"Yusaku-senpai's board is not just hard to break. It's absurdly hard to break! Between the monsters, the back row, and even the Graveyard, there are interruption lines hidden everywhere. Count them all up, and there are at least six layers of defense. What is the other guy even supposed to use to get through that?"
"Hm? So it's not just the monsters and the face-down Counter Trap in the back row. There's interruption in the Graveyard too?"
Hearing that, Kazetaro could not help but chuckle. He stood there with his arms folded, his eyes carrying a trace of pity as he looked toward Nightshroud on the field.
"That just means you weren't paying attention when he built the board. When Yusaku-senpai dumped the Trap Card Full-Armored Xyz into the Graveyard, did you really think he was just discarding it for no reason? That card and Full Armored Dark Knight Lancer on the field form a pretty nasty layer of disruption together."
He paused.
"Anyway, senpai's board is extremely layered. Lockdown, omni-negates, monster-effect negates, destruction, stealing, Counter Trap backup - it's all there. Honestly, this board has more interruption than the opponent has cards in hand. I have no idea how he's supposed to break it."
...
On the field.
Nightshroud looked over Yusaku's field. At that moment, Yusaku controlled five monsters.
Those five monsters were Full Armored Dark Knight Lancer, Toadally Awesome, Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL, Number F0: Utopic Draco Future, and Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal.
He also had three face-down cards in his back row.
"Then, my turn. Draw!"
The newly drawn card had barely reached his hand before Nightshroud gave it a quick glance, then looked up at Yusaku with a wild, arrogant smile.
"The duel rules state this very clearly: when control of the turn is in my hands, priority at the first possible timing belongs to me! No matter how strong your monsters are, all they can do right now is sit there and watch!"
"So?" Yusaku still had his arms folded, his expression calm. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"What am I trying to say?" Nightshroud suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice full of absolute confidence. "I'm telling you this - say goodbye to the monsters on your field!"
Before the last word even fell, he slammed a card from his hand onto the Duel Disk, the sharp smack ringing through the arena.
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card Super Polymerization!"
"This card's effect! I can activate it by discarding 1 card! Then I Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster, using monsters from either my field or my opponent's field as material! And neither player can activate any monster, Spell, or Trap effects in response to this card's activation!"
As he spoke, Nightshroud looked straight at Yusaku, sneering.
"You've got a Counter Trap sitting face-down in your back row, sure. But what does that matter? In front of Super Polymerization's absolute priority, any attempt to respond is meaningless! This is the power of ultimate fusion!"
Then he revealed another card in his hand and loudly declared the fusion condition.
"The monster I'm going to Fusion Summon requires 2 monsters with the same Type and Attribute, but different names!"
As the words fell, his gaze sharpened like a blade and locked directly onto Yusaku.
"I send the Continuous Spell Ancient Gear Catapult from my hand to the Graveyard to satisfy Super Polymerization's activation requirement! And now, I use the 2 LIGHT Warrior monsters on your field - Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL and Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal - as Fusion Material and send them to the Graveyard!"
"Fusion Summon! Level 6 - Garura, Wings of Resonant Life!!!!"
As the summoning declaration thundered through the arena, Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL and Number F0: Utopic Future Zexal on Yusaku's field seemed to be seized by an invisible force. Both turned into streams of light and were swallowed whole by the gigantic Fusion vortex that opened in the center of the field.
In the next instant, a deep violet, two-headed bird burst forth from the Fusion light with a violent flap of its wings. The mysterious runes carved across its wings glowed brilliantly, and its shrill cry pierced through the storm of energy as it landed firmly on Nightshroud's field.
Garura, Wings of Resonant Life
Level 6 / Winged Beast / Fusion / Effect
ATK 1500
Looking at the newly summoned monster, Nightshroud turned to Yusaku again and let out a cold laugh.
"No matter what powerful effects those two monsters of yours were hiding, if they're not on the field anymore, then all of it is meaningless!"
"Not staying on the field? That's not necessarily true." Yusaku's lips curled into a mocking smile.
Nightshroud's grin froze on his face.
"??"
"The Gurus are working with your people, aren't they? If they had access to Super Polymerization, what made you think I wouldn't have prepared for that card too?"
Yusaku chuckled softly, then snapped his fingers.
Snap.
The instant that sound rang out, one of Yusaku's face-down cards flipped open, its surface rippling with a faint reddish-brown glow.
"I activate the Trap Card Xyz Reborn!"
"This card's effect can only be activated by targeting 1 Xyz Monster in my Graveyard! I Special Summon that monster, and then this card is attached to it underneath as Xyz Material!"
"My target is Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL in my Graveyard!"
With Yusaku's command, a pillar of light shot up behind him, and a roaring storm of summoning energy whipped his coat violently in the wind.
Within that pillar, the red-haired warrior clad in flowing armor slowly reappeared, the golden chains coiling around his body clanking sharply as his gold-lit eyes locked directly onto Nightshroud.
Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL
Xyz Materials: 0 -> 1
ATK 0
The moment the monster landed, Yusaku threw up his arm and shouted like thunder.
"I activate Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL's effect! I detach 1 Xyz Material!"
Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL
Xyz Materials: 1 -> 0
"This card's effect can only be used once during the opponent's turn by detaching 1 Xyz Material from it! For the rest of this turn, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects!"
"W-What?!" Hearing that effect, Nightshroud's pupils shrank to pinpoints as he cried out in disbelief. "All card effects can't be activated???"
The moment the audience fully grasped how ridiculous that effect was, the entire crowd exploded.
"Are you serious?! That effect is real?!"
Even the commentator could not hide the shock in his voice.
"Attention! This is not a restriction aimed only at monsters, Spells, or Traps on the field! It shuts down all card effects, across the board!"
(End of Chapter)
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