You are even helping me Summon a monster?
Helpless, he selected a card from his Graveyard. "I Special Summon 'Fiend Tamer' in Defense Position."
Fiend Tamer, DEF 700.
"I Special Summon the 'Crossbowman' I discarded last turn from my Graveyard in Defense Position," Yugen said.
Crossbowman, DEF 1000.
The round mechanical head with its single glaring eye and metal crossbow looked unsettling. From the art style alone, it was clear it had once been used by Rokusei Aoi and Marik Ishtar.
President Shimizu already knew what was coming, yet he could only watch as his beloved monsters were treated as fuel.
"I offer 'Great Angel Zerato' and 'Fiend Tamer' on President Shimizu's field as Tributes! I Special Summon this powerful monster to President Shimizu's field!"
Yugen revealed the card.
"Awaken from the lava of the abyss, power of destruction and rebirth. Level 8, Lava Golem!"
The angel and the tamer melted into lava as a burning fiend rose up. Smoke curled from its body, and its hollow eyes stared blankly as the iron cage of molten metal trapped President Shimizu inside.
Lava Golem, DEF 2500.
"My monsters..."
He clenched his fists and looked up, only to meet the blank gaze of the lava creature. For a strange moment, he felt like the abstract face was smiling at him.
Like it was greeting him. Or mocking him.
"Next, I activate a Spell Card! 'Treasure of Buried Spells,'" Yugen said. "By banishing three Spell Card from my Graveyard from the field, I draw two cards." (Anime-Original Card)
"I banish 'The Shallow Grave,' 'Scapegoat,' and 'Graceful Charity' and draw two."
After Card Draw, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Seeing that smile, President Shimizu felt his heart skip. Nothing good ever followed that expression.
"Since I Summoned Lava Golem this turn, I cannot Normal Summon," Yugen shrugged. "I set three cards to the Back Row and end my turn."
Three more set cards.
President Shimizu took a deep breath. He had no idea what else was waiting for him, but for the sake of the club, he had to continue.
"My Turn!, Card Draw!"
"At this moment, Lava Golem's Effect Activation activates," Yugen said. "During the Standby Phase, it inflicts 1000 damage to its controller."
"Ugh!"
Scalding lava poured down from above. Trapped in the cage, he had nowhere to escape as the molten heat drenched him.
President Shimizu, LP 4000 to LP 3000.
"Damn it…"
"But do not think this is enough to make me surrender."
"Flip my set card, Continuous Trap - Desert Judgment!" Yugen said. "As long as this card remains on the field, all face-up monsters cannot change their battle positions."
President Shimizu instinctively looked up at the lava brute above him. The creature looked back and spread its hands helplessly.
See? I am locked by a trap. You are on your own.
Lava Golem had been Special Summoned to his field in Defense Position. If positions could not be changed, he could not switch it to Attack Position to use its 3000 ATK. It had become nothing more than a burden that burned him for 1000 every turn.
He pressed a hand to his chest and forced himself to calm down. There was still time. His Life Points were high enough, as long as he could strike back before the burn finished him.
"I activate another set card."
Another card on Yugen's field flipped up.
"Continuous Trap - Rivalry of Warlords. As long as this card remains on the field, each player can only control monsters of one Type, and cannot Summon monsters of other Types."
President Shimizu froze.
Only one Type?
He slowly looked up again and met Lava Golem's gaze. The lava creature pointed innocently at its own head.
As if saying, is this my fault?
Lava Golem was a Fiend.
That meant he could not Summon monsters of any Type other than Fiend.
President Shimizu stood there in silence.
His mental defenses collapsed at once. He could endure his ace being eaten. He could endure being unable to attack and losing 1000 Life Points each turn.
But now this thing was also locking his monster Types, stopping him from Summoning anything else?
How was he supposed to play like this?
Hiro Shimizu looked at the Lava Golem on his field, then at the face up Rivalry of Warlords in the opponent's Back Row, and finally at the handful of cards stuck dead in his hand. His expression turned blank for a moment. The blazing prison effect around Lava Golem felt painfully fitting.
This was not a Duel. This was serving a sentence. He felt like an inmate counting down endless days.
Even his passion for the club was close to burning out. For a second, he even thought that if the club was going to be abolished, then so be it, as long as he could get out of this Duel.
Then his teammates' voices rang out beside him.
"Hang in there, President!"
"You cannot give up! Remember the memories we made in this clubroom!"
"If the room gets taken back, what happens to all our Spirit fan works and study discs?"
Hiro Shimizu trembled.
That was right. He had something he had to protect. He had a reason to fight.
How could he fall here?
He raised his head again, battle spirit burning in his eyes. Yugen fell silent for a second, wondering if he had just overheard something he should not have.
"The Duel is not over yet. I still have a chance!" Hiro Shimizu declared. "From my hand, I activate a Spell Card! Pot of Greed! Draw two cards from the Deck! Let me show you the miracle of my blazing love, Card Draw!"
"I activate my set card, Quick-Play Spell-Quick Summon." Yugen flipped another card. "It lets me normally Summon a monster from my hand." Anime-Original Card
A fairly common utility card in GX. Judai Yuki and Ryo Marufuji had both used it before.
Hiro Shimizu frowned. Chaining Quick Summon to Pot of Greed at this timing?
"I Tribute the Bowganian on my field," Yugen said calmly. "Advance Summon the nemesis of magic, the machine that seals spells. Spell Canceller, Summon!"
Spell Canceller, ATK 1800.
"As long as Spell Canceller remains on the field, neither player can activate any Spell Card, and all Spell Card effects on the field are negated."
Hiro Shimizu almost threw his Duel Disk.
Monsters cannot be Summoned. Spells cannot be played. Was he determined to keep him from playing the game at all?
"When Pot of Greed resolves, Spell Canceller is already face up." Yugen smiled. "Therefore, the effect of Pot of Greed is negated. What a shame, Senior. We will not see your fiery Card Draw."
Hiro Shimizu clenched his teeth, veins popping.
For a moment he seriously wondered whether the opponent had come to handle business or just to pick a fight. If it was the latter, he was succeeding.
"I end My Turn!."
There was nothing else he could do.
"Then, my turn., Card Draw." Yugen drew. "Before entering the Standby Phase, I activate my set Trap Card, Return to the Front Line. I Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard in Defense Position. I Special Summon Bowganian."
Bowganian, DEF 1000.
"Bowganian's effect deals 600 damage to the opponent during each of my Standby Phase."
A metallic arrow shot forward. Hiro Shimizu staggered back as if pierced through the chest.
Hiro Shimizu, LP 3000 to 2400.
"Set one card. End turn."
"My Turn!."
"Standby Phase, Lava Golem's effect." Yugen smiled. "One thousand damage."
"Gah!"
Hiro Shimizu, LP 2400 to 1400.