"Duel!" x2
[Youyu, LP 4000]
[Aigami, LP 4000]
"At the moment this duel begins!" Aigami raised his right hand high, the Quantum Cube spinning in mid-air, "Our field has already been activated!
This duel will proceed in the way of our Prana, our 'Dimensional Duel'!"
Youyu's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Not necessarily."
"Nani?"
Aigami was surprised to find that things were not unfolding as he had imagined. The expansion of the dimensional field seemed to have encountered some obstacle, halting rigidly, and the rotation of the Quantum Cube was forcibly stopped, its power seemingly disrupted by something.
"What...!?"
Aigami quickly discovered the source of this interference—the Duel Disc worn by Youyu.
"Sorry, but village rules end here." Youyu chuckled, "I wasn't planning to follow your rules."
Even Youyu had to admit that President Kaiba was indeed reliable in certain aspects. The metaphysical concept of "Dimensional Duel," he managed to handle it as easily as he claimed, was simply ridiculous.
Clearly, Aigami found it ridiculous too. His eyes were now wide open, staring directly at the Duel Disc in Youyu's hand.
"Impossible!" he exclaimed, "This Duel Disc... actually has a system to resist Prana's power?"
"Never tell President Kaiba something's impossible, you'll be shocked." Youyu shrugged, "That's probably how it is. This time, you'll have to follow our rules."
"Tch." Aigami clicked his tongue, continuing stubbornly, "Such details don't matter, my Cubic Monster won't be stopped by this level of interference!
It's my turn, draw a card!"
The first turn began on Aigami's side. His gaze swept over the initial six cards in his hand, quickly forming a strategy in his mind.
"Activate Continuous Magic - Cubic Dharma!" he said, "Send a 'Cubic' card from my hand to the Graveyard and draw one card from the Deck!"
He picked out a card, sent it to the Graveyard, and replaced it with a new card in his hand.
"Then I'll summon this guy... 'Cubic Seed', in Attack Position!"
A lone eye emerged from the swirling black mist, golden light transforming into a twisted, pitch-black body. The core of the Cubic Monster, the starting point of its strategy, Vijam the Cubic Seed appeared on the field.
[Cubic Seed, Attack 0]
The sight of this creature made Youyu unable to resist saying, are you Cubic players glued to Vijam or something...
"Set a card face-down, end my turn!" Aigami declared, "If you can, go ahead and defeat me, Duel King! Then you'll witness the terror of Cubic Monsters!"
What an odd request, Youyu thought to himself.
"Then it's my turn, draw a card."
Youyu revealed two cards from his hand.
"Summon from my hand, 'Elemental Hero Solidman'."
[Elemental Hero Solidman, Attack 1300]
"Solidman's effect." Youyu stated, "Upon successful summon, Special Summon another Hero Monster from the hand. I summon 'Elemental Hero Airman'!"
[Elemental Hero Airman, Attack 1800]
"Airman's effect." Youyu continued, "Upon summoning, add a 'Hero' Monster from the Deck to the hand. From the Deck... I add this card to my hand."
A card popped out from the card slot on the Duel Disc, and Youyu drew it into his hand, flipping it over for display.
"Destiny Hero Plasma!"
Aigami: "!"
He had investigated Duel King Youyu, understanding the characteristics and abilities of some powerful monsters in Youyu's possession. Among those that particularly caught his attention was this "Destiny Hero Plasma."
As long as it's on the field, it can seal all special effects of the opponent's monsters on the field—a hero so strong it defies logic.
This thing was practically the nemesis of his Cubic Deck!
His entire Cubic Deck almost entirely relied on monster effects for function. Vijam's ability to remain on the field with its "'not destroyed in battle and 'non-dimensionalization' of opponent's monster'" special effect, and other powerful Cubic Kings or Cubic Beasts—whose base attack was 0—needed their monster effects to boost attack power.
Destiny Hero Plasma standing on the opposing field, oh boy, lights out.
He might not even get the chance to show Youyu how terrifying his Cubic Monsters were because they'd all become zero-attack whiteboards.
Aigami's gaze towards Youyu grew fearful.
This guy... could it be that he's already aware of the characteristics of my Cubic Deck, and that's why he specifically prepared such a counter for me?
However, Aigami quickly calmed himself down.
Wait, Plasma is a high-cost big monster to summon, requiring three tributes. It's not that easy to pull off in one turn. I still have a chance...
"Quick-Play Magic - Mask Change." Youyu said, "Send a Hero Monster on the field to the Graveyard, and Special Summon a 'Masked Hero' with the corresponding attribute.
I send 'Elemental Hero Solidman' to the graveyard, mask transformation!
Masked Hero Dian, summon!"
The armor shining like a diamond covered Solidman entirely, a silver-white sword drew a brilliant pattern, and a bright blue gemstone shone at the center of the hero's belt.
[Masked Hero Dian, Attack Power 2800]
This Masked Hero was also recognized by Aigami. But what puzzled him was why Youyu didn't attack with Solidman first and then use the transformation effect.
After all, the advantage of mask change is that it's a Quick-play Magic, which can be used even during the Battle Phase. Given that, why not test Aigami's traps first with Solidman's attack, and then use the mask change to add an additional attack?
And Youyu quickly provided an answer. He calmly drew another card from his hand.
"Equip Magic - Rainbow Veil, equip to 'Masked Hero Dian,'" Youyu said. "When the equipped Monster battles the opponent's Monster, during the Battle Phase only, the opponent's Monster effects are negated!"
Aigami: "!!!"
WDNM, do Duel King's decks usually contain such stuff?
The fact that any Monster fighting "Masked Hero Dian" with Rainbow Veil will have all its effects negated, what does this mean? It means this "Masked Hero Dian," with a single sword, could cut through his entire Cubic Deck!
As previously mentioned, his Cubic Monsters originally have an Attack Power of basically 0, and they all gain Attack Power through their own Monster effects.
This means that any Cubic Monster fighting Dian equipped with "Rainbow Veil" will not only lose its Monster effects, but its attack strength will also plummet to 0 at the moment of battle.
Aigami had a strong illusion.
He felt like he was being specifically targeted.
"Battle," Youyu said. "Masked Hero Dian, attack 'Cubic Seed Bija'. "
He paused, then smiled slightly.
"Bija cannot be destroyed by battle and can move itself to the Magic Trap Zone, making the Monster it battled 'non-dimensional'...but if negated by Rainbow Veil, none of those abilities will work."
Aigami gritted his teeth.
Indeed, under that rainbow light, Cubic Seed Bija was completely just a trash mob with an Attack Power of 0. Dian swung his sword, easily slicing Bija in half, causing it to explode on the spot.
The explosion's shock wave swept towards Aigami's face, but his back-row Continuous Magic "Cubic Dharma" emitted a golden glow, forming a protective layer to block the damage.
"The effect of Continuous Magic 'Cubic Dharma,'" Aigami said, "As long as this card exists on the field, all battle damage received from Cubic Monsters is 0."
"Then the effect of 'Masked Hero Dian,'" Youyu said. "When it destroys an opponent's Monster by battle, special summon a Level 4 or lower Hero Monster from the deck.
I special summon 'Elemental Hero Shadow Mist!'
[Elemental Hero Shadow Mist, Attack Power 1000]
"Shadow Mist's effect, upon being special summoned, allows me to add the 'Mask Change' Quick-play Magic to my hand from the deck."
Youyu drew another card from the deck and displayed it.
"Add the Quick-play Magic 'Mask Change' to my hand."
Then with a grand gesture, he declared.
"Elemental Hero Airman, direct attack!"
The hero of the sky soared, his metallic armor humming deeply, with two turbines behind him spinning at full speed, unleashing a milky white typhoon head-on.
"Flip Cover Card!" Aigami's defense wasn't breached. "Trap Card - Pinpoint Guard! When the opponent attacks, special summon a Level 4 or lower Monster from your Graveyard in defense mode!
And the Monster special summoned by this effect can't be destroyed by battle or effects this turn."
A card that had just entered Aigami's graveyard moments ago was ejected.
"Revive from the Graveyard! Cubic Seed Bija!"
[Cubic Seed Bija, Defense Power 0]
Airman's typhoon encountered an obstacle, the deformed Cubic Monster resurrected with a leap, blocking the path of the attack.
"Due to the change in the field situation, a Battle Recall occurs, and my attack is halted," Youyu announced.
This gave Aigami a slight relief.
Pinpoint Guard's resistance meant that Bija wouldn't be destroyed in any way this turn, rendering continued attacks meaningless.
"Then my Battle Phase is over," Youyu stated, "Next, I activate the Quick-play Magic 'Mask Change' from my hand, sending the Hero Monster on the field to the Graveyard to special summon the corresponding Attribute's Masked Hero.
I send 'Elemental Hero Shadow Mist' to the graveyard, mask transformation!
Masked Hero Dark Claw!!!"
Explosive dark mist, clad in deep black armor with wild curves emerged from the abyss, resembling a starving wolf!
[Masked Hero Dark Claw, Attack Power 2400]
"While Dark Claw is present on the field, all cards sent to the opponent's Graveyard are directly banished from the game. Then I set one card, ending my turn."
With the end declaration, the black Masked Hero folded his arms, gazing coldly and sharply at Aigami. At his feet, a Set Card appeared, and with a gesture of "please," Youyu seemed to imply, "Please commence your performance."
Aigami: "..."