The moment the monster hit the duel disk, a ring of translucent electricity erupted from Kira, with red lightning forming a force field. The dark red energy first formed a pair of dangerous round glasses, then a steel body, arms folded, exuding overwhelming pressure.
Jinzo, Summon!
[Jinzo, ATK 2400]
Jinzo spread his arms, electricity bursting from his center, chin raised as if exhaling long-suppressed pride.
Finally!
Some fresh air on the duel field!
He was eager to show off, but the Shadow Monarch whispered gloomily behind him, "Master only gave you this chance out of pity… Not that it matters, you'll be cannon fodder again in a minute."
"Shut it!" Jinzo boomed. "Watch closely, this time I'll soar to victory!"
"Haha, everyone's so fired up. Good." Kira smiled. "Let's keep up the momentum.
Jinzo, attack 'Cloudian – Sheep Cloud'!"
Jinzo's eyes flashed red, his invisible force field locking onto Adrian's set card like red electric chains.
That was the power of Jinzo's trap-suppression field. No trap could be activated in this domain.
But Adrian didn't seem like he planned to trigger any trap anyway. Jinzo's attack went through unopposed, blasting one of Adrian's white clouds.
Adrian shielded himself from the impact, but said, "Now, 'Cloudian – Sheep Cloud's effect activates.
When destroyed by battle and sent to the graveyard, I Special Summon two 'Sheep Cloud Tokens' in Defense Position."
The exploded cloud split into two smaller clouds, which hovered on Adrian's field.
[Sheep Cloud Token, DEF 0] x2
Kira: "Turn end."
"My turn. Draw!"
Adrian looked at his card, but didn't play it right away. He looked up at Kira.
"I don't know how you learned about me, Duel King. I don't know how you see me, but I know you don't actually understand me."
"Oh?" Kira smiled. "Are you so sure?"
"Of course." Adrian closed his eyes. "You, as King, could never understand.
Abandoned by parents from birth, ignored by society, destined for death from the moment I was born… The only thing left was to watch the clouds, waiting for death…"
Kira nodded. "Yeah, I can't understand that at all."
The blunt answer left Adrian speechless, making him forget his next line.
"I've never experienced that, so of course I can't understand." Kira shrugged. "But so what? You don't win a duel by having the saddest backstory."
Adrian: "…"
He remembered hearing that the King's mouth was as punchable as his duels—now he saw it was true.
"My apologies, I suppose the King has no need for my boring backstory." Adrian took a deep breath. "But I just wanted to say: the tenacity and strength of someone who clawed his way up from hell—"
He adjusted his glasses, voice steady.
"My Cloudians and I will never lose to anyone."
Adrian raised his head, eyes firm.
"Summon Cloud effect: During my Standby Phase, I must send a card from my hand to the Graveyard, or this card is destroyed.
This turn, I won't send a card, so 'Summon Cloud' is destroyed." (Anime effect)
That was a cost only in the anime; the real card's effect was weakened, so the cost was removed. Adrian didn't pay, so the card vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Then, I tribute my two 'Sheep Cloud Tokens' and my remaining 'Cloudian – Sheep Cloud'—three monsters in total—to Tribute Summon!
Appear, Cloudian - Nimbusman!"
A pillar of water enveloped the three clouds, which merged and reshaped into a new form—a squat, chubby cloud with a bald head and scrunched-up features, glaring at the opponent.
[Cloudian - Nimbusman, ATK 1000]
"Huh?" Eye beside Kira asked, "It's only Level 5, but he used three tributes?"
"It's a special effect monster," Kira explained.
"As expected of the Duel King, you saw through it immediately." Adrian smiled. "Yes! Cloudian - Nimbusman can be Tribute Summoned using any number of WATER monsters on my field.
For each WATER tribute used, its ATK increases by 500!"
"I see," Kira replied. "You used three tributes—all WATER."
"Exactly," Adrian said. "Nimbusman's ATK increases by 1500!"
[Cloudian - Nimbusman, ATK 1000 → 2500]
Eye exclaimed, "Oh no, it's stronger than our Jinzo!"
"And that's not all." Adrian sneered. "When Nimbusman is Tribute Summoned, all opponent's monsters lose ATK equal to 500 x number of WATER tributes used!" (Anime effect)
After becoming a real card, it only kept the ATK boost, not the opponent ATK reduction. So the Cloudian deck was nerfed compared to the anime.
Jinzo, who'd been folding his arms, nervously pointed at himself.
Me? My ATK drops?
Adrian shouted, "Jinzo, take Nimbusman's effect: lose 1500 ATK!"
A blue vapor surrounded Jinzo, his body crackling as if corroded by water.
[Jinzo, ATK 2400 → 900]
"Battle!" Adrian ordered. "Cloudian - Nimbusman, attack 'Jinzo'!"
A swirling spear of wind pierced right through Jinzo's chest!
Jinzo was dejected.
Damn, I'm cannon fodder again.