Yusaku raised his arm high.
"I tribute the [The Bystial Lubellion], [Red Rising Dragon], and [Vision Resonator] on my field to Special Summon the monster in my hand."
The instant his voice fell, it was as if a blood-red curtain was thrown over the sky above the field, the vivid color looking like it might drip down at any moment.
"Hero of despair who brings an end to all fate, descend in this moment! Destiny HERO – Plasma!!"
A chaotic storm tinged with blood howled into existence, a crimson mist wrapping around the field.
The ground turned into a blood-colored mire. A clawed hand burst out, and a HERO wreathed in malice slowly rose up.
Massive wings spread from his back. The dragon head mounted on his right wrist opened its jaws slightly and breathed out a dull crimson mist.
[Destiny HERO – Plasma]
[Warrior / Special Summon / Effect]
[ATK 1900]
"Uh…"
Seeing the monster that appeared, the students and duelists on site all froze where they sat.
It wasn't that they had never seen this monster before, but this was the first time it had ever shown up in a Red Dragon Archfiend deck.
"I get it now!"
One duelist suddenly shot to his feet.
"No wonder Yusaku sent [Break the Destiny] to the GY earlier. From the very start, he was aiming to summon this monster. I've gotta say, Plasma is actually a perfect fit for a Red Dragon Archfiend deck!"
"But doesn't a [Red Dragon Archfiend] deck have super harsh self-locks? How can he even summon Plasma?" someone couldn't help asking.
"That's how I can tell you're just a theory-craft 'cloud player' watching from afar. The self-lock on [Red Dragon Archfiend] only hits the Extra Deck; it hardly affects the Main Deck at all!"
"Adding Plasma to a Red Dragon Archfiend build… that's such a galaxy-brain idea!"
"…"
On the track, D-Wheel engines roared.
Yusaku shouted: "Effect of [D-Force]! The [Destiny HERO – Plasma] in my Monster Zone gains ATK equal to 100 times the total number of monsters in both GYs!"
"There are 14 monsters in my GY and 1 monster in yours, [Effect Veiler]. So the ATK of the [Plasma] on my field increases by 1500!"
[Destiny HERO – Plasma]
[ATK 1900 → 3400]
"Next is the effect of [Red Supernova Dragon]. This card gains ATK equal to 500 times the number of Tuners in my GY."
"There are four Resonators in my GY, so [Red Supernova Dragon] gains 2000 ATK!"
[Red Supernova Dragon]
[ATK 4000 → 6000]
"Then I activate the Continuous Spell [Crimson Gaia]."
A Spell Card shimmering with faint crimson light appeared behind Yusaku.
"Finally, I set one card and end my turn."
He slid a card into his Duel Disk.
With a crisp hum, a face-down card materialized to the right of his D-Wheel.
"End Phase."
"Due to the effect of [Bystial Magnamhut] that I Special Summoned earlier, I add the Level 4 Dragon [Shining Star Dragon] from my Deck to my hand."
After adding the searched card, Yusaku looked over at Kazuki.
"My effects are all resolved. It's your turn."
Right now his field held four monsters: Red Supernova Dragon, Destiny HERO – Plasma, Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss, and Bystial Dis Pater.
In the back row he had one set card, plus the Continuous Spells [Branded Regained], [Crimson Gaia], and [D-Force].
"Hiss…"
Looking at Yusaku's board, some duelists sucked in a sharp breath.
"This is… pretty much unwinnable. Red Supernova Dragon can banish the entire opposing field, Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss can negate a face-up card effect, and [Bystial Dis Pater] is a monster effect negate…"
"…And that's still not the most disgusting thing. The truly busted one is Plasma. A 1900 ATK Plasma is one thing, but this Plasma is sitting at 3500 ATK…
"With [D-Force] face-up, it can't be targeted by effects, can't be destroyed by effects, and it can attack twice in one Battle Phase! On top of that, the opponent's monsters all get negated! Tch tch, how's the guy on the other side supposed to play the game?"
"You guys only know how to stare at monsters. None of you noticed Yusaku's back row? The card he searched just now was the Red Dragon Archfiend archetype's own [Scarlet Security], right? With that and Red Supernova Dragon, he can wipe the board twice.
"And every time something gets banished, [Branded Regained] lets him draw cards too!
"Plus, Yusaku still has two cards in hand. Who knows what those are… Tch tch, I can only say this board is terrifying!!! I don't know if those Tops snobs are regretting their choice right about now."
On the field.
Kazuki twisted his throttle out of the corner and placed his hand on his Deck.
"Then it's my turn. Draw!"
He drew, then immediately slammed the card down.
"I activate the Spell [Pot of Greed]. Any response?"
Yusaku shook his head. "No chain."
"Then by the effect of [Pot of Greed], I draw two cards from my Deck!"
Kazuki drew, glanced at the new cards, then snapped his gaze back to Yusaku, voice suddenly rising.
"I'll admit your ideas are sharp. Being able to think of running Plasma in a Red Dragon Archfiend deck… If I hadn't opened with this card, you really might have beaten me!"
"But too bad. Today, luck is on my side!"
He slammed down a card, shouting:
"I activate the Spell Card – [Dark Ruler No More]!"
"This card's effect is: for all face-up monsters your opponent currently controls, 'I'll admit your ideas are sharp. Being able to think of running Plasma in a Red Dragon Archfiend deck… If I hadn't opened with this card, you really might have beaten me!'"
"Now tell me, are you regretting that little wager you made earlier?"
"Nice!"
Seeing the card Kazuki played, the Tops dojo students couldn't help leaping from their seats.
"Kazuki-senpai, if you had this card you should've said so earlier! Had me worried for nothing. Hmph, now it's his turn to panic. Yusaku burned through so many resources for that board. Once Kazuki-senpai sets up his own field, the duel is over!"
"Why does every one of those Tops duelists seem to be born with a copy of [Dark Ruler No More] in hand…"
"We made it all the way here and still can't close it out, huh…"
Just as everyone started to feel their hearts sinking, Kouki shot them a sideways glance and said flatly:
"What are you moping for, one after another? Didn't you notice Yusaku never looked nervous for even a second?"
Everyone blinked, then hurriedly turned their eyes to the big screen over the square.
The very next second, Yusaku's voice boomed through the speakers and filled the entire venue.
"Regret?" Yusaku gave Kazuki a sidelong look. "I knew you had that card in your hand from the very start."
Kazuki froze, then threw his head back laughing.
"I already told you, [Dark Ruler No More] can't be chained to with monster effects!"
Yusaku shot him a look. "Of course I know you can't chain monster effects to it. You're the one who didn't listen carefully to what I said."
Kazuki: "??"
"I'm chaining my Continuous Trap [Red Zone] to your [Dark Ruler No More]! And in this chain, I activate the effect of [Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss]!"
"During either player's turn, I can target 1 face-up card you control and negate its effects until the end of this turn."
Yusaku pointed straight ahead.
"I target your freshly activated [Dark Ruler No More], and negate its effects until the end of the turn!"
Kazuki was stunned for a heartbeat, then started laughing again.
"I already told you, [Dark Ruler No More] can't be chained to with monster effects!"
Yusaku gave him the same look again. "I just said I know that. You're really not listening.
"What I'm chaining is my Continuous Trap Card [Red Zone]! Because I've opened that chain link, I can then activate the effect of [Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss] on the same chain."
Kazuki's pupils shrank. "What!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the Hot Red Dragon Archfiend behind Yusaku suddenly let out a deafening roar.
Its jaws gaped wide, and a pillar of flame erupted like a supervolcano, surging straight toward Kazuki's [Dark Ruler No More] with the intent to burn everything away.
"BOOOOOM!!!"
With an explosive crash, a shockwave swept across the whole field like a tidal wave. Even the spectators could feel the heat washing over them; their hair practically curled from the blast.
The [Dark Ruler No More] Kazuki had just played shattered into glowing fragments within the inferno.
"Holy crap! So that's how you dodge Dark Ruler's effect!"
"Genius! Flip the Trap first just to build a chain link, then fire off the monster effect on top! Perfectly sidesteps Dark Ruler's restriction. What kind of brain do you need to come up with that? I'd never think of it in a million years!"
"…"
Watching Yusaku's line of play, the crowd couldn't help crying out in shock, one after another.
On the track.
Kazuki's face flushed green, then white. After a long silence, he snorted coldly.
"Fine, call it your lucky break this time. You dodged that one. But it doesn't matter. There is no way you dodge this next card!"
He whipped another card from his hand and thrust it forward.
"[Santa Claws]! This card lets me Tribute 1 monster on your field and Special Summon this card from my hand in Defense Position to your field!"
He slapped the card down.
"I Tribute your [Destiny HERO – Plasma] as the cost to Special Summon [Santa Claws] to your field in Defense Position!"
The instant he spoke, Destiny HERO – Plasma dissolved into light.
In its place on Yusaku's field, a fiend that looked exactly like a twisted version of Santa Claus appeared, sack and all.
[Santa Claws]
[Fiend / Effect]
[Level 6 / DEF 2500]
After summoning the monster, Kazuki tilted his D-Wheel into the next corner, engine howling as he gunned the throttle.
He looked over at Yusaku and laughed wildly.
"Hahaha, bet you didn't see that coming, did you? I still had this card in hand. Next turn, you've got no way to start anything. Actually… there won't even be a next turn. This turn, the duel ends!"
"Ends?" Yusaku shook his head slightly, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"I was planning to play with you a little longer, but it looks like there's no need anymore."
Kazuki: "??"
Yusaku stomped down on the D-Wheel's pedal, pushing the throttle to the limit.
He revealed a card in his hand.
"The moment you Special Summoned [Santa Claws] to my field, I activate the effect of [Shining Star Dragon] in my hand."
(If this card is in your hand, you can target 1 Dragon Synchro Monster in your GY; Special Summon this card, and if you do, Special Summon that monster, but its effects are negated. Then, you can use monsters you control, including this card, as material to Synchro Summon 1 Dragon Synchro Monster.)
"I Special Summon this card to the field, then target the Dragon in my GY…"
A draconic roar shook the sky as a dragon formed of starlight descended behind Yusaku.
[Shining Star Dragon]
[Level 4 / Dragon / Tuner / Effect]
[ATK 0]
The moment Shining Star Dragon took the field, the Red Dragon Archfiend wreathed in blazing flames howled up from the GY in response.
[Red Dragon Archfiend]
[ATK 3000]
Seeing the two monsters now on Yusaku's field…
One Tuner and one non-Tuner, with a combined Level of exactly 12…
Is it coming?
The experienced duelists on site all realized what was about to happen, their hearts pounding as their bodies practically vibrated with excitement.
Their mouths spilled phrases like "Accel Synchro" and "Top Clear Mind" that the laypeople around them couldn't understand at all, but every single player's face was flushed with hype.
"Now I'll show you what a true Synchro Summon looks like. I wonder, up there in your precious Tops, have you ever even seen this before?"
Kazuki: "???"
Yusaku raised his arm high, and his aura exploded all at once.
"Top Clear Mind!!"
It's coming! It's coming!
The players watching burst into cheers, screaming themselves hoarse, as if they were the ones riding the D-Wheel and dueling on the track right now.
Whether they were from Tops or from Satellite, every single student widened their eyes and stared at the field.
They didn't understand those players' jargon at all, but they could clearly feel the overwhelming, world-shaking energy about to erupt.
"I tune the Level 4 Tuner monster [Shining Star Dragon] on my field with the Level 8 non-Tuner monster [Red Dragon Archfiend]!"
(End of Chapter)
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