"I'll go first, draw a card." Hibiki Koyo said, "I summon 'Elemental Hero Blazeman', in attack position!"
[Elemental Hero Blazeman, Attack Power 1200]
"Blazeman's effect, when summoned, adds a 'Fusion' card from the deck to the hand!" Hibiki Koyo drew a card from the deck, "I add the Magic Card 'Fusion' to my hand."
Next, the Magic Card 'Fusion' is activated! Fusion the 'Elemental Hero Blazeman' on the field and the Water-attribute 'Elemental Hero Ice Edge' in hand!
Fusion Summon! The Elemental Hero born in the depths of the frigid abyss—
—Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!!!"
A storm of ice and snow surged, merging the heroes into a whirlpool of flames and white snow. The hero in simple white armor landed silently on the frozen ground, with snowflakes seemingly suspended in the air, a white cape rising and falling.
[Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, Attack Power 2500]
Absolute Zero Hero is almost a signature of Youyu until now, and this is the first time he's facing this top-tier Elemental Hero in an actual battle.
It's been mentioned before that Absolute Zero Hero is extremely rare. To be more precise, besides Yuki Judai, who received it as a gift from Youyu, only two people in the world possess "Absolute Zero Hero."
One is the First Duel King, Youyu, and the other is the Second Duel King, Hibiki Koyo.
Although the Duel World generally considers this powerful ice hero as one of Youyu's aces—after all, he was the first to use it in tournaments—truth be told, if you trace the origins and background of Absolute Zero Hero in the comics, he should actually be exclusive to Hibiki Koyo.
In the original work, Absolute Zero Hero is Hibiki Koyo's ace monster as a world champion in the professional league, much like the Black Magician owned by Yugi.
"Set one card, turn ends!" Hibiki Koyo said.
"Then it's my turn, draw a card."
When Absolute Zero Hero leaves the field, it freezes any monster on the opponent's field, a fact Youyu knows better than anyone. Whether to destroy, banish, return to the hand, or send to the graveyard, this universal field-clearing effect cannot be avoided.
Therefore, to organize an effective attack, one must first overcome Absolute Zero Hero.
And Hibiki Koyo's defenses may not stop at just that.
Being the most renowned Hero Deck user in the world today, Youyu is well aware of various heroes' characteristics and strategic setups. Hibiki Koyo, as a Duel King famous for his hero series, should be equally familiar with this system.
Absolute Zero Hero can destroy all opponent's monsters, but this effect must be activated when he leaves the field, making its activation somewhat passive. It can only be triggered based on the opponent's actions during their turn.
Unless...
Youyu's gaze fell on the set card in Hibiki Koyo's back row.
He foresaw that card was likely a trap that could proactively make his "Absolute Zero Hero" leave the field, triggering the field-clearing effect.
"I summon 'Chocolate Magician Girl'!"
[Chocolate Magician Girl, Attack Power 1600]
"Chocolate Girl's effect, once per turn, discard one Spellcaster-Type from the hand and draw a card from the deck."
Youyu discarded a card from his hand to the grave and immediately drew from the deck.
Hibiki Koyo squinted slightly.
Not a hero, but a magician?
This made Hibiki Koyo, who expected a battle of "the world's strongest Hero users," somewhat displeased.
Though Tragoedia brainwashed him into becoming its pawn, he retained his will and thoughts, with only part of his perception distorted through mental manipulation.
As a duelist, Hibiki Koyo instinctively hoped to face Youyu's Hero Deck.
To him, the First Duel King was considered a senior.
"Quick-Play Magic 'Dimension Magic'!" Youyu said, "When there's a Spellcaster-Type on your field, you can sacrifice a monster on your field to special summon a Spellcaster-Type from your hand!"
This card, as one of the most favored Spellcaster-Type support cards by another Duel King, Muto Yugi, is almost universally recognized in terms of its effect.
Although Youyu didn't finish explaining, Hibiki Koyo understood that there was a follow-up effect to this card. After special summoning a Spellcaster-Type, you can select and destroy one monster on the field.
In other words, if Allowing Youyu to complete the effect processing, Hibiki Koyo's Absolute Zero Hero would have to make its exit here.
In that case, it's better to strike first.
"Flip Cover Card!" He revealed the set card in the back row, "Trap Card 'Altar for Tribute'! Sacrifice a monster on your field and restore Life Points equal to its original attack power value!"
"I offer up 'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero' as a sacrifice!"
[Hibiki Koyo, LP 4000 → LP 6500]
An ancient and sinister altar appeared, and the hero in the white armor vanished into the depths of that bloodstained altar. An endless freezing cold erupted from the dark abyss, with white waves sweeping across the land, freezing the altar along with everything else into an ice sculpture.
The delicate and tender Magic Girl couldn't withstand such a cold wave. She sneezed, hugging her shoulders and curling up into a ball, with frost covering her fair arms and legs. Her small devil-like wings drooped and quivered as she shivered.
With the only Absolute Zero on the field destroyed, Hibiki Koyo's set card in the back row would be just for show. Rather than let the opponent destroy it, sacrificing it herself could recover some life points and strengthen her defense.
Moreover, Absolute Zero used as a sacrifice would also trigger its effect, destroying all the opponent's monsters on the field. No matter what Spellcaster Youyu plans to summon next, they won't escape the ice and snow.
"Quick-Play Spell - Mask Change II!" Youyu waved his hand grandly, "Discard a card from your hand and send a monster on your field to the graveyard. Special summon a 'Masked Hero' with the same attribute but higher level!"
"I send the Water Attribute 'Chocolate Magician Girl' on the field to the graveyard, for a masked transformation!"
"!?" A stiff look of shock appeared on Hibiki Koyo's face.
Transforming the Magician Girl with a mask!?
Wait, does that mean the opponent isn't planning to summon a Spellcaster but...
The frozen ground broke apart, and the ice crystals shattered to pieces. Streams of water burst from beneath the ground, swirling and dancing around the girl who was almost frozen into a popsicle.
The water quickly coalesced, transforming into a blue armor that adhered to her body as if magnetized. The chocolate girl's fair arms and legs were covered in armor, her small wings retracted and tucked inside. The helmet enclosed her head, and the visor over her eyes glowed with a crimson light.
Masked Hero: Mist Water, summon!
[Masked Hero: Mist Water, ATK 2400]
The Absolute Zero cold wave pressed in, seemingly about to freeze everything. But Mist Water merely raised an arm, sweeping casually, and the water surge shot out like an arrow, shattering the cold wave in an instant!
"'Masked Hero: Mist Water' can't be destroyed by any card effects." Youyu smiled, "Even Absolute Zero's ability is ineffective against him."
He waved his hand.
"Next is the Magic Card 'Dark Magic Curtain'! Pay 1000 Life Points, and revive the 'Dark Magician' from the graveyard!"
"The Dark Magician in the graveyard..." Hibiki Koyo's eyes moved.
Chocolate Magician Girl's effect is "discard a Spellcaster-Type card to draw a card," so the Spellcaster discarded at that moment was...
[Youyu, LP 4000 → LP 3000]
Youyu raised his arm.
"The top mage who has mastered the mysteries of Dark Magic—
—Dark Magician, summon!"
Complex lines interwove, weaving the magician's array. A sleek black figure soared from the array, twirling the Magic Staff lightly in hand.
[Dark Magician, ATK 2500]
"Battle! Use 'Masked Hero: Mist Water' for a direct attack!"
Mist Water surged forward on the raging torrents, leaping into the air amid the rushing water. His figure spun, the sharp white blade cutting through the pale blue water curtain, mercilessly slashing through Hibiki Koyo!
[Hibiki Koyo, LP 6500 → LP 4100]
Hibiki Koyo groaned, clutching his chest in intense pain as he staggered back a step.
"Next is the direct attack of the 'Dark Magician'!"
The magician stood on a transparent array, ascending into the air. He swung the Magic Staff, the array's circular ring rotated, and the power of Dark Magic surged into the staff along the rune-inscribed edge.
Dark Magic!
The Black Magic Shock hit Hibiki Koyo heavily and unimpeded. The impact from the Darkness Game blasted him away, with the shock from the ground connecting his body from the spine upwards.
[Hibiki Koyo, LP 4100 → LP 1600]
"Set a card face down and end the turn," Youyu said.
Hibiki Koyo steadied his footing, straightening back up, squinting slightly.
What exactly is the First Duel King's deck all about?