"Magic Cylinder!"
The most famous of the damage-reflecting traps, known throughout the dueling world alongside Mirror Force for the glory it achieved in the hands of the original King of Games. No one expected You Xuan to pull out Magic Cylinder at such a critical juncture. Many of the spectating students stood up instinctively, letting out collective gasps of surprise.
"Bladedge's attack is negated, and the damage dealt to the opponent is equal to the attacking monster's attack power," You Xuan declared. "Therefore, Bladedge's attack is reflected!"
"I knew you had a trap waiting, so..."
Jaden squinted and raised his arm.
"I activate my set card! The Counter TrapProtection of the Elements!" Jaden shouted. "By banishing one Elemental HERO on my field until the End Phase, I negate the activation of an opponent's Spell or Trap card and destroy it!"
It was a trap Jaden had used before in the manga.
"I banish Elemental HERO Bladedge from the game to negate the activation of Magic Cylinder and destroy it!"
Bladedge vanished from the field, but the twin cylinders of the trap simultaneously shattered into golden shards.
Syrus Truesdale wiped the sweat from his brow. "That was close... he managed to block it somehow."
"This is a duel where you can't afford a single moment of carelessness," Chumley added.
"..."
"I still couldn't get a hit in. You Xuan really doesn't let a guy relax for a second," Jaden chuckled. "In that case, 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 hand. However, during my Standby Phase, I must randomly discard hand cards equal to the number of cards I drew with this effect."
"Are you actually going to discard them, or find a way out of it?" You Xuan asked with a smile.
So far, he had never seen Jaden actually suffer the discard penalty of that card.
"Heh, who knows," Jaden grinned. "I'll set three more cards in the backrow and end my turn."
At that moment, a golden light surged on his field, like a vortex in space-time opening wide. The hero, shimmering with a metallic luster, dropped from the vortex and returned to his field.
"The Elemental HERO banished by the effect of Protection of the Elements returns to my field during the End Phase," Jaden said. "Come back, Bladedge!"
[Elemental HERO Bladedge, ATK 2600]
You Xuan nodded. "Then, it's my turn. Draw!"
"During the Standby Phase, the effect of Mirage of Nightmare activates. I draw until I have four cards." Jaden drew from his deck.
"At that moment, the effect of my set card, Appropriate, also activates. When the opponent draws from their deck outside of their Draw Phase, I draw two cards."
You Xuan drew his cards, paused for a moment, and swept his gaze across Jaden's field.
The anime version of Skyscraper increased attack power even when an Elemental HERO was being attacked, which meant Bladedge's attack power was effectively 3600 by default. At that value, even the Envoy of the Beginning couldn't break through it by battle.
"Then I activate the effect of Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning once more," You Xuan declared. "Once per turn, I can banish one monster on the opponent's field from the game. This time, I choose to banish Elemental HERO Bladedge! Chaos Dimension Slash!"
The Envoy's blade swung out, a dual-edged strike of light and shadow tearing through space as it swept toward the metallic hero.
"That's exactly what I was waiting for!" Jaden's lips curled into a confident smirk. "Watch closely, You Xuan! My heroes have infinite possibilities even without Fusion! I activate my set cardthe Trap card, Edge Hammer! By tributing Elemental HERO Bladedge on my field, I destroy one monster on the opponent's field and deal damage to the opponent equal to that monster's original attack power!"
Another exclusive trap.
Jaden's deck was stuffed with various exclusive traps and specific HERO combinations. When played consistently, many of these combos were actually quite powerful.
Like this one.
"I tribute Bladedge to destroy Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning! This means you take damage equal to the Envoy's attack powerthree thousand points!"
[You Xuan, LP 2800]
"Sorry about this, You Xuan," Jaden smiled confidently. "Looks like I've got this won."
Bladedge seemed to surge with the power of the trap. The engines on its back erupted with flames, and a massive golden hammer assembled in its hands. Gripping the giant mallet, the hero charged fearlessly against the Envoy's chaotic sword qi!
"Then I activate my set card," You Xuan interrupted. "The Trap cardShift! I can activate this when a monster on my field is targeted by an opponent's Spell, Trap, or monster attack. I can move that target to any other monster on my field!"
Silent Magician turned her head and gave You Xuan a subtle nod.
"I change the target of Edge Hammer to Silent Magician!" You Xuan shouted.
Jaden blinked. "But you have five cards in your hand right now. Silent Magician gains 500 attack power for every card in the duelist's hand, so her attack power is currently 3500!"
[Silent Magician, ATK 3500]
"No," You Xuan smiled. "The effect of Edge Hammer is that it deals damage equal to the destroyed monster's original attack power. Although Silent Magician's current ATK is 3500, the boost from her own effect isn't included. The only damage I take is her original value..."
Boom!
The Edge Hammer came down. The white-robed mage and the metallic hero were both swallowed by the explosive storm, dissipating from the field together.
"...which is 1000 points."
[You Xuan, LP 2800 → LP 1800]
"You're really strong, You Xuan," Jaden couldn't help but remark, though he was still smiling. "But now your Silent Magician is destroyed, and the Envoy of the Beginning has already used its Chaos Dimension Slash effect. You can't attack anymore"
"That's not necessarily true," You Xuan chuckled. "Did you forget Silent Magician's other ability?"
"Ah... oh, right..."
Though Bladedge had vanished entirely, a pure white magic circle formed from the energy released when You Xuan's Silent Magician disappeared.
"When Silent Magician is destroyed by battle or by an opponent's card effect, I can Special Summon one 'Silent Magician' monster from my hand or deck, ignoring its summoning conditions. Blooming with silent radiance at the intersection of chaos and order, the Magician of Light descends here"
"Silent Magician LV8!"
A graceful white figure spun out from the magic circle, her white robes billowing. Her staff twirled lightly in her hand, and her silver hair fluttered dreamily in the air.
[Silent Magician LV8, ATK 3500]
The students in the stands held their breath once more.
Because Jaden had sacrificed Bladedge for his play, his field was now completely empty.
[Jaden, LP 3300]
In just a few seconds, what looked like a fatal blow from Jaden had turned into a counter-kill from You Xuan.
The offensive had completely shifted!
"Silent Magician LV8, direct attack!" You Xuan commanded.
White light converged at the tip of her staff. A [Magic Blast] of pure energy roared toward Jaden, looking as if it were about to swallow him whole.
"Then I activate my trap" Jaden shouted, throwing his hand up.
"A Hero Emerges!"
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