Who asked him to play Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 1549 Cross Counterattack
The Sacrificial Sanctuary is shattered!

"Oh no!" Aki Izayoi, watching from the sidelines, was anxious for her companion. "At first glance, it seems like Stardust Dragon is going to be eliminated, but if the effect is negated, Stardust Dragon can't return to the field at the end of the turn."

Originally, Yusei's Stardust Dragon effect negated the opponent's trap "Cicada's Cry Barrier". Although Stardust Dragon's activation is now negated by Hell Cicada King, it is well known that while a monster's effect may be negated, its activation cost is not.

This means that Stardust Dragon will still free itself to the graveyard, but because its subsequent effects are nullified, it cannot actively return from the graveyard at the end of the turn.

"That takes out your trump card," Semimaru said. "And, 'NO.3 Hellish Cicada King' with this effect activated gains 500 defense points!"

[NO.3 Hell Cicada King, Defense 2500 → Defense 3000]

However, the increase is in defense rather than attack, and the Hell Cicada King is still in attack stance.

[NO.3 Hell Cicada King, Attack Power 1200]

Yusei shouted sharply, "Then I will immediately activate the trap, Stardust Remnant!"

Choose one 'Stardust' monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it back to the field, ignoring its Summoning conditions!

The dissipated starlight shone again, and stardust gathered, like a stardust storm from the depths of the universe blowing by, transforming back into a long, silvery dragon.

Stardust Dragon, resurrected!

"Resurrected again?" The Cicada King scoffed. "What a troublesome fellow."

"Stardust Dragon attacks again!" Yuxing exclaimed, "Sonic fire!"

Stardust Dragon was resurrected during the battle, thus refreshing its attack count. The second Starlight Vortex converged in Stardust's mouth and once again locked onto Hell Cicada King, unleashing its power.

Of course, the Stardust Dragon resurrected from the graveyard has a refreshed status and loses the attack power bonus gained when using a Superior Synchron to perform Synchronization.

Stardust Dragon, Attack Power 2500

This attack was unimpeded; the Stardust Dragon's breath exploded directly on the Hellish Cicada King without restraint. The stardust radiance, along with the shockwave, blasted Cicada Maru's body heavily to the ground.

【Cicada Maru, LP4000 → LP2700】

Of course, despite suffering enormous damage, once the impact swept through and the smoke cleared, the Hell Cicada King remained standing firm, undefeated by the Stardust Dragon's attack.

After all, only NO. can defeat it. Although there is combat damage, Stardust Dragon cannot defeat it.

However, this was within Yusei's calculations. He drew two more cards: "Face two cards, turn over."

Chanmaru scrambled to his feet, dusted himself off, and his wide eyes were filled with furious bloodshot veins: "Heh, heh heh heh, you actually dared to do it, you damned Synchro brat!"

He straightened up and raised his voice: "But since you've done this, it means you're mentally prepared to face my wrath, right!?"
My turn, draw a card! "

After drawing a card, he immediately reached out to the front of the Duel Disk, turning the remaining monsters on the field into a defensive one.

"First, switch 'NO.3 Hell Cicada King' to Defense Position!"

【NO.3 Hell Cicada King, Attack 1200 → Defense 3000】

Kro laughed and said, "What's wrong with you? You talked so confidently, but your first move was such a cowardly defensive one."

“No,” Izayoi Aki said, “I feel like he has ulterior motives.” Sure enough, Semimaru then said, “Activate the Quick-Play Spell ‘Trap Booster’! Discard one card from your hand. You only have one chance this turn to activate a Trap Card from your hand!” (Original Card)
"And the card I discarded was the Spell Card 'Compensation Card,' which can be sent from the hand to the graveyard and allows you to draw two cards from your deck!"

Chanmaru drew two more cards, and then immediately played a trap.

"Activate the Continuous Trap 'Empty Cicada Illusion' from your hand!" (Anime Card)
Colorful light shone upon the Hell Cicada King, like a radiant, protective shield.

"Ethereal Cicada Illusion can only be activated by targeting one face-up Defense Position Insect-Type monster on your field. The targeted monster cannot be destroyed by battle!" Cicada said. "Furthermore, when the targeted monster's battle position changes, that monster's ATK increases by the same amount as its DEF!"

Upon hearing this, Yusei's friends all changed their expressions.

"Attack power increases defense value. I see, this is a trap specifically designed to be used in combination with this Hell Cicada King," Jack said. "If we switch the Cicada King to attack position, its attack power will jump to 4200, gaining absolute suppressive power!"

Yusei frowned slightly: "However, your Hell Cicada King has already changed its attack form this turn, and it shouldn't be able to change it again this turn. Even if you want to switch to attack, you have to wait until the next turn."

"Hey, you think you can just coast until the next turn?" Semimaru sneered. "How naive! I'll activate my face-down card, the Continuous Trap 'Final Assault Command'!"
While this card is face-up on the field, all face-up monsters on both players' fields are changed to Attack Position and cannot change their position!

The trap immediately released transparent waves, like invisible forces pulling in Hell Cicada King, who had just switched back to defense on the field.

The Cicada King's wings, which had been folded in a defensive stance, suddenly unfolded again, reverting to an attack posture. All the red dots on its wings lit up with a scarlet light, like countless malevolent demonic eyes.

Semimaru: "At this moment, the effect of the Void Cicada Illusion takes effect. When I revert to attack mode, the Hell Cicada King's attack power will increase by its own defense value!"

[NO.3 Hell Cicada King, Attack Power 1200 → Attack Power 4200]

“Then activate the face-down card,” Yusei said, “the Trap Card ‘Sacrificial Treasure Card’! When the combined ATK of the monsters you control is higher than the lowest ATK monster your opponent controls, draw two cards from your Deck!” (Anime effect)

Yusei draws two cards.

At this moment, the attack power of the Hell Cicada King suddenly surpassed that of the Stardust Dragon, and Chanmaru shouted arrogantly, "NO.3 Hell Cicada King, attack 'Stardust Dragon'!"

All the red light on the wings of the Hell Cicada King lit up at the same time, and the crisscrossing scarlet beams formed a net and slashed across the Stardust Dragon's body!
[Yusei, LP4000 → LP2300]

Yusei gave a soft snort, crossed his arms in front of him to protect himself, and staggered back two steps.

"Yusei!" his companions exclaimed with concern.

"It's alright." Yusei steadied himself.

The beam of light slashed past, but the Stardust Dragon remained standing.

"What?" Semimaru frowned. "Why wasn't the Stardust Dragon destroyed either?"

"Because this card, 'Shield Warrior,' was banished from the graveyard!"

The Warrior card flipped up in front of Yusei.

"Banning a Shielded Warrior from the Graveyard negates battle destruction by monsters on your field!"

Semimaru: "Tch, so you managed to keep your ace up with your clever tricks?"

"And right now, I'm going to activate the Trap Card 'Cross Counter'!" Yusei shouted. "This card can only be activated if the opponent takes battle damage during their turn and both monsters that have battled are still on the field!"
Increase the attack power of the attacked monster by twice the amount of battle damage you took in that battle, and then have it battle the opponent's monster again! (Original Card)
(End of this chapter)