"Wait, Youmu, it's not like that!"
Manjoume slapped Youmu's outstretched hand away.
"Azhun, what are you doing?"
"Idiot! Green Tree Spirit King is not an Effect Monster; what you're reading is just the card's flavor text!"
Manjoume added quickly, picking up the yellow card. "Look—only monsters with 'Effect' next to their type are Effect Monsters."
So all that high-sounding text on the card was just flavor—it's a vanilla monster.
"Hahaha, where did this idiot come from?!"
Some spectators snickered, but Youmu's glare swept over them and they quieted like beaten chickens.
Realizing he'd blundered, Youmu sat back down and watched Manjoume's next move.
"Enter Battle Phase! I'll attack Green Tree Spirit King with Yellow Gadget! The ATK difference will deal damage to the opponent… Wait, Youmu, what are you doing?!" Manjoume barked.
Hearing Manjoume declare an attack, Youmu flipped Green Tree Spirit King into Defense Position. "This way it won't be destroyed, right?"
Everyone went silent.
"Did I do something wrong again?" Youmu blinked, looking innocent.
"You idiot—unless an effect changes a monster's battle position, you can only change it on your own turn!"
"Ah, is that so? So if someone attacks, I can only take it? That's not logical!"
"No, there's nothing logical or illogical about it; those are the rules."
"Damn it, I was planning to activate the Protect-and-Not-Protect strategy."
"...Well then, since Green Tree Spirit King was destroyed, Youmu, you take 700 points of damage, and then Enemy‑Flipping Swordsman attacks directly!"
Qin Youmu LP 4000 → 1900
What? It can even attack the player directly? That's dishonorable!
"My turn is over, Youmu. It's your turn."
"My turn—draw! Hmm, I Normal Summon Alchemist Bio‑Humanoid (ATK 1800 / DEF 1600) in Attack Position!"
"I activate Trap Hole!" Manjoume said. "It can be activated when the opponent summons a monster with 1000 or more ATK; choose that monster and destroy it."
As soon as Alchemist Bio‑Humanoid appeared, it was sent to the Graveyard by the Trap Card.
"Youmu, if you don't find a way, you'll lose when I attack next turn."
Youmu looked at his hand. He could activate a Spell Card during his turn, right?
"Then I activate Monster Reborn, reviving Alchemist Bio‑Humanoid from the Graveyard!"
Youmu picked Alchemist Bio‑Humanoid from the Graveyard and placed it back on the field.
"Battle! Alchemist Bio‑Humanoid attacks Enemy‑Flipping Swordsman!"
Manjoume LP 4000 → 3600
"Well done—that dealt damage to the opponent."
Perhaps because a beginner had defeated Manjoume's monster, the audience reacted even more excitedly than Youmu.
"I set one more card, and end my turn."
What was that card Youmu had set earlier? He flipped the previously set card over to check.
"Now it's my turn again—draw! I also activate Monster Reborn, reviving Enemy‑Flipping Swordsman from the Graveyard."
"I've been waiting for this moment! I activate the Quick‑Play Spell Whirlwind, destroying your Monster Reborn!"
Then Youmu watched as Manjoume placed Enemy‑Flipping Swordsman back onto the field.
"???" Youmu stared.
"Why..." a passerby began loudly, then was immediately shushed by a companion, embarrassed.
"Idiot, Whirlwind's effect only destroys Spell/Trap cards; it doesn't negate effects!"
"It destroys it but can't negate it? This is blatant fraud!"
But nothing could be done; Youmu had wasted a set card.
"Youmu, watch closely! I TRIBUTE two monsters to Normal Summon the ace of this deck in Attack Position! Come forth, Black Magician (ATK 2500 / DEF 2100)!"
"Its ATK is actually 2500…" After a few turns, Youmu had a rough idea of monster ATK values.
"When Normal Summoning a high‑level monster, you must Tribute monsters accordingly. Monsters with 5 or 6 stars require one Tribute; most higher‑level monsters require two Tributes. By Tributing, you can summon more powerful monsters."
While summoning Black Magician, Manjoume explained Advanced Summoning to Youmu.
"Black Magician attacks Alchemist Bio‑Humanoid—Black Magic!"
"I activate the Trap Card Demon World Mandragora Seed! Its effect is... let me see. When a face‑up Attack Position monster on my field is destroyed by battle, for every 500 points of damage I take, I can Special Summon one Demon World Mandragora Token."
"I take 700 points of damage, so I can summon one Token. Can anyone lend me a coin?"
"Here." Someone in the audience tossed a coin, which Youmu caught smoothly.
"Thanks!"
Youmu placed the coin on the field.
Qin Youmu LP 1900 → 1200
"Good thinking. Although the monster was destroyed, the remaining Token can be used as a Tribute for an Advanced Summon next turn."
Manjoume nodded. "I set one more card and end my turn."
"My turn—draw!" Youmu looked at the field and then at his hand. Hmm—maybe he could win.
"I Tribute the Demon World Mandragora Token on my field to Normal Summon Greenwood Spirit King's consort—Crimson Red Maple Queen (ATK 1800 / DEF 1500) in Attack Position!"
Crimson Red Maple Queen looked just like Greenwood Spirit King—truly a couple. Her ATK was much higher; their marital life must be exciting.
"Oh, not bad. You've mastered Advanced Summoning quickly. But that monster alone can't beat my Black Magician."
"Of course it's not just that!" Youmu drew another card.
"I discard this card from my hand, then activate its effect. The card I discarded is Puppet Plant, and then I activate..."
What was the effect again? Youmu picked the card from the Graveyard to confirm.
"Until the End Phase of this turn, I gain control of one face‑up Warrior or Spellcaster monster on the opponent's field. The one I choose is, naturally—Black Magician!"
"What?!" Manjoume blurted.
Youmu reached out and moved Black Magician to his field.
"Now I have two monsters, while your field, Azhun, is empty."
The crowd stirred.
"This beginner isn't actually going to win, is he?"
"If I were using the Duel King's Deck, I wouldn't lose to a beginner..."
"Battle! Black Magician attacks the opponent directly!"