The protagonist of the Yu-Gi-Oh! world might be the same person.

"Then I'll change [Illusionary Magician] to Defense Position, End of Turn."

[The Illusionary Magician: Defense 1000]

After Kagurazaka's declaration, Jaden immediately drew a card from his deck.

"My turn, draw a card!"

[Yuki Jaden's hand cards: 2 → 3]

After seeing the card he drew, Jaden's tense mood relaxed a little.

Without hesitation, he inserted the card directly into the Duel Disk: "I activate the Spell Card [Miracle Fusion] from my hand."

[Yuki Jaden's hand cards: 3 → 2]

"The fusion condition is a HERO monster plus one WATER monster. I will fusion the Elemental HERO Clayman and Elemental HERO Ice Shard from my Graveyard to summon a new HERO."

Then, a clay figure and a warrior in pale armor appeared on his field, merging into one in a fusion vortex and releasing a dazzling light.

"Fusion Summoning! Born from the ice, [Elemental HERO Absolute Zero]!"

As the light faded, a pure white warrior descended, wearing pale armor somewhat similar to Ice Shardman's and a white cape.

And when it landed on the ground, a strange cold wind blew around it, and the ground seemed to freeze as if affected by its extreme cold power.

【Elemental Heroes Absolute Zero Warrior: Attack Power 2500】

Seeing this scene, Asuka exclaimed in astonishment, "Such power! This card is completely different from the previous monsters!"

Despite the invisible pressure from the pure white warrior, Kagurazaka gritted her teeth and said, "But as long as [Illusion Magician] is on the field, your monsters cannot touch the monsters on my field."

"Is that really true?"

"Nani?!"

While he was still in a daze, Jaden revealed another card in his hand, "I activate the Spell Card [Earth Slash] from my hand, destroy the monster with the lowest ATK on your opponent's field, and that monster will be banished!"

Upon hearing this, Kagurazaka clicked her tongue in annoyance, staring at her grave and muttering to herself, "Tch, it's precisely because it's an effect that doesn't target anyone that it can't be negated by the [Cornfield Serpent God] effect."

'If you control [Winged Beast Chimera], and your opponent activates a card effect that targets a card you control, you can banish this card from your field or Graveyard to activate this effect. Negate that effect and destroy it.'

At the same time, the magician instantly self-destructed, exploding into pieces.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Duel Ends

After defeating the illusion magician, Jaden didn't hesitate any longer and immediately launched an attack: "Battle begins! [Elemental HERO Absolute Zero] attacks [Fantasy Beast Chimera]!"

At his command, Absolute Zero Warrior raised both hands, and countless ice crystals condensed around his body, all of which shot towards the direction of the fantasy beast in an instant.

boom--! !

Countless ice crystals struck the fantasy beast, and the burst of icy power created a thick fog.

"Ugh..."

Kagurazaka: LP 1800 → 1150

As the fog dissipated, the figure of the fantasy beast reappeared before everyone's eyes.

Kagurazaka gritted her teeth, "【Fantasy Beast Chimera】As a monster of the Fantasy Demon race, it cannot be destroyed in battle, and this monster's special ability is activated!"

This effect can only be activated at the end of the Damage Step when this card battles an opponent's monster. That opponent's monster's ATK becomes 0, and its effects are negated.

[Elemental Heroes Absolute Zero Warrior: Attack Power 2500 → 0]

Seeing his monster's attack power drop to zero, Jaden frowned: "This is really troublesome... Well then, I'll set another card face down, and end my turn."

[Yuki Jaden's hand cards: 1 → 0]

After he finished his declaration, Kagurazaka immediately drew a card.

"My turn!"

[Kagurazaka hand cards: 0→1]

After glancing at the cards he had drawn, Kagurazaka chuckled and said, "I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card 'Forbidden Lance' from my hand. This card's effect reduces the ATK of one monster on the field by 800 points, but it is unaffected by other Spell or Trap Cards."

[Masked Hero Koga: Attack Power 3000 → 2200]

[Kagurazaka hand cards: 1→0]

Misawa: "This is bad. With the effects of the monsters on Jaden's field sealed, even the effects of face-down cards can't interfere with Kagurazaka. He definitely can't stop this attack."

Kagurazaka then flicked his hand and commanded, "Go! [Masked Hero Koga] attack [Elemental Hero Absolute Zero]!"

"Let this one strike decide the outcome!"

At his command, Koga immediately lunged forward, his outstretched fangs about to pierce Absolute Zero.

However, at that moment, Jaden waved his arm and shouted, "Activate the Trap Card at this instant! [Subspace Matter Transfer Device] is activated! Absolute Zero is banished for this turn!"

As his card opened, a blizzard suddenly swept around Absolute Zero, obscuring his figure.

Kagurazaka calmly said, "It's no use. Even if you save the monster, you can't stop Koga from hurting you."

Judai smiled. "Solvadocana!"

"Nani?!"

Kagurazaka's pupils suddenly contracted.

Because he saw the blizzard suddenly expand rapidly, encompassing the monsters on his field.

Click click click......

The fantasy monster and Lightfang were quickly frozen by the power of extreme cold.

"This is......"

Kagurazaka's expression changed drastically upon seeing this.

Jaden then explained, "The special effect of Absolute Zero has been activated!"

When this card leaves the field, all monsters on your opponent's field are destroyed.

"Magic and traps are ineffective against you, but you're not immune to monster effects!"

"Oops!!"

Bang bang—!

The two monsters, frozen into ice sculptures, exploded instantly, and only then did the blizzard stop.

Asuka exclaimed, "What a terrifying effect! The situation was turned around with just one card!"

"Although neither side has any cards on the field or in their hands right now, once Absolute Zero returns to the field during the end phase, Jaden will have an absolute advantage."

At this moment, Kagurazaka clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and said, "It's not over yet, my turn isn't over!"

"I activate the effect of the Quick-Play Spell Card [Synthetic Fusion] from my Graveyard, banish this card from my Graveyard, and Special Summon one [Phantom Beast King Gazel] and one [Baphomet] from my Graveyard in Defense Position."

Om-! !

A beam of white light shot out from the graveyard, and two magical beasts were instantly projected onto the ground.

[King Gazel: Defense 1200]

Baphomet: Defense 1800

Seeing this, Jaden chuckled, "You still managed to leave behind two shield monsters? You're really troublesome..."

Kagurazaka seems to have even imitated the indomitable spirit of games and Pharaoh, but that's already the limit.

"End of round..."

He was at his wit's end and could only pray that Jaden wouldn't draw the card that would decide the outcome in the next turn.

However, it's clearly impossible to rely on the latter's luck in drawing cards.

Jaden raised his hand and shouted, "In your end phase, Absolute Zero, who was excluded this round, returns to my field."

A flash of white light, and the figure of the pure white warrior reappeared.

【Elemental Heroes Absolute Zero Warrior: Attack Power 2500】

"Then it's my turn, time to draw a card!"

[Yuki Jaden's hand cards: 0 → 1]

This card is...

A slight smile played on his lips: "Now I've got the cards to beat you."

"What......"

Jaden immediately inserted the card into the Duel Disk: "Equip Spell [Meteor Strike] activated, equip this card to Absolute Zero."

[Yuki Jaden's hand cards: 1 → 0]

"When a monster equipped with this card attacks a Defense Position monster, it inflicts piercing damage to the opponent."

"Oops......"

Jaden steadied himself, then immediately waved his hand and shouted, "Freeze! [Elemental HERO Absolute Zero] Attack [Phantom Beast King Gazel]!"

Absolute Zero Man then raised his hand, releasing a large amount of cold air from it.

Click click click......

Gazel was instantly frozen by the cold air.

next second.

boom--! !

The phantom beast, which had been transformed into an ice sculpture, shattered instantly, and some of the scattered ice fragments struck Kagurazaka.

“Uhhh…”

Kagurazaka: LP 1150 → 0

"I won! What an interesting duel!"

As always, Judai Wu struck his signature pose and declared his victory over Riku. (Four∨＾Two∨)

'I actually lost. Even with such a strong deck, I couldn't win? I guess I'm just not cut out for duels...'

Kagurazaka, who was questioning the meaning of life, knelt down on the ground.

Jaden seemed to hear his thoughts and said to him, "It's already quite impressive that you can use the game's deck to this extent."

Are you laughing at me?

"Mocking?" Jaden shook his head, then turned and pointed upwards: "No, look behind you if you don't believe me."

Snap Snap Snap......

Kagurazaka looked up and saw a large group of spectators, including Ryo Marufuji, applauding their duel.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Saotome Rei

Kagurazaka, seeing the group of students clapping above, didn't know what to say. "Everyone..."

Ryo Marufuji stepped forward and said, "Indeed, taking someone else's deck without permission is unforgivable, but it is also true that we had a duel to show everyone the power of Yugi Muto's deck."

Kagurazaka asked, puzzled, "Then why can't I still win?"

Jaden crossed his arms and said smugly, "Why? It's because I'm stronger than you. Besides, there's a saying, 'Those who learn from me live, those who imitate me die.' Blindly imitating without your own understanding will not allow you to truly unleash the power of your deck."

After saying that, he turned around and took Asuka with him, and the two left the place together.

"Those who learn from me will live... those who imitate me will die..."

Kagurazaka repeated the sentence, then smiled and said, "If that's right."

He watched their retreating figures, lost in thought.

......

In a card shop, a young man with a starfish-shaped hairstyle was stroking the phantom of a monster lying at his feet.

"Is that so... He will win as I expected. It's worth all my efforts to send this deck, which even I find special, to the Duel Academy."

Meanwhile, Haima Group.

Inside the office, President Kaima, as usual, was typing away on the keyboard like a hacker.