"Valkyrie - Second Daughter, destroy the 'Bouncing Turtle'!"
The Second Daughter's blade struck out, and with a flash of sword light, the tough shell of the Bouncing Turtle cracked, shattering it into pieces with a resounding bang.
"It's not over yet," Kiku shouted, "Next is the effect of the 'Valkyrie - Eldest Daughter'. Once per turn, choose a monster from your opponent's graveyard to exile from the game!" (Original card effect)
Actually, the physical card also has the same effect, but it adds the restriction that there must be a Valkyrie other than the Eldest Daughter on the field to activate it. Conversely, the physical card has been enhanced to allow this effect to be activated during the opponent's turn, albeit with added activation conditions, turning it into a quick-play interference, which is indeed a significant strengthening in a Valkyrie deck.
But the original version that Kiku uses doesn't have this enhanced treatment.
"Exile the just-destroyed 'Bouncing Turtle' from the graveyard!"
The Second Daughter's long sword slashed out. The Bouncing Turtle, which had just entered Yugen's graveyard, flew into the air in card form, sliced in two by the sword qi, and disappeared into the twisted dimensional vortex.
"You really don't like my Bouncing Turtle, do you?" Yugen said helplessly. "Digging up graves too?"
Kiku said coolly, "However, after the effect is activated, the Eldest Daughter's attack power must become equal to the banished monster's attack power."
[Valkyrie - Eldest Daughter, Attack Power 1600→Attack Power 1000]
"But it doesn't matter, it's more than enough. Battle, Valkyrie - Eldest Daughter, attack 'Magical Scientist'!"
The Valkyrie Eldest Daughter kicked both legs, the warhorse rushed forward, and the long sword struck.
Though the Magical Scientist is a Forbidden Card, it's still a scientist after all, without such power. He earned an indefinite prison sentence in a small dark room on account of his unparalleled scientific ability, but his combat strength is laughable, being sent off the field by a casual slash from the Eldest Daughter.
"With this, you have no monster defense." Kiku said, "Then it's a direct attack by 'Valkyrie - Second Daughter'!"
The second Valkyrie also swept out, the white wings of the warhorse spread open beneath her. Holy Light descended from the clouds, and the Pegasus's pure white feathers floated and danced in the sky, a scene that should have been somewhat divine.
But the darkness radiating from Kiku also swirled around his monsters, the Valkyrie's eyes were flooded with black qi, and the feathers seemed to be half-stained with blackness, giving the scene a hint of a Valkyrie's twisted fall from grace.
"Being a legendary Duelist, you can't expect to settle things casually with just a Magical Science Cannon." Yugen shrugged.
If he was playing with a traditional deck focused on Magical Science Cannon, with the formation broken now, it basically means some are living but are as good as dead.
Yet he has progressed swiftly, his Duelist level now already high in this animated world, so naturally, he wouldn't rely on a whole deck with an unbalanced lineup to win.
Yugen snapped his fingers.
"Reverse cover card, Trap Card 'Ripple Shield: Wave Power'!
Can only be activated when the opponent declares a direct attack, return all opponent's attack position monsters on the field to the deck!"
Kiku: "!"
What? Return to the deck!?
A surge of water flowed out from the card, forming a layer of blue water shield in front of Yugen. The Valkyrie's sword cut into the water shield, only to trigger a backlash of countless waves!
The trap card transformed into a vortex, brilliant and holy blue light burst forth. Tsunami-like water surged back toward Kiku's field, the Valkyries steadfastly resisted, the warhorses desperately flapping their wings to rise, but to no avail. All struggles ultimately failed to escape the vortex's grasp, being drawn away into streaks of light, funneling into the vortex, finally shot back into his deck.
In mere moments, Kiku's field had become as clean as his face.
"What a pity, if this attack went through, I'd deal massive damage at once." Yugen smiled.
"Hmph."
Kiku gave a cold snort, then waved his hand.
"Cover two cards, turn ends."
Without available monsters, these two cards are clearly his only line of defense.
But that doesn't matter.
Kiku shot a glance at one of the cover cards with the corner of his eye.
Trap Card - Woden's Judgment. (Original card)
A staple trap Kiku used in the anime. When the opponent's monster attacks, it swaps a Magic Card from the hand with the top card of the deck and shuffles it, negating the attack and forcibly ending the battle phase.
A life-saving Divine Artifact that can forcibly end the battle step. In the duel with Joey, Kiku arrogantly covered just one card at the start, what he covered was this thing.
So he's not panicking at all.
"My turn, draw." Yugen said, "Activate Magic Card 'Akasha Record'. Draw two cards, but if any of them have been used in this duel, they must be banished from the game." (Original card)
Yugen drew two cards.
"Then activate Magic Card 'Cost Reduction'." Yugen said, "Discard a hand card, this turn all monsters in my hand decrease in Level by 2 stars."
He picked out a hand card to send to the graveyard.
"Sent to the graveyard is the Magic Card 'Card of Compensation'. This card is sent to the graveyard, draw two cards from the deck."
Yugen drew two cards and continued.
"And with 'Cost Reduction's effect, monsters in the hand that are Level Five become Level Three, allowing for a Normal Summon without Tribute.
I directly summon this guy from my hand, 'Bouncing Turtle'!"
[Bouncing Turtle, Attack Power 1000]
Kiku's expression twitched, staring straight at the old turtle perched on the opposite field.
Why is it always you!?
"Tch..." Kiku clicked his tongue.
The Bouncing Turtle can inflict damage by sacrificing monsters, without needing an attack declaration. In this way, his invincible 'Woden's Judgment' defense cannot hold.
But even so, to kill himself with the Bouncing Turtle would require at least 8000 Attack Power in total.
Gathering 8000 Attack Power in a single turn is almost impossible.
Could it be that you can produce a second Magical Scientist to KO me?
"Activate Magic Card 'Ice Mirror'." Yugen said.
The magic was activated, and a giant mirror immediately emerged on the field. The mirror's surface appeared as if made of ice crystals, clearly reflecting the image of the Bouncing Turtle on Yugen's field.
Soon, the reflection in the mirror projected into reality, becoming a second Bouncing Turtle!
[Bouncing Turtle, Attack Power 1000]
"Two Bouncing Turtles!?" Kiku's face changed.
"Ice Mirror's effect, choose your own Level 3 or lower Water Attribute Monster, and Special Summon a card with the same name from the deck."
Yugen paused and added.
"However, as a cost, while the Special Summoned monster from this effect is on the field, I cannot Special Summon any monsters from the Fusion Card Deck."
"Right, 'Cost Reduction's effect turned Bouncing Turtle from Level 5 to Level 3, thus fulfilling Ice Mirror's activation conditions..."
Kiku quickly connected the dots.
Such combinations exist, huh.
But this self-imposed restriction of Ice Mirror also means the Magical Science Cannon combo cannot be established. Even if Yugen could now bring out the Magical Scientist for overtime, the effect of the Magical Scientist cannot be activated due to Ice Mirror's limitation.
Thinking of this, Kiku's heart slightly calmed.
But then he heard the opponent say with a smile, "Is that really the case?"
Kiku: "???"
I haven't said anything yet, right?