On the wasteland, Aoi stood facing the Big Five.
"Before we duel, let's make the rules clear," said one of them—Ōoka Chikuzen.
Aoi's eyes narrowed slightly. "So you're Ōoka Chikuzen—the legal counsel KaibaCorp used to keep on retainer. Go on."
Ōoka spoke in a measured, bureaucratic tone, as if he were presenting a contract clause.
"In this world, duels include an additional system: the Deck Master. Before the duel begins, each player designates one monster in their deck as the Deck Master. Each Deck Master has a unique ability, and can also be Normal Summoned to battle."
He lifted a finger.
"Victory conditions are also expanded. You win by reducing your opponent's Life Points to zero… or by destroying their Deck Master."
"I see." Aoi's voice stayed calm. "Fine. Big Five—use those rules, and follow the condition I stated earlier."
"No problem," Ōoka answered.
At that moment, countless monster cards floated into the air in front of Aoi like an arsenal offered by the world itself.
Noah's voice rang down from above, airy and smug.
"Aoi, these are the battle monster cards available in this world. Choose what you want and build your deck."
Aoi scanned the hovering cards without expression. Her hand moved with the precision of someone who already knew the outcome.
One by one, she selected.
The instant she finished, a complete deck list flashed into existence on her Duel Disk.
"All right," she said. "My deck is ready. Let's duel."
"DUEL!" ×2
Big Five LP: 4000Aoi Kisaragi LP: 8000
"First up, let Ooshita Kounosuke take point!" Ōoka declared.
Ooshita stepped forward, grinning. "My Deck Master is 'Deepsea Warrior'!"
Aoi glanced over her shoulder, as if choosing from a shelf.
"Then my Deck Master is… this."
Behind her, a mechanical serpent-like monster manifested with a cold, metallic hiss.
'Cyber Dragon Core'.
Aoi's eyes flickered as she calculated.
Deepsea Warrior's Deck Master effect… Tribute two monsters and reflect an attack back at the attacker.Deck Masters are ridiculous. A blank monster suddenly becomes a walking rule exploit.
Ooshita slammed his Duel Disk into position.
"Then I'll go first—DRAW!"
He set a monster face-down, then placed one back row.
"I Set one monster and Set one card. End my turn!"(Hand: 4)
Aoi's turn.
"My turn—DRAW."
She didn't hesitate.
"I activate my Deck Master, Cyber Dragon Core, once per turn. I add a card that lists 'Cyber Dragon' in its text from my deck to my hand."
She selected with surgical confidence.
"I choose 'Cyber Emergency'!"
From above, Noah's laugh floated faintly—like someone enjoying a show.
Aoi continued.
"I Special Summon 'Cyber Dragon' from my hand. If my opponent controls a monster, I can Special Summon it."
A white mechanical dragon dropped onto the field, engines humming with predatory power.
Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)
"So you're starting with a 2100 attacker?" Ooshita's face tightened.
Aoi didn't even look at him.
"I activate Cyber Emergency. I add another Cyber Dragon from my deck to my hand."
Then, with a clean motion—
"I discard Cyber Dragon to Special Summon 'Cyber Dragon Nachster'!"
A small, compact machine unit appeared, its frame sparking like a system coming online.
Cyber Dragon Nachster (200/200)
"When Nachster is Summoned, I target a Machine monster in my GY with 2100 ATK or DEF, and Special Summon it."
A second Cyber Dragon roared into place.
Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)
Aoi's tempo never slowed.
"Not finished."
"I activate 'Machine Duplication'. I target a Machine monster I control with 500 or less ATK."
Her finger tapped Nachster.
"I target Cyber Dragon Nachster."
Ooshita smirked. "Duplication only summons monsters with the same name—"
Aoi cut him off, voice flat.
"Correct."
"And Nachster's name is treated as Cyber Dragon while on the field or in the GY."
The smirk died.
"Therefore, I Special Summon another Cyber Dragon Nachster, and a third Cyber Dragon."
Her field swelled into a mechanical formation:
Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)
Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)
Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)
Cyber Dragon Nachster (200/200)
Cyber Dragon Nachster (200/200)
The Big Five's side went quiet for half a beat.
Then Aoi pointed forward.
"Battle."
"Cyber Dragon attacks your face-down monster—Evolution Burst!"
A beam of white energy slammed into the set card. A purple-skinned insect-like creature flashed into view for an instant before it disintegrated.
Ooshita clicked his tongue. "Hmph. You destroyed my 'Magical Merchant.'"
He leaned into the moment as if he'd been waiting for it.
"When Magical Merchant is flipped, I excavate cards from the top of my deck until I reveal a Spell/Trap. I add that Spell/Trap to my hand, and send the rest to the Graveyard."
He flipped—one, two, three—monsters sliding into the GY like fuel.
After six monsters, a Spell appeared.
"I got 'Dragon's Mirror.' I add it to my hand!"
Aoi's eyes gleamed with amusement.
"So you're rushing the Five-Headed Dragon line already."
She turned her wrist slightly.
"Then the other two Cyber Dragons will attack you directly—"
"Not happening!" Ooshita snapped.
He flipped a card with a flourish.
"I activate the Counter Trap 'Negate Attack'! Your attacks are negated, and the Battle Phase ends!"
Aoi didn't flinch.
"Fine."
She Set two cards.
"End my turn."(Hand: 1)
In a sealed observation room, Noah watched the duel feed with narrowed eyes.
"Strange…"
He leaned closer, fingers tapping the armrest.
"She already knows they're aiming for Five-Headed Dragon… yet she isn't even slightly rattled."
"It's like she considers a 5000/5000 monster… irrelevant."
The Big Five's turn.
"My turn—DRAW!"
A new voice stepped into the lead.
"Now it's my stage—Ōtaki Shūzō!" He laughed, greasy and loud. "My Deck Master is 'Nightmare Penguin'!"
Then, with a leering grin—
"Kaiba sure is lucky… to have a pretty girl who's strong, too."
Aoi's smile was thin and cold.
"If you have time to talk, you should spend it summoning your Five-Headed Dragon already."
Ōtaki's grin widened. "As you wish."
He slammed a card down.
"I activate Dragon's Mirror! I banish Fusion Materials from my field or Graveyard, and Fusion Summon from the Extra Deck!"
He swept his hand.
"I banish five Dragon monsters from my Graveyard—Fusion Summon!"
The sky over the wasteland seemed to darken.
A massive dragon crashed onto the field, five heads writhing—each radiating a different elemental pressure, like a storm forced into a single body.
"Come forth—Five-Headed Dragon!"
Five-Headed Dragon (5000/5000)
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
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I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter225)
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Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 195
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
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From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 225
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 210
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 115
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 130
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 85
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 90
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 100
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 75
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 60
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 71
Checking In in Demon Slayer 75
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 80
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 66
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 58
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 65
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 63
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 59
Why did they assign me to Uma 55
MYGO Beauties 56
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 45
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 49
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 36
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 35
The Uma Musume Who Became 30
I'm Definitely Not the King of 35
After Maxing Out Every Class 35
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