# Chapter 180: The Hero Fights the Dragon
The star-paved path, imbued with a gale, flashed by. A blue kendama swayed and landed in front of Yugo. Yugo immediately performed a showy, backward D-Wheel maneuver, pointing at Shingo Sawatari.
"I activate Hi-Speedroid Kendama's effect! Once per turn, I can banish one Machine monster from my Graveyard to inflict 500 damage to my opponent."
The ghostly image of Speedroid Taketomborg appeared behind the kendama and merged into it. The tip of the kendama fired a ray toward Shingo Sawatari.
Shingo Sawatari's LP: 4000 → 3500
"Not bad. You even inflicted damage on me during your first turn, when you can't attack," Shingo Sawatari said.
"I'm not done yet! I summon in Attack Position! The Tuner monster, Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice!"
"I'm tuning the Level 6 Hi-Speedroid Kendama with the Level 1 Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice!"
As Yugo spoke, the star-paved path, forged from the whirlwind, took shape.
[1 + 6 = 7]
"Spread your beautiful and majestic wings, and smite your foes at the speed of light! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Level 7! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"
The white dragon, clad in smooth, glass-like armor, strode upon the gale. It let out a soft cry as it circled the field once before arriving at Yugo's side.
Clear Wing Synchro Dragon ATK: 2500
"Here it is! Yugo's signature wind dragon!" As Clear Wing appeared, its magnificent form drew enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
"I set two cards and end my turn!" After basking in the cheers, Yugo ended his turn.
It was Shingo Sawatari's turn. Before his turn began, he snapped his fingers as usual. The lights in the stadium went out, and a single spotlight shone down on him.
"Here we go again!" The Female Commentator slapped her forehead at the sight. She had a love-hate relationship with Shingo Sawatari's dueling style. His self-entertaining duels made her job incredibly easy, far better than dealing with Yuya Sakaki's upcoming opponent.
After all, the last time that person had started the duel, he'd set up a T-formation with four cards in the back row and one set monster. It had left her, the commentator, with no angle to start her commentary, and she'd nearly had her bonus docked for the awkward silence.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the Sawatari Theater!" Compared to last time, Shingo Sawatari's usual opening act garnered even more applause, and the atmosphere in the Assembly Hall immediately grew electric.
This was also what distressed the Female Commentator. Shingo Sawatari's showmanship was so effective that she wasn't even needed to provide color commentary. This left her, who had always prided herself on being Neo Domino City's most professional duel commentator, feeling utterly defeated.
"Alright, today's play has been decided!" Shingo Sawatari pointed at Clear Wing next to Yugo. "It is the 'Dragon-Slaying Crusade,' where the hero chosen by the goddess overcomes great hardship to finally defeat the Demon King who controls the evil dragon!"
"Hey! Didn't you say I'd get a cool role? Why am I suddenly the villain?!" Yugo immediately protested, grumbling unhappily at Shingo Sawatari.
"Relax, relax. Villains can be cool, too!" Shingo Sawatari waved his hand dismissively.
"Damn it!"
Just as the two immature brats were about to start arguing in public, the Female Commentator said helplessly, "Yugo, please just play along with Shingo Sawatari. Look, the audience is really looking forward to it."
Hearing this, Yugo looked at the eager eyes of the surrounding audience, gritted his teeth, and nodded. He said, "A villain it is! But if you want to defeat me, an ordinary hero's strength won't be enough!"
"My turn!" Seeing that Yugo no longer objected to the casting, Shingo Sawatari drew a card and began his turn!
"I set the Pendulum Scale using the Scale 0 Abyss Actor - Leading Lady and the Scale 8 Abyss Actor - Funky Comedian from my hand!"
Two pillars of light appeared to the left and right behind Shingo Sawatari's D-Wheel. Inside one of them, Leading Lady changed into a sacred white robe.
"To defeat the wicked dragon, the goddess paid a great price, summoning a noble-spirited youth from another world to this one!"
"I activate Abyss Actor - Leading Lady's Pendulum Effect! By paying 1000 LP, I can add one 'Abyss Actor' monster from my Deck to my hand! I'll add Abyss Actor - Superstar to my hand!"
"Next, using the set scale, I'll perform a Pendulum Summon! Appear, my monsters!"
"First is the goddess's emissary! The guide on the hero's path to growth! The Level 4 Abyss Actor - Pretty Heroine!"
"Next, make your magnificent entrance! The hero from another world! The Level 7 Abyss Actor - Superstar!"
The pendulums behind Shingo Sawatari began to sway, and two rays of light flashed out from between them, landing on the field.
As the light faded, Pretty Heroine, clad in an emissary's robe and looking mischievous, and Superstar, dressed in modern clothes and looking utterly bewildered, appeared on Shingo Sawatari's field.
"The emissary told the hero how the people of this world trembled under the tyrannical power of the Demon King and the evil dragon, and that the hero was the man chosen by the goddess to save this world!"
At this moment, Clear Wing, beside Yugo, let out a cooperative roar, baring its fangs and claws to look menacing. However, its beautiful form made it difficult to appear truly fearsome. After roaring for a while and seeing that the audience wasn't entirely buying it, the "evil dragon" scratched its head in frustration.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, aren't you getting into character a little too quickly?!" Yugo, standing nearby, widened his eyes at the sight.
This comical scene drew soft chuckles from the audience.
Seeing his thunder being somewhat stolen, Shingo Sawatari, who always considered himself the protagonist, grew a little anxious and quickly revealed a card.
"The righteous hero accepted this mission to defeat the great dragon."
"But how can one challenge an evil dragon without proper equipment?! So, guided by the emissary, the hero embarked on an adventure of defeating monsters, leveling up, and acquiring gear."
"I activate the Continuous Spell, Abyss Actor's Costume Box!"
"I activate the effect of the Continuous Spell, Abyss Actor's Costume Box! Once per turn, I can equip one 'Abyss Costume' Equip Spell from my Deck to one 'Abyss Actor' monster on the field! (Anime Card)"
"I equip Abyss Actor - Superstar with the Equip Spell, Abyss Costume - Hero's Sword! This card increases the equipped monster's attack by 300, and when it destroys an opponent's monster by battle, it gains half of the destroyed monster's attack points!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! That vampire-like equipment doesn't seem like something a righteous hero would use, does it?!" Yugo immediately exclaimed.
"A hero bathes in dragon's blood to grow stronger after defeating an evil dragon, then goes on to challenge an even more powerful demon king. Isn't that perfectly reasonable?" Shingo Sawatari retorted to Yugo's doubt.
"Alright, fine. You pass." Faced with Shingo Sawatari's sophistry, Yugo could only grit his teeth and accept it.
"Battle! Abyss Actor - Superstar attacks Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"
...
(end of chapter)