Chapter 71. Branded Blue-Eyes vs. Minotaur! The Ultimate Seizure Leaves Every World Stunned!
As every Xyz player looked at Kite Tenjo in disbelief, duelists from other worlds who hadn't yet joined the "one big happy family" were also heatedly discussing the Galaxy-Eyes deck.
ARC-V World.
Xyz Dimension.
Yuto and Shay Obsidian wore bitter looks as they watched the two newly featured Xyz decks.
What is this Utopia!
What is this Galaxy-Eyes!
Either one seemed several times—dozens of times—stronger than their current The Phantom Knights and Raidraptor builds!
Only now did they realize how far their deck construction lagged behind those of the higher world.
"Whew!
The lines of play for both decks already exceed what we can understand right now."
"What do you think, Shay?"
Yuto exhaled sharply.
After accepting reality, he was even more eager to see how his Phantom Knights could evolve in the future.
"Watch helplessly, I guess."
"I don't know why, but I feel utterly powerless."
"Right now I don't even know how our own Raidraptors are supposed to combo."
"Bitter.
Complicated."
Shay forced a wry smile.
He could understand Utopia and Galaxy-Eyes's lines.
But he could no longer understand his own Raidraptors.
It was like being shown endless top-tier metas and then being told to go back to an era of Axe Raider mirror-matches.
That kind of whiplash.
VRAINS World.
Yusaku Fujiki, Akira Zaizen, Skye Zaizen, Theodore Hamilton, and the others couldn't help showing solemn expressions.
Their eyes still hadn't left the short video explaining Galaxy-Eyes.
"Uh, I might have to take back what I said."
"The higher world's deck operation concepts…"
"In our Link era, there's simply no one who can keep up."
After Yusaku spoke, even Akira Zaizen stayed silent.
Because what Yusaku said was true.
They had thought that, as the high-tech Link era, the only difference from the higher world was a few deck choices.
But after seeing so many operational concepts, that 'small' difference might actually be a chasm.
"Yusaku, be that as it may."
"Our decks aren't weak."
"As for 'storytime' play, our decks can do that too."
"Let's keep watching.
At least until we see decks from our own Link era, I'll reserve judgment."
Theodore Hamilton believed his Salamangreats were half a "storytime" deck themselves.
If he matched up against those decks listed above, after he built his end board, he could still put up a few negates and have a go.
Yusaku didn't reply.
His eyes refocused on the screen.
Because the next short video had already appeared.
In the main world, Sei Yuki had long since queued up the next short video.
It was a very interesting match featuring the "ultimate Minotaur" line.
The title appeared before duelists across all worlds:
"Branded Blue-Eyes vs. Minotaur—A Pure-Love Warrior's Ridiculous Comeback!"
The instant they saw the title, the six dueling worlds didn't have much of a concept of "Minotaur."
Naturally, they assumed the opponent's deck centered around minotaur-type monsters.
But Branded and Blue-Eyes?
They didn't know "Branded."
They certainly knew Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
The very first moment the short started, the featured deck was, in fact, Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
DM World.
Seto Kaiba snorted and smiled.
"Unbeatable!
The strongest!
A round of applause!"
"So this 'Branded' thing is trying to ride on my Blue-Eyes's power to boost itself, huh?"
"Ha ha ha!
Seems my Blue-Eyes White Dragon is still as popular as ever!"
Kaiba naturally assumed the Branded core was too weak and had to rely on Blue-Eyes to raise its power.
"The President's Blue-Eyes is invincible!"
"No kidding!
Blue-Eyes has always been the strongest deck!"
"President's right!
What 'Branded'?
It dares to cling to Blue-Eyes?"
Roland and the other staffers chimed in one after another.
Joey Wheeler rolled his eyes and looked back at the video.
Yugi Muto smiled without comment.
The video soon began.
At this time, the Branded engine hadn't been heavily restricted.
Cards like Predaplant Verte Anaconda hadn't been hit much either.
Sei Yuki had picked this video to take the chance to introduce the veterans to Branded, a once-dominant meta powerhouse.
Duelists:
Abyss-Branded Start-Up vs. Bull to the Extreme Is Win.
Life Points: 8000–8000.
First turn: Abyss-Branded Start-Up.
Second turn: Bull to the Extreme Is Win.
The duel was about to explode.
Abyss-Branded Start-Up: "Ha ha ha!
Let's duel today!
As everyone knows, Branded has lots of unique builds!"
"Branded Predaplant, Branded Adventurer, Branded Dogmatika—there are all kinds!"
"And today's deck is Branded Blue-Eyes!"
"It's my first turn!
I activate the Spell 'Trade-In!'"
"Heh heh heh!
Per its effect, I discard Blue-Eyes White Dragon to draw 2!"
"Effect of 'The Bystial Lubellion' in my hand activates!"
"I discard it to search 'Bystial Magnamhut!'"
"Then I activate the Spell 'The Melody of Awakening Dragon!'"
"I discard 'The White Stone of Ancients.'"
"I add 'Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon' and 'Blue-Eyes Jet Dragon.'"
"I Special Summon 'Dictator of D.' by sending a Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my Deck to the GY!"
"Dictator of D. effect—discard 'Blue-Eyes Jet Dragon' and then Special Summon that 'Blue-Eyes Jet Dragon!'"
"I Normal Summon 'Aluber the Jester of Despia!'"
"Aluber effect—add 'Branded Fusion!'"
"I activate Branded Fusion!"
"Sending 'Fallen of Albaz' and 'Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous' from the Deck to the GY to Fusion Summon—"
"'Albion the Branded Dragon' hits the field!"
"..."
As the uploader rattled off one effect after another without stopping, duelists across the six worlds were stunned.
Wait a minute.
Wasn't this a Blue-Eyes deck?
Why was the board all built off these Branded cards?
They could barely make use of Blue-Eyes's own effects for the development.
And that wasn't the main point.
The point was that every individual step made sense, but once put together, the more they watched, the more confused they got.
This Branded deck was anything but simple.
At least one thing was certain.
It was yet another explosion-combo deck.
They just didn't know what the end board would be.
In the video, Abyss-Branded Start-Up kept going.
Abyss-Branded Start-Up: "Albion effect!
I banish my on-field 'Aluber the Jester of Despia' and the 'Fallen of Albaz' in the GY to Fusion Summon!"
"Fusion Summon—'Lubellion the Searing Dragon!'"
"Lubellion effect—discard 1 card, then fuse itself with the banished 'Fallen of Albaz' to return—"
"Ace Fusion!
'Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon!'"
"My Abyss engine still hasn't finished starting!"
"Effect of 'Lubellion the Searing Dragon!'"
"I Tribute my 'Albion the Branded Dragon' to Special Summon Lubellion in Defense!"
"Then its effect places the Continuous Spell 'Branded Regained' from the Deck face-up!"
"End of turn!"
"Effect of 'The White Stone of Ancients' in the GY—Special Summon 'Blue-Eyes Abyss Dragon' from the Deck!"
"Blue-Eyes Abyss Dragon effect—add the Ritual Spell 'Chaos Form!'"
"And per Abyss Dragon, I also add 'Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon!'"
"Effect of 'Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous'—return it to my hand."
"Albion effect—set 'Branded in High Spirits' from the Deck!"
"My Abyss-Branded start-up is complete!
Turn end!"
"Your turn to play Yu-Gi-Oh!"
In one breath, Abyss-Branded Start-Up finished his board.
As a going-first board, all his monsters were in Defense.
His five Monster Zones were already packed with resources:
"Dictator of D." — 1200/1100.
"Blue-Eyes Jet Dragon" — 3000/0.
"Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon" — 3000/2500.
"The Lubellion the Searing Dragon" — 2500/3000.
"Blue-Eyes Abyss Dragon" — 2500/2500.
A whole lot of talk.
And he easily filled five Monster Zones.
Duelists in the six worlds were barely holding it together.
This wasn't Branded clinging to Blue-Eyes's thigh.
This was Blue-Eyes clinging to Branded's thigh.
With resource flow like that—searching, recycling, and more—
Wasn't Branded a little too strong?
In the video, the opponent, Bull to the Extreme Is Win, faced down the five-monster pressure.
He wasn't fazed at all.
Bull to the Extreme Is Win: "My turn already?
Nice!"
"Fitting of an Abyss player—you're truly something!"
"Then I activate 'Pot of Extravagance,' banishing six from the Extra Deck face-down to draw two."
Gaining resources by banishing Extra Deck powerhouses to draw?
So how was this player going to win?
This one play immediately piqued the six worlds' curiosity.
They all wanted to see how Bull to the Extreme Is Win would deal with this terrifying board.
But the very next scene scrambled everyone's brains—including Abyss-Branded Start-Up's.
Bull to the Extreme Is Win set one monster face-down.
Abyss-Branded Start-Up: "???"
He used his Normal Summon just to Set a monster?
Huh?
What's he planning?
Could that monster be insane?
A flip effect that's outrageous?
Yes.
That must be it.
It couldn't be that simple.
Abyss-Branded Start-Up's thoughts were basically the same as everyone else's.
This Set monster had to be banished.
No way he was letting it flip.
Abyss-Branded Start-Up: "Effect of 'Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon!'"
"I send one 'Titaniklad the Ash Dragon' from my Extra Deck to the GY.
Target one monster on the field to banish."
"Your Set monster—banished!"
Without hesitation, Abyss-Branded Start-Up chose to banish.
Bull to the Extreme Is Win: "So strong!
Your monsters are amazing!"
"Then I set two back row."
"My turn's over.
It's your move."
Abyss-Branded Start-Up: "???"
This turn scrambled his brain again.
What was this?
An underworld player?
What era was this—still playing these underworld combos?
Abyss-Branded Start-Up: "My turn—draw!"
Seeing the Spell "Ultimate Fusion" in hand gave him a sense of safety.
Abyss-Branded Start-Up: "Effect of 'Titaniklad the Ash Dragon' sent earlier—add 'Fallen of Albaz!'"
Bull to the Extreme Is Win: "In response, I activate a Spell!"
"'Super Hippo Carnival!'"
"I Special Summon 'Performapal Hip Hippo,' then fill my field with as many 'Hippo Tokens' as possible!"
Abyss-Branded Start-Up: "You're… a Performapal player?"
"Well, that's—"
Before he could finish, Bull to the Extreme Is Win flipped a set card.
Bull to the Extreme Is Win: "I activate the Trap—"
"'Switcheroroo!'"
With that Trap's successful activation, a shocking scene unfolded.
"Dictator of D." traded places with a Hippo Token.
"Blue-Eyes Jet Dragon" traded places with a Hippo Token.
"Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon" traded places with a Hippo Token.
"The Lubellion the Searing Dragon" traded places with a Hippo Token.
"Blue-Eyes Abyss Dragon" traded places with "Performapal Hip Hippo."
Yes.
The five monsters Abyss-Branded Start-Up had painstakingly built all switched over to Bull to the Extreme Is Win's field.
And on Abyss-Branded Start-Up's side, only four 0 ATK/DEF Tokens and a useless little Hippo remained.
In that instant, all six worlds were dumbstruck.
Every duelist's face said "I don't believe it."
Even Abyss-Branded Start-Up stared blankly.
Looking at the Tokens and the Hippo on his field, his last line of mental defense finally broke.
For a moment, he didn't even know what to do.
Who am I?
Where am I?
How did my board become this?
Where's my Branded?
Where's my Blue-Eyes?
Where are my Dragons?
What are these Hippos!
DM World.
Seeing that sequence, even Weevil Underwood couldn't help it.
"Whoa!
This guy's even nastier than me?"
"He used two cards to steal all of Abyss-Branded's ace monsters?"
"Sick!
Absolutely sick!"
"I, Weevil Underwood, bow my head!"
"You're the real god here!"
Weevil clasped his fists.
For the first time, he saw someone even more underworld than himself.
He had to respect that.
"I want to throw hands!
Where is this guy?"
"I'm about to Normal Summon my fists, in Attack Position, and see who's stronger!"
Mako Tsunami stood up for the Branded player, rolling up his sleeves and clenching his fists.
Who could stand for this?
GX World.
After watching the sequence, both students and teachers were silent for a long while.
Only after confirming the ultimate Minotaur control was real did Duel Academy become a "civilized" campus.
"What the heck?
Just how underworld is this player?
This two-card combo made me sick!"
"A-hem!
Don't say that.
Who knows how long he waited for this chance!"
"He's already won—just like his name says—he's already 'Win.'
Even if he loses the duel, he still 'wins.'"
"Satisfying!
That was so satisfying!
Four Tokens to trade for the opponent's boss monsters!
With no downside!
That's insanely satisfying!"
"..."
Yes.
It was insanely satisfying.
With the five ace monsters he Minotaur-swapped over, Bull to the Extreme Is Win already knew how he was taking this duel home.
Abyss-Branded Start-Up, at this very moment, was still in a daze, unable to snap out of it.
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