"My Turn, Draw." Even though there were no Monsters left on her Field to act as a wall, looking at the Monster that joined her Hand, Mai Valentine still smiled. "I say, Chumley, why don't we raise the stakes a bit?"
"Hmm?" Chumley didn't understand why Mai Valentine suddenly brought this up. 'Did you draw some powerful Card?'
"If I win, I don't need your star chips. I want you to exchange your (Ojama) Monsters and related Cards instead." Mai Valentine took a Card from her Graveyard. "If I lose, not only will you get the star chips, but I'll also give you this Card~"
The Card Mai Valentine picked up was (Harpie's Feather Duster).
"When I used this Card just now, I saw the longing in your eyes clearly." Mai Valentine smiled and put the Card back into her Graveyard. "What do you think of this deal?"
"A sure-win deal, I accept." As expected of a former dealer like Mai Valentine, Chumley was indeed very interested in Mai Valentine's (Harpie's Feather Duster).
"Then, I'll start My Turn." Hearing Chumley agree, Mai Valentine couldn't help but smile, playing a Card. "First, I will Normal Summon my Ace Card from my Deck, which is the (Harpie Lady) that was added to my Hand last Turn due to (Birdface)'s Effect!"
"Join the hunt with a joyful dance, (Harpie Lady)!"
A clear eagle cry echoed. A dark silhouette swooped down from the clear sky, landing on Mai Valentine's Field. With a graceful, shapely figure and a beautiful face, the Duel Monster modeled after the mythological beast "Harpie" from Greek mythology — (Harpie Lady) — made a magnificent entrance.
(Harpie Lady) [Level 4 / Wind]
[Winged Beast / Normal Monster]
[ATK 1300 / DEF 1400]
"Only with 1300—"
Chumley was interrupted by Mai Valentine before he could finish. "Of course, 1300 ATK isn't enough, because (Harpie Lady) monsters are pack creatures! Their team power hasn't been revealed to you yet!"
This time, Mai Valentine played all the remaining Cards in her Hand at once: "The first step is to call upon friends! I Activate the Spell Card (Elegant Egotist)! My (Harpie Lady) on the Field will duplicate because of this, becoming three Monsters!"
Under Chumley and (Gaia)'s gazes, (Harpie Lady) suddenly began to dance. The Solid Vision system was quite cooperative, adding musical accompaniment and even lighting effects for her.
However, when the magnificent dance ended and (Harpie Lady) stopped, the single Monster on Mai Valentine's Field had already become three. Bakura in the audience and (Gaia) on the Field foolishly applauded (Harpie Lady)'s recent dance performance.
"(Harpie Lady) has now called her sisters to the Field, and the Effects of all three Monsters are unlocked," Mai Valentine said proudly. "Among the three sisters, the eldest can increase the ATK of all my Monsters on the Field; the second sister can negate the Effects of your Monsters when she destroys them; and the third sister can prevent your Monsters from battling again after attacking her!"
"Not only that, the three (Harpie Lady) sisters can also be treated as a single Monster!" Mai Valentine played her last Card. "(Cyber Shield)! This is an Equip Card that only (Harpie Lady) can Equip, and it increases their ATK by another 500 points!"
(Harpie Lady) [ATK 1300 → 1800 → 2100] [DEF 1400]
Although there was an element of Rule Bending, Mai Valentine activated a Spell Card and indeed Equipped it to all three Monsters. In an instant, three Monsters with 2100 ATK appeared on Mai Valentine's Field.
"Oh dear, I miscalculated. It's exactly 200 points short. What a pity." Mai Valentine showed a surprised expression. She had been so confident just now, but it turned out to be all bark and no bite, and she ended her Turn just like that.
[Mai Valentine: 3000 LP, Hand 0]
[(Harpie Lady) 1, 2, 3: ATK 2100]
[Set Card]
'Although there are only three Monsters with 2100 ATK, (Gaia) is undoubtedly much stronger. Mai Valentine was originally a dealer; it's impossible for her to miscalculate numbers like this.' Chumley didn't Draw, but instead pondered the situation on the Field. 'No Graveyard traps have been set up, and her Hand is also empty. The only possible source of trouble is that Set Card in the Backrow.'
'However, it shouldn't be an Attack Declaration Trap, otherwise it could have been Activated when (Gaia) Attacked (Birdface) just now. It's probably a bluff.'
'In any case, I'll try Attacking first.'
"My Turn, Draw!" He Drew a Card from his Deck, and Chumley looked down to see it was (Ojama Red). Before, when the three (Ojama) brothers were all in his Hand, Drawing this Card would have been a good choice. But in the current situation, its only use would be—
"I Activate the Effect of the Field Spell (Ojama Country)." Chumley Sent the (Ojama Red) he had just Drawn, which was currently thinking of its entrance lines, to the Graveyard, and placed the (Ojama Yellow) from his Graveyard onto the Field in Attack Position. "I Revive (Ojama Yellow) from the Graveyard to the Field. Then, (Ojama Country) activates again!"
However, before the (Ojama) Monsters hiding within (Ojama Country) could react, Mai Valentine, facing Chumley, suddenly let out her characteristic queenly laugh: "Oh ho ho ho~ Chumley, you really fell for it, didn't you? You definitely just said 'Special Summon,' didn't you?"
"In response to your Special Summon of a Monster, I can Activate this Card!" Mai Valentine's Set Card in her Backrow flipped up. "My Set Card is (Land of Demise)!"
Chumley's DNA suddenly stirred. Such a familiar scene! You're not going to Summon a (Flame Wingman) and Activate (Skyscraper) to instantly defeat me, are you?
However, (Gaia) on Chumley's Field did not have 3000 ATK, and Mai Valentine wasn't using an (Elemental HERO) deck either: "This Card can only be Activated when your Opponent successfully Special Summons a Monster. I can Activate one Field Spell from my Deck!"
"This unsightly (Ojama Country) no longer needs to exist, because the Card I'm Activating is this one!" After Mai Valentine Searched a Card from her Deck, she slammed it down with great flair: "(Harpie's Hunting Ground)!"
Violent air currents gathered on the Field, forming a massive tornado in an instant. Although the Monsters were unaffected by the storm, (Ojama Country), as a Field Spell, was instantly Destroyed by the storm, turning into ruins. Above these ruins, several (Harpie Lady) circled high in the sky, looking down upon the Monsters on the ground.
"(Harpie's Hunting Ground) is also a Field Spell Card, and its Effect is slightly less versatile than your (Ojama Country)'s Effect, but it concretely increases my (Harpie Lady)'s ATK by 200 points."
(Harpie Lady) [ATK 2100 → 2300]
"Now my honeys' ATK is equal to your (Gaia)'s, you know? Are you going to Attack, Chumley?" Mai Valentine laughed triumphantly, because in her eyes, her victory was now inevitable. As long as one Monster took care of (Gaia), the remaining two (Harpie Lady) would be enough to Destroy the (Ojama Yellow) in Attack Position on Chumley's Field and wipe out Chumley's Life Points.
But amid Mai Valentine's astonished expression, Chumley calmly stated: "Isn't that obvious? (Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight), Attack!"
(end of chapter)