The duel between Judai and Cronos was really like needle against wheat awn. Both sides revealed their cards, blood-pumping clashes, and the battle of aces, it was truly intense...
...Okay, maybe that's just from Judai's perspective.
As for Teacher Cronos, he might have a different opinion on this.
Because...
"When 'Ancient Gear Castle' is on the field, each time a monster is normally summoned, you can place a counter on it. Use it as a tribute, substituting the number of counters for tribute numbers for a Tribute Summon!"
Teacher Cronos raised a card in his hand high.
"I'm summoning a second 'Ancient Gear Golem' now, Norne!"
The students in the hall shouted out "666", expressing that the teacher was amazing, quickly summoning a second "Ancient Gear Golem".
Student Judai also expressed admiration: "So strong! Teacher is really strong!"
Cronos began feeling overconfident, even wanting to laugh heartily, but restrained himself due to his image as a teacher.
However, immediately after, Judai waved his hand: "Then activate the Set Card, Trap Card - Floodgate Trap Hole! When the opponent summons a monster, that monster becomes facedown defense position! And cannot change its position!"
Cronos: "..."
Tch, lucky little imp. He thought.
But it's okay, most of the Ancient Gear Deck's monsters have the effect of "opponent cannot activate Magic Trap when attacking."
We specialize in hammering self-closing decks!
...
Not long after.
"I use 'Ancient Gear Statue' on the field as a tribute, then special summon 'Ancient Gear Golem' ignoring summon conditions from my hand!" (animation card)
The rumbling of metal, heavy gears turning, the giant's crimson lone eye like a threatening predator, its enormous body slowly rising surrounded by steam.
Ancient Gear Golem, summoned again!
The third Ancient Gear Golem. Cronos stands with his hands on his hips, laughing heartily.
Come on, try setting another card? Aren't you particularly good at setting cards?
Then the small jellyfish immediately fulfilled his strange request: "Then... quick-play Magic 'Book of Moon', flip 'Ancient Gear Golem' into facedown defense position."
Cronos: "..."
WDNM you really set a card huh?
Fortunately, Cronos listened to Youyu and stuffed a few ambiguous counter cards in the deck before the fight. Two turns ago he used "Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell" to seal Judai's "Polymerization" card, so Judai, who excelled in using fusion to attack, found it difficult to launch a strong offensive.
Otherwise, Cronos might have been finished by now.
...
I was careless, really careless.
Cronos fully focused.
As expected of the Duel King's disciple, didn't anticipate he'd be so difficult to deal with!
But an elite teacher is ultimately an elite teacher. Under the premise of sealing "Polymerization" magic, he gained a certain advantage on the field.
Currently, Cronos has an "Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon" on the field with attack power comparable to a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and his Life Points are a healthy 3000. On the other hand, Judai's field is empty with no monsters, and his Life Points are down to 300. If he takes this attack, he'll be directly killed!
But Judai still has one Set Card in the back.
Cronos, who was led into traps all the way here, felt a bit apprehensive at the sight of the dark hole in the back.
But it's okay, he has a perfect counter strategy in his hand.
Only to see the teacher first play a Field Magic "Geartown", then smirk coldly, slowly drawing a card from his hand...
...I'm directly activating the Magic Card Heavy Storm now, Norne!
The Magic Card "Heavy Storm", directly destroys all Magic Trap Cards on the field, a very simple and brutal effect, also very effective, a heavy trap killer, the end of the underworld.
The onlookers drew in a breath of cold air.
"When Field Magic 'Geartown' is destroyed, you can Special Summon an 'Ancient Gear' monster." Asuka said, "Teacher deliberately activated 'Geartown' first, so when it's destroyed, he can Special Summon a powerful 'Ancient Gear' monster.
And the only trap the student on the other side can rely on will be destroyed, he already has no means to counter teacher's 'Ancient Gear' all-out attack."
She paused, and confidently said, "This duel, seems like the teacher finally won."
As she said this, she glanced at Marufuji Ryo beside her with the corner of her eye, seemingly trying to seek his opinion.
But Marufuji Ryo was expressionless, just shaking his head: "Watch."
Asuka was a bit surprised.
Even at this point, does Ryo still think this boy has a chance?
Who is this child really? Why does Caesar think so highly of him?
"Annoying trap finally cleaned up." At this moment, Cronos felt like he had finally seen the light after traversing a long dark night, "Finally going to end this, Norne."
"That may not be so certain, teacher." Judai continued to smile brightly.
Cronos: "?"
"The Set Card you just destroyed," Judai revealed a card, "is Trap Card 'Security Orb'! When this card is destroyed by the opponent's Magic Trap effect, destroy a monster on the field!"
Judai pointed at the dragon on Cronos' field.
"I'm going to destroy 'Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon', teacher!"
Cronos' eyes widened.
Ah??
How do you still have a trap that activates when blown away???
Watching his "Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon" on the field turn to debris, the teacher felt terrible.
He felt like he wasn't dueling, but playing an old side-scrolling mini-game full of traps, designed by a game designer who is a master of psychology...
But Cronos also had a follow-up on his side!
"When Geartown is destroyed, you can Special Summon an 'Ancient Gear' monster!" Cronos shouted, "I'm Special Summoning 'Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon' from the deck again!"
Countless gears interlock in the ruins of Geartown as a colossal shadow flies high into the sky! The steel dragon unfurls its iron wings, soaring through the heavens, radiating endless majesty!
[Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon, Attack 3000]
"Whoa whoa whoa! Another super powerful monster has entered the stage!" Judai continued to have stars in his eyes, as if completely unaware of the crisis he was in.
Cronos let out a long breath.
Although it's a... exhausting duel, at least it's coming to an end.
Cronos now seemed to understand why the Duel King insisted on him giving his all in this exam, and he also understood why he had stuffed a few seemingly meaningless counter cards into his deck.
If not for this, even if this elite teacher were to go all out, he might not be a match for this jellyfish-headed kid!
But thankfully, it should truly be over now, and this elite teacher wouldn't be embarrassed at the hands of a student.
Yet, this is also already his limit.
"Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon! Direct attack on Judai!"
But Judai waved his hand again and said, "Then I'll activate the Monster Effect from the graveyard, teacher!"
Cronos' eyelid twitched.
Don't tell me there's another trap?
Is this what justice's heroes are like? Do all heroes of justice like to set so many traps?
Judai already revealed a card taken from the graveyard: "Activating the effect of 'Clear Kuriboh' in the graveyard! When the opponent declares an attack, banish 'Clear Kuriboh' from the game; I can draw a card.
If I draw a Monster Card, I can Special Summon that monster in attack mode, and the opponent must forcibly attack that monster!"
After hearing this effect explanation, Cronos breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Alright, alright, it's not too tricky.
Cronos clearly knew that the Elemental Hero series deck hardly had any strong monsters; all powerful monsters relied on fusion. The main deck at most only had a 2600 attack Blade Knight to serve as a front, barely making it a hitter.
But his mechanical dragon boasts a formidable attack of 3000!
Therefore, Judai seems to have hope, but in reality, he has almost already lost.
Even if he drew the highest attack monster in the deck, Blade Knight—by probability, that would be a miracle—he still only had 2600 attack. Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon's attack would still inflict 400 battle damage, and with Judai's Life Points at only 300, he would directly lose!
"Don't scare me, okay," Cronos smiled confidently, "it's just a futile last struggle, isn't it?"
But he soon realized something was off.
Because Yuki Judai was still looking at his deck with pure enthusiasm.
"Teacher, you must think that I can't win, right?" Judai smiled.
"Hmm?" Cronos raised an eyebrow, "Are you saying you can make a comeback?"
"Of course," Judai said matter-of-factly, "A Duelist should absolutely trust their deck at all times and places. As long as you have unwavering faith, the deck will definitely respond!"
Cronos couldn't help but start feeling uneasy.
No, it's fine, he told himself.
The Hero Deck simply doesn't have a hero with more than 3000 attack.
Is he gonna conjure a counter card out of nowhere?
"Then according to 'Clear Kuriboh's effect, I'll draw a card!" Judai excitedly rubbed his hands together, "This might change the world with this draw! Thinking about it makes me super excited!"
Not only Judai, but the breaths of all the other examinees watching seemed to still as well. Countless gazes were fixed on the jellyfish-head, involuntarily anticipating the young duelist's next draw.
Judai knew the limit of his Hero Deck went far beyond.
The deck he poured so much love into, each card carefully selected, had just the one card that could help him turn the game around directly from this situation.
All he had to do was precisely draw that one specific card from the remaining cards of his thick deck!
Impossible?
To ordinary people, maybe.
But to a true Duelist, every draw is inevitable!
"Draw!"
A card followed along the trajectory of Judai's arm swing, leaving a perfect arc in the air.
Judai's eyes lit up.
"Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes!"
"Hmm?" Cronos began to panic.
"I summon... 'Yubel' in attack position!!!"
The demon's wings slowly spread, the Monster spirit gradually opened her heterochromatic eyes. Her forehead opened a third eye, and she descended onto the field with arms crossed.
[Yubel, Attack 0]
The examinees watching, and Cronos in the venue, were all baffled.
Why does your Hero Deck have such a strange thing?
Elemental Hero Yubel?
"A Monster with... 0 attack?"
"With 'Clear Kuriboh's effect, Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon must forcibly attack Yubel!" Judai stated.
Cronos was still confused: "But if battle proceeds, you'll take 3000 battle damage..."
"No, I won't." Judai smiled, "By battling, Yubel ensures that all battle damage inflicted to me is 0. Instead, the opposing side receives damage equal to that amount!"
"Nani!!??" Cronos was shocked.
But he couldn't stop the attack. The mechanical dragon's entire body went into operation, steam spewed forth, its surface turned red-hot as its beam of furnace-like energy blasted straight onto Yubel's body, only to be countered with an even fiercer backlash.
[Cronos, LP 0]
The teacher of Pot of Greed sat down dumbfounded, completely taken aback.
That such a monster exists!?