"Power Bond!?"
Battle Beast's thoughts raced.
That's a Machine-specific card…
"Power Bond is a Machine-only Fusion spell that fuses Machine Fusion monsters using materials from hand and field."
Kira revealed two cards in his hand.
"I fuse two Cyber Dragons in my hand to Fusion Summon—
—Cyber Twin Dragon!!!"
Two metal dragons shot out from the revealed cards. Sleek steel bodies clad in cold silver plating. An invisible force merged them, like a powerful electromagnetic field erupting.
Armor plates clicked crisply. The dragons snapped together and morphed, ultimately becoming a two-headed steel behemoth. Its massive frame swept its tail, tearing the air, and its twin maws crackled with serpents of electricity.
[Cyber Twin Dragon, ATK 2800]
"Power Bond's effect: the Fusion Monster's attack is doubled."
[2800 → 5600 ATK]
"And Twin Dragon can attack twice each Battle Phase."
The onlooking I.I. staff beside Yako blanched.
A 5600-ATK monster with two swings on turn one? If they were on the other end, what could they even do?
That's a flick-of-the-wrist OTK!
Battle Beast's face tightened—not only because of the 5600 double-striker.
"Cyber style?"
He wondered.
Has the Duel King used this before?
"Twin Dragon, first attack," Kira said. "Attack the face-down monster."
One of the twin maws gaped, belching a surge of scorching flame.
The set card flipped—not a Gladiator Beast, but a golden rock. Its face was a grotesque mask with dark red eyes and a gaping mouth glowing like molten lava.
[Koa'ki Meiru Boulder, DEF 1000]
"Koa'ki…?"
Kira's eyes flickered.
He vaguely remembered this deck: Rock and Beast-Warrior focused, with many high stats and strong effects—but most require a spell called "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" as a cost. That card is the core of the deck.
Sure enough: "When Koa'ki Meiru Boulder is destroyed by battle and sent to the GY, I add 1 'Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru' or a Level 4 or lower 'Koa'ki Meiru' monster from Deck to hand.
"So from my Deck, I add—"
He fanned his Deck, pushed out a card, revealed it, then added it to hand.
"Spell: Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru."
The key spell of Koa'ki Meiru. Most of their monsters need it to activate effects—or even to remain on the field.
"Destroy-to-search—so that set was to set up his follow-up," Yako said. "But Twin Dragon can attack twice. If the second lands, he might not even see next turn…"
"Activate set card," Battle Beast said. "Trap: Time Machine.
"When a monster is destroyed by battle and sent to the GY, its controller special summons it with the same battle position!"
Golden light flared from his GY and reconstructed that grotesque rock on the field.
[Koa'ki Meiru Boulder, DEF 1000]
"Then Twin Dragon, attack again," Kira said. "Attack Koa'ki Meiru Boulder."
Battle Beast frowned slightly.
He's pushing through even knowing it gives me another search?
That implies he has more follow-up damage in hand—likely lethal this turn, given how Cyber decks operate.
So Battle Beast didn't hesitate.
"Then I'll activate another set card: Trap—Waboku. This turn, my monsters can't be destroyed by battle, and all battle damage I take becomes 0!"
A robed envoy appeared, chanting softly. A transparent barrier domed over Battle Beast's field, nullifying Twin Dragon's blast.
"I see. So you let the first attack through purely to fetch Iron Core," Kira smiled. "At this turn's end, Power Bond's drawback would make me take damage equal to the fused monster's original ATK—2800.
"But that only applies if the Fusion Monster summoned by Power Bond is still face-up on my field."
He calmly drew a card from his hand.
"So I activate Quick-Play Spell: De-Fusion, to undo Cyber Twin Dragon."
The twin-headed dragon roared low and split apart, reverting into two Cyber Dragons.
[Cyber Dragon, ATK 2100] x2
"Nice," Yako said. "That avoids Power Bond's recoil."
Of course, that won't fly with the real cards. In the TCG/OCG, Power Bond burns you regardless of whether the Fusion is still there at end phase. But with 8000 LP, the burn is less lethal than in anime. In real play, you avoid it with things like Waboku or other damage-negation.
Battle Beast exhaled.
His read was right. Without Waboku, Kira would have De-Fused in Battle Phase, swung with two Cyber Dragons for 4200 across two hits—and that would've been game.
With Waboku preemptively up, further attacks are pointless. Plus, he keeps Koa'ki Meiru Boulder to tribute next turn.
"I set one and end," Kira said.
"So it's Cyber style—gotta tread carefully," Battle Beast chuckled.
It did surprise him. He'd heard the King's decks rotate often, but his personal preference skewed trap-heavy or quirky, turtling strategies.
Cyber Dragons are a bad fit for that profile. They're famed for aggressive OTKs—the opposite of his usual style.
And now he suddenly brings out Cyber Dragons?
What, experimenting with a new route?
Using me as his lab rat?
Battle Beast sneered inwardly.
Duelists have their styles, especially established aces. Forcing a style shift can backfire.
Let this arrogant king learn the price of underestimating me.
"My turn, draw.
I activate Pot of Greed to draw two."
He drew, then immediately revealed another card.
"I tribute Koa'ki Meiru Boulder to Advance Summon!
The infernal Koa'ki Meiru demon—now descend—
—Level 8, Koa'ki Meiru Valafar, summon!"