But Kagurazaka quickly came back to his senses and shouted, "Then I activate my face-down card, 'Threatening Roar'! This turn, my opponent cannot declare an attack!"
A wave of threatening sound burst across the field and sealed off Yugen's entire offense. The pressure of that four-thousand-plus attack had clearly shaken Kagurazaka badly.
"Hm, an attack lock."
Still, it seemed Kagurazaka really had been frightened by the 4300 attack Kuriboh, since he had used Roar before the Battle Phase instead of saving it. It did not really matter in the end, but it made his nerves obvious.
"I still haven't used my Normal Summon this turn." Yugen waved a hand. "Then I tribute the 'Treeborn Frog' on my field for a Tribute Summon."
He paused, and when he pulled the card from his hand, a faint smile appeared on his face. That smile made Kagurazaka's heartbeat skip again.
"It just so happens that this is another soul card suited to this Duel, one that once fought alongside the first Duel King."
A moment ago he had said he would bring out the Duel King's ace, and the result had been an Kuriboh that left Kagurazaka coughing blood internally. Now Kagurazaka had a strong feeling that whatever came next definitely would not be anything good either.
"Tribute Summon, Level 5, Catapult Turtle!"
Catapult Turtle, DEF 2000
Kagurazaka: "Catapult Turtle!?"
Of course he recognized that card, because the very Deck he was using also contained it. That only made the situation feel even worse.
"Catapult Turtle's effect. I tribute a monster on my field and inflict damage to the opponent equal to half that Monster's ATK," Yugen said. "Kuriboh Token can't be used as tribute for a Tribute Summon, but it can be used as tribute for a Monster effect."
"Therefore, I tribute the Kuriboh Token equipped with 'United We Stand' and inflict damage equal to half its ATK!"
Kuriboh: "Kurikuri!"
The Kuriboh that had gained the power of its companions leaped straight onto the launch rail on Catapult Turtle's back and fired out like an electromagnetic shell. Its round little body curled tight like a spinning cannonball and slammed directly into Kagurazaka's face before exploding with a bang.
Kagurazaka screamed and was blasted to the ground. His body rolled across the dirt, and even the students watching felt their own faces ache a little.
Kagurazaka, LP 4000 -> LP 1850
"Damn it..."
What kind of Duel King ace was that supposed to be? When people talked about Yugi Muto's ace cards, shouldn't the first things that came to mind be monsters like Dark Magician, Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, or Buster Blader?
Why had it turned into this bizarre pair of Kuriboh and Catapult Turtle in your hands? The more he thought about it, the more wrong the whole thing felt.
The students watching gradually noticed it too. "Come to think of it, aren't all the cards Yugen used today also Yugi Muto's monster?"
"I think... yeah?"
The students looked at one another with odd expressions. For some reason, it suddenly felt as though they were watching an internal war between different versions of the Duel King.
But both sides were using the same Duel King cards, so why did the style of the duel feel completely different? That question left everyone a little dazed.
"I set two cards and end my turn," Yugen said.
Kagurazaka got to his feet and brushed the dust off himself. Catapult Turtle's effect was not Once Per Turn, and the other side had not kept bombarding him with effects, so perhaps that was because he wanted to leave behind a stronger defense for the next turn.
That made sense. Even if the remaining tokens and Catapult Turtle itself were all tributed, they would only deal another 950 damage, which still would not finish him off and might even trigger some kind of survival effect.
"No, I refuse to accept this."
Kagurazaka straightened his back. His voice shook, but he forced the words out with every bit of conviction he had left.
"The Deck I got is the Duel King's Deck. The power I use is the strongest power in history!"
"I won't lose again. I won't lose to anyone again..."
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and stretched his hand over his Deck. The pose looked ridiculous, but he committed to it with complete sincerity.
"My soul Deck, if you can hear my voice, then please... lend me your power once more!"
The crowd watching fell silent in confusion for a moment. Then someone finally muttered, "Wait, wasn't that a stolen Deck...?"
"Yeah, I think it was."
Yugen: "..."
What soul Deck? This kid was way too deep in character. Still, to be fair, Kagurazaka really did have a special talent for imitation, and with that pose and that atmosphere, it almost felt like it might actually work.
"Card Draw!"
Kagurazaka's eyes lit up, and he raised the card in his hand high. "Spell Card 'Card of Sanctity'! Both players draw from their Deck until they each have six cards in hand!"
Card of Sanctity!
Kagurazaka replenished his hand in one sweep and burst into laughter. "My unshakable bond with my Deck has called forth another miracle!" The crowd fell silent, because no one could understand how he could act so convincingly while using a stolen Deck.
"Now I'm finally getting serious, so watch closely," Kagurazaka declared. "I activate a Spell Card! 'Dark Magic Curtain'! I pay 1000 Life Points to Special Summon a DARK Spellcaster-Type Monster from my hand or Graveyard." (ANIME EFFECT)
Kagurazaka, LP 1850 to LP 850.
"I pay 1000 Life Points. Appear, my true ace, the strongest servant to cross a thousand years of time. Dark Magician, Summon!!!"
A black magic circle spread across the ground, and the dark-clad magician rose from it. His green staff spun twice through the air before dropping neatly into his hand amid a storm of magic.
Dark Magician, ATK 2500.
The entire scene erupted. The watching students shouted in unison, "Dark Magician! It's Dark Magician!" This was the legendary Monster once used as the symbol of the Duel King, a super Rare Card.
"Then I activate a Spell Card! 'Bond Between Teacher and Student,'" Kagurazaka continued. "While Dark Magician is on the field, I Special Summon 'Dark Magician Girl' from my Deck. The greatest student of Dark Magician, appear now. Dark Magician Girl, Summon!"
The girl appeared lightly atop a floating magic circle. Her bright blond hair shone like ripened wheat, her skin was pale and clear, and her graceful figure swayed with lively energy as the hem of her robe fluttered.
A few gentlemen in the crowd immediately stared without blinking. In their minds, the summary was simple: cleavage, large, white. Another wave of cheers rose at once.
"Dark Magician Girl!" someone shouted.
"Kagurazaka really knows what he's doing!" another yelled.
The gentlemen instantly formed a united front, praising Kagurazaka for giving them a chance to witness the famous public waifu. Being able to see Dark Magician and his student moving together had already made the day worthwhile.
"Bond Between Teacher and Student's follow-up effect," Kagurazaka said. "I Set the Spell Card 'Dark Magic Attack' from my Deck to the Spell and Trap Cards Zone."