Jinzo.
The strongest trap nemesis: just by existing on the field, it sealed all traps. A humanoid, self-propelled trap jammer.
Odion naturally couldn't fail to recognize it.
First, as a trap specialist, he couldn't not know such a natural predator. Second, it wasn't his first time facing Jinzo.
Back in Battle City's top eight, Odion had impersonated his master and entered the tournament under Marik's name, facing Joey in the quarterfinals.
At first, all-trap Odion used his godlike pit-digging to trap Joey until he was dizzy—Joey could barely touch him at all.
Then Joey pulled off a flashback power-up, and at the critical moment top-decked Jinzo—instantly crippling Odion's entire deck. He nearly got solo'd by a single card.
Even though Odion eventually dealt with Jinzo, that duel left a scar in his memory. Jinzo was undoubtedly a top entry on his personal wanted list—possibly even more dangerous than the Egyptian Gods.
Now, seeing the Spell Kira played, Odion's mouth twitched.
Let me search a trap… and you fly a Jinzo straight out of the deck. What's the point of searching anything then?
"Of course, it's not mandatory," Kira said with a smile.
"You have the right to refuse. You can choose not to search and Set a trap from the deck.
If you don't search, then I can't Special Summon Jinzo, and at most I can only add it from my deck to my hand."
Odion felt a little calmer.
Only add to hand?
That's slightly better.
"Then I choose not to search a trap," Odion said.
Kira: "Then I choose to add 'Jinzo' from my deck to my hand."
Kira took the automatic-popping Machine monster from his deck into his hand.
Odion stayed expressionless. Of course he wouldn't accept the effect to search a trap—if Jinzo hit the field immediately, searching any trap would become meaningless.
And if Jinzo was only added to hand, at least it was a Level 6 tribute monster that required a Tribute to be Summoned. And now that it was revealed, he could prepare for it.
"Effect of 'Psychic Megacyber' in my hand," Kira said, showing the card.
"If my opponent controls more Spell/Trap Cards than I do, I can Special Summon Psychic Megacyber from my hand."
Odion: "!"
"You have two set cards. My backrow is empty. Naturally, you have more Spell/Traps—so Psychic Megacyber is Special Summoned with no cost."
Without using his Normal Summon, Kira slapped the monster down. A burst of golden lightning exploded across his field; under rings of transparent current, a golden steel giant emerged like a thunder fortress landing before him.
[Psychic Megacyber, ATK 2200]
Odion narrowed his eyes.
Special Summoned without using the Normal Summon. And with Jinzo already revealed in hand, what came next was obvious—
"I Tribute Psychic Megacyber."
Kira raised his hand.
"Artificial king of psychokinesis—nemesis of traps! Level 6—
—Jinzo, I Summon!"
The Psychic giant was quickly wrapped in electrical currents, breaking apart into light and dispersing.
In its place rose a storm of psychic wind. A pair of red eyes lit up in the gale as a tall, sleek metallic body manifested within it.
Jinzo was Summoned!
It had been a long time since it got a chance to take the field, and today's opponent was a trap lover, a Tomb Keeper degenerate—perfectly in its lane. So Jinzo's aura was exceptionally fierce, its dominator's presence practically turning into a tangible electrical force field around its body.
Heh. Like playing dirty? Like traps?
I exist to beat traps!
Odion: "Counter Trap 'Forced Back'!
Negate the Summon or Flip Summon of a monster, and forcibly return that monster to its owner's hand!"
Jinzo laughed loudly.
Muda!
In front of me, the king of psychokinesis—
Eh, wait, what did you say?
Jinzo jolted, its heartbeat seeming to miss a beat.
"Jinzo's effect makes all traps on the field become invalid, I know," Odion said in a deep voice. "But that premise is that its Summon succeeds.
If the Summon is negated, everything else is empty talk. Return Jinzo to the hand!"
Jinzo roared unwillingly, but its body turned into a burst of golden light and flew back into Kira's hand.
Reduced to spirit form again, Jinzo raged impotently.
Humiliation! Pure humiliation!
A trap killer—the strongest anti-degenerate warrior—actually getting taken down by a red trap…
"Worthy of being a trap pillar," Kira said with a smile, praising him. "Even you can pitfall Jinzo. Impressive."
"Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Dark World Dealings.'
Both players draw 1 card, then each discards 1 card."
Odion and Kira each drew a card, then each discarded one to the Graveyard.
"Then I activate 'Foolish Burial,'" Kira said. "Send one monster from my deck to the Graveyard."
It was called Foolish Burial, but it didn't look foolish at all—if anything, it tended to make the opponent look foolish.
Kira sent a card from his deck to the Graveyard. But that card immediately returned from the Graveyard in a flash of gold.
Odion's heart stirred. "A monster that triggers when sent to the Graveyard?"
"Exactly."
Kira held the card between two fingers and waved it in front of Odion.
"The card I just sent was 'Jinzo Returner.'
When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can target one Jinzo in my Graveyard and Special Summon it!"
"Jinzo—" Odion's eyes widened. "The discarded card from Dark World Dealings…"
"Correct. It was Jinzo."
Kira received the Jinzo that popped back out from the Graveyard once again.
"Descend again—
—Jinzo!"
Once more, amid psychic wind and a swirling storm, Jinzo returned to the field with a triumphant howl—
—back from the revival match!
[Jinzo, ATK 2400]
Odion's expression darkened.
Even that didn't stop it…
"Battle!" Kira said. "Jinzo—direct attack!"
…