Of course. I wasn't going to leave you with an empty field and give you the condition to activate Infinite Impermanence, forcing out my omni-negates instead.
Albel replied calmly.
Yes—arrogant as he was, and fully convinced that You Ye couldn't break his field, his mind was still crystal clear.
He wouldn't give You Ye even the slightest opening.
He wanted a crushing, absolute victory.
"Mm. My turn."
You Ye drew a card, glanced at his hand, and entered Main Phase 1.
As the Main Phase began, the throne beside Albel manifested once more. One hand rested on the armrest, the other propped up his chin as he watched you, Ye, with keen interest—
Then suddenly—
The Fossil Dino Pachycephalo, Baronne de Fleur, and Herald of the Arc Light on Abel's field vanished.
In their place, a gigantic golden egg appeared in his field.
You Ye, raised a finger and spoke slowly.
"The effect of The Winged Dragon of Ra – Sphere Mode.
This card cannot be Special Summoned.
When it is Normal Summoned, you must Tribute three monsters from your own field to your own field, or Tribute three monsters from your opponent's field to your opponent's field.
Control of this card returns to its original owner during the End Phase of the next turn."
"The divine egg of Ra…?
And it's a Normal Summon?!"
Albel shot to his feet from the throne, staring at the golden sphere in disbelief.
He had locked Special Summons.
So how was You Ye still able to Normal Summon, tributing three of his monsters?
"Of course," You Ye replied with a polite smile.
"It's in your field. You can confirm the effect yourself."
"Th—this…"
Albel felt sick.
Only now did he realize how ridiculous he must have looked earlier, confidently explaining his 'unbreakable' board like a clown.
And he finally understood why You Ye had never been anxious.
Why would he be?
Unless you can stop Normal Summons, boards like Pachycephalo or Earth-locks mean nothing.
They just get tributed—along with two more monsters—for free.
"…Wait.
Did you already know my Megalith Earth-pile end board and deliberately tech Sphere Mode for it?"
The realization sent chills through Albel's scalp.
"Correct," You Ye nodded.
Megalith Earth piles almost always end on summon locks plus more than three monsters.
Against that, Sphere Mode was the perfect answer.
Why hadn't he run it before?
Simple.
His previous opponents were too weak. They weren't worth teaching for.
"This can't be…
That deck was created by a human King-tier Duelist, never revealed publicly.
The Duel Rules copied it for me after certain conditions were met—how did you know?!"
Albel asked, though deep down, he already believed the answer.
If you didn't understand the deck, there was no way he'd bring such a precise counter.
"Oh? A King-tier Duelist's deck? Copied by the Duel Rules?"
You Ye was momentarily surprised and fell into thought.
This Earth pile didn't even include Naturia or Vernusylph engines, and from the Adamancipator flips, the 60-card list was bloated.
Yet even so, compared to many decks he'd seen, it was far more modernized.
More importantly, time.
Judging by Albel's proficiency, he'd had this deck for quite a while.
Which meant—
If that King-tier Duelist kept refining Earth piles, eventually mixing Naturia, Vernusylph, and even Superheavy Samurai into a 60-card build…
The power ceiling would be terrifying.
And a King-tier Duelist running 60 cards wouldn't brick.
Just thinking about it was unsettling.
This world's waters were clearly deeper than You Ye had thought.
Top-tier duelists weren't primitive at all.
"…Not yet."
You, Ye, murmured.
Once his Duel Rank rose higher and his collection was complete—
60-card Earth pile or not, it'd still be trash.
His focus snapped back to the duel.
"I activate Runick Allure.
Then Runick Slumber, targeting your Block Dragon.
Chain 2: Freezing Curses, targeting Apollousa.
Chain 3: Runick Destruction, targeting Prohibition.
Chain 4: Runick Slumber of Rage, banishing cards."
A four-link chain erupted instantly, tearing Albel's field apart.
"…!"
Albel's expression darkened.
Once this chain is resolved, his deck would be shredded.
Chain resolution, from back to front—
Chain 4: Runick Slumber of Rage banishes 4 cards
Chain 3: Runick Destruction destroys Prohibition, banishing 4 more
Chain 2: Freezing Curses negates Apollousa, banishing 3
Chain 1: Runick Slumber destroys Block Dragon, banishing 3
Fourteen cards banished.
"Since I activated four Quick-Play Spells, Runick Allure triggers four times—banish four more cards."
Then—
"I place Runick Fountain.
Activate Golden Droplet, you draw 1, banish 4.
Continuous banish 1.
Runick Tip: discard 1, banish 2.
Continuous banish 1.
Fountain effect—return 3, draw 3."
Golden Droplet + Tip + Continuous effects—
Another ten cards banished.
Albel went numb.
Nearly 30 cards gone.
Add the 17 cards he'd already used to combo—
From a 60-card deck, only 15 cards remained.
Absurd didn't even begin to describe it.
"I activate Card of Sanctity—draw three, discard two.
Graveyard Swordmaster banishes itself, targeting Card of Sanctity, Spright Elf, and Spright Blue—they return to the Deck."
"I set a new Runick Fountain.
Discard two Runick Quick-Plays to activate Forbidden Droplet, non-targeting negate—
I negate Sphere Mode and Block Dragon."
"Continuous banish 1.
Runick Tip searches my third Fountain—banish 1.
Continuous banish 1.
Fountain Chain 2—draw 3, return 3."
"Finally, I activate Called by the Grave, banishing your Block Dragon.
Continuous banish 1."
"Runick Slumber summons Hugin.
Continuous banish 1.
Hugin + Spright Carrot → Link Summon Spright Elf.
Since you control a monster, Elf revives I:P Masquerena."
"I set five cards.
Discard excess hand.
Your turn."
"..."
With only 10 cards left in his deck, Albel felt completely numb.
After seeing You Ye dismantle the Crow duel, he knew what was coming next.
Another banish package.
Once it was resolved, the duel would be over.
For the first time in his life—
Albel was afraid to draw.
If he didn't draw, it wasn't his turn.
If it wasn't his turn, You Ye hadn't won yet.
But that was impossible.
He was the Duel Rules' proxy, yes—but even the Rules couldn't break their own laws.
"…Tell me when you reach your Standby Phase."
You Ye, waited calmly.
Nine cards left.
Golden Droplet + Dispel + Continuous banish would end it instantly.
Even with I:P still alive, the outcome was sealed.
"…My turn. Draw."
Albel drew.
Nothing happened.
You Ye immediately took over.
Golden Droplet—banish 4 + 1.
Dispel—2 + 1 + 1.
All nine cards banished.
"To you."
Albel stared at the third Pot of Avarice in his hand.
It felt like a mockery.
Such an overpowered card—yet he'd still lost so utterly.
After a long silence, he exhaled.
"I lost."
"But I'll make one last attack—just to shave your Life Points, as proof we dueled."
"Battle Phase!"
"Wait."
You Ye, stopped him and pointed at me: P.
"If you want to fight to the end, I'll accompany you."
"I:P effect—Link Summon during your turn."
"Link Summon—Knightmare Unicorn!"
Golden light erupted.
A white-gold unicorn with a radiant halo descended, hooves standing upon the sky.
Knightmare Unicorn
Fiend / Link / Effect / DARK
ATK 2200
"…You're linking Unicorn on my turn?"
Albel knew its effect.
At that moment, he knew he'd lost completely.
You Ye, pointed at Unicorn.
"On Link Summon—discard one.
Target one card on the field—return it to the Deck."
"I discard Runick Slumber, targeting your Block Dragon."
Neigh—
Block Dragon vanished back into the Deck.
"I've lost. Completely."
"I shouldn't have challenged Maxx 'C'."
Albel surrendered.
There was no line left.
Not surrendering would only waste time.
"If you don't take the Maxx 'C', were you planning to flip five with Adamancipator and bounce my board for free?"
You, Ye, rolled his eyes.
"Have you ever hit five?
Your only three hit was on your last flip."
Albel fell silent.
Unless he flipped at least four, it never mattered.
And in reality—
He never did.
Even with Pot of Greed.
Even with higher Bonds.
Against Runick + Spright—
He was always on the passive side.
"You really are only a Mystic Rank Duelist?"
Albel asked at last.
"Of course," You Ye nodded, smiling faintly.
"That's just certification—not my ceiling.
And honestly, your lock board was trash. In some ways, it's worse than a four-material King of the Skull Servants."
"Next time, send the Rules themselves.
I'll show them what a real lock looks like."
"FTK is fine too.
If they target me, collecting interest isn't unreasonable."
Albel: "…"
He believed him.
For the first time, he felt pity—
For the next Rules proxy.