Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 103: Finally, Release

"My turn, draw."

Golden light shimmered from Kira's graveyard, and two cards slid out.

"Both 'Sinister Serpents' in my graveyard activate. During my Standby Phase, if they're there, they return to my hand."

The two cards returned to his hand.

The Insect Knight's face twitched.

More ammo.

He'd figured out how the combo worked—Sinister Serpent was infinite ammo for Abyss Soldier.

Sure enough, Kira immediately discarded one of the returned Serpents.

"'Abyss Soldier' effect: By discarding a WATER monster from my hand, I can bounce any card on the field.

So, I discard a WATER 'Sinister Serpent'—" fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

"I knew it!" the Insect Knight yelled.

"I activate my set card, Trap Card 'Memory Loss'! When your face-up Attack Position monster activates its effect, negate that activation and switch it to Defense Position!"

Jaden: "Eh? But doesn't Kira still have Royal Decree face-up?"

Kira raised an eyebrow.

Does this insect have counter measure to my Royal Decree?

"Interesting, I'll accept your challenge," Kira replied. "I activate my set card: Continuous Trap—Royal Decree!

All Trap Cards on the field are negated!"

The returned Royal Decree once again exerted its invisible, oppressive force over the field.

"As expected!" the Insect Knight shouted. "Counter Trap—'Wiretap'!

When a Trap is activated, negate its activation and shuffle it back into the deck!"

The Insect Knight did have a plan.

Kira stroked his chin and nodded.

The counter activated, sending Royal Decree back to Kira's deck, which reshuffled itself.

"As long as 'Royal Decree' is negated before its effect applies, there's nothing to fear. And since the later effect resolves first, when 'Memory Loss' resolves, Royal Decree is no longer on the field—so my Trap Card 'Memory Loss' is effective!

According to 'Memory Loss,' your Abyss Soldier's effect is negated and it switches to Defense Position!"

The Insect Knight burst out laughing.

"Go away, Abyss Soldier!"

The underworldly power was temporarily sealed, and Abyss Soldier, forced by the trap, knelt and assumed a defensive posture.

[Abyss Soldier, ATK 1800 → DEF 1300]

"Now your combo is broken," the Insect Knight gloated.

He had figured it out—Abyss Soldier was the core of Kira's whole strategy. As long as its effect was neutralized, he had nothing to fear.

Next turn, his insect army would rally and sound the horn of comeback.

What, you've got another out for me up your sleeve?

"I activate my set card: Continuous Trap 'Call of the Haunted'," Kira said. "Revive a monster from my graveyard in Attack Position. I choose another 'Abyss Soldier'."

Insect Knight: "..."

A vortex opened in the graveyard, water surging out. The aquatic soldier rose from the abyss, a cold wind blowing from the netherworld.

Kira was impressed—nice counter.

But what will you do about the second one?

The Insect Knight could already see the inevitable. His face twisted. "No, no, please..."

But Kira didn't activate its effect immediately. Instead, he calmly showed another card.

"Equip Spell—'Big Bang Shot'. I'll equip it to your 'Millennium Scorpion'."

Here you go, buddy—have a smoke, don't be shy.

Insect Knight: "?"

Why are you giving me an equip at a time like this?

"'Big Bang Shot' raises the equipped monster's ATK by 400, and gives it piercing damage. But of course, as you know, powerful effects come with risks. If 'Big Bang Shot' leaves the field, the equipped monster is banished."

The Insect Knight thought for a moment.

If the equip leaves the field, the monster gets banished...

He suddenly understood, his face twisting. "Wait, you—you're going to—"

"Correct. Sorry, no prize," Kira grinned. "Second 'Abyss Soldier' effect: Discard another WATER 'Sinister Serpent' to bounce any card on the field.

I'll bounce the Equip Spell 'Big Bang Shot'!"

The Equip Spell turned into a flash of light and returned to Kira's hand.

"And since I own the card, it returns to me. But because 'Big Bang Shot' left the field, the equipped monster is banished.

Banish 'Millennium Scorpion'!"

Another dimensional rift opened, sucking Millennium Scorpion away.

The Insect Knight looked at his now-empty field, utterly devastated.

Why...

Why do such scummy combos even exist?

And who the hell comes up with this stuff...

Jaden was stunned: "Uh..."

You could use Abyss Soldier to bounce monsters back to the hand for removal, but that just gave the opponent back a resource.

But by combining Abyss Soldier's effect with Big Bang Shot's downside, you could banish an opponent's monster from the field without returning it to their hand. Since Big Bang Shot returned to your hand, it could be reused, and Sinister Serpent was infinite ammo, so the whole process cost almost nothing.

Kira felt he'd won at this point, but his opponent still had cards in hand. If, say, the Insect Knight had Kuriboh and survived this turn, then bouncing Millennium Scorpion would just give him an extra card, so this was the best play.

Yup, that's all. It's not that banishing the Millennium Scorpion was just more fun.

But his opponent didn't quite see it that way.

The Insect Knight gave up struggling and put on a mask of pain.

Please, just finish me off...

He wanted to leave this unfriendly world and reincarnate.

Next life, he'd never touch cards again.

"Battle." Kira waved his hand. "Abyss Soldier, direct attack!"

Seeing that eerie soldier rush forward, Insect Knight let out a long breath and closed his eyes.

It might sound strange, but after so many turns of having his monsters bounced, banished, and locked down, as the final blow fell, he didn't feel fear.

He felt relief.

Finally, he didn't have to duel anymore.

[Insect Knight, LP 1400 → 0]

PS: RIP Insect Knight.