Yu-Gi-Oh: Fusion Is the Noblest Summoning Method!

"A Level 10 Fusion Monster?"

"And it's... a Fusion Monster summoned using a Synchro Monster."

"Back then, the Minister always told us that Fusion was all-encompassing, that it could accept anything. I used to just believe that as a concept... I never thought I'd witness a Fusion Summon using a Synchro Monster firsthand."

It truly was a bit astonishing.

On the other side, the spirits were also cheering.

Their kind possessed the ability to simulate both Fusion Materials and Fusion Monsters. Because of that, they could usually deploy all sorts of Fusion Monsters in Duel Ceremonies. However, among the spirits present, not one had seen this peculiar monster used by the Mudragon.

"3400 Attack, it is higher than Chimerafflesia, but even in battle, Chimerafflesia can fight against monsters with up to 4500 Attack," said Celina, looking at the Fusion Monster, not particularly impressed.

To be honest, she was getting used to it.

Traveling with her master, she frequently saw all kinds of bizarre and powerful high-level monsters.

"If the Attack isn't high enough, then just increase it." Mudragon raised its right hand. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Magical Boost. Send the top two cards of my Deck to the Graveyard. Then, target 1 card on my field that can hold Spell Counters and place up to 2 Spell Counters on it.

I choose Supreme Arcanite Magician."

Hikaru looked closely. Though he couldn't see clearly what was sent to the Graveyard, he had a good idea.

[Supreme Arcanite Magician, Spell Counters: 2 → 4]

[Supreme Arcanite Magician, ATK: 3400 → 5400]

"5400!?"

"Whoa."

Magic orbs floated beside the Supreme Arcanite Magician as he chanted in a mysterious tongue.

"Battle. Supreme Arcanite Magician attacks Predaplant Chimerafflesia!"

"Chimerafflesia's effect!"

[Supreme Arcanite Magician, ATK: 5400 → 4400]

[Predaplant Chimerafflesia, ATK: 2500 → 3500]

"Still not enough!"

"That Attack is way too high! Even higher than Five-Headed Dragon!"

The magician waved his staff toward the flower's crown. A green beam shot out from the staff, piercing through it and scattering it into flickering particles.

[Hikaru, LP: 4000 → 3100]

Hikaru shielded himself from the gust and gently came to a halt.

"Battle ends. I activate Supreme Arcanite Magician's effect. Once per turn, I can remove 1 Spell Counter to activate its effect.

Either draw 1 card, or destroy 1 card on the field!"

"S-So strong!?"

"So at worst, you either draw or pop a card?"

Mudragon glanced at Hikaru's field.

The Quick-Draw Gunner was likely meant to be Fusion Material, but the cards in hand wouldn't guarantee surviving another turn.

It thought for a moment.

Should it block the opponent's Fusion, or seek more defenses?

No need to overthink it.

"I activate Supreme Arcanite Magician's effect: I draw 1 card."

[Supreme Arcanite Magician, Spell Counters: 4 → 3]

"I Set 2 cards and end my turn."

"Is that so? Then it's my turn. Draw!"

"At this moment, the effect of the destroyed Chimerafflesia activates. When it's sent to the Graveyard by battle, during the next Standby Phase, add 1 Spell Card with 'Fusion' in its name from Deck to hand."

"Wow."

"What an amazing effect."

"I add Fusion Substitute from my Deck to my hand."

Hikaru looked at the card in his hand and smiled. "In that case, let me show you my understanding of Fusion as well."

He looked to his left. "I pay half my Life Points to activate this card: Extra-Foolish Burial.

Only 1 can be activated per turn. During this turn, I cannot Set Spell or Trap Cards.

I pay half LP and send 1 monster from the Extra Deck to the Graveyard."

"Oh?"

[Hikaru, LP: 3100 → 1550]

"I send Elder Entity N'tss to the Graveyard!"

"An Elder Entity?!" Mudragon shouted in surprise. It seemed to recognize this series of monsters.

"That's right. N'tss's Fusion Materials are 1 Synchro and 1 Xyz Monster."

Mudragon excitedly flapped its wings.

There really was such a thing!

It hadn't felt this thrilled in ages!

Not since it confronted divine power and received the blessing of a god!

"N'tss's effect activates."

"If this card is sent to the Graveyard: target 1 card on the field and destroy it. I target your leftmost Set card!"

The card slowly flipped up, revealing itself.

Trap Card: Solemn Judgment.

Seems like he hit a really good one.

"Normal Summon: D/D Necro Slime."

A horned skull appeared in front of Hikaru, and from within it, a blob of red slime crawled out.

[D/D Necro Slime] Level 1│DARK│Fiend│300 ATK

"Spell Card: Fusion Substitute. This card lets you use monsters on the field as Fusion Materials!"

"I fuse the two monsters on my field."

Hikaru spread his arms. Purple light formed behind him, and slowly, a pair of giant glowing purple wings began to emerge.

Celina became slightly excited.

It was that monster again!

"Fusion Materials are two DARK monsters on the field, excluding Tokens."

"O great wings in pursuit of Fusion, now, embrace all Fusion and let them converge!

Fusion Summon, my wings!"

"Level 8, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!"

A strangely beautiful dragon flapped its purple wings, slowly and elegantly emerging behind Hikaru.

[Starving Venom Fusion Dragon] Level 8│DARK│Dragon│2800 ATK

"A 'Fusion' Dragon?" Mudragon was stunned.

A monster that bore the name 'Fusion'!

Even Yubel, who was watching in secret, was momentarily surprised by the monster.

A Fusion-representing monster card?

Moreover...

It could actually sense a faint power of "Cosmic Darkness" from this card.

No way...

"When Fusion Summoned, Starving Venom can target 1 Special Summoned monster your opponent controls and gain that monster's Attack until the end of the turn!

And the one I'm targeting... of course it's Supreme Arcanite Magician!"

"What?" Mudragon was stunned, wings frozen.

That powerful!?

"Pan-fusion!"

The light wings spread, enveloping Supreme Arcanite Magician and replicating its image, which was then absorbed into Starving Venom.

[Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, ATK: 2800 → 7200]

"7200 Attack!?"

"Even Five-Headed Dragon would bow down!"

"Amazing! If this attack lands, the Minister wins!"

"Battle! Starving Venom Fusion Dragon attacks Supreme Arcanite Magician! Fusion Dispel."

"Not so fast! I activate my Trap Card: Mirror Force!"

"Huh..."

"Mirror Force again?"

Hikaru curled his lip.

He could feel Starving Venom's frustration.

Two appearances, zero direct hits. One absorbed ATK, didn't trigger effects, and got wiped.

The mirror reflected the dragon's face; it angrily raised its claw and slammed it down.

"Starving Venom's monster effect: if the Fusion Summoned version of this card is destroyed, destroy all Special Summoned monsters your opponent controls!"

Purple light enveloped the field. With a single sound, the magician vanished from Mudragon's side.

"Hahaha, ended in a field wipe, huh?" Mudragon laughed, waiting for Hikaru's next move.

Hikaru looked at the card in his hand.

"I activate the Graveyard effect of Fusion Substitute: return 1 Fusion Monster from your Graveyard to the Extra Deck, then banish Fusion Substitute to draw 1 card. I return Starving Venom to the Extra Deck."

Better not leave it in the Graveyard right now.

Hikaru drew a card.

Good.

"I activate the Continuous Spell Card: Scatter Fusion."

Because Extra-Foolish Burial was activated, he couldn't Set cards. If he ended like this, even holding Vampire Fraulein wouldn't feel safe.

"This card lets me send Fusion Materials from my Deck to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon 1 Gem-Knight Fusion Monster, excluding Rock-Types. After activating, I can only Special Summon 'Gem-Knight' monsters from the Extra Deck until the end of the turn."

"I send Gem-Knight Emerald and Gem-Knight Tourmaline from my Deck to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon: Gem-Knight Aquamarine!"

[Gem-Knight Aquamarine] Level 6│EARTH│Aqua│2600 DEF

"Aquamarine's effect: when sent from field to Graveyard, return 1 card your opponent controls to the hand." Mudragon looked at the Aquamarine on Hikaru's field and nodded.

"Indeed, as long as that card stays, whatever I summon returns to the Extra Deck,

You can survive this turn."

"But... that monster also has a weakness, one that many Fusion Monsters share!"

Mudragon muttered, drawing a card. Then, it glanced at it, stood up from its crouch, and took to the air.

'Hikaru, you possess mastery of Fusion, evasion of Fusion-limiting Spells, and embrace Synchros and Xyz as Fusion Materials. However, if that's all, it's not enough to be my comrade."

"I'm listening," Hikaru said, intrigued.

Not to brag...

With how he's performing, many monsters who pursue Fusion would willingly follow him. The Grand Universe Workshop was full of such spirits. Yet even with their aligned beliefs and actions, Mudragon remained so strict.

"Mudragon, I'm really curious. With your thirst for Fusion, why do you still refuse to leave?" Hikaru called out in confusion. "Didn't you always want to find a partner?"

"It's simple. I need to know, just how strong you really are. I'm holed up in this cave not because I like it."

Oh?

"Normal Summon: Earthbound Prisoner Ground Keeper."

[Earthbound Prisoner Ground Keeper] Level 1│DARK│Fiend│300 ATK

"What?" Hikaru jumped.

Could it be...

"When Ground Keeper is Normal or Special Summoned: Special Summon 1 Level 5 or lower 'Earthbound' monster from your Deck or Graveyard, except 'Ground Keeper.' For the rest of the turn, you can't Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck except Fusion or Synchro."

"I Special Summon Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker from my Deck!"

[Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker] Level 3│DARK│Fiend│800 ATK

Two demons bearing strange markings emerged, stepping upon matching runes, melding through the swampy simulation.

Could it be... it saw it in person before!?

"Activate the Spell Card: Polymerization!"

This was the Fusion retrieved with King of the Swamp on the first turn.

"I fuse the two Earthbounds on my field!"

"Show me, human! Do you have the courage to face an ancient god?!"

"Fusion Summon!"

"Level 8, Earthbound Servant Geo Kraken!"

[Earthbound Servant Geo Kraken] Level 8│DARK│Fiend│2800 ATK

Ancient energy swept through the cavern, causing many spirits to shrink back in fear. In the shadows, Yubel silently blended into the wall, watching in shock.

This old spirit, seems to have caught the attention of some dark god. A portion of this power mimics that very deity?

Not too powerful, though if it leaves carelessly, it might truly be hunted down.

Hikaru examined the Fusion Monster curiously, stroking his chin.

Though it looked similar, he could see traces of mud on the octopus-like body, clearly a simulation by Mudragon.

Impressive.

Even Earthbound monsters could be simulated. A 7-star rating? That was underestimating it.

"So, do you have the courage to face a dark god?"

"Of course I do! I've faced more than one so-called 'Dark God' before!" Hikaru raised his fist, "No matter what kind of being, I won't fear them, I'll fight them with Fusion!"

Mudragon stuck out its tongue but said nothing.

It wanted to see Hikaru's actions.

"Activate the Graveyard effect of Line Walker: if you control a Level 6 or higher 'Earthbound' monster, banish this card from your Graveyard to target 1 Effect Monster your opponent controls that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck; shuffle it into the Deck."

?

Aquamarine struggled, turned into a gem, and flew back into Hikaru's Deck.

"Then, your opponent may Special Summon 1 monster with the same name from their Extra Deck."

"Ah!" Dimitri suddenly realized, "Aquamarine can't be Special Summoned except by Fusion!

So that was the weakness!"

"Battle! Geo Kraken attacks directly!"

"Wait! At the moment of attack declaration, I Special Summon Vampire Fraulein in Defense Position!"

[Vampire Fraulein] Level 5│DARK│Zombie│2000 DEF

"Vampire Fraulein? That heiress of the Vampire Empire? So you even have her power, will you activate Fraulein's effect?"

Hikaru stayed silent.

If he activated it now, he could pay 800 LP to block Geo Kraken's attack and preserve Fraulein for a Fusion.

Whether to fuse Starving Venom or Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon, both were excellent.

But no!

If he paid 800 LP now, he'd be left with 750.

At first glance, that seemed fine… that said, if he did do it, he'd lose for sure!

"I won't activate Fraulein's effect."

"Then tear it apart!" Geo Kraken whipped its tentacles like whips, lashing across Fraulein and destroying her in an instant.

"End of turn."

"Strange... why didn't the Minister preserve Vampire Fraulein?"

"Yeah, Dragonecro would mean instant victory, right?" a few Fusion Club students murmured.

"Sensei must have his reasons!" Celina trusted Hikaru unconditionally.

"You're right. If you used Ghost Fusion or similar, fusing Fraulein into Dragonecro would deal 3000 damage." Hikaru nodded. "Still, that's assuming… you could activate the effect."

"My turn. Draw." Hikaru glanced at his card. "Looks like this is my win, Mudragon."

Mudragon looked toward him.

"Activate Spell: Thunder Dragon Fusion. Return Fusion Materials from the field, Graveyard, or Banished Zone to the Deck to Fusion Summon a Thunder Fusion Monster."

"I return Tourmaline and Emerald from my Graveyard to the Deck to Fusion Summon, Gem-Knight Prismaura!"

Captain Crystal of the Thunder Tribe, dazzling debut!

"Hahaha, Gem-Knight Prismaura, if I remember right, it can discard a 'Gem-Knight' card to destroy a face-up card, correct?"

"Trying to destroy Geo Kraken? Not so easy!"

"Geo Kraken's monster effect: when your opponent Special Summons from the Extra Deck, destroy all monsters they summoned this turn and inflict 800 damage for each."

Gem-Knight Prismaura barely landed when it was ensnared by tentacles. A cracking noise echoed before it shattered.

[Hikaru, LP: 1550 → 750]

"What!?"

"So close," a few spectators gasped.

If Hikaru had kept Fraulein last turn, his LP would be 0 now!

"But now, the Minister can fuse Aquamarine again!"

"Even so, what use is that? Aquamarine only has 1400 ATK, it can't attack!"

"Besides, if he fuses Aquamarine, he can only summon Gem-Knights this turn, and Gem-Knight Prismaura's already gone!"

Dimitri's face was grim. "Also, he can't summon Aquamarine and wait until the opponent's turn, because if Beast

Celina finally nodded and shouted anxiously for her master: "So, this turn has to decide it! Sensei!

You can do it, Sensei! Come on, Sensei!"

Hikaru looked at the card in his hand, unfazed by his companions' discussion.

Although this wasn't the true Earthbound God, its pseudo-lockdown effect was oppressive enough.

Even if Fusion Dragon could easily surpass it in Attack, Hikaru had no easy way to gather its materials on the field.

If he relied only on the cards in his hand, there was likely no way out of this situation…

Despite that, if he included the opponent's monsters... that would change things.

"Haven't used this in a while, I activate the Quick-Play Spell: Scrap Fusion!" Hikaru suddenly revealed a Fusion Spell. "This card lets me banish Fusion Materials from the opponent's Graveyard to Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck or theirs."

"Scrap Fusion? But the monsters in my Graveyard shouldn't be enough."

"That's fine! Because I have them!"

"I banish your Baby Mudragon and Earthbound Prisoner Ground Keeper!"

"What? Those two? How do they even fuse?" Mudragon was surprised. "The only thing they have in common is that they're Tuners."

"Exactly! That's what I wanted!"

"I banish two Tuner Monsters to Fusion Summon, Sea Monster of Theseus!"

A skeletal-headed octopus carrying a ship slowly emerged onto the field.

[Sea Monster of Theseus] Level 5│WATER│Zombie│2200 ATK

Seeing the monster, Mudragon let out a breath of relief. "Ah, it's that one. But its Attack is only 2200."

"Mudragon, this is why you can't see how far my Fusion has come."

!!!??

Mudragon was jolted.

Indeed.

It had started off observing Hikaru with scrutiny, but it hadn't seen how vast Hikaru's understanding of Fusion truly was.

It could instantly tell that Dimitri was good at mimicry, yet, it failed to see the depth of Hikaru's power.

Either Hikaru didn't grasp the essence of Fusion at all, or his Fusion power had already surpassed its own!

Through this Duel, it could tell Hikaru clearly wasn't a novice.

Quite the opposite: Synchros, Xyz, no matter the monster, he embraced them all.

Elder Entities, Sea Monster of Theseus.

Which meant, what Mudragon couldn't see, what it feared, in Hikaru's eyes...

"Everything can be embraced by Fusion. Because Fusion is all-encompassing."

Fusion is the noblest summoning method.

"Waaah!!! The Minister said it, our Fusion Club's creed!"

"Hahaha, looks like even the worldly-wise Mudragon doesn't know what 'Zombie-Type' truly means!"

"That card came from the S-Dimension, it's a unique Fusion Monster of that world!"

Zombie-Type?

Mudragon looked at Hikaru's Graveyard and recalled how excited the humans were when they saw Vampire Fraulein.

Could it be a Zombie Fusion Monster? Or one from a human dimension?

"Mudragon, let me use this power from the Synchro World to decide the final victory!"

"I activate the Spell Card, Dragon's Mirror!"

Dragon's Mirror!?

Mudragon forgot its instincts, forgot its pride, and gently descended from the air. At that moment, it already knew what Hikaru was going to fuse to win!

Yes, it had traveled through many dimensions and witnessed many Fusions.

Albeit likewise, Hikaru had traveled through many dimensions and learned of countless Fusions!

He even knew Geo Kraken's effect!

It had been too arrogant.

Like a giant hammer to the skull, dizziness overtook it.

But what followed was...

Excitement!

It finally realized it was not a lonely spirit after all.

Because someone else was walking the path of "Multidimensional Fusion" with it, and perhaps understood it even more deeply!

"Dragon's Mirror effect: banish Fusion Materials from the field or Graveyard to Fusion Summon 1 Dragon monster!"

"Fusion Materials: two Zombie monsters!"

"I banish Sea Monster of Theseus and Vampire Fraulein!"

"Fusion Summon, Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon!"

[Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon] Level 8│DARK│Dragon│3000 ATK

The Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon once again smashed open the gates of the underworld, appearing in this world. Its eerie roar echoed through the entire cavern. At the same time, it grinned toward Geo Kraken,

As if it had spotted an old friend not seen in millennia.

A crimson dragon's phantom seemed to pass through the two Duelists, startling Mudragon into landing.

That was, a voice of divinity it once heard on another dimensional journey!

It laughed wildly with excitement.

Hikaru, this human, was also a warrior who had received that guidance!

"When Dragonecro attacks an opponent's monster, it doesn't destroy it by battle; instead, it reduces that monster's Attack to 0 and Special Summons a Dark Soul Token!"

"Dragonecro, attack!"

Geo Kraken's illusion slowly dissolved into sludge, merging into the cave floor, forming a massive ground glyph.

"Dragonecro, end this Duel!"

Dragonecro raised its head and roared, as if echoing Mudragon.

It had always admired spirits brave enough to challenge Earthbound Gods.

It leapt high, gently brushing past Mudragon without hitting too hard.

[Muddy Mudragon, LP: 2400 → 0]