Jaden's reaction surprised many in the audience.
Some students, traumatized by the Ra Yellow King, felt sorry for Jaden; others gleefully watched the drama unfold.
But no one expected that this jellyfish-haired boy, faced with such a nasty tactic, would be... excited?
Did he have some kind of masochistic streak?
"Well, it's a little surprising, but that's just like Jaden," Alexis muttered from the stands.
"Yeah."
At some point, Zane had appeared, arms crossed.
"That kind of passion for dueling—almost obsessive—is what makes him so special. No one else can match it."
"If Fusion is blocked, then my Fusion Spell is wasted," Jaden smiled, scratching his head as he looked at the Continuous Trap on Kira's field. "Man, that's a headache."
Kira smiled back: "Alright, now you can't use Fusion Summons. What will you do now?"
"Heh, who knows? I'll just take it one step at a time," Jaden grinned. "If you think my HEROes can only fuse, you're dead wrong.
I summon 'Elemental HERO Wildheart'!"
[Elemental HERO Wildheart, ATK 1500]
"Then I equip Wildheart with his signature Equip Spell, 'Cyclone Boomerang'! The equipped monster's ATK increases by 500!"
[Elemental HERO Wildheart, ATK 1500 → 2000]
"Even without Fusion, HEROes combined with Spells can reach high-level strength. And Wildheart is unaffected by Trap effects, making him the perfect HERO for this duel." Jaden punched his fist. "Go, Wildheart! Defeat 'Lancer Archfiend'!"
Wildheart let out a wild roar, throwing the boomerang in his hand. With a gust of wind, the boomerang sliced through Lancer Archfiendl, who exploded on the spot.
[Kira, LP 4000 → 3600]
"Alright, that's one back for me," Jaden said. "Turn end."
"My turn, draw." Kira said. "In the Standby Phase, I also activate the effect of 'Take Over 5' in my graveyard. I banish it and a same-named card from my deck to draw one card."
After drawing, he immediately played the card.
"Spell Card: Pot of Greed—draw two cards from my deck."
Another golden flash in his graveyard as two more cards exited.
"Then I banish the DARK monster 'Lancer Archfiend' and the LIGHT monster 'Magician of Faith' from my graveyard!
Souls of Light and Darkness guide the power of Chaos—a dark mage descends—
—Chaos Sorcerer, summon!"
A beam of light and a beam of darkness intertwined, spiraling into a vortex in the sky. Violent chaotic magic burst forth, a two-toned pillar of light illuminating a mage wielding both Light and Dark.
[Chaos Sorcerer, ATK 2300]
"Oh, the power of Chaos that Kira controls appears at last," Jaden grew more excited. "Looks like I'll get to face a legendary monster today."
Kira: "Chaos Sorcerer, attack 'Elemental HERO Wildheart'!"
Chaos Sorcerer crossed his hands, unleashing a storm of Light and Dark magic. Wildheart was instantly consumed, obliterated by the blast.
[Jaden, LP 3600 → 3300]
Jaden raised an arm to shield himself and declared: "You fell for it, Kira! The 'Cyclone Boomerang' equipped to Wildheart has another effect!
When this card is sent from the field to the graveyard, destroy all Spell/Trap cards on the field and inflict 500 damage for each destroyed!" (Anime effect)
(In the actual card, this was errata'd to only trigger if the equipped monster is destroyed by effect, and only inflicts 100 damage per destroyed card.)
"So that's it!" Misawa's eyes lit up. "Wildheart was just bait—the real target was 'Non-Fusion Area'!"
Chumley added: "Now the Fusion lock is broken, and Jaden can use all his Fusion combos next turn."
But Kira immediately activated another back row: "I activate the Counter Trap—Judgment of Anubis!
Discard a card to negate and destroy a Spell that would destroy Spell/Trap cards!"
A black mist swept over the field, forming a shadowy image of Anubis. The boomerang was absorbed by the mist and ground to dust.
"Ah," Jaden said, "even the boomerang didn't work..."
"And, after Judgment of Anubis resolves, I can destroy one monster on your field and inflict damage equal to its ATK."
Kira paused and chuckled.
"But Wildheart was already destroyed in battle, so there's no monster to destroy. Too bad."
The black mist faded, and Anubis vanished. The battle ended, and Non-Fusion Area remained.
"Heh, Kira's setup isn't so easy to break through," Jaden laughed. "Looks like I'll need to come up with a few more tricks."
Kira: "I set one monster face-down and set two cards to my back row. Turn end."
"My turn, draw!" Jadem said. "I activate Pot of Greed to draw two more cards."
Another draw accelerator, and Jaden quickly scanned his hand, a new tactic forming in his mind.
"I Normal Summon 'Elemental HERO Clayman'!"
[Elemental HERO Clayman, ATK 800]
Syrus was stunned: "Clayman in Attack Position?"
Who's he going after?
"Then I activate Equip Spell 'Clay Wrap'!" Jaden said. "Clayman's exclusive Spell—can only be equipped to 'Elemental HERO Clayman'!" (Anime card)
A transparent protective film covered Clayman, like a shield, though his stats didn't change.
"Next, I activate the Spell 'White Elephant's Gift' from my hand! Send a non-Effect Monster you control to the Graveyard to draw two cards.
I send 'Elemental HERO Clayman' to the graveyard and draw two cards!"
Clayman and his protective film vanished into light, and Jaden drew two cards.
"Huh?" Syrus was even more confused. "Isn't that a net loss of an Equip...?"
"You might be Jaden's sidekick, but you really don't get his deck," Misawa commented, giving Syrus a strange look.
Syrus: "..."
Sure enough, Jaden smiled and explained: "When Clay Wrap is sent from the field to the graveyard, I can send any Spell or Trap card on your field to the graveyard."
"Oh, I get it now!" Syrus finally understood.
Misawa squinted at him, as if to say, "Dude, you're hopeless."
"So, thanks to Clay Wrap's effect, 'Non-Fusion Area' goes to the graveyard!"
Clayman's shadow appeared, making a "come on" gesture. A vortex emerged in Kira's back row, dragging the Trap Card in and erasing it.
"Perfect!"
Jaden clenched his fist, eyes burning with determination.
Fusion lock—broken!
PS: 2 Bonus Chapter at 1000 PS