The same development as last turn all over again. Ed once more placed a Vision Hero into the Trap Zone, then used the Diamond Dude on the field as a tribute to prepare to Special Summon Minimum Ray...
...only for the phantom of Minimum Ray in the back row to be blown to bits again.
"Quick-Play Magic 'Gemini Spark,'" Yugi smiled, "I tribute the 'Elemental Hero Neos Alius' on my field to destroy 'Vision Hero Minimum Ray.'
And after that, I can draw 1 card from my Card Deck!"
Minimum Ray got blown up again, Diamond Dude also went to the Graveyard as a tribute, while on Yugi's side he not only interrupted Ed's play but also gained an extra card in hand. This exchange was obviously a massive loss for Ed.
But it still wasn't a problem.
"Magic Card 'Over Destiny'!" Ed shouted, "Choose 1 Destiny Hero in your Graveyard, and Special Summon from your Card Deck 1 'Destiny Hero' whose Level is equal to or lower than half that monster's Level!
I choose the Level 4 'Destiny Hero Diamond Dude' in my Graveyard, and Special Summon from my Card Deck—
—Level 1, Destiny Hero Disk Commander!"
[Destiny Hero Disk Commander, ATK 300]
"Next, the effect of 'Vision Hero Increase' in the Trap Zone!" Ed said, "I tribute 'Vision Hero Increase' to Special Summon the 'Vision Hero Increase' in my Trap Zone!
Come on out, Increase!"
[Vision Hero Increase, ATK 900]
The process was a bit convoluted, but Ed finally managed to get back on that storytelling path engraved in his DNA.
"Increase's effect, Special Summon 'Vision Hero Vyon' from the Card Deck!"
[Vision Hero Vyon, ATK 1000]
"When Vyon is successfully Summoned, send 'Destiny Hero Malicious' from the Card Deck to the Graveyard." Ed drew a card from his Card Deck and sent it to the Graveyard. "Next is Vyon's second effect..."
"Hold it right there!" Yugi interrupted the chant again, "I flip my Set Card! Trap Card 'Hero Blast'! I add 1 'Elemental Hero' Normal Monster from my Graveyard to my hand, and destroy 1 of your Monsters whose ATK is less than or equal to that Hero's ATK!"
Yugi revealed the card he had just sent to the Graveyard: "I return 'Elemental Hero Neos Alius' to my hand and destroy 'Vision Hero Vyon,' whose ATK is 1900 or less!"
Ed: "!?"
The phantom of Neos Alius appeared, shooting forth like a bullet! A silver-white afterimage pierced right through the Vision Hero in one blow, and the black phantom exploded into countless fragments.
Ed gritted his teeth. "Yugi..."
He had already seen how terrifying this combo was.
The same copy of "Elemental Hero Neos Alius" is first tributed by "Gemini Spark" to blow up one of the opponent's cards, then recovered with "Hero Blast" to blow up another of the opponent's cards.
After this sequence he not only interrupted the opponent twice in a row, but Neos Alius also ended up back in his hand, ready to be reused next turn. He even drew an extra card through Gemini Spark's effect, and the resource gap shot through the roof.
By contrast, on Ed's side, his plays were interrupted one after another, and his whole long chain of follow-ups got strangled in the cradle.
According to the normal flow, he should now be using "Vision Hero Vyon's" effect to search a "Fusion" Magic Card from his Card Deck—that's the key point for the Hero build to spread onto the field.
But with this crucial step interrupted, Ed not only lost cards like crazy, he couldn't even Summon a big Monster...
Even so, Ed still had an alternative.
"I activate the effect of 'King of the Swamp' in my hand," Ed said helplessly. "By discarding 'King of the Swamp' to the Graveyard, I can add 1 Magic Card 'Polymerization' from my Card Deck to my hand."
King of the Swamp could not only search Fusion, but also serve as universal Fusion Material for any Fusion Monster. If he could, Ed would've liked to keep it as Fusion Material, but right now he had no other choice.
"Magic Card 'Polymerization' activate!" Ed said, "I fuse 'Destiny Hero Dasher' and 'Destiny Hero Decider' from my hand!
The Fusion Materials are 2 Destiny Hero Monsters! Fusion Summon—
—Destiny Hero Dystopia!"
Two beams of destiny shot into the sky, and a surging wave of energy exploded downward. A deep blue armor reflecting a metallic sheen emerged from the storm; the Hero descended calmly and slowly from the center of the energy vortex, a "D" emblem stamped on his helmet.
[Destiny Hero Dystopia, ATK 2800]
"So this is Ed's new Hero!" Yugi's eyes were sparkling again. "He's insanely cool!"
"Heh, of course," Ed said proudly. "Quit drooling, you'll soon experience Dystopia's power firsthand!
I activate 'Destiny Hero Dystopia's' effect! When it's Special Summoned, inflict damage to the opponent equal to the ATK of 1 Level 4 or lower 'Destiny Hero' Monster in my Graveyard!"
He revealed one of the cards he had just sent to the Graveyard as Fusion Material.
"I choose the Level 4 'Destiny Hero Decider' and inflict 1600 damage!"
Dystopia flipped his right palm, and a golden beam of light blasted straight forward. Yugi staggered a half-step back as his Life Points suddenly dropped.
[Yugi, LP 4000 → LP 2400]
"Next I activate the effect of 'Destiny Hero Celestial' in my Graveyard!" Ed shouted. "I can only activate it when I have 0 cards in my hand! I banish Celestial and another 'Destiny Hero' from the game to draw 2 cards from my Card Deck!
I banish Celestial and 'Destiny Hero Diamond Dude' from the game and draw 2 cards!"
After drawing 2 cards, Ed just glanced at them and immediately revealed one. "Magic Card 'Card of Burial Magic,' I banish 3 Magic Cards in my Graveyard from the game and draw 2 cards." (Anime card)
He revealed 3 cards. "I banish the Magic Cards 'Over Destiny,' 'Doctor D,' and 'Burial from Another Dimension' from the game and draw 2 cards!"
Ed followed up immediately with a wave of his hand. "Battle Phase! I attack Yugi directly with 'Destiny Hero Dystopia'!"
Black electricity surged around Dystopia, lightning gathering in his palm and turning into a jet-black thunder orb that roared toward Yugi!
"This is bad," Asuka instinctively leaned forward. "If he takes this hit, then Yugi..."
"To keep launching such a fierce counterattack after being disrupted so many times..." Mitsuzawa looked at Ed with a hint of awe. "So this is the strength of a World Champion?"
But of course Yugi wasn't about to just die here. "The effect of 'Kiteroid' in my Graveyard! While it's in the Graveyard, once per Duel, I can make the battle damage from a direct attack become 0!"
The phantom of Kiteroid appeared once more, and Dystopia's thunderous assault was completely blocked, failing to penetrate at all.
"Just as I expected," Ed said flatly. "But that means you're out of defensive options now. 'Vision Hero Increase,' direct attack!"
Increase charged forward. Its ATK wasn't that high, but the impact of the solid vision still made Yugi's upper body sway slightly.
[Yugi, LP 2400 → LP 1500]
"Man, you really are something, Ed," Yugi wiped his mouth and chuckled. "That was pretty effective."
Ed didn't reply, but the smug little look on his face might as well have been saying, "Naturally."
"I Set 2 cards face-down and end my turn!"