"Duel!" x2
[Youyu, LP4000]
[Kuroda, LP4000]
"Since you are the challenger, I'll take the first move as per the rules, draw!"
Kuroda glanced at his hand and seemed pleased with his starting cards, letting out a chuckle.
"I summon 'Giant Red Seasnake', in attack position!"
Water splashed up from the ground, and a snake with a red body emerged from below, twisting its body amidst the water and hissing with a dark purple tongue.
[Giant Red Seasnake, ATK 1800]
"Then I set a card face-down, end my turn!"
The crowd started to stir.
"Kuroda's pretty lucky, starting with such a powerful monster."
The rules of the Duel Monsters game have undergone significant changes recently under the influence of Kaiba Company, with the most iconic being that "Monsters above level 4 require sacrifices to summon."
This rule has made many duelists feel quite uncomfortable, with some even believing that high-level monsters have become impractical, and that low-level, high-attack monsters will become the main trend.
A monster like 'Giant Red Seasnake' with 1800 attack at level four is now considered a rare and pricey card on the market.
"My turn." Youyu maintained a calm smile, "Draw."
Though he wasn't sure what strange cards the opponent had, Youyu felt that his own starting hand was... pretty perfect.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! anime was indeed not wrong—whether it's the protagonist or the antagonist, when playing against weaker opponents, the probability of starting with the perfect hand seems to be significantly higher.
"From my hand, I summon Elemental Hero Blazeman!" Youyu began his action.
A whirlwind of flames rose up from the ground, and the newly acquired Elemental Hero from the System Card Pool last week instantly appeared on his field.
[Elemental Hero Blazeman, ATK 1200]
"When Blazeman is successfully summoned, you can add a 'Polymerization' Magic Card from your deck to your hand!" Youyu took a Fusion card from his deck, "Then activate 'Polymerization!'"
Fuse the 'Elemental Hero Blazeman' on the field with the 'Elemental Hero Wildman' in my hand, Fusion Summon! Elemental Hero—
——Gaia!"
The earth cracked open in an instant, and the impact of the three-dimensional image mixed with dark energy made the entire arena seem to tremble.
A massive black metal silhouette emerged from the fissures, resembling an insurmountable mountain climbing higher from the cracks. A metal giant stood tall on Youyu's field amidst flying debris.
[Elemental Hero Gaia, ATK 2200]
Gaia was a new card he recently acquired, with fusion conditions requiring a monster with "Elemental Hero" in its name + an Earth Attribute monster. "Elemental Hero Wildman" is Earth Attribute, thus usable as fusion material for Gaia.
The audience was amazed: "Starting with a monster with 2200 attack, this kid's got some skill!"
Kuroda was momentarily stunned by Gaia's imposing presence but quickly regained composure.
Stay calm, don't panic. Fusion monsters can't attack on the turn they're summoned, and even if worst comes to worst, his set card is "Widespread Ruin - Claymore Style," which can destroy the highest attack monster on the opponent's field when they attack.
The situation is still in his favor.
"Gaia's effect, activate," Youyu declared, "'Elemental Hero Gaia' can halve the attack of one monster on the opponent's field during the turn it is fusion summoned, until the end of the turn, and adds the attack points to Gaia."
"What!?"
[Giant Red Seasnake, ATK 1800 → ATK 900]
[Elemental Hero Gaia, ATK 2200 → ATK 3100]
"At... attack power 3100!?"
"Then, from my hand, I activate Magic Card, 'Fusion Recovery!'" Youyu's actions continued, "Retrieve a 'Polymerization' Magic Card from the graveyard and a monster sent to the graveyard as fusion material back to your hand.
I add 'Polymerization' and 'Elemental Hero Wildman' to my hand."
The graveyard section of Youyu's Duel Disc glowed with golden light, ejecting two cards back into his hand.
"Then, activate Polymerization again!"
The audience was astonished once more: "Two fusions in one turn!?"
"Fuse the 'Elemental Hero Featherman' in my hand with the recently recovered 'Elemental Hero Wildman', Fusion Summon! 'Elemental Hero Wild Wingman!'"
A whirlwind swept across the arena, prompting the crowd to instinctively raise their arms for protection. A visible cyclone whipped through, as the hero with white wings and untamed demeanor descended from above.
[Elemental Hero Wild Wingman, ATK 1900]
This was another new Elemental Hero that Youyu drew. However, Wild Wingman was just an R Card in the System Card Pool, with low rare value and merely 1900 attack as a one-for-three fusion monster, thus not very practical.
"Wild Wingman's effect, discard a card," Youyu sent a card from his hand to the graveyard, "Destroy a magic or trap card on the field. I'll destroy your set card!"
"Damn!" Kuroda paled with shock.
Wild Wingman screeched as its wings flapped, feathers shooting like arrows toward the opponent's back row.
The cover set card "Widespread Ruin - Claymore Style" was instantly riddled with holes by the feathers, automatically flipping to reveal its identity to the opponent before shattering into countless fragments.
"It was 'Claymore Style'," Youyu chuckled, "That was close, if I had attacked recklessly, my 3100 ATK Gaia would have been destroyed by 'Claymore Style.'
Kuroda grit his teeth and snorted, "But fusion monsters can't attack during the turn they're summoned. Your Gaia's attack will revert to 2200 at the end of the turn, such a pity."
"Is that really the case?" Youyu smiled and asked.
Kuroda's expression changed drastically: "Could it be that you..."
"Exactly, the duel will be decided this turn." Youyu said, playing the last card in his hand.
Now witness the power of a perfect hand!
"Activate Magic Card - Quick Attack!" Youyu declared, "This card allows the fusion monster on the field to attack during the turn it's summoned!
Gaia! Wild Wingman! Attack! Take a total of 5000 attack damage!"
The two heroes launched their assault simultaneously. The earth crumbled, and the storm raged, making the arena seem as if it was truly submerged in a tempest of elements.
The 'Giant Red Seasnake' on Kuroda's field, its attack reduced to 900, vanished into ashes, leaving the remaining impact to engulf Kuroda's body.
"Ahhh!!!"
[Kuroda, LP4000 → LP0]