A golden, semi-transparent crab shimmered into view—its right claw a smoky gray, symbolic of carbon, with visible chemical bonds floating inside its body.
Chemical Beast – Carbon Crab
Level 2 / FIRE / Aqua / DEF 1400
"What's that card?!"
"Man, this duel is so worth it—first Black Luster Soldier, and now cards no one's ever seen before!"
"'Chemical Beasts'... that must be Bastion's chemistry-based monsters?"
Excited chatter filled the stands. Even Jaden and the others leaned in, though none of them recognized the monsters Bastion Misawa was using.
The one who usually explained all the cards to them... was currently on the field dueling.
"Chemical Beasts are Gemini monsters, right?" Hikaru Amagi muttered, narrowing his eyes at the crab. He racked his memory.
He vaguely recalled that this was the first archetype built around Gemini monsters—but the entire series had never made much of an impression. Seeing Bastion pull it out now was definitely a surprise.
From a design perspective, Hikaru always thought Gemini monsters were one of the most awkward types in all of Duel Monsters—Normal Monsters at first, they needed a second Normal Summon to gain effects. In a fast-paced game, that felt like asking to get steamrolled.
But if anyone could make it work, it was Bastion.
"I activate the effect of Ultimate Offering! I pay 500 Life Points to conduct another Normal Summon—Gemini Summon Carbon Crab!"
Bastion LP: 4000 → 3500
"Now, Carbon Crab's effect activates! When Gemini Summoned, I can send 1 Gemini monster from my Deck to the GY—Chemical Beast – Hydrogen Hawk—and then add 1 Gemini monster from my Deck to my hand!"
Adds Chemical Beast – Oxygen Ox to hand.
Hikaru arched a brow. "So that's the plan…"
"Again! I use Ultimate Offering—pay 500 Life Points to summon Oxygen Ox in Defense Position! And once more, I Gemini Summon it!"
Bastion LP: 3500 → 2500
A translucent green ox with blazing horns stormed onto the field, radiating combustion—symbolic of oxygen and flame.
Chemical Beast – Oxygen Ox
Level 2 / WIND / Beast / DEF 2100
"What the heck is Bastion doing? He hasn't scratched Hikaru's LP, but his own's already half gone!"
"I thought Gemini monsters were just Phoenix Gearfried…"
"Now I activate Oxygen Ox's effect! Once per turn, I can Special Summon 1 Gemini monster from my hand—and for the rest of the turn, all Gemini monsters I control have their Levels become the same as the summoned one!"
"Hold up—" Hikaru snapped his fingers, flipping over a Set card. "Quick-Play Spell—El Shaddoll Fusion!"
The card flipped with a crack of purple light.
"Just as expected!"
"He's bringing out that Special Summon-locking monster again!"
"I fuse Fusion Substitute – DARK on the field with Shaddoll Falco from my hand!"
"Now... heed the divine whisper!"
"Fusion Summon! Come forth—El Shaddoll Winda!"
Purple strings lashed through the air as a mechanical sorceress, eyes glowing beneath her green bangs, dropped stiffly into position.
El Shaddoll Winda
Level 5 / DARK / Spellcaster / ATK 2200
Cannot be destroyed by opponent's card effects. Each player can only Special Summon once per turn.
"Ha! I knew it! You're trying to block Special Summons again, Hikaru!"
"But too bad—my new strategy doesn't rely on Special Summoning at all!" Bastion declared proudly.
Hikaru only shrugged, unbothered.
The chains were reversed now.
"I Special Summon—Evo-Chem Beast: Dioxogod!"
There it is.
The one who calls himself Dioxogod.
A serious duel meant no jokes, but Hikaru still mentally snickered.
From now on, he was just going to call this guy "the God of Dioxide."
Oxygen Ox and Carbon Crab's Levels rose from 2 to 8.
The creature that emerged carried traits of all three prior Chemical Beasts—a terrifying fusion of flame, gas, and carbon.
"Since Shaddoll Falco was sent to the GY by card effect, I can Set it from the GY in face-down Defense Position."
Hikaru calmly placed a card face-down on his field.
He looked over the battlefield, then nodded. "Your deck's changed a lot."
"Chemical reactions are different from alchemy," Bastion replied. "They're precise—mathematical. Different elements combine to form new compounds. It's science."
He smiled faintly. "No... I should've believed in this approach all along."
Evo-Chem Beast: Dioxogod
Level 8 / DARK / Fiend / ATK 2800
"A monster with 2800 ATK is already impressive."
"But Hikaru's got Magician of Chaos – Supreme Commander. Same power as Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"Yeah, and that thing was FUSED from Black Luster Soldier!"
Bastion chuckled softly. "Dioxogod is a Gemini monster. I can Gemini Summon it—again!"
Bastion LP: 2500 → 2000
Dioxogod's body surged, chemical formulas across its skin pulsing like glowing veins.
Then, suddenly, everyone in the room felt it—a moment of suffocating silence.
A choking stillness. Then—
"As long as Dioxogod is Gemini Summoned, its effects cannot be negated.
Once per turn, I can banish a Gemini monster from my GY to target one card on your field and destroy it!"
"Smart!" a student gasped. "If you can't overpower him, remove him!"
"Brilliant! You don't need higher ATK if you can just destroy the card!"
Bastion banished Hydrogen Hawk.
Flames engulfed Dioxogod's form—it lunged forward, claws extended.
Supreme Commander was engulfed, torn apart.
But before Bastion could celebrate—
"That triggers his effect," Hikaru said quietly.
"…What?"
"When Supreme Commander is destroyed by battle or card effect after being Fusion Summoned, I can add one Spell from my GY to my hand."
The Duel Disk glowed. Hikaru pulled a card from the GY.
Adds Polymerization to hand.
"He STILL has an effect?!" Bastion grimaced. "I thought it just banished stuff... I didn't know it recycled too."
Still, it was off the field.
That was all that mattered.
Bastion inhaled deeply.
"Battle! Dioxogod, attack Winda!"
The beast roared. Its claws slashed through Winda, shattering her.
Hikaru LP: 4000 → 3400
A glimmer of purple sparkled beside him.
Tierra had appeared, arms crossed, expression smug.
"Hmph. Even though it wasn't me fighting, I'm still annoyed," she muttered.
"So, Hikaru, this is my evolved deck! No Special Summons—only Normal Summons! This deck doesn't fear Winda!" Bastion declared proudly.
"Mm," Hikaru nodded, arms crossed. "Fair point."
Winda's effect only limits Special Summons. Not Normal Summons.
"But even now, Winda's effect still activates."
"There's more?!"
"She has another effect?!"
Excitement rippled through the crowd.
"Haha! Of course she does," Bastion grinned. "You've been holding it back this whole time."
"When Winda is sent to the GY, I can target one 'Shaddoll' Spell or Trap in my GY and add it to my hand."
Hikaru pointed to his GY. "I retrieve—El Shaddoll Fusion."
"Crushing, then reconstructing. Just like you," Bastion mused.
"Alchemy... chemistry..." Chazz muttered from the crowd, one leg propped up. "Hikaru's alchemical transmutation versus Bastion's calculated synthesis. Who'll come out on top?"
"I set a card and end my turn," Bastion finished.
"In that case," Hikaru said smoothly, "Fusion Recycling Plant activates!"
He retrieved Fusion Substitute – DARK from his GY.
Bastion frowned. That card again...
Back when Serena pulled it and handed it to Hikaru, it seemed fitting for him.
But Bastion never imagined it'd be such a thorn in his side.
The kind of card that made you wince every time it came back.
And yet... he had to admit:
This Bastion Misawa, standing across from Hikaru now—
Was far more present than the sidelined, forgotten version from the original timeline.
But too bad.
Because today...
Hikaru wasn't short on Fusion materials.
He drew.
And when Fusion Substitute was in hand—when Winda was gone, when his GY was stocked—
That only meant one thing:
The new strongest form of Hikaru Amagi... was ready to be unleashed.