Chapter 25: Counter-Strategy Tactics
In the duel field set against dark alleys, only Destiny HERO - Dreadguy stood before Finesse.
"After Dreadguy uses its banish effect, I cannot conduct my Battle Phase this turn."
Using her monster's effect, Finesse sent Kazejin to the future two turns away, then set one card in her back row.
"After setting one card, my turn ends."
Turn switching—Lutz drew a card and surveyed it, face contorting as he slowly spoke.
"Stalling tactics with trash monsters—I've sampled more than enough tonight. I Normal Summon Cannon Soldier in Attack Position!"
[Cannon Soldier] [Level 4 DARK]
[Machine] [ATK: 1400] [DEF: 1300]
A mechanical monster carrying steel cannons materialized on Lutz's field.
Amano still remembered this monster was one of Lutz's Fusion Materials for tonight's classic "five-for-one" combo.
Yet this duel with Finesse didn't seem as 'smooth' as tonight's—somewhat bricked.
Or perhaps, because the critical Polymerization card had been won by Amano, his five-for-one tactic got banned.
Regardless of reason, Lutz this turn apparently couldn't continue summoning demon gods.
Speaking of which, in Amano's distant memories, Cannon Soldier was the real heavyweight—spending considerable time on previous life's ban lists.
However, judging by Eden's dueling standards, Lutz merely used this monster as ordinary low-level combat power.
"Blast that trash ahead to pieces! Cannon Soldier, attack!"
Immediately entering Battle Phase after summoning, charging cannons pierced the dark night. Steel shells arced in parabolic trajectories, precisely smashing toward Dreadguy with only 600 ATK.
"Trap Card activate!"
Facing direct bombardment, Finesse flipped her set back-row card.
"Counter Trap Card—Negate Attack! I negate your attack!"
Spiral barrier effects absorbed all three steel shells locked onto Dreadguy.
Finesse added: "After Negate Attack activates, it forcibly ends your Battle Phase this turn!"
Though plain and simple, in Eden's axe-king slugfest basic environment, this remained a very useful Trap Card, letting Finesse pass this turn unharmed.
"Tch!" Lutz clicked his tongue in displeasure. "I set one card and end my turn!"
"My turn, draw! I Normal Summon Destiny HERO - Defender in Attack Position!"
[Destiny HERO - Defender] [Level 3 DARK]
[Warrior] [ATK: 800] [DEF: 800]
Finesse's second Hero monster appeared under night's shroud, ATK a full 200 points higher than Dreadguy, reaching 800 points.
Lutz: "Tonight I really poked a trash nest."
Combined ATK of both Destiny HERO monsters barely equaled opponent's weakest low-level monster Cannon Soldier.
"Then how about this~"
Beneath her hero mask, Finesse's exquisite mouth curled proudly.
"The stage for dark night heroes' battle—construct it here!"
Simultaneously, Finesse's wrist Duel Disk's hidden Field Zone opened accordingly.
The instant Finesse inserted the card into her Duel Disk's Field Zone, District 11's originally dim, silent alley transformed into a dark metropolis lined with high-rises.
"Field Spell Card—Dark City, activate!"
If Dark City seemed unfamiliar to many, mentioning another card would immediately bring a scene to mind.
"Heroes have stages where heroes fight"
Field Spell Skyscraper.
This Dark City was the Destiny HERO version of Skyscraper.
[Dark City] [Field Spell Card: When a "Destiny HERO" monster battles a monster with higher ATK, the attacking monster's ATK increases by 1000 during damage calculation only.]
Finesse waved forward: "Donning this righteous darkness, attack Cannon Soldier, Dreadguy!"
His slender form breaking through night, Dreadguy's sharp claws attacked the steel body with higher ATK.
Finesse: "Since Cannon Soldier's ATK exceeds Destiny HERO - Dreadguy's, Dreadguy's ATK increases 1000 points through Field effect!"
[Dreadguy] [ATK: 600 → 1600]
"—'Dimension Tear Claw'!"
[Cannon Soldier] destroyed
Lutz LP: 4000 - 200 → 3800
Finesse: "Then Destiny HERO - Defender's direct attack! 'Crushing Impact'!"
Lutz LP: 3800 - 800 → 3000
The hero's righteous left hook launched Lutz's massive body flying backward, heavily smashing against the wall behind.
"My turn ends."
This turn's aggressive assault complete, Finesse declared turn end and awaited Lutz's reaction.
Within Dark Games, genuine physical feedback went without saying. More dangerous was mental devastation inflicted on duelists.
Amano still remembered anime settings. Even surviving Dark Games alive, you could go mentally deranged or become completely brain-dead.
However, all these negative effects seemingly required no excessive concern for 'Lutz.'
Despite already suffering severe injuries from battling Amano plus being launched by Finesse, he still stood up like nothing happened.
Because fundamentally, he wasn't "bounty hunter Lutz."
"How despicable, Puppeteer." Finesse complained dissatisfied. "Only hiding safely somewhere controlling puppets to fight—don't you have even a shred of duelist dignity?"
"Hahaha, dignity inside Eden is the most worthless thing."
Words barely finished, Lutz's body staggered, suddenly dropping to one knee. Through Field Spell Dark City's weak illumination, that thick left leg's unnatural contortion degree was visible.
Obviously fractured.
"Looks like this body's also reaching its limit. Then let the soon-to-be-discarded puppet exert final value in this duel!"
Heavily striking his left leg, forcibly snapping the unnatural twist back straight. This visibly painful operation made Lutz's body stand again while drawing this turn's card.
"I Set one monster in face-down Defense Position and end my turn!"
With only two hand cards remaining, Lutz couldn't extravagantly summon remaining demon gods like tonight's duel. Just simple operations before ending turn.
Finesse: "My turn, draw!"
However, fortunately this turn's Standby Phase, Kazejin banished and sent to the future two turns away returned to Lutz's field.
But speaking of which—
Did it really return?
"Destiny HERO - Dreadguy's effect activates! Banish Kazejin!"
The instant Kazejin returned to Lutz's field, Finesse immediately activated the effect again, not letting the wind demon god stand even one second.
Like stated initially—as long as one demon god remained sealed, Lutz couldn't combine into strongest Gate Guardian.
"Plus don't think you can escape my eyes like that!" Finesse threw another card.
During turns when Dreadguy activated effects, Finesse couldn't conduct Battle Phase. However, Lutz's field still had one face-down Defense Position hidden monster.
"Your Set monster is that card, isn't it?" Finesse saw through it immediately while activating her thrown Spell. "Spell Card—Shield Crush!"
[Shield Crush] [Spell Card: Target 1 face-up Defense Position monster on the field; destroy that Defense Position monster.]
Green light beams pierced like sharp swords, shattering the contorted jar monster into data phantoms.
[Morphing Jar] destroyed
Lutz's method for replenishing hand cards.
Morphing Jar—regardless of self-flipping or being flipped by attacks, it could trigger the draw-5-cards effect.
But if directly destroyed by Spell Cards, like this Shield Crush, it couldn't trigger flip effects. Lutz's final resource replenishment method was also severed.
Undoubtedly, Finesse could precisely predict Lutz wanted to replenish hand cards through Morphing Jar because she'd watched Amano's duel tonight.
Merciless countering. Not even pretending anymore.
In this moment, Amano belatedly realized.
"This chuuni young miss is using me as a test stone?"