Gekko Tenma was startled. "Activating it from the Graveyard? The Trap you used on the first turn?"
"Correct. When Breakthrough Skill is in the Graveyard, its effect can be used during my turn." Yugen Fujiki said. "By banishing it, I negate the effect of one Monster on your field until the end of the turn. I choose Angel O7."
The artificial angel's halo dimmed at once. The light that had been suppressing the field withdrew back into its body, and the pressure on Yugen's side vanished.
"You already had a counter prepared from turn one…" Gekko Tenma murmured.
"Next, I activate the Ritual Spell 'Black Illusion Ritual' from my hand," Yugen Fujiki continued. "I Perform a Ritual Summon for Relinquished by offering monster from my hand or field whose total Levels equal 1 or more."
Gekko Tenma felt another shock. "You are going to Summon both Thousand-Eyes Restrict and Relinquished in the same turn?"
"Scapegoat's Sheep Tokens cannot be used for a Tribute Summon, but they can be used for a Ritual Summon," Yugen Fujiki explained. "I offer the Level 1 Sheep Token. Ritual Summon."
The ritual flames rose, and a single-eyed, unsettling Monster appeared.
Relinquished, ATK 0.
Two Sheep had become the two signature cards crafted by Maximillion Pegasus. Gekko Tenma felt his thoughts go blank.
"So this is how Relinquished is meant to be used…" he muttered.
"First, Relinquished's effect."
Yugen gestured calmly.
"Once Per Turn, it absorbs one Monster on your field as an Equip Monster and gains its stats. I believe you know that."
He pointed at Darklord Zerato.
"I will absorb Darklord Zerato."
A strong suction burst from Relinquished's hollow body, dragging Darklord Zerato inside. Its ATK rose to 2800.
"Next, Thousand-Eyes Restrict inherits the same effect," Yugen continued. "Once Per Turn, I absorb Gaia Plate the Earth Giant."
Darkness spread from Thousand-Eyes Restrict, pulling Gaia Plate the Earth Giant in.
Thousand-Eyes Restrict, ATK 2800.
"Both of them…" Gekko Tenma clenched his teeth.
"Now I Normal Summon Tsukuyomi."
Tsukuyomi, ATK 1100.
"When Tsukuyomi is Summoned, I can change one Monster on the field to face-down Defense Position. I choose my own Thousand-Eyes Restrict."
"Nani?!?!"
Gekko Tenma stared as Thousand-Eyes Restrict flipped face-down. Because it left the field face-up, Gaia Plate the Earth Giant was Destroyed and vanished.
"Next, I activate the effect of AD Changer in the Graveyard," Yugen Fujiki said. "By banishing it, I change the battle position of one Monster. I flip Thousand-Eyes Restrict face-up."
The monster returned to the field. Its state had reset.
"Because it was flipped face-down and back up, Thousand-Eyes Restrict can use its effect again," Yugen Fujiki declared. "Once Per Turn. I absorb Angel O7."
Gekko Tenma watched as his ace was dragged into the vortex and absorbed. He felt a heavy weight in his chest.
"So that is how Relinquished works…"
"Thousand-Eyes Restrict and Relinquished, attack Gekko Tenma directly."
Both monsters opened their hollow bodies and fired the absorbed power of Angel O7 and Darklord Zerato forward. Gekko Tenma raised his Duel Disk in front of him, but the impact knocked him to the ground.
Two Sheep had turned into Thousand-Eyes Restrict and Relinquished. In a single turn, three of his strongest monsters were taken.
Gekko Tenma, LP 3000 to 0.
The Duel Is Over.
After being beaten in turns by his own ace monsters, Gekko Tenma staggered back and dropped to one knee as his Life Points Zero hit zero. He stayed there for a long time without getting up. With his head lowered, he looked completely shut down.
Daichi Misawa and Asuka Tenjoin both wore complicated expressions. They looked at Yugen, then at Gekko Tenma, unsure what to say. He had won again, and the strange new tricks in Yugen's style seemed to have increased.
Seeing Gekko Tenma still kneeling there, they even began to worry that after today, the Student Council might lose a Legendary Duelist who would give up on his dream. Was there really no one left who could stop Tabloid Warrior's advance?
Asuka Tenjoin unconsciously pressed a hand against her Deck. She thought of the new "Cyber Angel Nashira" she had just completed under Yugen's guidance. Suddenly, she sensed a trace of something familiar in Yugen's tactics today, and she refused to believe it did not include some of his personal preferences.
At that moment, another voice came from the direction of the Industrial Illusions building.
"I told you already."
Everyone turned toward the sound. Another "Gekko Tenma" was standing at the entrance, as if carved from the same mold. If they were not standing side by side, no one would have spotted any difference.
This one was naturally Yako Tenma, Gekko Tenma's younger brother.
Gekko Tenma stood up and looked at him. "Yako Tenma."
"I said he was strong. Brother, you probably were not his match." Yako Tenma smiled with his hands behind his back. "Of course, I knew that even if I said so, you would still have to try."
Gekko Tenma shrugged and said nothing.
He turned to Yugen, his emotions settled now, and gave a small smile. "It was a good Duel. I learned a lot."
What else could he say? That this way of playing was wrong?
All the cards used were their father's. Maximillion Pegasus himself had always loved that kind of strategy, so how could they deny his taste?
"Not at all. I am the one who learned something," Yugen replied with a smile, shaking his hand again.
Yako Tenma also greeted him. "It has not been long since we last met, yet you have already grown stronger. You have mastered the power of Relinquished so quickly."
In fact, he felt that was an understatement.
Relinquished had never looked this smooth even in Maximillion Pegasus's hands. Of course, that might be because Maximillion Pegasus had long since stepped back from serious Duels.
"I lost," Gekko Tenma said, glancing at Yako Tenma. "You were right. Dueling him, dueling Yugen, gives a very special feeling."
He looked at Yugen thoughtfully.
"Thinking about it now, you might be that type of Duelist."
Yugen raised an eyebrow.
"Years ago, Maximillion Pegasus once described me that way too. But that was long ago, when I was still learning Duel."
Gekko Tenma showed a trace of nostalgia.
"My brother Yako Tenma and I were both orphans adopted by Maximillion Pegasus. He adopted many children like us and trained them as his successors. Back then, I was one of the first to stand out, showing talent in Duel far beyond the others of my generation."
He looked at Yugen seriously.
"After watching my Duel in person, Maximillion Pegasus once told me, 'Your Duel is almost perfect. From the very first card, every move is calculated to guide the game to victory, like a top chess player.' Because of that, Maximillion Pegasus later gave me the title of Perfect Duelist."
Daichi Misawa and Asuka Tenjoin moved closer, listening with full attention.
"But what Maximillion Pegasus called perfection was only my personal limit. Compared to my brother Yako Tenma, it is difficult for me to improve further."
Gekko Tenma closed his eyes and smiled faintly.
"If you ask me, the way you design your Deck, your calculations and control over Duel all combined... Yugen, you are the one who deserves to be called the Perfect Duelist."