Boom!
The explosion rippled outward from the steel giant, blowing its body apart into a storm of flying parts.
Kirk Dixon shielded himself with one arm from the blast and shrapnel. "Tch, even that couldn't hold..."
He'd heard that the stolen deck had immense potential, but that was vague. Only now did he feel firsthand the Gladiator Beasts' powerful offensive flow.
So many pops in just one short turn...
"I'm not done. I still have Gladiator Beast Darius's effect," Mello said. "When Darius is Special Summoned by a Gladiator Beast's effect, you can Special Summon a 'Gladiator Beast' from your Graveyard with its effects negated."
He revealed a card he'd discarded earlier.
"I Special Summon another 'Gladiator Beast Bestiari' that I pitched to Graceful Charity at the start of the turn."
[Gladiator Beast Bestiari, ATK 1500]
"That thing again." Kirk's face darkened.
He remembered: the ace fusion "Gladiator Beast Gyzarus" required that card as a material.
Which meant if he didn't deal with it by next turn, the opponent would fuse into Gyzarus again on their turn.
Gyzarus pops two on summon, then after battle pulls more Gladiators from the deck and triggers pop-like effects again...
"No wonder this is called a precious find. This stolen deck is truly a headache," Kirk said gloomily.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm getting along quite well with them," Mello grinned, casually waving. "I'll set two cards and end my turn."
He lowered his hands, looking at Kirk carelessly.
"Card Professors are supposed to be elite. If this is all, I'm going to be disappointed."
Kirk adjusted his glasses.
"A petty thief acting this cocky really ticks me off. Fine, I'll get serious.
My turn. I draw!"
Kirk drew, then played another card.
"Spell Card: Spider Web—add a card sent to the opponent's Graveyard one turn ago to your hand." (Anime Card)
White filaments snagged a card from Mello's Graveyard and delivered it to Kirk's hand.
"I'll take Graceful Charity—and activate it immediately.
Draw three, then discard two."
"One of the cards I discard is the Spell 'Card of Compensation,' so I draw two more."
"I Normal Summon 'Commander Covington'!"
[Commander Covington, ATK 1000]
"Then I activate the Spell Card: Iron Call!"
A green Spell flared in Kirk's back row, releasing ripples of invisible sound. From a black vortex on his field, metallic debris emerged and reassembled into machines.
"Iron Call can be activated if you control a Machine. Select a Level 4 or lower Machine in your Graveyard and Special Summon it. Its effects are negated and it will be destroyed at the end of the turn.
I Special Summon the monster I discarded earlier: 'Machina Defender!'"
[Machina Defender, DEF 1800]
"Next I activate the Spell 'Ties of the Brethren'! Pay 1000 Life Points, select one Level 4 or lower monster on your field, then Special Summon two monsters from your deck with the same Level and Type as that monster. Those monsters cannot be Tributed or attack." (Anime effect)
Kirk swiftly pulled two cards from his deck.
"I Special Summon 'Machina Sniper'!
And 'Machina Soldier'!"
[Machina Sniper, ATK 1800]
[Machina Soldier, ATK 1600]
"Flooding the field with four Machinas at once? Not bad," Mello smiled. "So you're going to use 'that,' huh?"
Kirk shouted: "Commander Covington, activate ultimate capability! Four-unit combination with the Machinas on the field!"
Covington waved his hand, and the other Machina warriors responded, transforming and combining. Parts interlocked and merged into a towering steel giant, rising higher and higher until it reached the sky.
Machina Force—Summoned!
[Machina Force, ATK 4600]
"Ho, 4600 attack—stronger than the gods," Mello clapped. "Impressive."
"Machina Force, attack 'Gladiator Beast Bestiari!'" Kirk called.
Bestiari is the key to Gyzarus and the biggest threat among the three. It must go first. And if this connects, the opponent will be down to 2500 Life—Machina Force can one-shot from there!
Sure, the opponent might have defense in the back row, but—
As expected, Mello said next: "I activate my set card—Trap Card: 'Gladiator Beast Charge'! Target up to the number of face-up cards on the field equal to the number of different 'Gladiator Beast' monsters you control; destroy them."
"Another pop trap?" Kirk was startled.
Gladiator Beasts—what terrifying destructive power. He'd lost count of how many cards had been blown up in two turns.
"I control three different Gladiator Beasts, so I can pop up to three cards," Mello smiled. "Your 'Machina Force' may look like one monster, but it's actually four combined.
However, the combination hinges on that Commander Covington. Destroy that lynchpin, and the fusion collapses."
Kirk was silent.
"So I'll destroy 'Commander Covington,' 'Machina Soldier,' and 'Machina Sniper.'"
"The Gladiator Beast deck is indeed terrifying in flow and destruction, but..."
The lenses of Kirk's glasses flashed, a dangerous chill in his eyes.
"This level of counterplay was anticipated!
Counter Trap: 'Trap Jammer'! During the Battle Phase, when your opponent activates a Trap Card, negate the activation and destroy it!"
Nothing but another Counter Trap can respond.
And once this window passes, Machina Force's massive ATK will end the duel in a single blow. Even if the opponent has something else, they won't get to use it.
Kirk nudged his frames and smirked.
Got him.
But then—
"Counter Trap: 'Parry,'" Mello said coolly. "Return a 'Gladiator Beast' card from your hand to the deck; negate the activation of a Trap Card and destroy it."
Kirk: "!!!"
A Counter Trap!?
He stared, stunned, at the opponent's back row.
So the Gladiator Beast archetype even has this kind of counter...
Damn!
Counter Traps can't be chained to by anything but another Counter Trap. Now the same problem was reflected back on him—
"Trap Jammer's activation is negated. 'Gladiator Beast Charge' resolves—your three Machinas are destroyed."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions in succession. Kirk's Machina warriors detonated one after another, spraying burning debris and shards of metal everywhere.
Kirk stared blankly at the field, now a sea of fire.
"My Machina Force—the strongest Machina—just..."
"And at your End Phase, the drawback of your own 'Iron Call,'" Mello said airily. "Your last 'Machina Defender' is destroyed as well."
Another blast, and Kirk's final Machina blew to pieces.
Kirk: "..."
His Machinas—the unbeatable Machinas—four summoned at once, all blown up in the same turn...
Are Gladiators really this terrifying?
"My turn. I draw," Mello said calmly. "Return 'Gladiator Beast Bestiari' and 'Gladiator Beast Murmillo' to the deck—Contact Fusion.
Warrior of ancient raptors, soul entwined with the sword-fighter's spirit—become a veteran of a thousand battles! Fusion Summon—
—Gladiator Beast Gyzarus!"
[Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, ATK 2400]
"You did well... For a top Card Professor, this is about your limit. Can't ask for more.
Gyzarus pops two on summon, but you don't have anything left for me to destroy."
Kirk: "..."
Mello shrugged and waved casually.
"Gladiator Beast Darius, Gladiator Beast Gyzarus—direct attack."
Before his beasts even lunged, he had already turned away.
The result was set. No need to watch.
[Kirk, LP 2700 → LP 0]
...
2 Bonus chapters at 500 PS