Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!

"First, Worm Xex attacks 'D.D. Scout Plane'!"

Luca shouted.

"And both Xex and Yagan gain 500 ATK from 'Seal of Orichalcos'!"

[Worm Yagan, ATK 1000 → 1500]

[Worm Xex, ATK 1800 → 2300]

With the Seal's boost, this double attack would deal serious damage!

But Luca didn't realize he was far more agitated now than in his duel with Kaiba, his personal feelings getting involved.

"Calm down, you're a Doma Swordsman. Don't lose your cool so easily."

Kira grinned and snapped his fingers.

"I activate my set card, Trap Card 'Quaking Mirror Force.

When your monster declares an attack, all your face-up Attack Position monsters change to face-down Defense Position!"

Luca's eyes widened: "NANI…!"

Quaking Mirror Force! Monsters affected by this card can't change positions back!

A golden dust storm shielded Kira. Both Worms were sucked into the sandstorm, spinning helplessly before crashing face-down.

"I heard your Worms love being face-down." Kira joked. "Don't mention it."

Luca: "…"

Not mention it?

You bastard!

"Ugh… end turn."

"My turn, draw." Kira drew. "As one of Doma's top three swordsmen, you're a bit too angry.

Our teachers always say: the most important thing in dueling is a calm mind. You were all smiles at first—why aren't you smiling now?"

Luca stared at him with a deadpan face.

"Guess not. You lost your composure at just one Macro Cosmos—that's nothing. I tribute 'D.D. Scout Plane' to Tribute Summon.

Thanks for returning Granmarg to my hand—I'll use it again.

Once more, descend—Granmarg the Rock Monarch!"

[Granmarg, ATK 2400]

"Granmarg's effect: on Tribute Summon, destroy a set card. I'll destroy the set 'Worm Yagan.'"

He pointed at the Yagan, which crumbled under Granmarg's punch.

"Thanks for the assist letting me use this effect again." Kira smiled.

Luca's face was dark as night.

"Now I attack your set 'Worm Xex.'"

Granmarg's punch shattered the little Worm.

"Then I activate Spell Card 'Card of Heaven and Earth.' After a Tribute Summon, draw two cards. However, they can't be used this turn, and must be set if possible." (Manga Card)

Kira drew two cards.

"I set one card and end my turn. Of course, 'D.D. Scout Plane' was banished by Macro Cosmos, not sent to the graveyard.

At End Phase, 'D.D. Scout Plane' special summons itself again in Attack Position."

[D.D. Scout Plane, ATK 800]

Luca looked grim.

The field had been cleared, and his LP was way behind. But worse, most of his monsters had been banished by Macro Cosmos, so his deck was now mostly spells and traps. With Macro Cosmos locking down the graveyard, he only had a sliver of resources left from earlier turns. Meanwhile, Kira's Scout Plane was an endlessly renewable resource.

For most duelists, this was a hopeless situation.

But not for him.

He was one of the New Doma Three Swordsmen, and considered himself among the strongest duelists alive. With the power of Orichalcos, he even thought Seto Kaiba was no big deal—otherwise, he wouldn't have charged in so confidently before.

Was his ambition to end here?

At the hands of a Duel Academy freshman, under Macro Cosmos?

No!

He couldn't accept it!

"My turn!"

Green light blazed in his eyes. The Orichalcos seal responded, spinning as he shouted. The hexagram shone, and a green beam shot to the sky.

"Oh?" Kira watched the spectacle. "Is this your final push?"

"Draw!"

A wave of green light exploded from him, shaking the entire field.

Luca's eyes glowed.

"I activate—

—Parallel World Fusion!!!"

"Huh?"

Kira had to admit, this surprised him.

Wait, isn't that card supposed to be for Elemental HEROes? Why now…

Oh, right. In the manga, Parallel World Fusion was the first card to allow banished monsters as fusion material.

The printed card was HERO-only, but the original manga version was generic fusion support.

"Parallel World Fusion allows me to use banished monsters as fusion materials!"

Luca shouted.

"I shuffle all my banished Worms—including both copies of 'Worm Zero'—a total of twenty-six kinds, back into the deck for the ultimate fusion!"

"Uh," Kira couldn't help but comment. "A second Worm Zero? You've got a backup?"

Guess your soul ace isn't so rare.

"Exactly! Only by fusing every Worm—including the first Worm Zero—can I achieve the ultimate twenty-six-type fusion.

Thanks to New Doma's tech, I could even make three Worm Zeros if I wanted."

Luca howled.

"This time, for real—the origin and endpoint of everything, the ultimate Worm, appears!

—Worm Zero, summon!!!"

Clouds gathered as the giant Worm descended again. This time, nothing stopped it, and its terrifying form finally emerged, blotting out the sky.

[Worm Zero, ATK ?]

"Well done, you finally pulled it off."

Kira nodded, acknowledging Luca's persistence with his ace card.

And, of course, that lucky draw with Parallel World Fusion was key.

"Can you stay so calm in the face of this godlike Worm? Let's see how long you keep that smug face."

Luca laughed.

"Worm Zero's effect: Its ATK becomes 500 times the number of fusion materials.

I used twenty-six kinds!"

"And there's the Seal of Orichalcos boost," Kira helpfully added.

"Right, with the Seal of Orichalcos's bonus!"

Luca pointed skyward.

"So Worm Zero's ATK is—"

[Worm Zero, ATK ? → ATK 13,500]

Thirteen thousand five hundred attack!

PS: Bonus chapters at 2000 PS.