"An opening focused on defense." Shuichi Watanabe gave a small nod and commented calmly. "But can you hold out against an insect assault?"
"My Turn!, Card Draw!"
Just as Yugen had researched beforehand, Shuichi Watanabe was using an insect-focused Deck. The most famous user of insect themes was the former national champion, the Legendary Duelist Weevil Underwood, though rumors said that Weevil Underwood had been completely crushed by the first Duel King Yugi Muto years ago and quit dueling for good, disappearing from the scene.
Still, his championship run had once sparked a wave of insect popularity and pushed the development of many insect LV Series cards. Even now, long after that era, insect Duelist were far from rare.
Shuichi Watanabe said, "I activate the Continuous Spell 'Verdant Sanctuary'!"
Though it was a Continuous Spell, its effect felt more like a field. Green waves spread across the arena as vines and towering trees burst upward, forming a lush habitat fit for insects.
"Then I Summon 'Pinch Hopper'!"
Pinch Hopper, ATK 1000.
"Pay attention, junior. I am not holding back just because this is an assessment." Shuichi Watanabe continued. "I activate the Spell Card 'Dark Hole'! Destroy all monsters on both sides of the field!"
A collapsing void opened above the field as the power of Dark Hole descended. The insect on Shuichi Watanabe's field and the face-down monster on Yugen's side were both torn apart in the blast.
"The monster I had set was 'Sangan'." Yugen Do said evenly. "When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can add a monster with ATK 1500 or less from my Deck to my hand. (ANIME EFFECT)"
He raised the searched card for everyone to see.
"I add 'Mythical Beast Cerberus' with ATK 1400 to my hand."
"Then I also use the effect of 'Pinch Hopper'." Shuichi Watanabe said. "When it is sent from my field to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one Insect monster from my hand."
He spread his arms slightly.
"So I Special Summon this one."
From the depths of the dark forest, a grim reaper of death emerged between the trees.
"Doom Dozer is Summon!"
Doom Dozer, ATK 2300.
Some of the freshmen watching could not help but gasp. "He summoned an ace-level monster right away."
"Using 'Dark Hole' to clear the field and trigger 'Pinch Hopper' at the same time. As expected of a core member of the Duel Department."
Shuichi Watanabe was not done yet. "The effect of the Continuous Spell 'Verdant Sanctuary'. When an Insect monster on my field is sent to the Graveyard, I can add an Insect monster with the same Level from my Deck to my hand. (ANIME EFFECT)"
"I add another 'Pinch Hopper'."
He pulled the Deck free, selected the second copy of 'Pinch Hopper', shuffled, and slid it back into the Duel Disk.
"Now, 'Doom Dozer' attacks directly!"
The insect reaper charged forward, its scythe swinging down toward Yugen. Without any sign of panic, Yugen flipped one of his set cards.
"I activate my face-down card, Trap Card Raigeki Break. I discard one card and destroy one card on the field. I destroy 'Doom Dozer'!"
Shuichi Watanabe froze.
Dark clouds rolled overhead as a massive hand reached down, lightning crashing from its fingertips. In a single strike, the green insect was blasted apart.
"Tch. You set a trap like that."
"And the card I discarded was 'Witch of the Black Forest'." Yugen Do continued. "When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can search a monster with DEF 1500 or less from my Deck. (ANIME EFFECT)"
The witch and Sangan had both been revised multiple times over the years, with added restrictions in later printings. In the animated ruleset, however, they still matched their older versions and retained their powerful search effects.
"I add 'Don Zaloog' with DEF 1500 to my hand."
"Then the Battle Phase ends."
Shuichi Watanabe snorted. "If you think I would leave myself wide open after that, you are underestimating me. I activate the Spell Card 'Monster Reborn'! I revive a monster from the Graveyard."
"Come back to my field, Doom Dozer!"
Doom Dozer, ATK 2300.
"I set one card and end my turn."
"My Turn!, Card Draw." Yugen Do said. "I activate the Spell Card 'Graceful Charity'. I draw three cards from my Deck, then discard two."
Two cards were sent to the Graveyard, and one of them quickly revealed itself.
"One of the discarded cards was 'Broww, Huntsman of Dark World'. When this card is sent from the hand to the Graveyard, I draw two cards from my Deck. (ANIME EFFECT)"
Using banned cards and anime-only Card Draw engines, he tore through his deck at high speed. Even so, when the new hand settled, he frowned slightly.
He had noticed an old legendary combo while trading cards with credits at the Academy Department the day before and wanted to test it today. Unfortunately, even after all that drawing, the pieces were still not complete.
With no better option, he played a Spell Card to steady things.
"I activate the Spell Card 'Eradicating Aerosol'." Yugen Do said. "Destroy all Insect monsters on the field!"
Shuichi Watanabe: "???"
A massive hand emerged from a black vortex, clutching a can of insect spray. The mist washed across the field, and Doom Dozer was instantly torn apart, as if the world itself had cracked.
Shuichi Watanabe looked like he might crack with it.
After holding it in for several seconds, he finally asked, "Um, junior. Do you usually carry that card in your Deck?"
Yugen answered without hesitation. "Of course not."
"And then?"
"Obviously I put it in just to deal with you, senior." Yugen said frankly.
The honesty hit Shuichi Watanabe like a heavy blow, leaving his vision swimming. The surrounding students fell into silence, unsure what to say, while Manjoume showed a rare grin.
He knew it. He had known it from the moment Yugen studied the defenders' information before the duel. Choosing Shuichi Watanabe had never been random, and there was clearly a plan.
Though this senior looked like the strongest defender on paper, Yugen had noticed that only his Deck was completely pure. In a time when most decks mixed types and LV Series freely, such a clean insect build was easy to target.
That was why Yugen had chosen this unlucky senior as his assessment opponent.
Beside Manjoume, Lackey B could not help muttering, "Boss, your smile is getting kind of creepy again."
Manjoume replied, "Shut up."
The sudden use of insecticide from the other side caught Shuuichi completely off guard, and the open attitude of "I am targeting you" was even more unexpected. However, as a veteran who had seen countless battles, Shuuichi relied on his solid Duelist discipline and quickly suppressed the urge for reckless Duel. He spoke in a low voice, regaining control of the field.
"Then at this moment, the effect of 'Verdant Sanctuary' activates. When an Insect-Type monster on the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can add an Insect-Type monster of the same Level from my Deck to my hand. (ANIME EFFECT)"
He pulled out his Deck, spread it, searched through it, and selected another card to add to his hand. "The destroyed 'Doom Dozer' is Level eight, so I add the Level eight 'Doom Dozer' from my Deck to my hand."
A student from the Duel Department in the audience could not help blurting out, "'Doom Dozer', Watanabe's ace!" Someone else followed up, "Is it coming out? Looks like Watanabe is finally getting serious."
'Doom Dozer', Level eight, ATK 2800. By banishing two Insect-Type monsters from the Graveyard in Yugi Muto's name, it could be Special Summoned with ease, making it the strongest core of Shuuichi's Deck. No one doubted that on the next turn, Shuuichi would banish two Insects from the Graveyard and drop this powerful ace to launch a fierce attack.
Of course, that was only if the Doom Dozer was still in his hand next turn. "Summon 'Don Zaloog'."
[Don Zaloog, ATK 1400]
"Don Zaloog attacks directly!" The one-eyed chief drew his revolver and fired twice, the shots tearing straight across Shuichi Watanabe's completely unguarded field.
[Shuuichi, LP 4000 to LP 2600]