Chapter 970: No Hand Card Hell

"After the attack, the Lightning Horned Beast explodes!"

No sooner had Breau finished speaking than the horned beast erupted in a thunderous blast, shattering into countless fragments that scattered in all directions.

"Now, the effect of the Lightning Horned Beast—let’s each send seven cards from the top of our decks to the graveyard!"

You Xuan shrugged and, as instructed, drew seven cards, one by one, sending them into the D-Ring’s graveyard.

"And at this very moment, another trap activates!"

Breau laughed heartily and waved his hand to activate another card from the back row.

"Trap Card: Tragic Trigger!"

This card can only be activated when a card on your field—other than itself—is destroyed by a spell or trap effect; then, send five cards from the top of your opponent’s deck to the graveyard!" (Original card)

You Xuan said: "The Lightning Horned Beast was destroyed by the trap effect of 'Regretful Tuning,' which counts as a trap effect—so it can trigger Tragic Trigger."

"Correct," Breau said. "Now, send five more cards from the top of your deck to the graveyard!"

You Xuan calmly drew five more cards from his deck, feeding them one after another into the graveyard.

Breau grinned even wider.

Now the opponent’s deck had only twelve cards left—almost there, very close indeed.

The opponent’s deck was like a candle flickering in the wind, soon to be reduced to nothing. The fewer cards left, the fewer tactical combinations available—and many combinations may already have been destroyed during the previous card removals.

Well, that’s at least how Breau thought.

"I’ll set one card face-down. End my turn," Breau said.

You Xuan: "My turn. Draw."

You Xuan glanced at the drawn card, then lazily said: "Then I’ll attack directly with Iron Knight Kiah."

Breau’s field was empty—once You Xuan’s remaining Iron Knight and Temple Guardian attacked in succession, the match would be over.

But Breau would never allow such a simple attack to succeed. He laughed again and waved his hand: "I activate my face-down card: Continuous Trap 'Evil Revival'!"

"Pay 800 Life Points to select a Synchro Monster from your graveyard and Special Summon it in Attack Position!"

【Breau, LP 2200 → LP 1400】

"I revive 'Lightning Horned Beast' from my graveyard!"

Lightning crackled across the field, coalescing into the beast’s form—the Lightning Horned Beast, its electric body leaping erratically, returned to the field.

【Lightning Horned Beast, ATK 2500】

"So it’s revived again. Then I’ll cancel the attack. I won’t strike," You Xuan said. "Iron Knight, return."

Breau smirked. Another battle phase passed. The opponent’s deck now had only eleven cards left—next turn would likely be the final one, and he’d surely strip the opponent’s deck clean.

This match was his to win!

"I set one monster face-down in Defense Position," You Xuan said calmly. "Then I activate the effect of 'AD Changer' from my graveyard: Exclude this card from the game to change the battle position of one monster on the field."

"I turn my face-down monster to Attack Position."

【Transformation Pot, ATK 700】

"Since you’re so eager to strip cards, I’ll help you," You Xuan smiled. "When Transformation Pot flips face-up, both players discard their entire hands, then each draws five cards."

Breau: "???"

This time, he was genuinely stunned.

Does this guy actually understand the situation?

The deck has only eleven cards left—those eleven cards are like the last flicker of a dying candle. And yet he’s choosing to accelerate drawing? Isn’t that suicide?

You Xuan drew five more cards: "I draw five cards."

"But while Temple Guardian is on the field, your opponent cannot draw outside the Draw Phase. So you must discard your entire hand due to Transformation Pot’s effect—but you cannot draw."

"Nani!?"

Breau was shocked.

This strategy is hand destruction!?

He was aiming for deck destruction—but the opponent is targeting hand destruction?

Force me to discard all my cards with no chance to draw, while he draws five... Breau instantly understood. This combo was terrifying—if it succeeded, it was essentially a death sentence.

True, I’ve lost my hand—but the opponent’s deck now has only six cards left. Meanwhile, I still have Lightning Horned Beast on the field. Any method the opponent uses to destroy it will trigger its effect, sending seven cards from his deck to the graveyard. Then his deck will be empty.

You Xuan: "Activate Spell Card 'Flowing Treasures.' Draw two cards. But at the end of this turn, you must send one card to the graveyard—or take 3000 damage." (Original card)

Breau was stunned.

Draw again?

The deck only has six cards left—now it’s down to four.

But You Xuan wasn’t done: "Activate Spell Card 'Double Gate.' Exclude a card with the same name from your graveyard to draw two cards."

Breau: "."

Two cards left in the deck.

He’s insane. This guy is completely insane. Isn’t this self-destruction?

"Spell Card 'Goblin Trespasser.' Draw one card. Opponent recovers 1000 Life Points."

【Breau, LP 1400 → LP 2400】

Breau: "."

He was now 80% certain this guy was truly mad.

"Activate Continuous Spell 'Regeneration,'" You Xuan said. "At the start of each of my Standby Phases, pay 300 Life Points to return one card from my graveyard—except a monster—to the bottom of my deck."

"I’ll set one card face-down. End my turn."

He paused, then sent one card to the graveyard.

"Of course, at the End Phase, I send one card to the graveyard to avoid damage from 'Flowing Treasures.'"

Breau frowned.

He didn’t understand what this guy was doing—but an opportunity had appeared.

"My turn. Draw."

"I activate a face-down card," You Xuan interrupted. "Quick-Play Spell 'Equal Match'! Equip one Equip Spell from your graveyard to a monster on your field! I equip 'Thief’s Smoke Jade' from my graveyard to 'Iron Knight Kiah-Fried.'"

Breau frowned: "All this effort just for one Equip card?"

"Iron Knight Kiah’s effect: When an Equip Card is equipped to it, that Equip Card is destroyed," You Xuan said. "So 'Thief’s Smoke Jade' is destroyed."

"Then, 'Thief’s Smoke Jade’s' effect: When destroyed, you may look at your opponent’s hand and discard one card."

Next is the effect of “Thief’s Jade Smoke.” When this card is destroyed, you may look at your opponent’s hand and discard one card from it.

He stared at the single card he had just drawn—and clenched his teeth.

Is this still part of the hand destruction strategy?

"Ah, I see. You’re ensuring that even if I draw a new card next turn, I’ll still have no hand to use."

Breau discarded his last card into the graveyard and growled.

"Fine. Then I attack with 'Lightning Horned Beast!'"

"Sorry, you can’t," You Xuan snapped his fingers. "I activate a face-down card: Continuous Trap 'Torture Wheel'! Select one monster on the field—it cannot attack, and at the start of each of my Standby Phases, your opponent takes 500 damage. I bind 'Lightning Horned Beast' with this card."

“Sorry, that won’t work.” You Xuan snapped his fingers. “Activate my face-down card: Continuous Trap ‘Torture Wheel’!”

Breau watched as the spiked, wheel-like torture device locked his Wangpai ’s attack—and gritted his teeth again.

No hand. No face-down cards. His only monster’s attack blocked.

He had no moves left. Helplessly, Breau declared the end of his turn.

Fine. If you won’t attack, then don’t. After all, the opponent’s deck is empty—there’s no more variation. I’ll just attack next turn after I draw.

I just lost the card I drew this turn to hand destruction—do you think you can do it again next turn?

"My turn. Draw," You Xuan said. "Effect of Continuous Spell 'Regeneration.' I pay 300 Life Points to return one non-monster card from my graveyard to the bottom of my deck."

Fine, if you won’t attack, then don’t. Your opponent’s deck is already empty—there’s no more variation left. I’ll wait until my next turn to draw and then attack.

"I return 'Equal Match' from my graveyard to the bottom of my deck. Well, 'bottom' is a bit meaningless now—my deck only has one card left."

“My turn, draw.” You Xuan said. “Effect of Continuous Spell ‘Regeneration’: I pay 300 Life Points to return one card from my graveyard, excluding a monster card, to the bottom of my deck.”

【You Xuan, LP 3300→LP 3000】

He recovered 'Equal Match'... Right. As long as 'Regeneration' remains, the opponent’s deck can never be exhausted.

You Xuan: "I set one card face-down. End my turn."

"At the End Phase, due to 'Torture Wheel,' you take 500 damage."

【Breau, LP 2400 → LP 1900】

"My turn. Draw."

"I activate a face-down card," You Xuan said. "Quick-Play Spell 'Armed Regeneration.' Equip one Equip Spell from either player’s graveyard to a monster on the field. I once again equip 'Thief’s Smoke Jade' from my graveyard to 'Iron Knight Kiah.'"

"Iron Knight Kiah’s effect: The Equip Card equipped to it is destroyed."

"Thief’s Smoke Jade’s effect: When destroyed, discard one card from your hand. Now, discard the card you just drew."

“Activate my face-down card.” You Xuan said. “Quick-Play Spell ‘Armed Regeneration’: I can equip one Equip Spell from either player’s graveyard to a monster on the field.”

Damn it. No cards again.

So the situation this turn was identical to the last: empty hand, empty field—well, not quite empty, since Lightning Horned Beast was still on the field, bound by Torture Wheel. But it couldn’t attack, and he had no actions left. He could only end his turn.

"The thief's Smoke Jade, when destroyed, forces the opponent to discard one card from their hand. Alright, discard the card you just drew as well."

Breo: "."

Damn, no cards left again.

So the state of this turn remained unchanged from the last. Empty hand, empty field—no, not quite empty, since there was one Lightning-Horned Beast on the field that had eaten the Interrogation Wheel. But he couldn’t attack, had no actions available, could do nothing—still, only end the turn.

In that instant, Breo’s pupils contracted.

Wait.

The only card left in your deck, the one you’re about to draw next turn, is the “Flagrant Challenge” returned by the “Regeneration” effect last turn.

Cold sweat immediately broke out on Breo’s skin.

“My turn, draw.”

You Xuan said calmly.

“End phase: ‘Regeneration’ effect—I pay 300 LP to return ‘Armored Regeneration’ from the graveyard to the bottom of my deck. Now my deck has only this one card; whether it’s on the bottom or top makes no difference.”

You Xuan took the card returned from the graveyard and inserted it back into his deck.

“Then I set one card face-down, and end my turn.”

“End phase: ‘Torture Wheel’ effect—500 damage.”

【Breo, LP 1900 → LP 1400】

Breo’s cold sweat poured down; his hands and feet were already growing numb.

“Alright, your turn,” You Xuan chuckled. “Aren’t you going to draw?”

After a long hesitation, Breo gritted his teeth and muttered: “My turn, draw.”

“Activate set card: Quick-Play Spell ‘Flagrant Challenge’—equip ‘Thief’s Jade’ from the graveyard to the ‘Iron Knight,’” You Xuan said. “Iron Knight’s effect: Thief’s Jade is destroyed.”

“Then, Thief’s Jade’s effect: discard your hand. Discard the card you just drew as well.”

Breo’s face twitched, his expression grotesque and vivid.

Fuck!

In this new turn, he still had no cards in hand, nothing to play, no attack possible—just sit there helplessly for three minutes until his turn ended.

Both ‘Armored Regeneration’ and ‘Flagrant Challenge’ can equip ‘Thief’s Jade’ from the graveyard to the ‘Iron Knight’ on the field. Each equipment destroys Breo’s sole remaining hand card.

And the Continuous Spell ‘Regeneration’ allows these two spells to be recycled infinitely.

In other words, no matter how many turns pass, Breo will never have a card in hand, forever stuck with this helpless situation.

And every turn, ‘Torture Wheel’ burns him 500 LP.

The moment he realized this, Breo understood.

Though it seemed he still had some HP left, it was merely an illusion.

He was already dead.

(End of Chapter)