A multi-headed mechanical dragon, its body almost entirely composed of tires, appeared on Hikaru's field through the smoke. In its place, both Double Ancient Gear Hunting Hound and Cyber Dragon had vanished.
"W-What..."
"My Double Hunting Hound!?"
"What just happened?!"
"Hehehe," Hikaru raised the monster card on his field.
"Chimeratech Fortress Dragon's Fusion Materials are Cyber Dragon and one or more Machine monsters. It sends itself and the opponent's listed Fusion Materials from the field to the Graveyard to Special Summon itself from the Extra Deck.
It needs neither Polymerization nor the opponent's consent.
And its ATK equals the number of Fusion Materials times 1000."
[Chimeratech Fortress Dragon] Level 8│DARK│Machine│2000 ATK
"You bastard..." Kaname clenched his fists, trembling all over.
Even when Hikaru scolded him earlier for being neither Fusion nor true to his club spirit, it hadn't hurt like this.
The Double Hunting Hound wasn't even a soul card to him, just a tool. Still, watching his monster get absorbed without even a chance to speak left his fists hardening uncontrollably.
"Zane, that Cyber Dragon..." Alexis asked curiously.
Zane nodded. "Hikaru traded a Cyber Dragon from me with a Cybernetic Revolution.
I have tons of Cyber Dragons, original, Vier, Drei, Zwei, and even several copies of the original for my brother later. Trading one for Cybernetic Revolution was definitely worth it."
"As for Chimeratech Fortress Dragon," Zane smiled. "It's different from mine. He probably found a variant in the other dimension."
In this world, it was common for cards to have "alternate effects despite identical names," like Zane's Future Fusion being vastly different from Hikaru's weaker Future Fusion. And now, with the existence of parallel dimensions, different versions of cards were even more expected. So the group accepted it easily.
"Then, Chimeratech Fortress Dragon, direct attack!"
"Tch- Trap Card, Mirror Force! Activate!"
BAAAMM!
The mechanical dragon dismantled to pieces in a bright, blinding flash of light.
"Ah, so close! Hikaru almost dealt massive damage!"
"Mirror Force, if not for that..."
"Now Hikaru's field is empty!"
Hikaru shielded himself with his left arm, watching his Cyber Dragon vanish. He sighed slightly, and shruged.
"Watch carefully, Syrus," Zane suddenly said.
"Eh?"
"Watch Hikaru's next move carefully."
Startled, Syrus hurriedly focused.
"Main Phase 2," Hikaru suddenly pressed the Field Spell button, making the Duel Disk automatically eject a Field Zone, "I activate the Field Spell, Fusion Recycling Plant!"
Clank-clank—whirr—
A mass of bizarre machinery rose from the ground, replacing the surrounding, default forest field. A giant factory appeared behind Hikaru, scanning the area continuously.
"What is that?"
"A Fusion Field Spell?"
"Fusion Recycling Plant's effect: once per turn, I can discard a card to add [Polymerization] from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand."
"Eh?" Syrus tilted his head. 'Then why not use Fusion Sage?'
Kaname also frowned in confusion.
"I discard a Fusion Substitute from my hand to add a second Fusion Substitute from my Deck to my hand."
???
Except for Zane, Jaden, and Chazz, who instantly understood, nearly everyone else was completely baffled by Hikaru's move.
Discarding a Fusion to fetch another Fusion?
Why?
But soon, Bastion, blessed with extraordinary memory and eager to explain, sighed, "I see, Fusion Substitute's effect lets you banish it from the Graveyard to return a Fusion Monster to the Extra Deck and draw one card."
"Fusion Monster," Kaname muttered, his face suddenly changing.
"Exactly!" Hikaru snapped his fingers. "You get it now, right? I return Chimeratech Fortress Dragon to the Extra Deck, banish Fusion Substitute, and draw one card."
Kaname's face darkened.
What could be worse than knowing your opponent has a Fusion Monster in the Extra Deck that can devour all your Machine monsters as you watch him recycle it right before you, clearly preparing to do it again next turn?
"Damn it!!"
"Damn it?" Hikaru's face darkened even more hearing that. "Who's the one who's damn it here!?"
"Calling you 'senpai' out of respect is fine, but with no respect, you're the one who's damn it!"
"Fusion Club is full of bullying, inter-dorm hatred, a club meant for researching Fusion turned into military training. How can people like you dare call yourselves part of the Fusion Club!?"
"Since I have the chance today, I'll show you my resolve!"
"Fusion should mean unity, cooperation, connection, and collaboration. Not what you guys are doing!"
"I set three cards face-down and end my turn!"
Three face-downs? That's so heavily layered down!
Today, Amagi Hikaru was all about torturing his opponent!
Kaname's hands trembled.
'Three face-downs—what could they be!?'
Meanwhile, some first-years, already leaning towards Hikaru, voiced their support, some even airing their grievances about their miserable days in the Fusion Club.
Honestly, this sort of thing wasn't rare at Duel Academy. Even outside the Fusion Club, bullying was rampant between dorms. The Academy's division system wasn't like Hogwarts' houses, they were supposed to be equal. Yet, even in Hogwarts-style systems, bullying existed.
Even so, Fusion Club stretched it even worse, and that's unforgivable.
Kaname reluctantly drew a card.
Always strict with himself, he was now drenched in cold sweat, wiping it from his forehead, no longer caring about appearances.
He had long known that Amagi Hikaru was a true Fusion extremist, but having never faced him directly before, he hadn't realized just how pure Hikaru's ideals were, making him feel insignificant.
How could this be? He was a third-year! He should be much stronger than Hikaru!
Wiping his sweat again, he gritted his teeth.
"Don't think it's over yet!"
Indeed, next turn, Hikaru could use Cyber Dragon to destroy all his Machine monsters. But, as long as he won this turn, it wouldn't matter!
Because he knew, Ancient Gear monsters, when they attack, prevent the activation of Spell or Trap cards!