As the impassioned shout fell, the phantom of a silver-haired girl condensed into form and descended steadily onto the field.
[Garden Rose Maiden]
[DEF: 2400]
"Activate the effect of [T.G. Star Guardian] in the Graveyard! I can banish this card from the Graveyard and target 1 Synchro Monster I control; that monster's Level decreases by up to 4."
"I activate this effect, banish [T.G. Star Guardian], and target my [Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier], reducing its Level by 4!"
[Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier]
[Level: 9 → 5]
"Next is the effect of the Field Spell [Synchro World]!"
"This card lets me remove different numbers of Signal Counters from it to apply different effects!
Remove 4: increase or decrease the Level of 1 face-up monster on my field by 1.
Remove 7: Special Summon 1 Tuner from my Graveyard.
Remove 10: Special Summon 1 Synchro Monster from my Graveyard."
"I remove 4 Signal Counters to reduce the Level of [Bystial Dis Pater] on my field by 1!"
[Synchro World]
[Counters: 12 → 8]
[Bystial Dis Pater]
[Level: 10 → 9]
"Once again, I activate the effect of [Synchro World]! I remove 7 Signal Counters!"
[Synchro World]
[Counters: 8 → 1]
"I Special Summon the Tuner monster [Celestial Double Star Shaman] from my Graveyard!"
Light swirled as the figure of a monster holding a star wheel emerged, its body wrapped in faint starlight.
[Celestial Double Star Shaman]
[ATK: 100]
"I'll use the [Celestial Double Star Shaman] I just summoned, Level 5 [Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier], and Level 5 [Garden Rose Maiden] for a Synchro Summon!"
Yusaku suddenly threw up his arm. The three monsters turned into three streaks of starlight and shot whistling into the sky.
"Opening all regulators, navigation systems fully cleared! Shatter dimensions with infinite power! Surpass the light and open the way to the future!"
"Limiter release, Level MAX!!!"
"GO! Delta Accel! Come on! Synchro Summon! T.G. Glaive Blaster!!!"
A pillar of Synchro light pierced heaven and earth. With a deafening mechanical roar, a Tech Genus ace monster clad in red heavy armor, wielding a golden energy glaive, descended proudly onto the field.
[T.G. Glaive Blaster]
[Level 12 / Machine / Synchro]
[ATK: 4000]
[Synchro World]
[Counters: 1 → 3]
"Activate the effect of [Garden Rose Maiden] in the Graveyard!"
Yusaku's shout rang out again without the slightest pause.
"By banishing this card from the Graveyard, I can target 1 'Rose Dragon' monster or 1 Dragon Synchro Monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it."
"I banish [Garden Rose Maiden] and Special Summon the Dragon Synchro Monster [Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon] from my Graveyard!"
Holy white light burst forth. A great dragon with vast white wings broke free from the Graveyard's shackles and soared above the Duel Field.
[Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon]
[ATK: 2500]
"Next, I activate the effect related to my Field Spell [Synchro World]!"
Yusaku flipped a card in his Graveyard face-up.
"[Stardust Wurm]! While this card is in my hand or Graveyard, if I control a Level 8 or higher Dragon Synchro Monster, I can Special Summon this card!"
"My field already meets that condition, so I Special Summon [Stardust Wurm] to my field!"
[Stardust Wurm]
[ATK: 0]
"Immediately after that, I activate the effect of [Stardust Synchron] in the Graveyard!"
Yusaku's movements were smooth as flowing water, his tempo so fast it left people dizzy.
"While this card is in my hand or Graveyard, I can Tribute 1 monster I control to Special Summon it."
"I Tribute the [Stardust Wurm] I just summoned and Special Summon [Stardust Synchron]!"
[Stardust Synchron]
[ATK: 1500]
"Now I activate the other effect of [Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon]! During either player's Main Phase, I can Tribute this card to Special Summon 1 'Stardust Dragon' from my Extra Deck, treating it as a Synchro Summon. Then, I can immediately perform a Synchro Summon using that monster. A monster Synchro Summoned by this effect is unaffected by my opponent's activated effects!"
"Descend, Stardust Dragon!"
Once more, sacred radiance exploded. In light even more dazzling than before, Stardust Dragon's silhouette appeared steadily on the field, its entire body wrapped in a protective power.
[Stardust Dragon]
[ATK: 2500]
[Synchro World]
[Counters: 3 → 5]
"Next, I use [Stardust Dragon] and the Level 4 Tuner [Stardust Synchron] to Synchro Summon!"
"Appear again, Red Dragon!"
A gigantic dragon with scales like molten ruby tore through the sky, hovering above the arena. Its deafening roar split the clouds and shook the entire venue.
[Red Dragon]
[ATK: 0]
[Synchro World]
[Counters: 5 → 7]
"I activate the effect of [Assault Synchron] in the Graveyard!"
Yusaku's voice carried an unquestionable force.
"When a face-up Dragon Synchro Monster I control is Tributed or banished, I can banish [Assault Synchron] from the Graveyard, target that monster, and Special Summon it again!"
"I banish [Assault Synchron] and Special Summon [Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon] back to the field!"
[Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon]
[ATK: 2500]
"Then I activate the effect of my Field Spell [Synchro World], removing 7 Counters!"
[Synchro World]
[Counters: 7 → 0]
"I Special Summon the Level 2 Tuner [Celestial Double Star Shaman] from my Graveyard!"
[Celestial Double Star Shaman]
[ATK: 100]
"After that, I use [Celestial Double Star Shaman] and [Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon] to Synchro Summon!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 10, Baronne de Fleur!!!"
The instant the command fell, black flames and golden light intertwined and twisted, forming thousands of spiraling star-tracks that pierced straight into the sky.
Stardust rained across the heavens, sketching a perfect line of ten stars. A brilliant rose-colored beam poured down like the Milky Way inverted, slamming into the Duel Field.
The ground split into a web of deep cracks. Thorned vines burst from below like awakening serpents, weaving together into a magnificent gate of barbs and crimson roses. As the petals on the arch shook loose, carried by the rhythm of pounding hooves, a knight stepped through.
The female warrior in silver-white engraved armor tightened the reins of her mount. The pure-white steed's mane shimmered with a soft, moonlit glow. On the scabbard of her sword were set seven roses of different shapes, each so vivid it seemed they might bloom and release their fragrance at any moment, embodying both nobility and lethality.
[Baronne de Fleur]
[Level 10 / Warrior / Synchro / Effect]
[ATK: 3000]
[Synchro World]
[Counters: 0 → 2]
"It's not over yet!"
Yusaku's eyes were sharp as blades as he shouted, his momentum cresting.
"Activate the effect of [Revolution Synchron] in the Graveyard! While this card is in the Graveyard and I control a Level 7 or higher Synchro Monster, I can send the top card of my Deck to the Graveyard and Special Summon this card. When it's Special Summoned by this effect, its Level becomes 1!"
"I send the top card of my Deck to the Graveyard and Special Summon [Revolution Synchron] from the Graveyard!"
[Revolution Synchron] (Level 1)
[ATK: 900]
The moment the monster appeared, Yusaku spoke again in a low, steady voice.
"Next, I use the now-Level-1 Tuner [Revolution Synchron] and the Level 7 monster [Crowned Rose Empress – Empress Baimu] for a Synchro Summon!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 8, PSY-Framelord Omega!!!"
[PSY-Framelord Omega]
[Level 8 / Psychic / Synchro / Effect]
[ATK: 2800]
[Synchro World]
[Counters: 2 → 4]
"Activate the effect of [PSY-Framelord Omega]!"
Yusaku's voice carried the confidence of someone fully in control.
"Once per turn, during either player's Main Phase, I can activate this effect: randomly choose 1 card from your hand, then banish that card and this card face-up until my next Standby Phase!"
"I activate the effect and banish 1 card from your hand until my next Standby Phase!"
In an instant, PSY-Framelord Omega turned into a streak of green light, swept across Fujiwara's hand, and carried off one of his cards to the banished zone.
Yusaku raised three fingers.
"The third card."
Watching the card vanish from his hand, Fujiwara finally grasped Yusaku's intention. His pupils shrank sharply as he cried out:
"You're trying to banish all of my cards!?"
" If you're only realizing that now, it's already too late."
With that, Yusaku raised his hand again and shouted.
"I activate the effect of [T.G. Glaive Blaster]!"
"Once per turn, when a monster is banished face-up, I can target 1 of those monsters and Special Summon it to my field, ignoring its Summoning conditions!"
"I target the banished [PSY-Framelord Omega] and Special Summon it to my field, ignoring Summoning conditions!"
In a flash, PSY-Framelord Omega, which had just disappeared, re-formed on Yusaku's side of the field.
[PSY-Framelord Omega]
[ATK: 2800]
"Since [PSY-Framelord Omega] left the field, its effect has refreshed. I can activate it again to banish another of your cards!"
"The fourth card."
PSY-Framelord Omega once again transformed into a streak of green light, snatching another card from Fujiwara's hand and sending it straight to the banished zone.
Watching Fujiwara's face grow darker by the second, Yusaku spoke calmly.
"In that case, you're now down to only 1 card."
Then he raised his voice again.
"Activate the effect of [Bystial Dis Pater]!"
"By targeting 1 of either player's LIGHT or DARK monsters that is banished, I can Special Summon that monster to my field!"
"I target the banished [PSY-Framelord Omega] and Special Summon it back to my field once more!"
[PSY-Framelord Omega]
[ATK: 2800]
The moment PSY-Framelord Omega appeared, Yusaku immediately shouted again.
"Once again, I activate the effect of [PSY-Framelord Omega]!"
Yusaku looked straight at Fujiwara, slowly spreading his fingers.
"The fifth card."
Fujiwara: "???"
With that, PSY-Framelord Omega turned into another brilliant green arc, ripping away the last card in Fujiwara's hand and banishing it from the Duel.
"Continuous Spell [On Your Mark, Get Set, DUEL!] effect, activate! I can remove 2 Signal Counters from my field, send this face-up card from my Spell & Trap Zone to the Graveyard, then draw 2 cards. After that, I discard cards from my hand at random to the Graveyard equal to the number drawn."
"I remove 2 Signal Counters and draw 2 cards from my Deck!"
[Synchro World]
[Counters: 4 → 2]
"According to the effect of [On Your Mark, Get Set, DUEL!], I now have to discard 1 card from my hand."
Yusaku glanced at Fujiwara, then pinched a card between two fingers and revealed it calmly.
"I discard [Maxx 'C'] to the Graveyard. Then I Set 2 cards. My turn is over. It's your move."
Silence.
A dead, suffocating silence that seemed to devour even the sound of a heartbeat.
Whether it was the trainees from the Uptown Dojos, the group of players Yusaku had brought with him, or the countless duelists in every plaza simultaneously watching the live broadcast, all of them seemed to have had the mute button pressed on their souls. They stared at the board, mouths hanging open, completely stunned.
From the moment he first Synchro Summoned Trishula to shred Fujiwara's hand, to the triple leap of PSY-Framelord Omega that followed, Yusaku had banished Fujiwara's hand card after card until it was completely wiped out.
Watching the scene on the screens, many of the duelists gulped hard.
"Is this guy even human???"
"He shredded the hand and set up a board at the same time. And he calls that 'can't win'?"
"His name's Yusaku, right... I'll remember that. If I ever run into him, I'm scooping on sight. Only someone with a broken brain would duel a monster like this!"
"..."
In the center of the Duel Tower arena, Yusaku looked at the utterly dumbfounded Fujiwara and tapped lightly on his Duel Disk as a reminder.
"If you don't draw soon, the timer is going to run out. According to the rules, that means I win this Duel by default."
Those words finally snapped Fujiwara back to reality. Gritting his teeth, he prayed frantically in his heart.
"As long as I can draw my miracle topdeck, as long as I draw it, there's still a chance to turn this around!"
He took a deep breath and shouted with all his strength:
"My turn, draw!"
Fujiwara darted a glance at the card he'd just drawn. The moment he saw it clearly, his eyes lit up. It was exactly the miracle card he'd been praying for!
But just as he added the card to his hand, Yusaku's voice crashed over him like thunder.
"At the end of your Draw Phase, I activate the effect of [Red Dragon]! I target the now Level 9 [Bystial Dis Pater] on my field and return [Red Dragon] to the Deck!"
"Once more, descend! Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!!!"
[Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier]
[ATK: 2700]
Trishula had barely appeared when Yusaku's voice boomed across the arena with irresistible force.
"The sixth card."
At those words, Fujiwara's face went completely bloodless. His legs gave out, and with a dull thud he collapsed to one knee, both hands braced against the ground, his eyes vacant and full of despair.
On the spectator stands behind him, the students from Genius Academy wore the same expression of hopelessness. Some even shut their eyes, unable to bear watching such a cruel duel any longer.
They had placed such high hopes on Fujiwara, who had just received his new Deck. Yet this time, he hadn't even managed to play a single card.
"Hahahaha! The last two times he got OTK'd in one turn, and now he doesn't even get to play a card!"
"Play a card? With what? Even if his hand hadn't been banished, he still couldn't move! Can't you see Baronne de Fleur is still sitting there locking the field?"
"So this is that legendary state: 'going first with a hand, going second with no hand'!"
...
Amid the Genius Academy side's devastated cries and the players' explosive cheers, the three-headed dragon on Yusaku's field let out an earth-shaking roar. Three orbs of pure white lightning, brimming with annihilating power, condensed between its maws.
Then they shot forth, straight through the "miracle" card Fujiwara had just drawn, blasting it cleanly out of existence and into another dimension.
With that, all six of Fujiwara's starting hand cards had been banished without a single one ever being played.
(End of Chapter)
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