Chapter 1153: Scrap-Iron Defensive Line
Scrap-Iron Barricade!
A grimy, rusted iron fence rose from the ground, blocking Marshmallow like a solid wall. The demonic claw, originally grasping for Marshmallow, was stopped short by this decaying fence and withdrew uselessly back into the void.
Enforcer: "Nani?!"
"And after activation, Scrap-Iron Barricade doesn’t go to the graveyard, but resets itself on the field," Kira smiled; the just-activated counter trap again returned face-down to his trap zone.
From its effect and name, it was obvious that this card hailed from the same family as Yusei’s "Scrap-Iron Scarecrow." But while Scarecrow had a real-world card, Barricade was anime-exclusive and never printed for the TCG.
It appeared in a filler episode of 5Ds, used by an old man living in a junkyard, whose deck revolved around Scrap-Iron Traps—including the famous Scarecrow. This archetype’s traps all shared the trait of resetting after activation, making them endlessly reusable.
Even Crow, using his powerful Blackwing deck, suffered heavy losses against the old man, tormented by the endlessly re-used traps.
This time, Kira used a similar deck, only with some personal tweaks to make it even more fun.
To still not be able to get rid of this cockroach-like Marshmallow—this irked the Enforcer.
Especially since Marshmallow started taunting him, sticking out its tongue and jeering, "Nyeh-nyah, you missed!"
Annoying, infuriating little beast.
"Then let’s start with that wretched submarine!"
Marshmallow was tough to deal with for now, but the submarine was a real threat. In a 4000-life-point format, letting that sub slap your face for 800 damage a turn was not something to be ignored.
But he hadn’t forgotten about the Scrap-Iron Scarecrow in his opponent’s back row, negating one attack each turn.
"So as long as I attack with two monsters per turn, I can break through this line!"
Resolute, the Enforcer revealed another monster card in his hand.
"’Ally of Justice Cosmic Gateway’—though it’s a Level 8 high-level monster, it can be special summoned if I have two or more monsters on the field, one of which is a LIGHT monster!"
"...a LIGHT monster?"
Marshmallow strained to look at its own round body, then jolted in realization.
"Eep—I’m a LIGHT monster?!"
"That’s right," said Kira calmly, "So you’re in the firing line."
The story background of the "Ally of Justice" archetype is that the denizens of the DT Planet built these weapons of war in order to resist the terrifying alien invaders known as Worms.
Everyone knows the Worm archetype is all Reptile-Light monsters, so, to fit the lore, Ally of Justice’s whole deck is specialized against LIGHT monsters.
Banish your opponent’s LIGHT monsters, attack multiple times against LIGHTs, negate LIGHT monster effects, special summon themselves when your opponent controls a LIGHT...
The whole archetype screams: "If you’re a LIGHT monster, you must die!"
"You have a LIGHT Marshmallow on your field, two monsters in total. Therefore, ’Cosmic Gateway’ can be special summoned for free from my hand!
Let’s go! Ally of Justice Cosmic Gateway!"
The ground cracked with deep-blue energy rifts. Pieces of metal spiraled from the void, assembling with screams of metal on metal. Air twisted with the high-energy fluxes, and silver-gray armor snapped together with electric sparks.
The energy core suddenly lit up, blue light pulsing across the field. The huge device hovered in midair, spewing blue flames from below, kicking up waves of dust and stone.
The core’s ring spun counterclockwise, releasing waves of transparent force fields. The roar of machinery and the crackle of overloaded circuits merged into a dark symphony.
[Ally of Justice Cosmic Gateway, ATK 2400]
"Even with Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, you can only block one attack," the Enforcer roared.
"Take this!
First, Ally of Justice Catastor attacks ’Submarineroid’!"
The energy fused, gathering at the Catastor’s singular forehead eye. Blazing light formed a lance aimed at the tiny submarine.
Kira: "Activate set trap—’Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!’
When an opponent’s monster declares an attack, negate the attack."
The scarecrow appeared again: its head lolling, only one red eye shining.
Boom!
Catastor’s attack hit the scarecrow; the transparent barrier shielded Submarineroid. The scarecrow retracted into the trap, resetting face-down.
"But now the scarecrow’s defense is broken! Next, Cosmic Gateway!"
The Enforcer shouted:
"Attack ’Submarineroid’!"
Air warped with field energy. The blue core shrank to a blinding point, pulsing like a beast ready to strike. With a thunderous roar, a super-gravity beam blasted from within, leaving a smoking gouge in the ground.
"Disappear for me, submarine!"
But—
Kira just smiled lazily and waved his hand.
"Activate set card—trap card ’Scrap-Iron Scarecrow.’
When an opponent’s monster declares an attack, negate that attack."
The Enforcer: "?!?!
Wait—don’t try to fool me! Why can YOU use your scarecrow trap twice?!"
Yet, the trap really did flip immediately, bringing out the rusty scarecrow again.
Cosmic Gateway’s furious strike slammed into the barrier again, rocking the ground, but didn’t break through.
"After activation, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow doesn’t get sent to the graveyard but is reset on the field," Kira said with a smile, resetting the card.
"Wait!" The Enforcer was stunned. "Traps can’t be activated the turn they’re set! Why can yours be used twice in one turn?!"
"Normally, you can’t. But with this card—you can."
Kira gestured at the Continuous Spell in front of him.
The Enforcer, shocked—"Temple of the Kings?!"
...