"Hey, Yugi… don't you think Kisaragi's been holding the initiative this whole time?" Anzu whispered.
"Yeah," Yugi said. "Kaiba's basically being boiled alive—warm water turning to scalding water. Kisaragi keeps accumulating Spell Counters and converting them into combat power. Right now that power still can't fully overpower Kaiba, but if he can't break her engine soon, he's going to lose later."
"I don't think her goal is only to raise her monsters' attack," Grandpa Sugoroku said calmly.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Anzu blinked.
"Grandpa… you think she has another objective?" Yugi asked.
"Look at her board. She's only shown three low-level monsters so far—her real ace hasn't appeared. I think she's waiting for a specific timing window. What that is… we'll find out if we keep watching."
Kaiba's jaw tightened.
(This position is awful. I honestly didn't expect Spellbooks to be this strong. I have to seize control of this duel.)
Kaiba's Turn
"My turn—draw!"
"I activate the Spell Card of Demise! Because of its effect, I draw until I have five cards in hand. Five turns later, I must discard my entire hand!" (anime effect)
(Here it is… one of those anime-era 'cheat' cards. Instant hand refill. Sure, you lose everything in five turns—but this duel won't even last that long.) Kisaragi snarked internally.
Kaiba continued without pausing.
"I change my face-down Defense Position Blue-Eyes White Dragon to Attack Position!"
Blue-Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500)
"Then I activate the Spell Burst Stream of Destruction! As long as I control Blue-Eyes, I can destroy all monsters on your field—but after I use it, Blue-Eyes cannot attack!"
(So he does have Blue-Eyes support. He wants to wipe my board first?) Kisaragi narrowed her eyes.
"Go, Blue-Eyes—Burst Stream of Destruction!"
Blue-Eyes gathered white light in its maw, aiming at Kisaragi's monsters—
"No, Kaiba. Not happening."
Kisaragi flipped a card.
"I activate the Counter Trap Dark Bribe! It negates and destroys the Spell or Trap you activated… but the price is you draw one card."
Kaiba's face turned icy as he drew a card from his Deck.
(So she really did set a negate for Spell/Trap effects… but my objective was never to resolve Burst Stream.) Kaiba's eyes flicked to a specific card in his hand.
(This is the key. The key to crushing her Spellbooks.)
"I set two cards. Turn end." (Hand: 3)
"Kaiba… did he find a way to counter Kisaragi's deck?" Jounouchi asked.
"I think so," Yugi said quietly. "That card is the key."
Kisaragi's Turn
"My turn—draw!"
"I activate The Grand Spellbook Tower's effect: I place one Spellbook Spell from my Graveyard on the bottom of my Deck… then draw one card."
Kaiba cut in immediately.
"You think I'll let you?"
"What?!" Kisaragi's eyes sharpened.
Kaiba flipped a card face-up.
"I activate the Continuous Trap Imperial Order! As long as this card remains on the field, the effects of all Spell Cards on the field are negated!"
"Which means—" Jounouchi started.
"—Yes," Yugi finished. "Kisaragi's Spellbooks are all Spell Cards. As long as Imperial Order stays up, she can't use Spellbooks at all."
Kaiba laughed, confident.
"Hahahaha! Because of Imperial Order, your Spellbook Star Hall loses its effect! Your monsters' ATK returns to their original values!"
Shario (1800/1300)
Farse (1500/1400)
"I thought it would be something more impressive," Kisaragi said coolly. "You think a single Trap can restrain me?"
"What?! Don't joke with me!" Kaiba roared. "As long as Imperial Order is up, your Spellbooks are dead paper!"
Kisaragi raised three cards in her hand.
"Then watch."
"I reveal Spellbook of Secrets, Spellbook of the Water, and Spellbook of the Dead—and Special Summon High Priestess of Prophecy, Juno from my hand!"
Juno (2500/2100)
"That's it?" Kaiba sneered. "A mere 2500 ATK monster can't defeat my Blue-Eyes!"
Kisaragi didn't even look at Blue-Eyes.
"I activate Juno's effect. Once per turn: I can banish one Spellbook Spell from my hand or Graveyard, target one card on the field, and destroy it."
Kaiba's pupils contracted.
"Don't tell me—!"
"I banish Spellbook of Creation from my Graveyard. And the card I destroy is… Imperial Order!"
"Just as I thought!" Kaiba snapped as his Continuous Trap shattered.
(I could destroy Blue-Eyes right now and push for lethal… but those two set cards bother me too much.) Kisaragi calculated, deliberately choosing the safer line.
"With Imperial Order destroyed, Spellbook Star Hall is restored. My monsters' ATK rises again!"
Shario (2700/1300)
Farse (2400/1400)
Juno (3400/2100)
Kaiba's expression stiffened—because this wasn't just "rising." It was returning to a prepared state.
Spellbook Engine Re-engages
"Next, I activate the Spell Spellbook of Secrets, adding Spellbook of Wax from my Deck to my hand."
"Then I activate Spellbook of Wax, adding the banished Spellbook of Creation back to my hand!"
"Now I activate Spellbook of Creation."
"I reveal Spellbook of the Water to you and copy the effect of Spellbook of the Evil Spirit in my Graveyard."
"I banish Judgment of the Spellbooks from my Graveyard—then I return one of your face-down cards to your hand."
"I choose the left one."
Kaiba clicked his tongue. "Tch…!"
"And because I activated three Spellbook Spells this turn, Star Hall gains three more Spell Counters. My monsters' ATK rises yet again!"
Star Hall counters: 12
Shario (3000/1300)
Farse (2700/1400)
Juno (3700/2100)
Kaiba's field was still standing—but the pressure had inverted. The "key card" he was so sure of had already been dismantled, and Kisaragi's engine had restarted at full rpm.
If you paste Chapter 16, I'll continue seamlessly from here (including the remaining face-down card, Kaiba's likely counterplay window, and how Kisaragi converts this advantage into a decisive finish).
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 80)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 80)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 80)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter50)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter50)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter50)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter50)
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