Half an hour later, You Ye finished communicating with the Fire Hydrant Spirit and obtained the archetype blessing. After carefully adjusting his Deck, the duel officially began.
You Ye (8000 LP) vs Li Yuan (8000 LP)
The duel rules granted You Ye, the choice of turn order.
He chose to go first.
Both sides drew five cards.
The duel began.
After glancing at his opening hand, You Ye moved without hesitation.
You Ye's Turn
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Sinful Spoils of Doom – Hunt, adding Diabellstar the Black Witch from my Deck to my hand."
"I discard Snake-Eyes Ash, Special Summon Diabellstar the Black Witch from my hand. Then Diabellstar's effect places a Sinful Spoils card face-down."
"Chain 2 — I activate Snake-Eyes Ash in the Graveyard, targeting itself and placing it face-up as a Continuous Spell."
Chain resolution:
C2: Snake-Eyes Ash is successfully placed.
C1: Diabellstar sets Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye to the Spell & Trap Zone.
"I activate Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye, sending the face-up Snake-Eyes Ash to the Graveyard to Special Summon a Level 1 FIRE monster from my Deck."
At that moment, Li Yuan calmly discarded a card.
"Chain 2 — I send Droll & Lock Bird – Huwalose from my hand to the Graveyard. If I control no cards, whenever you Special Summon from the Deck or Extra Deck, I draw one card."
You Ye frowned slightly.
This card—and another similar one released shortly before his transmigration—along with Maxx 'C', were collectively mocked by players as the arrival of the '9G Era'.
This time, he had zero escort cards.
Meaning—this "G" was unavoidable.
A full combo was impossible.
Instantly, You Ye adjusted his plan.
Chain resolution:
C2: Huwalose takes effect.
C1: Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye Special Summons Rescue-ACE Fire Hydrant.
(Li Yuan draws 1 card.)
"Rescue-ACE Fire Hydrant, effect three — once per turn, during my Main Phase, I add a 'Rescue-ACE' monster other than itself from Deck to hand."
You Ye, glanced at Li Yuan.
If there were hand traps beyond "G," this was the moment to use them—Hydrant was the only true search point for the boss monster.
"Go ahead," Li Yuan said calmly.
You, Ye, nodded.
"I add Rescue-ACE Turbulence to my hand."
"I Normal Summon Rescue-ACE Air Lifter. On summon, I add the Quick-Play Spell EMERGENCY! to my hand."
"I Link Summon using Air Lifter and Fire Hydrant — I:P Masquerena."
(Li Yuan draws 1 card.)
"Wait," Li Yuan suddenly said.
"You can respond," You Ye replied, gesturing casually.
"I'm not interrupting. I just want to ask—wouldn't Little Knight be better here?"
"EMERGENCY! can protect Turbulence from Imperm or Veiler, but it's dead under Ash. Little Knight gives double banish protection."
Li Yuan asked earnestly, embarrassment faintly showing.
You Ye, smiled.
"You're right."
"But once I finish refining the Deck, Ash will always be paired with WANTED. Without it, the opponent loses too much."
"If Ash is used earlier, they'll use it on Fire Hydrant. Anyone who doesn't either doesn't understand Rescue-ACE—or doesn't have Ash."
"Once Ash is confirmed gone, EMERGENCY!'s protection is more than enough."
"If Hydrant gets Ashed, you Link it with Diabellstar into Little Knight, then Normal Summon Air Lifter."
"Unless they have two negation hand traps, the combo goes through."
Li Yuan nodded slowly.
"I see."
You Ye continued.
Board Setup
"I activate Rescue-ACE Turbulence, banishing Fire Hydrant and Air Lifter from my Graveyard to Special Summon it."
"Turbulence effect — I set four cards:
R-Rescue!, A-Alert!, C-Contain!, and E-Extinguish!"
"I set one more card."
"Then I banish Sinful Spoils of Doom – Hunt from the Graveyard, returning Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye to the bottom of my Deck and draw one."
"I set one final card. End turn."
Li Yuan nodded.
You Ye had eaten "G," allowed two draws, and settled for four sets and I:P Masquerena.
Solid resistance.
Li Yuan's Turn
"My turn. Draw."
Li Yuan glanced at You Ye, signaling: I know you're waiting to use EMERGENCY!
"Please," You Ye replied with a smile.
That hesitation confused Li Yuan.
The final set wasn't EMERGENCY?
After a few seconds, he decided to test.
Li Yuan's Play
"I activate Sinful Spoils of Doom – Hunt, add Diabellstar the Black Witch."
"I discard Diabellstar to Special Summon another Diabellstar."
"She Sets Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye, which I activate, sending Diabellstar to Special Summon Rescue-ACE Fire Hydrant."
You Ye remained unmoved.
After thinking, Li Yuan activated his Graveyard effect, drew one, and continued.
"I Normal Summon Rescue-ACE Impulse."
"Effect — Turbulence cannot activate its effect this turn."
You Ye didn't chain.
"So that's it," Li Yuan murmured, excitement growing.
"I activate EMERGENCY!, Special Summon Rescue-ACE Fire Attacker, tributing Air Lifter."
"Fire Attacker effect — I target your Turbulence, change it to face-down Defense!"
Counterplay
"Chain 2 — I activate C-Contain!, targeting your Fire Attacker. Its effects are negated, and it cannot attack."
Rescue-ACE traps required a face-up Rescue-ACE monster—You Ye would never let that condition be broken.
"Not EMERGENCY after all?" Li Yuan laughed.
"Guess," You Ye replied.
Escalation
Li Yuan pressed forward.
Hydrant searched Turbulence again.
The moment Turbulence hit the field—
"E-Extinguish! — destroy it."
Turbulence was destroyed before activating.
Li Yuan's gaze sharpened.
He Link Summoned Hiita, the Fire Charmer, revived Snake-Eyes Ash, then climbed into Promethean Princess.
Princess attempted to revive Turbulence—
The Reveal
"Chain 2 — I flip Sinful Spoils of Betrayal – Silver Wolf.
I send Diabellstar to the Graveyard to permanently negate Promethean Princess."
Li Yuan froze.
"Silver Wolf? You run that in 40 cards?"
"It's niche," You Ye smiled.
"But perfect for mirror matches."
Silver Wolf permanently shut down Princess.
The Moment of Truth
Li Yuan pushed forward, activating Rescue-ACE Headquarters, recycling resources, then Link Summoned Accesscode Talker.
"I enter Battle Phase."
"Before that," You Ye said calmly,
"I activate I:P Masquerena, Link Summoning during your turn."
"This is what I was waiting for!" Li Yuan laughed, activating Impulse again.
"Give up your last resistance!"
You Ye, smiled wider.
"My last?"
The End
Link arrows expanded—
including Li Yuan's Turbulence.
"Wait—since when can Masquerena use my monster as material?!"
The duel arena fell silent.
Darkness swallowed the field.
The moon vanished.
A godlike presence descended.
You Ye, spoke softly:
"Black mist entwines, the dark veil eclipses the sky."
"Goddess who governs the Underworld."
"Your descent rings the bell of finality."
"Link Summon — Link 5!"
"Answer my call… my wife—
Underworld Goddess of the Closed World!"
A breathtaking woman emerged from the Link Circuit.
The world itself seemed sealed.