"Emergency Food, by sending the Magic and Trap cards from the back row to the graveyard, restores 1000 life points for each card," Yugen said, "Originally, 'Nightmare Mirage Tube' had a side effect.
By the next preparation phase, I would have to randomly discard the number of cards that were drawn due to the Mirage Tube's effect.
But before that, I used the Emergency Food effect to send the Mirage Tube to the graveyard to restore life points.
Moreover, the Trap Card 'Atmospheric Regeneration' that is also activating on the same chain is sent to the graveyard. Hence, a total of 2000 life points are restored."
[Yugen, LP 2000→LP 4000]
In this way, not only the monsters on the field, but even the life points instantly returned to their original value. This made Ed, as an opponent, involuntarily feel defeated in his heart.
It felt like everything he did was in vain.
It seemed that no matter what he did, how hard he tried, he ultimately couldn't change anything.
"It's almost like... the fate that Saio often talks about, right?" Yugen smiled.
Ed felt a jolt in his heart and frowned, "What are you talking about?"
"The fate that Saio talks about," Yugen said, "I bet he always says this to you, doesn't he? That everything is destined, fate has already been decided, under the wheel of fate, all one can do is go with the flow... blah blah."
"What are you trying to express?" Ed asked.
"Nothing. Look, I dare to bet that Saio always predicted that you would be the victorious party, and that challenging you was like foolishly trying to shake the wheel of fate."
Yugen gave a slight smile.
"Isn't this like the feeling you have now?"
"Destiny Hero: Sprinter, this guy has a special effect that must be activated, right?"
Ed didn't speak. But he looked at the Changeable Air Hummingbird on the opposite field, then at his own Sprinter, naturally becoming aware of this serious issue for him...
Ed gritted his teeth, maintaining a cold face as he spoke.
"Sprinter's effect, if this card attacks, after the battle phase ends, it must be changed to defense position."
[Destiny Hero: Sprinter, 2100 Attack Power→1000 Defense Power]
After attacking, it is forced to switch to defense, which usually wouldn't be too bad. But today was different.
Today, the opposite Changeable Air Hummingbird clearly possesses the ability to absorb defense monsters. Unfortunately, his Sprinter is restricted to forcibly switching to defense, walking right into the trap.
"That's right. You know the Changeable Air Hummingbird can absorb defense monsters, yet you have no choice but to switch Sprinter to defense."
Yugen chuckled.
"It's a fate that doesn't require any predictive ability to easily foresee, and you can only watch it happen without being able to avoid it. Isn't it like the fate Saio talked about?"
"Are you trying to say that the goddess of fate is on your side?"
Ed shouted loudly while drawing two more cards and inserting them into the slots of his Duel Disc.
"Don't joke around! I'll set two more cards; it's your turn."
"That's not my original words."
Yugen shrugged his shoulders, raising his Duel Disc.
"Then it's my turn, draw a card."
"Enter your preparation phase, Destiny Hero: Dogma's effect also activates!" Ed shouted, "Each time it's the opponent's preparation phase, it halves the opponent's life points!" (Original effect)
Energy surged from Dogma's feet, and his overwhelming power erupted again from below him. Yugen was enveloped in the pillar of light, losing half of his life points.
[Yugen, LP 4000→LP 2000]
"This is the power of the Destiny Hero!" Ed said, "Just guarding the territory and claiming fate is on your side is ridiculous!"
"Is it?"
Yugen laughed lightly, deliberately or unintentionally glancing at the large clock tower behind Ed.
Netherworld Clock Tower, the Destiny Hero's field. Ed hadn't explained it at all since he activated it. If you aren't completely familiar with Destiny Heroes—in fact, no one else in the world would understand this unique deck designed by Ed's father—you'd surely be completely in the dark about this field.
Even in the animation, Ed wasn't fond of explaining the effects of this field during duels. So if you don't observe intentionally, you'll likely overlook it. Just now, the clock hand on the tower suddenly began spinning rapidly.
The effect of Netherworld Clock Tower is that each time the opponent's turn preparation phase occurs, the clock hand advances. In the K language, this places a 'Time Indicator.'
Now, after two of Yugen's preparation phases have passed, there are two Time Indicators. This tower only truly activates its effects when there are four or more indicators.
"Activate Magic Card 'Akasha Record.' Draw two cards from the deck. If any of those cards have been used in this duel, they must be excluded from the game." (Original card)
Yugen drew two more cards, glanced at them, then raised an eyebrow.
"Activate the effect of Changeable Air Hummingbird," Yugen said, "Discarding a card from hand, can absorb a defense position monster on the opponent's field as an equipment card."
Yugen placed a card from his hand into the graveyard.
"I discard a card and absorb your defense position 'Destiny Hero: Sprinter' on the field."
Changeable Air Hummingbird unfolded its wings, a transparent cyclone erupted, like invisible claws directly grabbing towards Sprinter.
"Activate a cover card!" Ed immediately counter-attacked, "Continuous Trap 'Demon Race's Chain!'
Using the demon's chains, bind the monsters on the field, making the bound monster unable to attack and its effect nullified!"
Green chains shot out from the trap, instantly binding Yugen's Changeable Air Hummingbird tightly, the cyclone raised by the Hummingbird halted abruptly.
"Bind 'Changeable Air Hummingbird' with Demon Race's Chain, nullifies its effect!"
Ed couldn't help but reveal a confident smirk.
"It seems your so-called victorious fate is quite fragile. My Destiny Hero hasn't been absorbed by you, what do you say?"
"That's why I said it wasn't my original words."
Yugen shrugged his shoulders, revealing another card from his hand.
"Then activate the Magic Card 'Star Burst.' Can decrease the star level of a monster on your hand or field by any number, for each star decreased, you must pay 500 life points to activate this effect."
Ed frowned.
A card to change star levels?
"I choose Level Three 'Changeable Air Hummingbird,'" Yugen said, "I pay 1000 life points to decrease Changeable Air Hummingbird by 2 stars until the end of the turn, becoming Level One."
[Yugen, LP 2000→LP 1000]
[Changeable Air Hummingbird, Level 3→Level 1]
Ed's mind was puzzled.
Decreasing two star levels, what's the point?
But he immediately understood.
"Then activate this card from hand, Magic Card 'Sudden Mutation,'" Yugen said, "Send the Level 1 'Changeable Air Hummingbird' on the field to the graveyard, transforming it into a Level 1 Fusion Monster.
Therefore, I use the Sudden Mutation effect to transform Changeable Air Hummingbird, calling forth—
—Thousand-Eyed Sacrificial Demon!"
Ed: "???"