Astraltopia's attack connects!
"Send 1 other card from your hand or field to the GY; add 1 of [Graveyard], [Howl], [One Flesh, One Bone], or [Ambush] from your Deck to your hand!"
Before the echo of his words could fade, Katsune revealed a card from his hand.
"I send [Ready to Summon Anytime] from my hand to the GY, and add the Equip Spell [Gravestar Accessory] from my Deck to my hand!"
As he quietly slipped the "picked-up" card into his card pouch, Katsune muttered to himself.
"Next, I use the Level 4 [Gagaga Ganbara Knight] on my field and [Fallen Star — Starlight Chapter] to build the Overlay Network!"
"Xyz Summon — Rank 4! Liquid Giant — Starflow Magus!"
As Katsune finished, the two monsters dissolved into rippling liquid waves that surged up from the ground, and a towering giant wreathed in pale blue starlit mist roared into existence.
[Liquid Giant — Starflow Magus]
[ATK: 2400]
"[Liquid Giant — Starflow Magus]'s effect activates!"
Yusaku called out again.
"I can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; place [Gravestar Accessory] into my hand!"
"I activate this effect! I detach [Gagaga Ganbara Knight] as an Xyz Material!"
[Liquid Giant — Starflow Magus]
[Xyz Materials: 2 → 1]
"Then I Set this card face-down!"
The instant Katsune spoke, the liquid giant burst into a rain of brilliant blue-and-gold light and vanished. A column of Pendulum light erupted behind Yusaku as [Falling Star Light] was reborn from the grave of starlight!
"At this moment, the effect of [Gagaga Ganbara Knight], which was just detached as Xyz Material, triggers!" Yusaku wore a sly grin. "If this card is detached as Xyz Material to activate a multi-dimensional monster's effect, you can activate it!"
"I choose a card in my Deck that includes [Gravestar Accessory] in its text, and attach this card to it as an Xyz Material!"
Tucking the newly added card into his hand without a pause, he continued.
"Gravestar activation! [Liquid Giant — Starflow Magus]'s effect activates!"
"You can target 1 Gravestar Material on your field; apply [Gagaga Ganbara Knight]'s detach effect to that material!"
Targeting [Gravestar Sleeve — Toregu], he attached this card to it as an Xyz Material!
[Gravestar Sleeve — Toregu]
[Xyz Materials: 5 → 6]
"Then I activate the Equip Spell [Gravestar Accessory] from my hand, and equip it to [Gravestar Sleeve — Toregu]!"
"By [Gravestar Accessory]'s effect, this card can only be equipped to a Gravestar monster, and only then can its Gravestar enhancement effect be activated!"
[Gravestar Sleeve — Toregu]
[ATK: 550 → 1350]
"Not only that…"
Yusaku deliberately paused.
"When your equipped monster on the field is going to detach Xyz Materials to activate an effect, this card's Gravestar enhancement effect can activate directly at the moment the materials are detached!"
Hearing that, Jiro Kuki frowned slightly. He had seen this card before, but he still could not understand why Yusaku was piling so many Xyz Materials onto it.
Susumu Sankaido was a graduate of Starfight Academy, yet he knew nothing about this card. Yusaku had used it during the previous one-vote match between the academy and the geniuses, but at the time, Susumu had not yet been aware of the academy, and so he had never learned this monster's effect.
However, some academy students did know what it did.
The moment Yusaku summoned it, they immediately realized what this line was aiming for.
But duel regulations strictly forbade spectators from prompting monster effects during a duel. Even if they were burning with urgency, all they could do was think it to themselves.
On the duel field, after finishing the explanation, Yusaku swept his hand forward.
"Then I activate [Gravestar Sleeve — Toregu]'s effect, and detach all of its Xyz Materials!"
In the instant his words fell, Toregu's body erupted with six dazzling beams of golden light. Along with the [Gravestar Accessory] equipped to it, it transformed into streaks of light and flew into the GY.
[Gravestar Sleeve — Toregu]
[Xyz Materials: 6 → 0]
"At this moment!"
Yusaku's voice rang out again.
"The effect of [Shadow Butterfly Warrior], which was just detached as Xyz Material, activates! If this card is detached as Xyz Material to activate a multi-dimensional monster's effect, you can activate it! Add 1 [Gagaga] monster from your Deck to your hand!"
"I add [Gagaga Starflare Warrior] from my Deck to my hand!"
Without hesitation, Yusaku pressed on.
"Next, I overlay the Level 8 [Nunu, the Ogdoadic Remnant] and [Keurse, the Ogdoadic Light], whose Levels have been changed to 8!"
"Xyz Summon — Rank 8! [Gimmick Puppet Fantasix Machinix]!"
As his words fell, the two monsters merged into twin trails of golden radiance and shot into the vortex together.
In the next moment, a knight clad in silver armor descended slowly from the vortex. He placed his left hand over his chest in a courteous bow, as a crimson cloak snapped in the air behind him.
[Gimmick Puppet Fantasix Machinix]
[Rank 8 / Machine / Xyz / Effect]
[ATK: 1500]
Gimmick Puppet?
Seeing the monster that appeared on the field, Jiro and Susumu both froze. This was another monster they had never seen before.
Unlike them, the surrounding players instantly thought of something.
"Gimmick Puppet… Could Yusaku be ending the duel with [Number C88: Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo]'s alternate win?"
"I don't think so. The opponent still has 40,000 LP. Disaster Leo needs the opponent's LP to drop to a certain threshold to trigger. With that much LP, there's no way!"
Kazetaro stroked his chin. "Then is it [Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo]'s alternate win?"
"Probably not." A bespectacled player shook his head. "Destiny Leo needs to build up three counters before it can even activate. Compared to Disaster Leo, that's even harder!"
"I think all of you are stuck in the wrong frame."
Kouki folded his arms, eyes fixed on the field, and spoke slowly.
"Why does 'Gimmick Puppet' automatically mean he has to summon [Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo] or [Number C88: Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo]? If Yusaku-senpai's goal were an alternate win with those two, then there was no reason for him to summon [Tellarknight Ptolemaeus] earlier!"
Hearing that, everyone suddenly understood. That's right! If it was only for an alternate win, summoning [Tellarknight Ptolemaeus] would have been unnecessary.
On the duel field, the moment Yusaku summoned the Gimmick Puppet, he immediately called out.
"[Gimmick Puppet Fantasix Machinix]'s effect activates! I can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; add 1 'Rank-Up-Magic' Spell from my Deck to my hand!"
"I activate this effect and detach 1 Xyz Material!"
[Gimmick Puppet Fantasix Machinix]
[Xyz Materials: 2 → 1]
"I add [Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force] from my Deck to my hand!"
With the Rank-Up-Magic clutched in his hand, Yusaku slammed it onto his Duel Disk without hesitation.
"I activate the Spell [Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force]!"
"This card's effect: You can target 1 Rank 5 or higher Xyz Monster you control; Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 'CNo.' or 'CXyz' monster that is 1 Rank higher than that monster, by using it as material. (This is treated as an Xyz Summon.)"
"I target my Rank 8 [Gimmick Puppet Fantasix Machinix], and Xyz Summon by overlaying a [CXyz] monster that is 1 Rank higher on top of it!"
"Chaos Xyz Evolution! Appear now, [CXyz Gimmick Puppet Fanatix Machinix]!"
In the instant his words landed, [Gimmick Puppet Fantasix Machinix] became a dazzling beam of gold that shot straight into the golden vortex above.
The next second, a knight in pale black armor emerged from within the vortex. With an elegant spread of his arms, he descended, his black cloak whipping behind him. A dark helm covered most of his face, leaving only a fluttering lock of short red hair visible.
[CXyz Gimmick Puppet Fanatix Machinix]
[Rank 9 / Machine / Effect]
[ATK: 3100]
"We're not done yet!"
Yusaku's shout did not slow, carrying unstoppable momentum.
"Next, I overlay the Level 8 [Gagaga Magician] and [Onomatokage], whose Levels have been changed to 8!"
"Xyz Summon — Rank 8! [Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star]!"
The instant his words fell, the two Level 8 monsters transformed into twin meteors of golden light and plunged into the Xyz vortex overhead.
In the next moment, a war-god-like machine descended with a thunderous crash, gripping a massive spiral lance. Mysterious golden patterns flowed across its armor plating, and crackling arcs of electricity burst from its joints. The sheer heat of its arrival warped the air around it.
[Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star]
[Rank 8 / Machine / Xyz / Effect]
[ATK: 2600]
(End of Chapter)
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