Kouki tactically adjusted his glasses, a confident smile curling at his lips. "Do you know why Zoodiac can sit firmly on the top-tier throne?"
Hearing that, the players gathered around the duel field exchanged looks. One after another, they failed to come up with a clear answer.
Someone muttered quietly.
"Because their plays are fast?"
"No, I heard it's because their compatibility is insane!"
Kouki smiled faintly when he heard that.
"The core is absurd consistency. One card can already build a respectable end board. And Zoodiac is an 'external engine' package, which means the duelist can carry a large number of disruptions and board breakers. More importantly, it has no self-lock restrictions at all, so even if you splash Zoodiac as a small engine into other decks, it can still do work."
Then his tone shifted.
"So do you really think Yusaku-senpai's deck doesn't have heavy board breakers like Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju, Lava Golem, or Dark Ruler No More? He might even be hiding some no-lock mini-engines like Horus or Diabellstar too. Who knows?"
He crossed his arms, voice full of anticipation. "What Yusaku-senpai searched just now was Zoodiac Whiptail. That card usually isn't the main starter for Zoodiac. It's more of an extender. The fact he deliberately searched that means he definitely has other plays in hand."
"That's why we just watch the show. This turn, we might even see the weakness of Xyz."
The moment he said that, a few quick-witted veteran players immediately clicked, their eyes turning expectantly to the field.
On the field.
After adding the searched card to his hand, Yusaku looked at the monsters on Ichiro's field and raised an eyebrow. "You think one card can break my board? Keep dreaming."
Yusaku smiled, then slowly revealed a card between his fingers. Sunlight refracted along the card's edge, flashing with a cold sheen. "Then how about this one?"
Ichiro narrowed his eyes. When he recognized the artwork, his pupils shrank. "D-Dark Ruler No More?!"
"That's right." Yusaku rolled the card lightly between his fingers, smiling blandly. "You know what it does. All face-up monsters on the field have their effects negated until the end of the turn, and monsters can't activate effects in response…"
Before he even finished, Yusaku slapped the card into his Duel Disk. A red activation glow flared instantly.
"I activate the Spell Card—Dark Ruler No More!"
Boom!
The ground split open into a pitch-black fissure. A colossal, skeletal king-like phantom rose from below, green flames dancing in its hollow eye sockets. As its bony claws swung down, a tide of dark purple shockwaves swept across the entire field!
"Damn it, how does he have Dark Ruler No More?!"
No matter how he calculated, Ichiro never expected Yusaku to be holding that.
No wonder Yusaku had looked so calm the whole time Ichiro was building his board—he'd been sitting on this.
At first, Ichiro thought Yusaku had Forbidden Droplet. Based on his intel, Yusaku loved running it.
It negated monsters too, but it required costs—once it resolved, you were often left with barely any hand, and making a huge push afterward was difficult.
Dark Ruler No More was different. It had the "no damage this turn" restriction, but it preserved hand resources to the maximum.
Ichiro took a deep breath, forcing down his anger. He lifted his gaze at Yusaku and pulled a cold smile.
"Even if all my monsters' effects are negated, Dark Ruler No More means you can't deal me any damage this turn!"
He glanced at his graveyard area, his confidence rising again.
"I still have four cards in hand, and I've got plenty of resources in the graveyard. Next turn, I can rebuild my board anyway. So the outcome isn't decided yet!"
"Is that so?" Yusaku smiled slightly, looking at Ichiro. "If you went through all the trouble to build me a lockout board… how could I not return the favor?"
Ichiro: "?"
As he spoke, Yusaku pulled another card from his hand and revealed it without hesitation.
"Speedroid Terrortop's effect. If I control no monsters, I can Special Summon it from my hand. I don't have a single monster on my field, so the condition is satisfied!"
He slammed the card down.
A red streak of light flashed. A crimson top embedded with razor blades dropped with a heavy thud, spinning loudly as it settled on the field.
Speedroid Terrortop
Level 3 / Machine / Effect
ATK 1200
"Speedroid Terrortop's effect activates!" Yusaku's voice followed immediately. "When this card is Summoned or Special Summoned, I can add 1 'Speedroid' monster from my Deck to my hand, except 'Speedroid Terrortop'."
"You want to search a starter? Not happening!"
Ichiro's gaze sharpened. He snapped a card from his hand and slammed it into his Duel Disk.
"I activate the effect of Effect Veiler! You can only use it during your opponent's Main Phase. I target one monster you control—its effects are negated until the end of this turn!"
A transparent shield with an eerie blue sheen materialized, locking over the spinning red top. The buzzing spin weakened, and the activation glow was suppressed.
Ichiro looked at Yusaku smugly, arms crossed.
"I've dueled plenty of Speedroid decks. The whole deck's core starter is Terrortop! If I shut off its search, even if you can still move, you won't be making any real board. Didn't expect it, did you? I had Effect Veiler in hand."
Yusaku's lips curled into a meaningful smile. He slowly revealed the card still in his hand.
"The card I wanted was already in my hand. I only brought out Terrortop to test whether you were holding a hand trap. I didn't think you'd bite that easily."
Ichiro's pupils contracted, the smugness on his face freezing solid. "What?"
"I activate Speedroid Taketomborg's effect!" Yusaku slapped the card into the Duel Disk, a green Special Summon glow igniting. "If I control a WIND monster, I can Special Summon this from my hand! I control Speedroid Terrortop, and it's WIND. Come out—Speedroid Taketomborg!"
A small mechanical dragonfly—constructed from precise machinery—hummed softly as it hovered beside Terrortop.
Speedroid Taketomborg
Level 3 / Machine / Effect
ATK 600
With the monster on the field, Yusaku raised another card in hand and looked straight at Ichiro.
"I told you, your board only looks scary for a reason. Your only real 'three-negate' is Invoked Mechaba. I have plenty of ways to force you to spend that negate."
"You're running three engines—'Magistus,' 'Shaddoll,' and 'Invoked.' None of those cores naturally come with Counter Traps, so your deck probably isn't running any. If you are, then I can only brute-force through it."
"So when I wanted to resolve Dark Ruler No More, you couldn't stop it."
Ichiro's face darkened, because Yusaku was right on every point.
Ichiro was confident ordinary duelists couldn't break this field—but he never expected his very first duel of the tournament to run into Dark Ruler No More, the kind of card that prevented monster effects from chaining at all.
"Then, since you activated a monster effect during my turn, I can add this to my hand!"
Yusaku inserted the card into his Duel Disk.
"I take the Spell Card Pot of Greed from my Deck—and because you control a monster, I can add it to my hand!"
After adding Pot of Greed, Yusaku didn't hesitate for a second.
"I activate the Spell Card—Pot of Greed! I draw two cards!"
Two fresh cards popped from the Deck. Yusaku caught them steadily, scanned them quickly, then played another Spell.
"Next, I activate Reinforcement of the Army! I add the Level 4 monster—Gogogo Goblindbergh—from my Deck to my hand!"
Search complete—he immediately slapped Gogogo Goblindbergh onto the Duel Disk.
"I Normal Summon—Gogogo Goblindbergh!"
The light dispersed. A monster wearing massive goggles, piloting a small helicopter, dropped into place. The rotor spun rapidly with a chattering whirr.
Gogogo Goblindbergh
Level 4 / Warrior / Effect
ATK 1400
"I activate Gogogo Goblindbergh's effect!"
Yusaku's voice rang clearly across the field.
"When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Warrior monster from my hand, Deck, or Graveyard! I choose to Special Summon Dododo Dwarf - Gogogo Glove from my Deck!"
Brilliant summon effects exploded again. A stout dwarf-like monster wearing a horned helmet slammed down, its massive iron fists clenched—its landing making the ground tremble.
Dododo Dwarf - Gogogo Glove
Level 4 / Rock / Effect
ATK 0
With both monsters firmly on the field, Yusaku lifted his hand and declared loudly:
"Next, I build the Overlay Network using Dododo Dwarf - Gogogo Glove and Gogogo Goblindbergh!"
"Xyz Summon—Rank 4! Show yourself—Gagagaga Girl!"
The two monsters became radiant streaks of light, shooting upward into the Xyz vortex in the sky.
In the next moment, a cute girl with golden hair and a pink dress descended gently from the vortex, her skirt fluttering in the airflow.
Gagagaga Girl
Rank 4 / Spellcaster / Xyz / Effect
Materials: 2
ATK 1500
"I activate Gagagaga Girl's effect!"
Yusaku spoke in a low, steady tone.
"I detach Gogogo Goblindbergh as material!"
Gagagaga Girl's materials decreased from 2 to 1. A particle of light flew out from her body, briefly forming Gogogo Goblindbergh's silhouette before it dispersed.
"Then, I add Xyz Unbreakable Barrier from my Deck to my hand!"
Yusaku's gaze immediately shifted to his graveyard.
"Also, Gogogo Goblindbergh's effect activates in the Graveyard—if this card is detached as Xyz material to activate an Xyz Monster's effect, I can add 1 'Zubaba' monster from my Deck to my hand!"
"It meets the condition perfectly, so I add Zubaba Knight from my Deck to my hand!"
The Duel Disk's auto-shuffle whirred. The target card popped out precisely, and Yusaku caught it cleanly. Then he revealed another card right away.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card—Goblin Biker Grand Entrance!"
"This card adds 1 'Goblin' monster from my Deck to my hand. (I choose) Goblin Biker Dugg Charger!"
The searched card sprang out. Yusaku pulled it free and presented it to Ichiro.
"Goblin Biker Dugg Charger's effect activates—while this card is in my hand, I can detach 1 Xyz material from the field to Special Summon it!"
"I detach Gagagaga Girl's last material!"
Gagagaga Girl's materials dropped to zero. Yusaku slapped the card down.
"I Special Summon—Goblin Biker Dugg Charger!"
A burst of summoning light detonated. A goblin wielding a spiked club, riding a hulking wild boar, crashed onto the field. The boar's hooves pounded the ground with heavy thuds.
Goblin Biker Dugg Charger
Level 3 / Warrior / Effect
ATK 1600
"Goblin Biker Dugg Charger's effect activates!"
Yusaku continued his combo, his pace steady and fast.
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add 1 'Goblin Biker' Spell/Trap from my Deck to my hand! I search the Quick-Play Spell—Goblin Biker Grand Breakout!"
After adding the Quick-Play Spell, Yusaku immediately played it. A blue Quick-Play activation glow flared.
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell—Goblin Biker Grand Breakout!"
"This card's effect is: Tribute 1 monster you control, then Special Summon 1 'Goblin' monster from your Deck!"
Yusaku's eyes fell on Gagagaga Girl.
"I Tribute Gagagaga Girl, and Special Summon Goblin Biker Clatter Sploder from my Deck!"
Gagagaga Girl dissolved into particles of light. In her place, a goblin styled like a hip-hop performer, riding a mechanical bird-beast, roared onto the field—its wings beating with a shrieking, explosive sound.
Goblin Biker Clatter Sploder
Level 3 / Beast-Warrior / Effect
ATK 1600
"Goblin Biker Clatter Sploder's effect activates!"
Yusaku declared.
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I target 1 other 'Goblin' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it!"
"I choose Gogogo Goblindbergh in my Graveyard—Special Summon it to my field!"
A light rose from the graveyard. Gogogo Goblindbergh's form reassembled and landed steadily on the field, its helicopter rotor spinning once more.
Gogogo Goblindbergh
ATK 1800
(End of Chapter)
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