Using "Fake Trap" to replace destruction and confuse the opponent, such a thing was impossible in Youyu's previous life without the 3D imaging technology in reality card games.
The effect of Fake Trap is that when a Trap Card on the field is destroyed, it can be replaced by this card. However, in that case, the original Trap Card that was supposed to be destroyed must be flipped open for confirmation.
If it were a real card game played on a table, the situation of "the Trap was destroyed in place of another" couldn't happen without the opponent noticing.
But in the Linked World, all effect resolutions are handled by the Duel Disc system. "Flipping open the original Trap that was supposed to be destroyed" is represented using 3D imaging system, making the "Fake Trap" covering the field appear as the "Mirror Force" that was supposed to be destroyed, and taking its place.
In fact, compared to playing cards in reality, this is more in line with the meaning of the name "Fake Trap."
There are actually many similar differences in the animation. After all, in the animation, both sides duel through holographic projection, and all effect treatments are handled by the Duel Disc system, making it quite different from playing cards in reality.
Sometimes, a duelist may be distracted or act slightly slower, or the projection effect of the hologram may interfere, potentially causing them to miss the timing to activate a card, possibly directly leading to the loss of a duel.
That's why duelists in this world need the courage to make decisions in a fleeting moment and agile thinking abilities, making the difficulty level of dueling actually higher.
But regardless, now the Mirror Force has been successfully activated!
"This card can be activated when the opponent declares an attack; all Attack Position monsters on the opponent's field are destroyed!"
Eatos' sword triggered a fierce counterattack! The trap, carrying supreme power, unleashed its divine might, with boundless blue light erupting as if from the deepest abyss!
Rafael's Attack Position "Guardian Grarl" was instantaneously crushed into fragments by the trap's force. Though Eatos had not fallen, she was barely holding on under that radiance.
Rafael gritted his teeth, "Then I activate the effect of 'Equip Magic - Guardian's Shield'! When a Guardian monster on the field is destroyed, the Guardian's Shield can substitute as one of the Guardian monsters to be destroyed.
I'll use 'Guardian's Shield' to replace Eatos from being destroyed!"
The shield immediately flew out from the Support Guardian's hand, automatically moving in front of Eatos. The backlash from Mirror Force landed entirely on that shield, which was blown apart in place of the angelic lady.
"The battle continues!" Rafael declared, "Guardian Eatos, continue attacking Shining Flare Wingman!"
"Then activate a Set Card, Trap Card - Intrigue Shield!" Youyu shouted, "This trap can be equipped as an Equip Card to a monster on the field.
The equipped monster won't be destroyed by battle once per turn, and the battle damage dealt to oneself becomes 0!
I'll equip 'Intrigue Shield' to Shining Flare Wingman!"
Countless golden light dots condensed into a shield in front of the shining hero, the pressure of the Holy Sword fiercely landing upon that shield, solidly withstanding the blow of the goddess's Holy Sword.
The vast impact spread from the shield, dust flying in the space, the gorgeous impact effects making it almost impossible to open eyes.
"Even this was blocked?" Rafael was somewhat surprised.
In this turn, he successively removed Youyu's "Necro Gardna" from the graveyard, nullified "Mirror Force" once (though it was replaced by "Fake Trap"), and triggered "Mirror Force" again...
... yet the deadly strike executed after all this was still resolved by Youyu with apparent ease.
Flawless.
Rafael paused silently, then drew another card from his hand, "Main Phase 2. I activate Magic Card - Monster Reborn from my hand, to resurrect the 'Guardian Grarl' that was just destroyed and sent to the graveyard."
Indeed worthy of a sturdy character who thoroughly adheres to his dueling principles, even at this stage, he persists in clearing the monsters from the graveyard.
The lizard-like Grarl, bombed by Mirror Force, soon returned to the field, albeit breathing heavily, seemingly exhausted from shuttling between the Netherworld and the Mortal World.
[Guardian Grarl, ATK 2500]
After being materialized into a Physical Card, "Guardian Grarl" requires the presence of the Equip Magic "Gravity Axe - Grarl" on the field in order to be summoned or Special Summoned, but apparently, this restriction doesn't exist in the animation.
Otherwise, during Rafael and Yugi's final battle, he wouldn't have been able to use the Magic Card "Soul Charge" to summon all Guardians from the graveyard back to the field.
"Set a card, the turn ends." Rafael said, "At this moment, Guardian Eatos' effect expires, and her attack power returns to its original value."
[Guardian Eatos, ATK 10700 → ATK 2500]
It's Youyu's turn again, "My turn, draw!"
All heroes in the graveyard were banished from the game, causing Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman to lose the support of his comrades, rendering his powerful effects useless.
Now the attack powers of both Eatos and Grarl on the field are 2500, the same as Shining Flare Wingman.
But Youyu's advantage rests in the fact that Shining Flare Wingman is equipped with "Intrigue Shield", not being destroyed by battle once per turn.
Moreover, Shining Flare Wingman can deal damage equal to the attack power of the destroyed monster to the opponent. This means that whether Eatos or Grarl is defeated, 2500 points of massive damage can be inflicted.
"Battle!" Youyu directly declared battle.
The first target to defeat naturally is the more troublesome effect, also serving as Rafael's ace monster, Eatos.
"Shining Flare Wingman, attack Guardian Eatos!"
The shining hero spread his high-tech wings, launching into a dive from mid-air! The metallic armor drew a glorious trajectory in the air, like a silent engine at his back, akin to a projectile shooting straight at Eatos!
"Not so easy, Quick-Play Magic - Self Sacrifice!" Rafael shouted, "Pay 1000 Life Points to negate the battle destruction of a monster! Moreover, all my monsters cannot be destroyed by battle this turn!" (Animation Card)
[Rafael, LP 4000 → LP 3000]
The charge of the Shining Flare Wingman hit a wall again, but this time the defense was not without cost. The power of the Magic Card protected the monster at the expense of a significant burden on the duelist, deducting 1000 base points as a cost.
"As expected, this is a very Rafael-style action." Dark Yugi nodded, "Sacrificing oneself without hesitation to protect his monsters, this is the path of the duelist he has chosen."
It's evident that the Nameless Pharaoh is quite approving of Rafael, this duelist.
After all, he was once the man who stood above him.
Praising the opponent's prowess reflects well on one's own image (especially in front of AIBO)...
"Then set another card, turn ends." Youyu said.