Trap Card—Enma's Judgment, Machina Fortress revival denied!
"Rex even had something like that hidden!" commentator Kogashi said, spittle flying.
"Even Fortress's revival was within his calculations. And since it's a Counter Trap, Kira has no way to save himself—the tempo is broken. Can he still finish the match this turn as he declared?"
Yet, Kira's only thought was—
Come on, Tyranno cards I can accept, but why do you even have Misawa's cards?
Yes, "Enma's Judgment" was used by the background character Bastion Misawa in GX, and it's a Zombie-type trap. If you banish 5 Zombies from your graveyard, you can Special Summon one from the deck.
But Rex plays Dinosaurs. But in the anime setting, using it as a generic trap is fair game—deck building in this world is more about using what you have.
Fortress went back to the graveyard, but Kira didn't mind. Another card emerged from his graveyard in golden light.
"Now, the effect of 'Machina Megaform' in the graveyard."
Kira revealed the card.
"If 'Machina Fortress' is sent from the field to the grave, and 'Machina Megaform' is in your graveyard, you can banish the Fortress to Special Summon Megaform."
The destroyed Fortress reappeared, fading in a shimmer of gold.
"I banish Fortress to Special Summon 'Machina Megaform'!"
Light particles condensed into a new form. The heavy armor began to transform, treads shifting, cannons mounting on its shoulders—the Fortress was morphing into a giant robot.
Transformers, roll out!
[Machina Megaform, ATK 2600]
"Nobody expected Kira to have another backup plan!"
Kogashi was flushed, more excited than the actual duelists.
"This was set up from the cost paid to revive Fortress last turn! Kira had planned ahead by several moves! Are we witnessing a new star rise today?!"
Sasaki discreetly wiped Kogashi's spit off her face and scooted her chair a bit farther away.
But as the transformation neared completion, the massive machine suddenly staggered, fell to one knee, flickered, and faded away like smoke.
Kogashi: "!"
"What's going on now?" he exclaimed, "Where's the Megaform?"
"Hahaha!" Rex laughed, "I'd already anticipated your backup plan! Maybe you think a few moves ahead, but my duel goes even further! The moment you activated Megaform's effect, I chained this card!"
All eyes turned to Rex's face-up trap.
Trap Card—Disappear.
"Disappear lets me banish a card from your graveyard. So before your Megaform could hit the field, I banished it!"
Rex's laughter grew even more triumphant.
"So? Can you still say you'll end it this turn? Your machines are gone, your plans broken one by one, and I still have my unbeatable Dark Tyranno!"
Sasaki nodded: "Kira had plenty of backup, but Rex is no pushover.
No matter what Kira planned, under these circumstances, there's nothing he can do…"
Rex thought the same.
You've fallen for two traps—how are you going to OTK me now?
Can you finish me off with Dark Tyranno still on the field?
"Come on, try and finish me off! If you can!"
Kira considered.
Hmm… a strange request.
But since you're asking for it—
"Activate face-down card."
He pointed to his backrow. The trap card flipped open.
"Continuous Trap—Limit Reverse! I can Special Summon a monster with 1000 or less ATK from my graveyard in Attack Position. When it's switched to Defense, both it and this card are destroyed."
"Huh?" Rex raised an eyebrow.
You can only revive weaklings—what's the point?
"I revive this card."
Kira took the card from his graveyard.
"Card Trooper!"
[Card Trooper, ATK 400]
Card Trooper—Jaden's staple in the later GX seasons. By sending the top three cards of the deck to the graveyard, it gains 500 ATK per card, and if destroyed, you draw a card.
But Rex didn't recognize its power: "Heh, just a weakling after all."
"Is it? You'll see. Next, I activate a Spell Card from my hand."
Kira swept his hand, revealing a green Spell card.
"Spell Card—Machine Duplication.
I target a Machine-type monster with 500 or less ATK and Special Summon up to two more copies from my deck.
I choose 'Card Trooper' with 400 ATK!"
He pulled two more from his deck.
"Special Summon two more 'Card Troopers'!"
[Card Trooper, ATK 400] x3
"Three monsters at once?" Rex suppressed his anxiety.
"But weaklings are weaklings, no matter how many—"
"Card Trooper's effect," Kira continued. "Once per turn, send the top three cards of your deck to the graveyard. For each, this card gains 500 ATK until the end of the turn.
I activate all three Troopers' effects, sending nine cards from my deck!"
A flurry of cards hit the graveyard.
"Each Card Trooper gains 1500 ATK!"
[Card Trooper, ATK 400 → ATK 1900] x3
"And now, my finishing card…"
Kira played his final move.
"Quick-Play Spell—Limiter Removal! All Machine-type monsters I control have their ATK doubled until the end of the turn!"
"N-NANI!?"
Rex, both commentators and the audience all gasped. The whole arena was in an uproar.
All machines doubled? That means three Card Troopers with—
[Card Trooper, ATK 1900 → ATK 3800] x3
"Three monsters at 3800 ATK each?!"
Kogashi was stunned.
Is this even possible??
Sasaki's heart pounded as the three Card Troopers crackled with electricity, swelling up to the size of giant mechs.
The once-fierce Dark Tyranno now had to look up at these mechanical giants, shivering in fear.
"First Card Trooper, attack and destroy 'Dark Tyranno'!"
The first shot blasted Dark Tyranno to pieces.
Rex: "Ugh!"
[Raptor, LP 2800 → LP 1600]
With no backrow left, Rex had no way to defend.
"The remaining Card Troopers, direct attack!"
Cannons locked on, firing twin blasts at Rex.
In the flash of fire, Rex's vision blurred. For a moment, Kira's figure overlapped with a memory from the past.
Amidst the shelling, he seemed to hear the voice of Duel King Yugi Muto:
"No matter what card it is, it has value.
Even the weakest monster has meaning. To call something a 'weakling' and deny its potential—you're not worthy of being called a duelist."
…
Despite double trap resistance, to rebuild such a field and attack—this was the power Rex Raptor sought.
Card Trooper, with only 400 ATK, could deliver a finishing blow.
For a moment, Rex almost saw Yugi standing across from him.
But the vision faded, replaced by overwhelming firepower.
[Raptor, LP 1600 → LP 0]