NOVPUB
Chapter 89 - 89: Messing with His Mentality
Here's the 2 extra Chapters!
Well done guys.
Next Goal: 2000 PS
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Misawa's hunch was pretty accurate, in a way. Chaos decks don't rely much on traps, and even the championship deck from back then ran "Royal Decree" to lock down traps.
Because the main strength of the Chaos deck was overwhelming compared to other decks at the time, if both sides were locked out of traps, of course, Chaos would have the upper hand.
Kira: "Activate Continuous Spell 'Mirage of Nightmare'! During the opponent's Standby Phase, I draw until I have four cards in hand, but during my own Standby Phase, I must randomly discard as many cards as I drew.
Finally, I set one card face-down and end my turn."
Misawa: "My turn, draw!"
In the span of a turn, the situation flipped to one overwhelmingly unfavorable for him. He had to come up with something this turn.
"Activate Spell Card 'Card of Adversity'! If the opponent controls a Special Summoned monster and I control no monsters, I draw two cards!" (Anime card)
A lifesaving card! Seeing one of his newly drawn cards, Misawa couldn't help but grin.
It came! The comeback move!
"Looks like my deck hasn't given up on being number one yet."
Misawa looked up, smiled, and raised his duel disk. The Graveyard zone on the disk shone with a dazzling gold light.
"Number one, do you know what happens to carbon under immense pressure?"
Kira: "It becomes a diamond?"
He vaguely remembered Misawa saying something like this in the original.
"Oh, as expected of number one. That's right!" Misawa said. "The monster I sent to the Graveyard with 'Mathematician's' effect on turn one was 'Carboneddon'!
Carboneddon's effect: When this card is in the Graveyard and there are ten or more cards stacked above it, I can banish it to Special Summon a 'Hyozanryu' from my hand or Graveyard!" (Anime effect)
A unique effect fitting Misawa's nerd persona, but by original effect, it's pretty hard to use. The real-life card later got a big buff—no need for ten cards in the Graveyard, just banish itself to summon any Level 7 or lower Normal Dragon from Graveyard or Deck, not just "Hyozanryu," though with the Defense Position restriction.
"Now, with over ten cards above 'Carboneddon' in my Graveyard, I activate its effect! Transform and descend in a brilliant diamond form—
—Level 7, Hyozanryu, Summon!"
The dragon's dazzling light was so bright it was hard to keep your eyes open. The translucent dragon soared skyward, sparkling with regal diamond majesty.
[Hyozanryu, ATK 2100]
A classic example of a card that might not be all that strong, but you know it's expensive just by looking at it.
From the stands, Alexis: "So he used 'Mathematician' on his first turn to send that monster to the Graveyard—Misawa planned this far ahead from the very start?"
"But Hyozanryu's power isn't enough to break the current situation," Zane said. "He must have something else up his sleeve."
Sure enough, Misawa smiled confidently: "After Black Luster Soldier comes Meteor Black Dragon, legendary monsters one after another. Then I'll burn with all my strength to fight you!
From my hand, I activate the Equip Spell 'Megamorph' and equip it to Hyozanryu! If my Life Points are lower than yours, the equipped monster's original ATK is doubled!"
[Hyozanryu, ATK 2100 → 4200]
"4200 ATK!" The students buzzed with excitement again.
The situation reversed again!
"Go, Hyozanryu! Attack 'Chaos Sorcerer'!"
Kira's LP was at 1600, Chaos Sorcerer had 2300 ATK. This attack would deal a massive 1900 damage.
Misawa's desperate counterattack!
Hyozanryu opened its mouth, streaming light gathering into a spiral beam fired at full force!
"Activate face-down!" Kira gestured, "Trap Card—Intruder Alarm - Yellow Alert!"
"Muda!" Misawa shouted. "'Royal Decree' is still on the field—traps are useless!"
"I know." Kira raised his hand. "So, I immediately activate another face-down, Quick-Play Spell— Malice Dispersion! I discard a card to destroy all Continuous Trap Cards on the field.
I destroy 'Royal Decree'!"
Misawa realized: "I see. The later-activated card is resolved first, so when 'Intruder Alarm - Yellow Alert' resolves, 'Royal Decree' is already gone, and the trap can work as normal."
"Exactly."
A black storm swept through, shattering the trap cards in the back row.
"So, 'Intruder Alarm - Yellow Alert' resolves. When your monster declares an attack, I Special Summon a monster from my hand, and your attacking monster must battle it!" (Anime effect)
Intruder Alarm - Yellow Alert, also from the DM spinoff "Yu-Gi-Oh! R"—a trap in the Machine deck.
Misawa understood: "So if you summon a Defense Position monster from your hand, you can avoid damage and protect 'Chaos Sorcerer'."
"That's true, but I'm not just avoiding damage."
Kira smiled and waved his hand.
"By 'Intruder Alarm - Yellow Alert's' effect, I Special Summon 'D.D. Warrior Lady' in Defense Position and force your Hyozanryu to battle it!"
Misawa: "Nani!!??"
It's D.D. Warrior Lady!
[D.D. Warrior Lady, DEF 1600]
As a good student, Misawa couldn't possibly forget her effect:
"Wait! I don't attack! Hyozanryu, return!"
"Muda. The monster summoned by 'Intruder Alarm' must battle your attacking monster!" Kira said. "Then, 'D.D. Warrior Lady's' effect—after battle, both monsters are banished!"
D.D. Warrior Lady lunged bravely, taking the hit but slashing with her sword, warping space and banishing both monsters to another dimension.
Misawa's eyes went red: "My Hyozanryu!"
A 4200 ATK Hyozanryu —an Obelisk-level monster, gone.
"Well, then, I'll set three cards and end my turn," Misawa said.
With Royal Decree destroyed, his lockdown strategy was broken. But on the bright side, at least he could use traps again. In this dire situation, it might not be the worst thing.
There's still a chance!
"My turn, draw," Kira said. "I activate Quick-Play Spell 'Mystical Space Typhoon' to destroy 'Mirage of Nightmare,' so I don't have to discard because of its drawback.
Then, Battle Phase. 'Meteor Black Dragon' attacks directly!"
"No way! At the start of the Battle Phase, activate face-down Trap Card 'Threatening Roar'!"
Waves of invisible sound burst from the trap card, sweeping Kira's field. Meteor Black Dragon roared, covering its ears.
Misawa: "During the turn 'Threatening Roar' is activated, you can't declare an attack!"
Kira: "In that case, I'll set a monster and end my turn."
"My turn! Activate Spell Card 'Pot of Greed'—draw two more cards."
Misawa drew, frowning—seemed he didn't get a comeback card.
"Gotta gamble—activate face-down Trap 'Reckless Greed'! I skip my next two draw phases to draw two cards!"
At this stage, if he couldn't win this turn, his chances were slim anyway.
All or nothing!
"Activate Continuous Trap 'Call of the Haunted'! Revive a monster from my Graveyard in Attack Position!" Misawa shouted. "I revive the card I sent to the Graveyard at the very start!
Master of the cosmos, ruler of all worlds—
—Level 8, Queen of the Cosmos!"
[Cosmo Queen, ATK 2900]
"Then, Ritual Spell 'Litmus Doom Ritual' from my hand!" Misawa declared. "Tribute monsters from my hand and field totaling at least Level 8 to Ritual Summon 'Litmus Doom Swordsman' from my hand!
I tribute 'Cosmos Queen'!
Cut down all darkness and evil with your blade! Ritual Summon—
—Level 8, Litmus Doom Swordsman!!"
Cosmos Queen vanished in a ritual flame, replaced by a swordsman with twin blades and a fluttering red cape.
[Litmus Doom Swordsman, ATK 0]
"Litmus Doom Swordsman's own ATK is 0, but if there's a face-up Trap Card on the field, his ATK increases by 3000! With 'Call of the Haunted' face-up, his ATK rises to 3000!"
[Litmus Doom Swordsman, ATK 0 → 3000]
Exactly the ace Misawa summoned in his duel with Jaden in the original.
"I see," Kira smiled. "'Litmus Doom Swordsman' is unaffected by any Trap effects and can't be destroyed by battle—a Ritual Monster built to take on my deck besides 'Royal Decree,' huh?"
"Right, he's my ace picked to fight you for victory!"
"But I shouldn't have to remind you, even with traps on the field, his ATK doesn't beat 'Meteor Black Dragon.'"
"I know!" Misawa said. "But I haven't Normal Summoned this turn yet.
What I'm summoning is the monster I'm betting on for victory—
—Mimic Illusionist!"
A Level 1 Spellcaster holding a small mirror hiding his face.
[Copycat, ATK 0]
"Copycat's effect: Copy the original ATK/DEF of a monster on your field! I'll copy your 'Meteor Black Dragon'!"
The little magician's mirror locked onto the massive black dragon, and the magician instantly transformed into the same massive Meteor Black Dragon!
[Copycat, ATK 0 → 3500]
Now, there were two Meteor Black Dragons facing off on the field!
"Not done! Activate Spell 'Double Attack'! Discard a monster from my hand; pick a monster on my field with a lower level than the discarded monster—it can attack twice this turn!"
Misawa sent a card to the Graveyard.
"I discard Level 8 'Water Dragon' to target Level 1 'Copycat'!
This turn, 'Copycat' can attack twice!"
The crowd buzzed again.
From such a hopeless situation, under the absolute oppression of Chaos, Misawa broke through once more!
On the sidelines, Jaden was even more excited: "He turned it around again from that kind of field... Misawa's really strong too!"
Chazz squinted at Kira, muttering as if to himself: "You're not finished yet, are you?"
He couldn't allow this bastard to lose to anyone but him!
"'Copycat,' first attack—attack 'Chaos Sorcerer'!"
The copy black dragon opened its mouth, unleashing a fierce blast. Chaos Sorcerer was engulfed in flames and reduced to ashes.
[Kira, LP 1600 → 400]
Kira staggered back two steps, smiling: "Impressive, Number Two."
"You're still so calm, Number One," Misawa laughed. "Looks like I have to try even harder, then.
Now for the second attack! Copycat, attack 'Meteor Black Dragon'!"
Both black dragons roared, unleashing torrents of meteoric flame at each other! The lava explosion covered the field until both dragons were melted away.
Misawa was on fire.
Meteor Black Dragon—destroyed!
"Now 'Litmus Doom Swordsman,' attack the set monster!"
He could feel it, the scales of victory tilting back toward him!
Litmus Doom Swordsman was one of his best aces: Blue-Eyes-level ATK, immune to battle destruction, and trap immunity—perfect for taking down this guy!
He could already see the dawn of victory...
"You're attacking my set monster—'D.D. Warrior'," Kira said calmly. "When this card battles, both it and the opponent's monster are banished."
[D.D. Warrior, DEF 1000]
Misawa: "..."
Spectators: "..."
Another dimensional rift. Boundless force sucked both Misawa's invincible Litmus Doom Swordsman and D.D. Warrior into the vortex, gone without a trace.
All that destruction immunity and trap immunity—gone in an instant.
In the face of dimensional banishment, all are equal.
No one exclaimed, no one commented, not a sound.
An eerie silence.
After a while, Zane murmured, "You were right about him. He's not so easily shut down."
"Mhm," Alexis said, her expression complex.
What can you say...
Sometimes, a troll will mess with your mentality, and there's nothing you can do about it.
"My turn, draw."
In the silence, Kira calmly kept playing.
"I activate Spell Card 'Card of Burial Magic'—banish three Spells from my Graveyard and draw two cards." (Anime card)
Three Spell images rose from the Graveyard and vanished in golden light.
"I banish 'Delinquent Duo,' 'Hand Destruction,' and 'Graceful Charity' from my Graveyard to draw two."
"Activate Spell 'The Warrior Returning Alive'—return a Warrior from Graveyard to hand.
I return 'Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning' to my hand.
Then, I banish the LIGHT-attribute 'Shining Angel' I sent to the Graveyard with 'Hand Destruction' and the DARK-attribute 'Chaos Sorcerer' in my Graveyard.
Offer the souls of light and darkness to the field of Chaos, and summon the legendary warrior! Heaven and earth open—
—Level 8, Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, returns!"
A dazzling golden light burst from the chaos vortex, a powerful beam slamming down. The legendary swordsman readied his blade.
[Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, ATK 3000]
Misawa: "..."
"Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, direct attack on Misawa—
—Chaos Dual Slash!!!"
Light and darkness swirled on the blade. Misawa looked up blankly as the sword slashed closer, then sighed and closed his eyes.
Enough, enough.
He'd tried his best.
[Misawa, LP 500 → 0]
