"I remember! I heard about it on the news!"
Seeing the satellite ascend, Syrus exclaimed.
"Prince Ojin's country supposedly launched a satellite called 'SORA' recently, with the power to destroy the world. It caused huge international controversy—been a global hot topic..."
"That strong?"
Jaden, who never paid attention to anything outside dueling, was a little surprised, then tilted his head up at the satellite in the sky.
"But this satellite doesn't look that impressive..."
[Satellite Cannon, ATK 0]
Prince Ojin sneered and played another card: "I activate the Spell 'Charge'! It raises Satellite Cannon's ATK by 2000!" (anime card)
A torrent of blazing golden energy shot from the card into the sky, pouring into the satellite's barrel.
[Satellite Cannon, ATK 0 → 2000]
"Next, I activate the Spell 'Mischief of the Time Goddess' to skip an entire turn and jump straight to my next Battle Phase!"
The crowd was stunned.
Skipping to your next turn's Battle Phase on Turn 1 means you can attack on your first turn?
"Then the Quick-Play Spell 'Limiter Removal'! All Machine monsters I control have their ATK doubled until the end of the turn!" Prince Ojin shouted. "Double Satellite Cannon's ATK!"
[Satellite Cannon, ATK 2000 → 4000]
Now the crowd couldn't hold back anymore. Uproar.
An ATK 4000 monster, and it can attack on the very first turn!
No wonder he's called his country's number one duelist. No wonder he could stay so confident even against the King.
Who could beat that? If he goes first like this, isn't it just game over?
"Sorry, King, but it looks like it'll end before you can do anything."
Prince Ojin stood, hands on hips, smiling.
Even the academy crowd—usually confident in the Lord in Yellow—felt a bit uneasy.
They always hoped someone would punish that underworld-style player. But that was before. Now Kira was the Duel King, representing their academy's top strength. If he lost, everyone would lose face.
"Satellite Cannon, direct attack!"
A bombardment from orbit—the cannon's beam locked onto Kira's position and blasted down!
Boom!
An astonishing blast gouged a crater in the ground. Flames billowed, black smoke rolled—like a man-made divine punishment.
However—
[Kira, LP 4000]
"NANI!?"
This time, Prince Ojin's expression changed drastically.
Kira casually revealed a card in his hand. "Discard Kuriboh to make the battle damage 0."
Kuriboh's phantom flashed on the field: "Kuri-kuri!"
As if to scoff: flashy but futile.
All those fancy combos, undone by Kuriboh?
"Uh..."
Prince Ojin's mouth twitched.
A monster that blocks on the first turn from the hand...
His unbeatable OTK wasn't so reliable today.
But no matter.
"Heh, worthy of the Duel King—not easy to deal with." Prince Ojin said gravely. "At the end of the turn, the Satellite Cannon affected by 'Limiter Removal' must self-destruct.
But before that, I activate the Spell 'Monster Recovery'!
Shuffle all cards in my hand and on my field into the Deck, then draw five!" (anime effect)
The satellite in the sky disassembled and returned as beams of light into his Deck. He drew out the Deck, quickly shuffled and cut, and drew five new cards.
After glancing at the new hand, he promptly played one.
"I haven't conducted a Normal Summon this turn.
So I'll Summon 'Satellite Base' in Defense Position!" (anime card)
Another column of gold light shot up, forming a satellite. This one looked less like a cannon and more like a floating fortress.
[Satellite Base, DEF 0]
"Satellite Base cannot be destroyed by battle with Level 5 or lower monsters," Prince Ojin said. "And during each of my End Phases, its DEF increases by 1000!"
"My turn ends."
[Satellite Base, DEF 0 → 1000]
"My turn, draw," Kira said. "Let's try out this deck a bit.
First, this card: Spell 'Dragon Shrine'!
Send a Dragon from Deck to GY. If the sent monster is a Normal Dragon, send another Dragon afterward.
I'll send to the GY...
Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
The crowd gasped; someone couldn't help shouting.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon!
This heavyweight monster, like a calling card, naturally brought to mind the president at the pinnacle of the dueling world.
But then someone remembered: among the world's four Blue-Eyes, one had been personally given to Kira by Seto Kaiba at the last Battle City tournament. That made Kira the only duelist besides Kaiba who could wield Blue-Eyes.
Even Prince Ojin was taken aback, but then looked delighted. "Oh? Today I not only get to duel the Duel King, but also face the legendary Blue-Eyes. Seems luck is truly on my side."
Kira continued: "Of course, Blue-Eyes White Dragon is a Normal Monster. So per Dragon Shrine's effect, I send another Dragon from my Deck—'Arkbrave Dragon'—to the GY."
He then placed a monster.
"Normal Summon 'Paladin of Felgrand'."
[Paladin of Felgrand, ATK 1700]
"When Paladin of Felgrand is Summoned, I can equip a Level 7 or 8 Dragon from my hand or Deck to it as an Equip Card.
I'll equip another 'Arkbrave Dragon' from my Deck to Paladin."
A glimmering dragon's spirit flashed and merged into the Paladin's body.
"Next, I activate the Continuous Spell 'Ruins of the Divine Dragon Lords,'" Kira said. "Once per turn, send a face-up card on the field other than this one to the GY to Special Summon a 'Dragon Lord Token.'
I'll send the equipped 'Arkbrave Dragon' to the GY and Special Summon a Dragon Lord Token!"
[Dragon Lord Token, ATK 0]
"Paladin of Felgrand's other effect: Tribute this card and another monster to Special Summon a Level 7 or 8 Dragon from the GY.
I Tribute Paladin and the Token to revive—
—Arkbrave Dragon, arise!"
Starlight gathered and surged like a waterfall. Massive skeletal wings spread as the shining dragon spiraled into being.
[Arkbrave Dragon, ATK 2400]
....
Bonus chapter at 500 PS