"Not done yet, I Normal Summon Scrap Chimera. This is the additional Normal Summon granted by Scrap Raptor earlier."
Niobe extended her hand, her fingertips brushing across the oil-stained card before slamming it heavily onto the Monster Zone of the Duel Disk.
As the card was placed, a burst of white steam carrying the scent of rust erupted from the ground of the Duel Arena. A mechanical construct cobbled together from several massive old gears, rusted hydraulic rods, and a chaotic bundle of high-voltage wires slowly rose amid harsh metallic grinding.
"And that leads to the first effect of Scrap Chimera: When this card is Normal Summoned, I can target 1 "Scrap" Tuner in my Graveyard." Niobe's voice was crisp and forceful, even overpowering the explosive sound effects echoing from nearby arenas. "Special Summon that monster. I Special Summon Scrap Raptor from my Graveyard once again!"
The mechanical dinosaur that had just disassembled into scattered parts in the flames was pulled together by Scrap Chimera's crude mechanical arm. Amid bursts of sparks, its joints reconnected, and it stood firmly once more before Niobe.
[ATK: 1400]
"It… it came back to life?"
Hiding in the shadows, Phila unconsciously clasped her hands together. In her ruby-like pupils, the haze that had formed from seeing a "family member" sent to the Graveyard had not yet faded, yet it was now shattered by the absurd and shocking scene before her.
But… she had obviously destroyed it with her own hands just now.
Phila stared at the Scrap Raptor… its body still marked with scorched traces, its red eyes flickering unsteadily, yet still roaring defiantly.
Something deep within her seemed to crack ever so slightly.
"Yeah, that's my Scrap. Just like me, they came from the Satellite area."
Niobe looked at the pile of rusted machinery without the slightest trace of disdain for their shabby appearance.
"In a place where even the air smells like rust, there's no one else to help us. All we can do is rely on each other."
She clenched her fist, her nails digging into her calloused palm. "Even so, those guys have never given up on the will to live. They fight to survive, they work with everything they've got…"
Niobe suddenly lifted her head and looked at the red-haired boy across from her, who radiated blazing energy.
"I believe that as long as we're tempered again and again, we will–definitely–reach our own rebirth!"
That conviction carried through the trembling holograms and reached Phila's ears. She stared blankly at her roommate, who seemed so tall and bold against the massive industrial backdrop. If Bakutaro's flames were an explosion of passion, then the factory behind Niobe was like a manifestation of her will–no matter how many times it was broken or crushed, it would be reforged and stand again.
"So… watch closely, our Scrap's rebirth!"
Niobe extended her arm, her fingers grasping at the air before pulling down an invisible lever.
"The summoning condition is 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters! I tune my Level 4 Tuner, Scrap Raptor, with my Level 4 Scrap Chimera!"
"4 + 4 = 8!"
A dazzling green Synchro ring lit up beneath the shadows of the abandoned factory. The scattered parts spun rapidly within the ring, turning into streams of light and reconstructing into a far larger form.
"Even scrap metal–spread your rusted wings! Synchro Summon! Appear–Level 8, Scrap Dragon!"
Gray-white industrial smoke burst from cracks in the ground. A ferocious mechanical dragon tore through the smoke–its head and spine formed from exposed thick steel pipes, and within its chest, churning pistons were visible.
Most absurd of all, the base of its wings was decorated with discarded massive truck tires. Though crude to the extreme, it exuded an indescribable wild vitality.
[ATK: 2800]
"So this is your Scrap Dragon?" Not a trace of fear appeared on Bakutaro's face; instead, his voice rose into even greater excitement.
He stared at the industrial beast, anticipation nearly overflowing from his eyes.
"What an incredible partner! But! I have to respond to your passion as well! Even if it's rebirth, I'll reforge it with the hammer of justice!"
Bakutaro slammed a button on his Duel Disk. The red mechanical lion behind him roared, molten projectiles gathering within its jaws.
"I activate the second effect of Magnaliger: Once per turn, I detach 1 Xyz Material from this card, then target 1 monster on the field and destroy it!"
"Since I have Red Layer as material, I can activate this effect during my opponent's turn!" Bakutaro's voice surged. "I detach Green Layer as Xyz Material! A strike of justice–destroy your Scrap Dragon!"
A blazing magma shot tore through the night sky.
The Scrap Dragon, freshly assembled and not even having the chance to roar, was instantly melted by the overwhelming heat. Its massive body dissolved under the high temperature, countless parts exploding and scattering in midair, turning into specks of light before vanishing in front of Niobe.
"Wah!" Phila shut her eyes in fright.
Destroyed again… and this time the moment it was summoned…
Raku sat cross-legged in the void, his eyes slightly narrowed.
Bakutaro used his disruption decisively. Scrap Dragon is the core disruption point of this deck; if it isn't removed immediately, once Niobe activates Scrap Dragon's effect to destroy one of her own back row and trade one-for-one with the lion, Bakutaro would be in serious trouble.
Now, Niobe's field was empty once again.
"Hmph… you still don't understand what I mean, Bakutaro."
From within the lingering smoke of the ruins came Niobe's resilient laughter.
"My Scrap… is full of resilience!" She suddenly flipped up a virtual projection from her Graveyard.
"I activate the second effect of Scrap Dragon: If this card is destroyed by your opponent and sent to the Graveyard, I can target 1 "Scrap" monster in my Graveyard, except a Synchro Monster, and Special Summon it!"
Niobe pointed sharply at the zone on the ground.
"At this moment, born from the pain of being destroyed–rising from the wreckage–is Scrap Raptor from my Graveyard! I Special Summon it in Defense Position!"
The mechanical dinosaur stood up once more. Though parts were still falling off its body, that unyielding will to fight drew exclamations from the surrounding audience.
"It's not over yet! Now comes the true 'tempering through countless trials'!"
Niobe swiftly pulled a card from her hand and placed it into the Spell/Trap Zone.
"I activate the Continuous Spell–Scrap Oil Zone! I Special Summon 1 "Scrap" monster from my Graveyard! Even if its effects are negated, and even if I can't enter the Battle Phase this turn–it doesn't matter!"
A sheen of green lubricating oil shimmered across the Duel Arena.
"Come back to the field–Scrap Chimera!"
The two monsters gathered once more.
"You're planning to…" Bakutaro widened his eyes, his spiky hair seeming to tremble from the shock. "Don't tell me–you're going for a second transformation?!"
"That's right! The ruins are not the end–rise again from scrap and broken metal!"
Niobe clasped her hands tightly together.
"Synchro Summon once more! I tune my Level 4 Scrap Raptor with my Level 4 Scrap Chimera!"
"Steel wings forged through countless trials. Shatter all prejudice! Synchro Summon! Return once more–Scrap Dragon!"
The same roar. The same smoke.
The Scrap Dragon that had just been melted into molten steel by the lion roared once more as it burst from the ruins within the same turn, spreading its rust-covered wings and standing firmly in front of Niobe.
"Hey, hey, this is way too fired up!" Bakutaro couldn't stop smiling anymore.
That fighting spirit, reassembling immediately even after being shattered, perfectly matched his own Super Quantum spirit!
"Hah…"
Niobe wiped the oil stain from the tip of her nose and let out a breath.
She looked at the reborn Scrap Dragon on her field, and at the two imposing machines on the opposite side that, though no longer protected by materials, still radiated overwhelming presence. She smoothly set two cards face-down.
"At this level of heat, if I don't burn everything out, it won't do… I set two cards and end my turn!"
"Then it's my turn–draw!"
Bakutaro forcefully drew a card from his Deck, the motion so exaggerated that even the hem of his red jacket flared up.
Without even looking at the card he drew, he pointed straight at the red steel lion.
"This isn't nearly hot enough yet! I activate the second effect of the lion–detaching Red Layer as material to destroy your Scrap Dragon!"
The mechanical lion let out a deafening roar, crimson magma gathering in its jaws. With a swing of Bakutaro's arm, the blazing projectile shot toward the Scrap Dragon that had just returned to the field.
The collision of heat and metal triggered a violent explosion. The newly assembled Scrap Dragon cried out as it was torn apart once again, breaking into countless fragments of scrap that rained down across the field.
"So hot, so hot!" Though Niobe was forced back half a step by the projected heatwave, the excitement in her eyes didn't diminish at all. "Scrap Dragon's second effect: If this card is destroyed by your opponent and sent to the Graveyard, I can target 1 "Scrap" monster in my Graveyard, except a Synchro Monster, and Special Summon it!"
Niobe raised her hand, preparing to search through her Graveyard.
"Wait, wait!" Bakutaro suddenly widened his eyes, staring at the chain indicator on his Duel Disk that hadn't lit up earlier. "On my turn, your effect activates as Chain Link 1?!"
The hot-blooded boy scratched his hedgehog-like red hair.
By normal logic, this was his turn–he was the turn player. When Red Layer had just been sent to the Graveyard, its effect should have priority.
"And I… chain your effect–Chain Link 2, activating Red Layer's effect." Bakutaro pressed the confirmation button, still somewhat confused.
Niobe scratched her head, the floral scrunchie bouncing slightly.
"Well… I'm not sure either." She looked at the Chain Link 1 prompt on her Duel Disk. "Scrap Dragon just seems to have this kind of ability–it just comes out on its own."
The two duelists, both relying purely on instinct, stared at each other wide-eyed amidst the flickering holographic flames.
Below the Duel Arena.
Phila bit her lip and looked at the semi-transparent figure floating beside her. "Mr. wandering spirit, do you know the reason?"
Raku floated cross-legged in midair. Looking at the two "new-gen" duelists on the stage, both full of confusion, a trace of nostalgia flickered through his usually lazy, pitch-black eyes.
The underlying logic of chain rules, the ordering of triggered effects; things this profound were practically incomprehensible to beginners who relied purely on passion to duel.
Logically speaking, it was indeed Bakutaro's turn and as the turn player, he held turn priority; when multiple trigger conditions were met simultaneously, he should have been the one to decide first whether to activate Red Layer's effect.
However, building a chain isn't determined solely by whose turn it is.
Raku raised a finger and began to explain.
"The priority of triggered effects depends most critically on whether they are mandatory or optional.
"Scrap Dragon's second effect–'when this card in your possession is destroyed by your opponent's card and sent to your GY… target 1 non-Synchro Scrap monster in your GY; Special Summon that target.'–does not include the word 'can'.
"That makes it a mandatory effect that must activate once its condition is met.
"And even if there isn't a valid Scrap monster in your Graveyard to Special Summon, it will still forcibly activate, creating a chain block.
"In contrast, Red Layer's effect is optional–it can be activated.
"And mandatory effects have a very high priority."
Raku's voice entered Phila's mind steadily. "So unless Red Layer were also mandatory–but it isn't–it's optional.
"Therefore, even though it's Bakutaro's turn, the system determines that Scrap Dragon's mandatory effect has the highest priority."
Raku glanced at the two duelists on the stage who were still scratching their heads and tilted his head slightly.
"You can tell Niobe this. Help your friend."
Phila froze for a moment.
Speak in front of so many people? Under those blinding spotlights?
She clenched the lace of her skirt, then looked up at Niobe's puzzled face on the stage.
"So… so that's how it is."
Phila took a deep breath, stepped forward a little, and walked out of the shadow of the pillar.
"Niobe!"
Her clear but slightly trembling voice rang out at the edge of the noisy plaza.
Both Niobe and Bakutaro looked over at her.
"Scra… Scrap Dragon's effect is mandatory!" Phila blushed as she quickly repeated Raku's explanation. "Mandatory effects always take priority over turn priority. Red Layer is optional, so… so even during Bakutaro's turn, Scrap Dragon still has the highest priority, and the system will force it to be Chain Link 1."
After finishing that long explanation, Phila immediately lowered her head and covered her face with both hands.
The two on the Duel Arena paused for a second.
"Ohhh!" Niobe slapped her palm in realization. "So that's how it works! As long as it's written as a must-activate effect, it can even push the turn player's effect behind it. Thanks, Phila!"
The factory girl gave her a big thumbs-up from the stage.
Bakutaro also nodded vigorously.
"Mandatory beats optional… so the rules are this deep!" He showed no embarrassment at being corrected by a seemingly delicate girl–instead, he laughed heartily. "Got it, no problem! Thanks, Phila!"
These two… they're really hopeless optimists.
Then again, that's part of the fun of dueling.
Raku looked at Phila. This girl seemed to be gradually adapting to this place without even realizing it.
"Then according to the rules–last in, first out for the chain!"
Bakutaro refocused on his Duel Disk and pressed the confirmation button.
"I resolve Chain Link 2–Red Layer's third effect: If this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can target 1 "Super Quantum" monster in my Graveyard, except Super Quantum Red Layer, and Special Summon it. However, the monster Special Summoned by this effect cannot activate its effects."
A green whirlwind rose from the Graveyard where Red Layer had disappeared.
"I Special Summon Green Layer from my Graveyard!" Bakutaro swung his arm down. "Return, Sentai Green!"
The green warrior reappeared on the field, holding his tonfas crossed before his chest.
"Following that, it's time for my Chain Link 1–Scrap Dragon!"
Niobe immediately followed up, tapping into her Graveyard.
"Awaken once more from the wreckage! I Special Summon Scrap Raptor from my Graveyard in Defense Position!"
Amid a burst of pungent steam, the scrap parts reassembled, and the mechanical dinosaur once again stood in front of Niobe, blocking Bakutaro's next assault.
...
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