Chapter 58: The World of Duelists is Truly Terrifying

"My turn, draw."

Yuxuan slammed down a monster card.

"Special Summon 'Candy Clown'!"

[Candy Clown, ATK: 0]

"This card can be special summoned in attack position directly from the hand without any conditions," Yuxuan said. "Next, I offer 'Candy Clown' as a tribute for a Tribute Summon!
The king commanded by psychic power, Level 6—
—Jinzo, appear!"

Having been searched from the deck to his hand in the previous turn by "Witch of the Black Forest", Jinzo stepped onto the battlefield amidst sparking current and the grinding sound of mechanical parts.

[Jinzo, ATK: 2400]

"You brought him out already? Such a troublesome thing," Bandit Keith muttered.

With Jinzo's arrival, an invisible psychic bondage immediately sealed off the backrow, temporarily turning the battlefield into an absolute restricted zone for traps.

This would maximize the suppression of the opponent's backrow. Yuxuan pointed at the opponent's side of the field: "'Silent Magician LV8', attack 'Gatling Dragon'!"

A vortex of magic whipped up her robes, and the magician lady took flight over a magic circle. Magic materialized like a bolt of white lightning, striking the body of the gun dragon. The black steel giant dragon immediately burst and left the field amidst miserable screams.

[Bandit Keith, LP 900 → LP 500]

Enduring the magical impact that pierced through from his monster with his robust physique, Keith staggered half a step back and said coldly, "However, at this instant, the effect of 'Desperado Barrel Dragon' in my hand also activates."

A card in his hand flipped and was revealed, its surface glowing with a flowing golden light.

"The effect of 'Desperado Barrel Dragon': When a Machine-type, DARK monster on your field is destroyed by battle or card effect, this card can be special summoned from your hand!"

The card was slapped onto the duel disk, and a series of crackling currents rippled along the duel disk system.

"In the symphony of metal and fire, the fatal mechanical soul awakens here. Manifest—
—Level 8, Desperado Barrel Dragon!"

The huge steel paws seemed to make the ground sink, and the long mechanical tail lashed the ground heavily like a steel whip. The steel giant dragon's hands and head were both revolver barrels, and a heavy metallic roar erupted from its mouth.

[Desperado Barrel Dragon, ATK: 2800]

"Hahaha, this is my new ace, the ultimate form of Barrel Dragon!" Bandit Keith shouted. "And under the effect of 'The Seal of Orichalcos', Desperado Barrel Dragon's attack power increases by 500!"

[Desperado Barrel Dragon, ATK: 2800 → ATK: 3300]

Keith continued, "And now, the effect of Desperado Barrel Dragon activates!"

Mystical Elf, who had been nervously watching from the side, exclaimed, "It can activate its effect even during the opponent's turn?"

"That's right. The effect of Desperado Barrel Dragon can be used once per turn, during either your opponent's or your own Battle Phase," Keith laughed smugly.

"Toss three coins, and based on the number of heads, you can choose up to that many face-up monsters on the field and destroy them!"

Yuxuan frowned slightly.

Desperado Barrel Dragon was indeed a quite powerful monster in the early format. Because it possessed the ability akin to a "Spell Speed 2 removal"effect—meaning the ability to destroy cards during the opponent's turn—such powerful capabilities were quite rare in the early years.

Although it was restricted to activation only during the Battle Phase, it was already extremely troublesome.

Of course, in the actual holographic duel, the coin toss was replaced by the rotation of the revolving chambers of a revolver. After the three cylinders spun in a flurry, one of the three barrels completed its bullet loading.

"Looks like I only hit one random shot this time, but that's enough." Bandit Keith shouted, "Go, Desperado Barrel Dragon! Destroy 'Jinzo' for me!"

The revolver's trigger was pulled, and the gunfire pierced through Jinzo's body, turning it to ashes amidst a burst of explosive fire.

Yuxuan raised his arm to block the smoke in front of him while feeling puzzled in his heart.

He chose to prioritize destroying Jinzo instead of Silent Magician......

His gaze fell toward the backrow.

It was natural to think that doing this was to get rid of Jinzo's troublesome "trap-sealing" ability. That meant that the backrow card......

Sure enough, the next moment, Bandit Keith let out another series of smug laughter and eagerly said, "Now that Jinzo is gone, the trap lockdown is also gone!
Then I activate a face-down card, the Trap Card—Compulsory Evacuation Device! Return one monster on the field to its owner's hand!"

Bandit Keith smiled coldly.

"'Silent Magician LV8' is a Level-dependent monster and can only be summoned by the method of Level up. Once it returns to the hand, it's equivalent to being wiped out. So get off the stage right here!"

"Then I chain the Quick-Play Spell 'Forbidden Lance'!"

Yuxuan immediately provided a countermeasure. The power of magic condensed into a holy lance and landed in Silent Magician's hand, releasing a sacred wave to resist the invasion of the trap.

"'Forbidden Lance' causes the designated monster to lose 800 attack points until the end of the turn, granting that monster immunity to the effects of Spells and Traps.
Therefore, the effect of 'Compulsory Evacuation Device' is negated."

[Silent Magician LV8, ATK: 3500 → ATK: 2700]

"Ugh... What a persistent fellow," Bandit Keith grumbled.

"I'll set another card on the field, end of turn," Yuxuan said. "At this instant, Silent Magician's attack power returns to normal."

[Silent Magician LV8, ATK: 2700 → ATK: 3500]

"Then my turn, draw!" Bandit Keith said. "I activate the Spell Card 'Trade-In', discarding a Level 8 monster from my hand to draw two cards from the deck.
I discard the Level 8 'Cyber Soldier of Darkworld' from my hand and draw from the deck."

Drawing two more cards, he glanced over them briefly, and his chilling gaze quickly returned to Silent Magician.

"Since you refuse to go back, then perish!
Desperado Barrel Dragon, effect activate!
During the Battle Phase, toss three coins, and destroy monsters on the field based on the number of heads!"

The revolver's chamber began to spin again. All three chambers had a one-half probability, but he only needed to hit one to destroy Silent Magician. Unless the opponent was Joey or a die-hard gambler, it was almost impossible to miss completely.

"Open the face-down card, the Trap Card 'Amnesty'!" Yuxuan flipped his backrow. "When an opponent's face-up attack position monster activates its effect, that activation is negated, and that monster is forcefully changed to defense position!
Negate the effect of 'Desperado Barrel Dragon'!"

The spinning revolver cylinder suddenly stopped as if jammed. Electric arcs crackled across the steel giant dragon's body as it staggered half a step, clutching its head and falling to its knees, as if it had forgotten the correct way to pull the trigger.

[Desperado Barrel Dragon, ATK: 3300 → DEF: 2200]

"You really are a cockroach of a guy..." Bandit Keith was depressed. "Fine then, I'll set two cards, end of turn."

Mystical Elf had been watching from the side, not even daring to breathe loudly.

The powerful monsters standing on both sides of the field were unimaginably mighty to a small fairy like her, accompanied by such thrilling and intense offense and defense. From her perspective, it felt like she would be torn to shreds into nothingness if she were careless for even a second.

"So terrifying..."

The world of duelists was truly terrifying.