Shaken by Kira's counter-pressure, the Skeleton Knight was silent for a couple of seconds before saying coldly, "You really aren't the real Rex—nor anyone from any other dimension, are you?"
Kira replied, "Since you're asking that, does that mean you're Roman Goodwin from yet another dimension? For what purpose have you come here?"
The Skeleton Knight fell silent for a moment. He turned his gaze back to the racetrack ahead, not answering.
"…I summon 'Mad Archfiend' in Attack Position."
The Skeleton Knight played a card on the weird Duel Disk mounted onto his horse's back, which looked like it actually grew out of the beast and melded into the D-Horse's flesh.
A wild, red-haired demon, its abdomen split open to reveal a white, grinning skull, appeared on the Skeleton Knight's field.
[Mad Archfiend, ATK 1800]
"Battle," the Skeleton Knight ordered. "Mad Archfiend attacks 'Poison Draw Frog'!"
[Poison Draw Frog, DEF 100]
With just 100 DEF, the tiny frog was doomed. The Mad Archfiend charged, letting out a fearsome roar as countless sharp, bone-like projectiles rained down toward the little frog like a storm.
"When Mad Archfiend attacks a Defense Position monster, and its ATK exceeds their DEF, it inflicts piercing damage for the excess!"
The Skeleton Knight bellowed, "In our duel, frail frogs don't even deserve to defend. Let this pain sear the lesson into you!"
Kira responded, "Activate set card—Trap Card 'Enchanted Javelin'!
When your monster attacks, I gain Life Points equal to its ATK!"
The Skeleton Knight: "Nani?!"
The moment the demon struck, its energy was drained away, transformed into a golden radiance that flowed into Kira, increasing his LP.
[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 5800]
Only then did the demon finish its attack, peppering the tiny frog and Kira's Duel Runner with a relentless rain of bone shards.
[Kira, LP 5800 → LP 4100]
"And Poison Draw Frog's monster effect activates. When it's sent from face-up on the field to the Graveyard, I draw a card."
Kira drew.
"Hmph." The Skeleton Knight, disappointed, waved his hand and set a card in his back row.
"Set one card—turn end."
His opponent's LP had not only gone untouched, but even increased. The Skeleton Knight eyed Kira darting along on his Duel Runner with growing caution.
Even though his LP remained high, he'd taken 1700 points of piercing damage, and Kira's Duel Runner hadn't lost balance for a second—the man seemed almost unaffected.
This opponent might really be out of the ordinary.
"My turn. Draw," Kira said.
"During my Standby Phase, the effect of 'Take Over 5' in the graveyard activates. If it's in the graveyard during my standby phase, I banish this card and another of the same name from my deck, then draw a card."
He drew another card.
"And also during this Standby Phase, I have 'Treeborn Frog' in the graveyard. If I have no Spell or Trap Cards on my field, I can Special Summon it from the graveyard."
Kira waggled the card just brought back from the grave.
"Special Summon 'Treeborn Frog' from the graveyard!"
A blue frog with a ring of light above its head, angelic wings flapping, landed on Kira's field.
[Treeborn Frog, DEF 100]
"Another frog—are you really going to keep fighting with these little fry?" growled the Skeleton Knight.
"Underestimating even a frog, huh? Elderly folks like you sure are brave," Kira chuckled.
If this really was Roman from five thousand years ago, as in the manga, "elderly" wasn't so off the mark.
"I tribute 'Treeborn Frog' to Tribute Summon—!"
Kira raised his hand.
"Ten miles of ice, frozen to the core—
—Mobius the Frost Monarch, summon!"
The frog, long since used to being tributed, vanished in a twinkle of light. Suddenly, a field of ice burst from where it had stood.
Crystal-clear ice spread across the ground, and in the blizzard, the shape of a white giant loomed. Cloak billowing in the wind, the ice monarch appeared clearly reflected on the ice, frost trailing along the earth straight toward the Skeleton Knight's back row—instantly freezing his set card in crystal.
A crisp shatter—ice broke apart, and the set card was destroyed.
That was the Trap Card "Eye of Ujat," an original manga card. It could control an opponent's attacking monster during their Battle Phase, redirecting attacks or even making it attack a different monster.
"Upon Tribute Summon, Mobius the Frost Monarch destroys up to two Spell or Trap Cards on the field." Kira said, "Too bad that card which could control attacks didn't get to activate."
Skeleton Knight: "..."
Kira: "Mobius the Frost Monarch—attack 'Mad Archfiend'!"
The monarch gathered a blizzard between his palms, channeling icy power into a single strike that lashed out at the demon.
Skeleton Knight: "Mad Archfiend's effect—when chosen as an attack target, it switches to Defense Position automatically!"
[Mad Archfiend, ATK 1800 → DEF 0]
Instantly, the flood of frost encased the demon in ice, and a flurry of sharp wind cut the frozen body into pieces.
"So that's the double-edged effect of Mad Archfiend—high attack and piercing, but it can only defend when targeted, huh? Turn end."
The Skeleton Knight squinted at Mobius chasing along with Kira's Duel Runner.
"With Treeborn Frog recurring every turn, always available to tribute—it really is a troublesome combo for maximizing Monarch monsters' power."
He took a deep breath.
"Since that's the case, I suppose it's time I showed this era's warrior just a sliver of my true power.
My turn—draw!"
He drew, inserting a card into his Duel Disk.
"Activate Spell Card—'Fusion Birth!'" (Manga card)
Kira raised an eyebrow.
Wait a second.
Are you using Fusions in a Synchro-era Riding Duel?
…
…
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