This was also one of Bandit Keith's signature monsters from the anime. The sight alone carried heavy pressure.
"By the effect of 'Precious Cards from Beyond', I draw two cards from my Deck!" Keith announced as he pulled them into his hand.
"Next, the effect of the Orichalcos barrier! All monsters on my field gain 500 ATK, so Barrel Dragon's ATK increases!"
Barrel Dragon, ATK 2600 to ATK 3100.
"Now it's stronger than your magician," Keith said with a grin. "Battle! Barrel Dragon, attack Silent Magician!"
The three cannons on Barrel Dragon's shoulders turned in unison, heavy mechanical sounds echoing as they locked onto Silent Magician on Yugen's field.
"At this moment, Barrel Dragon's effect activates!" Keith shouted. "When it attacks, I flip three coins. This turn, it can attack as many times as the number of heads! (ANIME EFFECT)"
The cannons locked in place as ammunition was loaded, the revolver cylinders spinning. Two of the three barrels lit up with golden light.
"Hah, looks like I got two hits," Keith laughed. "That means Barrel Dragon can attack twice this turn. And you only have 2500 Life Points left, with no face-down cards. This is the end!"
"This is the absolute power of Orichalcos. Tremble before it!" Keith roared. "Barrel Dragon, attack. Deadly Revolver!"
The first shot fired, flames bursting from the left cannon in a lethal blast.
"At this moment, I activate a Trap Card from my hand," Yugen said, sweeping his arm forward. The data of the card appeared before him. "Magic Cylinder!"
"Nani?!?!" Keith cried out. "A Trap activated from the hand?!"
"How is that even possible?"
"You didn't recognize the Trap you destroyed just now," Yugen replied evenly.
The destroyed card appeared in the Graveyard zone of Yugen's Duel Disk. Its image became clear as he explained.
"That card was the Trap Card 'Cross Counter'. In the turn it is sent to the Graveyard by an opponent's effect, once only, I can activate a Trap Card from my hand. (ANIME EFFECT)"
"What kind of card is that?!" Keith's face darkened.
"By that effect, I activate Magic Cylinder from my hand. I negate the attack and inflict damage to you equal to the attacking monster's ATK!"
Twin magical cylinders formed in front of Yugen. Barrel Dragon's blast was absorbed into one cylinder, then instantly reflected from the other, returning the same blazing firepower.
"Gah!"
Taking the full force of his own Orichalcos-enhanced attack, Keith was blown off his feet. He slammed into the ground, smoke rising from his chest.
Bandit Keith, LP 4000 to LP 900.
"Damn it," Keith snarled through clenched teeth.
He realized he had underestimated his opponent. Lowering Silent Magician's ATK just to set a back-row card had been a clear signal, yet he believed he had seen through it. In truth, Yugen had seen through him seeing through it, guiding him to destroy the set card while the real trap waited in his hand.
Keith took a deep breath and sat up, staring coldly at Yugen.
"I misjudged you," Bandit Keith said heavily. "You're a cunning brat, but it changes nothing. And since you used Magic Cylinder from your hand, Silent Magician's ATK decreases again."
Silent Magician, ATK 3000 to ATK 2500.
"The battle isn't over. My Barrel Dragon still has a second attack. Once more, target Silent Magician. Deadly Revolver!"
The dark cannons rose again, firing with a thunderous roar. This time there was no interference. Silent Magician took the full impact and dissolved into golden light, temporarily leaving the field.
Yugen, LP 2500 to LP 1900.
"But at this moment, Silent Magician's effect activates," Yugen said. "When Silent Magician is destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon one Silent Magician monster other than itself from my hand or Deck, ignoring its summoning conditions."
"From the crossroads of chaos and order, silent light blooms. Magician of Light, descend now."
"Silent Magician LV8!"
The energy released from the destroyed Silent Magician did not fade. It reshaped into a white magic circle, unleashing a stronger surge of power as a new form of Silent Magician spun into view and returned to the field, her expression cold and sharp.
Silent Magician LV8, ATK 3500.
"Tch, it evolved instead?" Keith muttered. "What an annoying kid."
He slapped another card onto the field. "Then I activate the Spell Card 'Precious Cards from Beyond'! In a turn where I performed a Tribute Summon, I draw two cards from my Deck. The cards drawn can't be used this turn, and if possible, I must set at least one card. (ANIME EFFECT)"
Keith drew two cards. "Since I Tribute Summoned Barrel Dragon this turn, I draw two!"
After that, he set one card on his field. "Turn end."
"My Turn!, Card Draw."
Yugen slapped a Monster Card onto the field.
"I Special Summon 'Performage Trick Clown'!"
Performage Trick Clown appeared with zero ATK.
"This card can be Special Summoned from the hand in Attack Position with no conditions. (ANIME EFFECT)" Yugen said. "Next, I Tribute 'Performage Trick Clown' to perform a Tribute Summon!"
A low hum spread as psychic pressure gathered on the field.
"The king who commands psychic force, Level 6! Appear now, Jinzo!"
The Jinzo that had been searched last turn by 'Witch of the Black Forest' marched onto the battlefield amid sparks and grinding metal.
Jinzo stood tall with 2400 ATK.
"So it's out already. What a pain," Bandit Keith muttered.
The moment Jinzo appeared, invisible psychic restraints spread across the field and sealed the back row. The battlefield instantly became a forbidden zone for Trap Cards.
This would suppress the opponent's back row as much as possible. Yugen pointed forward. "'Silent Magician LV8', attack 'Barrel Dragon'!"
A vortex of magic lifted the hem of the mage's robe as Silent Magician rose along a glowing spell circle. A white flash of magic struck the gun dragon's body, and the black steel giant shattered with a metallic scream.
Bandit Keith's Life Points dropped from 900 to 500.
Keith staggered back half a step, enduring the magical impact with his body, and sneered. "But at this moment, the effect of 'Desperado Barrel Dragon' in my hand activates."
He revealed a card, its surface glowing with flowing gold light.
"The effect of 'Desperado Barrel Dragon'. When a Machine-Type DARK monster on my field is destroyed by battle or effect, this card can be Special Summoned from my hand!"
The card slammed onto the Duel Disk, and crackling current raced along the Duel Disk System.
"In a symphony of metal and flame, the deadly mechanical soul awakens. Come forth!"
"Level 8, 'Desperado Barrel Dragon'!"
Massive steel feet crushed the ground as they landed, and a long mechanical tail lashed down like a metal whip. Revolver barrels formed its arms and head, rumbling with heavy mechanical noise.
Desperado Barrel Dragon stood with 2800 ATK.
"Hahaha! This is my new ace, the strongest form of Barrel Dragon!" Bandit Keith shouted. "And under the effect of 'The Seal of Orichalcos', Desperado Barrel Dragon gains 500 ATK!"
Its power surged from 2800 to 3300 ATK.
"And now, Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect activates!" Keith continued.
Watching nervously from the side, Mystical Elf cried out, "It can activate its effect during the opponent's turn too?"
"That's right," Keith said with a grin. "Once per turn, during either player's Battle Phase."
He laughed proudly as he explained the effect.
"Flip three coins. Based on the number of heads, I can destroy that many face-up monsters on the field! (ANIME EFFECT)"
Yugen frowned slightly.
Desperado Barrel Dragon was indeed a powerful monster in the early environment. It had an effect close to fast-speed destruction, able to destroy cards during the opponent's turn, which was rare at the time.
Even though it could only be activated during the Battle Phase, it was still extremely troublesome. In a solid-vision Duel, the coins were replaced by spinning revolver chambers.
The three chambers spun rapidly, and one barrel completed its load.
"Looks like I only hit one shot this time, but that's enough," Bandit Keith shouted. "Go, Desperado Barrel Dragon! Destroy Jinzo!"
The trigger was pulled, and the blast tore through Jinzo's body. A burst of fire followed, and the machine collapsed into ashes.
Yugen raised his arm to block the smoke, a strange thought crossing his mind.