I'm in Yu-Gi-Oh!, but I'm also in Machine Ascension.

[Ed Phoenix: LP4000 → 3000!]

The next second, the [Infinite Light] card in the back area of ​​the game was also instantly removed from the game.

"...What the hell...how did you even manage to pull out this card...?"

Upon seeing a whirlwind of eerie yellow power emanating from the universe, instantly blowing away the [Continuous Trap Card] in Youfeng's back row and banishing it from the game, Youfeng immediately shook his head slightly and sighed in a disapproving tone:

"You guys who play HERO decks are all just using cheap cards, right?!"

Yuki Judai: ? ? ? Senior Yuuka, please don't activate splash damage!

...

After directly eliminating the crucial backline card of the Windwalker, the gray-haired, handsome young man, Ed Phoenix, nodded instantly and said with a smile:

"Now that I've dealt with a major threat, I'll immediately choose to activate the effect of a D-HERO Demonic Man, which was sent from my deck as material by Fusion Destiny... As the beginning of another of my Destiny HERO combos: You can activate this effect by banishing this card from your graveyard. Special Summon 1 D-HERO Demonic Man from your deck!"

In an instant, a massive 6-star DARK [D-HERO] monster card, bound by the power of fate, was also banished from the Graveyard.

Then, Ed Phoenix immediately opened his main deck, drew an identical monster card, and played it onto the field:

"This moment arrives to interpret the power of destiny! Level 6! [D-HERO Demon]!"

Then, in an instant, a bizarre [D-HERO] monster, resembling a demon incarnate with its wings spread wide, revealing a form like a "devilish muscleman," was Special Summoned in face-up Attack Position to the side of [E-HERO Skyman] in Ed Phoenix's front-field Monster Zone:

【D-HERO Demonic Man】

[Star rating: 6]

[Attribute: Dark]

[Race: Warrior]

[Attack power: 800]

[Defense: 800]

The instant this [D-HERO] Level 1 monster was summoned to the field, Edward immediately pointed to another monster card in his Graveyard that had been sent to the Graveyard as material from his Deck for [D-HERO Phoenix of Destruction].

"My story isn't over yet—"

"Besides the [D-HERO Demon] Beloved, which just activated its effect, I also have another Level 3 monster card in my graveyard that can activate its effect from the graveyard—[D-HERO Negation]. According to its effect: If you have a [D-HERO] monster other than [D-HERO Negation] on your field/in your graveyard, you can Special Summon it from your graveyard!"

"So here we are, at this moment, let us return to the battlefield, my mighty [Hero of Destiny]—[D-HERO Denialist]!"

In an instant, along with the card from the Graveyard, the powerful [HERO] Warrior-Type monster, dressed in a deep purple formal suit and draped in a strange cloak, wielding chains against a blood-red background, seemingly displaying its struggle against fate, also returned to the field, appearing on the open coastal area between Edward and Yufeng:

【D-HERO Denier】

[Star rating: 3]

[Attribute: Dark]

[Race: Warrior]

[Attack power: 1100]

[Defense: 600]

The moment this strangely designed [D-HERO] monster appeared, witnessing these [Heroes] whose style was completely different from his own [Elemental HERO] and who seemed to be burdened with a completely cursed fate, Jaden Yuki's expression instantly became somewhat unnatural:

"These...aren't like the dashing and heroic HEROs I've always known..."

As Jaden Yuki's expression turned solemn, the usually calm and composed gray-haired boy in a suit also slightly changed his expression, his gaze turning coldly towards Jaden Yuki in front of the [Osiris-Red] dormitory:

“I will never approve of someone like you who only admires the coolness of heroes—the destiny of heroes having to fight is definitely not a happy thing—do you know the weight of the cross that heroes carry, the pain and hatred?”

A sudden hint of gloom appeared in Edward's calm demeanor, causing Jaden Yuki, who had been "refuted on the spot," to pause in surprise. At that moment, not only Jaden Yuki, but also the young girl Asuka Tenjouin frowned, looking at Edward, a genius-level star duelist who had achieved a winning streak in the World Professional Duel Tournament, with a slight sense of confusion, and asked:

"Hmm...it seems that Edward has experienced something very painful...to have this kind of insight, right?"

...

At that moment, Youfeng also sighed softly:

"Hmm... Is it because of this unique life experience that you have such an obsession with [fate]?"

Soon, following You Feng's surprised voice, after a few seconds of awkward silence, Ed Phoenix quickly returned to his normal state, smiling as he turned to You Feng:

"Senior Youfeng... don't worry about those things... let's continue our duel!"

Along with the boy's calm voice, Yuuki nodded in response, and then Edward immediately pointed to the [D-HERO Denialist] he had just Special Summoned to the field:

"If this card is Normal/Special Summoned, you can activate this effect - Choose 1 [D-HERO] monster from your Deck/Graveyard and banished monsters and place it on top of your Deck."

Then, after Ed Phoenix's effect was activated, he immediately reached for his silver-white Duel Disk to retrieve a banished monster resource—[D-HERO Demon]—and placed it face down on the top of his Duel Disk's [Main Deck].

...

"...In this way! Player Edward even used [Fate Fusion] to not only completely pull two cards from the deck back onto the field, but also to recycle resources."

"There was absolutely no credit card loss..."

"Including the [Phoenix Chick] in the graveyard, Edward has completed 3 Special Summons..."

A hint of surprise flickered in the girl Tenjōin Asuka's brown, jewel-like eyes, before she quickly turned her gaze back to Yuki Judai beside her.

"Hmm~ Both of them use the [HERO] deck... but Edward can even gain a card advantage, which is completely different from Judai, who is specially certified by Yuuki-senpai as the 'card loss king'..."

As Asuka sighed softly, the "jellyfish-headed" boy, Jaden Yuki, instantly darkened his face and protested with obvious dissatisfaction:

"...Asuka-senpai, I'm not the same idiot Judai I was when school started! I'm a super card-earning queen now!"

Soon, under Jaden Yuki's serious expression, Jun Manjoume, standing beside him, also nodded slowly and crossed his arms, saying:

"That's true... In that duel against Yuuki-senpai at the school festival, the combination of [Zero] + [Acid Water] + [Friend Hero] really wasn't a bad card at all..."

"However—there's still a considerable gap between him and Edward."

As Manjoume's deliberately somber tone filled the air, Judai Yuki quickly clenched his fist slightly.

"Ugh, damn it..."

...

Meanwhile, facing the elegant young man in a white suit in front of him, he now possessed three monster cards on the field after a series of Special Summons.

You Feng's brows furrowed slightly, and his gaze sharpened as he looked at the other person's card:

"There are three lower-level characters on the field. Is this kid going to manually craft [Blood Demon D]?"

"but--"

Soon, after gazing once more at the bewildered young man who had come with the mission that the Prince of Zhai had been pondering, Youfeng shook his head again:

"At this stage of time, we shouldn't possess it..."

"..."

At that very moment, accompanied by the soft murmur of the wind, the gray-haired youth, Ed Phoenix, immediately drew another [Normal Spell] card from his hand and played it:

"Then, in this situation, I will fuse another 8-star [Destiny Hero]—"

"Activate one [Normal Spell] card from your hand - [Fusion]:"

"I will use the [D-HERO Demon] and [D-HERO Negation] monsters currently on my field as materials for a Fusion Summon—"

In an instant, as Ed played the most basic [Fusion] type magic card, a faint blue magic vortex immediately ignited in the empty space in front of him, engulfing the two cards Ed had declared.

"Two heroes who shattered the rock of fate, now unite as one and reign supreme over the dark future!"

"Fusion Summon! Level 8 - Come-on! [D-HERO Anti-Utopia]!"

As the fusion vortex spun, Ed Phoenix immediately reached for his Duel Disk, drawing a level 8 DARK purplish-red Fusion Monster card from his Extra Deck and playing it into the Main Monster Zone in the front row:

A powerful warrior clad in yellow and purple armor, whose palms seemed to radiate immense dark magic, reappeared once more in the form of an avenger who appeared to pierce through and destroy the beautiful utopian dream world:

【D-HERO Anti-Tauren】

[Star rating: 8]

[Attribute: Dark]

[Race: Warrior]

[Attack power: 2800]

[Defense: 2400]

"And activate this card's effect: If this card is Special Summoned, you can target 1 Level 4 or lower [D-HERO] monster in your Graveyard; inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's ATK."

Soon, Edward also opened his own grave and took out the classic "D-HERO Denial Man" image, displaying it to everyone:

"Since I chose [D-HERO - Negative Person], I will deal 1100 points of damage to you!"

In an instant, as the newly entered [D-HERO Anti-Utopian] unleashed his crimson magic power at Youfeng, Youfeng instantly took 1100 points of damage:

[Wind Speed: 4000 → 2900!]

"In this way, the two people's LP (partner) levels have been restored to the same level!"

"Ed's tactics are really aggressive, he's absolutely not giving an inch!"

Soon, amidst the astonished exclamations of Manjou-no-Mikoto and Judai-no-Yuki, Asuka Tenjōin shook her head with a slightly tense, wry smile:

"In fact, it even took away 100 more points of Senior Youfeng's health..."

At this moment, amidst the exclamations of the crowd, Edward, after staring at the three [Time Machine Gods] on the Windward Field, did not attack rashly. Instead, after slightly adjusting the situation, he ended his turn.

...

Witnessing this scene, Youfeng shook his head helplessly for a moment:

"Good heavens, is this the intuition of a world-class duelist?... Even at the cost of his life, he's willing to blow up my crucial backline... And in the face of such a complex situation, he's almost made the right choice!"

After a slight, wistful remark, Youfeng immediately looked at the [D-HERO Phoenix of Destruction] that had jumped back to Edward's field during his preparation phase, as well as the two Level 10 [Time Machine Gods] on his own field that had to return to the deck due to their advanced effects. He shook his head slightly with a hint of helplessness.

"In this way, the favorable condition granted to Time Machine God by [Infinite Light]—'neither side can return [Time Machine God] from the field to the deck'—loses its effect. And by keeping [Ultimate Time Machine God] on the field, even if I draw [Time Machine God], I can't use its special effect to summon it..."

"And in this state, [Ultimate Time Machine God] is basically a blank slate, completely unable to withstand your [Phoenix Chick]... You've completely cleared this field, Edward!"

Soon, as he sorted out the current game and returned the two almost completely useless 10-star Time Machine Gods to the deck, Yufeng looked at Edward with a face full of complaints and a twitching expression:

"I completely believe that everyone in your [HERO] deck is overpowered..."

But right after uttering that last complaint, Youfeng changed the subject: