But she had clearly not expected that You Chen still had this card waiting for her.
This duel was far from over.
"In that case—" Mu Qingyu raised her hand without hesitation, "—I activate the Continuous Spell Card [Aroma Garden]!"
"At the same time, I flip another set card. The Continuous Trap Card—[Dried Winds]!"
As her Spell and Trap Zones lit up one after another, the unique characteristics of the Aromage deck were once again revealed.
Recovery. Control. Suppression.
Most of the cards she had set were long-term control cards rather than instant effects.
Once these cards appeared, it wasn't difficult for You Chen to guess her intentions.
Mu Qingyu followed up immediately, her voice calm and cold.
"Next, I activate the effect of [Blessed Winds]. I pay 1000 Life Points and Special Summon [Aromage Jasmine] from my Graveyard!"
—
1000 LP deducted.
Mu Qingyu's Life Points dropped to 5500.
[Aromage Jasmine] returned to the field, surrounded by a faint green glow.
"At the moment Jasmine is Special Summoned, the effect of [Aroma Garden] activates."
"When you Normal or Special Summon an 'Aroma' monster, you recover 1000 Life Points."
A soft wave of light washed over her field.
Her Life Points rose back up.
6500 LP.
The Aromage deck was never about reckless healing.
It was about precise control—maintaining a Life Point advantage, triggering continuous effects, and slowly suffocating the opponent through incremental value until resistance collapsed.
That was why duelists called it—
The ultimate torture deck.
"Because my Life Points increased," Mu Qingyu continued, "the effect of [Aromage Jasmine] is applied. While I have more Life Points than my opponent, her ATK increases by 1000."
"Additionally—"
Her eyes shifted toward the Trap Card glowing beside her.
"[Dried Winds] activates."
"When my Life Points are gained, I can target one face-up monster on the field and destroy it."
She paused for a fraction of a second.
"Then I choose—[Aromage Rosemary]."
The blade turned inward.
With a sharp flash of light, her own monster shattered into fragments.
You Chen raised an eyebrow, then sighed dramatically.
"So ruthless… destroying your own monster with your own hands."
"Isn't that your teammate?"
"Why is Rosemary always the one who suffers? Where is justice? Where is duelist morality?"
Mu Qingyu: "..."
The surrounding audience was completely speechless.
If anyone had no right to say this, it was him.
This was already the second time Rosemary had been sacrificed.
Strong one moment—sent off the next.
Another proud cow, freed yet again.
At that very moment, You Chen suddenly smiled.
He raised his arm high.
"Since your master won't treasure you—"
"Then let me show you your true value!"
"Flip the face-down card!"
"Quick-Play Spell—[Polymerization]!"
Gasps erupted instantly.
"Let you witness—"
"The ultimate form of absolute domination!"
"I use [Relinquished] from my Graveyard and [Aromage Rosemary] on the field as Fusion Materials!"
"I Fusion Summon—"
"[Millennium-Eyes Restrict]!"
The entire arena exploded.
Even Mu Qingyu's expression froze, her pupils trembling as she stared forward.
For the first time—
Her composure cracked.
"You… fused my monster?!"
"No—wait!"
Her shock deepened immediately.
"That Relinquished—"
"Isn't that the monster used by the Dark Duelists?!"
Her emotional fluctuation spiked violently.
Emotional Value +1800!
She wasn't the only one shaken.
Xiao Shan slammed both hands onto the table, his expression turning pale.
"Why does he have a Dark Duel monster?"
"That Relinquished… it appeared in a Dark Game before."
"Does that mean—"
"Is he connected to the Dark Duelists?"
The Dark Duelists were taboo.
They were duelists capable of initiating Dark Games, where defeat meant more than losing Life Points—it meant losing everything.
Their existence was an absolute red line.
And now—
The duelist Xiao Shan had trusted the most had just summoned a monster from that lineage.
The shock was unbearable.
After a long silence, Xiao Shan clenched his fists—then slowly relaxed them.
He said nothing.
But the two principals in the stands finally seized the chance.
"No wonder he's so strong."
"So Principal Hua… you're willing to cooperate with Dark Duelists just to win?"
"Do you know how many lives that endangers?!"
Their accusations came fast and sharp.
"Enough!"
Xiao Shan slammed the table violently.
"Watch the duel first."
"We'll settle everything after it ends."
The commentators froze.
This was a live broadcast.
No one dared speak.
Within the Fusion vortex, countless golden eyes opened.
A grotesque, majestic monster descended.
Golden wings hung in the void, each feather embedded with ancient eyes.
A single Millennium Eye stared from its face.
Its claws extended.
Its tail swayed.
Just looking at it sent chills through the spine.
—
[Millennium-Eyes Restrict]
DARK / Level 1
Spellcaster / Fusion
ATK 0 / DEF 0
—
Mu Qingyu stared at the monster, her heart turbulent.
She wanted to ask questions.
She wanted answers.
But she knew—
This was not the time.
Xiao Shan's fury.
The principals' hostility.
The audience's fear.
One wrong sentence, and You Chen would be buried under irreversible suspicion.
So she swallowed everything back.
"You Chen…"
She whispered softly.
Then she raised her head.
"I flip [Aromage Rosemary]—no."
She corrected herself calmly.
"I proceed to the Battle Phase."
You Chen chuckled.
"Wait."
"I discard [Millennium-Eyes Illusionist] from my hand."
Mu Qingyu's pupils contracted.
"When this card is discarded, I target one Effect Monster on your field."
"I then equip it to [Millennium-Eyes Restrict]."
"I choose—[Aromage Bergamot]!"
A phantom with a single ancient eye appeared behind Bergamot.
The monster struggled—but was forcibly pulled away, absorbed, and bound into Millennium-Eyes Restrict's form.
"This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the original ATK and DEF of the equipped monster."
"Therefore—"
"Millennium-Eyes Restrict now has 2400 ATK and 1800 DEF."
The monster's form twisted, partially resembling Bergamot—yet utterly controlled.
A silent tyrant.
A perfect suppressor.
You Chen narrowed his eyes, smiling faintly.
"I really do look like a villain now."
"But honestly?"
"Suppressing cows like this…"
"Is way too satisfying."
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