The Worm King watched as the gigantic "Mother Star" slowly dissolved into a mere illusion, returning to the Extra Deck, and couldn't help but stomp the ground angrily with its legs.
"Time and again, why do you people so easily turn our efforts into nothing?"
It seems that the worms are having a miserable time in the DT Spirit Realm.
There are just too many "experts" here.
"No, mortal. This is the opportunity given to you by the Duel.
If you don't duel, how can you calmly face me?"
The Worm King listened to Tierra's words, remained silent, but had no way to refute them.
It could sense it.
The figure before it was something terrifying cloaked in the guise of Midrash.
If it truly just came down to a contest of strength, it wouldn't stand a chance.
Tierra placed a card into the set zone.
"It's the Duel that gives you the opportunity. The Duel gives you possibilities. That's why you can hold onto this final sanctuary, isn't it?" Tierra spoke calmly, "And now, the 'reward' for your long persistence has appeared before you."
Reward?
It turned its gaze once more to Tierra and Tenjo Hikari.
The countless trials it had endured, the immense pressure from countless powerful races, the myriad duel defeats, yet it never gave up, for itself, for posterity, for its kind.
It had persisted until now...
It couldn't trust anyone!
It couldn't lose!
"My turn, draw a card!"
"Due to the effect of Suhkyo, during your turn's Standby Phase, I can add an Infernoid from the Graveyard to my Hand Card. Lucifer, reload."
Lucifer! That monster can destroy monsters directly!
The Worm King's expression was not good.
But it's okay; as long as it wins this turn, that's all that matters!
"I'll flip over Worm Victory on the field!"
"Come on, my brothers!!"
At its call, a crimson six-armed Worm Warrior flew out from the Worm hive, roaring angrily at the heavens: "Don't listen to him, King, we can definitely hold our ground!"
Worm Victory, LV 7, Light Attribute, Reptile-Type, ATK 0.
"When Worm Victory is flipped, destroy all monsters on the field except the ones with 'Worm' in their title in face-up positions!"
"Victory Sharp Claw!"
Worm Victory charged towards Beelzebub, using its six claws to grasp and dismantle the demon.
"Then—Worm Victory's ATK increases by 500 points for each Reptile-Type monster with the name 'Worm' in the Graveyard!"
The Worm King extended its hand forward, pointing at Tierra: "Now, there are a total of 23 Worm comrades in my Graveyard! So, Worm Victory's ATK rises to 11500 points!"
"Roar!!!"
Worm Victory, ATK: 0→11500.
"This is the strategy upon which we survive!"
The worms' strategy was simple: use Worm Zero's resurrection ability to directly revive Worm Victory, then use Worm Zero's ability to send opponent's monsters to the Graveyard infinitely, clearing them out, waiting for the opportunity to pass a turn with Worm Zero, and finally deliver a one-turn kill with Worm Victory.
With an ATK of 11,500, no matter how strong the Spirit, it would still lose when directly attacked!
And next turn, Lucifer will appear directly!
"Battle, Worm Victory directly attacks, go back to your own territory—"
"Naïve!"
Tierra opened the Set Card with a reverse hand.
"I've seen your skyrocketing attack behavior before." Tierra said, "Eye of the Void, activate!"
The Trap Card slowly flipped open.
Eye of the Void.
"Ignore the summoning conditions from the Hand Card and Special Summon 1 Infernoid Monster."
"Sjette, emergency deployment!"
She swiftly drew a card and slapped it onto the field with a snap.
Infernoid Sjette, LV 6, Fire Attribute, Fiend-Type, DEF 0.
At this level, the Infernoid Demon was already clad in magnificent armor, with ornate wings, and its pipelines gleamed like gold, extraordinarily beautiful.
This card, along with the "Baal" in production, were cards that Tenjo Hikari had helped Tierra recreate during this period. Thanks to the "Infernoid Tierra" and Hikari's continued research on "Purification," the manufacturing difficulty was much less than imagined.
"How could this be—" Worm Victory gazed at the suddenly appearing purple demon before it, feeling like it had plunged into an ice abyss.
If it couldn't end this turn, if it was dealt with next turn, the king's deck would only be left with crooked timbers—
And those two Continuous Spells and Continuous Traps with the name of the void would allow the monsters to be replaced each turn...
"...Battle, Worm Victory attack Sjette!"
Worm Victory clenched its teeth, ultimately letting out a power struggle, lunging toward Sjette.
Boom—
Sjette disappeared in response to the attack.
"Turn... ends."
"So, the operations I plan to conduct, you're already aware of them."
"My turn, Suhkyo activated—Satan, Rebirth."
She placed Satan, which was in a banished state, back into the Graveyard once again.
"Banish Satan, Special Summon, Luciferge."
"Luciferge's effect, once per turn, targets one Monster on the field to activate. That Monster is destroyed."
"However, this turn, your Luciferge also can't attack!"
"No matter. Asmodius, banish Beelzebub and Sjette from the Graveyard. Special Summon."
The golden-armored demon slowly revealed its true form. The golden armor, previously destroyed by Worm Zero, automatically repaired itself, becoming vibrant and once again transforming back into that mechanical demon form.
Infernoid Asmodius, LV 5, Fire Attribute, Fiend-Type, ATK 2200.
"ATK 2200..."
I still have 300 Life Points!
Worm King secretly calculated.
Hold on, just withstand this turn.
If next turn I'm lucky enough to draw [Evil Dragon Ananta], I can Special Summon a Monster with ATK exceeding ten thousand.
"Foolish mortal. Even now, you haven't figured it out?"
Eh?
"In order to protect and continue your race, to become a barrier, you indeed designed many strategies. But, the belief supporting you has only purpose, not a goal.
To me, a Duel is a cycle.
What does it mean to you?"
"Listen carefully to the teachings of God."
"Ignition, operate again!"
What!?
"When there are no Monsters or only Fiend-Types on your side of the field, banish the Ignition that wasn't sent to the Graveyard this turn. Target up to 11 banished non-same-name Infernoid Monsters. Return those Monsters to the Graveyard."
!!!
There are 3 banished Monsters——
"Satan, Beelzebub, Sjette, reincarnate again. And then..."
"Sjette, banish Satan and Beelzebub, initiate immediately!"
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang——
The armor and machinery torn apart by Worm Victory rose from the ground, with the spirit of a demon rising from the Graveyard. Then, the armor assembled on it, slowly, the demon's soul returned to its place.
It opened its blood-red eyes, spread its wings, flicked its tail, seemingly without an ounce of pain, as if death was not a significant matter.
Infernoid Sjette, LV 6, Fire Attribute, Fiend-Type, ATK 2400.
2400 and 2200!
"Battle. Worm King."
The two demons flew one from the left and one from the right, slicing towards Worm King from in front of Tierra.
Worm King saw this, both of its mouths wide open, feeling as if it truly saw a God.
Boom——
Worm King, LP: 2500→0.
Worm King was blasted away by the impact, crashing to the ground.
"King!"
"King——"
"Big brother!"
A group of worms quickly shielded Worm King, and Worm Queen whispered, sobbing: "Everyone has tried so hard, it's time to say goodbye——"
"Eh! I'm not dead yet!"
"What?"
"Huh——"
"Could it be!"
It's all true!
Tierra lightly crossed her arms, looking towards Tenjo Hikari, even puckering her lips slightly.
Tenjo Hikari couldn't help but laugh, then thought for a moment, raised his hand, and gestured two.
"Huh?" Tierra reflexively mimicked Tenjo Hikari's gesture, thinking it was a celebration.
But then she realized some detail.
No——
This seemed to point to the fact that when clearing the field with Worm Zero and Worm Victory, she didn't use Infernoid to banish the opponent's Graveyard cards.
So it's——2???
A drop of cold sweat dripped from her forehead.
Tenjo Hikari chuckled lightly, not mentioning it directly.
Although the victory wasn't perfect, it was a win nonetheless.
Compared to the last Duel, only the very first turn was particularly tense, seeing an ATK over ten thousand again, Tierra was actually quite calm.
But——
Even though they won, this is the strength of the weakest faction.
The DT World, no matter the time, is truly a realm of chaotic demons.
No wonder the 'mastermind behind the division of the Spirit World' turned a quick round in the DT Dimension and left.