The Archfiend Bishop was not having a good time at all.
He finally seemed to understand why this brat would run a contradictory build using a trap-locking monster like Jinzo while simultaneously packing a backrow full of trap cards.
If it were just a standard trap lock, it would certainly be troublesome, but it would ultimately just force both sides into a straightforward, "pure" battle where they hammered away at each other with monster effects and attacks.
That was exactly what the Bishop had been thinking moments ago the inability to use traps should have hindered both sides equally. That would have left him plenty of room to fight back on his next turn.
However, the moment that helmet called "Amplifier" was placed on Jinzo's head, the entire nature of the duel changed.
The field had shifted from a straightforward exchange of blows into a one-sided trap suppression. It was as if one side had been stripped of their right to play the "troll" game, while the other side was free to dig as many pits as they pleased.
So you're saying I'm the only one allowed to fall into a trap, but I'm not allowed to set any?
The Bishop's mouth twitched. He gritted his teeth as he stared at the android standing on the opposite side of the field with its arms crossed.
Damn it. Jinzo was supposed to be the representative of "pure" dueling—the bane of traps—yet here he was, working hand-in-glove with a backrow-heavy troll. To use such an underhanded tactic...
"I'll set one last card to the backrow and end my turn," Yugen said softly. "Alright, it's your go again."
"Tch... my turn, draw!" the Archfiend Bishop growled. "The combination of Jinzo and Amplifier certainly puts me at an absolute disadvantage regarding traps. And that set card in your backrow is likely a powerful trap intended to obstruct my plays and my offense. But it is useless!"
A crimson light flashed in the Bishop's eyes.
"I am the Archfiend Bishop, a powerhouse even among the noble demon race. If you think such a simple setup can leave me helpless, you have vastly underestimated me! I activate the Spell Card, Nobleman of Extermination! It destroys one face-down Spell or Trap card on the field and removes it from the game. If the destroyed card is a Trap, both players must remove all cards with that same name from their decks!"
He pointed toward the set card on the left side of Yugen's backrow.
"Destroy that set card!"
A blade of light slashed down, splitting the set card in two. In that brief moment of destruction, the Bishop clearly saw the image of the card: Magic Cylinder!
"How dangerous," the Bishop cold-snorted. "If I had walked into another Magic Cylinder in this situation... Hah!?"
His expression shifted instantly.
Before the image of the destroyed Magic Cylinder could vanish, a golden light washed over it, and it transformed into the likeness of a different card.
"The Trap Card, Fake Trap," Yugen said with a smile. "When another Trap card on my field is destroyed, this card is destroyed instead."
He paused, glancing at his remaining set card in the backrow. "Though, because of that, now you know. Yes, this one is Magic Cylinder. Well then, what are you going to do now?"
"Curse you..." The Bishop gnashed his teeth.
That arrogant attitude, that punchable face... and the worst part was that the Bishop really didn't have many options left in his hand.
"Then I activate the Spell Card, Card of Adversity! Since you have a Special Summoned monster and I have none, I draw two cards from my deck."
The Bishop drew his cards.
"At this moment, I activate the effect of Appropriate," Yugen interjected. "Whenever my opponent draws cards outside of their Draw Phase, I also draw two cards."
The Bishop's face darkened as he watched Yugen draw. Then, his own eyes lit up as he looked at his new hand.
"Hahahaha! I told you, I am the Archfiend Bishop, unlike those low-level demons you've faced before!" he shouted. "Traps are useless against me! I activate the Spell Card, Hey, Trunade! All set Spell and Trap cards on the field are returned to their owners' hands!"
A green whirlwind swept across the field, blowing Yugen's set Magic Cylinder into the air. It dissolved into a golden light and flew back into Yugen's hand.
Yugen narrowed his eyes slightly.
Hey, Trunade! Another good card that hadn't been seen in the outside world yet.
Of course, this version could only bounce face-down cards, whereas the forbidden original could bounce everything, making the original far superior. That was exactly why the original was banned and this one wasn't.
But it wasn't a problem. Regardless of whether he needed it or not, it never hurt to pocket a rare card he didn't already own. Or he could simply claim it was a product of his laboratory and publish a paper on it to secure more funding.
Yugen retrieved the Magic Cylinder from his Duel Disk and smiled.
Your cards are quite nice, but after this duel, they're mine.
"Now your traps are cleared," the Bishop sneered. "I'll finish you in one go! First, I activate the Continuous Spell, Water Hazard! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Water monster from my hand. I Special Summon the Level 4 Lord Poison!"
[Lord Poison, ATK 1500]
"Next, I use the Spell Card, Magic Planter! By sending a Continuous Spell I control to the Graveyard, I draw two more cards!"
The Bishop sent the Continuous Spell he had just used to the Graveyard and drew again.
"Then the effect of Appropriate triggers once more," Yugen said cheerfully. "I draw two more cards."
Thanks for the double Pot of Greed, boss. You're far too kind.
The Bishop continued, "Next, I activate the Spell Card, Fiend's Sanctuary! I Special Summon a Metal Fiend Token to the field!"
[Metal Fiend Token, ATK 0]
"Then, I Tribute the Token for a Tribute Summon!" The Bishop raised his hand high. "Awaken from your ancient icy slumber! Appear, my trump card! Level 6, Frostosaurus!"
A biting cold wind howled as a towering figure emerged from the mist. It looked like a mobile iceberg, its massive body covered in thick layers of ice that shimmered with a crystalline light.
The dinosaur was incredibly massive, and the moment it appeared, the entire battlefield seemed to be shrouded in a freezing aura.
[Frostosaurus, ATK 2600]
Yugen's lips curled into a smirk.
This card was also quite good.
He didn't have much use for it himself, but Frostosaurus held the title for the highest ATK of any Level 6 monster in the game that required only one Tribute. Moreover, it was a noble Normal Monster with no negative side effects.
In the eyes of modern duelists, this was a top-tier, ultra-rare heavy hitter—the kind that was worth a fortune.
Not bad, not bad at all. Mr. Bishop really has quite a few treasures. This trip was definitely worth it.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card, Double Attack!" the Bishop declared. "By discarding a monster from my hand, I select a monster on my field with a lower Level than the discarded one. That monster can attack twice this turn! I discard the Level 6 Amphibian Beast, allowing Lord Poison to attack twice!"
A ripple of water-like magic enveloped Lord Poison, covering its entire body.
"Go!" the Bishop bellowed. "First, Frostosaurus, attack Jinzo!"
Frostosaurus opened its maw, unleashing a vortex of ice crystals. Jinzo was instantly frozen into an ice sculpture by the chilling blast. With a swing of the dragon's tail, the sculpture shattered into countless fragments.
Jinzo was frustrated. Damn it, my long-awaited debut and I couldn't even take a single head...
[Yugen, LP 4000 → LP 3800]
This was the first time since the start of the duel that the Bishop had managed to touch Yugen's Life Points. He had finally broken through the frontline.
The Bishop's confidence began to return.
"Next, Lord Poison, attack Jetroid!"
Lord Poison leaped forward, its pitch-black claws swiping toward the anthropomorphic little jet. But Jetroid showed no fear; there was even a hint of contempt in its eyes.
Just as the claws were about to connect, a golden light erupted from Jetroid's body. Countless particles of light coalesced in front of it, forming the shape of two barrels.
Magic Cylinder!
"Nani!?" the Bishop screamed.
How? Wasn't that thing bounced back to his hand? I used Nobleman of Extermination and Hey, Trunade!, and I still couldn't get rid of that thing? How is this possible?
"Jetroid's effect," Yugen explained. "When this card is targeted for an attack, the controller can activate a Trap card directly from their hand."
"Activate from the hand..."
The Bishop's face contorted as he glared at the little jet with eyes full of murderous intent.
I didn't realize you, with your big eyes and honest face, were also an accomplice to this troll!
"Magic Cylinder's effect negates the attack and reflects damage equal to the attacking monster's ATK back to you."
"Agh!"
Lord Poison's claw passed through the Magic Cylinder and slammed directly into the Bishop himself. The impact tore through his skin, sending him crashing backward.
[Archfiend Bishop, LP 1550 → LP 50]
"Urgh... damn it..."
Only 50 Life Points left—a desperately low amount. That strike hadn't just caused him agonizing pain; the realization of how close he had come to defeat made his hands and feet go cold with fear.
If he had summoned Aquarian Alessa, with her 1600 ATK, instead of Lord Poison, he would have accidentally killed himself just now.
He looked at Yugen with trembling uncertainty.
Is there no end to this man's pits? Even after bouncing them...
"Ugh, but that means your Magic Cylinder is gone now!" the Bishop roared. "Because of Double Attack's effect, Lord Poison can still make its second attack! Lord Poison, attack Jetroid again!"
Yugen smiled faintly.
"Then, I activate Jetroid's effect once more," he said. "When it's targeted for an attack, I can activate a Trap card from my hand."
Archfiend Bishop: "!?"
That thing isn't once per turn? And you have ANOTHER trap in your hand!?
His eyes widened. "Don't tell me... another Magic Cylinder..."
Even as he said it, he felt the thought was ridiculous. If his opponent could pull a second Magic Cylinder from his hand, the Bishop was going to call the authorities.
"No, no," Yugen laughed. "What kind of coincidence would that be? The trap I'm activating from my hand this time is this one: Under Attack."
The trap card materialized before him.
"When an opponent declares an attack, I can Special Summon a monster from my hand. The opponent is then forced to attack that monster."
"It's not Magic Cylinder..."
The Bishop instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. At least the man had some shred of decency left and hadn't pulled a second Magic Cylinder.
Wait a minute. Special Summon a monster from the hand. That means...
"I Special Summon Reflect Bounder."
Yugen revealed the only monster card left in his hand.
[Reflect Bounder, ATK 1700]
Yugen continued, "When an attack is declared against an Attack Position Reflect Bounder... the opponent takes damage equal to the attacking monster's ATK."
Archfiend Bishop: "..."
Nani???
The Bishop's face became a mask of pure agony. Terror, despair, and fury all converged onto his features, making him look like the embodiment of a mid-life crisis.
Are you serious? A human Magic Cylinder!?
"Therefore, Reflect Bounder's effect activates," Yugen said with a casual wave of his hand. "Eat your own reflected attack one more time."
Reflect Bounder spun its palms, catching the strike squarely with the mirror on its chest. The energy was instantly absorbed by the mirror surface and converted into a beam of golden light that shot back at the Bishop.
"GYAAAAAAAH!!!"
[Archfiend Bishop, LP 50 → LP 0]
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