Judai declared the end of his turn, and now it was Ryo Marufuji's turn. However, the moment Ryo drew a card, the effect of "Nightmare's Mirage" activated, replenishing Judai's hand to four cards in one go.
That's why they say the true Duel King is never afraid of losing cards, because they have countless ways to replenish their hand that you couldn't even imagine...
But sometimes things do go wrong.
Like when dueling with Professor Youyu, it's a memory Judai will never forget.
Youyu: "Judai, you're empty-handed and your field is bare, and your Life Points are like a flickering candle... can you still turn this around?"
Judai chuckled: "You never know what will happen until the very last moment, isn't that the fun of dueling, Professor? Alright, here I go, my turn, draw!"
Youyu with a blank expression: "I activate the Set Card 'Mind Crush,' declare a card name, and if your opponent has that card in their hand, they must discard it. I declare 'Elemental Hero Bubbleman.'
Judai (looking at the Bubbleman he just drew by luck): "......"
GX animation fans all know, just like how Kaiba can never beat Yugi, or Sakuretsu Armor always gets negated, some rules in GX seem to be decreed by the will of the Macro Cosmos.
For instance, Yuki Judai always draws Bubbleman when he's empty-handed and fieldless...
Alright, maybe not always, but the probability is extremely high.
When Bubbleman is the only card in hand, you can Special Summon it directly, and if there are no other cards on the field when summoned, you can draw two additional cards.
In such cases, the two cards Judai draws next are fixed, one of which is inevitably "Pot of Greed," and the other is likely to be the Equip Magic "Bubble Blaster."
Makes you think he hasn't shuffled his deck in almost two hundred episodes...
It was Ryo Marufuji's turn, and he surprisingly played the Field Magic "Fusion Gate."
Cyber Dragon focusing on fusion isn't unusual, but this Fusion Gate was indeed quite unexpected. In fact, Fusion Gate is considered a Rare Card in this world, and in the anime, only Yuki Judai has used it.
It's clear that over the past year, Ryo Marufuji has adjusted his deck quite a bit, with a tactical approach that's nothing like before.
Seeing the Fusion Gate made Judai look forward to it again: "Oh oh, he's going to fuse, is the Cyber End Dragon finally coming out?"
But Ryo Marufuji waved his hand grandly: "I fuse 'Proto-Cyber Dragon' and 'Cyber Dragon Vier' in my hand!
The fusion condition is two or more 'Cyber Dragon' monsters! Fusion Summon——
——Chimeratech Rampage Dragon!!!"
Two steel dragon heads emerged from the pitch-black fortress, metallic components reshaping and transforming, countless electric sparks leaping along the iron body.
Chimeratech Rampage Dragon, Summon!
[Chimeratech Rampage Dragon, ATK 2100]
"Huh? Not Cyber End Dragon?" Judai was surprised.
"That's strange." On the spectator seat, little brother Shou Marufuji also sensed something was off, "Big brother seems a bit different today."
"How is he different?" Mitsuzawa asked from the side.
"He's been dueling all this time without summoning Cyber Dragon, Cyber Twin Dragon, or Cyber End Dragon... It feels like this is the first time seeing big brother duel like this."
Mitsuzawa was taken aback: "Is that so?"
Indeed, in the original series until he stumbled and fell in the pro league, Ryo Marufuji always adhered to his convictions——
——respect the duel, respect the opponent.
And he always sought to end battles using "Cyber End Dragon," considering it a representation of his utmost effort, the best respect he could show an enemy.
"Thanks to you, I realized how narrow my perspective was in the past." Ryo Marufuji earnestly looked at Judai and said, "Being fixated on Cyber End Dragon, excessively binding myself within my own duel, that... wasn't truly giving my all!
To win victory, one must spare no means necessary, that's what a real duel is!"
"Oh... oh." Judai nodded, bewildered.
Although he didn't understand, it sounded impressive...
Cyber End Dragon has its limits.
So Ryo Marufuji decided to surpass those limits!
"Watch closely, Judai, this is the limit I've reached at graduation!" Ryo Marufuji shouted, "Chimeratech Rampage Dragon's effect activates! Upon Summoning, based on the number of Fusion Materials used for the Fusion Summon, I can destroy a corresponding number of Magic and Trap Cards on the field.
I will destroy those two Set Cards in your back row!"
Ryo Marufuji pointed at Judai's two Set Cards in the back row.
"Eh~ It actually has a back-row destruction effect?" Judai showed a surprised expression.
Ryo, you've changed.
In the past, when people had three Set Cards in their back row, you would go straight for Cyber End Dragon's face without a second thought...
"Then Quick-Play Magic 'Emergency Provisions'!" Judai waved his hand and flipped over a Set Card, "I'll use Continuous Magic 'Nightmare's Mirage' and the other Set Card targeted by 'Chimeratech Rampage Dragon' as offerings, and recover 2000 Life Points!"
[Judai, LP 4000 → LP 6000]
The secret technique of the Supreme King has appeared—Mirage must partner with Emergency Provisions.
Kaiba's 502, everyone who used it praised it.
Seeing the sacrificed Set Card go to the graveyard, Ryo Marufuji couldn't help but smirk.
"'Crushing Hole,' during this turn, when a Monster is summoned or Special Summoned, if an attack is declared, that Monster is destroyed, and half of its attack value is inflicted as damage.
Too bad, if I recklessly attacked, I would have been counterattacked."
"Yes, yes." Judai nodded in agreement.
"Then another effect of 'Chimeratech Rampage Dragon,' once per turn, I can send up to two Light Attribute Machine-Type Monsters from the deck to the graveyard, and 'Chimeratech Rampage Dragon' can gain that many additional attack times this turn.
I send 'Cyber Dragon Core' and 'Cyber Dragon Zwei' from the deck to the graveyard, adding two additional attack times."
"Two additional attack times?" Judai started counting on his fingers, "So 'Chimeratech Rampage Dragon'..."
"Can attack three times this turn!" Ryo Marufuji declared.
"Eh? That strong?" Judai was surprised.
Clearing the back row, multiple attacks, and even sending cards precisely from the deck to the graveyard...
...this new Cyber Dragon, which I've never seen before, seems a bit overpoweringly strong!
"Battle!" Ryo Marufuji shouted loudly, with the momentum of a king drawing his sword to lead an army, "First attack of 'Chimeratech Rampage Dragon!'
First, attack 'Elemental Hero Blazeman'!"
"So strong, this kind of Monster can instantly kill if you're not careful."
Judai said as he drew a card from his hand.
"Then I activate the effect of 'Sphere Kuriboh' in my hand, discarding 'Sphere Kuriboh' to turn the attacking monster to Defense Position."
[Chimeratech Rampage Dragon, ATK 2100 → DEF 1600]
The invincible Kuriboh popped up out of nowhere, chirping "Kuriboh Kuriboh," and the arrogant cyber dragon monster immediately switched to defense, all three attacks choked off at the cradle.
Ryo Marufuji: "..."