The dim room's lights flickered on, illuminating the entire space; far larger than Miles had ever imagined.
Before the lights were turned on, Miles had assumed he was merely in an ordinary room with a large bed.
But now, seeing it clearly, the vast open area was more than enough to accommodate a duel of any intensity. It was also sufficient for Miles and Quaedes to fight without restraint.
"Prepare yourself, Miles."
Her ice-blue Spirit Eyes radiated brilliantly. Even without the cover of darkness, Quaedes' immense and exaggerated Duelist spirit power continued to overflow through them.
At the same time, this was a terrifying energy Miles had never felt before… an aura that threatened to swallow its opponent whole before the duel had even begun.
"The Empire's strongest Duelist, Emperor Quaedes Soroya… truly terrifying."
When it rains, it pours. In such an important duel, Miles could not use his other Decks and could only rely on Drytron and his half-finished D/D/D Deck.
Though he had prepared himself for mutual destruction, what he feared most was the fish dying while the net remained intact.
And in the end, he would simply become fish on the chopping board, left to be toyed with at will by Quaedes, who held the blade.
"No. Before the duel even begins, I can't let my momentum be suppressed."
Even with an incomplete D/D/D Deck, he had to believe in the bond between himself and his cards. Only then could he hope to create the miracle of the Deck responding to him.
"Duel!" ×2
The duel officially began. Quaedes, illuminated further by her ice-blue Spirit Eyes, took the first move.
Known as the strongest Emperor in history, what kind of battle style would Quaedes employ? Miles felt nervous even before it began.
The only information he vaguely remembered was that Homar Kaiser once mentioned Quaedes used a WATER Xyz Deck to defeat the former Emperor, ascending purely through strength.
"My turn—draw!"
After drawing, Quaedes immediately played a monster onto the field.
"I Normal Summon in Attack Position—Buzzsaw Shark!"
[Buzzsaw Shark] Level 4│WATER│Fish│1600 ATK.
A shark with saw-like fins materialized in rippling blue water, floating on Quaedes' field.
Just as Homar had said—WATER monsters. And of the rare Fish type.
In Miles' memory, since transmigrating here, he had encountered Duelists using all kinds of types, yet very few who used Fish monsters.
"I activate the effect of Buzzsaw Shark!"
"I target Buzzsaw Shark itself and Special Summon from my Deck a Level 4 Fish monster with the same Level but a different name—Spear Shark!"
[Spear Shark] Level 4│WATER│Fish│1600 ATK!
With fins like sharpened harpoons, the Level 4 Spear Shark surged forth and materialized.
Two Level 4 monsters instantly stood on the field. With just a single card, Quaedes fulfilled the conditions for an Xyz Summon.
The cold-faced young Emperor extended her hand. The two Level 4 Fish monsters transformed into twin pillars of water, converging and overlaying.
"I overlay two Level 4 monsters! Roar, unknown thunder! Emerge from the abyssal darkness—Xyz Summon! Bahamut Shark!"
[Bahamut Shark] Rank 4│WATER│Sea Serpent│2600 ATK!
Using two Level 4 WATER Fish monsters, she overlaid them into a Rank 4 Sea Serpent. The massive dragon-god shark churned the waves as it roared onto the field.
"Next, the effect of Bahamut Shark."
"I detach 1 Xyz Material—Buzzsaw Shark—to Special Summon from my Extra Deck a Rank 3 WATER Xyz Monster!"
At the cost of preventing Bahamut Shark from attacking this turn, she Special Summoned an Xyz Monster directly without using materials to overlay.
But since it was her first turn and she could not attack anyway, Bahamut Shark's drawback was effectively meaningless.
"Cleave through the raging waves from the abyss—Special Summon! Number 47: Nightmare Shark!"
[Number 47: Nightmare Shark] Rank 3│WATER│Sea Serpent│2000 ATK!
A second Xyz Monster appeared. On her very first turn, Quaedes had used only one card to Special Summon two Xyz Monsters.
"It's not over yet." Quaedes gestured toward Nightmare Shark.
"Finally—Armor Xyz Summon. I overlay on top of Number 47: Nightmare Shark, which has no materials. Let the black lance pierce the raging tide—Armor Xyz! Full Armored Black Ray Lancer!"
[Full Armored Black Ray Lancer] Rank 4│WATER│Beast-Warrior│2100 ATK!
From Rank 3 to Rank 4 through Armor Xyz, the heavily armored black lancer stood beside Bahamut Shark before Quaedes.
"Full Armored Black Ray Lancer gains 200 ATK for each of its Xyz Materials."
[Full Armored Black Ray Lancer, ATK: 2100 → 2300]
"I Set two cards and end my turn."
The blue-haired, blue-eyed young Emperor stood with a WATER Xyz Monster on either side. After setting her cards, Quaedes declared the end of her turn.
"Your move, Miles. Since you dare defy me, show me just how capable you truly are. If you hesitate at merely this field, I will be deeply disappointed."
"That won't happen. My turn—draw!"
As he drew his card to begin his turn, Miles could clearly sense that Emperor Quaedes was still holding back.
And even with his hastily assembled, incomplete Deck, he would not be suppressed so easily.
"I'm going in. The Contract Book activates! Continuous Spell Card [Dark Contract with the Swamp King]!"
[During your Main Phase: You can Fusion Summon 1 Fiend-Type Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your hand or field as Fusion Materials.
You can only use this effect of "Dark Contract with the Swamp King" once per turn.]
[If Summoning a "D/D" Fusion Monster this way, you can also banish monsters from your Graveyard as Fusion Material.]
"From my hand, I send [D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon] and [D/D Lamia] to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials. Fusion Summon!"
Xyz versus Fusion—Miles took the lead, opening the spiral of Heroic Spirit fusion through the Dark Contract.
"Serpent enchantress of myth, guide the black dragon that bears Arthur's name! Now become one and call forth a new king! Fusion Summon—be born! D/D/D Flame King Genghis!"
[D/D/D Flame King Genghis] Level 6│FIRE│Fiend│2000 ATK
["D/D" monsters ×2]
Bearing the honorific of Genghis Khan, who once built a super empire spanning Eurasia in history. At this moment, as Flame King Genghis, Temujin appeared in a blazing Fusion, swinging the greatsword burning in his hand.
"Oh? A Fusion Monster I have never seen before?"
Emperor Quaedes Soroya's ice-blue eyes showed rare interest toward the novel Duel Monster.
Yet the girl's overall expression remained cold.
"But the Attack is too low. Using two monsters for a Fusion and possessing only such power… You cannot shake any monster on my field."
"The way of D/D/D battle is far more than that."
Within Miles' Graveyard, the shadow of the mythic serpent girl surged upward.
"I activate the effect of [D/D Lamia] in my Graveyard!"
[If this card is in your hand or Graveyard: You can send 1 "D/D" or "Dark Contract" card from your hand or face-up from your field to the Graveyard, except "D/D Lamia"; Special Summon this card, but banish it when it leaves the field.]
"I send the Continuous Spell [Dark Contract with the Swamp King] on my field to the Graveyard. Special Summon [D/D Lamia] in Defense Position!"
[D/D Lamia] Level 1│DARK│Fiend│100 ATK
The little serpent girl who had once been summoned within the cathedral crawled forward to Miles' side.
Quaedes said, "You sacrificed the Contract, only to summon such a weak monster?"
"Watch closely. I'll only demonstrate D/D/D's next move once." Miles pointed ahead.
"Even the weakest monster can ignite the king's flaming greatsword. This is the conquest of Temujin! Effect activate!"
[If another "D/D" monster(s) is Special Summoned to your field, while you control this face-up card (except during the Damage Step): You can target 1 "D/D" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.]
Planting the blazing greatsword into the floor, Flame King Genghis awakened the interdimensional demon king sleeping within the Graveyard.
"Rage, Arthur! Devour Britain with the breath of the demonic dragon—let the roar of the fallen king resound! Special Summon [D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon]!"
[D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon] Level 7│DARK│Fiend│2600 ATK
The black dragon bearing King Arthur's name was reborn in flames from the greatsword Genghis had thrust into the ground.
"I activate the effect of [D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon]!"
[Once per turn: You can discard 1 card; this card gains 500 ATK, then you can destroy 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field.]
"I discard 1 card. Pendragon gains 500 Attack, and I destroy the card you set on the far left!"
[D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon, ATK: 2600 → 3100]
"—Vortigern's Roar!"
Jet-black dragon breath surged forth violently, completely shattering Quaedes' set card.
[Torrential Reborn] destroyed
A Trap Card capable of reviving a WATER monster when it was destroyed; before it could even activate, it was crushed by Miles.
Using [D/D Lamia]'s revival from the Graveyard to trigger Genghis' effect and revive the King Arthur dragon—two kings standing side by side. That was Miles' D/D/D tactic.
And Miles' D/D/D combo was not over yet. The long-awaited third king gathered on the field as Synchro light burst forth.
"Is that… a Synchro Summon?"
Compared to the shock others felt at Miles linking a Synchro Summon after Fusion, Emperor Quaedes merely raised the end of her pale blue brow slightly.
Miles Special Summoned [D/D Lamia] not only to trigger [D/D/D Flame King Genghis]'s effect. It was also because Lamia itself was a Level 1 Tuner.
"Level 1 Tuner [D/D Lamia] and Level 6 [D/D/D Flame King Genghis]—Synchro Summon!"
Fire and darkness demonically tuned—the first D/D/D Synchro tore across the earth like a gale, erupting on Miles' field.
1★ + 6★ = 7★!
"Blade that cleaves the dark! Gain the speed of the gale and become the new king's voice! Synchro Summon! Be born—D/D/D Gust King Alexander!"
[D/D/D Gust King Alexander] Level 7│WIND│Fiend│2500 ATK
["D/D" Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters]
The first D/D/D monster Miles ever obtained—the first interdimensional demon king.
Gust King Alexander, who split apart the Synchro storm, the legendary Alexander the Great who conquered all, was successfully Summoned by Miles for the first time, drawing his blade as he appeared.
2500 Attack Alexander. 3100 Attack Pendragon.
Piercing through the glorious history of humanity from Miles' original world—even wielding an incomplete D/D/D Deck, Miles still launched a full-force assault, charging at the Empire's strongest emperor.
With D/D/D monsters whose Attack exceeded that of Quaedes' Xyz Monsters, the first wave of offense began.
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