Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 88: Misawa’s Countermeasures

"I'll now activate the Equip Spell 'Power of the Guardians,' equipping it to one of my Fusilier Dragons!"

A golden aura enveloped one of the Fusilier Dragons.

"When the equipped monster battles, it gains a Spell Counter and 500 ATK. And by removing a counter, I can protect it from being destroyed by battle or card effects! Now, battle phase!"

Misawa launched his attack.

"With traps sealed, you can't counter my offense! Like I said, let's end this duel this turn, Number One! First, Mathematician attacks your face-down monster!"

The monster flipped—a blonde female magician, crouching with her staff in defense.

[Apprentice Magician, DEF 800]

800 DEF couldn't stop the attack. The Mathematician unleashed a barrage of mathematical symbols and formulas, swirling around the magician.

She tried to resist, but in the end, the power of math overwhelmed her. She screamed, clutching her head, and exploded.

Kira could relate.

Math really can make people explode on the spot.

"Apprentice Magician's effect," Kira said. "When destroyed by battle, I Special Summon a Level 2 or lower Spellcaster from my deck in face-down defense."

He picked a card from his deck.

"Apprentice Magician is itself Level 2, so I set a second one from my deck."

"So, it's a recruiter... Then, Fusilier Dragon #1 attacks the set magician! At the same time, Power of the Guardians' effect activates—Fusilier Dragon gains 500 ATK!"

[Fusilier Dragon, the Dual-Mode Beast, ATK 2800 → 3300]

The cannon fire destroyed the second magician, triggering her effect.

"This time, I set Level 1 'Magician of Faith' face-down."

[Magician of Faith, DEF 400]

"Then Fusilier Dragon #2 attacks Magician of Faith!"

The monster flipped up—a small magician. But she waved her staff, and a magical light returned a Spell card from Kira's graveyard to his hand.

"Magician of Faith's effect: when flipped, add a Spell card from your graveyard to your hand."

Kira took back a Spell card.

"I retrieve 'Delinquent Duo' from my graveyard."

Misawa: "He blocked everything..."

Now, only the Fusilier Dragon with 400 ATK was left to attack, but thanks to Shooting Star Bow - Ceal, it could attack directly.

"Finally, the last Fusilier Dragon attacks directly!"

Kira calmly took the hit.

[Kira, LP 3000 → 2600]

It was barely a scratch—more symbolic than real damage.

"Now, I use Wonder Wand's other effect: send it and the equipped monster to the graveyard to draw two cards.

I send Wonder Wand and Mathematician to the grave, then draw two cards!"

After drawing, Misawa played another card.

"Spell Card 'Sacred Sword of Seven Stars'! Banish a Level 7 monster from my hand or field to draw two cards! I banish the Level 7 Fusilier Dragon with 400 ATK to draw two cards.

Then I end my turn!"

Kira: "My turn. Draw.

First, I play 'Pot of Greed' to draw two cards."

He then played the card he got back with Magician of Faith last turn.

"'Delinquent Duo!' Pay 1000 LP, randomly discard one card from your opponent's hand, then your opponent discards one of their choice."

[Kira, LP 2600 → 1600]

"For the random discard, I'll pick the second card from the left," Kira said casually.

"You don't think I have a second 'Gemini Imps' in hand, do you?"

Misawa discarded the card Kira indicated and smiled.

"Your guess is right.

But! I have more counters prepared.

For the second card, which I choose to discard myself, I pick this!"

He revealed a Spell card before discarding it.

"I discard 'Electric Snake.' When this card is discarded by an opponent's effect, I draw two cards!"

Kira was impressed.

Wow, he even brought stuff like this. And if he's running this, he must have 'Card of Compensation' in his deck, too—he just didn't draw it yet.

No wonder he's one of the main characters—he can cram in so many extra pieces and never brick.

After drawing two more cards, Misawa grinned. "I told you, my counters are perfect, Number One. I've researched and prepared for this duel completely."

Kira shrugged, smiling. "I knew you'd be ready. I just wanted to see how you'd respond."

"Oh? Still so calm? As expected from Number One," Misawa laughed. "Then let me see what you can do when you get serious."

"I'm always serious," Kira grinned. "Now I activate 'Card Destruction.' Both players discard their hands, then draw the same number of cards."

Both players discarded and drew. But then a card popped out from Kira's graveyard.

"One of the cards I discarded was 'Card of Compensation.' When sent to the grave from hand, I draw two cards." (manga card)

Misawa didn't respond but became even more alert. Though Kira said he was serious, Misawa couldn't sense any tension from him.

It felt like all his counters and advantages meant nothing to his opponent.

But that only fired up his duelist spirit more.

"I'll make you take this duel seriously!"

"I said I'm not holding back—but since you insist, I'll show you my main deck as promised.

I banish the LIGHT 'Magician of Faith' and DARK 'Apprentice Magician' from my graveyard for a special summon!"

Misawa's face changed: "Banish a LIGHT and DARK monster... could it be...!?"

"Souls of light and darkness offered to the field of chaos—summon forth the legendary warrior!

Dimension opens—

—Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning!" freewebnσvel.cѳm

[Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, ATK 3000]

The entire arena erupted.

"Oh my goodness!" Professor Lyman exclaimed, covering his face. "It's Black Luster Soldier!"

Up on the viewing platform, Alexis was shaken. "W-what? The Envoy? Isn't that..."

"That's the legendary ace from the King of Games, Yugi Muto's deck."

Even Zane was shocked, but his eyes glimmered with anticipation.

His duelist spirit was restless.

And he wasn't the only one—Jaden was just as excited.

"Whoa, this is awesome! Black Luster Soldier! It's Black Luster Soldier!"

Jaden shook Syrus in excitement.

"I want to duel Kira!"

"Bro, you're gonna kill me..." Syrus gasped.

But no one was more stunned than Misawa, facing the legendary warrior's presence. He unconsciously took a step back. "Your ace... is that monster?"

He hadn't realized he was now up against a variant of the world-champion Chaos deck that dominated the real meta back in the day.

For a long time, Chaos was the absolute top-tier deck—every deck was either "Chaos" or "non-Chaos." Either you got stomped by the meta or joined it.

The "Apprentice Magician" and "Magician of Faith" combo Kira used last turn was a classic early-Chaos pairing.

One was LIGHT, one DARK. Apprentice Magician had great defense and could search Magician of Faith, who could recover a powerful Spell.

Back then, Spell cards were broken, many were now banned and far stronger than monsters.

Magician of Faith could recover anything—Pot of Greed, Graceful Charity, the hand destruction trinity, or board wipes like Raigeki and Heavy Storm—all game-changers.

This pair built a perfect defense and set up the LIGHT/DARK requirement for Chaos Soldier to swing the game next turn.

"'Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning's' effect!" Kira declared. "By giving up its attack this turn, I can banish one monster on the field!

I banish the Fusilier Dragon equipped with the Power of the Guardians!

Chaos Dimensional Slash!"

The soldier raised his blade—one side light, one side dark. The dual energies spun into a vortex, sucking the giant Fusilier Dragon into another dimension.

"Power of the Guardians is useless against BLS?" Misawa gritted his teeth.

Power of the Guardians could protect against destruction by battle or effects, but banishing was another story.

"Next, I banish the LIGHT 'Shining Angel' and another DARK 'Apprentice Magician' from my graveyard!"

Misawa: "!"

That summon requirement again...

Could he have another BLS!?

Of course not. But even without another BLS, Kira had a "Chaos Sorcerer."

"Wielder of light and dark magic—now descend!

—Chaos Sorcerer, summon!"

[Chaos Sorcerer, ATK 2300]

"Chaos Sorcerer's effect: once per turn, by giving up its attack, banish one monster!

I banish your last Fusilier Dragon!"

The sorcerer spun his hands, conjuring a vortex that swallowed the Fusilier Dragon.

Misawa: "..."

Not again...

Outside, Chazz, previously shell-shocked from his loss to Jaden, perked up.

He knew this move.

That's the feeling! Banish them all! Send them to the Shadow Realm!

"But at least that means you can't attack this turn..." Misawa took a deep breath.

Both BLS and Chaos Sorcerer can't attack the turn they use their effect.

"Not necessarily," Kira interrupted.

Misawa: "?!"

"True, BLS can't attack this turn after using its effect, but that doesn't mean my offense ends here."

Kira revealed another card.

"'Metamorphosis'! Tribute one monster, then Special Summon a Fusion Monster of the same level from the Extra Deck!

I tribute Black Luster Soldier!"

Misawa: "!!!"

Right, by tributing a BLS that used its effect, you can keep attacking this turn.

And since BLS is Level 8, you can summon any Level 8 Fusion monster!

"With the power of meteors and volcanic might, arise—

—Level 8, Meteor Black Dragon!"

A massive black dragon with magma-like veins descended!

[Meteor Black Dragon, ATK 3500]

Misawa's face changed: "That's... the evolved form of Red-Eyes Black Dragon, but you summoned it without the original..."

Metamorphosis was a common GX-era Spell, often used by Jaden to evolve Bubbleman into Neo Bubbleman.

In real tournaments, people preferred "Cyber Twin Dragon"—2800 ATK, could attack twice. After BLS cleared the field, it would become Cyber Twin Dragon and deal 5600 damage in one turn.

But in this world, Cyber Twin Dragon was probably in Zane's deck, unavailable to Kira. Meteor Black Dragon might be a vanilla, but it had a high 3500 ATK—just below Obelisk.

"'Meteor Black Dragon' attacks directly!"

The dragon unleashed a torrent of molten fire, sweeping over Misawa.

"Urgh!"

[Misawa, LP 4000 → 500]

His Life Points plummeted. Misawa fell to one knee, covered in the dragon's breath smoke.

His monsters were banished, his defenses gone, and Misawa suddenly realized something.

His opponent might have expected him to try trap lock from the very start.

Chaos and banishing, relentless attacks. Misawa's monsters kept getting banished, and thanks to his own "Royal Decree," he couldn't use Traps to defend.

Wasn't he the one getting locked down by his strategy?