Imperial Iron Wall!
"No card can be banished…" Lyman narrowed his eyes. "I see. You're sealing alchemical transformations; a deadly card against my deck.
Then I'll use this."
A sharp light flashed in his crimson eyes.
"Counter Trap 'Royal Surrender'!" Lyman said. "When the opponent activates a Continuous Trap, negate its activation and effect, then destroy it!"
The Iron Wall crumbled before forming, turning to rubble. With the banish zone reopened, his three Alchemic Beasts cleanly vanished into the void.
"Oh? You prepared a countermeasure to my countermeasure?" Kira looked intrigued.
"Your dueling excels at striking at weak points and sealing potential before it manifests. Knowing you, a lock piece like Royal Iron Wall was highly likely."
Lyman adjusted his glasses, smiling.
"It's not just that you know your teacher—I know your style too.
Now, resolving 'Negledo': I banished three Alchemic Beasts, so I draw six."
His hand flooded.
"Then 'Appropriate' triggers," Kira said. "I also draw two."
Lyman: "I set two and end my turn."
"My turn. Draw!"
Kira glanced at his hand and played at once.
"I activate 'Pot of Greed' to draw two."
"Then I tribute 'D.D. Survivor' to tribute Summon…
The monarch who freezes all—
—Mobius the Frost Monarch!"
[Mobius the Frost Monarch, ATK 2400]
"Mobius destroys two Spell/Trap on summon… aiming at my 'Chaos Distill'?" Lyman immediately read the plan.
Chaos Distill is his core. All his Spells and summons require it.
"That won't do," he snapped. "I activate my set Counter Trap, 'Solemn Judgment'!
Pay half my LP; negate and destroy the summon!"
[Lyman, LP 4000 → 2000]
A stern elder-god silhouette appeared, palm out in a forbidding gesture. Divine thunder struck; the Monarch hadn't even steadied before being shattered.
"Then the effect of 'Aqua Spirit' in my hand," Kira said. "I can Special Summon it by banishing a WATER in my grave.
I banish 'Mobius the Frost Monarch' from the grave to Special Summon 'Aqua Spirit.'"
A blue-skinned water spirit appeared, eyes gleaming with intelligence.
[Aqua Spirit, ATK 1600]
"Aqua Spirit, direct attack."
"You haven't forgotten my 'Elemental Absorber,' have you?" Lyman grinned. "I'll activate it again:
I banish the WATER 'Jar Turtle' from my hand; all WATER monsters' attacks are negated!"
Another monster vanished into the Absorber. Water surged, forming a massive vortex. Aqua Spirit nearly got sucked in, yelped, and flitted back to Kira's field.
"Another perfect Attribute in hand—impressive, Professor…"
Kira waved a hand.
"I'll set two and end."
"My turn. Draw!"
Lyman flashed three Spells at once.
"Once more I'll call upon my Beasts with these three!
Spell 'Tin Spell Circle'!
Spell 'Mercury Hourglass'!
Spell 'Silver Key'!"
Three cards floated before him.
"These three can only be activated while 'Chaos Distill' exists.
Tin Spell Circle: Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Aretos the Tin' from the Deck!"
[Alchemy Beast - Aretos the Tin, ATK 500]
"Mercury Hourglass: Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Ekenas the Mercury'!"
[Alchemy Beast - Ekenas the Mercury, ATK 500]
"Silver Key: Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Moonface the Silver'!"
[Alchemy Beast - Moonface the Silver, ATK 500]
"And they can all attack directly again," Kira said.
Lyman's plan did mirror parts of his own style.
All Alchemic Beasts avoid head-on fights and go straight for direct hits; Elemental Absorber, with sufficient topdeck power, can lock out all the opponent's attacks. Then there's his other ace he hasn't used yet, "Macro Cosmos," which nukes both graveyards from the game entirely…
Graveyard denial, attack lockdown, and endless direct pokes. With enough topdeck mojo, it's a beautifully miserable prison.
No wonder Lyman favored Kira, and no wonder he's the strongest Shadow Rider—they're cut from similar cloth…
"I activate my set Trap, 'Taunt,'" Kira said. "Only during your Main Phase 1.
Choose one of my monsters; this turn, if you declare an attack, you can only target that monster."
He pointed to the intelligent water spirit.
"I choose Aqua Spirit. If you attack this turn, you must attack Aqua Spirit."
The water sprite blinked with a blank look and pointed at her nose, as if to say, Me?
"Haha, as expected—you brought counters to my style," Lyman said. "Seems I can't swing through so easily… fine.
I set one. Then from my hand, Spell 'Black Process - Negledo'!
Only if Chaos Distill is on the field. Banish all Alchemic Beasts I control; draw two for each.
So I banish three and draw six!"
Kira pursed his lips.
Wow—draw six at the drop of a hat. Is this the legendary alchemical art of creating something from nothing?
Truly impressive.
"At this moment, 'Appropriate' triggers again," Kira said. "Since you drew outside your Draw Phase, I draw two."
Having drawn his six, Lyman looked at Kira with open approval.
"Duel King... Thinking back to the first time I met you feels like a lifetime ago. Incredible—such progress in just half a year."
"I owe much to your tutelage," Kira said politely.
"Hahaha, I didn't do much," Lyman replied. "But even against a King, this teacher won't yield easily. And I can control more than just Alchemic Beasts. Time to get serious—watch closely.
I Normal Summon 'Golden Homunculus'!"