Since a duel is a duel, there's no way it could start inside the shop.
Thus, the attendant led Yuui and Roland to a rather spacious private dueling ground behind the salon. From this alone, one could see just how wealthy this noble-exclusive salon truly was.
Roland and Yuui then stood at opposite ends of the battlefield. The attendant stepped between them and, somewhat nervously, waved his hand. "The duel starts!"
"Duel!!" x2
[Roland, LP: 4000]
[Yuui, LP: 4000]
"My turn first. Draw!!" Roland glanced over the card he drew, then revealed one card. "The effect of Gladiator Beast Gistel in my hand. By revealing this card and one Gladiator Beast monster in my hand to the opponent, I can Special Summon both of them.
"I reveal Gladiator Beast Augustus, then Special Summon Gistel and Augustus!!"
"Awoo!!"
"Hah!!"
Two bestial roars rang out as a gray werewolf— clad in green armor embedded with red jewels and holding a short whip crackling with electricity— appeared beside a strange birdman fully encased in dark purple armor and wielding a longsword.
[Gladiator Beast Gistel, Defense 2000]
[Gladiator Beast Augustus, Attack 2600]
Seeing the two relatively familiar monsters, Yuui raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Gladiator Beasts, huh? Truly something nobles love to play with!"
The Gladiator Beast Deck was famous among the nobles of the Bredt Kingdom. It was said many nobles preferred this deck— easy to pilot yet powerful. Its defining trait, much like Yuui's Neos Contact Fusion, was that as long as the needed materials were gathered on the field, those materials could be returned to the Deck to perform a Fusion Summon.
Moreover, Gladiator Beasts all possessed effects that let them return to the Deck at the end of battle to Special Summon a new Gladiator Beast in their place.
Because of this, a duelist could adapt to the next turn's situation by choosing which Gladiator Beast to summon after combat.
With such convenient Fusion mechanics and monsters able to handle countless situations, Gladiator Beasts were considered a universally strong rare deck among the kingdom's upper class— even many academy students favored it.
For example, the Student Council Vice President who welcomed the transfer students— Regis Crowley— used a Gladiator Beast Deck. His monster Gladiator Beast Nerokius was even a Spirit.
The fact that even the Student Council Vice President used this deck showed just how beloved it was among the people of Bredt.
"The effect of Gladiator Beast Gistel activates. When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a Gladiator Beast monster, I can add one Gladiator Spell/Trap from my Deck to my hand.
Then, the effect of Gladiator Beast Augustus. When this card is Special Summoned by a Gladiator Beast's effect, I can Special Summon one Gladiator Beast monster from my hand in Defense Position, and the monster Special Summoned by this effect returns to the Deck during the End Phase."
Roland revealed a card. "I choose to Special Summon Gladiator Beast Octavius from my hand!"
"Hah!!"
A shrill eagle cry echoed as a golden‑armored eagle‑warrior— bearing the name of an emperor from another world— emerged in radiant light.
[Gladiator Beast Octavius, Defense 1200]
"Next, Gistel's effect. I add the Field Spell Flavian - Colosseum of the Gladiator Beasts from my Deck to my hand, then activate it." Roland drew the card from his Deck and inserted it into his Duel Disk.
A pillar of light shot from his Duel Disk, expanding to fill the field. Gleaming stone columns— covered in spikes and shining like gold— rose from the ground. A vast semicircular arena enclosed the area, its surrounding walls seemingly forged from gold, powered by streams of pale blue energy. At the very center stood a dazzling golden‑and‑crystal structure resembling a fountain.
"Wow, what a luxurious place!" Alicia's eyes sparkled gold. Having never seen such grandeur since childhood, she was instantly captivated by the shining scenery.
"Yeah, it's certainly lavish." Yuui scanned the area, then smirked. "But luxury like this is decorated with lives."
"Eh!?" Alicia seized up.
"This is the arena where the Gladiator Beasts fight to the death. All this splendor? It's only here to make the blood look prettier. What other purpose do you think it serves?"
Hearing that, a chill ran down Alicia's spine, and her gaze toward the surroundings turned instantly to disgust.
At that moment, Roland drew a card from his hand. "The first effect of the Field Spell Flavian. By discarding one card, I can add a Gladiator Beast monster from my Deck to my hand.
"I discard Gladiator Beast Secutor, then add Gladiator Beast Noxious from my Deck!"
Drawing another card from the Deck, Roland swept his arm outward. "Next, I return Gladiator Beast Augustus and Gladiator Beast Octavius on my field to the Deck to perform a Fusion Summon!!"
A swirling black vortex of Fusion opened in the sky. One light, one dark— two avian warriors bearing the titles of kings from another era— flew into the vortex.
"O rulers of the Gladiator Beast metropolis! Combine your strength and become the overseer who guides all Gladiator Beasts! Fusion Summon! Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor!!"
Golden branches unfurled as radiant light burst forth— so bright it seemed blinding.
Abruptly, in the next instant, Alicia realized the glow came from not gold, but a pair of massive horns.
A stag‑like beastman clad in deep crimson armor and holding a long staff descended from the darkness, his golden horns gleaming with piercing brilliance, his eyes carrying the stern, authoritative air of a strict mentor.
Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor, descends!
[Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor, Defense 3000]
...
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