Yu-Gi-Oh!: I use an Orichalcos deck

Page 326

Victory feels great, especially when you win with a deck you've poured your heart and soul into. But even better is the process itself. It's clumsily and persistently translating the rules of one fantasy world into another's language. It's finding like-minded people, even if they were initially opponents, who can sit down and seriously discuss the rationality of a card's effect because of their shared love for the game. It's having someone who initially looked down on you eventually acknowledge your creativity and effort.

A crushing defeat of Marufuji Sho? That victory, described in four thousand words, was just the beginning. It was more like a declaration, proclaiming the right and value of this deck and this playstyle. The real gain went far beyond that victory itself. It was the joy of creation and the intellectual stimulation experienced in every draw, every thought, every adjustment, and every exchange.

I picked up the "Naruto Uzumaki" card and looked at the boy's bright smile on it. Yes, this wasn't just a victory in a game; it was a small victory about passion, creativity, and perseverance.

Outside the window, the city lights shone like stars fallen to earth. I shuffled my deck again, my movements gentle and deliberate. I knew that tomorrow in the card shop, there would be new duels, new challenges, and new discussions about how to make "Konoha Village" function better in the world of Duel Monsters.

My Naruto card deck is ready.

Chapter 401 Ninja

The Duel City qualifiers have entered a heated phase, and the sky over Domino City is exceptionally bright, illuminated by the blazing sun and the even more intense spirits of the duelists. Around a makeshift arena, the crowd is in an uproar, craning their necks in anticipation of yet another exciting duel.

Standing on one side of the ring was the renowned "Gambling King," Katsuya Jonouchi. A confident, even arrogant, smile graced his face. His golden bangs fluttered gently in the breeze, and the dueling disk on his arm gleamed metallically in the sunlight. "Come on! Whoever your opponent is, I, Jonouchi, will utterly crush him!" he shouted, waving his fist at the crowd, drawing cheers and shouts of support.

His opponent was a relatively unfamiliar young man who called himself "Yuki." He wore a simple dark coat, his eyes were calm, and he seemed somewhat out of place in the frenzied atmosphere around him. He silently activated the duel disk on his arm, his movements fluid and steady.

"Oh? A newbie? Looks like my luck's on the line!" Jonouchi grinned, drawing five cards first. "Going first, I've got it! My turn, draw!"

Yuki simply nodded slightly, signaling the other party to continue. His silence made Jonouchi feel somewhat bored, but he still began operating with great interest.

"I summon 'Red-Eyes Iron Knight - Gia Freed' (ATK 1800/DEF 1600) in Attack Position! Then I set two cards face down and end my turn!" A majestic knight in red armor and wielding a sharp blade instantly appears on the field of Jonouchi, flanked by two face-down Trap Cards, a classic opening move that balances offense and defense.

"My turn, draw a card." Yuki's voice was calm and even. He glanced at his hand, his gaze lingering briefly on two cards.

"At this moment!" Jonouchi shouted, "Open the face-down card! Continuous Trap Card - 'Red-Eyes Armor Spin'! This card's effect allows me to Special Summon a 'Red-Eyes' monster from my Graveyard! However, since there are no monsters in my Graveyard right now, its other effect takes effect: as long as this card is on the field, all monsters you control lose 800 ATK!"

A dark red energy fluctuation spread out from Geka within the castle, as if applying an invisible pressure to Yuki's territory.

"Oh! Mr. Jonouchi limited the opponent's attack power from the very beginning!"

"Red-Eyes decks are still so strong!"

The onlookers were buzzing with discussion.

Yuki seemed unaffected, calmly placing a card on the Duel Disk: "I activate Field Spell - 'Ninja Country'."

In an instant, the entire arena environment transformed. Ancient, ethereal Japanese architectural silhouettes rose from the ground, a giant shuriken symbol floated in the air, and an atmosphere of mystery and deadly tension seemed to permeate the space. The audience gasped in astonishment.

"A ninja deck?" Jonouchi raised an eyebrow. "I've never seen this type before. But the 800-point attack reduction effect still applies!"

“I activate the effect of ‘Ninja Country’,” Yuki explained. “Once per turn, I pay 1000 Life Points to add one ‘Ninja’ monster from my Deck to my hand.” Yuki’s Life Points dropped to 7000.

"Pay for life points to retrieve key cards? But how will you overcome the weakening of your attack power?" Jonouchi crossed his arms and looked on curiously.

Yuki didn't answer directly, but continued his actions: "Normal Summon 'Masked Ninja Ebisu' (ATK 1200/DEF 1800)." A chubby ninja wearing a comical Fukujin mask appeared on the field, but his attack power instantly dropped to a pitiful 400 points under the influence of 'Red-Eyes Armor Spin'.

"Attack power of only 400? What's the point of summoning such a weak monster?" someone in the audience asked doubtfully.

Jonouchi also felt something was off, but he didn't let his guard down, because he saw that Yuki's lips seemed to have revealed a very subtle curve for the first time.

“Then, activate the effect of ‘Golden Ninja’ in my hand,” Yuki revealed another card. “When there is a ‘Ninja’ monster on the field, this card can be Special Summoned from my hand. Come forth, ‘Golden Ninja’ (ATK 500/DEF 1800).” A nimble ninja carrying a huge scroll appeared beside Ebisu. Its ATK was also reduced due to the effect of Armor Spin, but since its original ATK was only 500, it was now reduced to 0.

On the field, Yuki has two monsters with pitifully low attack power, while Jonouchi stands with the Red-Eyes Iron Knight, whose attack power is as high as 1800. The situation seems to be one-sided.

"Haha, attack power 0 and 400? Are you trying to tickle me?" Jonouchi couldn't help but laugh. "Even if you use two monsters as sacrifices to summon a high-level monster, the attack power of the summoned monster will decrease by 800 points. Unless it is an extremely high-star monster, it still cannot surpass my Iron Knight!"

"What I summon is not a monster that relies on brute force." Yuki finally spoke again, his voice still calm, but with an undeniable air. "What I pursue is the ultimate essence of ninjutsu—sealing and killing with a single blow."

"What?" Jōnei was taken aback.

"Activate the effect of 'Face-Covered Ninja Ebisu'!" Yuuki pointed to the seemingly comical fat ninja on the field. "Once per turn, target one face-up monster your opponent controls. Until the End Phase, negate that monster's effects and reduce its ATK by 1000!"

"What?! A drop of 1000 points?" Jonouchi exclaimed in shock.

Ebisu comically twisted his body and threw out a huge "Seal" spell, which accurately landed on the forehead of Red-Eyes Iron Knight. The red light on Iron Knight's body immediately dimmed, and his attack power plummeted from 1800 to 800 (1800-1000=800, the Armor Spin effect has been taken into account).

"Attack power is down to only 800?!"

"But his monsters have even lower attack power!"

The audience gasped.

“It’s not over yet.” Yuki’s voice was like a pronouncement of judgment. “Next, activate the effect of ‘Golden Ninja’! Once per turn, Special Summon 1 ‘Ninja’ monster from your hand! During the turn this effect is activated, I cannot take the Battle Phase.”

Yuuki gently placed a card on the Duel Disk: "I Special Summon 'White-Clad Ninja' (ATK 1800/DEF 1000) from my hand!"

A ninja dressed in pure white ninja attire with sharp eyes quietly appeared. His attack power was increased to 1000 points under the influence of the armor spin.

"Attack power of 1000 is still no match for my Iron Knight! And you can't attack this turn!" Jonouchi breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"What I need is not battle." Yuuki's gaze swept over Jonouchi's back row. "'White Ninja's' effect activated! When this card is Special Summoned, you can choose one Spell/Trap Card on your opponent's field and destroy it! I choose your other face-down card!"

"Oh no!" Jonouchi's expression changed.

The white-clad ninja flicked his wrist, and a shuriken shot out precisely, instantly shattering another face-down card on Jonouchi's field—a trap that appeared to be used for counterattack or defense.

“Now, you only have Iron Knight with 800 ATK and its effects negated on your field, and the Continuous Trap ‘Red-Eyes Armored Spin’.” Yuki calmly analyzed the situation. “I set two cards face down, and the turn ends. During the end phase, the effect of ‘Masked Ninja Ebisu’ ends, and your ‘Red-Eyes Iron Knight’ recovers its ATK to 1800, but its effect is still negated.”

On the field, Yuuki had three ninjas with low attack power, but he had successfully neutralized Jonouchi's offensive and destroyed one of his key backline cards. Jonouchi felt the pressure; this opponent, using an unfamiliar deck, was precise and extremely controlled.

"My turn, draw!" Jonouchi's spirits lifted when he saw the card he drew. "Hmph! Not bad! But Red-Eyes' power isn't just that! I activate the other effect of 'Red-Eyes Armor Spin'! Special Summon a 'Red-Eyes' monster from my Graveyard! But I don't have any monsters in my Graveyard... But that's alright! I summon 'Red-Eyes Wyvern' (ATK 1800/DEF 1600) in Attack Position!"

A dragon-like monster, entirely black with crimson eyes and two wings, roared as it descended, its attack power increasing to 1000 points under the influence of the armor's vortex.

"Next, I'll activate the Spell Card—'Black Flame Bullet'!" Jonouchi inserted a Spell Card into the Duel Disk. "This card's effect allows me to target one of my 'Red-Eyes Black Dragons' and inflict effect damage on my opponent! However, I don't have a 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' on my field... But! If I have another 'Red-Eyes' monster on my field, I can pay 500 Life Points to destroy one of your monsters with the highest ATK!"

Jonouchi's health has dropped to 7500. "I choose to destroy your 'White-Clad Ninja' with the highest attack power!"

Red-Eyes Flying Dragon spewed out a scorching black energy blast, which shot straight toward the white-clad ninja on Yuki's field.

"Trap activated!" Yuuki responded immediately, "Quick-Play Spell - 'Ninja Transformation Technique'! Send the Fusion Materials required for a 'Ninja' monster from your hand or field to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon that Fusion Monster!"

"Fusion?!" Jonouchi was stunned.

"I will use 'Covered Ninja Ebisu' and 'Golden Ninja' on the field, and 'Red Ninja' in my hand as Fusion Materials!" Yuuki sent the cards from his hand to the Graveyard, and the two ninjas on the field turned into intertwined lights. "Fusion Summon! Descend! The Ultimate Ninja Art - 'True Ninja' (ATK 3000/DEF 3000)!"

0 ······Requesting flowers····· ···

As the light faded, a brand-new ninja, clad in dark armor, with a magnificent and mysterious appearance and exuding a powerful aura, stood proudly on the battlefield! Even under the influence of the Armor Spin, his attack power remained as high as 2200 points!

Meanwhile, Jonouchi's 'Black Flame Bullet' lost its target (the original target, the white-clad ninja, had become fusion material), and its effect was nullified.

"2200 ATK?!" Jonouchi stared in shock at the imposing Fusion Monster on Yuki's field. "And it was Fusion Summoned during my turn using a Quick-Play Spell?!"

“The effect of True Ninja,” Yuki said calmly, “when this card is successfully Fusion Summoned, you can choose to destroy up to two Spell/Trap Cards on your opponent’s field! I choose to destroy your ‘Red-Eyes Armored Spin’ and… the ‘Red-Eyes Wyvern’ you just summoned is a Normal Monster and has no effect, so it cannot be targeted by card effects, but a Continuous Trap can! Vanish!”

The true ninja formed hand seals and unleashed two sharp chakra shockwaves, instantly shattering the perpetual trap "Red-Eyes Armor Spin" and the pitiful Red-Eyes Flying Dragon on the field inside the castle!

The area within the castle instantly became empty! The Iron Knight's effect was still ineffective against Ebisu's effect, and although its attack power was restored to 1800, it was no match for the enemy.

... ..... ....

“In an instant…” Cold sweat beaded on Jonouchi’s forehead. He hadn’t expected the opponent’s counterattack to be so swift and thorough.

"Battle phase." Yuki's voice was icy. "'True Ninja,' attack 'Red-Eyes Iron Knight - Gia Freed'! Ultimate Technique: Blade Slayer!"

The true ninja flashed into view, appearing behind the Iron Knight like a ghost. With a swift movement, he brought down his blade, and with a deafening crash of shattering metal, the Iron Knight within the castle was utterly destroyed.

城之内生命值：7500→7500-(2200-1800?)=7500-400=7100?（注：此处应为攻击力差值伤害，真忍者攻2200，铁骑士攻1800，差值为400）

"Wait!" Jonouchi suddenly shouted, "Have you forgotten the other effect of 'True Ninja'? When this card battles, your opponent cannot activate Spell/Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step! But your own 'Ninja Country' Field Spell Card is still on the field. According to its effect, when your 'Ninja' monster destroys an opponent's monster by battle, you can draw one card from your Deck!"

Yuki paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Thank you for reminding me. Therefore, I'll draw a card from my deck." He had to admire Jonouchi's keen attention to detail, even in adversity.

"Hehe, don't forget, I, Jonouchi, have also been through countless tough battles!" Jonouchi wiped his sweat and laughed, "But your battle phase is over, but my turn isn't over yet! I'll set two cards face down, and my turn is over!"

Despite being at a disadvantage, Jonouchi did not give up and added two more cards to the backcourt.

Yuki looked at the cards on Jonouchi's card deck and knew they must be counterattack or revival cards like "Red-Eyes Fang with Chains" or "Red-Eyes Soul". But he had absolute confidence in his own combination.

"My turn, draw a card." Yuuki glanced at the card he drew—"Ninja Art: Shadow Stitching Technique".

“I activate the effect of ‘True Ninja’,” Yuki began his maneuver. “Once per turn, Special Summon one ‘Ninja’ monster from my hand. Monsters Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack directly and are destroyed during the End Phase. I Special Summon ‘Dark Ninja’ (ATK 2000/DEF 800) from my hand.” A ninja dressed in dark purple ninja attire, exuding an eerie aura, appeared on the field.

"Attack power 2000? But in the 'Ninja Country' field, it can draw cards to destroy monsters!" Jonouchi tried to find an opportunity.

“You won’t have a chance to draw a card,” Yuki said calmly. “Activate the Continuous Trap – ‘Ninja Art: Shadow Stitching Technique’! As long as this card is on the field, all monsters on your opponent’s field are changed to face-up Defense Position! And this turn, your opponent cannot activate the effects of Spells, Trap Cards, or Monsters!”

"What?! It can't activate its effect?!" Jonouchi exclaimed in shock, which meant that his face card was completely unusable!

The effect of Shadow Stitching activated, and countless threads of shadow completely sealed off the area within the castle. Although his two face-down cards were still there, they were as if nailed down, unable to be activated.

Chapter 402 Victory

"Entering the battle phase," Yuki declared. "First, 'Dark Ninja' attack! Direct attack on the player! Shadow Shuriken!"

The shuriken thrown by the dark ninja pierced through the castle's defenses without any hindrance.

Jonouchi's HP: 7100 → 7100 - 2000 = 5100

"Next, 'True Ninja,' attack directly! The Final Ninja Scroll!"

The true ninja condensed a huge ball of chakra energy and slammed it into the castle.

"Ughhhh!!" Jonouchi was knocked back a step by the virtual impact, and his health points dropped rapidly.

Jonouchi's HP: 5100 → 5100 - 2200 = 2900

“End of turn,” Yuki said. “Due to the effect of ‘True Ninja,’ the Special Summoned ‘Dark Ninja’ is destroyed.”

Jonouchi has only 2900 life points left, two face-down cards are locked on the field, and his "3-5-7" hand resources are almost depleted. On the other hand, Yuuki has a "True Ninja" with a high attack of 2200 on the field, and a powerful "Ninja Art: Shadow Stitching Technique" continuously locking down his back row. He also has cards left in his hand, giving him a huge advantage.

"Damn it...this ninja deck is really troublesome..." Jonouchi gritted his teeth, "But I, Jonouchi Katsuya, will never give up like this! My turn, draw!"

Seeing the card he drew, Jonouchi's eyes rekindled with hope: "Oh! Here it comes! I activate my Spell Card—'Foolish Burial'! I choose one monster from my Deck to send to the Graveyard. I choose to send 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' to the Graveyard!"

"Then, activate the effect of 'Red-Eyes Wyvern' in the Graveyard!" Jonouchi shouted. "If this card is in the Graveyard and my 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' is destroyed by battle or card effect, I can banish this card from the Graveyard and Special Summon that 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' from the Graveyard! Although my Black Dragon is still in the Graveyard, 'Red-Eyes Armor Spin' has already been destroyed by you... But! I still have it!"

Jonouchi slammed the other card he had just drawn onto the Duel Disk: "Activate Ritual Spell - 'The Descent of the Crimson King'! Tribute monsters in my hand with a combined Level of 7! Ritual Summon 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' from my hand and Graveyard! I Tribute 'Legendary Black Stone' (Level 4) and 'Black Dragon's Hatchling' (Level 3) from my hand!"

An ancient ritual array lit up the field within the city, and two monsters offered as sacrifices transformed into light and poured into the cemetery.

"Awaken! True Red-Eyes Dragon! Burn everything with absolute power! Ritual Summon! 'Crimson-Eyes Black Dragon Blade' (Attack 2800/Defense 2400)!"

The jet-black dragon warrior, wielding a giant blade engulfed in black flames, descends upon the battlefield with a breathtaking display! Its attack power reaches a staggering 2800, instantly surpassing Yuki's "True Ninja"!

"Oh! It's Mr. Jonouchi's trump card!"

"Attack power 2800! A comeback!"

The audience erupted in cheers.

"It's not over yet!" Jonouchi pressed his advantage. "I activate the effect of 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon Blade'! Once per turn, select one 'Red-Eyes' Normal Monster from the Graveyard and equip it to this card as an Equip Card! I choose 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' from the Graveyard! After equipping it, 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon Blade' gains half of its original ATK! That's 1400 points!"