"My turn, draw!"
It was Kira's turn.
Not only was Sherry standing ready on the other side, but the onlookers, Akiza and Elsworth, were both curious about "Goodwin's" deck for this Duel.
Elsworth, still haunted by the sheer terror of facing him in his prior duel, was worried – perhaps even Miss Sherry herself might not be able to handle him. As for Akiza, in addition to knowing how powerful Goodwin was, she was especially curious about what new deck he might pull out this time.
At least in the duels Akiza had witnessed, Goodwin had never run the same tactics twice. Akiza was dying to see what sort of duel would unfold this time.
Kira: "Normal Summon 'Scrap Beast.'"
A canine-like creeping creature, but entirely mechanical, half yellow and half silver armor plating its canine chassis, with wires and pipes exposed in many places.
[Scrap Beast, ATK 1600]
That's right, a Scrap deck. One of the top Synchro decks from the early Synchro era, and one of the first decks Kira perfected in this dimension, using Goodwin's privileges.
"Scrap?" Akiza murmured softly.
So, it looks like a new strategy again.
Just how many deck types can this guy master?
"Battle," Kira declared, launching the attack. "Scrap Beast, attack 'Apprentice Knight.'"
Though that cross-dressing girl knight was fated to become the fabled Baronne de Fleur in the future, at this point she was just an apprentice. Faced with a lunging Steel Beast, she faltered, clearly tense.
Sherry: "Activate set card, Trap Card 'Floral Shield!'
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Negate that attack, then draw one card from your deck!" (Anime Card)
Countless flowers burst forth from the void, whirling into a vortex in the storm. The vortex became a blood-red shield, interposing itself before the Apprentice Knight.
Scrap Beast's claws and fangs crashed down on the shield, only to be thrown back by the recoil. Petals, scattered by the backlash, filled the air.
"Draw one card by Floral Shield's effect!" Sherry drew.
"Negate the attack and draw – not a bad trap card."
Kira praised casually, smiling as he made a broad gesture.
"Set two cards, end my turn."
Two back-row sets
Having just suffered in his own duel against this man, Elsworth clenched his fists on the sidelines, secretly worried for Miss Sherry.
Hope she won't get wrecked as badly as I did…
Sherry narrowed her eyes.
"Two set cards...think that's enough to scare me from attacking?"
She shouted,
"My hatred is my strength! Years of pain, years of grudges – this power won't be stopped so easily!
My turn, draw!"
Sherry flashed a spell card.
"Activate Spell, 'Fusion Birth!'
Send the top five cards from your Deck to the Graveyard. If the materials for a Fusion Monster are among them, Fusion Summon that Fusion Monster using those materials!" (Manga Card)
In one move, she sent five cards from her deck to the grave, then immediately revealed two of them.
"Two confirmed monsters: Beast-type 'Horse of the Floral Knights' and LIGHT Warrior-type 'Noble Knight's Spearholder' – Fusion!"
A holy warrior bathed in light, a steed galloping a path of flowers; the two merged into beams, entering a swirling, luminous vortex. The knight's sword split the swirling blossom vortex open.
"Fusion Material: 1 LIGHT Warrior + 1 Beast – Fusion Summon:
— Centaur Mina!"
A lovely female knight's upper body atop a centaur's horse's body. Her shapely form encased in silvery-white armor, a shining longsword in one hand, a red shield with golden floral patterns in the other. Her hooves stamped the ground, sending transparent ripples outward.
[Centaur Mina, ATK 2200]
Sherry: "Switch 'Apprentice Knight' back to Attack Position!"
[Apprentice Knight, DEF 1000 → ATK 1000]
The knight in silver armor switched from defense to attack, swirling her sword with a flowery flourish.
"Battle!" Sherry called. "Centaur Mina, attack 'Scrap Beast!'"
Hooves thundered. The centaur galloped forward, the knight's red hair fluttering like a blooming rose. Her flawless sword unleashed a silver flash, striking at Scrap Beast.
Akiza watched Sherry intently.
Launching an attack the moment she completed a Fusion Summon – this blonde lady really did feel like an accomplished duelist.
"Centaur Mina, destroy 'Scrap Beast!'"
The sword, whirling with flower petals, cleaved down without resistance, the shockwave ripping Scrap Beast apart. Wires split, sparks gulped out of exposed metal, the beast quickly shattered into twisted fragments.
[Kira, LP 4000 → 3400]
"Not over yet!" Sherry declared. "Apprentice Knight, direct attack!"
Akiza glanced at "Goodwin"—or rather, at his set backrow.
Surely Goodwin must have some countermeasure.
As expected, Kira spoke up: "Activate set card, Trap Card 'Dimension Wall!'
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Any battle damage you would have taken from this battle is inflicted to your opponent instead."
Cracks appeared around Scrap Beast as though the very space were shattering like glass struck by a hammer. The rupture formed a barrier in front of the Beast.
Akiza wasn't surprised. Called it—there's a trap!
But Sherry just sneered: "A trap? Already anticipated!
Centaur Mina's monster effect activates! Once per turn, when an opponent activates a Trap Card effect, negate its activation and re-set it face-down on the field."
Akiza: "She actually kept a counter-trap ready?"
Sherry shouted, "Your shallow trap tactics won't work on me! Centaur Mina, negate 'Dimension Wall!'"
The cracks rapidly stitched themselves back together, the rift sealing away as if reversed. The trap was re-set into Kira's backrow.
"So she saw through it?" Akiza muttered. "She actually broke Goodwin's trick?"
Sherry declared, "Let my vengeance and fury become the blade of revolution!
'Apprentice Knight' – direct attack!"
The young knight leapt forward, a transparent sword aura slicing from the empty field toward Kira.
Sherry was riding high.
Nice, two direct strikes to seize the initiative. At least on this field and in momentum, she was suppressing her opponent.
Kira: "Activate set card, Trap Card 'Miracle's Wake.'
Target 1 monster destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard this turn – Special Summon it."
Kira snapped his fingers.
"Special Summon 'Scrap Beast!'"
[Scrap Beast, ATK 1600]
Sherry frowned: "Scrap Beast's ATK is higher than Apprentice Knight's, so I'll skip that attack."
Staring at the Beast standing on the opponent's field, Sherry pondered.
Did he deliberately take damage to keep a monster on his field?
…