Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 244: Demon Formation

["Welcome to the Link Arena."]

Tomoki Saito stepped onto a stream of pale blue data, arriving in the center of a round arena. Blue ripples, like flowing water, materialized into the dueling field. Full of anticipation, Tomoki took his place in the virtual arena.

Next week would be his debut in the professional circuit.

The Pro Duelist League—the dream stage for duelists worldwide. After years of hard work, Tomoki had finally reached the biggest stage, about to start a new life as a pro.

Being a pro duelist meant fame, status, and unimaginable amounts of money and power.

As someone from a local dueling dojo, Tomoki was starting to feel those around him could no longer match him.

He needed pressure and challenge!

The Link System online matches, newly released by KaibaCorp, were a perfect opportunity. He hoped to find motivation in this online arena, and maybe even meet other pre-release pros.

But his real target was the league’s new star, "Aster Phoenix," undefeated so far with his HERO deck. Only by facing such a top player could Tomoki truly improve.

Otherwise, as a genius rookie, Tomoki thought it was hard for him to lose.

The Link Arena finished matching. Tomoki checked his opponent’s ID.

Happy Duel?

Tomoki immediately pictured a passionate, hot-blooded young duelist.

Must be someone who truly loves dueling, he thought.

Of course, online IDs were all virtual. But as a pro, Tomoki used his real name—just to show his confidence as a genius newcomer.

The virtual avatars entered the arena. Tomoki cut to the chase: "Are you a pro?"

Kira, just logged in, paused, then smiled and admitted, "No."

Tomoki looked disappointed. "Amateur?"

"Yeah, pure amateur."

"Alright."

’Sigh, looks like another easy win. This’ll be boring.’

Tomoki activated his duel disk. "Let’s begin. Show me what you’ve got."

Letting an expert like me teach you a few tricks is a lifetime benefit, Tomoki thought.

Mokuba also arrived to spectate from the sidelines.

"Whoa, his first opponent is a pro—or rather, semi-pro."

Mokuba checked the opponent’s info.

Tomoki Saito, a rookie pro, debuting next week.

After reading that, Mokuba’s expression turned complicated as he looked at Tomoki.

He’s got his debut coming up next week. Hope today’s duel doesn’t shake his confidence...

"Duel!" x2

[Kira, LP 4000]

[Tomoki, LP 4000]

The duel disk lit up, indicating Tomoki could choose turn order.

The genius teen glanced at his disk. "I don’t slack off just because my opponent’s an amateur. My turn, draw!

I activate the Spell Card ’Ancient Rules’ from my hand, and Special Summon a Level 5 or higher Normal Monster!"

An ancient scroll appeared, with an illustration of "Wattaildragon" drawn in an old style, golden light surging across it.

"I Special Summon a Level 6 Normal Monster from my hand!

The strongest of the Fiend-Type, the demon king wielded by the King of Games—

—Summoned Skull!"

Dark clouds churned as if an invisible hand stirred a giant vortex. Thunder flashed in the clouds, like a silver dragon weaving through.

A giant demon emerged from the black clouds, its body covered in white bones, looking fierce and terrifying under the lightning. Every bone seemed to tell tales of endless slaughter.

[Summoned Skull, ATK 2500]

"Yugi’s monster," Mokuba murmured.

Summoned Skull, a Level 6 that only needs one tribute but has 2500 attack—always a popular card, and still rare today. Now it even had new evolved forms, recognized by pros as having further potential.

Of course, most of Yugi’s ace monsters had since been proven to have evolving potential.

"Then I Set a card to my back row and end my turn," Tomoki said.

"My turn, draw," said Kira, drawing two cards. "I Set a monster in the front row and a card in the back. That’s it."

Huh?

Tomoki raised an eyebrow, a little disdainful.

That’s it?

"This kind of slow dueling would get you schooled in the pro world. Let me teach you how cruel it is."

He smiled confidently.

"Thanks for the lesson, Mr. Professional," Kira said politely.

"Naturally. My turn, draw!"

Tomoki drew, then immediately took two cards from his hand. One went to the graveyard, and one he played.

"Spell Card ’Cost Down’! Discard a card, and reduce the Level of all Monsters in my hand by 2.

So, my Level 6 ’Skull Archfiend of Lightning’ drops by 2 to Level 4—I can Normal Summon it with no tributes!"

He raised the card high.

"The Demon King, after a long evolution, takes on a new form and becomes the ruler of thunder—

—Skull Archfiend of Lightning, Summon!"

A lightning bolt crashed from the black clouds, exploding onto the field. It looked almost identical to Summoned Skull but was wreathed in terrifying lightning. Its bones formed a suit of armor, and its roar echoed like thunder.

[Skull Archfiend of Lightning, ATK 2500]

"So the evolved Summoned Skull appears," Mokuba thought. "Summoning two big fiends at once—not bad for a professional rookie."

Too bad he’s facing the wrong opponent.

Hope today’s duel doesn’t affect his debut next week...

"Now I activate my Set card," Tomoki said. "Equip Spell, ’Metalsilver Armor!’

As long as the equipped Monster is on the field, all your card effects can only target the equipped Monster.

I equip ’Metalsilver Armor’ to ’Skull Archfiend of Lightning’!"

"Oh?" Kira stroked his chin. "That’s an interesting play."

"Metalsilver Armor doesn’t just cover monsters on the field," Tomoki sneered. "It also affects both graveyards and banished zones—now you can’t target any other monsters with effects.

And equipping a Spell to your own monster is also targeting, so you can only equip my ’Skull Archfiend of Lightning.’

Even if you have ’Monster Reborn,’ you can’t use it, since it also targets a monster in the graveyard."

Tomoki smirked.

Kira nodded. "And when ’Skull Archfiend of Lightning’ is targeted by an effect, it triggers an extra effect, right?"

"Heh, you sure know your stuff," Tomoki replied confidently. "Exactly! When Skull Archfiend of Lightning is targeted by an opponent’s effect, you roll a die.

If it lands on 1, 3, or 6, the effect is negated and destroyed."

"So only a fifty-fifty chance of success," Kira said, understanding.

"Whoa, this rookie’s got some skills," Mokuba thought, now impressed.

"So this means a lot of Kira’s cards are locked out?"

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