Yusaku looked at Miki. "So what about you—going first or second?"
Miki spread his hands. "I'm already letting you Fusion and Link. I'll give you first turn, then."
Yusaku smiled faintly. "Sounds like you're on a going-second deck."
Miki gave him a mysterious grin. "You can guess, but it won't matter. As the gatekeeper, I get to decide whether I take first turn. I've already chosen to go second."
"Then I'll gladly take first."
Yusaku put a hand on his Deck, fingertips gliding along the edges of the cards, like cloud barriers rising and falling inside a dark box.
When his gaze swept across the Duel Disk, he noticed the icons for Fusion Summoning and Link Summoning were grayed out—sealed off.
"Interesting."
After that one remark, Yusaku glanced at his opening hand, thought for a moment, then slid a card out and played it.
"I Normal Summon, Incredible Ecclesia, the Virtuous!"
The moment his words fell, a girl with long golden hair and matching eyes appeared on the field, holding a staff crowned with a dragon's head.
[Incredible Ecclesia, the Virtuous]
[Level 4 / Spellcaster / Tuner / Effect]
[ATK 1500]
"Incredible Ecclesia, the Virtuous's effect. During either player's Main Phase, I can Tribute this card from my field. From my hand or Deck, I Special Summon 1 'Swordsoul' monster or 'Fallen of Albaz'!"
"I Tribute this card and Special Summon Swordsoul of Mo Ye!"
As the effect activated, the Duel Disk popped the card forward.
Yusaku flicked his wrist and snapped the card into the Duel Disk. In the next instant, Mo Ye's silhouette burst out from the card face, her blade carving the air into a spiraling frost mist.
[Swordsoul of Mo Ye]
[Level 4 / Wyrm / Effect]
[ATK 1800]
Miki let out a cold laugh. "Just like I thought. If Fusion and Link are banned, you'll use that Swordsoul deck. According to my investigation, your deck can't build anything that big."
Yusaku smiled. "My Swordsoul is different from normal Swordsoul. And Fusion and Link are banned—so what? Does that mean I can't use other Summoning methods? My deck isn't just Synchro."
"Impossible!" Miki said arrogantly, brows raised. "Swordsoul has a Synchro lock. Besides Synchro Summoning, you can't Summon any other way."
"That's because you don't know how to play around the lock." Yusaku's tone stayed calm. "Enough talk. I'm going to start my line."
He closed his eyes.
"Swordsoul of Mo Ye's effect. If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: I can reveal 1 'Swordsoul' card or 1 Wyrm monster in my hand. Then I Special Summon 1 'Swordsoul Token' (Wyrm / Tuner / WATER / Level 4 / ATK 0 / DEF 0)."
After explaining clearly, he revealed a card in his hand.
"I reveal the Swordsoul card in my hand—Swordsoul Scholar — Xuanyuan. Then I Special Summon 1 Swordsoul Token!"
[Swordsoul Token]
[ATK 0]
Yusaku held up another card between two fingers and looked at Miki. "Next, I place the Pendulum Scale 8—Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi—in my Pendulum Zone!"
Miki frowned slightly. "Pendulum?"
Yusaku slammed the card onto the Duel Disk.
In the next instant, two transparent pillars of light shot up behind him. In the left pillar floated a prodigy formed from precision machinery, holding a short flute as metallic luster flowed across its surface.
"Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi's Pendulum Effect!"
Yusaku declared:
"If I have no Spells/Traps in my GY: I can place 1 'Superheavy Samurai' Pendulum monster from my Deck in my Pendulum Zone, except 'Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi', then Special Summon this card."
"My GY has no Spells/Traps, so I meet the condition. With this effect, I place the Pendulum Scale 1—Superheavy Samurai Monk Big Benkei—in my Pendulum Zone!"
"Then I Special Summon Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi to my field!"
The pillar on the right flared open as a towering mechanical monk—like a stone pillar brought to life—slowly appeared, a massive hand gripping a crescent blade.
At the same time, the prodigy in the left pillar leapt onto the field in a burst of summoning light, the flute's clear note rippling into a mechanical rhythm.
[Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi]
[Level 4 / Machine / Pendulum / Tuner / Effect]
[ATK 1000]
After bringing Wakaushi out, Yusaku continued.
"Next, Superheavy Samurai Monk Big Benkei's Pendulum Effect. If I control a 'Superheavy Samurai' monster: I can add 1 'Superheavy Samurai Soul' monster from my Deck to my hand."
"I control Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi, so I add Superheavy Samurai Soulpiercer from my Deck to my hand!"
After adding the searched card to his hand, Yusaku swept his arm and shouted:
"Now I Synchro Summon using my Level 4 Tuner—Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi—and my Level 4 monster—Swordsoul of Mo Ye!"
Yusaku raised his arm high.
"Crimson edge that dwells within my Deck—become the blade that severs fate! Cut down delusion, burn away falsehood—
Appear! Swordsoul Grandmaster - Chixiao!!!"
In the instant the declaration ended, Chixiao's figure shot out from the card face, its sword edge tearing the air into a scorching vortex. The token condensed into a crimson phantom dragon that coiled around him, and the sword aura throbbed so hard the arena itself trembled.
[Swordsoul Grandmaster - Chixiao]
[Level 8 / Wyrm / Synchro / Effect]
[ATK 2800]
"At this moment!"
Yusaku called out.
"I activate Swordsoul Grandmaster - Chixiao's effect—then chain Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi's effect—and continue the chain with Swordsoul of Mo Ye!"
"First, Swordsoul of Mo Ye's effect. If this card is sent to the GY as Synchro Material: I draw 1 card."
He drew a card cleanly, then continued.
"Next, Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi's effect. If this face-up card is added to the Extra Deck as Synchro Material: I can place this card in my Pendulum Zone."
"I place it back into my Pendulum Zone and reset my scale!"
As he spoke, the pillars of light rose behind him again.
"Finally, Swordsoul Grandmaster - Chixiao's effect. If this card is Synchro Summoned: I can add 1 'Swordsoul' card from my Deck to my hand, or banish it."
"I add Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan from my Deck to my hand!"
After adding the searched card to his hand, Yusaku immediately followed up.
"Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan's effect. I can discard 1 other card from my hand that is a 'Swordsoul' card or a Wyrm monster. Special Summon this card from my hand, then I can Special Summon 1 'Swordsoul Token' (Wyrm / Tuner / WATER / Level 4 / ATK 0 / DEF 0)."
He revealed a card in his hand and looked at Miki.
"I send Swordsoul Scholar — Xuanyuan from my hand to the GY. Then I Special Summon this card, and Special Summon 1 Swordsoul Token!"
A steady set of footsteps echoed out from the card face. Longyuan, holding a heavy black-iron greatsword, strode onto the field—his sword striking the ground with a dull, crushing boom. At the same time, another token manifested.
[Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan]
[Level 6 / Wyrm / Effect]
[ATK 1200]
[Swordsoul Token]
[ATK 0]
The instant the monsters hit the field, Yusaku barked:
"Next, I Synchro Summon using Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan and 1 Swordsoul Token!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 10—Baronne de Fleur!!!"
The moment the command dropped, black flame and golden light intertwined above the field, twisting into a spiral star-track that shot straight into the sky.
Stardust traced a perfect ten-star chain across the heavens, and a dazzling rose-colored beam—like a waterfall of the galaxy—smashed down onto the Duel Field.
In the next second, hoofbeats rang out. A crowned knight in a long dress, with a domed black curtain-like mantle, rode forth from twin-moon armor plating.
[Baronne de Fleur]
[Level 10 / Warrior / Synchro / Effect]
[ATK 3000]
"I activate the effect of Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan that was just sent to the GY as Synchro Material. If this card is sent to the GY as Synchro Material: Inflict 1200 damage to my opponent!"
A scorching red beam erupted from the graveyard like a lash of annihilation and slammed into Miki's chest.
Miki grunted, his body going numb as the LP numbers on his Duel Disk jumped.
[Miki, LP 8000 → 6800]
Miki glanced at the LP display, then lifted his eyes to Yusaku.
"If you stop here, you're done. Our academy used instruments to model your so-called Swordsoul deck. The biggest board it can make is 8 + 8 + 10—two Level 8 Synchros plus one Level 10 Synchro."
He swept his gaze over Yusaku's field. "But your board isn't even as big as what we projected. Three monsters, and one of them is just a Superheavy—plus Tokens."
Yusaku smiled. "8 + 8 + 10 is normal Swordsoul. For my deck, this is only the opening."
"Who are you fooling?" Miki sneered. "You've already used your Normal Summon. There's no usable material on your field. How are you expanding further?"
As he spoke, Miki's eyes flicked across Yusaku's board again—then his pupils shrank.
"You're planning to Synchro with Chixiao, the one with the negate effect?!"
"That's right."
Yusaku raised a hand and swept it forward.
"I Synchro Summon using my Level 8—Swordsoul Grandmaster - Chixiao—and my Level 4 Tuner—Swordsoul Token!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 12—Centur-Ion Arkcoela!"
"And I place it in the Extra Monster Zone!"
Two columns of light surged skyward again, and Yusaku closed his eyes as he drew every monster from his Deck at once.
The Synchro light roared down like a waterfall. A dragon-shaped mecha—built from pale black machinery—emerged slowly from the beam, both hands gripping a gigantic glowing sword. Metallic patterns flowed across its frame, and each swing of the blade kicked up pressure-waves of wind.
[Centur-Ion Arkcoela]
[Level 12 / Dragon / Effect]
[ATK 3000]
Centur-Ion Arkcoela?
Staring at the monster, Miki's mind spun wildly, trying to search his internal database for any record—yet no matter how he combed his memory, there was nothing. It was as if the card had never existed in the history of dueling, a brand-new monster that had appeared out of nowhere.
"Centur-Ion Arkcoela's effect!"
Yusaku shouted.
"If this card is Special Summoned: I can add 1 'Centur-Ion' card from my Deck to my hand."
"I add the Field Spell—Stand Up Centur-Ion!—to my hand!"
After adding it, Yusaku played it immediately.
In an instant, the entire Duel Field began to quake violently. Behind Yusaku, a massive golden magic circle appeared, runes flowing and revolving without end.
In the next second, a twin-tailed blonde girl stood atop a heavy mech's head as the machine rose with a deep mechanical roar—its cannons flashing with dangerous light.
The moment Yusaku activated the Field Spell, the players in the stands exploded into noise.
"It's here, it's here—classic Yu-Gi-Oh tradition, staring at you while they slap down a heavy-control deck!"
"My wife's about to come out!"
"What do you mean your wife? That's my wife!"
"Someone actually likes that brat?"
"So what if she's a brat? Mecha and women—two of a duelist's three biggest XP triggers at once. What are you still complaining about?!"
Compared to the crowd's excitement, Miki—and the academy prodigies watching—were all frowning.
Swordsoul and Centur-Ion were things that shouldn't belong in the same Deck.
Swordsoul was at least familiar—they'd seen Yusaku use it and knew how to respond.
But this "Centur-Ion" archetype was the first time they'd ever seen it. They had no clue what any of it did.
With the Field Spell active, Yusaku declared:
"Stand Up Centur-Ion!'s effect. During my Main Phase, I can send 1 card from my hand to the GY. Then, from my Deck, I place 1 'Centur-Ion' monster face-up in my Spell/Trap Zone as a Continuous Trap!"
"I send the Superheavy Samurai Soulpiercer I searched at the start to the GY, then place Centur-Ion Trudea from my Deck face-up in my Spell/Trap Zone!"
Yusaku briefly revealed the card from his Deck, then set it onto the Duel Disk.
The instant the card landed, a slender girl's projection appeared behind Yusaku, pale pink ribbons draping and fluttering in the wind with a lively grace.
"Centur-Ion Trudea's effect!"
Yusaku called out.
"If this card is treated as a Continuous Trap: I can Special Summon it."
"I Special Summon it to my field!"
The projection became a streak of pink light that flew onto the field. When the light dispersed, an energetic girl in a tight outfit landed lightly, short blades in hand, pale pink ribbons dancing around her.
[Centur-Ion Trudea]
[Level 4 / FIRE / Effect]
[ATK 1000]
"Next, I activate Centur-Ion Trudea's other effect!"
"During my Main Phase: I can take this card I control, and 1 'Centur-Ion' monster from my hand or Deck, except this card, and place them face-up in my Spell/Trap Zone as Continuous Traps!"
"I activate that effect, placing this card and Centur-Ion Primera from my Deck face-up in my Spell/Trap Zone as Continuous Traps!"
As he spoke, Trudea and another lightly armored girl turned into light together and flew into the Spell/Trap Zone.
"I activate Centur-Ion Primera's effect!" Yusaku shouted. "If this card is treated as a Continuous Trap: I can Special Summon it! Come out, Centur-Ion Primera!"
Summoning light flared again. A girl in heavy golden armor stepped out from the radiance, blonde twin-tails swaying as she held a long spear. The clink of metal rang crisp with each step.
[Centur-Ion Primera]
[Level 4 / Spellcaster / Tuner / Effect]
[ATK 1600]
"Centur-Ion Primera's other effect! If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: I can add 1 'Centur-Ion' card from my Deck to my hand, except itself!"
"I add the Quick-Play Spell—Wake Up Centur-Ion!—to my hand!"
After adding it, Yusaku drew out another card and played it.
"Next, I activate the Spell—Swordsoul Emergence!"
(End of Chapter)
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