[Joey: 4000 LP, Hand 0]
Red-Eyes Black Dragon [ATK 2400]
Red-Eyes Black Dragon [ATK 2400]
Dangerous Machine Type-6
Set Card X2
Compared to the days of Battle City, when it required a whopping five cards for a five-for-one trade to Summon a single Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Joey could now easily Summon two Red-Eyes while also Setting cards in his Back Row.
Although Kaiba always called Joey a second-rate Duelist, Kaiba's "second-rate" was not a level just anyone could reach; at least, so far, only Joey has.
Two Red-Eyes Black Dragon with 2400 ATK appeared on Joey's Field, staring menacingly at Reiko Northwood, the timid girl standing opposite him, heightening her nervousness.
"M-My Turn, Draw!"
After finally mustering the courage to Draw a card, Reiko Northwood adjusted her glasses, which had slightly slipped down her nose, and carefully examined the card in her Hand. "What exactly does this card do...?"
'She's confirming her card's effect during a Duel?!'
Joey truly hadn't expected Reiko Northwood to make such an absurd play. Moreover, her appearance showed no signs of pretense; she'd read the card's effect little by little, occasionally nodding as if suddenly enlightened.
Noticing Joey's strange gaze, Reiko Northwood even flinched in surprise before offering an apologetic smile.
'Could it be that my deduction was wrong, and this girl is actually a genuine newbie?' Joey wondered with a hint of doubt, but then his gaze became resolute. 'No, it's also possible that she has a powerful Deck, which is why she's won all the way to this point, who knows?'
'Argh, this is so annoying! I should've studied other Duelists more yesterday. It's all Kaiba's fault; with so many opponents, how can anyone study them all?'
As Joey forcibly pinned the blame on Kaiba, Reiko Northwood finally decided on the card she would use.
"On my Field, I Summon Puppet Pawn in Defense Position."
After Reiko Northwood horizontally placed the card on her Duel Disk, a faceless monster, clad in black and white checkered armor and holding a sword and shield, appeared on her Field. It held its shield high, protecting its vital points, adopting a cautious stance.
Puppet Pawn [Level 3/EARTH]
[Warrior/Normal]
[ATK 800/DEF 1200]
Joey clearly heard Reiko Northwood exhale a sigh of relief after Summoning Puppet Pawn, as if glad that a monster finally stood before her, sparing her from directly facing the intimidating Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
Joey was unimpressed by the appearance of Puppet Pawn, because for a Level 3 Normal Monster, Yugi's frequently used Giant Soldier of Stone boasted a powerful 2000 DEF and 1300 ATK, making it vastly superior to Reiko Northwood's Summoned Puppet Pawn in every way.
Someone who could reach the second round of the KC Cup couldn't be weak, but this kind of play definitely couldn't be her full strength.
And indeed, that was the case. Reiko Northwood played another card: "Next, I Target Puppet Pawn on my Field, and Activate the Spell Card, Promotion, from my Hand."
The card art Reiko Northwood showed depicted a hand placing a white chess piece on the edge of a game board.
Even Joey, though not proficient at chess, at least recognized that the white chess piece held in the card art was a "pawn" in chess, thanks to his friend Yugi, who seemed to know a little bit of everything about all sorts of games. He also knew that in chess, a "pawn" that reaches the opponent's side of the game board has an ability called "promotion."
"Promotion can only be Activated by Targeting one Puppet Pawn on my Field," Reiko Northwood explained, as she Sent the Targeted Puppet Pawn to the Graveyard. "After Sending Puppet Pawn to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one of three monsters – Puppet Queen, Puppet Rook, or Puppet Knight – from my Deck to my Field in the same position."
"I choose Puppet Queen, and because the Puppet Pawn Sent to the Graveyard was in Defense Position, the Special Summoned Puppet Queen is also in Defense Position."
The appearance of the Puppet Pawn on Reiko Northwood's Field changed; its black and white checkered patterns unfolded and flattened into a game board. Then, this newly unfolded game board re-aggregated, transforming into a faceless monster dressed like a noblewoman. The sharp sword in its hand was replaced by a black and white scepter, and its small round shield became a much thicker, medium-sized one.
Puppet Queen [Level 6/EARTH]
[Warrior/Effect]
[ATK 2200/DEF 2500]
Similar to the previous Puppet Pawn, the Puppet Queen that appeared on Reiko Northwood's Field also crouched down, using its medium-sized shield to cover most of its body in a defensive posture.
Joey didn't find anything unusual about this, because his Field had two Red-Eyes Black Dragon with 2400 ATK. A Puppet Queen with only 2200 ATK, even as an Effect Monster, had no chance of winning, so choosing Defense Position was only natural.
Incidentally, Joey commented on the Puppet Queen with great interest: "It looks like a Duel Monster designed after chess pieces. It's my first time seeing one! International tournaments like this really do broaden one's horizons."
By now, the number of Duel Monsters cards publicly released by Industrial Illusions had long surpassed a thousand. Furthermore, Pegasus had specially prepared cards that could barely be considered "limited edition" for different regions, in addition to certain cards held by only one person. The deeper one delved into Duel Monsters, the more diverse sights one would see, which was certainly one of Duel Monsters' charms.
If he had just stayed cooped up in Domino City, Joey wouldn't have encountered Reiko Northwood, who used rare cards like Puppet Pawn. So, it was indeed important to get out and experience new things.
"H-Hai!" Reiko Northwood nodded. "Um, then I'll Set three cards in my Back Row. I-Is it okay to End Turn like this?"
After Setting three cards in her Back Row, Reiko Northwood timidly glanced at Joey. It was her Turn, yet she was asking Joey for confirmation, making it difficult for Joey to adjust to her overly cautious and deferential attitude.
[Reiko Northwood: 4000 LP, Hand 1]
Puppet Queen [DEF 2500]
Set Card X3
Looking at the three cards in Reiko Northwood's Back Row, although he remained a reckless individual, Joey had somewhat learned the importance of being cautious with Set Cards, thanks to his frequent practice Duels with Yugi in his regular state and Hayato.
However, looking at the extremely timid Reiko Northwood, who would even flinch when their eyes met, Joey truly couldn't imagine her preparing a bunch of strange Set Cards in her Back Row like Hayato and then laughing maniacally upon succeeding.
Besides, even if she had some Set Cards, it didn't matter. Joey had prepared some countermeasures. He had two Red-Eyes on his Field. Could she really just instantly destroy his Red-Eyes Black Dragon with some random card?
"My Turn, Draw!" Joey looked at the card he Drew, a smile appearing on his face. "Alright, a good card!"
"However, before entering the Main Phase, during my Standby Phase, the effect of Dangerous Machine Type-6 on my Field Activates!"
Following Joey's declaration, the six glowing devices on the spherical device in his Back Row lit up one after another, then extinguished one by one. The effect made it look as if a ball of light was continuously moving between the six positions, unwilling to stop.
Joey explained, "The effect of Dangerous Machine Type-6 is that during each of my Standby Phases, I must roll a die, and then apply a different effect based on the die roll."
"If the die roll is 1, I must Discard a card from my Hand. But if it's 2, my Opponent Discards a card from their Hand. If it's 3, I can Draw a card, and if it's 4, my Opponent Draws a card."
"If the die roll is 5, I can destroy one Monster on my Opponent's Field without targeting. But if the die roll is 6, Dangerous Machine Type-6 automatically destroys itself."
"It sounds like a card with a powerful effect, but it also feels very risky."
Reiko Northwood voiced her thoughts. Hearing this, Joey shrugged: "As Hayato would say, powerful cards often come with risks. But a true Duelist can even utilize a card's negative effect."
"Plus, I'm confident. I'm Joey, after all! There's no way such bad luck would happen to me."
As he spoke, Joey pointed at the Dangerous Machine Type-6 on his Field and commanded, "Alright, stop!"
The speed of the glowing devices, which had almost become a continuous halo, suddenly plummeted. As the speed decreased, the numbers on the six glowing spheres appeared one by one. The lit spheres passed over "6," "2," and "5," and the final number it settled on was "3."
"3!" As if having undergone Glenn's dynamic vision training, Joey immediately responded, then chuckled triumphantly, his finger resting on his Deck once more. "How lucky! Since the die roll is 3, I can Draw a card from my Deck!"
"Niiiice! I Activate the effect of the Spell Card Pot of Greed, which I just Drew, to Draw two more cards from my Deck!"
Thanks to Dangerous Machine Type-6, Joey luckily Drew Pot of Greed. Having just emptied his Hand last Turn, he instantly replenished his Hand to three cards.
"Alright, my offensive will begin," Joey said, drawing a card from his Hand. "Equip Spell Card, Dark Dragon Claw! This Equip Spell Card is specifically for DARK Attribute Dragon-Type Monsters, and I'll Equip it to my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
"The effect of Dark Dragon Claw is to Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 600 points!"
Red-Eyes Black Dragon (Dark Dragon Claw) [ATK 2400→3000]
Among the two Red-Eyes Black Dragon on Joey's Field, the one that had been Special Summoned later by the effect of Red-Eyes Wyvern had a pair of metal claws appear on its forelegs. With the appearance of the claws, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon let out a low roar, as if boasting that its ATK had increased to the level of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
However, the other Red-Eyes Black Dragon beside it paid no mind to its companion's boasting. For it was well-known that while Dark Dragon Claw could effectively Increase ATK, monsters equipped with it were often all talk, no action.
Just an Equip, its purity is too low.
Joey paid little attention to the interaction between the two Red-Eyes Black Dragon on his Field. Instead, he drew another card from his Hand: "Not yet! Next is my Normal Summon! I Normal Summon Baby Dragon to my Field in Attack Position, then enter my Battle Phase!"
Baby Dragon [ATK 1200]
"Go, Red-Eyes Black Dragon! Attack Puppet Queen! Black Flame Bullet!"
Although Joey didn't explicitly specify which Red-Eyes Black Dragon to use for the attack, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon equipped with Dark Dragon Claw, already in perfect sync with Joey, moved on its own. As its mouth opened and inhaled, a large mass of black flames gathered within, on the verge of being unleashed.
"U-W-Wow!" Reiko Northwood, startled by the Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Joey's presence, quickly pressed her hand on her Duel Disk. "Um... I Activate my Set Card."
"Trap Card, Friendly Fire."
"What?!" Joey was also surprised to hear Reiko Northwood Activate a Set Card. Although he hadn't heard of this card, its name alone sounded quite dangerous.
But it didn't matter, because the last card in Joey's Hand was the Quick-Play Spell Card Forbidden Dress. It was a protective card that would decrease a Monster's ATK by 600 points, making it so it cannot be targeted by effects, nor can it be destroyed by card effects. It could effectively counter Trap Cards like Sakuretsu Armor and Mirror Force.
The confident Joey then heard Reiko Northwood's additional explanation—
"The effect of Friendly Fire is that if an Opponent Duelist with two or more monsters makes an Attack Declaration during the Battle Phase, it can be Activated," Reiko Northwood said, pointing to the two Red-Eyes Black Dragon on Joey's Field. "One of your Opponent's monsters must declare an attack on another monster on your Opponent's Field, and normal Damage Calculation is performed."
"Nani?!" Under Joey's dumbfounded gaze, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon that was poised to unleash a Black Flame Bullet suddenly narrowed its eyes, glaring fiercely at the other Red-Eyes Black Dragon standing beside it.
Didn't this guy cast a disdainful glance at me earlier when I was showing off my Dark Dragon Claw?
Damn it, is this guy looking down on me?
The Red-Eyes Black Dragon being glared at was also annoyed.
Although it said Dark Dragon Claw wasn't practical and had low purity, did purity even matter?
I'm actually really jealous, okay? Those shiny claws look so cool! Why is this guy always flaunting them in front of me, is he showing off, you jerk!
What are you looking at?
What about it?
Try looking again?
Just try it.
Then, the two Red-Eyes Black Dragon that couldn't stand each other suddenly began to fight. The long-prepared Black Flame Bullet easily destroyed the hastily expelled Black Flame Bullet from its opponent, and the Dark Dragon Claw equipped to one of the Red-Eyes Black Dragon was about to pierce the claws of the other Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
How dare you say my Dark Dragon Claw is useless? Let me show you!
If this blow connected, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon without an Equip Card and with lower ATK would undoubtedly be destroyed by the other Red-Eyes Black Dragon. At the same time, Joey would take 600 points of Battle Damage from his own monster.
Lose the general and the army? But I refuse! What I, Joey, love to do most is say "no" to those arrogant punks!
"Tch, don't even think about it!" Joey's hand snapped out, Activating one of his Set Cards in his Back Row, Chaining to the effect of Friendly Fire! "I Activate my Set Card, Trap Card Dramatic Rescue!"
Just as the Red-Eyes Black Dragon was about to be destroyed, its body suddenly transformed into a red streak of light and returned to Joey's Hand. Joey, who had Added the Red-Eyes Black Dragon card to his Hand, explained, "When a monster on my Field becomes the effect target of a Trap Card, I can Activate the effect of Dramatic Rescue."
"I return one targeted monster to my Hand, then I can Special Summon another monster from my Hand."
As he spoke, Joey played the card from his Hand again: "The monster I Summon, of course, is still Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
"Roar!!"
The Red-Eyes Black Dragon that had just suffered a defeat and nearly been destroyed reappeared on Joey's Field. Although still just as ostentatious and arrogant, when it looked at the Red-Eyes Black Dragon equipped with Dark Dragon Claw that had almost destroyed it, its eyes were filled with fawning.
It had only stood its ground earlier because it was furious, but now its anger had subsided. When it came to backing down, it knew it had to.
Seeing his monster lineup on the Field suffer no losses, Joey couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
Although the effect of Friendly Fire that Reiko Northwood just Activated was targeting, theoretically, Joey could have used Forbidden Dress from his Hand to make the Red-Eyes Black Dragon equipped with Dark Dragon Claw immune to being targeted by effects.
However, Joey only had one Forbidden Dress, yet there were three monsters on his Field. If she couldn't target the Red-Eyes Black Dragon equipped with Dark Dragon Claw, Reiko Northwood could simply choose to attack Baby Dragon with the other Red-Eyes Black Dragon, inflicting a large amount of Battle Damage to Joey.
She could even use a Red-Eyes Black Dragon to attack the other Red-Eyes Black Dragon, whose ATK had decreased due to Forbidden Dress and returned to 2400, causing the two high-level monsters on Joey's Field to be destroyed in a mutual destruction.
However, at this moment, although Joey had successfully interfered with Reiko Northwood's Friendly Fire strategy using the effect of Dramatic Rescue, simultaneously, his Red-Eyes Black Dragon equipped with Dark Dragon Claw had already declared an attack.
Even though it was an attack declared on his own monster due to the effect of Friendly Fire, the fact that it had "already attacked" was undeniable. The Red-Eyes Black Dragon, which lacked the ability to attack twice, could no longer attack this Turn.
As for Joey's other two monsters on the Field – the Red-Eyes Black Dragon not equipped with Dark Dragon Claw and Baby Dragon – they could attack. However, Reiko Northwood's Field had Puppet Queen with a formidable 2500 DEF serving as a wall. Ordering them to attack, with their ATK unable to break through this Defense, would be the most foolish command; no Duelist, however foolish, would make such a move.
In other words, Joey currently had no way to deal with Reiko Northwood.
"Phew, that's an impressive strategy, Miss Reiko. I can't believe you've only been playing Duel Monsters for a month!" Joey chuckled helplessly, acknowledging the skill of Reiko Northwood, this timid Duelist who seemed to lack any competitive spirit. His dismissive attitude had vanished. "I'll Set a card from my Hand, then End my Turn."
"Ah? Eh-heh, thank you." Hearing Joey's compliment, Reiko Northwood, uncharacteristically, responded with a smile and a fairly normal tone of gratitude. But as if remembering something, she suddenly pressed the Activate Set Card button on her Duel Disk. "Oops, I almost forgot."
"I Activate my Set Card, Continuous Trap Card, Soul Resurrection."
After Reiko Northwood activated the card, she reached into her Graveyard and retrieved the Puppet Pawn that had been sent there earlier. "Targeting the Normal Monster Puppet Pawn in my Graveyard, it is Special Summoned to my Field in Defense Position. When Puppet Pawn is destroyed, Soul Resurrection is destroyed. And when Soul Resurrection leaves the Field, Puppet Pawn is also destroyed."
"Oh, she Summoned Puppet Pawn again?" Joey watched the Puppet Pawn reappear on Reiko Northwood's Field in Defense Position. Although Puppet Pawn was in Defense Position due to the restriction of Soul Resurrection's own effect, an unfounded suspicion formed in Joey's mind—
Why does it feel like Miss Reiko doesn't want to put monsters in Attack Position?
[Joey: 4000 LP, Hand 0]
Red-Eyes Black Dragon (Dark Dragon Claw) [ATK 3000]
Red-Eyes Black Dragon [ATK 2400]
Baby Dragon [ATK 1200]
Dangerous Machine Type-6
Set Card (Forbidden Dress)
Set Card
It was Reiko Northwood's Turn once again. As Joey expected, after timidly declaring "My Turn, Draw," she once more carefully examined the effect of the card she had just Drawn.
"Oh, I see." After a short while, seemingly having finished reading the card's effect, Reiko Northwood first glanced at Joey, then pointed at the Puppet Pawn that had just been Summoned to her Field. "I Activate the effect of the Spell Card Promotion! Targeting the Puppet Pawn on my Field, I Send it to the Graveyard."
The familiar scene reappeared. The Puppet Pawn, which had just been recalled from the Graveyard by the effect of Soul Resurrection, vanished from the Field once more, leaving behind only a black and white checkered game board.
"Here it comes again?" Joey looked at the game board with some anticipation. The effect of Promotion was to evolve the Level 3 Puppet Pawn from a low-powered Normal Monster into three other card forms. Puppet Queen had already appeared, so what would Reiko Northwood Summon next: another Puppet Queen or a different form of Puppet Pawn?
Reiko Northwood had already chosen the monster she would Special Summon from her Deck. After returning the Puppet Pawn card to the Graveyard, she placed the searched card horizontally on her Duel Disk in the same position: "I choose to Special Summon Puppet Rook from my Deck in Defense Position."
Puppet Rook [Level 4/EARTH]
[Warrior/Effect]
[ATK 1200/DEF 1800]
Appearing on Reiko Northwood's Field was Puppet Rook, representing the "Rook" in chess.
Compared to the huge differences in size and appearance between Puppet Pawn and Puppet Queen, Puppet Rook wasn't drastically different from Puppet Pawn. It merely wore gray, wall-like armor on its body, put down its weapon and shield, and wore a helmet resembling a castle on its head.
After glancing at the remaining card in her Hand, Reiko Northwood played it: "Um, after Special Summoning Puppet Rook, I will Activate this Spell Card, Magic Flowerpot. I Send one Continuous Trap Card on my Field to the Graveyard, then Draw two cards from my Deck."
"Um, although Puppet Pawn was Sent to the Graveyard by the effect of Promotion, it wasn't destroyed, so Soul Resurrection should still be on my Field, right?"
Although she felt her move was correct, Reiko Northwood wasn't entirely sure if it would work, so after playing Magic Flowerpot, she confirmed with Joey.
However, seeing the halo of light appear on her Field, it was clear that Reiko Northwood's Magic Flowerpot had successfully Activated.
After Sending the now useless Soul Resurrection from her Field to the Graveyard, Reiko Northwood Drew two more cards.
Joey couldn't help but exclaim in admiration: "That's amazing! I can't believe you can even utilize cards that have lost their purpose. And to think you've only been playing Duel Monsters for a month, yet you can understand such complex card descriptions! That's really something."
"Hm? Uh, no, I'm not that amazing, mm-hm~" Though still quite shy, Reiko Northwood offered a bashful smile. Incidentally, she also drew a card from her Hand. "Um, I will Tribute my Puppet Queen on my Field, then Tribute Summon this monster from my Hand: Puppet King."
The Puppet Queen that had been squatting on Reiko Northwood's Field stood up. Mimicking a certain "I am Gundam" Innovator pilot, it threw its shield aside as a projectile weapon. Just as Puppet Pawn had turned into a game board upon its appearance, the patterns on Puppet Queen's body also unfolded into a game board.
After the game board transformed again, another faceless monster, much sturdier than Puppet Queen, appeared on Reiko Northwood's Field.
The scepter used by Puppet Queen was replaced with a sharp broadsword, which, from Puppet Pawn's state that was more akin to a dagger than a sword, had directly evolved into a heavy sword almost as tall as Puppet King, which he now leaned on the ground. The black and white checkered patterns concentrated on its shoulders transformed into two thick shoulder pads, pressing down on the red cape fluttering behind Puppet King.
There he was, the boss with the cape—a symbol of power!
Puppet King [Level 7/EARTH]
[Warrior/Effect]
[ATK 2800/DEF 2600]
Compared to the Defense-oriented Puppet Queen, Puppet King, Summoned to the Field by Tributing it, was more proficient in attacking. Even so, its DEF was still higher than Puppet Queen's.
But that wasn't the point, the point was—
"No, Miss Reiko, you've made a mistake!" Joey now fully believed that Reiko Northwood had truly only been playing Duel Monsters for a month, because she had made such a huge error. "Level 5 and 6 monsters only require one monster as Tribute, but from Level 7 onwards, Level 7 and higher monsters require two Tributes for a Tribute Summon!"
"Ah? Eh? Um... b-but it says on Puppet King's card, 'Only one Tribute is required when Summoning by Tributing Puppet Queen'..." Reiko Northwood said timidly.
Hearing this, Joey scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed, and said nothing. His reminder had been well-intentioned, but clearly, Reiko Northwood wasn't so clueless as to not know how many Tributes were needed for what Level of monster. Joey had made a blunder.
But then, Joey suddenly noticed something else: Puppet King, which had just appeared grandly with its cape fluttering and leaning on its sword, was clearly proficient in attacking. Yet, it was now slowly crouching down into Defense Position, just like Puppet Rook, the other monster on Reiko Northwood's Field?
Puppet King [DEF 2600]
"Uh, Miss Reiko, do you not intend to attack at all?" She wouldn't even leave a single monster in Attack Position?
Northwood said timidly, "N-No, is that not allowed?"
"Well, it's not that it's not allowed," Joey replied honestly, because there was indeed no rule in Duel Monsters stating that "if a monster doesn't attack, you lose." So, Reiko Northwood doing this was perfectly fine.
The only problem was—if Reiko Northwood, who completely lacked fighting spirit and competitive spirit, didn't even initiate an attack, how exactly did she win?
Could it be that in the KC Cup preliminaries and the previous official match, Reiko Northwood actually won by constantly defending, wearing down her Opponents' patience, making them completely lose the desire to continue dueling, causing them to forfeit?
Joey couldn't figure it out for now, but Reiko Northwood's actions continued.
"I Activate the Continuous Spell Card, Battlefield Tragedy." Inserting her last card into the Spell & Trap Zone of her Duel Disk, Reiko Northwood bravely and seriously stated, "The effect of this card is to make the negative consequences of conflict apparent..."
"During the End Phase, if a player conducted a Battle during their Turn, they must send five cards from the top of their Deck to the Graveyard."
"Then, I'll End my Turn here."
[Reiko Northwood: 4000 LP, Hand 0]
Puppet King [DEF 2600]
Puppet Rook [DEF 1800]
Set Card
Battlefield Tragedy
Seeing this, Joey suddenly had an epiphany. So that was it! Was she unwilling to attack with her monsters because she didn't want to discard cards due to her own card's effect?
An effect that discards cards from the Deck if a Battle occurred? That was truly a troublesome card.
Joey glanced at his Deck. In this Duel, his Deck contained exactly 40 cards.
Perhaps a beginner Duelist might think that if there were so many powerful cards in Duel Monsters, then stuffing a Deck with as many powerful cards of all types as possible would make them invincible, right?
However, that wasn't the case. In a Duel Monsters Deck, as the number of cards increased, the probability of drawing a card favorable to the current situation or meta in a single draw would decrease.
Sixty cards was the maximum limit for a Deck, but clearly, no one—except for the Duel Monsters novices who had already been eliminated in the preliminaries—would keep their Deck filled to the maximum limit.
He had Drawn six cards in his first Turn, three cards were used by Red-Eyes Insight, and then one more by Paladin of Dark Dragon. After that, the second Turn's Draw, plus Dangerous Machine Type-6 and Pot of Greed, Joey had now used a total of 14 cards, leaving 26 cards remaining in his Deck.
26 cards wasn't a lot, but it wasn't too few either. However, if he had to send 5 cards to the Graveyard after each attack, it would only sustain Joey for five attack turns. Oh no, if you added each Turn's Draw and using cards to replenish his Hand, he would probably only have four, or even just three, attack opportunities.
However, in the eyes of the optimist Joey, it wasn't that he only had three attack opportunities left, but rather that he still had a full three opportunities to secure victory, which by all accounts was more than enough.
"My Turn, Draw!" Drawing a card from his Deck, Joey pointed to his Back Row: "Then, during my Standby Phase, the effect of Dangerous Machine Type-6 Activates!"
"3!"
As if by spoken command, Dangerous Machine Type-6, which should have been completely random, once again rolled a 3. With a die roll of 3, Joey could Draw a card from his Deck.
Joey's Deck: 26→24
"Although it sounds strong, ultimately, won't it be fine as long as I win the duel before my Deck runs out?" Joey said confidently. "I Tribute Baby Dragon on my Field to Tribute Summon Magical Knight Gilgarth!"
The Baby Dragon with only 1200 ATK disappeared from Joey's Field. In its place stood Magical Knight Gilgarth, armed with a weapon more akin to a war club than a magic staff, and clad in attire that resembled both a magic robe and armor.
Magical Knight Gilgarth [Level 5/LIGHT]
[Warrior/Normal]
[ATK 1850/DEF 1500]
"Yosh, here we go, Miss Reiko!" Joey said excitedly. "First, let's use Red-Eyes Black Dragon to destroy Puppet King! We couldn't successfully attack it last time!"
"Go, Red-Eyes! Black Flame Bullet!"
The Red-Eyes Black Dragon equipped with Dark Dragon Claw had 3000 ATK. Regardless of whether Puppet King was in Attack Position or Defense Position, Red-Eyes Black Dragon's ATK was higher.
After all, 3000 ATK was considered a significant threshold in Duel Monsters; once a monster reached 3000 ATK, it was almost like entering a different league. Therefore, many people, upon seeing a monster with ATK greater than or equal to 3000, liked to compare it to the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, which famously had exactly 3000 ATK and the highest recognition.
This time, Red-Eyes Black Dragon's attack was not interfered with by Reiko Northwood's Set Cards. The dark flame bullet flew straight towards the monster in Defense Position—
Huh?!
The Black Flame Bullet expelled by Red-Eyes Black Dragon curved in mid-air?!
Under Joey's bewildered gaze, the Black Flame Bullet expelled by Red-Eyes Black Dragon curved. It was clearly an attack declared against Puppet King, yet it swerved towards Puppet Rook on the other side?
For an attack to deviate so much without any interference, it was utterly ridiculous, like shooting at an unguarded goal but kicking the ball straight into the audience seating!
The bewildered Joey then heard Reiko Northwood's timid explanation: "Um... as long as Puppet Rook exists on my Field in face-up position, your Opponent's monsters that can attack must attack this card."
"Then, Once per Turn, when Puppet Rook is chosen as an attack target, I can target one Level 6 or higher Warrior-Type EARTH Attribute Monster in my Graveyard, Special Summon it to the Field, and transfer the attack target to that monster..."
At the end of the Black Flame Bullet's U-shaped trajectory, a black and white monster appeared on Reiko Northwood's Field. It wasn't any other monster; after all, in Reiko Northwood's Graveyard, the only Level 6 or higher EARTH Attribute Warrior-Type Monster was the Puppet Queen that had just been sent to the Graveyard for the Summon of Puppet King.
"Boom!"
Undoubtedly, the 2500 DEF of the Puppet Queen, Special Summoned by Reiko Northwood's Puppet Rook in Defense Position, was utterly insignificant before the 3000 ATK of Red-Eyes Black Dragon. It was easily sent to the Graveyard.
However, Reiko Northwood successfully saved Puppet King and, once again, wasted Red-Eyes Black Dragon's attack.
(end of chapter)
Chapter 427: Stall Tactics?
One Red-Eyes Black Dragon's Attack was blocked, but Joey still had two other Monsters on the Field that hadn't Attacked yet.
"Damn it, I walked right into that one." Joey glanced at the Cards in his Hand, then waved his hand forward. "In that case, I'll use Giltia the D. Knight to Attack Puppet Rook!"
Because of Puppet Rook's own Effect, no matter which Monster Joey used to Attack, it would be redirected to Puppet Rook. In other words, it was forced to be the first Attack Target.
With 1800 DEF, Puppet Rook's Defense was enough to easily block low-Level Monsters' offensives. But coincidentally, the ATK of Giltia the D. Knight, which Joey had Summoned this Turn, was exactly 1850 points, just perfect to Destroy Puppet Rook.
Although Puppet Rook had the ability to Revive a Monster from the Graveyard and redirect the Attack When Attacked, this Effect could only be used once per Turn, and it had just been consumed by Red-Eyes Black Dragon's Attack.
Therefore, facing the charging Giltia the D. Knight wielding a long blade, although Puppet Rook defended with all its might, it was ultimately Destroyed and Sent to the Graveyard.
However, since it was in Defense Position, Joey could not inflict any Battle Damage on Reiko Northwood.
"Alright! With that, only the last Puppet King remains." Joey pumped his fist, looking at the final Monster blocking Reiko Northwood in front of her, Puppet King.
Reiko Northwood looked at the spirited Joey and said nervously, "B-But, Puppet King's DEF is 2600 points, which is higher than Red-Eyes Black Dragon's 2400 ATK."
"Ah, you're right about that. If Red-Eyes Black Dragon with 2400 ATK attacked Puppet King with 2600 DEF, it would only inflict Reversal Damage to me." Joey glanced at the last card in his Hand. Although his words sounded troubled, a confident smile spread across his face.
"However, if a single Monster's combat power isn't enough, then let the power of Fusion create a miracle!"
As Joey spoke, he inserted a card from his Hand into his Spell & Trap Zone, and a green vortex appeared above his Field.
"Huh? Fusion during the Battle Phase?" In Reiko Northwood's impression, Fusion was a Summoning method that could only be performed during the Main Phase. How could it be done during the Battle Phase?
"Instant Fusion is a Quick-Play Spell Card, a card that can be activated during the Battle Phase. Its Effect is that I can choose Fusion Materials for a Fusion Monster from my Field and perform a Fusion Summon."
"However, as a cost, the Fusion Monster Fusion Summoned by Instant Fusion's Effect will be Destroyed at the End Phase of this Turn."
Joey knew that Reiko Northwood wasn't very familiar with Duel Monsters, so he patiently explained. Then, he stretched out his hand and pointed to Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Giltia the D. Knight standing side-by-side on his Field.
"Although it's a bit of a waste to be chosen as Fusion Material before even Attacking, I can't worry about that now. I Fusion Summon by using Red-Eyes Black Dragon and the Warrior-Type Giltia the D. Knight on my Field as Fusion Materials!"
"Come forth, Red-Eyes Slash Dragon!"
The green Fusion vortex absorbed Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Giltia the D. Knight. What returned to the Field from the vortex afterward was Red-Eyes Slash Dragon, covered in armor adorned with sharp blades.
Red-Eyes Slash Dragon [ATK 2800]
"2800 ATK is enough to Destroy Puppet King!" Joey waved his hand and commanded, "Since it's still the Battle Phase, go, Red-Eyes Slash Dragon, Attack Puppet King!"
"Then, because of Red-Eyes Slash Dragon's own Effect, when a 'Red-Eyes' monster declares an Attack, I can equip a Warrior-Type monster from my Graveyard to Red-Eyes Slash Dragon as an Equip Card, increasing its ATK by 200 points!"
After Red-Eyes Slash Dragon roared skyward, a phantom appeared beside it. It was Giltia the D. Knight, the Fusion Material for Red-Eyes Slash Dragon that had just been Sent to the Graveyard by Instant Fusion.
As the phantom was about to merge into Red-Eyes Slash Dragon's body, Reiko Northwood finally activated the face-down card she had kept in her Back Row.
"Only this, no." Reiko Northwood was still nervous, but compared to the tension of activating a face-down card, she was even more reluctant to face Joey's Monsters directly after Puppet King was Destroyed. "A-Although I really don't want to, there's no meaning in not using a card at the right time."
"I activate my face-down card, Sakuretsu Armor!"
"I-I'll use this card's Effect to Chain to Red-Eyes Slash Dragon's Attack Declaration, to directly Destroy Red-Eyes Slash Dragon that declared an Attack!"
"What!?"
Joey truly hadn't expected that Reiko Northwood's face-down card would be an Attack Declaration Trap like Sakuretsu Armor.
If Joey remembered correctly, Sakuretsu Armor wasn't a card Reiko Northwood set last Turn, but the Turn before. Even though he had launched so many Attacks during that time, she hadn't used it once, and now, specifically at this moment?
Because Reiko Northwood hadn't activated her face-down card, Joey even thought it might be something like Divine Wrath or Magic Jammer, cards that could interrupt a combo. But why Sakuretsu Armor, and why now?
This Attack by Red-Eyes Slash Dragon wasn't that different from his previous Attacks—no, could it be that?
Considering Reiko Northwood's behavior throughout the Duel, a thought popped into the brilliant Joey's mind.
From the very beginning of the Duel, Reiko Northwood had looked terrified. And after seeing Joey Summon two Red-Eyes Black Dragons, her nerves were even more frayed, only slightly easing after she Summoned Puppet Queen.
At that time, Joey thought she was just surprised that he could Summon two powerful Monsters at once.
Also, from the start until now, Reiko Northwood had Summoned quite a few Monsters, but no matter what kind of Monster she Summoned, Reiko Northwood consistently chose to place them in Defense Position.
Once might be a tactical choice, but every single time? Could it be that Reiko Northwood is...
Joey momentarily put his speculation aside to deal with the immediate situation, because Reiko Northwood's face-down card, Sakuretsu Armor, had fully activated. A laser shot rapidly towards Red-Eyes Slash Dragon flying above Joey's head, aiming to annihilate it.
His Monster was about to be annihilated, but at the last moment, Joey smiled. "Miss Reiko, I think you don't understand at all, do you?"
"U-Understand what?"
Joey confidently extended his hand and pointed at the activated face-down card in Reiko Northwood's Back Row. "Let me tell you something, Miss Reiko. That is, although there's no concrete basis, there's a curse on the card Sakuretsu Armor!"
"It either can't be successfully activated, or if it is activated, its Effect will be negated! That's the curse!" Noticing the panic on Reiko Northwood's face when she heard "curse," Joey, who didn't mean to scare her, quickly added.
"What you said does have some truth; there's no meaning in not using a card at the right time. But, now that Red-Eyes Slash Dragon has appeared, this is not the right time!"
As Joey's words fell, the Sakuretsu Armor laser was about to hit Red-Eyes Slash Dragon, but just then, the Dark Dragon Clan's Claw equipped to the already-Attacked Red-Eyes Black Dragon's hand suddenly detached from its claw and flew into the air, blocking Red-Eyes Slash Dragon just before the laser hit!
"Clink!"
Dark Dragon Clan's Claw shattered, but Red-Eyes Slash Dragon successfully fended off Sakuretsu Armor's Effect, and the phantom of Giltia the D. Knight successfully merged into its body.
Red-Eyes Black Dragon [ATK 3000 → 2400]
Red-Eyes Slash Dragon (Giltia the D. Knight) [ATK 2800 → 3000]
"W-What happened!?" Reiko Northwood couldn't understand what had just occurred.
Joey proudly said, "Hehe, Red-Eyes Slash Dragon's second Effect is that when a card effect that targets a card on my Field is activated, I can send an Equip Card from my Field to the Graveyard to negate and Destroy that effect."
"Although Red-Eyes Slash Dragon's own Effect hadn't yet equipped Giltia the D. Knight as an Equip Card, it's a good thing I didn't choose to use Red-Eyes Black Dragon equipped with Dark Dragon Clan's Claw as Fusion Material. I chose to send Dark Dragon Clan's Claw to the Graveyard instead."
"A mere Sakuretsu Armor? Red-Eyes Slash Dragon isn't just for show! Watch me push it back!"
Though he spoke with full confidence, Joey couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief seeing Red-Eyes Slash Dragon survive.
If he had chosen the already-Attacked Red-Eyes Black Dragon as the target for Instant Fusion, he could have maximized his advantage. If Puppet King had been Destroyed without interference, Joey would have had another Red-Eyes Black Dragon that hadn't Attacked to launch a direct Attack on Reiko Northwood.
However, it was also fortunate that Joey wanted to guard against Reiko Northwood's face-down card and had kept Red-Eyes Black Dragon equipped with Dark Dragon Clan's Claw, which now came in handy.
"Then, Red-Eyes Slash Dragon's Attack continues!" Joey waved his hand forward. "Attack Puppet King!"
"Black Flame Charge!"
Enveloped in black flames, Red-Eyes Slash Dragon attacked Puppet King, instantly Destroying it and Sending it to the Graveyard.
Although no damage was dealt because it was in Defense Position, the last Monster on her Field was also Destroyed and Sent to the Graveyard, causing an expression of fear to involuntarily appear on Reiko Northwood's face.
Her hands trembling incessantly, she suddenly heard Joey's voice from across the Field:
(end of chapter)
"Um, I know this is a bit sudden, but Reiko, can I ask you a question?"
Reiko heard Joey's words.
"Huh?"
"Reiko, do you think Duel Monsters is enjoyable?"
After Joey asked this question, seemingly thinking that Reiko, who had always harbored an inexplicable fear towards him, wouldn't answer, he spoke, almost to himself: "As for me, I always enjoy Dueling immensely."
"Although every time I attack, my emotions fluctuate greatly because of a Set Card my opponent activates; although I get scared when I see a powerful Monster I can't defeat; although I feel anxious and uneasy when I Draw a Card due to uncertainty,"
"But Duel Monsters is a game that brings smiles to people, and this surprise and uncertainty are also part of the charm of Duel Monsters."
Reiko Northwood listened to Joey's words, revealing a very surprised expression.
Reiko Northwood didn't lie to Joey; she had indeed only been playing Duel Monsters for only a month. However, even so, she still displayed astonishing talent in Duel Monsters, and her tactics and strength were already greater than those of many Duelists who had been playing Duel Monsters for many years.
It was precisely because of this that she participated in the KC Cup, and without any competitive spirit, solely for the purpose of "self-preservation," she had defeated many opponents and continued winning.
But the more victories she achieved, the more she looked at the unwilling and twisted faces of her defeated opponents, knocked down from the peak of victory, and the Duel Monsters that kept attacking under the command of those greedy for victory, Reiko Northwood found it increasingly difficult to understand the joy of Duel Monsters.
Reiko Northwood, who was instinctively unsuited to conflict, even began to feel that the Duelists who could give ruthless commands were fundamentally different from her, much like a vegetarian rabbit and a bloodthirsty feline.
She had thought that Joey was like the Duelists she had met before, but she hadn't expected that Joey, in a Duel, would also fight with feelings of "fear" and "anxiety"?
Joey seemed different from all the Duelists she had met before?
In Reiko Northwood's mind, an involuntary curiosity arose.
Both of them were clearly afraid, so why could Joey fight so bravely, and even show such a smile?
Reiko Northwood didn't know what changes such curiosity would bring, and Joey likewise didn't know Reiko Northwood's thoughts, merely trying his best to convey his own through his words.
"Reiko, although all the Attacks from the beginning until now have been initiated solely by me, I can feel the resonance when our Duelist Souls collide. You actually resent Dueling while trembling with fear, don't you?"
"Your Deck employs the strategy of protecting yourself with high DEF Monsters, and then achieving victory without bloodshed by milling your opponent's Deck, right?" Joey pointed to Reiko's now empty Field. "I'm not criticizing your Deck's strategy as cowardly or anything like that, but..."
"Without that inner anxiety and excitement, just achieving victory as calmly as still water until the very end, wouldn't that be too dull?"
Joey, who was usually the one being lectured, looked at Reiko Northwood's surprised face and revealed a gentle smile: "Come on, Reiko, let me also feel the cries and roars from your Duelist Soul!"
"My Turn ends. At the same time, due to the effect of your Battlefield Tragedy, Reiko, I will send five Cards from my Deck to the Graveyard, and the Red-Eyes Black Blade Dragon, which was just Fusion Summoned by the effect of Instant Fusion, will also be destroyed."
Joey: 24 → 19
Instant Fusion is a powerful Card that allows for Fusion during the Battle Phase, but powerful Cards often come with risks. The risk associated with Instant Fusion is that its effect only lasts for one Turn.
The body of Red-Eyes Black Blade Dragon, which had defeated Puppet King, disintegrated as the Turn ended. However, just as it was destroyed, the phantom of Giltia the D. Knight, which had been attached to Red-Eyes Black Blade Dragon, swiftly withdrew from its body, even stepping on Red-Eyes Black Blade Dragon to accelerate its departure. It was just like a pilot abandoning their cockpit just before an MS explosion, using the force of the blast to propel themselves away from the machine.
Giltia the D. Knight [ATK1850]
"The third effect of Red-Eyes Black Blade Dragon is: If Red-Eyes Black Blade Dragon, equipped with an Equip Card, is destroyed by an effect or by battle, you can Special Summon as many Monsters that were equipped to Red-Eyes Black Blade Dragon when it was destroyed, from the Graveyard, as possible."
After Joey placed the Giltia the D. Knight Card on the Monster Zone, his hands casually dropped, and he looked at Reiko Northwood with expectant eyes.
At this moment, more than achieving victory himself, Joey was more eager for Reiko Northwood to grow through this Duel.
[Joey: 4000 LP, Hand 0]
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon [ATK2400]]
[Giltia the D. Knight [ATK1850]]
[Dangerous Machine Type-6 [Set Forbidden Dress]]
"My... My Turn," her fingers rested on her Deck. It was Reiko Northwood's Turn to Draw, but at this moment, she hesitated.
Was she afraid of Duel Monsters, and of those Duelists who thirsted for victory?
Yes, that was right. It was precisely because of this that she had chosen the safest, least damaging Defensive Strategy, to achieve victory through evasion.
Then, was she truly, as Joey said, deep within her mind, also resenting the self that drew Cards while trembling?
Yes.
That's right, she also wanted to Duel bravely.
Looking at the gentle smile on Joey's face, a certain power began to burst forth within Reiko Northwood's mind.
"I want to bravely give Attack commands with my Monsters, and openly claim victory."
"I want to command Monsters to confront my Opponent, not for victory, but for the joy of Dueling itself."
"I want to, I want to be like Joey, and bravely smile!"
On Reiko Northwood's face, for the first time since the Duel began, she revealed a smile that was not fawning or modest, but full of confidence.
"My Turn, Draw!"
"Normal Spell Card, Pot of Greed! I Draw two more Cards from my Deck!"
"Then I Activate Monster Reborn!"
The Ankh symbol appeared on Reiko Northwood's Field. Puppet King, which was destroyed by the Attack of Red-Eyes Black Blade Dragon in the previous Turn, was revived on her Field. But what was revived with Monster Reborn was not just Puppet King, but also Reiko Northwood's courage, because—
Puppet King, which she Special Summoned to the Field, was in Attack Position!
Reiko Northwood looked at Puppet King appearing on her Field, no longer crouching with its great sword guarding its body, but in an unprecedented stance, holding its treasure sword high with soaring aura. Reiko Northwood couldn't help but murmur distractedly, "I..."
"Up until this Duel, I never once thought I would actively initiate an Attack..."
Looking at Joey's expectant smile, Reiko Northwood revealed the same smile: "Thank you, Joey."
"Then... let's go, my Battle Phase!"
Joey heard Reiko's Attack Declaration, and also smiled: "Oh, come on, Reiko!"
"I use Puppet King to attack Joey's Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" Reiko issued the first Attack command of her Dueling career, "The name of the Attack will be 'Newborn Flash'!"
Puppet King [ATK2800]
Red-Eyes Black Dragon [ATK2400]
The massive and heavy treasure sword was raised high by Puppet King. Using its flowing cape as a shield, it feinted past the Black Flame Shot spat out by Red-Eyes Black Dragon in its counterattack. Lowering its body, it spun and uppercut, its sharp blade slicing open Red-Eyes Black Dragon's body, destroying it and sending it to the Graveyard.
"Woah!" The excess Battle Damage was only 400 LP. Joey, playing along with the sword aura from Puppet King's swing, let out a strange cry, attracting Reiko's worried gaze.
[Joey: 4000 → 3600 LP]
However, Joey was a Monster-level endurance holder who could easily withstand even a God's Attack. Noticing Reiko's gaze, Joey twisted his neck and suddenly burst into laughter:
"Fufufu~"
"Wahahaha~ That was strong, Reiko!"
"When you get serious, aren't you quite charming!" The outspoken Joey paid no mind to what he had just said, and said with a smile, "Well then, it's time to start Dueling with all our might!"
A slight blush appeared on Reiko's face: "Y-Yes!"
"I Set one Card. My Turn ends. Then, due to the effect of Battlefield Tragedy, I send 5 Cards from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard."
[Reiko Northwood: 4000 LP, Hand 0]
[Puppet King [ATK2800]]
[Battlefield Tragedy [Set Card]]
Although he spoke with great aura, saying things like 'Dueling with all our might.'
But in reality, Joey hadn't been holding back from the start; he had always been giving his all. It was just that his strength fluctuated significantly. When he was in good form, he could even suppress Kaiba for a while, but when he was in bad form, he could be in a deadlock with even an elementary school student for a dozen or more Turns.
To put it another way, he could probably be Evenly Matched with anyone?
In any case, it was Joey's Turn again. And he currently only had 19 Cards left in his Deck, so he couldn't attack many more times.
If it were Kaiba or Yugi, they might think about what kind of Card they needed to Draw to solve the current problem before Drawing, but Joey only had one approach: to Draw the Card first and then figure it out, trusting that everything would work out in the end.
"Alright, then My Turn, Draw!"
(end of chapter)
Chapter 429: Victory Brings More Than Just Joy, But Also…
"Yosh, my turn, draw!"
Joey glanced at the card he drew, his eyebrows raised. As luck would have it, the card he drew was the exact same card Reiko Northwood had drawn last turn: Pot of Greed.
Being able to draw two cards from the deck without any cost was truly a godsend for Joey, who currently had no way to overcome Reiko's Puppet King on the field. However, he couldn't just activate it immediately; another card stood in Joey's way: Dangerous Machine Type-6, which he himself had activated.
"Though I don't really want Kaiba to say I only rely on luck, I believe my future is decided by myself!" Joey, despite some uncertainty in his heart, adopted a confident stance, pointing to Dangerous Machine Type-6 in his back row.
"During my Standby Phase, Dangerous Machine Type-6 rolls a die and activates its effect based on the die roll!"
The glowing indicators lit up one after another, and the erratically moving light ball rapidly flashed over "1," "1," "4," "5," "1," "4" before instantly disappearing. Joey, who had no confidence in his dynamic vision or ability to predict movement patterns, relied on his gut feeling, shouting, "Then, stop right here!"
Following Joey's declaration, the light ball's speed sharply decreased, appearing successively on "3," "2," "5," "4." It looked like it was about to stop on "1," making Joey's nerves tighten.
It couldn't stop there! If Dangerous Machine Type-6 rolled a "1," its effect would force Joey to discard a card from his hand. This meant his Pot of Greed, which he had finally managed to draw, would be discarded. Damn it, gambling cards really are no good!
Filled with annoyance, Joey once again made a firm decision. Before, Rex had always complained that he was strongest when using gambling cards, which reluctantly led Joey to put those gambling cards he had previously removed back into his deck.
After this duel, I'm definitely getting rid of all gambling cards!
Just as Joey made up his mind, the body of Dangerous Machine Type-6 suddenly trembled. The light ball, which was almost stopping on "1," suddenly advanced one more space, landing on the number "6."
Then, without waiting for Joey to react, Dangerous Machine Type-6, having triggered its self-destruction function for "6," suddenly self-destructed and was destroyed and sent to the graveyard, disappearing from Joey's sight. It was as if it feared Joey would decide to remove gambling cards from his deck if he saw it again.
"Uh, since the die roll was 6, Dangerous Machine Type-6 will be destroyed and sent to the graveyard," Joey sent the card to the graveyard, feeling subtly troubled.
He had just decided to remove gambling cards due to their high risk, yet in the blink of an eye, it successfully activated?
Though it wasn't the most beneficial "3" or "5" for Joey, at least it wasn't "1," allowing the Pot of Greed in Joey's hand to be preserved.
"Then, I activate the Spell Card Pot of Greed, drawing two cards from my deck." Placing Pot of Greed into the Spell & Trap Zone, Joey's fingers rested on his deck as he drew two cards. "Next, I Normal Summon the Gearfried the Iron Knight I just drew."
Joey: 19→16
A knight clad in steel armor appeared on Joey's field, standing side-by-side with Magical Knight Giltia.
Gearfried the Iron Knight [ATK 1800]
At the cost of not being able to equip cards, the Gearfried the Iron Knight Joey Summoned possessed excellent attack and defense for a low-level monster. However, at this moment, he and Magical Knight Giltia were not facing a monster of the same Level, but the Puppet King, with an attack of 2800. In Joey's deck, the monster with the highest attack was Summoned Skull, but it only had 2500 attack and required a Tribute.
Yet, that was only the strongest monster in Joey's deck. There was one card that could create miracles.
"I activate my last card, the Spell Card Polymerization!" Joey revealed the last card in his hand, which was the most important foundation for Fusion Summoning — the Polymerization Spell Card. "I have two Warrior-Type monsters with different Attributes on my field; I will use Magical Knight Giltia and Gearfried the Iron Knight as Fusion Material!"
"Steel's radiance, magic's brilliant light, the unyielding warrior's soul intertwines, steel and magic, overflowing with passion, transform at a touch! Evolve into the final hope, the strongest gem warrior!"
"Fusion Summon! Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight!"
Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight, which Joey had used in his duel against Kaiba during Battle City, reappeared. Its skirt, adorned with magic gems, fluttered in the wind, and its battle blade was raised, pointing directly at Puppet King.
Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight [Level 8 / LIGHT Attribute]
[Warrior/Fusion/Effect]
[2700/1600]
One was a powerful warrior with a cape, the other a formidable figure with a skirt. Although Puppet King had a slightly higher attack, Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight had a stronger aura. Besides, attack can always be changed.
"Entering my Battle Phase! Here I come, Reiko!" Joey swung his arm forward. "I use my Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight on the field to attack Puppet King! And because it's a battle with a monster, Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight has an effect it can activate!"
"Once per Turn, during Damage Calculation when Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight battles an opponent's monster, I can banish one Spell Card from my graveyard to increase Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight's attack by half its defense until the end of this turn!"
"I banish Pot of Greed from my graveyard, increasing Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight's attack by half its defense, which is 800 points!"
Following Joey's declaration, he took the Pot of Greed card from his graveyard and put it in his pants pocket. On the field, Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight charged towards Puppet King, muttering something as it imbued its weapon with magic, and the gems on its body lit up one after another.
Seeing this, Reiko Northwood also pressed her set card activation button. "Joey, I won't give up so easily! I'm already a Duelist who dares to face battle head-on!"
"I activate my set card, the Quick-Play Spell Card Forbidden Lance! This card can reduce one monster's attack by 800 points until the end of this turn, and that monster will not be affected by other Spell/Trap Cards' effects!"
Looking at the confident Reiko Northwood, Joey nodded in satisfaction. "That's really great, Reiko! I feel the Duelist's passion surging forth!"
"Then I, Joey Wheeler, must also raise my spirits to respond to that heart!"
After Reiko pressed her set card, Joey also pressed his set card activation button. Almost in sync with Reiko's set card, both set cards opened simultaneously.
"The Quick-Play Spell Card Forbidden Dress can reduce one monster's attack by 600 points, and that monster cannot be targeted by effects, nor can it be destroyed by effects."
Joey glanced at the Forbidden Lance Reiko activated. "Last turn, when Puppet King attacked my Red-Eyes Black Dragon, I actually thought about activating this card. But my intuition told me to hold back, and luckily I did."
"Otherwise, Reiko, you would have chained your Forbidden Lance to my Forbidden Dress then, wouldn't you? In that case, I wouldn't have been able to change the outcome of Red-Eyes Black Dragon being destroyed, and I would have wasted a card. See, my intuition is pretty accurate, isn't it?"
Saying this, Joey scratched the back of his head and chuckled.
On both fields, the effects of Forbidden Dress and Forbidden Lance activated successively, intertwining as they landed on their respective target monsters. Puppet King was enveloped in a veil of light, while Forbidden Lance accurately pierced Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight.
Seeing this, Reiko Northwood, however, breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Joey and said with a smile, "That's incredible, Joey. Even my activated set card was within your calculations. I originally thought I could use Forbidden Lance to counterattack Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight."
"Now it seems my Puppet King is destined to be destroyed, and I will take 500 points of damage as a result."
Saying this, Reiko Northwood looked at Puppet King.
Puppet King [ATK 2800→2200]
"No, Reiko, it should be 1300 points of damage."
"Huh?"
Seeing the surprised expression on Reiko's face, Joey said proudly, "Hehe, don't think you're the only genius, Reiko! I, Joey, am best at scheming! From the very beginning, the only card that successfully activated was my Forbidden Dress!"
As if to complement Joey's words, Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight, which had been pierced by Forbidden Lance, suddenly reached out and grabbed Forbidden Lance, pulling it out to reveal its armor, which showed no signs of damage.
"Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight's second effect is: Once per Turn, when a Spell, Trap, or Monster Effect that targets it is activated, that effect is negated, and I can destroy one card on the field."
The Magical Knight gripped Forbidden Lance; this golden spear, originally meant to be used against him, now became his weapon. Following Joey's will, Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight threw Forbidden Lance like a javelin without even needing a running start.
Joey extended his hand, pointing at Reiko Northwood's Puppet King on the field. "Although it would normally be the optimal choice to destroy Puppet King at this moment, however!"
"Reiko, you responded to me with such passionate courage, so I must respond with a passionate battle!" Joey shifted his finger. "Therefore, the card I choose to destroy is that Battlefield Tragedy in your backrow, which represents your past!"
The golden spear descended, destroying Battlefield Tragedy in Reiko Northwood's backrow, a card she originally used for her deck depletion strategy. On Reiko's Monster Zone, the large-bodied Puppet King also clashed with Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight.
Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight [ATK 2700→3500]
The heavy greatsword collided with the nimble magic battle blade. What seemed like an imbalanced weight difference was reversed by the magical power imbued in the battle blade. After several slashes, the Magical Knight ducked under Puppet King's sweeping attack, then thrust forward into its chest, piercing it with the sharp blade.
"Boom!"
The body of Puppet King was directly detonated by the magical power attached to the blade, leaving no trace, as if touched by Killer Queen. Reiko Northwood also took 1300 points of battle damage, exactly as Joey had said.
"Ugh!"
[Reiko Northwood: 4000→2700 LP]
Despite it being the first time she had taken such high damage, Reiko felt none of her previous fear. Instead, due to the intense battle, she experienced the true charm of Duel Monsters for the very first time.
And…
Looking at Joey's confident smile, Reiko's cheeks flushed slightly.
Joey was oblivious to this, instead holding up three fingers. "Finally, Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight's third effect."
"This card, Fusion Summoned using only monsters on the field as material, can make two attacks during the same Battle Phase." Pointing towards Reiko Northwood's field, which was now completely empty, Joey once again issued an attack command.
"This will be the final attack, Reiko."
"Stand tall, for as a Duelist, you have done your absolute best."
"Gilti-Gearfried the Magical Steel Knight, Direct Attack the opponent's Duelist!"
Compared to the powerful attack on Puppet King just now, the Magical Knight's movements were much more casual when Direct Attacking Reiko. He merely symbolically swung his blade, cutting out a gust of wind that ruffled Reiko's hair while taking away her remaining Life Points.
[Reiko Northwood: 2700 LP→0]
"Phew, I lost…" Watching her Life Points hit zero, Reiko let out a long breath, but then looked up and playfully winked at Joey. "But this duel got me really excited and thrilled!"
"How about it, an exciting duel is definitely more fun than a scary one, hahahaha." Joey said triumphantly, "That was truly an interesting duel."
In the audience seating, Tristan watched Mai Valentine clench the iron armrest until it creaked, his eyebrows raised as he gleefully looked at Joey, who was laughing heartily and shaking hands with Reiko on the field.
Hope you can still smile later, Jo-ey.
_Though I remain a steadfast Joey-Mai shipper._
(end of chapter)
"Wahahaha! How about that, Tristan? You've seen how awesome I am, haven't you?" Returning to the Audience Seating, Joey, back from his victory, wore a smug look. "The KC Cup Champion, hey! That's me, Joey!"
To Joey's surprise, Tristan not only didn't mock him, but uncharacteristically took the bait and praised him a few times: "Oh, Joey, you're really amazing. You easily did something we couldn't. I truly admire you!"
As he spoke, Tristan leaned closer with a teasing expression, as if to whisper a secret, but his voice wasn't lowered at all. "Incredible, Joey! If this keeps up, you'll become a big star, and won't you have tons of female fans then?"
"Also, I noticed that Reiko Northwood just now seemed to have quite a liking for you~"
Joey completely missed Tristan's malicious intent. His smugness practically oozed from his face. But just as he was about to say something, a cold female voice reached his ears:
"How impressive, Superstar Joey, unexpectedly popular. Hmph!"
"Huh? Mai? Mai! It's not like that, listen to me exp—explain!"
Watching Mai Valentine, who was clearly jealous, yet still refused to explicitly state her feelings for Joey, and Joey, the dense idiot, who somewhat understood Mai Valentine's affections for him but was too clumsy to express himself, Yugi couldn't help but show an aunt-like smile as he watched the two.
But he soon found himself unable to smile.
"Miss Mai and Mr. Joey really have such good feelings for each other, I truly envy them." A pair of hands skillfully hooked Yugi's arm. Rebecca hugged Yugi's arm without any reserve. "Neh, darling, I—"
"Ah, you brat! Let go of Yugi's hand!" Yugi's other free arm was also grabbed. And compared to Rebecca, Téa pulled Yugi over with more force, as if to help him escape Rebecca.
However, Rebecca reacted just as quickly. She once again wrapped her arms around Yugi's arm, quite displeased that Téa had interrupted her and intended to take Yugi from her side: "You hateful old woman! Don't even think about taking my darling!"
"You brat, your age is completely unsuitable for Yugi! Go back to school like a good girl!"
"I'm a genius! Studying is completely unnecessary. A true hero prioritizes love!"
Both of Yugi's hands were being held. His face was a mask of anguish, troubled beyond words. Crucially, at this moment, Yami Yugi, who had been watching the drama from inside the Millennium Puzzle, even spoke up to tease, "Aren't you popular, Aibo?"
Marik, holding a bag of potato chips, watched the show from the side, quite amused. He even felt that, compared to the boring Duelists on the Duel Field at the moment, the emotional drama unfolding before him, starring famous Duelists like Yugi and Joey, was far more interesting.
Perhaps because Marik was smiling so brightly, Joey noticed Marik sitting alone, and asked with some confusion, "Huh, where's Hayato?"
Marik shrugged and said nonchalantly, "Just as your Duel was about halfway through, Seto Kaiba sent brother-in-law a message telling him to go out for a bit."
"Eh~ Hayato didn't even watch my Duel completely?" Joey looked a little disappointed. "I was hoping he'd comment on it, I finally pulled off such an amazing play."
"Well, he didn't miss everything. Brother-in-law saw some of it." Marik thought for a moment. "Roughly, from when your Red-Eyes Black Dragon destroyed Red-Eyes Black Dragon?"
"So he only saw me mess up completely!"
Time began to rewind, back to ten minutes ago.
Looking at the Duel Field, where two Red-Eyes Black Dragon were attacking each other due to Reiko Northwood's Set Card, Hayato idly tossed a potato chip into his mouth.
Hayato was extremely interested in this kind of harem-on-fire scenario, after all, it was well-known that he was a pure love warrior.
Although it seemed Hayato was gloating over Joey's disadvantage, in reality, Hayato wasn't worried at all that Joey's KC Cup journey would end here. He wasn't the guardian of some pond, after all.
Not playing until his Life Points were low was Joey's basic character trait. In fact, if he had full Life Points, the flashier his plays, the worse he'd mess up. The Duel truly began when he started taking damage.
As for Reiko Northwood, Hayato had no particular impression of her. He felt like he'd seen her somewhere, but he just couldn't remember. Perhaps during the preliminaries, or somewhere else? In any case, Hayato wasn't too bothered by it.
"Buzz~" His silenced phone vibrated, but only for an instant, indicating it wasn't a call. A text message, perhaps?
Swatting Marik's hand away, Hayato held a potato chip between his lips like a cigarette, and pulled his phone from his pocket.
He casually flicked open his flip phone. Instead of instinctively dialing 555, Hayato opened the email he had just received. The sender was actually Kaiba.
"How strange. What does that Kaiba guy want, sending me an email?"
"Huh? Brother's email?" Mokuba, sitting nearby, also leaned over, looking confused. If Kaiba wanted to find Hayato, he could just come directly to the Audience Seating, or a phone call would be even faster.
Hayato nodded and opened the email to read it. In the email, Kaiba said he found something quite interesting, but that it wasn't suitable for too many people to know about, so he asked Hayato to meet him outside Kaiba Dome.
He confirmed the sender; it was indeed 'Seto Kaiba,' no mistake. But as he read the email, Hayato sensed various oddities between the lines.
It was as strange as pineapple on a Margherita pizza, strawberry ice cream with a layer of curry poured over it, or a steamed bun stewed in soup like a pig's trotter.
Looking at Yugi, who was being fiercely eyed and seemed on the verge of taking action at any second, Hayato regretted that he wouldn't be able to witness the ensuing chaos. After informing the others, he headed towards the outside of Kaiba Dome via the emergency exit.
After turning a few corners, and seeing the exit getting closer and closer, Hayato's footsteps stopped before a cross-junction.
"The stench in the air is far too obvious, Bakura. It's as sickening as smelling dog poop by a park flowerbed."
"You jerk, I'm not that smelly!" Staring at a pair of rabbit-ear-like hair sticking up, the long-missing Bakura emerged from around the corner in annoyance, clutching a Millennium Eye he had taken from Pegasus.
"Oh? You didn't choose to run, but approached me, Hayato? Previously, you always ran away like an antelope seeing a cheetah, but this time, you actively approached me? Do you intend to use the Millennium Eye to control me?"
"How would I know the result without trying? But ambushing you is indeed quite difficult, tsk." Bakura, looking displeased, smoothed out the robes he was wearing and said with a serious expression, "Hey, Hayato, let's make a deal."
"From now on, don't help that Seto Kaiba guy."
I drew Gun Dragon Horse in the gacha; a new card is never a loss. Too bad my Blue Light Cannon already has a penguin, and it's already fed to Level 104.
(end of chapter)