Chapter 82: The Bug Offensive
Chapter 82: The Bug Offensive
"The challenger can choose to go first or second."
Senior Watanabe Shuichi was quite generous, wanting to display the composure expected of a senior and an expert duelist.
"Alright, do you want to start or shall I?"
You Xuan, of course, didn't stand on ceremony, "Then I'll go first. Let's draw."
He drew three cards in one breath.
"I'll set a monster on the field and then place two cards face-down in my back row. End turn."
"A starting hand focused on solid defense," Senior Shuichi nodded slightly, commenting, "But can you withstand the offense of my bug brigade? My turn, draw!"
Indeed, according to You Xuan's research, Senior Watanabe Shuichi used an insect-themed deck. The most famous user of this theme was none other than the National Champion from years ago, the legendary duelist, Insector Haga. However, rumor had it that Haga had been utterly crushed by the original King of Games, Yugi Muto, to the point of quitting the dueling world altogether, and no one had seen him in a long while.
But during his reign, he had sparked an insect craze and inspired the development of numerous new insect-themed cards. Now, though the legend himself was gone, duelists using insect-type monsters were still quite common.
Watanabe Shuichi: "I activate the continuous spell card, 'Great Forest'!"
Despite being a continuous spell, its effect was akin to a field spell. A verdant ocean swept across the field, creating a spring-like arena where ivy trees sprouted, forming a haven for insects.
"Then I summon 'Locust Soldier!'
[Locust Soldier: 1000 ATK]
"Watch closely, junior. I won't go easy on you just because this is a recruitment test!" Shuichi exclaimed, "I activate the spell card, 'Black Hole!' All monsters on the field are destroyed!"
A destructive celestial body, the power of a black hole unfolded on the field, its domineering gravity obliterating all in its path. Shuichi's own Locust Soldier and You Xuan's face-down monster were both crushed.
"The monster I had set was 'Red-Eyes B. Dragon.' When this card is sent to the graveyard, I can add a monster with 1500 or less ATK from my deck to my hand." You Xuan explained as he showed the monster he had searched for, "So I add 'Cerberus, the Spellhound' with 1400 ATK from my deck to my hand."
"Then I'll use the effect of 'Locust Soldier' as well." Senior Shuichi continued, "When Locust Soldier is sent from the field to the graveyard, I can special summon an insect-type monster from my hand!
So I special summon this guy!
From the depths of a gloomy forest, a harvester of death appears—
—"Death Reaper Assassin," I summon you!
A six-legged insect assassin, wielding a scythe like the Grim Reaper, descended with authority amidst the forest of trees.
[Death Reaper Assassin: 2300 ATK]
A freshman who couldn't contain himself exclaimed, "He summoned a boss-level monster right off the bat!"
"Using 'Black Hole' to clear your opponent's field and trigger the effect of 'Locust Soldier' at the same time. As expected of one of the Dueling Club's mainstays."
Watanabe Shuichi: "It's not over yet! The effect of the continuous spell 'Great Forest' lets me add an insect-type monster with the same level from my deck to my hand when an insect-type monster I control is sent to the graveyard.
I add another 'Locust Soldier' from my deck to my hand."
He pulled out his deck, shuffled it, and then placed the second 'Locust Soldier' back into his Duel Disk.
"Alright, 'Death Reaper,' attack directly!"
The insect assassin charged forward, its deadly scythe poised to strike. You Xuan calmly flipped one of his face-down cards.
"I activate my face-down trap card, 'Thunder Crash!' By discarding one card, I can destroy any card on the field. I destroy your 'Death Scythe Assassin'!"
Watanabe Shuichi: "What?!"
Dark clouds churned in the airspace above the field, and a devilish hand reached out, with lightning crashing down from its fingertips. In just one strike, the green insect was blasted into smithereens by the overwhelming power.
"Tch, to think you set up such a trap."
"And the card I just discarded from my hand was 'Witch of the Black Forest.' When this card is sent to the graveyard, I can add a defense-type monster with 1500 or less DEF from my deck to my hand.
"I add 'Zoa, the Forceful One' with 1500 DEF from my deck to my hand."
"Then, the Battle Phase ends."
Watanabe Shuichi huffed, "If you think I'd expose such an opening by leaving an empty field, you underestimate me! I activate the magic card, 'Monster Reborn'! Revive a monster from the graveyard!
Return to the field, Death Scythe Assassin!"
[Death Scythe Assassin: ATK 2300]
"Then, I set one card. End turn."
"My turn, draw." You Xuan said, "I activate the magic card, 'Angel's Charity,' draw three cards from my deck, and then discard two cards from my hand."
Two cards were sent to the graveyard, but the image of one of them soon appeared.
"One of the discarded cards is 'Compensation Token.' When this card is sent from the hand to the graveyard, draw two cards from your deck." (Original Card)
Through the use of a banned card and an anime-exclusive draw engine, he went on a drawing spree, but even with the new cards in hand, he couldn't help but furrow his brows slightly.
In fact, when he was exchanging credits for cards yesterday, he just so happened to come across a legendary early-era Combo in the Academy Sector, and he had intended to test it out today. However, it seemed that his lucky draw ability still needed some work, as even with this consecutive draw, he hadn't managed to assemble the components immediately.
So, he could only start by playing a magic card to calm his nerves.
"Magic card, 'Spikeshield Beetle's Insect Repellent.'" You Xuan declared, "All face-up Insect-Type monsters on the field are destroyed!"
Watanabe Shuichi: "???"
"What the hell did you just activate??"
A gigantic hand emerged from a black vortex, holding a can of insect repellent. The spray swept across the field, causing the Death Scythe Assassin to shatter instantly, and Shuichi barely managed to hold himself together.
"How... How do you even have that?!"
With a sour expression, he held back for a moment before asking, "Er... Junior, do you usually have that in your deck?"
You Xuan replied decisively, "Of course not."
"Why would I waste space with that?"
Insect-Type monsters are so niche; you'd be lucky to face them once in ten duels. Including that card would just slow me down.
"Then, you..."
"Of course, I put it in specifically to counter you, Senior." You Xuan answered without hesitation.
An honest man has nothing to fear.
However, those words hit Shuichi like a hammer blow to the head, leaving him momentarily dazed.
He wanted to say, 'You little punk, you're surprisingly honest.'
The surrounding students fell silent, unsure of what to say. Only Manjoume remained, a long-lost smile on his face.
He knew it! He just knew it!
He had a bad feeling about this when he was researching those defending members' information before the duel. He knew that choosing this guy, Shuichi, wasn't a random decision; there was a plot!
While Shuichi seemed to have the most impressive resume on paper and appeared to be the strongest of the defending members, You Xuan's analysis revealed that his deck was the purest.
After all, these days, everyone played with archetype decks, and it was common for a deck to have a mix of different attributes and races. It wasn't easy to target everyone's deck. So, when You Xuan scanned their profiles, he only found Shuichi's deck to be the purest, a mono-Insect deck, which immediately reminded him of the cards he had among his hundreds of sides.
That's why he decisively chose this lucky senior as his assessment opponent.
Manjoume's sidekick, Otogi, spoke up again, "Big brother, your smile is a little creepy again."
Manjoume: "... Can't help it."
(End of Chapter)
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