Winged Kuriboh LV10 disappeared, and the brilliance gradually faded from the field. Manjome's field was swept clean, leaving not a trace of the invincible VWXYZ Fusion Machine.
However...
[Manjome, LP 1400]
Judai was astonished: "Eh~ Manjome is so strong! How could he be fine after all this?"
Manjome took a breath, and a card exited from the graveyard on his Duel Disc.
"Quick-Play Magic 'Emergency Provisions', send your own Magic Trap Cards to the graveyard, restore 1000 Life Points for each one."
"Oh oh, you sent 'Royal Decree,' 'Dimensional Catapult',' 'D.D Hangar' and that Set Card just now to the graveyard and restored 4000 Life Points, no wonder you're unscathed." Judai understood, then looked full of admiration, "No wonder Manjome is really amazing!"
"Hmph, of course. By the way, it's Manjome Thunder."
Manjome smiled smugly for a few seconds, then quickly snapped back to reality.
No, get serious!
This is the duel that will decide his future destiny!
He shot a vicious glance at Judai.
What a dangerous guy, seemingly harmless and foolish on the surface, yet one moment of distraction and your mental state might be led astray by him...
At this moment, seeing his student's formidable "VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon" instantly killed by a mere Winged Kuriboh, Kaiba Seto's expression turned very unpleasant.
Kuriboh, again and again, it's Kuriboh!
Not only has it plagued him for a lifetime, but now it won't even spare his apprentice?
Noticing President Haima's displeasure, Youyu coughed, casually mentioning to Professor Chronos beside him, "Speaking of which, Judai's 'Winged Kuriboh' was given by Muto Yugi himself."
Professor Chronos nearly jumped up in shock: "Mama mia! Muto Yugi is... that Muto Yugi?"
Youyu chuckled, "Who else could it be?"
"Mama mia!" Chronos repeated.
Not only a direct disciple of Duel King Youyu, but also specially cared for by another Duel King, Muto Yugi!
Is this student Yuki Judai so special? What kind of talent does he have to earn the favor of two legendary Duel Kings?
Upon hearing this, President Haima clenched his fist even tighter with more bulging veins.
Damn it! It's actually Yugi's card!
He's being targeted by both Yugi and Youyu!
The president is angry, but he won't express it.
But thinking differently, doesn't that mean as long as Manjome wins this duel, it signifies both Youyu and Yugi being surpassed by him?
He crossed his arms, looking more sharply at Manjome on stage.
This duel must be won!
"..."
Although he didn't know what was happening on the podium side, he felt the nearly murderous intent in his mentor's gaze, instantly feeling the pressure mounting.
"... Although the Dragon Catapult Cannon was taken down, I still haven't performed a Normal Summon this turn." He said, "I summon 'Eclipse Wyvern' in defense position and set two Set Cards, ending the turn."
[Eclipse Wyvern, DEF 1000]
"Now it's my turn!" Judai rubbed his hands excitedly.
"At this moment, you'll discard your hand due to the side effect of 'Nightmare's Mirage'," Manjome reminded.
"I know." Judai smiled, "That's why I also activate Quick-Play Magic 'Emergency Provisions'! Send 'Nightmare's Mirage' to the graveyard, restoring 1000 Life Points."
[Judai, LP 1000 → LP 2000]
Manjome wasn't pleased: "Tch, you used the same type of magic as me?"
"Magic Card 'Pot of Greed', both players draw three cards from their deck!"
He swiftly scanned through the cards he drew, then immediately took out two cards from his hand.
"Magic Card 'Polymerization'! Fusion the Water Attribute 'Elemental Hero Liquidman' in my hand with the 'Elemental Hero Gaia' on the field!
Appear from the abyss of extreme cold, the frozen hero—
—Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!!!"
A snowstorm descended from the sky, the hero in white armor surrounded by fluttering snowflakes, with outstretched arms slowly landing.
[Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, ATK 2500]
Upon seeing Judai summon Absolute Zero for the first time, many students exclaimed.
"Absolute Zero! Isn't that super rare..."
"I heard only Youyu the principal had this card, right?"
This freshman truly has remarkable credentials!
"When Liquidman is sent to the graveyard as Fusion Material for a Hero, draw two cards from the deck, then discard one card from your hand," Judai raised his voice, "And now, let's fight!
Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, attack 'Eclipse Wyvern'!"
Absolute Zero dashed in a straight line, countless ice spikes swept out like a storm of sharp blades, instantly slicing Eclipse Wyvern's body into a thousand holes!
"Cut, but the effect of Eclipse Wyvern activates!" Manjome said, "When it's sent to the graveyard, I can banish a Light or Dark Attribute, Level 7 or higher Dragon-Type Monster from the deck!
I am going to banish this card from the deck..."
He drew a card from the deck and held it high above his head. Even though it hadn't been played yet in this duel, the card's surface was already shining with a sacred brilliance!
"Light and Darkness Dragon!!!"
A dragon's silhouette briefly flashed behind Manjome, a black and white giant dragon perfectly fused with the energies of light and dark within one body!
Judai stared at the silhouette, momentarily lost in thought: "This is..."
"Kuriboh Kuriboh!" Winged Kuriboh Spirit jumped out, energetically rubbing its cheek against Judai's.
"Don't be careless, Judai, that's a spirit," Yubel also appeared with arms crossed, "And it's not your average spirit, it's quite powerful."
But this didn't seem to serve as a warning, and instead only made Judai more excited.
"Manjome, you have such a powerful spirit!" he said, "By the way, does that mean you can see spirits too?"
Manjome banished the 'Light and Darkness Dragon' card, proudly huffed, "Of course."
"Wow, maybe we unexpectedly get along well!" Judai exclaimed excitedly, "I can see spirits too..."
Manjome immediately became annoyed, "Nonsense! Who would get along with you?"
Judai pouted, "So stingy..."
Manjome was about to explode, but suddenly paused as if he'd just thought of something and hurriedly pressed another button on the Duel Disc.
"At...at the moment my 'Eclipse Wyvern' was destroyed, activate Set Card!" he shouted, "Trap 'Dragon's Bond'! When a Level 4 or lower Dragon-Type is destroyed, Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Dragon-Type from the deck!" (Manga card)
A card sprang out from Manjome's deck.
"I Special Summon Level 2 'Wish Dragon'!" (Manga card)
[Wish Dragon, Defense Power 100]
Only after the Monster was summoned onto the field, Manjome let out a sigh of relief.
That was close, interruptions from Yuki Judai nearly caused him to lose focus and miss the timing to activate the trap...
Damn! He felt that Yuki Judai was just a cancer, as if he had some special talent. It felt like everyone around him—be it friends or opponents—would unwittingly get caught up in his pace and become abnormal in behavior.
He's simply a master of rhythm!
Luckily, Manjome was able to shake off his interference several times in time, otherwise if he missed the timing of a key card activation due to such ridiculous reasons, such a low-level mistake might get him kicked out of the school...
Thinking of this, Manjome couldn't help but smirk.
Wish Dragon has an ability to sacrifice itself and Special Summon two tokens on the field. With this ability, he could easily gather two sacrifices next turn. This way he would be able to call his ultimate trump card—Light and Darkness Dragon!
Then it would be his victory!
Besides this turn Judai's Monster has already attacked, it's unable to destroy his Wish Dragon...
"Activate Set Card!" Judai waved his hand, "Continuous Trap - Sea Stealth Attack!"
Manjome: "!?"
What? Why would this be in your Hero Deck!?
"When Sea Stealth Attack is activated, you can activate a Field Magic 'Umi' from your hand or graveyard!"
The Field Magic was inserted into the field area of the Duel Disc, and the holographic sea water roared, surging waves instantly filled the entire field!
"Next is the follow-up effect of Sea Stealth Attack!" Judai said, "Once per turn, you can banish one Water Attribute Monster you control until the end of the turn, during this turn your Magic Trap cards cannot be destroyed by effects.
I banish the Water Attribute 'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero' on the field until the end of the turn, during this turn all my Magic Trap cards cannot be destroyed!"
"What an amazing strategy!" Asuka, who was a top student, instantly realized the terror of this combo, and her expression changed immediately.
Marufuji Shou looked puzzled, "Protecting your Magic Trap cards from being destroyed... does it have any meaning?"
"No, the point is not in this effect." Asuka explained, "The point is the activation condition of this effect..."
"Absolute Zero's effect activates the moment he is banished!" Judai shouted, "When he leaves the field, destroy all Monsters on the opponent's field!"
"Ah!" Marufuji Shou realized, "This way, the combination of these two cards is..."
"Exactly." Asuka said, "Every turn Judai can use 'Sea Stealth Attack' and 'Absolute Zero's' effects in combination to destroy all Monsters on the opponent's field... and at the same time protect his own Field 'Umi' and 'Sea Stealth Attack' from being destroyed."
She didn't continue talking, her expression toward Judai became complex.
This guy... When he dueled with me back then, could it be he was holding back?
Absolute Zero's power erupted, the boundless chill swept across like waves, in just an instant freezing the Wish Dragon on Manjome's field into an ice sculpture!
Absolute Zero!