Teacher Sato's corner of the mouth twitched.
Right, just now Yugen used Attack Seal to force Scabbed Scarred Knight into defense position, indicating he knows that Scabbed Scarred Knight couldn't attack other monsters when in attack position. This means that the opponent also naturally knew about the Monsters that attacked Scabbed Scarred Knight being driven away.
If he knew all along, but still seemingly recklessly attacked with the Black Scorpion Thief Gang, it can only mean one thing.
These five were undercover from the start.
Sato coldly said, "You knew all along about Scabbed Scarred Knight's effect and inversely used that ability to stuff the Black Scorpions into my field, forming this deadly combination?"
"Well… who knows?"
Yugen cheerfully said, waving his finger.
"I can only say, when using others' monsters, it's better to be cautious. Since you took my monster, naturally you must be psychologically prepared to use my card."
Saying this, he waved his hand and continued.
"Next, use 'Sheep Derivative', attack 'Black Scorpion Thief Gang'!"
So the last scapegoat also crashed onto the Black Scorpion Five-man Team. The effects of the Black Scorpions activate, and Yugen's card deck automatically searches, sending the second Jackpot Pot to the grave.
"The effect of Damage Closure Interval, the damage I received is still halved."
[Yugen, LP 3500 → LP 3000]
Now there's only the Sacrificial Chestnut Ball left on Yugen's field, the final attack.
If this strike goes through, it's over.
"Sacrificial Chestnut Ball, attack 'Black Scorpion Thief Gang'!"
The final Chestnut Ball dashed, and the Black Scorpions shouted in unison, seemingly already preparing for another celebratory victory with champagne... but evidently, the champagne was opened a little too early.
Teacher Sato suddenly let out a cold laugh.
"You think that this guarantees your victory?"
He took a deep breath and shouted.
"I've said, I've gone through various battles. Being calculated and having my monsters taken, this similar situation was already experienced long ago on professional arenas.
If you want to calculate against me, you have to try harder!"
Saying this, he already waved his hand to activate the backdrop.
"Activate Cover Card! Trap Card - 'Sacrifice Barrier'!
During the opponent's attack declaration, forcibly change the opponent's attack target!" (Original Card)
The Black Scorpions suddenly changed color.
"Nani? Forcibly change attack target?" Mina exclaimed.
Zarug looked at Scabbed Scarred Knight beside him, "Oh no, it's going to attack..."
"Correct, make Sacrificial Chestnut Ball attack Scabbed Scarred Knight!"
Chestnut Ball hit Scabbed Scarred Knight. The knight's defense power was zero, but it possessed an unbreakable toughness, the attack seemed not to have had any effect.
No, it's not that it didn't have any effect. The returned Chestnut Ball seemed to quickly be filled with fragmented armor, as if possessed.
Zarug was stunned: "Wait, isn't the knight supposed to only activate the effect while in attack status?"
"Indeed, but the subsequent effect of Trap Card 'Sacrifice Barrier'." Sato sneered, "If the original attack target of the opponent was a monster with Scab indicator, then after this battle, place a Scab indicator on the attacking monster."
"I see." Yugen nodded, "Black Scorpion Thief Gang has a Scab indicator, so now Chestnut Ball also has an indicator.
And when the battle phase ends, with Scabbed Scarred Knight on the field, the control of monsters with Scab indicator will completely transfer."
He paused and sighed lightly, "Even my Chestnut Ball is going to be taken away huh."
Sato sneered without saying a word.
"Alright then." Yugen said, "But my battle phase isn't over yet.
Next, activate Speed Attack Magic 'Speed Summon', use monster on the field as a tribute to normally summon a monster from hand.
I sacrifice 'Sacrificial Chestnut Ball', Upper-level Summon! Appear now—
—Storm Summoner!"
[Storm Summoner, Attack Power 2300]
Sato said, "Not wanting to hand over the monster, thus sacrificing it before it could be taken?"
Yugen: "Furthermore, the effect of Sacrificial Chestnut Ball. When this card is sacrificed, I draw a card from my deck."
Yugen drew a card.
"Then use 'Storm Summoner' to attack 'Demanding Person'!"
[Demanding Person, Attack Power 800]
Sato adjusted his glasses.
"Demanding Person's attack power is only 800, without Scabbed Scarred Knight's protection it's easily becoming a target..."
His voice suddenly turned cold.
"Do you think after fighting for so many years on professional arenas, these simple situations bypass me?"
Yugen frowned slightly.
"Activate Continuous Trap 'Final Assault Command'!" Sato harshly said, "Turn all monsters on the field into attack positions and they cannot change their form!"
[Scabbed Scarred Knight, Defense Power 0 → Attack Power 0]
Zarug exclaimed: "That damned knight turned back to attack position, isn't it..."
"Right! Scabbed Scarred Knight in attack mode forces all opponent monsters that can attack to attack Scabbed Scarred Knight!"
Teacher Sato clenched his fist and shouted.
"The heavy shackles borne by the warriors through years of expedition, all scars and all pain, savor them well!
Scabbed Scarred Knight, suffer Storm Summoner's attack!"
Storm Summoner's strike came crashing down, and the furious winds swept so violently that Teacher Sato's stance faltered.
Sato gritted his teeth: "Under the effect of your... Closure Interval, the battle damage I take is also halved."
[Sato, LP 3000 → LP 1850]
"Then place a Scab Marker on Storm Summoner!"
Sato sneered coldly.
"End of the battle phase, gain control of the Storm Summoner!"
The countless shattered pieces of armor clung to Storm Summoner as well, and no matter how powerful it was, it could not resist being drawn to Sato's field.
"How is it, the taste of your trusted monsters successively betraying you?"
Sato sneered.
"Can you still brazenly claim that my dueling is outdated, and that I am unworthy of being your 'King' teacher?"
Yugen pondered silently for several seconds, saying no more.
Then he slowly drew a card from his hand.
"Set one card, my turn's over."
Sato laughed heartily.
"Is that so? Is this your response?"
"Powerless and speechless? Truly laughable.
My turn, draw!"
Sato took a step forward, his voice icy cold.
"You never understood, Fujiki Yugen. You may have talent, you may have power, but as a duelist, you lack burdens, lack conviction; you're just an arrogant kid.
And now, it is I—whom you look down on as outdated and worthless—who will make you realize this!"
He raised his arm high.
"Send you to your doom using your own monster!
Battle! Storm Summoner direct attack!"
Seeing Storm Summoner charging up, the swirling storm turned into an explosive vortex, as if the eye of a death god hungering. Yugen's field was bare, directly facing that devastating strike, yet he remained expressionless.
After a moment, he spoke calmly.
"Yes, I said your lessons are conventional, rigid, and of no value to me, teacher. And through this duel... I haven't seen anything to change my mind."
Sato: "!"
His eyes widened, seething with fury.
"Even now, on the verge of defeat, you still speak such words..."
"The one not seeing the situation clearly is you, teacher." Yugen sighed softly, "I mentioned last turn that being reckless with an opponent's card requires mental preparation... well, I do it often too, so maybe I don't have much room to say this.
But what I want to say is..."
He gazed at Sato nonchalantly, saying.
"I said no one attends your classes, not because I've dismissed you, but because you haven't proven yourself."
"Likewise, I'm sorry for your inability to continue in the professional field due to health reasons. But even without that factor, you couldn't reach the top, couldn't become a champion. Because your skills, teacher, are just that limited."
"You... you you..."
Sato pointed at him, shaking with rage.
"Unconvinced?"
Yugen smiled slightly.
"But the fact is, teacher, you're too weak. It's precisely because of this that you're always failing, just as you can't change the outcome of this duel."
He snapped his fingers, flipping the cover card in the backfield.
When that card turned over, in Katu there seemed to be an instant burst of divine blue light, as if to tear all-pervading darkness into pieces!
Sato's pupils constricted: "That is..."
"Trap Card 'Divine Protective Shield - Reflective Mirror Force'!" Yugen raised his hand and said, "Upon the opponent's attack declaration, destroy all opponent's attack-position monsters on the field!"
Sato: "Tch, hiding a defense with the strongest shield, were you..."
"Not only that."
Yugen chuckled lightly.
"The 'Storm Summoner' effect that teacher just seized from me. When this card is destroyed by a card effect, the controller must take damage equal to this card's attack power."
Sato's expression froze instantly.
You say... what?
Amid the divine radiance, he slowly looked at his field and the Summoner being engulfed by the light.
Following that gaze, he saw... the Black Scorpion Five-man Team each showing off their skill, some making faces as ghosts, others sticking their tongues out.
Zarug: "Ha, never learns a lesson."
Mina: "Daring to use the boss's cards at will."
Zik: "The insider operation is a great success!"
The thieves high-fived each other, even making a "Yay" gesture.
Sato instantly spewed blood.
"You... you sons of...!"
Boom——
[Sato, LP 1850 → LP 0]