Note: if you want to get access to +20 Advance Chapters before everyone else and help me Translate More Chapters For You join my patreon.com/flokixy
Translator: we start paying to get the chapters so I hope to support us by joining my Patreon Thank you all ❤️
Dinosaur Ryuzaki let out a deep breath.
The Tri-Horned Dragon had been destroyed, but it was still within his expectations. Although it was a bit unsettling, he had seen worse.
Ryuzaki was no stranger to chaos. Back in the day, he had endured the trauma of his Red-Eyes being turned into a fossil by Insector Haga's Time Wizard with a single spin of the roulette. Compared to that, this was just a minor setback.
"But my turn isn't over yet."
Ryuzaki drew another card.
"From my hand, I activate the continuous magic card—Nightmare's Mirage Barrel. This card allows me to draw cards from my deck until I have four cards in my hand during the opponent's standby phase.
However, as a side effect, during my own standby phase, I must randomly discard the same number of cards I drew."
You Xuan remained expressionless.
Hmph, this is truly an anime world, he thought. He casually plays another millennium-banned card like it's nothing.
"Next, I set two face-down cards on the field. My turn ends."
It was now You Xuan's turn to draw. "My turn. Draw."
"At this moment, the effect of Nightmare's Mirage Barrel activates," Ryuzaki declared. "I draw four cards from my deck."
Indeed, the power of a banned card was undeniable. Ryuzaki's hand, which had been emptied in one turn, was instantly replenished to four cards.
However, You Xuan calmly played the card he had drawn. "Magic Card—Pot of Greed. I draw two more cards from my deck."
It was as if everyone had a few banned cards up their sleeves.
After drawing, You Xuan continued, "First, I summon this card I searched for last turn..."
A monster card was placed onto the duel disk's monster zone with a crisp snap.
"Mecha Unit - Mechanical Frame, in attack position."
[Mecha Unit - Mechanical Frame, ATK 1800]
"The effect of Mechanical Frame activates. When this card is successfully summoned, I can add one 'Mecha Unit' card other than 'Mechanical Frame' from my deck to my hand."
"Ah, so that's how it works," the commentator chimed in. "The Peace Guardian that was destroyed last turn has the ability to search for 'Mechanical Frame' upon destruction, and 'Mechanical Frame' can then search for 'Fortress'...
...So it seems that You Xuan's setup from the very beginning was all leading up to this card—Mecha Unit Fortress!"
"It looks like things are about to get interesting," commentator Sasaki chuckled.
"I add this card from my deck..."
You Xuan revealed the card he had drawn from his deck.
"...Mecha Unit Fortress to my hand."
He then displayed both Fortress and another monster card in his hand.
"Next, I activate the effect of Mecha Unit Fortress. Although this is a level 7 high-rank monster, it can be special summoned from my hand or graveyard by discarding mechanical-type monsters whose total levels equal 8 or more.
I discard the level 8 Mecha Unit Hyper Transformation from my hand to the graveyard, and I special summon Mecha Unit Fortress from my hand!"
One card was sent to the graveyard, and a massive alloy fortress materialized on his field. With its heavy metal treads, light-blue armor, and thick cannons, it seemed to declare, "Bigger guns mean bigger justice."
[Mecha Unit Fortress, ATK 2500]
"Battle phase," You Xuan declared. "First, Mecha Unit Fortress attacks the face-down Tri-Horned Dragon!"
[Tri-Horned Dragon, DEF 2350]
The massive cannon on the fortress slowly lowered, locking onto its target. With a thunderous boom and a flash of light, the shell was fired, spiraling through the air before landing squarely on the face-down card. Poor Tri-Horned Dragon never saw the light of day again, disintegrating into ash with a deafening explosion.
"Next, Mechanical Frame's direct attack!"
The red mecha warrior leapt forward, its metallic body propelled by invisible cyclones. Ryuzaki quickly crouched down to brace himself, but he was still knocked off his feet by the impact of the alloy kick.
[Ryuzaki, LP 2600 → LP 800]
The audience erupted in shock.
The legendary Ryuzaki versus the rookie newcomer. Everyone had expected a one-sided match, but who could have guessed that it would indeed be one-sided—in the complete opposite direction?
Could it be that Dinosaur Ryuzaki was being suppressed?
"This is certainly an unexpected turn of events..."
Even the commentators were starting to doubt their pre-match predictions.
"Things aren't looking good for Ryuzaki on the field," commentator Watanabe noted.
"Indeed, he's completely suppressed, with only 800 life points remaining. Meanwhile, You Xuan's life points haven't budged at all..."
[You Xuan, LP 4000]
Unable to resist checking again, commentator Sasaki frowned as he confirmed You Xuan's unshaken life points.
Is this really a rookie?
From the previous matches to now, he had dominated every duel with overwhelming force. Looking back at all his battles, it almost seemed like he hadn't felt any pressure at all.
And now, he's even suppressing Dinosaur Ryuzaki to this extent...
Where did this unheard-of monster come from?
"Main Phase 2."
You Xuan's turn wasn't over yet.
"I activate another effect of Mecha Unit - Mechanical Frame.
Once per turn, this card can become an equip card and attach itself to a mechanical-type monster on my field.
I equip Mechanical Frame to Mecha Unit Fortress on the field."
The mechanical frame leapt into the air, transforming and combining with the fortress in a series of metallic clangs.
"When the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle or effects, Mechanical Frame can be destroyed instead," You Xuan explained. "Additionally, once per turn, Mechanical Frame can special summon itself back to the field while it's in equip mode."
"What an amazing combo!" commentator Watanabe exclaimed. "Mechanical Frame not only searches for Fortress from the deck but also equips itself to Fortress, granting it protection against destruction?"
"Not only that," Sasaki added. "By becoming an equip card, Mechanical Frame also gains a layer of protection, preventing the opponent from targeting it due to its lower attack power.
And next turn, if it needs to assist in an attack for the finishing blow, it has the ability to return to the field on its own..."
"A combination that excels in both offense and defense—it's too strong," Watanabe couldn't help but comment. "This Fuji Yu Xuan... Is he really a rookie?"
Sasaki was momentarily speechless.
"You Xuan sets two cards face-down on the field."
Two more face-down cards appeared at You Xuan's feet. He glanced at the continuous magic card in Ryuzaki's back row and sighed inwardly.
His current deck had included three wind cards during construction. If he had drawn any of them earlier, he could have blown away Nightmare's Mirage Barrel before the standby phase. Doing so wouldn't guarantee victory, but it would have significantly increased his chances.
Unfortunately, he hadn't drawn any of them.
Another day of wishing for a miracle draw...
"My turn ends," You Xuan declared.
"You dare to hit me so hard..."
Ryuzaki gritted his teeth.
"My turn. Draw."
After the draw phase came Ryuzaki's standby phase.
"At this point, the side effect of Nightmare's Mirage Barrel would activate. Normally, I'd need to discard four cards from my hand... But!"
Ryuzaki flipped one of his face-down cards.
"At this moment, I first activate the trap Reckless Greed!
I can draw two cards from my deck, but the cost is skipping my draw phases for the next two turns."
A card with great reward but equally great risk. Ryuzaki drew two more cards.
"Then, immediately after, I activate the quick-play magic card Emergency Rations!"
Ryuzaki flipped his second face-down card.
"I can send magic and trap cards from my field, except for Emergency Rations, to the graveyard. For each card sent, I recover 1000 life points!
I send Reckless Greed and Nightmare's Mirage Barrel to the graveyard, restoring 2000 life points!"
The two cards vanished in a golden glow, their energy absorbed into Ryuzaki's body.
[Ryuzaki, LP 800 → LP 2800]
"Wow, that was a brilliant move!" Watanabe couldn't help but exclaim. "First, he activates Reckless Greed, then chains the trap Emergency Rations.
Even though the trap card was already activated, it remains on the field during the resolution of Emergency Rations' effect, allowing it to be used as part of the cost to heal."
"That's right. And by sending Nightmare's Mirage Barrel to the graveyard with Emergency Rations, he avoided the side effect of discarding cards during the standby phase."
Sasaki nodded approvingly.
"Ryuzaki is still Ryuzaki. His dueling skills are undeniably strong."
Ryuzaki wiped his nose, clearly proud of his expert maneuver. "What a shame. It looks like your attacks last turn were all for nothing."
However, You Xuan's heart remained unruffled.
High-level plays didn't impress him much. He just wanted to ask Ryuzaki where he bought his glue.
He had been curious for a long time—why do players in anime always stick Nightmare's Mirage Barrel and Emergency Rations together with glue? He had never seen anyone accidentally draw one without the other...