"At this moment, I activate the effect of my Continuous Spell, Card of Safe Return! I draw 1 card from my Deck!"
The instant he finished drawing, Yusaku's voice rang out again.
"Next, I tune the freshly summoned Purrely Pretty Memory together with Purrelyly!"
The moment those words fell, the two soft, adorable monsters transformed into twin streams of light and shot into the sky above the field. Stardust intertwined overhead, weaving together into a dazzling celestial trail.
In the next second, a heavy Synchro beam came crashing down, and a pale gray monster built from intricate machinery and meshing gears appeared on the Duel field.
[Martial Metal Marcher]
[Level 3 / Machine / Synchro / Effect]
[ATK: 500]
"I activate Martial Metal Marcher's effect!" Yusaku's shout rose sharply.
"When this card is Synchro Summoned, I can target 1 Tuner in my Graveyard and Special Summon it in Defense Position. I choose the Level 2 Tuner in my Graveyard, Purrely Pretty Memory, and Special Summon it!"
[Purrely Pretty Memory]
[ATK: 0]
"At this moment, the effect of Card of Safe Return triggers again! I draw 1 card from my Deck!"
A fresh card slid into his hand, and Yusaku's voice grew even sharper with momentum.
"Next, I tune the Level 3 Tuner monster Martial Metal Marcher with the Level 4 Effect Monster Herald of the Arc Light!"
The two streams of light soared skyward again, twisting into a spiraling river of stars across the heavens. In the next instant, a giant dragon with butterfly-like wings and glowing patterns across its radiant plumage burst forth from the light.
[Ancient Fairy Dragon]
[Level 7 / Dragon / Synchro / Effect]
[ATK: 2100]
The aftershock of the Summon had not even faded when Yusaku's eyes locked onto Genya, his voice cold and cutting.
"I activate the effect of Herald of the Arc Light in my Graveyard! If this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can add 1 Ritual Monster or 1 Ritual Spell from my Deck to my hand!"
He swept a hand across his Deck, drew out a card with perfect precision, and held it aloft.
"I add the Ritual Monster Illusion of Chaos from my Deck to my hand!"
The card had barely entered his hand when Yusaku shouted again.
"Next, I activate Ancient Fairy Dragon's effect!"
"During my Main Phase, I can destroy all cards in the Field Zones and gain 1000 Life Points! Then I can add 1 Field Spell from my Deck to my hand with a different name from the destroyed card!"
"I activate that effect! I destroy the Field Spell Purrely Happy Memory, gain 1000 LP, and then add the Field Spell Kyoutou Waterfront from my Deck to my hand!"
The moment those words landed, the Duel field transformed again. A towering lighthouse rose up behind Yusaku, its surface reflecting shimmering waves of light, and a faint glow spread across the entire field.
The instant the Field Spell took effect, Yusaku played another card.
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Purrelyeap!? Its effect lets me Special Summon 1 'Purrely' monster from my hand or Graveyard!"
"I activate it to Special Summon Purrelyly from my Graveyard!"
[Purrelyly]
[ATK: 0]
"At this moment, Card of Safe Return activates. I draw 1 card from my Deck!"
After drawing, Yusaku's voice took on an even sharper edge.
"Purrelyly's effect triggers!"
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add 1 'Purrely' Spell or Trap from my Graveyard to my hand. I choose the Quick-Play Spell Purrelyeap!? that was just sent to the Graveyard!"
After retrieving the card from his Graveyard, Yusaku swept his hand forward and shouted, his voice shaking the field.
"I use the freshly summoned Purrelyly and the Level 2 Purrely Pretty Memory as materials!"
"Link Summon! Link-2, Spright Elf!"
At the declaration of the Summon, the two monsters on the field transformed into twin pillars of dazzling light and shot straight into the Link Markers overhead.
In the next moment, two Link Arrows lit up in succession. In the center of that brilliant glow, a small but strangely imposing figure slowly emerged. Spright Elf floated there with four wing-like panels on its back that looked like satellite receivers.
[Spright Elf]
[Link-2 / Thunder / Link / Effect]
[ATK: 1400]
The instant Spright Elf appeared, Yusaku immediately continued.
"At this moment, my Field Spell's effect resolves!"
"Kyoutou Waterfront's effect: each time cards on the field are sent to the Graveyard, I place 1 Kaiju Counter on this card for each card sent! Just now, I sent a Quick-Play Spell and two monsters to the Graveyard, so that's 3 total. I place 3 Kaiju Counters!"
[Kyoutou Waterfront]
[Counters: 0 -> 3]
Yusaku looked back at Genya, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"And now I can activate Kyoutou Waterfront's other effect! Once per turn, if this card has 3 or more Kaiju Counters, I can add 1 'Kaiju' monster from my Deck to my hand!"
[Kyoutou Waterfront]
[Counters: 3 -> 0]
"I add Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju from my Deck to my hand!"
After adding the Kaiju, Yusaku immediately revealed a card in his Graveyard.
"Next, I activate the effect of Merry Melffys in my Graveyard! If this card is in the Graveyard, I can discard 2 cards to Special Summon it!"
Before his words had even fully landed, Yusaku raised two cards into the air.
"I send the Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju I just added to my hand, along with the Quick-Play Spell Purrelyeap!?, to the Graveyard and Special Summon Merry Melffys!"
[Merry Melffys]
[ATK: 1000]
Looking at the Merry Melffys that had suddenly appeared on the field, Genya's brows drew together slightly.
He naturally knew what Gameciel did. It could Tribute an opponent's monster to Special Summon itself, and he had assumed Yusaku had gone to all that trouble to search it for a later turn, to crack his field apart. He never expected Yusaku to dump it into the Graveyard the instant it hit his hand.
While Genya was still full of doubt, Yusaku's voice rang out again.
"Card of Safe Return activates. I draw 1 card from my Deck!"
After drawing, he looked at Genya.
"And the effect of Martial Metal Marcher, which I used as Synchro Material for Ancient Fairy Dragon, applies here too: any Synchro Monster that uses this card as Synchro Material is treated as a Tuner."
"In other words, Ancient Fairy Dragon can now be treated as a Tuner monster!"
With that, Yusaku swept his arm out, his voice carrying unstoppable force.
"So now I tune the Level 7 Ancient Fairy Dragon with the Level 3 Effect Monster Merry Melffys!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 10, Baronne de Fleur!"
At the instant the command fell, the two monsters transformed into a spiraling starlit trail and shot skyward. Countless glittering particles formed a perfect ten-star line across the heavens, and a radiant rose-colored beam crashed down onto the Duel field like a descending galaxy, making the entire arena tremble.
[Baronne de Fleur]
[Level 10 / Warrior / Synchro / Effect]
[ATK: 3000]
The instant Baronne de Fleur appeared, Yusaku raised another card from his hand.
"I activate the effect of Illusion of Chaos from my hand!"
"I can reveal this card to my opponent, then add 1 'Dark Magician' monster or 1 monster that mentions 'Dark Magician' from my Deck to my hand, except a Ritual Monster. Then I place 1 card from my hand on top of the Deck."
He slotted Magicians' Souls into his Duel Disk, his tone decisive.
"I add Magicians' Souls, which mentions Dark Magician, to my hand. Then I return the Illusion of Chaos I just revealed to the top of my Deck!"
With Magicians' Souls now in hand, Yusaku immediately revealed it and declared its effect in rapid succession.
"Next, I activate the effect of the Magicians' Souls I just searched! While this card is in my hand, I can send 1 Level 6 or higher Spellcaster monster from my Deck to the Graveyard, then either Special Summon this card, or send this card to the Graveyard and Special Summon 1 Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl from my Graveyard!"
He sent the Level 7 Dark Magician from his Deck to the Graveyard, then sent Magicians' Souls itself to the Graveyard and Special Summoned the Dark Magician he had just sent there.
A black magic circle unfolded across the field. Surging magical power roared through it like a flood, and a tall dark-clad figure leaped out from within. The sapphire-tipped staff in his hand arced through the air like a boomerang before he landed lightly, wrapped in dense waves of black magic.
[Dark Magician]
[Level 7 / Spellcaster / Normal]
[ATK: 2500]
"A monster was Special Summoned from the Graveyard again, so Card of Safe Return activates. I draw 1 card from my Deck!"
After drawing, Yusaku abruptly revealed another card from his Extra Deck, his voice rising sharply.
"The Dark Magicians! In addition to being properly Summoned, this card can also be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck during a turn in which a Spell Card or effect was activated, by banishing 1 Level 6 or higher DARK Spellcaster monster from my field!"
Yusaku looked at Genya.
"This turn I've already activated multiple Spell Cards, so I meet the Summoning condition! I banish the Dark Magician on my field and Special Summon The Dark Magicians!"
With that, he slammed the card down.
"Come forth, The Dark Magicians!"
As his voice echoed out, two figures slowly materialized, cloaked in dark robes and holding staffs set with crimson gems. Their garments snapped in the magical wind swirling around them.
[The Dark Magicians]
[Level 8 / Spellcaster / Effect]
[ATK: 2800]
"I activate The Dark Magicians' effect!"
Yusaku's voice rang out once more.
"When this card is Special Summoned, I can add 1 Dark Magician or 1 card that mentions it from my Deck to my hand. I choose to add the Quick-Play Spell Timaeus the United Dragon to my hand!"
After retrieving the searched card, Yusaku immediately pointed to his Link Monster.
"Next, I activate Spright Elf's effect!"
"During either player's Main Phase, I can target 1 Level 2 monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it!"
"I activate that effect and Special Summon the Level 2 Effect Monster Purrely Pretty Memory from my Graveyard in Defense Position!"
[Purrely Pretty Memory]
[DEF: 2200]
"Card of Safe Return activates. I draw 1 card from my Deck! At the same time, the Field Spell Kyoutou Waterfront also triggers. I just sent 4 cards from my field to the Graveyard, so I place 4 Kaiju Counters!"
[Kyoutou Waterfront]
[Counters: 0 -> 4]
"Next!"
Yusaku drew out four cards from his hand and quickly set them into his back row.
"I set 4 cards and end my turn!"
The instant he finished speaking, four face-down cards appeared in front of him with a sharp mechanical hum.
The moment Yusaku's words ended, Genya's voice immediately rang out.
"My effect resolves! By Bystial Magnamhut's effect, I add the Dragon monster Bystial Druiswurm from my Deck to my hand!"
As he spoke, Genya's gaze swept darkly across Yusaku's field, his brows knitting even tighter.
He was starting to have trouble reading Yusaku's setup.
At that moment, Yusaku had five monsters on the field: Spright Elf, Baronne de Fleur, The Dark Magicians, and two Level 2 monsters, Purrely Pretty Memory and Purrely Lollipop Memory.
Of those five monsters, the only one that looked like a real point of interaction was Baronne de Fleur.
The other four were either low-Level monsters or monsters whose ATK didn't even exceed 2500. The two Level 2 monsters looked practically like fodder.
But after the first two Duels, based on what he knew of Yusaku, there was no way he had built a field that merely looked this simple.
Seeing that Genya still hadn't moved, Yusaku glanced at him and said with a faintly mocking tone, "What's wrong? You've been standing there forever. Planning to surrender?"
Genya snorted coldly and placed his hand on top of his Deck.
"My turn. Draw!"
The moment he added the card he drew to his hand, Yusaku immediately cut in.
"At the end of your Draw Phase, the instant you enter your Standby Phase, I activate Baronne de Fleur's effect!"
"During either player's Standby Phase, I can target 1 Level 9 or lower monster in my Graveyard, return this card to the Extra Deck, and Special Summon that target!"
"I activate that effect! I return Baronne de Fleur to the Extra Deck and Special Summon the Level 8 Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju from my Graveyard!"
Hearing that, Genya froze, almost thinking he had misheard.
Baronne de Fleur's omni-negate was one of the most oppressive effects imaginable, yet Yusaku had casually given it up and chosen instead to summon a Sea Turtle Kaiju, a monster normally used going second to Tribute away an opponent's field.
But while he was still stunned, Yusaku had already completed the Summon.
Baronne de Fleur dissolved into a streak of light and vanished from the field. In her place appeared a monstrous creature with a massive shell on its back, vicious dragon-like wings, and a body somewhere between a turtle and a dinosaur.
[Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju]
[Level 8 / Aqua / Effect]
[DEF: 3000]
The audience below the field froze for a moment at the sight of the sudden Kaiju, then instantly erupted in an uproar.
"So that's why Yusaku went out of his way to search Kyoutou Waterfront. I get it now. The whole setup was to summon Gameciel!"
"If there wasn't a Field Spell up, calling it a Sea Turtle Kaiju would be one thing. But now that Kyoutou Waterfront is active, you all know what we should really call it, right?"
"Hahaha, I know this one! Cosmic Blazar Turtle!"
On the field, hearing the crowd's chatter, Genya's brows furrowed even harder as he stared fixedly at the Gameciel on Yusaku's field.
Did that monster have some hidden effect he didn't know about?
While doubt churned inside him, Yusaku's voice sounded again.
"Since a monster was Special Summoned from the Graveyard, Card of Safe Return activates. I draw 1 card from my Deck!"
After drawing, Yusaku looked at Genya, the smile at the corner of his mouth widening.
"My effects are finished resolving. Your move!"