"According to the effect of 'Mysterious Flute Player,' since I drew a One-Star Monster, I will draw another card from the deck."
Yugen drew a card and then revealed another card from his hand.
"Magic Card 'Weapon Cave'!" Yugen said, "This sends the top card of the deck to the graveyard and allows me to add one Equipment Magic Card from the deck or graveyard to my hand."
He drew the top card of his deck, glanced at it, and then sent it to the graveyard section of the Duel Disc. The Duel Disc executed an automatic search, and a card popped out from the deck, which he drew into his hand. The deck then automatically shuffled.
"I added the Equipment Magic 'Magical Wand' to my hand from the deck."
"Searching for an Equipment Magic..."
Tomoki still didn't understand what this was all about, but he said, "Though I don't know what you're planning, you should know that as long as 'Rare Silver Armor' is on the field, you cannot select any monster other than 'Thunder Demon King - Skeleton Demon' as the target of effects.
This includes monsters on your field, so even if you want to activate Equipment Magic, you can't."
"Ah, well, that's really troublesome." Yugen feigned a headache, "As expected from a professional's combination, not only summoning such a powerful monster lineup at once but also sealing the magic effects on my monsters..."
"Indeed, this way, your actions are maximally sealed. What a pity, you searched for equipment, yet cannot use it," Tomoki said smugly.
"Indeed... well, no choice then."
Yugen sighed, slowly drawing a card from his hand as if this was a last resort he was forced into.
"Then, I offer the two monsters 'Demon's Summon' and 'Thunder Demon King - Skeleton Demon' on the professional senior's field as tributes, and Special Summon this powerful Eight-Star Monster in defense position on the senior's field!
Awakened from the abyss of lava, the power of destruction and rebirth——
——Level Eight, Lava Demon God!"
Saito Tomoki: "???"
What the heck?
In the next moment, he was dumbfounded as he watched the pair of great demons on his field melt in a surge of lava bubbling up from the ground. Then, a gigantic hand reached out from the lava, and a burning giant slowly emerged from it, like an iron cage heated red-hot, trapping Tomoki entirely within.
The burning giant stood up on his field, turned its head to meet his eyes, with an abstract face that seemingly bore a goofy smile.
As if saying, "Hello, nice to meet you."
[Lava Demon God, Defense Power 2500]
Facing this goofy giant, Tomoki momentarily felt disoriented.
Didn't...
His invincible demon blockade just got broken so easily?
Adding insult to injury, the Lava Demon God, after firmly standing on his field, opened its mouth to make a quirky sound, exhaling a breath of scorching hot air, as if burping after a satisfying meal.
Having devoured two high-level demons in one go tasted quite good. The dense giant contentedly patted its belly, as if saying, "Thanks for the treat..."
Tomoki: "......"
"Then, as the equipped target is lost, 'Rare Silver Armor' is naturally destroyed as well." Yugen smiled, "This way, my target-lock penalty is lifted.
Then, the effect of the Candy Clown in my hand allows this card to be Special Summoned in attack position directly from my hand."
[Candy Clown, Attack Power 0]
"Activate Equipment Magic 'Magical Wand,' equip it to the Mage Race 'Candy Clown,' increasing the attack power of the equipped monster by 500 points," Yugen said, "However, the other effect of the Magical Wand is to send the equipment card and this card to the graveyard together, and I draw two more cards from the deck."
Tomoki frowned.
He grew increasingly certain that this guy was indeed looking for something...
"Speed Attack Magic 'Chestnut Ball's Summoning Flute'!" Yugen declared, "Special summon this card from the deck——
——Come forth, Feathered Chestnut Ball!"
[Feathered Chestnut Ball, Attack Power 300]
Tomoki's heart was unshaken.
Oh, Chestnut Ball.
Then what? Gonna knock me out with Chestnut Ball?
Tomoki's mindset had already returned to calm.
Though his mindset was a bit shattered having lost two trump cards, even so, his side of the field still had a monster as strong as Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Some trivial Chestnut Ball Zako...
"Equipment Magic 'Optical Camouflage Armor,' can only be equipped to a 1-Star Monster." Yugen revealed an equipment, "The equipped monster can attack directly."
"Hmm?" Tomoki continued to be puzzled.
Oh, attacking directly, that's really impressive.
But that Zako of yours has only 300 attack power, isn't it more humiliating than damaging...
"Under the cover of 'Optical Camouflage Armor,' Feathered Chestnut Ball attacks directly!" Yugen said.
Tomoki sneered: "Ha, only 300 attack power..."
"At this moment, activate Speed Attack Magic 'Berserker Shattering'!" Yugen announced, "Remove a monster from my graveyard from the game, until the end phase of the turn, the 'Feathered Chestnut Ball' on my field has the same attack power and defense power as the removed monster."
"What!?"
Tomoki's pupils constricted.
Right, the Magic-guided Grocer dumped seven monster cards in one go last turn...
"Remove 'Silent Mage Lv8' from the graveyard, until the end phase of the turn, Feathered Chestnut Ball gains the same attack power as Silent Mage... that is 3500 points!"
[Feathered Chestnut Ball, Attack Power 300→Attack Power 3500]
"Attack power... 3500!?" Tomoki's expression twisted.
You're freakin' kidding me?
An attack power of 3500 on a Chestnut Ball... and it's a direct attack!?
Feathered Chestnut Ball: "Kuri Kuri!"
Although Yugen didn't know what it was saying, he felt that Chestnut Ball was right.
Feathered Chestnut Ball acquired optical camouflage, flapped its little wings, and boldly flew over the head of Lava Demon God. Lava Demon God covered its eyes with its large hands as if saying, "I can't see, I can't see..."
"Tch, don't underestimate the professionals," Tomoki shouted, "Activate the cover card, Trap Card 'Guardian Defense Wall'! Battle damage becomes 0, and then I draw one card from my deck."
At full force, Feathered Chestnut Ball head-butted against the transparent barrier, ultimately failing, leaving it to regretfully "Kuri" twice, before flapping its wings and flying back in front of Yugen.
Tomoki wiped his sweat.
Damn, that was close, almost got killed by a Chestnut Ball head-butt...
If he really died at the hands of a Chestnut Ball, he felt his professional career, which hadn't even started, would end prematurely. What a lifelong shame.
"So close, what a pity," Keihei also said.
It's actually quite amusing if a Chestnut Ball punches someone to death...
"Well then, set one card in the backfield," Yugen said, "End turn."
"The effect of Berserker Shattering ends, so your Chestnut Ball's attack returns to normal," Tomoki shouted.
[Feathered Chestnut Ball, Attack Power 3500 → Attack Power 300]
With an Attack Power of 300, it's like an easy target inviting trouble. Tomoki's expression was grim as he chuckled darkly.
Almost letting him face the humiliation of dying to a Chestnut Ball, this round, he'd return the favor with interest!
"My turn, draw!"
"In the standby phase, Lava Demon God's effect," Yugen said, "deals the controller 1000 points of damage."
Tomoki: "Ugh..."
[Tomoki, LP 4000 → LP 3000]
In the cage, it felt like being drenched in filth; Tomoki groaned softly.
That was really dangerous. If last turn that punch from Chestnut Ball went through, he would've been doomed after taking damage from Lava Demon God...
"It's indeed a terrifying combo, but I still have the upper hand," Tomoki shouted, "Switch Lava Demon God to attack position!
Die by your own monster's hand!"
He raised his hand and shouted.
"Lava Demon God, attack 'Feathered Chestnut Ball'!"
Lava Demon God's attack power was a terrifying three thousand, while Feathered Chestnut Ball only had three hundred, a tenfold difference. Yugen's Life Points were only 1500, and this punch would end the match.
A gleam shone in Tomoki's eyes: "I win!"
Yet even Tomoki didn't realize, at some point, his attitude had shifted from "casually crushing noobs" to "taking down this dog."
Unconsciously, he was getting more excited as the duel progressed.
"Stay calm, senior. Getting too worked up can easily lead to losses in professional tournaments,"
Yugen shook his head, saying earnestly.
Tomoki: "?"
Wait, are you the senior or am I the senior?
Why are you suddenly lecturing me?
"Activate the cover card, Speed Attack Magic 'Evolutionary Wings'," Yugen said, "Discard two cards from my hand to evolve Feathered Chestnut Ball into 'Feathered Chestnut Ball LV10'."
Evolutionary Wings, a rare card specifically for Feathered Chestnut Ball. Although the first one that came to the academy was given to Judai, Yugen had gotten another in a Chestnut Ball exclusive deck from Kaiba Company.
In the sacred light of evolution, Feathered Chestnut Ball rapidly grew, bathed in radiant brilliance, spreading angelic, immaculate wings.
[Feathered Chestnut Ball LV10, Attack Power 300]
"It actually evolved to ten stars in one go?" Tomoki had a bad premonition, "But even at ten stars, its attack power is only 300..."
"LV10 effect," Yugen smiled, "During the opponent's battle phase, sacrifice this card to destroy all attack position monsters on the opponent's field. Inflict damage equal to the total attack power of the destroyed monsters."
Tomoki's brain stalled for a few seconds.
His own attack position monster, wouldn't that mean...
He instinctively looked up and saw that certain fool, who was also looking down at him.
It even pointed at itself, as if saying, "Yes, that's me."
[Lava Demon God, Attack Power 3000]
[Tomoki, LP 3000]
Tomoki: "........."
The genius boy almost laughed in anger.
Burned him for one thousand during standby, and then Lava Demon God's attack power was just three thousand...
Combined for a total of four thousand damage, just enough to finish him off with no overflow.
"Then Feathered Chestnut Ball LV10, activate effect," Yugen said, "Sacrifice itself to destroy 'Lava Demon God', inflicting its attack power of three thousand as damage."
Feathered Chestnut Ball dissolved in a burst of golden light, followed by the body of Lava Demon God exploding. The scorching lava erupted with its self-detonation, once again incinerating Tomoki and the cage containing him to ash...
When Life Points hit zero and he logged off from the virtual arena, Tomoki looked up and let out a long breath.
He suddenly began to ponder if the professional world might be a bit too harsh for him.
Perhaps he wasn't suited for dueling at all.
[Tomoki, LP 3000 → LP 0]