NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 12: DTCD [12]
The spinning coin flew into the air and landed—revealing Gavin's side.
"I choose to go second!"
With Gavin's choice made, both players drew five cards from their Decks.
"Then it's my turn."
Kai glanced at his hand and quickly assessed his options.
"I summon [Cyber Dragon Core]!"
Marina's expression shifted slightly at the familiar sight of the Cyber monster.
Cyber Dragons were known for their backrow-breaking power plays. That 16000 ATK [Cyber End Dragon] Kai summoned during the Trial had left quite the impression.
However, he was using this Deck even when going first?
Marina thought he'd be better off using the Skull Servant Deck he got from the Trial loot.
Same high-ATK whiteboards, but at least the Skull cards had built-in resistances.
[Cyber Dragon Core] Level 2│LIGHT│Machine│400 ATK
Kai, unaware of Marina's thoughts, continued, "I activate [Cyber Dragon Core]'s effect!"
"When this card is Normal Summoned: Add 1 'Cyber' or 'Cybernetic' Spell/Trap from Deck to hand."
"Hmph, not so fast!"
"I activate the effect of [Effect Veiler] from my hand!"
"During your Main Phase: You can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard, then target 1 Effect Monster your opponent controls; negate its effects until the end of this turn!"
"I target your [Cyber Dragon Core] and negate its effect!"
Gavin smirked with satisfaction.
This card was one of his staples—it had shut down many opponents before!
As the translucent-winged angel descended, a green spectral hand emerged and snatched it away into the void.
"Chain to your effect, I activate Quick-Play Spell [Called by the Grave]!"
"Target 1 monster in your opponent's Graveyard; banish it, and until the end of the next turn, its effects, and the effects of monsters with the same original name, are negated."
"Now, [Cyber Dragon Core]'s effect resolves—I add [Cyberdark Realm] from my Deck to my hand!"
Under Gavin's stunned gaze, Kai sent a card to the Graveyard and retrieved another from his Deck.
Marina, watching from above, unconsciously reached toward her own Deck.
Touching her cards, this was exactly the kind of duel she lived to witness!
"I activate the Continuous Spell [Cyberdark Realm]!"
Red digital waves erupted from Kai's Duel Disk, spreading across his backrow.
"I activate [Cyberdark Realm]'s activation effect!"
"When this card is activated: Add 1 'Cyberdark' monster from your Deck to your hand, whose name is not in your Graveyard."
"I add [Cyberdark Chimera] from my Deck to my hand!"
Another pulse of data—Kai drew out the selected card.
"Next, I use [Cyberdark Realm]'s second effect!"
"During your Main Phase: You can immediately after this effect resolves, Normal Summon 1 'Cyberdark' monster."
"I Normal Summon [Cyberdark Chimera]!"
As green data pulses radiated from [Cyberdark Realm], a jagged, blade-covered, green-colored monster emerged on Kai's field.
[Cyberdark Chimera] Level 4│DARK│Machine│800 ATK
Kai waved his hand, and a shining white square appeared in front of him.
The crowd's expressions shifted again—a Link Circuit!
"Its summoning condition: 1 Machine monster with original ATK of 1000 or less, except a Link Monster."
"I link [Cyber Dragon Core] to the Link Marker!"
Responding to Kai's call, [Cyber Dragon Core] turned into a streak of light and plunged into the square, lighting up the central left marker.
"Link Summon! Link-1! [Clockwork Knight]!"
Amid white radiance, mechanical gears whirred, and a sword-wielding mech knight emerged.
[Clockwork Knight] Link-1 [←]│EARTH│Machine│500 ATK
"I activate [Clockwork Knight]'s effect!"
"If this card is Link Summoned: You can send 1 face-up Continuous Spell from your field to the GY; add 1 'Clockwork Night' from your Deck to your hand."
"I send [Cyberdark Realm] to the Graveyard and add [Clockwork Night] to my hand!"
The knight gave a metallic laugh, driving its blade through the Spell card.
As [Cyberdark Realm] shattered into light, Kai added a new card to his hand.
"He destroyed his own card so casually..."
"Idiot."
To Gavin's snide remark, Kai responded with only two words:
Why keep a card if you're not going to use its effect?
"You—!"
Before Gavin could retort, Kai continued, "I activate [Cyberdark Chimera]'s effect!"
"Discard 1 Spell/Trap; add 1 [Power Bond] from Deck to hand. This turn, I can also Fusion Summon Machine Fusion Monsters, using monsters from hand or banishing from GY."
"I discard [Clockwork Night] and add [Power Bond]!"
If this were his second turn, he wouldn't be doing this since he'd rather use [Clockwork Night] to wipe Gavin's board.
But going first? It had no value.
A one-for-one trade. His hand size stayed the same.
Though he hadn't summoned anything with high ATK yet, Gavin couldn't shake a creeping sense of danger.
Kai ignored his expression and continued, "I activate [Clockwork Knight]'s second effect!"
"Target 1 Machine monster with 1000 or less ATK in your Graveyard; Tribute 1 other Machine monster you control, and Special Summon the targeted monster in Defense Position."
"I target [Cyber Dragon Core] in my Graveyard, tribute [Cyberdark Chimera], and Special Summon it!"
...
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