"My turn."
Hikaru drew and revealed a card. "Normal Summon, Elemental HERO Prisma."
"Hmph. Before that, I pay 1000 LP to activate this." X pushed up his glasses, flipping his face-down. "Continuous Trap, Monster Register."
[X, LP: 4000 → 3000]
At the same time, Prisma successfully landed, glowing with radiant light.
[Elemental HERO Prisma] Level 4│LIGHT│Warrior│1700 ATK
"Now, Monster Register's effect activates," X stated robotically. "When a monster is Normal or Special Summoned, both players send cards from the top of their Deck equal to that monster's Level to the Graveyard.
Prisma is Level 4. Both players must send 4 cards."
"Deck destruction..." Bastion muttered, recognizing the tactic instantly.
"But wait, wouldn't that hurt his own deck too?" Jaden asked.
"No." Aster shook his head. "Only Hikaru loses cards."
"Why?!"
X explained coldly, "As long as Trap Sluzer is face-up in Attack Position, its controller isn't affected by Continuous Trap effects."
On the surface, it looked like simple trap immunity.
But no, it affected the player, not the card.
With Trap Sluzer on the field, X ignored effects like [Prohibition], [Different Dimension Ground], or [Summon Limit].
A cartoonish, grinning cash register appeared on X's field and licked Hikaru's deck.
The top 4 cards slid straight into Hikaru's Graveyard.
"That's so dirty! He doesn't lose cards but destroys the opponent's deck!"
"It's busted. He can win without even needing monsters."
Hikaru glanced at the 4 fallen cards, picking one up. "I activate the effect of Shaddoll Falcon. When it's sent to the Graveyard by card effect, I can Special Summon it face-down."
A gem covered in sinister purple puppet strings appeared on his field.
"Since it's face-down, your trap's effect doesn't activate," Hikaru added.
X looked slightly annoyed.
"As expected of Hikaru. He instantly figured out X's tactics and responded perfectly," Bastion nodded.
"Now I activate Prisma's effect. Once per turn, I reveal a Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck, then send a listed monster from my Deck to the Graveyard. This card's name becomes that monster's name.
I reveal Thunder Dragon Colossus and send Thunder Dragon to the Grave."
"Then I activate the Spell, Thunder Dragon Fusion!"
"This lets me Fusion Summon a Thunder monster by returning monsters from my field, Graveyard, or banished pile to the Deck!
I return the Thunder Dragon on my field and in my Graveyard to summon Thunder Dragon Colossus!"
Crackling with electricity.
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning crashed down as a massive black thunder dragon emerged.
[Thunder Dragon Colossus] Level 8│DARK│Thunder│2600 ATK
"Fusion by recycling cards?! Impressive, but now you must discard 8 more cards!" X sneered as his cash register gobbled another 8 cards from Hikaru's Deck.
"No way! Even after recovering cards, his deck's vanishing fast!"
"This deck destruction is terrifying!"
Even spectators winced. Seeing their own partners go straight to the Graveyard for no reason, it'd be devastating.
"Many pros who've dueled this guy quit dueling afterward," Aster muttered. "His strategy destroys the bonds duelists have with their decks. For duelists who believe in their deck's spirit... It's_ soul-crushing."
"Hehehe..." X pushed his glasses. "I've seen many duelists who believed in bonds.
Hikaru, they call you the Absolute Fusionist lately, a duelist who believes in Fusion. How delightful. How thrilling, to duel someone like you!"
Hikaru said nothing, simply glancing at the 8 milled cards.
Not bad.
"Battle phase. Colossus attacks."
"Not so fast! I activate the Continuous Trap, Gravity Bind! Monsters Level 4 or higher can't attack!"
"Oh no! Now Hikaru can't even reduce LP through attacks!"
"This is the worst situation possible!"
The atmosphere tensed.
Hikaru glanced around.
Twelve cards in the Graveyard... but honestly, there's a lot of useful stuff in there.
Since Gravity Bind's up, he'd handle it next turn.
"Set two cards. Turn end."
"Hikaru looks... oddly relaxed."
"Even with twelve cards gone?!"
"Even after recycling, his deck's shrinking fast!"
Students murmured.
Surprisingly, it was usually fearless Jaden who looked the most anxious, sweating, fidgeting, gulping.
This scene was... brutal.
On the other hand, seeing Hikaru so calm was unsettling even to X.
What's going on?
How can anyone stay this composed watching their deck get destroyed?
X drew.
Paranoia gnawed at him.
'Maybe... maybe this guy doesn't care about his deck.'
'...No. Wait.'
He glanced at Hikaru's deck. Then at his hand.
'Hahaha... I get it.'
'Because what he cares about is [Fusion].
'Then... time to go after it.'
'I'll destroy your Extra Deck.'
...
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