Yugioh [381-390] (Patreon)

Chapter 381: Dueling Full of Surprises

"Duel!" x2

The first quarterfinal match of Duel City: Kira versus Tragoedia's top lieutenant, Reggie Mackenzie. The battle begins.

The remaining contestants gathered around to watch.

"I'll go first. Draw!" Reggie took the first turn.

But as she drew, a chill crawled up her neck—a shadowy voice whispered in her ear.

"Defeat him, Reggie. He's carrying something important. Use a Shadow Duel to take it."

Reggie's movements stiffened.

A Shadow Duel...?

She frowned, her face frosty with distaste.

"Don't forget who gave you your power, and who controls your fate," the voice sneered. "That's an order, not a suggestion."

Reggie: "…"

She took a deep breath. When she looked at Kira again, her gaze was sharper.

Sorry, nothing personal—but I just want to survive.

With that thought, darkness flashed in her eyes, and a faint black mist began to gather around the field.

"Brother!" Mokuba said, surprised. "Something's off about this woman."

"Yeah," Kaiba replied calmly. "Anyone who makes it this far isn't easy to handle. But don't worry—he's not easy to beat."

Kaiba glanced at the Arbiter on the other side of the field, who stood with arms folded, observing with a relaxed air.

Loren muttered, "This power... she's..."

"A puppet of Tragoedia," the Arbiter said. "Pity Luca didn't bring that guy back. If we had its power, things would be simpler... But whatever. Through this puppet, we can at least gauge how much power he's recovered."

"Activate Continuous Spell: 'Court of Justice!'" Reggie declared.

A golden ring appeared midair, with two haloed angels circling, bathing the field in holy light.

"Then, from my hand, I summon 'Holy Spirit Parmal' in defense!"

[Divine Spirit Parmal, DEF 300]

A Level 1 Fairy, just like in the original.

"Court of Justice's effect: If I control a Level 1 Fairy, once per turn I can Special Summon a Fairy from my hand."

She drew another card.

"Special Summon: 'Tethys, Goddess of Light!'"

A pure white angel descended, wings unfurled, feathers drifting down.

[Tethys, Goddess of Light, ATK 2400]

Just like in the original, Reggie's deck was almost entirely Fairy monsters. Court of Justice was her signature card. In the real game, it's only limited to once per turn, but otherwise, it's the same.

"Next, I activate the Spell Card: 'Card Destruction!' Both players discard their hands and draw the same number."

Kira glanced at his hand, discarded, and redrew.

Reggie also drew, and as she did, Tethys's wings glowed with dazzling light.

"At this moment, Tethys's effect activates: When I draw a Fairy, I reveal it and draw one more card."

She revealed 'Angel O1' in her hand.

"I drew 'Angel O1,' a Fairy, so I draw another card."

She quickly chose and set two cards.

"Set one card. I end my turn."

"Quite the setup," Kira smiled.

Reggie just snorted.

It was only natural—this was a duel for her life. She had to win or die.

"My turn. Draw." Kira looked at his card. "Oh, what luck. Against a Fairy user, this is the perfect card."

Reggie: "?"

The perfect card against Fairies?

She felt a bad premonition.

Kira set a monster face-down.

"I set a monster in defense position."

Then, the Graveyard vortex appeared—a monster card's image emerged.

"Effect of 'A/D Changer' in my graveyard: I banish it to change the battle position of a monster."

He banished 'A/D Changer' and pointed to his set monster.

"I flip my set card face-up—Lyna the Light Charmer!"

The cute, white-haired mage appeared.

[Lyna the Light Charmer, ATK 500]

"Lyna's effect: When flipped, I can take control of an opponent's LIGHT monster."

Kira smiled.

"I'll take control of 'Tethys, Goddess of Light'. Thanks for bringing out such a strong Fairy on your first turn."

Lyna waved her staff. Tethys leaped to Kira's side.

"You—!" Reggie gritted her teeth.

Of course she'd run into a Lyna. Her deck was 90% LIGHT attribute.

But she just felt unlucky; she didn't realize that this wasn't a coincidence.

Kira didn't usually run Lyna—he'd put this in just for her.

That's the upside of dueling canon characters: you always know what to expect.

"Lyna, attack 'Divine Spirit Parmal'!"

With only 500 attack, but Parmal's defense was just 300. Lyna's staff shattered the little angel.

Now, with her only defense gone, Tethys—now under Kira's control—could attack directly.

Reggie clenched her fists.

If she lost to her own monster, that would be humiliating.

This was her own Shadow Duel, with her own monsters—felt like self-destruction.

No way.

"Activate trap: 'Negate Attack!' Your monster's attack is negated, and the Battle Phase ends!"

A vortex shield absorbed Tethys's strike.

"Blocked it, huh."

Kira didn't mind.

"This is only the beginning."

He set three cards.

"Set three cards. End turn."

He gestured for her to continue.

There were more surprises in store for Reggie.

Chapter 382: I’ll Handle This Myself

"My turn! Draw!" Reggie called.

She glanced at her card, then glared at her own stolen Tethys.

"Tch. You dared steal my angel. You've got guts."

Kira just smiled.

The darkness around Reggie thickened, and a distant, cold voice whispered again.

"Don't panic. Tethys is only under his control as long as Lyna's effect lasts.

The Elemental Charmers are tricky against their corresponding attributes, but their effects must be maintained."

Reggie's eyes lit up. "You mean…"

"Exactly."

The eyes in the mist narrowed, glaring at Kira.

"He's clever—he only emphasized that Lyna 'can take control,' purposely vague about the effect.

But he can't fool me."

"I see." Reggie understood. "If Lyna leaves the field, control of Tethys returns to me."

[Lyna the Light Charmer, ATK 500]

Only 500 attack!

Reggie glanced at her cards and made a plan.

"Continuous Spell: 'Court of Justice'!" she declared. "Its effect only works if I have a Level 1 Fairy. Since I have 'Divine Spirit Parmal,' I can activate it.

Once per turn, I Special Summon a Fairy from my hand!"

The golden circle glowed brightly—a new angel about to descend.

So long as she had a Level 1 Fairy, she could summon her strongest angels every turn. That was Reggie's main tactic: quickly call forth powerful Fairies to dominate the field.

"This woman's good too," Jaden said. "With a Level 1, she can summon any high-level Fairy instantly?"

Zane, arms folded, frowned.

No. It wasn't that simple.

At first glance, Lyna seemed like an exploitable weak spot, but this was the Yellow King—he'd have more tricks than just stealing an angel.

And sure enough, Kira said, "Oh right, with Court of Justice, you can call another big Fairy. If Lyna is destroyed and you get Tethys back, you'll attack me again. Oops, my bad."

"Quick on the uptake," Reggie sneered. "But dirty tricks won't save you. This turn's your last."

"True, letting you through would be trouble. So…"

Kira grinned slyly and snapped his fingers.

"Activate set card: Quick-Play Spell 'Quick Summon.' I can Normal Summon a monster from my hand."

Reggie tensed.

A sudden Normal Summon now?

"I tribute 'Tethys, Goddess of Light' to Tribute Summon—"

Kira raised his hand; Tethys vanished in a white whirlwind. In her place stood a domineering white machine, radiating oppressive force.

"Spell Canceller, summoned!"

[Spell Canceller, ATK 1800]

Reggie's face twisted.

"NANI—?!"

Spell Canceller!?

"Oh, you recognize it." Kira smiled. "While it's on the field, neither player can activate Spell Cards, and all Spell effects are negated.

So your 'Court of Justice'—"

"Gets negated!" Jaden chimed in. "Nice one, Kira!"

Zane said nothing, but wasn't surprised.

See? Just as expected.

The Yellow King would never settle for just stealing an angel.

"Not just Court of Justice," Kaiba remarked. "Reggie's deck heavily relies on Spells. Her other core, 'Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen', also allows Special Summoning any Fairy every turn.

If she can't use those, her usual tactics are crippled."

Mokuba: "That's Kira for you."

His dueling always struck right at the opponent's weak point.

"A dangerous kid."

A cold voice whispered in Reggie's ear.

"Step back. I'll handle him myself."

Reggie's face changed.

"No, wait! I can still fight, please don't—don't come into my body—"

But the force ignored her. Black mist surged into her, and she collapsed, clutching her heart.

But the darkness propped her up again—her eyes now cold and vicious.

"Tragoedia, I presume?" Kira said. "Long time no see."

"Hmm, you can sense me even through this woman? You're dangerous, kid."

Dark energy erupted from Reggie.

"You can't be left alone."

Tragoedia, controlling Reggie, snapped her hand.

"Activate trap: 'Sixth Sense!'"

A sinister voice.

"Declare two numbers from 1 to 6. The opponent rolls a die—if it lands on one of the chosen numbers, draw that many cards. Otherwise, send that many from the top of your deck to the graveyard."

"Of course: I declare 5 and 6."

The die rolled. Reggie's eyes glowed red, dark energy surging.

"Fate is as set as this die—stop!"

It landed on 5.

"Draw five cards!"

Chapter 383: The Planets Descend

With Tragoedia in control, Reggie's presence skyrocketed—five cards drawn instantly!

"Next, the effect of 'Samsara Dragon' discarded by Card Destruction."

Reggie's tone was icy.

"Banish this card from the graveyard to return a Level 5+ Dragon from the graveyard to the hand, then Tribute Summon it."

"Ah, so there are non-Fairy monsters," Kira mused.

Reggie's deck should've been pure Fairies, but as Tragoedia's puppet, it made sense he'd add his own cards.

"Banish 'Samsara Dragon' to add 'Krystal Dragon' from the graveyard to hand!"

"Crystal Dragon has 2600 ATK—if summoned, that's trouble."

"Well, no choice…"

Kira calmly raised his hand, shadows flickering across his face.

"Activate set card: Continuous Trap—'Light-Imprisoning Mirror!'"

Tragoedia: "!"

The crowd was stunned—

—he's not leaving any hope at all!

"While 'Light-Imprisoning Mirror' is on the field, all LIGHT monster effects activated on the field or in the graveyard are negated."

Kira said casually, "I put this in for your Fairies—but Samsara Dragon is also LIGHT, right?"

Tragoedia: "…"

Even the now-suppressed Reggie was shaken.

Seriously!?

Spell Canceller and Light-Imprisoning Mirror together basically shut down her entire deck.

She hated being possessed, but for once, she was almost glad Tragoedia was in control—because if it was just her, she'd have no way out. She couldn't even play.

"Samsara Dragon's effect is activated from the graveyard. Light-Imprisoning Mirror negates any LIGHT effect from the field or graveyard, so Samsara Dragon's effect is negated."

"Tch. You dare challenge me." Tragoedia's voice was cold. "Then see what happens when you anger me.

The effect of 'Angel O1' in my hand: By revealing a Level 7+ monster, I can Special Summon it.

I reveal the Level 8 'Splendid Venus' and Special Summon 'Angel O1'!"

[Angel O1, ATK 200]

A tiny angel appeared, but all eyes were on the card just revealed—

The Planet Series, Venus!

"Brother, another Planet Series!" Mokuba looked at Kaiba.

"Oh? Venus is with this one?" Kaiba said.

Venus was Reggie's ace in the original, but probably given by Tragoedia.

"While 'Angel O1' is on the field, once this turn, I can Tribute Summon a Level 7+ monster in face-up Attack Position."

Tragoedia continued:

"I tribute 'Angel O1' and 'Divine Spirit Parmal'—descend! Planet Series—

—Splendid Venus, summoned!!!"

The golden-armored angel descended, white wings shining, feathers drifting in the holy light.

[Splendid Venus, ATK 2800]

"That's Venus," Koyo said gravely. "A fellow Planet Series to my Terra."

"To call out a Planet Series with that lineup… this girl's strong," Mokuba said.

"No, it's not her dueling anymore," Kaiba replied.

"Huh?" Mokuba was confused.

But Kaiba just frowned at the black mist circling Reggie.

This Duel City's contestants were even more complicated than he'd expected.

"Hahaha! Now that Venus is here, the tables have turned. She's the perfect Planet Series against you!" Tragoedia laughed. "'Splendid Venus's ability—Absolute Sanctuary!'"

Her staff struck the ground; a golden barrier spread out, blocking Spell Canceller's effects.

"While Venus is on the field, none of my Spell/Trap effects can be negated!" (old effect)

In the card game, this effect was later changed to: "The activation and effects of your Spell/Trap cards on the field cannot be negated."

A subtle but important difference.

At first glance, it's minor, but it changes a lot of Venus's combos. After the nerf, many old tricks no longer work.

"The Planet Series Venus… so that's the effect," Zane muttered. "Giving all your Spell/Trap cards 'cannot be negated' protection—she's the nemesis of decks that try to lock you down."

He glanced at Kira.

For you, that's probably the most troublesome monster type, right? So what will you do now?

"…"

"Venus's effect is continuous—it doesn't require activation," Tragoedia said. "'Light-Imprisoning Mirror' only negates activated effects of LIGHT monsters, so Venus is unaffected and her effect persists.

And since Venus was Tribute Summoned with 'Angel O1's effect, I haven't used my normal summon yet."

He revealed another card.

"So, I Normal Summon—'Dark Valkyria'!"

Chapter 384: All Are Traitors

This time, a female fallen angel appeared, clad in pitch-black armor, with dark wings unfurled behind her. Each feather looked like a cloud in the midnight sky—truly the wings of a fallen angel.

[Dark Valkyria, ATK 1800]

Even with the double suppression of Spell Canceller and Light-Imprisoning Mirror, the tide of the duel instantly reversed!

"As expected of a demon god from the same school as the Great Evil God," Kira muttered to himself.

But Tragoedia, upon hearing that, was shaken. He asked in a low voice, "How do you know?"

He and the vessel of the Zorc Necrophades, came from the same village—a village used by the ancient Egyptian royal family as living sacrifices for the birth of the Millennium Items, slaughtered to the last. By now, everyone who knew this secret was long dead. After three thousand years, no one should know his origins.

How did this boy know?

"Well, who knows?" Kira smiled.

Tragoedia: "…"

He'd always felt there was something about this person—a dangerous presence, reminiscent of those priests who once wielded Millennium Items.

Not only that, but he couldn't quite see through this person's dueling. Though only facing him indirectly through a puppet, this was already Tragoedia's second time dueling him, and even now, he still couldn't grasp Kira's true abilities.

In fact, three thousand years ago, only a few priests with Items knew his background. Could this person…

No—he couldn't jump to conclusions based on so little information.

In any case, whoever it was, as long as he could sweep them away in a Dark Duel, that was all that mattered.

"Splendid Venus has another effect. All non-Fairy monsters on the field lose 500 ATK," Tragoedia declared. "This is a continuous effect—no activation required, and Light-Imprisoning Mirror can't negate it."

[Spell Canceller, ATK 1800 → 1300]

[Lyna the Light Charmer, ATK 500 → 0]

"Go, Dark Valkyria! Start with that annoying Light Charmer—crush her!"

The Dark Valkyria's black wings spread wide, and she charged at the Light Charmer! Being unsuited for battle, the Light Charmer's body was instantly cut in two.

"I activate the trap 'Defense Draw'," Kira said. "This battle damage becomes 0, and I draw one card."

A transparent shield blocked the dark onslaught, and Kira drew a card from his deck.

"Next is Splendid Venus's attack," Tragoedia continued. "Attack Spell Canceller!"

Splendid Venus unleashed a cannon of holy light, piercing through like silvery lightning. The magical machine exploded into pieces amid flying sparks.

[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 2500]

Kira shielded himself, stumbling back two steps.

"Hahaha, that's more like it—don't go down so quickly," Tragoedia sneered. "Otherwise, it wouldn't be fun.

Now I play the spell 'One Day of Peace'—both players draw one card, and until the end of next turn, all damage is 0."

Kira said nothing, simply drawing a card as instructed.

"I set a card and end my turn," Tragoedia said.

"My turn. Draw."

Kira waved his hand lightly.

"I set a card. Then play 'Pot of Greed' to draw two cards."

But immediately he played another card from his hand.

"Quick-Play Spell 'Serial Spell'—discard my entire hand and copy Pot of Greed's effect to draw two more cards."

Kira drew four cards in one go.

"Refilling your hand so quickly," Tragoedia said coldly. "But with One Day of Peace's effect, you can't deal any damage this turn—it's pointless."

"Pointless? I wouldn't say that."

Kira smiled.

"When Serial Spell is activated, I discarded 'Learning Elf'. When this card is sent to the graveyard, I draw another card."

Kira calmly drew again and revealed another card in his hand.

"'The Tricky' in my hand can be Special Summoned by discarding a card. I discard one and Special Summon Trickster."

[The Tricky, ATK 2000]

"A high-level monster that can Special Summon itself," Tragoedia noted. "But he's also affected by Venus's ATK reduction."

[The Tricky, ATK 2000 → 1500]

"I tribute The Tricky to Tribute Summon," Kira declared. "Ruler of the skies, embodiment of the storm—descend now!

—Raiza the Storm Monarch, Summon!"

[Raiza the Storm Monarch, ATK 2400 → 1900]

"A Monarch this time," Tragoedia frowned.

"When Raiza is successfully summoned, I return any card on the field to the top of its owner's deck," Kira said. "'Splendid Venus' returns to the top of your deck."

A green whirlwind enveloped Venus. The giant angel, unable to resist, was swept away by the Monarch's storm and returned to Reggie's deck.

"Monarch, I'll remember you," Tragoedia said coldly. "Next turn, I'll deal with you first."

"Is that so? But next turn, your real headache won't be the Monarch."

Kira smiled. At that moment, a ghostly shadow appeared above his head, exuding a chilling aura.

"Makyura the Destructor?" Tragoedia was puzzled.

"Correct. The card I discarded was Makyura the Destructor, so I can activate Traps from my hand this turn," Kira said. "I activate the Trap—Conscription!

Reveal the top card of your opponent's deck. If it's a monster that can be Normal Summoned, Special Summon it to my field!"

Tragoedia froze.

The top card of his deck—wait…

The top card flew from Reggie's deck, and a golden-armored, white-winged angel apparition appeared in midair.

"Well, what luck—another Planet Series card. Not bad at all," Kira grinned. "But as they say—a true duelist even makes their own luck.

Sorry, but I'll gladly accept this."

The card flew from Reggie's deck to Kira's hand.

"Come, Planet Series—Splendid Venus, descend!"

[Splendid Venus, ATK 2800]

"Ohh, Kira stole the opponent's Venus!" Jaden was the first to shout. "Nice one, Kira!"

"Yes! Using Monarch to bounce Venus, then Conscription to grab it!" Mokuba was delighted. "Such an interesting tactic!"

Interesting, my foot.

Tragoedia's face was dark—well, his face was always dark.

"Very good, very good—you even took my Venus. You're the first to dare cross my line this much," Tragoedia intoned.

"Haha, you flatter me," Kira replied humbly.

Tragoedia: "…"

The brat even thinks that's a compliment?

"Splendid Venus, attack Dark Valkyria," Kira ordered.

Holy light gathered on Venus's staff, unleashing a beam that pierced through space itself!

"To defy me to this extent—prepare to face divine wrath.

I activate the Trap—

—Mirror Force!"

Chapter 385: The Substitute Ran Away

The transparent sacred shield burst forth with blinding light from the Trap card, rebounding toward Venus like a tidal wave.

"When the opponent declares an attack, destroy all Attack Position monsters on their field!" Tragoedia shouted. "If I can't use Venus, I'll destroy her!

Bury Splendid Venus!"

"Muda."

Kira snapped his fingers.

In the next instant, Mirror Force's shield shattered with a crisp crack.

"NANI?!"

Tragoedia was stunned.

"Why? How could Mirror Force…?!"

He then saw a card on Kira's field—one that had somehow appeared in the back row.

Continuous Trap—Royal Decree.

While Royal Decree is on the field, the effects of all Traps except this card are negated.

"Chaining to Mirror Force, I activate Royal Decree from my hand—Trap effects are negated," Kira said. "So the attack continues.

Splendid Venus, destroy Dark Valkyria!"

Dark Valkyria couldn't withstand Venus's blow; the blast from her staff was like a force piercing deep into the soul. The Dark Valkyria's wings shattered instantly, and her form was soon swallowed by the holy light.

"With One Day of Peace's effect, no damage is dealt—so I end my turn."

"Tch, even my Traps are sealed now," Tragoedia gritted his teeth.

Not only had the tables turned, but his deck's ace, Venus, had been stolen.

The Planet Series meant a lot to Tragoedia. The reason he controlled Reggie to participate was because he'd learned the Terra card was in Koyo's hands and wanted to steal it.

But at this rate, Venus would be stolen before he could get Terra.

But it wasn't over yet.

"My turn. Draw!" Tragoedia said. "I activate the Spell 'Magic Planter'—send a Continuous Spell on my field to the Graveyard to draw two cards!" (Anime effect)

He pointed to his back row.

"I send the Continuous Spell 'Court of Justice' to the Graveyard—draw two cards!"

"Sorry, no can do." Kira calmly waved his hand. "I activate my set card—Continuous Trap, Imperial Order.

As long as this card remains in the Spell/Trap Zone, all Spell Card effects are negated!"

Tragoedia: "!"

After sealing Traps, now Spell too!?

Wait, that's not right…

"Wait, Royal Decree and Imperial Order can't be used together," Tragoedia protested. "While Royal Decree is on the field, all other Traps are negated, including your own. So Imperial Order would also be negated."

Royal Decree and Imperial Order, both Royal lockdown cards—one for spells, one for traps—seem like a natural combo for a total lockdown. But in practice, the Royal series are Traps, so all would be negated by Decree.

So in theory, this perfect dual lockdown shouldn't be possible.

However…

"Huh, did you forget your own ace's effect?"

Kira smiled, pointing at the now-turned Big Angel on his field.

Splendid Venus.

[Effect: As long as this card is on the field, the activation and effects of your Spell/Trap cards cannot be negated.]

Tragoedia was stunned.

Then Reggie's mouth, under his control, slowly opened, face contorting—

This… this…

With Venus on the field, Kira's Spell/Trap cards couldn't be negated. In other words, Royal Decree and Imperial Order, both lockdowns, worked one-way.

Only the opponent couldn't use spells or traps—Kira could use them freely.

So naturally, Imperial Order wasn't negated by Royal Decree. Both cards took effect—a theoretically impossible complete lockdown, realized in Venus's absolute magic domain.

That's not all. Because Venus was present, "Light-Imprisoning Mirror," which should have been negated by Royal Decree, was also protected. Thus, all LIGHT monster effects from the field or graveyard were negated.

And Tragoedia was controlling Reggie, whose deck was almost entirely LIGHT monsters.

No Spells, no Traps, no monster effects…

And your ace from your own deck is now turned against you.

What kind of hell is this!?

Even Reggie was shocked.

She'd held Venus for so long, defeating countless opponents with it, but had never seen a situation like this.

Could it be… this is the real way to use Splendid Venus!?

Turning all top lockdowns into one-way locks, trapping your opponent in utter despair?

Reggie gasped, inwardly thinking "good grief" several times.

Suddenly, she felt relieved it was Tragoedia dueling now. As much as she hated that dark Shrimp, she had to admit this monster's strength was bottomless.

If she herself faced this, she'd have already given up.

Now, let's see if Tragoedia has any tricks to escape this predicament…

Huh?

Reggie realized something was off.

She tried moving her arms, rotating her neck.

To her surprise, she found she'd regained control of her body.

And the cold, dark aura that had surrounded her since the duel began had vanished.

"…Hey, are you there?"

She tried contacting the spirit behind her.

"Say something."

"Where are you?"

At that moment, Reggie realized—

—Her substitute had run away.

Tragoedia: What the hell—how am I supposed to play like this?

No spell, no traps, no monster effects, can't play a single card—how about you try and break this board, huh?

I'm out. Really out. Player is gone—don't @ me.

Reggie was left reeling.

Wait—

You show off so much and then, when you can't win, just bail, leaving me to take the hit!?

Then Kira spoke again.

"If you're not going to do anything, then it's my turn again."

Kira smiled.

"My turn. Draw," Kira said. "During my Standby Phase, I need to pay 700 LP to keep Imperial Order on the field."

[Kira, LP 2500 → LP 1800]

"Wait!"

Reggie panicked.

"I was forced! I was hijacked—"

"I know," Kira nodded.

"Huh?" Reggie was stunned.

Kira knew she was a victim. But it didn't matter.

Even if she was forced, she had shown killing intent. To survive, she'd do anything, even use underhanded tricks. In the original story, she'd defeated Midori Hibiki by threatening her with her comatose brother's information.

She wanted to kill him, so Kira wouldn't just sit there. In a Shadow Duel, there can only be one winner. Anyone in the way is an enemy—defeat them, simple as that.

Kira: "Battle Phase."

"No, wait—" Reggie stammered. "It's a misunderstanding…"

"Splendid Venus, Raiza—direct attack," Kira said without hesitation.

"Uwaaahhhh!!!"

[Reggie, LP 4000 → LP 0]

Chapter 386: The Duel Left Them Dazed

The first of the quarterfinals ended, with Kira smoothly advancing.

Others weren't surprised at the result—just the process, especially those unfamiliar with Kira.

The Planet Series cards are unique, super-rare. For many, this was their first time seeing "Splendid Venus" in person.

So naturally, it was also the first time they discovered Venus's "your Spells/Traps can't be negated" effect could be used like this—

Indeed, with Venus present, all field-wide lockdowns become one-way. Once formed, your opponent basically can't play at all.

And during this duel, Venus truly showed her dominance as the core of the Planet Series, completely suppressing the opponent.

But the weird part was, Venus was supposed to be the opponent's ace, yet Kira turned her into the heart of his ultimate lockdown strategy.

Lockdown decks aren't unheard of, and stall decks are niche but exist.

But using the opponent's ace as the core? That's new.

The duel ended with the opponent left dazed, as Kira collected the "Splendid Venus" card and pocketed it.

Even the Arbiter, embodiment of Orichalcos, who'd lived for ages, had never seen something like this.

Most people didn't notice, but Kaiba and some others, with their supernatural experience, saw the mid-duel switch.

But that's not strange. Spirit possession in dueling is old news—even Yugi was once possessed by another soul.

But having the spirit rage-quit halfway? That's new.

To outsiders, it seemed that after Venus was taken and the lockdown formed, Tragoedia broke down and simply disconnected.

"That guy's called Tragoedia, right?"

Loren, one of Doma's Three Swordsmen, couldn't help but say.

"I remember he isn't an ordinary monster, right?"

"Mm," the Arbiter replied offhand.

Loren didn't speak further.

Tragoedia is a boss-tier monster—at least on par with Doma's Three Swordsmen, maybe even higher.

Even as a substitute, for such a being to rage-quit…

"Keep an eye on that kid," the Arbiter said suddenly, glancing at Kira as he left the stage.

"Mm," Loren nodded, eyeing Kira with a strange look.

At first, hearing that the "Sealing Device" fell into a student's hands, he thought it was just luck.

But now, that idea was fading.

Maybe it wasn't coincidence the artifact ended up with him. He seemed harmless, but who knew what he really was.

If he had to duel that guy, he'd be on full alert.

Zane watched the duel in silence.

He recalled his own match with Kira in the qualifiers—the feeling that no matter how hard he attacked, it was like his Cyber Dragons vanished into the void.

Since then, Zane had fallen into a bit of confusion.

For the first time, he began to doubt his path, considering other possibilities. The first thing that came to mind was Kira, whose dueling had deeply impressed him and, as far as he knew, was undefeated.

Kira's duels were the opposite of his. In this last match, he felt no respect for the opponent at all.

But—did he win or not?

And watching Kira high-five Jaden after jumping offstage, he seemed genuinely happy.

Zane pondered.

In the end, is winning more important than anything else?

At that moment, a KaibaCorp medical team was already on stage, surrounding the unconscious Reggie.

Such a tournament, of course, had world-class medical teams on standby, with standards higher than any sports event.

After all, dueling is the world's most dangerous sport, isn't it common sense?

Look, first match and someone's already unconscious.

The doctors quickly carried Reggie off on a stretcher, taking her to the infirmary.

"Well, there's been a small incident. Please wait for further instructions from the organizers," Roland briefly announced, following the medical team.

A doctor quietly asked, "Are you really going to continue the tournament?"

"Of course," Roland replied calmly.

"But… a player just fell unconscious…"

"What's the problem?"

"You may not realize how serious this is. This girl might never walk again… might never wake up."

"I know," Roland nodded.

Doctor: "?"

How can you accept this so calmly?

"Don't worry, all competitors signed waivers," Roland said.

Doctor: "That's not the point—"

"You should've seen the first tournament."

Roland clapped his shoulder, speaking as a veteran.

He'd been a judge at the very first event too.

Compared to that, this was nothing.

In the first tournament, Yugi's Slifer sent Bakura to the ICU with a single attack. After that, in the gravekeeper's duel with Joey, fake cards summoned Winged Dragon of Ra only to be punished with divine retribution, ending up a vegetable.

Then Marik, somehow, ended up with hair like an explosion and a more spooky face, knocking Mai and Joey into the infirmary one after another.

Back then, divine phenomena and punishments descended every other match—almost every duel sent someone to the hospital. But the show went on.

Yet this doctor, apparently a newcomer, found it all incomprehensible.

So he went to Kaiba next.

"President, are you sure about continuing the tournament?"

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"But a player just fell unconscious—"

"What's wrong with that?"

Doctor: "?"

Chapter 387: The Path of Duel

Although the first duel knocked someone out, President Kaiba's insistence meant the tournament wasn't much affected. After a brief pause, the second match of the quarterfinals soon began.

This time, it was an in-house Duel Academy match—Jaden happened to be matched against Zane.

"Come to think of it, this year's Duel City has three Duel Academy students in the top eight," Mokuba couldn't help but say. "There are plenty of pro duelists competing too. Are today's students really that overpowered?"

"Or maybe the current pro duelists just aren't that great?" Kira remarked.

Mokuba: "..."

Kira wasn't just talking nonsense. In GX, the pros never looked that impressive in the anime. Even so, Kira wasn't one to underestimate the pro scene here without seeing it for himself.

But after some personal experience, he realized his old stereotype actually had merit.

The pros really weren't all that.

After all, in the world of Yu-Gi-Oh, the real powerhouses don't bother with the pro circuit!

Zane wasn't in his best form right now.

Doubting your own path is fatal for a duelist. Uncertainty directly affects your performance in a duel. That's why, in the original story, after losing to Aster, Zane couldn't even beat random nobodies.

Though he wasn't as devastated as he was back then, his mindset had definitely taken a hit.

But right now, on the dueling stage, all he could do was force himself to set aside his doubts and devote himself fully to the duel at hand.

"Come on, Zane, round two!" Jaden called out confidently. "I'm not the same as before!"

Zane seemed lost in thought but snapped back to attention, shaking his head and forcing himself into focus. The duel disk unfolded.

But the duel itself didn't go smoothly for either side.

Both struggled.

". . ."

"The effect of the spell card 'Different Dimension Capsule' activates after two turns," Zane stated. "So in my Standby Phase two turns later, I add the card sealed in 'Different Dimension Capsule!"

"Ooh, here it comes," Jaden rubbed his nose. "But I can't let you have it that easy."

"Activate set card—trap card 'Mind Crush'! I declare 'Power Bond'—if you have that card in your hand, you must discard it immediately!"

"NANI!?"

Zane was shocked.

"You actually knew the card I was getting was Power Bond!?"

Even Kira watching outside couldn't help but laugh.

It was just like when Kaiba was shocked that Yugi knew he was about to summon Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

Zane had been using the same playstyle for three years at Duel Academy—he always searched for his soul card "Power Bond" with Different Dimension Capsule. Even someone as dense as Jaden had memorized it by now.

Zane scowled at Jaden.

His eyes seemed to say, "You've changed; you didn't duel like this before..."

But of course, this kind of interference wasn't enough to stop Zane.

The duel heated up, with Jaden's endless Fusion Heroes and Zane's relentless Cyber Dragons clashing back and forth in a wild, dizzying battle.

"Duel Academy is insanely strong this year..." Mokuba couldn't help but comment again.

"Hmph, it's alright," Kaiba replied.

His gaze paused on Zane for a moment.

He could see a bit of his own younger self in this kid: the same aggressive style, the pursuit of ultimate power. Once, Kaiba too believed power was everything—in life and especially in dueling.

But that was long ago. Now, he'd moved past that phase, aiming for higher realms.

"Zane Truesdale, huh. Interesting," Kaiba murmured.

"Will you remain lost, or will you evolve and join the ranks of true duelists?"

But evolution probably wasn't coming today.

After a fierce exchange, the final turn arrived.

"Elemental HERO Plasma Vice's effect!" Jaden declared. "Discard a card to destroy one of your opponent's Attack Position monsters.

I discard a card—destroy Cyber End Dragon!"

Plasma Vice's arm crackled with electricity and speared toward Ryo's lone Cyber End Dragon!

"Quick-Play Spell—Forbidden Dress!" Zane shouted. "Cyber End Dragon loses 600 ATK and can't be targeted or destroyed by card effects until the end of the turn!"

[Cyber End Dragon: 4000 → 3400 ATK]

An almost invincible barrier surrounded Cyber End Dragon, sacrificing 600 ATK for powerful defense. Plasma Vice's attack was repelled, its effect nullified.

"Now Cyber End Dragon is immune to most effects this turn," Zane declared. "If you want to destroy it, you'll have to do it in battle, Jaden!"

But Zane was ready for that, too.

Face-down on his field was the key card from his graduation duel with Jaden: Quick-Play Spell "Battle Fusion," which raises his monster's ATK by the opposing monster's ATK during battle.

In other words, no matter how high Jaden stacked his Hero's ATK, Cyber End Dragon would surpass it—and this would decide the duel!

"So strong, Zane. You even prepared this level of defense..." Jaden said. "But if there's one thing I've learned this semester, it's that there's no such thing as an unbeatable monster!

Watch closely, Zane—this is my evolution after six months!"

"Come at me, Jaden!" Zane yelled. "Bring it on with everything you've got!"

"Alright! First, activate Spell Card 'Fusion Recovery' to return 'Polymerization' and 'Elemental Hero Wildheart' from my Graveyard to my hand.

Then, activate 'Polymerization'—fusing 'Elemental Hero Necroshade' and 'Wildheart' in my hand! Fusion Summon—Elemental HERO Necroid Shaman!"

[Elemental HERO Necroid Shaman: 1900 ATK]

"Necroid Shaman?" Zane was caught off guard.

This wasn't Jaden's usual OTK high-ATK Hero play.

"Necroid Shaman's effect," Jaden grinned. "Tribute an opponent's monster to Special Summon a monster from their Graveyard. (Original effect)

I tribute Cyber End Dragon to Special Summon your Cyber Dragon from your Graveyard!"

"NANI!?"

Zane was stunned.

Wait, you're stealing my move!?

He instantly remembered when his Cyber Dragon was sacked by Kira's Chimeratech Fortress Dragon not long ago—history repeating itself.

"Cyber End Dragon can't be targeted or destroyed by effects, but tributing is a cost for Necroid Shaman's effect—not targeting or destroying."

Jaden smiled.

"Now, Elemental Hero Plasma Vice and Necroid Shaman—attack Zane together!"

". . ."

[Zane Truesdale, LP 0]

The result was decided. Zane staggered backward, collapsing to the ground, momentarily in a daze.

He looked up at the sky.

Was his dueling path really wrong?

Chapter 388: The Avenger

"I won! That was a fun duel!"

Jaden struck a pose.

Zane: "..."

"...As much as I'd like to say that, I'm sure you don't feel the same way," Jaden admitted.

So, you noticed.

Zane took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, and stood up, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Well played. You've improved a lot these past six months. Right now, you're stronger, Jaden Yuki."

"I wouldn't say that," Jadeb scratched his head. "Honestly, I could kind of feel it—you weren't at your best, were you, Zane?"

Zane frowned. "If you think I was going easy, you're wrong. That would be disrespectful. No matter the opponent or situation, as a duelist, I would never allow myself to do that."

"No, no, that's not what I mean," Jaden waved his hands. "It's more like, while you were dueling me, your real opponent seemed to be someone else in your mind..."

Zane pondered.

Was his mind really elsewhere?

"Your dueling feels different now, like you couldn't fully focus or show your best. It's a shame... But you're still strong, Zane. You'll bounce back soon—no, you'll be even stronger than before."

Jaden grinned and held out his hand.

"When that happens, let's duel again."

Zane was silent for a few seconds, then took Jaden's hand.

"...Alright."

The match ended. It was rare for a quarterfinal duel to end without anyone getting seriously hurt. The medics waiting outside dashed to the field as soon as Zane's life points hit zero, ready to carry him off on a stretcher, but he refused.

The medics were surprised. "Hey, no casualties this time?"

Zane, on the other hand, thought he might need a therapist instead...

The third match started quickly—it was finally time for the legendary duelist Seto Kaiba to take the stage. Everyone was excited; after so many years, most had never seen Kaiba duel in person and were eager to know what his dueling looked like now.

The random draw was perfect—the next match was a grudge match.

His opponent was none other than the last of the New Doma Three Swordsmen, Loren, who seemed to hate him to the core.

The two stood on stage.

"Finally. Do you know how long I've waited for this moment, Seto Kaiba?" Loren said coldly.

"I don't know, nor do I care," Kaiba replied flatly. "But since you're here, duel like a real duelist. Hmph. Or are you scared? You can still back out."

"You!"

Loren's anger only grew at Kaiba's arrogance.

"Fine. Let's let the duel do the talking."

They each activated their duel disks.

"Duel!" x2

"I'll go first. Draw!"

Loren wasted no time, raising a card.

"Field Spell—Seal of Orichalcos!"

A hexagram appeared, and a blaze of green light shot up, enveloping both duelists and sealing them off from the outside world.

The Arbiter outside smiled at the scene, even licking his lips.

"No need to explain Seal of Orichalcos; effect," Loren said coldly.

"Of course," Kaiba sneered. "You're just digging your own grave."

"No, this is the embodiment of my revenge, the flames that will burn your arrogant soul to ashes!" Loren replied. "Activate Spell Card 'Graceful Charity'—draw three cards, discard two."

Loren discarded two cards, then summoned a monster.

"Set in Defense—Babycerasaurus!"

[Babycerasaurus: DEF 200]

"Hm?" Kira muttered.

"What's up? Is something wrong with that monster?" Jaden asked.

"No, it's nothing," Kira shook his head.

Babycerasaurus—now that was a card from GX.

Its effect: when destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon any Level 4 or lower Dinosaur from your Deck.

Who would've thought this overlooked old card would someday become a top-tier one-limiter?

"Then I'll set my remaining cards—"

Loren set his remaining four cards at once.

"Four set cards?"

Jaden was surprised.

That's just like Kira!

"This duel is the entire meaning of my existence now," Loren stared at Kaiba. "If it weren't for you all, I'd probably just be an ordinary person, with an ordinary, warm family..."

"My turn, draw," Kaiba interrupted mercilessly.

"You don't even care who I am or why I want revenge?" Loren demanded.

"Heh. Why would I bother learning every stray dog's backstory?"

"You—" Loren almost fainted from rage.

He was about to launch into a dramatic monologue, but Kaiba shot him down in a single sentence.

Kaiba didn't care at all.

"Fine! Have it your way, we'll settle this with a duel!" Loren snapped. "Activate trap 'Paleozoic Marrella'! Send a trap from my deck to the Graveyard!"

"Paleozoic?" Kaiba frowned.

Another archetype even he hadn't heard of.

But Kaiba knew the new Doma had their own custom printing methods, and their influence spanned many dimensions. It made sense they'd have cards unknown in this world.

"I send this trap from my deck," Loren revealed it.

"'Survival's End'—to the Graveyard."

Another card Kaiba didn't recognize.

As one of the world's top card printers, Kaiba was confident he knew every card in existence—even if he didn't own them. So he was sure which ones shouldn't exist in the current world.

"Interesting," Kaiba smiled.

An opponent like this was worth his time.

"Then, from my hand, the effect of 'Dictator of D..' By sending a 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' from my deck to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon it."

Kaiba sent Blue-Eyes from his deck to the Graveyard.

"Special Summon—Dictator of D.!"

[Dictator of D.: ATK 1200]

Loren recognized the card: "Kaiba's evolved 'Dragon Ruler' series. This guy has some nasty follow-up effects..."

Dictator of D. can discard a Blue-Eyes or any card with Blue-Eyes White Dragon in its name to revive a Blue-Eyes monster from the Graveyard.

Loren: "Then I'll take care of your troublesome monster right away.

Activate the trap 'Survival's End' from the Graveyard!"

Mokuba was shocked: "A trap from the Graveyard!?"

"'Survival's End' banishes itself from the Graveyard to destroy one Dinosaur you control and one card your opponent controls."

Loren declared.

"I'll destroy my Babycerasaurus and your Dictator of D.! Let's go down together, Seto Kaiba!"

Chapter 389: The Crushing Blow

"The effect of 'Survival's End' in the Graveyard!" Loren shouted. "Dictator of D. and Babycerasaurus are destroyed!"

The trap card spun out of the Graveyard, and both monsters on the field were crushed and vanished into golden light.

"Then, Babycerasaurus's effect activates—when destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Dinosaur from my deck."

Loren searched his deck and picked a card.

"I Special Summon a second Babycerasaurus from my deck!"

[Babycerasaurus: DEF 500]

"Another one?" Mokuba wondered.

"Then activate set card, trap 'Paleozoic Leanchoilia!'" Loren continued. "Return one banished card to the Graveyard—so I return 'Survival's End.'"

He revealed the trap again.

"'Survival's End' returns to the Graveyard!"

"What an amazing combo," Koyo quickly realized the power of this setup.

Searching Survival's End to the Graveyard, then using it from the Graveyard to blow up Kaiba's monsters, then reviving Babycerasaurus to search another Dinosaur, and returning Survival's End to the Graveyard for another use.

If the second Babycerasaurus is destroyed, that's another search...

"Interruption and resource gain in one," Midori commented. "This duelist is really strong."

Loren pressed on: "Not done yet. When 'Paleozoic Leanchoilia' is activated, the second effect of 'Paleozoic Marrella' in the Graveyard triggers—it can Special Summon itself as a Normal Monster when you activate a trap."

Loren revived Marrella in defense from the Graveyard.

A twisted, trilobite-like creature emerged, its shell covered in spiny tendrils like tangled deep-sea vines.

[Paleozoic Marrella: DEF 0]

"Traps used as monsters—trap monsters," Kaiba mused.

Even though it was his first time seeing this series, he quickly deduced the main theme of the Paleozoics.

"That's right—this is the power given to me by the gods after my rebirth, the power to take revenge on you," Loren declared. "My time stopped ten years ago, the moment you destroyed everything I had..."

"Activate 'Graceful Charity,'" Kaiba interrupted, drawing three cards and discarding two.

Kaiba only cared about cards, not about some stranger's tragic backstory.

Loren's attempt at a flashback was cut short again, leaving him even more frustrated.

"Next, Spell Card 'Trade-In'—discard a Level 8 monster to draw two cards," Kaiba said. "I discard 'Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon' and draw two."

Kaiba discarded and drew.

"Now, let the whip of total defeat strike! Ritual Spell 'Chaos Form'—activate!"

A vision of chaos, like a bottomless abyss, opened up behind him.

"'Chaos Form' can Ritual Summon a 'Chaos' monster from your hand without tribute if 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' is in your Graveyard," (original effect).

This was the effect Kaiba first used in the movie; the printed card later required banishing Blue-Eyes from the Graveyard as tribute.

Loren muttered, "You have the Blue-Eyes sent to the Graveyard by Dictator of D.'s summon..."

Kaiba: "Descend in a form of chaos, shatter all trivial barriers! Appear—

—Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon!"

Clad in armor, Blue-Eyes emerged in a storm of lightning from the abyss, dominating the field.

[Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon: ATK 4000]

"Another new Blue-Eyes..." Loren frowned.

Even if he'd never seen it before, he could sense its power—this was no ordinary monster. He had to assume its effect was just as strong.

But—

"But you forgot—I still have this card in my Graveyard!" Loren shouted. "Activate 'Survival's End' from the Graveyard! Banish it to destroy my Babycerasaurus and your Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon!"

But nothing happened.

It was as if the duel disk ignored his command.

"NANI?" Loren was stunned. "Why!?"

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Kaiba threw back his head and laughed.

"Let me tell you, foolish wretch, your petty tricks are helpless before absolute power.

'Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon' cannot be targeted or destroyed by card effects!"

Loren: "!"

His intuition was correct—this dragon was just as powerful in the duel as it looked. Such a strong immunity!

Kaiba only had Chaos MAX Dragon on the field, and since it can't be targeted, Survival's End had no valid targets and couldn't activate.

"Trash should be crushed along with their grudges," Kaiba declared.

"Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon, attack Paleozoic Marrella!"

A vortex of energy gathered in Blue-Eyes' mouth, ready to unleash a blast that would tear through everything.

"Chaos MAX Dragon's effect—when attacking a Defense Position monster, inflict double piercing damage!"

"Double!?" Loren's heart skipped a beat.

The crowd was stunned.

[Paleozoic Marrella: DEF 0]

[Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon: ATK 4000]

This attack would deal 8000 double-damage—enough to annihilate even the ashes.

Opening with a move like this...

This is Seto Kaiba's duel!?

Chapter 390: The Obsession of Revenge

A white beam from the Chaos MAX Dragon's destruction, so bright even heaven and earth seemed to lose their color.

As the one facing that destructive light directly, everything in Loren's field of vision was swallowed by the radiance; his gaze grew hazy.

In that fleeting moment, everything vanished from his sight, even sound was drowned out by the roar. Within that pure white curtain, as if empowered by the might of a White Dragon God, he felt like he had traveled back in time.

"…"

"Going again?"

It was his mother from memory, in their old home, with a hint of complaint in her voice as she asked his father.

"Yeah, I'm so close to the truth. Just a little more," his father replied. "I can't give up now."

Mother: "But in a couple of days, it's the kid's birthday. Last time you promised him—"

She stopped, both realizing their son was peeking through the bedroom door.

The man smiled dotingly and opened his arms toward the door: "Come here."

The boy hesitantly pushed open the door and ran into his father's arms. The man picked him up and kissed his forehead.

"Dad, why do you have to go?" the boy asked, head down.

The man smiled and gently tapped his nose.

"Because there are things in this world that someone has to do."

"Because justice doesn't uphold itself."

"…"

The scene faded, as if shattered by a White Dragon's attack, pulling him back to reality.

Just an illusion.

Yes, the past is already gone. How could anyone really travel back in time?

Boom!

The white light obliterated the trap monster, surging like a tide across the field, leaving only thick black smoke.

"…"

[Loren, LP 4000]

"Hmph," Kaiba chuckled with arms crossed. "Not down so easily?"

"Trap card 'Defense Draw'. One instance of battle damage becomes 0, then I draw a card," Loren said coolly. "But 'Paleozoic Marrella' is Special Summoned from the graveyard by its effect, and when it leaves the field, it's banished."

"Heh, weaklings, but it'd be boring if you fell so easily.

I set a card face-down."

Kaiba played another card.

"Quick-Play Spell 'Super Rejuvenation'. At the end of this turn, draw cards equal to the number of Dragon monsters discarded or tributed this turn.

'Graceful Charity' discarded two, 'Trade-In' discarded one. So I draw three cards.

Turn end."

Kaiba replenished his hand.

"My turn, draw."

Loren said darkly.

"Activate 'Pot of Greed', draw two cards."

He drew and immediately played one.

"I tribute 'Babycerasaurus' to Tribute Summon! Level 8—

—Super-Ancient Dinobeast, summon!"

[Super-Ancient Dinobeast, ATK 2700]

"Huh?" Koyo blurted out, "A Level 8 monster with just one tribute?"

"Super-Ancient Dinobeast is Level 8, but if you tribute a Dinosaur, you only need one tribute."

Loren then activated his backrow.

"Activate face-down, Continuous Trap 'Limit Reverse', revive a monster with 1000 or less ATK from the grave in attack position.

I Special Summon—"

He picked out a card from his graveyard.

"Revive Babycerasaurus."

[Babycerasaurus, ATK 500]

"Also, Super-Ancient Dinobeast's effect," Loren said. "If a Dinosaur is Special Summoned from my grave while Dinobeast is on the field, I draw a card."

He drew.

"Next, Equip Spell 'Premature Burial'. Pay 800 LP to Special Summon a monster from my graveyard."

[Loren, LP 4000→3200]

"I Special Summon the 'Dark Driceratops' I discarded last turn!"

[Dark Driceratops, ATK 2400]

"Again, a Dinosaur was Special Summoned from grave, so I draw another card thanks to Super-Ancient Dinobeast."

He drew and immediately played:

"Spell card 'Giant Trunade'! All Spell and Trap cards on the field return to their owners' hands!"

A tropical cyclone swept the field; Kaiba's backrow and Loren's own S/Ts were blown back to hands.

"I see," Midori adjusted her glasses. "'Premature Burial' destroys the equipped monster if destroyed, but if it's returned to hand, the monster stays and you can reuse the equip spell."

Midori added, "Not just that, it clears the opponent's backrow, making way for attack."

"A dangerous opponent," Koyo agreed.

Kaiba looked at his returned cards, then silently added them to his hand, expressionless.

"Of course, 'Seal of Orichalcos' can't leave the field by any means, so it's unaffected," Loren said. "But when 'Limit Reverse' leaves the field, the monster revived by it is destroyed.

So, Babycerasaurus is destroyed!"

Babycerasaurus exploded on Loren's field.

"And that triggers Babycerasaurus's effect," Kaiba said.

"Right. When Babycerasaurus is destroyed, I Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Dinosaur from my deck," Loren said. "I Special Summon another Babycerasaurus."

[Babycerasaurus, ATK 500]

"I activate 'Premature Burial' again to revive another Dinosaur!"

He only had Babycerasaurus in the grave.

"Pay 800 LP, revive another Babycerasaurus!"

[Loren, LP 3200→2400]

[Babycerasaurus, ATK 500]

"Super-Ancient Dinobeast's effect, I Special Summon a Dino from grave, so I draw another card."

Loren kept drawing.

Kaiba commented, "Your board looks impressive, but trash is trash, no matter how much you pile up."

"Don't rush, Kaiba," Loren said coldly. "The power of my rage is far from exhausted.

Because 'Seal of Orichalcos' is on the field, all my monsters gain 500 ATK."

[Super-Ancient Dinobeast, ATK 2700→3200]

[Babycerasaurus, ATK 500→1000] x2

[Dark Driceratops, ATK 2400→2900]

Mokuba: "Even so, it's still nowhere near Chaos MAX Dragon!"

"What about this?" Loren's eyes flashed.

"Activate 'Brave Attack'! This turn, only one monster I control can attack, but it gains the combined ATK of all my attack position monsters!" (Anime card.)

Atem used this card in the show, more than once.

"I give Super-Ancient Dinobeast the combined ATK of all my attacking monsters!" Loren declared. "So Super-Ancient Dinobeast's ATK becomes—"

[Super-Ancient Dinobeast, ATK 3200→8100]

Mokuba panicked: "Eight thousand one hundred ATK!?"