Just as Mr. T said, as Tenjo Hikari activated the effect, Lancelot had already raised his hand, and a black energy ball flew out from beside him, merging into his rapier.
Mr. T saw Lancelot moving on his own and said: "Lancelot's effect, once per turn, when a Monster Effect, Spell, or Trap Card other than this card is activated, detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to activate. That activation is negated."
"So, that effect is negated!"
"But—the 'cost' must still be paid!" Tenjo Hikari smiled as he opened his Deck and revealed a card from it, "Fusion Material for Invoked Mechaba, Aleister the Invoker!"
A card flew out from the Deck and then fell into Tenjo Hikari's Graveyard.
"If the goal was to change the Monster's card name to Aleister the Invoker, then this action is undoubtedly useless." Tenjo Hikari added, "However, if my goal was to send the Monster to the Graveyard, then this 'effect' has already succeeded."
Mr. T looked troubled.
The card's effect is actually not simply an "effect", in fact, the full information of the Prism Hero card, at the very least, includes "COST" and "effect", of which the COST aspect is something you must do as long as you activate this effect, regardless of whether you get negated or anything else happens, as long as you choose to "activate" this effect, you have to pay the price.
Tenjo Hikari then sent Aleister from the Deck to the Graveyard.
Even though, due to Lancelot's effect, Prism Hero is still Prism Hero, it no longer matters.
"Activate the Spell Card, Invocation!" Tenjo Hikari immediately played another Spell Card he held, "This card allows for Fusion Summoning Monsters from the hand. If you perform a Fusion Summon of 'Invoked', you can also banish Monsters from your field, or from either player's Graveyard, for the Fusion Summon."
"Now, in my Graveyard, there's Aleister the Invoker, and in your Graveyard, Alexandrite Dragon and Galaxy Serpent are both Light Attribute Monsters—do you have any moves to make?"
"...No." Mr. T felt he had nothing to say.
"Then, banish the Light Attribute Alexandrite Dragon from your Graveyard and Aleister the Invoker from my Graveyard for Fusion—"
"Fusion Summon!"
"Level 9—"
"Invoked Mechaba!"
The roaring sound of metal wheels exploded, a huge mechanical knight piloting a mechanical chariot charged fiercely to Tenjo Hikari's side, its light illuminating everywhere, almost making Mr. T feel for a moment that it was unbeatable.
Invoked Mechaba, LV 9, Light Attribute, Machine-Type, Attack Power 2500.
"So, it's Mechaba!"
Obviously, Mr. T also knew about this card.
"Then—Activate Quick-Play Spell Card, Self-Mummification!" Upon Mechaba's appearance, Mr. T immediately sensed danger.
Mechaba has a powerful effect similar to Lancelot's, though unlike Lancelot who can activate by detaching one material, Mechaba can negate and banish an activation just by discarding a card of the same color.
In terms of adaptability, it is much simpler than Lancelot's forced activation!
"Mechaba's effect!" Seeing Mr. T activate it, Tenjo did not hesitate and immediately activated Mechaba's effect, "Once per turn, when a Monster Effect, Spell, or Trap Card is activated, by sending one card of the same type from the hand to the Graveyard, you can activate this effect.
That activation is negated and banished."
Tenjo Hikari picked up a Spell Card from his hand, "I send Metalfoes Fusion from my hand to the Graveyard."
"Naive, Hikari Tenjo—activate another card, Trap Card, Skill Drain!"
While Tenjo Hikari was making his move, Mr. T also revealed his final Trap—Skill Drain!
"Pay 1000 Life Points to negate the effects of all Monsters on the field!"
A pale golden light spread from the center of the field, extending toward Tenjo Hikari.
Mr. T, LP: 2000→1000.
The cards on the field lost their color and turned gray because of this.
But—
Mechaba lost its effect, meaning it's just a Monster with Attack Power 2500, but—
Five-Headed Dragon's Attack Power is 5000!
When everyone has effects, a card like Five-Headed Dragon, which has almost no effect and is nearly a blank slate, cannot prevent effects from being destroyed, nor can it interfere with or destroy other cards, appearing quite dumb—but once all Monster effects are lost, the sheer 5000 Attack Power becomes rather exaggerated!
5000 Attack Power, indeed!
How could Monsters without effects even reach 5000 Attack Power?
Moreover—
With the activation of Skill Drain, Self-Mummification's effect can also be resolved.
Mr. T showed a sly smile: "It seems this negation forces you to discard a card unable to resolve my card.
Self-Mummification's effect. Choose one Monster on my field to send to the Graveyard. I choose Golden Cloud Beast - Malong."
Malong's body began to collapse, transforming into countless black cards, burying into the Graveyard, but at the same time, numerous black cards also covered Mechaba, pressing it down into a card despite its panic.
"Golden Cloud Beast Malong's effect, when this card is sent to the Graveyard, it can activate. Select one face-up card on the opponent's field, that card returns to the hand—since it's activated in the Graveyard, Skill Drain's effect does not impact this card's activation."