However——
"End turn!"
"..."
Light turned a corner.
It's unfolding exactly like the original story.
Tenjo Hikari mused.
In terms of being a "student," Yaiba Todo is definitely stronger than most first-year students in his world.
But as a "Synchro Duelist," he's far behind.
"Yaiba Todo, last time I asked Sakaki Yuya a question, you were there. Now, I'm asking again, if you want to 'know your enemy and know yourself' and 'understand yourself,' do you truly know yourself?"
"Of course I do, how could I not know myself!"
"Do you know the effect of Gottoms?"
"Gottoms can release one X-Saber Monster on your field, and your opponent randomly discards one card from their hand. It's quite a powerful effect."
"Ha. Of course I know that," Yaiba Todo laughed heartily, not doubting why his opponent knew the effect of this card, "Prepare the monster for defense first, then next turn I'll use another strategy for recycling and depletion, and by then I'll easily destroy your hand card."
This is his usual strategy. Previously, when he practiced with Alternate Tenjo Dimension, he also dueled like this.
"By then... by when?"
?
"No matter what kind of duelist you are, you have to understand and think about your own strategies. Depletion should be carried out at the 'very beginning'—"
"Yaiba has his thoughts and doesn't need you to say anything!" Shijima Hokuto couldn't help but loudly counter Light within the duel voice chat.
"Hmph, what do you understand about us then?"
"Understand you? Hahaha, very interesting. Then let me begin my turn—Draw."
Light drew a card and, without looking, placed it into the slot on the D-wheel, and a card in his hand flew out.
He grabbed the card, glanced down, and comprehended.
"Since you're asking how much I understand about you, let's see this—I'll set the Pendulum Scale with Pendulum Monster Qliphort Tool, Scale 9!"
"What!?" Yaiba Todo was shocked.
"What!?" Nearly everyone from the Pendulum Dimension stood up in disbelief.
The READY Shijima Hokuto and Masumi Kotsu were completely frozen.
The watching Sakaki Yuya's pupils contracted, and he stared dumbfounded at the scene.
Setting the Pendulum Scale?!
"What!?"
"Pendulum Scale!?"
"Isn't that... what that young fellow from the Pendulum Dimension uses?!"
Previously, Sakaki Yuya had also dueled, so the audience was not too unfamiliar with Pendulums.
But...
Right at this moment, seeing one of their own wield a "Pendulum" card, they were all stunned.
There's another expert!?
"It's actually... a Pendulum Card." Yaiba Todo stared blankly for a moment and then shook his head.
No wonder this guy keeps asking us about knowing oneself and knowing one's enemy. It turns out he's attained the Pendulum?
But—
No problem.
Isn't it just a Pendulum? I've seen it!
Besides, it's just one...
"Activate the Pendulum effect of Tool, once per turn, by paying 800 Life Points. Add a Qliphort card other than 'Tool' from the Deck to the hand. I add 'Unstable' to my hand and set it.
Its Scale is... 1."
Light, LP: 4000→3200.
Ah!
"Thus, I can Special Summon Qliphort Monsters ranging from Levels 2 to 8 from my hand and face-up monsters in the Extra Deck as much as possible!"
He swiftly raised the card in his hand.
"Qliphort Archive Lust; Qliphort Genome Greed!"
Two distinctly shaped, fantastically bizarre machines rose behind Light.
"Two High-Level Monsters! All Special Summoned at once??"
"Is this... Pendulum Summoning?"
Some people who hadn't seen Sakaki Yuya duel before were left utterly flabbergasted upon seeing Light Special Summon two monsters at once.
"Using a Pendulum Summoned or directly summoned Qliphort Monster, its Level becomes 4, and Attack Power becomes 1800."
Whew—
If the Attack Power is only 1800, it's no big deal...
"Have you forgotten something?"
Forgotten something?
!!
Ah!
Light casually raised a card from his hand.
"You must release three Qliphort monsters on your field to Normal Summon this monster."
"I equip the Qliphort Sacrifice to Lust, enabling it to act as two monster releases."
"I release all three Qliphort monsters on the field, sending them to the Extra Deck, and Normal Summon!
Apoqliphort Towers!"
Doomed!
Apoqliphort Towers, LV 10, Earth Attribute, Machine-Type, Attack Power 3000.
Oh no, at this point, even depleting Light's hand card is ineffective!
"There's still its effect, Yaiba Todo! Don't just stand there!"
"Lust's effect activates when it's released, targeting one monster on the field to return to its owner's hand card. I choose Gottoms. The Qliphort Sacrifice effect, when sent to the Graveyard, adds one Qliphort monster from the Deck to the hand. I add 'Brutal' to my hand."
Yaiba Todo's expression changed, his eyes darkened, as he saw Gottoms on the field intercepted by a massive machine and then sent straight back to his Extra Deck.
"Pendulum Summoning offers tactical opportunities for direct special summoning," Tenjo Hikari spoke quietly, "For powerful High-Level Monsters, it's indeed a very convenient matter.
But is there another possibility—namely, that this kind of summoning also supports other types of summoning."