Chapter 71: Let’s See Who Draws the Better Cards

“Contact Changeover. This card can only be activated when I have no monsters on the field. I send one monster with ‘Neo-Spacian’ in its name each from my hand and deck to the graveyard, then draw two cards from my deck.”

As he spoke, Yugi took a card depicting a brown-furred mole clad in metallic armor from his hand and another from his deck, illustrated with a blue-and-white upright dolphin. These two cards, “Neo-Spacian Grand Mole” and “Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin,” were sent to the graveyard.

“While drawing two cards, since I activated a Spell Card, the Field Spell ‘Magical City Endymion’ gets a Spell Counter.”

A glowing, basketball-sized Spell Counter materialized above Yugi’s head.

(Spell Counters: 1, Hand: 5, Deck: 36)

“Next, I activate a second ‘Contact Changeover’! I send ‘Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird’ from my hand and ‘Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab’ from my deck to the graveyard. I draw two more cards, and Endymion gains another Spell Counter.”

Repeating the process, another Spell Counter appeared above Yugi’s head without any loss to his hand.

(Spell Counters: 2, Hand: 5, Deck: 33)

“Then, I activate the last ‘Contact Changeover’! I send ‘Neo-Spacian Glow Moss’ from my hand and ‘Neo-Spacian Dark Panther’ from my deck to the graveyard, draw two cards, and gain yet another Spell Counter!”

(Spell Counters: 3, Hand: 5, Deck: 30)

Malik: “…”

After all these maneuvers, Malik—both as the mastermind and as the puppet—couldn’t help but twitch his eyelids.

“Using my once-per-turn Normal Summon, I summon the Level 4 monster ‘Royal Magical Library’ in Defense Position!”

Despite being called a library, an actual magical library full of spellbooks and mystical energy crashed down behind Yugi.

(Royal Magical Library, Level 4, DEF: 2000)

“I activate the Library’s effect. By removing three Spell Counters from this card, I draw one card from my deck.”

With that, Yugi reached for his fifth card draw this turn.

“Wait! Your Library doesn’t have any Spell Counters. How can you draw a card?”

Malik protested, but Yugi simply pointed to the Spell Counters floating above his head, generated by the Field Spell “Magical City Endymion,” and replied:

“I forgot to mention, when I activate an effect that requires Spell Counters, Endymion allows me, once per turn, to remove a Spell Counter from itself instead, to pay for the effect.”

Malik: “…”

Damn! A bunch of cards I’ve never even heard of! Are you just taking advantage of my ignorance? Fine! Once my Winged Dragon of Ra appears, I’ll show you what it’s like to be overwhelmed by an Egyptian God’s mysterious abilities!

“After drawing, I set a card facedown and end my turn.”

[Yugi: 4000 LP, Hand: 5, Monster Zone: Royal Magical Library, Spell/Trap Zone: 1 Set, Field Zone: Magical City Endymion]

“Hmph, my turn—draw!”

“At this moment, a new Slime Token is Special Summoned to my field!”

“Pop!”

A second Slime Token was spat out by the massive metal furnace, which even released two bursts of steam afterward, giving the impression it felt much better after being unclogged.

“Next, I activate the Continuous Spell Cards ‘Infinite Cards’ and ‘Card of Safe Return’ from my hand!”

Two Continuous Spells were played in succession. Just by their names, one could deduce their effects.

Infinite Cards removes the hand size limit—under normal rules, at the end of your turn, you can only keep six cards, discarding the rest to the graveyard.

Card of Safe Return allows you to draw three cards from your deck every time a monster is Special Summoned from the graveyard to your field, whether it’s your own or your opponent’s.

Note: It’s “every time” a Special Summon occurs, so even if multiple monsters are revived simultaneously, you only draw three cards per event. Still, it’s a powerful card for replenishing your hand.

“Now, my effect monster ‘Royal Magical Library’ and my Field Spell ‘Magical City Endymion’ both activate! Whenever either player activates a Spell Card, each gains a Spell Counter.”

Two Spell Cards mean two additional Spell Counters each.

(Magical City Counters: 2, Library Counters: 2)

Malik: “…”

These counters… This new card series is all about generating Spell Counters for your own benefit, isn’t it, President Yugi?

“Turn end.”

Since they had agreed not to attack each other, Malik was determined to play the role of an honorable villain.

[Malik: 4000 LP, Hand: 2, Monster Zone: Revived Slime, Slime Tokens ×2, Spell/Trap Zone: Slime Breeding Machine, Infinite Cards, Card of Safe Return, 1 Set]

“My turn, draw!”

“First, I flip my set card and activate the Trap ‘Neo-Space Expansion’!”

The “Neo-Spacian” monsters Yugi had previously sent to the graveyard—a red-bodied, white-winged birdman; a blue-and-white upright dolphin; something resembling both a Slime and a glowing moss; and a black panther with a dark cloak—were all revived from the graveyard, appearing on Yugi’s field.

“Neo-Space Expansion allows me to revive any number of ‘Neo-Spacian’ monsters from my graveyard at once! However, only one copy per name can be summoned, and their effects are all negated.”

As for the final restriction? At this stage, Extra Decks only contain Fusion monsters; Synchros and Xyz are still a long way off, so there’s no need to elaborate.

“Since I revived four monsters at once, my ‘Card of Safe Return’ allows Malik to draw three cards from his deck!”

With Card of Safe Return’s effect, Malik’s hand was replenished after his earlier card investments.

(Deck: 31)

“Next, I target Aqua Dolphin and Glow Moss, activating two copies of the Spell ‘Neo-Spacian Limits’! I send them to the graveyard, then Special Summon the Level 4 Fusion monsters ‘Neo-Spacian Glimmermoss’ and ‘Neo-Spacian Ocean Dolphin’ from my Extra Deck!”

The two monsters’ “Evolved Fusion Forms” appeared—Glimmermoss, once a genderless glowing moss, now possessed distinctly feminine traits and a prominent bust, while Ocean Dolphin grew larger, more muscular, and its body color deepened from sky blue to navy.

“By activating two ‘Neo-Spacian Limits,’ both Magical City and the Library each gain two more Spell Counters. Then, by removing three counters each from the Library and Magical City, I draw two cards from my deck.”

(Magical City Counters: 1, Library Counters: 1, Hand: 6, Deck: 28)