| prev = [[Playmaker and Varis's first Speed Duel]]

'''Playmaker and Varis's first Master Duel''' is the fifth [[Duel]] of the ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS]]'' anime, and is the second time [[Yusaku Fujiki|Playmaker]] and [[Varis]] have Dueled, taking place immediately after their [[Playmaker and Varis's first Speed Duel|first Duel]].

[[Varis]] [[activate]]s the [[Field Spell]] "[[Fire Prison (anime)|Fire Prison]]". The [[effect]]s of "Fire Prison" prevent it from being [[destroy]]ed by other cards' effects, prevent either player from [[Link Summon]]ing a [[Link Monster|monster]] with a lower [[Link Rating]] than the monster on the field with the highest Link Rating, and prevent [[Monster Card|monster]]s from [[attack]]ing, except Link Monsters. Varis [[Normal Summon]]s "[[Sniffer Dragon (anime)|Sniffer Dragon]]" (800/400). The effect of "Fire Prison" increases the [[DEF]] of all [[Dragon]] monsters Varis [[control]]s by 300 ("Sniffer Dragon": 400 → 700 DEF). As "Sniffer Dragon" was Normal or [[Special Summon]]ed, Varis activates its effect, [[Add a card|add]]ing "Sniffer Dragon" from his [[Main Deck|Deck]] to his [[hand]]. Varis activates the [[Quick-Play Spell]] "[[Quick Launch (anime)|Quick Launch]]", Special Summoning a "[[Rokket]]" monster from his Deck, but it cannot attack, also it is destroyed during the [[End Phase]]. He Special Summons "[[Magnarokket Dragon (anime)|Magnarokket Dragon]]" (1800/1200 → 1500). Varis [[Link Material|sets]] "Sniffer Dragon" and "Magnarokket" in the [[Link Arrow]]s to Link Summon "[[Twin Triangle Dragon (anime)|Twin Triangle Dragon]]" (1200/↓→) to the [[Extra Monster Zone]]. As a Dragon Link Monster is Special Summoned to Varis's [[field]], Varis activates the effect of "[[Linkbelt Wall Dragon (anime)|Linkbelt Wall Dragon]]" in his hand, Special Summoning it. He Special Summons it in [[Defense Position]] (0/2100 → 2400). As "Linkbelt Wall Dragon" was Special Summoned, its effect activates, placing two [[Wall Counter]]s on it ("Linkbelt Wall Dragon": 0 → 2 Wall Counters). The effects of "Linkbelt Wall Dragon" prevent monsters from being Link Summoned unless "Linkbelt Wall Dragon" has at least as many Wall Counters as that monster's Link Rating, and prevent monsters from attacking, except Link Monsters.

During the Standby Phase, the effect of "Linkbelt Wall Dragon" activates, placing a Wall Counter on it ("Linkbelt Wall Dragon": 3 → 4 Wall Counters). Varis Normal Summons "[[Autorokket Dragon (anime)|Autorokket Dragon]]" (1600/1000 → 1300). Varis sets "Autorokket" and the Link-2 "Twin Triangle Dragon" in the Link Arrows to Link Summon "[[Triple Burst Dragon (anime)|Triple Burst Dragon]]" (2400/↑←↓) to the Extra Monster Zone. As Varis Link Summoned a Dragon monster with a lower Link Rating than the number of Wall Counters on "Linkbelt Wall Dragon", its effect activates, removing two Wall Counters from it ("Linkbelt Wall Dragon": 4 → 2 Wall Counters). "Triple Burst Dragon" attacks "Backup Secretary". Before [[damage calculation]], as Playmaker's monster "Encode Talker" points to [[battle]]d Varis's monster with higher ATK than it, Playmaker activates its effect, making that monster unable to be destroyed by that battle, also Playmaker takes no battle damage from that battle, then after that damage calculation, either "Encode Talker" or a monster it points to gains ATK equal to the ATK of Varis's monster that battled, until the end of this turn. During the [[Damage Step]], as a card or effect was activated while "Triple Burst Dragon" or Varis's monster it points to is battling, Varis activates its effect, [[Negate|negating]] the activation. The activation of the effect of "Encode Talker" is negated. During damage calculation, as another Defense Position monster Playmaker controls is attacked by Varis's monster, Playmaker activates the effect of "Interrupt Resistor", making his attacked monster's DEF become equal to the DEF of "Interrupt Resistor" during damage calculation, also it cannot be destroyed by that battle ("Backup Secretary": 800 → 2100 DEF). If "Triple Burst Dragon" attacks a Defense Position monster, its effect allows it to inflict [[piercing]] battle damage. The attack continues and "Backup Secretary" is not destroyed (Playmaker: 3900 → 3600 LP).

Playmaker activates his [[face-down]] [[Trap]] "[[Parallel Port Armor (anime)|Parallel Port Armor]]", targeting a Link Monster he controls and [[equip]]ping it with "Parallel Port Armor". The effect of "Parallel Port Armor" prevents Varis from targeting the equipped "Firewall Dragon" with it with card effects, also it cannot be destroyed by battle. As there are two Link Monsters with the same Link Rating in the Extra Monster Zones, Varis activates the Spell "[[Arrow Charge]]", drawing two cards, then [[reveal]]ing them, but they are [[banish]]ed during the End Phase of this turn if they are still in Varis's hand. Varis draws "Squib Draw" and "Boot Sector Launch". Varis Normal Summons "[[Anesthrokket Dragon (anime)|Anesthrokket Dragon]]" (0/2200). Varis activates the Quick-Play Spell "[[Squib Draw (anime)|Squib Draw]]", targeting a "Rokket" monster he controls and destroying it, then drawing two cards. He targets and destroys "Anesthrokket". Varis activates the Field Spell "[[Boot Sector Launch (anime)|Boot Sector Launch]]", and activates its effect, Special Summoning up to two "Rokket" monsters with different names from his hand in Defense Position. He Special Summons "Autorokket" (1600/1000) and "Anesthrokket" (0/2200). The effect of "Boot Sector Launch" increases the ATK/DEF of all "Rokket" monsters on the field by 300 ("Autorokket": 1600/1000 → 1900/1300, "Anesthrokket": 0/2200 → 300/2500). Varis activates the effect of "Borreload Dragon", targeting a face-up monster on the field and decreasing its ATK/DEF by 500. He targets "Autorokket". As a Link Monster's effect is activated that targets the face-up "Autorokket" on the field, Varis activates its effect, destroying it, then [[send]]ing a Spell/Trap on the field to the GY. He sends "Parallel Port Armor".

During the End Phase, "Firewall Dragon" (2500 → 2800/↑←↓→) is Special Summoned to Playmaker's field. Playmaker activates his face-down Trap "[[Recoded Alive (anime)|Recoded Alive]]", targeting a Link-3 Cyberse Link Monster he controls or is in his GY and banishing it, then Special Summoning a "Code Talker" monster from his Extra Deck. He targets and banishes "Decode Talker", then Special Summons "Encode Talker" (2300 → 2600/↑↓↘) to the Extra Monster Zone the top-center Link Arrow of "Firewall Dragon" points to. Playmaker activates the effect of "Firewall Dragon", targeting monsters on the field and/or GY up to the number of monsters [[co-linked]] to "Firewall Dragon" and [[return]]ing them to the hand. "Firewall Dragon" is co-linked to "Encode Talker". The effect of "Borreload Dragon" prevents either player from targeting it with monster effects. Playmaker targets "Magnarokket". As a Link Monster's effect is activated that targets the face-up "Magnarokket" on the field, Varis activates its effect, destroying it, then sending a monster on the field to the GY. As Varis's monster activated its effect, Playmaker activates the effect of "Cynet Refresh" in his GY, banishing it to prevent Cyberse Link Monsters he currently controls from being affected by other card effects until the end of this turn. The effect of "Magnarokket" [[resolve]]s, but "Firewall Dragon" and "Encode Talker" are unaffected by other card effects. During the End Phase, as "Magnarokket" is in the GY because it was destroyed on the field by battle or card effect and sent there this turn, Varis activates its effect, Special Summoning a different "Rokket" monster from his Deck. He Special Summons "Anesthrokket" (0/2200 → 300/2500) in Defense Position.

Playmaker draws and subsequently activates the [[Continuous Spell]] "[[Battle Buffer]]", targeting monsters Varis controls, up to the number of co-linked monsters Playmaker controls and preventing those monsters from activating their effects while Playmaker controls co-linked monsters, also "Battle Buffer" is destroyed during the End Phase of this turn. Playmaker controls the co-linked "Encode Talker" and "Firewall Dragon", so he targets "Magnarokket" and "Anesthrokket". "Firewall Dragon" attacks "Borreload Dragon". Before damage calculation, as Playmaker's monster "Encode Talker" points to battled Varis's monster with higher ATK than it, Playmaker activates its effect, making that monster unable to be destroyed by that battle, also Playmaker takes no battle damage from that battle, then after that damage calculation, either "Encode Talker" or a monster it points to gains ATK equal to the ATK of Varis's monster that battled, until the end of this turn. The attack continues and "Firewall Dragon" is not destroyed. After damage calculation, "Firewall Dragon" gains ATK equal to that of "Borreload Dragon" ("Firewall Dragon": 2800 → 5800 ATK). After damage calculation, as Playmaker's Cyberse Link Monster battled, the effect of "Battle Buffer" activates, placing a [[Battle Buffer Counter]] on it ("Battle Buffer": 0 → 1 Battle Buffer Counter). The effect of "Battle Buffer" increases the ATK of all Cyberse Link Monsters Playmaker controls by 700 for each Battle Buffer Counter on it ("Encode Talker": 2600 → 3300 ATK, "Firewall Dragon": 5800 → 6500 ATK). "Encode Talker" attacks "Borreload Dragon". Varis activates the effect of "Borreload Dragon", targeting a face-up monster on the field and decreasing its ATK/DEF by 500. He targets "Encode Talker" ("Encode Talker": 3300 → 2800 ATK). The attack continues and "Encode Talker" is destroyed (Playmaker: 600 → 400 LP). After damage calculation, as Playmaker's Cyberse Link Monster battled, the effect of "Battle Buffer" activates, placing a Battle Buffer Counter on it ("Battle Buffer": 1 → 2 Battle Buffer Counter, "Firewall Dragon": 6500 → 7200 ATK). As Playmaker no longer controls any co-linked monsters, the effects of "Magnarokket" and "Anesthrokket" are no longer negated.