Want to play cards? I'll use my King's Deck!

"When declaring an attack in battle, the effect of 'Guardian's Power' activates! This card gains 1 Spell Counter, and the equipped monster gains 500 Spell Counters for its ATK and DEF. Next up is the effect of 'Flame Swordsman'!"

[This card can be activated at the start of the Damage Step during battle. This card's ATK is doubled until the end of this turn. This card is destroyed during the End Phase of this turn.]

The doubled penalty during the injury assessment phase is similar to Kido Harutora's ace, "Hero Champion Shinken-oh," which Yuki had faced. It's not as extreme as the latter, but it's just as powerful.

Especially when attack power has been upgraded in advance.

"Flame Dragon" adds 700 attack, and "Guardian's Power" now only has one magic indicator, so it adds 500, for a total of 1200. This raises the "Extreme Flame Swordsman's" attack power to 4000. Doubling that again results in—

"Swordsman of Extreme Flame, ATK: 4000→8000"

"Can you withstand this attack, Yuuki! [Extreme Flame Sword Slash]!!"

After being armored repeatedly, the sword strike, whose attack power was not only sky-high but also terrifying, annihilated the "Shadow Spirit Master" who had just defeated the "Swordsman of Blazing Flames" before he could even put up a fight.

"Dark" has an attack power of only 1850, and Yuki's LP is only 2750. Even if the two are combined, they are still not enough to kill "Extreme Flame Swordsman" in one hit. In fact, they would owe it more than 3000 HP.

But while the monster was indeed shattered, Yuki's base score remained unchanged.

The reason is also very simple——

Trap Card: "Guardian Barrier".

Yuki raised the face-down card in front of her and said, "I'll reduce the damage from this battle to 0, and draw 1 card from my deck. Then, if 'Dark' is destroyed by the opponent, add 1 monster with 1500 or less DEF from your deck to your hand."

"It's not over yet!"

Jonouchi Ranpo shouted, "A 'Flame Swordsman' equipped with the 'Flame Dragon' can attack twice in one battle phase! The second attack! Attack 'Red-Eyes Fiery Emperor - Evil Demon'!"

The [Extreme Flame Sword Slash] returned, crashing down heavily on the demon that Yuhi Niu had just walked away from. But unfortunately, after his first failure, Jonouchi Ranpo had no chance left.

"During damage calculation, discard the 'Kuriboh' to reduce the damage for this battle to 0."

"Krikrik!"

Amidst the adorable creature's resolute cry, the "Demon Summoning" card, now transformed into a red-eyed monster, was cleaved in two by the flaming sword. The brown furball then took the place of the trap card, using its own body to block the incoming sea of ​​fire.

"Damn it, it's blocked again."

Ranpo Jounouchi was somewhat unwilling, but he had no choice but to accept the fact.

The opponent before me is not one who can be defeated in a few moves. In terms of survival skills, he is arguably the strongest person I have ever encountered.

Anyway, Kaiba Mashiro definitely couldn't do that.

and……

"Main Phase 2, activate the Spell Card: 'Pot of Greed'. Return 5 monsters from your Graveyard to your Deck, shuffle, and draw 2. Then set 2 cards. End your turn. During the End Phase, remove 1 Spell Counter from 'Guardian's Power' in place of 'Extreme Flame Swordsman's' destruction."

As the rotation was announced, Ranpo Jonouchi shouted at Yuki, "Hey, Yuki. You should probably get serious by now."

Let's get serious starting in Chapter 169.

"What? Getting serious?"

Yu Xi paused, her hand poised to draw a card. She looked at Jonouchi Ranpo with a puzzled expression, seemingly not understanding what the latter was saying.

Upon seeing this, Jonouchi Ranpo snorted and said, "Don't think I don't know. You weren't even fighting me seriously just now."

At the start of the duel, it seemed like a very intense fight, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that Yuuki was mostly just passively responding. This is hardly the level of play expected of someone who's been with Kaiba Mashiro.

The only reason I can think of is that Yu Xi is holding back and has no intention of fighting me at full strength.

"Are you looking down on me?!"

No, that's not what I meant.

Seeing Ranbu glaring angrily at him from within the city, Youxi couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed and denied it.

Indeed, he didn't put much effort into this duel.

The main reason is that this trial duel was not initiated by Youxi.

After all, the card was bought by Ranpo Jonouchi, and to be honest, Yuki didn't have a penchant for taking other people's good things, so she wasn't very interested in this trial duel at first.

However, since it has already been discovered by Ranpo Jounouchi...

"Is this really good?"

"Whether it's good or bad has nothing to do with that kind of thing."

Jonouchi Ranpo replied without hesitation, "If I won this duel because you threw the fight, then I don't need this victory! I, Jonouchi Ranpo, am not the kind of weakling who needs others to hand me victory!"

"I understand. I'm sorry, I was too arrogant, Jonouchi-kun."

After listening to Ranpo's self-declaration, Yuki sincerely apologized to him, and then his expression became serious.

"Then—I will attack with all my might."

"I couldn't be happier! Bring it on, Yu Xi!"

"It's my turn, draw a card!!"

Not the same.

With Yuki's declaration of wanting to draw cards, Jonouchi Ranpo immediately realized something was amiss.

Previously, when Youxi drew cards, he felt no different from an ordinary person, but this time, the feedback from the card draw made him feel uneasy and a sense of danger arose in his heart.

"First, this card, a Quick-Play Spell: 'Mana Spring.' You currently have 3 cards in your backrow: 'Flame Sword Domain,' 'Guardian's Power,' and 'Flame Dragon,' while I only have 1 'Mana Spring' on the field. Therefore, I draw 3 and discard 1. Then, I banish the LIGHT 'Marshmallow' and DARK 'Kuriboh' from my Graveyard to Special Summon 'Chaos Wizard'!"

"Chaos Wizard, Level 6/Dark/Mage" "ATK: 2300/DEF: 2000"

The collision of light and darkness creates a chaotic state.

A mage in a dark robe descended upon the battlefield, manipulating the power of chaos in his hands.

"The effect of 'Chaos Wizard' is once per turn: in exchange for forgoing your attack power this turn, you can banish 1 face-up enemy unit from your opponent's field."

"Then activate the 'Extreme Flame Swordsman's' special ability before this effect takes effect!"

Jonouchi Ranpo shouted, "Because it's equipped with an equipment card, its effect can be used during the opponent's turn. Select 'Chaos Wizard' to destroy it and deal 500 damage to you."

"Then C2: The effect of 'Guardian Priestess Mana' activates."

Yu Xi's voice rang out simultaneously as he retrieved the cards that had been piled up by "Double Souls" from the graveyard.

"If this card becomes the target of my Spellcaster monster by an opponent's card effect, I can Special Summon it to my field."

"Guardian Priestess Mana, DEF: 1700"

"Owner!"

A magic circle unfolded, and a girl dressed in Egyptian style materialized and called out affectionately to Yu Xi.

"But this cannot stop the effect of 'Extreme Flame Swordsman'."

Ranpo Jonouchi was not fooled by the appearance of the Cocoyar sprite. As soon as he uttered the words, the fire dragon sword unleashed by the "Extreme Flame Swordsman" roared and devoured the "Chaos Wizard".

—The Chaos Wizard caused the destruction.

[Yu Xi's LP: 2750 → 2250]

"Guardian Priestess Mana" can prevent 7-star or higher Spellcaster monsters from being destroyed by effects, but unfortunately "Chaos Wizard" is only 6-star and cannot enjoy this benefit.

But it doesn't matter.

"Activate the Spell Card 'Salvation Mark' to retrieve 'Magician's Souls' from the Graveyard, then Special Summon 'Dark Magician Girl' from the Deck to the Graveyard in Defense Position."

Yuki used his second card and then inserted his third card into the Spell & Trap Card slot.

"Then activate the Continuous Spell: 'Toy Box'."

The card was projected, and a somewhat cartoonish box emerged from it, its top lid opening to reveal a variety of toys inside.

"Once per turn, activate the effect of 'Toy Box'. Choose up to 2 Set monsters from my hand, Deck, field, and Graveyard that can be Set as Spell Cards and place them in my backrow. Set 'Toy Tank' and 'Toy Soldier' ​​from my Deck, then activate the effect of 'Magician's Twin Souls' to send those 2 cards from my backrow to the Graveyard, and draw 2 cards."

The card that was just placed in the back row is transformed into a new card resource, and the next moment, the light of the monster's resurrection flashes in Yuki's front row.

"At this moment, the effects of 'Toy Tank' and 'Toy Soldier' ​​activate! If they are Set in the Spell & Trap Zone and then sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon them to my field."

"Toy Soldier, Level 4/Light/Warrior" "ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000"

"Toy Tank, Level 4/Light/Mechanical" "ATK: 1000/DEF: 2100"

Red tanks and toy soldiers, resembling children's toys, make their appearance, standing on either side of Yuki. They are only about knee-high to Yuki and are monsters from the "Toy" series, which is in line with "Toy Magician".

"If 'Toy Soldier' ​​is Special Summoned, you can add 1 'Toy Box' from your Deck to your hand. If you control 'Toy Box', you can search for 1 Level 4 LIGHT monster instead. I choose 'Diana, the Spirit of Light'."

Catching the card that popped out of the deck, Yu Xi said, "Then activate the effect of 'Toy Tank': Once per turn, you can Tribute yourself to Special Summon 1 Level 6 or lower monster from your hand. Also, if you have 'Toy Box' on the field, you can change that target to the Graveyard. Revive, 'Chaos Wizard'!"

A flash of fire appeared at the cannon barrel of the red "toy tank," and at the cost of its own disintegration, a huge projectile was launched into the air.

The bullet split in two under the duelists' gazes, and the "Chaos Wizard," who had been burned to ashes by the "Extreme Flame Swordsman," reappeared.

This time, even Ranpo Jounouchi was unable to stop Yuki.

"The effect of 'Chaos Wizard' is activated, banishing 'Meteor Dragon Meteor Black Dragon' from the game!"

When "Meteor Dragon Meteor Black Dragon" is sent from the field to the Graveyard, it triggers a troublesome dying message that revives monsters. Yuki decides to eliminate this potential problem first.

The wizard unleashed chaotic magic from between his hands, tearing open a rift leading to another dimension.

The defensively positioned "Meteor Dragon Meteor Black Dragon" could not resist the gravity coming from the dimensional rift, and its entire body was directly sucked in and banished to the other side of another dimension.

In this way, the problem of "Meteor Dragon Meteor Black Dragon" is fundamentally solved.

As for the "Extreme Flame Swordsman," Yuki also has a solution.

"Using the 6-star 'Chaos Wizard' and 'Guardian Priestess Mana' to create a powerful spell! The former girl will grow into a formidable witch! Xyz Summon, Rank 6, 'Eye-Catching Magical Girl'!"

"Eye-Catching Magical Girl, Rank 6/Dark/Magician/Xyz" "ATK: 2400/DEF: 2000"

The nebula vortex expanded, and like a delinquent teenager, Mana's style of dress shifted from Egyptian to unconventional. She was none other than the overpowered version of the Dark Magician Girl who had appeared in her previous duel with Logan.

"The effect of 'Magic Girl' is activated. Once per turn, remove 'Guardian Priestess Mana' as material, banish 1 card from your hand, and gain control of 'Extreme Flame Swordsman' until the end of this turn."

With a bewitching spell, he was about to capture Ranpo's ace.