Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pitfall Hero

Looking at the newly acquired spell card [Fusion Fate], Yusei's expression shifted between surprise and confusion as he placed the card in his back row.

"I'll lay one card in ambush, and then lay another card in ambush..."

Following his previous actions, Yusei also buried the magic card "Swing of Memories" that Fubuki had entrusted to him earlier in his hand.

As a fusion spell card, [Fusion Fate] has the ability to unleash the Destroyer Phoenix in one go, thus changing the course of the battle. However, with spell cards now restricted, this card can only be used in the next turn.

The card 【Swing of Memories】 contains Tenjouin Fubuki's longing for her younger sister, carrying a special meaning.

Last round we used the card "Manjoume," this round it's time for Fubuki's cards to make their presence felt.

"Next, I summon Elemental HERO Skywalker (ATK: 1800) from my hand in Attack Position! And activate his effect to search for one HERO monster from my Deck."

"...I've chosen [Elemental Hero - Neo-Elf] (Attack Power: 2500)!"

The Sky Warrior, who died from overwork, appeared in front of Yusei as he spoke.

Using the search power of Sky Knight, Yusei picked up his deck from the Duel Disk, spread it out, and then added a [Hero] monster from his deck to his hand.

"First, there's the ice statue that committed the sin of arrogance... Go! Sky Knight, attack the [Ice Statue of Illusion] (Snow Fairy)!"

Directing the wind-attribute hero in front of him, Yusei gave the order to destroy the obstructing golem.

Upon receiving the command, Sky Knight immediately gathered a small tornado in his palm and projected it directly towards the location of the [Imaginary Ice Statue].

The existence of the [Ice Statue of Illusion] prevents Yusei from targeting other monsters. To resolve this predicament, he must first eliminate this monster that has activated a taunt AOE attack.

Eroded by the tornado's impact, the [Ice Statue of Imagination] returned to its original form, shattering into ice blocks in front of Asuka before being sent to the cemetery.

After that, Asuka received 700 combat damage from the difference in attack power between the two monsters.

"Well……"

Clutching her chest, Asuka, who had been attacked by the shards of the [Imaginary Ice Statue], instinctively took a few steps back, letting out a muffled groan of pain.

(Asuka LP: 3000→2300)

"I really want to activate a spell card at this moment... but I can't... my turn is over."

"Asuka, next round... I'll definitely let you feel an even deeper level of affection!"

Having successfully dealt a blow to Asuka's health, Yusei could only end his turn with a regretful expression.

If a magic card could be activated, then the most beautiful new life could have been summoned just now, quickly removing the current slightly awkward spell trap state.

But unfortunately... there are no "what ifs".

"Hehehe... Yusei, isn't it frustrating not being able to activate magic cards at will?"

Asuka, recovering from her injuries, let out a wicked laugh. Her gaze then fell upon Yusei. From the fleeting look of frustration on Yusei's face, a morbid sense of satisfaction flashed through Asuka's mind: "No matter what you say, it cannot shake my heart. You cannot convince me, and everything I have... exists for the sake of pure, flawless whiteness!"

"Asuka, you'd better say less of that kind of thing, okay? It might become a black mark on your past." Just as Asuka wasn't affected by the words, Yusei was equally unaffected by Asuka's attitude.

He has already noticed Asuka's change, so all he needs to do now is continue to work in that direction.

Everything else is irrelevant.

"No! Asuka... You'll definitely feel my feelings soon, and remember me, your beloved older brother!"

Hearing Asuka's obviously abnormal statement, Fubuki immediately retorted, "I believe in you. I believe you can definitely break free from this strange state!"

"Hmph! I can't hear anything." Asuka gave a soft hum, glanced at her brother briefly, and then returned to her previous expressionless state.

"Asuka~~~~"

Feeling deeply hurt, Fubuki clutched her head. Those around her cast sympathetic glances at their older brother.

597 Surpassed the original's disguise

Asuka, affected by the light of destruction, was naturally unmoved by Fubuki's words.

After piercing her brother's heart with the sharp blade of words, delivering a critical blow to Fubuki and leaving him in a state of uncontrollable vulnerability, Asuka then placed her fingers on the deck and, amidst the falling snowflakes, suddenly drew a card: "...My turn, draw!"

After looking at the card she had drawn, Asuka immediately placed it in the back row of the Duel Disk and activated it: "...I activate the Spell Card [Tribute of Icicle] from my hand. According to the effect of this card, I can Special Summon one [Icicle Token] (ATK: 0) at the cost of one of my Monster Zones being unusable."

As Asuka finished speaking, two identical ice pillars suddenly rose from beneath the ice-covered ground, standing like guardian deities on either side of Asuka's body.

What was engraved on the icicle was a bizarre pattern that looked like a human face.

One of them represents the monster area being restricted, while the other represents a derivative of the monster area.

“...Next, I will release the [Ice Pillar Token] and Tribute Summon the Level 7 [Queen of the Night]!” As she held up a card in front of her and explained, she placed the card on the Duel Disk.

As the [Icicle Derivative] disappeared, the shattered icicles disintegrated and then fused together in mid-air, eventually transforming into a new White Night Monster.

Her long blue hair, adorned with ice flowers, swayed gently. Like the Lord of the White Knights, the Ice Queen, draped in a similar white cloak, appeared before Asuka.

【Queen of the Night】(Attack Power: 2100)

"Huh? This [Queen of the Night] can be summoned with just one monster release? I remember that a Level 7 monster... requires two tributes to be summoned at a higher level, right?"

Watching Asuka's actions, Jaden Yuki couldn't help but utter a sound of doubt.

Could there be some hidden secret here?

"Ahem... I think that's because... that [Icicle Token] has the effect of treating one monster as two monsters when it's a Triple Summon!"

Seemingly recovering from the critical hit, Fubuki clutched her chest in pain and answered Jaden Yuki's question: "This effect should be limited to monsters from the [White Night] series. Other monsters cannot use this card as a Tribute to perform a Tribute Summon."

"【Queen of the White Night】, I have a feeling that this monster is the same type of monster as the 【Lord of the White Knights】 that Manjoume used before...

Kenzan felt a strange sense of familiarity from the monster summoned by Asuka.

After thinking for a moment, he finally came to a conclusion that surprised him, yet was extremely reasonable.

Perhaps, like the Lord of the White Knights, the "Queen of the White Night" represents Asuka-senpai's oath of allegiance to the Society of Light.

So, if we defeat this monster, we can awaken Asuka-senpai from the state of being controlled by Saiou.

"The effect of [Queen of the Night] is activated once per turn, allowing you to destroy one face-down card on your opponent's field."

"Huh? Damaging the card?"

"...That's right."

Asuka slowly curled the corners of her lips into a smile as she summoned a brand new monster. She looked at Yusei, whose expression had changed slightly, and then pointed to the card that he had set face-down in the back row last turn: "I chose... the card you had hidden at the end!"

"Varied……?!"

The one who let out this scream was not Yusei, Asuka's rival, but Tenjouin Fubuki, who had just experienced a shock.

Because the card that Asuka chose, which is about to be destroyed, is the very card that holds memories of his past with his sister—[The Swing of Memories].

Although this card's effect is simply to revive one Normal Monster in your Graveyard, and that Monster is destroyed at the end of the turn, it's practically useless and not as good as a similar card like "Silent Dead".

However, this card has a special meaning, which is why Fubuki entrusted it to Yusei to awaken Asuka's dormant consciousness.

"...Disappear!"

As Asuka spoke, the Queen of the White Night raised her arm and pointed to Geka's location.

As a blizzard swept by swiftly and fiercely, the face card that held Fubuki's longing was frozen, turned into fragments, and disappeared before Yusei's eyes.

Witnessing the card disappear before her eyes, Fubuki, her heart once again struck a blow, sadly lowered her head: "Asuka~~~~ My lovely little sister~~~ I never imagined your heart could be imprisoned so deep..."

"That's not true at all! Asuka is just being controlled by Saiou right now!" Judai Yuki placed his hand on Fubuki's chest, his face resolute, and encouraged him, "Asuka is definitely not someone who would forget the memories she shared with Fubuki!"

Tenshoin Fubuki: "Judai..."

"Ah! That's what I think too." Turning his head, Yusei nodded to the people around him and then gave them a reassuring look: "I will definitely bring Asuka back with my own hands!"

"Ha...you talk like you know everything!"

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the sounds of the crowd echoing in her ears, Asuka narrowed her eyes and retorted, "This is the real me! Yusei... you'd better taste the true power of my awakened self!"

"Entering the battle phase, I will use [Queen of the Night] (Attack Power: 2100) to attack [Elemental Hero - Sky Knight] (Attack Power: 1800)!"

With her arms outstretched in front of her, an even more violent blizzard formed behind the Queen of the Night.

As Asuka finished speaking, the Storm Warrior shot swiftly toward Sky Warrior's location.

Affected by the blizzard, Sky Warrior was reduced to golden fragments and disappeared without a trace, while Yusei was also affected by the ice flowers, taking 300 points of damage based on the difference in attack power between the two monsters.

Yusei: "...Ugh!"

(Yusei LP: 3000→2700)

"It's not over yet! I still have monsters on my field that haven't attacked yet!" After destroying Yusei's Sky Warrior, Asuka's offensive didn't stop.

Asuka continued to issue attack instructions to the other Snow Fairy on the field, who was in attack stance: "Snow Fairy (Attack Power: 1100), launch a direct attack on Yusei!"

"Don't think about it!"

"Varied……?"

As the Snow Fairy's body slowly floated up and raised its arm towards Yusei, gathering energy, Yusei, locked onto by the monster, immediately pulled out a card and slammed it onto his Duel Disk: "...Activate the first effect of [Elemental HERO Neos Elf] (Warrior/LIGHT/Level 7/ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000)! When an opponent's monster declares an attack, Special Summon this card from your hand in Defense Position, and... this card Special Summoned by this effect cannot be destroyed by battle!"

The ethereal Neo-Universe Warrior, bathed in the light of the new universe, stood guard before Yusei.

With a defensive rating on par with Nendoroid, Ultraman boasts a whopping 2000 points, enough to withstand the Snow Fairy's attack on Yusei himself.

"...Another effect from my hand? Hmm... Battle over."

With the appearance of a new monster, the number of monsters on the field has changed, so Asuka can now choose to cancel the attack of [Snow Fairy].

Following the Dynamite Man in the previous round, Asuka was once again outmaneuvered by the New Universe Knight.

After her offensive stalled, Asuka had no choice but to withdraw the Snow Fairy's attack after some deliberation.

"Hehe~~~ My effect isn't over yet!" Seeing Asuka's slightly depressed expression after being thwarted, Yusei, feeling pleased, stretched out his arm and continued, "At the moment of being Special Summoned, the second effect of [Elemental HERO Neos] is activated! I can add one Spell/Trap Card with the [Elemental HERO] name or [Fusion] to my hand from my Deck."

"...I've chosen the Quick-Play Spell Card with the 'Elemental HERO' card name—'Duel of Souls'!"

-

【The Duel of Soul Guardians】

(Quick-Play Spell Card)

Effect: You can only activate 1 card with this name per turn.

Both players can Special Summon 1 monster destroyed by battle this turn from their Graveyard in Attack Position.