When my Synchro Summon is successful, I activate my effect:
I send from my Deck to the Graveyard several Lightsworn monsters up to the number of Lightsworn monsters used as Synchro Materials (max 1 per Type).
I choose to send Lightsworn Fiend Raiden and Lightsworn Archer Felis to the GY.
"Felis's effect activates when she's sent from Deck to GY by a monster effect—she Special Summons herself.
Chain 2: Raiden's effect—when he's sent to GY, I target a Lightsworn in my GY and Special Summon it.
I target Lightsworn Dragon."
Resolution:
C2 Raiden → Special Summon Lightsworn Dragon
C1 Felis → Special Summon Felis
"Lightsworn Dragon's Special Summon effect activates—
I mill one Lightsworn card.
I choose to mill the Trap Lightsworn Aegis Shield.
Aegis Shield's effect activates—when sent to GY, it Sets itself."
"I then take myself, Felis, and Lightsworn Dragon and align them to my Link Arrows—
Link Summon Link-3 Lightsworn Ruler Kirios!"
"When Kirios is Link Summoned, once per turn, I can send 1 card from the Deck to GY.
I choose to send Punishment Dragon."
"Since a card was sent to the GY by my card effect,
Kirios's second effect activates—
I mill the top 3 cards of my Deck."
"One of the milled cards is the Equip Spell Lightsworn Lightsword—
Its effect equips itself to a Lightsworn on the field.
I equip it to Kirios."
At this point, Minerva looked at You Ye, and her voice grew serious:
"You're about to witness the full strength of Lightsworn—
a field no yellow-rank duelist would ever see during certification."
"Come on, I know Radiant Light Dragon already."
You Ye waved lazily.
This was the old era's style—
poor synergy, tiny boards, and even after all this setup, the end board was mostly just a Solemn Judgment-like Trap and Radiant Light Dragon with a quick-play banish + on-death revival.
Even his crippled, half-complete Tearlaments on a wheelchair engine produced more interaction.
Minerva: "…"
If this were before he revealed the hand traps, she might've thought he was arrogant—
But now? Not at all.
He had Ash Blossom.
He had Maxx "C".
He had Grapha without being Dark World.
He was taking the Lightsworn terminal exam without Lightsworn.
At this point, Minerva genuinely wondered whether You Ye was the secret illegitimate child of the Duel Rules themselves.
Since becoming a spirit, she had never seen anything this ridiculous.
"I activate Judgment Dragon in my hand.
With four or more different Lightsworn names in my GY, I can Special Summon it.
You know the effects—I won't explain further."
"I tribute the Judgment Dragon on my field
and Punishment Dragon in my GY!"
"Fusion Summon—
Level 10 Radiant Light Dragon!
(Defense Position)"
Golden light swept across the arena.
A massive golden dragon descended, radiating brilliance that felt like it could purify all darkness.
Radiant Light Dragon
Dragon / Fusion / LIGHT / Level 10
ATK 3000 / DEF 3000
"I activate the Field Spell Realm of Justice,
then move to the End Phase."
"Radiant Light Dragon mills 4."
"One of the milled cards is Felis—
Her effect is not once per turn, so she Special Summons herself again."
"That's my turn.
Your move!"
Minerva stepped back, confident.
"Alright."
You Ye nodded and drew.
Both remained at their ranks—
Main Phase 1 began.
"I activate the Spell Foolish Burial,
sending 1 monster from the Deck to the GY."
The Lightsworn spirits all tensed.
Of course, they knew Foolish Burial.
It was one of the greatest mill cards in existence—
But even with rule-bound connections, its spirit rarely acknowledged duelists.
Yet You Ye was recognized by it.
Even Minerva was stunned—
Though a sly smile followed.
Sure, Foolish Burial was strong—
But Lightsworn was the king of mill decks.
Their pride was unrivaled.
If there were a mill, they would interrupt it.
"Sorry, You Ye—
But if you're trying to mill a monster,
I cannot allow it."
"I flip my Set Trap—
Lightsworn Aegis Shield!"
"I negate up to the number of Lightsworn monsters I control—
So I negate your Foolish Burial!"
You Ye simply smiled and did not complain.
Resolution:
C2 Aegis Shield → Negates
C1 Foolish Burial → Negated
"I Normal Summon Tearlaments Merrli.
On summon or Special Summon—
She mills 3."
Minerva allowed it immediately.
After all, this was a mill deck duel.
She was going to show him what true Lightsworn power looked like.
Same mill, different worlds.
If You Ye could appreciate Lightsworn's might,
maybe he would favor them over this 'weak-looking mermaid field',
take Lightsworn as his own,
and lead them to unimaginable heights.
Minerva was getting excited.
(This was: fantasy time.jpg)
Meanwhile, You Ye was shocked—
This time Merrli milled two live cards.
Unlike last time, where 8 cards yielded only one effect.
The mermaids were repaying kindness today.
"Merrli Mills Shaddoll Hedgehog and Tearlaments Sulliek Siren.
Their effects activate."
"I choose Chain 1: Hedgehog—
Send cards from Deck equal to the number of original Attributes among monsters on the field.
LIGHT and DARK exist → mill 2."
"Chain 2: Sulliek Siren—
Fusion using herself and Merrli."
Resolution:
C2 Siren + Merrli → Fusion Summon Tearlaments Nereid Mermaid
C1 Hedgehog → mill 2
You Ye checked the cards milled, adjusted his plan, and continued.
"Nereid Mermaid's effect on Fusion Summon—
Add 1 Tearlaments card from the Deck to hand.
I add Tearlaments Reinoheart."
"The GY Trap Rescue Bridge—
I banish it to add Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise
and Field Spell Sixth Ruin Pearl World."
"I then activate Nereid's second effect—
Send her to the GY to Special Summon Reinoheart from my hand."
"Reinoheart's effect mills 1 Tearlaments monster.
Chain 2: Nereid Mermaid mills 5."
Resolution:
C2 Nereid → mill 5
C1 Reinoheart → mill Merrli
He inspected the mills—
One Ishizu and Sulliek among them.
Perfect.
"Merrli's GY effect—
I fuse Reinoheart and Nereid from GY—
Fusion Summon Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart!"
"Kaleido-Heart activates—
I target one card on your field and shuffle it into the Deck.
I choose Radiant Light Dragon."
"Not good…"
Minerva's face tightened.
Simple reason:
If she used Radiant's quick effect, her board would be wiped.
If she didn't, You Ye had full Grave resources—
He could easily outdo Kirios and Felis.
The real mistake was letting Sulliek Siren resolve earlier.
But there was no medicine for regret.
She gritted her teeth.
She did not activate Radiant Light Dragon.
Better to bet on Kirios's 4200 ATK
and Felis's 2700 ATK
than gamble on a mutual banish.
She prayed she could survive.
You Ye wasn't surprised.
Using Radiant Light Dragon without its on-death trigger was suicide.
Radiant shuffled away,
and You Ye moved without hesitation.
"GY effect of Ishizu's Exchange of the Spirit—
Banish it to add a Continuous Spell
Harmony of the Sixth Ruin Strings."
"I activate Strings and Pearl World."
"Siren's effect—
Special Summon her.
I discard a small Tearlaments mermaid, mill 3.
Her effect activates again."
"Chain 2: Strings—
When a monster is summoned and I control a Tearlaments monster,
I mill 3 more.
Opposing monsters lose 500 ATK this turn."
Minerva laughed lightly:
"You Ye, reducing ATK won't help.
Realm of Justice has fifteen counters—
That's +1500 ATK to all Lightsworn.
Your −500 and +500 won't close the gap."
Secretly, she relaxed.
The search for ATK modifiers suggested he wanted to beat over her board.
She had a 4200 Kirios
and a 2700 Felis.
Kaleido-Heart at 3500 ATK could not beat Kirios.
"You misunderstand."
You Ye said calmly.
"The ATK boost and reduction are just bonuses.
The moment these two cards resolved—
This duel ended."
"What do you mean?
I have Kirios with 4200 ATK!"
She tried to argue,
but sweat slid down the side of her holy face—
betraying her true fear.
"Someone once said," You Ye chuckled,
'If you can't beat a high-ATK vanilla,
You should ask yourself whether your deck building has a problem.