"Thousand-Eyes Restrict??"
Gekko's eyes widened, completely thrown by this sudden shift.
He knew the card, of course. It was his adoptive father Pegasus's ace.
He also knew Kira had gotten a replica of Thousand-Eyes Restrict from Yako last time, so it wasn't surprising for Kira to have it.
But what shocked him wasn't the card itself, but—
"You used Scapegoat to transform into Thousand-Eyes Restrict?"
Thousand-Eyes Restrict is a Fusion Monster, normally requiring Ritual Monster "Relinquished" and "Thousand-Eyes Idol" as fusion material. It's hard to summon. Not easy to play.
But by using Scapegoat plus Metamorphosis, you can cheat it out easily—a trick that once got Thousand-Eyes Restrict banned in tournaments. At first, people thought it was just a collector's card, but with these tricks, it became a staple removal tool.
[Thousand-Eyes Restrict, ATK 0]
But Gekko quickly recovered from the shock of the Thousand-Eyes Restrict suddenly appearing, and said calmly,
"But even so, while 'Angel O7' is on the field, none of your monsters can use their effects. That includes Thousand-Eyes Restrict."
If monster effects can't be used, the threat is greatly reduced.
"Mr. Gekko's ace is troublesome."
Kira nodded, and then a golden light flashed from his graveyard as a trap card emerged.
"So, I activate Breakthrough Skill from my graveyard!"
Gekko was startled: "Activating a trap from the graveyard… the one you used turn one!?"
"Yes. If Breakthrough Skill is in the graveyard, during my turn, I can banish it to negate the effect of an opponent's monster until the end of the turn!
So, I negate 'Angel O7's effect!"
If these were the real cards, "Belial, Marquis of Darkness" would have protected the others from being targeted, but the manga version's effect is "negate the attacks of all Level 7 or lower monsters," so it doesn't provide protection.
Thus, Breakthrough Skill can hit Angel O7.
"With Breakthrough Skill, 'Angel O7's effect is negated!"
The artificial angel's halo dimmed, its holy domain shrinking until it recoiled around itself. The suppression on Kira's field was lifted.
"He had a counter for this since turn one…" Gekko muttered.
"Then, from my hand, I activate the Ritual Spell 'Black Illusion Ritual'," Kira said. "I tribute monsters from my hand or field with total levels equal to 1 or more to Ritual Summon 'Relinquished'."
He'd gotten this card from Yako last time. Relinquished is Thousand-Eyes Restrict's fusion material, so, of course, he got both.
Gekko was shocked: "You're summoning both 'Thousand-Eyes Restrict' and 'Relinquished' in one turn?"
He realized not even Pegasus himself may have pulled this off.
"Sheep Tokens summoned by Scapegoat can't be tributed for Tribute Summon, but Ritual Summon is fine," Kira explained. "So, I tribute a Level 1 Sheep Token to Ritual Summon!
The Alluring Eye of Illusion descends through the Black Illusion Ritual—"
He slapped the Ritual card onto his Duel Disk. In a burst of ritual fire, a sinister, sanity-draining monster appeared.
[Relinquished, ATK 0]
Gekko was stunned.
Two sheep, in one turn, became both of Pegasus's signature Relinquished monsters.
So, this is how you play the Relinquished series?
He suddenly had a heretical thought—
—Maybe his dad never actually knew how to use Relinquished properly?
"First, Relinquished's effect."
Kira calmly waved his hand.
"Once per turn, I can equip an opponent's monster to this card and gain its ATK and DEF. I'm sure you know this effect."
He pointed at Gekko's Belial, Marquis of Darkness.
"So, first I absorb 'Belial, Marquis of Darkness' as an equip."
Relinquished's chest opened, unleashing an overwhelming pull, like a black hole. Belial was sucked in and vanished.
"Relinquished gains Belial's stats."
[Relinquished, ATK 0 → ATK 2800]
Gekko gritted his teeth.
"Next is 'Thousand-Eyes Restrict's effect—you know this one too," Kira smiled. "As a Fusion Monster, it inherits Relinquished's effect.
Once per turn, equip an opponent's monster to this card and gain its ATK and DEF.
This time, I'll absorb 'Gaia Plate the Earth Giant'!"
A burst of darkness, then a powerful pull dragged Gaia into the abyss.
[Thousand-Eyes Restrict, ATK 0 → ATK 2800]
"Even Gaia…" Gekko gritted his teeth.
In the anime, Relinquished and Thousand-Eyes Restrict can absorb as many as you want, but in the real game, you can only have one equipped at a time.
Either way, you can only activate the effect once per turn.
So now, both of Kira's Relinquished monsters have already used their effects and can't absorb 'Angel O7' this turn.
Or so it would seem.
"Now, I Normal Summon Tsukuyomi."
[Tsukuyomi, ATK 1100]
"When Tsukuyomi is summoned, I can flip a monster on the field face-down."
Gekko was puzzled.
On the field? Would he target his own 'Angel O7'?
But flipping Angel O7 face-down now would only help defend against damage…
"I flip my own 'Thousand-Eyes Restrict' face-down."
"NANI!?"
Gekko was shocked.
Set his own Thousand-Eyes Restrict? What is he thinking?
He watched as a crescent moon rose and Thousand-Eyes Restrict was set face-down.
"Of course, when 'Thousand-Eyes Restrict' is set, any monsters equipped to it are destroyed."
Gaia was freed, its image flickering briefly before shattering into light.
"Now I activate 'A/D Changer' in my graveyard!" Kira said. "By banishing it, I can change the battle position of a monster on the field!"
Gekko's expression changed: "When did that get there…"
"Last turn, discarded with 'Graceful Charity'," Kira smiled. "I switch my face-down 'Thousand-Eyes Restrict' back to Attack Position!"
Thousand-Eyes Restrict reappeared, its single eye gleaming eerily.
"Being flipped face-up resets its effect, so it can activate again. Once per turn, I absorb an opponent's monster as equip.
I'll take 'Angel O7'!"
Gekko could only watch as his ace was sucked into the vortex, becoming part of Thousand-Eyes Restrict.
"So, this is how you use Relinquished monsters…" he muttered.
In the real game, Thousand-Eyes Restrict prevents all other monsters from attacking, even its side, but in the anime, only the opponent's monsters are blocked.
"'Thousand-Eyes Restrict' and 'Relinquished,' direct attack!"
The two creepy monsters opened their voids, firing out the absorbed 'Angel O7' and 'Belial, Marquis of Darkness.'
Gekko could only raise his Duel Disk to defend himself as his two signature monsters attacked, leaving him on the ground, eyes full of doubt at the world.
Two Sheep Tokens became two Relinquished monsters, and in one turn took out all three of his big monsters.
Why was he having such a weird dream?
[Gekko, LP 3000 → LP 0]