"Duel!" x2
[Youyu, LP 4000]
[Mizuchi, LP 4000]
"Then I'll take the first move, draw."
Mizuchi is a petite woman, but even under the wide kimono, her delicate curves are faintly visible.
This virtual network system developed by Kaiba is not yet complete, and only a small part of the map is finished. If nothing unexpected happens, this should be the first duel conducted in this system.
Kaiba Noah stood by with his arms crossed, recording the entire process of the duel.
"Activate the Magic Card 'Graceful Charity' from my hand, draw three cards from the card deck, and then discard two cards from my hand."
Mizuchi drew three cards and then deftly discarded two of them with her slender fingers, sending them to the Duel Disc Grave Zone. Those two cards quickly disintegrated into data streams and flowed into her Duel Disc.
"Next, activate the Magic Card 'Monster Reborn' from my hand, to revive a monster in the graveyard!" Mizuchi raised her voice, "Appear now! Platinum Shikigami - Sakyo!"
A black vortex opened on the ground, the whirlwind lifted the wide sleeves and hems of Mizuchi's kimono. The masked ninja stepped onto her field with the swirling wind, white ribbons fluttering in the breeze.
[Platinum Shikigami - Sakyo, Attack Power 600]
"Sakyo's effect!" Mizuchi announced, "When this card is successfully Special Summoned, you can Special Summon 'Platinum Shikigami - Ukyo' from the graveyard.
Appear now! Platinum Shikigami - Ukyo!"
The vortex leading to the Netherworld reopened, and a second ninja landed on the field, resembling the first one.
[Platinum Shikigami - Ukyo, Attack Power 800]
"And then..."
Mizuchi's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile.
"...I set all my remaining hand cards, ending my turn."
She inserted the remaining cards in her hand one after another into the Duel Disc, lighting up five ominous Set Cards in her back row, resembling an impregnable fortress.
Youyu: "..."
Wow, little sister, a five Set Card back row right off the bat?
Impressive, your skills definitely weren't taught by your brother, were they?
Kaiba Noah continued observing and recording data on the side.
"Saiou Mizuchi," Noah murmured, "Could she be the same type of Duelist as Muto Yugi?"
Of course, even with five Set Cards in the back row, what Youyu had to do remained unchanged. There's no way he'd be scared into inaction by a pile of Set Cards.
If memory serves, Youyu recalled that Saiou Mizuchi's entire card deck consists of cards that aren't even physical cards, all original animation cards.
"My turn, draw." Youyu declared, "Summon 'Elemental Hero Bubbleman'!"
Water burst from the ground, the blue torrent washed over the hero's armor, and the Elemental Hero stepped down amidst countless splashing bubbles, wearing a confident smile with a visor and water guns on its wrists.
Our Bubbleman may only have a modest 800 attack power, but it always boasts that extraordinarily confident smile. Well, when you're a hero of such desire, you have that kind of confidence.
"When Elemental Hero Bubbleman is summoned and there are no other cards on the field, draw two cards from the card deck."
Youyu drew two cards and immediately revealed one alongside another card in hand.
"Activate the Magic Card 'Polymerization'!" Youyu stated, "Fusion Summon 'Elemental Hero Blazeman' in my hand and the Water Attribute 'Elemental Hero Bubbleman' on the field!
The fusion conditions are a Hero Monster and a Water Attribute Monster!
Born from the depths of extreme cold, freeze everything with the absolute power of ice and snow—
—Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!"
A blizzard rose, flames and water intertwined, an icy storm embraced a pillar of light striking down, cold currents surging.
The hero clad in white armor crossed his arms, his white cape fluttering amidst the snow, resembling the ruler of an icebound world.
[Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, Attack Power 2500]
"At this moment, activate the Set Card!" Mizuchi raised her hand, "Quick-Play Magic 'Demise of the Land'! When the opponent Special Summons a monster, you can activate a Field Magic Card from the card deck!"
A card popped out from the card deck, and Mizuchi lightly drew it, placing it in the extra field slot of the Duel Disc.
"Field Magic 'Infinite Demon-Slaying Mirror' activate!!!"
Mysterious black mist immediately surrounded the field, a black storm enveloping the two of them. A circular field of mirror panels appeared beneath their feet, and beams of light shot up from all around.
Youyu frowned slightly.
This "Infinite Demon-Slaying Mirror" is also an anime-original Field Magic.
According to the anime's process, Mizuchi should first activate a Continuous Magic called "Moon Wheel Mirror," which places a counter whenever a Monster on the field is destroyed.
Send "Moon Wheel Mirror" with ten counters to the Graveyard to be able to activate the Field Magic "Infinite Demon-Slaying Mirror."
But it seems she bypassed this cumbersome activation condition by using the Quick-Play Magic "Demise of the Land" to directly activate this field from the Deck.
"Then activate the Magic Card 'Miracle Fusion.'
Youyu revealed the Magic Card, and the two Hero Monsters just sent to the Graveyard popped up again.
"Banish 'Elemental Hero Bubbleman' and the Fire Attribute 'Elemental Hero Blazeman' from the Graveyard, Fusion Summon again!
The Fusion Condition is any Elemental Hero plus any Fire Attribute Monster! Fusion Summon—
—Elemental Hero Nova Master!"
A column of flames shot up from the ground, and the Elemental Hero clad in red-gold armor landed amidst the surrounding flames, with his cape billowing behind him.
[Elemental Hero Nova Master, Attack Power 2600]
"In an instant, two powerful upper-grade Heroes were summoned. As rumored, the Duel King's mastery over Elemental Hero power is as skillful as his own limbs."
Mizuchi smiled mysteriously.
"But facing this setup, do you dare to attack directly?"
Youyu knew she referred to the dark holes formed by the four Set Cards in the back row.
Indeed, the unknown four back row cards appear somewhat dangerous. Moreover, with the Attack Power only 600 and 800 of the Shikigami Monsters still in attack mode, this setup is like a bare-naked girl saying, come on, let's have fun together...
...there must be a trap.
However...
"Battle Phase." Youyu decided quickly, "'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero,' attack 'Platinum Shikigami - Sakyo.'
"Oh? You're still choosing to attack directly?" Mizuchi laughed, "What a daring decision."
Youyu remained silent.
Youyu vaguely recalled the setup of the deck from the anime, remembering Mizuchi's dueling strategy.
Platinum Shikigami - Sakyo and Platinum Shikigami - Ukyo, these two Monsters are indeed the key to her Trap setup. If not mistaken, she uses the trap "Divine Barrier - Mirror Restraint" for defense against attacks.
Divine Barrier - Mirror Restraint, an anime-original Trap Card. It can only be activated when "Platinum Shikigami - Sakyo" and "Platinum Shikigami - Ukyo" exist on your field simultaneously and your opponent declares an attack. It destroys the attacking Monster, then destroys one opponent's Monster with Attack Power lower than the attacking Monster's.
And on Youyu's side, Absolute Zero's Attack Power is 2500, Nova Master is 2600, and Nova Master's Attack Power is higher.
So here, attacking first with the Monster with lower Attack Power, Absolute Zero, seems correct.
"Open Set Card!" Saiou Mizuchi flipped the back row, indeed as Youyu expected, "Trap Card 'Divine Barrier - Mirror Restraint'!
Activate when 'Platinum Shikigami - Sakyo' and 'Platinum Shikigami - Ukyo' exist on your field simultaneously and the opponent declares an attack. Destroy the attacking Monster, then destroy an opponent's Monster with Attack Power lower than the attacking Monster's!"
She raised her hand, her wide sleeve swaying, revealing a slender, pale forearm.
"According to this effect, 'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero' is destroyed!"
The mirror stood tall, Absolute Zero's ice spikes all merged into the mirror, and a moment later reflected back with undiminished momentum, shooting Absolute Zero into shreds, exploding into fragments!
"However, my remaining Monster on the field, 'Elemental Hero Nova Master,' has a higher Attack Power than Absolute Zero, so can't be destroyed by the power of 'Divine Barrier - Mirror Restraint.'
Mizuchi frowned slightly.
"Moreover, at this moment, Absolute Zero's effect activates! When he leaves the field, all opponent's Monsters are destroyed!"
The departing Elemental Hero hovered as a shadow above the field, a surging cold wave swept across and pushed down on Mizuchi's field, instantly freezing the two Ninjas into ice sculptures.
Absolute Zero!
"Did Youyu preemptively predict the opponent's trap counterattack, intentionally using the opponent's trap to trigger Absolute Zero's effect, as an even more comprehensive counterattack?" Noah murmured among the onlookers, "Indeed, as expected of Mr. Youyu."
"Now that your Monsters are wiped out." Youyu said, "Battle continues! Elemental Hero Nova Master, direct attack!"