"Come on, Greiger! I've summoned another new monster!"
Kira grinned.
"Well, will you destroy it, or not?"
Greiger hesitated.
This guy is provoking me...
No, I can't fall for this.
Greiger hated the cold-blooded, cunning Goodwin to the core—but the more he hated, the more he understood he could not lose his head now, or let the taunts make him lose judgment.
Aqua Spirit itself didn't seem that threatening. The opponent's chain-summoning was clearly to bait out my one-per-turn SKY FIRE counter.
Fishborg Blaster, Aqua Spirit—using just those monsters, he can't break the situation wide open. Obviously, his goal is to Synchro Summon. As long as I blow up his Synchro monster at the moment it appears, I can wipe out all his materials at once. That maximizes his resource loss.
Besides, Aqua Spirit was Special Summoned. Goodwin hasn't even used his Normal Summon this turn. He could summon another monster and attempt an even bigger Synchro, possibly summoning a monster that could really change the duel.
So Greiger made up his mind: "I won't activate Flying Fortress SKY FIRE!"
"Much appreciated," Kira smiled, "so I won't hold back."
With a wave, three monsters floated upward at his command.
"I'll use Level 1 Tuner 'Fishborg Blaster!'
Level 1 'Treeborn Frog!'
And Level 4 'Aqua Spirit!'
Tune!"
All three monsters were WATER, fulfilling Blaster's Synchro requirement for WATER-only materials.
[1+1+4=6]
"Frozen stars gather at the tip of the blade, a spear of winter pierces the sky! Synchro Summon—
Level 6: Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!!"
In a vortex of blue light, the three monsters formed a starlit pathway in the frigid air. The air itself seemed to freeze, a sound like shattering glass issued forth, and atop the dome, a black rift tore open to the dimension beyond. A polar cyclone swept frost down, turning even breaths into icicles.
Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier, appeared!
[Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier, ATK 2300]
"As expected!"
Greiger approved of his own decision.
"That must be your ace monster, but I won't give you a chance to use it, Goodwin!
'Flying Fortress SKY FIRE' effect! Once per turn, when the opponent summons or Special Summons a monster during their turn, destroy that monster and deal 800 damage!"
Greiger clenched his fist, as if punching Brionac the moment it landed.
"Destroy 'Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!'"
Just as Brionac set foot on the field, SKY FIRE soared overhead, bomb bays opening, ready to drop at any moment.
Yusei, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but be impressed: "This duelist Greiger is extremely calm, unmoved by Goodwin's provocations.
"But more importantly, the power of this SKY FIRE card is terrifying. The ability to destroy your opponent's monsters during their turn not only prevents them from developing offense, it wastes the resources required for Synchro summoning…
"The resource gap will only grow, leaving the defense more and more desperate."
Jack added calmly, "A truly troublesome opponent."
But he stopped, staring sharply at "Goodwin."
He had never seen Goodwin duel before today, but this duel had already exceeded all his expectations.
And Jack had a strange intuition, too. No matter how tough the situation was, it seemed Goodwin was always a step ahead.
"You targeted Brionac with your SKY FIRE's effect on purpose—what a scoundrel," Kira feigned distress.
"I finally revived my ace, but—damn it! My Brionac, you're taking my Brionac..."
Greiger roared, "This isn't even repayment for a tenth of your blood debts!
Be destroyed, Goodwin's ace! And Goodwin, you're next!"
"Damn you..."
Kira fumed for a second, but as soon as the shadow from the SKY FIRE loomed overhead, he changed his expression in an instant.
"…Just kidding. I'm tricking you."
Greiger: "?!"
"Activate set card!" Kira declared. "Trap Card: 'Synchro Back!'
Return one Synchro Monster you control to the Extra Deck. Then, if you have all the materials used for its Synchro Summon in your graveyard, Special Summon them all to your field!
However, if they're still on the field at the end of the turn, you must send them to the graveyard." (Anime effect)
Greiger: "What did you say!?"
Crap—he'd already declared SKY FIRE to target Brionac. Chain resolution means Synchro Back returns Brionac first; when SKY FIRE tries to destroy, the monster is gone and the effect fizzles!
"I return 'Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier' to the Extra Deck," Kira said. "Then Special Summon its Synchro materials from the graveyard—come back:
Fishborg Blaster!
Aqua Spirit!
And 'Treeborn Frog!'"
[Fishborg Blaster, DEF 200]
[Aqua Spirit, DEF 1200]
[Treeborn Frog, DEF 100]
De-Synchro—the anime's equivalent to "Synchro Back" but for Synchros.
There's a real card called "De-Synchro," but it's a Normal Spell, only usable on your own turn. And since Riding Duels can't use Normal Spells, the anime made up this trap instead.
"Now, using all three monsters again—Tune!"
Kira raised his hand high.
"Synchro Summon! Descend again—
Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"
Ice covered the track again, and in a burst of refracting icy shards, Brionac's roar rang out!
[Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier, ATK 2300]
…