Chapter 17: Machina Suppression

Dinosaur Ryuzaki let out a long breath.

Tri-Horned Dragon landed in the box, but it was okay. Although it was a bit of a mental blow, it was still within his expectations.

He, Ryuzaki, was a person who had seen big storms and waves. Back then, he had even endured the time when his Red-Eyes was turned into a fossil by Joey Wheeler's Time Wizard. Compared to that, this was just a small scene.

"But my turn is not over yet."

Ryuzaki drew another card.

"Activate the continuous magic from my hand—'Card of Safe Return.' This card allows me to draw cards from my deck during the opponent's Standby Phase until I have four cards in my hand."

"However, as a side effect, I must randomly discard the number of cards I drew during my own Standby Phase."

You Xuan was expressionless.

Well, as expected of the anime world, he played another banned card as if it were nothing.

"Next, I set two cards in the back row. Turn end."

It was You Xuan's turn to draw: "Then it's my turn, draw."

"At this moment, the effect of 'Card of Safe Return' activates," Ryuzaki said. "I draw four cards from my deck."

As expected of the power of a banned card, the hand Ryuzaki had emptied in one turn immediately returned to four cards.

However, You Xuan calmly played the card he drew: "Magic card—Pot of Greed. Draw two more cards from the deck."

Making it seem like no one else had a few banned cards.

After drawing, You Xuan continued: "I first summon this card I searched for last turn..."

The monster card was slapped onto the monster zone of the Duel Disk, making a crisp sound.

"Machina Gearframe, in attack position."

【Machina Gearframe, ATK 1800】

"The effect of Machina Gearframe activates. When this card is successfully summoned, I add a 'Machina' card other than 'Machina Gearframe' from my deck to my hand."

"So that's it. The Peacekeeper destroyed last turn had the ability to search for 'Gearframe' when destroyed, and 'Gearframe's' ability can search for 'Fortress'..."

"So it seems You Xuan's arrangement from the beginning was for this 'Machina Fortress'!"

"It looks like the scene is getting interesting," commentator Sasaki also smiled.

"I take this card from my deck..."

You Xuan showed the card he drew from the deck.

"...'Machina Fortress' added to my hand."

He then showed the Fortress and another monster card in his hand at the same time.

"Next is the effect of 'Machina Fortress.' Although this card is a 7-star tribute monster, it can be special summoned from the hand or graveyard by discarding Machine-type monsters from the hand whose total levels are 8 or higher."

"I discard the 8-star 'Machina Force' from my hand to the graveyard and special summon 'Machina Fortress' from my hand!"

A card was sent to the graveyard, and the heavy alloy fortress jumped onto his field. The heavy metal tracks, light blue armor, and thick, long gun barrels seemed to be declaring the manifesto that "caliber is justice."

【Machina Fortress, ATK 2500】

"Battle," You Xuan said. "First, 'Machina Fortress' attacks the set 'Tri-Horned Dragon'!"

【Tri-Horned Dragon, DEF 2350】

The giant main gun on the fortress slowly lowered, the target was locked, and ammunition was loaded. The heavy cannon roared with sound and light, and the spinning shell landed on the set card with a boom. The poor Tri-Horned Dragon didn't even get to see the light of day before it was blown into ashes with a loud bang.

"Next is Gearframe's direct attack!"

The red Machina warrior kicked off, its metal body stepping on a transparent cyclone as it flew forward. Ryuzaki hurriedly hugged his head and crouched, but he was still knocked to the ground by the impact of the alloy flying kick.

【Ryuzaki, LP 2600 -> LP 800】

The audience at the scene was in an uproar.

The returning legend against a newcomer, everyone thought it would be a one-sided match without suspense, but who would have thought that it was indeed one-sided, just completely reversed.

That Dinosaur Ryuzaki was actually suppressed?

"This is truly an unexpected development..."

Even the commentators here were shaken in their pre-match predictions.

"Ryuzaki's field seems to be in a bit of trouble," said commentator Xiao Du.

"Indeed, he is completely suppressed on the field, and his life points are only 800 left. In contrast, You Xuan's LP hasn't moved at all..."

【You Xuan, LP 4000】

Unable to help but confirm You Xuan's rock-solid LP again, commentator Sasaki couldn't help but frown.

Is this really a newcomer?

From the previous matches until now, he had almost crushed his way through. Looking back at all his duels so far, it seemed like he hadn't felt any pressure at all.

And now he could even suppress Dinosaur Ryuzaki to this extent...

Where did this unheard-of monster jump out from?

"Main Phase 2."

You Xuan's turn was still continuing.

"Activate the other effect of 'Machina Gearframe'."

"Once per turn, this card can be equipped to a Machine-type monster on my field as an equip card."

"I equip 'Gearframe' to the 'Machina Fortress' on the field."

Gearframe jumped up, and with a series of clanking transformations, it combined onto the Fortress.

"When the equipped monster is destroyed by battle or effect, Gearframe can be destroyed instead," You Xuan said. "And, once per turn, Gearframe in the equipped state can also be special summoned back to my field."

"What a powerful combination!" said commentator Xiao Du. "Not only can Gearframe search for Fortress from the deck, but it can also equip itself to Fortress to grant destruction resistance?"

"Not only that," commentator Sasaki commented. "And becoming an equip card is also a layer of protection for 'Gearframe' itself, so the opponent cannot break through from the lower-attack Gearframe."

"And even if it needs to attack to assist in a kill next turn, it has the ability to jump back to the field on its own..."

"A combination of offense and defense, too strong," commentator Xiao Du couldn't help but say. "This Fujiki Youxuan... is he really a newcomer?"

Sasaki was also speechless for a moment.

"Set two cards on the field."

Two more set cards appeared at You Xuan's feet. He looked up at the continuous magic in Ryuzaki's back row and couldn't help but sigh.

The deck he was currently using had a total of three 'Harpie's Feather Duster' cards built in. If he had any one of them in his hand, he could have blown away that 'Card of Safe Return' before the Standby Phase. If he could blow it away, although he couldn't say it was stable, the winning percentage would definitely expand further.

It's a pity, he didn't touch a single one.

Another day of wanting to learn how to draw like a god.

"Turn end," You Xuan said.

"Damn, he really dares to fight..."

Ryuzaki gritted his teeth.

"My turn, draw."

After the Draw Phase, Ryuzaki's Standby Phase followed immediately.

"At this time, the side effect of 'Card of Safe Return' will activate. Normally, I would need to discard four cards... But!"

Ryuzaki directly flipped over his back row.

"At this moment, I first activate the set trap 'Reckless Greed'!"

"I can draw two cards from the deck, but the price is that I need to skip the next two consecutive Draw Phases."

A card with huge gains and huge risks. Ryuzaki used this to draw two more cards.

"Then immediately activate the quick-play magic 'Emergency Provisions'!"

Ryuzaki's second back row card also flipped over.

"I can send magic and trap cards on my field other than 'Emergency Provisions' to the graveyard, and for each one sent, I recover 1000 life points!"

"I send the 'Reckless Greed' currently activating on the field and the 'Card of Safe Return' to the graveyard together to recover 2000 life points!"

The two cards disappeared together under a golden light in the back row, turning into nutrients absorbed into Ryuzaki's body.

【Ryuzaki, LP 800 -> LP 2800】

"Oh, this move is beautiful!" commentator Xiao Du couldn't help but say. "First activate Reckless Greed, then chain the trap activation of 'Emergency Provisions'."

"Although the trap card has already been activated, it still remains on the field when the effect of 'Emergency Provisions' resolves, and it can also be used as the activation cost for Emergency Provisions to recover health."

"That's right. At the same time, he also sent 'Card of Safe Return' to the graveyard with 'Emergency Provisions,' avoiding the side effect of having to discard cards during the Standby Phase."

Commentator Sasaki couldn't help but nod.

"Ryuzaki is indeed Ryuzaki, his dueling strength is undoubtedly strong."

Ryuzaki wiped his nose, seemingly proud of this master-level operation: "What a pity, it seems your attack last turn was all in vain."

However, You Xuan's heart was calm.

He didn't feel it was a high-end operation; he just wanted to ask where Ryuzaki bought his superglue.

He had wanted to ask for a long time why the "Card of Safe Return" and "Emergency Provisions" in their anime duels were always glued together with superglue, and he had never seen anyone draw them separately...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 18 =====