President Shimizu looked at his Lava Golem, then at "Rivalry of Warlords" in the back row, then at his hand—full of cards he couldn't play. For a moment, he was dazed.
He suddenly felt that the animated high-temperature cage effect of Lava Golem was all too fitting—it perfectly reflected his mood in this duel.
Jail.
This isn't a duel—it's jail time, it's serving a sentence.
Even his burning passion for the club was almost extinguished. For a moment, he thought, "Whatever, let the club be destroyed, as long as I can get out of jail and away from this duel."
But then his clubmates' voices rang out.
"Hang in there, President!"
"Don't give up! Remember all our memories in this room!"
"If the clubroom is taken back, what will happen to all our doujinshi and study CDs!?"
President Shimizu shuddered.
That's right.
He had things he had to protect.
He had a reason to fight!
How could he fall here!
He looked up again, fighting spirit reignited. Kira was momentarily speechless.
Hmm... Did I just overhear something I shouldn't have?
"The duel's not over yet—I still have a chance!" President Shimizu declared. "I activate 'Pot of Greed' from my hand! Draw two cards!
Let me show you a miracle draw powered by my burning love!"
"Activate set card—Quick-Play Spell 'Quick Summon'," Kira responded, flipping another card. "I can normal summon a monster from my hand." (original card)
A generic card from the GX anime, used by both Jaden and Zane.
President Shimizu frowned.
Quick Summon, chaining to Pot of Greed at this moment?
He's going to summon something?
"I tribute 'Bowganian' on my field," Kira said. "Nemesis of Spell Cards, the sealing machine—
—Spell Canceller, summon!"
[Spell Canceller, ATK 1800]
"As long as Spell Canceller is on the field, neither player can activate Spell Cards, and all Spell Card effects are negated!"
President Shimizu almost threw his duel disk.
Mother Fu-!!!!..
Monsters can't be summoned, spells can't be played. Are you determined to stop me from dueling!?
"By the time 'Pot of Greed' resolves, Spell Canceller is already on the field," Kira smiled. "So Pot of Greed's effect is negated.
What a shame, senpai. You won't get to see your burning miracle draw."
President Shimizu: 凸(艹皿艹)
For a moment, he doubted Kira's motives.
Is he here to do business or just to pick a fight?
If it's the latter, he's already succeeded.
"I... I end my turn."
There wasn't anything else he could do.
"My turn, draw," Kira said. "Before the standby phase, I activate set card, Trap Card—Back to the Front. Special Summon a monster from your graveyard in defense.
I Special Summon 'Bowganian' in defense."
[Bowganian, DEF 1000]
"Bowganian's effect: During your standby phase, inflict 600 damage to your opponent."
The trigger pulls, and a metal arrow flies. President Shimizu clutches his chest and staggers back half a step.
[President Shimizu, LP 3000 → 2400]
In modern Yu-Gi-Oh! this card might be weak, but Bowganian was the core of the old Disruptor-Canceller deck.
Back then, monsters with steady burn effects were rare, and Bowganian was one of them. Also, it's Machine-type like Spell Canceller, so it isn't restricted by Rivalry of Warlords.
Incidentally, Lava Golem is also a staple in "Disruptor-Canceller"—when needed, the tactic can shift to "Lava Canceller," just as effective.
Kira: "Set one card, end my turn."
President Shimizu: "My turn..."
"Standby phase, Lava Golem's effect," Kira smiled. "Take 1000 damage."
President Shimizu: "Ugh!"
[President Shimizu, LP 2400 → 1400]
Once again scalded by lava, President Shimizu gritted his teeth.
At this rate, next turn Bowganian will deal another 600, leaving him with just 800. On his next turn, Lava Golem will burn another 1000, ending the duel.
But even so, with a handful of monsters that can't be summoned and spells he can't play... what could he do?
Hmm?
He glanced at the card he just drew, eyes lighting up.
There's hope!
His deck hadn't abandoned him!
"Set a card, end turn."
"My turn..." Kira drew, "Bowganian deals another 600 damage."
[President Shimizu, LP 1400 → 800]
Another arrow to the heart, and Shimizu winced. "Tch, shot after shot, annoying like a fly."
"Don't worry, President, it'll be over soon," Kira smiled. "Set another card, end turn."
Indeed, on Shimizu's next turn, Lava Golem would burn another 1000, ending the duel.
But!
"My turn! At this moment, I activate set card—Trap Card 'Ballista Squad'!"
President Shimizu roared.
"I tribute a monster on my field to destroy any card on your field!
I tribute 'Lava Golem' to destroy your 'Spell Canceller'!"
The club members who had lost hope were instantly excited.
"He got rid of both Lava Golem and Spell Canceller with one card!"
"Now the President has no monsters, so the Rivalry of Warlords is lifted. And he won't take Lava Golem's burn anymore!"
He's alive!
Lava Golem vanished in a burst of light, Spell Canceller was blasted away, and the freed President howled at the sky.
I'm out of jail!
"And with Spell Canceller gone, I can use Spells again!"
President Shimizu was reinvigorated.
His persistence and burning passion had brought a miracle!
He had "Monster Reincarnation" and "The Warrior Returning Alive" in hand—one could reclaim a monster from the grave by discarding a card, and the other could return a Warrior-Type monster.
By retrieving "Warrior of Zera" and "Archlord Zerato," he could recreate his killer combo and summon his ace once more for a counterattack.
"Activate set card," Kira said. "Trap Card—Ojama Trio. Special Summon three Ojama Tokens to your opponent's field."
[Ojama Token, DEF 1000] x3
No sooner had Lava Golem left than the trio of tokens swarmed onto the President's field, like guards changing shifts.
Ojama Yellow brought snacks: "Excuse us!"
Ojama Green opened a newspaper: "Pleased to meet you!"
Ojama Black started snoring: "Zzz~ Zzz~"
President Shimizu, about to play a card, froze.
The members, mid-cheer, were also stunned like statues.
A bleak wind blew through the silent field. Only the tokens were snacking, reading, and snoring...
As soon as Lava Golem left, the Ojama Trio took over, and Rivalry of Warlords remained active.
If there was any change for President Shimizu, it's that his summoning restriction switched from "only Fiends" to "only Beasts."
Out of jail, but not really.
A fake-out—he'd only changed his jailers. He was still stuck, unable to play.
President Shimizu's face twitched.
"You... you..."
"If the President isn't doing anything, it's my turn again," Kira smiled. "Draw.
Then, in the standby phase, Bowganian deals 600 damage."
[President Shimizu, LP 800 → 200]
Another arrow pierced his heart, making him want to cough up blood.
"Then I normal summon 'Submarineroid'," Kira said politely.
[Submarineroid, ATK 800]
"Of course, Submarineroid and Bowganian are both Machines, so Rivalry doesn't restrict their summoning," Kira smiled. "And this card can attack directly, ignoring monsters."
President Shimizu: "..."
"Submarineroid, direct attack."
The little submarine, with its trademark smug look, floated up. A torpedo shot over the heads of the three tokens.
Boom!
A torpedo landed, water vapor and explosions spreading as the President was blasted to the ground.
[President Shimizu, LP 200 → 0]
Final blow delivered, Submarineroid descended, its anthropomorphic eyes full of swagger.
The invincible submarine stands tall!