Chapter 240: The First Touch of Emotion
Chapter 240: The First Touch of Emotion
Upon hearing Jaden's words, You Xuan paused momentarily.
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, it's not really a big deal. It's just that..." Jaden hesitated, his brow furrowed as if searching for the right words.
"I've had this feeling for a while now. Your dueling style, You Xuan, is incredible and imaginative; you might be the strongest opponent I've ever faced. Yet, I can't shake the feeling that something is missing."
"Missing?"
"Maybe that's not the right word." Jaden's smile faded as he spoke seriously.
"You once told me, You Xuan, that dueling is about more than just having fun. I understand that now, especially after facing Zane. I've come to realize that there are duels fought for lives and even more important stakes. Dueling can be heavy and sometimes burdensome."
He paused, then looked earnestly at You Xuan.
"But even so, I believe dueling is meant to be enjoyable. Not all duels are tense and heavy. I think, at its core, dueling is about the joy it brings, not just a tool for victory."
Jaden stumbled over his words, then paused to scratch his head sheepishly.
"I might not fully understand it myself, but sometimes I feel like you, You Xuan, aren't able to fully enjoy the thrill of dueling. It's not a bad thing, but it's a bit of a shame.
Look, I've given it my all, performing even better than usual. Yet, you're still able to counter my every move effortlessly.
Your Chaos Soldier and Silent Magician, along with my Elemental Heroes, we're all giving it our all in this battle. Each turn, I eagerly anticipate your next move, your ingenious attacks, and your clever counters to my assaults. Just thinking about it gets me excited.
It would be a shame if only one of us could enjoy this thrilling duel."
You Xuan pondered Jaden's words.
Was this the secret behind Jaden's remarkable draws? If he had to admit it, his passion for dueling didn't quite match Jaden's, but that wasn't surprising. Very few people in this world could match the spiky-haired duelist's extraordinary enthusiasm.
However, Jaden also possessed an uncanny talent.
He had a way of infecting everyone he came into contact with his passion. It was as if his fiery spirit could be transmitted to those around him.
Those influenced by him not only ignited their passion for dueling but also experienced a mysterious buff that enhanced their dueling abilities.
You Xuan closed his eyes gently.
In this moment, on this dueling field, surrounded by the spectators' cheers and shouts, facing Jaden in this duel, something seemed to stir deep within him—a corner of his heart that had been sealed away for a long time.
He recalled the earliest days of his childhood when he first encountered the game known as "Yu-Gi-Oh!" and the awe he felt watching those cool monsters on the television screen.
Countless distant memories flooded his mind. The intense battle between Yugi and Kaiba in the Sky Stadium, the thrilling duel between Yami Yugi and Yubel, the moment Yami left, giving a thumbs-up to the captivated audience, and Jaden's own choice to use Super Polymerization to fuse with Yubel. Even in later series, there was the memorable moment when Crabby Crab printed a Meteor Dragon, breaking through the gloom.
When did these memories start to fade?
You Xuan opened his eyes once more.
"I understand," he said with a slight smile. "Then, Jaden, I will fulfill your wish. From this point on, win or lose, I will join you in savoring this duel to the very end."
Jaden's face lit up with a bright smile.
"That's the spirit!" He struck a confident pose and added, "But let me tell you this upfront—I will still be the one standing victorious in the end."
"We'll see about that," You Xuan replied with a smirk. "My turn, draw! I also activate this card from my hand—the Quick-Play Spell Card, 'Emergency Provisions.'
Discard all Magic and Trap Cards on the field to the Graveyard, and gain 1000 Life Points for each card discarded. I discard the Continuous Trap Card, 'Meikashi's Waterfall,' and gain Life Points!"
The Continuous Trap Card dissolved into specks of light, and the energy was absorbed back into You Xuan's body.
[You Xuan: LP 1000 → LP 2000]
"Life Point recovery... No, wait." Jaden sensed something. "Is your goal to remove the restrictions 'Meikashi's Waterfall' has on you?"
While the impact of that Trap Card was undoubtedly greater on You Xuan than on himself, it wasn't something to be ignored. The effect, "Neither player can send monsters from their hand to the Graveyard," affected more than just Fusion Summoning.
"Correct," You Xuan confirmed. "Now, I activate this card. Ritual Spell Card, 'Super Soldier Ritual'!
Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels exactly equal the Level of the Ritual Monster you Ritual Summon. You can also Ritual Summon by paying 8000 Life Points. Then, from your hand and/or your deck, send 1 monster with an Attribute that is the opposite of that Ritual Monster to the Graveyard as a Ritual Material. I send 'Paladin of Sundial' from my hand and 'Paladin of Oath' from my deck to the Graveyard as Ritual Materials, and Ritual Summon!"
A ritual altar materialized, and the youthful versions of the two knights transformed into light and dark energy, sinking into the altar.
You Xuan raised his hand.
"Ritual Summon! I summon forth the Chaos Soldier!"
Amidst the swirling light and darkness, the Chaos Soldier descended with a god-like aura, its chaotic sword cleaving through the heavens.
[Chaos Soldier: ATK 3000]
"It's here! The legendary Chaos Soldier that has accompanied Mr. Yugi Muto since the Duelist Kingdom!" Jaden's face lit up with excitement.
"When 'Knight of Darkness' is used as ritual material, Chaos Soldier gains an additional effect." You Xuan explained, "Once per turn, I can banish a face-up monster on your field. I banish your face-down 'Elemental Hero Neos'! Darkness Dimension Slash!"
Out of Jaden's five monsters, four were in attack position, while Neos was in defense position.
"At this moment, I activate a face-down card!" Jaden declared, "Trap Card: 'Elemental Charge!' I regain life points equal to the number of 'Elemental Heroes' on my field x1000. With five 'Elemental Heroes', I regain 5000 life points!"
[Jaden: LP 5300 → LP 10300]
Marufuji Sho exclaimed, "10,000 life points!"
But Mitsuru Mizawa calmly said, "It won't last long."
"Then, I activate the effect Chaos Soldier gained from 'Knight of Beginning'. Once per turn, I can banish a face-up monster on your field. This time, I banish 'Elemental Hero Electrum!' Beginning Dimension Slash!"
The blade of beginning sliced down, and Electrum vanished amidst a warping of dimensions.
"Now, I activate the Equip Spell Card: 'Magical Stone Tablet' to equip it to 'Silent Magician LV8'. This card can only be equipped to a Spellcaster-Type monster, and it increases its ATK by 500 points.
Silent Magician is unaffected by your Spell Cards, but it can be affected by my own Spell Cards."
[Silent Magician LV8: ATK 3500 → ATK 4000]
"Battle." You Xuan declared, "First, 'Chaos Soldier - Messenger of Beginning' attacks 'Elemental Hero Avian'!"
Jaden responded, "Effect of 'Skyscraper', Avian's ATK increases by 1000 points!"
The blade of beginning cleaved down, and despite Avian's valiant resistance, it was sliced through and exploded on impact.
[Jaden: LP 10300 → LP 9300]
"When 'Chaos Soldier' destroys a monster in battle, it can make an additional attack." You Xuan continued, "So it attacks 'Elemental Hero Blazed again!"
"Blaze also has her ATK increased by 1000 points due to 'Skyscraper'!" Jaden said.
The storm of blades swept through, and despite Blazed's best efforts, she, too, fell in battle.
[Jaden: LP 9300 → LP 8500]
"Chaos Soldier's attack." You Xuan stated, "It attacks 'Elemental Hero Clayman'."
"Then, I activate the effect of 'Guardian of the Dead' from the graveyard!" Jaden said, "By banishing Guardian of the Dead from the graveyard, I can negate your attack once! I negate Chaos Soldier's attack!"
The shadow of the Guardian of the Dead appeared, blocking the onslaught of chaotic sword strikes.
"Chaos Soldier also gains an effect from 'Knight of Beginning', allowing it to make an additional attack when it destroys a monster in battle, right?" Jaden smiled, "But if the first attack is negated, the subsequent attacks can't be made."
"Indeed."
You Xuan nodded.
"Then, finally, 'Silent Magician LV8' attacks 'Elemental Hero Clayman'. Silent Magic Burst!"
Silent Magician had been building up power, and a massive sphere of light formed at the tip of her staff.
"Clayman's ATK also increases to 1800 due to 'Skyscraper'!"
[Silent Magician LV8: ATK 4000]
[Elemental Hero Clayman: ATK 1800]
"Waaah!"
Jaden was blasted off his feet.
[Jaden: LP 8500 → LP 6300]
"The Battle Phase ends. Now, I activate the second effect of 'Magical Stone Tablet' by sending the equipped monster and this card to the graveyard. I draw two cards from my deck."
You Xuan drew two more cards.
"Then, I set four cards." With a wave of his hand, four more backrow cards appeared. "My turn is over."
(End of Chapter)
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