My anime-style card deck is fine!

But the rapid turnback and the appearance of the bronze bell interrupted this process.

First, the destruction of Gear 1 thwarted his plan to recruit other followers, forcing him to face the heavy impact of the Bronze Bell in an empty field!

But putting everything else aside, we can't let them get through this attack!

"Activate the effect of 'No One Survives' on my field. I can choose any time to destroy it! At the same time, all non-living minions that were summoned or Special Summoned during its existence will also be destroyed!"

"Instructions correct, requesting air support!"

The building cards on the site shattered with a crash.

Just like this dilapidated city, all the life, puppets, and wars that once existed on this land have perished in time.

With the onslaught of missiles, both the field card and Amon's bronze bell will be destroyed!

"Trying to destroy my bronze bell won't be that easy!"

Amon played a card: "Use [Pokémon Move: Protect]!"

"When this effect is activated, the Pokémon on my field that uses this effect is immune to all effects of any card effect, for this one and only time!"

"Tsk! They actually survived!"

The masked examiner was a little annoyed, but the effect of this card was too overpowered; it truly granted immunity to everything!

Fortunately, the effect of the heavy blow was interrupted after the defense was secured.

This gave him a slight sense of relief.

Then continue to activate the cards in your hand:

"Activate the effects of the two cards I just discarded to the Graveyard. When they are sent to the Graveyard by card effects, you can activate this effect to Special Summon two [Bloody Gears] from my Deck!"

The summoning that was just interrupted continues!

This time, the two gears were summoned and appeared without any problems.

At that moment, Amon suddenly played a card: "When your opponent successfully summons a follower/monster, this card can be activated from your hand!"

"Ritual Card: [Pokémon Embraces the Challenge]!"

"Choose one of my Pokémon on the field, and during this turn, it can use each of its four held move cards once!"

"The Bronze Bell, another [major impact]!"

The bronze bell, which had just stopped spinning, began to spin at high speed again at Amon's command!

"Again?!"

The masked card master was still shaken after almost being hit in the face by the bronze bell.

We finally managed to stop their use with the venue card, and now it's happening again?!

"I activate the effect of the [Bloody Gear 2] that I just summoned, sending it to the graveyard, and then negate the effect of one of your minions!"

On the field, the No. 2 gear, which had just entered the arena, suddenly exploded.

Transforming into countless tiny gears, they surged forth and covered the bronze bell that had just begun to rotate, and as the bronze bell rotated, a large number of tiny gears were crushed.

But even more gears kept coming in densely packed, forcefully blocking the heavy impact of the bronze bell!

The masked examiner didn't even have time to breathe a sigh of relief.

Fearing that Amon might do it again, he quickly played his next maneuver: "Then I activate the effect of [Bloody Gear No. 3], destroy one [Bloody Gear] on the field, and Special Summon one [Bloody Gear] from my Extra Deck!"

"Come on, [Bloody Gear - Steam-Powered Serrated Shark]!"

Touch~!

A shark made entirely of crimson gears leaped out of the masked examiner's deck.

A large amount of steam spewed out from under the openwork mechanical skin, forming a small sea of ​​clouds in the air, and the red shark swam in it, opening its ferocious mouth. Without waiting for the card master's command, it pounced straight at Amon!

It's a [direct attack] that can bypass minions!

"Not bad." Amon looked at the shark that was pouncing on him, but he wasn't worried at all.

Instead, they were somewhat interested in how the masked examiners responded.

As expected of a Silver Card Master, he managed to block the heavy impact of the Bronze Bell twice in a row, and not only that, he also managed to Special Summon another minion!

Although both are three-star cards, unlike Gear 1, 2, and 3 which are clearly just basic materials, this shark is obviously the main offensive and defensive tool of the opposing card master.

Because, as soon as the shark appeared, it went straight for Amon.

"Direct attack, serrated shark!"

The masked examiner's instructions came late, but I still felt a little disappointed.

Amon's movements were too fast, or rather, that Fiery Roaring Tiger was too agile—if Amon had used a threat instead of a rapid turnback, he would have had five gears on the field!

All we need to do then is sacrifice these five gears.

With that ability, he could summon five Blood Sharks that could attack directly in one go. No matter how powerful the minions Amon summoned were, he would still just be an ordinary three-star card master!

One wave is enough to take Amon away!

However, one card doesn't matter, he still has cards in his hand!

"That's terrifying. I can't let that scary thing near me. It would be terrible if I caught tetanus." Amon's voice came from the other side: "Stop him, Bronze Bell!"

"—Use the [Seal]!"

seal? !

Is it yet another new skill?

The Roaring Tiger's first-sight combo attack is simply too convenient.

Even if faced with a counter-attack ritual, Amon can easily throw out a Protect, then switch to a Pokémon like Boar and use a powerful move like Earthquake to take down the opponent.

Simple, convenient, and efficient!

This also means that intelligence gathering on Amon is difficult.

The masked examiner gets very little information about Amon's skill cards, while the opponent can not only switch Pokémon at will, but also activate skills in their hand, and the Pokémon themselves can also activate skills!

The sheer variety of combinations of their skills is so vast that it's impossible to fully understand them in a short time.

"Boom--!"

The bronze bell emitted a clear and ethereal chime.

Having escaped the remaining gear tide, it floated into the air, its pink superpowers, accompanied by the sound of bells, sweeping across the surroundings!

This naturally includes the Blood Gear Shark!

"For the next three turns, you cannot activate the effects of sealed minions!"

A massive roar instantly engulfed the oncoming bloody gear shark. Driven by some kind of rule-based force, the shark, which had been swimming at high speed, was suddenly pulled away under the incredulous gaze of the masked examiner.

Now, however, it has fallen to the ground and is thrashing about like a fish!

At this moment, Amon finally declared the card's effect and played a card that the masked examiner recognized very well:

"【Pokémon Skill - Seal】-Prerequisites omitted! If this card is successfully activated, allow one of your opponent's minions to seal the effects of your opponent's minions for three turns!"

"Then, Bronze Bell, continue with [Heavy Impact]!"

The roaring bronze bell struck again!

"!!"

The masked examiner felt his face go numb.

Looking at the card in his hand, it was a precious search card he had originally planned to use to turn the tide, but...

There was no time to think!

If we don't stop him now, he'll have no future!

The masked examiner suddenly played a ritual card from his hand: "Use [Ancient Puppet Battlefield - Bloody Gear Excavation] to banish three Bloody Gears from my Graveyard. I can then activate the effect of one of these Gears!"

"I activate the effect of Gear #2, negating your minion's [Heavy Impact] again!!!"

Seeing the bronze bell, now immobilized and covered once again by a large number of red gears emerging from the ground, the masked examiner breathed a slight sigh of relief.

—Great, you held on!

The masked examiner looked at the two cards he had left, but he knew that he couldn't defeat Amon with just those two cards. He needed new power!

The masked examiner's expression turned serious.

Whether he can defeat Amon next depends entirely on the cards he draws!

His deck still holds enough cards to defeat Amon, and all he needs to do is draw that one card—

"Next round, just the next round!!"

As long as I can draw cards, I...

"Bronze Bell, activate [Mystic Protection]!" Amon's voice suddenly rang out.

As soon as the masked examiner looked up, he saw the bronze bell flash with a colorful, shimmering light, which sent all the surrounding gears flying.

The bronze bell has regained its ability to move!

"Mystic Protection, used to make the Bronze Bell unaffected by the opponent's non-destructive cards for the next three turns—simply put, it's time for a manly showdown!"

"!"

The masked examiner felt as if his heart had been gripped in a fist – was he about to lose?

"...That's true, but never mind."

Amon shrugged and didn't issue the order to continue the attack. It was just that Bronze Bell didn't have any other skills besides Heavy Impact - the last one was [Sunny Day].

It's usable, but unnecessary.

"Round Two—" the masked examiner began, only to find his voice so hoarse that he could barely recognize it!

But that doesn't matter anymore.

The ups and downs of life.