7. Yu-Gi-Oh ARC-V A New Story of Pendulum (Standard Arc)

Chapter 26 Four Way Duel: Xyz

"And for our final Xyz practice..." Yuni's voice carried a hint of hesitation as she pressed a card onto her Duel Disk. "I'm sorry, Katrina, but I have to do this. I activate Field Magic—Future City: Heartland!"

The ground beneath them shimmered. In an instant, glass towers rose skyward, neon lights flickered on across wide boulevards, and the cheerful skyline of Heartland appeared in all its brilliance.

Gasps rippled through the spectators. The residents from the Xyz Dimension stared in disbelief.

Katrina's eyes widened, her voice soft and heavy. "The undestroyed Heartland... you even know what it looked like?"

Yuya stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the city streets. "We've never been to the Xyz Dimension ourselves. But this is what Astral remembered, before the Original Dimension was fractured."

Yuzu lowered her Disk slightly, her eyes glistening at the sight. "To think this bright, happy place was turned into a battlefield... it's unbearable."

Up on the sidelines, Ron's fists clenched tightly. "Heartland... our homeland..."

Jean's jaw tightened, sorrow flickering across his face. "If only Academia hadn't attacked, this city would still be shining just like this one."

Even Shun, usually cold and resolute, allowed his expression to darken as he stared at the holographic cityscape.

The tension thickened around them. With a unified breath, the four duelists raised their Duel Disks, the glowing Life Point counters aligning.

"Duel!" (Yuya: 4000) (Yuni: 4000) (Katrina: 4000) (Yuzu: 4000)

Katrina raised her Duel Disk with confidence. "I'll take the first turn! With Scale 2 Blood Sucker Crazy Clown and Scale 6 Blood Sucker Unshown Mask, I set the Pendulum Scale!"

A twisted clown with a chalk-white face and unsettling grin spun into view, while beside it stood a tall figure hiding behind a blank, faceless mask. Numbers "2" and "6" glowed beneath them.

"I use Crazy Clown's Pendulum Effect! I can double my Mask's Scale!" (Scale:6-12)

Dark energy pulsed through the masked figure as the number flared upward. Katrina grinned. "Now I can summon monsters from Level 3 to 11!"

The red pendulum light swung overhead. Katrina raised her arm high. "Born from the darkness, come with the swing of nighttime and appear for a hunt! Pendulum Summon! Come forth—my two Eyeing Cobras!"

Twin serpents slithered onto the field, their scales gleaming black while their glowing red eyes followed every movement hungrily. (ATK:1500/DEF:2000/Level 5/Scale:6)

"I play the Magic Card: Level 4 Danger! All of my monsters become Level 4!" The cobras hissed as their bodies shrank, their auras adjusting to match each other.

"Now I overlay my two monsters!" Katrina thrust her hand forward as the cobras spiraled into a swirling portal of darkness. "Creature of the undead, burst from the grave and begin your rampage! Xyz Summon! Appear—Blood Sucker Rampaging Zombie!"

From the black vortex, a figure emerged—its body covered in bloodstains, its face that of a normal man, but its eyes empty and cold. (ATK:2000/DEF:2500/Rank 4/Overlay Units:2)

Yuzu recoiled, her expression pale. "Geez... I'm going to have nightmares from that one."

On the sidelines, Ruri folded her arms, her voice flat. "That's Katrina for you."

Rumi tilted her head with a faint frown. "Yeah... I wonder what's coming next."

Katrina raised her hand, her zombie standing tall beside her. "That's enough for now. I end my turn."