Alexis Rhodes knew that Jaden Yuki never entered a duel he wasn't prepared for.
Since he only had a single Level 1 monster on his field, there had to be something suspicious about that face-down card behind him.
"Now that I think about it, that Destruction Swordsman Fusion is a Quick-Play Spell, isn't it?"
"Could it be that Jaden wants to perform a Fusion Summon during his opponent's turn?"
Alexis wasn't the only one who guessed the play; Darkness, standing across from him, had realized it as well.
"Planning to fuse on my turn, are you?"
Darkness drew a card from his deck.
"A Fusion Summon is a Special Summon that requires sending monsters from the hand or field to the Graveyard as materials."
"But since you only have one monster on the field, your other material must be a monster in your hand, right?"
"That's right. What of it?" Jaden replied with a smile.
"It means that as long as I disrupt your hand, you won't be able to Fusion Summon on my turn," Darkness said coldly.
"I activate the Spell Card, Card Destruction!"
"Both players must discard their entire hand and draw the same number of cards from their decks."
"What!" Alexis's expression paled. "If Jaden's fusion materials were in his hand, then that card is"
[Buster Blader, the Destruction Swordmaster] [Wizard Buster Destruction Sword] [Maxx "C"]
Alexis watched with worry as Jaden sent those three cards to the Graveyard.
This is bad... those cards seemed vital for Jaden. If they're sent to the Graveyard like this...
"Hehehe, go ahead. Draw your cards from your deck."
Darkness sent five cards from his hand to the Graveyard and drew five new ones.
"Well, I suppose you did help me filter my hand," Jaden said with a smile as he drew three cards.
[Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring] [Dragon Buster Destruction Sword] [Destruction Sword Flash]
"Ash Blossom..."
Looking at the card in his hand, Jaden couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow.
"Hehe, Supreme King, I'm here to help!" the voice of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring rang in Jaden's ear.
The spirit in the card art even gave Jaden a playful wink.
"Alright, I'll be counting on you in a moment."
Jaden put the cards into his hand and looked at Darkness.
"Continue, Darkness."
Darkness looked at his hand, a red light flickering in his eyes. "It seems you haven't realized the threat that Card Destruction has placed you in, Jaden Yuki."
"Take a look at my Graveyard."
"Sleeping there is the black dragon with enough power to destroy everything."
With a wave of Darkness's hand, the roar of Red-Eyes Black Dragon erupted from the depths of his Graveyard.
Even the surrounding shadows trembled.
Pitch-black flames began to boil around the two duelists.
"Ugh, this heat..." Alexis shielded her eyes from the heatwave, her worry deepening. "Jaden, be careful!"
"I Normal Summon Red-Eyes Wyvern!" Darkness slammed a card onto his Duel Disk.
A summoning circle flashed on Darkness's field.
"Screee!"
A small, pitch-black dragon appeared on Darkness's side of the field, letting out a sharp screech.
[Red-Eyes Wyvern]
[Level: 4]
[ATK: 1800 / DEF: 1600]
"Next, I activate the effect of Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon in my hand!" Darkness flipped a card. "By banishing one Dragon monster on my field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!"
"Gah!"
Red-Eyes Wyvern was enveloped in black light.
A second later, the light shot into the sky, vanishing into the dark clouds above.
The clouds expanded rapidly before exploding with a crash of thunder.
Boom!
A massive dragon covered in black steel scales slowly descended from the sky.
Its crimson eyes looked down upon everything before it.
The dragon radiated a terrifying draconic pressure as it landed behind Darkness.
[Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon]
[Level: 10]
[ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2400]
"A Level 10 monster with such easy summoning conditions..." Cold sweat dripped from Alexis's forehead. She looked at the card on the field in disbelief.
A powerful monster that could be Special Summoned just by banishing a single Dragon...
Jaden... do you have a way to deal with this?
"Awoo..."
Seeming to feel the draconic pressure of Red-Eyes, the Buster Whelp of the Destruction Swordsman on Jaden's field suddenly looked wilted, its ears drooping.
Whether by size or Level, the gap between the two sides was far too obvious.
"Now, I activate the effect of Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!"
"During my Main Phase, I can Special Summon one Dragon monster from my hand or Graveyard!"
Darkness shouted, "I Special Summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon from my Graveyard!"
From the Graveyard?
Alexis's expression shifted as she realized his plan.
That's it! Darkness used Card Destruction specifically to send Red-Eyes Black Dragon to the Graveyard!
"Roar!"
A black and red summoning circle flashed on Darkness's field.
The body of Red-Eyes Black Dragon burst forth from the blooming black flames.
The dragon's mouth held a gathering fire, its scarlet eyes staring dead at the small dragon on Jaden's field.
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon]
[Level: 7]
[ATK: 2400 / DEF: 2000]
"Red-Eyes Black Dragon... that really is a rare card."
Jaden couldn't help but sigh with nostalgia.
Cards like these, possessing a special "aura," couldn't even be found for exchange in the system shop.
Cards like Dark Magician, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Red-Eyes Black Dragon were unique.
The only way to unlock them through the system was to officially defeat the owners of these soul cardsthe legendary duelists.
"Supreme King, you weren't waiting for Red-Eyes Black Dragon to show up, were you?" Ash Blossom seemed to understand Jaden's intent and spoke up.
"Yeah. After all, who could refuse such a cool black dragon?"
Jaden smiled and raised his Duel Disk.
"Now that the black dragon is out, it's time to begin my Dragon Slayer Plan."
Dragon Slayer Plan?
Alexis and Darkness were both momentarily stunned by Jaden's words.
"I activate my Trap Card, Destruction Sword Memories!"
Jaden pressed a button on his Duel Disk, and his set card flipped open instantly.
"By discarding one Destruction Sword card from my hand, I can Special Summon one Buster Blader from my deck!"
Jaden sent the Destruction Sword Flash in his hand to the Graveyard and caught the card that popped out of his deck between his fingers.
Buster Blader?
That card is...
Looking at the card Jaden held, even Darkness recognized it immediately.
"Isn't that... Yugi Muto's card?"
"Wait, Buster Blader... I remember learning about this in class. the full name of this archetype is"
A look of excited joy gradually spread across Alexis's face.
"It's the 'Buster Blader' archetype!"
"A deck specifically designed to counter Dragon monsters!"
Jaden... did he know from the very beginning that his opponent was using Dragons?!
"Buster Blader... How is that possible? Why would you have a card like that?"
Darkness's face twisted in surprise.
He couldn't believe it.
This was clearly his first time meeting Jaden Yuki, yet the boy had predicted his deck and was using cards specifically meant to counter Dragons...
Does this Jaden Yuki really have the power of foresight?!
Furthermore, that was clearly Yugi Muto's card. Why was it in Jaden's hands?
"Awoo!"
Watching the light flash on Jaden's field and the blue swordsman rising within it, the previously terrified Buster Whelp of the Destruction Swordsman suddenly became lively, as if it had found its protector.
It leaped onto Buster Blader's shoulder, affectionately nuzzling his cheek.
[Buster Blader]
[Level: 7]
[ATK: 2600 / DEF: 2300]
"Buster Blader's ATK increases by 500 for every Dragon monster on your field and in your Graveyard."
"Because of Card Destruction, there are two Dragons in your Graveyard."
"Troop Dragon and Spear Dragon, plus the Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon on your fieldthat makes a total of four monsters!"
"Therefore, his ATK rises by 2000 points!"
[Buster Blader]
[ATK: 2600 → 4600]
"Guh... 4600 ATK?"
A bead of nervous sweat rolled down Darkness's brow.
"But I'm not finished yet."
"The Buster Blader deck isn't that simple."
"They only show their true strength when facing Dragon monsters."
Jaden waved his hand and shouted, "I activate my Quick-Play Spell! Destruction Swordsman Fusion!"
"This allows me to fuse the Buster Blader on my field with any Dragon monster!"
"From my Extra Deck, I Special Summon!"
"The Dragon Slayer, Buster Blader, the Dragon-Destroyer Swordsman!"
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