Chapter 76. Cyber-Style vs. Utopia! Triple "Armor Emperor" Dragons—Little Cyber Shaken!
Sei Yuki racked his brains, then looked again at the "One Big Happy Family" four-duel-world group chat.
As expected.
In the chat, Branded had once again become the topic.
Almost every duelist was discussing Branded.
Joey Wheeler: "Could any expert please explain Branded to your humble junior here?"
Reginald "Shark" Kastle: "I want to learn more about Branded, too. I have a hunch this engine has a lot of room for development."
Jesse Anderson: "Ah, shame my Crystal Beasts are messy enough already. If I add Branded, it's probably not happening."
Jaden Yuki: "Eh? By the way, is there a build for my HEROes plus Branded? Would it be ridiculously strong?"
Seeing this, Sei Yuki quickly realized this couldn't go on.
If they kept on with Branded, Sei Yuki feared they'd go completely insane.
Time to switch to a fun, casual duel short for them to watch.
Speaking of which.
In GX's world, Kaiser Ryo hardly ever spoke.
Could it be that none of these deck builds so far had drawn Zane Truesdale's attention?
Or is it that Zane isn't interested in decks other than Cyber Dragon?
If that's the case, then we can start from Cyber Dragon.
"Let me see what videos there are of a match vs. Cyber Dragon."
After a search, Sei Yuki quickly locked onto a very interesting short he'd watched before.
The video is Cyber Dragon vs. Hope—Utopia.
It should catch Ryo Marufuji's, or rather Kaiser Ryo's, attention.
"Then—let's pick this one!"
"At this point, the Car-Car hasn't died yet, right."
Decision made.
The title appears.
"Utopia's Last-Ditch Struggle Against Cyber-Style! Breaking Through to Carve Open the Future!"
And as soon as the title appears, sure enough, in the GX world those who had been discussing Branded shut their mouths one after another.
Every duelist focused on this title.
From the title, they saw the Utopia system that had been mentioned before.
And they saw several keywords.
Cyber-Style.
That's right.
Cyber-Style.
The ace deck of Chancellor Sheppard and Zane Truesdale.
If it's related to that, then it must be Cyber Dragon.
"Senior Kaiser! Look! It's Cyber-Style!"
"Eh! It really is! Cyber Dragon? Is it Inside Cyberdark or pure Cyber Dragon?"
"Cyber Dragon versus Utopia? Whoa! Now that's interesting!"
"We know Utopia's strength well enough—can Cyber Dragon beat it?"
"..."
As the voices around them rose, Zane Truesdale finally lifted his head and looked at the short video.
Cyber Dragon, huh?
At last, the deck he wanted to see.
In the higher world, what kind of charm would Cyber Dragon have?
Playback begins.
Duel info for both sides.
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia vs. Master of Cyber-Style.
Both Life Points: 8000 LP.
First turn: Pioneer-the-Future Utopia.
Second turn: Master of Cyber-Style.
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "Alright! This time we're playing a pure 'stutter' deck (Onomat)."
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "Our opponent should be Cyber Dragon."
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "First, it's my turn."
"Seeing my opening hand, I'm sure you duelists already know what I'm going to do!"
"That's right! I activate a Continuous Spell!"
"Onomatopickup!"
"Per its effect, I add Utopic Onomatopoeia from my Deck."
"I activate the Spell Onomatopaira."
"I discard Utopia from my hand, and add Dodododwarf Gogogoglove and Zubababancho Gagagacoat from my Deck."
"I Normal Summon Dodododwarf, then activate its effect to Special Summon Zubababancho from my hand."
"Zubababancho's effect revives Utopia from the GY."
"I've got three Level 4 monsters."
"I overlay Dodododwarf and Zubababancho to Xyz Summon ZS – Utopic Sage."
"ZS – Utopic Sage activates to pull ZS – Ascended Sage from the Deck."
"Dodododwarf jumps itself by effect, and I Special Summon Astraltopia from my hand after activating its effect."
"Astraltopia activates, sending Onomatopickup from the field to the GY to add the Continuous Spell Xyz Change Tactics from my Deck."
"Now I've got four Level 4 monsters."
"I activate Xyz Change Tactics. I overlay Utopia and Ascended Sage."
"Xyz Summon! Number 39: Utopia Double."
"Utopia Double's effect adds Double or Nothing! from my Deck."
"ZS – Ascended Sage's effect adds Hyper Rank-Up-Magic – Utopiforce from my Deck."
"Xyz Change Tactics triggers—I pay 500 LP and draw 1 card."
"Utopia Double begins to rank up, and I overlay into Number 39: Utopia."
"Xyz Change Tactics triggers again—I pay 500 LP and draw 1 card."
"Number 39: Utopia continues to rank up into Number S39: Utopia One."
"Xyz Change Tactics triggers yet again—I pay 500 LP and draw 1 card."
"I activate Hyper Rank-Up-Magic – Utopiforce."
"Number S39: Utopia One ranks up into Number 99: Utopia Dragonar."
"Xyz Change Tactics triggers once more—I pay 500 LP and draw 1 card."
"99 effect! I detach 2 materials! From my Extra Deck, I Special Summon Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray as an Xyz Summon."
"Xyz Change Tactics triggers—again—I pay 500 LP and draw 1 card."
"I use the Rank-Up in the GY on Leo Utopia Ray, then Leo Utopia Ray detaches to add ZW – Eagle Claw from the Deck and equips it."
With Xyz Summons one after another, Pioneer-the-Future Utopia kept firing off Xyz Change Tactics, paying LP to draw cards.
And this sequence left duelists across the six duel worlds numb.
Seriously?
Is 8000 LP something you just spend like that?
Do duelists in the higher world really not treat Life Points like life at all?
He burned through so many draws in one breath, forcing his own LP down to 5500.
Starting off by leaving himself a flickering candle in the wind—too early, isn't it?
But card advantage widened constantly during this time.
That's extremely high returns for the risk.
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "Lastly, I overlay Astraltopia and Dodododwarf."
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "Gagagaga—pfft, no, it's Gagaga Magician."
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "Magician's effect! I detach 1 material to revive Number 39: Utopia from the GY."
"I overlay Magician and ZS – Utopic Sage. Overlay into Number F0: Utopic Future."
"Number F0: Utopic Future ranks up to Number F0: Utopic Draco Future."
"I discard my second Utopiforce. Number 39: Utopia ranks up into Number 99: Utopic Dragon."
"I activate 99 Utopic Dragon's effect and revive Number S39: Utopia One from the GY."
"Number S39: Utopia One ranks up into Number S39: Utopia the Lightning."
"I set 2 and activate the Field Spell Chicken Game."
"My turn is over."
"It's your turn."
Master of Cyber-Style: "My turn."
Master of Cyber-Style: "Draw."
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "99's effect—detach 2 materials. I Xyz Summon Number 38: Hope Harbinger Dragon Titanic Galaxy."
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "Also, the Rank-Up-Magic goes under Titanic Galaxy as material."
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "Alright, now it's your turn to play Yu-Gi-Oh."
"..."
Satisfied, Pioneer-the-Future Utopia brought out No.38 Titanic Galaxy on the opponent's turn.
And this setup further strengthened the first-turn board on top of the prior explanations.
Because this simple first-turn board was now finished, in the ZEXAL world, Yuma Tsukumo and Astral couldn't hold it in.
What is this?
So this is Utopia's absolute going-first board?
In one breath, he slammed down that much ridiculous resource.
The zones on the field were almost completely filled.
Number 38: Hope Harbinger Dragon Titanic Galaxy, 3000/2500.
Number S39: Utopia the Lightning, 2500/2000.
Number 99: Utopic Dragon, 4000/2000.
Number 99: Utopia Dragonar, 3000/3000.
Number F0: Utopic Draco Future, 3000/2000.
Ultimate Leo Utopia Ray, equipped with ZW – Eagle Claw; ATK up to 4500/2000.
A full six terrifying monsters suppressing the field.
With this going-first board, there's no way it's simple to crack it, right.
Dark Hole? A Spell joke for No.38 Titanic Galaxy to eat.
Traps? A joke—one turn too slow, and Eagle Claw can snipe them.
Monsters? As long as you can survive one negate from Leo Utopia Ray, maybe there's a show.
Just as duelists across the six worlds concluded that Cyber Dragon couldn't start, and were about to pop champagne for Utopia, many duelists suddenly remembered something.
In the 5D's world, Yusei Fudo and Jack Atlas's pupils shrank.
They glanced at each other and both immediately thought of one card.
Dark Ruler No More.
And in fact, it was just as they expected.
In the short—
Master of Cyber-Style: "Strong. Too strong."
Master of Cyber-Style: "I activate Dark Ruler No More—when facing a mighty foe, you must return courtesy with the highest courtesy."
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "???"
Pioneer-the-Future Utopia: "Come on, can't you let me enjoy one game? Bro??"
A classic reenactment.
And in that instant when Dark Ruler No More appeared, the duelists of the six worlds, who had been about to celebrate Utopia, were dumbstruck.
It's that disgusting card, Dark Ruler No More, again.
Previously, even Stardust Dragon's four-interruption explosion was solved by this single card.
Now Dark Ruler No More strikes again.
Isn't this card way too strong?
All of the opponent's monster effects are negated.
Even though your opponent takes no damage, the problem is you can't negate this card.
Unbalanced—completely unbalanced.
Master of Cyber-Style: "Brother? I didn't Ash you, didn't Maxx 'C' you, didn't Nibiru you."
Master of Cyber-Style: "Didn't I already let you enjoy a full Utopia family bucket?"
"Now it's my turn. I activate your Field Spell Chicken Game's effect—I pay 1000 LP to draw 1 card..."
"I activate the Continuous Spell Cyberdark Realm."
"Realm's effect adds Cyberdark Claw from my Deck."
"I activate Cyberdark Claw, discard it to add the Spell Cybernetic Horizon."
"I activate Cybernetic Horizon, add Cyber Dragon Core, and send Cyber End Dragon to the GY."
"I activate Cyberdark Cannon, discard it to add Cyberdark Chimera."
"I Normal Summon Core, and its effect adds the Spell Cyber Eternal."
"Per Realm's effect, I also Normal Summon Cyberdark Chimera, and its effect adds Power Bond."
"I use Core and Chimera—Link for 2."
"Check the arrows. Link-2."
"Union Carrier."
Under this sequence from the Master of Cyber-Style, even duelists in the GX world who didn't understand could tell this build seemed to combine Inside (Cyberdark) and pure (Cyber Dragon).
It wasn't purely Inside Cyberdark, nor purely Cyber Dragon.
Zane Truesdale and Chancellor Sheppard looked at each other.
They couldn't figure out what kind of boss board this Master of Cyber-Style in the higher world was aiming for.
Not only did he send the key ace Cyber End Dragon to the GY, he suddenly Link Summoned some kind of Car-Car.
What ace is he going for?
Master of Cyber-Style: "Chimera's effect sends Cyberdark Edge to the GY, then I activate Power Bond."
"I fuse four Cyberdark cards in my GY and 1 Cyberdark Keel in my hand."
"Claw, Cannon, Chimera, Keel, and Edge."
"Dark Fusion Summon. Cyberdarkness Dragon."
"Cyberdarkness Dragon's effect equips Cyber End Dragon from the GY."
"Then—Contact Fusion. Tribute to Summon."
"The invincible ace Fusion Monster—Cyberdark End Dragon."
With this round of Fusion finished, an even stronger, even more outrageous ace appeared.
Stats: 5000/3800.
Just that ATK left duelists across the six worlds dumbstruck.
And even more ridiculous—its effect.
This card is unaffected by your opponent's activated effects.
Yes.
Basically pseudo-immunity to everything.
High ATK plus pseudo-immunity—just that single card crushed the entire Utopia family bucket that had lost all its effects.
Zane Truesdale and Chancellor Sheppard nearly spat a mouthful of old blood 4.0.
What?
A Cyber Dragon main-line end boss with godlike protection?
Is he the true master of Cyber-Style?
If he's Cyber-Style, then what does that make him and the Chancellor?
In the short, the Master of Cyber-Style wasn't done.
Master of Cyber-Style: "You thought that was it?"
Master of Cyber-Style: "I activate Cyber Eternal."
"Target 1 Machine-Type Cyber Fusion Monster in your GY; return it to the Extra Deck or Special Summon it, ignoring its Summoning conditions."
"I bring back Cyberdarkness Dragon. Its effect equips Cyber End Dragon from the GY."
"I keep going. A second Cyberdark End Dragon."
"I activate Re-Fusion."
"I pay 800."
"I revive Cyberdarkness Dragon. Its effect equips Cyber End Dragon from the GY."
Right now, seeing this, every duelist trembled.
Everyone instinctively thought of Cyberdark End Dragon.
Could it be a third pseudo-immunity boss—Cyberdark End Dragon?
Master of Cyber-Style: "Come. Continue releasing."
Master of Cyber-Style: "A third Cyberdark End Dragon."
"I activate an End Dragon's effect and equip your GY's Utopia Double."
"Union Carrier's effect equips Dragon Buster Destruction Sword from the Deck to End Dragon—ATK rises to 6000."
"The second End Dragon's effect equips Cyberdark Claw from the GY."
"Are you ready to accept judgment from three Cyberdark End Dragons?"
The Master of Cyber-Style smiled playfully.
Duelists across the six worlds shuddered.
Is it time to enter the Battle Phase?
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