The Royal Decree—activate!
There's no need to say much about this card. As the heavy-trap specialist, Odion naturally couldn't not recognize it. It's likewise an extremely high-danger card that would rank near the top of his personal "most wanted" list.
"All trap effects become invalid." Just that one simple, brutally direct line of text—just like Jinzo—one card that can practically solo most of Odion's deck.
Of course, since it's the same kind of "natural enemy" card as Jinzo, Odion was prepared.
For example—
"Counter Trap—Royal Surrender!" Odion said. "Can only be activated when a Continuous Trap is activated. Negate the activation of that Continuous Trap and destroy it!"
He paused and added:
"Same principle as with Jinzo just now. Although all traps are invalid while the Royal Decree is on the field, that presupposes it successfully resolves first.
And although Royal Surrender is also a trap, the Royal Decree hasn't taken effect yet, so negating its activation is completely possible."
As he spoke, he pointed at Kira's back row.
"Negate the activation of 'Royal Decree'!"
With a snap sound, the face-down trap behind Kira burst apart, turning into fragments that scattered through the air.
"Impressive." Kira smiled. "Royal Surrender… let me guess—this is a trap you prepared specifically to deal with Decree, right?"
Odion didn't deny it. "I said my deck is trap-centered. It's highly distinctive—good at disruption and resistance. But being distinctive also means it's easy to target."
Kira said, "If it's easy to target, then you design countermeasures. Worthy of a legendary duelist."
Odion said, "Legendary or not, you flatter me. But if the opponent is a King, then I should go all out and do my very best without leaving openings."
For an all-trap deck to face Jinzo and Royal Decree lockouts back-to-back in a single turn and still push through this far was no small feat. It seemed that the "underworld" man Odion had spent years steeped in "red pit" trap usage—he really did know his craft.
"Battle," Odion said. "Embodiment of Apophis, attack Mr. Kira directly!"
The human-bodied, snake-headed warrior twisted its long torso and slashed forward with a mindless sword strike. Kira had no set cards left; both his front and back rows were empty. It looked like a wide-open lane—he could only take the hit.
"This time I'll be borrowing your strength," Kira said, as if to himself.
A pale, beautiful girl in a black dress, holding a black parasol, smiled brightly. "Then you'd better thank me properly afterward, Master~."
She hopped onto the field. The black parasol in her hand thrust forward like a blossoming shield, blocking in front of Kira.
Odion was startled. "A new monster? When did you summon—"
Kira said, "Vampire Fraulein. When the opponent declares an attack, she can be Special Summoned from the hand in Defense Position."
[Vampire Fraulein, DEF 2000]
"A trigger-type hand monster effect… I see," Odion said. "In a King's duel, your defense isn't only on the field. Very solid.
Then since Embodiment of Apophis's ATK is lower than Vampire Fraulein's, battle replay—attack is canceled."
As he spoke, he slotted another card from his hand into the Duel Disk.
"Finally, I activate the Continuous Spell 'Mirage of Nightmare.'
During the opponent's next Standby Phase, I can draw until I have four cards in hand."
"Turn end."
Kira said, "Then it's my turn—draw."
Odion: "We enter the Standby Phase. At this moment, I activate 'Mirage of Nightmare'—I draw until I have four cards in hand."
He refilled his hand to four cards.
Kira glanced at one of Odion's two remaining back-row cards.
About time to heal—
"Activate my set card: Quick-Play Spell 'Emergency Provisions'!" Odion said. "Send Spell/Trap cards on the field to the Graveyard; recover 1000 LP for each.
I send the Continuous Spell 'Mirage of Nightmare' to the Graveyard and recover 1000 LP!"
The Mirage—having already done its job—dissolved into golden light from Emergency Provisions and flowed into Odion as nourishment.
[Odion, LP 1600 → LP 2600]
The Temple of the Kings was Odion's key card. Its effect was powerful, and to a Tomb Keeper like Odion it symbolized royal authority—he wouldn't sacrifice it lightly. Other than that, he still had one last set card in the back row and chose not to sacrifice it for LP either.
That suggested it was also important.
But "red pit" traps were still manageable.
Kira said, "If there are Trap Cards in either player's field or Graveyard, then from my hand, 'Jinzo the Machine Menace' can be Special Summoned without tribute.
I Special Summon 'Jinzo the Machine Menace'!"
Though the name was different, the monster Kira summoned looked over 90% identical to Jinzo itself. Just a new name—didn't even change the disguise.
[Jinzo the Machine Menace, ATK 2400]
"Then I activate the effect of 'Jinzo the Machine Menace,'" Kira said. "Tribute this card: Special Summon 1 'Jinzo' from my hand or Graveyard.
After that, destroy all Trap Cards on your field!"
Odion's expression darkened.
It can Special Summon itself when traps exist, tribute itself to summon Jinzo, and also blow up all traps—
As expected, the opponent's deck had anti-trap hate baked into its DNA. Searching, summoning, lockdown, destruction—every part of it screamed "counter traps."
But he could still handle it.
"Activate my set card!" Odion said. "Quick-Play Spell 'Effect Shut'! Negate the activation of a monster effect and destroy it!" (Anime card)
Electricity had only begun to spark off the Jinzo the Machine Menace when the magic sealed it shut. The red glow in its eyes flickered, then it exploded into a fireball, fragments scattering everywhere.
"You stopped Jinzo's summon again. Not bad," Kira smiled.
Then his tone shifted: "But what will you do the next time?"
Odion's heart jolted. He looked at the Vampire Fraulein and saw her smiling and waving at him, as if greeting him—then he suddenly realized.
Right—Jinzo the Machine Menace was Special Summoned by effect. This turn, Kira still hadn't used his Normal Summon.
Last time Kira summoned Jinzo, Odion used the Counter Trap "Forced Back" to negate the summon. But a monster negated by Forced Back isn't destroyed—it's returned to the hand.
Which means right now—
"Sorry, Fraulein—let me borrow your body," Kira said.
Fraulein puffed her cheeks. "You can, but Master, could you not phrase it in a way that's so easy to misunderstand?"
Kira said, "Tribute Vampire Fraulein to perform a Tribute Summon!
Artificial Jinzo - Lord, nemesis of traps—
—Jinzo, I summon again!"
…