Yusaku lifted his gaze to Karasu. With a light swipe of his fingertip across the Duel Disk, the borders of three cards flared to life.
"I reveal to you: the EARTH Attribute monster K9-17 Izuna, the FIRE Attribute monster Vanquish Soul Pluton HG, and the DARK Attribute monster Kewl Tune Crackle!"
"By the effect of Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius, I choose and destroy 1 other card on the field."
Yusaku raised a hand and pointed.
"I destroy your Predaplant Ambulomelides!"
Boom!
Caesar Valius snapped its head up. Countless streaks of violet-gold lightning burst from its claws, tearing the air like raging dragons as they slammed straight into the bizarre plant on Karasu's field, the one with a purple bud growing from its back.
The instant the lightning detonated, Predaplant Ambulomelides shattered piece by piece, dissolving into sparks that scattered across the Duel Disk's sky.
After destroying the monster, Yusaku looked at Karasu. "Predaplant Ambulomelides is the core extender for Predaplants. Unless you can bring out another one, you cannot build anything resembling a real board."
"Heh. You think popping one means I'm out of moves?" Karasu snorted, lips curling into a grim, venomous smile. He slowly drew a card. "The next card I'm going to play is going to feel very familiar to you."
Before the last word finished, he slammed it down.
"Normal Summon! Aluber the Jester of Despia!"
A dazzling summoning flare shot upward. A winged young man in dark silver armor emerged, black wings spread wide behind him. A half mask shaped like feathers covered most of his face, leaving only a pair of vicious, gleaming eyes visible.
Aluber the Jester of Despia
[Level 4 / Fairy / Effect]
[DEF: 0]
"Aluber?" Yusaku lifted an eyebrow. "Branded."
"That's right!" Karasu raised his chin. "This is the new power I obtained. You're not going to pretend you do not know this deck."
He stared at Yusaku.
"From what I gathered, this is one of your decks. Back in the lower city, you used it plenty."
He grinned at Yusaku, all mockery. "I can't wait to see your face when you get beaten by the deck you know best."
"Beat me?" Yusaku smiled faintly. "I'm looking forward to it. More than that, I'm curious how strong 'Branded' really is in your hands."
Karasu sneered. "Then watch carefully. Branded and my Predaplants go together perfectly."
"I activate Aluber the Jester of Despia's effect!" Karasu's voice rang across the field. "If this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add 1 'Branded' Spell or Trap from my Deck to my hand!"
"I choose the Spell Card, Branded Fusion!"
The card hit his hand, and he immediately slapped it onto the Duel Disk. "I activate Branded Fusion!"
"By this effect, I send 2 monsters from my hand, field, or Deck to the GY as Fusion Material to Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster that must use Fallen of Albaz as material!"
Karasu flipped open his Deck, two cards flashing in his hand. "I send the LIGHT Attribute Staysailor Romarin and Fallen of Albaz from my Deck to the GY as Fusion Material!"
"Come forth! Level 8, Albion the Branded Dragon!"
A deafening dragon roar ripped through the air. A crimson giant dragon wreathed in scorching heat surged out of the Fusion vortex, trailing waves of flame. Its scales glowed like molten iron, and every beat of its wings scattered blazing embers like rain.
Albion the Branded Dragon
[Level 8 / Dragon / Fusion]
[ATK: 2500]
"I activate the effect of Staysailor Romarin in the GY, and I chain the effect of Albion the Branded Dragon!" Karasu barked.
Before he could continue, Yusaku's voice cracked through the arena like thunder.
"Since you activated a monster effect in the GY."
Yusaku slowly raised both hands. Two cards gleamed between his fingers. "I can chain to you. I activate the effect of K9-17 Izuna from my hand, and I also chain the effect of Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue!"
"First, Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue!"
Yusaku's voice surged, echoing through the stadium.
"During either player's Main Phase, I can activate this by revealing another 'Vanquish Soul' monster in my hand!"
He revealed the FIRE Attribute monster in his hand. "I reveal Vanquish Soul Pluton HG. Special Summon Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue from my hand!"
A soft summoning glow bloomed. A silver-haired girl stepped forward in a pure white dress and mantle, holding a staff carved with skull motifs. A cold, muted psychic aura drifted around her, her clear eyes utterly calm.
Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue
[Level 5 / Psychic / Effect]
[ATK: 500]
"Next, K9-17 Izuna's effect!"
Yusaku did not pause for even a breath.
"During the Main Phase of either player's turn, if the opponent has activated a monster effect in the hand or GY, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!"
His eyes locked onto Karasu.
"You just activated Staysailor Romarin's GY effect. That means I can activate K9-17 Izuna!"
A sharp crack tore through the air. A girl in a black tactical uniform dropped onto the field like lightning, high-tech pistol in hand, stance crisp and lethal.
K9-17 Izuna
[Level 5 / Warrior / Effect]
[ATK: 2100]
With the two monsters firmly on the field, Yusaku folded his arms, expression unchanged.
Karasu frowned at the sudden reinforcements, but he steadied himself almost immediately, voice low and firm.
"Fine. Then we resolve my chain. First, Albion the Branded Dragon's effect!"
"When this card is Fusion Summoned, I can banish Fusion Materials from my hand, field, or GY to Fusion Summon 1 Level 8 or lower Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck, except itself!"
"I banish Aluber the Jester of Despia on my field and Fallen of Albaz in my GY as Fusion Material!"
"Fusion Summon! Level 8, Lubellion the Searing Dragon!"
Flames exploded across the Duel Disk. A bronze-orange dragon clad in metallic armor surged out of the inferno, its claws carving the air as heat waves warped the space around it. It roared so violently the sound seemed to batter the audience's eardrums.
Lubellion the Searing Dragon
[Level 8 / Dragon / Fusion]
[ATK: 2500]
"Next, Staysailor Romarin's effect!" Karasu shouted. "If this card is sent to the GY by an effect, I can send 1 Level 5 or lower Plant monster from my Deck or Extra Deck to the GY!"
"I send the Level 1 Plant monster Predaplant Byblisp from my Deck to the GY!"
The instant the card hit the GY, Karasu snapped his head up, a savage glint flashing in his eyes.
"Now, at this moment, I activate Predaplant Byblisp's effect in the GY, and I chain the effect of Lubellion the Searing Dragon!"
"First, I…"
"Hold it." Yusaku cut him off immediately.
Karasu blinked. "Huh?"
Yusaku's tone stayed flat. "I still have effects that haven't resolved."
Karasu's brow tightened, irritation rising, but he held himself back.
Then Yusaku spoke, clean and decisive.
"The moment you activate Lubellion the Searing Dragon's effect, I chain. I activate K9-17 Izuna's effect, and I also chain Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue's effect."
"First, Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue!"
Yusaku's voice rang out across the field.
"During either player's turn, I reveal up to 1 'Vanquish Soul' monster of each required Attribute in my hand to apply an effect!"
He looked straight at Karasu.
"EARTH and DARK: until the End Phase, I take control of the lowest-ATK monster you control. FIRE and DARK: I Special Summon 1 'Vanquish Soul' monster from my Deck that is not Psychic."
Karasu frowned. "By revealing Attributes, you can steal my monster?"
"That's right." Yusaku's eyes narrowed slightly. "Too bad for you, I'm not interested in taking anything you have."
Karasu: "?"
Yusaku revealed two cards.
"I reveal the FIRE Attribute Vanquish Soul Pluton HG and the DARK Attribute Kewl Tune Crackle. By the effect, I Special Summon the Warrior monster Vanquish Soul Razen from my Deck!"
Another summoning flare erupted. A blue-haired young man blasted onto the field, a rocket thruster embedded into his arm. His gear looked like pure sci-tech, blue light pulsing along the hardware, his eyes sharp with arrogant confidence.
Vanquish Soul Razen
[Level 4 / Warrior / Effect]
[ATK: 1800]
"Next, K9-17 Izuna's effect!"
Yusaku continued without a break.
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can send 1 'K9' card from my Deck to the GY, except K9-17 Izuna!"
He tapped the Deck lightly. A card turned into a streak of light and shot into the GY.
"I send K9-ØØ Lupis from my Deck!"
"K9-ØØ Lupis?" Karasu's eyes narrowed. He remembered Yusaku had used that monster before, and its effect was nasty.
But right now, he had no choice but to keep going.
Karasu drew in a breath, forcing the unease down. "My chain continues. First, Lubellion the Searing Dragon's effect!"
"When it's Fusion Summoned, I can discard 1 card, then shuffle Fusion Materials from my field, GY, or banishment back into the Deck to Fusion Summon 1 Level 8 or lower Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck, except itself!"
He ripped a card from his hand and slammed it down.
"I discard Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio! I shuffle Predaplant Ambulomelides in my GY and the discarded Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio back into the Deck as Fusion Material!"
"Fusion Summon! Another Predaplant Ambulomelides!"
Predaplant Ambulomelides
[ATK: 1000]
That strange plant with the purple bud appeared on the field again. Karasu stared at it, a smug smile spreading across his face.
"I told you. I have plenty of ways to bring it out. Well, Yusaku? That destruction was a complete waste of effort!"
Yusaku glanced at the monster and let out a quiet snort.
"Using Lubellion's effect just to summon that piece of junk. I have to say, Branded is really unlucky in your hands."
"And even if you summon it again, so what? You have plenty of ways to summon it. I have plenty of ways to make sure it does not stay on your field."
Karasu: "???"
"At the exact moment you Summon Predaplant Ambulomelides!"
Yusaku's voice rose sharply.
"I activate the effect of Vanquish Soul Razen on my field, and I chain the effect of K9-ØØ Lupis in my GY!"
"Effect of K9-ØØ Lupis!"
Yusaku's voice thundered.
"During the Main Phase of either player's turn, if the opponent has activated a monster effect in the hand or GY, I can Special Summon this card from my hand or GY!"
His eyes cut to Karasu, a cold smile forming.
"You just activated Staysailor Romarin's GY effect. That means I can activate this."
Buzz!
A surge of pitch-black light burst from the GY. A tall man in a black uniform materialized slowly, gaze cold as ice, pressure rolling off him like a restrained beast.
K9-ØØ Lupis
[Level 5 / Beast-Warrior / Effect]
[ATK: 2300]
The casual players in the stands froze for a split second, then erupted.
"Did you notice? There are three Level 5 monsters on the field!"
"Holy crap, you're right!"
"Yeah, yeah. We all know what's coming next!"
Those shouts made Karasu's heart drop.
He remembered K9-ØØ Lupis. It could do an Xyz Summon during the opponent's turn.
And with three Level 5s on Yusaku's field, Karasu could not help but recall a duel Yusaku had fought against one of the academy students, where he used K9-ØØ Lupis to Xyz Summon Outer Entity Azathot.
Karasu remembered that effect very clearly.
The turn it is Xyz Summoned, the opponent cannot activate monster effects.
Karasu's pupils shrank. He stared at Yusaku. "You're not about to Summon Outer Entity Azathot, are you?"
"If I were dueling someone else, I might use that card to end this quickly." Yusaku glanced at him, a thin layer of mockery in his voice.
"But against you Gurus, how could I not let you taste that despair? No matter how hard you try to build a board, you still cannot take a single point of LP from me."
Karasu: "???"
"Next, I activate Vanquish Soul Razen's effect!"
Yusaku did not slow down.
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add 1 'Vanquish Soul' monster from my Deck to my hand, except a Warrior."
"I add Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger from my Deck to my hand!"
The moment he searched it, Yusaku immediately revealed the card.
"I activate Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger's effect. I chain Vanquish Soul Razen's other effect. Then I chain K9-ØØ Lupis's Accel Xyz effect!"
"First, I activate K9-ØØ Lupis's effect!" Yusaku shouted.
(End of Chapter)
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