"My turn, draw!"
It was Yugen's turn.
"I activate the spell card 'Card of Demise'," Yugen said. "Draw cards until I have five in my hand, then during the fifth turn's end phase, I discard my entire hand."
This was the first time he had used this card in an actual duel.
Although Silent Magician Lv8 had higher attack power than Desperado Barrel Dragon, once the battle phase began, the opponent could use its quick effects twice, making it hard to hold out.
"I set three cards face-down and end my turn," Yugen declared.
"Hahaha, avoiding the battle phase to evade Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect? In the end, you're still only able to reinforce your defenses?"
Bandit Keith chuckled darkly.
"Hmph, in front of my power, helplessness is natural.
My turn, draw!"
He placed the drawn card directly onto the duel disk, and from the graveyard, three beams of golden light shot out.
"Spell Card Card of Burial Magic! Banish three Spell cards from my graveyard to draw two cards."
Three spell cards materialized one by one, then dissolved into sparkling golden light.
"I banish Trade-In, Fissure, and Fiend's Sanctuary from the graveyard, and draw two cards!"
After drawing, he glanced at his hand and smirked. "Heh, I really did draw a good one."
"I normal summon BM-4 Blast Spider!"
[BM-4 Blast Spider, ATK 1400]
Yugen remembered this monster too. Back in the real card game, it had caused him a lot of trouble. The spider can, once per turn, target one DARK Machine monster on your field and one card on your opponent's field, then destroy both.
And Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect triggers when a DARK Machine monster you control is destroyed—allowing it to be special summoned from the hand. So by using the Blast Spider to blow up itself and an enemy card, you could trigger Desperado Barrel Dragon from the hand.
It also had a secondary effect: when a DARK Machine monster you control destroys an opponent's monster by battle or effect, your opponent takes damage equal to half that monster's ATK. In other words, Desperado Barrel Dragon combos perfectly with it, dealing extra damage with each destruction.
However...
"I activate a face-down trap card—Trap Hole!" Yugen raised his hand, flipping over one of his set cards. "When a monster with 1000 or more ATK is summoned, destroy it immediately.
Destroy BM-4 Blast Spider!"
Despite its powerful effects, the spider didn't last. It fell into a swirling vortex as soon as it landed, disappearing in an explosion.
"Another annoying trap," Bandit Keith grumbled. "Then I activate the spell card Monster Slots from my hand!
I target a face-up monster I control, then banish a monster from my graveyard with the same Level. I choose my Level 8 Desperado Barrel Dragon!"
A beam of golden light split the graveyard open, and a card shot out.
"I banish the Level 8 Metalzoa from my graveyard!
Then I draw one card. If it's also a Level 8 monster, I can special summon it immediately!"
Yugen squinted.
Drawing exactly a Level 8 monster? Statistically, that was highly unlikely.
But he knew—anytime someone in an anime activated this kind of card, they never drew the wrong one.
Also...
His eyes drifted to The Seal of Orichalcos glowing around them.
In the anime, Keith was just an early-game boss. But anyone using the Orichalcos Seal was always backed by twisted fate itself...
"Watch closely—draw!" Bandit Keith raised his right hand. The Orichalcos seal on his forehead flared with a blinding green glow, rotating rapidly. Invisible energy surged from the seal into his hand.
"Draw!"
Of course, he laughed immediately after drawing and proudly revealed the card.
"I drew Level 8 Fiendish Engine Ω! So I can special summon it now!"
A towering mechanized monster appeared, its armor blood-red as though burned by flames. Its body was sharp and angular, eyes glowing with intense heat, and ice-cold blades extended from its arms.
[Fiendish Engine Ω, ATK 2800]
Yugen: "..."
The Barrel Dragon series was clearly Bandit Keith's signature set. Fiendish Engine came from manga adaptations, and Metalzoa had appeared in the anime too.
Yet despite being different archetypes, they were all thrown together into one deck—and they still managed to combo so well together.
No wonder people say "in anime, pile decks are king."
"And because of The Seal of Orichalcos, Fiendish Engine's ATK increases!"
[Fiendish Engine Ω, ATK 2800 → 3300]
"Now you've got nothing to protect your magician!" Keith shouted. "I switch Desperado Barrel Dragon back to Attack Mode and enter the Battle Phase.
Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect! Toss 3 coins, and destroy opponent monsters based on the number of heads!"
"I activate a set card!" Yugen responded. "Continuous Trap—Safe Zone!
I target my face-up Silent Magician, who can no longer be targeted or destroyed by card effects or in battle."
A transparent protective barrier enveloped the Silent Magician, shielding her from the incoming barrage.
"Heh, really? Let's see how long that lasts," Keith smirked. "Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect—coin toss, engage!"
Mystical Elf gasped: "Even if he knows it won't work, he still activates the effect?"
Yugen frowned: "With Safe Zone active, Silent Magician can't be destroyed."
"That's not necessarily true!" Keith said. "Before resolving the coin toss, I activate another Continuous Trap—Proton Blast!"
He flipped his second trap, showing an image of Barrel Dragon firing its signature guns—clearly made to synergize with it.
"Once per turn, when you perform a coin toss, Proton Blast activates additional effects based on the number of heads!"
Keith raised his hand dramatically.
"Begin the spin—coin toss!"
The gun chambers spun, bullets loaded in, and two barrels lit up with flame.
"Hahaha, looks like your luck isn't so great—I got two heads!" Keith announced. "You only have Silent Magician on your field, and it's protected by Safe Zone, so it can't be destroyed.
But now, Proton Blast's effects activate!"
The trap glowed, releasing phantom bullets that loaded into Desperado Barrel Dragon's barrels.
"First effect—if I get at least one head, you take 500 damage!"
The left barrel fired, and a shot pierced through Yugen's body.
[Yugen, LP: 1900 → 1400]
"Second effect—if I get two or more heads, I can destroy any card on the field.
And of course, I choose..."
Keith pointed dramatically to Yugen's back row.
"Continuous Trap—Safe Zone!"
The second shot was fired, and this time it struck the trap card directly, blowing it to pieces. The golden glow faded, and the protective shield around Silent Magician vanished.
"Safe Zone's downside," Yugen muttered. "When Safe Zone leaves the field, its targeted monster is destroyed. So Silent Magician Lv8 is destroyed."
Her body began to fade and shimmer like mist. She glanced regretfully at Yugen as if apologizing for not being able to protect him further.
"It's okay," Yugen said calmly. "You've done enough. Leave the rest to me."
Silent Magician nodded slightly and disappeared from the field.
"That annoying mage is finally gone! This duel ends now!"
Keith saw the end approaching and couldn't hide his twisted grin.
"Final attack! Fiendish Engine Ω, direct attack—!!"