"You—?"
Kirk Dixon's face darkened.
He knew about the ancient stone tablet's power being stolen from the Industrial Illusions; as a Card Professor leader, he was in the loop.
The investigation had already zeroed in on one suspect.
The very man before him now.
"Mello, right?" Kirk said. "Bold for a thief to show yourself to us. What do you want?"
"Nothing much. I did a bit of prep, and now it's about time to start the fight."
"A fight?"
"With the Industrial Illusions?"
"Today's just to say hello and, incidentally—"
Mello smiled. His cane unfolded into a Duel Disk. His deck slid into the slot.
"I've tweaked this deck and haven't had a proper chance to test it. Before I face anyone truly troublesome, I need a punching bag with a little weight to warm up on."
"A punching bag, huh." Kirk pushed up his glasses. "I don't know who you think you are, but nobody talks like that to the Mecha Professor."
He paused, then smiled instead.
"Well, fine. Since you came to me, I'll take the credit. Maybe Lord Pegasus will promote me to Chief Professor on the spot."
"Duel!" x2
[Kirk LP 4000]
[Mello LP 4000]
"I'll go first. Draw."
Mello said, "I summon 'Gladiator Beast Sagittarii' in attack position!"
A winged-beast-type Gladiator Beast appeared, though it looked like a centaur, like the fabled Sagittarius. A golden-haired warrior in armor raised his bow, human torso over a horse's body, arrow trained ahead.
[Gladiator Beast Sagittarii ATK 1400]
"I set one card. Turn end."
Kirk sneered, "So you're using the stolen deck right away. You're just another card thief. We've caught plenty like you."
"My turn. Draw!"
He played a monster.
"I summon 'Machina Gearframe'!"
Orange-red mechanical parts assembled from the card into a humanoid frame.
[Machina Gearframe ATK 1800]
"When Gearframe is Normal Summoned, I add 1 'Machina' monster from my Deck to my hand except Gearframe."
The Duel Disk searched; he plucked out the target.
"I add 'Machina Fortress' to my hand."
"Then Fortress's effect! By discarding Machine-Type monsters whose total Levels equal 8 or more, I can Special Summon it from my hand without Tributes."
He pitched a card.
"I discard Level 8 'Machina Megaform' to Special Summon 'Machina Fortress'!"
A heavy rumble. The machine assembled into a fully armed fortress, bristling head to toe.
[Machina Fortress ATK 2500]
"A stolen deck can only do so much. Let's see how much of its power you can use." Kirk barked, "Machina Fortress, attack 'Gladiator Beast Sagittarii'!"
The fortress unleashed everything: cannon fire and a storm of missiles forming a sky-darkening barrage at the little fish—er, target.
"Then I activate my set card," Mello said. "Trap Card, 'Impenetrable Attack'!
This can be activated in the Battle Phase with one of two effects: either choose 1 monster on the field; it can't be destroyed by any means this Battle Phase; or make all battle damage I take this battle become 0."
"A defensive trap," Kirk said. "Going to null the damage?"
"No."
Mello smiled and pointed at his monster.
"I'll protect 'Gladiator Beast Sagittarii' from being destroyed by battle."
A transparent barrier formed before Sagittarii; the barrage smashed into it. Explosions and flames washed over Mello.
[Mello LP 4000 → 2900]
Kirk frowned slightly.
He could have nullified the damage, yet he chose to take it and keep the monster.
Saving it to Tribute next turn?
Either way, his plan didn't change.
"Battle continues. I still have Gearframe's attack. 'Machina Gearframe,' attack 'Gladiator Beast Sagittarii'!"
Gearframe charged and slammed a metal fist into the Gladiator Beast. The centaur staggered, but the trap kept it alive.
[Mello LP 2900 → 2500]
"Then at the end of your Battle Phase," Mello said evenly, "the effect of 'Gladiator Beast Sagittarii' activates.
At the end of the Battle Phase in which it battled, return it to the Deck, then Special Summon 1 'Gladiator Beast' from your Deck other than Sagittarii."
Kirk's eyelid twitched. "So that was the goal?"
Sagittarii turned into a ray of light and flew back into Mello's Deck; another Gladiator Beast appeared in a column of water.
"I Special Summon 'Gladiator Beast Murmillo'!"
[Gladiator Beast Murmillo ATK 800]
"Murmillo's effect: If Special Summoned by a 'Gladiator Beast' effect, target 1 face-up monster on the field; destroy it.
Destroy 'Machina Fortress.'"
The turbines behind Murmillo spun up, blasting a high-pressure water cannon into the Fortress. Soaked, the steel giant crackled and then exploded into scrap.
"So that was your angle…" Kirk snorted. "But at this moment, my 'Machina Megaform' in the GY activates.
If a 'Machina Fortress' you control is sent to the GY, banish that Fortress from your GY; Special Summon this card.
Come forth, Machina Megaform!"
The Fortress's debris drew together, reassembling and transforming—as if the steel bastion grew limbs, tracks folding into joints, a heavy cannon slinging over its shoulder as it stood upright in humanoid form.
[Machina Megaform ATK 2600]
"Then 'Machina Gearframe's effect'—once per turn, it can equip itself to a Machine you control, or unequip to Special Summon itself.
I equip Gearframe to 'Machina Megaform'!"
The orange bot folded into an exoskeleton, locking onto the iron giant.
"If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle or card effect, I can destroy Gearframe instead!" Kirk said. "Then I set three cards and end my turn!"