Very good. Very good!
"You Ye—aren't you always the most proud of your knowledge?"
"Then let me show you the terrifying board-building power of three Black Whirlwinds!"
"I activate the Continuous Spell Black Whirlwind from my hand!"
Driven into laughter by rage, Hei Liao slammed the card onto the field and declared its activation.
You Ye's actions had completely enraged him.
He would make You Ye pay for this arrogance.
"I activate my second Continuous Spell, Black Whirlwind!
Then I activate the effect of Blackwing – Simoon the Poison Wind from my hand!"
"This card's name effect is once per turn.
If I control no monsters, I can banish 1 'Blackwing' monster from my hand other than this card to activate it.
Place 1 Black Whirlwind from my Deck face-up in my Spell & Trap Zone.
After that, I can Normal Summon this card without Tributing or sending it to the GY."
"I banish Blackwing – Vata the Emblem of Wandering from my hand, place the third Black Whirlwind face-up, and then Normal Summon Blackwing – Simoon the Poison Wind!"
"At this moment, all three Black Whirlwinds activate!
When a 'Blackwing' monster is Normal Summoned to my field, I can add from my Deck to my hand 1 'Blackwing' monster with lower ATK than that monster!"
"And these effects are not once per turn!"
"I chain all three—adding three Blackwing monsters from my Deck to my hand!"
"Hold on," You Ye interrupted calmly.
"If you're resolving all three Whirlwinds, then I'll chain at Chain Link 4."
He flipped a face-down card.
"I activate Branded Separation. Once per turn:
I Tribute 1 Fusion Monster I control, then target 2 non-Fusion monsters from the GYs or banished zones of both players.
Special Summon them, one to each field."
"I target my banished Gimmick Puppet Nightmare and Tri-Brigade Mercourier."
The duel was forcibly paused as You Ye resolved his chain.
"I see," Hei Liao said instantly, understanding.
"You're using this method to put a high-impact Gimmick Puppet card on my field… and you even played around Called by the Grave, afraid I'd snipe Gimmick Puppet Nightmare?"
As his understanding deepened, the grin on Hei Liao's face only grew wider.
Giving You Ye a Level 4 Tri-Brigade Mercourier meant his own follow-up boards could grow even larger.
When the time came, no matter how strong Gimmick Puppets were, they would still fall before his fully immune boss monster—the Triple Burn Synchro Dragon.
This duel would end with his victory.
"Pitiful."
Seeing that Hei Liao still hadn't realized that the monster summoned to his field was Gimmick Puppet Nightmare, not Mercourier, You Ye spoke softly.
Effects resolved in reverse order:
Chain Link 4: Branded Separation resolves — Gimmick Puppet Nightmare is Special Summoned to Hei Liao's field, while Tri-Brigade Mercourier is Special Summoned to You Ye's field.
Chain Links 3–1: Hei Liao adds Blackwing – Vata the Emblem of Wandering, Blackwing – Sudri the Phantom Glimmer, and Blackwing – Shamal the Sandstorm to his hand.
After the resolution, the smile on Hei Liao's face grew even more feral.
"Hahaha! You actually summoned Gimmick Puppet to my field?
What—do you think I don't know how to use it?"
"Even if I don't, I can still easily use Level 2 + Level 8 to Synchro Summon my archetype's fully immune boss monster!"
"An 8 + 2 archetype boss with full protection!"
"Go ahead. This turn, no matter how you combo, I won't interrupt you."
You Ye looked at him with something close to pity.
Gimmick Puppet's self-lock was already active—
And he still thought he could make his archetype a fully immune boss?
Maybe once a card that removed self-locks existed, that statement would make sense.
"What do you mean?" Hei Liao asked cautiously.
He was excited, but not blinded.
People had already flipped before—
The ice statues outside were proof enough.
Coupled with You Ye's strange expression, this reeked of a trap.
So instead of rushing, Hei Liao decided to probe first, stockpile resources, and confirm the danger.
"I Normal Summon Blackwing – Sudri the Phantom Glimmer!"
"On summon, once per turn, I add 1 card that lists 'Blackwing Dragon' in its text from my Deck to my hand!"
"And I chain Black Whirlwind at Chain Links 2, 3, and 4!"
"Resolving Chain Links 4 to 2:
I add Blackwing – Vata the Emblem of Wandering, Blackwing – Gust the Backblast, and Blackwing – Chinook the Snow Blast to my hand!"
"Chain Link 1: Sudri adds Blackwing – Shamal the Sandstorm!"
"I activate Shamal the Sandstorm's effect!
Once per turn, I send it from my hand or field to the GY to place Black Whirlwind from my Deck face-up in my Spell & Trap Zone!"
"Hahahaha! You Ye, my setup is complete!
Accept your death!"
The field was nearly fully assembled.
With a hand overflowing with resources, Hei Liao was exhilarated.
He had a hundred ways to win now.
That's confident.
"Are you done?"
You Ye's lips curled upward slightly as he watched the entire sequence.
Four calm words.
So much resource gain—but what was the point?
Was a Blackwing deck suddenly going to start Tribute Summoning?
"Hmph! Still refusing to accept reality?"
"I hope you can still talk like that after my next two steps!"
Hei Liao sneered, then raised Blackwing – Vata, the Emblem of Wandering.
"I Special Summon this from my—"
"…?"
"…What?"
"I can't Special Summon monsters!?"
The smile vanished instantly.
Cold sweat poured from his forehead.
What did I do?
Why can't I Special Summon?
These were the same steps he'd used countless times before.
Not identical—but close enough.
So why did it work before… and not now?
"Go on," You Ye mocked lightly.
"Why did you stop?"
"Aren't Blackwings all about jumping from hand and Synchro Summoning your boss?"
"I even said I wouldn't interrupt you."
The smile had fully transferred.
Now, You Ye made no effort to hide it.
"No… It's not my Blackwings."
"It's those two monsters!"
Veins bulged on Hei Liao's face, rage barely restrained.
Anger wouldn't solve anything.
He forced himself to analyze.
Within ten seconds, he found the answer.
He began checking effects.
The inactive ones couldn't be verified—but activated effects could.
First, Tri-Brigade Mercourier on You Ye's field:
Effect 2 searched; Effect 1 and others were irrelevant.
Then his gaze shifted to the monster on his own field.
Gimmick Puppet Nightmare.
The moment he read the effect—
His mind went numb.
The instant it was Special Summoned, he had entered a self-lock.
A continuous, non-timing self-restriction.
He hadn't even noticed.
A lock that allowed him to only Special Summon Gimmick Puppet monsters.
"So you finally noticed," You Ye said calmly.
"Yes. Gimmick Puppet Nightmare—
When this card is Special Summoned, you can only Special Summon 'Gimmick Puppet' monsters."
Mockery laced his voice.
"You forced a self-lock on me to stop my combo!?" Hei Liao roared.
Now he understood.
That was why You Ye had eaten Maxx "C" last turn just to establish the board.
He knew Blackwings were an explosive combo deck—
and deliberately dropped a disgusting lock on him.
With two established end boards on You Ye's side, the next turn meant death.
"So this Fallen of Albaz archetype… It's not simple at all."
Inside the National Tournament control room, Li Yuan watched with deep unease.
Reports had already stated that You Ye possessed two main archetypes:
Tearlaments, and a Fusion-focused archetype called Fallen of Albaz, which had even defeated Kshatri-La.
Li Yuan had assumed Albaz was just flexible, strong at breaking boards, and good at end-phase resource recovery.
But now he realized—
It could also force monsters onto the opponent's field, locking them completely.
Worst of all—
The summons came from the banished zone.
Meaning Called by the Grave was useless.
The only real counters were Crossout Designator or cards that prevented banished summons.
Otherwise?
Against You Ye, once he handed you a monster—
You were already dead.
"Not complicated at all," the Har King commented bluntly.
"This is just pulling someone into a latrine and holding their head down."
"And it's a two-card combo. Even Maxx 'C' barely draws anything."
Despite the casual words, fear was clear in his voice.
Meanwhile, Muning and Melo watched calmly.
To them, this level of play from You Ye was only natural.
Back in the arena, Hei Liao, after long deliberation, discarded two archetype monsters and ended his turn.
His only hope now was the two hand traps left in his hand, plus the three monsters on his field.
If he could survive one more turn—
With two Black Whirlwinds still active, he might still win.
"Trying to stop me with Nibiru?"
"Sorry—but you no longer have that chance."
"I haven't allowed you to enter the End Phase."
You Ye spoke as Hei Liao declared the turn ended.
"I activate Mirrorjade, the Iceblade Dragon's effect—
Send Brigrand the Glory Dragon from the Extra Deck to the GY.
Banish one card without targeting.
Next turn, I cannot activate this effect."
"What? Didn't you activate that last turn?
Why can you still use the non-targeting banish!?"
Even the rules accepted the activation.
"It's simple," You Ye explained calmly.
"Mirrorjade's restriction exists within the effect resolution.
When that effect is negated, the restriction is negated as well."
Hei Liao's gaze snapped to Sprind the Irondash Dragon.
He knew what was coming.
Last turn's combo—again.
But unlike last time, Sprind's bounce was non-targeting.
Which meant—
Another monster would disappear.
Death felt closer.
"You already know it, so let's move."
"I chain at Chain Link 2: Sprind the Irondash Dragon—negate Mirrorjade's effect!"
"Resolve:
Chain Link 2 negates Mirrorjade and returns Gimmick Puppet Nightmare to my hand.
Chain Link 1 fails."
You Ye, smiled.
"Now you may enter the End Phase."
"You'd better kill me now," Hei Liao snarled, blood dripping from his torn palm.
"If you don't, next turn I'll show you why blood is red!"
Yet he could do nothing.
At End Phase, Simoon the Poison Wind's effect triggered—
One Black Whirlwind was destroyed, and Hei Liao took 1000 damage.
"You're done," You Ye said softly.
"Now it's my turn."
"During your End Phase, Brigrand the Glory Dragon's third effect activates—
once per turn.
If this card was sent to the GY this turn, add or Special Summon
1 Tri-Brigade monster or Fallen of Albaz from my Deck."
Hei Liao hesitated.
If he chained Maxx "C", You Ye would simply add to hand.
If he didn't, You Ye would Special Summon.
A forced choice.
In the end—
He chose not to respond.
"I Special Summon Fallen of Albaz from my Deck."
"Albaz effect—once per turn.
On Summon, discard 1 card to Fusion Summon using monsters from either field."
"I discard Gimmick Puppet Nightmare, fuse it with your DARK Blackwing – Simoon the Poison Wind,
Fusion Summon Titaniklad the Ash Dragon!"
"Titaniklad effect—discard 1 card, shuffle itself and Albaz into the Deck,
Fusion Summon Predaplant Dragostapelia!"
Hei Liao watched in silence, terror overwhelming him.
He didn't dare drop Maxx "C".
Against Albaz, one-for-one meant nothing.
Now the problem wasn't how the board was built—
But how could it survive the next turn?
On You Ye's field:
Predaplant Dragostapelia — 2700 ATK
Sprind the Irondash Dragon — 2500 ATK
Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon — 3000 ATK
Total: 8200 ATK.
He had 7000 LP.
On You Ye's draw phase—
The fear became unbearable.
"You Ye… perhaps there's been a misunderstanding between us.
Can we talk?"
"Unfortunately," You Ye replied coldly,
"I have nothing to say to people like you."
Using Mirrorjade and Sprind once more, he cleared Hei Liao's final monster.
Then, without listening to another word of begging, he turned and walked away.
As he reached the door—
The final blow landed.
The duel ended.
The door opened.
You Ye, left without looking back.
Behind him remained only another kneeling ice sculpture, frozen in despair.
In the hall, Muning and Melo stepped forward, wiping You Ye's hands as if cleansing filth.
"Congratulations on reaching the Top 8," Li Yuan said with a smile.
"The Top 8 was never my goal," You Ye replied calmly.
"Maybe not," Li Yuan said, glancing toward the frozen arena,
"But your warning has already worked."
"Oh?" You, Ye, asked. "Was he strong?"
"Not just him," Li Yuan answered.
"Both Zhou Hongli and Hei Liao were top-tier Heaven-rank duelists—
people already walking the King's Path."
"And both lost."
The remaining independent duelists?
If they drew You, Ye in the quarterfinals—
They'd likely forfeit immediately.
"Let me know when the Hundred-Headed Dragon engine is secured," You Ye added.
"I want it too."
After he left, Li Yuan couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Considering You Ye hadn't even used Tearlaments or Kshatri-La—
Maybe his attitude really was justified.
He turned to the staff.
"Remove Hei Liao's ice sculpture.
Reinforce it—and let it serve as a warning."
"Yes, sir."
Meanwhile, panic spread among the spectators.
"Even Hei Liao lost? And to Fallen of Albaz!?"
"Zhou Hongli might've bricked—but Hei Liao? Impossible!"
"I'm done. Tearlaments can be yours—I withdraw."
"Withdraw? More like saving your neck."
"I'm out too. If Hei Liao couldn't win, I won't die for this."
As the hall emptied, only two black-robed figures remained—one fat, one thin.
The fat one spoke first.
"People of the Sima clan… no need to keep pretending."
The thin man chuckled.
"Agreed. People of the Nangong clan."
Faces shifted.
"Didn't expect you—Nangong Yitian, former heir candidate."
"And you—Sima Jie, the clan's shadow bastard."
Both smiled coldly.
"We're both ghosts," Sima Jie said calmly.
"Better think about how to deal with You Ye."
"You're right," Nangong Yitian nodded.
"We'll interfere with the semifinal draw—ensure we're not on the same side."
Then he smiled.
"If you face him first and lose, accept it.
If you win, you must share Tearlaments permanently."
"If I face him and lose, and you win the finals—share for a hundred years.
If I win, fifty years for your clan."
Sima Jie stared at him.
"That's a high price."
"For Tearlaments?" Nangong Yitian smiled.
"Worth it."
After a pause, Sima Jie nodded.
"Deal.
We'll also try to pressure the Xiao clan to withdraw."
"Excellent."
"To our success."