Fusion Summon! Elemental Hero Nova Master!
It was an Elemental Hero covered in red and gold armor, with a mask on his helmet, and a red cape fluttering with the scorching heat waves behind him.
The moment he appeared, he brought blistering hot lava, hissing as it spread across the ground, distorting the air around him with his searing temperature.
Even though it was just a virtual image, just witnessing this hero's appearance felt like a scorching heat wave was rushing toward you.
[Elemental Hero Nova Master, Attack Power 2600]
"Nova... Master!?" Jonouchi was astonished, "What kind of monster is this? Its attack power even surpasses Red-Eyes!"
The fusion conditions for Nova Master are a monster with "Elemental Hero" in its name and a Fire Attribute monster, allowing Elemental Hero Featherman to fuse with a Fire Attribute Blazing Ladies for the Fusion Summon.
This card was the result of Youyu persistently dueling to level up, drawing it from the system card pool with Crystal Stones.
However, until today, he hadn't drawn a single Magic Card - Polymerization, so this Fusion Monster naturally had no use. Fortunately, thanks to Chinai-chan's friendly sponsorship, he drew a Magic Card - Polymerization, giving Nova Master its debut opportunity.
"Battle!" Without hesitation, Youyu entered the Battle Phase, "Attack the Red-Eyes Black Dragon with Nova Master!"
He waved his hand towards Jonouchi's Red-Eyes on the field, issuing the attack declaration.
However, his Nova Master on the field remained floating, displaying a cool pose with its arms crossed, completely ignoring its owner's command and not moving at all.
Youyu was baffled: "Nova Master?"
What's going on?
Could it be that Jonouchi activated some effect that he unintentionally overlooked, restricting the attack?
"Uh... don't you know?" Jonouchi narrowed his eyes, "About the new rules set by Duel City for Duel Monsters?"
"Ah?" Youyu was confused.
Yugi explained from the side, "According to the new rules of Duel City, Fusion Monsters summoned in the turn they are Fusion Summoned cannot attack."
Youyu: "..."
Damn!
What kind of ridiculous rule is this?
I fusion summoned a monster giving up three cards for one, and now you're telling me it can't attack this turn?
However, President Haima's reasoning for setting such a rule was simple. According to the new rules, most powerful monsters require tribute for Tribute Summon, but gathering tributes to perform a Tribute Summon while withstanding opponents' attacks is not easy.
In comparison, Fusion Summons that directly select materials from the hand make it too easy to summon high-level monsters, so it's reasonable to impose an attack restriction.
However, for players used to playing under the Master Rules, this rule seems quite amusing...
In fact, Youyu had seen this rule in the anime but had forgotten due to the long time since the Yu-Gi-Oh! DM era.
Youyu twitched his mouth, suddenly feeling a bit helpless.
This rule... is an epic nerf to Elemental Heroes which major in fusion...
So he summoned a Fusion Monster at the cost of three cards but can't attack, just to have it removed by his opponent next turn?
Helplessly, since he's playing someone else's game, the rules are determined by those damn planners.
Youyu inserted his last two cards into the slots of the Duel Disc: "I set two cards and end my turn."
"Phew~ Close one, close one, good thing the turn of the Fusion Summon can't attack." Jonouchi said, "My turn, draw!"
He glanced at his new hand, smiling confidently: "Youyu, since you can't attack me, I'll be going all out this turn! I activate the Equip Magic Card - Dragon Nails from my hand! Equip it to Red-Eyes Black Dragon, increasing its attack power by 600 points!"
The Red-Eyes Black Dragon, strengthened by magic, roared towards the sky, its entire outline covered by a deep black aura, dispelling the oppressive heat of Nova Master and instantly overpowering its opponent.
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Attack Power 2400 → Attack Power 3000]
Spectators: "Attack... attack power 3000!?"
"The same attack power as Blue-Eyes White Dragon!!" The onlookers were incredulous.
(Blue Eyes: Am I now an attack power unit measure ==?)
"Now the Red-Eyes Black Dragon's attack power surpasses Nova Master's!" Jonouchi shouted excitedly, "Red-Eyes, attack! Black Flame Bullet!"
The high-temperature energy gathered in the open mouth of the Red-Eyes, with dark currents swirling around the dark red sphere, stirring a storm-like violent vortex.
"Hold it!" Youyu pressed a button on the Duel Disc, waving his arm, "Activate Set Card, Magic Card - Beckoning to the Dark!"
Yes, this is also a Normal Magic. Anyway, according to the current rules, the speed of a Magic Card doesn't really matter, so Youyu shamelessly utilized this rule.
This card was also part of the "Newbie Gift Pack" given by old pal Pandora. Pandora used this card in a duel against Youyu, which has the effect of instantly sending a monster on the field to the graveyard.
In fact, Pandora's Newbie Gift Pack was quite generous, not only gifting the rare card Dark Magician but also a bunch of highly practical cards for the current stage.
Hmm... though he might not have been very happy to send out this gift pack.
The field instantly became shrouded in dark clouds, and scarlet lightning struck down. The black demon's hands reached out from the dark clouds above, grasping straight toward Jonouchi's Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
"It's useless!" Jonouchi didn't budge, "Activate Set Card, Trap Card - Metalmorph! This card can be used as an Equip Card for the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, metallizing it, and increasing its attack and defense power by 400 points again!" (Animation effect)
The black steel armor covered the charging Black Dragon's body, reflecting the unique metallic sheen under the surrounding lights.
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Attack Power 3000 → Attack Power 3400]
"But even if the attack power keeps increasing, it's meaningless!" Youyu shouted, "'Beckoning to the Darkness' can drag a monster on the field into darkness and send it directly to the graveyard!"
"Hey, attack power isn't my goal!" Jonouchi smiled confidently, raising his voice. "The Metalmorph on Red-Eyes provides protection from Magic Reflect Armor, so any kind of magic attack will be deflected by the armor!
In other words, whether it's the effect of a Magic Card or an attack from a Spellcaster-Type, it's ineffective against the current Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
Youyu: "???"
Don't mess with me, I'm familiar with this Trap Card, how can it have that effect?
Then he suddenly remembered, in the Duelist Kingdom arc of the anime, the Bandit Keith who faced Jonouchi seemed to bluff like this when using this Trap Card, and back then, neither Yugi nor Duel Monsters founder Pegasus contested this ridiculous bluff...
Youyu: "..."
Well... Jonouchi, I sympathize with you being bluffed, but even so, you shouldn't go around bluffing others!
Just as revenge only breeds new hatred, using bluffs to retaliate only leads to more and more bluffing!
However, the system really did acknowledge Jonouchi's bluff, and the effect of Youyu's Magic Card was actually rebounded off the layer of reflective armor covering the Red-Eyes, causing the black clouds to dissipate instantly.
Youyu was bewildered at the time...
The spectators were still excited: "What a brilliant strategy!"
"No wonder he's the runner-up of Duelist Kingdom, he's ridiculously strong!"
Even Yugi was chiming in from the side: "Beautiful! Now Jonouchi's Red-Eyes won't be destroyed!"
According to Jonouchi, the Magic Reflect Armor would deflect any magic effect applied to Red-Eyes, including his own Equip Magic "Dragon Nails". As the armor's effect kicked in, Dragon Nails was self-destroyed.
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK 3400→ATK 2800]
Red-Eyes' attack power is still higher!
"Go, Red-Eyes!" Jonouchi clenched his fist. "Take down Elemental Hero Nova Master!"
The flame in Red-Eyes' mouth continued to brew, and Nova Master was getting nervous too, his palms enveloped in blazing fire, ready for a desperate battle with the Black Dragon in front of him.
But it didn't matter!
Youyu still had a trick up his sleeve!
"Activate the Set Card!" He flipped open the remaining card on his field. "Trap Card - Dust Tornado! Destroy a Magic or Trap Card on the field! I'll destroy 'Metalmorph - Magic Reflect Armor'!"
"What!?" Jonouchi was stunned.
In the Trap Card's image, a staggering dust whirlwind surged up, a funnel-shaped tornado carrying fast-spinning leaves swooped towards Jonouchi's half of the field, creating a storm of dust and debris.
Jonouchi raised his arms to shield his face. The Trap Card in his Magic Trap Zone was instantly shattered by the fierce wind, and the armor covering Red-Eyes Black Dragon disappeared along with it, its momentum and attack power dropped further.
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK 2800→ATK 2400]
[Elemental Hero Nova Master, ATK 2600]
"Now both sides have switched attack power again!" Youyu shouted. "Nova Master, counterattack Red-Eyes' attack!"
The Black Flame Bullet, accumulating in Red-Eyes Black Dragon's mouth, finally shot out, but under the reversal of power, its attack posed no threat to Nova Master.
The fiery Elemental Hero deftly sidestepped the Black Flame Bullet, his figure flickered, cape flowing, and instantly appeared in front of Red-Eyes. His eyes burned intensely under the helmet, as if saying —
"Hey, you seemed quite arrogant just now."
Red-Eyes let out an unwilling roar, but its determination was clearly not as strong as before, as if foreseeing its impending doom...
"Damn it! It's not over yet!" Jonouchi shouted. "I also have one last trick to use! Activate the Set Card..."
Boom!!!
The flames engulfed the entire field, an erupting fire pillar swallowed Jonouchi's half-field, consuming both Red-Eyes and Jonouchi himself, even muffling their voices.
Having watched so much anime and played cards for so many years, Youyu knew the truth — smoke means no damage.
So instinctively, he guessed that this attack probably didn't settle it...
Sure enough, when the flames and smoke dispersed, Jonouchi's LP still stood at 3200, unchanged.
In its place on his field was now a larger dragon, with a body covered in lava-like patterns.
[Meteor Black Dragon, ATK 3500]
Youyu suddenly got a very ominous feeling...
"Whew, that was close." Jonouchi wiped his sweat with a smile. "Just now, on the moment of Red-Eyes' attack, I activated this card."
He took out a card from the graveyard and displayed it to Youyu.
"I also activated Magic Card - Polymerization!" He said proudly. "I fused the Red-Eyes Black Dragon on the field with Meteor Dragon from my hand, creating my new trump card: Meteor Black Dragon!"
Youyu: "..."
Hey, that's too much!
Activating a Magic Card during the Battle Phase is one thing... but seriously, fusion during the battle phase???
(P.S. Since some readers asked, here's a clarification: the rules here aren't DIY'd by the author, the original anime's rules were like this. However, these rules will be revised with the ongoing plot.)