"Trap Card—Break Away's effect: end this Battle Phase!"
The trap's wave slammed down, smothering the field. The charging Sapphire Pegasus crashed into a golden barrier of lightning, grunted, and was flung back.
The other Crystal Beasts, though not attacking, were pinned to the ground by the trap's pressure, sparks skittering across them like shackles holding them immobile.
"And the Spell I discarded was 'Card of Compensation'." Kira said lazily. "When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I draw two."
"Argh, seriously—can I still not break through!?"
Jesse clawed at his hair, further mussing his already duelist-chic style.
He'd been so confident he'd finally get to land a hit. But the Battle Phase had barely begun—he didn't even get his first attack declaration—before another iron wall popped up and the whole phase vanished.
It felt like foreplay went on forever, he finally got his chance to go all out, but just as he thrust in, he was interrupted and forced to hold back—a stifling, unsatisfied ache.
"Calm down, Jesse. Don't fall into his rhythm!"
Emerald Tortoise cautioned.
"Yeah, I know."
Jesse took a deep breath.
"My attack plan still had gaps—sorry, everyone.
I end my turn."
"My turn. Draw."
Kira drew, then revealed a Spell.
"I activate 'Smashing Ground.'
Destroy your face-up monster with the highest DEF."
"You'd destroy my beloved family?" Jesse frowned. "My highest DEF is 'Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise'..."
[Emerald Tortoise, DEF 2000]
"Then I'll destroy the tortoise."
Kira pointed at the green-shelled turtle with a slight hook of his finger.
The ground split with a long crack. The Emerald Tortoise lost its footing, fell in, and exploded in a fireball.
Of course, it immediately crystallized into an emerald and appeared in Jesse's backrow.
"Well, it didn't really matter which I broke," Kira smiled. "I just needed to open a Monster Zone."
Jesse: "?"
On my field? You sure about that?
"Then I activate the Spell 'Necro Sacrifice—Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard to your field to reduce Tribute requirements for my Tribute Summon." (Anime card)
He'd found the card left by Sartorius extremely useful.
At first glance it looks like a support Spell to reduce Tributes, but in practice, stuffing weird things onto the opponent's field is the real value.
There are similar "give the opponent a monster" cards in the real card pool—like Yusei's trap "Give and Take," which also puts your grave monsters onto the opponent's field.
He hadn't found that specific card yet—it might be from the Synchro era and not exist now. No matter; this "Necro Sacrifice" works similarly.
"So I'll Special Summon a monster from my GY to your field, reducing my Tribute by one. I choose…
'Arcana Force 0 - The Fool!'"
Jesse was stunned. "Huh? You're giving me that lock piece—the invincible monster?"
"Yes. Don't be shy, take it." Kira grinned. "And you can choose its battle position."
Jesse pondered two seconds. "Defense Position."
[Arcana Force 0 - The Fool, DEF 0]
"And because this is a Special Summon, not being set and flipped, The Fool must spin to determine upright or reversed."
Kira said.
The card spun on Jesse's field.
It stopped reversed.
"Looks like your luck isn't great," Kira smiled. "Reversed Fool can't be affected by your own card effects and can't be targeted by effects."
Jesse frowned.
"But I still choose its position," he said. "Even if my effects can't affect it, The Fool's still a sturdy shield."
"True… but it's not just a shield."
Kira smiled and revealed a monster from his hand.
"Thanks to 'Necro Sacrifice,' I can reduce the number of Tributes and Normal Summon a monster from my hand. I summon—
—Arcana Force XII - The Hanged Man!"
[Arcana Force XII - The Hanged Man, ATK 2200]
This Arcana didn't have a printed card in the anime, but it does exist in card power/later games like Duel Links.
"Arcana Force monsters spin on Summon to gain upright/reversed effects," Kira said, smiling.
"However, when The Fool is on the field, it has another effect: whenever the opponent would flip a coin, the opponent may choose the result.
And this baseline effect is independent of The Fool's own orientation.
In other words, as long as The Fool is on your field—upright or reversed—I can freely choose coin results."
Jesse: "!"
There's a trick like that?
He stared at The Fool on his own field, speechless.
"Indeed, The Fool meddles with fate. Unfortunately, the one who decides fate…
is its opponent."
Jesse: "..."
He stared at The Fool for a long moment, at a loss for words.
What he wanted to say was probably: you really are "The Fool," huh.
"Therefore, I choose the reversed effect for Arcana Force XII - The Hanged Man."
The card spun and landed reversed.
"Then I activate the Spell 'Cup of Ace.' Flip a coin: heads, I draw two; tails, you draw two."
Kira paused, then beamed.
"Of course, with The Fool out, we can skip the coin. I'll just draw two."
Jesse: "..."
Kira calmly drew two.
"Battle," Kira waved. "Arcana Force XII - The Hanged Man, attack 'Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth.'"
Green, tendril-like whips burst from the ground and bound the mammoth, shattering it with a boom.
[Jesse, LP 4000→3500]