"The moment the altar is completed will be your day of death!"
Rudger paused, speaking in a cold voice.
"Well, that being said, due to the effect of 'Spider Web,' my 'Underground Arachnid' attacked last turn, so this turn it also can't change its battle position."
But in the next instant, his expression twisted into a sneer.
"But even so, I can still activate its effect!
'Underground Arachnid,' activate effect! Once per turn, choose one face-up monster on your opponent's field and equip it to this card to absorb it.
I'll absorb your 'The Big Saturn' as well!"
Once again, the spider-woman shot out threads, quickly wrapping and binding the limbs of The Big Saturn on the opponent's field. With a tremendous force, she dragged the gigantic body and its rings over, cocooning it tightly beneath her like an enormous chrysalis.
"Damn!" Leo exclaimed with regret. "Finally managed to summon such a powerful monster, only for it to get absorbed again!"
Rudger let out a booming laugh.
"Now, you're just like prey that's fallen right into the center of the web! The more you struggle, the tighter the web binds you. In the end, you'll have no moves left—forced to watch helplessly as the Earthbound Immortal descends upon the altar."
He paused and grinned wickedly.
"By that time, it won't matter who you are. In the end, you'll all become sacrifices for the Earthbound Immortal."
The others watching couldn't help but feel tense for "Goodwin." Only Akiza, who had once experienced the terror of Saturn firsthand, seemed to expect exactly this outcome and had an inkling of what was about to unfold.
The Dark Signer leader seemed completely oblivious to the hidden risk—ironically, in his own metaphor, he might be the prey trapped in the web.
He just hadn't realized it yet.
"Now, 'Underground Arachnid' cannot attack this turn. I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn."
With a wave of his hand, Rudger set two more cards in his back row.
Leo became increasingly anxious.
"Damn, in this spider web field, the pace of battle is completely slowed down. At this rate, Uncle Goodwin will be forced to just sit and watch as the Earthbound Immortal is summoned..."
"Don't worry, Leo," said Yusei. "If it's Goodwin, he'll have a plan."
…
Kira said,"My turn! Draw!"
"During my Standby Phase, I activate the Spell Card 'Take Over 5' from the Graveyard. By banishing this card and another card with the same name from the Deck, I draw one card."
Kira drew another card.
"Next, since my opponent controls a Special Summoned monster and I have no monsters on my field, I activate the Spell Card 'Card of Adversity' and draw two more cards."
"Then, I activate the effect of 'Quickdraw Synchron' in my hand. By sending a monster from my hand to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon Quickdraw Synchron from my hand."
Kira discarded a card.
"Special Summon 'Quickdraw Synchron'!"
A small robot appeared, sporting a wide-brimmed hat like a Wild West cowboy, armed with a revolver and a flowing red cape.
[Quickdraw Synchron, ATK 700]
Jack frowned.
"Another monster similar to Yusei's?"
Yusei remained silent—it was true. Quickdraw Synchron was one of his favorite low-level monsters.
"Next, I Normal Summon 'Tuningware!'"
A tiny robot with a bowl-cut helmet appeared, its yellow scarf covering most of its face, only a pair of green eyes peeking out.
[Tuningware, ATK 100]
"Then, I activate the Continuous Trap, 'Ultimate Offering!'"
With a flourish, the trap card in Kira's back row flashed gold, drops of blood seemingly falling from the illustration.
[Kira, LP 3500 → 3000]
"By paying 500 Life Points, I can Normal Summon one more monster from my hand.
I Normal Summon 'Quillbolt Hedgehog!'"
A cute, golden little hedgehog appeared, with screws growing all over its back.
[Quillbolt Hedgehog, ATK 800]
"Level 5 tuner monster 'Quickdraw Synchron!'
Level 2 'Quillbolt Hedgehog!'
Level 1 'Tuningware!'
Adjust levels!"
5+2+1=8
"Rally together—let the gathered resolve awaken the roaring Demon King, and forge a road shining with light!"
Kira raised his arm high.
"Synchro Summon—
Smash through, Junk Destroyer!"
A mecha with undeniable good looks arrived—Gundam-like in appearance with thick armor, all four fists clenching as surges of energy gathered within.
Yusei's eyes lit up.
"Perfect! Junk Destroyer has the power to break this stalemate!"
The three lower-level Synchro materials, and now the Junk Destroyer—a suite matching Yusei's own preferences. The similarity made Yusei feel a growing sense of kinship.
"Tuningware's effect: when sent to the Graveyard as a Synchro Material, draw one card."
Kira drew again.
"Then, Junk Destroyer's effect activates!
When Synchro Summoned, Junk Destroyer can destroy a number of cards on the field up to the number of non-Tuner monsters used as materials for its summon."
Rudger frowned.
"With this Synchro Summon, there were two non-Tuner materials—Quillbolt Hedgehog and Tuningware."
"Right. So I can destroy up to two cards on the field."
Kira pointed toward the gigantic web in the sky.
"First target—Field Spell 'Spider Web'!"
"Yes, destroy that annoying field card first!" Leo said excitedly. "Without the field, even if the Earthbound Immortal is summoned, it'll just be a toothless tiger!"
"Second target—I'll destroy…"
Kira then pointed to the opponent's back row, at the huge chunk of iron tightly bound in spider silk.
"Destroy 'The Big Saturn!'"
Everyone was stunned by the declaration—except for Akiza. Destroying your own monster to prevent the opponent from using it made sense, but why not just destroy the spider woman? If 'Underground Arachnid' was destroyed, 'The Big Saturn' as an equip card would be destroyed too.
But Akiza smiled, thinking, Here it comes.
She alone knew you couldn't just destroy the spider. Saturn's effect triggered only if it's destroyed by an opponent's card effect while under their control.
If Kira destroyed 'Underground Arachnid,' its equipped 'The Big Saturn' would be destroyed by game mechanics (due to losing its target), not by an opposing card effect. So Saturn's self-destruct strategy wouldn't go off.
Akiza, who'd suffered from Saturn before, almost wanted to laugh. She looked forward to seeing how the Dark Signer head would react next.
"When 'The Big Saturn' is destroyed by your effect and sent to the Graveyard, both sides take damage equal to its attack points," Kira said.
Rudger was startled.
"A suicidal attack!? Going for a double KO!?"
"Haha—sorry, but a double KO just wouldn't be satisfying."
Kira snapped his fingers with a smile.
"I activate my Set Trap Card—'Nature's Reflection!'
This turn, all effect damage that I would take from my opponent's cards is reflected back to you!"
Rudger: "!!!"
Damage reflection—this is bad!
Originally, 'The Big Saturn's' self-destruct would deal 2800 damage to both players. But if Kira reflects back Rudger's share, that's 5600 damage to Rudger in an instant!
…