Chapter 121: This Kind of Duel Won't Bring Smiles
Watching the reflected pink energy ball bounce directly back, Amano Rei smiled with resignation.
As expected—facing three-Set Yugi Mutou, couldn't harbor such wishful thinking.
At this time outside the stream, Kaiba Chiaki also smiled with resignation seeing this scene.
Kaiba Chiaki had been schemed into losing with exactly this move. After all, Blue-Eyes White Dragon had higher ATK—after fusing into Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, eating one Magic Cylinder meant instant game over.
Yugi Mutou's heavy trap deck was far too easy to first-blood kill duelists without intel.
"So this is all you can manage, Amano..."
"Set Trap Card activates!" Before the lethal damage truly descended, Amano urgently flipped his backrow Set card.
"Continuous Trap Card Call of the Haunted can revive one Normal Monster from my Graveyard!"
"Reviving a monster at this time—truly futile struggling." Kaiba Chiha mocked.
You had to know, changes in monster numbers on her field wouldn't rewind attacks.
"What I'm reviving is the Normal Monster Dark Magician from my Graveyard! Descend, highest-level dark magician!"
The card ejecting from Amano Rei's Graveyard zone opened a dark magic power vortex in the duel hall. A tall, handsome figure rushed into the battlefield from the vortex embracing his staff.
[Dark Magician] [Level 7★ DARK]
[Spellcaster/Normal]
[ATK: 2500] [DEF: 2100]
"I told you, this kind of struggling is use— Wait, could it be!"
Waiting for Amano Rei's defeat, Chiha suddenly discovered—after Dark Magician descended, something's value on field changed.
Dark Magician Girl's ATK.
Dark Magician Girl's effect raised ATK by 300 when Dark Magician existed in the Graveyard.
So if Dark Magician got revived...
[Dark Magician Girl] [ATK: 2300 → 2000]
Though Dark Magician Girl's attack still got reflected by Magic Cylinder.
But this emergency revival—the 300 ATK rise and fall—let Amano Rei hover between being bounced to death and not being bounced to death.
Amano Rei LP: 2200 → 200
Pink energy explosion slammed into Amano Rei, raising thick blast smoke.
Mana covered her small mouth apologetically: "Sorry, Amano. I used too much force."
"No, opponent's too underhanded." Amano Rei rallied his spirits again. Though paying half his Life Points as price, at least he'd stepped on one opponent trap.
"No way, this is completely wrong, family!" Mizuki excitedly explained in the stream room. "How could Kaiba Corporation's T30 AI have legendary-level Trap Card Magic Cylinder!"
Legendary-level Trap Card, huh.
Indeed, in Eden's anime rules with only 4000 LP, trap cards that wildly activated throughout anime like Magic Cylinder truly deserved a "legendary" title.
[[Is this AI challenge bugged?]]
[[Making T30 this difficult—discouraging newbies?]]
[[I was curious about Kaiba Corporation's newly launched AI service before. Now seems like complete half-finished product.]]
[[Kaiba Corporation's gotten too cocky recently.]]
[[Go magic user big bro! Can't lose to bug AI!]]
As the duel progressed, barrage rhythm gradually unified—this Kaiba Corporation AI definitely had problems.
Chiha's complexion shifted slightly. Situation seemed developing toward uncontrollable direction.
Kaiba Corporation's reputation seemed declining!
More deadly—her own sister was also watching in stream room. After learning the full story, if she investigated...
"All that Amano Rei's fault!" The young brat angrily bit down, silver teeth grinding audibly. "Can't you just obediently go die!"
The longer Amano Rei lasted, the more AI information exposed, the more viewers would notice wrong things.
[Kaiba Chiha] [Affection -1]
Playing cards mid-duel, Amano Rei saw the inexplicable system notification flash before eyes—again totally confused.
Wait, what did I do to her now?
Whatever, forget the young brat. Currently the duel was more important.
"Then I'll attack with Dark Magician, attacking Magician's Valkyria!"
"—Dark Magic Attack!"
Dark Magician's attack motion was more skilled than Dark Magician Girl's—almost needing no exaggerated charging before shooting higher-ATK dark magic core toward opponent's field.
"Truly incredible attack, Amano-kun."
Now just hearing AI Yugi Mutou speak already made Amano Rei sweat from his back.
You brat, being passive-aggressive again, right!
"Set Trap Card activates—Reinforce Truth!"
[Reinforce Truth] [Trap Card: When a monster you control or your opponent controls declares an attack: Activate 1 of these effects:
● Destroy that attacking monster.
● Target 1 other monster on the field; change the attack target to that monster and conduct damage calculation.]
Trap card with two choice effects.
Choosing first effect was equivalent to everyone's beloved Sakuretsu Armor.
But choosing second effect...
"I choose the second effect, targeting Dark Magician Girl on Amano-kun's field to change Dark Magician's attack target!"
Only people without friends would choose the second effect.
Reinforce Truth forcibly equipped onto Dark Magician Girl—looked somewhat lewd. As expected, as long as chest strength was sufficient, wearing any clothes didn't matter?
Forcibly changing attack target, the black energy attack Dark Magician shot twisted direction toward Dark Magician Girl also on Amano Rei's field.
Making your own monster battle your own monster—the resulting battle damage had to be borne by Amano Rei himself.
2500 ATK Dark Magician destroying 2000 ATK Dark Magician Girl—500 damage was enough to clear Amano Rei's remaining Life Points.
Even Rin Seiya felt bone-chilling coldness, shivering from cold, couldn't help crossing arms rubbing shoulders.
"This AI is too underhanded. I never want to play cards with this kind of AI in my life."
"Agreed." Nanki'in Sakuya nodded in agreement.
Both their views probably matched most stream room viewers' views at this moment.
Such underhanded AI—whoever wants to fight it can fight it.
"Set Quick-Play Spell activates! Last Day of Witch!"
[Last Day of Witch] [Quick-Play Spell: Target 1 non-Token Normal Monster you control; Tribute it, then destroy 1 monster your opponent controls.]
If Dark Magician got induced by trap, his side would lose again. So Amano Rei didn't hesitate—decisively chose sacrificing rook to save king.
"I Tribute Normal Monster Dark Magician on my field to destroy one monster on your field!"
Releasing final magic ripples, Dark Magician transformed himself into projectile, charging toward Marshmallon on Yugi Mutou's field.
[Marshmallon destroyed]
As one of the few effect destruction cards in deck, Amano Rei ultimately decided to destroy Marshmallon.
Otherwise with one eternally battle-indestructible Marshmallon sitting on Yugi Mutou's field, even gaining field advantage couldn't easily win the duel.
"I Set one card, then Normal Summon one monster in face-down Defense Position. Turn end!"
Amano Rei's turn launched two attacks—both attacks nearly killed himself.
This kind of duel won't bring smiles.
But good news—after consuming opponent's two traps, AI Yugi Mutou's remaining resources weren't very abundant either.
Yugi Mutou's field monsters were Dark Magician Girl, Magician's Valkyria, and one Set card. Hand cards—only one remaining.
Of course, Amano Rei's side wasn't much better resourcewise. Field had Dark Magician Girl and Defense-hidden Eve, also one Set card and one hand card.
The key was Amano Rei's remaining hand card was Blue-Eyes White Dragon—currently completely unusable.
"My turn, draw." Starting his turn, Yugi Mutou glanced at the just-drawn card. "Seems both our hands can't support this duel anymore."
Mm, this classic line—could it be?
Card of Sanctity!
Effect lets both sides draw until holding 6 hand cards. Most classic hand-refill method in first-gen anime.
After all, Amano Rei only had 1 unusable hand card—didn't mind refilling both hands to 6 cards together.
Though this way, would still face mountains of heavy traps.
AI Yugi Mutou placed this turn's drawn card into Duel Disk: "I activate Spell Card Pot of Greed—I draw two more cards from my Deck!"
Wait, you're drawing alone? Then why say the classic line?
How are you so selfish!
Perhaps cards like Card of Sanctity were so rare in Eden their acquisition methods completely unknown—Kaiba Corporation's AI system couldn't replicate them, simply stuffed in Pot of Greed as replacement.
After refilling hand to three cards, pure white magic light suddenly spread from Magician's Valkyria's feet on Yugi Mutou's field.
"I Tribute Magician's Valkyria on my field to Special Summon from my hand the sage who can silence all magic—Silent Magician!"
[Silent Magician] [Level 4★ LIGHT]
[Spellcaster/Special Summon/Effect]
[ATK: 1000] [DEF: 1000]
[This card cannot be Normal Summoned. This card can only be Special Summoned by Tributing 1 Spellcaster monster you control.]
Though a 4-star monster, had to tribute one Spellcaster monster on field to Special Summon.
Wearing sexy white magic robe, topped with triangular white hat—the mature lady mage inherited Magician's Valkyria's released light, materializing gently floating onto Yugi Mutou's field.
"Silent Magician's ATK increases by 500 for each card in my hand. I currently have two hand cards, raising Silent Magician's ATK by 1000!"
Half-step Slifer the Sky Dragon's ATK-raising effect. Sky Dragon was 1000 ATK per hand card, True Silent was 500 ATK per hand card.
[Silent Magician] [ATK: 1000 → 2000]
But just 2000 ATK couldn't break through 2300-ATK Dark Magician Girl or 2100-DEF Eve.
Yugi Mutou waved hand forward declaring: "Battle! My field mages!"
Currently on AI Yugi Mutou's field, highest ATK was also 2300-point Dark Magician Girl.
Dark Magician Girl's effect—if Dark Magician existed in either player's Graveyard, ATK increased. So even with Dark Magician in Amano Rei's Graveyard, it also raised Yugi Mutou's Dark Magician Girl's ATK.
Both sides 2300 ATK—could mutually destroy.
But the monster Yugi Mutou attacked with first was surprisingly 2000-ATK Silent Magician.
"I attack your Dark Magician Girl with Silent Magician!"
Using lower ATK to crash into higher ATK. Pure white magic beam gathering in Silent Magician's hands shot toward completely confused Dark Magician Girl on Amano Rei's field.
"—True Silent Blast!"
"—Dark Magic Attack!"
Though unclear what happened, Mana also timely counterattacked. Pink spherical blast magic overwhelmed True Silent's pure white magic beam, reflecting the attack back.
[Silent Magician destroyed]
Yugi Mutou LP: 4000 → 3700
Never expected that facing mountains of heavy traps, Amano Rei's first damage dealt to AI Yugi Mutou was surprisingly in this form of opponent actively self-destructing.
[[What's this AI doing?]]
[[This many bugs? Can output such confusing plays.]]
[[But these girl cards all look so good—this is my favorite girl card brawl!]]
On Yugi Mutou's field, the blasted pure white magic not only didn't dissipate but intensified instead.
Like opened magic fountain, pure white magic representing Silent Magician frantically poured toward field center.
"This is Silent Magician's effect!"
[When this face-up card on the field is destroyed by battle or opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Silent Magician" monster from your hand or Deck, except "Silent Magician," ignoring its Summoning conditions.]
"Sage who reached truth's ultimate realm! Guide silent magic's extreme, bloom magic guidance's radiance here!"
"By effect, Special Summon from my Deck—Silent Magician LV8!!"
[Silent Magician LV8] [Level 8★ LIGHT]
[Spellcaster/Special Summon/Effect]
[ATK: 3500] [DEF: 1000]
[This card is unaffected by your opponent's Spell Card effects.]
Monsters with levels in names originally should require low-level monsters to slowly upgrade through satisfying condition effects.
But borrowing Silent Magician's last-word effect, Yugi Mutou directly skipped tedious upgrade process, summoning highest-level Silent Magician LV8 to his field.
Appearing more beautiful than initial form—mature lady mage with profound magic surrounding sexy body, after reaching realm of magic truth, was no longer affected by opponent's Spell Card effects.
And even ATK was...
[[ATK actually higher than Blue-Eyes White Dragon!]] ×N
Stream screen instantly got spammed by nearly identical barrage.
Kaiba Chiaki watching frantically floating barrage, eye corner twitching.
This was a monster she'd never even forced out, yet Amano Rei achieved it.
But that was merely because—after Amano Rei barely survived AI-laid trap cards, this was the final killing method AI sacrificed.
Both sides' battle gap was far too large. Just from current field situation, facing Yugi Mutou's AI, Kaiba Chiaki saw absolutely no hope for Amano to win.
"Is this the end, Amano Rei?"
***
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