Ichika's and Houki's duel may have been tough to start, but they pushed through and kept going. Ichika now has 2400LP with Infinite Stratos Schwarzer Regen at 2100atk points. Houki has 1800LP with Hito the Blazing Fire at 1700, but she also managed to summon Phoenix Warrior Shisara with her having 2800atk points.
"This is bad for Ichika. This duel could end right now." Ryu said.
"What do you mean?" Charlotte asked.
"Ichika has only 2400LP." Ryu said. "Schwarzer Regen might be able to avoid destruction once a turn, but it doesn't matter. Shisara gains 500atk points each time when she attacks and can attack multiple times. Her and Hito together could put an end to this duel."
"This is it, Ichika. You wanted me at my best. That's exactly what I'm about to give you!" Houki said as she was going through with ending this. "When Shisara attacks, she gains an additional 500atk points each attack! Shisara, attack!" Shisara gained power as her attack points increased to 3300 as her swords were incased in fire.
"That might be true, but I also have Schwarzer Regen's ability!" Ichika said. "Once a turn, she can prevent a fellow Infinite Stratos from being destroyed!" His monster formed a shield and was able to block Shisara's attack with Ichika's life points dropping 1500.
"You might have blocked that attack, but Shisara is capable of attacking every monster on your field!" Houki said as Shisara's attack points went to 3800. "This duel is over, Ichika! Shisara, attack once more Inferno Twin Strike!" Shisara went for a second attack, but Ichika was ready for it.
"I anticipated that, Houki." Ichika said. "That's why I'm activating the special ability of Stratos Medic from my hand! By sending this monster to my graveyard, I gain life points instead of losing them! It also prevents my monsters from being destroyed." He discarded the card, the attack was blocked again and Ichika's life points rose back to 2400.
"Hold on. Why didn't Ichika use that ability earlier?" Cecilia asked.
"It doesn't work that way. Ichika can only activate that ability when his life points are less than two-thousand." Ryu said.
"I get it. Ichika had to take the first hit in order to use that ability." Laura said. "He was willing to take a hit to block multiple hits. He is so brilliant."
"You're free to keep attacking if you wish, Houki." Ichika said.
"Please. I'm not stupid." Houki said. "I'm just going to end my turn right there."
"My move!" Ichika said as he drew his next card. 'Defeating Shisara isn't going to be easy. She'll just get stronger each turn. I need to find some way to beat that monster before it becomes too powerful for me to stop.' He thought, but how is he going to do that. "I'll start by summoning a monster face-down." He summoned a hidden monster to the field. "Next, I'll have Schwarzer Regen attack Hito! Attack with Soldier's Charge!" Schwarzer Regen pulled her laser lance out and flew right at Hito. She struck Hito and destroyed him with 1400LP. "Next, I activate Refilled Fuel!" (AN: It's the actual name for Refueled Ammo since I realized I used the name for a different card in a different story) "I return Schwarzer Regen to my deck with ever card in my hand to draw five new cards!" He did just that as Schwarzer Regen went back and Ichika put every card in his hand back into his deck. He drew five new cards and was ready. "I'll end my turn by placing one card facedown."
"My turn!" Houki said as she drew a new card. Sadly, it wasn't really the one she needed. "Shisara, attack his face-down! Gain power and attack with Inferno Twin Strike!" Shisara ignited her flames and went on the attack with her attack points rising to 4300. Ichika's facedown monster was his Infinite Satellite with it having 2200def points. It was easily destroyed.
"You just destroyed Infinite Satellite. That means its special ability can activate." Ichika said.
"Yeah, yeah. I've seen you use it a bunch of times before. When Infinite Satellite is destroyed, you can summon a level four or lower Infinite Stratos from your deck." Houki said. "Which monster is it going to be?"
"I summon Infinite Stratos Shenlong!" Ichika said as Shenlong flew out on the field with her having 1500atk points.
"What good does that do?" Houki said. "Shisara can just attack again." 'Something isn't right. Ichika wouldn't make a careless mistake like that. Attacking now would bring Ichika down to a mere 100LP.' She thought as she was trying to figure out what to do. She was trying to figure out what to do until it came to her. 'His face-down! I bet it's something like Shield Deflect! Attacking now would lead the end of this duel if it is.' "I'm not falling for your trap, Ichika. I end my turn by placing one card facedown."
"Not falling for it, are you?" Ichika said. "How do you know you haven't already?" That got Houki rethinking her decision. "It's my turn! I draw!" Ichika drew his next card and it was just what he wanted. "I activate Salvage Parts! By banishing two Infinite Stratos monsters from my graveyard, I can summon a more powerful one. I banish Blue Tears and Uchigane to summon Infinite Stratos Byakushiki!" Byakushiki flew on the field with 2500.
"Ichika's best monster against Houki's best monster..." Rin said as this was looking to be a great duel.
"Yeah, but none of Ichika's monsters are strong enough to take on Shisara." Charlotte said. "What is Ichika planning?"
"We're about to find out." Laura said.
"I now activate Shenlong's ability! For each Infinite Stratos monster I have on the field, I can look at a face-down! Let's see what you're hiding, Houki!" Ichika said. Shenglong fired an energy shot at her face-down and it showed it was Healer's Blessing.
"Healer's Blessing! That will increase her life points by half the attack points of a monster Ichika attacks with." Rin said.
"But can he even attack at all?" Charlotte said.
I activate Atmospheric Break!" Ichika said. "It allows one of my Infinite Stratos monsters to attack you directly with only half it's power! Byakushiki, attack with Ignition Boost!" Byakushiki flew right at Houki.
"I activate Healer's Blessing!" Houki said. "Since you launched an attack, I gain life points equal to half of the attack points of the monster you're attacking with!" Houki gained life points that went up to 2650, but Byakushiki's attack connected and her life points dropped back to 1400.
"They're evenly matched. This duel could go either way." Charlotte said.
"Maybe, but if Ichika doesn't think of something, Houki still has the advantage." Ryu said.
"Is that really all you got, Ichika? I expected more." Houki said.
"Perhaps, but I do have this." Ichika said. "I activate my trap called Reverse Ignition!"
"You mean it's not a trap that would beat my monster?!" Houki said.
"No. It looks like you missed your guess." Ichika said. "As long as I have at least two Infinite Stratos monsters on the field, they can't be destroyed and I take no damage when you attack them."
"No fair!" Houki said.
"Wow! Ichika got lucky Houki didn't attack when she could have!" Rin said.
"Luck had nothing to do with it." Ryu said. "Ichika assumed Houki would hold back out of caution of his trap. He knew what Houki might do and played it to his advantage. Very clever."
"They're evenly matched. They know what the other is going to do. This duel could really go either way." Cecilia said.
"It's your move, Houki." Ichika said.
"Here I go!" Houki said as she drew her next card. She was surprised at what she drew, but she went with it. "I activate the spell card known as Fierce Intimidation! With this spell card, I can cut the attack points of one monster in half and you take damage equal to that amount! I choose Byakushiki!" When Houki played her spell, it unleashed an intense wave that blasted Byakushiki and Ichika. Byakushiki's power dropped to 1250 and Ichika's life points dropped to 1150. "There's more. On my next turn, by skipping my draw phase and paying 800LP, I can add that card back to my hand."
"That means Houki can finish this on her next turn." Laura said.
"Oh no. Ichika is done for if he doesn't do something now." Rin said.
"Sorry, but this duel is over Ichika. You don't have anything in your deck that can beat Shisara." Houki said.
"I don't? Let's find out." Ichika said as he was getting ready to draw his last card. As fun as the duel might be between the two of them, it has to come to an end. So, Ichika drew the card and all were expecting something for Ichika to turn this around. "I activate the spell card known as Stratos Improvement! This spell card allows me to take an Infinite Stratos' level and change it between one and eight. I change Shenlong into a level seven, the same as Byakushiki."
"You're changing her level?" Houki said.
"That's right, and when their levels increase, their attack points increase by that amount times one-hundred. Since her level increased by three, she gains 300atk points." Ichika said as Shenlong's attack points went to 1800.
"That's nowhere near enough to beat Shisara." Houki said.
"Maybe, but when my monsters come together, it's different." Ichika said. "A new path towards a powerful summoning has unlocked. I overlay Shenlong and Byakushiki!"
""Overlay"?!" Houki said. A giant X appeared on the field. When it did, it fired a pair of lasers that connected both of his monsters. Both of his monsters were absorbed inside. Once they were, a giant beam shot into the sky. "What's happening?!"
"It's a summoning you're not familiar with. I xyz summon Stratos Buster!" Ichika said. A new warrior emerged from the pillar of light. It wore purple armor that made it looked like an astronaut with energy wings and carried a large spike ball and chain with two lights circling around him. It also had a total of 3000atk points.
"What is that?!" Houki said as everyone was amazed with what Ichika just pulled off.
"It's called an xyz monster. I'm about to show you what it can do." Ichika said. "I use one overlay to activate his ability! He can destroy every card on your field!" One of the lights vanished. When it did, Stratos Buster twirled his weapon around and smashed it against Shisara with her destroyed. Houki could see where this was going, but she wasn't upset. If she had to lose, she was glad that it was to Ichika.
"Nicely done, Ichika. Go ahead and finish it." Houki said as she proudly accepted defeat.
"Thank you, Houki. You're a true friend and a great duelist." Ichika said as he honored his friend. "Stratos Buster, attack Houki directly with Meteor Collision!" His monster spun its weapon around as it build momentum and heat. Stratos Buster tossed it's weapon and hit Houki with it as she lost the last of her life points. This duel was over, but it was one of the best either of them ever had. When the field cleared, Ichika walked over and held out his hand towards Houki with her taking it. "That was a great duel."
"It really was." Houki said with her blushing. Not only is Ichika holding her hand, but he acknowledged her as a great duelist.
"They both fought well." Ryu said.
"You can say that again." Rin said.
"I'm so happy for both of them." Charlotte said as all of them felt the same.
"It's over. Ichika Orimura now has the right to duel Master Peggrin." Crone said. Ichika turned to Peggrin and glared right at him. This is the moment he's been waiting for. He has one last duel to face and this is one he can't afford to lose. This will be one of Ichika's toughest duels, and one of this most dangerous.