"My turn, draw!" A bead of sweat rolled down Tristan's cheek as he nervously checked his hand over and over.
Across from him, Yami Yugi looked a little worried. "Calm down. Don't let anything distract you. Just do what Teacher Li said and play steadily."
Tristan pinched his thigh hard, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before slowly letting it out.
"I need to stay calm. Believe in myself, believe in my cards. There has to be a way out of this."
By the time he opened his eyes, he had regained his composure. Looking at his hand again, he found his thoughts much clearer.
"I summon Acrobat Monkey in Defense Position!"
A mechanical monkey bounced onto the field.
ATK: 1000, DEF: 1800
"Hold it!" Yami Yugi swept out his hand, flipping a face-down card in his back row. "At this moment, I activate my Trap Card-Trap Hole!"
Effect: When your opponent successfully Normal Summons or Flip Summons a monster with 1000 or more ATK, you can target that monster and activate this card. Destroy that monster with 1000 or more ATK.
"What?!"
Acrobat Monkey was still doing acrobatics in a handstand when the ground beneath his space vanished, revealing a vast, pitch-black abyss. He dropped straight into it, still upside down, letting out a piercing scream. "Gaaah!"
His cries grew fainter and fainter, then vanished completely as the hole closed.
"I knew it! I activate the Spell Card-Last Will!"
Effect: If a monster on your field is sent to your Graveyard during this turn, you can Special Summon one monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck.
"I summon Witch of the Black Forest in Defense Position, set three more cards, and end my turn."
A black-robed witch took Acrobat