"...you good?" Odd Eyes tentatively asks.
Floren-nee shook her head.
"Not until Sergey is out of the tournament, and preferably, put into deepest jail if we can't permanently offed him, his deck torn apart, burned into ash, and drowned into cement.."
I choked. Isn't that Overkill?!
"Considering yesterday, Overkill might be what we need..." Murmured Stargazer. "It was cruel..."
I grimace.
The duel is cruel. No. It beyond cruel. Not only Sergey injures Chojiro-san to the point emergency rescue team had to bring him to ICU, according to Ms. Ruka, but also the sheer collateral damage and other people who got injured as result of his last attack.
He collapsed an entire bridge for fucking out loud!
(It really hammers home how dangerous Action Duel can be)
That aside, the aura that surrounded the giant monster is... just...
I don't know what it was, but when I thought the Earthbound Servants are bad enough, there's that thing.
Merely feeling its sheer aura left me physically ill. That I opted to watch the duel from my room while recuperating, with Floren-nee keeping me company. And I'm not the only one who has extreme reactions.
Crow's face turned deathly pale as his grip shattered the armrest and he was in catatonic-like state. Glued to the screen and unresponsive until the duel is over, and Gong shakes him out of it.
Serena hissed like a threatened cat. Locked in fight or flight mode and full with tension.
Yuto confessed to Kurosaki and I that he heard screams. So, many, screams. It was as if for a moment, gate of hell was open and he can hear screams of the damned. It's why he has dark circle around his eyes. He has nightmare about the screams.
Hopefully it won't be detrimental to him. He's dueling today.
The rest doesn't have that much of extreme reaction but... they're also shaken badly.
"Even I on my worst days is not that bad." Muttered Celestial. "It's nothing short of miracle how the mortals over there didn't keel over from the pressure."
I wonder what does he mean by that. I mean, Floren-nee did tell he and Euterpe used to be human, but I don't know what his life was like.
"Considering the seal was improperly unsealed, might be it." Improperly unsealed? Seal? What? "Be grateful the seal was not correctly broken, or things might go worse."
Floren-nee seems like she wants to say something, but decided against it.
Why?
Sometimes I feel like she hides more than she let us know. Not that it makes her suspicious (alright, it's a lie. It makes her a little suspicious), but I trust her and wish she would tell us what in her mind.
Though I wonder how does she bear with it. Keeping secrets make me feels lonely.
(When would she involve Yugo and Yuto? Yugo has power, too, right? And Yuto as well, if he can hear something I don't.
What about Serena? Isn't she like Yuzu?)
"...say, Yuya?" Yes? "While I am confident Crow can win his duel, I am unsure about the one between Yuto and Gong. Care to tell me your opinion?"
Uh
Umm
Well
"It... will be tough."
Gong is my friend but Yuto is someone special. Brother but not. I can't pick one of them.
But if I were to view things objectively...
"Yuto is at disadvantage here." I admitted. "Dark Rebellion's halved attack only, defense points untouched, and more than not, Gong's monster has low Attack points. Even taking entirely of them is not enough to beat out the high defense. Not to mention defense position means Yuto need piercing effect, otherwise his option is to deals burn effect."
Yuto don't do burn effect. I know.
Piercing effect though...
Yuzu and I made some cards to him, aren't we?
If Yuto want any chance to win, he must draw those. Using them in tandem for full effect.
Otherwise, he's done for.
"I really want to argue... but you have a point here. His archetype makes it difficult to win this battle." Admitted Celestial.
Floren-nee nodded. "Let's see if he has what it takes to win."
And with that, she turned on the tv.
"—el, Accelerate!"
Ah, we're just on time.
Gongenzaka LP: 4000
Yuto LP: 4000
"It's Gong's turn! With no traps or spell in graveyard, Gong can special summon Superheavy Samurai Big Waraji!"
Superheavy Samurai Big Waraji | Level 5 | Earth
Machine / Effect
DEF 1800 / ATK 100
That trick...
If Gong has that card in hand...
"Superheavy Samurai Big Waraji can be treated as two ribute! Gong Tribute Superheavy Samurai Big Waraji to summon Superheavy Samurai Benkei!"
Superheavy Samura Big Benkei | Level 8 | Earth
Machine / Effect
DEF 3500 / ATK 1000
Yes. He calls Benkei.
The big, tall wall Yuto must overcame if he wants to win. It was not easy. I know. I often lose to Gong. It was not easy to pierce through the defense.
"Turn's end!"
"My turn then. I draw!"
Yuto...
Gong...
Do your best!
"I set one card, but since I don't have any traps, I can activate it the turn it was set. I summon Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine!"
Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine | Level 4 | Dark
Warrior / Effect
DEF 300 / ATK 100
"I summon Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm!"
The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm | Level 4 | Dark
Warrior / Effect
ATK 1500 / DEF 500
"I set continuous Spell Card the Phantom Knights' Spear and set two cards!" The continuous card, I can see... but set two traps in first main phase? Why? "Then I overlay level 4 Phantom Knights OF Shade Brigandine with Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Raider's Knight!"
Raider's Knight | Rank 4 | Dark
Warrior / Xyz / Effect | OVU: 2
ATK 2000 / DEF 0
"I activate Raider's Knight effect! By detaching one overlay unit, I can Xyz summon an Xyz monster 1 rank higher or lower using this card and remaining overlay unit as materials! Souls of knights who fell on the battlefield. Revive here and now, and become the light that breaks the darkness! Xyz Change! Appear, Rank 3, Phantom Knights Break Sword!"
The Phantom Knights of Break Sword | Rank 3 | Dark
Warrior / Xyz / Effect | OVU: 2
ATK 2000 / DEF 1000
"I activate Phantom Knights of Break Sword's effect! I detach overlay unit to destroy your monster and my left set card." Oh! "Direct attack."
The Phantom Knights of Break Sword OVU: 2 --> 1
Gongenzaka LP: 4000 --> 2000
"I end my turn."
There's one card left in Yuto's hand. Quick Spell? Monster effect that activated from hand?
"Very well! It's Gong's turn! Draw!" uh, why do I hear alarm bell? "Gong Summon Superheavy Samurai Magnet!"
Superheavy Samurai Magnet | Level 4 | Earth
Warrior / Effect
ATK 900 / DEF 1900
"Superheavy Samurai Magnet's effect! Gong can special summon one level 4 or lower Superheavy Samurai monster from hand and change Superheavy Samurai Magnet's position! Gong summon Superheavy Samurai Wagon!"
Superheavy Samurai Wagon | Level 4 | Earth
Warrior / Effect
DEF 1800 / ATK 1200
"Superheavy Samurai Wagon's effect! When Gong has no spell or trap in the graveyard, Gong can change Superheavy Samurai Wagon's position to face up attack position, and add a Superheavy Samurai Soul to hand!"
Soul... soul... there's Soulshield Wall, Soulfire Suit, Soulclaw, Soulbreaker Armor, Soulbang Cannon, Soulbuster Gauntlet, Soulhorns, Soulbeats, and Soulpeacemaker. Which one did he pick?! Each has their own effect! Some boosted DEF, some decreased, some can prevent destruction in battle but only once and usually at cost of itself.
"And when there's no Spell or Trap in the graveyard," oh again?! This brings back memories... "Gong can special summon the Tuner Monster, Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter!"
Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter | Level 2 | Earth
Warrior / Tuner / Effect
ATK 300 / DEF 600
Either level 6 or level 10. Seeing the options, it's better to summon Susanowo right off the bat. It has higher defense stat to attack Yuto with. Granted Yuto has trap, but knowing Gong, he has something ready.
Admittedly there's also possible to summon the level 6, Shuten Doji was it? But Defense of 2500... would just cut it too close. If Yuto raise his monster's attack by 500, it ends in draw, though with his monster being in defense position, it could survive the attack, and the other monster can freely declare direct attack. Not to mention Action Cards... Gong is at disadvantage in that front...
Ugh... it's really hard to determine the outcome...
"Gong tune level 2 Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter with level 4 Superheavy Samurai Magnet and level Superheavy Samurai Wagon! Raging deity, in unison with the roar of a thousand blades, come forth in a spiraling sandstorm! Synchro Summon! Now come before us, Level 10! Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susanowo!"
Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susanowo | Level 10 | Earth
Warrior / Synchro / Effect
DEF 3800 / ATK 2400
"Gong then equip Superheavy Samurai Susanowo with Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns!"
Ah! That one! The one with second attack effect!
"Battle! Susanowo, fight the monster!"
"Trap Card open! Phantom Knight of Wrong Magnetring! I negate the attack and summon this card as monster in face up attack position!"
Phantom Knight of Wrong Magnetring | Level 2 | Dark
Warrior / Effect
ATK 0 / DEF 0
"Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns' effect! The monster equipped with it can attack twice per battle phase!"
"Wrong Magnetring's effect! I send itself and Phantom Knights' Spear to the Graveyard and draw two cards!"
It doesn't stop Gong from attacking but... it does leave the only attack option is the monster with enough attack point so the damage is not that bad.
Yuto LP: 4000 --> 2200
"Well done, Yuto! My turn is over!"
"Thanks." Yuto replied, but he did not smile. He was not out of danger yet. In fact, he is in big danger. No cards on field. "My turn, draw." He frowned even deeper.
No good cards in his hand?
"I set one card. I end my turn."
Yeah. A really not good hand.
"Gong's turn. Draw." For some reason, alarm bells ringing in my head. Why? "Battle!"
"Trap Card open! Phantom Knight's Fog Blade! I target your monster! Now it cannot attack and its effect is negated! But when that monster leave the field, this card is destroyed!"
"Gong unequipped Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns and special summon it, and summon tuner monster Superheavy Samurai Drum!"
Superheavy Samurai Drum | Level 1 | Earth
Machine / Tuner / Effect
ATK 300 / DEF 300
Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns| Level 1 | Earth
Machine / Effect
ATK 0 / DEF 300
"Gong tune level 1 Superheavy Samurai Drum with level 1 Superheavy Samurai Soulhorn and level 10 Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susanowo! Steadfast oni gods, grasp tightly on my fist's resolve, now, become the fiend of iron and run across the battlefield! Synchro Summon! Now come before us! Appear! Level 12! Superheavy Samurai Steam Train King!"
Superheavy Samurai Steam Train King | Level 12 | Earth
Machine / Synchro / Effect
DEF 4800 / ATK 2000
Uh oh... that DEF... is scary...
If Yuto get hit by it... he's done for.
"Superheavy Samurai Steam Train King's effect! Once per turn, Gong can banish all spell and trap in the graveyard and inflict 200 damage to Gong's opponent per card banished!"
Fuck! Yuto's archetype has many Trap monsters! And the one he has in the graveyard is... one continuous spell card, and three trap cards! That... 800 ATK?!
Yuto LP: 2200 --> 1400
...I... just notice it.
Neither of them uses Action Card. Gong, I can understand but Yuto...
If he snags that Action Card, he might be able to reduce the damage to zero.
But considering Steam Train King's... having use no action Card might be what saved Yuto. After all, the card goes to graveyard, and each card would add 200 damage. Plus, he doesn't know what kind of card he will get. It can be Trap Action Card for all we know... and those harm instead helps.
Yes. It's better for them to not using any Action Card.
"My turn is done!"
"My turn... draw!" Yuto draw his card... and a faint smile appears on his face. Did he get cards he needs? "I set scale 1 the Phantom Knights of Lost Emblem in my left Pendulum Zone, and Scale 6 The Phantom Knights of Tarnished Arrow in my right Pendulum zone."
Phantom Knight of Lost Emblem | Level 4 | Dark
Warrior / Pendulum / Effect / PS 1
Pendulum Effect: You can summon monsters from your graveyard, and immediately after, destroy this card.
Monster effect: Xyz monster that use this monster as material gain these effect
· Once, when this card battles opponent monster, this monster's ATK become equal to ATK or DEF (whichever is higher) opponent's battling monster +300
ATK 500 / DEF 2000
Phantom Knight of Tarnished Arrow | Level 4 | Dark
Warrior / Pendulum / Effect / PS 6
Pendulum Effect: target one Phantom Knight you control. That monster can attack directly, but the battle damage is halved
Monster Effect: This card can attack directly. If this card is in the graveyard, return one banished The Phantom Knights card to the deck, special summon this card but its effect is negated.
ATK 1000 / DEF 1200
Yuto angled his head and...
Wait.
Did he just saw me through the camera?
"Yuya, Yuzu, I owe you two this victory, so this is for you."
"It seems the bonds are stronger with magic involved." Mused Celestial. "How interesting. It would be better if he didn't involve Ray's brat... but guess respect is due where respect is given."
"Phantom Knights of Lost Emblem's effect! I can Pendulum Summon monster from my graveyard, but after it, this card is destroyed! Swings, Phantom Pendulum! Call forth the souls! Phantasm Pendulum Summon!"
I can feel my cheeks heated up.
Both at Yuto's declaration, and the stares I received.
(I think Yuzu is having the same issue, wherever she is.)
"From the graveyard? Really, Yuya?" Floren-nee raised her eyebrow. "How... overpowered..."
"S-shut up!" I shouted. "It just... Pendulum monster that used as Xyz material go to graveyard, so they are not easily retrieved!" That's the idea, after all. To make it easier to recall them. "Also, it only works once and can only target Phantom Knights! It's not That Overpowered!"
"...the fact it can summon multiple monsters from Graveyard just nullify the Not Overpowered part."
Odd Eyes, ssshh! There's only one copy of it, after all!
It's only powerful if use in tandem with other cards.
"I overlay both monster! Relentless Dragon of darkness, Bare your fangs! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"
Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon | Rank 4 | Dark
Dragon / Xyz / Effect | OVU: 2
ATK 2500 / DEF 2000
"I activate Dark Rebellion's effect—Twice!"
Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon OVU: 2 --> 1 --> 0 | ATK 2500 --> 3500 --> 4000
Superheavy Samurai Steam Train King ATK 2000 --> 1000 --> 500
"The Phantom Knight of Tarnished Arrow's effect! I can target a Phantom Knight or Xyz Dragon I control, in exchange of having the battle damage halved, the targeted monster can attack directly!"
Just the right amount of ATK he needs.
Gongenzaka LP: 2000 --> 0
Yuto...
When he looked at the camera in the end, and perform a bow, it really feels like he stares through it. There's nothing I can't do except smile in turn, isn't it?
"Ahh... Dark Rebellion is going to be smug... I can hear it already..." Sighed Odd Eyes mournfully. "Three guesses how Clear Wing will react, and you only need one."
Stargazer and Timegazer patted him in commiserating manners.
It cannot be that bad, right?
"...only because Starving Venom is not here as well."
One day, Odd Eyes, one day I am going to sit on you and make you tell me everything.
I really don't like being locked out of loops.
Or lie about it to others. Or hide.
"The next one would be Crow." Mumbled Floren-nee with a smirk. "It'll end in flash."
"You're confident." Commented Celestial. "You're rooting for him, aren't you?"
The expression Floren-nee has basically said, "Guilty as charged".
Was it just me or did she seems interested in Crow-san? I mean, she seems very interested in seeing him dueling and has confidence that he will win.
Did she has crush on him or what?
"...care to explains why I feel like you were thinking something rude about me?"
"Well..."
I discreetly elbowed Timegazer. Shut up. She doesn't need to know! Girls are incredibly weird about romance!
"Nothing." I lied. "Just, how fast you think Crow-san will win this?"
"Oh, pretty fast. Blackwing seems like deck designed for speed duel."
Is she making pun about duel on motorcycle or what?
Adolf Mueller LP: 4000
Crow LP: 4000
"My turn. I activate spell card Molten Conduction Field! I send two Laval monsters from deck to the graveyard!"
Start with that huh? Laval does seem to rely on having multiple laval monsters in the graveyard.
"I summon Laval Archer!"
Laval Archer | Level 4 | Fire
Pyro / Effect
ATK 1000 / DEF 200
"Laval Archer's effect. I can normal summon one Laval monster again. I summon Soaring Eagle Above the Searing Land!"
Soaring Eagle Above the Searing Land | Level 1 | Fire
Winged Beast / Tuner / Effect
ATK 100 / DEF 100
"I tune level 1 Soaring Eagle and level 4 Laval Archer! The Searing heat shall become blade that cut even the hardest rock! Synchro Summon! Level 5! Laval Dual Slasher!"
Laval Dual Slasher | Level 5 | Fire
Warrior / Synchro / Effect
ATK 2400 / DEF 200
"When there's three or more Laval monsters in the graveyard, I can special summon Laval Burner from my hand! Not only that, I can return Soaring Eagle to field, but its monster is banished when it leaves the field again!"
Laval Burner | Level 5 | Fire
Pyro / Effect
ATK 2100 / DEF 1000
"I tune level 1 Soaring Eagle and level 5 Laval Burner! Beast of Fire, spread your wings and soar! Synchro summon! Level 6, Lavalval Dragun!"
Lavalval Dragun | Level 6 | Fire
Dragon / Synchro / Effect
ATK 2500 / DEF 1200
"Once per turn, I can add 1 Laval monster from deck to hand, and discard a laval deck from hand! I discard Laval Phlogis, and activate its effect! All Laval monsters I currently controls gains 300 attack points!"
Laval Dual Slasher ATK 2400 --> 2700
Lavalval Dragun ATK 2500 --> 2800
"I end my turn."
Hm. That seems to be a rough challenge to tackle. The fast-paced Synchro Summon and boosting up the ATK would make it challenging.
"My turn then. Draw." Crow-san draw his card, looking at his hands... and grins.
"Oho... I like that grin..." Floren-nee smirks. "Show us what you got, Crow Hogan..."
"When my opponent control monster and I don't, I can summon Sirroco the Dawn without tributing!"
Blackwing – Sirroco the Dawn | Level 5 | Dark
Winged Beast / Effect
ATK 2000 / DEF 900
"When I have Blackwing monster in my field, I can special summon Bora the Spear, Gale the Whirlwind, and Orochi the Squall!"
Blackwing – Bora the Spear | Level 4 | Dark
Winged Beast / Effect
ATK 1700 / DEF 800
Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind | Level 3 | Dark
Winged Beast / Tuner / Effect
ATK 1300 / DEF 400
Blackwing – Orochi the Squall | Level 1 | Dark
Winged Beast / Tuner / Effect
ATK 400 / DEF 600
"I tune level 1 Orochi the Squall with level 5 Sirroco the Dawn! And I tune level 3 Gale the Whirlwind with level 4 Kochi the Daybreak!"
Wait... wait wait wait wait! Two Synchro Summon at once?!
"Power lodge in Pitch-black wings, stir up the divine winds and rouse the roaring thunder! Double Synchro Summon! Level 5 – Blackwing Armed Wing! Level 7! Assault Blackwing – Raikiri the Rain Shower!"
Blackwing Armed Wing | Level 6 | Dark
Winged Beast / Synchro / Effect
ATK 2300 / DEF 1000
Assault Blackwing - Raikiri the Rain Shower | Level 7 | Dark
Winged Beast / Synchro / Tuner / Effect
ATK 2600 / DEF 2000
"Raikiri the Rain Shower's effect! I can destroy monster you control up to other Blackwing monster I got! I destroy your Lavalval Dragun!" One blockade is gone.
"I activate Action Card Detour! I negate that monster's effect and inflict 500 damage!"
"Ha... nope! Quick Play Spell Card – Blizzard! I negate its effect and all spells with same original name for rest of the turn, and if it goes to graveyard...it goes back to your hand!" Crow-san grinned. "Now then...Orochi the Squall's effect! When this buddy o mine is sent to the graveyard as Synchro material, I can target a monster on the field and switch its battle phase! I choose...your Laval Slasher!"
It's Laval Dual Slasher, Crow-san!
"Blackwing – Armed Master, can inflict piercing damage, and when this big guy attack defense position monster, he gains 500 attack points! And with that... you are done!"
Adolf Mueller LP: 4000 --> 1400 --> 0
I jaw-dropped.
"That... That's an OTK! One Turn Kill! Crow Hogan, our Common Representation, is the first to delivers an OTK! And what a presentation it is!" The MC declared. "Such speed and power! This is like a whirlwind itself!"
No wonder Floren-nee has faith in Crow-san... such power and skill...
"...I have seen many duels, and I can claim this is in Top 10 fastest duel." Added Celestial.
Not top five? It was fast!
"I have seen FTKs and ZTK."
FTK, I get it. First Turn Kill. Hard to achieve, but it makes it all the more impressive. But ZTK? What is that.
"Zero Turn Kill. Basically, your opponent is gone before your turn even start."
How is that possible?!
"Someone get all Exodia part on their starting hand."
The fuck? ALL Exodia Cards?! What are the chances of those?!
"Since that person has 40 cards in deck..." Stargazer calculates it. "One in six hundred-fifty-eight thousands and eight."
I shake my head.
That fellow must be born under Lucky Star...
Still... Facing Crow-san will be difficult. He specialized in Special Summon and easily Synchro Summons... and the Tuner Synchro monsters allows him for pseudo Accel Synchro... climbing up levels for more powerful monster... and he did not even use Action Card as well.
This tournament... had proven to be more difficult than I think...
Though...
Why does Crow-san stare at his monster like that? Shouldn't he be happy?
And why he only look at Blackwing Armed Wing?