Is this the poker world?Ada thief!

Although Judai and John lost Cat G and G respectively, since Lishid only Normal Summoned a monster once, neither of them could draw a card. They could only watch Lishid expand the field while maintaining a full five cards in his hand.

"During my Main Phase 1, I set a card on the backfield." He set the card that seemed to be the [Temple Guardian] he had searched before on the backfield, and as if he was going to end the deployment like this, Lishid said, "Then, once per turn, if there are two or more set cards on my field, or if there is a Trap Card in my Graveyard, activate the second effect of the Field Spell Card [Royal Family's Divine Treasure]!"

"From my deck, add a monster with the card name of [Royal Temple] to my hand. The one I chose is [Spirit Scorpion - Serekette]."

After adding the card to his hand, Lishid continued, "And if there is a [Royal Family's Divine Treasure] with a card name of [Royal Family's Temple] on my field, banish a Level 10☆ or higher monster from my hand or deck - I banish the second [Anubis, the Judge of the End] from my deck!"

"Special Summon [Spirit Scorpion - Celerket] from my hand!"

The number of cards in his hand dropped from five to four. At the cost of putting a card face down on the field, Lishide easily Special Summoned a monster with a combined attack power of 2500 points. Its body was even as strong as the classic protagonist's ace in terms of attack power and defense power - but this race was really difficult to sustain. No matter how you looked at it, it was hard to tell that it was actually an angel, and it was just trying to get close to the noble Earth Angel.

[Spirit Scorpion - Serekette] [6☆/Earth]

[Angel Family/Special Summon/Effect]

[2500/2000]

"You summoned a higher-level monster so easily. Well, I'll draw a card first, Judai." Turning his head and smiling at Judai, John said to Lishid, "Then because of the Special Summon of the opponent's monster, under the effect of [Proliferation G], I'll draw a card from the deck!"

[Richd Ishdar: 4000 LP, hand 5 → 4]

[John Anderson: 4000LP, hand 5→4→5]

As long as he can draw a card using the effect of [Proliferating G], it won't be a loss. No matter how many cards John can draw with the help of Lisid's expansion, it will be a profit. However, Lisid was intimidated by John's card drawing this time, forcing him to choose whether to continue the expansion.

And Lishid's choice is of course -

(Old version)
"Once per turn, during my Main Phase, activate the first effect of [Scorpion - Celerket]. From my deck, add a [Royal Temple] or a Magic Card with that card name to my hand." Lishid retrieved a card from the deck and showed it, "I retrieve this Continuous Magic Card [Royal Temple] and activate it."

Although Lishid played another card, because the [Royal Family's Divine Treasure] already existed and the activation of the [Royal Family's Temple] did not bring any changes to the surrounding environment, only a card on Lishid's backfield was suddenly opened.

"Wait a minute, why did the set Trap Card suddenly——" John asked in confusion, "Even a card like [Executioner - Moshura] only allows Trap Cards to be activated from the hand. Can a set Trap Card be activated directly without paying attention to the basic rules of the duel?"

"Hehe, you don't understand this, Gem Imp." Malik, who was watching Lishid's unfolding, said proudly, "This is the effect of the [Royal Temple], a powerful card that belongs only to Lishid."

"In the Royal Temple, the controller of the temple can ignore the rules of the duel and activate the trap card during the turn when it is covered. Compared with the Executioner - Mosura, there is only one more step to cover the card first, but the effect is permanent!"

"You look so strong, you seem really awesome." Judai said in surprise, "But, Mr. Malik, why do you look so proud?"

"Hehe, if you were like me, and had played cards with people who used such abnormal cards since childhood, not only would you not be beaten like a loser, but you would also occasionally win. You would be as arrogant as me." Malik said proudly with one hand on his waist, "Especially since besides Lishid, there are even more powerful masters."

"Anyway, just like Malik said, with the effect of [Royal Family's Temple], I can activate the set Trap Card directly during the turn I set it, and at this moment, the Trap Card I set with the effect of [Royal Family's Divine Treasure] has been activated!"

"Continuous Trap Card, [Dark Serpent - Apip]! After activating this card, it will become a Normal Monster and Special Summon it in my Monster Zone. After that, I can Set a [Api] Trap Card other than [Dark Serpent - Apip] from my Deck on my field. The Set card can also be activated during the turn it was Set."

"However, now that we have the Royal Temple, this effect is no longer important."

Lishid pulled the face-down card from his Duel Disk from the Magic and Trap Zone and placed it face up in the Monster Zone. He shouted, “Show yourself, [Dark Serpent - Apib]!”

[Dark Snake - Apib] [4☆/Earth]

[Reptiles/Normal/Trap]

[1600/1800]

"So it's a Trap Monster? It sounds like it's not just a few individual support cards that are Trap Monsters, but a whole series of Trap Monsters?" John raised his eyebrows, "But even if it's a Trap Monster, it's still a monster. Because the opponent Special Summoned a monster again, I drew a card from the deck!"

[John Anderson: 4000LP, hand 5→6]

Because Hayato eliminated Lishid before the quarterfinals, he was not active in public during the original Duel City. In addition, Lishid lived a low-key life for a long time after the Duel City, and there were no famous people among other Duelists who used Trap Monsters. Therefore, although Lishid's [Apib] monster was a card from a long time ago, it was not known to the public.

However, John's guess was correct. Apib is indeed a Trap Monster of a similar series. After summoning Dark Serpent Apib, Lishid retrieved a card from the deck and placed it in the Magic Trap Zone, and immediately activated it: "I use the effect of Dark Serpent Apib to set the Yodogami Apib in my deck, and activate it directly!"

"After activating [Yodo-Shin-Apib], it becomes a Normal Monster and is Special Summoned in my Monster Zone!"

[Yodokami-Apibu] [6☆/land]

[Reptiles/Normal/Trap]

[2000/2200]

Lishid, who still had four cards in his hand, Special Summoned a fourth monster on the field, and John's hand also increased to seven cards.

He drew three cards with a [Proliferating G], and he had already made a lot of money. The neighbor Judai, who hadn't drawn a single card yet, was almost crying with envy.

[John Anderson: 4000LP, hand 6→7]

"You've already drawn three cards? Then draw a few more." Lishid didn't care about John's increasing number of cards. Could he suddenly gather a set of cards to kill him in one second? He suddenly picked up the two trap monsters on the duel disk and said, "Next, I will release the two [Apib] monsters on my field and perform contact fusion!"

"Huh!? How come everyone is getting involved in fusion in the blink of an eye?!" Judai was a little surprised when he heard what Lishid said.

John on the side said casually: "Maybe it's because Mr. Hayato has even figured out Synchro Summoning. If he can't even do Contact Fusion, he would be too behind the times, right?" "The dark snake crawling under the scorching sun, the deep resentment snake in the eternal abyss, entangled here, intertwined to create the darkest and most evil!"

Lishid shouted the summoning word and held up the card, "Contact Fusion Summon, Level 6☆!"

“Let’s release our hatred——【Apib of the Holy Snake】!”

[Apib of the Holy Snake] [6☆/Earth]

[Reptiles/Fusion/Effect]

[2800/2600]

[John Anderson: 4000LP, hand 7→8]

As John drew another card with the effect of [Growing G], Lishid raised the Duel Disk that was automatically searching and said, "[Apib, Holy Snake] can be Special Summoned by releasing two [Apib] monsters on my field, and when [Apib, Dark Snake] is sent to the Graveyard, I can activate its effect."

"From my deck, add one card, [Apib's Transformation], to my hand."

[Richd Ishdar: 4000 LP, hand 4 → 5]

After retrieving the card, Lishid put it down again and immediately activated: "Under the effect of [Royal Temple], I activate the Continuous Trap Card [Apib's Transformation] and Special Summon it to my field as a Normal Monster."

[Apib's Transformation] [4☆/Earth]

[Reptiles/Normal/Trap]

[1600/1800]

[John Anderson: 4000LP, hand 8→9]

"Next, I activate this card on my backfield, the Normal Spell Card [Guardian of the Temple]!" Even though John's [G-Proliferation] was still in effect, Lishid continued to deploy it regardless, without any restraint. "The effect of this card is to use the monsters in my hand and on the field as Fusion Materials to perform a Fusion Summon of a Fusion Monster with the same attributes!"

"The materials I chose are the [Spirit Scorpion - Serekt] and [Apib's Transformation] on my field. The fusion material requirements are - [Serekt] monster plus a monster with an attack power of 2500 or less!"

A golden wine glass appeared on Lishid's field, with a relief of the Eye of Ugato on it. A large amount of purple smoke was released from it, and after touching the [Spirit Scorpion - Selkeit] and [Apib's Incarnation] on Lishid's field, it immediately corroded and digested them, turning them into two spots of light that were sucked into the smoke and retracted into the wine glass.

After a moment, the wine glass began to tremble, as if because of the powerful force brewing in it, the wine glass suddenly cracked, and the exploding purple mist transformed into golden violent thunder, and a giant scorpion jumped out of it!
"Goddess who guards the snake demons, swallow the sacrifice offered to you and descend as a sacred scorpion!"

"Fusion Summon, Level 6☆!"

"To kill all enemies - [Holy Scorpion Beast - Serekite]!"

[Holy Scorpion Beast - Serekette] [6☆/Earth]

[Angel Family/Fusion/Effect]

[3000/2000]

[John Anderson: 4000LP, hand 9→10]

"In ancient Egypt, 'Selket' was the name of a goddess who could cure snake and scorpion venom. She was one of the guardians of royal power and the guardian of Kebshanaf, one of the four sons of Horus who guarded the altar of the intestines. More importantly, she was the guardian of the dead and the guardian of Apib when he was bound."

Knowing that Judai and the others wanted to complain about the difficult "Angel" race of [Holy Scorpion Beast - Serekt], Lishid explained in advance, "And at the moment when [Holy Scorpion Beast - Serekt] is Special Summoned, it has an effect that can be activated."

"Target a face-up monster on your opponent's field or a monster in your Graveyard! Banish the target monster, and increase the ATK of [Holy Scorpion Beast - Celerket] by half the original ATK of the banished monster."

Pointing at John, Lishid said, "I will exclude the [Proliferated G] in the opponent's graveyard!"

[Holy Scorpion Beast - Celerket] [ATK 3000 → 3250]

"You actually banished my [Growing C]." John took out the card from the graveyard helplessly and said, "But, even if I banish it now, the effect of this card is still effective. If you continue to summon monsters, I can continue to draw cards."

"That's for sure. Not to mention that Lishid's [Holy Scorpion Beast - Serekt] is only an exception, not like [Designated by the Grave], even [Designated by the Grave] can't be effective on cards that have already taken effect." Malik joked, "Is there any point in saying don't stay in it after you've already been hit?"

"But, John has already drawn so many cards. Even if he can't draw anymore, he's earned enough, right?" Judai glanced at the four cards in his hand. "It's a pity that I can't draw any cards."

"Meow!" cried the orange cat "Pharaoh" who was sitting in the red dormitory area off the stage, as if to say, "This is the punishment you get for bringing back another cat!"

"With so many cards in hand, I think they can play a good role, right? But I won't let you threaten Malik." Lishid said, and put a card on the ground, and then activated it directly. "It's still the effect of [Royal Temple]. I will directly activate the trap card [Big Fall] that I just put on the ground!"

"You can only activate this when your opponent has eight or more cards in his hand. Your opponent will return all the cards in his hand to the deck, shuffle them, and draw two cards!"

As Lishid's card was activated, all ten cards in John's hand were kicked back into the deck to be shuffled, and then only two cards popped out of the duel disk. His hand, which was full just now, was reduced to only two cards in the blink of an eye! ?
——No? It’s ok for you to use Trap Monsters, but why do you bring such a disgusting card? (annoyed
Contrary to John and Judai’s feelings, Malik felt refreshed and couldn’t help but shout, “Yeeeeees!”

“That’s the feeling!”

Seeing that someone else was finally experiencing the feelings he had as a child, Malik felt very happy. (End of this chapter)