# Chapter 39: Yūga Hōzumi vs. Yuya
"What?" The sudden turn of events startled Yuya, but he quickly composed himself, thinking, *Good thing Silverclaw Wolf is a Level 4 monster. This turn, I can still use its effect to increase its attack to 2100 and destroy that troublesome monster of his. Then I can use an Action Card to survive the next turn, and on my next turn, the one that goes to the Extra Deck... What? Odd-Eyes didn't go to the Extra Deck after being destroyed?*
Yuya's face fell. Why had his Pendulum Monster, which he could always count on to bounce back to the Extra Deck, gone to the Graveyard this time?
"Strange, isn't it? Your Pendulum Monster didn't go to the Extra Deck," Yūga Hōzumi said.
"A Pendulum Summon that brings out a lot of monsters at once might be flashy, but in the end, it's just a Special Summon that doesn't start a chain. And since you're summoning multiple monsters at once, if you run into an effect that negates the summon, it's easy to lose them all in one fell swoop."
"Furthermore, because the summon failed, your Pendulum Monsters were destroyed without ever being considered to have been on the field. That means the rule that sends destroyed Pendulum Monsters from the field to the Extra Deck doesn't apply," Yūga Hōzumi explained.
"Do you see now? A so-called miracle from the heavens is this fragile," Yūga Hōzumi said coldly.
"Battle! Performapal Silverclaw Wolf, attack Steelswarm Roach!" Yuya's expression was grim after hearing Yūga Hōzumi's words. After a moment of silence, he waved his hand and entered the Battle Phase.
Silverclaw Wolf lunged toward the demonic warrior in front of Yūga Hōzumi, its silver claws glinting coldly.
"I activate Performapal Silverclaw Wolf's effect! When this card declares an attack, all 'Performapal' monsters I control gain 300 ATK until the end of the Battle Phase."
Performapal Silverclaw Wolf ATK: 1800 → 2100
The demonic warrior was shattered by Silverclaw Wolf's attack, and the resulting gust of wind rustled Yūga Hōzumi's clothes.
Yūga Hōzumi LP: 4000 → 3800
"I set one card and end my turn." Having used too many resources on that one Pendulum Summon, Yuya had no other moves and was forced to end his turn.
"My turn, I draw." Yūga Hōzumi drew a card.
As soon as Yūga Hōzumi drew, Yuya turned and called to Silverclaw Wolf. He mounted the monster and began searching for an Action Card.
"If only my opponent controls a monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand. When Special Summoned this way, its Level becomes 4."
"Appear, Dododo Destroyer!"
Dododo Destroyer LV: 6 → 4
"I activate the Spell Card, Gagagarevenge! I target one 'Gagaga' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it."
"Return, Utopic Onomatopeia!"
"I activate the effect of Utopic Onomatopeia! I Special Summon up to one 'Gagaga,' 'Gogogo,' 'Dododo,' and 'Zubababa' monster from my hand in Defense Position!"
"Appear! Gagaga Magician and Gogogo Ghost!"
"When Gogogo Ghost is successfully Special Summoned, I can Special Summon one 'Gogogo Golem' from my Graveyard in Defense Position. After that, this card is changed to Defense Position."
"I overlay the Warrior-Type Dododo Destroyer with Utopic Onomatopeia!"
"Clad in light, appear! O brilliant king who tears through the darkness!"
"Xyz Summon! Heroic Champion - Excalibur!"
A greatsword descended from the sky, landing between the two and kicking up a huge cloud of dust. Then, from the galaxy vortex in the air, a warrior clad in fiery red steel armor slowly emerged. He approached the greatsword and pulled it free.
Heroic Champion - Excalibur ATK: 2000
"I activate the effect of Heroic Champion - Excalibur!"
"By detaching two Xyz Materials from this card, its ATK becomes double its original ATK until my opponent's next End Phase."
The two golden orbs of light orbiting Excalibur surged into the longsword one after another, and immense energy began to roil wildly within the greatsword.
Heroic Champion - Excalibur ATK: 2000 → 4000
"I activate Gagaga Magician's effect!"
"Once per turn, I can target one 'Gagaga' monster in my Graveyard, other than this card, and Special Summon it. After this effect resolves, I cannot Special Summon any monsters for the rest of this turn, except 'Gagaga' monsters."
"I Special Summon Utopic Onomatopeia from the Graveyard, which is always treated as a 'Gagaga' monster!"
"I overlay Gagaga Magician with Gogogo Ghost!"
"Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Descend, O samurai who slices through the gales! Gagaga Samurai!"
Two glints of sword light flashed from the galaxy vortex, and a samurai wielding twin blades leaped forth.
Gagaga Samurai ATK: 1900
"I activate Gagaga Samurai's effect! Once per turn, by detaching one Xyz Material from this card, I can target one 'Gagaga' monster I control. This turn, that monster can make a second attack during each Battle Phase."
One of the orbs of light beside Gagaga Samurai transformed into a whirlwind and surged into the twin blades in its hands.
"Gagaga Magician's effect activates when it's sent to the Graveyard as an Xyz Material! I target one Xyz Monster on my field. That monster gains 500 ATK until the end of the turn!"
A spectral image of Gagaga Magician appeared behind Gagaga Samurai, its staff scattering specks of starlight.
Gagaga Samurai ATK: 1900 → 2400
Watching Yuya scurry across the field on his wolf, Yūga Hōzumi entered the Battle Phase with a cold sneer. "Battle! Heroic Champion - Excalibur, attack Performapal Silverclaw Wolf."
Excalibur pursued the wolf-riding knight as he raced across the field and swung its sword, unleashing all the energy accumulated within the greatsword.
"Action Card! Miracle!" Just as the blade's light was about to fall upon him, Yuya managed to snatch an Action Card in the nick of time.
"One monster on the field cannot be destroyed by battle this turn, and the battle damage is halved."
A golden light flared, and man and wolf made a narrow escape from the sword's strike.
Yuya LP: 4000 → 2900
"Another Action Card?" Yūga Hōzumi said, watching Yuya's retreating figure. "Do you know where you are? That spot where you just picked up that card is the main gate of my alma mater. In my homeland, this place is like a holy land to duelists. If it weren't for this war, right now I'd be here, receiving my professional duelist license from our shameless old principal who never missed a single year of the freshmen's swimming lessons. And I'd be doing just what you said—spreading smiles to every corner of Heartland City through dueling."
"But this war forced me to become a warrior, and my Duel Disk had to become a weapon! Did you ever stop to think about that?"
Yuya raced toward another Action Card on his wolf, his lips pressed tight, unsure of what to say.
"Gagaga Samurai, attack Performapal Silverclaw Wolf!"
With a few nimble movements through the smoke-filled ruins, Gagaga Samurai caught up to Yuya and slashed with its blade.
Silverclaw Wolf, knowing it couldn't evade the attack, flung Yuya toward the Action Card and faced the samurai's slash alone.
Yuya LP: 2900 → 2300
(end of chapter)
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