"Since everyone's ready, let's begin determining the duel order."
After all four duelists inserted their Decks and plugged the connectors into their Duel Disks, Roland announced the next rule.
"Each duelist will select one card from their Deck. The turn order will be decided by the Attack Points of the chosen monster. However, that card cannot be returned to the Deck."
With that rule in place, the psychological warfare of this duel grew even deeper—by showing a monster with high Attack, one could seize an early turn order and gain the right to choose their first target.
"Before that." As soon as Roland finished reading the rules, Seto Kaiba flicked a card toward Youmi. "This is [Dark Magician], repaired using KaibaCorp's technology. Whether you put it in your Deck is up to you."
Youmi's eyes lit up as she caught [Dark Magician], sliding it into her Deck without a word.
She just drew one card from her Extra Deck and placed it face-down on the duel console, while the other three were still deciding which monsters to reveal.
"Time's up. Duelists, reveal your monsters."
Joey revealed [Black Skull Dragon] with 3200 Attack.
Yami Yugi revealed [Valkyrion the Magna Warrior] with 3500 Attack.
Seto Kaiba revealed [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon] with 4500 Attack.
"Kaiba, you're seriously giving up [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon]?!"
Joey gawked at Kaiba's card in disbelief.
"Hmph. [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] may be ultra-rare, but I have more than one [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon]."
Kaiba let out his trademark 'hmph.' "I can Fusion Summon one with [Polymerization], then use [Dragon's Mirror] to summon another."
"Still, you didn't win the first move." Though surprised Kaiba had shown [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon], Yami Yugi didn't dwell on it. He pointed toward Youmi. "Take a look at what she picked."
In Youmi's hand was [Five-Headed Dragon]—5000 Attack.
"What?! [Five-Headed Dragon]?!" ×2
No one expected Youmi to show a monster totally unrelated to her Deck. Kaiba stared in disbelief. "Hey, woman, your Deck isn't Dragon-based, is it?!"
"There's no rule saying Fusion Monsters have to match my Main Deck, right? Just because I don't Fusion Summon doesn't mean I can't bring a few along." Youmi waved [Five-Headed Dragon] casually and set it aside. "Alright, alright, let's start the duel~"
Turn 1
Because of the Attack order, Youmi earned the first move.
"My turn. Draw." Youmi looked over her six cards, then grinned. "I Set five cards and end my turn."
Turn 2
"Tch, such a devious duelist. But no matter what you've prepared, I'll break through it." Kaiba drew forcefully, then Set one monster. "No one can attack on their first turn anyway, so as long as I wait until my next turn, I'll wipe out my target in one blow…"
Muttering to himself, Kaiba cast a sidelong glance at Joey.
"I Set one monster in face-down Defense Position, then Set two cards. Turn end."
If he summoned a strong monster now, it might get destroyed by a counter card, leaving his field open for Youmi's direct attack—something Kaiba definitely didn't want. His goal was clear: take down Joey first, then crush Yugi with the overwhelming power of two Egyptian God Cards.
Turn 3
"My turn. Draw."
Yami Yugi drew, then activated a Field Spell. "I activate [Fusion Gate]. While this card is on the field, I can Fusion Summon without [Polymerization]. The Fusion Materials are banished instead of being sent to the Graveyard. I use this effect, fusing [Beastking of the Swamps] (as [Dark Magician]) and [Buster Blader] from my hand to Fusion Summon [Dark Paladin]!"
"Then I Set one card and end my turn."
[Dark Paladin] can, while face-up on the field, discard one card to negate and destroy a Spell Card when it's activated. Yami Yugi still had two cards in his hand—meaning he could negate two Spell activations.
Turn 4
"Man… everyone's fields look so solid already. My turn, draw!" Joey drew a card, glanced at everyone's backrows and picked one from his hand. "I activate [Harpie's Feather Duster] to destroy all of Youmi's Spells and Traps!"
"Eh, why do you even have that?" Youmi blinked, then glanced down to see Mai Valentine among the spectators. "Ah, I see… you borrowed it from her, huh?"
A gust of green feathers swept over Youmi's backrow—yet nothing was destroyed.
A Set card slowly flipped open.
"Counter Trap—[Solemn Judgment]! I pay half my Life Points to negate [Harpie's Feather Duster] and destroy it."
Youmi's LP dropped to 2000, and her platform suddenly rose halfway up the Duel Tower. Just 2000 LP more, and she'd qualify as one of the first duelists for the semifinals.
Joey looked up at her, dumbfounded. "Why'd Youmi just shoot up—Ah! [Solemn Judgment]! You can climb faster by paying LP on purpose!"
"I Set one monster and two Spells or Traps. Turn end."
He said it, but Joey didn't have many cards that cost LP, so he could only glance at the field and end his turn.
"Don't be so hasty. I activate my Set card—[Welcome Labrynth], to Special Summon a [Labrynth] monster from my Deck."
The card Youmi flipped open was indeed [Welcome Labrynth]. Since she didn't have the Field Spell [Labrynth Labyrinth] active, she couldn't trigger its destruction effect combo, meaning the two-card chain Joey had seen before wouldn't work this time.
Regardless, [Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle] had the ability to recover Trap Cards from the Graveyard and was the ace of Youmi's Deck. Seeing this, Yami Yugi immediately flipped his own Set card.
"Counter Trap—[Seven Tools of the Bandit]! I pay 1000 LP to negate and destroy your Trap."
Yami Yugi's platform rose as he paid LP—abruptly, then, the moment he did, Youmi's platform rose again.
"Counter Trap—[Solemn Judgment]! I pay half my LP again to negate [Seven Tools of the Bandit]~"
...
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