For someone using a Deck Destruction strategy, Breo was actually quite lucky.
Deck Destruction tactics involved destroying the opponent's Deck and thinning it down until they had zero cards left to draw. According to the rules, a duelist with no cards remaining in their Deck could no longer continue the duel—this was a fundamental rule.
Unlike Life Points, which started at the same fixed amount for everyone, Deck sizes varied from person to person.
Most of the Decks Kira used in the anime world were 60-card thick Decks. As previously analyzed, in the anime world, the thicker the Deck, the more filler cards you could include, and the greater the Deck's resilience. This reduced the chance of instantly losing to an unbeatable board.
That said, not all of Kira's Decks were thick ones. He also ran Decks that stayed exactly at the 40-card minimum. For Kira, these were usually stunt or acrobatic Decks.
Yes—acrobatic Decks, built entirely around a specific one-turn kill combo.
In short, the entire Deck existed to serve one specific combo. There was no need to add extra filler cards for resilience. On the contrary, the fewer cards in the Deck, the easier it was to assemble that combo.
Such Decks were excellent for messing around or crushing opponents far below your level, but they performed worse than conventional thick Decks against strong opponents.
Breo was lucky today—Kira was using exactly one of those standard 40-card Decks. For a Deck Destruction user, it was like the opponent had less health. Thinning it out would naturally be far easier than against a 60-card Deck.
The Synchro Material, Voltic Bicorn's phantom, passed straight through Kira. Its two horns forked off the top card of Kira's Deck, sending both into the Graveyard.
"Then I battle!" Breo declared. "Voltic Bicorn, attack 'Gearfried the Iron Knight'!"
The bicorn let out a neigh as transparent electricity surged across its body.
The lightning converged along the electric patterns on its form and gathered at its horns. As it charged, it transformed into a swirling vortex of thunder crashing toward Kira.
"In that case, I activate my set card," Kira said. "Trap Card 'Mirror Force'! When an opponent's monster declares an attack, destroy all Attack Position monsters the opponent controls!"
The Trap flipped over. Sacred blue energy erupted from the card, forming a hemispherical shield.
The massive thunderbolt slammed into the barrier, exploding in a shower of sparks that rebounded onto Voltic Bicorn itself, electrocuting it into fragments.
"Hahaha, you actually set such a powerful Trap. As expected of the Director," Breo laughed. "But at this moment, Voltic Bicorn's effect also activates! When Voltic Bicorn is destroyed, both players send a number of cards from the top of their Decks to the Graveyard equal to its Level!" (Anime effect)
In the real card version, this was changed to "when destroyed by the opponent," which weakened its utility as the core of Deck Destruction strategies.
The real card simply sends seven cards from both Decks to the Graveyard, while the anime version depended on the Level of the destroyed Bicorn.
Voltic Bicorn was Level 7, so in most cases it sent seven cards, just like the real card. However, with the anime effect, it was theoretically possible to stack its Level higher and mill ten or twenty cards at once.
The real card had effectively capped this monster's potential.
Seven cards cascaded like flowing water from Kira's Deck into the Graveyard. His Deck was now down to 25 cards.
Breo: "I set two cards. Turn end!"
Although he had milled a good number of Kira's cards in one go, Breo's own field was now completely empty. With no monsters to act as a defensive line, he had clearly placed all his hopes for defense on those two set cards.
Kira: "My turn, draw."
"I summon 'Protector of the Sanctuary'."
The massive phantom of the temple guardian appeared. Its semi-transparent body was covered in intricate, maze-like patterns, and its face looked rather simple and harmless.
[Protector of the Sanctuary, ATK 1100]
"Battle," Kira said. "Gearfried the Iron Knight, direct attack."
The knight in pitch-black iron armor flew forward through the air and slashed downward at Breo.
Kira had expected the sword to trigger one of the Traps, but it passed straight through the backrow and struck Breo unobstructed.
Breo's Duel Runner shook as he took the impact.
[Breo, LP 4000 → LP 2200]
Kira: "Oh? No Trap to respond to the attack?"
"Ahahaha, Director, don't be impatient. Here it comes."
Breo laughed.
"I activate my set card, Trap Card 'Regretful Tuning'! This card can only be activated when you take direct attack damage. Special Summon 1 Synchro Monster from your Graveyard. Revive, Voltic Bicorn!"
Electricity surged once more as the recently departed bicorn returned to the field.
[Voltic Bicorn, ATK 2500]
"However, as a side effect, if the monster Special Summoned by this effect declares an attack, it must be destroyed at the end of that Battle Phase." Breo continued explaining.
Kira understood: "If Voltic Bicorn is destroyed, it will mill another seven cards from my Deck."
"Exactly!" Breo grinned. "A duelist with no cards left in their Deck cannot continue riding."
"Then you'd better work hard. My Deck still has quite a few cards left," Kira smiled. "I set one card. Turn end."
"My turn, draw!"
Breo swept his hand forward.
"Then let me continue right away! Voltic Bicorn, attack 'Gearfried the Iron Knight'!"
The bicorn charged again. Lightning shot from its horns, striking the iron knight's armored shell.
"At that moment, I activate the effect of 'Shield Warrior' in my Graveyard," Kira said. "While Shield Warrior is in the Graveyard, once per turn, by banishing it, 1 monster I control cannot be destroyed by battle."
The monster card appeared out of thin air like a shield in front of the Iron Knight. A warrior holding a shield emerged and blocked the full force of the electric impact.
Breo: "One of the cards I milled from your Deck?"
Kira smiled: "That's right. Thanks to you sending it to the Graveyard, I could activate it."
"Hmph." Breo said. "But the damage still applies."
[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 3300]
"And after the Voltic Bicorn revived by 'Regretful Tuning' attacks, the bicorn summoned by that effect is destroyed!"
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