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[Yuugen, LP: 4000]
[Kajimoto Makoto, LP: 4000]
Kajimoto was lucky today and got the first turn. Player Kajimoto drew his card, looked at his six-card starting hand, and his eyes instantly lit up.
Perfect Hand.JPG.
While most opponents Yuugen faced before might have underestimated him due to his unimpressive record, Kajimoto Makoto wouldn't.
He had also watched Yuugen's previous matches, especially the top-eight duel against Manjoume. After reviewing it, he felt that although this person couldn't be underestimated, in his eyes, he was more of a player who relied on opportunistic tricks. He couldn't say he had no strength, but it probably wasn't much.
"Hmph, as long as I know your tricks beforehand and take precautions, there's nothing to fear," Kajimoto shouted. "My turn!"
Kajimoto's morale was high. Without a second word, he slammed a card down, indicating he must fuse immediately. He fused "Machina Soldier" and "Machina Force" from his hand, directly bringing out an eight-star monster: [Perfect Machina King].
This card was changed to an effect monster when it was made into a real card, but in the anime, it was originally just a fusion monster. And its original effect was: its attack power increases by 500 for each Machine-type monster on the field. Since it itself was Machine-type, it had a base attack power of 3200 as soon as it appeared.
[Perfect Machina King, ATK: 2700 → ATK: 3200]
Summoning the deck's boss monster right at the beginning, Kajimoto felt this duel was already half won. Starting with a monster stronger than a Blue-Eyes White Dragon + 200 ATK right in the opponent's face, how could he lose?
Then it was Yuugen's turn.
Yuugen calmly summoned [Giant Rat]. A large, fluffy mutated rat hopped onto the field, baring its teeth at the opponent, letting out a fierce low growl from its throat.
[Giant Rat, ATK: 1400]
Then Yuugen waved his hand and ordered directly: "Giant Rat, attack 'Perfect Machina King.'"
Giant Rat: "?"
Its bewildered little eyes seemed to say, Dude, are you serious? That thing's attack power is more than twice mine? Why don't you just ask me to go capture the Tang Sanzang crew?
But the master's command was a command. The big rat could only charge headfirst into the Machina King, and predictably, it was blasted into pieces by a single shot.
[Yuugen, LP: 4000 → LP: 2200]
Starting with a suicide attack stunned the opponent.
What was the meaning of this? Were duelists these days so polite? Just giving away points right at the start of the match?
Could it be that the dojo secretly paid an actor for him?
But he quickly understood. That suicidal big rat had a deathrattle. When Giant Rat was destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, he could Special Summon an EARTH monster with 1500 or less ATK from the deck.
Hearing this effect, Kajimoto only sneered inwardly.
Attack power 1500 or less? Weren't those all small fry?
"Special Summon this card from the deck," Yuugen revealed the searched card. "'Magical Exemplar'!"
[Magical Exemplar, ATK: 600]
A little creature that looked like it jumped out of a Q-version cartoon popped onto the field, waving a small scepter in its hand. Its art style and small body made it look like it was just there to be cute.
"Magical Exemplar's effect allows it to attack the opponent directly," Yuugen waved his hand, "Direct attack!"
[Kajimoto Makoto, LP: 4000 → LP: 3400]
Kajimoto Makoto, who took 600 points of damage, didn't care at all: "Heh, just for that little damage? It doesn't even tickle..."
Obviously, this guy hadn't realized the severity of the problem yet.
Yuugen smiled: "My Battle Phase ends. Then I activate the Equip Magic 'Guardian's Force' from my hand, equipping it to 'Magical Exemplar.' Then I end my turn."
Seeing a layer of golden light cover Magical Exemplar, but its attack power didn't change at all, Kajimoto Makoto couldn't help but mutter.
Isn't this equipping just for show?
In this world, playing cards wasn't like Yuugen's previous life where players could check the opponent's card effects in real-time. Only cards they recognized and remembered the effects of could be understood and dealt with immediately.
"My turn!"
Kajimoto Makoto drew a card, then said, "I Normal Summon 'Machina Soldier' in attack mode!"
[Machina Soldier, ATK: 1600]
"Because the number of Machine-type monsters on the field has increased, 'Perfect Machina King's' attack power increases by another 500."
[Perfect Machina King, ATK: 3200 → ATK: 3700]
Kajimoto Makoto waved his hand: "Attack 'Magical Exemplar' with 'Machina Soldier'!"
Machina Soldier stepped forward, but before it could even attack, the golden light on Magical Exemplar flickered.
"At this moment, the effect of 'Guardian's Force' activates," Yuugen said. "When the monster equipped with 'Guardian's Force' declares an attack or is attacked, place one Spell Counter on this card. Also, the equipped monster gains 500 ATK for each Spell Counter on this card."
[Guardian's Force, Spell Counter 0 → 1]
[Magical Exemplar, ATK: 600 → ATK: 1100]
"Heh, adding this little attack power is useless!" Kajimoto Makoto shouted, "Battle continues! Machina Soldier, destroy that small fry monster!"
However, the metal fist slammed down, only creating a faint ripple of golden light. When the ripple dissipated, Magical Exemplar still stood firmly, completely unharmed.
Kajimoto Makoto: "!"
Why!?
"Another effect of 'Guardian's Force'," Yuugen said. "If the equipped monster would be destroyed, you can remove one Spell Counter from your field instead."
[Guardian's Force, Spell Counter 1 → 0]
[Magical Exemplar, ATK: 1100 → ATK: 600]
Kajimoto Makoto: "?"
Wait a minute...
"You just said 'Guardian's Force' places a counter when an attack is declared, right!" Kajimoto thought he had found a loophole. "But it was clearly me who declared the attack. Your monster didn't declare an attack at all. Why could it still add..."
He began to suspect that he had been tricked by rule-sharking...
"Is this your first day dueling?" Yuugen looked at him with half-closed eyes, patiently explaining like explaining to a newbie in the card game club, "The description of 'Guardian's Force' isn't 'Place a Spell Counter when the equipped monster declares an attack,' but 'Place a Spell Counter during the attack declaration when the equipped monster battles.'"
Kajimoto: "?"
What's the difference?
"Whether you attack or I initiate the attack, as long as monsters battle, there is an 'attack declaration step.' So, as long as monsters battle, the effect of placing a counter will trigger."
Yuugen continued to patiently explain the profoundness of the K-language (Konami language/Card text wording) to the opponent.
Kajimoto: "!"
What? Then isn't it invincible?
It gains a counter whenever attacked, and then it can negate destruction by removing the counter...
Doesn't that mean the monster equipped with this thing is immortal?
"Wait..."
Kajimoto frowned, realizing things weren't that simple.
"But the battle damage should still be calculated, right?" he said suspiciously.
"Oh, that's 'Magical Exemplar's' own effect," Yuugen said. "When 'Magical Exemplar' battles, all damage inflicted to its controller becomes 0."
Kajimoto: "!?"
Battle damage is 0... Wait, something's wrong, something's very wrong.
Because it's equipped with "Guardian's Force," Magical Exemplar is immortal no matter how you attack it.
And because of Magical Exemplar's own effect, the opponent takes no battle damage.
Then Magical Exemplar can also attack the opponent directly... No, not only that, because of the effect of "Guardian's Force," the more times it attacks, the higher its attack power will become.
Hiss~
Kajimoto gasped, his face turning pale with shock.
A guy who could come up with such an hellish tactic...
...is a dog, right!?