"Duel!" x2
[Yugen, LP 4000]
[Taira Oyama, LP 4000]
"Then I'll take the first move. Draw."
Yugen immediately revealed a card from his hand.
"Activate Magic Card 'Handwriting Erasure', both players discard all their hands, then draw the same number of cards."
Taira Oyama discarded all the cards in his hand into the graveyard, sneering, "So your starting hand wasn't good, huh? Well, sometimes that happens. But if your skills are lacking, changing your hand won't solve the problem."
As he spoke, he drew five new cards.
"That's not something you need to worry about." Yugen smiled and also redrew his cards.
He quickly picked one from the new five-card hand.
"Activate Magic Card 'Mischievous Twin Fairies'. Pay 1000 Life Points, randomly discard one card from your opponent's hand, then they discard one of their choice."
[Yugen, LP 4000→LP 3000]
What? Discard two cards?
Taira Oyama frowned, "Hmph, without confidence to defeat my draw, you're choosing to disrupt my hand?"
"Discard the third card from the left." Yugen said casually.
Taira Oyama pulled out that card, then chose one more himself. The Twin Fairies vanished with two cards.
"Then I'll set a Monster Card in the frontfield, and cover one card in the backfield, ending my turn." Yugen said.
The spectators, watching this opening, began to speculate on Yugen's strategy.
"A hand-disruption deck strategy, right? I think I've seen Yugen use it before." Hayato said.
Asuka nodded, "It's a deck that can nip the opponent's strategy in the bud, very representative of Yugen's style. If this Taira Oyama really has honed a powerful draw skill as he claims, then perhaps this is the right choice for this duel..."
Judai was still mumbling, "Damn, if I had spoken up sooner, maybe I would have had a chance."
Marufuji Sho sweated, "Big Bro is still thinking about that..."
"..."
Taira Oyama shouted, "You think disrupting my hand will interfere with my draw? It's useless against the results of my training!"
"It's my turn, draw a card!"
"At this moment, activate the Cover Card." Yugen immediately triggered the trap, "Trap Card - Fallen. The card drawn during your draw phase is sent directly to the graveyard."
"Here it is, Yugen's Fallen!" Marufuji Sho said, "Whatever card he draws doesn't matter now..."
"Is that really the case?"
Taira Oyama smirked, bursting into laughter.
"Now I'll show you the truth of the draw I've honed!
The card I drew is 'Despair from Darkness'!"
He revealed the Monster Card sent to the graveyard.
'Despair from Darkness', an Undead Monster with a hellish design. It appeared once in Chazz's hand and, as an ancient card, even had significance in the sixth series, Vrains.
"'Despair from Darkness', when sent to the graveyard by an opponent's effect from hand or deck, can be Special Summoned!
So I shall directly Special Summon 'Despair from Darkness'! Show yourself!"
Flames like those of hell erupted sky-high, manifesting an ominous Demon silhouette. Its claws are dark purple, a sinister smile on its face, abstract horns atop its head.
[Despair from Darkness, Attack Power 2800]
"He actually drew 'Despair from Darkness'!" Marufuji Sho gasped.
Asuka also looked stunned, "A card like that at the exact moment Fallen takes effect... Is it a coincidence? Or could it be..."
"Haha! I told you, now my draw is invincible!" Taira Oyama said with utmost confidence, "No matter what strategy you use, it will all be neutralized by my invincible draw!
I also activate Magic Card 'Pot of Magic Book', both players draw three cards from their decks.
Then I Normal Summon 'Hell Dragon'!"
[Hell Dragon, Attack Power 2000]
"Attack! Hell Dragon, attack the covered monster!"
The covered Monster Card flipped, revealing a Giant Rat.
[Giant Rat, Defense Power 1450]
The Giant Rat was crushed and destroyed, leaving the field, as Yugen retrieved a card from his deck.
"When Giant Rat is sent to the graveyard by battle, Special Summon an Earth Attribute Monster with 1500 or less Attack Power from the deck in Attack Position.
I Special Summon 'Pyramid Turtle'."
[Pyramid Turtle, Attack Power 1200]
"Then 'Despair from Darkness', attack Pyramid Turtle!" Taira Oyama ordered, "This wall should be crushed immediately!"
The demon's claw descended, shredding the giant turtle bearing a pyramid, exploding and crumbling on the field.
[Yugen, LP 3000→LP 1400]
"Then use the effect of 'Pyramid Turtle', to Special Summon an Undead Monster with 2000 or less Defense Power from the deck. I Special Summon this card..."
Yugen placed the retrieved Monster Card onto the field.
"Special Summon 'Dragonbone Ghost'!"
An eerie atmosphere unfolded on the field, as a massive body formed of countless skeletons, each bone distinct. Interwoven skulls comprised a large twisted framework. Its eyes burned like unextinguishable ghostly flames, flashing a sinister smile between its sharp fangs.
[Dragonbone Ghost, Attack Power 2400]
As soon as it appeared, Marufuji Sho hugged himself, feeling the environment grow colder, muttering, "Why are all of Yugen's monsters so ominous..."
"I see, using a double-move as a springboard to summon such a powerful high-level monster in one sweep. Impressive tactic. But alas, it cannot rival my 'Despair from Darkness'."
Taira Oyama puffed his chest with pride.
"Ultimately, strategy and deck-building have limits; only within the draw lies the truth of the duel!"
He drew two more cards.
"Set two cards in the backfield, end my turn!"
Then he pointed to his Hell Dragon on the field.
"During the end of a turn in which Hell Dragon attacks, it destroys itself."
The Hell Dragon, after its Four-Star 2000 Attack Point performance, exploded into a burst of flames and exited the field.
"Now it's my turn, draw."
Yugen drew a card and played one from his hand.
"Summon 'Killer Tomato'."
[Killer Tomato, Attack Power 1400]
"In Attack Position?" Taira Oyama frowned, "Such a weak monster..."
"Indeed, I've witnessed your drawing abilities. 'Despair from Darkness' was a shocking surprise, incredible." Yugen sincerely praised, "Honestly, right now I don't have a monster that can surpass it..."
Hearing Yugen's words, Taira Oyama's grin widened, feeling quite pleased with himself.
But then Yugen continued.
"Since I can't defeat it, I'll have to borrow it for a while.
Activate Magic Card 'Forced Transfer', both players each select one monster from their field and exchange control."
Taira Oyama's smile vanished immediately.