Yusaku's gaze swept across the four monsters on the opposite field, and he smiled.
Two Ancient Gear Golems, an Ancient Gear Megaton Golem, and an Ancient Gear Howitzer—not bad. At least it wouldn't be boring.
"My turn. Draw."
He slid the new card into his hand, thought for a beat, then revealed one.
"Dinowrestler Pankratops. If you control more monsters than I do, I can Special Summon this from my hand."
Yusaku set the card on his Duel Disk.
"Since you've got more monsters than me, the condition's met. Hit the mat—Pankratops!"
A burly, belt-wearing reptilian brawler crashed onto the field, flexing like a ring champ.
Dinowrestler Pankratops — ATK 2600
"Dinosaur?" The senior rep narrowed his eyes. "Junior, your deck really isn't 'standard,' just like you claimed."
Yusaku only smiled.
Pankratops was a handy piece—self-summons when going second, pops problem cards on demand. If a rogue floodgate showed up, it was the perfect answer.
"Normal Summon—Magician's Rod!"
A blue-robed phantom magician vaulted in, staff at the ready.
Magician's Rod — ATK 1600
"When Rod is Normal Summoned, I can add a Spell or Trap that mentions Dark Magician from my Deck to my hand. I'll take Dark Magical Circle."
He immediately slotted the card.
"Activate Dark Magical Circle."
A vast magic ring rose behind Yusaku, glyphs humming.
"On activation, I look at the top three cards of my Deck, add one that's Dark Magician or mentions him, and put the rest back on top."
He fanned three off the top, glanced at his hand, then plucked one.
"I'll take Sage's Stone."
…Huh?
The senior rep's brows knit. Why take Sage's Stone over Eternal Soul? He knew Stone only worked if Dark Magician Girl was on the field. Did Yusaku already have her—and how would he get her out after using his Normal Summon?
"And now… I'll use Magicians' Souls from my hand."
"This card lets me send a Level 6 or higher Spellcaster from my Deck to the GY, then either Special Summon this card, or send it to the GY to revive Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl from the GY. I'll send a Level 6 Dark Magician Girl along with Souls and Special Summon that Dark Magician Girl back."
A black whirlpool twisted open. A blonde in a cone hat flipped through the vortex, landing light as a feather with her small, flat-headed staff.
Dark Magician Girl — ATK 2000
"Now I can play Sage's Stone. Since Dark Magician Girl is on my field, I Special Summon Dark Magician from my Deck."
The magic circle roared. A tall figure vaulted out, staff boomeranging in a crescent before he touched down, cloak billowing.
Dark Magician — ATK 2500
"In this moment—Dark Magical Circle triggers. When Dark Magician is Summoned, I can target one of your cards and banish it. Begone—Ancient Gear Fortress!"
A surge spilled from the circle, crashed into the fortress behind the senior rep, and warped it out of existence.
"All that effort for one banish?" the senior rep said evenly. "Your monsters are mostly Normal monsters with modest ATK. You're not breaking this board."
"Not breaking it?" Yusaku grinned. "We're only getting started."
He flicked another Spell into the slot.
"Quick-Play—Soul Servant! I put one card that's Dark Magician or mentions him/her on top of the Deck. I'll stack Palladium Oracle Mahad."
"And then I banish Soul Servant from my GY to draw cards equal to the number of different names among Palladium, Dark Magician, and Dark Magician Girl on the field and in the GYs. That's two—so I draw two."
He drew, then lifted one card with a snap.
"Draw effect—Palladium Oracle Mahad! When I draw him, I reveal and Special Summon."
A column of gold lanced down. An armored priest with a radiant staff emerged, gleaming like a sainted guardian.
Palladium Oracle Mahad — ATK 2500
Blue motes gathered and swirled skyward.
"Xyz?" the senior rep murmured.
"Exactly." Yusaku gestured. Both monsters dissolved into light and spiraled upward.
"I overlay my Level 7 Dinowrestler Pankratops and Level 7 Palladium Oracle Mahad to build the overlay network!"
"Come forth—Rank 7! Ebon Illusion Magician!"
A black-and-gold magician dove from the vortex, aura crackling. Two orbs of light circled him like tiny moons.
Ebon Illusion Magician — Rank 7 — Materials: 2
"Ebon's effect—once per turn, detach a material to Special Summon a Spellcaster Normal Monster from my hand or Deck. I'll detach Mahad and Special Summon… Dark Magician!"
Ebon Illusion Magician (Materials: 2 → 1)
A second Dark Magician stepped out, staff sweeping in a smooth arc.
"Next!" Yusaku's eyes flashed. He slashed his hand through the air. "I'll Synchro Summon using my Level 7 Dark Magician and Level 3 Magician's Rod!"
"???"
The senior rep's students blinked, then broke into chuckles.
"Did he miscall it? You need a Tuner to Synchro!"
"Maybe he meant Fusion—"
"Fusion still needs a Spell!"
The senior rep himself smirked. "Junior, Synchro requires—"
He cut off, pupils shrinking.
The two monsters streaked into the air as white comets. One blossomed into a ring; the other shattered into seven bright stars. Three light-rings locked around the seven, a straight line of astral points blazing to the zenith—then an argent pillar hammered into the ground.
"You're kidding me—Synchro without a Tuner! Am I dreaming?!"
Mouths fell open. Someone actually pinched himself.
7 + 3 = 10
"Starlight, weave a new path—shine the road to power!"
Yusaku thrust his right hand skyward.
"Synchro Summon—Level 10! Chaos Twinwings!!!"
The cocoon of light behind him burst. Two opposing forces erupted—on the left, a wing of obsidian feathers crackled with violet lightning; on the right, a sanctified wing scattered crystals of light like falling snow. Light and darkness braided together into a towering fiend with haloed horns and a blade-edged tail.
Chaos Twinwings — Level 10 / Fiend / Synchro / Effect — ATK 3500
(End of Chapter)
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