"Come on!" Captain Black shouted.
"I use the Level 3 Tuner monster 'Psychic Commander'! The Level 3 'Hushed Psychic Cleric'! Tuning!"
[3 + 3 = 6]
"Born from the chaotic storm of thoughts, the embodiment of madness, feeding on twisted psychic power—tear apart reality! Synchro Summon! Level 6, Psychic Nightmare!"
Once again, the vortex of psychic energy exploded in the darkness. Purple-black neural fibers arranged into a humanoid form, and the Synchro Psychic Nightmare coalesced once more on the starry path.
[Psychic Nightmare, ATK 2400]
"Hoh," Kira said, "the same monster as your teammate's?"
"That's right—this is how Team Psychic duels!" Black declared. "Using the same Type and similar Decks to maintain the highest level of tactical synchronization among the three of us. Perfect coordination—this is our team-first style of battle!"
Kira nodded. "That does make some sense."
Indeed. If all three team members used the same Type and similar Decks, they could achieve the best possible handoff during relays. Each could freely use the monsters and back-row left by the previous runner, and if someone felt they were done, they could pass their resources on for the next teammate to use.
The resources left by the previous runner could be guaranteed to be utilized most effectively.
It would be impossible to do this if the three used completely unrelated Decks. For example, if one played a Warrior Deck and another a Dragon Deck, all the Warrior support cards in the previous runner's hand would be dead cards to the next teammate, offering no help at all.
"Because 'Hushed Psychic Cleric' was sent to the Graveyard as Synchro Material, its effect also activates!" Black shouted. "When Hushed Psychic Cleric is sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon the Psychic-Type monster that was previously banished by its effect."
Black raised his arm high. An extradimensional vortex immediately opened above his Duel Runner. Psychic storm erupted from it, and the Psychic warrior wearing blue goggles flew out.
"Special Summon the 'Mental Seeker' that was previously banished by the Cleric!"
[Mental Seeker, ATK 800]
"At this moment, Mental Seeker's effect activates!" Black continued. "When Mental Seeker that was banished is Special Summoned back to the field, reveal the top three cards of your opponent's Deck. You can banish one of them, and return the remaining two to the Deck and shuffle."
Black pointed at Kira. "Come on, flip over the top three cards of your Deck and show me!"
Kira calmly revealed the top three cards.
The moment the first card was revealed, Black gasped sharply.
Divine intervention forbid it!
Indeed, the top card of Kira's Deck was none other than the almighty "forbidden" Counter Trap—Solemn Judgment!
Solemn Judgment, the representative all-purpose Counter Trap. By paying half your Life Points, it could negate a monster's Summon or negate the activation of a Spell or Trap—basically allowing you to undo almost any action the opponent took.
Paired with the Artemis and Meltiel currently on Kira's field, negating the opponent with Solemn Judgment would also let him draw a card and recover Life Points…
It was a nightmare card for any opponent.
Without hesitation, Black said, "I banish 'Solemn Judgment'!"
Kira complied and banished the old man card.
The little Mental Seeker let out a clear shout, extending its right palm with fingers spread. A transparent void opened beside Kira's Duel Runner, sucking in the invincible old man before it even had a chance to appear.
"Too bad," Kira smiled. "I would've drawn it on the next card."
Black secretly felt lingering fear. That was close.
The opponent's next card would have been Solemn Judgment. With that Counter Angel formation, drawing the old man would have been extremely troublesome.
Black continued, "Next, Level 3 Tuner monster 'Mental Seeker'! Level 6 'Overdrive Teleporter'! Tuning!"
[3 + 6 = 9]
"Psychic Armament, full magazine load! Synchro Summon! Level 9, Hyper Psychic Blaster!"
Transcendent psychic power surged forth. Invisible energy waves wove a magnificent scene. A warrior clad in pure white armor, his body shining with silver-white luster, held two uniquely shaped guns—one pure white, the other pitch-black—connected to the armored torso by slender cables that flickered with faint electric light.
[Hyper Psychic Blaster, ATK 3000]
The airplane-haired commentator said, "This is truly completely unexpected! Following the first runner Lina, Captain Black has also performed a double Synchro in a single turn! And he even brought out the 9-star ace Hyper Psychic Blaster!
Is this the strength of Team Psychic? Layer upon layer of surging, relentless Psychic assaults—can Kira still block them as smoothly as before!?"
Black knew that although Lina had seemed completely dominated, she had actually created an opportunity for him. After her defeat, the turn had immediately jumped to his. This opening turn of his was the best chance to deal a heavy blow to the opponent.
"Lina, I won't waste the opportunity you gave me!" Black shouted.
"I now activate the effect of 'Psychic Nightmare'! Once per turn, look at one card in your opponent's hand and guess its type! If you guess correctly, Psychic Nightmare gains 1000 ATK until the end of the next turn!"
The system randomly selected one card from Kira's hand.
The card hovered in mid-air, face-down toward Black.
"This card is… a Spell Card!"
The card flipped over, and Black had indeed guessed correctly. It was a Spell Card—Card Destruction.
The airplane-haired commentator: "He guessed it! This means Psychic Nightmare gains an extra 1000 ATK! Has the goddess of fate already sided with Team Psychic!?"
[Psychic Nightmare, ATK 2400 → ATK 3400]
Clearly, there would be no Divine Wrath to counter Psychic Nightmare's effect this time.
The ability resolved successfully, granting it ATK that surpassed even the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
"If you can stop the fury of psychic power, then try!" Black shouted. "Battle! Attack 'Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord' with 'Psychic Nightmare'!"
Countless greenish electric snakes gathered in Psychic Nightmare's claws, crackling around the sharp tips.
The demon spread its wings and flew out, swiping a claw through the air straight at the Dark Dragon Lord.
"Counter Trap 'Negate Attack'," Kira snapped his fingers. "The opponent's attack is negated, and the Battle Phase is forcibly ended!"
A transparent vortex formed from the wind, blocking Psychic Nightmare's powerful swipe. A strong repulsive force exploded within the wind, blasting the demon backward.
Black: "Tch, this one's also a Counter Trap…"
"Correct," Kira smiled. "Because Negate Attack was activated, Bountiful Artemis's effect lets me draw one card from my Deck."
Kira drew a card.
"Meltiel's effect—I gain 1000 Life Points."
[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 5000]
"But that's not all. Meltiel, Sage of the Sky has an additional effect," Kira said. "When 'Sanctuary in the Sky' is on the field and you activate a Counter Trap, you can then destroy one card on the opponent's field!"
Black: "!!!"
What did you say!?