Chapter 102: Please Begin Your Performance
"It's better to use this deck to duel you."
Yugen casually took out a deck from the card box behind him and inserted it into the duel disk.
"Ha, it doesn't matter what you use." The armored insect was quite confident, "Before the power bestowed upon me by the True God, any deck is equally weak.
Through the ritual of battle, become my sacrifice!"
"Duel!" x2
"My side goes first, draw." Yugen said, "First, I'll use the Spell Card 'Pot of Greed' to draw two cards from my deck.
Then I'll set a monster face-down on the field. After that, I'll activate this card——"
The image of a spell card appeared before him.
"Spell Card - Foolish Burial!
Send one monster card from the deck to the graveyard."
Yugen drew a card that was ejected from the deck.
"Send 'Sinister Serpent' from the deck to the graveyard!"
He then drew two more cards.
"I'll set two cards face-down on the field and end my turn."
Insect Knight: "Then it's my turn, draw!
Activate the Spell Card 'Card Destruction'. Both players discard all cards in their hands to the graveyard, then draw the same number of cards they discarded."
The Insect Knight drew cards again, then revealed a card in his hand.
"Next is the effect of this guy in my hand——"
He showed a monster card in his hand.
"'Aztekipede, the Worm Warrior', can be directly special summoned by banishing Insect-Type monsters in the graveyard!"
The Insect Knight drew a card ejected from the graveyard.
"I banish the 'Flying Kamakiri #1' I just discarded to the graveyard to special summon 'Aztekipede, the Worm Warrior'!"
The soil below the field loosened, and a ferocious giant worm wriggled its body, bursting out from below, revealing ferocious suction cups wrapped in mucus.
[ Aztekipede, the Worm Warrior, ATK 1900 ]
"Then activate the Spell Card 'Monster Reborn'! Revive a monster in the graveyard!
I want to revive this card that was discarded to the graveyard!
Revive 'Resonance Insect'!"
[ Resonance Insect, ATK 1000 ]
Yugen raised an eyebrow.
Regardless of the strength of the opponent's deck, this "Resonance Insect" was a good card.
When Resonance Insect is sent to the graveyard from the field, you can search your deck for one Level 5 or higher Insect-Type monster. And when this card is banished from the graveyard, you can select one Insect-Type monster from your deck and send it to the graveyard.
Seeing this card, Yugen very naturally thought of Senior Watanabe Hidekazu's Tamashii, Doom Dozer. Actually, although Insect-Types were relatively overlooked, in the early environment, Doom Dozer, which could directly jump out as a high-level beatstick by just banishing two insects from the graveyard, was still quite good.
If Resonance Insect was sent to the graveyard from the field, he could directly search his deck for the Level 8 Doom Dozer. Then Doom Dozer's effect would banish Resonance Insect in the graveyard to special summon itself to the field, directly adding a 2800 ATK beatstick while still being able to dump more cards into the graveyard from the deck.
Well, although Yugen wasn't interested in Insect-themed decks, there was a saying: better safe than sorry. It was always good to prepare one of these no-cost items.
Anyway, after this duel, it would likely become ownerless.
"Battle, first use 'Aztekipede, the Worm Warrior' to attack the face-down monster!"
The earth-piercing worm plunged into the ground, and only a second later, it burst out from Yugen's side of the field. The face-down card flipped over, and the image projected there was clearly a small penguin holding a sword.
"Penguin Soldier's effect." Yugen waved his hand, "When this card is flipped face-up, you can choose up to two monsters your opponent controls and return them to their hand.
I choose 'Aztekipede, the Worm Warrior' and 'Resonance Insect' to return to your hand!"
Insect Knight: "!"
The two monsters returned to his hand simultaneously, and his field immediately became empty.
"Tch, so it was a return-to-hand effect."
The fact that he had summoned two insects in an instant wasn't just for attacking; the effect of "Resonance Insect" was also his hidden backup plan.
Whether through battle or effect destruction, as long as the opponent destroyed Resonance Insect, he could search his deck for the ace monster bestowed upon him by the god, "Doom Dozer," and launch an all-out attack in one fell swoop.
But if it was bounced back to his hand, his subsequent plans would be ruined.
However, it didn't matter.
"I haven't conducted my normal summon this turn yet," the Insect Knight said, "I'll set a monster face-down on the field, then set one card face-down, and end my turn."
He once again set "Resonance Insect" on the field, the effect being the same.
The Insect Knight looked at his opponent deeply, a cold smile on his face.
Come on, destroy my Resonance Insect.
That will become the detonator for your defeat.
"My turn, draw." Yugen said, "At this instant, the effect of 'Sinister Serpent' that I discarded to the graveyard last turn activates.
When this card exists in the graveyard, it can return to my hand during my Standby Phase." (Old effect)
Seemingly just a weak monster, but its effect of being able to return to the hand every turn provided it with an endless source of resources. It was very active in various decks and eventually became a Forbidden card.
In the real card game, its effect was weakened in 2015 to returning to the hand and then being banished from the graveyard during the next turn. Only then could it see the light of day again.
However, in this world, Sinister Serpent naturally had its old effect, and it looked like an unwanted small fry card. Yugen effortlessly bought three copies.
"Spell Card 'Graceful Charity', draw three cards from the deck, then discard two cards from my hand."
Yugen sent two cards in his hand to the graveyard.
"Next, I discard the effect of 'Witch of the Black Forest'. When sent to the graveyard, you can add one monster with 1500 or less defense to your hand from your deck.
The card I want to add to my hand from the deck is this card——"
Yugen drew a card and showed it.
"Defense 1300, 'Abyss Soldier'."
The deck automatically shuffled in the duel disk. He first added Abyss Soldier to his hand, then revealed another card in his hand.
"Continuous Spell 'Water Hazard'!
Once per turn, if you have no monsters on your field, you can special summon one Water-Attribute monster with Level 4 or lower from your hand.
I special summon 'Abyss Soldier' from my hand!"
[ Abyss Soldier, ATK 1800 ]
The Insect Knight's face didn't change at all.
Come on, attack quickly, attack my Resonance Insect!
"'Abyss Soldier's effect activates," Yugen said, "Once per turn, by discarding one Water-Attribute monster from my hand, select one card on the field and return it to its owner's hand.
I discard the Water-Attribute 'Sinister Serpent' from my hand to return your face-down monster to your hand."
Insect Knight: "!?"
Returned to the hand again?
Appearing on the field twice, leaving the field twice. Looking at the Resonance Insect that had turned into a golden light and flew back to his hand again, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.
Today, this damn bug just can't stay down, can it?
Yugen: "Next, I normal summon my second 'Abyss Soldier'."
[ Abyss Soldier, ATK 1800 ]
Here it comes again!?
The Insect Knight's eyes flashed fiercely.
Unbelievable!
"Activate face-down card, Trap Card 'Trap Hole'!" the Insect Knight shouted, "When a monster with 1000 or more attack is summoned, destroy it directly!"
"Muda."
Yugen calmly flipped over his back row.
"Continuous Trap - Royal Decree! All Trap Cards on the field become ineffective!"
Insect Knight: "Nani (What)!?"
Thus, he could only widen his eyes and helplessly watch as his Trap Hole was bound by the irresistible power of the trap and exploded into pieces with a bang.
Even Judai, who was watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but reveal a strange expression.
How rare, Yugen actually carried this kind of thing himself.
Wouldn't that mean he himself couldn't use traps anymore?
Wouldn't that be very uncomfortable for Yugen's style?
"Battle, both 'Abyss Soldiers', direct attack!"
Two soldiers flew out simultaneously, swinging their tridents. The tridents dragged a trail of water, slashing through the armored insect's body, causing the latter to let out a pig-slaughtering scream as it was cut down and fell to the ground.
[ Insect Knight, LP 4000 → LP 400 ]
"One breath of air and he's down to only 400 LP."
Judai looked at Yugen's back, his eyes practically shining.
So strong.
I want to duel him more and more...
"You little brat!"
The Insect Knight struggled to stand up, the wound that had been opened on his body was already oozing blood.
"My Battle Phase is over, but my turn isn't over yet."
Yugen revealed another card in his hand.
"I activate the effect of my second 'Abyss Soldier'. By discarding one Water-Attribute monster from my hand, select one card on the field and return it to its owner's hand. I discard the other 'Sinister Serpent'."
Judai: "?"
Insect Knight: "?"
Both of their first reactions were to be stunned.
Still bouncing back to the hand?
But the Insect Knight's side of the field had already been cleared by him to be completely empty. The front row and back row combined were as clean as a blank sheet of paper. There wasn't a single card that could be bounced.
"'Abyss Soldier' can not only bounce the opponent's cards on the field back to their hand, but also my own cards on the field can be the target.
Therefore, I return my own Continuous Trap 'Royal Decree' on the field to my hand!"
Judai: "!"
Insect Knight: "! ! ! ! !"
Na... Nani!?
Looking at the gloomy trap card in the back row returning to Yugen's hand, even if this armored insect was the stupidest, he realized the seriousness of the problem.
When he wanted to use a trap, the opponent activated "Royal Decree" to suppress his back row to death, but once Yugen wanted to use a trap, he used "Abyss Soldier's" effect to bounce the announcement back to his hand...
The Insect Knight had already started freaking out.
Didn't that mean that only his side couldn't use traps anymore?
"Set three cards face-down on the field and end my turn."
The back row had one face-up announcement, plus two indescribable, unknown back rows.
Yugen smiled and made a "please" gesture with his hand.
Come on, please begin your performance.