Ed player claimed that Destiny Heroes are stronger than Elemental Heroes, then immediately drew a card featuring Airman, making the scene momentarily bizarre...
Of course, he himself didn't seem to find anything wrong: "'Elemental Hero Airman' effect, when successfully summoned, add a 'Hero' named monster from the deck to the hand!
I add 'Vision Hero Faris' to my hand from the deck!"
Judai began to anticipate: "Oh, is it coming?"
As the saying goes, even if you haven't tasted pork, you've seen a pig run away. Though Judai didn't have Vision Heroes, he had seen this routine many times before; he knew the classic "Faris generates all" process.
Then what follows is the operation engraved in DNA.
"Activate the effect of 'Vision Hero Faris' in hand by discarding a 'Hero' monster in the hand to special summon!"
[Vision Hero Faris, Attack Power 1600]
"Faris's effect, place 'Vision Hero Increase' in the Trap Zone from the deck. Then tribute Faris to special summon 'Vision Hero Increase'..."
"Wait a moment!"
Judai precisely interrupted Ed's smooth chanting.
"Opening the set card! Trap Card 'Dust Tornado'! Destroy a Magic or Trap Card on the field!"
Ed's eyelid twitched: "A Magic Trap Card on the field... Masaka!"
"That's right! When a 'Vision Hero' monster is in the Trap Zone, it's used as a Continuous Trap Card," Judai chuckled, "So with the effect of 'Dust Tornado,' I destroy 'Vision Hero Increase'!"
The blue storm rolled up drifting leaves, swiftly sweeping across to Ed's backfield, the hero phantom yet to take form in solid!
Judai's "Dust Tornado" closely chained after the activation of "Increase's" effect, and at this point, Faris had already been tributed as a condition for activating Increase's effect.
This means not only does the move fail, causing Increase to not summon successfully, but the series of storytelling processes are also interrupted, with Faris being lost, too.
For Ed, it's practically a catastrophic card loss disaster.
Ed frowned: "You sly guy, you've probably anticipated I would use the effect of 'Faris' to unfold, deliberately choosing this moment..."
"Because I think if it were you, Ed, you'd surely use Vision Heroes," Judai smiled.
"I see, looks like you've also studied me carefully," Ed smiled mysteriously, "But! I had expected this as well!"
As he saw the phantom on the field dissipate, a steel body as eerie as a hangman jumped out behind Ed.
Makyura the Destructor!
"I discarded this card through 'Hand Destruction' to send it to the cemetery," Ed said, "In the turn this card is sent to the cemetery, I can activate traps from my hand.
With this effect, I activate the trap card 'Driving Snow' from my hand!"
The weather suddenly changed on the field, the sea swirling and frothing, and white snow fluttered like transparent ice-crystal storms backlashing toward Judai.
"The effect of 'Driving Snow'!" Ed shouted against the gale, "It can only be activated when a trap card on your field is destroyed, allowing you to destroy a Magic or Trap Card on the field!
I destroy Field Magic 'Umi'!"
Many audiences suddenly awed loudly.
"So Ed's initial objective was this?" Marufuji Shou understood, "Indeed, if 'Umi' isn't on the field, all effects of 'Submarine Attack' are negated.
And without resolving the 'Submarine Attack' and 'Absolute Zero' combo first, summoning any monster would be pointless..."
"But doing so won't work." Asuka frowned, "Judai can still utilize the 'Submarine Attack' effect..."
Sure enough, Judai waved grandly immediately after: "Then I activate the effect of Continuous Trap 'Submarine Attack'! Once per turn, banish a water attribute monster on the field until the end phase to protect all face-up Magic and Trap Cards I have from destruction!"
The Submarine Attack effect triggered, the figure of Absolute Zero gradually faded until it completely disappeared. Water pillars rose sharply like a curtain of water to block the blizzard released by Ed!
"Thus, 'Umi' won't be destroyed by the effect of 'Driving Snow,'" Judai smiled, "and when 'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero' leaves the field, all monsters on the opponent's field are destroyed!
Such a shame, Ed, just a little bit short..."
"No." Ed chuckled lightly, "This is perfectly okay."
"Eh?" Judai was surprised.
"Indeed, to preserve this system centered on 'Absolute Zero Hero,' you can only activate the effect of 'Submarine Attack' for protection.
But this layer is something I expected too, my duel is going further!"
Ed quickly drew another card: "Quick Play Magic 'Mystical Space Typhoon'! Destroy a Magic or Trap Card on the field! I destroy Field Magic 'Umi'!"
A black tornado dropped from the horizon, with streaks of silver dragon-like blinding lightning!
"Beautiful!" Mitsuzawa nearly jumped from his seat, "Chain the effect of 'Submarine Attack,' and the resistance of 'face-up Magic Trap Cards on the field' will not take effect in time, 'Umi' will be destroyed first!"
"Ed had 'Mystical Space Typhoon' in his hand from the start, knowing that direct use of Typhoon would only be resisted by the resistance effect of 'Submarine Attack,' rendering it ineffective."
Admiration appeared on Asuka's face.
"The world champion Ed Phoenix is indeed exceptional. From the get-go, he made no extraneous moves, his goal was clear, targeting to dismantle Judai's strategic system from the very beginning, his thinking sharp and pinpoint accurate."
While saying this, she also started feeling a bit worried.
"Judai... will be alright, right?"
The whirlwind raised torrents, storms containing some inviolable majestic force, tons of seawater scattering everywhere, soon withdrawing from the field.
"Impressive, Ed!" Judai rubbed his nose, "But as a condition for triggering 'Submarine Attack,' Absolute Zero Hero has already been excluded from the game."
He waved grandly.
"So at this instant, the effect of Absolute Zero Hero activates! Absolute Zero (Absolute Zero)!"
The Sea Field Magic disappears, yet Judai promptly counterattacked. The ice and snow instantly froze the entire field, turning Ed's entire field into a ten-mile glacier, then all crumbled into dazzling ice shards.
Everyone held their breath, fearing missing any crucial details.
"To start off with such fierce exchanges of offense and defense." Mitsuzawa swallowed hard, "It's terrifying, both of them."
Sitting higher in the audience, Manjome gritted his teeth, clenched his fist, and the bones crackled, frightening the little underlings beside him from daring to cross him.
Annoying!
The place opposite Yugi Judai was supposed to be mine...
The field was swept clean, yet leaving no moment to breathe, Ed immediately drew another card: "Magic Card 'Doctor-D' activates! By banishing from the game one 'Destiny Hero' monster in the cemetery, summoning another 'Destiny Hero' from the cemetery!" (Anime-only card)
Two cards shot out from the cemetery.
"I banish 'Destiny Hero Captain Tenacious' from the cemetery, and revive 'Destiny Hero Dasher' from the cemetery!"
A slender black shadow flew out from the cemetery, the hero covered in black armor, feet spinning on skates, elegantly drifted to a stop before Ed.
[Destiny Hero Dasher, Attack Power 2100]
"Can summon a High-Level Monster to attack immediately!?" Mitsuzawa sat upright.
"Battle!" Ed waved, "Destiny Hero Dasher, direct attack!"
Front Absolute Zero Hero was excluded from the game, no set cards in the backfield remain. Dasher faced no obstacles, heading straight like an arc toward Judai's face!
"Judai!" Asuka called out instinctively.
But of course, it won't be that simple!
"Discard 'Kiteroid' from hand," Judai declared, "Direct attack battle damage becomes 0!"
Dasher swept like a shadow, one-legged support, figure spinning, wheels beneath scraping the ground with an agonizing screech, the other leg striking akin to an iron rod, only to be intercepted by an intangible phantom!
"...Tsk, a tenacious fellow." Ed seemed a bit disappointed, though it appeared he wasn't entirely surprised, "After Dasher battles, he must switch to defense mode by the end of the battle phase."
[Destiny Hero Dasher, Attack Power 2100 → Defense Power 1000]
"My turn ends!"