Yugen raised an eyebrow. He knew the value of Resonance Insect. When sent from the field to the Graveyard, it searched a Level 5 or higher Insect-Type monster, and when banished, it could send another Insect-Type from the Deck to the Graveyard. Combined with Doom Dozer, it could quickly produce a 2800 ATK attacker and fuel the graveyard again. He had no interest in building an insect Deck, but free resources were always worth keeping in mind.
"Battle. Giant Drill Worm attacks the set monster."
The worm drilled underground and burst out on Yugen's side. The set card flipped up, revealing a small penguin soldier with a sword.
"Penguin Soldier's effect," Yugen said calmly. "When flipped, return up to two monsters on your field to the hand. I choose Giant Drill Worm and Resonance Insect."
Both monsters vanished in light and returned to Insect Knight's hand. His field was suddenly empty.
He clicked his tongue. He had wanted Resonance Insect destroyed so he could search Doom Dozer and launch a counterattack. Still, he had not used his normal Summon yet. He set a monster and another card, then ended his turn, secretly pleased to have set Resonance Insect again.
"My My Turn!. Card Draw." Yugen Do activated the effect of Sinister Serpent in the Graveyard. During his Standby Phase, it returned to his hand. He then played Spell Card Graceful Charity, drew three cards, and discarded two.
"The discarded Witch of the Black Forest lets me add a monster with 1500 or less DEF from my Deck to my hand. I add Abyss Soldier."
He revealed another card. "Continuous Spell. When I control no monsters, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower WATER monster from my hand. I Special Summon Abyss Soldier."
Abyss Soldier, ATK 1800.
Insect Knight kept his face steady, waiting for the attack.
"Abyss Soldier's effect. Once per turn, discard a WATER monster to return one card on the field to the hand. I discard Sinister Serpent and return your set monster."
Insect Knight froze as Resonance Insect was bounced back to his hand again.
"Then I normal Summon another Abyss Soldier."
A second 1800 ATK monster hit the field.
"Activate my set Trap Card Trap Hole. When a monster with 1000 or more ATK is Summoned, destroy it."
"No."
Yugen flipped his own card. "Continuous Trap Card Royal Decree. All Trap Card on the field are negated."
Insect Knight stared as his Trap Hole shattered under the effect. Even Judai Yuki watching nearby looked surprised. It was rare for Yugen to run something that restricted Traps entirely.
"Battle. Both Abyss Soldier attack directly."
The twin soldiers lunged forward, tridents cutting across the Insect Knight agent. He screamed as the blows landed.
LP 4000 to 400.
In one turn, he had been reduced to almost nothing.
He struggled back to his feet, blood flowing from the deep gashes. Yugen calmly revealed another card from his hand.
"My Battle Phase isn't over. I use the second Abyss Soldier's effect. I discard another Sinister Serpent to return one card on the field to the hand."
Both Judai Yuki and Insect Knight blinked. There were no cards left on the Insect Knight's field.
"Abyss Soldier can return my own cards as well. I return my Continuous Trap Card Royal Decree to my hand."
The oppressive aura in the back row disappeared as Royal Decree returned to Yugen's hand. Understanding dawned on Insect Knight's face. When he wanted to use Traps, Yugen would activate Royal Decree to shut them down. When Yugen wanted to use Traps, he would simply bounce it back first.
"Set three cards. End turn."
With three unknown back row cards set, Yugen smiled faintly and gestured politely.
Go on. The stage is yours.
Abyss Soldier was a monster card that shook the meta when it first appeared. By discarding one card, it could return any card on the field to the hand, serving as both removal and a way to recycle your own cards. The cost required a WATER monster, and since WATER was unpopular at the time and the effect traded cards, it could not fit easily into other mainstream Deck.
So players built a strategy entirely around it, known as Abyss Control. As the name suggested, the whole Deck revolved around Abyss Soldier. Its best partner was Sinister Serpent, which could return from the Graveyard to the Duelist's hand every turn and happened to be WATER, giving Abyss Soldier endless ammunition.
Although Abyss Control once placed well in tournaments, history still labeled it a Non-Chaos Deck because Chaos Deck strategies were simply too strong at the time. Even so, Yugen felt the build was still powerful. Compared to the direct pressure of Dimensional Slash in a Chaos Deck, he found this style far more enjoyable.
For example, right now. The beetle on the other side looked like it was about to scream.
Insect Knight: "You @*%@#"
The slow reacting beetle had finally realized how terrifying the combination was. On the surface, Abyss Soldier looked like a simple monster that traded cards for removal, but in practice it worked with many other effects. Cards like Royal Decree that annoyed both sides could, if used well, turn into one sided suppression and even crush the opponent's morale.
That was exactly how Insect Knight felt at this moment. At first he had dismissed Abyss Soldier as a weak low level monster. Now, looking at the two copies on the field, they felt like reapers from the abyss that would not stop until they dragged someone into the Underworld.
"It can clear the field and recycle itself to avoid being locked by Royal Decree. What a fun combo!" Judai Yuki said, eyes shining.
He always found Yugen's Duel exciting. The creativity made him want to jump in and try one himself.
"Don't underestimate me! My Turn!, Card Draw!"
After being bounced again and again, Insect Knight's field was empty. His Life Points were down to 400, and on the opponent's turn any Trap Card would be sealed by the face up Royal Decree. Even if he Summoned a defender, Abyss Soldier would just return it to his hand.
If he could not remove those two Abyss Soldier this turn, he was finished.
"I activate Spell Card Dark Allure. I draw two cards from my Deck, then banish one DARK monster from the field. According to the spell effect, I Card Draw!"
Two new cards entered his hand, and light returned to his eyes. This was it.
"I banish the DARK monster Death Mosquito from the field."
He revealed the card, and a dark vortex opened in the air, pulling the Card inside.
"Then I Normal Summon Resonance Insect!"
Resonance Insect, ATK 1000.
After being bounced so many times, Resonance Insect looked exhausted. This was its third time hitting the field, and its effect had not resolved once.
"Activate Spell Card Incubation!" Insect Knight said. "I tribute one monster I control to Special Summon an Insect-Type from my Deck with one Level higher. I tribute my Level 4 Resonance Insect!"
Resonance Insect dissolved into light, and a summoning vortex opened.
"I Special Summon my Level 5 Insect-Type. Come forth, Level 5 Millennium Scorpion!"
A giant black scorpion emerged, its shell cold and dark, its massive tail swaying with a deadly stinger.
Millennium Scorpion, ATK 2000.
"Now Resonance Insect's effect activates!" Insect Knight continued. "When it is sent from the field to the Graveyard, I add a Level 5 or higher Insect-Type from my Deck to my hand. I add Level 8 Doom Dozer!"