This was one of the strongest recovery cards the Hero archetype had in the original work. Yugen did not hold back either and followed up immediately. "Then Appropriate activates. When the opponent draws from the Deck outside the Draw Phase, I also draw two cards."
Judai Yuki continued, "I Normal Summon Elemental HERO Bubbleman!"
Elemental HERO Bubbleman, ATK 800
"Hm?" Yugen raised an eyebrow.
Wasn't Elemental HERO Bubbleman already in the Graveyard? Or was it...
As if he had read the question on Yugen's face, Judai Yuki gave an awkward laugh. "Didn't we talk about this once over a meal? Yugen, you said my Elemental HERO Bubbleman was actually underrated and really a very strong Hero. After hearing all the situations you listed, the more I thought about it, the more I felt you were right. So now I run two more copies."
Yugen took a deep breath. He had only mentioned it casually, and this guy had actually brought Unit-02?
"Well, right now I have Skyscraper and one set card on my field, so I can't use Elemental HERO Bubbleman's effect to Card Draw again," Judai Yuki said.
"But next I activate the Quick-Play Spell Enemy Controller from my hand!" Judai Yuki said. "Change my attack position Elemental HERO Bubbleman and one attack position Monster on my opponent's field to Defense Position together! I change Elemental HERO Bubbleman and Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning to Defense Position!"
Elemental HERO Bubbleman, ATK 800 -> DEF 1200
Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, ATK 3000 -> DEF 2500
"After that, by tributing the Elemental HERO Bubbleman that changed to Defense Position, I can Special Summon an Elemental HERO from my hand." (ANIME EFFECT)
Judai Yuki raised his next card. "I tribute Elemental HERO Bubbleman and Special Summon this card from my hand. Elemental HERO Bladedge!"
A surge of water and bubbles burst up from beneath Elemental HERO Bubbleman's feet. Elemental HERO Bubbleman vanished into the current, and in his place appeared a golden blade warrior whose entire body gleamed with metallic luster.
Elemental HERO Bladedge, ATK 2600
"Elemental HERO Bladedge, attack Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning!" Judai Yuki shouted. "And at this moment, the effect of Skyscraper activates! When an Elemental HERO battles an opponent's monster with higher ATK than itself, its ATK rises by 1000!"
"Oh right!" Sho Marufuji said, only now reacting. "Skyscraper only says 'when battling a monster with higher ATK than itself.' It doesn't say the other monster has to be in Attack Position. Even though Black Luster Soldier was switched to Defense Position, its ATK is still higher than Elemental HERO Bladedge's, so Elemental HERO Bladedge's ATK still rises to 3600."
"And that's not all," Daichi Misawa said. "Elemental HERO Bladedge can also deal piercing damage when attacking a Defense Position Monster. If this hit goes through, it will deal massive damage."
"Nice momentum. But..."
Yugen swung his arm, and a set card in the Back Row flipped open at once, releasing a brilliant golden light.
"I activate Trap - Magic Cylinder!"
**
Magic Cylinder!
It was the most famous damage-reflection Trap Card, as renowned in the Duel world as Solemn Judgment, since both had once shone in the hands of the first Duel King. The moment Magic Cylinder appeared at such a critical point in the Duel, quite a few students watching from the sidelines shot to their feet and cried out in shock.
"Bladedge's attack is negated, and the opponent takes damage equal to the attacking Monster's ATK," Yugen said. "That means Bladedge's attack is reflected back!"
"So you really did have a trap set."
Judai Yuki narrowed his eyes and raised an arm. "I activate my facedown card, Interdimensional Matter Transporter!" Judai Yuki said. "Banish one Elemental HERO on my field until the End Phase, then negate and Destroy the activation of the opponent's Spell or Trap Card." (ANIME EFFECT)
It was also a trap used by manga Judai Yuki. "I banish Bladedge, and negate and Destroy Magic Cylinder!"
Bladedge temporarily vanished from the field, and Magic Cylinder shattered into golden light at the same time. Sho Marufuji wiped away his sweat and said, "That was close. At least he stopped it."
"What a duel. You really can't relax for even a second," Hayato Maeda said.
"..."
"So it still didn't go through. Yugen really never lets anyone relax," Judai Yuki said with a grin. "Then I activate the Continuous Spell Mirage of Nightmare! During the opponent's Standby Phase, I draw from my Deck until I have four cards in my hand. But during my own turn, I have to discard at random the same number of cards I drew with that effect." (ANIME EFFECT)
"Do you really discard, or just pretend to?" Yugen asked with a smile.
So far, he had never seen anyone actually pay that cost. Judai Yuki gave a sly laugh. "Who knows. I set three more cards to my Back Row and end my turn."
At that moment, golden light appeared on his field and opened into a warped, whirlpool-like vortex. The metal-shining Hero dropped from the distortion and returned to the field.
"The Elemental HERO banished by Interdimensional Matter Transporter returns to my field during the End Phase," Judai Yuki said. "Come back, Bladedge!"
Bladedge, ATK 2600
Yugen said, "Then it's My Turn!. Card Draw."
"Standby Phase, Mirage of Nightmare Effect Activation. I draw until I have four cards in my hand," Judai Yuki said as he drew from his Deck. (ANIME EFFECT)
"Then at this moment, the effect of Appropriate also activates. When the opponent Card Draws from the Deck outside their Card Draw phase, I draw two cards."
Yugen drew, then paused and glanced across Judai Yuki's field. The animated Skyscraper could also raise a Elemental HERO's ATK when that Elemental HERO attacked, which meant Bladedge effectively had to be treated as having 3600 ATK by default. With a number like that, Envoy of the Beginning could not break through.
"Then I activate Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning's effect again," Yugen said. "Once Per Turn, banish one Monster on the field. This time, I choose to banish Bladedge! Chaos Dimensional Slash!"
Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning swung his sword, and twin blades of light and darkness ripped open space as they slashed toward the metal Hero. Judai Yuki curled his lips into a grin. "I've been waiting for this. Watch closely, Yugen. My Heros have endless possibilities even without Polymerization!"
"I activate my facedown card, Trap Card Ring of Destruction! Tribute my Bladedge, Destroy one Monster on your field, and inflict damage to you equal to that Monster's original ATK!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Another exclusive trap. Judai Yuki's Deck was packed with all kinds of exclusive traps and combos tied to specific Heros, and when he could use them consistently, many of them were genuinely powerful.
This was one of them. "I tribute Bladedge and Destroy Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning! That means you take damage equal to Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning's ATK, Yugen, which is 3000 points!"
Yugen, LP 2800
"Sorry, Yugen," Judai Yuki said with a confident smile. "Looks like I win."