The sudden shift in art style even left Miles stunned: "Drytron! As expected of me… using a deck like this and still not bricking?!"
Although they existed within the same cosmic, interstellar war worldview, Drytron and Ursarctic were clearly two entirely different deck systems.
And yet now, the experimental version of young Miles was mixing them together and using them as one.
Which was why Miles could only say—as expected of himself.
After all, if you asked who mixed the most engine axes into a deck, it would still be Miles himself and the trash-mob deck he most often used—Aisha Carlos's.
"Spell Card [Swords of Revealing Light]—activate! From your turn onward, while this card remains face-up on the field, for three turns, your monsters cannot declare an attack!"
Blades of light that tore through the cosmos instantly filled Miles's entire field.
Although young Miles was holding Drytron in hand, due to self-restriction issues, it still wasn't time for them to truly descend.
So with his Life Points nearly depleted, he first stabilized by using [Swords of Revealing Light], drawn through Ursarctic's massive draw power.
"The final duel across the sea of stars has only just begun. I set one card. Turn end!"
When the turn end was declared, Stardust Dragon's invincibility during the Battle Phase ended, and the boost from [Cosmic Flare] also lost its effect.
"My turn, draw!"
With only two cards left in hand and locked down by [Swords of Revealing Light], Miles didn't want to admit it—but this turn truly left him unable to act.
"I set one card, then change Stardust Dragon to Defense Position. Turn end!"
[Stardust Dragon, DEF: 2000]
Stardust Dragon in Defense Position, along with two unknown face-down cards, was the entirety of Miles's field while sealed by Swords of Revealing Light.
Meanwhile, on the merciless card-playing machine—young Miles's field—still stood the Starving Venom Fusion Dragon that had been dragged out by the battleship bull, as well as [Ursarctic Grand Chariot].
It almost felt like even without the seal of [Swords of Revealing Light], the opponent's field was still stronger.
"My turn, draw! Then let's begin—activate from the Graveyard, the effect of [Drytron Alpha Thuban]!"
[You can activate this by Tributing 1 other "Drytron/Draconids" monster or Ritual Monster from your hand or field. Special Summon this card from your hand or Graveyard in Defense Position. Then, you can add 1 Ritual Monster from your Deck to your hand.]
Thuban—the brightest star in the Draco constellation, ranked first.
What [Drytron Alpha Thuban] represented was the ignition of the Drytron 'High Radiant Mobile Weapon' system!
"I Tribute [Drytron Zeta Aldhibah] from my hand to Special Summon [Drytron Alpha Thuban] in Defense Position!"
[Drytron Alpha Thuban] Level 1│LIGHT│Machine│2000 ATK
The dragon-shaped cosmic mechanized armament descended via interstellar warp from the Draco constellation, finally arriving above the battleship of the Big Dipper.
Ren exclaimed in shock: "A Level 1 monster with 2000 Attack?!"
Of course, due to its inability to be Normal Summoned, even at Level 1 it couldn't simply be slapped down from the hand and kicked into someone's face.
Yet the Level 1 trait itself connected to another layer of meaning.
Aisha: "Mr. Miles… this card!"
"What about it?"
"I've seen this card before!"
"Huh?"
A shocking statement from Aisha Carlos.
The first star of the Draco constellation, [Drytron Alpha Thuban]—Aisha had actually seen it before.
"Aisha, where did you see this card?"
"(.?`ω??) I forgot!"
"You... damn it!"
At that point, it would've been better if she hadn't said anything at all.
"But I promise I've seen this card, Mr. Miles! I wanted to say it earlier—this abandoned factory actually gives me a really familiar feeling."
"Then why are you only saying something so important now?"
"Because from the very start, Mr. Miles looked like you couldn't wait to go find your body. I couldn't find the timing to say it at all!"
So in the end, it somehow became his fault?
But given the current situation, whether Aisha had seen this extremely special Level 1 card or not, Drytron had unquestionably been summoned right before his eyes.
The experimental Miles continued declaring effects: "When [Drytron Alpha Thuban] is Special Summoned, I add the Ritual Monster [Drytron Meteonis Quadrantid] to my hand!"
"A Ritual Monster?"
Different from the three mainstream Extra Deck summoning methods, this was the Ritual Summon.
"Next, I activate the effect of [Drytron Zeta Aldhibah] that was just Tributed, from the Graveyard!"
[You can activate this by Tributing 1 other "Drytron/Draconids" monster or Ritual Monster from your hand or field. Special Summon this card from your hand or Graveyard in Defense Position. Then, you can add 1 Ritual Spell from your Deck to your hand.]
"I Tribute the Ritual Monster in my hand, Special Summon [Drytron Zeta Aldhibah] from the Graveyard, and add the Ritual Spell [Meteonis Drytron] to my hand!"
On the battleship drifting through outer space, two Drytron 'High Radiant Mobile Weapons' assembled together—and with them, the Ritual Spell was also searched.
"I'll use this shot to open the final interstellar war! The set Quick-Play Spell—[Drytron Asterism]—activate!"
[During your or your opponent's Main Phase, you can target 1 "Drytron/Draconids" monster or Ritual Monster you control and 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. That monster you control loses 1000 Attack until the end of your opponent's turn, and that opponent's monster is destroyed.]
"I target my [Drytron Alpha Thuban] and your [Stardust Dragon]! Drytron loses 1000 Attack, and Stardust Dragon is destroyed!"
Within the vacuum of space, meteors from the Draco constellation unleashed a dimensionality-crushing strike upon Stardust.
"Stardust Dragon's effect activates! Until the end of the turn, I Tribute it to negate and destroy the effect that would destroy a card—'Sanctuary of Sacrifice!'"
This time, without [Cosmic Flare] in the Graveyard to substitute the Tribute, Stardust Dragon—locked onto by Drytron's cannon—could only disperse into stardust particles, temporarily leaving the field to evade destruction.
[Drytron Asterism] activation negated and destroyed
"Now, even the last Stardust that could protect your field is gone!"
Bathed in the radiance of countless stars, young Miles—with pure white hair reflecting the brilliance of the cosmos—flung the gleaming card from his hand.
"This is the final, decisive weapon!—Ritual Spell [Meteonis Drytron], activate!"
[Tribute Machine monsters from your hand and/or field whose total Attack becomes equal to or greater than the Attack of the Ritual Summoned monster, then Ritual Summon 1 Ritual Monster from your hand or Graveyard.]
Drytron's extremely unique Ritual Spell Card.
Not only because it can directly Ritual Summon monsters from the Graveyard, but more importantly because the requirement for this Ritual is not Levels, but Attack.
"Because the activation of [Drytron Asterism] was negated, the Attack of [Drytron Alpha Thuban] remains 2000! Combined with [Drytron Zeta Aldhibah], that's a total of 4000 Attack!"
Through the core amplification of low-Level Drytron units, resonating together to awaken a 'MAX Level' stellar radiance mechanical dragon—the strongest, fully armed form.
"And the Attack of the Ritual Monster [Drytron Meteonis Quadrantid] in the Graveyard is also 4000!"
Miles frowned deeply: "Exactly 4000… You calculated that I would definitely Tribute Stardust, didn't you!"
If Miles had allowed [Stardust Dragon] to be destroyed directly, the Attack of [Drytron Alpha Thuban] would have dropped to 1000, and this Ritual Summon—completed using only two Level 1 Drytron monsters—would not have been possible.
However, reality had no 'ifs'. As another 'Miles', standing among the stars of the Draco constellation, he understood himself all too well.
"Memories sleeping within the stellar array—awaken! In the instant flash of a comet, meteors shine with radiant brilliance!—Ritual Summon [Drytron Meteonis Quadrantid], descend!"
[Drytron Meteonis Quadrantid] Level 12│LIGHT│Machine│4000 ATK
[This card on the field cannot be targeted by your opponent's Spell/Trap effects.]
With both Attack and Defense at 4000, Level at the absolute maximum of 12, using two Level 1 Drytron weapons as core amplifiers—the mechanized radiance dragon shining across the cosmos stepped onto the battlefield at the final moment of the interstellar war.
"The effect of [Drytron Meteonis Quadrantid] activates!"
[If the total Levels of the monsters used for this card's Ritual Summon is 2 or less, destroy all Spell/Trap Cards your opponent controls.]
This total backrow wipe, which can only be additionally triggered by using two monsters of Level 1 or lower, was the reason the experimental young Miles had deliberately forced out Stardust Dragon's protective destruction-negating effect in advance.
Only by drawing out Stardust Dragon's effect could the 2-Level Drytron Ritual be completed. And only a Ritual performed with 2 Levels of Drytron could trigger this additional field-clearing effect.
Even the final exchange of this duel was calculated in advance by the merciless card-playing machine—'Miles', standing amid the brilliance of the stars.
"Destroy all of your two set cards!—Draco Meteor Bombardment!"
From within the mechanized radiance dragon's body, dense meteor showers erupted into the vacuum of space, relentlessly bombarding Miles's backrow.
One of Miles's set cards—
[Drowning Mirror Force] destroyed
The watery barrier capable of bouncing all of the opponent's monsters back to the Deck—had young Miles not precisely targeted and carpet-bombed Miles's backrow at this moment, then even a battlefield of interstellar war would have been completely wiped out by a single Trap Card.
Aisha said in disbelief: "Mr. Miles actually has a day where he gets outplayed."
The only one who could truly outplay him was probably himself.
"Don't think you've won just because of that!"
The variable came from Miles's second set card. Even though Drytron could destroy all of his set cards, Miles could still chain and activate any card that was able to be activated beforehand.
"—Quick-Play Spell [Flute of Summoning Kuriboh]! Special Summon [Winged Kuriboh] to my field in Defense Position!"
"Kuri-kuri!"
At the brink of despair, facing the vast and magnificent stellar mech formations of the cosmos, the tiny, fragile yet adorable Kuriboh flapped its angelic wings and flew onto the battlefield.
In this star-tier cosmic war, Miles's final line of defense.
"If [Winged Kuriboh] is destroyed, all damage I take this turn becomes 0!"
"Tch… so you managed to turtle it out!"
After clicking his tongue in annoyance, young Miles declared entry into the Battle Phase.
Even though destroying Winged Kuriboh would render this Miles immune to damage, for the sake of securing the kill on the next turn, he still had no choice but to battle.
The radiant mechanical dragon unfolded its cannons, unleashing dense, overwhelming firepower and pouring it all into a single Winged Kuriboh.
[Winged Kuriboh] destroyed
Inheriting the sacred radiance of angelic wings, Miles temporarily gained damage immunity amid the dense star-cannon bombardment.
"I set one card. Turn end!"
Likewise setting [Drowning Mirror Force] from his hand, in this duel of Miles versus Miles, even the set cards mirrored each other.
"During the End Phase, Stardust Dragon, which Tributed itself, returns to my field!"
Gathering stardust particles, Stardust Dragon was reforged before the brilliant meteor swarms of the Draco constellation.
[Stardust Dragon, DEF: 2000]
Facing the experimental young Miles's field—Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, Ursarctic Grand Chariot, and Drytron Meteonis Quadrantid—
Stardust Dragon became the only monster on the original Miles's field.
"My turn, draw!"
As Miles drew the opening card of his turn, countless rings of Swords of Revealing Light still surrounded him, sealing away combat.
"—Spell Card [Pot of Avarice] activate! I shuffle five monsters from my Graveyard back into the Deck, then draw two cards!"
After returning three Level 1 Normal Monsters and two Rank 1 Xyz Monsters to the Deck, Miles earned a second chance at drawing.
The only pity was that Mokey Mokey in the Graveyard had been banished and couldn't be recovered.
"Even if one Mokey Mokey got banished, it doesn't matter. In this Deck, the thing I lack the least is Mokey Mokey! Draw!"
Miles's first draw—the soul of bonds—Mokey Mokey.
"And now the second one—draw!"
Black light gleamed at Miles's fingertips, deeper and darker than the distant cosmos itself.
Miles's second draw—[Dystopia the Despondent].
"The win comes down to you two. I Normal Summon—Mokey Mokey, in Attack Position!"
[Mokey Mokey, ATK: 300]
The white tofu block descended into the cosmos, causing the experimental young Miles standing atop the battleship to drastically change expression.
He had deliberately banished that hateful white demon from the Graveyard, yet at the final moment, Miles still drew it into his hand.
Ren: "It's Mokey Mokey."
Krista: "It really is Mokey Mokey."
Aisha: "ヾ(???ゞ) It's Mokey Mokey!"
Fully conditioned, at this final moment the three of them were no longer surprised at all when Miles pulled out Mokey Mokey—completely used to it by now.
"But I still need to remind you of something, Miles." Viel spoke up. "Watch your footing—the Big Dipper trajectory indicators on the Field Spell have already accumulated seven counters again!"
As the Field Spell of the cosmic steel battleship, [Ursarctic Big Dipper] places one counter each time a monster is Special Summoned. Once seven are accumulated, it can activate its effect during a subsequent Special Summon to take control of a monster on Miles's field.
Although no one knew what Miles intended to do, if the next Special Summon threatened the experimental young Miles's field, the battleship's effect would definitely be activated to steal it away.
"There's no way back anymore! Even if the Big Dipper has been lit, all I can do now is confront the steel battleship head-on!"
Miles hurled the Spell card clutched tightly in his hand toward the pitch-black cosmos above.
"—Spell Card [Level Lifter] activate!"
[Send 1 monster from your hand to the Graveyard, then target up to 2 face-up monsters you control. The selected monsters' Levels become equal to the original Level of the monster sent to the Graveyard by this card's activation, until the End Phase.]
"I choose Stardust Dragon and Mokey Mokey! This Level adjustment—breaks through the heavens!"
Miles's final remaining card in hand, the only monster he could send from his hand to the Graveyard to assimilate and adjust the Levels of two monsters on the field, was…
"I send [Dystopia the Despondent] to the Graveyard!"
Aisha: "(ノдヽ) Dystopia got sent to the Graveyard again!"
"Inherited despair's power! Final Level MAX! Make the Levels of Stardust Dragon and Mokey Mokey on the field both become the ultimate 12!"
Miles's final, decisive Summon in this star-tier cosmic war.
Facing head-on the massive steel battleship, the colossal radiant mechanical dragon, and the final-combat-mode black bear mech.
"If we're going to clash with souls of steel, then let it burn to the limit! Ultimate Xyz Summon-Rank 12, the god-slaying spear-[Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS - Sky Thunder]!"
...
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