"Artificial Human - Telekinesis Intimidator, direct attack!"
Under Yugen's command, Soga was unmistakably summoned to the field this time. The Trap Prohibition Domain opened, completely sealing off Lixid's backfield, rendering any counter-traps he might have futile.
Telekinesis Wave!
The Artificial Human raised both palms to the chest, gathering a massive surge of electrical light and telekinesis energy into the palms, which transformed into a roaring telekinesis light wave that exploded outward.
The telekinesis ball exploded against Lixid, causing him to stagger back half a step, with his black robe fluttering wildly in the chaotic telekinetic turbulence.
[Lixid, LP4000→LP1600]
"Next, activate the Magic Card 'Heaven and Earth's Treasure Scroll.' In a turn where an upper-level summon was performed, draw two cards from the deck, but those cards cannot be used; if coverable, at least cover one of them."
"Finally, cover one card, turn ends."
Yugen smiled.
"Looks like you're not very proficient in dealing with Soga, are you?"
Lixid steadied himself, pondering silently.
He indeed came on the Tomb Guardian Race master's instructions to invite the Duel King for important discussions, and also to possibly gauge the depth of the current generation's King if the opportunity arose.
Prior to this trip, Lixid had done a bit of research on Yugen, knowing that the current generation's King's tactical style was varied and his methods elusive and unpredictable. However, to his knowledge, although the investigation revealed that this person indeed held an Artificial Human card deck, it wasn't frequently used.
Facing his opponent for the first time, he had not revealed his details in the sudden duel invitation, and surprisingly, his opponent directly played Soga twice to demonstrate power—was this really a coincidence?
Lixid took a deep breath.
No matter what, the task remained unchanged. As a Duelist, even in the most adverse situations, one must trust their card deck and carry out the duel to the end.
Even if he were to lose, at least to do his utmost to draw out more of the opponent's strength, it would fulfill the Tomb Guardian master's mandate.
Furthermore, even though the Artificial Human was the greatest nemesis to his card deck, he might not be without solutions.
"My turn, draw a card."
Lixid drew a card and immediately revealed the Magic Card he had drawn.
"Magic Card 'Pot of Greed,' draw two cards from the deck."
Lixid drew the cards, then composed himself, declaring.
"Activate the Magic Card from my hand—
—Acid Rainstorm!"
A Magic Card was activated, instantly dimming the sky, followed by torrential rain pouring down.
However, this rain wasn't ordinary; it fell upon the steel form of the Artificial Human, immediately producing hissing sounds and emitting transparent white smoke.
Soga looked at his hands in terror, finding his alloy body rapidly corroding at a visible pace in the rain. Large patches of rust spread over him like a plague, soon covering most of his form.
Soga roared unwillingly, his body starting to disintegrate and vanish until it turned into a pile of scrap.
"Acid Rainstorm is an acid rain that is a one-hit kill for the Mechanical Race," Lixid explained, "All Mechanical Race monsters on the field must be destroyed under the acid corrosion."
Yugen raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Let me guess, a card aimed at Artificial Humans?"
Lixid smiled, "My deck is primarily a trap-based deck, with over eighty percent of the cards being traps. I certainly know the greatest weakness of this deck is Artificial Human Soga, which belongs to the Mechanical Race.
Would you think, all these years, I have never considered restraint measures?"
Yugen nodded. Indeed. Even if not before, after suffering heavy losses at Joey's Soga back then, he should have considered it.
Furthermore, by the GX Era, Artificial Human Soga was still a Rare Card but not as uncommon. Several extras holding Soga were shown in GX. Being a Red Pit belief player, Lixid certainly should have prepared countermeasures.
Thus, using Soga against Lixid certainly targeted his traps but also could be countered by him.
Well, what Lixid could consider is naturally only Soga, just one card. And Yugen's current deck centered on Artificial Humans is a combination of Soga Elf's few support cards and long-term laboratory research results, a unique deck globally.
"Next, activate this card,"
Lixid displayed solemnity, playing another card from his hand.
"Guardian's Divine Hall, Royal Family's Forbidden Domain—
—Continuous Magic 'Royal Divine Hall'!"
The opulent palace, with ancient black jackal sculptures crouched in the center, guarding the mysterious sealed coffin behind. It was precisely the prototype of the actual palace scene the opponent had just visualized through dark power.
Royal Divine Hall, from the name 'Divine Hall' evidently should be a Field Spell, first appeared as a Field Spell in animation but was modified into Continuous Magic in physical cards. Later animation appearances were consistent with physical cards, not only becoming Continuous Magic but the effects were also changed to the physical card version.
Lixid's initial Divine Hall was a field spell, but what he now used was continuous. Yugen reckoned it should have been updated to the physical card version over time, mostly with the old effect.
That's right; the physical card of the Royal Divine Hall was once nerfed. As a card representing the Red Pit Pillar Power Lixid, its key effect was "Traps controlled by this card can be activated immediately when covered to the field in the current turn," nearly equivalent to a trap being activated directly from the hand during one's own turn, very powerful.
However, later due to its overwhelming strength, it was outright banned, and the nerfed effect allowed it to reappear. The new effect changed to card name once per turn, allowing one trap to be activated in the covering turn, and the card name effect can be used only once per turn.
"Cover three cards to the backfield."
Lixid added three cards to the backfield in one go.
Yugen knew that under the Divine Hall's blessing, these three covers in the backfield, though just placed, could immediately be activated. With Soga already resolved and trap binding lifted from the field, the pressure of three cover cards was not weak.
"The Royal Divine Hall is a sanctuary for traps; in the hall, traps covered in the current turn can be activated immediately!"
Lixid directly activated one of the backfield cards.
"Therefore, I activate the cover card, Trap Card 'Apib's Transformation God'!"
Though it said trap, a monster was summoned to Lixid's monster zone. Initially appeared as a sleek black snake with a bald black head, an enormous serpent head danced behind its neck, upper body human-like while the lower body was serpent form, wielding sword and shield with both hands.
Apib's Transformation God, upon activation, becomes an ordinary monster normally summoned in own monster zone.
Lixid's deck hardly had monsters, with trap monsters as his main offensive.
Even when used as monsters, they remained traps simultaneously.
"Now activate the cover card," Yugen's side of the field responded similarly, "Continuous Trap - Royal Family's Notice!"
"As long as this card is on the field, aside from this card, all trap effects on both sides of the field become invalid!"