"My turn," now it's Youyu's turn, "Draw a card."
Outsiders remain outsiders, but the cards must continue to be played.
According to the rules of the melee, no one can attack in the first round, so this round should mainly focus on strengthening defense and preparing for the battles to come.
It's precisely because no one can attack this round that Yugi dares to leave only a Cannon Fodder Knight in attack position on the field, without even a Set Card.
It should be said that he's indeed the Pharaoh, so confident.
Leave a Cannon Fodder Knight on the field, then let others see his field with only a Cannon Fodder Knight and immediately have the illusion that they're playing against a simple AI, relaxing their guard. Then Yugi takes advantage of their unpreparedness to launch a counterattack...
...Is this is the Duel King's strategy? I'm impressed.
However, since Yugi will be playing first in the next round, he dares to be so bold, but here Youyu chooses a more stable approach.
"Summon 'Elemental Hero Solidman,' in defense position."
The hero clad in silver-white armor appears on Youyu's field with a shout, his arm guards crossed like shields, half-squatting to defend Youyu.
[Elemental Hero Solidman, Defense 1100]
"Solidman's effect activates, when summoned successfully, another hero monster of level 4 or below is special summoned from the hand. Come! 'Elemental Hero Clayman,' in defense position!"
[Elemental Hero Clayman, Defense 2000]
"Plus, a Set Card, turn end." Youyu also ends his play.
Yugi glanced toward him and thought: "Two defense position monsters, one with a defense of 2000. That Set Card is likely for reinforcing defense... No wonder he's the duelist who defeated Jonouchi, his first turn is like an iron wall defense."
But at this moment, Six-Year-Old glanced at Yugi and then at Youyu's field, and chuckled sinisterly.
"My turn!" Dark Marik drew a card and laughed, "You really set up this formation in your first turn! As a reward, I will gift you this powerful monster!
I tribute your 'Elemental Hero Solidman' and 'Elemental Hero Clayman' to special summon on your field, the level eight strong monster - Lava Golem!!!"
Youyu: "....."
Scorching flames rise from nowhere, engulfing the bodies of the two heroes on Youyu's field. The heroes disappear within the rotating blaze, and a pillar of fire shoots up like magma.
The giant figure ablaze appears behind Youyu, with an iron cage on its chest locking Youyu entirely within. Though it's a virtual image, it seems the giant's body penetrates through the wall, as if the whole wall is being roasted red.
[Lava Golem, Attack 3000]
Lava Golem, one of Dark Marik's signature monsters, legendary among Yu-Gi-Oh players for its violent field-clearing capabilities.
Its characteristic is sending two of the opponent's monsters to the graveyard, special summoning on the opponent's field.
Notably, Lava Golem uses the opponent's monsters as "tribute," fulfilling summon conditions, akin to the controller using their monsters as tribute for a tribute summon.
In other words, even if the opponent's monster has "cannot be targeted by card effects," or "unaffected by effects," it can still be sacrificed by Lava Golem.
With this explanation, you might understand how ominous this card is. For instance, even if two Three Egyptian Gods with strong animation resistances are on the opponent's field, you can send them to the graveyard, forcing them to take this level-eight monster...
Yet Yugi and Kaiba obviously haven't encountered such a monster before, both suspicious of Marik's kindness — when did Marik start gifting a monster with attack comparable to Blue-Eyes White Dragon to the opponent?
Is this a duel to make friends with the opponent?
And it's not over yet!
"Hey, but letting you attack with Lava Golem would be troubling, so I'll play this card just in case... Magic Card 'Mask of the Accursed'! Equip to Lava Golem!"
An ugly mask studded with metallic spikes appears, swiftly flying towards Lava Golem, sticking onto its burning face without a word.
Lava Golem let out a low growl, then its arms drooped, and it became sluggish.
"Hahahaha! Monsters equipped with 'Mask of the Accursed' cannot attack or defend, and the controller loses 500 LP at the start of their turn!" Marik laughed, "Plus, the controller of 'Lava Golem' loses 700 LP every turn as well, meaning you lose 1200 LP on your turn!"
Youyu: "..."
Marik indulged in a sadistic laugh, then set three Set Cards and ended his turn.
No wonder it's an ominous duel, gifting the opponent an eight-star monster at first, then three Set Cards in the backfield; just looking at it makes the scalp tingle.
The first round ends, all players' attack restrictions are lifted, and from now on, the real battle begins.
"My turn, draw a card!" Yugi points at the Celtic Guardian in front of him, "I tribute 'Obnoxious Celtic Guard'... summon 'Archfiend of Gilfer'!"
Anyway, Cannon Fodder Knight has no rights; sacrificing it just happens to be normal, at least it didn't get attacked this time.
The white whirlwind envelops the Celtic Guardian, dissipating into blue starlight. The black demon's body flies out from the sacrifice vortex, flapping blood-red wings, its fangs reflecting silver light.
[Archfiend of Gilfer, Attack 2200]
Yugi swept a glance over the field, starting to strategize.
In the original anime, during the quarter-finals, the opponent Yugi most wanted to face was his good friend Jonouchi. Despite President Haima's wild signaling, blinking and mocking, Yugi ignored him completely, only seeing Jonouchi.
However, President Haima was cunning and eliminated Jonouchi in the quarter-finals, allowing him to face Yugi alone in the semi-finals...
...with the privilege of prioritizing their duel!
Sure enough, Yugi and Haima shared a tacit understanding, without Jonouchi hindering as the top disturbance, Yugi immediately understood President Haima's eye signals.
Yugi made up his mind.
Alright, since you want this, Haima, let's settle our score in the semi-finals!
So now, he must reduce the LP of Youyu and Marik to zero to make them exit early, allowing him and Haima to be in the same group.
Yugi's gaze wandered between Youyu and Marik momentarily, quickly choosing the one who looked more deserving of a beating based on appearance...
"Archfiend of Gilfer!" Yugi pointed at Six-Year-Old, "Direct attack on Marik!"
The demon obeyed the command, opened its mouth with a roar, and chaotic shock waves flew spinning towards Marik.