"Since Enkidu has already left the field, your bench effect has also expired. I can now add one copy of [Chains of Heaven] from my deck to my hand."
"That makes sense." Romulus set one card face-down in his back row. "I end my turn. It's your move."
"Good timing! I activate [Golden Rule of the King of Heroes]! I can tribute a Servant from my hand or field with an ATK of 3000 or more and a DEF of 2500 or less to draw two cards." Beast pointed at the tail on the field that had taken the form of Gilgamesh. "Look, this fits perfectly. I tribute it!"
Three cards landed in Beast's hand. "No cheating here! [Tail of Beast IV] has an effect—when it leaves the battle zone, it returns to the owner's hand."
Just like that, Beast's hand was replenished to four cards.
"Even though the Sword Marshal is ridiculously weak, he still has some useful stuff. I activate [Battle Assembly]! By discarding one card, I can Special Summon three different Normal Servants from my deck!"
[Macedonian Heavy Infantry] ATK 1400 [Macedonian Light Infantry] ATK 1200 [Macedonian Spearman] ATK 1000
A contingent of Iskandar's army emerged onto the battlefield.
Seeing Caesar's confused expression, Beast explained, "It's simple. All the Servant Decks that have left the field are in my hands now. There's no rule stating I can only summon French Servants, right?"
"Alright then, let me feast! I activate [Nega Self], destroying all Servants on my field. For each one destroyed, I draw a card and generate a [Beast's Plaything Token]."
The soldiers were swallowed by the tails emerging from the ground. After a series of ominous chewing noises, grotesque figures resembling the fallen soldiers—but fused with the limbs of various creatures—were spat back out.
[Beast's Plaything Token] (Beast, Level 1, ATK 1000) ×3
"Now, I tribute one Token to Normal Summon [Iskandar]!"
[Iskandar] ATK 2800
A red-haired giant rode his ox-drawn chariot onto the battlefield, as energetic as ever.
"Yo, First King of Rome. Sorry I couldn't give you a proper fight last time. You're terrifyingly strong." Iskandar didn't seem the least bit embarrassed by his previous loss. Instead, he acknowledged his own shortcomings openly.
"Conqueror King, there's no need for humility. I represent all of Rome—your defeat was nothing to be ashamed of." Romulus nodded approvingly. "You are a worthy opponent, so I must make sure you leave the field here and now! This is my remorse, my sin, and the scar of my suffering. But Rome must be strong—it must reach the heavens! I activate the Quick-Play Spell [Divine Border That Forbids Crossing]!"
For once, the ever-confident Romulus wore a sorrowful expression. "I send my brother, [Remus], to the Graveyard to negate and destroy one card on the field. My target is the Conqueror King—[Iskandar]!"
"Oh, that legend, huh? I should be honored." Iskandar smirked. "First King of Rome, unveiling your deepest scars takes tremendous courage. Don't let it consume you."
Romulus' spear pierced Iskandar's chest, sending him to the Graveyard. He knew that Iskandar was the core of Beast's deck—he had to be dealt with immediately.
"[Remus] has an effect—when sent to the Graveyard, I can add [City of Seven Hills] from my deck to my hand. I'm sorry, my brother..."
"Sometimes, reenacting history feels like hell," Beast remarked, poking at Romulus' emotional wound without hesitation. "I really respect you guys who can shamelessly use your own dark past as part of your combos. Aren't you worried about what'll happen if you summon the real person?"
"I will apologize when the time comes. But why should I not use it? This is my history. This is Rome's history. It will not disappear just because I run from it. Honor and sin alike are real. They are part of me. They are part of Rome. This is Rome!"
"My mistake, I should've had this conversation with Goldie instead. You're no fun at all." Beast pressed her palms together in mock prayer, already sick of hearing the word Rome.
"Then, I activate the effect of [Tail of Beast IV] from the Graveyard. I copy Iskandar's stats—this is the price for activating [Battle Assembly]."
A monstrous tail emerged from the ground, taking on Iskandar's form.
[Tail of Beast IV] ATK 2800
"Next, [Gate of Babylon] activates! I equip two Equipment Cards from my deck onto a Token."
[Durandal][Dáinsleif]
The weapons of legend were now wielded by nameless, monstrous soldiers. If Gilgamesh saw this, he would surely lose his mind.
[Beast's Plaything Token] ATK 1000 → 2000
"Now, the 2000 ATK Token attacks Caesar! The Tail attacks Caligula!"
The grotesque soldier, wielding the original Heroic Spirit weapons in an unnatural stance, shattered Caesar's defenses and sent him to the Graveyard.
"[Caesar]'s effect—he takes no battle damage!" It was only natural for a renowned commander to have a battle-related ability.
"Well, at least you'll have to take Caligula's battle damage, right?" Beast smirked.
Romulus' LP: 3500 → 2700
"Next up, my [Beast's Plaything Token] attacks directly! Take this 1000 damage, Romulus!"
"[Imperial Privilege]—I banish it from the Graveyard to negate a direct attack!" 1000 points of damage wasn't much, but Romulus had a feeling he couldn't afford to let the life point gap widen too much. He negated the attack without hesitation.
"Tch, so stingy. You're even blocking small hits like this?" Beast grumbled about Romulus' cautious playstyle. "Fine, I set two cards in my back row and end my turn!"
"My turn. Draw!" Romulus began his move.
"The time has come. I activate the Field Spell [City of Seven Hills]!"
Golden light cascaded from the heavens as though celebrating the empire's birth. The brilliant, golden Rome descended!
"When this card is activated, I can add [Romulus] from my deck to my hand!" The card shimmered with radiant power, its golden aura filled with boundless energy.
"And the card I'm adding is—[Romulus Quirinus]!"