Bonaparte activated a face-down card in his back row. A heavy, pitch-black toy cannon dropped onto the field.
A toy soldier ran up with stiff little steps and lit the fuse. Sparks chased down the length of the cord, and with a muffled boom the cannon fired. The shell blasted out of the barrel and struck the giant Worm’s abdomen head-on.
Worm Victory staggered backward. It wasn’t defeated outright, but it couldn’t help bending one knee, half-kneeling as it shifted from attack to defense.
[Worm Victory, ATK 12500 → DEF 2500]
"Then the Toy Cannon also deals 400 damage to its controller, de aru!" Bonaparte declared.
[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 3600]
Several students on the sidelines were surprised.
"Professor Bonaparte actually covered for Crowler?"
Everyone at the Academy knew those two were like water and fire. Seeing them protect each other like this felt downright surreal.
Crowler clearly felt the same.
"Professor Bonaparte..." Crowler was moved. "You actually stepped in to cover me..."
Bonaparte shot him a glare, then put his hands on his hips with haughty pride.
"Don’t get the wrong idea. I’ve got no intention of reconciling with you, Crowler."
His expression turned serious.
"It’s just that this duel is crucial. It will determine both our futures. And our opponent this time is anything but ordinary. No matter which one of us tried to face him alone, there’d be no chance of victory."
Crowler bit his handkerchief, then nodded after a moment.
"Mm. You have a point, none."
If they wanted to win this duel, they had to do something they’d barely even considered in the past.
Work together.
"Seeing those two cooperate feels seriously weird," Syrus muttered.
"Agreed," Chazz nodded.
Jaden smiled. "I’m thinking this might be exactly what Kira was aiming for."
"Eh?" Syrus blinked.
At some point, Misawa—who as usual had zero presence—had appeared and chimed in. "People only naturally set aside their differences and fight side by side when their interests align and they’re facing a powerful external threat."
"So that’s how it is..."
Syrus suddenly understood.
"Then did Kira do all this just to help the two professors bury the hatchet?"
Everyone turned to look at Kira with added respect.
He didn’t just have unfathomable strength—he even thought this far for others. Was this the bearing of a king?
"It’s not over yet." Bonaparte continued, "I activate another face-down, the Continuous Trap ’Gulliver Chain’!
This card can only be activated when a monster’s battle position is changed! As long as this card remains on the field, the monster whose battle position changed can only exist face-up in Defense Position.
If that monster is changed to Attack Position, destroy that monster and this card together!" (Anime card)
A silver chain shot out from the Trap card, wrapping around the Worm Victory that had just been forcibly switched to defense on Kira’s field. The chains bound the monster’s massive body tight; it couldn’t move an inch.
"Excellent!" Crowler praised. "That way we’ve completely sealed off that Worm with 12,500 attack, none!"
"Indeed."
Kira nodded his approval.
"However, my offensive isn’t over yet," Kira said. "My Worm Yagan and Worm Xex are still able to attack."
He turned his sights, this time on Bonaparte’s field.
"Worm Xex, attack ’Toy Soldier.’"
[Worm Xex, ATK 1800]
Worm Xex shot forward, pouncing on the Toy Soldier like a giant starfish. The tiny soldier struggled with all its might, but naturally it was in vain. In no time, the starfish’s maw drained it dry, and with a boom it exploded into fragments.
[Bonaparte, LP 4000 → LP 3000]
"Worm Yagan, attack the second ’Toy Soldier.’"
[Worm Yagan, ATK 1000]


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