Duels should be played with a smile.

"When Chaos Extreme Dragon attacks a defense monster, it inflicts battle damage equal to twice the value of that defense."

"Flip your monster over! And then crush it!"

Energy gathered in the dragon's mouth, and its wings radiated a brilliant blue light. The power of chaos passed directly through the defending monster, and even became stronger due to the enhancement of the chaotic power.

"Crush? How could you possibly crush it so easily? Besides, I have a big gift for you!"

"Reverse it! [The Trinity of the Tinda Triangle]!"

At the moment the card is flipped over, a monster whose appearance is difficult to describe in words appears on the field in defense position.

The only thing that can be described is that its body has three faces with different expressions, which seems to correspond to its name.

[Dark ★★★★ Demon 1500 Defense]

"The effect of the Trinity is such that as long as this flipped card is in the Monster Zone, your 'Tinda Triangle' monsters cannot be destroyed by battle. Therefore, you cannot defeat me this turn."

Even though it was pierced by the power of chaos, its body remained intact, as if it did not exist in this space at all.

Moreover, with its appearance, a strange feeling welled up in the seahorse's heart, as if something transcended the constraints of time and space and was watching him.

"Hmph, even if it won't be destroyed in battle, you'll still have to take the damage! Take the doubled 5000 points of damage! Then, hold onto your last 3000 points of LP and wait to die!"

"No, no, no, I don't really like owing favors, and I prefer to return gifts to others." Leyou calmly faced the impending attack and flipped over his face-down card.

"I'm a straightforward person, so I like to get things done in one go."

A barrier instantly appeared in front of Leyou, but it did not block the attack. Instead, it copied and amplified the attack before returning it to him.

"A face-down Trap Card [Double Damage] can be applied once per turn during damage calculation when your monster is attacked. That monster cannot be destroyed by that battle. If you take battle damage during that battle, your opponent takes effect damage equal to twice that amount."

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, Kaiba~ That's all for today's Yu-Gi-Oh!!"

Originally only 2500 points of combat damage, after being amplified by Chaos Dragon and double damage, it has reached a massive 10,000 points. Even if Kaiba had not lost any LP before, he could not withstand this attack.

"It seems my thinking was absolutely correct. When dealing with someone like you, we must not let our guard down until the very last moment!"

"A counter-trap card with a face-down effect, [Divine Judgment]! Pay me half of your LP to negate and destroy the activation of your trap card!"

The damage that would have wiped out Kaiba's LP was stopped by an old man who suddenly appeared. With a simple "No, you mustn't," Kaiba's crisis was averted—after paying the price of half of his LP.

But it's always better than being directly defeated, or being indirectly defeated by yourself.

[Haima LP: 8000→4000]

[Leyou LP: 8000 → 3000]

"Hmph, if this were before, you would have already lost!"

"But times have changed, haven't they?"

"Withdraw from the battle..."

"Don't rush, I have something to do."

"Another effect of the Trinity can only be activated when this card is flipped face-up. Special Summon 1 'Guardian of the Base of Tinda' from your Deck."

It also has a strange name and a strange design, but this new monster is at least a proper polyhedron, unlike the Trinity which is so mind-numbing.

[Dark 5★ Demon 2300 Defense]

The bottom guard was unable to activate its effect at this time, and after all the effects were cleared, priority shifted back to the seahorse.

"I cover two cards in the back row, end of turn."

"During the End Phase, the Ancient White Stone in the Graveyard activates its effect, Special Summoning a Blue-Eyes monster from the Deck."

"Descend, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

White Stone's effect allows him to Special Summon any Blue-Eyes monster. Kaiba's deck also contains monsters that are more powerful than the average Blue-Eyes monster, but right now, the one he needs to Special Summon most is the unassuming Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"Because the effect of Blue-Eyes Dragon Abyss requires a Blue-Eyes White Dragon on the field or in the graveyard to activate, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon in the graveyard was previously excluded by Chaos Mode, but now I have Special Summoned one again through the effect of White Stone, so the effect can be activated again."

"Do as you please, but since you were specially recruited, it's still your turn, and I can draw another card."

After glancing at the card he had drawn, Leyou had a dark idea.

Although the Dark Spirit in the deck can't beat Chaos Dragon, using this card to send Kaiba away is still pretty awesome!

"Before I activated the effect of the Abyssal Blue-Eyes Dragon, the effects of [Fortitude! Invincibility! Strongest!] in the graveyard also activated!"

"If this card is in your Graveyard, and you successfully Normal or Special Summon 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon', you can activate this effect. Set this card on your field."

Retrieving the card that had been thrown away earlier allowed Leyou to truly feel the changes that Kaiba had brought to this duel.

While focusing on strong attacks, he also paid more attention to resource management.

Fortunately, this guy didn't draw the card that reduces life, otherwise even if a player draws so many cards, Leyou feels he might have lost.

"Finally, the effect of the Blue-Eyes Dragon of the Abyss appears, searching for an 8-star Dragon monster. My turn is completely over, and you've survived another turn!"

"Well then, it's my turn! Draw a card!"

"I have good news for you. I drew a really good card."

"I activate the Pot of Greed!"

Chapter 131 There are two monsters of the same rank, here we come! Seahorse!

"Has the roster for that competition been finalized yet?"

"Not yet. The online tournament spots will likely be the same few as before, but there have been some interesting changes in the offline tournament roster."

The offline slots for this competition were handled by Haima Corporation. Apart from a few invited participants, the remaining slots were filled by duelists from duelist guilds around the world who submitted their names, and then the selection process was conducted to finalize the participants.

Therefore, the list can be modified at will before it is finally announced, and Fiorvo happens to have this authority.

"What changes?"

"It's quite intriguing that Yugi Muto didn't accept the invitation to participate in the competition and instead chose to be a guest."

Using his special privileges, Philvo was able to spectate the battle while simultaneously communicating with the Snow Woman.

She was also a little curious as to why the Snow Woman, who, like Leyou, liked to slack off, would suddenly become interested in the competition.

"Oh? So that means there are vacancies for in-person bookings?"

"Yes, and there's more than one. What? You can come if you want."

“It’s not just me, include her too.”

Lying on the sofa at home, the Snow Woman used a flurry of snowflakes to attract Ella's attention. After confirming with her a second time, she gave Philvo an affirmative answer.

For some reason, Ella has been talking less and less lately, it seems that the problem with food rations is indeed troubling her.

"Huh? She actually wants to compete in the tournament?"

"Isn't this all your doing? Don't think I don't know just because I came out late. Your little tricks back then confused her. This time she wants to figure out how to be normal... Well, after all, you're someone I can't afford to offend. Someone as pitiful, weak, and helpless as me can only act as a messenger for you two big shots."

“You’re an undead, not a hermaphrodite…” Filvo rubbed her forehead, feeling like she’d dug herself into a hole, since she couldn’t very well explain it directly to Ella.

After briefly analyzing the intelligence he had gathered over the past few days, Philvo finally nodded in agreement to the request.

"Alright, I'll add you two to the list later. You'll be able to help out this time, otherwise you'd be slacking off every day."

"If you don't have any opponents to deal with, just fight casually and don't leave any psychological scars on others. Of course, if there are people who need your help, then go all out and beat them up."

"Hey hey~ Got it. I'll go pass on a message to the other big shot now. But I'm just a messenger, whether that big shot listens or not is none of my business~ Alright~ I won't disturb your private time with that guy anymore~ Bye~"

The call ended, and Philvo shook his head helplessly. There really wasn't a single normal person in this house... except for the dragon maid.

Even the clumsy Little Blue seems especially adorable at times like this.

Turning our attention back to the duel, Leyou, who had drawn two cards through Pot of Greed, immediately used up his Normal Summon for this turn.

"Use the Normal Summon [Death Guide from the Demon World to the Present World] and activate its effect to negate its effect while Special Summoning 1 Level 3 Fiend-Type monster from your Deck. Is that alright?"

[Dark ★★★ Demon · Attack Power 1000]

The red-haired tour guide, dressed in a standard train conductor's uniform, got off the train, his hand on the door handle, waiting to see what the person opposite would do to decide whether to open the door and let them in or close it and run away.

The Seahorse, who blocked the shot from the backcourt, didn't react much, only shaking his head slightly.

"Alright, I'll Special Summon [Scarmillione the Demon from the Other Shore] from my deck."

“Scarmillione’s effect will cause him to be automatically destroyed if there is a monster other than the Otherworld Monster on the field, but because his effect is negated, he can exist normally.”

The demon who had escaped from hell got off the vehicle obediently, put his hands on his head and squatted on the ground. Facing the two indescribable creations on his field, he dared not act rashly.

[Dark ★★★ Demon 2000 Defense]

"Then it's time to unleash your skills. Since you've given me a show of white cards, I'm definitely going to give you a show of black cards!"

"Black Card? Xyz Summon?"

He instantly recalled the duel he had witnessed in Noah's world. The extremely long storytelling process and the powerful attack that wiped out 30,000 LP in one turn were still vivid in his memory.

He had previously asked Kisara if Blue-Eyes was possible for Xyz Summoning, but Kisara's answer at the time was to wait.

Unlike when he asked about Synchro Summoning, Kisara didn't give him a specific time that time.

So when he heard that Leyou was going to perform an Xyz Summon, he was startled and was already considering whether or not to activate his face-down card.

During this time, he also encountered many spirits in the virtual world, and communicated with some spirits who had Xyz Summoning ability, and learned some information from them. However, he could not guarantee that the information he learned would match up with Leyou's.

"No, let's wait and see. This card shouldn't be used lightly unless it's absolutely necessary..."

With his mind racing, recalling all the information he knew about Xyz Summoning, Kaiba suppressed the urge to activate his face-down card.

"The summoning condition is 2 Level 3 monsters. I will use the Guide and Demon on the field as Xyz Material to construct an Xyz Network!"

"Xyz Summon! Rank 3, Wander in the Night! [Demon of Deception - Alucard]!"

The vortex representing the Xyz Summon absorbed the power of the guide and the demon, mixing them together and unleashing a lightning-like beam of energy. Alucard, dressed like a gentleman and holding a withered rose, descended upon the scene, surrounded by night bats.

[Dark ☆☆☆ Demon · Defense 1600]

"Alucard's effect: Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card, then target 1 Set card your opponent controls. Destroy that Set card, and I will detach the Demon."

"The card I'm going to choose is, without a doubt, the one you just covered... The name of that card is too embarrassing for me to pronounce, but you know it yourself."

Although the card's name is embarrassing, its effect is indeed quite powerful. While destroying the other two face-down cards might be more advantageous for the upcoming duel, it's more stable to eliminate the known danger for the sake of future plans.

Although the deck is a stunt deck, at times you still need to think like a competitive player.

"Then I'll chain your effect and activate the [Strong! Invincible! Strongest] effect!"