"Next, I Synchro Summon using my Level 4 Tuner, [Scrap Raptor], and my Level 4 Effect Monster, [Giant Rex]!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 8—[Borreload Savage Dragon]!!!"
A vast cascade of Synchro light poured down like a waterfall, flooding the entire Duel Arena in brilliance.
Wrapped in that cascading radiance, a colossal dragon covered in dense arrays of cannon barrels tore through the light, its presence steeped in pure annihilation.
[Borreload Savage Dragon]
[Level 8/Dragon/Synchro/Effect]
[ATK 3000]
The moment it appeared, Karasu couldn't wait a second longer.
"I activate [Borreload Savage Dragon]'s effect! When this card is Synchro Summoned, I can target 1 Link Monster in my GY and equip it to this card as an Equip Spell!"
His eyes locked onto the lingering shadow of [Scrap Wyvern] in the graveyard.
"After that, I place Borrel Counters on this card equal to the Link Rating of that Link Monster! And this card gains ATK equal to half the equipped monster's ATK!"
"The monster I equip is my [Scrap Wyvern] in the GY with 1700 ATK! Equip!"
As he spoke, the phantom outline of [Scrap Wyvern] shattered into countless metallic fragments, snapping onto the savage dragon like armor plating.
The cannon barrels along Borreload Savage Dragon's body flared to life, and its ATK surged violently upward!
[Borreload Savage Dragon]
[Borrel Counters: 0→2]
[ATK: 3000→3850]
"Next, I activate the Spell—[Double Evolution Pill]! By banishing 1 Dinosaur monster and 1 non-Dinosaur monster from my hand or GY, I Special Summon 1 monster from my hand or Deck, and that monster gains ATK equal to the total ATK of the banished monsters!"
"I banish the Dinosaur monster [Giant Rex] from my GY, and the Effect Monster [Relinquished Anima]—then I Special Summon the Level 7 monster [Overtex Qoatlus] from my Deck!"
Blood-red light swallowed the entire arena in an instant. From within that crimson glow, a gigantic winged dinosaur drifted out, blotting out the sky.
[Overtex Qoatlus]
[Level 7/Dinosaur/Effect]
[ATK 2700]
"At this moment!" Karasu barked.
"The effect of [Giant Rex] I just banished activates! If this card is banished, I can activate it to Special Summon it!"
"I Special Summon it back to the field!"
Crimson flames flared again as [Giant Rex] burst through the bloody radiance and slammed back onto the field, the fire on its claws burning even hotter than before.
[Giant Rex]
[ATK 2000]
"Next, I use [Giant Rex] and [Souleating Oviraptor] to construct the Xyz network!" Karasu's voice shot up. "Xyz Summon! Rank 4—[Evolzar Laggia]!"
Golden light speared upward. The two monsters became twin streaks of radiance and spiraled into the Xyz network.
In the next second, a white dragon with three massive pairs of wings emerged slowly from the golden vortex, beating its wings with a force that felt like it could blot out sun and moon. Holy, imposing pressure rolled off it in waves.
[Evolzar Laggia]
[Rank 4/Dragon/Xyz/Effect]
[Xyz Materials: 2]
[ATK 2400]
"Finally, the effect of [Ultimate Conductor Tyranno] in my hand—this card can Special Summon itself by banishing 2 Dinosaur monsters from my GY!"
"I banish two Dinosaur monsters from my GY—[Babycerasaurus] and [Animadorned Archosaur]—and Special Summon it from my hand!"
"Come forth—my proud ace! Ultimate Conductor Tyranno!!!"
Boom—!
Pitch-black flames erupted at Karasu's feet, a magma-like pillar of fire blasting straight into the heavens.
From within the fire, a tyrant T-Rex clad in black scales strode out. It towered dozens of meters high, and every step made the ground quake violently. Its thick tail lashed the earth, carving deep裂痕 across the arena floor.
[Ultimate Conductor Tyranno]
[Level 10/Dinosaur/Effect]
[ATK 3500]
"I activate [Borrelguard Dragon]'s effect—!" Karasu's voice echoed across the field. "Once per turn, I can send 1 card from my Spell & Trap Zone to the GY to activate it!"
"I send the equipped [Scrap Wyvern]—treated as an Equip Spell—to the GY, and Special Summon [Babycerasaurus] from my GY in Defense Position!"
Light flickered, and the eggshell-wrapped little dinosaur wobbled back onto the field again.
[Babycerasaurus]
[DEF 500]
"Since the Equip Card was sent to the GY, [Borreload Savage Dragon]'s ATK returns to its original value!"
As Karasu finished, the glow of the cannons dimmed, and the savage dragon's ATK slowly dropped back down.
[Borreload Savage Dragon]
[ATK: 3850→3000]
"Last, I activate [Pot of Avarice] from my hand. I shuffle [Scrap Wyvern], [Scrap Chimera], and [Scrap Golem] from my GY back into my Deck—along with [Mulcharmy Fuwalos] and [Petiteranodon], which I sent to the GY at the start with [Graceful Charity]—then I draw 2 cards."
Five cards streaked from the graveyard back into the Deck. Immediately, two fresh cards popped out and slid into Karasu's hand.
With his draw complete, Karasu looked at Yusaku coldly.
"My turn ends. Go."
The moment he spoke, the Gurus members behind him exploded into thunderous cheers, each one falling over themselves to flatter him.
"As expected of the leader! Just a simple board, and he filled the whole Monster Zone!"
"Six monsters, and all of them have interaction and search power—ha! Let's see how Yusaku gets through that!"
While they were kissing up, the crowd of Duelists buzzed with anxious chatter.
"Tch… no wonder they call him the leader. He's got real skill. That board's not simple."
"Let me count… tch, that's gotta be at least five interactions, and he's still holding two cards."
"If Yusaku-senpai is really on a Blue-Eyes deck, getting through this is rough—unless he's holding something like Droplet or Dark Ruler No More."
On the field—
Compared to the crowd, Yusaku still wore that calm, breezy expression. He drew for turn, then studied Karasu's board with open interest.
"Six monsters, and yeah, that's a lot of interaction." Yusaku rubbed his chin. "Not bad. That board's got something to it."
Then his tone shifted, and the corner of his mouth curled.
"But it's still just—okay."
Karasu sneered. "Just okay? Then show me how your 'Blue-Eyes' deck gets through my 'just okay' board. Go ahead."
He put extra weight on the words "just okay."
"As you wish."
Yusaku smiled faintly, flicked his wrist, and slapped a card onto his Duel Disk.
"First, I activate the Spell—[Lightning Storm]!"
"This card's effect: if I control no face-up cards, I can choose to destroy all Attack Position monsters you control, or destroy all Spells and Traps you control."
He lifted his gaze to Karasu. "Right now, I have no cards on my field. So I choose—destroy all the monsters you control!"
"Not happening!"
Karasu's reaction was razor-fast. The instant Yusaku finished speaking, he snapped his hand up.
"I activate [Overtex Qoatlus]'s effect!"
"Once per turn! When my opponent activates a Spell/Trap, I can activate this!" Karasu pointed to the curled-up Babycerasaurus on his field. "I destroy 1 Dinosaur monster from my hand or field—then I negate the activation of your Spell and destroy it!"
"I destroy—my [Babycerasaurus] on the field!"
Babycerasaurus detonated into white light that slammed into Yusaku's [Lightning Storm].
Boom—!
Lightning and white radiance collided, and the flash swallowed the arena whole. When the light cleared, [Lightning Storm] was already in pieces, fading into the air.
"Now, at this moment!" Karasu stared at Yusaku.
"Because [Babycerasaurus] was destroyed and sent to the GY, I can activate its effect and Special Summon [Souleating Oviraptor] from my Deck in Defense Position!"
Ghostly blue flames ignited again as the black-armored oviraptor appeared in a guarded stance.
[Souleating Oviraptor]
[DEF 1800]
Karasu continued without pause.
"And this card's effect: when it's Summoned or Special Summoned, I can activate it—choose 1 Dinosaur monster from my Deck, add it to my hand, or send it to the GY."
His finger swept across his Deck. Three cards popped into his hand in quick succession, and he singled one out.
"I add—[Miscellaneousaurus]!"
After adding it, Karasu looked straight at Yusaku.
"You know what kind of protection [Miscellaneousaurus] gives. The moment you try to activate anything, I'll chain it." His eyes narrowed. "So tell me—can you still smile now?"
Yusaku smiled anyway. Slow. Easy. Almost amused.
"Why wouldn't I?"
He paused, letting his gaze sweep across Karasu's field.
"Do you know the best way to break a board?"
Karasu frowned. "What?"
"Battle. Battle is the best way to break a board."
Karasu: "?"
Yusaku didn't give him time to process it. He drew another card and slapped it down.
"Then I activate the Spell—[Dark Hole]. Destroy all monsters on the field!"
Karasu froze for a beat, then burst into a mocking snort.
"So that's your 'battle'? That's honestly surprising."
Then he shouted, "I chain! I activate [Evolzar Laggia]'s effect—and I also chain the effect of [Miscellaneousaurus] from my hand, sending it to the GY!"
"First, resolve [Miscellaneousaurus]!" Karasu sent the card to the graveyard. "I send this card from my hand to the GY to activate it!"
"For this Main Phase, all Dinosaur monsters I control are unaffected by effects you activate!"
A transparent shield snapped into place, covering every Dinosaur on Karasu's field.
"Next, I activate [Evolzar Laggia]'s effect!" Karasu pointed at the white dragon. "When a Spell/Trap is activated, I can detach 2 materials to negate the activation and destroy it!"
"Detach materials!"
Two lights on Evolzar Laggia vanished at once, its materials depleted to nothing.
[Evolzar Laggia]
[Xyz Materials: 2→0]
"I negate your [Dark Hole] and destroy it!"
Evolzar Laggia threw its jaws open. A brilliant stream of light blasted out like a meteor, spearing straight into [Dark Hole] on Yusaku's field.
Boom—!
The explosion cracked through the arena. [Dark Hole] shattered and dissolved into the air.
Karasu's smile grew wider. "Well? Out of options yet?"
But before the last word finished leaving his mouth, Yusaku laughed—clean and bright, the edge of mockery unmistakable.
Karasu's grin stiffened. "What are you laughing at?"
"Your [Miscellaneousaurus] only protects your Dinosaur monsters." Yusaku's voice was calm, almost casual. "It doesn't protect the rest of your field."
He glanced across Karasu's monsters.
"And [Borrelguard Dragon], [Borreload Savage Dragon], and [Evolzar Laggia]—those three aren't Dinosaurs."
Karasu frowned harder. "And what are you so pleased about? Don't tell me you've still got more board breakers."
"Oh, I do." Yusaku held up a card from his hand.
The moment Karasu saw it, his pupils tightened.
"Raigeki???"
"Yeah." Yusaku's smile deepened. "Exactly what you think. Now cough up that last negate—unless you want to say goodbye to your monsters."
He slammed the card down.
"I activate the Spell—[Raigeki]!"
Karasu sucked in a sharp breath.
"Then I chain! I activate [Borreload Savage Dragon]'s effect—removing 1 Borrel Counter!"
One counter on the savage dragon flickered and vanished.
[Borreload Savage Dragon]
[Borrel Counters: 2→1]
"I negate your [Raigeki]!"
The mechanical dragon roared. Every cannon barrel ignited at once, ammunition streaking forward like fire serpents and shredding Yusaku's Spell into fragments.
With Raigeki destroyed, Karasu stared at Yusaku like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"You sure you're on a Blue-Eyes deck? I've never seen a Blue-Eyes deck run this many board breakers. Six cards, and three of them are pure removal. Are you not building any plays?"
Yusaku shot him a sideways look. "What? Not allowed? Who says a Blue-Eyes deck can't run more board breakers?"
Karasu snorted. "Nobody says you can't. I'm just curious—aren't you afraid of bricking if you pack that many? And besides…"
He paused, the tone turning wry.
"Right now I'm really curious whether you've got any starters left in your hand. But even if you do, it doesn't matter. The moment you Summon something, I'll activate [Ultimate Conductor Tyranno] and flip your monsters face-down."
Yusaku's mouth curved into a sharp, scornful smile.
"And what if… you can't flip them?"
His voice was light, but it hit like thunder.
The cheering behind Karasu cut off instantly.
Before Karasu could react, Yusaku had already drawn out another card and revealed it.
"I activate the Spell—[Terraforming]!"
"This card's effect: add 1 Field Spell from my Deck to my hand."
Yusaku's finger slid across his Deck. A card that shimmered with brilliant light flew into his hand.
He held it up for Karasu to see, his lips slightly raised.
"The Field Spell I add is—[Sangen Summoning]!"
(End of Chapter)
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