After giving it a brief glance, Yusaku withdrew his gaze and flipped up a card in his GY to keep going.
"Next I activate the effect of Bystial Lubellion in the GY, tributing the Bystial Magnamhut I just summoned to Special Summon it!"
[The Bystial Lubellion]
[Level 8 / Dragon / Effect]
ATK 2500
"The effect of Bystial Lubellion activates. During my Main Phase, I can place 1 'Branded' Continuous Spell or Continuous Trap directly from my Deck to my field."
As his voice fell, a card was ejected from the top of his Deck slot. Yusaku pulled it out and slapped it onto his Duel Disk.
A moment later, a face-up Spell Card materialized behind him.
"Then I activate the effect of Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous in my hand. If I control or have in my GY Fallen of Albaz, I can Special Summon this card from my hand.
Since there is a Fallen of Albaz in my GY, I can Special Summon her to the field!"
As he finished speaking, a white-haired saint in a reddish-brown dress, holy sword in hand and figure to die for, descended onto the field.
[Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous]
[Level 4 / Spellcaster / Tuner / Effect]
ATK 1500
The moment the monster hit the field, Yusaku swept his arm out and called:
"The effect of Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous activates! Using monsters from my hand and field as Fusion Material, I can Fusion Summon 1 Level 8 or higher Fusion Monster!"
"The monster I'm summoning has the materials: Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous + 1 LIGHT or DARK monster!"
Yusaku removed two cards from his Duel Disk.
"I choose Aluber the Jester of Despia and Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous on my field as Fusion Material and send them to the GY!"
"Fusion Summon! Level 8—
Granguignol the Dusk Dragon!!!"
[Granguignol the Dusk Dragon]
[Level 8 / Spellcaster / Fusion / Effect]
ATK 2500
"I activate the effect of Granguignol the Dusk Dragon, then Chain Branded Lost, and on top of that Chain the effect of Guiding Quem, the Virtuous!"
C1: Granguignol the Dusk Dragon →
C2: Branded Lost →
C3: Guiding Quem, the Virtuous
"First is Guiding Quem, the Virtuous. If a card leaves the Extra Deck, I can target 1 Fallen of Albaz or a monster that mentions it in my GY, except herself, and Special Summon it."
"I target Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous in my GY that mentions Fallen of Albaz, and Special Summon her in Defense Position!"
[Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous]
DEF 1500
"Next is Branded Lost. When I Fusion Summon, I can add 1 Fallen of Albaz or a monster that mentions it from my Deck to my hand."
"Since I've just performed a Fusion Summon, I activate this effect and add Albion the Shrouded Dragon from my Deck to my hand!"
"And last, Granguignol the Dusk Dragon!" Yusaku declared.
"When this card is Fusion Summoned, I can send 1 Level 6 or higher LIGHT or DARK monster from my Deck or Extra Deck to the GY."
He slid a card that had popped up from the Deck into the GY slot.
"I send 1 Level 8 DARK monster from my Deck to the GY."
After sending the searched card to the GY, he held up another card between his fingers.
"Next, I activate the effect of Albion the Shrouded Dragon in my hand—
If this card is in my hand, I can send 1 'Fallen of Albaz' or 1 'Branded' Spell/Trap from my hand or Deck to the GY, then apply its different effects depending on where that card was sent from.
From the hand to the GY: I can Special Summon this card from the hand.
From the Deck to the GY: I return this card to the bottom of the Deck, then draw 1 card."
Yusaku flipped the card up.
"I send Branded in High Spirits from my Deck to the GY.
Since it was sent from the Deck, I return Albion the Shrouded Dragon from my hand to the bottom of the Deck, then draw 1 card."
After drawing, he continued sharply:
"Next, I activate the effect of the Counter Trap Branded Retribution in my GY. By banishing this card from my GY, I can target 1 other 'Branded' Spell/Trap in my GY and add it to my hand."
"I banish Branded Retribution, and add the Branded in High Spirits I just sent to the GY back to my hand."
"And then…"
Yusaku raised another card between his fingers.
"Since I currently control a Fusion Monster that lists Fallen of Albaz as Fusion Material, I can activate the effect of Spright's Blessing – Kit in my hand and Special Summon it!"
He slammed the card down.
"Come forth—Spright's Blessing – Kit!"
A cute, pink-haired girl with mechanical claws appeared on the field.
[Spright's Blessing – Kit]
[Level 4 / Beast / Effect]
ATK 1700
"The effect of Spright's Blessing – Kit activates!"
Yusaku called out:
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add 1 'Branded' Spell/Trap from my Deck, GY, or banished pile to my hand, then return 1 card from my hand to the bottom of the Deck."
"I add the Spell Card Branded in White from my Deck to my hand, then return the Branded in High Spirits I just retrieved to the bottom of the Deck."
"Next I activate the Spell Card Branded in White!"
"This card lets me Fusion Summon by using monsters in my hand or on my field that include a Dragon monster as Fusion Material.
If I want to use Fallen of Albaz as material, I can also banish monsters from my GY as Fusion Material instead."
"So, according to Branded in White, I banish Spright's Blessing – Kit on my field and Fallen of Albaz in my GY as Fusion Material!"
"Fusion Summon! Level 8—
Lubellion the Searing Dragon!!!"
A blaze of crimson fire erupted on the field, and from within strode a massive red-hued dragon clad in metallic armor, roaring as it appeared.
[Lubellion the Searing Dragon]
[Level 8 / Dragon / Fusion / Effect]
ATK 2500
"I activate the effect of Lubellion the Searing Dragon, discarding That Grass Looks Greener from my hand, then shuffle the banished Fallen of Albaz and Lubellion the Searing Dragon on the field back into the Deck as Fusion Material!"
Yusaku raised his arm high.
"Fusion Summon! Level 8—
Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon!!!"
As his words landed, an enormous dragon sculpted from ice crystals tore through the swirling Fusion vortex overhead and crashed down with a heavy thud.
[Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon]
[Level 8 / Wyrm / Fusion / Effect]
ATK 3000
"I activate the effect of Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon, sending Albion the Branded Dragon from my Extra Deck to the GY, then targeting Rindbrumm the Striking Dragon on my field to banish it!"
Kazuki Nakajima: "?"
Spectators: "???"
"At this moment!"
Yusaku declared:
"I Chain the effect of Rindbrumm the Striking Dragon, negating Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon's effect, then return Bystial Lubellion on my field to my hand!"
"…"
Watching Yusaku's completely incomprehensible line, several onlookers couldn't help scratching their heads.
"What is he doing? He activated an effect just to target his own monster for banish, then negated it himself and bounced his own 2500 ATK monster back to hand. Isn't that just pure waste of resources?"
Kazuki frowned and finally couldn't help asking:
"What are you doing? Are you so confident that you're just throwing resources away on purpose?"
Yusaku gave him a mysterious smile. "Take a guess."
Kazuki: "?"
"And last—"
Yusaku slid one final card into his Spell/Trap Zone.
"I set 1 card face-down and end my turn."
With a crisp whirr, a face-down card appeared at Yusaku's feet.
"End Phase."
Yusaku continued:
"I activate the effect of Albion the Branded Dragon in the GY.
During the End Phase of the turn it was sent to the GY, I can set or add 1 'Branded' Spell/Trap from my Deck. I set Branded Separation from my Deck to my field."
"Then, I resolve Bystial Magnamhut's effect and add Fallen of Albaz from my Deck to my hand."
"My effects are done. It's your turn."
Hearing that, Kazuki looked over Yusaku's field.
Yusaku currently controlled five monsters:
Rindbrumm the Striking Dragon, Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon, Granguignol the Dusk Dragon, Guiding Quem, the Virtuous, Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous, and two face-down backrow.
"Mirrorjade banishes, Rindbrumm negates and bounces, Granguignol sends and can revive Cartesia, Quem can revive Albaz or anything that mentions him, Cartesia can Quick-Fusion on either turn, and he's got Tri-Brigade Mercourier known in hand… This board is huge."
Watching the field, Yusaku (the spectator one) thoughtfully rubbed his chin.
Kouki lifted an imaginary pair of glasses in front of his eyes in a tactical gesture. "That all you're seeing?"
"Huh?" Yusaku blinked. "There's more?"
"You didn't notice the last set card?" Kouki replied. "In a normal line, he'd set the in-archetype Counter Trap Branded Retribution or the Quick-Play Branded in Red.
But he chose to set Branded Separation."
"If you were piloting Branded and you'd gone first, what would you do?"
Hearing that, Yusaku froze. Then as if the lightbulb flicked on, he and Kouki looked at each other, both guessing the same nasty idea—and burst into a creepy shared laugh.
"Kekekeke…"
Just imagining what was about to happen made the two of them want to laugh.
Seeing them start acting crazy again, the people around unconsciously took a few steps back, afraid their madness might be contagious.
On the field—
"Then it's my turn. Draw!"
Kazuki drew, glanced at his card, then looked up at Yusaku and swept his eyes across the monsters on the field.
"Five monsters, huh? I'll admit the board looks strong, but…"
He paused, then flipped over a card from his hand.
"This time, I brought the ace of our dojo with me. No matter how strong your board is, under this card's effect, it's all meaningless!"
"Oh? An ace card?" Yusaku arched an eyebrow, genuinely curious.
Kazuki slammed the card down on his Duel Disk.
"I activate the Spell Card Dark Ruler No More!"
"The effect of this card: negate the effects of all face-up monsters your opponent currently controls until the end of this turn, and your opponent cannot respond to this card's activation with monster effects!"
"Ahahahaha!" Kazuki threw his head back laughing. "In front of this card, no matter how powerful your monsters are, all of their effects are turned off!"
"I was wondering what it would be." Yusaku clicked his tongue. "So it's just Dark Ruler No More.
All that does is stop me from activating monster effects, right? So I'll just use a Trap instead."
Kazuki: "?"
Yusaku snapped his fingers, and the set card at his feet flipped up.
"In response to your Spell, I activate the Trap Card Branded Separation!"
"This card lets me Tribute 1 Fusion Monster I control, then target 2 monsters in either GY and/or that are banished, except Fusion Monsters. I Special Summon those monsters to each side of the field."
"I Tribute my Fusion Monster Granguignol the Dusk Dragon, and Special Summon Bystial Magnamhut from my GY to my field!"
[Bystial Magnamhut]
ATK 2500
"And I Special Summon Gimmick Puppet Nightmare to your field!"
A column of blood-red light shot out of the GY, and a twisted, DNA-like red puppet monster materialized in front of Kazuki.
[Gimmick Puppet Nightmare]
ATK 1000
Kouki once again adjusted his non-existent glasses in the air.
"So that's what he sent with Granguignol last turn. I thought he'd send something like Super Fusion Deity – Id or something, but I didn't expect an even nastier Gimmick Puppet."
"If I remember right, that thing's effect triggers on Summon and completely shuts down the opponent. He's not doing anything this turn. Kekekeke…"
On the field—
Staring at the monster that just appeared on his side, Kazuki was briefly stunned. After thinking it through, he still couldn't figure out what exactly Yusaku was aiming for.
But since Dark Ruler No More resolved without being negated, he didn't dwell on it. He shot Yusaku a confident grin.
"I don't know why you gave me a free monster, but thanks for the extra beater."
"Anyway, now that your Chain is fully resolved, Dark Ruler No More takes effect!
All of your monsters' effects are negated for this entire turn!"
The moment his words landed, a transparent wave of energy shot out from the Spell behind Kazuki, washing over all the monsters on Yusaku's field.
Kazuki drew another card from his hand and showed it.
"After Dark Ruler No More, you don't take any damage from my attacks this turn, but that's fine. As long as I can break your board and rebuild mine, the advantage will be on my side!"
He slammed the card down.
"I Normal Summon Gem-Knight Nephri!"
With a shimmer of Summon light, a cute girl clad in armor studded with gemstones appeared on Kazuki's field.
[Gem-Knight Nephri]
[Level 4 / Fairy / Effect]
ATK 1500
(End of Chapter)
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