Which of the following is NOT a step in the combat phase?

In the context of the combat phase in Magic: The Gathering, the correct answer refers to the step that is not part of combat itself. The combat phase consists of several specific steps, which are critical to how combat is resolved in the game.

The combat phase includes two main steps: "Declare attackers" and "Declare blockers." In the "Declare attackers" step, the attacking player announces which creatures they are attacking with, followed by the "Declare blockers" step, where the defending player can choose to block those attackers with their creatures. After these two steps, the "Combat damage" step occurs, where damage is assigned and dealt based on the creatures involved in combat.

The "Cleanup" step, however, is not part of the combat phase; it occurs at the end of the turn. During the Cleanup step, players discard down to their maximum hand size and any effects that lasted until end of turn are ended. This step is an important part of a player's turn but is distinctly separate from combat and is the reason it does not belong within the combat phase sequence.