Reading settings
Chapter 252: Having Superpower Really Lets You Do Whatever You Want
Facing the attack of Hayato's [Noble Knight Artorigus], even though his own [Mental Protector] on the field had 0 ATK and was in Attack Position, Psychic Ryujin looked completely composed.
"Open my Set Card, [Curse of the Mischievous Fiend]!" Ryujin's Set Card in the back row flipped open. A demon dressed as a clown with a mischievous smile ran out from the card art, actually charging towards [Artorigus], who held a sharp sword!
"Clang!" [Artorigus] bypassed the troublesome [Curse of the Mischievous Fiend], his sword about to slash down towards [Mental Protector]. But just then, he suddenly felt a familiar power suppressing him again!?
Turning his head, he saw the [Curse of the Mischievous Fiend] he had previously ignored was now clinging to the [Sword of Dragon's Soul] he held above his head. The [Sword of Dragon's Soul], which had been gleaming menacingly, visibly became decayed and tattered, covered in rust spots after being grabbed by [Curse of the Mischievous Fiend]!
"[Curse of the Mischievous Fiend]'s effect is that during this turn, changes to ATK and DEF become the opposite. In other words, [Sword of Dragon's Soul], which increases [Noble Knight Artorigus]'s ATK by 700 points, now decreases ATK by 700 points!"
[Noble Knight Artorigus] [ATK 2500 → 1800 → 1100]
Psychic Ryujin, looking completely composed, explained unhurriedly. He raised his hand and pointed at [Noble Knight Artorigus]: "In other words, [Artorigus], with an ATK below 2000, cannot break free from [Mental Protector]'s Psychic Control!"
Hayato watched [Artorigus]'s attack return without success and said somewhat helplessly, "You're unexpectedly quite capable, actually thinking of this kind of way to battle. It looks like I need to get a little more serious."
"Enter my Main Phase 2. I activate the Spell Card [Price of Horse Bone]. I send one Normal Monster from my field to the Graveyard and draw two cards. For now, retreat, [Artorigus]."
Sending [Noble Knight Artorigus] and [Sword of Dragon's Soul] to the Graveyard, Hayato drew two cards: "Then I activate the Spell Card, [Unexpected Dai]. If I control no monsters on my field, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from my Deck."
"Come forth, [X-Head Cannon]!"
The moment the blue cannon robot appeared on Hayato's field, the ground suddenly began to rumble. Psychic Ryujin on the opposite side revealed his other Set Card: "The moment you Special Summon a monster, my Set Card activates! The Quick-Play Spell Card [Land of the End]!"
"This card can only be activated when your opponent Special Summons a monster! Activate one Field Spell Card from my Deck!" Ryujin drew his entire Deck, but spread it out like a fan with the backs facing up. He closed his eyes and pretended to be serious as he drew a card from it, activating it in the Field Spell Card Zone without even looking: "My Superpower tells me that this card should be activated now!"
"Field Spell, [Brain Development Institute]!"
The changes in the ground ceased. Hayato looked around. The bustling commercial street that had been there was replaced by a sealed room. Green lights flickered everywhere in the room, and in the center of the room was a life support pod completely filled with an unknown liquid, looking like a shady underground laboratory.
"Heh heh, this field is the most suitable battleground for Espers. Within this environment, my Superpower level will be even higher than before!" Psychic Ryujin stood in a corner of the room, looking at Hayato opposite him, striking that strange pose he had used before. "Come, my Superpower 'Mind Reading', let me see your hand!"
"Want to see my hand? Heh heh, no need for all that trouble, I'll let you see everything at once!" Hayato glanced at the wall behind him. Although the Virtual Projection System's effect was quite good, it was ultimately just an illusion. If he remembered correctly, the location he was looking at was the direction one of Psychic Ryujin's brothers had escaped.
"Activate the Continuous Spell Card [Frontline Base]. Once per turn, during my Main Phase, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Union Monster from my hand." Hayato drew two cards from his hand. "The monster I Special Summon is this one, [Reinforce Support Machine - Heavy Weapon]. Then I activate its own effect. Once per turn, I can Equip it to one Machine-Type monster on my field as an Equip Card."
"If the equipped monster is destroyed by battle or effect, [Heavy Weapon] can be destroyed instead, and while equipped as an Equip Card, it increases the equipped monster's ATK and DEF by 500!"
[X-Head Cannon] [1800/1500 → 2300/2000]
"I Set one card. My turn ends." Before Setting that card, Hayato seemingly unintentionally showed the card in his hand towards the wall behind him.
[Hayato: 4000 LP, hand 0]
[X-Head Cannon] (Reinforce Support Machine - Heavy Weapon) [ATK 2300]
[Set card] [Frontline Base]
"Beep, beep beep, beep, beep." Psychic Ryujin, who had been "channeling" with his eyes closed, only opened them after Hayato declared the end of his turn, a look of triumph on his face. "Heh heh, it's useless. My Superpower has already told me what card you Set."
"Trying to trick me with that card? No way! My turn, draw!"
He drew a card. Before Ryujin entered his Main Phase, his [Mental Protector]'s effect activated during the Standby Phase. A beam of green light linked from [Mental Protector] towards Ryujin, but halfway there, it was captured by the [Brain Development Institute] beneath his feet.
"Although [Mental Protector]'s ability is quite powerful, Superpower requires paying a cost. During the Standby Phase of each of my turns, I must pay 500 Life Points, otherwise this card will be destroyed."
Although he said this, Psychic Ryujin's Life Points did not change at all.
"However, because of the existence of [Brain Development Institute], every time I need to pay Life Points for a Psychic-Type monster's effect activation, I can place one Psychic Counter on it instead as a substitute."
[Brain Development Institute] [Psychic Counter: 0 → 1]
"Such a powerful card, and you can evade the cost this way? That's a bit too much like cheating!" Mai Valentine's disdainful voice came from outside the field. "Can you do whatever you want just because you have Superpower?"
"Sorry about that, but having Superpower really does let you do whatever you want." Psychic Ryujin laughed triumphantly, activating a card from his hand. "Continuous Spell Card, [Psychic Tuning]. When a Psychic-Type monster is successfully Summoned, I can pay 500 Life Points to increase that monster's Level by 1 Star and increase its ATK by 300 points."
"Then, I use the effect of [Brain Development Institute]. I can Summon one Psychic-Type monster in addition to my Normal Summon. Attack Position Summon [Power Injector], then activate the effect of [Psychic Tuning] to increase its ATK!"
[Ryujin: 4000 → 3500 LP]
[Power Injector] [Level 4 → Level 5 / EARTH]
[Psychic-Type / Effect]
[1300 → 1600 / 1400]
[Brain Development Institute] [Psychic Counter: 1 → 2]
"Finally, last but not least, I Tribute [Mental Protector] on my field! Tribute Summon my Ace Monster!" Ryujin seemed a bit emotional, as if just by Summoning that monster, victory was already within his grasp.
"Come forth, [Jinzo]!"
The Psychic-Type mechanical puppet turned into green light particles and disappeared from Ryujin's field. Immediately after, a Humanoid Monster that looked like a human but was actually Machine Type appeared before Psychic Ryujin. As soon as it appeared, it immediately unleashed a shockwave sweeping across the entire [Brain Development Institute]!
[Jinzo] [Level 6 / DARK]
[Machine Type / Effect]
[2400 / 1500]
"[Jinzo] is the strongest Esper born after undergoing rigorous Superpower development. Its powerful Future Sight ability can even directly change the future! Therefore, Trap Cards are completely useless against [Jinzo]!"
Ryujin said, pointing his finger at the Set card in Hayato's back row: "I just saw with my Future Sight ability that the card you Set is a Trap Card. After [Jinzo] is Summoned, all Trap Cards on the field will be negated and destroyed!"
"Trap Scan!"
The shockwave [Jinzo] unleashed earlier swept over the only Set card in Hayato's back row. Just as Ryujin said, that was a Trap Card. It was lifted and shattered by [Jinzo]'s shockwave and immediately sent to the Graveyard.
But before Ryujin could say another harsh word, Hayato's Set card, which had just been destroyed by [Jinzo]'s shockwave, actually turned into a phantom image and reappeared on Hayato's field!
"How is that possible?! [Jinzo]'s effect should negate all Traps!"
Seeing Ryujin's shocked expression, Hayato picked up the Trap Card that was about to be sent to the Graveyard, lightly tapping the side of the card with his finger: "It seems your 'Future Sight' Superpower training isn't quite enough yet. Did you not see the future of this moment?"
"Although you negated all Trap Cards on the field, your luck isn't bad. [Curse Coffin] is a card whose effect can be activated when it is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard."
An Egyptian coffin made of gold emerged from the opened Trap Card. A completely black ghost flew out from the opened coffin, attacking Ryujin with a sinister smile.
"When [Curse Coffin] is destroyed, the ghost will seek revenge against you. Sacrifice a monster on your field, or randomly discard one card from your hand. Only these two methods can appease the Vengeful Spirit's hatred. Make a choice, 'Psychic' Ryujin."
At this moment, Ryujin only had one card in his hand, and the monsters on his field were [Power Injector], which he had just Summoned at an extra cost of 500 Life Points, and the Tribute Monster [Jinzo]. Faced with two choices, Ryujin reluctantly sent the card in his hand to the Graveyard: "I choose the latter, randomly discard one card from my hand."
Before it was sent to the Graveyard, Hayato saw clearly the card Ryujin discarded: it was the Equip Spell Card [Cybernetic Amplifier].
Facing the attack of Hayato's [Noble Knight Artorigus], even though his own [Mental Protector] on the field had 0 ATK and was in Attack Position, Psychic Ryujin looked completely composed.
"Open my Set Card, [Curse of the Mischievous Fiend]!" Ryujin's Set Card in the back row flipped open. A demon dressed as a clown with a mischievous smile ran out from the card art, actually charging towards [Artorigus], who held a sharp sword!
"Clang!" [Artorigus] bypassed the troublesome [Curse of the Mischievous Fiend], his sword about to slash down towards [Mental Protector]. But just then, he suddenly felt a familiar power suppressing him again!?
Turning his head, he saw the [Curse of the Mischievous Fiend] he had previously ignored was now clinging to the [Sword of Dragon's Soul] he held above his head. The [Sword of Dragon's Soul], which had been gleaming menacingly, visibly became decayed and tattered, covered in rust spots after being grabbed by [Curse of the Mischievous Fiend]!
"[Curse of the Mischievous Fiend]'s effect is that during this turn, changes to ATK and DEF become the opposite. In other words, [Sword of Dragon's Soul], which increases [Noble Knight Artorigus]'s ATK by 700 points, now decreases ATK by 700 points!"
[Noble Knight Artorigus] [ATK 2500 → 1800 → 1100]
Psychic Ryujin, looking completely composed, explained unhurriedly. He raised his hand and pointed at [Noble Knight Artorigus]: "In other words, [Artorigus], with an ATK below 2000, cannot break free from [Mental Protector]'s Psychic Control!"
Hayato watched [Artorigus]'s attack return without success and said somewhat helplessly, "You're unexpectedly quite capable, actually thinking of this kind of way to battle. It looks like I need to get a little more serious."
"Enter my Main Phase 2. I activate the Spell Card [Price of Horse Bone]. I send one Normal Monster from my field to the Graveyard and draw two cards. For now, retreat, [Artorigus]."
Sending [Noble Knight Artorigus] and [Sword of Dragon's Soul] to the Graveyard, Hayato drew two cards: "Then I activate the Spell Card, [Unexpected Dai]. If I control no monsters on my field, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from my Deck."
"Come forth, [X-Head Cannon]!"
The moment the blue cannon robot appeared on Hayato's field, the ground suddenly began to rumble. Psychic Ryujin on the opposite side revealed his other Set Card: "The moment you Special Summon a monster, my Set Card activates! The Quick-Play Spell Card [Land of the End]!"
"This card can only be activated when your opponent Special Summons a monster! Activate one Field Spell Card from my Deck!" Ryujin drew his entire Deck, but spread it out like a fan with the backs facing up. He closed his eyes and pretended to be serious as he drew a card from it, activating it in the Field Spell Card Zone without even looking: "My Superpower tells me that this card should be activated now!"
"Field Spell, [Brain Development Institute]!"
The changes in the ground ceased. Hayato looked around. The bustling commercial street that had been there was replaced by a sealed room. Green lights flickered everywhere in the room, and in the center of the room was a life support pod completely filled with an unknown liquid, looking like a shady underground laboratory.
"Heh heh, this field is the most suitable battleground for Espers. Within this environment, my Superpower level will be even higher than before!" Psychic Ryujin stood in a corner of the room, looking at Hayato opposite him, striking that strange pose he had used before. "Come, my Superpower 'Mind Reading', let me see your hand!"
"Want to see my hand? Heh heh, no need for all that trouble, I'll let you see everything at once!" Hayato glanced at the wall behind him. Although the Virtual Projection System's effect was quite good, it was ultimately just an illusion. If he remembered correctly, the location he was looking at was the direction one of Psychic Ryujin's brothers had escaped.
"Activate the Continuous Spell Card [Frontline Base]. Once per turn, during my Main Phase, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Union Monster from my hand." Hayato drew two cards from his hand. "The monster I Special Summon is this one, [Reinforce Support Machine - Heavy Weapon]. Then I activate its own effect. Once per turn, I can Equip it to one Machine-Type monster on my field as an Equip Card."
"If the equipped monster is destroyed by battle or effect, [Heavy Weapon] can be destroyed instead, and while equipped as an Equip Card, it increases the equipped monster's ATK and DEF by 500!"
[X-Head Cannon] [1800/1500 → 2300/2000]
"I Set one card. My turn ends." Before Setting that card, Hayato seemingly unintentionally showed the card in his hand towards the wall behind him.
[Hayato: 4000 LP, hand 0]
[X-Head Cannon] (Reinforce Support Machine - Heavy Weapon) [ATK 2300]
[Set card] [Frontline Base]
"Beep, beep beep, beep, beep." Psychic Ryujin, who had been "channeling" with his eyes closed, only opened them after Hayato declared the end of his turn, a look of triumph on his face. "Heh heh, it's useless. My Superpower has already told me what card you Set."
"Trying to trick me with that card? No way! My turn, draw!"
He drew a card. Before Ryujin entered his Main Phase, his [Mental Protector]'s effect activated during the Standby Phase. A beam of green light linked from [Mental Protector] towards Ryujin, but halfway there, it was captured by the [Brain Development Institute] beneath his feet.
"Although [Mental Protector]'s ability is quite powerful, Superpower requires paying a cost. During the Standby Phase of each of my turns, I must pay 500 Life Points, otherwise this card will be destroyed."
Although he said this, Psychic Ryujin's Life Points did not change at all.
"However, because of the existence of [Brain Development Institute], every time I need to pay Life Points for a Psychic-Type monster's effect activation, I can place one Psychic Counter on it instead as a substitute."
[Brain Development Institute] [Psychic Counter: 0 → 1]
"Such a powerful card, and you can evade the cost this way? That's a bit too much like cheating!" Mai Valentine's disdainful voice came from outside the field. "Can you do whatever you want just because you have Superpower?"
"Sorry about that, but having Superpower really does let you do whatever you want." Psychic Ryujin laughed triumphantly, activating a card from his hand. "Continuous Spell Card, [Psychic Tuning]. When a Psychic-Type monster is successfully Summoned, I can pay 500 Life Points to increase that monster's Level by 1 Star and increase its ATK by 300 points."
"Then, I use the effect of [Brain Development Institute]. I can Summon one Psychic-Type monster in addition to my Normal Summon. Attack Position Summon [Power Injector], then activate the effect of [Psychic Tuning] to increase its ATK!"
[Ryujin: 4000 → 3500 LP]
[Power Injector] [Level 4 → Level 5 / EARTH]
[Psychic-Type / Effect]
[1300 → 1600 / 1400]
[Brain Development Institute] [Psychic Counter: 1 → 2]
"Finally, last but not least, I Tribute [Mental Protector] on my field! Tribute Summon my Ace Monster!" Ryujin seemed a bit emotional, as if just by Summoning that monster, victory was already within his grasp.
"Come forth, [Jinzo]!"
The Psychic-Type mechanical puppet turned into green light particles and disappeared from Ryujin's field. Immediately after, a Humanoid Monster that looked like a human but was actually Machine Type appeared before Psychic Ryujin. As soon as it appeared, it immediately unleashed a shockwave sweeping across the entire [Brain Development Institute]!
[Jinzo] [Level 6 / DARK]
[Machine Type / Effect]
[2400 / 1500]
"[Jinzo] is the strongest Esper born after undergoing rigorous Superpower development. Its powerful Future Sight ability can even directly change the future! Therefore, Trap Cards are completely useless against [Jinzo]!"
Ryujin said, pointing his finger at the Set card in Hayato's back row: "I just saw with my Future Sight ability that the card you Set is a Trap Card. After [Jinzo] is Summoned, all Trap Cards on the field will be negated and destroyed!"
"Trap Scan!"
The shockwave [Jinzo] unleashed earlier swept over the only Set card in Hayato's back row. Just as Ryujin said, that was a Trap Card. It was lifted and shattered by [Jinzo]'s shockwave and immediately sent to the Graveyard.
But before Ryujin could say another harsh word, Hayato's Set card, which had just been destroyed by [Jinzo]'s shockwave, actually turned into a phantom image and reappeared on Hayato's field!
"How is that possible?! [Jinzo]'s effect should negate all Traps!"
Seeing Ryujin's shocked expression, Hayato picked up the Trap Card that was about to be sent to the Graveyard, lightly tapping the side of the card with his finger: "It seems your 'Future Sight' Superpower training isn't quite enough yet. Did you not see the future of this moment?"
"Although you negated all Trap Cards on the field, your luck isn't bad. [Curse Coffin] is a card whose effect can be activated when it is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard."
An Egyptian coffin made of gold emerged from the opened Trap Card. A completely black ghost flew out from the opened coffin, attacking Ryujin with a sinister smile.
"When [Curse Coffin] is destroyed, the ghost will seek revenge against you. Sacrifice a monster on your field, or randomly discard one card from your hand. Only these two methods can appease the Vengeful Spirit's hatred. Make a choice, 'Psychic' Ryujin."
At this moment, Ryujin only had one card in his hand, and the monsters on his field were [Power Injector], which he had just Summoned at an extra cost of 500 Life Points, and the Tribute Monster [Jinzo]. Faced with two choices, Ryujin reluctantly sent the card in his hand to the Graveyard: "I choose the latter, randomly discard one card from my hand."
Before it was sent to the Graveyard, Hayato saw clearly the card Ryujin discarded: it was the Equip Spell Card [Cybernetic Amplifier].
