"During the opponent's turn, I can activate this. Using monsters I control, including this card, as material, I conduct an Xyz Summon!"
Yusaku raised his arm high and pointed to the sky, his voice carrying a domineering confidence that looked down on everything. "I overlay my Level 5 K9-ØØ Lupis and K9-17 Izuna to construct an Overlay Network!"
"Xyz Summon! Rank 5. Great Figure's Patronage Chariot Knight!!!"
Boom!
The two Level 5 monsters became two dazzling beams of light that shot into the golden vortex overhead. The next instant, a silver-purple war chariot etched with flowing water patterns came diving out of the vortex, dragging a towering wave behind it as it slammed onto the field.
Great Figure's Patronage Chariot Knight
[Aqua / Xyz / Effect]
[Xyz Materials: 2]
[ATK: 1700]
"Next, I activate Vanquish Soul Razen's effect!"
Yusaku did not pause for even a second.
"During either player's turn, I can reveal 1 'Vanquish Soul' monster of the required Attribute from my hand, then choose 1 of these effects to apply. FIRE: this card cannot be destroyed by card effects this turn. FIRE and DARK: destroy all other monsters in the same column as this card!"
He snapped his wrist and revealed two cards again, FIRE and DARK intertwining once more.
"I reveal the FIRE Attribute Vanquish Soul Pluton HG and the DARK Attribute Killer Tune Shavehand. I activate the effect and destroy the monster in the same column as Vanquish Soul Razen: Albion the Branded Dragon!"
The moment he finished, Razen clenched both fists. A red-brown stream of energy fired out like a cannon shot and punched straight through the crimson dragon on Karasu's field.
Albion the Branded Dragon was pierced instantly, then scattered into stardust and vanished into the air.
"Finally, I activate Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger's effect!"
Yusaku's voice carried an unquestionable authority.
"During either player's Main Phase, I target 1 non-Machine 'Vanquish Soul' monster I control. Return that monster to the hand, then Special Summon this card from my hand!"
"I target Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius on my field. Return it to my hand, then Special Summon Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger from my hand!"
Buzz.
Caesar Valius dissolved into a streak of light and disappeared. In its place, a heavy mech made entirely of machinery descended onto the field. It stood several meters tall, plated in thick alloy armor, with massive cannons on both arms glowing a cold blue and radiating an apocalyptic pressure.
Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger
[Level 7 / Machine / Effect]
[ATK: 2500]
The instant the mech landed, Yusaku's voice rang out again.
"I activate Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger's effect, and I chain the Xyz effect of Great Figure's Patronage Chariot Knight!"
"First, the effect of Great Figure's Patronage Chariot Knight!"
Yusaku's tone snapped upward.
"During either player's Main Phase, I detach 2 materials from this card. Choose 1 'No.' Xyz Monster from Number 101 to Number 107 from my Extra Deck, and attach it to this card as material. Then I can also choose 1 other face-up monster on the field and attach it to this card as material!"
"I detach two materials. From my Extra Deck, I choose Number 101: Silent Honor ARK and attach it under Great Figure's Patronage Chariot Knight as material!"
Great Figure's Patronage Chariot Knight
[Xyz Materials: 0 -> 1]
After reloading the materials, Yusaku's eyes fell on the lonely Predaplant Ambulomelides on Karasu's field. A cold smile tugged at his lips. "I told you. If you can Summon it, I can make it disappear."
He pointed straight at Karasu's field.
"I choose your Predaplant Ambulomelides and attach it to this card as Xyz Material!"
A brilliant blue light burst from the chariot and swallowed the Plant monster whole.
Predaplant Ambulomelides did not even get the chance to struggle. It was consumed by the light, turned into a streak, and flew beneath the chariot, becoming a brand-new material.
Great Figure's Patronage Chariot Knight
[Xyz Materials: 1 -> 2]
Watching his key extender vanish again, Karasu's face darkened instantly.
Yusaku, however, spoke again with a faint smile, as if he were chatting.
"Next, I activate Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger's effect!"
"During either player's turn, I reveal 1 'Vanquish Soul' monster of the required Attribute from my hand, then choose 1 effect to apply. DARK: draw 1 card. EARTH and FIRE: inflict 1500 damage to my opponent."
Yusaku revealed a card from his hand.
"I reveal the DARK Attribute monster Killer Tune Shavehand. By the effect, I draw 1 card."
He smoothly drew from the Deck. The moment he saw the artwork, the corner of his mouth lifted. Then he held the card up.
Karasu froze, then snapped his gaze onto it. When he recognized the card, his pupils contracted violently, and his voice tore out in disbelief.
"Maxx 'C'?! How is that possible?! Out of all those cards, you drew that one right now?!"
"Right now?" Yusaku smiled at him. "Haven't you heard the saying? Everything about a Duelist is inevitable."
Karasu: "?"
Yusaku played the card. "Then I send this to the GY. Each time you Special Summon a monster, I draw 1 card."
He looked at Karasu. "Any response?"
"But I'm guessing you don't have any hand traps for this. Even if you did, you probably could only use them on my turn."
Karasu's expression turned ugly.
He really did not have anything that could stop it. All he could do was let the effect resolve.
His field was empty again. The Predaplant Ambulomelides he had just brought back was gone once more.
In an instant, the tempo flipped. What had been an even game became a clear disadvantage.
Karasu clenched his teeth, eyes full of unwilling rage. He yanked out a card, voice on the edge of hysteria.
"Do not get cocky! Even so, I can still turn this around! As long as I can build a board, who wins is not decided yet!"
He was about to slam the card down when Yusaku's voice poured over him like cold water and snuffed out his hope.
"What, you think I'm done? I still have effects I have not used."
Karasu: "???"
Yusaku calmly drew out another card. Its border glimmered faintly in the sunlight. "I chain to the Maxx 'C' I just sent and activate the effect of Killer Tune Shavehand from my hand!"
"This card's effect."
Yusaku's voice rose sharply.
"While this card is in my hand, during the opponent's Main Phase, I can Special Summon it. Then I can perform 1 Synchro Summon."
Karasu's pupils shrank. "Accel Synchro?!"
"Correct." Yusaku slapped the card onto the Duel Disk. "Come out. Killer Tune Shavehand!"
Killer Tune Shavehand
[Level 2 / Thunder / Tuner / Effect]
[ATK: 800]
The instant the Tuner appeared, Yusaku continued without missing a beat.
"By Killer Tune Shavehand's effect, I Synchro Summon using it and my Level 5 effect monster, Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 7. Shooting Riser Dragon!!!"
Brilliant Synchro starlight erupted upward, forming a massive pillar of light.
A huge dragon clad in starfire armor burst out of the beam, scales glittering like diamonds. With every flap of its wings, countless star fragments rained down through the air.
Shooting Riser Dragon
[Level 7 / Dragon / Synchro / Tuner / Effect]
[ATK: 2100]
"I activate Shooting Riser Dragon's effect!"
Yusaku did not slow down.
"When this card is Synchro Summoned, I can send 1 monster from my Deck to the GY whose Level is lower than this card's. This card's Level decreases by that monster's Level."
He tapped the Deck lightly. A card flew into the GY. "I send Dimension Shifter from my Deck. Shooting Riser Dragon's Level decreases by 6!"
Shooting Riser Dragon
[Level: 7 -> 1]
"I'm not finished!"
Yusaku barked.
"I activate Shooting Riser Dragon's other effect. During the opponent's Main Phase, I can Synchro Summon using monsters I control, including this card, as material!"
He raised his arm, pointing at the two monsters on his field, his voice carrying a headlong momentum.
"I Synchro Summon using my Level 1 Shooting Riser Dragon and my Level 7 Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 8. Ecclesia of the Black Dragon!!!"
A 1 and a 7 of starlight intertwined, forming a straight line of eight stars.
A blinding beam crashed down like a waterfall, kicking up layers of energy ripples across the field.
A thunderous dragon roar shook the arena. A massive claw coated in black scales thrust out of the swirling beam, its talons gleaming with a cold light as if they could tear open space itself.
The beam shattered, and a blonde girl in black armor appeared on the field, the shadow of a colossal black dragon coiling behind her.
Ecclesia of the Black Dragon
[Level 8 / Spellcaster / Synchro / Effect]
[ATK: 2500]
"I'm still not done!"
The moment the monster appeared, Yusaku swept his hand.
"I activate Ecclesia of the Black Dragon's effect!"
"During either player's Main Phase, I can banish this card until the End Phase. Then I Special Summon 1 Fallen of Albaz, or 1 monster that lists it, from my Deck or GY."
He tapped the Synchro monster lightly. The girl became a streak of light and vanished. "I banish Ecclesia of the Black Dragon and Special Summon Fallen of Albaz from my Deck!"
A soft summoning glow blossomed. A black-haired, black-eyed Dragon youth appeared calmly on the field.
Fallen of Albaz
[Level 4 / Dragon / Effect]
[ATK: 1800]
"This… isn't this Karasu's turn?" someone in the crowd muttered, face full of disbelief.
Next to him, a spiky-haired Duelist froze, then blurted out, "It really is. But why… why is Yusaku the one activating everything?!"
"Yeah! It's the opponent's turn! Not only is Yusaku not getting suppressed, he's building a board on the opponent's turn, and he's even stopping them from building theirs!"
"This… are we serious right now?"
Not just the crowd. Even the commentator stood frozen, mic in hand, mouth open, unable to form a single word.
Seeing the stunned faces in the stands, the players straightened their backs, voices full of proud bragging.
"This is what the fear of K9 is. And this is Yusaku going second. If he went first, the other side would not even get to Summon monsters!"
"That's nothing. You have not seen those Aqua monsters that love moving on the opponent's turn. At that point, what opponent's turn? Opponent's turn is my turn. I build on your turn and I seal your field too!"
"Exactly. Gurus trash actually thought they could stand against him. They are completely out of their depth!"
On the field, Yusaku looked at Karasu with a faintly mocking gaze.
"Karasu, your understanding of Branded is unbelievably shallow."
Karasu: "?"
"I activate Fallen of Albaz's effect!"
Yusaku's voice rose sharply.
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can discard 1 card. Using this card and 1 monster on either field as Fusion Material, I Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck!"
He pulled a card from his hand and discarded it.
"I discard 1 card. I use my Fallen of Albaz and your LIGHT Attribute monster Lubellion the Searing Dragon as Fusion Material. Send them to the GY!"
"Fusion Summon! Level 8. Albion the Branded Dragon!!!"
The dragon roar returned, shaking the arena. The flame-wreathed crimson dragon burst from the Fusion vortex again, its enormous wings beating out a heat wave that nearly set the air on fire.
Albion the Branded Dragon
[Level 8 / Dragon / Fusion]
[ATK: 2500]
"I activate Albion the Branded Dragon's effect!" Yusaku continued.
"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!"
He tapped the GY and the banished zone.
"I banish Fallen of Albaz in my GY and the Synchro monster Shooting Riser Dragon that is currently banished as Fusion Material!"
A massive Fusion vortex opened overhead.
Yusaku raised his arm high.
"Newborn dragon and ancient cold interlace here. Rage at the freezing extreme, crystallize into an ice-cold blade. With that edge, freeze and cut down every enemy in sight!"
"Fusion Summon! Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon!!!"
A surge of freezing air swept the entire arena. The Fusion vortex turned into an icy blue world.
A massive dragon made of ice crystal emerged slowly, wrapped in a cold current that felt like it could freeze anything. Its scales shone like diamonds, and with each beat of its wings, countless ice shards drifted down. The temperature of the stadium seemed to drop by several degrees.
Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon
[Level 8 / Wyrm / Fusion]
[ATK: 3000]
Mirrorjade landed on the field. The overwhelming cold crystallized the air around it.
Yusaku looked at Karasu, eyes calm and indifferent, voice flat.
"My effects are resolved. Your move."
The entire stadium fell into a dead silence.
This was supposed to be Karasu's turn, and yet…
While the opponent was building a board, Yusaku was building right along with them, and while building, he was also disrupting the opponent's plays.
After that entire sequence, Karasu had no monsters left, while Yusaku's field was packed.
And it was not just monsters. Karasu was also under Maxx 'C'.
Every time Karasu Special Summoned, Yusaku would draw 1 card.
This was Karasu's turn, and yet it felt like it belonged to Yusaku.
Even the commentator stood there blankly with the mic, not knowing what to say.
(End of Chapter)
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