Xue Lang and the local Nora Tatsu's duel finals also caught Youyu's interest.
This reminded him of the days when the first version of Linked World just launched. He and a group of players played fiercely with incomplete card decks, which was practically like a Paralympics...
Except back then, there wasn't a considerate NPC like him in the game, and collecting cards by saving Crystal Stones was absurdly slow. During the KC Cup back then, the decks players had were far worse than they are now.
Indeed, he is a great NPC who has made significant contributions to the development of the dueling world!
As for whether players will surpass his progress in the future...
...almost impossible.
Not to mention players almost can't compare to him in earning Crystal Stones, but even if some of them manage to grind through the game and unlock the entire card pool, there will still be some Divine Artifacts they cannot obtain.
For example, the Card of Demise, Pot of Greed, and Card of Sanctity.
The only way to acquire these cards is through Youyu, and Youyu can limit the quantity sold to them or simply not sell them at all.
And even if players complete their card pool and form some new mainstream top-tier decks, Youyu can still see the card lists on the forum and use them as a reference for his constructions.
If both sides have similar decks, it's tough for players to win against him.
After all, his Duelist level is already eight, not only can he draw perfectly and miraculously but also can include some inexplicable things in the deck that ordinary players can't even manage...
Speaking of which, at this moment, the duel between Xue Lang and the local Nora Tatsu is at its climax.
Seeing that the local Nora Tatsu was about to be slashed down by the Wildman in one go, the spectators in the live room started clapping and cheering, saying it's awesome justice that the Hero will eventually punish the antisocial.
With only 1000 Life Points left, Brother Tatsu took a deep breath, held it, made a perfect draw... and then began to laugh wildly!
Hahaha, Brother Xue Lang, didn't expect this, did you? I made a perfect draw too!
So here Brother Tatsu played one of the only monsters in his entire deck, Amazoness Swords Woman!
Amazoness Swords Woman, attack power 1500. Effect: Your opponent takes all battle damage that you would have taken from a battle involving this card.
A very tricky effect, another monster adored by the antisocial.
Here Brother Tatsu waved his hand, and this muscular Swordswoman and the shirtless Wildman Hero clashed fiercely, eventually perishing together.
The scales of victory reversed once again!
The final round!
Looking at the helpless Xue Lang, Nora Tatsu stood with his hands on his hips, in a great mood.
He now has three Set Cards in the backfield!
Could it be that you have another Wildman to take me down?
But Xue Lang... he has not given up!
A true Hero will not back down due to a mere few cards in the backfield!
"My turn, draw!" Xue Lang revealed the card he drew, "Summon 'Elemental Hero Blazeman'!"
Seeing this hero in a fiery red tight outfit with golden goggles step out, the local Nora Tatsu couldn't help but take a sharp breath.
Whoa, it's Blazeman!
Gasp~ Exactly how much spending power does a big shot need to purchase such a newly released Elemental Hero?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at Xue Lang with more admiration.
"Blazeman's effect, upon successful summon, adds a 'Fusion' Magic from the deck to the hand!"
"No way!" Brother Tatsu declared that RMB Warriors aren't just for show. With a wave of his arm, "Open the Set Card! Trap Card - Curse of Illusion! Negate the effect of one monster on the field and decrease its attack by 500!" (Comic Card)
Upon seeing this card, Xue Lang also drew a breath of cold air.
Gasp~ Curse of Illusion!
This card is a creation held by Muto Yugi, not yet a Physical Card. Players originally had no way to acquire it, and Brother Tatsu's card undoubtedly came from Youyu's store.
But Xue Lang remembered, this card is a product of the "heavy spender zone," with a price astronomical!
Just how much spending power does Brother Tatsu have!?
But—it doesn't matter!
Xue Lang immediately waved his hand, "Open the Set Card, Trap Card - Friendly Fire! This card can be activated when an opponent's Magic Trap Monster effect is activated, destroying any card other than the activating effect on the field!"
He pointed to his monster.
"The one I want to destroy is...my own 'Elemental Hero Blazeman'!"
"Nani!?"
The surrounding NPCs gasped in shock.
Blowing up his monster? Has this guy gone mad?
However, unlike the NPCs, players who quickly figured out the strategy were in awe.
"6666!"
"High-end maneuver!"
As the trap card flipped, the "Elemental Hero Blazeman" on Xue Lang's field was destroyed due to the trap effect, turning into golden light and dispersing. The hexagram array emerging from Brother Tatsu's trap card aggressively struck air, failing to lock down Blazeman.
Xue Lang shouted: "Because 'Elemental Hero Blazeman' was destroyed and sent to the graveyard, the target of 'Curse of Illusion' has disappeared, so the effect has been negated!"
In layman's terms, it's like saying, "As long as I die fast enough, the trap can't catch up with me."
Local resident Nora Tatsu gritted his teeth: "Tch, suit yourself then."
Anyway, I still have plenty of traps, you might escape for a while but not forever.
"Elemental Hero Blazeman, effect continues to trigger, adding the Magic Card 'Fusion' from the deck to the hand!" Xue Lang said, "Then, activate 'Fusion'! I fuse 'Elemental Hero Heat' and 'Elemental Hero Lady Heat' from my hand!
Fusion Summon! Elemental Hero Inferno!"
As the two heroes disappeared into the vortex of fusion, a giant clad in massive armor, exuding flames, made a grand appearance!
[Elemental Hero Inferno, Attack Power 2300]
However, before the hero could even stabilize his footing, Liachen on the other side waved his hand: "Activate Set Card! Trap Card - Bottomless Trap Hole! When a monster with an attack power of 1500 or more is summoned, destroy and banish it from the game!"
Poor fire giant didn't even land before a huge vortex opened beneath him leading to another dimension, releasing a huge suction like a bloodthirsty maw preparing to swallow him whole...
But Xue Lang still had a countermeasure: "Quick-Play Magic - De-Fusion! De-Fuse Inferno and Special Summon Heat and Lady Heat from the graveyard!"
As the magic took effect, Inferno's massive body swiftly split into two, dodging the pit below, and re-emerging as Heat and Lady Heat onto the field.
[Elemental Hero Heat, Attack Power 1600 → Attack Power 2000] (due to its own effect)
[Elemental Hero Lady Heat, Attack Power 1300]
It seems Xue Lang has grasped the essence of the Elemental Hero Deck — an ultimate three-for-one trade, then using De-Fusion to retrieve them, even Yuki Judai would give a thumbs up to that.
Heat's effect increases its attack power by 200 for each on-field Elemental Hero, raising it to 2000 in this case.
The local Nora Tatsu's expression began to change a bit.
"Even dodged that move?"
"Battle!" Xue Lang waved his hand.
The introverted player only had 1000 life points left; victory was in sight!
"Elemental Hero Heat, Elemental Hero Lady Heat, direct attack!"
Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, the local Nora Tatsu gritted his teeth and revealed his last line of defense: "Activate Set Card! Trap Card — Wall of Disruption!
Activatable during the opponent's attack, reduces the attack power of all attack-position monsters on the opponent's field by the number of their monsters times 800!"
The audience gasped in astonishment.
Wall of Disruption!
This card is priced as an SR in Youyu's shop, not requiring much favorability, yet still from the high-spending region.
Even being introverted isn't something common folk can afford.
Did you think those cards being flipped by Liachen were all traps? No, they are all freaking cash...
"Now with two monsters on your field, the attack power decreases by 1600!"
Heat's attack power is 2000, Lady Heat's is only 1300. After hitting this Wall of Disruption, the combined output of the two heroes came down to just 400 points.
Elemental Hero Lady Heat does have an effect, dealing damage during your End Phase equal to the number of on-field Elemental Heroes times 200.
But even so, the total output is only 800. Liachen would still have a dying 200 life points left, insufficient to kill.
But in this split-second moment, Xue Lang revealed his final trick!
"Activate Set Card - Ballista Squad!" Xue Lang shouted, "Sacrifice one monster on your field to destroy one card on the opponent's field!
I sacrifice 'Elemental Hero Lady Heat' to destroy your 'Wall of Disruption'!"
"Wha-wha-wha-what!?" Liachen was "shocked."
Wall of Disruption had already been activated; even if destroyed, its effect wouldn't be affected.
But Xue Lang's intent wasn't there at all.
His true aim was to sacrifice Lady Heat on his field!
With Lady Heat sacrificed and disappeared from the field, only Elemental Hero Heat remained on Xue Lang's field!
"Since only one monster remains on my field, by the Wall of Disruption's effect, Heat's attack power decreases only by 800! Then with Lady Heat gone, the attack power decreases by 200 more, totaling down 1000 points!"
[Elemental Hero Heat, Attack Power 2000 → Attack Power 1000]
[Local Nora Tatsu, LP 1000]
Exactly enough for the kill!
Nora Tatsu's face suddenly changed: "Grass (a kind of plant)!"
Live chat in the stream was scrolling with overwhelming comments: "666666!!!"
"Heat, direct attack!" Xue Lang shouted excitedly.
No more traps, no defenses left, the weakened Heat thrusts a flaming palm, ending the duel in one shot.
[Local Nora Tatsu, LP 1000 → LP 0]