Clearly, he had destroyed the opponent's monster, yet plants were now taking root and sprouting in his own Monster Zone. Trueman's expression shifted slightly; for a moment he couldn't tell what kind of trick this was.
"Continuous Trap 'Cursed Ivy'—its other effect," Kira said. "When this face-up card on the field is sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon two 'Ivy Tokens' to your opponent's field in Defense Position.
Also, when an Ivy Token Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed, the Token's controller takes 300 damage."
Trueman looked with disgust at the plants that had taken root and pushed up through his field. Two tiny plants stood crookedly on his side, each with three lonely green leaves—like some sort of clover.
[Ivy Token, DEF 0] ×2
"To leave such useless monsters on my field…" Trueman snorted. "Then I set one card. End my turn."
With a wave of his hand, a face-down appeared in his back row, and his turn ended.
Kira said: "My turn. Draw."
He held up a Spell Card between two fingers.
"Spell Card 'Card of Adversity'. If your opponent controls a Special Summoned monster and you control no monsters: draw 2 cards." (Anime Card)
Kira drew two cards. After a glance, he didn't add them to his hand—instead, he immediately flipped one of them up to show it.
"Spell Card 'Card of Burial Magic'. Banish 3 Spell Cards from your Graveyard; draw 2 cards.
I banish from my Graveyard the Spell Cards 'Card of Adversity', 'Graceful Charity', and 'Premature Burial'; then I draw 2 cards."
Kira drew two more.
After refilling his hand in one go, he slotted in yet another Spell.
"I activate the Continuous Spell 'The World Tree'."
Though it was a Continuous Spell, activating it produced the same kind of presence and spectacle as a Field Spell. The ground beneath both duelists trembled, and a towering ancient tree burst up from the earth.
A thick trunk, lush green leaves—like a gigantic dark-green umbrella spreading overhead—cast a wide circular shadow across the ground.
"As long as The World Tree remains on the field, each time a Plant-Type monster on the field is destroyed, place 1 'Flower Counter' on this card."
Kira offered no further explanation, but Trueman paid close attention to the giant tree.
Right now it didn't look like it did much, but it was obviously a counter-accumulation card that could be used for different purposes—and likely Plant-exclusive. It might be unexpectedly troublesome.
Kira continued: "Also, the World Carrotweight Champion you destroyed last turn has a special ability.
Once per turn, if World Carrotweight Champion is in the Graveyard: by sending any Plant-Type monster other than World Carrotweight Champion from your hand or from your face-up monsters on the field to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard."
Kira sent a card from his hand to the Graveyard.
"I send a Plant-Type monster from my hand to the Graveyard—then I revive World Carrotweight Champion from the Graveyard!"
It was once per turn, but it was still effectively limitless regeneration. The eerie plant warrior with a carrot for a forehead and carrots sprouting all over its body quickly returned from the Graveyard to the field, even smashing the carrot "fists" together as if warming up.
[World Carrotweight Champion, ATK 1900]
"Next, I Tribute World Carrotweight Champion for a Tribute Summon—Level 6—
—Rose Tentacles!"
Thorns whirled. Crimson petals bloomed as if soaked in blood. At the vine's core seemed to be a pair of red demonic eyes, and the flying thorns were its deadly tendrils.
[Rose Tentacles, ATK 2200]
"So you've summoned a higher-level Plant," Trueman said disdainfully. "But that still isn't a match for King Kong."
"Don't rush," Kira replied.
He casually revealed a card from his hand.
"I activate the Equip Spell 'Power of the Guardians', and equip it to Rose Tentacles."
A pale-golden energy layer formed like a close-fitting barrier around the rose plant—like a protective force field.
"A monster equipped with Power of the Guardians gains 1 Magic Counter each time it battles," Kira said. "The equipped monster gains ATK equal to (number of counters × 500).
Also, if the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle or card effect, you can remove 1 Magic Counter from Power of the Guardians instead."
Trueman said: "I see. It gains counters as long as it keeps battling, and when it would be destroyed you can remove counters to prevent it. So even if its ATK still can't surpass King Kong, at least it can't be beaten."
"Hah—true, but I'm not planning to play that slow," Kira laughed. "Rose Tentacles's effect is: at the start of your Battle Phase, if your opponent controls any face-up Plant-Type monsters, then this turn, besides its normal attack, this card can make additional attacks equal to the number of those Plant-Type monsters."
Only now did Trueman frown. "So that's why you deliberately Special Summoned Tokens onto my field."
"Correct. The two Ivy Tokens on your field are Plant-Type, so Rose Tentacles gains 2 extra attacks—meaning it can attack 3 times total this turn," Kira said.
Trueman added: "And because Rose Tentacles is equipped with Power of the Guardians, it'll gain 500 ATK after each battle…"
In other words: if it destroys the first Ivy Token, it gains 500 ATK. If it destroys the second, it gains 1000 ATK total. Then on the third attack, if it targets King Kong, it will have gained 1500 ATK total. At that point Rose Tentacles would be at 3700 ATK, completely overpowering King Kong.
Additionally, each destroyed Ivy Token would deal 300 damage to its controller—two Tokens would add 600 more damage.
"That's a frightening combo," Trueman pushed up his glasses. "Multiple attacks, effect damage, ATK accumulation—and it can spend Magic Counters to replace destruction multiple times…"
Trueman adjusted his frames and suddenly smiled.
"Still, even a combo this strong has an obvious weakness. For example—this!"
He swept his arm, and the face-down in his back row snapped open.
"Quick-Play Spell 'Book of Eclipse'!"
A Spell resembling Book of Moon, but unlike the pale-blue quiet style of Moon, this book had a red cover, and carved at its center was the sun obscured during a total solar eclipse.
"Book of Eclipse turns all face-up monsters on the field to face-down Defense Position!" Trueman said. "This is neither battle nor destruction by effect—so even Power of the Guardians can't 'protect' your monster from it.
And per game rules: when the equipped monster is turned face-down, its Equip Card must be destroyed."
He pointed toward Kira's back row.
"So Power of the Guardians—I'll wipe it out!"
…