The setting sun stretched long beyond the corridor windows, casting their shadows diagonally across the floor.
With his schoolbag slung over one shoulder, Yūki calmly regarded the vice principal before him.
Sato Renshan was the head instructor overseeing the Duel Club at Shizhong Third Hospital, a five-star duelist certified by the Kaiba Corporation. In this world where card games were the supreme standard, five-star status already put him half a step into the ranks of professional league prospects.
"Fujiwara Yūki, in three days, you beat every Duel Club member from first year to third year until none of them dared enter the clubroom."
Sato Renshan adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his tone so level that it was impossible to tell whether he was criticizing or praising him:
"In fifteen years of teaching, this is truly the first time I've seen such a bizarre defensive counterattack strategy built around turtling and burn damage."
Yūki said nothing, merely taking his hands out of his pockets in a show of respect for his teacher.
Sato Renshan turned toward the empty clubroom, his gaze darkening slightly:
"But what disappoints me even more is this so-called main lineup of the Duel Club."
"They fell apart against one solid turtle strategy, and every last one chose to run away. They don't even have the courage to open the door and sit down."
He turned his head, his piercing gaze sweeping through his lenses toward the shadows in the corridor.
Around the corner, several younger club members had been about to peek out, only to shrink back under that look.
"There's no shame in a three-star losing to a one-star. Losing and then not even daring to touch your cards-that's the real disgrace."
Sato Renshan withdrew his gaze, reached into the inner pocket of his suit, and calmly drew out a deck enclosed in a deep-black leather Deck Box.
"So I'm not here today to discipline you."
Snap.
The leather Deck Box opened, leaving forty premium cards with a metallic sheen in his palm.
Sato Renshan raised his left arm. His Duel Disk unfolded amid a deep, heavy grinding of mechanical gears, and a pale-gold certification glow rose before his chest:
"Since they don't dare duel anymore, I'll personally serve as your examiner as their instructor."
"I specifically adjusted my deck to counter your Stall Burn strategy, packing it with back-row removal and powerful board-clearing monsters."
Sato Renshan slid his deck into its slot, his gaze blazing:
"Let's see just how many turns that turtle shell you're so proud of can last against an all-out Warrior-Type demolition assault."
Yūki raised his eyebrows.
An aggressive demolition deck specifically designed to counter Stall Burn?
An extremely knowing smile tugged at his lips.
For an ordinary card player, having their Stall Burn strategy countered really would leave them struggling to make a move.
But a modern competitive player's portable Deck Box always held a secret weapon to counter an opponent's strategy.
"Since you've specifically prepared for my ironclad defenses, Vice Principal..."
Right before Sato Renshan, Yūki opened the hidden compartment at the bottom of his Deck Box and fluidly removed Stealth Bird and Gravity Bind from his main deck, replacing them with another black deck that had long been itching for action.
Click.
The forty-card deck slid into its slot, and the mechanical latch locked snugly shut.
"Then I'll just have to shift gears too."
Yūki spoke with a smile.
His Duel Disk unfolded, and red and blue projection barriers rose in the center of the clubroom!
"Fujiwara, you may go first. Please."
Sato Renshan stood at his dueling position with his arms folded, looking perfectly at ease.
As far as he was concerned, Yūki had merely swapped out a few defensive cards. Against his carefully prepared Warrior-Type formation and high-level board removal, Yūki could hardly make any waves.
"My turn. I draw."
Yūki calmly drew his sixth card for the opening turn.
[Confiscation], [Sangan], [Holy Barrier - Mirror Force], [Trap Hole], [Mystical Space Typhoon], [Spirit Reaper].
An exceptionally solid opening hand for a battle of attrition.
Without any hesitation, Yūki pulled a coldly gleaming Spell Card from his hand and slid it into the slot.
"I activate the Normal Spell, [Confiscation]."
A cold iron prison rose in projection in the center of the clubroom, the clashing of chains echoing between the walls!
"I pay 1,000 Life Points. I inspect your entire hand and choose one card from it to send to the Graveyard."
[Fujiwara Yūki, LP 4000 → 3000]
Sato Renshan's expression changed. His Duel Disk shuddered slightly, and holographic images of five cards were instantly forced into view in midair!
[Graceful Charity], [Mystical Space Typhoon], [Charging Captain], [Charging Captain], [Command Knight].
The students who had quietly gathered outside the door could not help crying out:
"The vice principal opened with Graceful Charity and Mystical Space Typhoon!"
"That's an absolutely godlike opening hand!"
Yūki swept his gaze over the five cards, his eyes as precise as a scalpel.
Sure enough, everything was geared toward cracking his turtle shell and explosive card draw.
Once Sato Renshan activated [Graceful Charity], drawing three and discarding two, his Warrior-Type formation would take shape in an instant.
"The card I choose to send to the Graveyard is-[Graceful Charity]."
The executioner soldier's enormous hand reached out, crushed the Spell Card glowing with holy light, and swept it straight into the Graveyard!
Sato Renshan's brow twitched violently.
His core filtering engine had been ruthlessly snuffed out in the very first second!
"Next, I Set one monster in face-down Defense Position."
Yūki slid a Monster Card into place horizontally. A huge, dark projection of a card back appeared in midair, standing firm in his front row.
Before he had completely exhausted his opponent's resources, Setting [Sangan] face down would not only let him test an opposing attack with its 600 DEF and search when it went to the Graveyard, but also avoid exposing its ATK while low on Life Points and getting finished off directly.
Finally, Yūki slid the two Trap Cards in his hand into the back row.
"I Set two cards and end my turn."
A face-down Defense Position monster held the front, with [Holy Barrier] and [Trap Hole] lying in ambush in the back row.
The traps were set. All that remained was to wait for the prey to bite.
"Hand disruption and a defensive Set monster? So this is your real trump card..."
Sato Renshan adjusted his glasses, his gaze growing sharper. "But a single defensive monster can't stop a Warrior-Type formation!"
"My turn. Draw!"
Sato Renshan's fingers swept across the card slot. His draw was swift and forceful, the rush of air stirring his tie.
He glanced down at his hand, then fixed his eyes on the Set card in the very center of Yūki's field.
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell, [Mystical Space Typhoon]!"
A roaring, raging whirlwind sprang up, its violent blades of wind instantly shredding Yūki's central Set card!
As the light faded, the revealed card was none other than [Trap Hole].
A smile of assured victory curved Sato Renshan's lips:
"Your summon-countering Trap Hole is gone! Your defenses are wide open!"
"Next, I'll show you the absolute formation of orthodox Warrior-Types!"
Sato Renshan abruptly raised his hand and slammed the Level 4 monster from his hand onto the front row:
"I Normal Summon [Charging Captain]!"
A swordsman in heavy silver-white armor rolled onto the ground, his longsword held across his chest and his cloak snapping in the wind!
[Charging Captain] [Level 3 / EARTH Attribute / Warrior-Type] [ATK: 1200, DEF: 400]
"I activate the Captain's effect! When he's successfully summoned, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower monster from my hand!"
Sato Renshan drew out a second Monster Card and slapped it onto his Monster Zone:
"From my hand, I Special Summon a second [Charging Captain]!"
Light blazed, and another silver-armored captain carrying a keen sword drew his blade, standing back-to-back with the first captain!
[Charging Captain (second)] [Level 3 / EARTH Attribute / Warrior-Type] [ATK: 1200, DEF: 400]
The two captains stood side by side with longswords in hand, their battle formation seamless!
Sato Renshan pointed at his front row, looking proud:
"Fujiwara, watch closely!"
"While [Charging Captain] is face up on the field, the opponent cannot select other Warrior-Type monsters as attack targets!"
"And right now, I have [two] Charging Captains on my field!"
"The first captain protects the second, and the second protects the first!"
"As long as these two captains are on the field together, they form an absolute interlocking loop. None of the monsters on your field can select any Warrior-Type monster on my field as an attack target!"
"This is the Warrior-Types' [Absolute Taunt Lock]!"
The club members outside the clubroom were utterly awestruck and erupted into thunderous cheers.
"There it is! The dual-captain interlocking formation!"
"They both draw attacks away from each other, completely shutting down the opponent's attack declarations! He won't be able to attack at all next turn!"
Sato Renshan looked down at Yūki and swept his hand outward.
"Not only can my monsters not be attacked, they'll also tear through every last one of your defenses!"
"Enter the Battle Phase!"
Sato Renshan raised his arm, pointing his longsword straight at the horizontal, dark card back in the front row:
"Charging Captain, cut his Set monster to pieces!"
The swordsman roared, his longsword cleaving through the air as he charged straight at the Set card with a howling gale!
Yūki stood where he was, watching the silver-armored captain race toward him without so much as a blink.
His right hand lightly pressed a button on the side of his Duel Disk, his voice so steady that the fervor in the room abruptly froze.
"At the moment you declare an attack."
Yūki raised his head and met the five-star instructor's confident eyes:
"I activate my Set card."
"[Holy Barrier - Mirror Force]."
Before you continue