Ryuga: "My turn, draw!"
After drawing, his movements paused, then he immediately revealed a hint of a smile.
"Haha, a 'Gravity Bind' and 'A Legendary Ocean' lockdown, plus the 'Abyss Soldier' and 'Sinister Serpent' combo. It's unbelievable you could come up with such a troublesome setup.
But it's a pity, in front of this card, such a lockdown is too weak to withstand!
I activate the Spell Card from my hand——
——Harpie's Feather Duster!
Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field!"
A super powerful back row clearing spell possessed by Mai Valentine in DM, belonging to the Harpie archetype. The effect description is just one sentence, but what stands out is its simple and brutal nature.
The ultimate back row clearing god card!
"Hahahaha, what 'A Legendary Ocean' and 'Gravity Bind'? Everything will be destroyed for me!" Ryuga laughed loudly. "It's hard for you to come up with such a lockdown, but it's useless before me!"
"Then I'll activate my set card in response, Trap Card 'Raigeki Break'," Yugen flipped open his set card. "Discard one card from my hand to destroy one card on the field."
He drew one card from his hand and placed it on the duel disk, the card automatically sliding into the graveyard zone.
"I destroy your 'Dark Driceratops'."
Dark clouds gathered in the mid-air, and a demonic hand reached out, lightning striking from its fingertips. The ferocious dinosaur dragon couldn't resist the lightning at all, and with a bang, it exploded into pieces.
"Ugh, there's still a trap card."
Ryuga frowned and clicked his tongue.
It annoyed him slightly that the high-Level monster he had finally summoned was so easily removed from the field, but it wasn't a big problem.
"But your back row will be swept clean by the power of the feather duster! Be destroyed for me!"
The Gravity Bind trap card shattered into dust, and the gravitational restraint on the field suddenly disappeared. Harpie's Feather Duster swung through the mid-air, and the clear watery projection suddenly turned turbid. The magnificent underwater city was destroyed in the storm, collapsing in the violent currents.
"With that, your annoying unilateral lockdown is over!"
A smile returned to Ryuga's face.
"Indeed. However, the trap card you just destroyed was the Spell Card 'Spell Calling'," Yugen said. "When this card set here is destroyed by an opponent's effect and sent to the graveyard, I can select two Spell Cards from my deck and set them on my field." (original effect)
The duel disk's program ran a check, and two cards shot out with a swoosh.
"I will set the second Field Magic 'A Legendary Ocean' and the Continuous Spell 'Level Limit - Area B' from my deck in the Spell & Trap Zones."
Ryuga's smile, which had just returned a few seconds ago, immediately vanished again.
[Continuous Spell - Level Limit - Area B
Effect: All face-up Level 4 or higher monsters on the field must be changed to Defense Position.]
Basically the magic card version of Gravity Bind, an essential core component for a lockdown strategy.
Added to the other A Legendary Ocean he had just searched, this meant that in Yugen's next turn, his lockdown strategy would still be in effect. In this way, Teacher Ryuga would once again be unable to duel at all.
The corner of Ryuga's mouth twitched.
Wait, who the heck taught you to duel like this?
"Teacher's turn is still continuing," Yugen reminded him with a smile.
"Tch, I don't need your lip."
A vein popped out on Ryuga's forehead.
Calm down, this brat is just trying to provoke me.
He realized that the other party's polite and well-behaved image from the beginning was simply a facade. This guy was actually black-hearted to the core. Whether it was his duel tactics or his seemingly casual words, everything was an attempt to disrupt his rhythm.
Continuous Spells could only activate from the next turn onwards, so he still had room to maneuver this turn.
"Activate the Spell Card 'Graceful Charity'. Draw three cards from my deck, then discard two cards from my hand."
Ryuga drew three cards, selected two to discard, and then drew a monster card into his hand.
"Summon 'Exiled Force'!"
[Exiled Force, ATK 1000]
"Exiled Force's effect! By tributing itself, I can destroy one monster on the field!" Ryuga waved his hand and said, "I tribute 'Exiled Force' to destroy 'Abyss Soldier'!"
A violent one-for-one field removal card, brutal but effective. A large number of mercenaries rushed forward together, instantly surrounding Abyss Soldier. Like human flesh bombs, they charged and self-destructed, immediately causing a large crater with rising black smoke to appear on the field.
"That cursed soldier, get off the field for me!" Ryuga said. "Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Double Evolution Pill' from my hand!
By banishing one Machine-Type and one Dinosaur-Type monster from my hand or graveyard from play, I can Special Summon one LIGHT attribute, Dinosaur-Type monster from my hand or deck!" (anime effect)
Another Spell Card that Kenzan used in the GX anime, but in reality, it took ten years for it to be made into a real card.
"I banish the Dinosaur-Type 'Dark Driceratops' from the graveyard and the Machine-Type 'Fusilier Dragon, the Dual-Mode Beast' that was just sent to the graveyard from play!
The fusion of dinosaur and machine can complete the ultimate evolution! Let me specially show you my ace monster!"
A golden light flew out from Ryuga's deck.
"The perfect fusion and evolution of science and life, evolving into its true form after endless eons——
——Cyber Dinosaur, Summon!!!"
A pure white armored giant dinosaur, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen. Its body was formed from countless intricate electronic devices, and blue-white electric arcs flashed all over its body. Every step it took seemed to tread on thunder.
This was the ace monster used by Ryuga in the original work.
However, in the original work, Cyber Dinosaur was a Dinosaur-Type monster. In the Manga, it was also summoned using the effect of "Ultra Evolution Pill," but the actual card was changed to a Machine-Type monster. At the same time, the effect of the actual card was "Can attack directly if the opponent only controls Defense Position monsters," the same as Kenzan's "Black Tyranno" effect.
However, after being made into a real card, Cyber Dinosaur's effect was changed to "When your opponent Special Summons a monster(s) from the hand: You can Special Summon this card from your hand."
[Cyber Dinosaur, ATK 2500]
"It's not over yet! Next is the Spell Card 'Double Attack'! Discard one monster card from your hand to select one monster on the field with a lower Level than the discarded monster, it can attack twice this turn.
I discard the Level 8 'Long Footed Beast - Wrist Dragon' from my hand so that 'Cyber Dinosaur' can declare two attacks this turn!"
Students off to the side had already begun to stir.
"Continuous attacks after clearing the back row, isn't this an OTK?"
"This new teacher is quite strong."
"Then if this attack goes through, wouldn't Yugen-kun be..."
Cyber Dinosaur's two consecutive attacks could deal a full 5000 damage, while Yugen only had Bubbleman on the field with 800 ATK.
Ryuga's expression was vicious.
Before that lockdown could recover in the next turn, he would decide the winner this turn!
"Then battle! First, 'Cyber Dinosaur' attacks 'Elemental HERO Bubbleman'!"
Cyber Dinosaur rushed forward, its powerful mechanical jaws tearing. The blade-like fangs crushed Bubbleman into fragments, and the ensuing impact forced Yugen to step back half a step.
[Yugen, LP 4000 → LP 2300]
The attack went through, and the joy on Ryuga's face became even more difficult to restrain. He impatiently shouted, "Cyber Dinosaur continues to attack! Second consecutive attack! Direct attack! I'll take this duel!"
"Don't be so impatient, Teacher. You might not have noticed, but the card I just discarded to the graveyard as the cost for activating 'Raigeki Break' was this card."
Yugen smiled, revealing a card in the graveyard.
"'Makyura the Destructor'. During the turn this card is sent to the graveyard, I can activate Trap Cards from my hand."
Ryuga: "! ! !"
Activate from the hand!?
"Therefore, at the moment you declared a direct attack, I activated this card from my hand."
Yugen played a card from his hand, and the image of a Trap Card appeared before him.
"Trap Card, Drowning Mirror Force!
When an opponent's monster declares a direct attack, return all your opponent's attacking monsters to their owner's deck!"
"Na-Nani!?"
A mask of pain instantly adorned Ryuga's face.
Yamero (stop)!!!
But it was too late. Light blue currents of water had already formed a protective barrier on Yugen's field. The roaring Cyber Dinosaur crashed headfirst into the water shield and was instantly submerged, bewildered. After being swept away by the current, it turned back into a beam of golden light and flew back into Ryuga's deck.
Teacher Ryuga's eyes turned red.
His Cyber Dinosaur!
This time, it wasn't even returning to the hand, but directly to the deck!
Moreover, just like that, he was left with an empty field and no cards in hand. One second ago, it was a decisive comeback to turn the tables, and the next second, a mask of pain appeared. Dueling was truly as unpredictable as life.
And just like that, Teacher Ryuga had no cards left. Obviously, there was nothing good he could do, and he could only grit his teeth and endure under the opponent's sunny and friendly encouragement.
"Then it's my turn, draw. Standby Phase, 'Sinister Serpent' in my graveyard returns to my hand again."
Yugen chuckled as he retrieved Sinister Serpent from the graveyard. Seeing this card again, Teacher Ryuga's eyes seemed to turn even redder.
"Then I'll Normal Summon my second 'Abyss Soldier'."
[Abyss Soldier, ATK 1800]
"Next, I'll activate the effects of the two cards Teacher helped me check in the previous turn.
First is the Field Magic 'A Legendary Ocean', which lowers the Level of my Abyss Soldier to 3 again.
Then there's the Continuous Spell 'Level Limit - Area B', which forces all Level 4 or higher monsters on the field into Defense Position.
Ah right, thanks to A Legendary Ocean's effect, Abyss Soldier's attack power increases again."
[Abyss Soldier, ATK 1800 → ATK 2000]
The muscles in Ryuga's face twitched.
It's back, it's back again.
Still this familiar formation, this familiar taste.
"Abyss Soldier, direct attack."
The trident pierced through his heart in one stab, so much so that his whole body felt a chilling cold.
[Ryuga, LP 4000 → LP 2000]
Ryuga clutched his chest, gritting his teeth.
"Set one card, end turn," Yugen smiled. "Teacher, you're welcome to go."
Ryuga's face was cold.
It wasn't over yet.
He could still draw a card, he still had a chance.
It was just a unilateral lockdown plus a Level 3, 2000 ATK monster ready to attack, plus an infinite hand trap combo. He'd show this kid a god-tier draw to turn the tables.
"Open face-down card, Trap Card - Drop Off," Yugen said politely. "During the opponent's Draw Phase, the card the opponent draws is immediately discarded."
Ryuga: "."
The surrounding crowd: "."
The one card he just drew didn't even get a clear look before going to the graveyard. The field fell into a long and eerie silence.
A desolate cold wind seemed to blow across the arena.
"Oh, Teacher doesn't plan to do anything this turn? You're too polite. Well then, your waiting time has passed, it's my turn again, draw."
Yugen waved his hand.
"Abyss Soldier, direct attack."
[Ryuga, LP 2000 → LP 0]