"Attack from Giant Battleship - Bursting Cannon Core!"
Ryusei laughed.
"Stars, stay obediently on the stage; once on the battlefield, be ready to be blasted by cannon fire."
"Thanks for the reminder, but no need."
Asuka didn't back down even half a step.
"Activate the trap 'Double Barcelona Dance'! When the opponent attacks a monster in attack position on your field, the attack is redirected as a direct attack on you!"
"What?"
Ryusei was surprised.
A direct attack? Is this woman crazy?
Indeed, as the trap took effect, the blast from Bursting Cannon Core diverted, bypassing the Electronic Stars at the front, with a burst of force sweeping directly towards Asuka herself.
Boom!
Asuka let out a muffled groan as she was engulfed by cannon fire, the powerful 3D image impact forcing her to one knee.
"Using the duelist's own body to protect the monster," Ryusei was puzzled by the baffling move, "Why?"
But then, a slender silhouette broke through the curtain of flames, and a gorgeous spinning kick whipped toward him. Ryusei, startled, instinctively raised his duel disc to block, but still staggered back from the impact.
"What...!?"
"Double Barcelona Dance turns the opponent's monster attack into a direct attack," Asuka explained, "but it also deals damage to the opponent equivalent to the attacked monster's attack points."
[Asuka, LP 4000→LP 1500]
[Ryusei, LP 4000→LP 2800]
"I see, a card that exchanges damage for damage?"
Ryusei brushed off the dust and still smiled disdainfully.
"But is this really okay?"
"I have an upper-level monster with 2500 attack points, and exchanging it for the attack of such a weak dancer seems quite a loss?"
"No need for you to worry about that," Asuka smiled, "Double Barcelona Dance has a follow-up effect.
That monster of mine just attacked; in my next turn... it can directly attack the opponent player!"
Physical card, boy!
This was the upgrade Asuka gained from tirelessly experimenting in the lab, one of her favorite traps.
Originally, the animation effect was to turn the opponent's attack into a direct attack, then the monster gets to attack directly once more. Clearly, this "attacking directly with your monster during the opponent's battle phase" wasn't standard or K language compliant.
Physical card processing not only adhered to regulations but also strengthened the card. After the duelist endures a direct attack, they deal damage equivalent to their monster's attack points—not through battle, but as effect damage. Plus, they get an additional ride-face opportunity in the next turn.
This shifts from a mere exchange of damage to an offensive advantage on one's side.
"Moreover, when I receive direct attack damage, another set card has also been activated."
Asuka's second backfield card flipped open.
"Activate the trap card 'Gate of Damage'!"
The explosion's light and impact sweeping over Asuka converged under the trap's guidance, transforming into a gate-like shape.
"Gate of Damage can be activated when you take battle damage, allowing you to special summon a monster from the graveyard with attack points equal to or less than that damage value."
A golden light erupted from Asuka's duel disc graveyard, and a monster card flew out, passing through the Gate of Damage and transforming into a petite figure spinning gracefully to land lightly.
"The card discarded to the graveyard by 'Angel's Charity', Electronicized Ballet Skirt special summon!"
[Electronicized Ballet Skirt, Attack Power 1000]
"I see."
Ryusei understood.
"Next turn, a direct attack to further expand the advantage. Plus, the damage received was further converted into new monster presence, adding more resources. Truly worthy of being called Duel Academy's No.1 Duelist lady."
Ryusei chuckled oddly.
"Alright then... I'll follow up by activating from my hand a continuous magic 'Boss Battle'!"
A Magic Card appeared in his backfield.
"This card can only be activated in a turn where you haven't performed a normal summon," Ryusei said, "As long as this card is on the field, whenever a face-up 'Giant Battleship' monster on your field is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, you can special summon another 'Giant Battleship' from your deck at the end of the turn!"
"A continuous magic that gives all battleships a last-will ability," Asuka frowned.
She instinctively felt that the card's functionality seemed impressive, being able to summon any Giant Battleship straight from the deck, ignoring level factors, meaning the monster resources in the entire deck could be dispatched at will.
"Finally, I set a card and end my turn," Ryusei said.
"Then it's my turn, draw!"
Asuka inserted the card she drew into the slot.
"Activate the equipment magic 'Power of Unity'!"
A Magic Card appeared in her backfield.
"Equip Electronic Stars. The attack and defense powers of the equipped monster increase by 800 points for each monster on your side of the field."
A faint yellow energy field enveloped Electronic Stars.
"I have two monsters on my field, hence Electronic Stars gains 1600 attack points!"
[Electronic Stars, Attack Power 1200→Attack Power 2800]
"Attack power of 2800!?" Ryusei's face changed to one of dismay.
He didn't forget. This thing can directly hit the face this turn!
An attack of 2800 points to the face, how can that be?
"Además, durante un ataque directo, el poder de ataque del Electronicized Star "aumentará en 600 puntos adicionales. (Efecto de animación)"
The physical card version was adjusted to 500, with unclear reasons for this 100-point distinction.
Asuka raised her hand.
"Battle! Electronic Stars, according to the effect of 'Double Barcelona Dance', direct attack!"
Seeing Electronic Stars enveloped in golden light rushing over, Ryusei turned grave. It was only their first clash, yet it had already reached a life-or-death moment.
Forceful exchange of damage, combined with attack amplification, indeed rendered a swift, lethal threat that allowed no room for negligence.
"Activate the set card, trap card 'Destructive Medicine'!" Ryusei declared, "Destroy a monster on your field, and recover LP equal to its attack points.
I destroy 'Giant Battleship - Bursting Cannon Core'!"
With a boom, the battleship exploded from its core, immediately turning into a mass of burning flames, with metal wreckage flying everywhere, the golden glow it released constantly pouring into Ryusei.
[Ryusei, LP 2800→LP 5300]
"And now, the effect of Electronic Stars," Asuka said, "In a direct attack, its attack power increases by an additional 600."
[Electronic Stars, Attack Power 2800→Attack Power 3400]
The star leaped forward, twisting its body powerfully for a spinning kick!
Ryusei felt this kick was almost traumatic.
[Ryusei, LP 5300→LP 1900]
"That's not all." Asuka continued, "Next, it's the direct attack of Electronicized Ballet Skirt!"