"I remember now, I heard about it in the news!"
Watching the satellite cannon lift off, Marufuji Shou commented.
"Prince Aojin's country supposedly launched a satellite named 'Sky' with the power to destroy the world, causing significant international controversy. It's a recent hot international issue..."
"Is it that powerful?"
Judai, who never pays attention to anything outside card games, showed some surprise and looked up at the satellite high in the sky.
"But, this satellite doesn't look that impressive..."
[Satellite Cannon, Attack Power 0]
Prince Aojin sneered, then played another card: "I now activate the Magic Card 'Refill'! It increases the attack power of Satellite Cannon by 2000!" (Original Card)
A stream of blazing golden energy shot up into the sky from the card he played, filling the barrel of the satellite cannon above.
[Satellite Cannon, Attack Power 0→Attack Power 2000]
"Next, I activate the Magic Card 'Time Goddess's Mischief', which allows me to skip an entire turn and go straight to the battle phase of my next turn!" (Original Effect)
Everyone was shocked.
Skipping the turn... doesn't that mean he can attack in his first turn?
"Then Speed Attack Magic 'Restriction Removal', doubling the attack power of Mechanical Race monsters on my field until the end of the turn!" Prince Aojin shouted, "Double the attack power of 'Satellite Cannon'!"
[Satellite Cannon, Attack Power 2000→Attack Power 4000]
This shocked the audience once again, causing an uproar.
A monster with 4000 attack power right off the bat, and it can attack in the first turn!
No wonder he's the top duelist in the kingdom, no wonder he maintains such confidence even against a king as his opponent.
How can anyone beat him like this? Doesn't this mean anyone facing him in first turn ends the game instantly?
"Sorry, King, it seems like I might end this without giving you a chance to play."
Prince Aojin laughed with his hands on his hips.
Even the Academy crowd, who usually had great faith in the Master of the Yellow Robe, felt a bit uneasy.
Previously, they hoped someone could punish this Underworld Envoy, but that was before. Now that Yugen is the Duel King, he represents the top strength of the Academy. If he loses, it would be a disgrace for everyone.
"Direct attack by the Satellite Cannon!"
A bombardment from orbit, the cannon beam targeted Yugen's position and struck down!
Boom!
An incredible blast, as if it had created a deep crater on the ground. Flames soared, black smoke billowed, like an artificial celestial punishment.
However...
[Yugen, LP 4000]
"What!?"
This time, Prince Aojin's face changed dramatically.
Yugen calmly revealed a card from his hand: "Discarding Chestnut Ball from my hand makes the battle damage 0."
The apparition of Chestnut Ball flashed across the field: "Kurikuri!"
It seemed to disdainfully indicate, flashy.
Such a complex combo but it was blocked by my single Chestnut Ball card?
"Uh..."
Prince Aojin's mouth twitched.
A monster that can block attacks directly from the hand at first turn...
His usually invincible OTK seemed not so useful today.
But it didn't matter.
"Heh, as expected of the Duel King, not that easy to handle." Prince Aojin said in a deep voice, "When the turn ends, Satellite Cannon affected by 'Restriction Removal' must self-destruct.
But before that, I activate the Magic Card 'Monster Recycling'!
Send all cards in my hand and on the field back to the deck, then draw five cards from the deck!" (Original Effect)
The satellite cannon in the sky instantly disassembled, turning back into a golden light that flew into Prince Aojin's deck. He took out the deck, shuffled quickly, and redrew five cards.
After glancing at the newly drawn hand, he promptly played a card.
"I haven't conducted a Normal Summon this turn.
Therefore, I Defense Summon 'Satellite Base' to the field!" (Original Card)
Another golden light shot to the sky, creating a satellite image. But this satellite was not the cannon just now, but rather like a floating fortress.
[Satellite Base, Defense Power 0]
"Satellite Base cannot be destroyed by battle with monsters of five stars or lower," Prince Aojin said, "and at the end of each of my turns, the defense power of Satellite Base increases by 1000 points!"
"My turn ends."
[Satellite Base, Defense Power 0→Defense Power 1000]
"Now it's my turn, draw." Yugen said, "Let's try this deck a little.
First is the card 'Dragon Spirit Temple'!
Send a Dragon Race card from the deck to the graveyard. If it's a Dragon-type Ordinary Monster, you can send one more.
I want to send this card from the deck to the graveyard..."
He smiled mysteriously, taking the card that popped from his deck.
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Everyone was shocked, some couldn't help but shout.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon!
This heavyweight monster is naturally associated with the pinnacle of the dueling realm, the president.
But then some remembered, this is one of the four Blue-Eyes White Dragons worldwide, personally handed over by Seto Kaiba to Yugen during the last Duel City tournament. This makes Yugen the only duelist besides Seto Kaiba to possess a Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Even Prince Aojin was surprised but soon showed delight: "Oh, today not only can I battle the Duel King, but also the legendary Blue-Eyes. Seems today really is my lucky day."
Yugen continued: "Of course, Blue-Eyes White Dragon is an Ordinary Monster. So, according to Dragon Spirit Temple's effect, I send another Dragon-type 'Arc Light Brave Dragon' from the deck to the graveyard."
He then played another Monster Card.
"Normal Summon 'Giant Dragon Paladin'."
[Giant Dragon Paladin, Attack Power 1700]
"Upon successful summon, equip a seven to eight-star Dragon-type Monster from hand or deck to this card.
I equip another 'Arc Light Brave Dragon' from the deck to Giant Dragon Paladin."
A shimmering dragon apparition flashed by, like a dragon soul merging with the Paladin.
"Next, activate Continuous Magic 'Giant Divine Dragon's Relics'," Yugen said, "Once per turn, send the face-up cards on the field to the graveyard besides this card to Special Summon 'Giant Dragon Derivative'.
I send the equipped 'Arc Light Brave Dragon' to the graveyard to Special Summon 'Giant Dragon Derivative'!"
[Giant Dragon Derivative, Attack Power 0]
"Activate Giant Dragon Paladin's additional effect. Sacrifice another monster on the field with this card to Special Summon a seven to eight-star Dragon-type monster from the graveyard.
I sacrifice Giant Dragon Paladin and Giant Dragon Derivative to revive from the graveyard—
—Arc Light Brave Dragon, Summon!"
Like starlight converging, like a waterfall rushing into the sky. Massive bone wings spread, the gleaming dragon figure whirled in the starlight and appeared.
[Arc Light Brave Dragon, Attack Power 2400]