With the journey of the sea of stars, drown the true raging ocean. Justice is nothing more than absolutely reliable firepower.
"Erupt! Meteor Exclamation!"
Using the effect of [Drytron Meteonis Draconids], he targeted and sent [Number 73: Abyss Splash] to the Graveyard.
The scene of falling stars unfolded exactly as Miles had planned last turn.
As long as he used the firepower of [Drytron Meteonis Draconids] to suppress Quaedes, even against the Empire's strongest emperor, there would still be a sliver of hope.
"Unfortunately, that hope does not exist," Quaedes said calmly.
"What?" Miles was startled.
The tactic he had only formed in his mind felt as if it had been read and dismissed outright by Quaedes.
"What do you mean, doesn't exist?" Miles demanded.
"Upon this boundless sea, there is no path for your survival."
The azure ocean suddenly churned violently. The raging tide that had been suppressed by the falling stars roared once more after the Draco meteor barrage exploded, rising like a sea dragon awakening within a spiraling vortex.
"That's—?" Miles fixed his gaze upon the monster standing at the center of the sea vortex, commanding wind and rain. "How is that possible? Abyss Splash wasn't sent to the Graveyard?"
The Xyz Monster that should have been sent away by [Drytron Meteonis Draconids] not only remained on the field—it evolved further within the raging maelstrom.
Quaedes flung the card in her hand toward the roaring vortex.
"—Quick-Play Spell [Rank-Up-Magic Quick Chaos]!"
[Rank-Up-Magic Quick Chaos] Quick-Play Spell Effect: Target 1 "Number" Xyz Monster you control, except a "Chaos Number" monster; Special Summon from your Extra Deck, by using it as material, 1 "Chaos Number" monster with the same number that is 1 Rank higher than that monster.
A Quick-Play Spell dedicated to Ranking-Up "Number" monsters into Chaos forms. Most crucially, [Number 73: Abyss Splash] possessed its own unique Chaos form.
No wonder every time Quaedes Xyz Summoned [Number 73: Abyss Splash], her summoning chant included the words "chaotic evolution."
"I target [Number 73: Abyss Splash] and Chain the Quick-Play Spell [Rank-Up-Magic Quick Chaos]!"
After Miles activated [Drytron Meteonis Draconids] and targeted Abyss Splash to send it away, Quaedes immediately chained the Rank-Up Spell, evolving it and successfully dodging the Graveyard effect.
The Abyss Splash that evaded the stellar bombardment transformed entirely.
"Appear, Number C73! Break through the current of the chaotic vortex—now pierce the raging tide that connects heaven and earth! — Abyss Supra Splash!"
[Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash] Rank 6│WATER│Warrior│3000 ATK
Ranked up from Rank 5 "Number" into Rank 6 "Chaos Number," its golden armor turned crimson as if burning with chaos. Abyss Supra Splash stood majestically atop the tidal vortex, spear in hand.
"This is the Chaos Xyz capable of shattering even the stellar mechanical dragon. Continue the battle—Abyss Supra Splash!"
After using the Rank-Up Spell to evade Draconids' suppression, the tidal god charged fearlessly across the waves toward Miles's field.
"What?!"
To Miles's surprise, Quaedes did not choose the 1000 Attack [Drytron Mu Beta Fafnir] as the attack target.
The tsunami spear of Abyss Supra Splash aimed instead at the 4000 Attack [Drytron Meteonis Draconids].
"I told you—this is the Chaos Xyz that can shatter even the dragon of the stars," Quaedes declared, thrusting her arm forward. "This strike will pierce the sea of stars!"
To battle 3000 Attack [Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash] against 4000 Attack [Drytron Meteonis Draconids], Quaedes relied on one thing.
"The effect of [Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash] activates!"
[Once during damage calculation, if this card battles an opponent's monster: You can detach 1 material from this card; this card gains Attack equal to the Attack of the opponent's monster it is battling, during that damage calculation only.]
"I detach [Eagle Shark] to activate the effect—[Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash] gains 4000 Attack, equal to [Drytron Meteonis Draconids]' Attack!"
[Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash, ATK: 3000 → 7000]
The raging tsunami swallowed the stars, seizing their power in return.
Having stacked Draconids' Attack onto itself, Abyss Supra Splash gathered the might of the chaotic sea into its spear and pierced straight through the starlit mechanical dragon.
"—Abyssal Tidal Spear!!"
[Drytron Meteonis Draconids] destroyed.
The colossal meteor mechanical dragon was utterly shattered by Emperor Quaedes's Chaos Xyz, dissolving within the surging waves.
"It's over, Miles. You will take 3000 points of battle damage."
Spoken in Quaedes's cold voice, it sounded like a reaper's verdict—declaring her opponent's defeat and her own customary victory.
The energy of the Chaos spear pierced straight through Miles's chest, forcing him back several staggering steps.
"I'm not done yet." Enduring the chaotic tidal impact, Miles flipped over his Set card.
"—Trap Card [Defense Draw] activates!"
[During your opponent's turn, at damage calculation: Make the battle damage you take from this battle 0, and if you do, draw 1 card.]
"With [Defense Draw]'s effect, I negate this battle damage—and then I draw from my Deck!"
A draw at the brink of death. Even Drytron and D/D/D together had failed to suppress Quaedes in the slightest. If this draw did not bring hope, it would truly be the end.
"!!!"
Seeing the card he drew, Miles's eyes froze.
The power of Chaos had answered him.
After enduring the strike of the Chaos Xyz, Miles had drawn the Chaos that had long slumbered in his Deck.
"'Dark resentment doesn't suit someone like you. If you want to carve open the future, then take this card.'"
When he obtained this card in Axet, Miles still clearly remembered the words spoken by the Shadow Duelist who had even forgotten his own name.
"The hope of victory still exists. Continue the battle, Quaedes!"
"Oh? Your fighting spirit hasn't drowned?" Quaedes replied. "But do you truly have the power to stand against [Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash]?"
Another effect of [Number C73: Abyss Supra Splash]:
[If this card has "Number 73: Abyss Splash" as material, it gains this effect: This card cannot be destroyed by card effects.]
Immune to destruction by effects and in battle, it could directly gain the opponent monster's Attack.
Both shield and spear, perfectly combined.
"I Set one card. End turn."
"My turn. Draw!"
The turn shifted. After drawing to begin his turn, Miles immediately activated a Spell.
"Spell Card [Pot of Greed]. I draw 2 cards from my Deck."
The green pot shattered. Like Quaedes the previous turn, Miles gained two additional cards.
With three cards now in hand, Miles scanned them carefully.
He could still fight! Even against the Empire's strongest emperor, he could see a path to victory within these three cards.
Of course, the first problem was that Abyss Supra Splash—immune to effect destruction and impossible to defeat in battle.
"To defeat Chaos, one must use Chaos itself. Primordial power of Chaos—open a path through the raging tide!"
"Primordial power of Chaos?"
Miles drew a card from his hand and flung it toward the endless sea.
"One soul guides the light, one soul guides the darkness! When light and dark intertwine, they create the environment of Chaos!"
Responding to his invocation, one LIGHT monster and one DARK monster leapt forth in spirit form from his Graveyard.
"I banish the DARK [D/D/D Dragon King Pendragon] and the LIGHT [Drytron Meteonis Draconids]—gather the power of Chaos!"
Light and darkness—two monsters bearing draconic forms, yet neither belonging to the Dragon type—became the offering for the Chaos Summon.
"From the entwining of light and dark is born the ultimate warrior of Chaos! —Special Summon [Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning]!"
[Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning] Level 8│LIGHT│Warrior│3000 ATK
[Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by banishing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster from your Graveyard.]
Clad in gold-trimmed armor, cleaving through the intertwined radiance of light and darkness, the warrior known as the Envoy of the Beginning stood on Miles's field with sword in hand.
This classic Chaos monster was the very card Miles had obtained in Axet, after defeating the Shadow Duelist who wielded an Earthbound Immortal in a Shadow Game.
Even that Shadow Duelist who sought to destroy Axet had called it the power that opens the future.
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