Chapter 71: Cover Within Cover

Alright, today’s match is against Senior Xiang Xinghua.

Originally, according to the scheduled card deck testing order, today was meant for testing the VWXYZ deck; after adding the anime-exclusive support cards, I found this deck’s strength was actually quite solid.

But since this is a back-to-back duel, I’ll save this opportunity for the next match against Asuka—after all, that duel will undoubtedly carry far greater stakes.

So for this first match, I’ll leave it to the cheerful Machine People.

First up is Senior Xiang’s turn. She’s playing a Warrior-type deck; as a courtesy, she opened with the standard “Pot of Greed,” then Normal Summoned a “Wild Warrior Woman”—and not just any Normal Summon, but the anime-exclusive Defense Position summon, known among players as leaving her backside exposed to the opponent.

【Wild Warrior Woman, DEF 1200】

Then she played the continuous spell “United Army,” which boosts the ATK of all her Warrior-type monsters by 200 for each Warrior or Magician-type monster on her field. She ended her turn with a face-down card.

Then it was You Xuan’s turn—but for some reason, perhaps his card-drawing posture this week was off, he looked at his hand and realized the crucial field card wasn’t in it.

But it didn’t matter.

So for this first turn, I’ll forego the field card and simply Summon the invincible “Submarine Machine Person,” ignoring the front row and directly striking Senior Xiang.

【Xiang Xinghua, LP 4000 → LP 3200】

“Tch, just playing cheap tricks—pathetic.”

The onlookers from other dorms didn’t react, but the students from Huang Dorm, who’d suffered under this card these past two days, flinched the moment they saw the submarine.

Especially Yu Yi, the first victim to be obliterated by it; seeing this familiar scene, even the flag Senior Xiang had raised towering above her field matched the one he’d planted back then, he silently screamed in his mind: Senior, you’re still too naive—such innocence will only drag you quickly into hell, where you’ll be tortured into corruption.

After completing this mocking strike, the submarine switched to Defense Position. You Xuan set three face-down cards and made a “your turn, Yu-Gi-Oh!” gesture.

“Let you see that my pride isn’t just about looks. My turn, draw!” Xiang said. “Activate Spell Card ‘Angel’s Charity’—draw three cards, then discard two from hand.”

Then she Summoned “Captain Who Breaks Through the Enemy Lines!”

【Captain Who Breaks Through the Enemy Lines, ATK 1200】

“When this Captain is successfully Summoned, I can Special Summon another Warrior-type monster with Level 4 or lower from my hand—Special Summon ‘Great Axe Raider’!”

【Great Axe Raider, ATK 1700】

You Xuan raised an eyebrow.

The invincible Axe King? My apologies.

“Now, flip ‘Wild Warrior Woman’ to Attack Position! With ‘United Army’s’ effect, since the number of Warriors on my field increased, all monsters gain +600 ATK!”

【Wild Warrior Woman, ATK 1700】

【Captain Who Breaks Through the Enemy Lines, ATK 1800】

【Great Axe Raider, ATK 2300】

“Before the united might of Warriors, timid tactics won’t work! Battle Phase: Great Axe Raider attacks ‘Submarine Machine Person’!”

The Axe King charged forward, his massive axe swinging straight at the little submarine. Naturally, You Xuan would show the Axe King proper respect.

“I activate my face-down card: Trap Card ‘Dust Shield – Dust Power’! When an opponent’s monster declares an attack, all Attack Position monsters on the field are flipped to Defense Position, and those flipped by this effect cannot change their position again!”

Here, send all three big brothers to hell to play Dou Dizhu.

“Nani?!”

A dust shield surged up, sweeping across the field like a wave of dark energy; instantly, all three Warriors were forcibly flipped face-down, neatly lined up in a row on Senior Xiang’s field.

“Now, Senior, you have no monsters left to attack with.”

You Xuan smiled warmly and brightly, then gestured again: “Your turn.”

Go ahead, Senior—your turn to play Yu-Gi-Oh.

“Damn it! I activate my face-down card: Continuous Trap ‘Call of the Living Dead’! I can revive a monster from my graveyard in Attack Position!” Senior Xiang declared. “I Special Summon the monster discarded by ‘Angel’s Charity’!”

Come forth, Level 6, “Moon Warrior Woman!”

【Moon Warrior Woman, ATK 2100】

She still thought she could fight!

But You Xuan thought otherwise.

“I activate my face-down card: Trap Card ‘Bottomless Trap Hole’! When your opponent Summons a monster, it is immediately flipped to Defense Position, and monsters changed by this effect cannot change their position again!”

Xiang Xinghua: “!!!”

Another face-down? Again?!

Are you the new generation of “Cover Within Cover”?

But helplessly, her Moon Warrior Woman had barely landed before it was instantly sent to hell. Her field now held four face-down monsters, all permanently locked in Defense Position, cheerfully fishing and playing Mahjong in the underworld.

“Damn it! I’ve got this card! Activate Quick-Play Spell ‘Quick Summon’! I can Normal Summon one extra monster from my hand!” (Anime card)

She drew another card.

“I tribute the face-down ‘Great Axe Raider’ and ‘Captain Who Breaks Through the Enemy Lines’ for an Advanced Summon!”

Level 7, “Sword Hunter!”

【Sword Hunter, ATK 2450】

“Sword Hunter can absorb any monster destroyed in battle as an Equip Card!” Senior Xiang declared. “Battle! Sword Hunter attacks ‘Submarine Machine Person’!”

You Xuan obviously wouldn’t let the opponent take his invincible submarine, so he waved his hand: “I activate my face-down card: Quick-Play Spell ‘Book of the Moon’! Flip one monster on the field to Defense Position.”

Thus, ‘Sword Hunter’ is also changed to Defense Position!”

The newly summoned Hunter slumped over, becoming another face-down card, joining the other two fishing buddies to keep playing Dou Dizhu.

Xiang Xinghua: “...”

Hmph, fine, you’re impressive.

You really know how to cover.

But at least the Sword Hunter, covered by ‘Book of the Moon,’ can flip back next turn—and it gains power by absorbing monsters it destroys.

“I set one card face-down. Turn end.”

Senior Xiang ended her turn gloomily.

According to rumors, this freshman defeated Wan Zhangmu and even the legendary Dragon Qi. Could he always win like this?

Putting herself in the opponent’s shoes, she suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for those two. Right now, this was just an ordinary campus duel—losing meant losing a few credits—but even this had left her chest tight with frustration.

She imagined facing this guy in a public tournament—wouldn’t she have a stroke right on the spot?

And then this guy even mocked her.

“Senior, that’s it?”

Xiang Xinghua: “...”

Hmph, you’ve covered my front row neatly—what else am I supposed to do, you think?

And yet, when he asked, he was polite, his face radiating sunshine—but that radiant smile only made her blood pressure spike higher.

“Hmph.” Senior Xiang let out a heavy sigh. “It’s over. Your turn.”

“Alright, then I won’t hold back.”

Xiang glared coldly. Like you were being polite just now?

“My turn, draw.”

You Xuan suddenly grew serious.

“As a sign of respect for your full-power duel, I too will unleash my full strength! Watch closely, Senior—my soul, my ultimate monster!”

Ultimate monster?

Xiang Xinghua tensed instantly. All onlookers held their breath, eyes wide with curiosity.

Was he really going to reveal his ultimate monster so suddenly?

Clearly, the duel was entering its climax.

“Watch closely, Senior! I sacrifice the face-down ‘Moon Warrior Woman’ and ‘Sword Hunter’ on your field to Special Summon my strongest ultimate monster right onto your side!”

Awakened from the depths of molten lava—the power of destruction and rebirth—

—Level 8, Lava Demon God!

Xiang Xinghua nearly spat out a mouthful of blood several feet high.

What the hell do you mean your ultimate monster is Special Summoned on my field?

Do you even hear what you’re saying?

(End of Chapter)