[Yugen, LP 4000]
[Kajiki Sei, LP 4000]
Kajiki's luck is good today, drawing the first move. Kajiki draws cards and his eyes instantly light up as he sees his starting hand of six cards.
Perfect hand.JPG.
If Yugen's previous opponents often underestimated him for his poor record, Kajiki Sei wouldn't make the same mistake.
He had also watched Yugen's previous matches, especially the quarterfinal against Chazz. After analyzing it, he felt that this person was not to be underestimated, but in his eyes, Yugen was more of a cunning type opponent. Not without skill, but not excessively abundant either.
"Hmph, as long as I know your strategies in advance and prepare for it, you're nothing to fear," Kajiki loudly declared, "My turn!"
Kajiki is full of energy, wasting no time in slapping down a card, indicating that he must immediately use Fusion. He fuses the "Mechanical Sergeant" and "Mechanical King" from his hand to directly summon an Eight-Star Monster [Perfect Mechanical King].
This card was modified to be an Effect Monster in its physical card form, though originally in the anime, it was a Fusion Monster. Its original effect was to increase its attack power by 500 for each Mechanical Race monster on the field. As a Mechanical Race monster itself, it starts at a base power of 3200 upon summoning.
[Perfect Mechanical King, Attack Power 2700→Attack Power 3200]
By summoning the main card from his deck as an opener, Kajiki feels this match is half won. Starting with a Blue-Eyes White Dragon + 200 attack power in your face, how could you lose?
Then it was Yugen's turn.
Yugen isn't hurried, first summoning [Giant Rat]. A mutated, fluffy giant rat emerges onto the field, baring its teeth towards the opposing side, growling threateningly.
[Giant Rat, Attack Power 1400]
Then Yugen makes a bold move: "Giant Rat, attack 'Perfect Mechanical King'."
Giant Rat: "?"
The confused little eyes seem to say, dude, are you serious? Their attack power is more than double mine!
Why not ask me to capture the Tang Monk and his disciples?
But orders are orders, and the big rat had no choice but to charge headlong into Mechanical King, unsurprisingly getting blasted to bits in an instant.
[Yugen, LP 4000→LP 2200]
Opening with a suicidal assault left the opponent dazed.
What does this mean? Are duelists nowadays this considerate? Offering warmth at the start of a match?
Could it possibly be that the dojo secretly paid him to be an actor?
But he quickly realized that the suicidal charged rat had a death rattle effect. When Giant Rat is destroyed in battle and sent to the graveyard, it allows a monster with an attack power of 1500 or less to be Special Summoned from the deck to the field.
Upon hearing this effect, Kajiki merely chuckled inwardly.
Attack power of 1500 or less? Doesn't that mean just miscellaneous monsters?
"Special Summon this card from the deck," Yugen reveals the searched card, "'Magic Attacker'!"
[Magic Attacker, Attack Power 600]
A little guy seemingly leaping out from a chibi cartoon pops onto the field, holding a tiny scepter, its art style and small stature only make it appear like it's just there to be cute.
"Magic Attacker's effect allows it to directly attack the opponent player," Yugen gestures, "Direct attack!"
[Kajiki Sei, LP 4000→LP 3400]
Taking 600 damage, Kajiki Sei is unconcerned: "Heh, just for this little damage? It's completely negligible..."
Clearly, this guy hasn't realized the seriousness of the situation.
Yugen chuckled: "My battle phase is over. Next, I activate the Equipment Magic 'Power of the Guardian' from my hand to equip the 'Magic Attacker'. Sure looks like you just equipped nothing?"
The sight of the 'Magic Attacker' being wrapped in golden light yet with attack power unchanged left Kajiki Sei puzzled.
This world's card battles aren't like the ones in Yugen's previous life; players cannot instantly check the opponent's card effects unless they know and remember the card's effects to counter them first-hand.
"My turn!"
Kajiki Sei draws and promptly announces: "I Normal Summon 'Mechanical Sergeant' in attack position!"
[Mechanical King Sergeant, Attack Power 1600]
"With the increase in Mechanical Race monsters on the field, 'Perfect Mechanical King's' attack power rises by 500 again."
[Perfect Mechanical King, Attack Power 3200→Attack Power 3700]
Kajiki Sei waves his hand: "Attack 'Magic Attacker' with 'Mechanical Sergeant'!"
As the Mechanical Sergeant stepped forward, before even making a move, the golden light around 'Magic Attacker' was already shimmering.
"At this moment, the effect of 'Power of the Guardian' activates," Yugen said, "When the monster equipped with 'Power of the Guardian' enters a battle attack declaration phase, place a mana indicator on this card.
For each indicator on 'Power of the Guardian,' the equipped monster's attack power increases by 500."
[Power of the Guardian, Mana Indicator 0→1]
[Magic Attacker, Attack Power 600→Attack Power 1100]
"Heh, increasing attack power by this amount is nothing but 'Kida'," Kajiki Sei shouted, "Battle continues, Sergeant destroys that miscellaneous monster!"
Yet as the metal fist struck out, it only produced a layer of faint golden ripples. As the ripples dissipated, Magic Attacker remained standing, absolutely unharmed.
Kajiki Sei: "!"
Why!?
"Another effect of 'Power of the Guardian'," Yugen replied, "When the equipped monster would be destroyed, you can remove a mana indicator from the field to negate destruction from battle or effects."
[Power of the Guardian, Mana Indicator 1→0]
[Magic Attacker, Attack Power 1100→Attack Power 600]
Kajiki Sei: "?"
Wait a minute...
"You just said 'Power of the Guardian' can place an indicator during the attack declaration phase, correct!" Kajiki thought he found a loophole, "But clearly it was I who initiated the attack just now, your monster never declared an attack. So how could it also gain...."
He began to suspect he had been bluffed...
"Is this your first day dueling?" Yugen squinted at him with a look reserved for newcomers in the card battle club, explaining patiently, "The wording of 'Power of the Guardian' isn't to place a mana indicator 'at the time of the equipped monster's attack declaration,' but at the 'attack declaration phase of any battle involving the equipped monster'."
Kajiki: "?"
Is there a difference?
"Whether you attack or I make the first move, as long as the monsters engage in battle, there exists an 'attack declaration phase,' triggering the indicator placement effect." Yugen continued patiently to explain the intricacies of the card game rules.
Kajiki: "!"
Nani? Does that mean it's invincible?
As long as it's attacked, indicators increase, then by removing an indicator, destruction can be nullified...
Doesn't that make the monster equipped by this thing basically immortal?
"Hold on..."
Kajiki furrowed his brows, sensing it wasn't quite that simple.
"But battle damage should still be calculated." He suspiciously remarked.
"Oh, that's the effect of 'Magic Attacker' itself," Yugen explained, "'Magic Attacker' negates all battle damage dealt to its controller during its battles."
Kajiki: "!?"
Battle damage is 0.....wait, something's off, very off indeed.
Because 'Power of the Guardian' is equipped, no matter how it's attacked, 'Magic Attacker' is invulnerable.
Moreover, due to its own ability, it takes no battle damage from battles.
Plus, 'Magic Attacker' can directly attack the enemy player...no, not just that, 'Power of the Guardian' increases its attack power with every additional attack....
Hiss~
Kajiki sharpens his intake of breath, his face struck with awe.
Who could devise such an underworld strategy...
...must be some kind of dog, right!?