Not Letting Them Rest In The Graveyard

[Dimensional Slice] was one of the dominant meta decks in the early competitive scene of Yu-Gi-Oh!. Although it never managed to clinch the title of World Champion, it proved its combat effectiveness in the early environment and was even capable of going toe-to-toe with the champions of that era.

Kira's initial deck idea was inspired by the Champion Deck Hand Destruction, but due to missing components and the slightly different current environment, he only adopted the core concept and adjusted the build.

Dimensional Slice is one of the builds he is currently testing.

As the name suggests, the core strategy of this deck is to send the opponent's cards to the Different Dimension. It mainly relies on aggressive one-for-one trades using cards like "Dimensional Warrior Lady," which can forcibly banish both itself and an opponent's Monster. However, the monsters on his side are usually Lower-Level Monsters that can be played immediately, often trading for the opponent's boss monsters that required significant resources to summon, creating resource advantage.

Just like Kira is doing now.

Furthermore, because the opponent's defeated monsters are kicked to the Different Dimension instead of going to the Graveyard, it can cause considerable trouble for the meta decks of that time that relied on Graveyard resources. At the same time, the environment back then was filled with numerous Graveyard Trigger Monsters that had effects like "when this card is sent to the Graveyard, search your deck." These monsters couldn't activate their effects against Dimensional Slice, making it extremely frustrating for opponents.

Kira never personally experienced that ancient environment, but he could imagine the Duelists who first encountered the Dimensional Slice build back then. After painstakingly summoning a powerful boss monster, only for it to be sent to the Different Dimension by a simple normal attack from the opponent, their mental state must have collapsed.

Just like Manjoume is currently experiencing.

In a final, desperate struggle before being defeated, Dimensional Warrior Lady slashed through the void with a single strike, opening a black hole on the field like a Dimensional Slice. The immense gravitational pull instantly captured both warriors, and Sword Saint and the Warrior Lady were both sucked into it, vanishing beyond the black hole.

Losing their equip targets, the two Equip Spells in the back row popped and shattered, dissipating into golden fragments.

Manjoume's initial plays were fierce like a tiger, but his boss monster, summoned after exhausting his resources, was sent directly to the sidelines for spectating before it could even land a single attack. For a moment, it nearly choked him.

But Manjoume took a deep breath and quickly stabilized his mindset.

Calm down, I need to be calm.

It's just the loss of a mere eight-star boss monster, two equips, four hand cards...

It's no big deal.

"When Equip Spell, 'Gemini Sword,' is sent from the field to the Graveyard, I can draw one card from my deck."

Manjoume drew a card from his deck, finally recovering a bit of ground. He glanced at it and immediately inserted the drawn card into his Spell & Trap Zone.

"I set one card face-down on the field. Turn end."

"My turn, draw."

Kira added the drawn card to his hand, then revealed another card from his hand.

Kira said, "I summon 'Wildheart Warrior Lady'."

[Wildheart Warrior Lady, ATK 1100]

"Direct attack." Kira waved his hand, giving the command. "Wildheart Warrior Lady, attack the opponent directly."

The Warrior Lady drew her sword and leaped forward, charging towards Manjoume.

But Manjoume had a countermeasure. He waved his arm and flipped over his set card. "I activate the Trap Card, 'Absorption Shield'! I negate the opponent's attack and gain Life Points equal to the attacking Monster's Attack!"

A transparent rainbow barrier appeared before Manjoume. The Warrior Lady's long sword slashed fiercely against the barrier, her force instantly absorbed into energy, which became a warm golden glow falling upon Manjoume.

[Manjoume, LP 4000 → LP 5100]

"Heh, what a shame. But an attack of this level is completely within my expectations," Manjoume continued to boast.

Kira was unconcerned. Anyone who plays card games knows that in this game, you only have zero Life Points or full Life Points. As long as you have LP left, it's not as important compared to other resources in this game.

"Then I'll set one card and end my turn," Kira said.

"My turn!" Manjoume drew a card, then immediately revealed another. "Spell Card - Pot of Greed! I draw two more cards from my deck."

Pot of Greed, standard issue for the GX Protagonist Group, everyone always had a Pot of Greed ready.

"I summon [Dark World Warrior - Dark Blade] in Attack Position!"

The card's image appeared. A warrior in black steel armor, wielding dual blades, flew out from the card art, covered in fang-like silver sharp blades.

[Dark World Warrior - Dark Blade, ATK 1800]

"Now you'll see that my monsters are also the elites among elites, completely different from those Lower-Level fodder!" Manjoume raised his hand and shouted, "Go, Dark Blade! Destroy 'Wildheart Warrior Lady'!"

He curled his lips into a smirk, a smug cold snort.

Although that Shady Stuff on the other side screwed over his boss monster, it didn't matter. [Dark World Warrior - Dark Blade] was also a powerful Lower-Level Monster with high market value. With 1800 Attack for a Level 4, it was normally quite formidable.

Could he possibly pull out a Dimensional Warrior Lady Unit 2 from his pants and kick my monster to the Different Dimension again?

The black-armored swordsman leaped forward, slashing with his twin blades. The Warrior Lady was instantly cut in half at the waist, exploding on the spot with a boom.

[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 3300]

Kira, whose monster had been destroyed, remained calm. He pulled out his deck from his Duel Disk and began searching.

"Wildheart Warrior Lady's effect activates. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one EARTH Attribute Warrior Type Monster with 1500 or less Attack from my deck in face-up Attack Position.

The monster I will summon is this guy..."

As he spoke, he had already drawn the searched card from his deck.

"...I summon [Dimensional Warrior] in Attack Position!"

[Dimensional Warrior, ATK 1200]

Manjoume: "!"

No, not again?

He recognized this monster too. Dimensional Warrior, when it battles a monster, banishes that opponent's monster and this card from the game.

The other one in the Dimensional Slice build has an effect exactly like Dimensional Warrior Lady.

Seeing Dimensional Warrior stand firm on the opposite field, Manjoume's eye twitched twice, a slight pain shooting through him.

No way.

How the hell can this Shady Stuff of yours fly straight out of the Deck?

No, stay calm, don't lose your composure.

Manjoume glanced out of the corner of his eye at a card in his hand.

He wasn't entirely without means to deal with this shady thing.

"I Set one card on the field and end my turn," Manjoume declared.

Kira's gaze swept over the card Manjoume had just Set in his back row.

From the looks of it, does he have a countermeasure against Dimensional Warrior?

He smiled slightly.

It doesn't matter.

"My turn, draw."

Kira confirmed the card he drew and revealed it directly.

"I summon 'Spirit Reaper - Haikou' in Attack Position."

Appearing was a bald monk wearing a kasaya, but with a fierce look. The way he held his prayer beads made it seem like he was ready to use them to hit someone at any moment.

In short, he was a martial monk who looked like he enjoyed "convincing people through reason."

Spirit Reaper - Haikou, ATK 1800

Manjoume narrowed his eyes, studying the large monk.

ATK 1800, on par with his Dark Blade. Is it going to be a mutual destruction? Or perhaps...

"Battle," Kira said. "First, 'Dimensional Warrior' attacks 'Dark World Warrior - Dark Blade'."

It's coming, as expected.

"Don't even think about it... Flip Face-Up the Set Card!"

A sharp light flashed in Manjoume's eyes as he waved his hand, revealing his back row.

"Trap Card - Sakuretsu Armor! When an opponent's monster declares an attack, that monster is immediately destroyed!"

As he spoke, his mouth twitched, revealing a confident smile.

"Heh, you thought you could use a monster effect to banish my monster, did you? Too bad, the same trick won't work on me a second time! The monster that's going to be destroyed is your own!"

Kira raised an eyebrow.

Sakuretsu Armor, really?

Yu-Gi-Oh! viewers all know that throughout the entire history of Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sakuretsu Armor has had many appearances in the anime, yet the number of successful activations remains zero to this day. It even seems like everyone who has tried to use this card has failed, as if cursed by some world will...

Naturally, this curse couldn't be broken in Kira's hands.

"Flip Face-Up the Set Card." Kira's back row also flipped over. "Counter Trap - Seven Tools of the Bandit. Pay 1000 Life Points to negate the activation of a Trap Card and destroy it."

Manjoume's eye twitched again.

Nani!?

Damn it, how does your Shady Stuff even have Counter Traps protecting them?

Kira, LP 3300 → LP 2300

Manjoume's Trap was countered, and the unfortunate Sakuretsu Armor shattered into dust with a snap, continuing its Legend of Failure by failing to resolve. The battle continued. Dark Blade swung its sword through Dimensional Warrior, but before dying, the warrior tore open a rift in dimensions, like a black hole, sucking both monsters into a vortex and making them disappear.

Kira, LP 2300 → LP 1700

With that, Manjoume's field and back row were completely empty.

"Next is Spirit Reaper," Kira continued. "Direct attack on Manjoume."

Upon hearing this, Haikou took a step forward, his prayer beads whipping out like a hidden weapon, striking Manjoume square on the forehead with a smack. The physical impact made his head ring, as if he felt the weight of the Buddha himself.

Manjoume, LP 5100 → LP 3300

"At this moment, Spirit Reaper's effect also activates," Kira continued. "When Haikou inflicts battle damage to the opponent, I can choose up to two monsters in your Graveyard to banish from the game."

Although he could choose two, all of Manjoume's monsters up to this point had already been sent to the Different Dimension. His Graveyard only contained the "Swordswoman - Canaan" he had used as a Tribute at the beginning and another monster card discarded by Hand Destruction.

So Kira pointed at the only two monster cards remaining there.

Not only his field, but even the only monster resources in his Graveyard were sent to the Different Dimension. Manjoume was completely flustered.

This is too much.

You're not even letting them off the hook after they've gone to the graveyard?

If my guess is correct, this week's Trial Recommendation for this book will be based on the Read Retention of the chapter published tomorrow night.

Read Retention is the number of people who read the newest chapter within twenty-four hours of its release.

So, please make sure to read tomorrow's new chapter! Pretty please!