"Zushin the Sleeping Giant!"
Leo's eyes went wide, staring at the card Kira had revealed.
His jaw dropped.
Z-Z-Z-Zushin!?
"Whaaat!?" Leo clutched his head in disbelief. "Who would even use that card!?"
Zushin the Sleeping Giant, said to rival the legendary Gods in power, wasn't considered rare, but was so common "everyone" had at least one. Even Leo had several. But its summoning condition was absurdly strict, so it was universally dismissed as "useless in real duels."
Yet this uncle actually wanted to use it!?
Leo's glasses-wearing classmate, known for being top of the class at Duel Academy, quickly pointed out, "Wait, that's not right. Zushin's requirement is you need to tribute a Level 1 Normal Monster that's stayed on the field more than ten turns. Who flashes Zushin from their hand like this?"
This was Zushin's requirement in the 5D's anime.
"Haha, true," Kira chuckled. "You sure know your dueling history. But my Zushin's effect is a bit different."
After all, it was a custom card.
"Zushin the Sleeping Giant. My version reads:"
"Once per turn, you can reveal this card in your hand until the end phase and choose a Level 1 monster you control. Place a Zushin counter on that monster. Only when a monster you control accumulates ten Zushin counters can you Tribute it to Special Summon Zushin from your hand."
Leo did some finger counting in total confusion.
"So…that's not really different?"
He looked up, frowning.
"Each turn, you reveal it and put a counter on a Level 1 monster. So you still need that Level 1 monster to stay out for ten turns—then you can summon Zushin?"
"No—it is different."
The bespectacled top student's eyes flashed with realization.
"In the original version, you could start accumulating counters with any Level 1 the moment it hit the field, even without Zushin in hand. But for this version, you have to already have Zushin in hand, and then start placing counters—so it's even harder."
Leo's eyes widened: "Hey, you're right!"
"That's not the only thing," the top student added. "Normally, no one would guess you're building toward Zushin. Since nobody's ever done it, your opponent would never expect it. But this version—he has to reveal Zushin from turn one, so he gives away his hidden strategy."
"Yeah!" Leo finally realized, "It means he gives up the secrecy!"
The bespectacled classmate was nimble-minded, but after analyzing a bit more he, too, was thoroughly taken aback.
Same Zushin, but the summon condition changes in subtle ways. Duel Academy didn't cover this. Was this for real? And what's more, Kira's deck was nearly empty. Even if he wanted to keep a Level 1 out for ten turns, would he even have ten cards left to draw by then?
"Haha, you're sharp." Kira smiled.
"You're right—history records show no one has ever succeeded in summoning Zushin in a duel. At least, not in public."
"But I hope you'll remember: the world of dueling is full of unlimited possibilities. If you can imagine it, nothing's impossible."
As he spoke, Kira showed two more cards from his hand.
"I activate the effects of my two other Sleeping Giant—Zushin in hand. Each one, once per turn, I reveal and put a Zushin counter on my monster. That's three counters at once."
The top student was shocked: "!!!"
Leo remained confused. "Nani? What just happened?"
"See, even though there are disadvantages, if you have multiple Zushins, you can put multiple counters on the same monster each turn."
"That means the turns needed to summon Zushin drop drastically!" exclaimed the top student.
Leo panicked: "Eh? This is a serious problem then…"
"Still, it'd take at least four turns this way," the top student calculated. "Even with all three Zushins, you can only add three counters per turn."
Kira cut in: "Not necessarily."
Leo and the top student: "!!"
"I told you, the world of duel is unlimited possibility. With imagination and creativity, anything is possible."
Kira grinned.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Magical Mallet'! Shuffle any number of cards from my hand, including Mallet itself, back into the deck and draw the same number."
Kira shuffled several cards, including all three Zushins, into his now-tiny deck, then drew anew.
"And now, draw!"
He immediately revealed three more Sleeping Giant—Zushin cards he'd drawn.
"The three Zushins, shuffled back with Magical Mallet, are now back in hand—their 'once per turn' effect is refreshed."
"So, I reveal all three again, placing three more Zushin counters!"
[Skull Servant, Zushin Counters 3 → 6]
Leo and the top student: "!???"
Wait, you can do that!?
Shuffle back, then draw—reset the effect each time!
"Argh! Six counters in one turn!" Leo clutched his hair like a chicken's nest.
"How is his luck so good!? Shuffling with Mallet, and drawing all three Zushins right away…"
"It's not luck," the top student struggled to explain.
"Look—he's only got a few cards left in his deck."
Leo: "!"
Oh…
Finally, even Leo realized the gravity of the situation.
Of course—the deck was almost empty. No matter how many times he shuffles, he'd always draw all three Zushins.
"Magical Mallet, redraw!"
Kira continued.
"Once again, reveal three Zushins, three more counters!"
[Skull Servant, Zushin Counters 6 → 9]
Leo and the top student: "…"
With this, he might as well put twenty, fifty, or a hundred counters on it in one turn.
"…Last time—reveal Zushin, place the tenth counter."
[Skull Servant, Zushin Counters 10]
"Now, I Tribute the Skull Servant with ten Zushin counters—descend!"
—Zushin the Sleeping Giant!!!
A one-turn Zushin summon!