Akiza Izinski drew a card and looked down at her hand.
Although she'd summoned courage and restarted the duel, Rhongomyniad's effect was still too, too strong.
She couldn't Summon or Special Summon monsters. Even Set cards would be destroyed by Rhongomyniad. How exactly could she cross this hurdle?
She began thinking about the cards in her deck.
Unaffected by any card effects, not destroyed by battle, opponent can't Summon or Special Summon.
To some degree, this monster was truly an invincible monster. Because once it appeared, the opponent could do nothing.
Fortunately, it wasn't entirely without weakness.
First, although it sealed monster Summoning and Special Summoning, monsters could still be Set on the field. This gave one some opportunity.
Also, it only sealed monster Summoning and Special Summoning. Spell Cards and Trap Cards could still be used to find methods.
There was a line of thinking in her deck to handle this situation!
That was effect damage!
Duel monsters, strong as they were, so long as Life Points reached zero, the duelist still lost!
Just through effect damage, victory could equally be obtained!
And her deck happened to have many Plant-Type-related cards and effect-damage-related cards!
But everything would come to nothing before Number 86: Heroic Champion - Rhongomyniad's effect.
Destroy all cards!
What to do...
Her brow furrowed tightly. Thinking through every possibility, she didn't know how to preserve her cards, how to continue her tactics.
"Miss Akiza! 86 must detach a material at the end of your turn to maintain its existence!" At this crucial moment, hope-boy Yuma Tsukumo cupped both hands into a tube as a megaphone and shouted at Akiza Izinski.
Detach material!
Akiza Izinski was suddenly startled.
She remembered that Xyz Dimension's Xyz Monsters, when wanting to activate special effects, had to detach materials. Since Rhongomyniad hadn't detached materials earlier, she'd thought it didn't have that kind of effect.
So it was at this juncture!
"Tsk, damned Astral..." Gossip Shadow couldn't help softly cursing.
As the aggregate of "gossip and rumor," it very much enjoyed the feeling of using the unknown, using fear, to torment others.
"So that's it!"
"If that's the case, that monster isn't so strong!"
"No no no, don't get happy just because there's a bit of good news. Even detaching one material per turn, this Rhongomyniad is still an invincible existence. Where would there be so much time and so many turns to hold out?"
Rhongomyniad was truly too strong, strong beyond words, strong not like a monster. Even most people's concept of "gods" was hard to compare with this monster. Even so-called Divine monsters had no way before him.
"So that's it. Thank you, Tori, Yuma. I know how to respond." Akiza Izinski looked at her hand cards and considered the situation.
She had two solving tactics.
"Activate Spell Card, Pot of Avarice." Akiza Izinski activated the card she'd just drawn. "Return Black Rose Dragon, Ruddy Rose Dragon, Roxrose Dragon, White Rose Dragon, and Red Rose Dragon in my Graveyard to my Deck, shuffle, and draw 2 cards."
She pulled the cards, as if playing zither strings. Two slender fingers pinched cards, drawing 2 cards from her Deck.
"Activate Continuous Spell Card, Black Rose Garden."
An enormous Black Rose Dragon statue slowly rose from behind Akiza Izinski. Countless branches sealed off this room, making Gossip Shadow feel extremely cold and gloomy around.
"As this card's effect when activated, I can choose 1 Rose Dragon monster from my Deck or Graveyard to add to my hand. I add Red Rose Dragon to my hand."
"Searching Rose Dragon again? But don't forget, this is meaningless." Gossip Shadow spread its hands. "On your first-turn, you could use this card for continuous Synchro to complete your 5D's so-called Synchro. But before invincible Rhongomyniad, this level is useless."
Akiza Izinski didn't care and continued speaking of Black Rose Garden's effect: "So long as this card is on the field, face-up monsters on the field become Plant-Type."
?
An inexplicable effect.
"Rhongomyniad is unaffected by other cards' effects!"
Although not knowing what significance Black Rose Garden's effect had, in any case just ignore it.
"Activate Continuous Spell Card, Seed Cannon." Akiza Izinski precisely activated another Continuous Spell to respond to this tactic. "Each time a Plant-Type monster is Normal, Flip, or Special Summoned, place 1 plant counter on this card. Maximum 5 counters!"
"Oh."
Someone reacted.
"Oh! Beautiful, Akiza!" Crow, seeing this card, immediately understood Akiza Izinski's intent.
When Black Rose Garden is destroyed, it can inflict 100 damage times the number of Plant-Type monsters in the opponent's Graveyard or banished. Seed Cannon can, by sending itself to the Graveyard, inflict 500 damage times the number of counters to the opponent.
Just gather 5 counters and 15 Plant-Type monsters, and effect damage victory could be obtained, completely bypassing Rhongomyniad!
"Set one monster on the field... end turn."
Although she'd thought out the strategy, Akiza Izinski wasn't that confident.
No matter what, with Rhongomyniad on the field, if he just Summoned any monster, she'd have great difficulty handling it.
If he Xyz Summoned more monsters, she'd likely have no way to win.
So every action next had to be conducted with utmost caution.
"Eh? Set a monster? Wasn't it said no Summoning?" A viewer had a question.
"Setting a monster isn't 'Summoning.'" Hikaru abruptly spoke.
This was probably something many non-duelists weren't clear about.
Because many times, when everyone mentioned "Summoning," it was "Normal Summon a monster."
But actually, it wasn't like that.
Normal Summon, precisely speaking, included two forms. One was the normal, face-up Summoning of a monster. The other was directly Setting a monster.
The former was so-called "Summoning," while the latter was "Setting." Therefore, Rhongomyniad, which sealed Normal Summon and Special Summon, couldn't restrict the opponent from Setting monsters. Even more, Rhongomyniad couldn't stop the opponent from "Flip Summoning" either!
But worth mentioning was that despite this, face-down Special Summoning was still Special Summoning, and couldn't be conducted while a 4-material Rhongomyniad existed.
In the City, worldwide, before all viewers watching this duel, Hikaru abruptly spoke, calmly addressing the drone, as if knowing the camera was watching him at this moment, like a commentator explaining the details here, and gradually let the viewers understand.
No wonder in this kind of situation, Miss Izinski was still trying to find a way to persist. So there really were still methods and lines of thinking!
"Tsk, at the end of your turn, Rhongomyniad's effect, detach one material."
Gossip Shadow flicked its hand. A special golden orb flew out from beside Rhongomyniad, transformed into a black Xyz Monster, and fell into the Graveyard.
Gossip Shadow snickered.
It wasn't randomly picking a material to send to the Graveyard.
Of course it knew Rhongomyniad's effect needed Xyz Materials to maintain and be used. So it had long thought out corresponding other tactics.
First detach itself, then use cards like Xyz Reborn to revive itself, then when Rhongomyniad had only two materials left, restore itself to Rhongomyniad's material stack, and could continue sealing the opponent.
Thinking carefully, this might also be the hardest point for Rhongomyniad for it.
Although Rhongomyniad was very strong, three-material Rhongomyniad already had "unaffected by other cards' effects" effect. So as a universal material provider, it could only send materials to Rhongomyniad for overlaying when Rhongomyniad had only 2 materials.
But it didn't matter.
In most cases, with Rhongomyniad present, the opponent had no way to resist and would be resolved in the blink of an eye.
"Alright, at this point still unwilling to concede, still thinking you can win? Too laughable."
"I only need to Summon a monster with 1000 or more ATK, and you're done."
"My turn, draw. Hmm..."
Here it comes!
Xyz Reborn!
Gossip Shadow chuckled, but then looked at another card in its hand.
Before using this, first...
"Normal Summon, Tatakawa Knight!"
Crack.
Lightning crashed down. A monster fell.
Tatakawa Knight. Level 4, EARTH Attribute, Warrior-Type → Plant-Type. ATK 1500.
Seed Cannon, plant counters: 1.
"Bad..."
"ATK 1500!"
"If Rhongomyniad attacks, then Tatakawa Knight direct attacks, Miss Izinski loses!"
Gossip Shadow commanded the monster: "Hahaha, in eternal despair, go mad! Rhongomyniad attack the Set card!"
The card flipped over. A red rose dragon raised both claws before it, tightly guarding Akiza Izinski.
Red Rose Dragon. Level 3, DARK Attribute, Dragon-Type → Plant-Type. DEF 1800.
"Activate the effect of Hedge Guard in my hand! When battle damage is calculated, send this card from my hand to the Graveyard to activate. Monsters on my field are not destroyed by that battle. This is a hand-card effect. Even Rhongomyniad has no way to stop it!"
Seed Cannon, plant counters: 1 → 2.
"...Actually held out, huh?"
Gossip Shadow was slightly frustrated.
The world's strongest monster had been Summoned, yet the opponent had lasted this long!
But then it couldn't help sneering and shaking its head, saying: "You couldn't possibly think you still have a chance, right? Seed Cannon's effect is, by sending itself to the Graveyard, inflicting 500 damage times the number of counters. At most, at most, only 2500 damage."
"Do you actually think you can hold out until then?"
"Ha, then let's see how long you can death-cling!"
"Set one card, end turn!"
Akiza Izinski lightly panted. Facing a monster like Rhongomyniad, the psychological pressure was truly too high. She was very worried her tactic would be seen through by the opponent before it could be executed.
"Held out another turn..."
"But the opponent's monsters will only increase, right?"
"At least she held out. Once this turn ends, the 5D's little lady can Summon and Synchro! By then, we'll properly show this arrogant Xyz Dimension guy how impressive our Synchro is!"
Yuma Tsukumo and Tori Meadows beside her also couldn't help cheering.
The situation was looking great!
Astral silently furrowed his brow, thinking in his heart.
Number 86: Heroic Champion - Rhongomyniad. Last time they'd been able to defeat Nash was completely due to sufficient luck, drawing "Xyz Overlay Delay." Otherwise there'd absolutely have been no way to defeat Rhongomyniad.
Number 75 absolutely knew about that duel. It should have prepared countermeasures.
He worriedly continued watching the duel.
"My turn, draw."
Akiza Izinski drew a card, looked down, and slightly pinched the card in her hand.
"Set one monster, end turn.
At this instant, you must detach a material from Rhongomyniad!"
"Yes! Team 5D's can Summon!"
"As long as monsters can be Summoned, 3000 ATK isn't so terrifying!"
"Yeah, so it's just unaffected by other cards' effects, there's always a way."
The viewers gradually gained confidence.
Even the Team Ragnarok trio, watching the duel intently, couldn't help slowly letting out a breath.
Perhaps because the opponent was an eerie creature from the Xyz Dimension, perhaps because the opponent's words were truly unpleasant, perhaps because despair itself couldn't be liked by them. In any case, in this duel, their hearts genuinely supported Team 5D's, even Akiza Izinski whom they hadn't personally met.
"My turn, draw."
Gossip Shadow leisurely drew a card from its Deck. It glanced at the drawn card and then sneered: "Continuous Spell Card Seed Cannon's effect is, send itself to the Graveyard, inflict 500 damage times the number of counters. Five counters is 2500 damage. You want to use card effects to reduce my Life Points to zero, right?"
Akiza Izinski, as always, had no interest in chatting with the opponent.
What's more, on matters concerning duel strategy, she certainly wouldn't expose herself.
"But this kind of thing was long within my expectations. Activate Spell Card, Harpie's Feather Duster!"
"Bastard!"
"Bad news!"
"Heheheh, destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the opponent's field!"
Boom boom boom.
Wild wind swept through. Vines, statues, everything was shattered by the wild wind.
Akiza Izinski lightly furrowed her brow and softly said: "Black Rose Garden's effect. When this card is destroyed, activate. Inflict 100 damage times the number of Plant-Type monsters in the opponent's Graveyard and banished zone.
One card."
Black thorny vines suddenly whipped out from empty space and lashed at Gossip Shadow with a crack.
Although only 100 damage, Gossip Shadow instantly cried out in pain. The wall behind it, from this single lash, was directly cracked with terrifying fissures.
Gossip Shadow, LP: 4000 → 3900.
Truly terrifying...
Gossip Shadow's face showed the expression of having just narrowly escaped death.
Just from this one hit, it knew that in a pure contest of supernatural power, it would probably be beaten to death by Akiza Izinski.
Speaking of which, one has to mention a dueling rule.
By dueling rules, if the opponent died during the duel and the duel hadn't ended, it was judged as one's own victory.
In any case, still had to rely on the duel.
"Hold out this turn, then on your next turn, use Synchro and other tactics to win. That's what you're thinking, isn't it?"
"Naive, truly naive!"
"Open Set card!"
"Trap Card, Xyz Reborn!"
Astral slowly widened his eyes.
"Target 1 Xyz Monster in my Graveyard to activate. Special Summon that monster, and overlay this card beneath it as Xyz Material!"
"Heheheh, what I'm reviving is myself, Number 75: Bamboozling Gossip Shadow!"
A smaller Gossip Shadow floated up from the darkness. Beside it, the material formed by Xyz Reborn orbited it in flight.
"Tsk, that's the thing that can replenish Xyz Materials!"
"Bad. If it replenishes materials, it's over."
"Before that, this guy has 1000 ATK too!"
Utter helplessness!
Not only had a monster that could replenish materials appeared again, but if the monster Akiza Izinski had Set had DEF lower than 1500, it would be destroyed by Tatakawa Knight in battle, then Gossip Shadow would directly attack, and she'd lose immediately!
Gossip Shadow grinned wickedly.
The others hadn't considered carefully, so they didn't know that currently it still had no way to activate its own effect to replenish materials for Rhongomyniad.
"Activate Continuous Spell Card, Overlay Network. Target 1 Xyz Monster on my field to activate. Add 1 card among that monster's Xyz Materials to the owner's hand. I add Rhongomyniad's Kagemucha Knight to my hand."
"Battle. Rhongomyniad attacks Red Rose Dragon!"
Rhongomyniad again raised his invincible spear, aiming at the crimson rose dragon to attack. Rose Dragon couldn't resist. In just an instant, it was pierced through and dispersed.
"Then, Tatakawa Knight attacks the Set monster!"
The Set monster slowly flipped over, revealing its true form and value.
DEF 500!
"Aaah!" Yuma grabbed his hair in panic.
Why only 500!
"Wait, Yuma! That card is..." Astral suddenly grew delighted.