If one word had to describe how the senior Seika Kohinata felt at this moment, it would fit all too well. A rift had opened right in front of her. How could anyone's ace and soul be summoned onto the opponent's field, and then shouted out loud without feeling strange at all?
No matter how absurd it felt, the burning demon god was now standing on her field, its body flowing with molten lava. Even as a solid projection, she felt waves of heat rolling toward her face. In front of that demon god was also a massive iron cage, trapping her in place like some kind of forced restraint play.
Lava Golem, DEF 2500.
Yugen continued calmly, "I activate the Spell Card 'Pot of Greed' and draw two cards from my Deck. Then I activate another card from my hand. Spell Card - Terraforming! I add one Field Spell Card from my Deck to my hand."
Even with the extra draw from Pot of Greed, he still had not pulled the key field card, but the search was good enough. Yugen reflected that true miracle draws still required long practice and real combat experience. There was clearly more work ahead.
"I add the Field Spell 'Machina City' from my Deck to my hand," Yugen said. "Then I activate the Field Spell 'Machina City'."
A deep rumble echoed as intersecting steel bridges rose up, and Machina City took over the Duel field. The mechanical cityscape spread out in every direction under the artificial sky.
"Next, I set one card face-down."
A pitch-black card projection appeared near Yugen's feet.
"I activate the effect of the Field Spell 'Machina City'," he said, sweeping his hand forward. "Once per turn, I can destroy one card I control to add one 'Machina' card from my Deck to my hand. I destroy the face-down card I just set."
The set card shattered, and a giant garage projection appeared in front of him. Its heavy doors loomed open amid the smoke and sparks.
"By the effect of 'Machina City', I add a second 'Machina Submarine' from my Deck to my hand," Yugen said. "Even though I cannot Normal Summon this turn because I summoned 'Lava Golem', the card I destroyed was 'Magical Garage'. When a set garage is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Machine monster from my hand."
He slapped the searched monster onto his Duel Disk.
"Come forth, Machina Submarine Unit 2!"
A second small submarine jumped onto the field, showing the same aggressive glare as its twin.
Machina Submarine, ATK 800.
Seika Kohinata's mouth twitched. She clearly wanted to say something, but the look in her eyes made her thoughts obvious. Why is it you again?
Some of the Yellow Dorm students watching nearby felt a strong sense of familiarity at the scene. They sympathized with the beautiful senior, while also feeling a strangely guilty thrill. Those who had personally suffered under submarine attacks in the past week cursed Yugen for having no mercy, while silently wishing him to press even harder.
"First, I switch the first 'Machina Submarine' back to Attack Position," Yugen said. "Then I enter the Battle Phase. The first 'Machina Submarine' attacks directly!"
The first submarine fired, launching two torpedoes that flew past the front line and raced straight toward the senior.
"I activate my face-down card," Seika Kohinata shouted. "Trap Card 'Big Bang Shot'! I double the ATK and DEF of one monster on your field. I double the ATK of your first 'Machina Submarine'!"
Machina Submarine, ATK 800 to ATK 1600.
The spectators gasped. Why would she voluntarily double the opponent's ATK?
"'Big Bang Shot' has another effect," Seika Kohinata continued. "A monster whose ATK is doubled by this effect cannot make a direct attack!"
Only then did everyone understand.
"She gave up safety on paper just to block the direct attack. That was clever."
"And more than that, now the only thing he can attack is her face-down 'Wild Warrior'. When that monster is destroyed, it can Special Summon a Warrior with ATK 1500 or less from the Deck."
Yugen had already considered this. "Then I let the attack with the boosted monster be canceled. I give up the attack with Submarine One. After that, Submarine Two makes a direct attack!"
The first unit pulled back, and the second took its place with precise timing. Torpedoes launched again, leaving long trails of bubbles as visual effects.
"At this moment, I activate the field effect of 'Machina City'," Yugen said. "When a 'Machina' monster battles, I send one 'Machina' monster from my Deck to the Graveyard to swap that monster's original ATK and DEF!"
Machina Submarine, ATK 800 to ATK 1800.
Seika Kohinata's expression changed sharply. "A direct attack with 1800 ATK?"
Before she could finish speaking, the torpedoes hit. She cried out as the explosion effects knocked her backward, and the exaggerated motion caused a stir among the crowd.
Seika Kohinata, LP 3200 to LP 1400.
"You little punk," she growled through clenched teeth. She forced herself to cling to her idol image and refined manners, barely holding back the urge to physically rush across and slap him.
"The 'Machina Submarine' that attacked switches to Defense Position," Yugen said. "Then I set one more card to my back row. My turn ends."
Seika Kohinata took a deep breath and steadied herself, forcing her focus back onto the rhythm of her Duel.
"My Turn!, Card Draw!"
"At this moment, the effect of 'Lava Golem' activates," Yugen said. "During the Standby Phase, 'Lava Golem' deals 1000 damage to its controller."
"Nani?!?"
Her face went pale as she looked up. The ugly, solid brute was staring down at her too, grinning as if it were laughing at her.
A mass of scalding heat poured down over her in a violent cascade.
"Ugh!"
Seika Kohinata, LP 1400 to LP 400.
She raised her head again, eyes bloodshot as she stared across the field. For a moment, titles like Academy Lady and champion seemed to vanish from her mind. All that remained was one raw thought.
Kill this scheming bastard.
"The card I drew is the Equip Spell 'Demon Axe'!" she shouted. "I switch 'Lava Golem' to Attack Position and equip it. The equipped monster gains 1000 ATK!"
Lava Golem, ATK 3000 to ATK 4000.
"Now the 'Lava Golem' you gave me has 4000 ATK!" she roared, face twisted. "Feel the power of your own monster. 'Lava Golem', attack!"
"I activate my face-down card," Yugen said calmly. "Continuous Trap, Interrogation Wheels. It binds one monster on your field. That monster cannot attack or change its battle position. I lock down 'Lava Golem'."
She was on the verge of exploding.
What kind of nonsense is this? It eats my monsters, burns my life points, and now it cannot even attack?
From a projection standpoint, the massive 'Lava Golem' should not have been restrained by such a small wheel. Yet the iron brute cooperated completely, even stretching out its hands as if surrendering. The wheels clamped onto its arms, and it let out a muffled growl while helplessly gesturing toward Seika Kohinata.
See, not my fault. I have no choice.
Her blood pressure kept climbing. Are you two in this together or what?
"Well then, my My Turn!. Oh right, one more thing," Yugen said with a bright smile. "Interrogation Wheels has another effect, senior. While a monster is bound by it, its controller takes 500 damage during each of my Standby Phases."
Seika Kohinata stared. "What?"
How much damage?
Seika Kohinata, LP 400.