"By the effect of 'Megaroid City', I add a second 'Submarineroid' from my Deck to my hand," Yugen said. "Even though I cannot Normal Summon this turn because I summoned 'Lava Golem', the card I destroyed was 'Pinpoint Guard'. When a set garage is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Machine monster from my hand." (ANIME EFFECT)
He slapped the searched monster onto his Duel Disk.
"Come forth, Submarineroid Unit 2!"
A second small submarine jumped onto the field, showing the same aggressive glare as its twin.
Submarineroid, ATK 800.
Seika Kohinata's mouth twitched. She clearly wanted to say something, but the look in her eyes made her thoughts obvious. Why is it you again?
Some of the Yellow Dorm students watching nearby felt a strong sense of familiarity at the scene. They sympathized with the beautiful senior, while also feeling a strangely guilty thrill. Those who had personally suffered under submarine attacks in the past week cursed Yugen for having no mercy, while silently wishing him to press even harder.
"First, I switch the first 'Submarineroid' back to Attack Position," Yugen said. "Then I enter the Battle Phase. The first 'Submarineroid' attacks directly!"
The first submarine fired, launching two torpedoes that flew past the front line and raced straight toward the senior.
"I activate my face-down card," Seika Kohinata shouted. "Trap Card 'Big Bang Shot'! I double the ATK and DEF of one monster on your field. I double the ATK of your first 'Submarineroid'!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Submarineroid, ATK 800 to ATK 1600.
The spectators gasped. Why would she voluntarily double the opponent's ATK?
"'Big Bang Shot' has another effect," Seika Kohinata continued. "A monster whose ATK is doubled by this effect cannot make a direct attack!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Only then did everyone understand.
"She gave up safety on paper just to block the direct attack. That was clever."
"And more than that, now the only thing he can attack is her face-down 'Wild Warrior'. When that monster is destroyed, it can Special Summon a Warrior with ATK 1500 or less from the Deck."
Yugen had already considered this. "Then I let the attack with the boosted monster be canceled. I give up the attack with Submarine One. After that, Submarine Two makes a direct attack!"
The first unit pulled back, and the second took its place with precise timing. Torpedoes launched again, leaving long trails of bubbles as visual effects.
"At this moment, I activate the field effect of 'Megaroid City'," Yugen said. "When a 'Machina' monster battles, I send one 'Machina' monster from my Deck to the Graveyard to swap that monster's original ATK and DEF!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Submarineroid, ATK 800 to ATK 1800.
Seika Kohinata's expression changed sharply. "A direct attack with 1800 ATK?"
Before she could finish speaking, the torpedoes hit. She cried out as the explosion effects knocked her backward, and the exaggerated motion caused a stir among the crowd.
Seika Kohinata, LP 3200 to LP 1400.
"You little punk," she growled through clenched teeth. She forced herself to cling to her idol image and refined manners, barely holding back the urge to physically rush across and slap him.
"The 'Submarineroid' that attacked switches to Defense Position," Yugen said. "Then I set one more card to my back row. My turn ends."
Seika Kohinata took a deep breath and steadied herself, forcing her focus back onto the rhythm of her Duel.
"My Turn!, Card Draw!"
"At this moment, the effect of 'Lava Golem' activates," Yugen said. "During the Standby Phase, 'Lava Golem' deals 1000 damage to its controller."
"Nani?!?"
Her face went pale as she looked up. The ugly, solid brute was staring down at her too, grinning as if it were laughing at her.
A mass of scalding heat poured down over her in a violent cascade.
"Ugh!"
Seika Kohinata, LP 1400 to LP 400.
She raised her head again, eyes bloodshot as she stared across the field. For a moment, titles like Academy Lady and champion seemed to vanish from her mind. All that remained was one raw thought.
Kill this scheming bastard.
"The card I drew is the Equip Spell 'Axe of Despair'!" she shouted. "I switch 'Lava Golem' to Attack Position and equip it. The equipped monster gains 1000 ATK!"
Lava Golem, ATK 3000 to ATK 4000.
"Now the 'Lava Golem' you gave me has 4000 ATK!" she roared, face twisted. "Feel the power of your own monster. 'Lava Golem', attack!"
"I activate my face-down card," Yugen said calmly. "Continuous Trap, Spellbinding Circle. It binds one monster on your field. That monster cannot attack." (ANIME EFFECT) "I lock down 'Lava Golem'."
She was on the verge of exploding.
What kind of nonsense is this? It eats my monsters, burns my life points, and now it cannot even attack?
From a projection standpoint, the massive 'Lava Golem' should not have been restrained by such a small wheel. Yet the iron brute cooperated completely, even stretching out its hands as if surrendering. The wheels clamped onto its arms, and it let out a muffled growl while helplessly gesturing toward Seika Kohinata.
See, not my fault. I have no choice.
Her blood pressure kept climbing. Are you two in this together or what?
"Well then, my My Turn!. Oh right, one more thing," Yugen said with a bright smile. "Spellbinding Circle has another effect, senior. While a monster is bound by it, its controller takes 500 damage during each of my Standby Phases." (ANIME EFFECT)
Seika Kohinata stared. "What?"
How much damage?
Seika Kohinata, LP 400.
She looked up in horror at the burning iron brute staring back at her. For some reason, she could almost see a trace of innocence in its hollow eyes as it slowly offered the spiked wheel toward her.
As if to say, do not blame me. I really have no choice.
She collapsed onto the ground with a scream.
Do not come any closer. Stay away from me!
The spiked interrogation wheel rolled over her body.
Seika Kohinata, LP 400 to LP 0.
The first match ended in less than ten minutes, and Yugen smoothly took five credits. His mood was great, because this single Duel earned more credits than a round in the Exchange Duel Tournament. The points came far too easily, almost to the point of disbelief.
If it were possible, he even wanted to ask the senior if they could play a best of five and wager five credits each round. Judging by the senior's furious expression, though, she clearly had no interest in continuing. The audience who watched the whole thing fell into silence for a while.
After a moment, a student from the Duel Academy Student Council could not help stepping forward and asking, "Um, Yugen, is the soul of your Deck a Lava Golem?"
Yugen raised an eyebrow. What, was that tone looking down on his Lava Golem? He immediately felt the need to argue it out properly.
"What, is the Lava Golem's ATK not high enough?" he shot back.
"Oh, no, that's not it." Its ATK was on the same level as the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Who would dare say it was low?
"Then you think the level is too low?" "No, no, level eight is already very impressive." "Then you think the effect isn't strong enough?" "The effect is pretty strong." "Then why can't it be my soul?" Yugen said righteously.
Nakamura fell silent. The logic was flawless, leaving him with nothing to say. It just felt strange to him out of habit, since a soul that appeared on the opponent's field the moment it was summoned always felt a bit wrong.
In a corner of the venue, within the crowd, a certain Jellyfish Hair who had also been dragged in by the Duel Academy Student Council for not voting spoke up. "Oh, that Yugen looks really strong. I wonder when I'll get a chance to Duel him."
"Eh!?" The lackey beside him, Sho Marufuji, stared at his boss in shock. He wondered just how obsessed with cards Judai Yuki had to be to see a Duel like that and still want to jump in. Shouldn't a normal person keep their distance and quietly blacklist him instead?