"As expected of a duel between the two strongest of the new class."
Alexis Rhodes leaned against the railing of the elevated platform, her eyes fixed on the two figures on stage.
"An intense clash right from the start. It's still impossible to tell which way the scales of victory will tilt..."
"Not only that, but their progress over just one semester has been astonishing."
The speaker was Zane Truesdale, standing behind her.
"Is it?" Alexis turned her head.
"Yeah. I faced Jaden Yuki once," Zane nodded. "Back then, I realized he was a special guy. But even I didn't expect him to make such incredible progress in just one semester."
"Even the Kaiser thinks so..." Alexis murmured.
"However, that Youxuan is the same. He's a duelist with terrifying potential," Zane added.
"Hmm." Alexis pondered for a moment. "I think... they might have a mutually reinforcing relationship."
She didn't continue, but a sudden premonition struck her. This was the first time Jaden and Youxuan had faced off in such an official and important arena. Through this duel, both of them might break through to even higher levels.
"My turn, draw," Youxuan said. "I activate the spell card 'Spell Books from the Pot.' Both players draw three cards from their decks." (Original Card)
As Jaden drew from his deck, he chuckled. "Is it really okay to let me draw? I'm pretty confident in my drawing luck, you know."
Youxuan smiled back. "Like you said, we have to go all out. This isn't just about deciding a winner; for me, it's also about testing my limits."
"I see," Jaden laughed. "So you're challenging me to a showdown of drawing power? Fine, I accept the challenge!"
"Draw!" both shouted at once.
Both players drew simultaneously, and then both flashed a faint smile.
For Youxuan, verifying his current level of Destiny Draw Power was more important than the victory itself. Being able to maintain a stable performance against Jaden was the threshold he needed to cross to join the ranks of the top-tier duelists. And now, it seemed that with his persistent training and the blessing of the spirits, his performance was satisfactory.
"Here I come, Jaden."
"Ohhh, bring it on!" Jaden was full of fighting spirit.
"I banish the DARK attribute 'Chaos Sorcerer' and the LIGHT attribute 'Blade Knight'which I sent to the Graveyard from my deck earlierfrom the game!"
Youxuan held a card high in his hand.
"Souls of light and darkness are offered as a sacrifice to the field of Chaos! Call forth the descent of the legendary warrior!"
Beams of light and dark dissipated into a chaotic vortex. Countless particles danced, materializing into imposing armor and blades of light and shadow, appearing as if descending from the very dawn of creation.
"Behold the opening of heaven and earth! Legendary warrior"
"Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, summoned!"
"He's finally here!" Fire burned in Jaden's eyes. "The legendary warrior! That is insanely cool!"
[Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, ATK 3000]
"Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, effect activate," Youxuan declared. "Once per turn, at the cost of forgoing its attack this turn, I can banish one monster on the opponent's field from the game. Banish 'Elemental HERO Flame Wingman'! Chaos Dimension Slash!"
The Black Luster Soldier raised his sword, a blade that transcended time and space. A surging sword aura accompanied the shattering of space, tearing a long, narrow wound in reality itself as it headed straight for Flame Wingman.
"Then I activate my face-down card! Quick-Play Spell, 'De-Fusion'!" Jaden countered. "I return 'Elemental HERO Flame Wingman' to the Extra Deck and Special Summon the Fusion Materials from the Graveyard! Come back, Avian! Burstinatrix!"
Flame Wingman's body split in two, reverting to the form of the Hardworking Couple as they special summoned in defense mode. The domineering dimensional rift sliced through the space between them, extending all the way to the horizon.
[Elemental HERO Avian, DEF 1000]
[Elemental HERO Burstinatrix, DEF 800]
"Now Chaos Dimension Slash has lost its target, so the effect fails," Jaden grinned. "And because you used the effect, Black Luster Soldier can't attack this turn."
The ace commentator Bastion Misawa couldn't help but praise, "Impressive. By using De-Fusion, he evaded the Soldier's strongest effect and shut down its attack in one move..."
"Then, I flip my face-down monster." Youxuan raised his hand, and the face-down card flipped over. "The monster I had set is... Mask of Darkness!"
[Mask of Darkness, ATK 900]
"When Mask of Darkness is flipped, I choose one Trap card from my Graveyard and add it to my hand." Youxuan smiled slightly as he pulled a trap card from the Graveyard, showing it briefly. "Therefore, I retrieve the Continuous Trap, 'Non-Fusion Area'."
The crowd: "!"
Exclamations of shock erupted from the audience.
Not that thing again!
Even the onlookers felt the frustration, their fists tightening. Jaden had gone through so much trouble to get rid of that annoying thing, only for it to be recycled in the blink of an eye.
"Ha, Youxuan really won't let me off that easily, will he?"
But unlike the crowd, Jaden's fighting spirit remained unshaken.
"However, I have a counter-strategy of my ownActivate face-down card! Trap card, 'Mind Crush'!"
"Nani!!?"
The spectators were even more stunned, many bolting upright from their chairs.
Wait... Jellyfish Head, why do you have a counter-card for the opponent in your deck too? Isn't that a trap belonging to the Yellow-Clothed Master?
"Mind Crush! I declare a card name. If that card is in the opponent's hand, they must discard it. If they don't have it, I must randomly discard one card from my own hand." Jaden paused and smiled. "Naturally, the card I declare isNon-Fusion Area!"
"Oh dear, what bad luck. It just so happens I have that card in my hand." Youxuan feigned regret as he revealed the trap he had just retrieved, then tossed it into the Graveyard.
Jaden cooperated perfectly, making a "V" sign with a look of pure joy. "Lucky! I actually guessed right! Sorry, Youxuan, but please throw that card away."
The audience: "..."
Seriously, are you two doing a comedy routine?
First, they both pulled out a "Take Over Five" at the start, and now Jaden suddenly whips out a trap specifically meant for the opponent's strategy. The crowd felt a sudden sense of déjà vu, as if they were watching two disciples from the same school trading blows.
"As I thought, it wasn't an illusion." Zane Truesdale crossed his arms and smiled. "That Jaden Yuki has changed quite a bit compared to before."
"Yeah..." Alexis Rhodes nodded, her expression a bit strange.
She just didn't know if this change was a good thing or not.
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