The world seemed to change color suddenly, with pitch-black energy shooting straight into the sky. Ancient power awakened deep within the earth's crust, as a gigantic hand burst out from the ground.
The ground cracked open with a massive fissure, and a colossal creature slowly rose from beneath. Its skin was like bronze, and each muscle appeared to be forged from well-tempered metal. The giant's body swayed, as if still in slumber.
A giant that appeared almost to cover the sky and cast endless shadows over the field. Each step it took seemed to make the earth tremble. Its eyes opened slowly, and its golden pupils seemed to reflect the entire duel arena.
Sleeping Giant - Gudong, summon!
"Rea, rea, real... really summoned it!"
Leo was tongue-tied.
Even the bespectacled honor student was too shocked to speak for a while, eventually murmuring, "Gu... Gudong, the real Gudong..."
Not a rare card, and a monster known by everyone in this dimension and era. Most people had seen its form, but not in an official duel, mostly only through holographic systems showing the effect and animation upon summoning.
Almost no one hadn't fantasized about truly summoning this monster in a duel and wreaking havoc.
Of course, everyone who had fantasized knew clearly how unrealistic that fantasy was.
Too difficult!
Gudong is recognized as something almost impossible to summon. Though its strength makes many feel that a successful summoning equates to winning the duel itself, its contrary design mechanism almost seems to say it doesn't want to be summoned at all.
A One-Star Ordinary Monster must remain on the field for ten turns on your own turns, which means twenty turns over both players' turns. Even allowing a One-Star Effect Monster would make it much less difficult.
Aren't One-Star Mortal Bones all just the weakest of the weak?
This is also why the summoning of Gudong itself is regarded as a miracle in the dueling realm.
And now, this miracle is being fully displayed in this enclosed arena, right in front of these two children. Moreover, it's not just a successful summoning, but done within this single turn.
If someone had said summoning Sleeping Giant Gudong in one turn to their faces before, even as underclassmen of Duel Academy, they'd surely think that person is crazy.
But now...
They're starting to wonder if they're the ones who are crazy.
[Sleeping Giant - Gudong, Attack Power?]
"Battle," Yugen said, "Sleeping Giant - Gudong, attack 'Power Tool Dragon.'
As Yugen commanded, the black giant swung its fist.
In the moment the black fist swung, time and space seemed to freeze. A shock wave erupted from the fist's edge, plowing a deep trench several meters across the ground.
"The Attack Power is a question mark... Oh right, what is Gudong's effect again? I think I saw it, but I can't remember..." Leo clutched his head.
At this moment, Leo indeed resembled Judai more and more, a pure duelist type who doesn't like using his brain for studying or dueling, relying instead on his card deck to do whatever it could. Whether he wins or not depends entirely on how his deck performs freely.
The bespectacled honor student reminded, "When Sleeping Giant - Gudong battles, its Attack Power will always become the opponent's monster's Attack Power plus 1000 points!"
Leo slapped his forehead, "Ah! I remember now..."
[Power Tool Dragon, Attack Power 2700]
[Sleeping Giant - Gudong, Attack Power? → Attack Power 3700]
The previous turn, Power Tool Dragon gained a 1000-point Attack Power boost from "Two-Set Tools D&C," but this Equip Card has different effects in its own turn and the opponent's turn.
The equipped monster only gains the 1000-point Attack Boost during its own turn. So now Power Tool Dragon only has the 400-point boost from the Equipment Magic "Blast Flame Piercing," making its current Attack Power 2700.
Gudong's punch hammered Power Tool Dragon, shattering its saw and drill. Power Tool Dragon's body contorted under the pressure, its parts scattering, and its mechanical body exploding from the strain.
Leo: "Whoa aaah!"
[Leo, LP 3000 → LP 2000]
"This is the power of Gudong..."
Yugen raised his hand, "It's not over yet. There's still 'Treasure-Hunting Panda's' direct attack."
The small panda also charged out, its round body leaping into the air and performing a somersault, landing a powerful kick right on Leo's head.
[Treasure-Hunting Panda, Attack Power 1100]
Leo was sent reeling by the flying kick, landing hard on the ground, dazed.
[Leo, LP 2000 → LP 900]
Yugen: "Turn over."
"Damn... You actually summoned Gudong in one turn... Who are you, mister?"
Leo rubbed his sore backside, astonishment in his eyes as he looked at Yugen.
"This is just... too overwhelmingly impressive..."
"It's nothing," Yugen said with a serious face, "As long as you believe, the power of the cards will respond to you. Just like I said, the world of dueling has infinite possibilities, and there's nothing that can't be done."
"Oh... oh oh..."
Leo indeed looked up with an admiring face.
Surely, a duelist familiar with the King...
No, he's seen all the King's duels. This old guy somehow feels even stronger than the King!
"The duel is still ongoing," Yugen smiled and reminded.
"Oh... oh right." Leo shook his head, "Attack Power will always be 1000 higher than the opponent's monster, so no matter what monster is summoned, it's no use...
That's it, in that case, I can only try to use card effects..."
The bespectacled honor student covered his face, "Leo, you really don't remember anything? Magic, Trap, or Monster Effect, none work against Gudong..."
"Nani!?"
Leo was shocked.
"Isn't that invincible then?"
"Calm down, Leo, you still have a chance." The bespectacled honor student comforted, "Even if Gudong is unbeatable, look at the opponent's deck... He's almost out of cards to draw!"
Leo blinked, looked at the remaining few cards in the opponent's deck.
Then suddenly realized.
"Oh right! To summon Gudong, his deck is almost exhausted. Which means I don't need to beat him, just need to strengthen my defense and wait for him to run out of cards..."
"Exactly!" said the bespectacled honor student, "Then you win!"
"Good!"
Leo's eyes reignited with fighting spirit.
"Then it's my turn to draw a card!"
He quickly glanced at the cards in his hand, and soon had a plan in mind.
Yes, using this guy would be just right!
"I summon 'Transformed Warrior: Magnet U' in defense mode!"
[Transformed Warrior: Magnet U, Defense Power 800]
"Then, the effect of the Trap Card 'Transformed Warrior: Shock Return' which you sent to the graveyard with 'Handwriting Erasure'!
By removing this card from the game, I can Special Summon a 'Transformed Warrior' monster from the graveyard in defense mode.
What I'm reviving from the graveyard is this one—
—The second 'Transformed Warrior: Magnet U'!"
[Transformed Warrior: Magnet U, Defense Power 800]
"The Monster Effect of 'Transformed Warrior: Magnet U' when in defense mode is that as long as this card is face-up on the field, the opponent cannot choose other monsters as attack targets!
And now there are two Magnet U's on my field!"
Leo grinned, his eyes squinting into crescents as he proudly pointed at the magnet on the left.
"If you want to attack the right magnet, the left one won't agree, saying no, no, you can only attack me!"
Then he pointed to the right magnet.
"Attack the left magnet, and the right one will disagree, saying you can only attack me! In other words..."
The bespectacled honor student hit his palm. "I see, this way neither can be attacked! Impressive, Leo, you always come up with unique ideas at key moments!"
"Ahaha, no, no..."
Leo was smug.
"My turn ends!"
Great, just as the classmate said, this way even Gudong can't attack, just wasting turns. And the opponent's deck can no longer keep up with him...
"My turn, draw a card."
Yugen played a card with an expressionless face.
"Magic Card 'Mask of the Last Words' activated.
This card can be returned from the hand to its deck for a reshuffle."
Yugen inserted the displayed card back into the deck, auto-shuffled.
Leo and the glasses kid's smiles froze simultaneously.
What?
Wait a moment...
This Magic Card can actively return to the deck and shuffle.
So that means, even if the opponent's deck only has this one last card left, they can draw it every turn, activate it, and then return it to the deck.
Hmm...
A few seconds of silence.
Then Leo suddenly exploded.
"Doesn't this mean his deck will never run out?!"
This way, the opponent can drag the game on endlessly, even after Leo's side runs out of cards.
Glasses kid also looked helpless: "Ah, who's serious enough to bring such a card..."
But he turned to Yugen in more shock.
"But this also means this guy even considered the final deck draw issue..."
So impressive!
"Well, even though it can keep drawing, the game ends here. It was fun playing." Yugen laughed gently and said.
"After 'Purgatory of Nothingness' was activated, I discarded all the cards in my hand at the end of the last turn. Among them was this card.
The effect of AD Changer can remove 'AD Changer' from the game from the graveyard, changing the mode of one monster on the field.
I change 'Transformed Warrior: Magnet U' from defense mode to attack mode."
One of Leo's magnets defied by transforming into a robot form and stood up.
[Transformed Warrior: Magnet U, Attack Power 800]
Leo: "Ah! My magnet..."
Said while clutching his head.
"Ahhh, what to do, now my attack lock is gone!"
Magnet U's effect only works in defense mode where "the opponent cannot choose other monsters as attack targets," while in attack mode, Magnet U itself can only choose the opponent's highest Attack Power monster as its attack target.
"Battle, Treasure-Hunting Panda, attack the remaining Magnet U in defense mode." Yugen said.
Treasure-Hunting Panda launched its flying claws, easily breaking the remaining magnet with only 800 Defense Power.
"Then Sleeping Giant - Gudong." Yugen said, "Attack the 'Transformed Warrior: Magnet U' in attack mode."
[Sleeping Giant - Gudong, Attack Power ? → Attack Power 1800]
Gudong punched again. The small magnet immediately shattered under the dark iron fist, and the burst of air rushed towards Leo.
"Aaah!"
[Leo, LP 900 → LP 0]