"It's not over yet!"
Fujiyama's voice carried a near-hoarse, adrenaline-fueled roar.
"When Ancient Gear Dark Golem is Special Summoned, I can activate its effect! I add two Ancient Gear cards or Geartown from my Deck to my hand, except itself, then I discard one card from my hand! I choose to add Ancient Gear Fusion and Ancient Gear Advance, then discard one card!"
"Then since you activated an effect," Yusaku said, sweeping his hand up, "I chain to it and activate Ryzeal Detonator's effect, detaching 1 Xyz Material."
Ryzeal Detonator
Xyz Materials: 2 → 1
"This time, the card I destroy is your Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon."
The mech god threw another punch. The mechanical dragon that had just steadied itself was instantly smashed into scrap, exploding into fragments that were sent to the Graveyard.
Fujiyama's brow knitted tight as he couldn't help staring at the mech god on Yusaku's field.
"So your Ryzeal Detonator… if I activate a monster effect, you can just blow up one of my monsters?"
"You're only half right," Yusaku said, looking at him. "Ryzeal Detonator's effect is: when your opponent activates a card or effect, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card, then target 1 card on the field."
Hearing that, the crowd completely erupted. Someone gaped in disbelief.
"What? As long as you activate an effect, he can chain and blow something up? Then if it has materials, doesn't that mean it can just keep popping cards forever?"
Seeing that, several duelists folded their arms and laughed.
"This is only the beginning. That effect can be used multiple times in a single chain!"
"As long as I've got materials, if you dare activate anything, I'll clear every card on your field!"
"It's beautiful. Detonator is art."
On the field, Yusaku looked at Fujiyama.
"You started with four cards, activated two, then Special Summoned Ancient Gear Dark Golem. You searched two cards with its effect and discarded one, so you still have two cards in hand. Go on."
Fujiyama glanced at the cards in his hand, then at Yusaku's Detonator. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly realized something and smiled at Yusaku.
"You shouldn't have told me Ryzeal Detonator's effect. I can just deal with it first, right?"
He paused, still smiling.
"Those two Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal have 7500 ATK, which looks scary, but they're actually easy to deal with. Their ATK depends on the Xyz Monsters on the field. If I get rid of the other Xyz Monsters, their ATK drops!"
"I was going to build a board, but now it looks like I don't even need to. I can still clear your whole field!"
"And when my Chaos Ancient Gear Giant attacks, you can't activate effects. So no matter how strong your monsters are, they're just vanilla beaters!"
The crowd immediately caught on, gasping and marveling.
"Yeah! If he just brings out Chaos Ancient Gear Giant, he can break that whole field! Its ATK is 4500!"
"..."
Yusaku's expression turned subtle.
A bespectacled player leaned toward a friend and whispered.
"What are they thinking? Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal has a continuous effect. The opponent's monsters can't choose other monsters as attack targets, and they also can't target other cards on the field with effects…"
"Shh. Keep your voice down. If they hear you, it'll ruin it!"
On the Duel Field, Fujiyama was already impatiently slapping a card down.
"I activate the Spell Card Ancient Gear Fusion! Its effect is: I can use monsters from my hand and field as Fusion Materials to Fusion Summon an Ancient Gear Fusion Monster!"
"And if I use an Ancient Gear Golem on my field as material, I can also use monsters from my Deck as Fusion Material!"
Roaring steam burst from within the ancient metal framework as enormous gears spun with a crisp mechanical clatter.
A giant covered in heavy armor and industrial bulk slowly rose. Massive gears on its chest interlocked and turned, as if an ancient steel behemoth from a medieval age had clawed its way up from beneath the earth. The entire Duel Field trembled under its pressure.
Chaos Ancient Gear Giant
Level 10 / Machine / Fusion / Effect
ATK 4500
The moment his ace monster hit the field, Fujiyama didn't hesitate for an instant and declared the Battle Phase.
"Battle!"
He pointed straight at the mech god on Yusaku's field and barked his command.
"Chaos Ancient Gear Giant, attack! Ryzeal Detonator!"
After giving the order, Fujiyama crossed his arms, a smug grin curling at the edge of his mouth as he waited for Yusaku's monster to be destroyed.
But two full seconds passed.
The Chaos Giant behind him didn't move an inch. There wasn't the slightest sign of an attack.
"Chaos Ancient Gear Giant, attack! Ryzeal Detonator!"
The second command sank just as uselessly into silence. The giant stood there like a statue, its crimson eyes utterly unmoved.
The crowd froze, all of them instinctively turning to Yusaku's back row.
It was empty.
No cards that could forbid attacks. No cards that could force an attack target.
So why couldn't Chaos Ancient Gear Giant attack?
Fujiyama was just as baffled, brow furrowed hard, unable to figure out what was wrong.
"You're all wondering why Chaos Ancient Gear Giant can't declare an attack, right?"
Everyone nodded, eyes snapping toward Yusaku in unison, waiting for the answer.
Yusaku smiled slightly, then explained.
"If someone's willing to explain, that saves me the trouble."
"Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal has a continuous effect: your opponent's monsters can't choose other monsters as attack targets. Since it doesn't activate, Chaos Ancient Gear Giant's 'no effects can be activated during its attack' doesn't stop it."
"When one Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal is on the field, you can only choose that monster as an attack target, and you can't choose any other monster."
"But with two of them on the field, you can't choose the first as an attack target, and you can't choose the second either, which means you end up with no legal attack target at all. The attack can't be declared."
The crowd finally reacted.
Both monsters forbid the opponent from choosing "a monster other than itself" as an attack target, so the opponent can't legally choose either one. With no legal target, an attack can't be declared.
Realizing that, the onlookers sucked in a collective breath.
Two Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal forming an attack lock like that was terrifying.
Fujiyama's attacks were completely sealed. And if he couldn't attack, how was he supposed to play through Yusaku's monsters at all?
Making such an unbreakable board off so few cards, and locking the opponent out of attacking on top of that, completely overturned what they thought a Duel looked like.
On the Duel Field, after hearing the explanation, Fujiyama stared at the two Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal on Yusaku's field, both sitting at an absurd 7500 ATK.
He couldn't attack other monsters.
He couldn't even declare an attack at all.
And even if he could, the ATK gap was right there. His Chaos Giant couldn't win the battle.
He lowered his gaze to the last card in his hand. After thinking for a moment, he looked back up at Yusaku.
"Then my turn ends! It's your turn!"
Yusaku looked at him with a faintly amused smile.
"At this point you still won't surrender? Once it's my turn, I just attack and you're guaranteed to lose."
"Not necessarily!"
Fujiyama revealed the card in his hand.
"My card is Kuriphoton! Its effect is: I can send it from my hand to the Graveyard and pay 2000 Life Points. This turn, all damage I take becomes 0. And I can activate this effect during your turn, too!"
Fujiyama, LP 8000 → 6000
Fujiyama smiled confidently.
"And when you were setting up your board earlier, you used Number 60: Dugares the Timeless, right? That effect makes you skip your Main Phase 1 this turn. That means even if you draw a removal card, you can't use it. You have to go straight into the Battle Phase!"
"So the moment you enter the Battle Phase and attack, I activate Kuriphoton and block all the damage."
"And since my Chaos Ancient Gear Giant is on the field, during the Battle Phase you can't activate monster effects. I can definitely hold on for one more turn. Next turn, if I draw a board breaker or an extender, the Duel isn't over!"
"Nice idea," Yusaku said, shaking his head. "Too bad reality doesn't work the way you want."
Fujiyama blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Yusaku placed his hand over the draw area of his Duel Disk.
"You'll find out right now."
"My turn. Draw!"
After adding the drawn card to his hand, just as Fujiyama said, Yusaku skipped Main Phase 1 due to Number 60: Dugares the Timeless and went straight into the Battle Phase.
Yusaku didn't waste words. He pointed at Fujiyama's Chaos Giant and issued the command immediately.
"Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal, attack! Target: Chaos Ancient Gear Giant!"
The black-and-gold armored Hope mech swung its long sword. A dazzling black-and-gold sword beam shot out like a laser, crashing forward.
Seeing the terrifying sword beam closing in, Fujiyama immediately threw down Kuriphoton.
"Then I activate Kuriphoton's effect! I send it to the Graveyard and pay 2000 Life Points. This turn, all damage I take becomes 0!"
Fujiyama, LP 6000 → 4000
As his Life Points dropped, a pale blue transparent barrier instantly enveloped Fujiyama, ready to negate the incoming damage.
"I told you," Yusaku said calmly, revealing another card from his hand, "your plan is good, but it won't help."
The pattern on the card was identical to Tachyon Transmigration.
"I activate the Counter Trap Tachyon Transmigration! I negate the activation of Kuriphoton's effect!"
Fujiyama's pupils shrank.
"How is that possible? You still have that card in your hand?!"
Yusaku smiled.
"I searched two copies. Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Primal searched one, and Divine Golden Shadow Dragon Dragluxion searched another."
"Actually, when you Fusion Summoned Chaos Ancient Gear Giant, I could've used this to interrupt you. But then the lock I built would've been wasted, wouldn't it?"
"Besides, I'm ending this Duel in the Battle Phase anyway. Whether I activate it earlier or later doesn't change anything."
Fujiyama stared blankly.
Yusaku shouted sharply.
"By Tachyon Transmigration's effect, the activation of Kuriphoton is negated!"
On the field, a roaring dragon opened its maw and unleashed a golden blast, annihilating the pale blue barrier around Fujiyama.
"Then my attack continues!"
"Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal, attack Chaos Ancient Gear Giant!"
The black-and-gold sword beam fired again, piercing straight through the towering machine giant. With a piercing mechanical screech, its massive frame collapsed and shattered into fragments that scattered across the Duel Field.
Fujiyama, LP 4000 → 1000
"Final attack! Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon, direct attack!"
A golden energy beam erupted from Tachyon Dragon's jaws, carrying a destructive force that rushed straight at Fujiyama.
Staring at the golden light that swallowed his vision, Fujiyama shook his head weakly and closed his eyes.
Boom!
The golden pillar of light surged into the sky, and the overwhelming impact brought the Duel to an end.
Fujiyama, LP 1000 → 0
PS: I've seen a few readers asking for it. Silver Castle, Yubel, Red Lotus Thunder Slide… you guys really love these "pit" decks, huh. I'll go do some research later.
(End of Chapter)
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