Who Let Him Play Yugioh? (Re-Upload)

Provocation.

Brazen, blatant provocation.

But what Kira said was true. Everything he’d had on the field was already wiped clean by Black Rose Dragon—totally, with nothing left behind. Even the Volcanic Queen he summoned this turn was bounced back by Wall of Thorns, and he didn’t set any new cards in his back row.

If anything, the only card he had left was the ”Remove Brainwashing” trap—Kira’s pure ”NTR” card, which returns control of all ”bull” monsters to their original owners (a play on ’bull’, slang for mind control in some circles).

But as long as Akiza doesn’t do something crazy like Monster Reborning the monsters from Kira’s grave, Remove Brainwashing was now useless, with no chance to defend during the opponent’s turn.

It was a completely empty field. At this point, Kira was like someone laid bare—leaving himself wide open, taunting and provoking, just to see whether Akiza had the guts to capitalize on it.

But that only made Akiza all the more furious.

”Just how little do you think of me...? You’d better not regret this!”

Akiza pointed to the small Phoenixian Seed on her field.

”At your end phase, the monster summoned by ’Intruder Alarm - Yellow Alert’ returns to its owner’s hand. Phoenixian Seed returns to my hand.”

The little seed transformed into golden light and flew back to her hand.

”And now, to my turn—draw!”

Akiza drew a card.

”At this moment, the effect of the Trap ’Synchro Back,’ activated last turn, triggers! The Synchro Monster I returned to my Extra Deck for Backtrack is Special Summoned again during this Standby Phase. Come back—Black Rose Dragon!”

A storm of roses whirled up again; countless crimson petals reformed into dragon wings. Black Rose Dragon danced amid the wild storm, its roots trailing as it descended again.

[Black Rose Dragon, ATK 2400]

”Next, I’ll normal summon the card that returned at the end of last turn. Normal Summon—Phoenixian Seed!”

[Phoenixian Seed, ATK 0]

”The effect of Phoenixian Seed—I send it to the Graveyard to Special Summon Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis from my hand!

Bloom once more—Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis!”

The seed hit the ground, then quickly burst into flame, growing before their eyes, until the familiar burning form of the Cluster Amaryllis appeared again.

[Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis, ATK 2200]

”You’ve even got a second one,” Kira remarked. ”You must really like that monster.”

Well, it is a Forbidden card—a banlist staple. Makes sense.

”If you want to throw yourself to death, I’ll grant your wish!

Battle!”

Akiza barked the command again.

”Black Rose Dragon—direct attack! Black Rose Trickery!”

The Black Rose Dragon let out a sharp cry; from beneath its petal wings, thorny vines shot out. Spinning crimson roses danced with the vines, screaming through the air at Kira’s open field.

Kira calmly revealed a hand card.

”Then I discard ’Kiteroid’ from my hand.”

He sounded lazy about it.

”When your opponent declares a direct attack, Kiteroid can be discarded from hand to make that battle damage zero.”

Black Rose Dragon’s blast, empowered by Akiza’s full psychic might and rage, landed on the cartoonish little kite—instantly vanished.

Akiza: ”Another hand monster effect!?”

Kira chuckled: ”Is that it?”

Akiza gritted her teeth: ”Not over yet! Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis, direct attack!”

The Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis surged with psychic power, its flame-wreathed vines stabbing toward Kira.

”Then I activate Kiteroid’s graveyard effect,” Kira replied offhandedly. ”While in grave, it can once per duel reduce battle damage from a direct attack to zero.” (Anime effect)

”Nani!?” Akiza gasped. ”It can block even in the grave—?”

Can this one card just block two attacks!?

”Is that all?” Kira kept up the pressure.

”Ngh—not yet!” said Akiza. ”Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis’s monster effect: when it attacks, after damage calculation, it destroys itself! Your Kiteroid only reduces the damage to zero, it doesn’t negate the attack—so the battle still happens.

Therefore, Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis self-destructs after the attack!”

Flames burst from within the plant, consuming the Cluster Amaryllis until only ash remained.

”And another effect—” Akiza added, ”When Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis is destroyed and sent to the grave, it deals 800 burn damage to the opponent!”

Tiny embers shot from the explosion, raining on Kira.

[Kira, LP 3600 → LP 2800]

Kira closed his eyes and quietly received Akiza’s full blast of rage and willpower. But it was only 800 damage; even with all her might behind it, to him it was just a flutter of his clothes.

Akiza was shocked. ”You!?”

After taking the hit, Kira lazily opened his eyes and quipped, ”Is that all? Didn’t eat today?”

Akiza: ”. . .”

This was more than provocation. She felt outright insulted.

Since awakening her powers as a child, her life was pain and anguish—ever troubled by her strength.

She’d often hated her own power, hated her inability to control it. All feared her, even herself.

But today, she finally let loose—for once, holding nothing back, unleashing every ounce of strength trying to utterly crush her opponent.

Yet now her might was treated with contempt!

This was a first for her. No one ever denied her power—few had even faced it without fear. But this man, not only unfazed, even seemed dismissive.

As if to say, Is this what you call power? You hit like you haven’t had breakfast. What are you so troubled about?

Akiza: ”You—you—you—!”

Kira mercilessly cut her off, ”What, ’you’ what?” He said, ”I told you. If you always fear and deny yourself, that’s all the power you’ll ever have.

Without power, how do you seek revenge, how do you protect?

If you can’t even guard what little you don’t want to lose—is this what you want?”

He paused, shaking his head.

”Since ancient times, those chosen by the Crimson Dragon are always extraordinary. Bearers of the Dragon Mark aren’t just strong—they are the kind of heroes willing to give everything to protect what matters most.

But you—”

He paused again, shaking his head in regret.

”Maybe even the Crimson Dragon makes mistakes sometimes.”

Akiza: ”...”

”Speaking of which,” Kira suddenly smiled oddly, ”in this whole duel, you know I’ve not even used my usual deck.

Do you know why I’m using a Plant deck against you?”

…