"My turn!"
Ansueeru swiftly draws a card, glances at it, and the corners of his mouth lift: "Normal Summon, Fusilier Dragon, the Dual-Mode Beast!"
With a loud rumble, two massive cannons rise from the ground. Immediately, a crimson dragon body ascends with the operation of treads, a colossal Mechanical Dragon with its body equipped with cannons stands on the field!
Due to the activation of new imaging equipment, the silhouette of the Fusilier Dragon appears extraordinarily large, making many spectators feel as if they could touch it closely.
Fusilier Dragon, the Dual-Mode Beast, Level 7, Dark Attribute, Machine-Type, Attack Power 2800.
"Ah? A Level 7 Monster directly summoned?"
"How can this be! A Level 7 Monster usually requires two sacrifices!"
The audience discusses fervently.
"Ha..." Ansueeru chuckles softly, shouting to the audience beside him, "Ladies and gentlemen! This is the magic trick I want to perform first—a grand transformation of the Mechanical Dragon!
Fusilier Dragon can be normally summoned without tributing!"
"Wow!"
"Oh!!"
He seems to be an entertainment-oriented duelist.
Tenjo Hikari glances at the cards in his hand, unfazed, waiting for his opponent's performance.
Duels are not merely contests; in this world, there are different levels of development. In the original work, Manjome once considered becoming an entertainment duelist but eventually apprenticed under Ed and succeeded in entering the circle of professional duelists.
In short, the circle of duelists is quite complex.
"But if summoned like this, the Fusilier Dragon's original attack and defense will become half."
Visibly, the body of Fusilier Dragon shrinks, and soon, it becomes only half its previous size.
Fusilier Dragon, ATK: 2800→1400.
"Eh?" A student watching can't help but murmur, "What's the point of summoning it now?"
Perhaps Ansueeru has sharp ears, or that student is simply his "plant," Ansueeru's eyes shine as he shouts to the audience around him: "Indeed, with only 1400 attack points, how could it possibly survive until the next turn?
Everyone, don't blink; the magic trick is about to begin—I'll set two cards and end my turn!"
Tenjo Hikari raises his eyebrows and draws a card from his Deck.
"Oh! Let's pause here, Tenjo-san—pay 1000 Life Points and activate the Continuous Trap Card, Skill Drain!"
The Trap Card inscribed with the Dark Ruler Ha Des from the Netherworld slowly flips open, a mysterious wave of light extending outward from the center of the field.
Simultaneously, the body of the Fusilier Dragon begins to grow larger!
Ansueeru, LP: 4000→3000.
Fusilier Dragon, ATK: 1400→2800.
"Wow? What is going on?" Someone exclaims.
"The attack power reverted to its original state?"
"But the original attack power was 1400! How could it revert back—"
Ansueeru gently waves his hand: "No, Fusilier Dragon's attack power is 1400 because of a card effect, but under the influence of Skill Drain's effect, it loses this effect, naturally reverting its attack power to its original state."
Songs of surprise fill the air.
Some spirits also start discussing among themselves.
Different from the previous duel, Ansueeru this time directly summoned a high-level Monster instead of using lower-level high-attack power Monsters!
While the strategy remains the same, the feeling is entirely different.
"So, Tenjo-san, how did you find my magic trick?"
Tenjo Hikari responds with a slight chuckle: "Indeed, a very interesting magic trick."
"Still laughing? What about this hand of yours?" asked Tierra beside with a furrowed brow.
"Why didn't you draw Extra-Foolish Burial?" Tierra wonders.
Based on her understanding of Tenjo Hikari's Deck, as long as the Extra Deck's Elder Entity is sent to the Graveyard via Extra-Foolish Burial and uses the Elder Entity's effect to destroy Skill Drain, then a seamless attack could follow.
But now, Tenjo Hikari doesn't have those cards, seemingly all Fusion Assist Cards.
How would he deal with this?
"Heh, watch closely—it's indeed time to teach you some more advanced strategies!"
?
Tierra looks at him confusedly.
"I activate the Continuous Spell Card, Scatter Fusion!"
A glimmering white diamond descends from the sky, flashing before Tenjo Hikari.
"Oh, a Fusion Spell from the Deck." Ansueeru immediately recognizes this card.
"Gem-Knights! Oh oh! Ruby, look, it's Gem-Knights—" In the preparation room, John, upon seeing Gem-Knights, immediately calls out to his Crystal Beast family. A cat with a Ruby embedded in its tail promptly jumps onto his head, looking up.
"Using Scatter Fusion at this moment?" Fubuki tilts his head quizzically.
"According to Scatter Fusion's effect, it activates when the opponent has Monsters on the field. It sends Fusion Materials from the Deck to the Graveyard and Fusion Summons a Fusion Monster other than a Rock-Type Gem-Knight Monster from the Extra Deck!
When this card leaves the field, that Monster is destroyed. After activating this effect, until the end of the turn, Monsters that are not Gem-Knights cannot be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck."
"The self-restraint limitation of Gem-Knights."
"It seems today Hikari has no plans to use the same materials to fuse different Fusion Monsters."
Several friends can see Tenjo Hikari's strategy.
"I'll send Gem-Knight Crystal and Gem-Knight Tourmaline from the Deck to the Graveyard to fuse—now, come forth, absorb the light into the Crystal, Fusion Summon!
Level 7, Gem-Knight Prismaura."
A silver-white figure flies out from Tenjo Hikari's Deck, its red cape swaying in the wind, slowly landing on the field.
Gem-Knight Prismaura, Level 7, Earth Attribute, Thunder-Type, Attack Power 2450.
"Prismaura!"
"It's Gem-Knights—"
Some Fusion Department students see its appearance and immediately cheer.
"Captain, good luck!!!" Serena shouts encouragingly from below.
Prismaura could be considered as one of the most frequently used and favorite Fusion Monsters of Tenjo Hikari, having appearances no fewer than the Flame Swordsman series, and Crystal was his first Gem-Knight. Some Fusion Department students who wish to play with a Gem-Knight Deck are more or less influenced by Tenjo Hikari and choose to use this card.
Crystal hears Serena's voice, preparing to respond but suddenly feels a strange force sweeping through its body.
Its right leg bends, almost falling, quickly supporting its body with a spear; simultaneously, its body begins to desaturate rapidly, turning gray.
"How is this possible, Master—" Crystal, sensing the loss of power, finally notices the combination opposite.
Skill Drain!
Does that mean its power can't be used?
"Don't worry, Captain, I'm aware of it all."
"Gem-Knight Prismaura, your most frequently used Gem-Knight, possesses the ability to discard a Gem-Knight card to destroy a face-up card on the field—but under Skill Drain, its effect becomes null!"
Indeed!
This is also what all in the audience are thinking.
"Normally, that's the case."
Normally?
"However—duels have many nuances, fellow student! Let me also perform a magic trick! Discard the Gem-Knight Fusion from my hand, activating Gem-Knight Prismaura's effect to destroy Skill Drain!"
"Master?" Prismaura questions, supporting its body forcefully with its shield aimed at the Continuous Trap Card.
"Don't worry, Captain. Just do as I say."
"Ha? Tenjo Hikari, are you mad! Its effect is negated—"
"What is going on, Brother Hikari!?"
"With Skill Drain present, why activate its effect? What's on Tenjo's mind?"
Tierra, hovering beside Tenjo Hikari, is the most perplexed.
She completely doesn't understand what Tenjo Hikari is doing.
"Watch closely, one day you'll need to use this technique—chain Gem-Knight Prismaura's effect and activate the Quick-Play Spell Card...
De-Fusion!"
What?
Ansueeru barely comprehends the situation at hand as he sees the Prismaura on the field instantly break down into Crystal and Tourmaline.
But that's not all—
Whoosh!
A golden beam shoots from where Prismaura once stood, instantly striking Skill Drain!
A cracking sound is heard as the Skill Drain starts to fracture in the reflection of Ansueeru's eyes, then...
Boom!
Shattered!
Skill Drain, destroyed!