"Continuous Trap 'Elemental Absorber'!" Lyman said. "Banish 1 monster from your hand; while this card is on the field, all opponent's monsters with the same Attribute as the banished monster have their attacks negated." (anime effect)
In practice, there's little difference between the anime and the real card—just minor details. The anime says "the opponent's monster's attack is negated," while the printed card says "they cannot declare attacks."
If anything, the real card is a tad stronger. By the anime wording, monsters unaffected by traps should ignore it, but as a player-effect that forbids declaring attacks, even the most immune boss can't punch through.
"I banish the DARK 'Luna the Dark Spirit' from my hand," Lyman said. "All DARK monsters' attacks are negated."
The monster in his hand vanished into an alchemical vortex of energy. A massive whirl of darkness manifested within the Absorber, guarding him. D.D. Survivor was blown back by the gale before it could even approach and had to retreat.
"Then I'll skip battle, set two, and end my turn," Kira smiled. "Impressive, professor."
It wasn't flattery; he meant it.
Any physical-card player looking at Lyman's deck would call it unbelievably bricky—simply inhuman to pilot.
First, his core must be "Chaos Distill." There's no way to search it, and all his Alchemic Beasts can only be summoned while Chaos Distill exists on the field. In other words, without it he's dead in the water; he must open it.
And just drawing Chaos Distill isn't enough—he also needs the specific Spells to Special Summon each Alchemic Beast. He runs six different-Attribute Beasts—EARTH, WATER, FIRE, WIND, LIGHT, DARK—none can be Normal Summoned, and each needs its own specific Spell to Special Summon.
So he needs Chaos Distill and the exact Spell to bring out the Beast. And since those Spells usually summon from the Deck, drawing the Beasts themselves is dead weight, wasting hand size.
Then there's "Elemental Absorber," too.
It's obviously amazing against mono-Attribute decks. Against Cyber Dragon, banish a LIGHT and Elemental Absorber shuts down the whole deck's attacks.
But Lyman used Absorber even against Jaden's Elemental HEROes.
Jaden's HERO low-levels are almost all different Attributes—each HERO a different type. Yet Lyman somehow always had a monster of the Attribute Jaden drew, locking out EARTH, WATER, FIRE, WIND, all of them.
HERO mini-hands are already bricky; Lyman's is no less so. Their duel was less deck versus deck and more raw topdecking prowess.
Maybe pure topdecking is the ultimate realm of alchemy.
All the more proof that Lyman is on another level from the other Shadow Riders. To pilot such a finicky deck with ease—he's absolutely top tier.
"My turn. Draw," Lyman said. "Spell Card 'Pot of Greed'—I draw two."
"At this moment, I activate Continuous Trap 'Appropriate,'" Kira said. "When your card effect draws, I can activate this. Then, each time you draw outside your Draw Phase, I also draw two."
Lyman was unfazed. "Next, from my hand, Spell 'Steel Lamp.'
If 'Chaos Distill' is on the field, Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Salamandra the Steel' from hand or Deck!"
Chaos Distill roared back to life. Flames shot skyward and shaped into a flying fire dragon.
[Alchemy Beast - Salamandra the Steel, ATK 500]
"Then Spell 'Bronze Scale,'" Lyman said. "Also only while Chaos Distill exists: Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Ouroboros the Bronze' from the Deck!"
[Alchemy Beast - Ouroboros the Bronze, ATK 500]
"Now this is a duel with the flavor of alchemy," Kira smiled.
In the anime, such a deck is hardly strong. But if it's ever fully printed, that could change.
We all know KC's approach these years—reviving old DM/GX themes. If they ever cover Lyman, each Alchemic Beast is bound to get two or three effects slapped on.
KC has proven: if they want, no archetype is unrevivable. Give the Beasts self-Specials, searches, and recursion, and you might have a new meta pie-slice boss.
"All Alchemic Beasts share an effect: they can ignore defending monsters and attack directly," Lyman declared. "Go!
Leon the Lead, Salamandra the Steel, Ouroboros the Bronze—three direct attacks!"
The trio vaulted forward, each striking past Kira. He braced behind his duel disk and staggered, then steadied.
[Kira, LP 4000 → 2500]
"This level of offense is just an appetizer," Lyman chuckled. "Duel King, you can take this much, can't you?"
"Professor is sharp as ever."
Kira massaged his temple theatrically.
"Hahaha, don't get too relaxed."
Lyman smiled.
"Alchemy duels transcend common sense. An alchemist's job is to break conventions. In that regard, perhaps you're the real alchemy master, Kira.
You never play by the book—you always shatter expectations."
He grew serious.
"My Battle Phase is over. But I'll activate this Spell from my hand: 'Black Process - Negledo'!" (anime card)
Dark light shrouded the three Beasts.
"'Negledo' can only be activated while Chaos Distill is on the field," Lyman said. "Banish all Alchemic Beasts I control; for each, I draw two!"
"Banish beasts while refilling resources," Kira noted. "In your Alchemy deck, banished cards are also resources. That really is a profit."
"Oh? You've already seen how the deck runs," Lyman laughed softly. "As expected of the Duel King."
"Right. So I came prepared."
Kira snapped his fingers.
"I activate my set card: Continuous Trap – Imperial Iron Wall.
As long as it remains, neither of us can banish cards!"