"My turn."
Tenjo Hikari drew a card and revealed it to his left: "Normal Summon, Elemental Hero Prisma."
"Heh, before that, I'll pay 1000 Life Points to activate this card." Ex lightly pushed up his glasses and opened his set card: "Continuous Trap Card, Monster Counter."
Ex LP: 4000→3000.
Meanwhile, Hikari's Prisma successfully landed on the field, emitting a fluorescent glow.
Elemental Hero Prisma, LV 4, Light Attribute, Warrior-Type, ATK 1700.
"Now, the effect of Monster Counter will activate." Ex recited the card's effect emotionlessly, "When a Monster is successfully Summon·Special Summoned, both players send cards from the top of their Deck to the Graveyard equal to that Monster's Level.
Prisma's Star Level is 4, so both players must send four cards from the top of their Decks to the Graveyard."
"Uh, it's Deck destruction?" Mitsuzawa Daichi recognized the card, quickly understanding Ex's strategy as the Duel Monster card encyclopedia.
"But if that's the case, that person's Deck will also be destroyed." Judai raised a question.
"No." Ed shook his head, "Only Minister Tenjo will lose cards."
"Why?"
At this point, Ex began explaining the effect: "Unfortunately, as long as Trap Jammer is on the field in Attack Position, the controller of this card will not be affected by Continuous Trap Card effects."
At first glance, it seemed like a Monster immune to Trap Cards.
But looking deeper, you would find—this thing is a bit absurd.
Because this card's effect applies not "to itself" but "to the player."
Therefore, as long as this card is on the field, the Duelist who summoned it can ignore effects like "Honest Expression" that reveal Hand Cards, ignore effects like "Limitless" to summon at will, and even disregard "Summon Limiters" to wildly Special Summon in a turn.
A cartoonish character with a large mouth appeared on Ex's field, then licked Hikari's Deck.
Then, four cards from the top of Hikari's Deck were sent to the Graveyard.
"Too despicable, only he doesn't discard cards while destroying the opponent's cards!"
"Oh dear, this way, he can easily achieve victory without using Monsters at all."
Hikari picked up one of the four cards sent to the Graveyard: "Activate the Monster Effect of Falcon in the Graveyard; when this card is sent to the Graveyard by an effect, it can be Special Summoned in Face-down Position."
Buzz—
A gemstone entwined with sinister purple Puppet Strings lay quietly on Hikari's field.
"Since it is a Face-down Special Summon, your Trap Card effect won't activate either." Hikari continued.
This made Ex slightly embarrassed.
"Impressive, Hikari. You instantly understood your opponent's strategy and made a suitable decision." Mitsuzawa nodded repeatedly.
"Then, I'll activate Prisma's effect; once per turn, by revealing a Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck and sending a card from the Deck that is referred to by the name of that Monster Card to the Graveyard, this card's name becomes that card."
"I reveal the Fusion Monster Thunder Dragon Colossus from the Extra Deck and send Thunder Dragon from the Deck to the Graveyard."
"Following this, I activate the Spell Card, Thunder Dragon Fusion!"
Tenjo Hikari used Polymerization: "This card allows returning Monsters from the field, Graveyard, or banished to the Deck for a Thunder-Type Monster fusion!"
"I return the Thunder Dragon on the field and the Thunder Dragon in the Graveyard to the Deck, Fusion Summon! Thunder Dragon Colossus!"
Electric currents gather, then—
With a loud bang!
Thunder crashed down from above, manifesting a human-sized black Thunder Dragon on the field.
Thunder Dragon Colossus, LV 8, Dark Attribute, Thunder-Type, ATK 2600.
"Recovering cards for fusion?! That's shocking—but this means you'll have to discard 8 cards again!" Ex commanded the cashier next to him, snatching exactly 8 cards from Hikari's Deck.
"Oh no, even after recovering the cards, the Deck is diminishing at a terrifying rate!"
"What an incredible reduction; it's too much!"
Just watching, many students wore pained expressions.
If it were them in the Duel, watching their companions enter the Graveyard without doing anything, it would be hard to maintain their composure.
"Many Professional Duelists who dueled against that guy ended up giving up on the Duel afterward," Ed couldn't help but add, "Destroying a Duelist's bond with their Deck through Deck destruction is a devastating blow to those who believe deeply in the bond with their Deck."
"Hehehehe…" Ex pushed up his glasses and said, "I've seen many Duelists who believe deeply in their bond, all deeply trusting in their Decks.
Tenjo Hikari, lately someone called you the Absolute Fusion Master, seemingly a Duelist who believes deeply in Fusion. How interesting, how thrilling—to duel against a Duelist like you!"
"Heh…" Hikari said nothing, just watched the 8 cards sent to the Graveyard.
He checked the 8 cards sent to the Graveyard.
Not bad.
"Battle, attack with Thunder Dragon—"
"That won't do, activating Continuous Trap Card, Gravity Bind! Monsters above LV 4 on the field cannot attack."
"Oh no! Now Hikari can't even reduce the opponent's Life Points through attacks!"
"It's the worst scenario!"
The atmosphere around felt unfavorable.
Hikari glanced around briefly.
With 12 cards piled in the Graveyard, to be fair, there was quite a bit of good stuff there.
But since Gravity Bind was in effect, it's a matter for the next turn.
"Set two cards, end my turn."
"Hikari seems so relaxed."
"Though 12 cards have already been sent to the Graveyard!"
"Even with the recoveries, the Deck is rapidly decreasing!"
The students discussed among themselves.
Among them, Jun, who usually had the biggest heart and enjoyed dueling the most, was now the most nervous, saying nothing, gulping constantly, sweat trickling down his forehead, and his hands rubbing together anxiously.
This scene, to him, felt somewhat "brutal."
On the other hand, noticing Hikari's calmness, Professional Duelist X, who took pleasure in destroying others' "bonds," was thrown off.
What's going on?
How can someone remain so unmoved by this level of Deck destruction?
"Draw!"
Now he himself had become suspicious.
Could it be that this person doesn't care about the Deck at all—
No.
Must be—
He looked toward Hikari's Deck.
Then glanced down.
Hahaha, I understand now.
Because what he cares about is [Fusion] after all.
Then I'll use these cards!
Destroy your Extra Deck!