hapter 114. Numerons Go Full-Throttle—Breaking Past the Limit! The Victory Formula Calculated by Powercode Talker!
All the Duelists in every world were curious, and most of them thought the @Ignister player was about to win this one.
The turn had already reached Ignister Ribbit's hand.
In the short video, Ignister Ribbit immediately started building a board.
Ignister Ribbit: "My turn. Draw."
Ignister Ribbit: "You got locked down by a single negate from me. Then just wait for defeat."
Ignister Ribbit: "I activate A.I. Meet You, and add Pikari @Ignister from my Deck."
"Normal Summon Pikari.
Its effect adds our in-archetype 'Monster Reborn,' A.I.dle Reborn."
"Activate A.I.dle Reborn to revive the Link-3 Dark Templar @Ignister."
"Use Dark Templar and Pikari to Link Summon."
"Link Rating is 4."
"Link arrows confirmed."
"Link Summon.
Accesscode Talker."
"I activate the climbing effect, choosing the Link-3 Dark Templar @Ignister in the Graveyard."
"My ATK climbs to 5300."
"I go straight to the Battle Phase."
"The Arrival Cyberse @Ignister attacks directly.
6000 damage incoming."
Numeron player: "I activate Kuriboh."
Numeron player: "This battle damage is negated."
Ignister Ribbit: "Then Accesscode attacks."
Ignister Ribbit: "Subtract 5300 LP from you."
Ignister Ribbit: "Main Phase 2, I use Accesscode's effect—banish a Link Monster in the GY to destroy your Field Spell."
"I set 1 card and end my turn."
"A.I. Meet You's End Phase effect—take 2300."
So it was a hand trap—Kuriboh.
All the Duelists across the worlds were stunned when Kuriboh got thrown out right at the brink of victory.
So he was holding a life-saving hand trap.
No wonder he was so casual about ending the turn.
While that did block a lot of damage, after all these back-and-forth exchanges, both LP totals were in the danger zone.
Ignister Ribbit: 3400 LP.
Numeron player: 2700 LP.
In this situation, the LP gap wasn't large.
But in terms of monsters on board, Ignister Ribbit had the clear advantage.
In the short video, the turn reached the Numeron player.
Numeron player: "My turn.
Draw 1 card."
Numeron player: "I drew Numeron Network."
Numeron player: "Activate Numeron Network.
Now it's my turn to perform."
"Per the Field Spell's effect, during my Main Phase, I can send 1 'Numeron' Normal Spell that meets its activation conditions from my Deck to the Graveyard, and this effect becomes that Spell's effect when it's activated."
"I choose to send Numeron Calling from my Deck."
"Effect successfully copied.
That card's effect is—"
"If Numeron Network is in the Field Zone and I control no monsters, I can Special Summon up to 4 'Numeron Gate' Xyz Monsters with different names from my Extra Deck."
"Monsters Special Summoned by this effect are banished during the End Phase."
"Come forth.
The ultimate advent of Numeron—an abyss that resolves everything."
"Number 1: Numeron Gate Ekam.
Number 2: Numeron Gate Dve."
"Number 3: Numeron Gate Trini.
Number 4: Numeron Gate Catvari."
"I Special Summon all these Numeron Xyz Monsters with 1000 ATK in one go."
What on earth?
He just pulled out four Xyz Monsters in one breath.
And they can avoid being destroyed by battle this way?
You can play like that?
All six Duel Worlds stared dumbly at the Numeron player's absurd line.
A single Field Spell.
Copy an effect.
And suddenly he dragged out four monsters.
DM World.
The old guard all sucked in a cold breath.
Their glassy eyes looked like they still couldn't believe what they were seeing.
The shock on Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba didn't fade either.
Compared to this, those Orichalcos cards they'd seen earlier almost looked less fake.
How could a Field Spell be so busted—pulling four monsters with ease.
But they calmed down quickly.
Sure, the monsters looked cool.
But they only had a measly 1000 ATK.
Cracking this board might not actually be that hard.
ZEXAL World.
Astral and Yuma Tsukumo jolted in unison.
Looking at those Numeron monsters numbered 1–4, they both recalled something, and their faces subtly changed.
"This is the power of the Barian World."
"Astral, if I remember right, you said—?"
Yuma hurriedly asked the spirit beside him.
Astral clutched his head, as if memories were pouring back into his mind.
"Yeah.
That's right."
"It's the ace Deck of Don Thousand from the Barian World."
"I remember now."
Astral's answer made Yuma's expression jolt again.
The ace Deck of Don Thousand.
Back in the short video, the plays continued.
Numeron player: "I activate the Quick-Play Spell Forbidden Chalice.
I target Accesscode Talker, negate its effect, and it gains 400 ATK."
Numeron player: "I crash Number 1: Numeron Gate Ekam (1000 ATK) into your Accesscode (2700)."
Numeron player: "I lose 1700 LP."
"Now I activate Ekam's effect.
Thanks to Numeron Network, I don't need to detach material—all monsters on the field have their ATK doubled."
"I crash Number 2: Numeron Gate Dve (now 2000 ATK) into your Accesscode."
"I lose 700 LP."
"Activate Dve's effect—all monsters' ATK doubles again."
"I attack with Number 3: Numeron Gate Trini (now 4000 ATK) and destroy your Accesscode Talker."
"You take 1300 LP."
"Activate Trini's effect—all monsters' ATK doubles again."
"I attack with Number 4: Numeron Gate Catvari (now 8000 ATK) into your The Arrival Cyberse @Ignister with 6000 ATK.
You take 2000."
"Your LP are down to 100."
"The game has only just begun."
All the Duelists across the worlds were immediately numb.
Especially after watching each Numeron Gate attack, then double all monsters' ATK again.
More than a few Duelists almost tilted from sheer mental damage.
What kind of bizarre 'fake card' Deck was this?
Pulling four monsters at once would've been wild enough.
But these monsters then doubled every monster's ATK after each attack.
Originally just 1000 ATK, after Number 4 finished its attack, all four Numeron Gates had shot up to a terrifying 16000 ATK.
When they saw that number, the old guard nearly lost their breath on the spot.
Reckless.
Absolutely reckless.
Too reckless.
They'd never seen a Deck this reckless before.
When the dust settled from that sequence:
Ignister Ribbit: 100 LP.
Numeron player: 300 LP.
Both LP totals were flickering candles in the wind.
But the one "locked to 100" was Ignister Ribbit.
So no one thought Ignister Ribbit was at a disadvantage.
On the contrary, the number-two guys in each world all had a bad feeling.
After all, once Numeron finishes attacking, the four monsters are gone at the End Phase.
DM World.
Seto Kaiba and Marik Ishtar swallowed hard.
This 100 LP felt awfully familiar somehow.
GX World.
Chazz Princeton and Dr. Vellian Crowler had the same idea.
One hundred LP.
Isn't that the perfect setup for a lock-at-100 reverse-kill.
5D's World.
Jack Atlas and Kalin Kessler didn't look great either.
This 100 LP just felt wrong all over.
Don't tell me it's actually going to flip.
Back in the short video.
To deal with the self-banish clause, the Numeron player cut cleanly.
Numeron player: "I Link Summon using my four monsters."
Numeron player: "Link-4.
Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax."
"I set 1 card and end my turn."
Ignister Ribbit: "During your End Phase, I flip my set Scapegoat."
Ignister Ribbit: "I Special Summon four Sheep Tokens (Beast/EARTH/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0) in Defense Position to my field."
Ignister Ribbit: "My turn.
Draw."
"Let's go."
"I use three Tokens to Link Summon."
"Link confirmed.
Link-3."
"Open the road that shines toward victory."
"Powercode Talker."
"I Normal Summon Beautunaful Princess from my hand."
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can banish it to activate its effect.
I Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Fish from my Deck, except 'Beautunaful Princess.'"
"I choose to Special Summon Buzzsaw Shark."
"I activate Buzzsaw Shark's effect to Special Summon Lantern Shark from my Deck."
"These two monsters share a common effect."
"If I use them to Xyz Summon a WATER monster, I can treat their Levels as 3 or 5."
"So I'll treat them as Level 5 to build the overlay."
"Xyz Summon."
"Number 94: Crystalzero."
"The victory formula is assembled."
Assembled…the victory formula.
Hearing that, and looking at the current board, the Duelists across the six worlds felt their CPUs hitch.
Wait, how is this the victory formula already.
Number 94: Crystalzero only has 2200 ATK.
Its effect halves ATK by targeting.
And Avramax can't be targeted by the opponent's effects.
How do you win through that.
Numeron player: "Oh?
Let me see what your 'victory formula' could possibly be."
Numeron player: "Go on—attack me."
Ignister Ribbit: "As you wish."
Ignister Ribbit: "Powercode Talker attacks your Avramax."
"I'm guessing your next line will be: 'Pointless.
After you attack, I'll activate Avramax's effect, and it'll gain your Powercode Talker's 2300 ATK,' right."
Numeron player: "Pointless.
After you attack, I'll activate Avramax's effect and it'll gain—"
Halfway through, the Numeron player cut himself off.
No.
Something felt off.
Ignister Ribbit: "I chain Number 94: Crystalzero as a Quick Effect."
Ignister Ribbit: "I detach 1 Xyz Material and choose a monster.
Its ATK becomes half until the end of my turn."
Numeron player: "Useless.
My Avramax cannot be targeted by the effects you control."
Numeron player: "Getting this far is already pretty good for you."
Numeron player: "You wanted to let Avramax boost first, then halve it, right."
"Plan failed.
What a pity."
The Numeron player relaxed for an instant.
But when Crystalzero's effect still went on the chain, his expression suddenly changed.
A bad feeling crept into his heart.
At the same time, the protagonists of each world all realized, in a flash, why the victory formula had already been "assembled" earlier.
Yes.
He really had assembled the formula for victory.
If Crystalzero keeps activating its effect, that means the target—
From start to finish, it was never Avramax.
That leaves, on the field after excluding Avramax, only two other monsters.
One is a Token—basically impossible.
Which means the target is the attacking Powercode Talker itself.
Ignister Ribbit: "Oh?
Sore wa dō kana."
Ignister Ribbit: "Your Duel-thinking hasn't changed, has it."
Ignister Ribbit: "I choose my own Powercode Talker."
"I halve its 2300 ATK to 1150."
"But that's not all."
"I activate Crystalzero a second time."
"I detach another material and chain it."
"My Powercode Talker's ATK is halved again."
"So its final ATK (before damage-calculation effects) is 575."
"Then, at damage calculation—"
"I activate Powercode Talker's effect.
I tribute my last Token."
"This card's ATK becomes double its original ATK during that damage calculation only."
Numeron player: "I—I chain Avramax as Chain Link 2."
Almost on reflex, the Numeron player still activated Avramax's ATK-gain in the chain.
Ignister Ribbit: "If you don't activate Avramax, I'll destroy your 3000 ATK Avramax by battle."
Ignister Ribbit: "If you do, it resolves earlier in the chain."
"Your Avramax resolves first—its ATK becomes 3575."
"And my Powercode's effect resolves as Chain Link 1."
"This monster's ATK becomes double its original ATK during that damage calculation only."
"Sorry, but its original ATK is not 575."
"Its original ATK is 2300."
"So its final ATK is 4600."
"Battle.
Avramax is destroyed."
"Duel.
Over."
It's over.
Just like that, it's over.
In that instant, every Duelist was hard-stunned by this last sequence where reverse logic and chaining clinched victory.
You can do that.
Use chain resolution order to make Avramax resolve first and only gain a modest boost.
Genius.
A real genius.
Now that's genius.
They never imagined you could leverage the Duel's chain rules for a reverse operation like this.
By forcing Avramax to resolve first, it only gained ATK to a smaller number.
Then, once the chain finished, Powercode Talker resolved after, doubling its original ATK to an overwhelming value.
It truly shattered their limited Duel-thinking.
Yugi Muto, Yuma Tsukumo, Jaden Yuki, Yusei Fudo, and the others all sucked in a cold breath.
Their vacant stares said they still couldn't believe that last line.
That it could be won in such a reverse way.
And as for the final result of the Duel—
No matter if Avramax's effect is activated or not activated, the opponent can still successfully destroy Avramax by battle.
In other words, this was already a forced-loss position.
And that is the subtlety of the chain rules.
Realizing this made the protagonists of each world shiver down their spines.
So this is Dueling in the higher world.
Too exquisite.
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