NOVEL WEB Chapter 442
"Quick-Play Spell Card Bloody Witch's effect—banish 1 'Elizabeth' monster from my hand, field, or Graveyard to activate. Then, choose 1 Spell/Trap card on the field and add it to my hand."
Barely recovering from the sonic shock, Yugi glanced at his back row and said confidently,
"Even if you add any of my Spell or Trap cards to your hand now, they won't be of any use to you, Hoshino."
The effect of returning a Spell/Trap from the field to the hand typically suggests stealing one from the opponent's back row—disrupting their plays while powering up your own. After all, it's rare to retrieve your own set card.
"Yugi, the card I want to return is indeed yours—but it's not in your back row."
"Not in my back row? Don't tell me…!"
Sending the Elizabeth in her hand to the banished zone, Hoshino pointed to a face-down card at her feet.
"The card I want to retrieve is the one set by Holmes' effect in my back row—Monster Reborn! And don't forget, thanks to Spell Sanctuary, it's now treated as a Quick-Play Spell."
Although Quick-Play Spells are flexible, they share a restriction similar to Trap Cards: if set, they can't be activated the turn they're set. So under normal circumstances, the Monster Reborn set by Holmes this turn shouldn't be usable.
But once it's returned to the hand, that limitation is lifted. As a Quick-Play Spell in hand, it can be activated at any time during her turn.
"Now I activate Monster Reborn from my hand! Arise—the sword of eternal blaze in the land of calamity—Beyond the Aeons!"
From the cracked earth erupted a towering pillar of flame. Forged from the combined powers of the legendary dragon and Nobunaga, the Sword rose from the blaze and floated before Okita.
"Effect of Beyond the Aeons: When Special Summoned, you can equip it to 1 Warrior-Type monster on the field. It's time to draw your blade, Okita!"
["That's so cool, Partner! Let me cue up the sword-drawing BGM right now!"]
Okita's expression sharpened. Gripping the burning sword, she responded earnestly:
"I understand, Master. If I have the Nobu Sword, maybe I really can beat that huge thing!"
[The equipped monster gains 1000 ATK and becomes unaffected by opponent card effects.]
[Okita ATK 2500 → 3500]
Nobunaga: "My sword's power is at full capacity—this time, we must win in style, Okita!"
With the sword equipped, Hoshino swung her arm to signal the start of battle.
"Now go, Okita! Show Obelisk The Progenitor the terror of a true ace! When Beyond the Aeons battles, it gains 2000 ATK for each DIVINE monster on the field and in both Graveyards!"
The blade, ignited by divine power, exploded into a pillar of flame—a crimson light soaring skyward, as if to cleave the heavens apart.
"This power… it's incredible! I've never felt this strong—it's even more unbelievable than using my Noble Phantasm!"
"The number of DIVINE monsters in play or in the Graveyards includes your three Egyptian Gods, Yugi, plus the Evil God in my Graveyard!"
[Okita ATK 3500 → 13500]
As for Obelisk The Progenitor and Obelisk the Tormentor, with Beyond the Aeons's effect, they're treated as two separate DIVINE monsters—totaling four.
"Attack points…" Yugi's pupils narrowed slightly as Okita's ATK skyrocketed.
"Hoshino, I admit that you and Okita have exceeded all my expectations. But I absolutely won't lose."
In the Duelist Kingdom finals, he was ultimately defeated by Okita and Nobunaga's fusion into Okitan Alter.
This time, facing Okita wielding Beyond the Aeons, Yugi swore he would not fall again.
"No, Yugi—this duel ends with my victory!"
Flipping her final face-down card, Hoshino's crimson eyes locked on the path to victory hidden in the flame.
"This is my final trump card—Quick-Play Spell Formal Craft!"
In that instant, a surge of elemental power projected from Hoshino's Duel Disk, distorting and reshaping the entire battlefield.[Formal Craft – Quick-Play Spell Effect: Declare 1 Attribute. Until the end of this turn, all 'Heroic Spirit' monsters on your field and in your Graveyard become the declared Attribute.]
Jonouchi: "Changing Attributes with a Quick-Play Spell… what's the point of that?"
When talking about elements and attributes, most people think of common types like WIND, WATER, FIRE, or EARTH. However, in this duel, there exists a special attribute beyond these elements—one that determines victory.
"The Attribute I declare is—DIVINE!"
Godly power surged exponentially, spreading through the distorted space like wildfire. The raging flames on the sword intensified, as if exposed to pure oxygen, engulfing the warped battlefield.
"Due to the effect of Formal Craft, all Heroic Spirit monsters on my field and in my Graveyard have their Attributes changed to DIVINE!!"
Jonouchi finally realized what Hoshino was planning.
"All the Heroic Spirits became DIVINE Attribute monsters… I think the total on Hoshino's field and in her Graveyard is…"
"A total of 15 Heroic Spirit monsters! According to the effect of Beyond the Aeons, each DIVINE Attribute monster increases ATK by 2000! Total increase: 30,000 points!"
[Okita ATK 13500 → 43500 | WIND → DIVINE]
"I—Okita-san—I've become a god?!"
The deified Okita, cloaked in a holy light over her usual green haori, now had cherry blossom-colored hair turned pure white. Combined with the crimson flames surging from her blade, she appeared as a divine sword god who had transcended the path of Sword.
"In this moment, I am God·Okita! With swordsmanship that embodies divinity, wielding Beyond the Aeons—nothing in existence can stand in my way!"
With a thunderous roar, Okita slashed forward with Beyond the Aeons.
"The effect of Okita: when her ATK exceeds the opponent's DEF, deal piercing battle damage! This is the final strike—shining with the glory of all the deified Heroic Spirits—toward victory!"
Hoshino & Nobunaga: "Go, Okita!!"
"—Three-Step Final Blade! Divine Sword: God-Slaying Thrust!"
The flaming blade, large enough to rend heaven and earth, slashed down toward Obelisk The Progenitor.
Staring at the incoming divine slash, Yugi couldn't help but praise her:
"To gather all Heroic Spirits and deify them in the final moment… You've actually surpassed Obelisk The Progenitor. Hoshino, you're the most terrifying Duelist I've ever faced."
"Likewise, Yugi. You're definitely the most fearsome opponent I've encountered."
"But Hoshino, that doesn't mean I've given up. I will not accept defeat the same way twice—that's my resolve! Activating my final face-down card—Quick-Play Spell Swords at Dawn!"[Swords at Dawn – Quick-Play Spell Effect: Target 1 Equip Spell in your Graveyard and 1 appropriate monster on your field; equip the selected Equip Spell to the selected monster. That Equip Spell is destroyed at the end of this turn.]
Hoshino raised an eyebrow.
"Equip Spell from your Graveyard? But Yugi, you don't have any in there."
If you had to name one, Premature Burial might count—but it wouldn't be a valid target for Swords at Dawn.
"Hoshino, the two cards I sent to the Graveyard with Graceful Charity last turn were: Monster Card Makyura the Destructor, and the Equip Spell I'm using now!"
A massive metal greatsword appeared in Obelisk The Progenitor's hands. His sturdy arms swung it through the blazing air, clashing violently against the flames of the Okita Blade. The force of the impact shook the already-warped space.
"Take this—my unyielding counterattack with Obelisk The Progenitor, Hoshino!"
But immediately after the fierce clash, in the blink of an eye, the metal sword in Obelisk's hands shattered completely. Burning shards of metal flew across the entire battlefield.
"What just happened?" Jonouchi was dumbfounded. None of the duelists present could comprehend what Yugi had done in that final moment.
Yugi revealed the Equip Spell in his Duel Disk and smiled in relief.
"The Equip Spell I used on Obelisk The Progenitor with Swords at Dawn—was Double-Edged Sword! The monster equipped with this card gains 2000 ATK!"
"Hmph. So that's it… That's how this duel ends."
Seeing the finale, Kaiba scoffed and turned away from the viewing platform.
"Hoshino. Yugi. One day, I'll defeat both of you—and seize the final glorious victory for myself!"
In this situation, the 2000 ATK gain from Double-Edged Sword couldn't change the outcome—but it had a critical hidden effect.[Double-Edged Sword – Equip Spell Effect: The equipped monster gains 2000 ATK. Any battle damage involving the equipped monster is inflicted to both players.]
"Because of Double-Edged Sword's effect, the 10,000 points of battle damage dealt by Okita will be shared between both players!"
[Yugi LP: 800 → 0]
[Hoshino LP: 600 → 0]
[Duel Over!]
(*****)
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