"Youyu!"
Mokuba couldn't help but feel overjoyed, almost instinctively hiding behind Youyu, glaring angrily at the villain who attacked him. His expression seemed to say: Bro! That's the bad guy!
Ha! Now my brother Youyu is here, you're done for!
Mokuba: Holding onto the big leg.JPG.
But he also felt curious: "Weren't you out playing... on a business trip, Youyu?"
As soon as he spoke, he remembered that Youyu was supposedly away on business, so he quickly switched his story.
"Due to some special reasons, the trip was canceled and I returned." Youyu's expression was calm.
"...Ah! Did you sense there was someone up to no good and came especially to stop them, Youyu?"
Mokuba's eyes lit up, filled with admiration.
He found this explanation completely reasonable. After all, in his heart, Youyu was always ten steps ahead of any enemy he faced, and no one could escape his calculations!
So, Youyu came to the company specifically to save me?
Youyu coughed: "Uh... well, sort of."
This was a lie. He just happened to come to Kaiba Company's deck pool to grab some new cards.
He heard that Kaiba Company was about to release a new card set these past few days, so he came early to experience them...
Yes, with card printing technology becoming more widespread, printing cards was no longer the exclusive right of the International Fantasy Society. Now, Kaiba Group was gradually launching its independently developed card sets.
But regardless of the reason, Mokuba seemed convinced that Youyu predicted the enemy attack and came especially to help. Not only Mokuba, but even Amir seemed to believe it.
Ha~ As expected from Duel King Youyu, truly foresighted!
He actually predicted our attack on Kaiba Company tonight!
Not long ago, if he faced Youyu, he'd be thinking of "abandoning the duel to save his life"—throwing his Duel Disc and running away.
But now it was different!
With the dark power bestowed by the Evil God, he was now overwhelmed with arrogance!
"Youyu... just perfect," Amir sneered, "That person mentioned you would be part of the plan. Although it's not his order, if I eliminate you here, he would surely be pleased."
"That person?" Youyu raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Quite the tone."
This slightly caught his attention.
Is it Doma's new leader?
He signaled Mokuba to step back, walked forward, and opened his Duel Disc.
"Alright, I accept," Youyu said calmly, "but if I win, not only will your soul vanish, but you'll tell me who that person is."
Amir snickered, seemingly unfazed.
"Duel!" x2
[Youyu, LP 4000]
[Amir, LP 4000]
"I'll go first, drawing a card."
After drawing a card, Amir showed a mysteriously vague smile, then drew three cards at once.
"Set three cards, turn ends!"
Seeing him set three cards in the backfield all at once, Mokuba couldn't help but exclaim in surprise: "End after setting three cards... doesn't this person summon monsters?"
Amir chuckled without speaking.
He was now completely different from before. He had acquired the power personally granted by the Evil God, and his duels were now worlds apart from his old self!
"My turn." Youyu silently drew a card.
He was now using a new deck, just freshly assembled from the System Card Pool.
This Doma Believer was getting a treat, let him open his eyes a bit.
"Field Magic 'Colosseum - Cage of the Gladiator Beasts' activated!"
The dark mist quickly dispersed, and the corridor vanished in an instant. The terrain under their feet changed rapidly, enormous stones emerged, forming pillars and supports, as an ancient circular arena rose from the ground.
"'Colosseum' is, whenever a monster is specially summoned from the deck, a counter is placed. It's a Field Magic," Youyu explained simply, then drew another card: "Magic Card - Graceful Charity. Draw three cards from the deck, then discard two cards from your hand."
He skillfully drew cards and swiftly selected two cards to send to the graveyard, then immediately played another card.
"'Gladiator Beast Laquari', summon in attack position!"
The gladiator warrior dressed in light armor, surrounded by flames, appeared on the field, leaving fiery claw marks wherever it passed.
[Gladiator Beast Laquari, Attack Power 1800]
Amir didn't say a word, but he took note of it secretly.
Gladiator Beast? Isn't it supposed to be a Hero?
However, he wasn't entirely surprised. After all, that's what the rumors about Duel King Youyu say. It is said that he holds many deck sets, each capable of unleashing formidable power in his hands.
Not everyone is qualified to have him use the "Hero" deck symbolizing the Duel King.
"Is it because you think I'm not worthy... Is that what it is?" Amir squinted his eyes, smirking coldly in his heart.
Youyu continued, "Magic Card - Gladiator Beast's Comeback! Choose a 'Gladiator Beast' monster from your hand or graveyard. If there are no monsters of the same type as the selected monster on your field, special summon that Gladiator Beast.
The type of 'Gladiator Beast Laquari' on my field is Warrior-Type, hence I special summon the Winged Beast-Type 'Gladiator Beast Augustus' from the graveyard!
Descend from the ancient Roman Empire, Gladiator Beast Augustus!"
Named after the first emperor of the Roman Empire, the level eight Winged Beast-type Gladiator Beast descended from the skies! It had broad, dark wings, with fierce claws on them. Its body was covered in dark metallic armor, wielding a divine sword, the armor was embedded with red gemstones, and its lone gaze contained the powerful aura unique to the king of Ancient Rome.
[Gladiator Beast Augustus, Attack Power 2600]
"Total attack power exceeding 4000!" Mokuba secretly thought, while he glanced with concern at the three set cards in Amir's backfield.
It shouldn't be that easy to attack, should it?
"Battle."
No matter what traps the opponent has, stepping in is the only way.
"Gladiator Beast Augustus, direct attack!"
The black wings flapped, and the body of the Gladiator King soared into the sky with a gust of wind! The sword embedded with ruby was raised high, and at the moment of the slash, a distinct black arc was left in the air, the momentum of the attack directed as if commanding a thousand troops!
But of course, Amir's backfield set cards weren't just for show: "Activate set card! Trap Card - Waboku!"
The trap flipped open, and three blue-robed nuns gently descended onto Amir's field. They gently wielded protection talismans symbolizing peace, chanting prayers calling for ceasefire, and immediately, a transparent barrier blocked the king's unmatched and determined sword.
"The turn Waboku is activated, monsters won't be destroyed in battle, and the battle damage I take is 0." Amir chuckled lightly, "What a pity."
Augustus returned unsuccessfully, but Youyu seemed to have heard nothing: "Continue the battle. Gladiator Beast Laquari, direct attack!"
Mokuba felt strange: "Clearly the attack would be meaningless, so why attack?"
At this moment, Laquari already leaped forward, with its claws trailing several distinct fiery scars in the air as it fiercely clawed out.
Amir sneered: "Still the effect of 'Waboku', battle damage is nullified!"
Once more blocked by the nun's shield, Laquari was equally powerless and withdrew.
"End of battle phase, 'Gladiator Beast Laquari', 'Gladiator Beast Augustus', activate their effects!" Youyu raised his hand, "At the end of the battle phase in which Gladiator Beast monsters have battled, return them to the deck, and special summon Gladiator Beast monsters other than themselves from the deck!
I return 'Laquari', 'Augustus' to the deck, to special summon another two Gladiator Beasts!"
"Oh? Is that the intention?" Amir's lips curled up, his voice suddenly amplified, "But that won't do! Open the set card, Counter Trap - Recall!"
Youyu's eyelid twitched.
"When the opponent activates a monster effect, at the cost of the opponent drawing one card," Amir squinted his eyes, "that activation is negated and destroyed!
I want to negate... the effect of 'Gladiator Beast Augustus'!"
Augustus raised its head, desperately swinging its dark sword, as blue currents crackled and surged through its body. Following a loud "pop", this ancient king who had just made his appearance suddenly exploded into ashes, leaving only a few black feathers to drift away in the wind.
"Then there's the effect of 'Gladiator Beast Laquari' remaining," Youyu continued, "Return Laquari to the deck, special summon other Gladiator Beasts from the deck.
Come forth! Gladiator Beast Secutor!"
Appearing was a wind-type Gladiator Beast armored in blue, carrying two prominent giant cannons on its shoulders.
[Gladiator Beast Secutor, Defense Power 300]
"And then, according to the effect of 'Recall', I draw a card from the deck." Youyu drew a card, then raised his hand, "Next is the effect of the Field Magic 'Colosseum - Cage of the Gladiator Beasts'!
Since a Gladiator Beast was special summoned from the deck, the counter on 'Colosseum' increases by one.
As long as Colosseum is face-up, for each counter on it, the attack and defense power of Gladiator Beasts on the field increase by 100 points."
[Gladiator Beast Secutor, Defense Power 300 → Defense Power 400]
"Heh heh heh... Useless, totally useless!" Amir laughed loudly, "At this moment! The card bestowed by that lord upon me, my newfound power, its seal is now lifted!"
He raised high a card in his hand, at that moment, Youyu seemingly saw a tangible darkness erupt from that card!
"This card can only be special summoned when an opponent's card is negated by a Counter Trap!" he shouted amid the dark whirlwind, "Descend from the underworld, to deliver judgment upon this tainted world!
Underworld Dragon - Dark Ruler!!!"