After summoning Maliss Dormouse, Yusaku raised his hand and called out.
"Next, I use the freshly Summoned Maliss Dormouse and my Link-2 Raging Deadly Toxic Lizard as Link Material!"
"Link Summon, Link-3: M∀LICE Red Ransom!"
The instant his sharp declaration fell, both monsters burst into dazzling streams of light, howling upward into a diamond-shaped Link Circuit that unfolded out of thin air.
In the next moment, three arrows in the circuit's center, [↑][←][↓], erupted with interwoven crimson and ink-black radiance. As the light spiraled, a girl in a red-and-black layered gown slowly descended. Her pale-pink hair danced wildly in the air, and faint, flickering code-like patterns ran across her body.
M∀LICE Red Ransom
Link-3 / Cyberse / Link / Effect
ATK 2300
"M∀LICE Red Ransom's effect!" Yusaku snapped.
"When this card is Special Summoned, I can add 1 'M∀LICE' Spell from my Deck to my hand. I add the Field Spell, Maliss in Underground, to my hand!"
After adding the searched card, Yusaku swept his arm.
"I flip my face-down and activate the Trap, Maliss TB-11!"
The face-down at Yusaku's feet flipped open.
Karasu froze, then frowned. "You can activate a Trap the turn you Set it?"
He glanced at Yusaku's Graveyard, his brows knitting. "You don't have Makyura the Destructor in your GY either, and you didn't activate anything like Temple of the Kings!"
Yusaku's lips curled slightly. "That's because of Maliss TB-11. This card can be activated the turn it's Set by banishing 1 face-up 'Maliss' monster you control."
He pointed forward. "So I banish the M∀LICE Red Ransom I just Summoned, and activate Maliss TB-11!"
In a flash, the rose-themed girl dissolved into light and flew into the banished zone.
"I Special Summon Maliss Cheshire Cat from my Deck!"
A bright burst of Special Summon light detonated. When it faded, a cat-eared girl with fluffy ears, trendy streetwear, and a sharp, mischievous gaze landed lightly on the field, tail flicking.
Maliss Cheshire Cat
Level 3 / Cyberse / Effect
ATK 1500
Karasu swept his eyes over the cat-eared girl and let out a dismissive laugh.
"That's it? A Level 3 monster? You banished a Link-3 just to Summon a low-level monster. Was that really worth it?"
"What's not worth it?" Yusaku shot him a glance. "You don't actually think M∀LICE Red Ransom is gone for good just because it got banished, do you?"
"A 'Maliss' Deck doesn't stop at banishing low-level monsters to Special Summon them!"
Karasu: "???"
Yusaku immediately called out again.
"I activate M∀LICE Red Ransom's effect. If this card is banished, I can pay 900 LP to Special Summon it, then I can send 1 Cyberse monster from my Deck to the GY."
"I activate it and pay 900 LP!"
Yusaku: LP 7400 → 6500
The Life Point counter on the Duel Disk ticked down rapidly. At the same time, crimson light surged from the banished zone again. Wrapped in a storm of rose petals, M∀LICE Red Ransom returned, standing tall in the center of Yusaku's Monster Zone, her red-and-black dress whipping in the air.
M∀LICE Red Ransom
ATK 2300
"Now for Red Ransom's follow-up effect."
Yusaku revealed a card.
"I send Dot Scaper from my Deck to the GY!"
He slotted the card into his Duel Disk, and his voice rang out again.
"Dot Scaper's effect. If this card is banished, I can Special Summon it. So by this effect, I Special Summon it to my field!"
A pale-blue stream of data burst from the banished zone. In the blinking light, a tiny mechanical frog coated in blue glow popped out with a sharp smack and landed on the field.
Dot Scaper
Level 1 / Cyberse / Effect
ATK 0
The moment the monster appeared, Yusaku moved without hesitation.
"Next, I use Dot Scaper and Maliss Cheshire Cat as Link Material!"
Two streams of light surged skyward, merging into a two-toned pillar before plunging into the Link Circuit.
Two arrows, [↗][↘], lit up in brilliant white. Within the radiance, a mage in a white robe descended slowly, staff gleaming.
Splash Mage
Link-2 / Cyberse / Link / Effect
ATK 1100
"I activate Splash Mage's effect!" Yusaku fired off at high speed. "Target 1 Cyberse monster in my GY, then Special Summon it in Defense Position!"
"I target Maliss Dormouse and Special Summon it in Defense Position!"
Maliss Dormouse
DEF 300
The instant it hit the field, Yusaku called out again.
"Next, I use Maliss Dormouse and my Link-2 Splash Mage as Link Material!"
"Link Summon, Link-3: M∀LICE White Binder!"
Two streams of light howled into the Link Circuit.
In the next moment, three arrows, [↑][←][→], ignited with icy brilliance. As the light spiraled, a silver-haired girl in sleek white gear descended, sword flashing with a chilling edge. Her short hair fluttered cleanly, her gaze sharp as a blade. She looked like a valkyrie stepping onto a battlefield.
M∀LICE White Binder
Link-3 / Cyberse / Link / Effect
ATK 2300
"M∀LICE White Binder's effect!" Yusaku declared.
"When this card is Special Summoned, I can target up to 3 cards in the GYs, then banish them."
"I banish the Trap Maliss TB-11 and the monster Maliss Cheshire Cat!"
As the cards were banished, Yusaku didn't slow down.
"At this moment, the banished Maliss Cheshire Cat can activate. When this card is banished, I can pay 300 LP to Special Summon it."
"I activate it and pay 300 LP!"
Yusaku: LP 6500 → 6200
"Special Summon Maliss Cheshire Cat from the banished zone!"
Maliss Cheshire Cat returned to the field.
"Next, White Binder's other effect," Yusaku continued.
"During my Main Phase, I can Set 1 'Maliss' Trap from my Deck or GY. I Set Maliss GWC-06 from my Deck!"
A crisp hum sounded as a new face-down with a faint red glow appeared at Yusaku's feet.
Karasu's eyes went wide under the hood.
"Next, I Link Summon using Maliss Cheshire Cat alone!"
"Link Summon, Link-1: Link Decoder!"
The girl dissolved into dark gray light and poured into a newly opened Link Circuit. A phantom silhouette of turning gears flickered inside the circuit.
A dark-gray mechanical frame solidified, then landed with a heavy thud, sending gray dust skimming across the stone.
Link Decoder
Link-1 / Cyberse / Link / Effect
ATK 300
The moment it appeared, Yusaku snapped.
"Next, I use Link Decoder and my Link-3 M∀LICE White Binder as Link Material!"
"Link Summon, Link-4: Firewall Dragon!"
"And I place it to the right of M∀LICE Red Ransom, in the zone that Red Ransom's Link Arrow points to, the very center Monster Zone!"
Dark-gray mech light and silver-white armored light intertwined into a pillar that shot into the Link Circuit.
In the next instant, four arrows flared in brilliant silver, and a thunderous roar detonated as a massive dragon built from silver-white machinery descended from the circuit.
Firewall Dragon
Link-4 / Cyberse / Link / Effect
ATK 2500
"At this moment," Yusaku declared, "Link Decoder's effect in the GY can activate."
"If this card is sent to the GY as Link Material for a Cyberse Link Monster with 2300 or more original ATK, I can Special Summon this card."
"Firewall Dragon has 2500 ATK, so I Special Summon Link Decoder back to my field!"
Link Decoder returned.
Yusaku immediately moved on, flipping to the card he had searched earlier.
"Now I activate the Field Spell, Maliss in Underground!"
The instant the card was placed into the Duel Disk, the entire arena transformed. The clean white stone floor was replaced by kaleidoscopic, dreamlike tiles. Countless sparkling lights ignited from below, washing the stadium in surreal color, like stepping into a bizarre underground wonderland.
"Maliss in Underground's effect!" Yusaku called.
"As part of this card's activation, I can banish 1 'Maliss' card from my hand, Deck, or GY. I banish Maliss March Hare from my Deck!"
As the card slid into the banished zone, Yusaku continued without pause.
"Now I activate the effect of the Maliss March Hare I just banished."
"When this card is banished, I can pay 300 LP, then target 1 of my banished 'Maliss' monsters and add it to my hand."
"I pay 300 LP!"
Yusaku: LP 6200 → 5900
"I add Maliss March Hare to my hand!"
After adding it, Yusaku held the card up.
"March Hare's effect. While it's in my hand, during my opponent's Main Phase I can activate it."
"I banish 1 other 'Maliss' card from my hand or GY, then Special Summon March Hare!"
"I banish M∀LICE White Binder from my GY, and Special Summon this card!"
He slapped the card down. In the next instant, a cute silver-haired rabbit girl with a heart-tipped wand and a short skirt appeared on the field.
Maliss March Hare
Level 3 / Cyberse / Effect
ATK 600
(End of Chapter)
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