Chapter 118: Abyss Lockdown

"Duel!" x2

[Yugen, LP 4000]

[Ryuga, LP 4000]

"It seems I'm going first, draw."

Yugen drew a card, then immediately played one card from his hand.

"Summon 'Elemental HERO Bubbleman' in defense position!"

[Elemental HERO Bubbleman, DEF 1200]

Judai, off to the side: "Huh? Today Yugen is using Elemental HEROES like me?"

However, that wasn't quite the case. Yugen included him purely for the sake of Bubbleman's Greedy Hippo card-drawing ability. Moreover, Greedy Hippo was also a WATER attribute monster, so it could also serve as ammunition for "Abyss Soldier"'s hand trap effect when needed.

"'Bubbleman' was successfully summoned, and since there are no other cards on my field, I draw two cards from my deck." (anime effect)

"Next, activate the Spell Card 'Graceful Charity'. Draw three cards from my deck, and discard two cards from my hand," Yugen said. "Then I'll set two cards face-down, and my turn ends."

"Then it's my turn!"

Ryuga drew a card, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the Bubbleman squatting defensively on Yugen's field.

Elemental HERO, huh? A very conventional deck archetype. However, even though he's a first-year student, the fact that Cronos recommended him as my opponent must mean he has some special qualities.

Ryuga: "I summon 'Mystery Shell Dragon'!"

A black, ornate, otherworldly phantom dragon. Although only a Level 4 monster, it had 2000 ATK, and as a high-ATK, low-Level monster with no drawbacks, it was a rare card of considerable value.

[Mystery Shell Dragon, ATK 2000]

"Let me see what you're plotting!" Ryuga shouted. "Battle! Attack 'Elemental HERO Bubbleman' with 'Mystery Shell Dragon'!"

Yugen's back row immediately flipped up: "Then I activate my set card, Continuous Trap - Gravity Bind!

All Level 4 or higher monsters on the field cannot declare an attack!"

A powerful gravitational restriction was released from the Trap Card, instantly suppressing the entire field. Before Mystery Shell Dragon could even move, it was crushed onto Ryuga's field by the overwhelming gravity, unable to budge even an inch.

"Gravity Bind?" Ryuga frowned.

A lockdown strategy?

Elemental HEROES combined with a lockdown. I haven't seen this kind of approach before.

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

Yugen: "My turn, draw."

At the same time, a golden light flashed in the graveyard zone of his duel disk, and a monster card automatically ejected from it.

"At this moment, the effect of 'Sinister Serpent', which I discarded to the graveyard in the previous turn, activates.

When this card is in the graveyard, it can return to my hand during my Standby Phase."

He drew Sinister Serpent back into his hand.

"Next, I'll Normal Summon 'Abyss Soldier'!"

[Abyss Soldier, ATK 1800]

Seeing the WATER Warrior wielding a trident emerge from a watery curtain, Ryuga couldn't help but furrow his brow slightly.

Not Elemental HEROES?

"'Abyss Soldier's' monster effect activates! By discarding a WATER attribute monster card from my hand, I can return one card on the field to its owner's hand."

Yugen revealed the "Sinister Serpent" that had just returned to his hand.

"I discard the WATER attribute 'Sinister Serpent' to the graveyard and return 'Mystery Shell Dragon' to your hand."

Abyss Soldier swung its trident, and a watery vortex erupted from beneath its feet. Mystery Shell Dragon rode the water current, transforming back into a card and flying back into Ryuga's hand.

Ryuga: "!"

He immediately realized that the infinitely recyclable Sinister Serpent could be used as Abyss Soldier's cost every turn. In other words, this hand trap effect had almost no cost!

"He actually set up such a troublesome combination against me."

Ryuga frowned and snorted coldly.

"Indeed, quite skillful. But don't forget, Bubbleman and Abyss Soldier are both Level 4. With your own 'Gravity Bind' here, neither can attack."

He pushed up his glasses, a soft, cold laugh escaping his lips.

"What a pity. Such a rare opportunity to clear my field, yet you can't attack. It seems 'Gravity Bind' is ironically backfiring on you. Yugen-kun, your tactical thinking seems to need some improvement."

"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher," Yugen replied, still polite and courteous. "However, I also have a few ideas of my own. From my hand, I activate the Spell Card 'Terraforming'! I can add one Field Magic Card from my deck to my hand.

The Field Magic Card I want to add to my hand from my deck is this one."

He revealed the magic card he had searched from his deck.

"Field Magic 'A Legendary Ocean'!"

One side of his duel disk ejected an extra slot.

"And then, I activate it directly!"

A holographic projection of seawater instantly swept across the entire field, as if the entire arena was submerged beneath the ocean. Ancient, lost cities hovered in the surroundings, and dazzling sunlight pierced through the water's surface, leaving a long, brilliant path of light in the water.

"'A Legendary Ocean's' presence in this area lowers the Level of all WATER attribute monsters in both players' hands and on the field by 1!" Yugen said. "At the same time, WATER attribute monsters gain 200 ATK!"

[Elemental HERO Bubbleman, Level 4 → Level 3, ATK 800 → ATK 1000]

[Abyss Soldier, Level 4 → Level 3, ATK 1800 → ATK 2000]

Ryuga: "Nani!?"

The substitute teacher immediately recognized the terrifying implications of this combination.

A Legendary Ocean lowered the Level of WATER attribute monsters, allowing Abyss Soldier and Bubbleman to barely fall below Gravity Bind's lockdown line. Thus, the attack restriction on Yugen's side was lifted, while Ryuga was the only one trapped in the lockdown.

This was also one of the commonly used combinations in the [Abyss Control] deck back in the day. In fact, this to a certain extent also showcased the tactical style of this control deck archetype, such as Abyss Soldier配合 "Royal Decree" (cooperating with "Royal Decree") to achieve one-way Trap lockdown, and the combination of "Gravity Bind" and "A Legendary Ocean" forming a one-way attack lockdown, both demonstrating the core strategy of one-way lockdown to suppress the opponent and control the field.

In fact, there were many similar small card combinations in this deck archetype, whether it was for offense, Summoning, or Spell/Trap cards, all exhibiting the suppressive strategic thinking, belonging to the typical type of deck that became increasingly formidable as the duel progressed in the early environment.

Not only that, but Abyss Soldier, which originally had 1800 ATK, was also strengthened to 2000 thanks to this. In other words, if Ryuga wanted to defeat this monster in battle, he would have to summon a Level 3 or lower monster with 2000 or more ATK.

Tenjoin Asuka on the platform pondered for two seconds. "It really is his completely consistent tactical style."

"Indeed."

Misawa-kun, also a member of Yugen's victims' association, appeared at some point, nodding with his arms crossed.

"Fujiki Yugen. He's the type of Duelist who, if there are two options that could lead to victory, will definitely prioritize the 'prevent the opponent from dueling' method to achieve that victory."

"Yeah," Asuka replied, showing sympathy.

Ryuga: "."

Yeah, his blood pressure was starting to subtly rise.

"'Elemental HERO Bubbleman' changes to attack position, then Battle Phase," Yugen said. "'Abyss Soldier', direct attack!"

Abyss Soldier brandished its trident, a vortex of water coiling around the golden prongs, and thrust it directly towards Ryuga's face.

"It won't be that simple!" Ryuga shouted. "Open face-down card! Trap Card 'A Hero Emerges'! When your opponent declares an attack, randomly select one card from your hand.

If the selected card is a Monster Card, Special Summon it directly to my field. Otherwise, send it to the graveyard!"

Another card commonly used by Judai in the anime. However, although the card name contains the word "Hero," it actually had nothing to do with the HERO archetype and was a currently usable Trap Card.

Ryuga had about five cards in his hand.

Yugen casually pointed. "Then the second card from the left."

"Hahahaha! Too bad, you happened to pick this card!"

Ryuga revealed the card in his hand that had been chosen.

"Level 6, Dark Driceratops!!"

[Dark Driceratops, ATK 2400]

"As expected of a teacher, the attack isn't going to pass so easily," Yugen chuckled softly. "Well then, in that case, I'll return to my Battle Phase and not attack for now.

My Battle Phase ends, entering Main Phase 2."

He drew another card.

"Set one more card face-down, end turn."