Chapter 388: The Path of the Duel

Although the first card knocked out an opponent, the match was not significantly affected due to the CEO of Sea Horse's insistence. After a brief pause, the quarterfinals' second match began soon after.

This time it was an internal duel within the Duel Academy—Jūdai happened to face Marufuji Ryō.

"Come to think of it, this year's Duel City has three Duel Academy students among the top eight," Guiping couldn't help saying, "and there are plenty of professional duelists competing too."

"Are students these days just that insane?"

"Could it be that today's professional duelists aren't that strong?" Fujiki You Xuan said.

Guiping: "."

Fujiki You Xuan wasn't just speaking out of turn. In GX, the professional duelists' anime performances were never impressive, but despite this stereotype, Fujiki You Xuan had always believed in seeing for himself and had never underestimated the professional scene in this world before.

Yet after personally testing it, he found his earlier stereotype was entirely justified.

The professionals really weren't that strong.

After all, everyone knows: in the Yu-Gi-Oh! world, the strongest duelists would never become professionals.

Marufuji Ryō's current state was far from optimal.

For a duelist, doubt in one's path is deadly—confusion directly impairs performance in duels, which is one reason why, after losing to Ed, he couldn't even beat ordinary bystanders in the original story.

Now, while he didn't feel the crushing blow of falling from the peak into hell as he had then, his mindset had still been deeply shaken.

But now, standing on the dueling field, as a duelist, all he could do was temporarily set aside his doubts and force himself to fully commit to the duel before him.

"Come on, Caesar, second round!" Jūdai declared confidently, "I'm not the same as before!"

Only then did Marufuji Ryō snap out of his daze, shook his head to refocus, and activated his dueling disk.

Yet in reality, this duel was not going well.

For both sides.

"."

"The effect of the Spell Card 'Time Capsule' has passed two turns," Marufuji Ryō said. "At the start of the next two turns, add the card sealed inside 'Time Capsule' to your hand!"

"Ohhh, here it comes," Jūdai rubbed his nose. "But I won't let you get away with it so easily."

"Activate my face-down card: Trap Card 'Mind Crush'! I declare 'Power Bond'—if you have that card in your hand, you must discard it immediately!"

"Nani!?"

Marufuji Ryō was stunned.

"How do you know I added 'Power Bond' to my hand!?"

Even Fujiki You Xuan, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help smiling.

It felt exactly like when CEO Kaiba had been shocked at Atem, yelling, "Damn Yugi, how did you know I was going to summon Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

Marufuji Ryō had used the same tactic for three years at Duel Academy—his 'Time Capsule' always retrieved his soul card, 'Power Bond.' Even someone as slow as Jūdai had memorized it.

Marufuji Ryō glared darkly at Jūdai.

His gaze seemed to say: You've changed. Your dueling used to be different.

Of course, this level of resistance couldn't possibly stop Marufuji Ryō.

The duel intensified further—Jūdai's endless Fusion Heroes clashed with Caesar's ever-shifting Electronic Dragons, their exchanges turning the battlefield into chaos.

"Duel Academy is really strong this year," Guiping muttered, having voiced similar remarks more than once by now.

"Hmph. Not bad," Kaiba said.

His gaze lingered briefly on Marufuji Ryō.

Indeed, from this boy, he seemed to catch a glimpse of his own past—such a similar style, relentless aggression chasing ultimate power. Once, Kaiba had firmly believed power was everything—in life, and especially in duels.

But that was long ago. He had long since passed that stage, advancing toward higher realms.

"Marufuji Ryō… interesting."

Kaiba crossed his arms and murmured.

"Will you remain lost and stagnant, or will you transform and join the ranks of true experts?"

But even if transformation was coming, it wouldn't happen today.

After a relentless exchange of offense and defense, the final turn arrived.

"The effect of 'Elemental Hero Electrum'!" Jūdai said. "Discard one card from your hand to destroy one face-up monster on your opponent's field."

"I discard one card—destroy Caesar's 'Electronic End Dragon'!"

Electric currents like spears shot from the Metal Hero's arms, striking directly at Caesar's lone 'Electronic End Dragon'!

"Quick-Play Spell 'Forbidden Holy Armor'!" Marufuji Ryō shouted. "Reduce the Attack of 'Electronic End Dragon' by 600 points. Until the end of this turn, it cannot be targeted by card effects or destroyed by card effects!"

【Electronic End Dragon, ATK 4000 → ATK 3400】

An almost invincible barrier enveloped the Electronic End Dragon—sacrificing 600 Attack for powerful defense resistance. The Electrum's current was forcibly repelled, failing to trigger its effect.

"Now, 'Electronic End Dragon' is immune to most effects this turn," Marufuji Ryō declared. "If you can, destroy it head-on, Jūdai!"

But even if Jūdai tried, he had already prepared for it.

His face-down card was precisely the key card from the original story's graduation duel between Marufuji Ryō and Jūdai: Quick-Play Spell 'Duel Fusion'—a card that increases the Attack of your monster by the amount of your opponent's monster's Attack during battle.

Meaning: no matter how high Jūdai's Hero's Attack climbed, the Electronic End Dragon would instantly surpass it—and this single strike would decide victory!

"Strong, Caesar—you prepared such a defense," Jūdai said. "But if I've learned anything this semester, it's that no monster is truly unremovable!"

Watch closely, Caesar—this is my evolution after half a year!"

"Come on, Jūdai!" Marufuji Ryō shouted. "Attack me with everything you've got!"

"Alright! First, activate Spell Card 'Fusion Recovery'—return 'Fusion' and 'Elemental Hero Wildman' from my graveyard to my hand."

"Then activate Spell Card 'Fusion'—fusion summon 'Elemental Hero Necroshade' and 'Elemental Hero Wildman'! Fusion Summon—"

"—Elemental Hero Necro Shaman!!!"

【Elemental Hero Necro Shaman, ATK 1900】

"Necro Shaman?" Marufuji Ryō blinked.

This development was unexpected. It didn't look like Jūdai's usual one-punch-Otk-style high-ATK Hero.

"Necro Shaman's effect," Jūdai grinned. "Sacrifice one monster on your field to special summon one monster from your opponent's graveyard. (Original effect)"

"I sacrifice 'Electronic End Dragon'—special summon your graveyard's 'Electronic Dragon' to your field!"

"Nani???"

Marufuji Ryō was stunned.

Wait, how the hell are you using this move too!?

He instantly recalled the moment not long ago when his own Electronic Dragon had been mindlessly devoured by Fujiki You Xuan's Chimera Fortress Dragon—this moment felt exactly like that one.

"'Electronic End Dragon' cannot be targeted by effects or destroyed by effects—but sacrificing it is the cost to activate Necro Shaman's effect. No targeting, no destruction."

Jūdai smiled.

"Now, 'Elemental Hero Electrum' and 'Elemental Hero Necro Shaman'—attack Caesar together!"

"."

【Marufuji Ryō, LP 0】

The outcome was sealed. Marufuji Ryō staggered backward and collapsed onto the ground, his spirit momentarily dazed.

He looked up at the sky.

Had his dueling been wrong all along?

The next match will also be long



(End of Chapter)