Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon!

Youye's words left Dark Insect and the black-robed figure stunned.

What had he drawn that he was already declaring he would seize the advantage next turn?

In this situation, even drawing Effect Veiler would be useless. His Extra Monster Zone was occupied by Munin, so he couldn't make Baronne de Fleur with 1+9. He could only use 1+3!

Could there be a Level 4 Tuner Monster with a Triple Negate? At that thought, the black-robed figure's expression changed. He really did know of a Level 4 monster with a Triple Negate, so he looked at Youye and asked gravely, "Did you obtain Herald of Arc Light?"

"Oh? You know Herald of Arc Light? But unfortunately, I don't have that card!" Youye gave the black-robed figure a surprised look and told the truth.

Hearing that, the black-robed figure sank into thought again. Then Youye's voice rang out.

"But your guess was close. It is indeed a Triple Negate monster, but unlike Baronne de Fleur, it doesn't only have one Triple Negate. It has one every turn!"

A once-per-turn Triple Negate? The black-robed figure lowered his head and said nothing.

If anyone else had said that in this situation, he would have slapped them across the face. With only a Level 3 monster and a Link-2 monster on the field, against Naturia Beast, they wanted to make a once-per-turn Triple Negate? What kind of nonsense was that?

But with Youye's knowledge, he couldn't even bring himself to question it. Maintaining even a sliver of doubt was already his respect for common dueling sense.

Dark Insect looked at the Skill Drain in his hand and revealed a strange smile. If Youye could still summon a once-per-turn Triple Negate monster in this situation, then although he didn't know how, he had to admit that Youye was strong—very strong!

But he had not lost yet. Skill Drain could stop Youye's Triple Negate monster from appearing. As for Saya running away next turn? Useless. Skill Drain could be activated once more during his own turn!

The initiative would remain firmly in his hands.

"I set one card and end my turn. Resolve Saya's effect!" Dark Insect declared the end of his turn when Youye made no further moves.

Saya's effect resolved. Saya and Naturia Beast returned to their owners' fields. Saya returned to the Main Monster Zone rather than the Extra Monster Zone. Then Munin's effect restored 1000 LP to Youye.

Youye LP: 4800 → 5800

"My turn, draw!" After glancing at his card, Youye looked at Dark Insect, whose lips carried a faint smile. The smile on Youye's face grew wider as he slowly said, "Any objections if I go straight to Main Phase 1?"

"No!" Dark Insect answered.

"I Normal Summon Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring from my hand." Youye made his move as soon as he entered Main Phase 1.

Following his words, an adorable little girl in white appeared on his field. However, seemingly frightened, she immediately threw herself into Youye's arms. Youye stroked her head, reassuring her that everything was fine.

"???"

"You have Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring too?" When Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring appeared, the green light in the black-robed figure's eyes flared brightly, and his voice trembled.

This was a hand trap Earth-level Duelists dreamed of. It was even more versatile and harder to come by than Effect Veiler. Every Heaven-level Dark Duelist had one—some even had two or three. If Youye joined them, Effect Veiler alone would greatly strengthen the Dark Duelists' overall power!

"Yes, the Original Card is with me." Youye nodded, looking at the black-robed figure with anticipation. The Dark Duelists were currently his Coin Monsters. How could two be enough to farm? He needed to increase the bait, lure in more of them, and make more drop!

Just as Youye had expected, the moment that bait was thrown out, the black-robed figure wanted to go up and defeat Youye himself, then take Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring from him.

For now, though, he could only watch and could not participate. In this world, the Dueling Rules stood above all else. During a duel, no person or object could directly interfere with it.

"Dark Insect, defeat him, and the organization will make you an Earth-level Duelist within half a year!" After staring at Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring in Youye's arms for a moment, the black-robed figure made his promise to Dark Insect.

"Kid, you really are my lucky star and benefactor!" Hearing the black-robed figure's words, Dark Insect's smile widened.

Why had he joined the Dark Duelist Organization? Because he had been stuck at the Mysterious level for nearly fifty years, with no other choice but to join in search of a chance to break through!

Until last night, after waiting five years, he had finally received his opportunity. The organization had promised that as long as he defeated Youye, they would help him break through within three years. Now, the situation had changed—it was down to half a year.

Once those six months passed, he too would become a lofty Earth-level Duelist!

"Could it be that I'm your harbinger of disaster?" Youye wore a strange expression as Dark Insect thanked him. Soon, Dark Insect would be beaten to death by him and directly erased by the rules, yet he was calling Youye his benefactor?

Did one face-down card give him that much confidence? Did he not know that Youye had only told him about the monster he was about to summon because he had judged that Dark Insect had no way to stop it? He could only say that the mind of a primitive man was beyond his understanding.

"Hahaha, you'll soon find out why I say that." Seeing that Youye had not used a Runick Spell to destroy the set Skill Drain, Dark Insect laughed in a low voice.

Youye noticed Dark Insect's gaze and looked at his set card. His expression became even stranger. One Trap Card was going to stop him from building a board?

If it were a counterattack, that would be understandable. But a counterattack would only stall for one or two turns.

"Fine." Youye said no more and prepared to build his board and end the duel.

"I set Munin and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring on my field as Link Arrows. Awaken from the Forbidden & Limited List—Link Summon, Link-2 Predaplant Verte Anaconda, to the zone pointed to by Saya's left Link Arrow!"

As Youye's voice fell, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring beside him and Munin on the field transformed into two arrows. As a gate appeared, a huge green anaconda emerged on Youye's field. Its maw was filled with sharp teeth as it hissed furiously at Dark Insect, as if saying, How dare you drag the person I chose into this Dark Duel?

"Anaconda, don't be angry. With your help, this duel will end soon!" Sensing Verte Anaconda's fury, Youye soothed it.

After hearing Youye's words, Verte Anaconda coiled its body and stared fixedly at Dark Insect, as though waiting for an opportunity to attack.

Dark Insect looked at Verte Anaconda. Its ATK was not high, and it did not look frightening, yet he felt an indescribable pressure from it that made cold sweat pour down his back.

The black-robed figure felt that pressure as well. Green light flickered in his eyes as he continuously pondered what effect it possessed that would allow Youye to bring out a once-per-turn Triple Negate.

"Verte Anaconda's effect: I can pay 2000 LP to send 1 Fusion Normal or Quick-Play Spell from my Deck to the Graveyard and activate this effect. Verte Anaconda's effect becomes the same as that Spell's effect when activated. Then, after this effect resolves, I cannot Special Summon monsters until the end of the turn!"

"I pay 2000 LP and send Red-Eyes Fusion from my Deck to the Graveyard to activate it!"

"Red-Eyes Fusion?"

Dark Insect and the black-robed figure were both slightly stunned, unable to understand what Youye intended. Other than high ATK, what powerful monster could Red-Eyes Fusion summon? What did that have to do with a Triple Negate?

For a moment, Dark Insect was not even planning to use his Monster Effect Negation and intended to let Verte Anaconda resolve. Then the black-robed figure suddenly cried out, "Holy shit!!! It's him!!!"

Seeing the black-robed figure's expression abruptly change, Dark Insect had no idea what could make such a powerful Earth-level Duelist react so strongly. But in that instant, he understood that he had to stop it!

"I chain at C2, targeting the Verte Anaconda on your field. I activate my set Trap Card, Skill Drain, negating Verte Anaconda's effects until the end of the turn!"

After saying that, his originally solemn expression immediately relaxed. He broke into a smile and said, "Hahahaha, your biggest mistake was telling me you were making a Triple Negate. If you hadn't said anything, you might actually have gotten it through."

"Could it be that I only told you because I thought you had no way to stop me?" The smile on Youye's face turned strange.

"?" Dark Insect and the black-robed figure were confused. What did that mean? He knew Dark Insect had disruption and still said it?

But Saya already had two absurd effects. As a Link-2, it should be impossible for her to have a third absurd effect. And Runick Quick-Play Spells had no way to negate Spells or Traps, so why did he say Dark Insect could not stop him?

"Looks like you don't understand Saya's effect!"

"Saya's effect targets one monster on my field, then one monster on the field, and banishes them until the end of the turn. It doesn't target one monster each on your field and mine!" Seeing the two of them dumbfounded, Youye naturally explained, since Dark Insect clearly had no way to stop it.

"It's too late!" Dark Insect's mind had not caught up yet. Because Youye had just banished Naturia Beast and Saya, and because it had not been his own duel, the black-robed figure had not reacted. But now that Youye explained it, he instantly understood.

Rather than being an effect meant for the opponent, Saya's second effect was meant to protect his own monsters.

Because cards like Skill Drain that targeted monsters would resolve without effect once they lost their target!

"I chain at C3 with Saya's effect, targeting her and Verte Anaconda!"

As Youye added another Chain Link, Dark Insect looked at him. The smile from before was gone, replaced by deep fear.

He understood now. Youye had been waiting for a monster all along. Once he got one, whether it was Naturia Beast or anything else, they would only struggle like ants.

Dark Insect did not chain anything further. The effects resolved: Saya's effect at C3 successfully activated, banishing Verte Anaconda and Saya until the end of the turn. Skill Drain at C2 lost its target and failed to resolve. Verte Anaconda's effect at C1, copying Red-Eyes Fusion, sent Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Dark Magician from the Deck to the Graveyard, then Fusion Summoned Master Magician Dragon Knight—Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon!

Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon, appear!