Sakura's face was flushed with excitement as she called out her deck's ace.
Yet, she remarkably kept her cool, refraining from launching an immediate attack.
"Activating the effect of 'World Carrotweight Champion' in the graveyard!" Sakura continued, "By sending a Plant-Type monster from my hand to the graveyard, it can be Special Summoned from the graveyard!"
Youyu understood: "Is it the card you discarded to the graveyard with 'Rose Lover' last turn?"
As the girl discarded a card from her hand, a card bounced out from the grave zone.
A monster with green leafy greens on its head and carrot-shaped limbs appeared, exuding a comical cartoonish vibe.
[World Carrotweight Champion, ATK 1900]
"At this moment, the effect of 'Card of Safe Return' activates," Youyu said, "I draw three more cards."
"Battle! First, use Queen Angel of Roses to attack Elemental Hero Gaia!" ordered Sakura.
The Queen Angel flew out with no hesitation, her sword aimed straight for Gaia's head, seemingly to avenge being pinned and savagely beaten by the Hero before.
"Activate the Set Card, Trap Card - Half Unbreak." Youyu flipped over a trap, "Select one monster on my field. This turn, the selected monster will not be destroyed by battle, and the battle damage is halved."
A blue light emerged from the Trap Card, forming a transparent shield around Gaia.
Sakura smiled, looking a bit smug on her small face.
She felt she was a step ahead of the Duel King!
"Activate the effect of Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!" she gestured at the flower fairy beside her, "By sacrificing one Plant-Type monster on my field, I can negate and destroy the activation of a magic, trap, or monster effect that targets a card on the field!
I sacrifice 'World Carrotweight Champion' to negate Mr. Youyu's trap card activation!"
Two green vines wrapped around World Carrotweight Champion on the field, and it quickly turned into golden powder and disappeared within the vines. Countless petals flew over, covering the protective shield around Gaia, dismantling that defense in the blink of an eye.
The Queen Angel's sword struck fiercely against Gaia's armor, cracking it with one blow. The Hero's armor shattered, and the massive figure staggered back a few steps before fading into a phantom.
Her Majesty sheathed her sword, swirling her skirt as she turned away, seemingly satisfied with her vengeance.
[Youyu, LP 3700 → LP 3500]
"Next is Tytannial, Princess of Camellias' attack." Sakura continued, "Direct attack on Mr. Youyu!"
The flower princess made her move. Enormous petals opened, as flying green leaves and bright flowers transformed into a spear that pierced through the air!
[Youyu, LP 3500 → LP 700]
Youyu closed his eyes, calmly taking Tytannial's direct attack. The impact of the 3D image lifted his bangs and gently fluttered his clothes.
The girls among the players began daydreaming again.
How could someone look so good even while being hit...
Even Izayoi Sakura, his opponent, was momentarily distracted...
Ah, no, we're still dueling! Focus!
The girl shook her head, pulling herself back to reality.
"I set a card face-down, and end my turn."
With her ace monsters, "Tytannial, Princess of Camellias" and "Queen Angel of Roses" both on the field, and the opponent's Life Points down to 700!
Sakura clenched her small fist.
She instinctively felt that this duel—
—might be tricky...
"My turn." Youyu drew a card, his eyes slightly moved.
To draw this at such a time...
...Well, at least let him have a chance to appear.
"I summon 'Elemental Hero Sparkman'."
Blue lightning burst forth, as the lightning warrior arrived on the field with a stylish pose and a clear shout!
[Elemental Hero Sparkman, ATK 1600]
Sakura thought to herself: "Sparkman, I heard it's one of Mr. Youyu's favorite monsters. But his power alone can't defeat my monsters, so Mr. Youyu's goal is likely..."
"Quick-Play Magic - Mask Change!"
This Magic Card appeared, instantly driving the audience's emotions to a climax.
Mask Change!
The legendary key card held only by the Duel King Youyu, enabling Heroes to don masks and transform!
"As expected!" Sakura thought in her heart.
Like many kids her age, Sakura had watched every publicly released duel of Youyu countless times. She knew that if allowed to transform here, it might summon a Masked Hero potent enough to instantly turn the tide!
She had to stop him!
"Activate the effect of Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!" Sakura said, "I sacrifice 'Queen Angel of Roses' to negate and destroy the activation of a magic, trap, or monster effect that targets a card on the field.
"I negate the activation of 'Mask Change'!"
Vines wrapped around the body of the Queen of Roses, swiftly turning her into golden light, which was absorbed into Tytannial's body like nutrients.
The magic effect had just been activated, and the dazzling transformation visual had just appeared before Sparkman. The Hero spread his arms, ready to show his prowess post-transformation, when unexpectedly, a torrent of flowers surged forward, forcibly piercing through the transformation effect, and the impact almost knocked Sparkman off his feet.
Interrupting the transformation sequence, can you believe it!
What about the promised invincible transformation time?
"Great!" Sakura thought to herself, "This way, Mr. Youyu can't transform..."
However, she hadn't even had time to congratulate herself when Youyu immediately played his next card: "Magic Card - Mask Charge. Add one 'Change' Quick-Play Magic Card and one 'Hero' Monster from the Graveyard to your hand."
"Huh!?"
Sakura watched as two cards were spat out from Youyu's Duel Disk Grave Zone, and for a moment, she was dumbfounded.
In that case... wasn't all her effort for nothing?
No, there's still a chance.
Sakura bit her soft lip and glanced at the set card at her feet.
With this card...
But Youyu quickly shattered her last hope.
"Field Magic - Fusion Gate!"
The space trembled as if a dark vortex leading to the Other Dimension opened in mid-air, brewing an immensely powerful magic wave, occasionally radiating out in the form of lightning.
"On the field, Light Attribute 'Elemental Hero Sparkman', and from my hand, the recently retrieved 'Elemental Hero Blazeman' fuse.
The fusion condition is an Elemental Hero plus any Light Attribute Monster.
Fusion Summon! Dispelling darkness with endless light—
——Elemental Hero The Shining!"
The heroes of electricity and fire both flew into the vortex of Fusion Gate, releasing endless brilliance. The entirely white Hero folded his arms with golden adornments behind him resembling the sun, slowly descending.
[Elemental Hero The Shining, ATK 2600]
"The Shining's attack power increases by 300 for every 'Hero' Monster banished." Youyu said, "Because Sparkman and Blazeman are banished by Fusion Gate's effect, The Shining's attack power increases by 600."
[Elemental Hero The Shining, ATK 2600 → ATK 3200]
It surpassed Tytannial, Princess of Camellias' attack power!
"Battle, Elemental Hero The Shining, attack Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!"
The shining Hero flew high into the sky, the adornments behind him bursting with golden brilliance like the sun, propelling him into a steep dive!
At this point, both sides knew what the outcome would be.
But Sakura hesitated for a moment and still waved her hand: "Flip... Set Card, Trap Card - Trap Hole of Spikes! It can be activated when a Monster summoned this turn attacks, destroying that Monster and inflicting damage to the opponent equal to half of its original attack!"
The Shining's original attack is 2600, half of which is 1300, while Youyu's Life Points are only 700.
If this hit lands, she would turn the tables directly!
...Of course, both of them knew this wouldn't happen.
"Quick-Play Magic - Mask Change." Youyu played the card once more, "Send the Hero Monster on the field to the Graveyard to Special Summon a Masked Hero with the same attribute.
I send Elemental Hero The Shining to the Graveyard—Masked Transformation!"
The Trap Hole of Spikes appeared in The Shining's path, but at that moment, the transformation effect had already appeared. The golden light transformed into armor, quickly assembling onto the Hero, forming a suit of armor that completely covered him, transforming him into a golden armored, shimmering Masked Hero.
This time, the rule of "invincible transformation" finally applied, and the Trap Hole of Spikes lost its target, rendering it invalid.
Masked Hero Koga, summon!
[Masked Hero Koga, ATK 2500]
"Masked Hero Koga's first effect increases his attack by 500 for each Monster on the opponent's field!"
[Masked Hero Koga, ATK 2500 → ATK 3000]
"And the second effect! Banishing a 'Hero' Monster from the Graveyard until the End Phase, decrease the attack of one Monster on the field by the attack of the banished Hero!"
Youyu revealed a card that had popped out from the Graveyard.
"Banish Elemental Hero Flame Wingman from the game! Tytannial, Princess of Camellias' attack decreases by 2100, which is Flame Wingman's attack!"
[Tytannial, Princess of Camellias, ATK 2800 → ATK 700]
Koga flickered, leaving a golden afterimage behind him as he swiftly approached the flower princess. Despite her valiant effort to resist, with her current attack power, she was no match.
The blade of light sliced through her body along with the flowers beneath her feet like fangs, and golden light burst from the cracks, shattering her form and drawing the duel to a close.
The girl raised her dueling hand to shield herself as her rosy hair fluttered wildly in the wind, and finally, the impact knocked her over, her small bottom landing with a "smack" on the ground.
[Izayoi Sakura, LP 1800 → LP 0]