Shards of data condensed into red trails on the void racetrack, hot light streaks tearing through like invisible chariots.
Its deep green armor glowed amidst overloaded energy, the helmet in a sharp downward triangle, armor petals torn open and radiating like metallic flowers. Its right arm was an advanced composite weapon—black gunmetal, layered barrels, spewing golden energy blades like continuous ion streams. Silver blades popped from both sides of its waist; in motion, they became a whirlwind of steel.
[T.G. Blade Blaster, ATK: 3300]
A historic first: the earliest Accel Synchro monster in Yu-Gi-Oh! anime—T.G. Blade Blaster!
"It finally appears: Accel Synchro Monster," Kira chuckled.
In the anime, Blade Blaster was formidable.
Its main effect: whenever affected by Spell/Trap cards, you could discard a card to negate that effect.
Yes, any time Blade Blaster was affected; but the print card was nerfed to only work if Blade Blaster is specifically the target. Quite the downgrade.
Additionally, in the anime, Blade Blaster could banish itself during the opponent's turn, avoiding attacks or destruction, returning next turn.
The card version required banishing a "Tech Genus" from the grave as a cost, weakening its usefulness. The anime's free banish made Blade Blaster nearly impossible to remove: even if you KO'd its duelist, it might still hang around like a cockroach.
Moreover, anime Blade Blaster had a further unique effect: if destroyed in battle, you could immediately Special Summon the Synchro material monsters used to summon it, then perform Accel Synchro again if possible—even in your opponent's turn.
Simply put, even if the opponent defeated Blade Blaster with a higher attack monster, it just returned as its Synchro materials, ready to Accel Synchro again—provided, of course, you had monsters left in your Extra Deck.
Offense aside, its defense was unbelievably tough.
"Go, T.G. Blade Blaster!" Antinomy declared. "Attack 'Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord'!"
Blade Blaster's thruster blazed and slashed Van'Dalgyon clean in two.
[Kira, LP 3500 → LP 3000]
Van'Dalgyon was destroyed. Antinomy frowned, glancing at his opponent's still-set back row.
Could that be a trap that responds to attacks?
But even if it was, he had full faith in his Blade Blaster.
He set a card and ended his turn.
"Set a card, turn end."
Kira drew his card.
Gazing at the menacing Blade Blaster, he sighed, "Near-invincible against Spells and Traps, overwhelming power, can banish itself at will—what a troublesome foe you've summoned.
Well, there's nothing for it but to shore up my defenses and see what happens next."
He set a monster face-down.
"I set a monster in face-down Defense Position."
Then he set another back row card.
"And I set a card, end my turn."
Antinomy pondered.
Is that really just a defensive monster and a trap?
Or does it hide a trap within a trap?
"My turn! Draw!"
He glanced over his hand and quickly made up his mind.
Either way, he'd attack first and worry later: he was confident in his Blade Blaster.
"I activate the Equip Spell 'Fairy Meteor Crush,' equipping it to 'T.G. Blade Blaster,'" Antinomy announced.
An arcane image shimmered behind him, swirling energy pouring into Blade Blaster's weapon, gold light coating its blade.
"With 'Fairy Meteor Crush,' when attacking a Defense Position monster, Blade Blaster inflicts piercing battle damage!"
Antinomy made a fist.
"Now, attack!
T.G. Blade Blaster, attack the face-down monster!"
Blade Blaster exploded forward again, light blade slicing down the target. The set card flipped, revealing a grimy, battered Jar.
[Morphing Jar, DEF: 600]
"Flip effect of Morphing Jar," Kira said. "Both players discard their entire hands, then draw until they hold five cards."
Antinomy: "But you'll still take piercing damage for the difference!"
[Kira, LP 3000 → LP 300]
A rush of damage blasted through him. The shockwave made Kira's Duel Runner skid, tire screeching on the track.
He took a staggering 2700 damage, causing his Speed Counters to drop two stages, falling from seven to five. His Duel Runner now trailed Delta Eagle by a significant distance.
"Ouch! That was ruthless!" Kira laughed despite the pain. "It's effective, that's for sure. But at this moment, I activate my Trap!"
He pointed to his back row.
"Trap Card: 'Damage Condenser.'
When I take battle damage, I can discard one card and Special Summon a monster from my Deck with ATK less than or equal to the damage I took."
A beam shot from Kira's Deck, materializing into a small, fluffy white creature in Attack Position.
"Special Summon: 'Marshmallon!'"
[Marshmallon, ATK: 300]
"Marshmallon?" Antinomy questioned.
"I see, you think my Battle Phase is over, so you dared risk summoning so weak a monster in Attack mode.
But that carelessness will cost you the duel!"
Antinomy shouted, "I activate the effect of 'T.G. Metal Skeleton' from my hand!
If any monster is destroyed by battle or effect, this card can be Special Summoned from the hand!"
[T.G. Metal Skeleton, ATK: 1100]
"A monster Special Summoned in the Battle Phase?"
Kira's expression changed.
"In that case…"
[Kira, LP: 300]
[Marshmallon, ATK: 300]
Marshmallon in Attack Position could now be attacked and finish him off.
…