Chapter 23: Double Strike, A Name Made in One Battle (3)

A cyan light curtain poured down from high above, activating the snake swarm. They lunged at the "Knight of Hatred," infecting and bewitching it to join Qingji’s side of the field.

"Your monsters are truly impressive," Qingji said with a smug smile, displaying a card from her hand before proceeding with her play. "I activate the effect of 'Coatl' from my hand!"

"If there is a DARK Reptile-type monster on my field, I can Special Summon this card. If the opponent controls any monsters with 0 ATK, I can additionally Special Summon up to that many 'Reptilianne' monsters from my hand!"

"Appear!"

Two pillars of light rose behind her. With a boom, two serpentine figures emerged.

"Coatl and Hydra!"

"Five monsters!" Red Rice’s eyes lit up. "Player Qingji has filled her field with five monsters! This is a major crisis for Player 0748!"

"We have a Tuner and non-Tuners. Is it happening?"

Qingji waved her hand sharply. "I tune my Level 2 'Nyamini' with my Level 4 'Coatl'!"

The two monsters transformed into starlight, circling each other as a silver-white path of light flashed between them.

"With sharp fangs, tear them to shreds!"

"Synchro Summon!"

A massive, hideous serpentine figure emerged.

"Level 6, 'Reptilianne Lamia'!"

Dry leaves and decaying branches emitted a hair-raising rattling sound. A foul stench filled the air, and several massive, brown snake heads lunged forward, their pairs of blood-red eyes flickering.

Li Guanqi’s expression grew grave. *I can be certain now—this is not an anime world.* Those who play Synchro Summoning should be riding Duel Runners.

"I activate the effect of 'Lamia'!" Qingji shouted, her expression filled with intense excitement. "All monsters on the opponent’s field with 0 ATK are destroyed! And I draw cards equal to the number of monsters destroyed!"

"Go—strangle them!"

At Qingji's command, the multiple heads of the Lamia roared toward the sky. Poisonous mist erupted, countless scarlet eyes hidden within it, bringing an overwhelming wave of pressure.

"Boom!"

Amidst the sound of countless constricting coils, the "Knight of Hatred" and the "Reptilianne Token" exploded in succession. Qingji smiled and drew two cards.

"I activate the departure effect of the 'Knight of Hatred'!" Li Guanqi shouted coldly. "I Special Summon 'Yubel - The Ultimate Nightmare' from my deck!"

Violent energy fluctuations swept across the arena. The two-headed demonic dragon shimmered in the light, its massive form towering dozens of meters high, casting a shadow that enveloped the entire dueling stage.

Countless spectators gasped. "What is this..."

"Hahaha—" Qingji’s eyes widened. She half-covered her face, her smile turning somewhat morbid. "Ah—it can evolve even further... A twelve-star monster with 0 ATK... Hahaha..."

"I love you so much!" She declared, slamming down the card she had just drawn. "Quick-Play Spell—'Mystical Space Typhoon'! I destroy your face-down card!"

"Chain!" Li Guanqi quickly waved his hand, flipping his face-down card. "I activate 'Eternal Favorite'! I Special Summon 'Yubel - Das Ewig Liebe Wächter' from my graveyard!"

The typhoon shattered the 'Favorite,' but the 'Wächter' spread its wings, standing guard in front of him.

"I activate the effect of 'Wächter' to set 'Eternal Favorite' from my deck!"

By activating 'Eternal Favorite' as Chain Link 2 or higher to summon the 'Wächter,' he could trigger the 'Wächter's' arrival effect.

"Another 0 ATK monster..." Qingji’s eyes gleamed, her smile deepening. "I love you so much, hahaha." She clutched her chest, her face flushed as if reaching some kind of climax.

"I activate the other effect of the Field Spell 'Reptilianne Recoil'. I destroy the 'Knight of Hatred' on the field to Special Summon 'Coatl' from my graveyard!"

A cyan bolt of lightning struck from the sky, shattering the 'Knight of Hatred' and recalling the soul of 'Coatl.'

Li Guanqi did not trigger the 'Knight of Hatred's' graveyard effect. The opponent already had 4+2 ready; summoning another 'Nightmare' would only allow her to draw more cards.

"Let’s do it again!" Qingji shouted loudly. "I tune my Level 2 'Reptilianne Viper' with my Level 4 'Coatl'! Synchro Summon! Descend! Level 6, 'Reptilianne Lamia'!"

"I activate the effect of 'Lamia'! All monsters on the opponent’s field with 0 ATK are destroyed, and I draw cards equal to the number destroyed!"

Poisonous mist eroded the battlefield. The snake swarm crawled onto the bodies of the 'Nightmare' and the 'Wächter,' biting them as the air filled with the sound of hissing tongues.

"Boom!"

Two explosions echoed, and Qingji drew two more cards.

"I activate the effect of 'Yubel - Das Ewig Liebe Wächter'!" Li Guanqi shouted, waving his hand. "Special Summon: 'Yubel'!"

'Yubel' descended once more.

"What a tenacious guy," Zicai remarked. "After being targeted twice and wiped out twice, Player 0748 still has a monster on the field! To be countered like this and not utter a single complaint... This is a true duelist!"

Hearing this, even the fans of the Thousand Peaks Palace were moved. A true duelist does not care about being countered; there is only a pure heart that seeks victory.

"Block it!" someone in the audience shouted, sparking a chorus of cheers.

"Hold on!" People joined in, shouting. If he could just endure this turn, he would have a chance to counter-attack with 'Pain' damage in the next.

"An admirable guy," Qingji smiled faintly. "But it’s a pity—Lady Luck is on my side!"

She gently flipped over the card she had just drawn. Golden rings appeared at the feet of 'Yubel' and 'Hydra'—the sign of a Tributed monster that does not start a chain.

"Become a part of me! I Tribute 'Yubel' and 'Hydra'! Special Summon—'Reptilianne Vasuki'!"

A flash of white light passed, and 'Vasuki' appeared gracefully. Her upper body was that of a fair-skinned woman with four slender arms spread wide, while her lower body was a thick, muscular snake tail, slithering slowly across the field.

"It’s over—" Tang Xin clutched her head in despair. The Thousand Peaks Palace fans stood up and roared, while the Bian Yuelong fans sighed in defeat.

"That top-deck," Zicai shook his head, sighing. "There’s really no helping that. A Tribute that doesn't start a chain—even 'Graveyard Crawler' in his hand can't keep up."

"Take him down!" Red Rice yelled excitedly. "The total attack of the three monsters is over 4,000!"

"Hmph—" Qingji curled her lips. "If it weren't for me, you really might have pushed through. Enter the Battle Phase! You tried your best, Numbered Citizen. Step down now!"

Two 'Lamias' and one 'Vasuki' entered combat mode, their pressure suffocating.

" 'Lamia', direct attack!" Qingji swung her arm like a general commanding a charge. Several of the Lamia’s heads roared, lunging toward Li Guanqi.

Li Guanqi lowered his head. For some reason, his entire body was trembling slightly.

"Do you know fear now?" Qingji sneered, mistaking his trembling for terror.

"Hahaha..." Li Guanqi suddenly raised his head, letting out a low, manic laugh. "I fooled you, I fooled you! Hahaha—I love you too!"

With that, both sides confessed their feelings to each other. He flipped the only hidden card in his hand and laughed loudly: "I activate the effect of 'Yubel - Das Ewig Liebe Wächter' from my hand! I Special Summon this card!"

"What?!" Qingji’s eyes widened in shock.