Electrified Ice Blade Hand, summon!
"Electrified... Ice Blade Hand." Asuka was momentarily dazed.
Her feelings were a bit complex at the moment.
Because Electrified Ice Blade Hand happened to be one of her favorite monsters, and it was the ace card she used in her first duel in the original work.
"Not bad." Chief Takahashi smiled, "Electrified Ice Blade Hand was the first monster I designed after specializing in the electronic field, it's as if it embodies my very soul."
Asuka offered her reverence: "So you were the one who designed it..."
"That's right. That's why there's such a strong bond between me and my electronic monsters!"
Chief Takahashi played another card from her hand.
"Then, I'll activate this card from my hand — the Ritual Magic 'Mechanical Angel Ceremony'!"
Asuka focused even more.
A card of the same type as mine.
"I sacrifice the Level 6 'Light Divine Machine - Sakura Fire' as the ritual material from my hand! With Mechanical Angel Ceremony, I Ritual Summon—
—Level 6, Digitalized Angel - Vajra Heaven!"
On Asuka's side, the same kind of ritual altar appeared, and the image of the Light Divine Machine disappeared within, with blazing flames rapidly spreading, transforming into a towering fire curtain.
Digitalized Angel - Vajra Heaven, Ritual Summon!
[Digitalized Angel - Vajra Heaven, Attack Power 1600]
"When Vajra Heaven is summoned, return a Magic Card from the graveyard to the hand!" (Original effect)
A burst of golden light shone from the graveyard area of Chief Takahashi's Duel Disc, and a Magic Card ejected. She drew it into her hand and displayed it: "I recover the Magic Card 'Angel's Charity' from the graveyard and activate it again!
Draw three cards from the deck, then discard two cards from the hand."
Chief Takahashi's hand changed once more, and she selected two cards to discard to the graveyard again.
"I haven't performed a Normal Summon this turn."
She picked another card from her changed hand.
"I Normal Summon 'Electronicized Ballet Skirt'!"
[Electronicized Ballet Skirt, Attack Power 1000]
Some experts started to express admiration: "As expected of Chief Takahashi, her mastery of the electronic card deck is truly masterful."
"To set up such a formation within one turn... Isn't it a bit too serious when facing a junior from Duel Academy?"
"..."
But Yugen only noticed how much she consumed her hand cards in one turn...
But you can't blame someone; after all, GX is known as the 'Card Disadvantage Dimension,' and duels are meant to be like this. Especially with electronic card decks in the animated version, whether it's a Fusion or a Ritual route, wanting to summon a big monster generally starts with a three-for-one trade.
The system is like that, you can't blame the Duelist for card disadvantage.
Of course, you can't completely look at it from a competitive card game perspective. Even if the chief spends all her hand cards this turn, Yugen wouldn't be surprised if she drew a 'Celestial Treasure Scroll' next turn and turned it into a six-card hand with one draw, because that would be considered normal operation here...
"Battle Phase." Chief Takahashi said, "I won't hold back, show me your full potential!
First, 'Electrified Ice Blade Hand', attack 'Electronic Angel - Nasadiya'!"
The Ice Blade Hand glided on the Ice Blade, with its right arm, equipped with a Fusion Weapon, explosively extending and suddenly thrust out!
"Electronic Angel - Nasadiya's effect!" Asuka said, "When your own Ritual Monster is selected as an attack target, it can activate to negate that attack!"
A light blue hemispherical shield appeared before Nasadiya, like a transparent barrier blocking in front. The full-powered strike of the Ice Blade Hand slammed into the barrier, with the fiery impact washing over the water-like barrier, but it couldn't budge it at all.
"An attack-negating ability?" Chief Takahashi understood, "I see. No wonder the elaborately summoned Ritual Monster only has 1000 Attack Points; it indeed has a defensive-type effect.
Then, let's have 'Digitalized Angel - Vajra Heaven' attack 'Electronic Angel - Nasadiya'!"
Vajra Heaven glided forward gracefully, spinning like a top, and delivered a sideways kick.
"Still, Kida." Asuka said, "'Electronic Angel - Nasadiya''s effect negates the attacks towards the Ritual Monster!"
Again, the light blue barrier generated, and Vajra Heaven's kick landed fiercely on the barrier, the force dissipating into nothingness like a stone sinking into the sea.
Only then did Takahashi glance sideways: "No activation limit?"
"That's right." Asuka smiled, "As long as 'Nasadiya' is on the field, it can block any number of attacks on our Ritual Monsters."
"I see, it's practically an absolute defense for Digital Angels." Chief Takahashi understood.
In other words, this monster can't be defeated by conventional combat; only by destruction, banishment, or returning to the hand can it be dealt with.
"Interesting. Then I'll set a card face-down and end my turn."
"My turn, draw!"
Having the opportunity to duel with the chief of her own card deck field and showcase her achievements, Asuka was also in high spirits.
Now to demonstrate the new possibilities of her Digital Angels!
"I Normal Summon 'Digitalized Little Angels'!"
[Digitalized Little Angels, Attack Power 200]
This is also an old card from the animation. But the original effect was that when successfully summoned, it searches the deck for the Ritual Magic "Mechanical Angel Ceremony", and now it has been strengthened in physical card form to not only search for Ritual Magic but also "Digital Angels" monsters.
However, Asuka didn't use the new effect for now: "The effect of Digitalized Little Angels is to add the Ritual Magic 'Mechanical Angel Ceremony' from the deck to my hand!"
Asuka immediately played the card she searched into her hand.
"The Ritual Magic 'Mechanical Angel Ceremony' activates once more!
This time, I sacrifice the Level 2 'Digitalized Little Angels' and the Level 5 'Electronic Angel - Nasadiya' on the field as ritual materials to perform a Ritual Summon for the card added to my hand through Benten's effect in the last turn!"
Asuka raised the Ritual Monster in her hand high.
"Appear now, Level 6! Digitalized Angel - Vajra Heaven!"
[Digitalized Angel - Vajra Heaven, Attack Power 1600]
The Vajra Heavens on both sides faced each other!
"Then, according to Vajra Heaven's effect, retrieve the Ritual Magic 'Mechanical Angel Ceremony' from the graveyard once more!"
Asuka retrieved the Ritual Magic from the graveyard again.
Chief Takahashi frowned: "Retrieving Ritual Magic... are you planning to continue Ritual Summoning?"
"Field Spell 'Blessed Church - Ritual Church', effect activate!" Asuka said, "Once per turn, by discarding a Magic Card from my hand, I can add a Light Attribute Ritual Monster from the deck to my hand.
I discard a Magic Card to add 'Electronic Angel - Tujini' from the deck to my hand!"
"I see, so you're planning to summon Tujini here?"
Chief Takahashi still nodded with a smile, seemingly affirming the junior's performance.
Tujini was also a monster developed by their association and was currently the strongest among Digital Angels. Seeing the junior operating the deck with ease, she felt gratified in her heart.
But unexpectedly, what she anticipated did not happen immediately.
"The further effect of 'Electronic Angel - Nasadiya' in the graveyard activates!" Asuka said, "When this card exists in the graveyard, I can banish 'Digital Angels' monsters other than this card from my graveyard to Special Summon it!
I banish 'Digitalized Angel - Benten' from my graveyard to revive Nasadiya!"
Benten's image faded with a burst of golden light, the vortex in the graveyard opened, and the four-handed angel returned to the field.
[Electronic Angel - Nasadiya, Attack Power 1000]
"Resurrecting Nasadiya again..." Chief Takahashi pondered, "I see. As long as this Digital Angel is on the field, it can block the opponent's attacks and recover Life Points each turn. It is indeed a high-quality defense...
...What!?"
Chief Takahashi's eyes suddenly widened.
Because, at that moment, she saw her Tamashi (Soul), the Electrified Ice Blade Hand, which she personally designed and trusted the most...
...perform a resolute flip.
and defect to the other side.
Chief Takahashi: "???"