"No matter what, I'm going to awaken Rainbow Dragon in this duel!"
Jesse clenched his fists, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Nice eyes," Kira praised.
But then he narrowed his own, a playful glint appearing.
"However… will it really go that smoothly?"
The big-eyed spirit stared speechlessly at Kira's back.
It felt like the master had forgotten the point of attending this duel.
Weren't you here to kindle duel energy and develop the youth's potential to help awaken Rainbow Dragon?
Why do you look like you're here to be an obstacle?
But the hot-blooded Jesse wasn't cowed. "Oh? Then I'll look forward to it.
I set two cards and end my turn."
"My turn. Draw."
Kira drew and immediately played a Spell.
"Pot of Greed—draw two."
Then he slotted in another card.
"Continuous Spell: Messenger of Peace.
Face-up monsters with 1500 or more ATK cannot declare attacks."
Mokuba: "..."
Kira's taking stall to the extreme, huh?
But is this actually good for reviving Rainbow Dragon…
"I'll activate a set card." Jesse flipped his backrow. "Trap Card: Magic Drain!
When a Spell is activated, negate it and destroy it!"
He added, "But Mr. Kira can discard another Spell from his hand to negate Magic Drain's effect."
"I won't discard," Kira said.
"Great!" Jesse pumped a fist. "That invalidates Messenger of Peace—no attack lock!"
The holy light of Messenger had barely appeared before trap energy blew it to pieces.
"Impressive—both Gravity Bind and Messenger were cleared," Kira commended.
Jesse basked in it.
Until Kira revealed the next card.
"Then I activate the Continuous Spell 'Level Limit - Area B.' All Level 4 or higher monsters are forced into Defense Position."
Jesse: "..."
The smile vanished.
Even the always-composed President Pegasus twitched at the lips and shot Kira a side glance.
Did Kira-boy actually forget why he's here?
If there's no battle at all, how do you harvest duel energy, how do you awaken Rainbow Dragon?
"Well, I'm sure Kira knows what he's doing…"
Mokuba sounded unsure.
"...Probably."
"I set one card and end my turn."
Kira gestured politely.
"Then it's your turn again. Good luck."
Jesse: "..."
Uh, even if you say good luck, I can't even attack—how do I revive Rainbow Dragon…
"Looks a bit tough, Jesse," said Emerald Tortoise.
"Yeah," Jesse said. "But our bond won't give up so easily.
My turn—draw!"
He swept his arm; the backrow trap began to glow.
"Continuous Trap 'Crystal Conclave'—the other effect!" Jesse said. "Send this face-up card in your Spell/Trap Zone to the Graveyard, then target one of your 'Crystal Beast' cards in your S/T Zone and any other card on the field.
Return both targets to the hand!"
"I see," Kira nodded. "If you bounce it, then you can temporarily break the attack lock this turn."
Jesse said, "I'll return the 'Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger' in my S/T Zone and your Continuous Spell 'Level Limit - Area B' to the hand!"
The topaz gem flared, a white-furred tiger flashed and roared, then turned to golden light and flew back into Jesse's hand. Kira's Continuous Spell likewise returned.
"That clears the obstacles." Jesse said. "Then I Normal Summon the 'Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger' I just picked up!"
The king of beasts roared—Topaz returned, this time to the front row. The gem shattered and a fierce tiger emerged.
[Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger, ATK 1600]
"Then I switch Sapphire Pegasus and Amber Mammoth back to Attack Position!"
[Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus, ATK 1800]
[Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth, ATK 1700]
"And I equip 'Crystal Release' to 'Sapphire Pegasus'!" Jesse said. "Equip only to a Crystal Beast; the equipped monster gains 800 ATK!"
[Sapphire Pegasus, ATK 1800→2600]
"He's going for an all-out assault," Kira smiled. "So, you plan to decide the duel this turn while my Continuous Spell is bounced, huh?"
"Exactly!" Jesse said.
He'd realized that even landing a single attack on this opponent was rare—he had to seize the chance, or who knows when the next would come.
Time to go all in!
"But you didn't forget, right? Even if the Spell lock is gone, the monster lock remains."
Kira pointed at The Fool.
"Arcana Force 0 - The Fool can't be destroyed by battle. No matter how many monsters you bring, it's meaningless."
"Of course I know," Jesse said. "So I activate my set Trap, Crystal Raigeki: send a 'Crystal Beast' in your S/T Zone to the GY; target a card on the field and destroy it!"
Kira raised an eyebrow.
You've changed, Jesse.
What happened to the guy who said "I don't run any cards that directly destroy my opponent's monsters"?
He remembered Jesse saying he disliked using effects to snipe opposing monsters, preferring upright clashes—big monsters slugging it out.
Which is, well, the exact opposite of Kira.
But perhaps that's why Jesse chose to destroy The Fool and merely bounce 'Level Limit - Area B.'
Because his deck probably has more ways to remove Spells/Traps than monsters. If he failed to finish this turn, odds are better he'll draw a "Mystical Space Typhoon"-type card later to deal with Level Limit.
But if The Fool just gets bounced and Kira summons it again next turn, then facing an unkillable cockroach, Jesse may not have many answers.
"With that, the nuisances are gone!"
Jesse's momentum surged—he was impressed with himself.
Gravity Bind, Messenger of Peace, Level Limit - Area B, and an undying Fool…
He'd pushed through them all. It finally felt like he'd reached Kira.
No time to waste—win it this turn!
"Sapphire Pegasus—direct attack!"
But as the pegasus surged forward, Kira snapped his fingers.
"I activate my set Trap, 'Break Away.'
During your Battle Phase, I discard a Spell from my hand; end the Battle Phase, and all face-up monsters on the field have their effects negated until the end of the turn."
Jesse: "..."