"Duel!" x2
[Youyu, LP 4000]
[Kagemaru, LP 4000]
This round, Youyu has the first turn.
In terms of original characters, Youyu's intel on President Kagemaru is relatively lacking. In the anime, Kagemaru as a phase BOSS only played that one Duel, and he used a Three Phantasm–focused Card Deck.
In that Duel, Kagemaru controlling the Three Phantasm should logically be stronger than Yuki Judai at that stage. Judai even said later in the story himself, if it weren't for that super Fake Card "Philosopher's Stone" Teacher Daitokuji entrusted to him, it would've been very hard to win that Duel.
The Philosopher's Stone in the anime is the proof of the Ultimate Alchemist. This Card can "change" into any three Cards according to the Duelist's will, and it doesn't even have a once-per-turn limit. And after using the three effects up, it can still equip to your own Monster; depending on how many Monsters exist on the opponent's field, the equipped Monster's ATK multiplies by that number.
An utterly busted Fake Card effect—compared to a monster like this, the so‑called Three Phantasm are basically trash among trash-tier elites.
Getting one‑shot by a Fake Card like that absolutely doesn't prove Kagemaru is weak. Rather, from the recollections of those Dark Duelists among his "Seven Stars" subordinates, President Kagemaru seems to be a powerhouse with a transcendent standing.
After all, he recruited a Vampire, an Amazon Warrior, a top‑class Alchemist and even a certain generation of Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh as his underlings, all in the posture of a superior. His own strength among Dark Duelists should also be top tier.
So this time, although he still didn't directly bring out a Hero series, Youyu also picked a series in his hand whose combat power is nothing to scoff at.
A top‑tier Card Deck that once shone brilliantly on the tournament stage.
"Effect of 'Swap Frog' in my hand," Youyu said. "By discarding a Water Attribute Monster from my hand, I can Special Summon this Card directly.
I discard the Water Attribute 'Ronintoadin' from my hand to the Graveyard and Special Summon 'Swap Frog'!"
[Swap Frog, ATK 1000]
"A Frog Card Deck, huh."
Kagemaru's muffled voice came from inside the Life Support Pod. Maybe it was an illusion, but Youyu felt his gaze had grown sharper.
"Do you think I'm not worth your full strength? That attitude will make you pay the price," Kagemaru said.
"Say whatever you want," Youyu replied.
Because in the anime Kagemaru only Dueled once with his Three Phantasm–focused Card Deck, Youyu has absolutely no clue what Card Deck or tactics he used before he obtained the Three Phantasm.
He can only take it one step at a time.
"Swap Frog's other effect: when it's successfully Summoned, I can send a Level 2 or lower Aqua-Type, Water Attribute Monster from the field or my Card Deck to the Graveyard."
A Card automatically popped out of his Deck; he pulled it out and showed it.
"I send the Level 1 'Treeborn Frog' from my Card Deck to the Graveyard."
Youyu then drew another Card from his hand.
"I Tribute the 'Swap Frog' on the field for a Tribute Summon! Scorching Monarch of flame—
—Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch!!!"
The frog's body was swallowed by a storm of flames, dissolving from the field. The Monarch in crimson armor stepped heavily onto the field, his armor baked red-hot, both palms cradling bright, leaping fire.
[Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, ATK 2400]
"When Thestalos is Tribute Summoned, he discards 1 random card from your hand."
Kagemaru said nothing, but manipulated his mechanical arm to raise his five hand cards.
"The one in the very middle."
The image of the Card flipped—it was the Monster Card "Zoa." Kagemaru's mechanical arm silently dropped that Card into the Duel Disk Grave Zone.
"If the Card Thestalos discards is a Monster Card, you take damage equal to that Monster's Level × 100. 'Zoa' is Level 7, so that's 700 damage."
A blazing pillar of light erupted toward the device below, slamming into it violently. Kagemaru's figure shook hard inside the Life Support Pod, and big and small bubbles rose gurgling beneath the glass.
[Kagemaru, LP 4000 → LP 3300]
"I end my turn."
"Then it's my turn. Draw."
The mechanical arm drew a Card from the Deck—that clumsy, heavy metal limb was more flexible than it looked.
The eyes of that blurry figure in the pod shifted, his gaze sweeping over the hand held by the mechanical arm. Then, under his neural command, the arm picked out one of the Cards.
"First, the Magic Card 'Take Over 5.' I send the top five cards of my Deck to the Graveyard."
Five Cards popped out from the top of his Deck one after another, and were sucked into the Duel Disk's Grave Zone.
"Next is the Quick-Play Magic 'Card Destruction of the Hand'—both players send two cards from their hands to the Graveyard, then draw two cards."
Dumping a massive load of resources into the Graveyard in one breath, Kagemaru glanced over the Cards he was sending there, his gaze gradually turning cold.
"Looks like your luck is good. This guy is dying to say hello to you."
The mechanical arm drew out one more Card from his hand.
"Then descend upon this field! I banish three Monster Cards in my Graveyard from the game!"
The three Monster Cards that had been sent to the Graveyard by Magic Effects popped out one after another, flashed briefly in front of Youyu, and were then removed from this Duel altogether.
"Enveloped by endless blazing flames, descending from the far side of deep space—
—Planet Series – The Blazing Mars!!!"
Youyu had to admit, he really was shocked for a moment.
The Planet Series, seriously?
Like Mars dragging a burning orbit as it descended from beyond the sky, it slammed into the ground as a meteor. Flames burst out in radiating waves, and the red-hot spherical mass slowly unfolded its body from within the crater and began to transform.
That turned out to be the head of a dragon!
Beneath the rock-red shell that opened like a flower bud was a golden head, letting out a proud, low hiss. Fused into the top of the dragon's head stood a Warrior clad in solid armor, like a dragon-riding Knight.
The Planet Series, designed with the nine planets of the solar system as prototypes (nine at the time of design), and the one corresponding to the Pyro-Type planet—The Blazing Mars!
Youyu also had one Planet card in his hand. It was "The Grand Jupiter," which the old shop owner had used when he Dueled him back then. After the old man stuffed his pockets with cash and went traveling around the world, he passed that Card on to Youyu.
Regardless of Monster Effects or practical value, the power of Planet Monsters was something most Duel Monster Spirits couldn't even hope to reach. Just their entrance—the sheer presence, the oppressive force no mere solid hologram could compare to—was enough to make Duelists with weaker mental fortitude lose the will to resist.
The Planet in the Planet Series that corresponded to "Earth" was even part of the Elemental Hero series—Elemental Hero Earth.
[The Blazing Mars, ATK 2600]
"Interesting," Youyu said. "So the Mars of the Planet Series is actually in President Kagemaru's hands?"
"Magic Card 'Pot of Greed', I draw two cards from my Deck. Next I Normal Summon 'Eva' in Attack Position from my hand."
[Eva, ATK 500]
"Effect of The Blazing Mars activates," Kagemaru said. "Send 1 Monster on my own field to the Graveyard and inflict 500 damage to the opponent." (Original effect)
The mechanical arm pointed at the Monster that had just appeared on the field.
"I send 'Eva' to the Graveyard and inflict 500 damage."
The small creature with an alien design was loaded into Mars's body and turned into ammunition. The Knight standing tall atop the dragon's head swung his arm down, and a burning Fireball blasted from the dragon's mouth, slamming straight into Youyu.
[Youyu, LP 4000 → LP 3500]
"Effect of 'Eva': when this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can banish up to 2 Fairy-Type, Light Attribute Monsters in my Graveyard from the game, then add the same number of Fairy-Type, Light Attribute Monsters from my Deck to my hand."
Another card popped out of Kagemaru's Duel Disk Grave Zone.
"I banish the Fairy-Type, Light Attribute 'Gellenduo' from the game, and add 'Watapon' from my Deck to my hand."
Youyu said, "Watapon's effect is…"
"That's right. When 'Watapon' is added from the Deck to the hand by a card's effect, it can be Special Summoned directly."
[Watapon, ATK 200]
"At this moment, I activate the Quick-Play Magic 'Inferno Reckless Summon,'" Kagemaru said. "When a Monster with 1500 or less ATK is Special Summoned to my field, I can activate it. I can Special Summon as many copies of that Monster with the same name as possible.
However, as the price, the opponent can also choose 1 Monster on their own field and Special Summon as many copies of a Monster with the same name as possible."
"There's only one 'Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch' in my Deck," Youyu said.
If there are no Monsters with the same name, naturally there's nothing to Special Summon.
"Then I Special Summon two more 'Watapon'."
[Watapon, ATK 200] x3
"Effect of 'The Blazing Mars' activates again," Kagemaru said in a low voice. "I send 1 Monster on my own field to the Graveyard and inflict 500 damage to the opponent.
And this effect has no activation limit per turn." (Original effect.)
He swept his great arm—more accurately, his mechanical arm. As the metal arm swung, the joints gave off a faint grinding sound.
"I send all three 'Watapon' to the Graveyard and fire with 'The Blazing Mars'!"
New ammunition was loaded, and scorching shells blasted out one after another, exploding right in front of Youyu.
[Youyu, LP 3500 → LP 2000]
"Next, Battle Phase," Kagemaru continued. "The Blazing Mars, attack Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch!"
Though both were kings who commanded flame, compared to the Mars of the Planet Series, the power of Thestalos was clearly a step behind. The erupting fire dragon shredded the red-hot armor to pieces and pierced straight through Thestalos's chest and abdomen, leaving behind a charred hole.
[Youyu, LP 2000 → LP 1800]
Losing more than half of his Life Points in one breath, Youyu took half a step back, but the corner of his mouth curved up slightly.
"Not bad at all."