Hidekazu truly didn't expect the first move from the opposite side to be an insect spray, and Yugen's subsequent "I'm targeting you" blunt attitude was even more unexpected.
But as a seasoned veteran, Hidekazu quickly suppressed his impulse to duel with his excellent duelist's composure, and said in a deep voice: "Then, the effect of 'Verdant Sanctuary' activates at this moment.
When an Insect-type monster on the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can add an Insect-type monster from my Deck to my hand with a Level equal to the destroyed monster."
He drew from his Deck, revealed the card he checked, and took out another card to add to his hand.
"The destroyed 'Dreadscythe Harvester' was Level 8, so I'll add the Level 8 'Doom Dozer' from my Deck to my hand!"
A student from the Duel Club in the audience couldn't help but say: "Doom Dozer, Watanabe's ace!"
"Is it coming out? It seems Watanabe is really serious now."
Doom Dozer is Level 8, with 2800 ATK. It can be Special Summoned by banishing two Insect-type monsters from the Graveyard, making it the strongest main force in Hidekazu's deck.
"That freshman, it seems he really angered Watanabe." A senior female student crossed her arms, shaking her head, "What an unlucky kid."
No one doubted that in the next turn, Hidekazu could directly Special Summon his powerful 2800 ATK ace by banishing two insects from the Graveyard and immediately launch a strong attack.
Of course, that's assuming Doom Dozer is still in his hand next turn.
"I'll summon 'Don Zaloog'."
[Don Zaloog, ATK 1400]
"Zaloog directly attacks!"
The one-eyed leader pulled out a pistol, bang bang two shots directly crossed Watanabe Hidekazu's undefended front row.
[Hidekazu, LP 4000 → LP 2600]
Hidekazu's body swayed, but after taking the visual impact, he immediately steadied his stance, as if trying to maintain a composed demeanor: "This level is barely..."
"Zaloog's effect: When it inflicts battle damage, you can randomly discard one card from your opponent's hand."
"What did you say?!"
Hidekazu was startled, and immediately became nervous.
He currently had two cards in his hand, both obtained through "Verdant Sanctuary's" search effect. One was Pinch-Hopper, the other was Doom Dozer—the latter being the Tamashii (soul) of his deck.
In other words, the probability of his Tamashii being hit by this shot was one in two.
"Impossible!" Hidekazu shouted, "Open my set card! Trap Card - Sixth Sense!
Declare two numbers between 1 and 6. Your opponent rolls a die! If the rolled number is either of the declared numbers, I draw that many cards from my Deck.
If it's not a declared number, I send that many cards from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard!"
Hearing the effect, one immediately knows it's a perennial forbidden card. If you guess correctly, you draw cards from your deck; if you don't guess correctly, you mill cards. It's a violent trap with nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Of course, if this card was actually released by Konami as a physical card, it would have already indicated that compared to those anime-exclusive drawing engines that were completely unbalanced, it would seem somewhat inferior.
After all, this thing is a trap, and its activation is unstable. In the anime environment, where drawing three to five spell cards at once is rampant, it actually seems just so-so.
Yugen found that he might have adapted to the local customs a bit. Now, seeing those forbidden cards that were once revered by old-timers in prison had lost their initial reverence.
"I declare numbers five and six!" Hidekazu said.
Normally, these two numbers would be declared. Because no matter what numbers are declared, the probability of guessing correctly is average, but if they hit, these two numbers yield the highest benefit.
As long as one of the two numbers is correct, it counts as a success, with a one-third probability, which isn't particularly low.
The dice rolled down, stopping at number 5.
"Very good, then I draw five cards!"
Hmm, drawing five cards in an instant, but Yugen was long since used to it by now and wasn't surprised.
With five cards instantly added to his hand, his Tamashii also got mixed in.
Now the probability instantly became one in seven.
The gun fired. Leader Zaloog's shot pierced through, leaving a hole in one of the cards.
"Hahahaha! It didn't hit!"
Hidekazu laughed loudly, no longer worried that the card would be pierced and sent to the Graveyard.
"What a pity, it seems Lady Luck is on my side today. Next turn I'll summon my Tamashii, the demon—"
But at this moment, Yugen had already ended his Battle Phase and calmly pulled out another card, interrupting his chant.
"Spell Card - 'Confiscation'. Pay 1000 Life Points, observe your opponent's hand and choose one card to discard."
The senior's hearty laughter stopped abruptly.
[Yugen, LP 4000 → LP 3000]
"Come on, senior, show me your hand," Yugen said politely.
Watanabe Hidekazu: "..."
He gritted his teeth, his facial muscles twitched twice, then he still revealed his hand with an unpleasant expression.
It was the difficult expression of someone whose Tamashii was being completely exposed.
"Then please, senior, discard your Tamashii," Yugen politely requested.
Hidekazu painfully pulled out his beloved ace card and threw it into the Graveyard, his slow movements and expression making it look like he was constipated.
"But my turn isn't over yet."
Yugen unhurriedly drew another card.
"I will now activate this card from my hand—
——Continuous Spell - Insect Barrier!
As long as this card remains on the field, all Insect-type monsters on your opponent's field cannot declare attacks!"
Watanabe Hidekazu almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.
Many spectators outside the arena couldn't help but gasp.
Are you really not planning on letting your opponent duel from the very beginning?
Watanabe Hidekazu: "You son of a b—"
He now seemed to be starting to understand why this person had unhesitatingly chosen him as his challenge opponent.
The courage of a duelist? The bravery to challenge a peak?
No, it had nothing to do with such things.
He chose him simply because he thought he was the easiest to bully!
"I'll set two more cards on the field, turn end."
Yugen finished his declaration and waited for a moment. Seeing no movement, he tilted his head and kindly reminded: "It's your turn, senior."
Senior, why aren't you drawing a card?
Don't you want to draw?
Hidekazu gritted his teeth: "My turn."
He was now starting to think that the Duel Club would need to add a new rule later.
Not only Osiris Red students wouldn't be allowed to apply, but dogs wouldn't either.
With an insect barrier now set on the opponent's field, his entire deck's offense was locked down. Not to mention the two cards he had left set, plus the one he set in turn 1, his opponent now had a total of three set cards in the back row.
In the previous turn, he wasn't wary of set cards, but now, combining with his opponent's demonstrated dueling style, he was even a little afraid to imagine what kind of cards were still set in the back row.
At this moment, the one card in his entire deck that could save him from this predicament...
"Draw!"
Full of fury, pouring all his dueling impulses into this single draw to decide victory or defeat, creating a miracle!
"Spell Card - Heavy Storm!"
The moment Watanabe Hidekazu raised the card, a fierce storm swept across the entire field.
"Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on both sides of the field!"