Brier: "…"
Looking at the field—Nightmare Wheel, Bowganian, Submarineroid, and those annoying Ojama tokens—
A sense of deep helplessness.
Just one turn, and they'd lost 1900 LP, with the monster zones still locked. Their hand offered no hope of a comeback.
It was hopeless.
"Don't give up!"
Beauregard suddenly spoke.
Brier was stunned: "Beauregard…"
But then he shook his head, gritting his teeth: "What's the point? This is Ra Yellow's Big Villain—we were never going to win.
And with this field, I don't see any way out. We haven't even scratched his LP.
Do you think we could turn it around with a single draw?!"
Beauregard fell silent.
Then spoke quietly: "Brier, honestly… I know I'm nowhere near as good as you at dueling. I don't get it.
But no one ever cared about me before, until I ended up in the same dorm with you. When you got mad about my problems like they were your own, I was so happy.
I do this—not because I'm mad at those arrogant elites, but because I want to do something for you."
"Beauregard…" Brier was speechless, moved.
"So—"
Beauregard stepped forward, full of spirit.
"We've always relied on your tactics, your skills. But now it's my turn—to do something for you!"
Kira: "…"
Wait, aren't you two the ones illegally hunting rare cards? Why do your lines make me sound like the final boss?
"My turn! Draw!"
Beauregard drew, his arm arcing dramatically.
"Activate 'Allure of Darkness'—draw two, then banish a DARK monster from my hand!"
Motivated, Beauregard drew two.
Seeing the cards, Brier gaped.
"That card… you drew it, now, of all times… Beauregard, you really…"
He quickly regained composure.
"Summon it, Beauregard! This is proof of our bond—our comeback!"
"Alright!"
Beauregard showed a card.
"First, banish 'Goblin Black Ops' for Allure's effect."
He banished one card, then slapped down the one he'd just drawn.
"I tribute 'Gilasaurus' to Advance Summon—appear, the card that connects our bond—
—Level 6, Prime Material Dragon!!!"
Gilasaurus vanished in the tribute vortex, replaced by a golden, abstract dragon emerging from the light!
[Prime Material Dragon, ATK 2400]
"At the last moment, he drew a Level 6 tribute monster—and it's Prime Material Dragon!" Misawa said.
"Exactly," Alexis nodded. "As long as Prime Material Dragon is on the field, all effect damage becomes LP gain. It's the ultimate counter to burn and lock decks."
"This way, the bound monster leaves, Nightmare Wheel is destroyed!" Brier instructed. "Now, equip!"
Beauregard played another card.
"Equip Spell—'Megamorph'! If my LP is lower than yours, the equipped monster's ATK is doubled!"
[Prime Material Dragon, ATK 2400 → 4800]
"4800 ATK!" Misawa exclaimed. "See? If Brier can overcome his weak will, he's a great duelist."
"The opponent's monsters are all in Defense, so let's start with the biggest threat," Brier said.
Beauregard nodded: "Prime Material Dragon attacks Ojama King!"
The dragon spat blazing energy, Ojama King was blasted to bits, mumbling "Ojama, ojama" as it faded.
"Of course, destroying a Defense Position monster means I take no damage," Kira said calmly, closing his eyes as a transparent shockwave swept his field.
"Tch, we know," Brier said. "Set our other card!"
Beauregard complied: "Set a card, turn end."
"My turn. Draw," Kira said.
"In your Standby Phase, Bowganian's effect deals 600 damage to me," Beauregard said, "but with Prime Material Dragon, it becomes LP gain!"
[Beauregard, LP 2100 → 2700]
"Whoa, accidentally healed you! Now my burn/lock strategy is backfiring," Kira said.
"That's right," Brier said, a bit smug. "Our bond just turned the game around!"
"Impressive… Now I activate 'Pot of Avarice'—shuffle five monsters from my graveyard into the deck, then draw two."
Five cards shot back into the deck.
"I return 'Magical Merchant,' Ojama Yellow, Green, Black, and Ojama King."
The deck auto-shuffled.
"Now, draw two."
After drawing, Kira raised an eyebrow.
"Huh, looks like I drew something pretty good too."
Beauregard and Brier tensed.
What now?
But it was okay.
Brier calmed himself.
Beauregard's "Allure of Darkness" draw had netted not only the comeback Prime Material Dragon but also the powerful trap "Bottomless Trap Hole."
If the opponent summoned a monster with over 1500 ATK, it could be destroyed and banished.
So even if Kira summoned a big threat, they could deal with it.
"I tribute Bowganian to Advance Summon—"
As he placed down the monster, a red light flashed in Kira's eyes.
As if the extraordinary power of the card fused briefly with the duelist at the moment of summoning.
"The bane of traps—the psychic-powered artificial monarch—
—Jinzo, summon!"
Beauregard & Brier: "NANI!!?"