Yugioh [528-533] (Patreon)

Chapter 528: Just an Ordinary Human

"WRRRRRRRRRY!!!"

David roared in unwilling fury.

Powerless rage.

Why?

 He could take pride even in the agony of Shadow Duels, he feared not even death—so why was he still feeling such fury, such despair, such helplessness?

This was also the first time in his life he realized—

—there exists a kind of duel in this world ten times darker than a Shadow Duel!

 By comparison, all the pain he'd thought he'd inflicted on opponents in Shadow Duels—all the darkness he'd believed drove them to despair—suddenly felt childish.

All that real damage, all that physical torment… It felt dull all at once—simply the lowest tier of methods.

True, deep, terrifying darkness should be like this man's. Stripping your opponent of their right to duel within a Shadow Duel, making them hold a full hand yet be unable to act, forced only to listen as the countdown to death closes in bit by bit, to watch themselves step by step fall into the abyss of ruin…

 "This is what it means to be a King..."

David collapsed to his knees, and just before his gaze went unfocused, he spoke with difficulty.

At the very end of his life, he felt he'd grasped the true essence of darkness: a duel that torments both body and mind—a truly terrifying duel.

Unfortunately, his enlightenment came too late. He would have no chance to put it into practice.

Darkness erupted from within him. The twisted black miasma briefly took on something like facial features again, its eyes glaring at him, full of vexation.

"Again."

It was Tragoedia's voice.

"Why is it always you?"

"What on earth are you—no, what are you, exactly?"

"As you can see, merely an ordinary human," Kira said. "Just a passing duelist."

Tragoedia: "…"

Do you hear yourself?

Even we pure lords of darkness think you're a little too dark, and you've still got the face to call yourself an ordinary human?

 Who'd buy that?

 "If you won't say, fine. I wasn't interested in your origins anyway," Tragoedia hissed. "But why do you obstruct me? Why do you oppose me?"

"Funny, that's what I want to ask you. Why do you keep circling around me?"

Kira said.

"Me? Circling around you?"

Tragoedia nearly laughed from anger.

"You think I like you or something?"

"If not for those damned priests, their white-winged spirit, and Feather of Ma'at being here, why would I bother coming to this broken island?"

He cursed as he spoke, clearly frustrated.

Kira's heart stirred.

The white-winged spirit. Feather of Ma'at…

 He quickly made the connection. He seemed to understand.

"So that's it. You came for those two spirits?" Kira smiled slightly. "That's unfortunate. Looks like you won't be getting your hands on those two cards."

Tragoedia: "!"

The face formed from his black aura grew even more abstract, eyes boring into Kira as if to see through his soul.

This was Tragoedia's greatest secret.

Back then he met his end in the Pharaoh's temple and was sealed by priests wielding Millennium Items, all because he got too caught up in posing and lost his heart.

The priest-summoned white-winged spirit took his heart and placed it on one side of the Millennium Scales to judge his sins. On the other side lay the Feather of Truth, embodiment of truth, justice, and order.

Three thousand years later, those priests were gone, the Pharaoh's dynasty toppled, and even the immortal Seven Millennium Items had been lost to the river of time.

But that accursed white-winged spirit—and Ma'at's Feather—still remained in reality, holding the key to his complete resurrection.

That white-winged spirit is now called "Winged Kuriboh." Originally pure white, hence "white-winged." But after plucking out Tragoedia's heart three thousand years ago, because the darkness within that heart was unimaginably vast, its white plumage was stained black.

As for the Feather of Truth, in the present day it has also become a monster card, known as "Light and Darkness," likewise existing in the form of a spirit.

After long investigation, Tragoedia finally managed to pinpoint the locations of both spirits.

The good news: the white-winged spirit and Ma'at's Feather had ended up together, as if guided by fate, gathered in the same place. Saved him running all over the world—clear destination.

 The bad news: they were both at Duel Academy.

Anywhere else in the world, with his abilities and methods, he'd have smashed his way in and pocketed both cards already. But at Duel Academy, there was one barrier he couldn't get around.

The Duel King.

Tragoedia gritted his teeth.

If he were in peak condition, he'd not shy from fighting even the Pharaoh himself. But he still hadn't found his heart, and he'd witnessed this Duel King's power more than once. Honestly, he had no confidence facing him head-on right now.

"So that's how it is. You've had it rough," Kira chuckled. "How's your heart doing?"

Tragoedia: "!"

His eyes opened wide, staring straight at Kira, almost thinking he'd misheard.

"How do you know that!?"

He screeched.

Impossible! Impossible!

The events of that night in the temple were known only to the priests present. It was the Pharaoh's forbidden temple for sealing spirits and monsters—a royal taboo—no one else could have seen.

And when those priests realized Tragoedia was a monster born from the sole survivor of the village they'd massacred to forge the Millennium Items, they immediately swore on the spot that no one could ever reveal a word of it—under no circumstances could it reach the Pharaoh's ears.

Because the Pharaoh knew nothing of the bloodshed behind the Millennium Items' creation, of the village slaughter.

So that night was never recorded in history. The few who knew had been dead for three thousand years. The events had been buried by time—no one should know.

Yet this man before him—clearly someone from three millennia later—seemed to know even the detail that he'd lost his heart fooling around. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes that night, how could he know?

Tragoedia felt thunderstruck and racked his brain to recall that night.

In that forbidden temple, besides himself and the priests, who else was there?

"Who are you really?"

As his form neared dissolution, he couldn't help but ask again.

There was fear in his voice now.

"I told you."

Kira looked at the fading Tragoedia, whose remaining power in David's body was exhausted and turning transparent, and simply smiled.

"Just an ordinary human duelist."

Tragoedia: "…"

Chapter 529: The Alchemy Forbidden Zone

"Eh? Winged Kuriboh!?"

The next day, Jaden, having received Kira's warning, was shocked.

Winged Kuriboh had already floated out by his side.

"For real?" Jaden looked at Winged Kuriboh in surprise. "Buddy, you're a spirit from three thousand years ago?"

Winged Kuriboh nodded: "Kuri-kuri."

"So you're amazing!"

Jaden stood at attention with newfound respect.

Chazz, whom Kira had also called over, frowned. "Light and Darkness Dragon has that kind of backstory…?"

"In that case, it seems we're in the same boat, Chazz," Jaden said to him.

"Mr. Thunder," Chazz corrected, annoyed.

But his feelings were complicated.

His Light and Darkness Dragon, and Jaden's Winged Kuriboh—so much fate entwined there.

Is this what they call destiny?

 "In any case, you two should be careful. I'm not always on the island," Kira said.

"Hmph. If that guy wants to come, let him," Chazz said proudly. "I and Light and Darkness won't fear him."

"Yeah, yeah. We won't lose either, right, buddy?"

Jaden smiled at Winged Kuriboh.

"Kuri-kuri." Winged Kuriboh agreed.

Confident as these two youngsters were, Kira wasn't optimistic about them facing the Crayfish now. From what he knew of their current state, they weren't his match yet.

"Sounds like Duel Academy Island really is dangerous—so many shady types eyeing it… Speaking of which, Professor Lyman still hasn't come back."

Jaden's face grew worried.

"Nothing happened to him, did it?"

"Unlikely. What dark duelist would bother kidnapping that useless guy?" Chazz said, puzzled.

Jaden pondered. "Mm… sounds kinda true."

Kira: "…"

Well, at least that proves Professor Lyman's long-running disguise worked. In the students' eyes he's a timid, useless scaredy-cat—not worth an enemy's time.

In the anime, after Lyman disappeared, everyone suspected the Shadow Riders. He'd been assigned one of the Seven Keys as a filler guardian. But the timeline's changed: the key he was supposed to guard is now in Kira's hands. A hopeless teacher wouldn't be targeted.

Still, worry is worry. The school's investigation had no progress; Jaden cared but could do nothing.

Kira suspected Lyman might be off-island. With Shadow Riders activity ramping up, he'd probably returned to the organization. But he also knew he'd be back soon.

Before this body's final death, Lyman would test every student he deemed promising. 

In the original, he defeated Alexis and Chazz, then lost to Jaden and entrusted his hopes to him.

Kira hadn't expected him to return this fast.

…

That very night, as Kira left the cafeteria, the Silent Magician nudged him with her staff and gestured.

"Already here?" Kira was surprised.

The academy island is big; if Lyman returned quietly and hid in some random forest nook, even he couldn't find him.

But he knew from the anime the site of Lyman's final duel with Jaden—also Lyman's secret base on the island: the alchemy lab beneath the abandoned dorm, a forbidden zone for students.

Having a spirit keep watch on just that spot was easy. As soon as someone returned, he'd know.

So after dinner, Kira took a solitary stroll toward the woods.

The spirit-world exploration squad had agreed to take the night off. Joey was joining them but lacked gear. He'd asked Mokuba for a new login device and duel disk, but it'd take two days.

Joey took the chance to head home to see Mai. He'd left early that morning, face full of dread—clearly anticipating a beating.

So Kira had no plans that night and could take a relaxing walk.

He'd been to the abandoned dorm before; he knew the way. He moved through the pitch-black courtyard, down the drafty, creaking corridor, and descended to the underground alchemy lab featured in the show.

The heavy iron door was ajar—unlocked—but rusted nearly shut.

Kira tried to push. No movement. He stepped back two paces. The Silent Magician floated ahead, and with a gentle single-hand push, the door rumbled open.

Even as a mage, a spirit's got the fundamentals: baseline arm strength.

Inside, the stale, dusty air washed over him. No light at all. The vast space felt especially eerie in darkness. The equipment was all shrouded in white cloth, cobwebs in the corners, no hint of life.

At the far end, behind the equipment, lay a coffin.

Kira stepped forward and tried to push the lid.

Nope. Not budging.

He retreated again.

"Silent."

The Silent Magician reappeared. A small hand pressed lightly on the coffin. With a booming rumble, the heavy lid slid aside under her palm.

"Impressive, impressive," Kira praised. "Such strength, little miss."

Though it was praise, a faint blush touched the Silent one's icy face. She shot him a tiny annoyed look, then flashed back into the deck.

"Uh, just kidding," Kira said, smiling an apology. "Don't go—give me some light?"

Pouting a little, she still did as asked, waving her staff. Light bloomed; the room turned bright as day.

Strength check and a basic Light spell—mage essentials.

By that light, Kira looked into the coffin and, unsurprisingly, saw a corpse.

Shriveled flesh clung to bone, an eerie gray-brown, as if time had frozen the instant of death. The sunken eyes still seemed to watch the world.

It was Lyman's corpse.

Chapter 530: The Professor Appears

Professor Lyman's corpse.

But Kira's face didn't ripple as he looked at it.

He'd been prepared.

It was indeed Lyman's body. But he'd only been missing a few days; this corpse was a desiccated mummy—clearly dead long ago.

So the body died—but not Lyman himself.

As mentioned, Lyman had long been terminally ill and turned to alchemy for immortality. This was his original body. His soul had long since transferred into an artificial body.

From the first time Kira and Jaden met Lyman, he might already have been a homunculus.

Kira stared at the mummy, paused, then slowly turned. At the entrance behind him, a figure had appeared at some point.

Clad in a strange robe with a hood, face hidden behind a mask, his features were indistinguishable. He wore a duel disk and stood tall, eyes cold beneath the hood's shadow as he looked at Kira.

The strongest of the Shadow Riders officers. Kira knew—this was the missing Lyman himself.

"Since you've discovered this place…"

A cold gleam flashed in the man's eyes.

"…there's no need for you to leave."

"That so."

Kira was unfazed, smiling slightly.

He stepped forward until they faced each other across the lab's open center. The man's tall frame blocked the doorway—clearly, only a duel would grant passage.

"A Shadow Duel?" Kira asked.

"Of course." The hooded voice was processed and low. "Defeat me and you leave alive. Or die here and be buried along with the secrets you've unearthed."

Kira sighed.

"Must we really put on the act like this, Professor Lyman?"

Hooded man: "…"

He hesitated a few seconds.

Then he reached up—swish—and removed hood and mask, revealing his face.

"Well now, was it that obvious?"

It was Lyman, but not the harmless face from before. Veins bulged, his perpetually narrowed eyes now glowed bestially red—no longer human.

The timid teacher's façade had fallen away; the air of a boss replaced it.

But seeing that grim, feral face, Kira understood something.

"So that's why you've been missing," Kira said. "How long can this body last, Professor?"

Lyman: "…"

Another pause. Then two dry laughs.

"Nothing slips past you, does it, Kira—no, at this point I should say, Duel King."

He coughed twice and wiped his mouth.

"I never figured you out. So when did you notice my secret? From the beginning?"

Kira didn't answer. "So, do we really have to do this, Professor?"

Lyman chuckled twice.

"Of course. As you can see, I am one of the Shadow Riders, loyal to that lord, here for the keys to unlock the Sacred Beasts' seal. I've been at Duel Academy for this purpose from the start."

He unfolded his duel disk and barked:

"I'd anticipated a battle with you—figured I'd take the other keys first and leave you for last.

But since you've found me early, that's fine too."

His face turned cold.

"Come then!"

"Let me see the mettle of a Duel King!"

"So we're doing this after all."

Kira shrugged and unfolded his duel disk.

He knew Lyman was close to the end. This duel would test Kira as an alchemist—and as the only student Lyman had personally taught for long—while also serving as Lyman's self-trial.

Even if Kira lost, Lyman wouldn't kill him. He'd likely seal him in that alchemy tome for a few days until he'd tested all the students he had in mind, then release him.

Of course, Kira had no intention of losing.

"Duel!" x2

 [Kira, LP 4000]

[Lyman, LP 4000]

"I'll go first. Draw," Lyman said. "Activate Continuous Spell 'Chaos Distill'!" (anime card)

 With a thunderous boom, a massive alchemical apparatus materialized on his field, bubbling with molten liquid.

"As expected of the alchemy teacher," Kira said. "An alchemy deck?"

"Correct. Alchemy needs proper equipment—just as I taught you," Lyman smiled. "Chaos Distill's effect: all cards sent to my graveyard are banished instead."

A one-sided Macro Cosmos Cosmos for himself, and a core engine of his deck. His alchemy doesn't need the graveyard—it fights entirely through banish.

"Then I activate the Spell 'Lead Compass,'" Lyman said. "It can only be used while 'Chaos Distill' is on the field.

Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Leon the Lead' from my hand or deck!" (anime card)

 The furnace thrummed. A lion formed of lead roared and leapt from the cauldron, landing on the field.

[Alchemy Beast - Leon the Lead, ATK 500]

"I set two and end my turn," Lyman said coolly. "Your move.

Show me the King's duel."

"I'm only your student. But since you want to test my progress, I'll give it my all," Kira replied humbly.

"My turn. Draw.

I Normal Summon 'D.D. Survivor.'"

[D.D. Survivor, ATK 1800]

"Oh? A monster that resists banish—returns to the field if removed from play," Lyman smiled. "You know me best, my student.

A countermeasure against my 'Macro Cosmos'?"

"If I brought a graveyard-reliant deck against you, I'd have lost half the duel before it started, no?" Kira smiled.

"Then I'm coming in. Be careful, Professor.

Battle. D.D. Survivor, attack 'Alchemy Beast - Leon the Lead.'"

A mere 500-ATK lion was no match for the warrior. But Lyman raised his voice.

"Too naive! I activate my set card!

Continuous Trap: 'Elemental Absorber'!"

Chapter 531: Alchemical Assault

"Continuous Trap 'Elemental Absorber'!" Lyman said. "Banish 1 monster from your hand; while this card is on the field, all opponent's monsters with the same Attribute as the banished monster have their attacks negated." (anime effect)

In practice, there's little difference between the anime and the real card—just minor details. The anime says "the opponent's monster's attack is negated," while the printed card says "they cannot declare attacks."

If anything, the real card is a tad stronger. By the anime wording, monsters unaffected by traps should ignore it, but as a player-effect that forbids declaring attacks, even the most immune boss can't punch through.

"I banish the DARK 'Luna the Dark Spirit' from my hand," Lyman said. "All DARK monsters' attacks are negated."

The monster in his hand vanished into an alchemical vortex of energy. A massive whirl of darkness manifested within the Absorber, guarding him. D.D. Survivor was blown back by the gale before it could even approach and had to retreat.

"Then I'll skip battle, set two, and end my turn," Kira smiled. "Impressive, professor."

It wasn't flattery; he meant it.

Any physical-card player looking at Lyman's deck would call it unbelievably bricky—simply inhuman to pilot.

First, his core must be "Chaos Distill." There's no way to search it, and all his Alchemic Beasts can only be summoned while Chaos Distill exists on the field. In other words, without it he's dead in the water; he must open it.

And just drawing Chaos Distill isn't enough—he also needs the specific Spells to Special Summon each Alchemic Beast. He runs six different-Attribute Beasts—EARTH, WATER, FIRE, WIND, LIGHT, DARK—none can be Normal Summoned, and each needs its own specific Spell to Special Summon.

So he needs Chaos Distill and the exact Spell to bring out the Beast. And since those Spells usually summon from the Deck, drawing the Beasts themselves is dead weight, wasting hand size.

Then there's "Elemental Absorber," too.

It's obviously amazing against mono-Attribute decks. Against Cyber Dragon, banish a LIGHT and Elemental Absorber shuts down the whole deck's attacks.

But Lyman used Absorber even against Jaden's Elemental HEROes.

Jaden's HERO low-levels are almost all different Attributes—each HERO a different type. Yet Lyman somehow always had a monster of the Attribute Jaden drew, locking out EARTH, WATER, FIRE, WIND, all of them.

HERO mini-hands are already bricky; Lyman's is no less so. Their duel was less deck versus deck and more raw topdecking prowess.

Maybe pure topdecking is the ultimate realm of alchemy.

All the more proof that Lyman is on another level from the other Shadow Riders. To pilot such a finicky deck with ease—he's absolutely top tier.

"My turn. Draw," Lyman said. "Spell Card 'Pot of Greed'—I draw two."

"At this moment, I activate Continuous Trap 'Appropriate,'" Kira said. "When your card effect draws, I can activate this. Then, each time you draw outside your Draw Phase, I also draw two."

Lyman was unfazed. "Next, from my hand, Spell 'Steel Lamp.'

If 'Chaos Distill' is on the field, Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Salamandra the Steel' from hand or Deck!"

Chaos Distill roared back to life. Flames shot skyward and shaped into a flying fire dragon.

[Alchemy Beast - Salamandra the Steel, ATK 500]

"Then Spell 'Bronze Scale,'" Lyman said. "Also only while Chaos Distill exists: Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Ouroboros the Bronze' from the Deck!"

[Alchemy Beast - Ouroboros the Bronze, ATK 500]

"Now this is a duel with the flavor of alchemy," Kira smiled.

In the anime, such a deck is hardly strong. But if it's ever fully printed, that could change.

We all know KC's approach these years—reviving old DM/GX themes. If they ever cover Lyman, each Alchemic Beast is bound to get two or three effects slapped on.

KC has proven: if they want, no archetype is unrevivable. Give the Beasts self-Specials, searches, and recursion, and you might have a new meta pie-slice boss.

"All Alchemic Beasts share an effect: they can ignore defending monsters and attack directly," Lyman declared. "Go!

 Leon the Lead, Salamandra the Steel, Ouroboros the Bronze—three direct attacks!"

The trio vaulted forward, each striking past Kira. He braced behind his duel disk and staggered, then steadied.

[Kira, LP 4000 → 2500]

"This level of offense is just an appetizer," Lyman chuckled. "Duel King, you can take this much, can't you?"

"Professor is sharp as ever."

Kira massaged his temple theatrically.

"Hahaha, don't get too relaxed."

Lyman smiled.

"Alchemy duels transcend common sense. An alchemist's job is to break conventions. In that regard, perhaps you're the real alchemy master, Kira.

You never play by the book—you always shatter expectations."

He grew serious.

"My Battle Phase is over. But I'll activate this Spell from my hand: 'Black Process - Negledo'!" (anime card)

 Dark light shrouded the three Beasts.

"'Negledo' can only be activated while Chaos Distill is on the field," Lyman said. "Banish all Alchemic Beasts I control; for each, I draw two!"

"Banish beasts while refilling resources," Kira noted. "In your Alchemy deck, banished cards are also resources. That really is a profit."

"Oh? You've already seen how the deck runs," Lyman laughed softly. "As expected of the Duel King."

"Right. So I came prepared."

Kira snapped his fingers.

"I activate my set card: Continuous Trap – Imperial Iron Wall.

As long as it remains, neither of us can banish cards!"

Chapter 532: Something from Nothing

Royal Iron Wall!

"No card can be banished…" Lyman narrowed his eyes. "I see. You're sealing alchemical transformations; a deadly card against my deck.

Then I'll use this."

A sharp light flashed in his crimson eyes.

"Counter Trap 'Royal Surrender'!" Lyman said. "When the opponent activates a Continuous Trap, negate its activation and effect, then destroy it!"

The Iron Wall crumbled before forming, turning to rubble. With the banish zone reopened, his three Alchemic Beasts cleanly vanished into the void.

"Oh? You prepared a countermeasure to my countermeasure?" Kira looked intrigued.

"Your dueling excels at striking at weak points and sealing potential before it manifests. Knowing you, a lock piece like Royal Iron Wall was highly likely."

Lyman adjusted his glasses, smiling.

"It's not just that you know your teacher—I know your style too.

Now, resolving 'Negledo': I banished three Alchemic Beasts, so I draw six."

His hand flooded.

"Then 'Appropriate' triggers," Kira said. "I also draw two."

Lyman: "I set two and end my turn."

"My turn. Draw!"

Kira glanced at his hand and played at once.

"I activate 'Pot of Greed' to draw two."

"Then I tribute 'D.D. Survivor' to tribute Summon…

 The monarch who freezes all—

—Mobius the Frost Monarch!"

[Mobius the Frost Monarch, ATK 2400]

"Mobius destroys two Spell/Trap on summon… aiming at my 'Chaos Distill'?" Lyman immediately read the plan.

Chaos Distill is his core. All his Spells and summons require it.

"That won't do," he snapped. "I activate my set Counter Trap, 'Solemn Judgment'!

 Pay half my LP; negate and destroy the summon!"

[Lyman, LP 4000 → 2000]

A stern elder-god silhouette appeared, palm out in a forbidding gesture. Divine thunder struck; the Monarch hadn't even steadied before being shattered.

"Then the effect of 'Aqua Spirit' in my hand," Kira said. "I can Special Summon it by banishing a WATER in my grave.

I banish 'Mobius the Frost Monarch' from the grave to Special Summon 'Aqua Spirit.'"

A blue-skinned water spirit appeared, eyes gleaming with intelligence.

[Aqua Spirit, ATK 1600]

"Aqua Spirit, direct attack."

"You haven't forgotten my 'Elemental Absorber,' have you?" Lyman grinned. "I'll activate it again:

I banish the WATER 'Jar Turtle' from my hand; all WATER monsters' attacks are negated!"

Another monster vanished into the Absorber. Water surged, forming a massive vortex. Aqua Spirit nearly got sucked in, yelped, and flitted back to Kira's field.

"Another perfect Attribute in hand—impressive, Professor…"

Kira waved a hand.

"I'll set two and end."

"My turn. Draw!"

Lyman flashed three Spells at once.

"Once more I'll call upon my Beasts with these three!

 Spell 'Tin Spell Circle'!

 Spell 'Mercury Hourglass'!

 Spell 'Silver Key'!"

Three cards floated before him.

"These three can only be activated while 'Chaos Distill' exists.

Tin Spell Circle: Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Aretos the Tin' from the Deck!"

[Alchemy Beast - Aretos the Tin, ATK 500]

"Mercury Hourglass: Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Ekenas the Mercury'!"

[Alchemy Beast - Ekenas the Mercury, ATK 500]

"Silver Key: Special Summon 'Alchemy Beast - Moonface the Silver'!"

[Alchemy Beast - Moonface the Silver, ATK 500]

"And they can all attack directly again," Kira said.

Lyman's plan did mirror parts of his own style.

All Alchemic Beasts avoid head-on fights and go straight for direct hits; Elemental Absorber, with sufficient topdeck power, can lock out all the opponent's attacks. Then there's his other ace he hasn't used yet, "Macro Cosmos," which nukes both graveyards from the game entirely…

 Graveyard denial, attack lockdown, and endless direct pokes. With enough topdeck mojo, it's a beautifully miserable prison.

No wonder Lyman favored Kira, and no wonder he's the strongest Shadow Rider—they're cut from similar cloth…

 "I activate my set Trap, 'Taunt,'" Kira said. "Only during your Main Phase 1.

Choose one of my monsters; this turn, if you declare an attack, you can only target that monster."

He pointed to the intelligent water spirit.

"I choose Aqua Spirit. If you attack this turn, you must attack Aqua Spirit."

The water sprite blinked with a blank look and pointed at her nose, as if to say, Me?

"Haha, as expected—you brought counters to my style," Lyman said. "Seems I can't swing through so easily… fine.

I set one. Then from my hand, Spell 'Black Process - Negledo'!

 Only if Chaos Distill is on the field. Banish all Alchemic Beasts I control; draw two for each.

So I banish three and draw six!"

Kira pursed his lips.

Wow—draw six at the drop of a hat. Is this the legendary alchemical art of creating something from nothing?

 Truly impressive.

"At this moment, 'Appropriate' triggers again," Kira said. "Since you drew outside your Draw Phase, I draw two."

Having drawn his six, Lyman looked at Kira with open approval.

"Duel King... Thinking back to the first time I met you feels like a lifetime ago. Incredible—such progress in just half a year."

"I owe much to your tutelage," Kira said politely.

"Hahaha, I didn't do much," Lyman replied. "But even against a King, this teacher won't yield easily. And I can control more than just Alchemic Beasts. Time to get serious—watch closely.

I Normal Summon 'Golden Homunculus'!"

Chapter 533: Necroface

Golden Homunculus, summoned!

[Golden Homunculus, ATK 1500]

Quite fitting for an alchemist.

"Golden Homunculus gains ATK/DEF equal to the number of my banished cards × 300," Lyman said.

"Given the 'Chaos Distill' effect, by now almost all your cards have been banished," Kira said calmly.

"Exactly! I've banished a total of nineteen cards, so Golden Homunculus gains 5700 ATK!"

[Golden Homunculus, ATK 1500 → 7200]

"Over seven thousand in one go," Kira praised. "Impressive."

"This is alchemy—nothing is impossible."

Lyman smiled faintly, then raised his hand.

"If you don't get serious, this single blow ends it!

Golden Homunculus—attack 'Aqua Spirit'!"

The water spirit paled; against such power, there was nothing she could do. The artificial lifeform obliterated her effortlessly, and the raging shockwave barreled on toward Kira.

"From my hand, 'Kuriboh,'" Kira said. "Discard Kuriboh; battle damage becomes 0."

"Kuri!"

Kuriboh popped out, arms spread to shield him.

"Kuriboh—the little monster that wrought miracles at the first Duel King's side. Fitting that the new King makes a similar choice."

Lyman smiled.

"But not so easy.

I activate my set Counter Trap 'Face-Off'!

 Negate and destroy a monster, Spell, or Trap effect activated during the Damage Step!"

A blade of force cleaved toward Kuriboh's phantom, ready to split it in two.

Without that shield, the Homunculus's blow would be lethal!

"If you can't answer this, the Duel King's legend ends here!" Lyman declared.

"Professor, you really don't leave any breathing room…"

Kira slowly raised his right arm.

"Then Counter Trap 'Counter Counter'!

 Negate the activation of a Counter Trap and destroy it."

Lyman: "A counter to a Counter Trap!?"

A red beam lanced out, shredding the sword aura. The light continued on, blasting apart Lyman's Trap.

With the counter foiled, the Homunculus's blow landed—only on Kuriboh's outstretched arms. The brunt of the force was sealed away; Kira remained unharmed.

"Hehe, as expected—the Duel King won't fall so easily," Lyman smiled, not surprised.

That exchange was lightning fast. He had suddenly slammed down a 7000+ attacker and pushed for lethal within a single Damage Step—life and death in a heartbeat—yet Kira dispelled it with casual precision.

"I set two and end my turn," Lyman said.

The duel had only gone a few short rounds; he sensed the opponent was still probing, not going all-out, yet he could already feel it—this student he'd taught with his own hands was the greatest opponent of his life.

Lyman is an alchemist, but also a duelist. At the end of his life, to meet a pinnacle of the field stirred his heart. He resolved to go all out—whatever the result—for the best trial of both his opponent and himself.

Kira: "My turn. Draw.

I activate 'Card of Adversity.' If the opponent controls a Special Summoned monster and I control none, draw two."

"Come, Kira—no, Duel King!" Lyman called. "Show me the King's power!"

"Alright. I'll do my best—let me show you my growth this past year."

"Come!" Lyman roared.

"Okay," Kira said. "Then I summon—

—Necroface!"

Lyman: "?"

What on earth are you summoning?

He watched, dumbfounded, as a pale, twisted child's head appeared—half the cranial tissue bulging from a hole in its skull, tentacles writhing around it.

[Necroface, ATK 1200]

A monster straight out of the underworld, radiating ill omen from the moment it appeared. Fitting: in the anime it belongs to Bakura's dark persona—Zorc Necrophades incarnate, an emissary of the underworld.

Lyman had never seen it, but its visage alone felt ominous. He looked from the dead-faced horror to Kira and fell silent.

His student is brilliant, yes—but everything he does and plays feels… not exactly righteous.

"Necroface effect: on Normal Summon," Kira smiled, "return all banished cards for both players… to their respective Decks to be shuffled."

"Na—nani?" Lyman was stunned.

What kind of anti-alchemy effect is this!?

"Counting the 'Face-Off' you just banished, you've banished twenty cards total. I've banished 'Mobius the Frost Monarch.'

That's twenty-one cards total—shuffle them all back into our Decks!"

The Necroface howled; all cards banished thus far floated above them like ghosts. An invisible storm surged, tossing them into a blender whirling at full speed, then in a flash, each flew back into its owner's Deck.

"Golden Homunculus's ATK is based on the number of your banished cards," Kira said. "With them all returned, its ATK reverts."

[Golden Homunculus, ATK 1500]

Lyman gritted his teeth. "Tch…"

This kid… every move goes straight for his alchemy deck's weak points.

Not only Golden Homunculus—his ace Helios series also scales off banished cards.

He actually cleaned out the entire banish zone…

 Lyman narrowed his eyes.

"Well played."

"Haha, you flatter me," Kira said. "And Necroface has a follow-up:

When it returns banished cards to the Deck by its summon effect, it gains ATK equal to the number returned × 100."

Lyman's face shifted. "We returned 21 cards."

"So it gains 2100 ATK!"

[Necroface, ATK 1200 → 3300]

ATK 3300!