"Mirror Knight Token's attack."

The Arbiter's voice was calm but stern.

"Continue attacking 'Cyber Twin Dragon'."

The second Mirror Knight's longsword flashed like a cold light reflected on a mirror, fearlessly charging at the Twin Dragon.

"But Cyber Twin Dragon is protected by 'Dimension Guardian' and can't be destroyed," Mokuba said, bewildered.

Even if that Mirror Knight can use its shield as a substitute, with both sides having preservation methods, wouldn't this attack be completely meaningless, just wasted effort?

"No," Kaiba said gravely. "It's coming."

Mokuba still didn't understand, but the battle on the field had already begun. Cyber Twin Dragon spewed dazzling flames in counterattack, the intense light surging toward the knight, who raised its shield to block.

The shield steadily blocked the Cyber Dragon's light stream, shattering into fragments under the bombardment. At the same time, the domineering impact swept across the knight's armor, heading straight for the Arbiter.

However, in that instant, the eye in the Arbiter's back row suddenly opened. It was like a black hole expanding, with endless gravity pulling in the impact's aftermath and flames, absorbing them all into the eye.

Mokuba suddenly realized: "When he attacked... he didn't activate the Mirror Knight's effect..."

The Arbiter spoke up: "I don't activate the Mirror Knight's effect, so I don't copy Cyber Twin Dragon's ATK. Therefore, during this attack, the Mirror Knight has only 500 ATK from the Orichalcos barrier.

After damage calculation, use the Mirror Knight's shield as a substitute for destruction, so the Mirror Knight isn't destroyed by battle.

However, this battle itself deals me 2300 battle damage."

He pointed to the single eye in his back row, which was absorbing and digesting. At this point, the energy and flames had all vanished into the opened eye, and the Orichalcos eye closed again, seemingly digesting the energy.

Last turn, when Mystic Tomato self-destructed, Kyutora had absorbed some damage, but it was then destroyed by Absolute Zero's effect and removed from the field, so the absorbed portion was likely nullified. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on N0velFire.ɴet

Now, it had just absorbed 2300 damage anew.

"And on my field this turn, there are still six 'Mirror Knight Tokens' that haven't attacked yet."

The Arbiter raised his hand.

"Mirror Knight Tokens, all attack. Attack 'Cyber Twin Dragon'."

The knights charged fiercely, six Mirror Knights lining up like a queue, drawing their swords one after another.

Their ATK was zero—in the world of Duel Monsters, they were essentially powerless weaklings, basically instant kills in front of Cyber Twin Dragon. But the knights pressed forward without fear, charging with swords drawn, their shields clearly reflecting the Twin Dragon's form.

The six knights collided like moths to a flame. Each strike was accompanied by a crisp crack, as a shield shattered into slag in the knight's hand.

Until all the knights' shields on the field were pulverized under the impact of the evolutionary flames.

"Finally, 'Mirror Knight Calling'," the Arbiter waved his hand, having the Ritual Monster itself join the self-destruction lineup. "Attack 'Cyber Twin Dragon'."

[Mirror Knight Calling, ATK 500]

This Ritual Monster itself had a 0 ATK panel, clearly not suited for direct combat. But upon receiving its master's command to charge, it obediently rushed forward—a flying prism that looked like someone hurling a refrigerator with all their might.

Cyber Twin Dragon still opened its mouth to counterattack. Mirror Knight Calling's main body didn't have the substitute-destruction shields like its summoned Tokens, and the flaming beam shattered the prism in mid-air.

"When Mirror Knight Calling is destroyed, all Mirror Knight Tokens are also destroyed."

A series of cracking explosions rang out, and the knights filling the Arbiter's field shattered one after another, like countless pieces of glass breaking simultaneously, scattering into a field of crystalline, glittering fragments.

At this point, Kira had naturally seen through the intent, his brows tightly furrowed.

No doubt, the Arbiter was accumulating damage for Kyutora.

In the end, Kyutora would suicide into Cyber Twin Dragon, triggering its final ability. Kyutora's departure from the field would Special Summon Shunoros from the Deck, the invincible god statue that absorbs all damage and becomes unmatched.

Sure enough, the Arbiter issued the final command as expected.

"Battle," the Arbiter said. "Orichalcos Kyutora attacks 'Cyber Twin Dragon'."

"As expected."

Kaiba had also seen through the opponent's plan and said gravely.

"That thing is coming."

Jaden and Midori's hearts tightened; by now, they fully understood the combo.

It was the Orichalcos' strongest demon god that had one-shot Koyo!

Kyutora's suicidal assault was the final fuse; as long as it was destroyed by the Twin Dragon's counterattack, that thing would arrive. And with the damage it had absorbed so far...

"Kira!"

Jaden couldn't help but call out in worry, as if flashing back to Koyo standing firm against that terminating demon god until the end.

Kira, however, remained composed and continued to respond.

"Activate my Set card, Trap Card—"

"Whatever you're doing is useless," the Arbiter interrupted decisively. "With the third barrier activated, any Spell or Trap effects on my monsters become invalid.

Traps can't stop Kyutora's attack."

"I know, but what I'm affecting isn't your monster—it's my own," Kira said. "Trap Card 'Interdimensional Matter Transporter', remove one monster on my field from the game until the End Phase.

I remove 'Cyber Twin Dragon' from the game!"

Dimensional ripples expanded, and a complex mechanical transporter appeared on his field. With a ripple in the air like an opening black hole, the twin-headed mechanical dragon was sucked in and soon vanished.

"Oh, oh, there's that move, right!" Jaden said. "Even if you can't affect the opponent's monster, you can send away your own. That way, Kyutora can't self-destruct, and Shunoros' Summon fails!"

Though Kira could have activated it earlier to prevent the Mirror Knights' suicidal attacks from accumulating damage, doing so would have let the Mirror Knights' attacks hit Kira directly.

While the Mirror Knights themselves have 0 ATK, under the barrier's boost, each has 500 ATK. Eight knights plus one Mirror Knight Calling, and Kyutora itself, would have been enough to wipe him out in one go.

But activating the Trap at the moment Kyutora attacks means Kira only has to take Kyutora's insignificant 1000 damage. If the self-destruction fails, all that accumulated damage becomes meaningless.

Kyutora crashed into Kira, who raised his Duel Disk to block, staggering back half a step.

[Kira, LP 3800 → LP 2800]

"You brat, you saw through my tactic again."

The Arbiter frowned.

"Indeed. If Kyutora loses its attack target and can't self-destruct, Shunoros can't appear, and my follow-up offense will be interrupted."

He paused, then his expression darkened.

"But I am the god of final judgment descending upon the world; such tactics are well within my calculations.

Activate Quick-Play Spell from my hand: 'Mystik Wok'!

Tribute a monster on my field and recover LP equal to its ATK!"