[Kira, LP 4000]
[Makoto, LP 4000]
Today, luck was on Makoto's side—he got to go first. He drew his six starting cards, and his eyes immediately lit up.
Perfect opening hand.JPG.
If most of Kira's previous opponents underestimated him because of his blank record, Makoto was no longer one of them.
He had watched Kira's previous matches, especially the quarterfinal against Chazz Princeton. After reviewing that duel, he felt this guy shouldn't be underestimated, but in his eyes, Kira was more of an opportunist. Not without skill, but nothing too extraordinary.
"As long as I know your tricks ahead of time and keep my guard up, I have nothing to fear." Makoto shouted, "My turn!"
Makoto was full of morale. Without hesitation, he slapped down a card, making it clear he had to fuse right away. He fused "Robotic Knight" and "Machine King" from his hand, and immediately summoned an eight-star monster—[Perfect Machine King].
In the real card game, this card was changed to an effect monster, but in the anime, it was just a Fusion monster. Its original effect: for every Machine-type monster on the field, its ATK increases by 500. And since it's a Machine itself, just summoning it is a guaranteed minimum 3200 ATK.
[Perfect Machine King, ATK 2700 → ATK 3200]
He summoned his deck's boss monster right off the bat—Makoto thought this duel was already half-won. It's like opening with a Blue-Eyes White Dragon +200 to the face—how do you lose?
Then it was Kira's turn.
Kira wasn't flustered at all. He began by summoning [Giant Rat]. A beefed-up, mutated, fluffy giant rat leaped onto the field, baring its fangs at the opponent and letting out a ferocious growl.
[Giant Rat, ATK 1400]
Then, with a big wave of his hand, Kira gave the order: "Giant Rat, attack 'Perfect Machine King'!"
Giant Rat: "?"
With a confused look, as if to say, "Are you serious? That thing's ATK is more than double mine!"
But a master's order is an order. The rat could only brace itself and charge at the Perfect Machine King—unsurprisingly, it got blasted to smithereens.
[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 2200]
A suicide attack right at the start left everyone stunned.
What does this mean? Are duelists this friendly now? Coming to the tournament just to give out free gifts?
Could the dojo have secretly paid him to throw the match?
But Makoto immediately realized—the suicidal rat had effects. When Giant Rat is destroyed by battle and sent to the graveyard, you can special summon a 1500 or less ATK EARTH monster from your deck.
Makoto merely sneered inwardly at this effect.
ATK 1500 or less? Isn't that all just trash?
"I special summon this card from my deck."
Kira revealed his choice, "Spell Striker!"
[Spell Striker, ATK 600]
A cutesy little guy who looked like he'd jumped out of a chibi cartoon appeared, waving a tiny staff. He looked like he was just there to be cute.
"Spell Striker's effect allows it to attack the opponent directly."
Kira waved his hand, "Direct attack!"
[Makoto, LP 4000 → LP 3400]
Taking 600 damage, Makoto was unfazed: "Heh, just for a bit of damage? That's nothing."
He hadn't yet realized the seriousness of the situation.
Kira smiled.
"My Battle Phase is over. Next, I equip 'Spell Striker' with the Equip Spell 'Power of the Guardians.'"
"And that's the end of my turn."
Makoto noticed the Spell Striker now had a golden aura, but its ATK didn't change, which made him suspicious.
Isn't this pointless equip?
Unlike Kira's previous life, duelists in this world can't check the opponent's card effects in real time. Only if you know and remember the card's effect can you react immediately.
"My turn!"
Makoto drew a card and declared, "I Normal Summon 'Robotic Knight' in Attack Position!"
[Robotic Knight, ATK 1600]
"Since there's now another Machine on the field, 'Perfect Machine King' gains another 500 ATK."
[Perfect Machine King, ATK 3200 → ATK 3700]
Makoto waved, "Robotic Knight, attack 'Spell Striker'!"
The Robotic Knight stepped forward, but before it could attack, the golden aura on Spell Striker began to shimmer.
"At this moment, the 'Power of the Guardians' effect activates," said Kira. "When a monster equipped with 'Power of the Guardians' declares or is declared as an attack target, place a Spell Counter on this card."
"And for each counter, the equipped monster gains 500 ATK."
[Power of the Guardians, Counters 0 → 1]
[Spell Striker, ATK 600 → ATK 1100]
"Heh, like that little increase will matter!"
Makoto barked.
"Battle continues, Robotic Knight, destroy that puny monster!"
But the metallic punch just created a golden ripple. When it faded, Spell Striker was still standing, unharmed.
Makoto: "!"
Why!?
"Another effect of 'Power of the Guardians.'" Kira explained, "If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle or card effect, you can remove a counter from the card to prevent its destruction."
[Power of the Guardians, Counters 1 → 0]
[Spell Striker, ATK 1100 → ATK 600]
Makoto: "?"
Wait a minute.
"You said the counter is placed when the equipped monster declares an attack, right?" Makoto thought he'd found a loophole. "But it was my monster attacking, not yours. Why does your monster get a counter?"
He started to suspect he was being bluffed.
"Is this your first day dueling?" Kira gave him a patient, pseudo-bored look, like a card club veteran explaining to a newbie. "'Power of the Guardians' doesn't say 'when the equipped monster declares an attack,' it says 'when the equipped monster is involved in a battle during the attack declaration step.'"
Makoto: "?"
Is there a difference?
"Whether you attack or I attack, as long as a battle occurs, there's an attack declaration step. So whenever either side's monster battles, the effect triggers."
Kira continued patiently explaining the fine print.
Makoto: "!"
What? Isn't that invincible?
Anytime it gets attacked, it gets a counter, and as long as it has a counter, it can't be destroyed.
Doesn't that make the equipped monster immortal?
"Wait a minute."
Makoto frowned, realizing things weren't so simple.
"But battle damage should still be calculated," he said suspiciously.
"Oh, that's 'Spell Striker's' own effect," Kira answered. "When 'Spell Striker' battles, any damage to me becomes 0."
Makoto: "!?"
Battle damage is 0?
Wait, that's not right. Not right at all.
Because of the 'Power of the Guardians,' no matter how he attacks, Spell Striker can't be destroyed.
Because of Spell Striker's effect, Kira takes no battle damage.
And Spell Striker can attack directly. Not only that, but 'Power of the Guardians' makes it stronger with every attack.
Hissss~
Makoto drew in a sharp breath, shocked.
Anyone who can think up such a twisted tactic…
…must be a dog, not a human!