"Alpha The Electromagnet Warrior, attack!"
Seeing that tiny Magnet Warrior recklessly charge at Sun Dragon, Goodwin, though suspicious, had no other choice but to shout, "Sun Dragon Inti, counterattack!"
Sun Dragon roared, molten energy streaming from its chest core to its four dragon mouths, converging into a blazing torch-like beam!
The outcome was predictable. The tiny Magnet Warrior was simply no match, overwhelmed before it could even get close, consumed by Sun Dragon's flames. Its body melted away, rapidly vanishing until nothing remained but molten iron.
[Kira, LP 2500 → LP 1200]
The explosion sent Kira staggering backward, crashing into the glass wall behind him. The impact left the glass webbed with cracks, as a swirling cyclone of smoke and air spun outward.
It seemed nothing had changed—Sun Dragon easily defeated the Magnet Warrior. Goodwin sneered, "Snapped under the pressure of a Shadow Duel, have you?"
Kira replied, "Not necessarily."
Goodwin: "Nani?"
He sensed something was wrong and quickly looked up at his Sun Dragon. He saw the Magnet Warrior, though destroyed, suddenly unleashing a huge electromagnetic force, as if binding his Sun Dragon. Sun Dragon Inti's form flickered, shifting between solid and illusory, as though receiving a distorted transmission.
Finally, with a crackle of electromagnetic energy, Sun Dragon couldn't hold on—it faded into a phantom image and disappeared.
Goodwin was finally shocked. "Why? Sun Dragon Inti!?"
The sun should be indestructible—even if some hidden effect got rid of it, Moon Shadow Dragon would revive. If Moon Dragon fell, Sun Dragon would rise again. That's how it should work.
So where's my giant Sun Dragon? Why is it gone?
Only now did he notice the ring-shaped magnetic field beneath their feet crackling with electric arcs. His expression changed as he realized: "Magnetic Field—this field spell!?"
"Oh? You noticed," Kira said. "That's right. Magnetic Field has another hidden effect—once per turn, if one of your Rock/EARTH monsters battles an opponent's monster, and that opponent's monster isn't destroyed, at the end of damage calculation, return that monster to its owner's hand."
Goodwin: "!"
What kind of toxic field spell is this?
Not only can it revive Magnet Warriors each turn, but it also has this ability. In other words, if he leaves a low-level Rock monster in defense mode, I can't attack recklessly. If I battle with a boss monster and a Rock-type "fodder," it'll be a one-for-one trade.
And it bounces to hand, not destroys—so my Sun-Moon endless loop combo is broken without even being attacked. Sun Dragon Inti is a Synchro Monster—so instead of going to hand, it's returned to the Extra Deck. With Sun Dragon gone, Moon Dragon in the grave is useless.
Thinking of this, Goodwin shot Kira a dark look.
Did this guy… know about my Sun-Moon Dragon combo and choose this tactic on purpose?
But how could he? How would he know?
"Battle continues," Kira snapped his fingers. "Berserkion the Electromagna Warrior, attack Goodwin—or whoever you really are, directly!"
[Berserkion the Electromagna Warrior, ATK 3000]
[Goodwin, LP 3000]
Goodwin had paid 1000 Life Points to Special Summon Dark Tuner earlier, leaving him at exactly 3000. This attack would decide the duel.
Electromagnetic Berserkion's sword struck, crackling as it tore through the air. Goodwin, setting aside his doubts, shouted, "I activate my set card—Trap Card 'Offering to the Immortals'!"
The set card flipped up—a massive rock, floating in midair, its surface covered with Nasca line-like patterns glowing with strange purple light.
Anyone who's seen the 5D's anime would recognize it as the "Earthbound Immortal's heart"—the object that always appears before the summoning of an Earthbound Immortal.
At this moment, the floating boulder exploded with energy, forming a purple barrier. The Magnet Warrior's finishing blow crashed against it, sending out ripples.
"'Offering to the Immortals'—when you have no monsters and your opponent declares a direct attack, you can activate it," Goodwin explained. "That attack becomes invalid! Then, you Special Summon two 'Ceremonial Tokens' to your field!"
The sword strike was deflected, the boulder split in two by the impact, transforming into two monoliths on Goodwin's field.
[Ceremonial Token, DEF 0] x2
"And then," Goodwin sneered, drawing a card that popped out of his deck, "I add one 'Earthbound Immortal' to my hand."
As he revealed the card, thunder seemed to boom outside, making the Sector Security building tremble.
Kira narrowed his eyes.
Earthbound Immortal. By the normal storyline, Goodwin shouldn't have the power of the Earthbound Immortal yet, but since he's become a Dark Signer, it makes sense.
Earthbound Immortals are the Dark Signers' trump cards—much stronger in the anime than as real cards. They can attack directly regardless of opponent's monsters, and are immune to all Spell and Trap effects. On top of those universal abilities, each Earthbound Immortal has unique effects.
Their design is based on the giant Nazca Lines in Peru—they are gods bound to the land.
"Offering to the Immortals" is a dedicated trap for Earthbound Immortals, also used by Goodwin in the anime. The real card effect is mostly retained but with more restrictions.
The real card can only be activated if you have less than 3000 LP, while the anime imposes no such restriction. However, the real card can be activated even for direct attacks that bypass monsters, but in the anime, it only works if you have no monsters.
And the tokens summoned cannot be used for Synchro Summon in the real card—only for Tribute Summon of Earthbound Immortals. In the anime, there are no such restrictions; you can use them for anything.
Kira narrowed his eyes.
This card is actually pretty useful. Two free tokens—good for anything, even as tributes for Egyptian Gods or Wicked Gods.
Goodwin felt a chill under Kira's gaze.
Why do I feel like I'm being eyed by a thief halfway through the duel?
…
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