Yugioh [873-875] (Patreon)

Chapter 873: God-Tier Behemoth

"Abyss Soldier, bounce 'Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes' back to the hand again!"

The trident in Abyss Soldier's hand spun as currents surged forth like a high-pressure water jet, lancing toward the Snake King!

Viper's eyes sharpened.

As expected!

"This time I won't let you succeed!" Viper roared. "Activate the set card, the Trap Card 'Offering to the Snake Deity'!"

His facedown flipped up. Flames erupted beneath the Snake King, as if the entire creature had burst into flames!

"Offering to the Snake Deity destroys one Reptile on your field and two cards on the opponent's field!" Viper barked. "Destroy your 'Abyss Soldier' and the Continuous Trap 'Gravity Bind'!"

A powerful Reptile-only trap. The Snake King let out a piercing scream as it burned. Its body seemed to turn into a fireball, split in two, and exploded.

Abyss Soldier and the backrow trap were both struck, turning into fireballs and crumbling to ash in the blaze.

"Heh, a clean solution to that annoying formation," Adrian nodded. "This Viper isn't bad."

He paused, then added:

"But he sacrificed his ace, the Snake King, and now his field is empty. Hard to say he came out ahead."

For Viper, though, this was only the beginning.

"Hehehehe…"

The professor let out a few sinister chuckles.

Then he slowly raised his head.

"It's over."

Adrian: "?"

"This duel ended the moment Offering to the Snake Deity resolved and Vennominon went down. Why? Because at that instant, the preparations for the strongest, most terrifying monster's birth were complete!"

Viper's pupils shrank. His eyes flew wide open as he raised his arm high and let out a thunderous roar.

"Activate! The Trap Card 'Rise of the Sacred Deity'!!"

His last backrow flipped up, and an endless darkness seemed to erupt from it! The Snake King that should have left the field reappeared like a ghost, then was consumed by the darkness, as if something in the abyss was chewing it, digesting it, evolving it into a new form.

"Rise of the Sacred Deity can only be activated when 'Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes' on my field is destroyed! Special Summon from hand or Deck its evolution, the final and strongest: the Snake Deity!"

Viper shouted with manic fervor.

At first glance, this card looks the same in the anime and in the TCG/OCG, but if you read carefully, there's a big difference.

In the anime it's "when Vennominon is destroyed," but the real card was changed to "when Vennominon is destroyed by a card effect, not by battle."

In other words, to summon the Snake Deity in the real game, you not only have to summon Vennominon first, you also have to draw this unsearchable Trap, and you must ensure Vennominon is destroyed by a card effect. So even though it has the anime aura and is stylish as hell, in terms of pure consistency you might as well go collect all five pieces of the old Exodia—much simpler and more straightforward…

"The terminus of all venom, the ultimate deity of the end times, who will annihilate all with despair and a curse! Descend—

—Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes!!!"

This was his true ace, his ultimate trump card. Since the day he started dueling—no, since the day this monster descended into the world—it had never suffered a single defeat: the strongest monster!

If Vennominaga has a weakness, it's that its summoning prerequisites are too difficult.

Beyond that, it is invincible.

Just as Viper thought that, the unhurried voice of the Duel King came from across the field.

"Counter Trap: 'Solemn Warning.'

By paying 2000 Life Points, negate the Summon of a monster, or negate and destroy a card whose effect includes a Summon."

Viper: "…"

[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 2000]

"I pay 2000 Life Points to negate and destroy the activation of 'Rise of the Sacred Deity.'"

The Trap's activation seemed to be accompanied by holy light. Within that sacred radiance appeared an old man with white hair and beard, exuding awe-inspiring majesty that one dared not meet directly, as if bathed in sanctity.

He narrowed his eyes, swept his sleeve, and slowly raised his arm, extending his palm to give a silent command.

Do not!

Though silent, it brooked no defiance. The overwhelming pressure shattered even the barrier of Rise of the Sacred Deity in one blow. The Snake King's ghost let out a sharp cry, but was still suppressed by the holy light, twisting like a shadow under the sun until it was gone.

"You wanted to summon 'Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes,' right?" Kira smiled. "The strongest monster of the Venom deck. If we ignore the summon difficulty and look at pure effect, it's top-tier across the entire dueling world—a true god-tier monster.

Well, it would be a problem if it hit the field, so I had to be ready. No offense, Professor."

Viper's facial muscles twitched.

Damn it, he knew all along.

Indeed, Vennominaga was Viper's ultimate ace, worthy of the name.

First, it can't be targeted by card effects, and it's unaffected by any card effects. It's said this was the first monster in the TCG/OCG with such absolute immunity. That alone is enough to be historic.

It also inherits Vennominon's effect: its ATK becomes 500 times the number of Reptiles in your GY. And even if it's destroyed by battle, it can revive by banishing Reptiles from your GY.

Absolute immunity, endless revival, and massive ATK via easy GY stacking—more than enough for Vennominaga to steamroll and stand undefeated.

And even that isn't the end. Its most iconic power is nobler than a god's: it can change the win condition of the duel.

In the real card text, each time Vennominaga inflicts battle damage, you place a Hyper-Venom Counter. When it has three, you win the duel regardless of the normal rules.

It's the same Automatic Win concept as Exodia the Forbidden One.

The anime version is even more oppressive. In the TCG/OCG, you need to inflict battle damage three times to get three counters. In the anime, you don't: you only need to inflict damage once to trigger the effect, and from then on, after three turns pass, the controller wins automatically.

Absolute immunity, undying body, sky-high ATK, and an Automatic Win.

That's why, even with the harsh summoning condition, countless combo junkies keep trying to make it happen. It's a true god-tier behemoth: in its era's real card environment, if it lands, it's basically game over—a nuclear option.

Of course… that's assuming you can actually summon it.

And the process will send your blood pressure through the roof.

Just like Professor Viper right now.

Chapter 874: The Snake King Punches the Clock Again

"Well, I stopped the Snake Deity, but my formation still got blown up by 'Offering to the Snake Deity,'" Kira said lazily.

"As expected of the Professor—you solved the Abyss lockdown combo. Without Gravity Bind protecting from attacks, I don't have any monsters capable of fighting for now. Next turn could be rough.

Let me see…"

He looked like he was picking through his hand, and after a moment he chose one card.

"Let's do this.

I'll set this guy face-down in Defense Position, then end my turn."

A face-down monster appeared on his field as a temporary wall.

For some reason, just watching this guy's mannerisms made Professor Viper want to punch something.

No—don't get tilted again.

Viper shook his head to regain focus. He sensed an inexplicable aura from this man—just looking at his face could make you mad, easily disrupting your decision-making mid-duel.

Could this be part of the Duel King's power?

"My turn. Draw!"

Viper forced his attention back to the duel. He glanced at the card he drew and immediately revealed it.

"Spell Card 'Spell Books from the Pot.' Both players draw three cards from their Decks." (Manga card)

"Wow, generous," Kira chuckled, drawing three. "I won't be shy then."

Viper ignored the chatter and drew his three.

Then he looked up, voice low.

"You think I'm helpless now?"

"Your plan is to keep bouncing my Snake King and keep interrupting the Snake Deity's descent, is that it?"

"You think choking the Snake Deity in its cradle means you won't have to face her divinity?"

Viper raised his voice.

"No. The Snake Deity is not merely my ace—she is my obsession, the burden I must bear as a duelist! The only meaning left in my life, a goal I must achieve no matter what—this weight will not stop here!

 I activate the Spell Card 'Monster Reborn'! Revive a monster from the GY to the field!"

"'A monster in the GY,'" Kira said flatly. "'Rise of the Sacred Deity' was negated, so Vennominaga never appeared. Which means you're reviving…"

"Exactly!"

Viper roared.

"Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes, return to my field!"

Black mists surged and coalesced. Countless tiny serpents, a twisted mass of writhing coils, and those dangerous red eyes—the Snake King descended onto the field yet again.

All the overtime had left even this king looking a little tired…

"So this is Viper's obsession," Adrian murmured. "I don't know his exact goal… but to be fixated on summoning that Snake Deity to such an extent—that's some serious obsession."

[Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes, ATK 0]

"I have seven Reptiles in my GY. Each one increases Vennominon's ATK by 500!" Viper shouted. "So Vennominon's ATK rises to 3500!"

[Vennominon, ATK 0 → 3500]

"Next, I Normal Summon 'Venom Serpent' from my hand!"

A green-scaled serpent slithered forth. Near its neck, the body split in two, sporting twin snake heads, each flicking its tongue with a hiss.

[Venom Serpent, ATK 1000]

"I cannot lose—and I will not lose!" Viper roared. "Vennominon the King, attack the face-down monster!"

The Snake King bellowed. Tired as it was, it still exuded menace, as if venting the frustration of being removed over and over without dealing a single point of damage.

The attacked monster flipped face-up.

A small, even cute penguin with stubby arms and legs, holding a sword a bit too big for it. It puffed out its round belly, sporting an adorably fierce expression.

[Penguin Soldier, DEF 500]

"Yare yare, you've disturbed 'Penguin Soldier,'" Kira smiled. "Penguin Soldier's effect: when flipped, you can choose up to two monsters on the field—"

He glanced meaningfully at the freshly returned Snake King, whose feet had barely stopped sliding, then at the newly summoned two-headed serpent.

"—and return the chosen monsters to the owners' hands."

Viper: "…"

He was at a loss for words.

Even Adrian pushed up his glasses and coughed twice.

Er, Lord Kira… you really are something else.

"Sorry, Professor Viper. You finally brought the Snake King back, but…"

Kira smiled apologetically.

"I'm going to have you return both Vennominon and your freshly summoned 'Venom Serpent' to your hand."

The Snake King roared in frustration but was helpless. Its undying trait only covers destruction, not bouncing; it could only retreat to Viper's hand yet again, fuming.

"WRRRRRRRRY—!"

Viper howled.

He was about to explode.

His invincible Snake King, his undying Snake King—taken out repeatedly this duel, and not once did the undying effect even matter.

Can you believe it?

A certain Snake Deity still sleeping in the Deck: Feels like I won't be getting stage time today…

"Of course, the Flip effect triggers during battle, and the battle did occur," Kira said mildly. "So my 'Penguin Soldier' is still destroyed by battle."

But the little penguin had gloriouly completed its mission. Trading its small body for a two-for-one and bouncing a Snake King?

Outstanding value.

Viper muttered gloomily, "I set one card and end my turn."

Even Adrian couldn't help a sympathetic look at the Professor.

He could feel it now. He didn't know the Professor's exact goal, but his belief was intense—like the only reason he lived was to achieve it.

With such a mindset, suffering this kind of duel, it wouldn't be surprising if the man went insane afterward.

No wonder the rumors say the Duel King is terrifying. Some say the King's duels don't just take your victory—he sometimes break your spirit.

"My turn. Draw."

Kira said:

"In the Standby Phase, I activate 'Sinister Serpent' effect in my GY.

If this card is in my GY during my Standby Phase, I can return it to my hand."

He retrieved Sinister Serpent to his hand.

Then he smiled lightly.

"Right now, neither of us has monsters on the field. If I just summon a monster and attack, it feels a bit unfair…

So let's do this. I'll give you a strong monster first, then we'll fight."

He revealed a card from his hand.

"I Special Summon this guy to your field, Professor Viper.

Level 8, Grinder Golem in Attack Position!"

Viper: "???"

Chapter 875: A Duelist Countered by the King

Viper was full of question marks.

On my field… what?

He saw Kira reveal a monster card. A golden light flared, and a hulking demon encased in metal rose into view.

Despite being fully metallic, it exuded a chilling savagery. The steel demon bristled with spikes; in the center of its body, a sawblade spun at high speed. From head to toe, it seemed armed with torture implements—clearly not a monster for the forces of good.

In fact, this monster's design intentionally mirrors Lava Golem in many ways. It feels like a steel torture-device version of Lava Golem. Even the "Level 8 big guy that appears on the opponent's field" trait makes it feel like family.

[Grinder Golem, ATK 3000]

Viper blinked for two seconds.

Huh? So generous?

He gets a Blue-Eyes-level beater for free. Unlike Lava Golem, it doesn't even eat two monsters as tribute—completely free of charge.

Does the Duel King's dueling philosophy involve resource charity for the opponent?

Of course, such a naive notion was absurd. Viper knew the man before him was dark-hearted and would never do anything pointless. Any seemingly generous gift would hide something even grimier.

Sure enough, two small monsters popped into existence on Kira's field.

"Of course it's not a freebie. I'm not that charitable," Kira said. "Grinder Golem can Special Summon two 'Grinder Token' to your opponent's field and Special Summon itself to the opponent's field."

[Grinder Token, ATK 0] x2

"Two Tokens," Viper muttered. "For tribute?"

In the real card game, after using Grinder Golem's Special Summon effect, you can't perform a Normal Summon that turn. In the anime, there's no such restriction. Yubel's first true-body descent used Grinder Golem's tokens as tributes, then she gave the opponent the Level 8 beater and bounced 3000 damage back at a bewildered Adrian to finish him off.

Yubel's pretty adept at being nasty too.

"Next, I Special Summon 'Jester Confit' from my hand," Kira said.

A goofy clown appeared, head cocked at a not-very-bright angle.

[Jester Confit, ATK 0]

"Then I tribute the two Grinder Token and Jester Confit—three tributes!"

Viper: "!"

Three tributes?

Adrian's expression also shifted.

As everyone knows, Level 5–6 monsters need one tribute; anything Level 7+—even if there were a Level 12 that could be Normal Summoned—needs only two tributes.

Monsters that explicitly require three tributes are rare, usually only when the effect text specifically says so. The most iconic examples are the Egyptian God Cards.

But Kira wasn't summoning a god.

Water burst onto his field—clear and surging. A blade cleaved through the blue curtain. A female-looking warrior in blue armor, with a flowing cape like woven water, stepped forth. Twin blades glinted, their color like water, their form like lightsabers.

"From the Planets series: The Tripper Mercury, descends!"

[The Tripper Mercury, ATK 2000]

Viper and Adrian both paled.

"That's the legendary Planets…!?"

Adrian adjusted his glasses. "Interesting. Looks like the rumors were true—most of the Planets are in the Duel King's hands…"

"Mercury is Level 8, but can be Tribute Summoned using three tributes," Kira said. "Mercury gains different effects based on the number of tributes.

First, on Summon, all monsters on the field become Attack Position—"

Kira paused and smiled.

"Of course, they're already in Attack Position, so we can ignore that.

However, if three or more tributes were used, while Mercury is on the field, all monsters on your opponent's field lose ATK equal to their original ATK!"

Viper's pupils contracted.

Lose original ATK… meaning any monster without external buffs goes straight to zero?

"Mercury Suppression!"

Water surged like a flood across Grinder Golem. The giant staggered and nearly toppled before steadying.

[Grinder Golem, ATK 3000 → 0]

Viper grit his teeth.

No wonder he handed over a Level 8 beater so casually—because to Kira, it didn't matter.

In front of Mercury, their ATK becomes zero anyway.

"And with 'A Legendary Ocean' on the field, the WATER-attribute Mercury gains 200 ATK."

[The Tripper Mercury, ATK 2000 → 2200]

"Mercury, attack."

Kira waved.

Mercury drew her blades; her gossamer cape fluttered; crossed sword-lights sliced through the giant's waist.

Grinder Golem exploded. The arc of light carried on and blasted Viper off his feet.

Damage reduction was active this duel, so battle damage was halved.

"Ugh—!"

[Viper, LP 2900 → 1800]

A brutal impact.

Intense pain.

Viper fell to his knees, clutching his head, body trembling.

What was that?

It wasn't just the physical pain of a Shadow Duel—he knew that feeling well.

There was also a mental lance, something piercing his soul.

For a moment, he thought he saw Pierce.

Yes, Pierce—his child. The child he would bring back to reality at any cost.

But now, the liveliness and joy were gone from the boy's face. In the darkness, he looked at Viper with a strange gaze.

What was that?

 Disappointment? Even disgust?

"Don't—don't look at me like that!" Viper clutched his head and roared like a lion. "Everything I do is for you—even if I become a demon to do it!"

Adrian, watching, started and then seemed to understand.

The Duel King had started attacking his spirit.

Uncovering the darkness in his opponent's heart, finding mental weaknesses and leveraging the duel to strike…

 Just like he did to Adrian before.

The deeper the inner darkness, the stronger the obsession, the heavier the burden, the more a person treats dueling as life itself—the more they seem to be countered by the Duel King.

Because dueling means so much to them, because they carry so much, they more easily fall into despair under the Duel King's torment…

So thought the past victim, Adrian.