The lights on the Duel Arena were still crackling. Yusaku folded his arms across his chest and swept a cold gaze over Karasu's completely empty Monster Zone, the corner of his mouth lifting into a mocking smile.
"You don't have a single monster left on your field, and you're still under the effect of Maxx "C". Looks like this duel isn't going the way you expected."
At that, Karasu glanced at the monsters on Yusaku's field. It was clearly his own turn, yet his side of the field was empty while the opponent's was packed with monsters.
And the next turn would be Yusaku's. If he did nothing this turn, then once the next turn came around, the duel would be over.
"It's just one Maxx "C", isn't it?" Karasu gritted his teeth. "I'm going to build my board right through it! As long as I can get my field set up, it's still too early to say who's going to win!"
Before the words had even finished leaving his mouth, he yanked a card from his hand and slapped it onto the Duel Disk, his voice full of the desperation of someone staking everything on one final push.
"I activate the Spell Card Predapractice!"
"Special Summon 1 "Predaplant" monster from my hand! Then, add 1 "Predap" card from my Deck to my hand, except another copy of this card! After this card resolves, until the end of the turn, I can only Special Summon Fusion Monsters from the Extra Deck!"
As the incantation fell, Karasu raised the card in his hand, and a burst of green light exploded in front of him.
"By the effect of Predapractice, Special Summon! Predaplant Byblisp from my hand!"
Fine strands of webbing wove themselves into existence out of thin air, and a tiny emerald spider descended along the silk, its eight legs skittering deftly across the web and making a faint rustling sound.
Predaplant Byblisp
Level 1 / Plant / Effect
ATK 600
"I'm not done yet!"
Karasu's fingers brushed across his Deck.
"Predapractice's follow-up effect lets me add the Equip Spell Predaplast to my hand from the Deck!"
The moment the searched card slid into his hand, his voice rose sharply, full of unshakable force.
"Next, I activate the effect of Predaplant Byblisp!"
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can activate its effect! I add 1 "Predap" card from my Deck to my hand, except itself!"
"I choose the Spell Card Predaplanning from my Deck!"
With the new card added to his hand, Karasu immediately pulled out another card without the slightest hesitation.
"Then I activate the effect of Predaplant Bufolicula in my hand! If this card is in my hand, and I control a "Predaplant" monster, I can activate this effect! I Special Summon this card, then add 1 Polymerization from my Deck to my hand!"
"I control Predaplant Byblisp, so the condition is met! Special Summon, Predaplant Bufolicula!"
A dark green lizard with a lily bud blooming from the end of its tail burst up from the earth. Its scales reflected a cold sheen under the arena lights, and its long tongue flicked in and out rapidly, as though already eyeing its prey.
Predaplant Bufolicula
Level 3 / Plant / Effect
ATK 1200
"Predaplant Bufolicula's effect continues!" Karasu's voice carried a trace of feverish excitement. "I add the Spell Card Predaprime Fusion from my Deck to my hand!"
The instant the card entered his hand, he raised his arm and pointed straight at Yusaku's Monster Zone, a sly gleam flashing through his eyes.
"Right after that, I activate the effect of the Predaplant Bufolicula I just Special Summoned!"
"I can target 1 face-up monster on the field and change its Attribute to DARK until the end of the turn!"
"I choose your WATER monster, Poseidra, the Storming Atlantean. It becomes DARK!"
A beam of murky green light shot through the air and struck Yusaku's chariot knight with pinpoint accuracy.
Its silver-white armor was instantly stained pitch-black, and the rippling aura of WATER vanished completely.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Predaprime Fusion!"
Karasu's shout rang across the entire arena.
"I send the Fusion Materials listed on a Fusion Monster Card from my field to the Graveyard, then Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck!"
"I send Predaplant Bufolicula and Predaplant Byblisp on my field to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials!"
The two Plant monsters turned into twin beams of green light and howled into the Fusion vortex that tore open above the Duel Disk. The vortex spun wildly, roaring as though it would devour everything in sight.
"Fusion Summon! Level 7, Predaplant Chimerafflesia!"
A gaping maw ripped out of the vortex, followed by a gigantic carnivorous flower the color of deep green crashing onto the field. Thick vines spread crazily across the ground, while saliva dripped from its jagged petals and gave off a choking poisonous vapor.
Predaplant Chimerafflesia
Plant / Fusion / Effect
ATK 2500
"Chimerafflesia?"
Yusaku lifted an eyebrow. He remembered that this monster had a banishing effect.
After a moment's thought, he prepared the card in his hand.
"The moment you Summon Predaplant Chimerafflesia, I activate the effect of Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon!"
"I send Albion the Branded Dragon from my Extra Deck to the Graveyard, and banish your Predaplant Chimerafflesia!"
"Say goodbye to your monster."
The instant those words fell, the white dragon on Yusaku's field threw back its head and roared. Countless blades of frost burst from between its scales, exploding into a sky full of glittering ice fragments.
The frozen shards rained down like a storm, piercing straight through Chimerafflesia's body. The giant man-eating flower let out a shrill, agonized scream as its body visibly froze and cracked apart, finally turning into powdery crystal and dispersing into the air.
Watching the monster he had just summoned get removed immediately, Karasu's brows knit slightly as he looked at Yusaku.
"You... you seem to know what that monster does?"
At that, Yusaku's lips curled into a mysterious smile.
"Who knows?"
"Hmph!" Seeing Yusaku refuse to answer, Karasu let out a cold snort. "Then I activate the effect of Predaprime Fusion in my Graveyard! I banish this card, then target 1 Fusion Monster in my Graveyard and return it to the Extra Deck! After that, I draw 1 card!"
"I banish this card and return Albion the Branded Dragon from my Graveyard to the Extra Deck to draw!"
A fresh new card entered his hand, but Karasu's assault did not slow down in the slightest.
"I'm still not finished! I activate the other effect of Predaplant Byblisp in my Graveyard!"
"While this card is in the Graveyard, I can banish it and activate 1 of its 2 effects! One: place 1 Predator Counter on 1 face-up monster on the field! Two: Set 1 Fusion Spell from my Graveyard or banishment to my field!"
"I choose to banish this card and Set the Predaprime Fusion I just banished onto my field!"
With a crisp hum, a streak of green light shot up from the Graveyard and became a face-down card at Karasu's feet.
As soon as the Set card settled into place, Karasu pulled another card from his hand and slammed it onto the Duel Disk.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Fusion Deployment! By this card's effect, I reveal 1 Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck, then Special Summon 1 of the Fusion Materials listed on it from my hand or Deck!"
As he spoke, he revealed a card from his Extra Deck.
"I reveal Granguignol the Dusk Dragon from my Extra Deck! Then I Special Summon Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous, a Fusion Material listed on that card!"
Soft holy light descended as a silver-haired saint in a reddish-brown robe, holding a holy sword, slowly appeared.
Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous
Level 4 / Spellcaster / Tuner / Effect
ATK 1500
"I activate the Equip Spell Predaplast!"
Karasu's offense came in wave after wave.
"I target 1 "Predaplant" monster in my Graveyard with this card! Special Summon that monster and equip this card to it!"
"My target is Predaplant Bufolicula in the Graveyard! Special Summon!"
The dark green lizard burst back out of the Graveyard once more, wrapped in a layer of murky green light.
Predaplant Bufolicula
ATK 1200
"Predaplant Bufolicula's effect!" Karasu shouted.
"If this card is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I can activate its effect and draw 1 card!"
"Since I just Special Summoned it from the Graveyard, by its effect, I get to draw again!"
After drawing, Karasu gave the card a quick glance, then slapped it down without hesitation.
"I activate the Spell Card Pot of Greed! Draw 2 cards!"
Two new cards entered his hand, and Karasu's hand advantage swelled at once. He raised his arm sharply.
"I activate the effect of Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous! I use monsters in my hand or on my field as Fusion Materials to Fusion Summon 1 Level 8 or higher Fusion Monster!"
"The monster I'm summoning requires Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous plus a LIGHT or DARK monster!"
"I send the DARK monster Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra from my hand and Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous on my field to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials!"
"Fusion Summon! Level 8, Granguignol the Dusk Dragon!"
A gigantic puppet dragon strode out of the vortex, its wooden scales carved with eerie patterns, its hollow eye sockets flickering with a dark crimson light.
Granguignol the Dusk Dragon
Level 8 / Spellcaster / Fusion / Effect
ATK 2500
"I activate Granguignol the Dusk Dragon's effect!" Karasu shouted.
"When this card is Fusion Summoned, I can send 1 Level 6 or higher LIGHT or DARK monster from my Deck or Extra Deck to the Graveyard!"
As he spoke, he flicked a card from his Extra Deck and sent it into the Duel Disk.
"I choose El Shaddoll Apkallone from my Extra Deck!"
The moment the card hit the Graveyard, Karasu's voice rang out again.
"El Shaddoll Apkallone's effect activates! When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can add 1 "Shaddoll" card from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand! Then, I discard 1 card from my hand!"
"Shaddolls?"
Yusaku raised an eyebrow. So he was running a Shaddoll package too?
He looked at the Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring he had just drawn, then at another card in his hand. After thinking it over, he decided to let the effect go through.
(End of Chapter)
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