Wanna Duel? I've Got the Pharaoh's Deck! [17]

At Yuuhi’s command, wings of stone flared wide as [Valkyrion the Magna Warrior] soared toward the demonic dragon standing behind Izayoi Yuki.

Most monsters top out at 3000 ATK—but Valkyrion surpassed even that ceiling. [Red Dragon Archfiend] was no match in raw power.

Just as Yuuhi and Mai were already envisioning the magnet blade cleaving off the dragon’s head, only Yuki remained composed.

“Izumi-san, this is your counterplay? I’m afraid this won’t be enough to reach [Red Dragon Archfiend]. I activate my Continuous Trap—[Fiendish Chain]!”

Chains of cursed magic burst from the violet-red card as it flipped face-up, extending to bind the valiant Magnet Warrior mid-swing.

“As long as this card remains on the field, [Valkyrion the Magna Warrior] can’t attack, and its effects are negated.”

It had been set earlier to counter any potential traps from Yuuhi’s backrow—but with only Normal Monsters revealed, there’d been no need to play it until now. This was the first time it bared its fangs.

But Yuki wasn’t the only one who’d laid a trap.

“I figured as much. In response—I chain the Counter Trap [Seven Tools of the Bandit]! I pay 1000 LP to negate and destroy your Trap!”

[Yuuhi LP: 3200 → 2200]

The trap he’d set on his first turn wasn’t to stop monsters or plays—it was a trap meant to counter traps.

With this card protecting it, Valkyrion’s attack should’ve gone through—

That was the thought—until [Seven Tools of the Bandit] shattered into fragments.

“Wait—what!?”

“I activate my own Counter Trap—[Trap Jammer].”

Yuuhi’s gaze snapped to Yuki’s field. Another trap card now hovered there, glowing ominously.

“During the Battle Phase, when your opponent activates a Trap Card: negate that activation and destroy it.”

Yuki’s voice was calm but firm. “You were the one who got read, Izumi-san. I told you, that level of play won’t reach [Red Dragon Archfiend].”

Trap Cards can only be countered by faster-speed Traps—specifically Counter Traps. And Yuuhi had no more cards left to respond with. No more layers to the chain.

In the end, Valkyrion’s limbs and weapon were bound mid-air, frozen just before his blade could touch [Red Dragon Archfiend’s] scales.

So close. Just a little more, and the behemoth could’ve been slain.

“But Valkyrion’s 3500 ATK remains. That hasn’t changed. [Red Dragon Archfiend] still can’t overcome it.”

Even with the attack blocked, the game had shifted into a standoff. And with a clear resource gap, Yuuhi still held the advantage.

“I Set one card and Set a monster. End turn.”

“True, Valkyrion is stronger. But I don’t need to win through battle. My turn.”

Yuki drew without hesitation, glanced at the card, and revealed it immediately. “I activate the Spell—[Fragrance Storm]!”

“I destroy the Plant monster [Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis] on my field and draw one card. I drew [Rose Girl]. Since it’s a Plant, I draw one more.”

In one stroke, Yuki replenished her hand by two cards. And it wasn’t over. The shattered [Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis] exploded into crimson petals—igniting as it morphed into a flaming phoenix charging toward Yuuhi.

“Next is [Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis'] mandatory effect: when it’s destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, it inflicts 800 damage to the opponent.”

“Not happening. I discard [Kuribohrn] from my hand to activate its effect!”

“Kuri-kuri!”

At Yuuhi’s shout, a fluffy little sphere shot from his hand, eyes full of righteous resolve. It hurled itself in front of the flames, absorbing the blast with its tiny plush body.

“So cute!”

It’s said girls have a weakness for adorable things—and Hoshino Mai’s eyes sparkled instantly at the sight.

Yuki, focused on the duel, remained unmoved. “That card won’t last you forever. And I have more to play.”

“I discard [Rose Girl]. That lets me Special Summon [World Carrotweight Champion] from the Graveyard in Defense Position. Then I activate [Rose Girl’s] effect—if there’s a Plant on my field, I return her from the GY to my hand.”

“Then I Normal Summon [Rose Girl].”

[Rose Girl | Level 3 | EARTH | Plant | Tuner | ATK: 800 / DEF: 600]

A petite figure, cloaked in rose petals and frilled with blooming flora, gently descended beside the hulking carrot warrior.

Yuki’s field was once again primed with fresh Synchro materials.

She opened a slot in her Extra Deck and pulled out a new card.

“I tune Level 3 [Rose Girl] with Level 4 [World Carrotweight Champion].”

3★ + 4★ = 7★

“O proud rose blooming in the purest garden, bathed in moonlight and morning dew—blossom anew! Synchro Summon—[Black Rose Moonlight Dragon]!”

[Black Rose Moonlight Dragon | Level 7 | LIGHT | Dragon | Synchro | ATK: 2400 / DEF: 1800]

From the radiant light of the summon emerged a familiar form—eerily like what had appeared earlier.

Scales of rose, a long thorned tail, identical in form to [Black Rose Dragon]—but with a more refined, graceful aura. A new Synchro monster roared onto the field.

But Yuuhi wasn’t in the mood to admire it. As soon as [Black Rose Moonlight Dragon] arrived, he grimaced.

Damn. That one…!

“This time, looks like you don’t have another [Solemn Warning],” Yuki noted, her eyes sharp. “Then I activate [Black Rose Moonlight Dragon’s] effect!”

“When it’s Special Summoned—or when your opponent Special Summons a Level 5 or higher monster—target one of them and return it to the hand. [Petal Requiem]!”

The flower-dragon sang out. A storm of petals unfurled with a flap of its wings, sweeping across the field and banishing Valkyrion—the warrior Yuuhi had worked so hard to summon—back to his hand.

And now, Yuuhi had no way to reassemble the Magnet Warriors needed to bring him back.

More importantly—with Valkyrion gone, Yuuhi’s edge in raw power vanished as well.

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This is a fan translation of 打牌吗？ 我王样卡组！by 夏日戏言 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!