[Kira, LP 1200]
"See? This is the domain where only the strong survive—the Power Zone!" Zure cried. "Only by wielding power can you fight here to the end!"
"Mmh. I don't disagree with that part."
Kira straightened and flicked his hand.
"Then, when I take damage from battle or a card effect—activate this card.
Trap Card 'Dark Horizon.'"
"When you take battle/effect damage: Special Summon from your Deck 1 DARK Spellcaster with ATK less than or equal to the damage."
A beam of dark light shot from his Disk.
"I just took 2400 effect damage, so I can Special Summon any DARK Spellcaster with 2400 or less ATK.
I Special Summon 'Witch of the Black Forest.'"
[Witch of the Black Forest, ATK 1100]
"My Trap has also triggered—and you already know it," Zure said. "Trap Card 'Explosion Fuse.' When I destroy an opponent's monster by battle, I Special Summon 'Power Bombard' from my Deck!"
[Power Bombard, ATK 1000]
"The monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed in my next Standby Phase, and you take 1000 damage," Zure barked.
"And when my 'Power Annihilator's' ATK changes, this card is also destroyed and you take damage equal to Power Annihilator's original ATK!"
In short, the moment Power Annihilator battles and its ATK changes, the bomb goes off—literally a "Power Bombard."
Power Annihilator's original ATK is 1800.
"So, as soon as Power Annihilator battles and its ATK changes again, Power Bombard self-detonates, then you take 1800," Jaden summarized.
"Kira's LP is 1200—his attack is locked out... Oh-hoh, that's kind of nasty!"
For now, Power Bombard's ATK can't beat the Witch, so no further attack.
"Activate Trap 'Rainbow Life,'" Kira said. "Discard 1 card—my LP returns to what it was at the start of this turn. Also, for the rest of the turn, any battle/effect damage I would have taken becomes LP gain." (anime effect)
[Kira, LP 1200 → LP 4000 → LP 6800]
"Six thousand eight hundred!?" Zure's heart lurched.
He tanked damage to trigger 'Dark Horizon' and pull from Deck, then turned around and used 'Rainbow Life' to absorb it and rocket his LP...
Isn't that a free roll?
"And your Power Annihilator—while it's great into higher-ATK monsters, it has a downside, doesn't it?" Kira smiled.
"Hoh? You do know a lot," Zure nodded. "That's right. When Power Annihilator battles a monster with higher ATK, it gains 1000 ATK—but when it battles a monster with lower ATK, it loses 1000."
"I see!" Jaden said. "So if it battles anything with 1800 or less ATK, Power Annihilator drops to 800..."
Which means even the Witch of the Black Forest can beat it now. With Witch at 1100, in battle Power Annihilator's ATK falls below hers.
"Heh, good. But then I activate this."
Zure revealed another card.
"By paying 1000 LP, I activate the Continuous Spell 'Power Spirit' from my hand!"
A shimmering barrier wrapped his Power Annihilator.
[Zure, LP 3600 → LP 2600]
"As long as 'Power Spirit' is face-up, you must use a monster whose ATK exceeds the target's by at least 1000 in order to destroy my monsters by battle."
"Must exceed by at least 1000..."
Jaden frowned, thinking it through.
"So if you attack with monsters 1800 or below, Power Annihilator's ATK would drop to 800, but because of 'Power Spirit' you're forced to attack with something 1800 or higher anyway..."
"Ha-ha, exactly! And if you attack with 1800+ ATK, 'Power Annihilator' triggers and jumps to 2800!"
Zure laughed.
"With Power Annihilator plus Power Spirit, to beat Power Annihilator by battle you'd need a monster with at least 3800 ATK!"
"Ooh, that's a neat combo!" Jaden grinned. "Kinda strong."
Kira shot him a look.
Yeah—on an earlier timeline, Jaden did have a headache dealing with this setup for a while.
"I set one. Turn end," Zure said, brimming with confidence. "Heh, 3800+ ATK—that's practically godlike.
If you can beat my Power Annihilator, go ahead and try!"
"You've got the wrong idea," Kira smiled.
The goal of a Duel is to win. Why would I have to beat your ace to do that?
"What?" Zure blinked.
"My turn. Draw."
Kira drew unhurriedly.
"A Duel is to defeat the opponent and decide the winner—not to show off by smashing their ace. Let me make you feel that with your body.
I tribute 'Witch of the Black Forest'—
—Tribute Summon: Catapult Turtle!"
The Witch dissolved into golden motes. A turtle hefting a rail-cannon on its back took her place.
[Catapult Turtle, ATK 1000]
"When Witch of the Black Forest goes to the Graveyard: add from Deck to hand 1 monster with 1500 DEF or less.
The one I'm adding is—"
He slowly displayed a heavyweight.
"From my Deck, 'Magical Scientist' to my hand."
Magical Scientist, Level 1, 300/300. Looks like a scrub, but it's a perennial Forbidden list veteran.
Funny enough, in GX this is one of Misawa's cards. He never used it on-screen, but the anime did flash it among his collection.
Which makes Misawa a curious sort—many competitive players never noticed him, yet most have used his cards.
He vanished later and barely touched the plot, yet a casual shot from the animators would blithely showcase universe-ending power in his binder...
Like this one.
"Spell Card 'Dark Magic Veil'—I pay 1000 LP to Special Summon a DARK Spellcaster from hand or Graveyard."
[Kira, LP 6800 → LP 5800]
"I Special Summon 'Magical Scientist.'"
[Magical Scientist, ATK 300]
Zure sneered. "Heh, that weakling?"
"Magical Scientist's effect—pay 1000 LP; Special Summon 1 Level 6 or lower Fusion Monster straight from the Extra Deck. Monsters Summoned by this effect can't attack directly."
Kira revealed a Fusion.
"Pay 1000 LP; Special Summon—
—Level 6, 'Ryu Senshi'!"
[Kira, LP 5800 → LP 4800]
[Ryu Senshi, ATK 2000]
"And I'll pay another 1000," Kira said. "Special Summon a Level 6 Fusion—
—Koalo-Koala! Come forth!"
[Kira, LP 4800 → LP 3800]
[Koalo-Koala, ATK 2800]
Zure's nerves tightened.
Pay LP to churn out Tribute-class monsters, with no once-per-turn cap—this old scientist is terrifying!
"But even so, you still can't beat my Power Annihilator!" Zure barked.
"I said—I don't need to."
Kira's voice stayed calm.
"Catapult Turtle's effect: Tribute a monster on my field; inflict damage to you equal to half its ATK.
I Tribute 'Koalo-Koala'—half of 2800 is 1400 damage."
The Koala hopped onto the turtle's rail and became an electrified shell that blasted forth.
Zure reacted: "Then my Set—Trap Card 'Energy-Absorbing Monolith'! Make effect damage I take 0, and I gain that much LP instead!"
"Won't work," Kira said. "Ryu Senshi's effect—pay 1000 LP; negate a Trap's activation."
[Kira, LP 3800 → LP 2800]
Zure's pupils contracted.
A Trap counter too... So that's why he brought out Ryu Senshi first?
Ryu Senshi's blade flashed—an arc of force cleaved the freshly-triggered panel in two.
The rail shot continued. The Koala, wrapped in crackling energy, slammed into Zure and detonated.
"Gwaaaah!"
[Zure, LP 2600 → LP 1200]
"I'll pay another 1000 LP," Kira said. "Special Summon a second 'Koalo-Koala.'"
[Kira, LP 2800 → LP 1800]
[Koalo-Koala, ATK 2800]
Zure lay where the last blast had dropped him, barely able to speak.
"Y-you... this..."
Magical Scientist. Catapult Turtle...
He'd faced strong Duelists and monsters before. The Supreme King's Duels inspired dread and made resistance unthinkable; monsters with fierce effects could at most make him shudder at their might.
But today—for the first time in his life—watching someone Duel made him feel this: are you freaking hacking?
Just how doggedly degenerate do you have to be to come up with this?
"Catapult Turtle—fire the second 'Koalo-Koala.' Load the round," Kira said.
The giant furball became ammo again, the rail-cannon screaming. Faced with a streaking, electrified meat shell, the Dark World knight could only stare in despair—
"Guaaah!"
[Zure, LP 1200 → LP 0]