At that moment, Chief Takahashi was utterly bewildered.
What was happening?
Why did her ace betray her? What happened to their unbreakable bond?
Kira, ever helpful, explained cheerfully from the sidelines: "No worries, chief, it's just Natasha's special effect—she'll just borrow your ace for the duel. You'll get her back afterward."
Chief Takahashi: "…"
She figured it must be some monster effect, but this explanation sounded so wrong, like "I'll give her back once I'm done enjoying her."
Alexis: "Ahem, sorry, chief. 'Cyber Angel - Natasha's' follow-up ability: when she's special summoned by her effect, you gain control of one of your opponent's monsters."
"I see."
Chief Takahashi forced herself to stay calm.
But she couldn't help glancing at the new Ritual Angel on the opponent's field.
Cyber Angel - Natasha.
How to put it?
Impressive, yes.
But the art style was a bit… off compared to her previous impression.
"Now for Natasha's first effect: once per turn, I can select a monster I control and gain LP equal to half its ATK," Alexis said.
"I choose the borrowed 'Cyber Blader'! Also, Cyber Blader has a special effect..."
Chief Takahashi remembered: "Cyber Blader gains different effects depending on how many monsters the opponent controls. If there are two monsters, her ATK doubles."
"That's right," Alexis replied. "Since the chief still has Idaten and Tutu on her field, Blader's ATK doubles!"
[Cyber Blader, ATK 2100 → ATK 4200]
[Alexis, LP 4500 → LP 6600]
The experts watching all perked up—the chief's ace being used to heal the opponent was quite a show.
Some started to jest.
"Whoa, 6600 LP! That Duel Academy girl is impressive!"
"The chief's Blader sure is handy."
Chief Takahashi: "…"
"Now for 'Cyber Tutubon' in my hand," Alexis revealed another card. "This card can be special summoned by tributing a Warrior or Fairy monster from hand or field.
I tribute 'Cyber Angel - Natasha' on my field to special summon 'Cyber Tutubon'!"
Natasha, just revived, again dissolved into golden light, and a dancer in a little ballet skirt appeared.
[Cyber Tutubon, ATK 1800]
"Next, I activate the 'Machine Angel Ritual' I just retrieved with Idaten! I tribute 'Cyber Angel - Idaten' and 'Cyber Tutubon' on my field as Ritual material.
With the power of light illuminating the path ahead, the angel of light descends—
—Level 8, Cyber Angel - Dakini!!"
[Cyber Angel - Dakini, ATK 2700]
"Idaten's new effect: if tributed, all my Ritual Monsters gain 1000 ATK!"
[Cyber Angel - Dakini, ATK 2700 → ATK 3700]
"A jump to 3700 ATK…" Chief Takahashi commented. "A strong new effect indeed."
"Also, 'Cyber Tutubon's' effect: if used as Ritual material, I can retrieve a Ritual Spell from my graveyard."
Alexis showed the Ritual Spell she retrieved once again.
"Another Ritual Spell recovery."
"You can do that again?" Chief Takahashi was shocked.
She could tell now—this newly enhanced Cyber Angel deck had much better resource cycling than before.
"And Dakini's effect," Alexis continued. "When Ritual Summoned, your opponent must send a monster from their field to the Graveyard."
Chief Takahashi remembered this effect and, without hesitation, chose one of her remaining monsters.
"I send 'Cyber Angel - Idaten' to the Grave."
Idaten turned into golden light and vanished into the Graveyard.
"You didn't choose the lower-ATK Tutu…"
As a fellow Cyber deck player, Alexis's gaze went to the opponent's back row.
She had a guess what that set card was.
"Now, I banish the just-tributed 'Cyber Angel - Idaten' from my grave, and activate 'Cyber Angel - Natasha' in my grave!
Natasha special summons herself, and I gain control of sensei's 'Cyber Tutu'!"
Chief Takahashi was even more shocked: "You can activate it again? Is there no limit to this effect?"
"That's right. As long as Natasha is in the graveyard, there's no restriction on how many times you can use this per turn," Alexis said. "So, I take control of 'Cyber Tutu'!"
Seeing her last monster about to be hijacked, Chief Takahashi acted quickly: "I activate my set card! Quick-Play Spell, 'Prima Light'! I send 'Cyber Tutu' from my field to the grave to special summon 'Cyber Prima' from my hand!" (Original card.)
A magical vortex erupted, and Tutu vanished, replaced by a mature Cybe Prima.
But in the defense position.
[Cyber Prima, DEF 1600]
Meanwhile, Natasha returned from the grave once again.
[Cyber Angel - Natasha, ATK 1000]
"So, since the target 'Cyber Tutu' is gone, Natasha's effect fizzles," Chief Takahashi noted.
"Then I activate Natasha's effect again: once per turn, select a monster I control and gain LP equal to half its ATK," Alexis continued.
"Since Natasha returned from the grave, her effect resets. This time I choose 'Cyber Angel - Dakini,' now powered up to 3700 ATK, so I gain 1850 LP."
[Alexis, LP 6600 → LP 8450]
"8450 LP…"
Chief Takahashi looked grim.
On the surface, she only had a "Cyber Prima" left. Next turn, Alexis could attack with the hijacked Blader, then Dakini at 3700 ATK, and Natasha directly for the win.
But Chief Takahashi had a plan.
Earlier, she'd discarded "Shield Warrior" with "Graceful Charity."
While in the grave, Shield Warrior could be banished to prevent one of her monsters from being destroyed by battle.
With Shield Warrior's help, Prima could block two attacks and she'd only take 1000 battle damage from Natasha this turn.
She still had a chance.
If she could survive until her next turn.
Alexis: "I activate the Spell 'Merciful Machine Angel'!"
Chief Takahashi: "!"
She's not attacking?
"Merciful Machine Angel lets me tribute a 'Cyber Angel' Ritual Monster from my hand or field, draw two cards, then place one card from my hand on the bottom of my deck.
I tribute 'Cyber Angel - Natasha' to draw!"
Natasha vanished again, and Alexis drew two cards.
Chief Takahashi's eyes narrowed in alarm.
Not because her opponent drew cards.
But because Natasha had gone back to the graveyard!
But for this Cyber Angel, the graveyard isn't an exit—it's home, where she can truly shine.
Now Takahashi realized:
This was a Cyber Angel who only functioned at full power in the graveyard!
"Quick-Play Spell 'Burial from a Different Dimension'—return up to three banished monsters to the graveyard," Alexis said. "I return 'Cyber Angel - Benten' and 'Cyber Angel - Idaten' to the graveyard!"
Chief Takahashi: "…"
She knew exactly what was coming.
But it was like the wheel of fate rolling over her—there was nothing she could do.
"'Cyber Angel - Natasha' in the grave—activate again!" Alexis declared. "I banish 'Cyber Angel - Benten' to special summon Natasha!
And I gain control of chief's 'Cyber Prima'!"
[Cyber Angel - Natasha, ATK 1000]
Again, Natasha jumped back from the graveyard to the field, gesturing imperiously.
You—come here.
Chief Takahashi's last monster, Cyber Prima, stood up, her eyes glowing with a corrupted red light, and obediently walked to Alexis's field.
Chief Takahashi: "…"
In the blink of an eye, Takahashi's field was empty, while Aleixs's was packed with big monsters.
Yeah, half of them were stolen from the other side.
One was even Takahashi's ace.
"Battle!" Alexis announced. "Cyber Angel - Dakini, direct attack!"
Dakini, now at 3700 ATK, struck, leaving Takahashi pale and staggering backward.
[Takahashi, LP 4000 → LP 300]
"Finally, sensei's 'Cyber Blader'—direct attack!"
Blader soared forward, spinning and delivering a roundhouse kick to Takahashi's face.
Takahashi fell backward.
Suddenly, she just felt too tired to activate her cards.
[Takahashi, LP 300 → LP 0]