Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!

"Lava Golem, return to the hand!"

"Ugh, that thing again."

Alister frowned. His mentality seemed to have shifted a bit over the course of this duel.

"Then I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."

"Right, 'Air Fortress Ziggurat' has another effect, doesn't it?" Kira smiled. "I've studied the cards of legendary duelists like you very thoroughly."

In other words, don't think you can just gloss over the details.

Alister hesitated for two seconds, then gave in.

"Air Fortress Ziggurat. At the end phase, I must special summon a 'Robot Token' in defense position to my field.

The token can't attack, but as long as I have a token on the field, the opponent can only attack the Robot Token."

[Robot Token, DEF 0]

"Ah, that's the defense effect that even gave my brother trouble back in the day," Mokuba was quickly reminded of old memories.

Every turn, a token appears to act as a shield. Even if your opponent manages to summon a monster stronger than the Air Fortress, they have to destroy the tokens first before attacking the Air Fortress.

Plus, the Air Fortress itself is immune to traps and spells, which in this slow-paced game environment is really hard to deal with.

But now, this formerly great ability has become a drawback.

Everyone knows that Lava Golem can only be summoned if you have at least two monsters on the field. So, automatically getting an extra monster at the end phase is just too convenient.

"Then it's my turn, draw." Kira smiled. "First, quick-play spell 'Hand Destruction'—both players discard two cards, then draw two cards."

He drew, paused, and then slowly revealed a card in his hand.

"Well, I think you know what's coming next, Mr. Legendary.

I tribute your 'Robot Token' and 'Air Fortress Ziggurat' to once again rise from the abyss—

—Lava Golem, summon!"

The invincible Air Fortress instantly melted away, the robot vanished in lava. The burning giant rose, radiating destruction.

[Lava Golem, ATK 3000]

The giant even looked back at Alister, giving a somewhat goofy grin.

As if to say, "Hey buddy, we meet again."

Alister: "..."

For some reason, he suddenly wanted to punch someone.

"Next, I activate the continuous trap 'Remove Brainwashing'!" said Kira. "As long as this card's on the field, control of all monsters returns to their original owners.

So, Lava Golem returns to its proper owner—me."

So Lava Golem patted its butt, strolled back to Kira's field, and even seemed to bow to its temporary host on the way out.

Probably saying, "Thanks for the hospitality."

Alister: "..."

After a moment of silence, he couldn't help but say, "Yeah, I see it now. This thing really is the soul of your deck..."

Remove Brainwashing plus Lava Golem—eat up the opponent's field, then instantly take it back. Even has a dedicated combo for it.

"I can't normal summon another monster the turn I summon Lava Golem," Kira said. "So, Lava Golem, attack directly!"

Lava Golem let out a roar and fired a finishing blow.

"Not so fast!" Alister said sternly. "I activate my set card, the trap 'Dimensional Prison'! The attacking monster is banished!"

Banish Lava Golem!

As the big guy's punch was sucked into a dimensional rift, Alister's mood finally settled. He took a deep breath, reflecting that maybe he really did get a little too worked up.

But it's hard to keep your composure against this kind of deck.

"Then I'll set one card and end my turn."

"My turn, draw," Alister said. "I activate the spell 'Card of Burial Magic!' I banish 'Sky Union', 'Toy Robot Box', and 'Junk Dealer' from my graveyard to draw two cards!" (Anime card)

His hand replenished, he continued, "Next, the spell card 'Hidden Armory'! Send the top card of my deck to the graveyard, then add an equip spell from my deck or graveyard to my hand."

He milled a card, then a card left the graveyard.

"Return the equip spell 'Premature Burial' from my graveyard to my hand," Alister said, "and activate it again! Pay 800 Life Points to revive a monster in attack position from the graveyard!"

[Alister, LP 2400 → LP 1600]

He pulled the card from his graveyard, raising it high.

"Return once more—Air Fortress Ziggurat!!"

A steel shadow blotted out the sky. The Air Fortress, which had melted in lava, rose again!

[Air Fortress Ziggurat, ATK 2500]

Kira: "That was fast, you got it back out again..."

"Direct attack with the Air Fortress!" Alister shouted. "It's immune to all trap effects. That's the end!"

"Not necessarily." Kira smiled. "Quick-play spell 'Command Silencer'. Negates one attack declaration and lets me draw a card." (Anime card)

Sonic waves swept the Air Fortress, lowering its raised cannons. Seems it wasn't so easy to fire.

"That's another of Kaiba's cards."

Alister frowned, glancing irritably at Kaiba.

Mokuba was happy: "Kira's really mastered using our cards!"

"Then I'll set two cards and end my turn," Alister said irritably.

"And at end phase, the Air Fortress's effect summons a 'Robot Token.'"

[Robot Token, DEF 0]

"My turn, draw."

Kira drew, paused, and looked up at the gigantic Air Fortress in the sky.

"Air Fortress really is an incredible monster. As thanks for letting me see a card of this level, Alister, I'll show you my real skill."

Alister focused.

So, he's finally going to reveal his trump card?

"I activate the spell 'Super Soldier Synthesis'," Kira said. "Send LIGHT and DARK monsters from hand or deck to the grave until their combined level is eight, to ritual summon a 'Black Luster Soldier' monster!"

"As expected," Alister squinted. "I've heard from duel intel that you and KaibaCorp's team developed the strongest Black Luster Soldier form, combining the powers of both Beginning Knight and Evening Twilight Knight.

If you summon that thing, it'll be a headache."

He tensed, then smiled lightly.

"But, will it be that easy?

I activate my face-down, Counter Trap—'Dark Bribe'! Negate a Spell/Trap activation and destroy it; opponent draws a card."

Super Soldier Synthesis fizzled out. The storm of chaos was halted.

"Ah!" Mokuba was disappointed. "The Black Luster Soldier's failed to appear."

"Then, from last turn's 'Hand Destruction', the ritual spell 'Super Soldier Ritual' activates from the graveyard!" said Kira.

Alister was thrown: "Activate a ritual spell from the graveyard!?"

So now you can select ritual materials from the deck, ritual summon from the graveyard, and even activate ritual spells from the graveyard!? Black Luster Soldier research has developed this many fancy ritual components?

"Super Soldier Ritual: banish this card plus one LIGHT and one DARK monster from your graveyard to special summon a 'Black Luster Soldier' ritual monster from your hand, ignoring summoning conditions."

Kira pulled out two graveyard cards.

"Banish the LIGHT 'Magical Merchant' and DARK 'Jinzo - Returner' from my graveyard!

One soul guides light, one guides darkness—the gate of chaos opens—

—Black Luster Soldier, summon!"

The souls of light and darkness spun into a vortex, sword-light split the chaos, and the legendary warrior appeared!

[Black Luster Soldier, ATK 3000]

"Still not so easy," Alister shouted. "Counter Trap—Solemn Judgment!"

Kira's eyelids twitched.

Old Man God himself, huh.

"Pay half my LP to negate the activation of a spell, trap, or monster summoning and destroy it!"

[Alister, LP 1600 → LP 800]

"'Super Soldier Ritual' is negated! So the Black Luster Soldier's summon is also negated!" Alister smiled. "Better leave him in your hand."

A holy radiance fell. Old Man God's phantom appeared, sternly raising a hand as if to say, "Not allowed."

So the Black Luster Soldier's image vanished before it could fully materialize.

"Blocked even that. Impressive."

Kira smiled, then pulled two more cards from his graveyard.

"Then, I'll banish the LIGHT 'Angel O7' and DARK 'Jinzo' from the graveyard!"

Alister: "!"

Again!?

"Souls of light and darkness, sacrificed to chaos—summoning the legendary warrior!"

Kira raised his arm.

"Heaven and earth open!

Level 8—Black Luster Soldier—Envoy of the Beginning, summon!"

The souls of light and darkness were sacrificed again, chaos storm surged, sword split the void, and the Black Luster Soldier descended as if from beyond the stars!

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

"Uh," Alister said heavily, "even this couldn't stop Black Luster Soldier's arrival?"

But he quickly added: "However, the Envoy can only choose to attack twice, or banish one monster.

I have the Air Fortress and a token as shields. Even the Envoy can't break through this turn."

Kira smiled, revealing another card.

"Spell card—'Primal Seed'. Can only be activated when 'Black Luster Soldier—Envoy of the Beginning' is on the field; return two banished cards to the hand."

Alister's heart skipped a beat.

The Envoy's exclusive spell.

Recovering banished cards?

Masaka!!! (Could it be—)

"I return these two banished cards."

Kira revealed two cards.

"Jinzo and Lava Golem, return to hand!"

Alister instantly wore a pain mask.

I knew it!

It's that guy again!

He immediately realized what was about to happen.

But so what if you realize? There's nothing you can do.

He was like a puppet who could see his own strings, helplessly swept toward despair in the flood of this duel.

"I haven't normal summoned this turn." Kira smiled. "So, I tribute your 'Air Fortress Ziggurat' and 'Robot Token' to special summon this powerful monster to your field.

Once again, rise from the abyss with the power of destruction and rebirth—

—Level 8, Lava Golem!"

The invincible Air Fortress, with its shield token and immunity to traps and spells, was like a helpless lamb before the even more invincible Lava Golem.

Once again, Lava Golem feasted, then gave Alister another goofy grin.

Third time's the charm.

Hello again, and goodbye.

After eating its fill, Lava Golem patted its butt and returned to Kira's field.

[Lava Golem, ATK 3000]

"Of course, the continuous trap 'Remove Brainwashing' is still on the field," Kira explained, "so Lava Golem immediately returns to my field upon summon."

Alister: "..."

"Then, Lava Golem," Kira said politely, "direct attack Alister."

Lava Golem let out a war cry.

Lava Chicken!

In the last moment before being consumed by the flames, Alister looked to the sky, suspicion in his eyes.

He'd told YKira before: don't worry, this is just a friendly duel, not a Shadow Game, so don't be nervous.

But now he was starting to doubt himself.

Was it really not a Shadow Game?

Why did playing these cards hurt so much?

[Alister, LP 800 → LP 0]