The host and Alex sat opposite each other at a large table that had been prepared in advance for the duel.
Alex smiled calmly.
"Since I have more experience with the game," he said, "I'll let you take the first turn."
The host's name was Rodger Porsons, a well-known figure in the Pokémon world. While he wasn't particularly interested in battling Pokémon himself, he loved watching tournaments and analyzing strategy. His real passion, however, was gaming in all its forms—and that naturally included card games.
Rodger drew six cards from his deck and quickly scanned their effects.
Alex had intentionally modified a few normal monsters into effect-based ones to add some depth to the duel. However, he'd kept the effects simple—each understandable in a sentence or two—so the audience wouldn't be overwhelmed.
Rodger nodded, satisfied with his opening hand.
"I'll summon Uraby in Attack Position," he said, placing the card down, "and then I'll set one card face-down."
Name: Uraby
Attribute: Earth
Type: Dinosaur
Stars: 4
ATK/DEF: 1500 / 800
Effect: If this card destroys another monster in battle, it gains 300 ATK.
Alex glanced at the card's artwork and, for some reason, feel nostalgic.
He then drew his sixth card and looked over his hand.
"I activate the Field Spell Yami," Alex said. "Then I summon Feral Imp in Attack Position."
Name: Yami
Card: Spell
Card Type: Field
Effect: All Fiend and Spellcaster monsters on the field gain 500 ATK/DEF, and all Fairy monsters on the field lose 500 ATK/DEF.
Name: Feral Imp
Attribute: Dark
Type: Fiend
Stars: 4
ATK/DEF: 1300 / 1400
Effect: If a monster destroys this card in battle, that monster loses 500 ATK.
Alex smiled faintly. Playing old-school Yu-Gi-Oh! again brought back memories.
"Thanks to my Field Spell," he explained, "Feral Imp now has 1800 ATK—more than enough to destroy your monster."
"Feral Imp, attack Uraby."
Rodger already knew his face-down card couldn't stop the attack. He could only watch as Uraby was destroyed.
Rodger LP: 8000 → 7700 / Cards in hand: 4
Alex LP: 8000 / Cards in hand: 4
Alex hadn't drawn a useful Trap, so he ended his turn.
Rodger drew for his turn—and the moment he saw the card, a grin spread across his face.
"Alex," he said confidently, "it looks like you're out of luck today. I've drawn the perfect hand. Get ready to give up."
"I summon Lord of D. in Attack Position," Rodger continued, "and then I activate the Spell Card The Flute of Summoning Dragon."
Name: Lord of D.
Attribute: Dark
Type: Spellcaster
Stars: 4
ATK/DEF: 1200 / 1100
Effect: Neither player can target Dragon monsters on the field with card effects.
Name: The Flute of Summoning Dragon
Card: Spell
Card Type: Normal
Effect: Special Summon up to 2 Dragon monsters from your hand. "Lord of D." must be on the field to activate and resolve this effect.
Alex's eyes widened.
Fuck, he thought. How did he draw all three so early?
Each of those cards existed as a single copy in the starter deck—just like in the original game.
Rodger's excitement was obvious.
"Thanks to this Spell Card," he said, "I Special Summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon in Attack Position!"
Name: Blue-Eyes White Dragon
Attribute: Light
Type: Dragon
Stars: 8
ATK/DEF: 3000 / 2500
Effect: This card cannot be destroyed by Spell or Trap card effects.
Alex grimaced slightly. He'd personally adjusted Blue-Eyes' effect so it wouldn't be completely overshadowed by Summoned Skull in this world—but seeing it in action was still irritating.
Well, he thought, if any card deserves to be a little overpowered, it's this one.
Rodger laughed. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack Feral Imp and destroy it!"
Alex LP: 8000 → 6800
Blue-Eyes ATK: 3000 → 2500 (due to Feral Imp's effect)
"And since your Field Spell affects my monster," Rodger continued, "Lord of D. now has 1700 ATK. I'll attack you directly."
Rodger LP: 8000 → 7700 / Cards in hand: 2
Alex LP: 6800 → 5100 / Cards in hand: 4
Rodger glanced at the field, clearly pleased.
"Looks like I've got real talent at this game—considering I'm about to beat its developer."
Alex smiled faintly.
"Isn't it a bit early to declare victory? You know that kind of talk brings bad luck."
Rodger raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Do you have a way to destroy my Blue-Eyes?"
"Maybe."
Alex drew a card—and his expression tightened slightly.
"I set one monster face-up," he said, "and end my turn."
Rodger: Cards in hand 2
Alex: Cards in hand 4
Rodger drew again.
"You really don't look lucky today."
"I summon Battle Ox in Attack Position," he said, and move straight to the Battle Phase."
Name: Battle Ox
Attribute: Earth
Type: Beast-Warrior
Stars: 4
ATK/DEF: 1700 / 1000
Effect: No effect
"Battle Ox, attack his face-down monster!"
Alex flipped the card with a small smile.
Name: Giant Soldier of Stone
Attribute: Earth
Type: Rock
Stars: 4
ATK/DEF: 1300 / 2000
Effect: No effect
Rodger LP: 7700 → 7400
"Tough defense," Rodger admitted. "But it won't matter."
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon, destroy his monster! Lord of D., attack Alex directly!"
Alex LP: 5100 → 3400
"That ends my turn."
Rodger LP: 7400 / Cards in hand: 2
Alex LP: 3400 / Cards in hand: 4
Alex drew—and this time, he smiled.
"Looks like my luck finally turned. I activate Pot of Greed."
Name: Pot of Greed
Card: Spell
Card Type: Normal
Effect: Pay half your Life Points, then draw 2 cards.
Alex LP: 3400 → 1700 / Cards in hand: 5 → 6
"I summon Claw Reacher in Attack Position."
Name: Claw Reacher
Attribute: Dark
Type: Fiend
Stars: 3
ATK/DEF: 1000 / 800
Effect: You can Tribute this card to Special Summon a Fiend-Type monster from your hand.
"I activate Claw Reacher's effect," Alex said, "and Special Summon Summoned Skull!"
Name: Summoned Skull
Attribute: Dark
Type: Fiend
Stars: 6
ATK/DEF: 2500 / 1200 → 3000 / 1700
Effect: No effect
"And I'm not done yet. I equip Sword of Dark Destruction."
Name: Sword of Dark Destruction
Card: Spell
Card Type: Equip
Effect: Equip only to a DARK monster. It gains 400 ATK and can attack one additional time during the Battle Phase.
Summoned Skull ATK/DEF:
3000 / 1700 → 3400 / 1700
Alex finally allowed himself a genuine smile.
"Summoned Skull—attack Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Rodger LP: 7400 → 6500
"And thanks to the Equip Spell," Alex continued, "I can attack again."
Summoned Skull destroyed Lord of D.
Rodger LP: 6500 → 4800
"I end my Battle Phase. In Main Phase 2, I set one card face-down and end my turn."
Rodger LP: 4800 / Cards in hand: 2
Alex LP: 1700 / Cards in hand: 2
Rodger stared at the field, clearly shocked.
"Wow, Alex. I honestly didn't think you could take down Blue-Eyes. With that protection and attack power, I thought it was almost unbeatable."
He smiled. "But that just makes this duel more exciting."
Rodger drew a card and activated it immediately.
"Looks like both decks have this card. I activate Pot of Greed."
Rodger LP: 4800 → 2400 / Cards in hand: 3 → 4
"Perfect. I activate De-Spell, targeting your Field Spell Yami."
Name: De-Spell
Card: Spell
Card Type: Normal
Effect: Target 1 face-up Spell, or 1 Set Spell/Trap, on the field; destroy it if it's a Spell.
Summoned Skull ATK/DEF: 3400 / 1700 → 2900 / 1200
"Next, I activate Monster Reborn and revive Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Name: Monster Reborn
Card: Spell
Card Type: Normal
Effect: Target 1 monster in either GY; Special Summon it. You cannot summon another monster the turn you activate this card.
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack Summoned Skull!"
Alex LP: 1700 → 1600
"And Battle Ox attacks directly—"
"Not so fast," Alex said calmly. "I have a trap card I want to activate after you destroy my monster."
Name: Michizure
Card: Trap
Card Type: Normal
Effect: When a monster is sent from the field to your GY, even during the Damage Step: Target 1 monster on the field; destroy it.
Rodger smirked.
"My Blue-Eyes can't be destroyed by Spell or Trap effects."
Alex shrugged with a helpless smile.
"Even if not so, I still have to destroy Battle Ox if I don't want to lose."
Rodger sent Battle Ox to the Graveyard and ended his turn.
Rodger LP: 2400 / Cards in hand: 2
Alex LP: 1600 / Cards in hand: 2
Alex drew a card and grinned widely.
"Oh. Looks like I drew the perfect card to demonstrate which type of card is truly the strongest."
"I discard one card," he said, "and activate Change of Heart."
Name: Change of Heart
Card: Spell
Card Type: Normal
Effect: Discard 1 card. Target 1 monster your opponent controls; take control of it until the End Phase.
"That means Blue-Eyes White Dragon is mine."
"But only for one turn and i have a card face-down," Rodger warned.
Alex smiled. "One turn is enough and i dont belive this card is real that strong."
Although he didn't know which card Rodger had placed face down since the start of this duel, he had no other choice but to risk everything now and hope that it was just a bluff.
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon—attack Rodger directly!"
"Burst Stream of Destruction!"
Rodger LP: 2400 → 0
Rodger displayed a bewildered expression as he said,
"Burst Stream…of Destruction?"
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