The surrounding students realized it at once.
"I see," said the model student Daichi Misawa. "Machina City not only switches attack and defense during a direct attack, it also sends Swift Scarecrow from the Deck as a defensive option. And after the submarine attacks, it changes its form, which is also a defensive move."
"At first glance it looks like a cheap strategy that just steals damage with direct attacks," he continued. "But it's actually a strong combination that balances offense and defense."
The students nodded in agreement.
Even though they admitted it was strong, most of the onlookers watched Yuichi's face grow redder by the second with thinly hidden glee. At the same time, they all shared the same thought.
They never wanted to be the unlucky one matched against this guy. Winning or losing aside, their mindset would break long before the duel ended.
"End Phase. The side effect of Infernal Dragon activates," Yuichi said in a dull voice.
"This card is destroyed during the End Phase in which it attacked."
As soon as he finished speaking, Infernal Dragon exploded on its own and shattered into fragments. The blast faded, leaving the field briefly empty.
"But Infernal Dragon has another effect," Yuichi continued. "When it is destroyed, I can Tribute one monster on my field to Special Summon it from the Graveyard."
"I Tribute the Trap Monster Mirror Marshman to revive Infernal Dragon!"
The marsh monster dissolved as the Tribute, and the fallen Infernal Dragon rose back onto the field as if nothing had happened.
Infernal Dragon, ATK 2000
"My Turn!, Card Draw."
Yugen glanced at the card he drew and then set it onto the field with a flick of his wrist.
"I set one card.
"Next, another effect of Machina City activates. Once per turn, I destroy one other card on my field and add one 'Machina' monster from my Deck to my hand."
He pointed at the set card near his feet.
"I destroy the card I just set and search a 'Machina' monster from my Deck."
The set card burst into golden light, and a card shot out from the Deck as if pulled by an unseen hand. Behind Yugen, a massive dome-shaped metal facility materialized in midair.
"The card I destroyed was the Trap Card Magical Garage," Yugen said. "When this set card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Machine-type monster from my hand."
"Therefore, I Special Summon Mixer Man from my hand!"
Mixer Man, DEF 2200
Yuichi curled his lips. "That thing again."
"Now Mixer Man's effect activates," Yugen said calmly. "Once per turn, I can Tribute one Machine-type monster on my field to Special Summon a non-WIND 'Machina' monster from my Deck."
"I Tribute Mixer Man itself."
Mixer Man vanished into light, and the Duel Disk completed another automatic search as a card leapt from the Deck.
"I Special Summon this card from my Deck. A Level 8 Machina."
A white fighter jet burst from the swirling light left by the Tribute, assembling at high speed into a heavy white robot before slamming onto the field with a thunderous crash.
Machina Armored Unit, ATK 2700
"ATK 2700!"
Yuichi stiffened and waved his hand without hesitation.
"I activate my set card. Trap Card Bottomless Trap Hole! When a monster with 1500 or more ATK is Summoned, destroy it and banish it!"
Bottomless Trap Hole (Other Dimension) snapped shut the instant the armored Machina appeared, and the massive robot exploded into dust before it could do anything.
The crowd outside gasped as one.
"A Level 8 monster wiped out instantly."
"Yuichi Yamamoto is no pushover either."
Daichi Misawa folded his arms and frowned slightly, but this time he did not comment further. His eyes stayed fixed on the field.
Yugen watched as Yuichi's last back-row card disappeared, and understanding dawned on him.
So it was Bottomless Trap Hole. With that gone, every remaining obstacle had been cleared, and the path to victory was complete.
On the surface, the 2700 ATK armored Machina looked like a trump card from the Deck. In truth, it was only a scout meant to trigger traps and clear the way for the real finisher.
"Now then," Yugen said, "I Normal Summon the 'Machina' monster I searched earlier with Machina City."
Yuichi's eyelid twitched hard.
His attention had been locked on Mixer Man and the huge monster it brought out, and he had missed the search entirely. Thinking back, the city could fetch any Machina from the Deck, and with this opponent's style, the choice was obvious.
"I Normal Summon Machina Submarine, in Attack Position."
Just as expected.
Seeing that smug little submarine jump onto the field again, Yuichi nearly wanted to point at it and shout.
The surrounding students erupted into chatter. With Machina City searching the submarine, the submarine striking directly, and the city feeding cards to the Graveyard to reinforce defense, the loop was painfully clear.
Once they pieced it together, many of them inhaled sharply. It was a stalling build, but it was also precise in a way most freshmen had never seen.
"I thought Machina decks were kind of bad," one student muttered.
"Same here. I remember someone using it in the entrance exam and ranking near the bottom, maybe even Slifer Red Dorm."
"It's not the Deck," Daichi Misawa said at last. "It's the user."
He smiled with clear interest, arms still crossed.
"First place for a reason. This is interesting."
"Another direct attack from the submarine," Yuichi growled. "Even with Machina City swapping attack and defense, I still have Life Points left. Next turn…"
"I activate Mixer Man's effect from the Graveyard," Yugen interrupted. "I pay half my Life Points."
Yugen LP 4000 to LP 2000
Five cards shot out of the Duel Disk's Graveyard zone in rapid succession. Two copies of Mixer Man, one Machina Submarine, one Swift Scarecrow, and the truck Machina sent there on the first turn.
"I banish these five cards!"
Yuichi blinked. "What?"
Four Machina silhouettes turned into golden streams and flowed into one Mixer Man. The mixer on its back spun faster and faster until it erupted in blinding light.
"Mixer Man's effect," Yugen explained. "I pay half my Life Points and banish any number of Machine-type monsters from my Graveyard, including this card."
"Based on the number removed, I Special Summon a 'Machina' Fusion Monster with the exact same Level from my Fusion Deck, ignoring its Summoning conditions. That monster will self-destruct at the end of the turn."
"I removed five Machina, so I can Special Summon a Level 5 Machina Fusion."
"The monster I choose is this card. Level 5, Machina Tandem Bike!"
From the whirl of golden light, a small bicycle drifted out of the Polymerization vortex, skidding to a stop on the field and turning its handlebars with ridiculous confidence.
Machina Tandem Bike, ATK 1600
Yuichi frowned. "Even if you Summon trash like that…"
"Battle Phase," Yugen said. "Machina Tandem Bike attacks directly. Its effect lets it reduce its own ATK by 500 to attack directly."
Nani?!!?
Yuichi nearly jumped out of his skin.
Staring at the cartoonish little bike, he felt as if he were looking at a reaper in disguise. Even his Fusion monsters were like this, nothing grand, nothing head-on.
A submarine and a bicycle swept across the field one after the other, ignoring everything and striking their target directly. Infernal Dragon could only watch helplessly as its controller took the full blows.
"Stop it!"
Yuichi screamed as his Life Points vanished.
Yuichi LP 2200 to LP 0