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"End Phase, Hell Dragon's side effect activates."
Yuuichi said sullenly.
"During the End Phase of the turn this card attacked, destroy this card."
As his voice fell, Hell Dragon exploded into pieces with a boom.
"But Hell Dragon has another effect. When it's destroyed, by Tributing² one monster on my field, it can be Special Summoned from the Graveyard.
I Tribute the Trap Monster 'Apophis the Swamp Deity'³ on my field to resurrect 'Hell Dragon'!"
The snake-headed deity dissipated as a sacrifice, and Hell Dragon, which had just left the field, immediately returned as if rising from the dead⁴.
[Hell Dragon, ATK 2000]
"My turn, draw."
Yuugen glanced at the card he drew and set it on the field with a wave of his hand.
"I Set one card face-down on the field.
Next, 'Megaroid City's' other effect activates!
Once per turn, I can destroy one card on my field other than this card, and add one 'Roid'⁵ monster from my Deck to my hand."
He pointed to the Set card at his feet.
"I'll destroy this card I just Set, and search my Deck for one 'Roid' monster."
The Set card shattered into golden particles with a pop, and simultaneously, a card automatically ejected from his Deck. At the same time, a huge, dome-shaped metal facility materialized behind Yuugen.
"'The Set card I just destroyed was the Trap Card 'Wonder Garage'.' Yuugen explained, 'When this Set card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Machine-Type monster from my hand.' (Anime effect)"
In the anime, this card was limited to Level 4 or lower Machine monsters, but the real card was changed to only allow Special Summoning 'Roid' monsters. In terms of restrictions, the anime effect is undoubtedly stronger, but for Yuugen right now, it makes no difference.
"Therefore, I Special Summon 'Mixeroid'⁶ from my hand!"
[Mixeroid, DEF 2000]
Yuuichi grimaced, "This thing again..."
"Next, Mixeroid's effect activates! Once per turn, I can Tribute one Machine monster on my field to Special Summon a non-WIND 'Roid' monster from my Deck.
I Tribute 'Mixeroid' itself..."
Mixeroid vanished as a sacrifice once more, the Duel Disk performed another automatic search, and a card ejected from the Deck.
"I Special Summon this card from my Deck—
—Level 8, Armoroid - Blitzwing!⁷"
A white fighter jet shot out from the vortex of Mixeroid's sacrifice, rapidly assembling and transforming like a Decepticon⁸, changing from a plane into a heavy, white robot form in moments, landing on the field with a rumble.
[Armoroid - Blitzwing, ATK 2700]
"Attack power twenty-seven hundred!"
Yuuichi was startled and immediately waved his hand without hesitation.
"Activate Set card! Trap Card - Bottomless Trap Hole⁹! When a monster with 1500 or more ATK is Summoned, destroy it and banish it!"
A bottomless pit leading straight to another dimension opened up. Armoroid - Blitzwing had just appeared when it fell in, exploding with a boom, instantly turned to dust.
Spectator outside the field: "A Level 8 monster was destroyed instantly..."
"Student Yamamoto is no pushover either."¹⁰
Misawa Daichi¹¹ folded his arms, frowning slightly, but this time he didn't speak.
Yuugen watched as Yuuichi's last backrow card vanished, understanding dawned in his heart.
So it was Bottomless Trap Hole...
But with this, all obstacles have been cleared. The formula for victory is complete.
On the surface, the 2700 ATK Armoroid - Blitzwing seemed like the deck's ace monster, a big boss, but it actually wasn't.
It was just a vanguard responsible for triggering traps¹² and clearing the path for the real boss.
"Then, I Normal Summon the 'Roid' I just searched from my Deck using the effect of 'Megaroid City'..."
Yuuichi's eyelid twitched violently.
Just now, his attention was entirely on the Mixeroid Special Summoned by Wonder Garage and the big monster Mixeroid brought out; he hadn't paid attention for a moment.
Thinking about it now, Megaroid City's effect can search any Roid monster from the Deck. Given this damn opponent's tactical style, could the searched card possibly be...
"Normal Summon 'Submarineroid'¹³, in Attack Position."
As expected!
Looking at that wretched¹⁴ little submarine hopping onto the field once again, Yuuichi almost wanted to point at the thing and roar.
See! I knew it! I just knew it!
It's this stupid piece of crap again!
The surrounding students immediately burst into an uproar.
"Megaroid City can search Submarineroid from the Deck, Submarineroid attacks directly ('slaps the face'¹⁵), when it attacks directly Megaroid City can send Kiteroid¹⁶ from the Deck to the Graveyard to solidify the defense line, and Submarineroid can switch to Defense to block attacks. Next turn, Megaroid City can search for Submarineroid number two..."
Many people who figured this out couldn't help but suck in a cold breath.
Thinking about it, this deck build and playstyle isn't just stall/degenerate¹⁷, it's even somewhat sophisticated.
At least, the freshmen present had never heard of anything like it before.
"'How come I remember the Roid deck being not that great?' a student asked blankly."
"'Me too. I remember seeing a freshman use it during the entrance exams, I think they ranked near the bottom or were in Osiris Red¹⁸, totally garbage...'"
"'It's not the deck, it's the user.'"
Misawa Daichi, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke, his arms still folded, a corner of his mouth curling up into an interested smile.
"'As expected of the top ranker. Interesting.'"
"'Another direct attack from Submarineroid...?' Yuuichi gritted his teeth. 'But even with Megaroid City's effect swapping ATK and DEF, I'll still have Life Points left. Next turn...'"
"'Activating the effect of 'Mixeroid' in the Graveyard.' Yuugen interrupted his chant¹⁹. 'I pay half my Life Points, and from my Graveyard...'"
[Yuugen, LP 4000 → LP 2000]
From the Duel Disk's Graveyard zone, five cards ejected consecutively with a swish-swish-swish sound.
Two Mixeroids, one Submarineroid, one Kiteroid, and one Truckroid²⁰ that was sent there initially.
"'Banish these five cards!'"
Yuuichi: "?"
Huh? What is this??
Banishing five cards?
The images of four of the Roids turned into golden light and flowed into the body of one of the Mixeroids. The mixing drum on the back of the huge mixer truck spun rapidly until it erupted in a brilliant golden flash, its roar seeming to bellow—
—Take this, Road Roller!²¹
Yuugen: "'Mixeroid's' effect: Pay half your Life Points, banish any number of Machine monsters from your Graveyard, including this card.
Based on the number of monsters banished, you can choose one 'Roid' Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck²² whose Level is exactly equal to the number banished, and Special Summon it, ignoring its Summoning conditions.
However, a monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed during the End Phase.
I banished five 'Roid' monsters from my Graveyard, therefore I can Special Summon a Level 5 'Roid' monster from my Extra Deck.
The card I Summon is this—
—Level 5, Pair Cycroid!²³"
And from that swirling golden light, a small bicycle shot out of the fusion vortex in a Déjà Vu drift²⁴, screeched to a halt on the field with a whoosh, and turned its handlebars domineeringly.
[Pair Cycroid, ATK 1600]
Yuuichi frowned, "Even if you Summon trash like this..."
"'Battle Phase! First, 'Pair Cycroid' attacks!' Yuugen declared. 'This card's effect allows it to attack your Life Points directly by lowering its own ATK by 500 points!' (Anime effect)"
When this card became a real card, the 'lower ATK by 500' restriction was removed, allowing it to attack directly unconditionally – one of the rare monsters buffed in its real-world version. But it doesn't matter; the ATK/DEF-swapped Submarineroid's 'slap' deals 1800 damage. The total output is 2900 points, more than enough.
"'Nani!?'"
Student Yuuichi practically jumped out of his skin.
Looking again at the small bicycle, with its cartoonish and even somewhat comical art style, he suddenly felt as if he were seeing the Grim Reaper.
No...
...How come even your Fusion Monsters are this kind of thing?
Shouldn't people who play Fusion these days be devoted to those cool, powerful boss monsters full of 'soul'?²⁵ Shouldn't they be fighting head-on, fair and square?
This entire duel, there's barely been a single straightforward clash between monsters, no honorable 'Imperial City PK'²⁶! What the hell kind of duel are you playing?
But what was that saying again? Escape is shameful, but effective.
The miserable Hell Dragon was also helpless, only able to watch wide-eyed as a bicycle and a submarine arrogantly flew past its head, one after the other, slapping its master directly in the face until his head swelled up like a pig's...²⁷
Watching helplessly as the submarine and bicycle swept over domineeringly, he just wanted to scream.
"Yamero!²⁸ (Stop!)"
"This isn't dueling at all!"
"Ughaaaaa!"
[Yuuichi, LP 2200 → LP 0]