Watching Yusaku's reaction, Karasu frowned slightly, but there was no time for him to think too deeply about it now. The moment he sent the card to the Graveyard, he shouted at once:
"Then, by the effect of El Shaddoll Apkallone, I add the Continuous Trap Card Shaddoll Schism from my Deck to my hand, then discard 1 card!"
The instant he discarded, Karasu sharply pulled another card from his hand.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Ultra Polymerization!!"
"I pay 2000 Life Points to activate it! I send 2 Fusion Material monsters listed on a Fusion Monster Card from my field to the Graveyard, then Fusion Summon that Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck! And my opponent cannot activate cards or effects in response to this card's activation!"
"I pay 2000 LP!"
[Karasu LP 7000 -> 5000]
"This monster's summoning condition is: 1 Fusion Monster plus 1 DARK monster!"
Karasu's finger stabbed heavily toward the field.
"I send the Fusion Monster Granguignol the Dusk Dragon on my field, and the DARK monster Predaplant Bufolicula, to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials!"
"Fusion Summon! Level 8 - Predaplant Ambulomelides!!!!"
The two beams of light slammed into the Fusion vortex. In the next instant, a tide of thorns swept out from the whirlpool, and a demonic dragon covered in spikes spread its wings and burst forth. Its claws hit the ground with a thunderous crash, and it let out a deafening roar, every scale gleaming with a bloodthirsty chill.
Predaplant Ambulomelides
Level 8 / Plant / Fusion / Effect
ATK 2700
The moment Ambulomelides landed, Karasu reached toward the Ultra Polymerization in his Graveyard.
"I activate Ultra Polymerization's other effect! I banish this card, then target 1 monster Fusion Summoned by this card's effect! Special Summon the Fusion Material monsters used for that monster's Fusion Summon from my Graveyard! Monsters Special Summoned by this effect have their ATK and DEF become 0, and their effects are negated!"
"I target Predaplant Ambulomelides on my field! Special Summon Granguignol the Dusk Dragon and Predaplant Bufolicula from my Graveyard!!"
Two dim beams of light rose from the Graveyard, and the puppet dragon and the lizard reappeared, though the glow on their bodies was dull and lifeless.
Granguignol the Dusk Dragon
ATK 0
Predaplant Bufolicula
ATK 0
"I'm still not done!"
Karasu shouted.
"I activate the Predaprime Fusion I Set on the field! This card's effect does not have a once-per-turn restriction!"
"I use Granguignol the Dusk Dragon and Predaplant Bufolicula on my field as Fusion Materials once again and send them to the Graveyard!"
"Fusion Summon! A second Predaplant Ambulomelides!!!!"
Another thorn-covered demonic dragon burst from the vortex and stood shoulder to shoulder with the first Ambulomelides.
Predaplant Ambulomelides
ATK 2700
"Next, since Predaprime Fusion's effect does not have a once-per-turn restriction, I can activate its Graveyard effect again by banishing it, returning the Fusion Monster Granguignol the Dusk Dragon from my Graveyard to the Extra Deck, and then drawing 1 card!"
With the new card in hand, Karasu turned his gaze toward Yusaku's Monster Zone and swept out his arm.
"I activate Predaplant Ambulomelides's effect!"
"Once per turn, I can target 1 face-up monster my opponent controls and place 1 Predator Counter on it! A Level 2 or higher monster with a Predator Counter becomes Level 1! This effect can also be activated during the opponent's turn!"
"My target is your Vanquish Soul Razen! Take a Predator Counter and drop to Level 1!"
Ambulomelides threw its head back and roared. A thick thorn burst out of the ground and wrapped tightly around Vanquish Soul Razen on Yusaku's field. The light of the counter flashed across the monster's body, and the displayed Level rapidly changed.
Vanquish Soul Razen
Counters: 0 -> 1
"At this moment!"
Karasu's voice suddenly rose.
"I activate the effect of Predaplant Flytrap in my Graveyard!"
"If a monster on the field has a Predator Counter placed on it, I can activate this effect and Special Summon this card from my Graveyard!"
"Your Vanquish Soul Razen has already had a Predator Counter placed on it, so I can Special Summon Predaplant Flytrap to the field!"
As soon as the words fell, a pitch-black wasp flew out of the Graveyard, the buzzing of its wings enough to make one's scalp tingle, though its ATK was a pitiful 0.
Predaplant Flytrap
Level 1 / Plant / Effect
ATK 0
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Predaplanning from my hand."
Karasu revealed the card in his hand.
"I can send 1 'Predap' card from my Deck to the Graveyard, except Predaplanning, to activate this card, and then add 1 Fusion Spell from my Deck to my hand."
He paused, then looked at Yusaku with a cold smile curling up at the corner of his mouth.
"This card can search a pretty wide range. Want to guess what I'm going to add?"
At that, Yusaku smiled faintly.
"What else could it be? Ultra Polymerization."
He glanced at the monsters on his own field.
"Otherwise, you wouldn't have deliberately changed my Poseidra, the Storming Atlantean into a DARK monster. Isn't it because you want to summon the monster you failed to bring out in the last duel?"
Yusaku shot him a look, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Enough talk. Bring it on. Don't waste time."
Having his intentions seen through, Karasu gave a cold snort, a vicious glint flashing across his face.
"You know what I'm trying to do, and you can still smile?"
"Why wouldn't I? If my field gets cleared, I'll just build another one." Yusaku looked at Karasu and smiled lightly. "I know exactly what monster you want to summon, and I know you're going to use my monsters as Fusion Materials. But I'd advise you not to do it, because you'll regret it."
"Regret it?" Karasu laughed as if he had just heard the greatest joke in the world. "I know you too well! The more you say that, the more it proves there's something wrong here! Today, I refuse to let you get your way!"
As he spoke, he yanked a card from the Deck and slammed it down onto the Duel Disk, his voice shaking the whole arena.
"By the effect of Predaplanning, I send the Trap Card Predaplanet from my Deck to the Graveyard and add the Quick-Play Spell Ultra Polymerization to my hand!"
With Ultra Polymerization now in hand, Karasu activated it without the slightest hesitation, his voice filled with frenzied excitement.
"Witness the power of ultimate fusion! I activate the Quick-Play Spell Ultra Polymerization!!!!"
"I send your 3 DARK monsters - Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon, Albion the Branded Dragon, and Poseidra, the Storming Atlantean - to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials!"
The Fusion vortex spun wildly at the center of the field, and Karasu's roar seemed almost ready to blow the roof off the arena itself.
"Fusion Summon! The ace sleeping within my Deck - Predaplant Triphyoverutum!!!!"
Yusaku's three monsters seemed to be dragged by an invisible force, helplessly pulled into the Fusion vortex.
In the next second, a blinding light exploded across the field, and a pale yellow giant dragon with three massive heads and wings covered in thorns slowly emerged from the vortex. Its draconic pressure was overwhelming, as though it might crush the entire Duel Arena beneath it.
Predaplant Triphyoverutum
Level 10 / Plant / Fusion / Effect
ATK 3000
"At this moment!" Karasu's voice rang out again. "The effect of Predaplanet, which I just sent to the Graveyard, can now be activated!"
"If this card is in the Graveyard, and I Fusion Summon a DARK monster, I can activate it! I banish this card, then target 1 card on the field and destroy it!"
"I just Fusion Summoned the DARK monster Predaplant Triphyoverutum, so this effect can activate! I banish this card!"
Karasu's finger suddenly pointed at the last remaining monster on Yusaku's field.
"Destroy your Vanquish Soul Razen!"
A reddish-brown beam shot out from the Graveyard and struck Vanquish Soul Razen dead on. The monster instantly exploded into fragments and vanished into the air.
"Finally, I Set 2 cards!"
Karasu slapped the last 2 cards from his hand onto the Duel Disk, and two face-down cards lit up at his feet.
Looking at the state of the field, the commentator's excited voice echoed through the stadium.
"My goodness! This is nothing short of a miracle! Contestant Karasu started from a desperate position where all his opening monsters had been cleared, and under the enormous pressure of Maxx "C", he forcefully rebuilt the entire field... Not only did he clear every monster on Contestant Yusaku's field, he even summoned Predaplant Triphyoverutum!! This is unbelievable!"
The moment the commentator finished, the crowd exploded into uproar.
The members of Gurus clenched their fists and shouted excitedly.
"Nice! That turns it around!"
"Heh, heh, heh. With two Ambulomelides on the field, plus Triphyoverutum, that board is basically immortal! And next turn he can fuse into El Shaddoll Winda too. I don't see how he loses!"
But as soon as those words fell, players in another part of the audience rolled their eyes.
"A comeback? You call that a comeback?"
"Exactly. Sure, he cleared Yusaku-senpai's board, but this was all on his own turn. He built a field, and Yusaku must've drawn who knows how many cards. Is there even any suspense left in this duel?"
At that moment, Kouki pushed up his glasses in a distinctly combative gesture, his voice calm but carrying a trace of deeper meaning.
"You're only looking at the surface?"
The surrounding players froze, then hurriedly pressed him.
"Kouki, you're about to spoil it, aren't you?!"
Kazetaro, who had been standing with his arms crossed, chuckled.
"Even I figured it out. You guys didn't catch it?"
He paused, then uttered a few simple words.
"Mirrorjade in the Graveyard!!"
The slower players were still trying to recall what that card did.
But the quicker ones understood Kazetaro's meaning instantly, and wicked grins spread across their faces.
"Heh heh heh... now this is going to get good."
On the field, Karasu folded his arms across his chest, his face full of absolute confidence.
"Now your field has been completely wiped clean by me! Of the two cards I Set, one of them should be very familiar to you - Shaddoll Schism! As for the other one... care to guess what it is?"
Yusaku raised an eyebrow, his tone flat.
"What is it?"
Karasu laughed smugly, enunciating each word.
"The Continuous Trap Card Imperial Order! On your turn, I'll Fusion Summon El Shaddoll Winda, then activate this card. No matter how many cards you have in your hand, you won't be able to Summon monsters, and you won't be able to activate effects. They'll all be useless!"
He raised his hand and pointed at the swarm of monsters on his field, his voice overflowing with arrogance.
"With all these monsters on my field, the scales of victory have already tilted completely to my side!"
"Oh?" Yusaku smiled faintly and slowly pulled a card from his hand. "Sorry, but it looks like those scales of victory are about to tilt back in my direction."
Karasu: "?"
(End of Chapter)
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