-Assault Core he had obtained in the Union Dimension, the B-Buster Drake, a duplicate card gifted to him through his bond with Chazz, and the C-Crush Wyvern, a new Union diplomatic partner who had personally come to thank him after the Union forces permanently settled in the Cosmo Dimension following Hikaru's victory over Leo Akaba!
"Banish all three ABC machines from the Graveyard!"
"Supreme machine that commands lightning, reveal the possibilities that represent the 'future.' Within this 'randomness,' be born!"
Hikaru opened his Extra Deck and pulled out a card.
The gift and fighting strength of the Union Hangar!
"Contact Summon!"
Three mechanical monsters flew into the air, assembled together, and finally transformed into a mechanical dragon with two heads, two thick cannon barrels, and a massive golden set of treads.
"Level 8!"
"ABC-Dragon Buster!"
ABC-Dragon Buster, Level 8, LIGHT, Machine, ATK 3000.
The mechanical dragon's cannons locked onto the Millennium Eye.
"Dragon Buster can activate once during either player's turn: discard one card, then target one card on the field. That card is banished." Hikaru looked at the last card he had drawn and couldn't help but smile as he revealed it. "I discard Golden-Eyes Idol."
The Millennium Eye let out a small sigh.
Randomness and the future, huh?
"Banish Thousand-Eyes Restrict. Then, Construct attacks Millennium-Eyes Restrict. Construct's effect: at the start of the Damage Step, when this card battles a Special Summoned monster, that monster is destroyed."
With a sharp crack, Millennium-Eyes Restrict was shattered. Hikaru's Fusion Monsters and Little Blue all returned to his side.
"Yeah!" The two designers couldn't help high-fiving each other in celebration. Then, realizing the person he was celebrating with was Chumley, Franz snorted, lowered his hand, and shuffled off to the side.
Anselm finally let go of his worry, lacing his hands behind his head in a show of forced ease.
Meanwhile, seasoned duelists like Pegasus and the Paradox Brothers had been applauding Hikaru's duel nonstop.
The Millennium Eye's phantom form flickered. Pegasus's silhouette slowly dissolved until only a golden eye remained.
Then that golden eye flickered once more before finally transforming completely into the form of Millennium-Eyes Restrict.
So the spirit had been Millennium-Eyes Restrict all along?!
Hikaru paused for a moment and tried to look out the window, but the glass wouldn't let him see Pegasus's expression. In the end, he turned back and pointed at his opponent. "ABC-Dragon Buster, direct attack!"
The two cannons gathered crackling orange-yellow lightning. Then, as if a little blue dragon had transformed into a cannonball, a bolt rocketed forward and struck Millennium-Eyes Restrict squarely.
"Guh."
It endured the attack with its completely unequipped body, letting out a pained grunt.
Shadow of the Millennium Eye, LP: 3000 → 0.