Yugioh [710-713] (Patreon)

Chapter 710: The Reaper Duelist

"The one-turn-kill Reaper?"

Kira frowned, propping his chin as he tried to recall.

Hmm, feels like I've heard that name somewhere. But it's a distant memory, and I can't quite place it now.

"A hint?" Kira said.

"It's like a rumor that's been circulating around the Academy for a while, but I hadn't heard about it before, either."

Meanae said as she naturally walked into the room. She was about to sit on the edge of Kira's bed when she froze mid-step, noticing that the Silent Magician in a student uniform had already taken that seat without anyone noticing.

As always, her face was cool and aloof, seemingly engrossed in some ancient tome, not even glancing their way. Yet she exuded a silent, overwhelming aura, as if wordlessly asserting her sovereignty.

Meanae sullenly backed off, not daring to step closer. She stood awkwardly to the side, cleared her throat, and continued.

"Actually, more students have been brought to the infirmary these last two days. Many of them come out of duels mentally dazed, with injuries that shouldn't even be possible from a duel."

Kira thought for a moment.

"Could it be modified Duel Disks?" he said. "It's not like we haven't seen that before. Some shady types mod the solid-vision impact systems for a thrill, which can cause damage beyond safe thresholds."

Though that sort of thing is more common in underground black-market duels.

But Meanae shook her head.

"No, the injuries aren't that type. I am a professional school nurse, after all. I can tell the difference."

Kira squinted.

Oh, so you really are a professional school nurse and not a burglars undercover doing part-time?

Still, Meanae seemed really in character, actually worrying about the students' safety—maybe she'd internally accepted that she truly was the school nurse.

"Also," she lowered her voice and glanced out the window before adding mysteriously, "some bystanders passing by said they saw Grim Reaper."

"The Reaper?"

Kira considered it. His first thought was the mythic soul-harvesting Reaper, but then again, not necessarily. This is the card-dueling world; anything supernatural is tied to cards. So Grim Reaper could very well be a card.

"Yes. That duelist always appears with Grim Reaper's shadow, which is why he's called Grim Reaper Duelist. They say he sold his soul to Grim Reaper and gained a transcendent power—an absolute one-turn kill. No one can escape it. But that power is cursed."

Kira seemed to remember now.

There was something like this in the original anime. A student sold his soul to Grim Reaper, trading his life for the power of godly draws.

Jaden back then was baffled.

Huh? You just draw the card you want. Why pay with your life?

Isn't that just a matter of sincerity—if you want it, you can do it?

But, to be fair, Grim Reaper's price wasn't cheap, yet the trade was definitely "you get what you pay for." After forming the pact, the student really did gain an authentic god-draw ability—think it, draw it—and then built a deck to maximize that power.

"Interesting. But to make a mess at my school? Even a Reaper better be ready to pay the price."

Kira stood.

"Let's investigate a bit. If we get the chance, we'll meet this Reaper and see if he lives up to the rumors."

…

At that moment, deep in the Duel Academy's forest, in a secluded spot—

A student in an Obelisk Blue uniform stood at one end of a duel field, Duel Disk on his arm, staring in terror at the man opposite him.

The man wreathed in black miasma, face twisted and feral.

He wore an exaggerated expression, raised his arm high, and chanted what sounded like an ancient incantation.

"My right hand's skull howls for victory! Strike them down! Strike them down! Strike them down!"

On the back of his raised hand, a jet-black skull was visible, black energy coiling around his arm like a dragon made of fog.

Even the sky seemed to respond. Dark red clouds gathered overhead, roiling with lightning. Bolts crashed to the ground. Dense black mist congealed into an eerie shadow.

A black robe, a hooded cowl hinting at stark white bone beneath. He held a long scythe, a ghostly specter hovering above the man, until the shadow almost overlapped with his body.

The Obelisk Blue student trembled like a sieve.

"R-Reaper…"

The man kept chanting.

"Offer it up—my life!"

"Draw it forth—the one-hit kill card!"

A black tornado swirled around him as the hand marked with the skull touched his deck.

"Dra—w—Card!"

That single draw seemed to split the dark-red sky like lightning itself. As if the act of drawing had become thunder and light, an unstoppable torrent crashing toward the student.

"Uwaaah!"

The student screamed.

One draw, game over. He collapsed, unconscious, cards scattered everywhere.

"Ahahahahaha—!"

Arms spread, the man threw back his head and laughed triumphantly.

"This is my power—one-hit-kill draws, Grim Reaper's power in the most literal sense!"

"I am now absolutely invincible, the strongest in the dueling world with the legendary power of the draw! I will never lose, never fear anyone again!"

But as he reveled, Grim Reaper's phantom reappeared, silently floating behind him.

"But the price that comes with victory—have you forgotten?"

The voice was cold and heavy.

"Hm?"

The man looked back at the chilling apparition, but showed no fear—he only smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I know. Victory costs a piece of my soul. Whatever. Life or whatever—if you want it, take it. But per our agreement, the contract isn't complete yet."

He glanced at the deck in his Duel Disk.

"When I take the GeneX championship—when this one-hit-kill deck is proven the strongest. Then I'll be at the summit. If you want my life then, take it."

But as he spoke, his vision blurred. He shook his head, tried to sit up, but his strength gave out—he collapsed and passed out.

Just before losing consciousness, he faintly heard someone shouting from afar.

"Found you at last, Reaper Duelist! Let's duel!"

Chapter 711: Three vs. One—And Still Beaten

"Reaper… Duelist?"

Jaden, Chazz, and Syrus gathered around the bed, looking at the unconscious duelist they'd hauled back from the wilds.

"This guy?"

Syrus stroked his chin.

"He looks pretty ordinary—nothing special."

"But there's a skull on his hand. Kinda creepy."

"I found it."

Chazz walked in with a terminal. The others leaned over to look at the screen.

On it was a photo of a man in a familiar school uniform. Compared side by side, the man on the bed looked more haggard, older, but he was definitely the same person.

"He's from the North Academy."

Chazz, who'd been there himself, said.

"His name is Lucien Grimley."

Before they could read more, the man on the bed suddenly sat bolt upright.

"My deck—my deck! Where's my deck!?"

Jaden grinned and brought over his Duel Disk. "Relax, your deck's right here."

Lucien snatched it and started frantically checking card by card.

He'd heard the rumors about the Academy's main campus. Supposedly, in the last two years a twisted culture of ripping decks to steal rare cards had taken hold. If his key OTK card was stolen, he might as well be dead.

"You're a good guy," Jaden said with a sunny smile.

"Huh?"

Everyone in the room—even Lucien—stared at him in confusion.

I sold my soul to Grim Reaper, and I'm a good guy?

"Because you clearly love your deck," Jaden said, righteous and sincere. "Someone who loves their deck that much can't be a bad person."

Everyone: "…"

So many things to unpack, and yet, that was peak Jaden.

Lucien's gaze focused on Jaden.

"You! Jaden Yuki!"

Jaden pointed at himself, puzzled. "You know me?"

"Of course. The legendary natural draw saint—born with a monstrously strong draw power… damn it, a guy you can't help but envy. If I had talent, I could draw the cards I need too—so why would I…"

He bit his lip and stopped.

"You borrowed Grim Reaper's power?" Chazz said.

"That's right."

Lucien's face twisted with pain as if sinking into memory.

"It's always been this way. Every crucial duel in life—I never draw the cards I need!

If—if I could just draw what I need, I could be a strong duelist too!"

Jaden scratched his head. "But that's not a good reason to use something that dangerous…"

"I don't care! I'm the strongest duelist now, even Grim Reaper stands with me! Even the Duel King—I… huh!?"

He suddenly realized something was wrong and patted himself down in a panic.

"The Reaper… Grim Reaper is gone!"

He looked up, aghast.

"Where did you take my Reaper!?"

Jaden and Chazz exchanged a look.

"As expected—that card is the real 'Reaper Duelist' itself."

It was a card they found on Lucien.

Amusingly, the so-called Reaper was a spirit monster card, but it was an anime-original Level 1 normal monster. ATK 0, DEF 0, no effect, with the flavor text "Thee who pays with thy soul shall be bestowed upon drawing power that vanquishes foes in a single swipe.."

For a Level 1 normal, backed by a spirit, its fate-bending power was absurdly strong.

"That card is too dangerous. We can't let you use it freely," Chazz said.

"I've put it somewhere safe for you."

In fact, in Chazz's own room. The card was locked in a briefcase and guarded by the Ojama trio as wardens.

"What!? That's my card!"

Lucien panicked.

"I need Grim Reaper's power!"

"No. That's forbidden power. People have already been hurt—someone might die." Chazz said. "Whether it's others or you, we can't allow that."

"No!"

Lucien shot to his feet, the skull on his hand erupting with deathly black energy.

"You geniuses could never understand the agony of never drawing the card you need at a crucial moment!"

"I've had enough!"

"I don't care what happens to my soul. I want to win—I have to keep winning! For that, I need Grim Reaper's power!"

He raised his arm high, a terrifying aura bursting forth. Darkness coiled around him like a dragon.

"Reaper! If you still want my soul, then return to my side!"

As if answering him, a bolt of lightning cracked outside, followed by thunder.

Moments later, the door opened. In the doorway stood Professor Crowler.

But his eyes were empty, as if sleepwalking. He was shrouded in a strange, dark aura, moving like a puppet with its strings pulled, holding a card.

"Professor Crowler!?" Jaden blurted.

That card could directly control people's minds!?

The card floated from his hand as if alive, sailing precisely into Lucien's palm.

"What the—?"

Chazz was shocked.

"I clearly put those three on guard—"

Before he finished, the Ojama trio floated in. They were a mess—bandages, slings, one on crutches—like they'd just been thoroughly beaten.

"Sorry, boss, we really tried our best!" Ojama Yellow bawled, clinging to Chazz.

"Useless!"

Chazz snapped.

You three Level 2s got beaten by a single Level 1 normal with 0 ATK and 0 DEF. You each have 1000 DEF.

Three-on-one and you still got turned around on? Do you even play this game? Could you be any more worthless?

The trio hung their heads in shame.

What were they supposed to do? They're gag characters—he's Grim Reaper…

"Finally! Power! I can feel it again—the power of the one-hit-kill draw!"

Lucien laughed to the ceiling.

"With this power, I can dominate the Academy! Beat everyone who looks down on my deck—no, not just that. Even those legendary duelists—Kaiba Seto, the Duel King—none of them can touch me—"

"Is that so?"

Speak of the devil: Kira appeared at the door without anyone noticing, shaking his Duel Disk with a smile.

"If you're that confident, want to try me?"

Chapter 712: The Reaper's Power

"The… Duel King?"

Lucien recognized Kira and froze, awe flickering in his eyes—quickly turning into excitement.

"Oh, hey Kira," Jaden waved cheerfully.

"This guy says he's some Reaper Duelist. Kinda spooky," Chazz said, pointing at Lucien, who was still posing on the bed, black miasma curling around the skull on his arm.

"You really came…"

Lucien grew more excited and raised his Duel Disk.

"Since I have the chance to be guided by the Duel King—let's do this!"

Kira glanced at his arm. "You sure your body's okay?"

"My life and soul were thrown aside long ago," Lucien sneered. "To get the chance to face the King, a single life is nothing. The Reaper can take it.

Come!"

He turned, clattered through the window, and landed in the courtyard behind.

Kira shrugged and followed, taking position opposite him.

A Reaper card with special spirit power—though it demands the duelist's soul, granting guaranteed god-draws—was interesting enough to test.

"Duel!" x2
[Kira, LP 4000]
[Lucien Grimley, LP 4000]

"I'll take the first turn. Draw."

Kira drew and immediately placed two cards.

"I set one monster in face-down Defense Position," he said. "Then I set one card face-down. Turn end."

"A set monster and a back row, huh."

Lucien gave a grim smile.

"Against Grim Reaper, that just gets you OTK'd."

Chazz frowned from the sidelines. "What's this guy saying? He's mouthing off to the Academy's Yellow king?"

"But it's true a lot of people have been OTK'd by Grim Reaper lately…" Syrus said. "Maybe he really does have something special."

Lucien played a Spell first.

"I activate the Spell 'Footsteps of the Goddess'!"

Holy light poured onto the field as a blonde goddess with white wings appeared, toes skimming the water as bubbles floated around her.

"Footsteps of the Goddess: check the opponent's hand. If they have a monster with 1500 ATK or less that can be Special Summoned, select one and Special Summon it to the opponent's field in Attack Position." (Anime card)

"Huh?"

They looked at each other.

Seeing the opponent's hand is nice, but forcing a Special Summon from it? Isn't that giving resources away?

Kira showed his hand without fuss. "Pick one."

His cards were projected for Lucien to see. He squinted, then pointed.

"Then Special Summon 'Magical Merchant.'"

Kira placed Magical Merchant onto the field.

[Magical Merchant, ATK 200]

"This guy actually forced a 200-ATK Flip monster into Attack Position," Chazz frowned. "So that's how he plans to create an opening to push damage?"

"It's not over. Footsteps of the Goddess also lets me Special Summon a monster with 1500 ATK or less from my hand. But that monster can't attack this turn."

Lucien placed another card.

"I Special Summon 'Invincible Demise Lord'!" (Anime card)

Darkness coiled, a black vortex yawning to the underworld. A twisted black fiend flew out, scythe in hand, cloak billowing, exuding a menacing aura.

[Invincible Demise Lord, ATK 1300]

"Though it's a Level 6 Tribute monster, its ATK is only 1300, so it qualifies for Footsteps."

He paused, then lowered his head and chuckled.

"Well, now I'm set. Maybe you haven't noticed, but…"

He squinted and whispered coldly.

"The Reaper… has already descended."

The spectators blinked, confused, when Lucien suddenly laughed and raised a card high.

"Now, I'll unleash Grim Reaper's power with this card—

—Spell Card 'Slash Draw'!!!"

The card art showed a hand poised at a sword hilt, ready to draw. The moment it hit the field, darkness billowed out. The vortex of death opened; Grim Reaper's specter appeared overhead, ready to swing its scythe at any moment.

"What is this card…"

The onlookers shielded themselves from the gale.

"This terrifying aura…" Syrus went pale. "Is that really Grim Reaper!?"

Chazz rolled his eyes. "Have some backbone. We just saw it—'Grim Reaper' is a Level 1 normal monster."

Still, the manifested image was undeniably terrifying.

"'Slash Draw': first, send cards from the top of your Deck to the GY equal to the number of cards on your opponent's field." (Anime effect)

The printed version was later nerfed to require discarding a card to activate, but in the anime it didn't.

"You have three cards on the field, so I mill the top three."

Lucien sent three cards from the top of his deck to the GY.

He smirked and continued.

"Then I draw one card. If that card is 'Slash Draw,' I send it to the GY and destroy all cards on the field.

For each card destroyed and sent to the GY, the opponent takes 1000 damage."

Of course, the printed card was changed to 2000 per card, since in 8000 LP formats 1000 is too little.

"He's actually using the Slash Draw strat!" Syrus blurted. "But isn't that considered a show-off card for casual play?"

Makes sense. Banking everything on a single god draw—hit it and you win instantly; miss and you fold. Doesn't sound like something a serious duelist would do.

Jaden nodded. "So that's Grim Reaper's guaranteed kill power. Your deck is…"

"Exactly! My right hand calls Grim Reaper of victory to guarantee the kill!"

Lucien raised his right hand, the skull spewing black energy.

"This draw will decide it all!"

Chapter 713: One-Hit Kill!

"Reaper, hear my plea and grant me strength!"

"Absolute kill power—enough to fell even the King!"

As Lucien's fingers touched his deck, the deathly aura surged, clinging to the cards—a terrifying power gathered.

Dark red clouds blanketed the sky. Lightning split the heavens as he drew.

"Draw!"

In that soul-piercing draw, Grim Reaper above seemed to swing its scythe. A flash of lightning illuminated the card in Lucien's hand.

He burst into manic laughter.

"The card I drew is—'Slash Draw'!"

Even though they half expected it, everyone was still shocked.

Syrus: "He actually drew it."

Chazz, grim: "If he can ensure the draw, it really is a kill button. No wonder they call him Grim Reaper Duelist…"

"I did it, I did it!" Lucien shook with excitement. "I beat the Duel King—"

"Ahem—sorry to rain on your parade," Kira smiled. "But it looks like you're the one with a problem."

"Huh?"

Lucien blinked and looked up blankly, then saw a Trap on Kira's back row that had somehow already been activated.

He froze, then realized the only timing Kira had to activate a Trap was in chain to his 'Slash Draw.' But he'd been too busy praying to Grim Reaper and focusing on his draw to notice the activation.

"Even if you tried to counter Slash Draw, it wouldn't work," he frowned. "'Slash Draw's activation can't be negated by monster, Spell, or Trap effects, and it can't be destroyed." (Anime effect)

In the anime, it was essentially pseudo-Spell Speed 4—its activation itself couldn't be negated. Truly a literal kill strike.

But Kira smiled. "Is that so? Maybe take a closer look at what I activated."

Lucien squinted at it.

Trap Card—Nature's Reflection. Never heard of it. As a North Academy slacker, not recognizing a card was normal.

No matter. Any Trap is useless against his invincible Slash Draw.

Let's see the effect…

"During this turn, any effect activated by your opponent that would inflict damage becomes an effect that inflicts damage to their Life Points."

Lucien thought for two seconds.

Then his face contorted.

"Na-na-na-nani!?"

Reflected… back at me!?

"Yeah. A fantastic god draw," Kira said pleasantly. "Since I didn't know whether you'd actually hit the Slash Draw, I had to take the chance. But drawing it out of such a thick deck—impressive."

He even clapped.

But with Nature's Reflection up, that brilliant god draw was about to one-shot Lucien himself. The applause felt like mockery…

"Resolving Slash Draw: four cards on the field are destroyed between us," Kira said. "The 4000 damage I would take is reflected to you."

A single iai slash swept the field—Kira's set monster, Magical Merchant, Nature's Reflection, and Lucien's Invincible Demise Lord were all shattered, their energy surging back toward Lucien.

Lucien's face twitched.

You've got to be kidding me.
I sold my soul to Grim Reaper for a god draw, only to kill myself? That'd go straight into the top 10 funniest deaths in dueling history…

Boom!!!
The killing slash blasted through Lucien in a column of black smoke.

Except—

[Lucien Grimley, LP 1000]

"Eh? He's still alive?" Syrus gaped.

"Of course," Jaden said. "Look at his field—was that Spell actually 'Slash Draw'?"

Syrus squinted at the fading projection of the card dissipating from Lucien's back row.

It looked like…
Emergency Provisions?

"Huh?" Syrus yelped. "It wasn't Slash Draw?"

Chazz said, "Even if he missed Kira activating 'Nature's Reflection,' he chained 'Emergency Provisions' to his own 'Slash Draw,' sending the activating 'Slash Draw' to the GY as cost and recovering 1000 LP."

"I see!" Syrus nodded. "Even though the field still had four cards for Slash Draw's resolution, his card was actually Emergency Provisions, not Slash Draw—I totally missed it…"

Lucien wiped cold sweat. "That was close. If I hadn't tossed in an Emergency Provisions, I'd be dead…"

The Duel King really is terrifying. Even with Grim Reaper's power, he might not be my match.

But that just makes it worth the challenge.

"The set monster I lost to Slash Draw was 'Learning Elf.'" Kira said. "When it's sent to the GY, I draw a card."

Lucien steadied himself.

"Then I activate the Spell 'Monster Reborn' to revive a monster destroyed this turn.

Rise again—Invincible Demise Lord!"

The black vortex yawned open again—like an entrance to the underworld. The Reaper's scythe split the swirling darkness as the black-robed specter descended. Crimson pinpricks glowed under the hood.

[Invincible Demise Lord, ATK 1300]

"Another ominous monster," Syrus muttered. "Are all his monsters Reaper-like too…?"

"But it's Level 6 with only 1300 ATK," Jaden said.

"There must be some special ability," Chazz said.

At least it saved him from ending the turn on an empty board.

Even if his deck hinged on one-hit-kill draws, he couldn't just lose all combat ability if he whiffed. Lucien knew you can't face real masters like that.

"I'll set one card and end my turn."

"My turn. Draw," Kira said.

Lucien held his breath.

How will the Duel King attack…?
He was, instinctively, a bit tense.

Kira played a Spell: "I activate 'Reasoning.' My opponent declares a Level from 1 to 12; I reveal cards from the top of my Deck until I reveal a monster that can be Normal Summoned. Send the rest to the GY.

If the revealed monster's Level is different from the declared Level, I Special Summon it. If it's the same, I send it to the GY."

Lucien thought. "I declare Level 4."

Kira flipped nine cards before he revealed a monster.

"Breaker the Magical Warrior—Level 4," Kira smiled. "Nice call. Since you hit the Level, Breaker goes to the GY."