The first match ended, lasting less than ten minutes, and Yugen smoothly earned five credits.
He was in a great mood. This duel earned him more credits than a single game in an exchange match, and it was so effortless.
If possible, he even wanted to ask the senior if they could do a best of five, wagering five credits each time...
But judging by the senior's expression of disbelief, it seemed she wasn't too keen on continuing.
The audience was silent after watching the whole match.
After a while, a classmate from the Student Union couldn't help but approach, asking, "Um... Yugen, is the soul of your card deck... the Lava Demon God?"
Yugen raised an eyebrow.
What? From that tone, do they think little of my great Lava Demon God?
He had to argue back reasonably: "What? Is the Lava Demon God's attack power not high enough?"
"Ah, that's not it..."
The attack power is as high as the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon, who dares to say it's not high?
"Then do you think the level is too low?"
"No, no, level eight is already very impressive..."
"So you think the effect isn't strong enough?"
"The effect... is quite strong."
"Then why can't it be my soul?" Yugen was justified.
Nakamura: "..."
So reasonable, he was momentarily speechless.
But his usual logic felt a bit awkward. That from the moment you play, the soul is on the opponent's field; there's just something off...
In a corner of the venue, among the crowd, the Jellyfish Head who was also caught for not voting by the Student Union: "Oh wow, that Yugen seems really impressive! I wonder when I can have a chance to duel him..."
"Eh!?" A little lackey, Marufuji Sho, looked shocked at his brother beside him.
He was considering just how obsessed with cards big brother Judai had to be, to actually want to try dueling after watching that match...
Wouldn't a normal person just avoid it and silently blacklist them?
"But, speaking of which, he's also using a Mechanical Robot Card Deck, huh!" Judai patted Sho's back with a grin, "Could it be that machines are actually really strong?"
Marufuji Sho: "..."
No, it always feels like even though we're both using traffic machines, the style in others' hands is different from when it's in my own.
Others use machines to make the opponent drop their Duel Discs, but I always seem to be the one getting beaten until I drop mine...
Sho began some self-reflection.
Is it possible that the problem isn't the machines, but that I'm just bad?
"Speaking of which, that Tenjouin student seems really strong too."
Judai rubbed his nose, full of anticipation.
"Feels like there's more great stuff to watch, eh!"
At this time, Asuka Tenjouin had also put on her Duel Disc and approached Yugen.
"You're very strong," she said earnestly, "but I will also give it my all."
"Of course."
Yugen said as he smoothly pulled the card deck from his Duel Disc, placed it into an empty card box behind him, and then drew another deck from a different box to insert into the Duel Disc.
The latest model Duel Disc from Kaiba Company executed its shuffling program, shuffling the newly inserted deck with a swift swish.
Asuka frowned slightly.
Changed the deck?
"I stand here as a duelist, not as a girl. I hope you will also give it your best," she said.
"Don't worry, that's a given," Yugen smiled, "Just a normal tactical change."
In this world with Destiny Power attributes, using the same tactics for two matches in a row could risk being countered. Even if the opponent doesn't intentionally adjust their deck, if they know your deck and strategy, just drawing five random cards might give them the means to counter.
Asuka Tenjouin, as one of the main characters of the early story, should have a strong Destiny Power attribute. Or rather, among the same year students around Judai at the start, she should be at the forefront.
"Duel!" x2
[Yugen, LP 4000]
[Asuka, LP 4000]
"I'll play first, draw a card," Asuka said, "Normal summon 'Electronicized Ballet Skirt,' in attack position!"
[Electronicized Ballet Skirt, Attack Power 1000]
"Then activate Equipment Magic 'Angel's Wings,' equipping it to the Electronicized Ballet Skirt!" (anime card)
The Magic Card appeared in her back row, and a pair of pure white wings unfolded behind the slender Electronicized Ballet Skirt, enveloping it in a gentle white glow.
"Monsters equipped with 'Angel's Wings' can inflict 300 additional damage when dealing battle damage to the opponent," Asuka said, "Then I'll cover a card on the field and end my turn."
"My turn, draw a card."
Yugen added the drawn card to his hand and then tapped a Monster Card.
"Summon 'Card Shooter!'"
[Card Shooter, Attack Power 400]
"Card Shooter's effect, once per turn, sends up to three cards from the top of the deck to the graveyard, increasing its attack power by 500 for each card."
Yugen boldly drew three cards to send to the graveyard.
"I sent three cards to the graveyard, raising Card Shooter's attack power by 1500!"
[Card Shooter, Attack Power 400 → Attack Power 1900]
Yugen paused, glancing at Asuka's back row.
He seemed to have a guess about what the cover card in the back row was.
In the anime, whenever Asuka plays cards, that specific Trap is almost always there, sticking to her like superglue, just like Caesar's Cyber Dragon.
[Trap Card - Double Barcelona Dance
Effect: When an opponent's monster attacks a monster in attack position on your field, the attack is redirected as a direct attack. As a trade-off, monsters on your field directly inflict battle damage to the opponent player.] (anime effect)
Because the effect of "a monster can directly inflict battle damage during the opponent's turn" is a bit unrealistic to handle for physical cards, it was changed to "as a trade-off, your monster can directly attack in the next turn."
Additionally, Asuka summoned an attack position Electronicized Ballet Skirt with only 1000 attack power right out of the gate, and she also deliberately equipped the star with "Angel's Wings" to further increase the battle damage by 300 points...
Therefore, Yugen was ninety percent sure about what that cover card was.
Normally, if he used Card Shooter to attack and Asuka activated "Double Samba Dance," Asuka would take 1900 direct attack damage, while Yugen would only receive 1300. It would cost her 600 life points, and logically, it's unlikely she would activate it.
But based on the tactics from the original series, her probability of activating it was not low. More than once, she didn't hesitate to exchange life points with the opponent at a loss.
According to the theories learned in these days, Yugen speculated that this might be her dueling style, charging forward without hesitation, maintaining this style to stabilize her "momentum" in the duel, possibly being more important in her eyes than a mere few hundred LP difference.
So let's turn the tables.
"Battle," Yugen gestured, " 'Card Shooter,' attack 'Electronicized Ballet Skirt!'"
The attack-powered Card Shooter lowered its arms, firing several shots directly at the slender female monster with long hair.
Asuka lightly frowned, "Completely ignoring my cover card... very well, activate the cover card!
Trap Card - Double Barcelona Dance!"
Yugen squinted his eyes.
Just as he thought.
"This Trap, when the opponent declares an attack, redirects that attack as a direct attack!" Asuka declared, "Then, monsters on my field can directly attack the opponent player!"
The onlookers were all astonished: "Using herself as the monster's shield!?"
"How exciting to switch damage right from the start?"
On one hand, it's an exchange of life points, and on the other, it's to protect her monsters on the field for further strikes next turn.
This was her dueling rhythm and style.
But...
"Then 'Card Shooter' will redirect as a direct attack on Asuka," Yugen said.
The ammunition fired by the Card Shooter twisted through the air, bizarrely swerving around the Electronicized Star on the field, making two turns before heading straight for Asuka in the back.
"However, at this moment, I activate the Speed Attack Magic 'Restriction Removal' from my hand!" Yugen revealed another card from his hand, "Until the end of this turn, Card Shooter's attack power is doubled!"
[Card Shooter, Attack Power 1900 → Attack Power 3800]
Asuka's face changed drastically, "What did you say!?"
The attack power suddenly...thirty-eight hundred!?
She might accept 1900 being directed at her, but when it's this much at once...?
...Wouldn't that be too much?