[Pegasus, LP 2500]
Although his Life Points are still in the lead for now, Pegasus still felt considerable pressure when looking at the Grand General on Youyu's field.
If Youyu had used "Grandmaster of the Six Samurai" to prevent destruction last turn, and sent Shien and Toon Dark Magician to mutual destruction, then allowed Grandmaster to attack directly, he could have dealt greater damage, reducing Pegasus's LP to a mere 400 points.
But evidently, Youyu didn't do this.
Pegasus quickly understood the key point.
Was it because he thought preserving Great Shogun Shien's interference ability to prevent a counterattack was more important than inflicting massive damage?
"My turn, draw!"
Looking at the drawn card and his scant hand, then looking at the imposing Great Shogun on Youyu's field, Pegasus creased his brow slightly, seemingly deciding to take a gamble.
"Magic Card - Monster Recycling!" Pegasus revealed the Magic Card he just drew, "Return all cards from your field and hand to your deck, shuffle, then draw five new cards!" (animation effect)
Youyu: "..."
Alright, you're powerful.
Indeed, he is the Father of Duel Monsters, and the world's biggest card printer; Pegasus has already shown so many Divine Cards in this duel.
Youyu watched intently as Pegasus returned both his field and hand cards to his deck and shuffled, a glint in his eye as he was lost in thought.
Some people seemingly still play the game but already have their minds on the opponent's cards...
Pegasus drew five cards again, and his expression became somewhat subtle.
After all, he's a legendary level Duelist, and by drawing this hand, naturally, he devised a reversal strategy.
But now the issue is...
Pegasus glanced at the imposing Great Shogun Shien on Youyu's field, feeling a hint of trouble.
This turn, having used "Monster Recycling," he couldn't activate other Magic Cards, or he could have launched a counterattack.
Youyu Boy, what fearsome intuition you have. If you hadn't left Great Shogun Shien last turn...
Pegasus thought of it, smiling slightly, growing even more intrigued by Youyu's next moves.
"Set a card, end my turn."
"Then my turn, draw!"
Pegasus's field was empty, without a single Monster; only a lonely Set Card in his back row could protect him.
Given that...
"Magic Card - Galaxy Cyclone!" Youyu displayed the card he had just drawn, "Destroy one face-down Magic Trap Card on the field! I choose to destroy that Set Card!"
The silvery cyclone swirled toward Pegasus's lone Set Card in the back row. The audience of Specter Group gasped in shock: "If that card is destroyed, then this turn the President will..."
But Pegasus was not easily defeated: "Open Set Card! Trap Card - Hallowed Life Barrier! Discard one card from my hand, and all damage for this turn becomes 0!"
Pegasus discarded a card to the graveyard; three robed, holy women appeared on the field, resembling those in the similar Trap Card "Waboku."
Hallowed Life Barrier, similar to Waboku, is another defensive Trap. Though it requires discarding a card, its defensive properties are correspondingly stronger.
In the turn this card is activated, Monsters protected by this barrier aren't destroyed in battle, and players receive 0 damage, either from battle or effects — an absolute defense in the truest sense.
Watching Pegasus shielded by the barrier cast by the three sisters, Youyu realized that this turn, no matter his actions, couldn't finish it off, so he shrugged.
"Then my turn is over."
With nothing else to do, he declared the end, laughing lightly.
"Indeed, President Pegasus boasts quite a collection of Rare Cards."
Pegasus laughed too, "Same to you, Youyu Boy. The deck you use, even I have never heard of."
Youyu remained indifferent.
That's quite true.
"Then my turn, draw!" Pegasus said, "Watch closely this turn, Youyu Boy! My real trump card, my counterattack!
Ritual Magic - Black Illusion Ritual, activate!
Youyu furrowed his brows.
Black Illusion Ritual... Is it about to happen?
"I use the level 1 'Copycat' in my hand as tribute, Ritual Summon! The sinister monster that manipulates opponents through its eye's magic power—
—Relinquished, Ritual Summon!"
A Ritual altar appeared before Pegasus on his field; the level 1 Copycat transformed into beams of sacrifice and surged into the altar. Malicious chaos emerged from the altar and swiftly spread.
A sinister Monster, morbidly shaped and unsettling, materialized from the chaos. It had razor-sharp claws, a bizarre build, and its head protruded like a dagger, with a sneaky golden eye.
Just like that "Millennium Eye" that was once taken from Pegasus.
[Relinquished, ATK 0]
"Relinquished's effect activates! Dark Hole!"
Pegasus ordered with a wave; Relinquished's eye snapped open. A dark vortex released from that eye, with endless oppressive force instantly capturing Youyu's Great Shogun Shien on the field.
The Grand General roared, trying valiantly to draw his sword for defense, but the overbearing force left him defenseless; beyond resisting, he was absorbed through the Black Hole into Relinquished, merging into an awkward form within the Monster's body, unable to move.
(Great Shogun Shien: Why is it always me...)
Pegasus explained with a bit of pride: "Once per turn, Relinquished can absorb one Monster from the opponent. Its ATK increases by the absorbed Monster's ATK value."
[Relinquished, ATK 0 →ATK 2500]
"And by the way," Pegasus smiled, "Relinquished can use absorbed Monsters as a shield to block damage. If attacked recklessly, the equipped Monster will take the destruction, and any battle damage is directed to the original owner of the equipped Monster...
...Which means you, Youyu Boy~"
The audience of players expressed surprise: "Isn't this thing supposed to be weak? How come it's so powerful now...?"
"Animation effect, you know."
"Moreover, in physical cards, Relinquished can absorb only one Monster, while in animation, if there are enough slots, it can absorb as many as desired..."
"Battle!" Pegasus waved a hand, "Relinquished, attack Dark Magician!"
The Monster's eye glowed with a golden light. Bound by dark forces, Great Shogun Shien reluctantly drew his sword and, with an unwilling swing, struck at his supposed ally, the Dark Magician.
Youyu frowned: "Planning to send Shien and Dark Magician both down together..."
"No, No, No, I do not intend for the Great Shogun to leave the field so soon." Pegasus smiled, "Because the limitation of using only one Magic Card per turn disappears now that the Great Shogun is absorbed.
So I will activate from my hand... Quick-Play Magic - Shrink! Halve Dark Magician's attack power!"
The Dark Magician, about to raise his Magic Staff to meet the challenge, was defenseless and suddenly struck by the green glow from the Magic Card, groaning as he shrank to half his original size.
[Dark Magician, ATK 2500 →ATK 1250]
Meanwhile, Shien's sword strike arrived. The weakened Dark Magician couldn't defend himself, barely creating a defensive array before the sword cleaved him and the array in two, vanishing from the field.
[Youyu, LP 2000 →LP 750]
"Excellent!" Pegasus snapped his fingers, "Not bad, Great Shogun, his prowess is beyond compare!"
Youyu: "..."
How does this sound like "Your General is impressive"...?
If anything, Youyu's purpose was achieved.
From its debut to now, Great Shogun Shien has had a splendid presence, strikingly cool, carrying the aura of unstoppable force.
The only flaw is he switched sides...