# Chapter 93: Probing
"Number 16: Shock Master's effect activates!"
"Once per turn, by detaching 1 Overlay Material from this card, declare one card type. Until your opponent's turn ends, neither player can activate cards of the declared type."
"The effect I will declare is Monster Cards!"
The Mechanical Fortress's Core lit up, and an eerie light swept across the entire Field.
"Oh? Is this such a troublesome effect?" Yuri glanced at his opening Hand and smiled.
"Looks like you have a way to deal with it?" You Hao shrugged and said.
"I Set two cards, End Turn."
"My Turn! Draw!" Yuri drew a card.
"A direct lockdown on Monster Effects at the rule level?"
"A very powerful effect," Yuri said, "However, compared to Xyz Summons and Synchro Summons, which require Monsters to be played onto the Field via effects, Fusion Summon has an inherent advantage: it can perform a hand Fusion via Fusion Spell Cards." Yuri said slowly.
"But isn't this also the most hand-disadvantageous method?" You Hao sneered.
"That's right, but under the effect of your annoying Monster, I can only do this." Yuri glanced at the Predaplant Byblisp in his Hand and said helplessly.
"Field Spell, Fusion Recycling Plant, activate!"
"Field Spell, Fusion Recycling Plant's effect: Once per turn, by discarding 1 card from your Hand, add 1 'Fusion' Spell Card from your Deck or Graveyard to your Hand."
"Spell Card, Fusion, activate!"
"I will Fusion Summon using Predaplant Byblisp and Predaplant Sarraceniant from my Hand!"
"Two alluring flowers that lure insects with their aroma, now unite as one! Become a wicked flower, and devour everything before you! Fusion Summon! Level 7! Predaplant Chimerafflesia!"
A thick vine emerged from the Fusion Vortex before Yuri. At the tip of the vine, a pink flower bud slowly opened, revealing a monstrous maw at its center.
Predaplant Chimerafflesia ATK: 2500
"At this moment, the Trap Card in my Graveyard, Predaplant Planning, activates! If this card is in the Graveyard and I successfully Fusion Summon a DARK Attribute Monster, by banishing this card from the Graveyard, I can target 1 card on the Field and Destroy that card."
"I will destroy that annoying Monster!" Yuri pointed at Number 16: Shock Master on You Hao's Field and said.
Countless thin vines wrapped around Number 16: Shock Master, attempting to strangle it.
"Quick-Play Spell, Forbidden Lance, activate! Target 1 face-up Monster on the Field; that Monster loses 800 Attack Points until the End of this Turn, and is unaffected by the effects of other Spell/Trap Cards."
Number 16: Shock Master ATK: 2300 → 1500
The countless vines were completely shattered by a Long Spear that descended from the sky, and the Mechanical Fortress was completely unharmed.
"Well done." His Effect was blocked, but Yuri was unfazed. Instead, he licked his lips. "With this kind of Power, it's worth the risk of being scolded by Professor to come play with you."
"Then, Predaplant Chimerafflesia, Attack Number 16: Shock Master!"
It's fair; Number 16: Shock Master, with its powerful Suppression at the rule level, was much weaker in terms of raw stats. Its 2300 Attack Points were only enough to bully weaker Monsters. Fortunately, You Hao played it safe, and Number 16: Shock Master, Summoned in Defense Position, was Destroyed, but he didn't take any Battle Damage.
"I Set two cards, End Turn." Yuri said.
"At this moment, Field Spell, Fusion Recycling Plant's effect activates! During your own or your opponent's End Phase, you can target 1 Fusion Material Monster in your Graveyard that was used for a Fusion Summon this turn; add that Monster to your Hand."
"I will return Predaplant Sarraceniant from my Graveyard to my Hand."
Everyone present held their breath, intently watching the Duel in the center of the Battlefield. If You Hao and Aster Phoenix's Duel earlier was like sworn enemies meeting, fueled by animosity and skipping the probing to go straight for a full-on brawl, then You Hao and Yuri's current Duel was still in the stage of mutual probing. The first Turn's exchange between both sides was evenly matched.
"My Turn! Draw!"
"Spell Card, Gagagarevenge, activate! Target 1 'Gagaga' Monster in my Graveyard; Special Summon that Monster, and Equip this card to it."
"Return! Gogogo Ghost - Gagaga Coat!"
"Gogogo Ghost - Gagaga Coat's effect activates!"
"Target 1 'Dododo' Monster or 'Zubababa' Monster in my Graveyard; Special Summon that Monster."
"Appear! Onomatopia Utopia!"
"Zubababa Dwarf - Dododo Glove's effect activates from the Graveyard!"
"If this card is in the Graveyard, and there is a 'Dododo' or 'Zubababa' Monster on my Field other than this card, this card can be Special Summoned."
"Three more Monsters in an instant? This time, I won't let you Xyz Summon so smoothly." Yuri said with a smile, and flipped open a Set Card.
"Continuous Trap, Song of the Fiends, activate!"
"While this card is on the Field, all face-up Monsters on your Opponent's Field lose 1 Level."
An eerie song emanated from the card in Yuri's Backrow. The three Monsters on You Hao's Field, under the Effect of this song, had their forms distorted.
Gogogo Ghost - Gagaga Coat Level: 4 → 3
Onomatopia Utopia Level: 4 → 3
Zubababa Dwarf - Dododo Glove Level: 4 → 3
"I watched your Duel with Aster Phoenix just now, every single bit of it." Yuri chuckled lightly. "You should be a duelist specializing in Rank 4 Xyz Summons, right? I bet you don't have any Rank 3 Monsters in your Extra Deck, do you?"
You Hao: ...
So you're proud of this? You Hao muttered inwardly, as he looked at the Song of the Fiends in Yuri's Backrow.
Among the four Tomatoes of this World, only this guy likes to fill his Deck with counter cards.
"Then, Spell Card, Dododo Draw, activate! I send Onomatopia Utopia from the Field to the Graveyard! I Draw two cards!" You Hao, who indeed didn't have a single Rank 3 Monster in his Extra Deck, had to find another way.
"I flip my Set Card, Trap Card, Xyz Reborn, activate!"
"Target 1 Xyz Monster in my Graveyard; Special Summon that Monster, and attach this card to it as Overlay Material."
"Revive! Number 16: Shock Master!"
The fragments of the Mechanical Fortress that were bitten apart last turn reassembled themselves and returned to the Field.
Number 16: Shock Master DEF: 2000
"Oh? That troublesome Monster is back?" Yuri said with interest. "Are you planning to rely on this Monster to last another turn?"
"No, the probing should be over now. Let's get straight to the main event! Number 16: Shock Master's effect activates! Once per turn, by detaching 1 Overlay Material, declare one card type; until the End of the next turn, neither player can activate cards of the declared type! What I will declare is – Trap Cards!"
(End of Chapter)