"My turn." Jaden drew a card from his Deck.
"Jaden, you have a big mission this turn!" Avian warned from the side. "You have to deal with the Field Spell and that Thousand-Eyes Restrict!"
"Really? I don't think so." Jaden showed a confident smile, flashing his hand.
"Spell Card, Pot of Greed, activate."
Hikaru smacked his lips.
If he could draw Pot of Greed every turn, he'd be confident too.
Sadly, his Pot of Greed had turned into Metalfoes Fusion and Fusion Substitute.
Jaden drew two cards and immediately had an idea. "I Activate Field Spell, Skyscraper!"
Rumble.
Even though the surroundings were already filled with skyscrapers, even more rose, replacing the previously active Fusion Gate.
Hikaru nodded approvingly.
In this world, duel rules hadn't been updated yet, so turn-first players could draw, and only one Field Spell could exist at a time, replacing the old one.
Captain Gold glanced around but said nothing.
He liked Skyscraper.
Jaden carefully reviewed the field, Hikaru's face-downs, and the known cards in Hikaru's hand.
His Set card was that.
And Hikaru's hand held Miracle Fusion and Fusion Substitute.
[LP: 7000 (Jaden & Hikaru) vs 8000 (Golden duo)]
After another glance at his own hand, Jaden made his decision.
"I Set three cards and end my turn."
"Three cards?" Captain Gold shook his head. "Counting Hikaru's Set card, that's four. Isn't that a bit much?"
"Draw." Captain Gold glanced at Golden Eyes Idol. "Well, what now?"
"Don't ask me!" Golden Eyes Idol's many eyes darted around.
Thousand-Eyes Restrict was a powerful monster, it could absorb an opponent's monster every turn and locked all others from changing position or attacking.
But, It had absorbed Fullmetalfoes Alkahest, who had 0 ATK/DEF!
Obviously, zero absorbing zero equals still zero!
Thus, it remained a 0 ATK monster, unable to deal damage.
'What a headache.' Captain Gold hadn't expected to be stuck by his own teammate.
He side-eyed Avian.
'Ah. Not the first time.'
He pondered. Should he tribute the Thousand-Eyes Restrict to summon something stronger? Or just wait?
Captain Gold felt trapped.
This was tag dueling, once special cases happened, all four players could get stuck waiting for an opening.
And now, because of Thousand-Eyes Restrict, the opponents would surely stall until they could fight back.
"Just in case, I Normal Summon myself."
[Elemental HERO Captain Gold] Level 4│LIGHT│Warrior│2100 ATK
His Set card was the Trap "Hero Barrier," which could block one attack if he had a face-up Elemental HERO monster.
Jaden's Set cards were probably defense-oriented, not much to worry about.
"End turn."
"Hah. Looks like we'll settle this now," Jaden grinned.
"?"
Captain Gold froze.
"End Phase, I activate Quick-Play Spell, Flute of Summoning Kuriboh, Special Summon Winged Kuriboh from my Deck!"
"Kuri!" The fluffy, winged Kuriboh soared onto the field.
'Winged Kuriboh and it's a spirit. Also, so close to Jaden!' Captain Gold was surprised by the new spirit's appearance.
"My turn. Thanks, Jaden!" Hikaru said. "Dragging it out will hurt us. Let's end it this turn!"
"Impossible! You have no monsters, and we still have 8000 LP!" Golden Eyes Idol protested.
"We'll see about that!"
"Draw!" Hikaru drew and glanced at his new card. "Didn't get it, Jaden."
"Haha, then use mine!" Jaden's eyes burned with determination.
"Haha, been waiting for you to say that!"
Since their battle in the Warriors' Realm, Jaden had been working hard, and though he still napped in class, his dueling instincts had sharpened dramatically.
"First, I activate the Trap, Hero Blast!"
"Ah!" Captain Gold flinched.
"I target one Level 4 or lower Normal Elemental HERO in my Graveyard, and add it to my hand, Avian!"
Hikaru returned Avian to hand.
"Then, Hero Blast destroys one opponent's monster whose ATK is equal to or lower than the retrieved monster's ATK.
Of course, destroy Thousand-Eyes Restrict!"
BOOOM!
"You're choosing destruction now!?" Captain Gold exclaimed.
"Next, I activate another Set card, Card Destruction!"
"Card Destruction!?" Golden Eyes Idol gaped. "What did Jaden Set!?"
"Both players discard their entire hands, then draw the same number."
Hikaru dumped his hand into the Graveyard, drawing fresh cards. Captain Gold reluctantly discarded Stratos.
With the new hand, Hikaru's eyes gleamed.
'Got it!'
"I activate Fusion Substitute's Graveyard effect, banish it, return Fullmetalfoes Alkahest to the Extra Deck, and draw one card! Then, activate Spell, Fusion Armament, reveal Dark Flare Knight, and Special Summon Flame Swordsman as a material!"
"At last, breathing room!" Flame Swordsman cheered as he landed.
"Well, I'm just being tributed again," he chuckled. "But that's okay."
Hikaru smiled too, raising his hand.
"Now, Flame Swordsman, Winged Kuriboh, I summon you forth!"
"Yes!"
"Kuri!"
Both monsters transformed into light, merging into a massive mechanical giant.
"Ancient Gear Golem!?" Captain Gold stared at the towering figure.
"Finally, I activate a Continuous Trap, Ancient Gear Duel!"
A purple Trap Card flipped up, Hikaru's hidden Set card.
"If I control Ancient Gear Golem, I can banish monsters from my field and Graveyard to Fusion Summon a monster that lists Ancient Gear Golem as material!
And the summoned monster can attack three times this Battle Phase!"
"WHAT!?"
"Three attacks!?"
"Wait, didn't you have two Fusion cards earlier?" Golden Eyes Idol yelled.
"Wrong, he also sent Ancient Gear Knight to the Graveyard earlier as material! Plus, he discarded another Ancient Gear Beast just now!" Captain Gold realized. "Amazing, Jaden! You've gotten so good at cooperating!"
"That's right! Thanks, Jaden!" Hikaru cheered.
Jaden, noticing Hikaru's Set card last turn, had meticulously planned everything to let Hikaru go all out! Without Jaden's support, Hikaru couldn't have pulled off this complex combo. Moreover, Ancient Gear Duel's requirements were much higher than Ancient Gear Fusion.
BAA—DOOOMM!
The giant golem stood tall, with a staggering 4400 ATK, announcing its dominance over the field.
The two golden spirits exchanged glances.
'We're doomed.'