"Activate Magic Card 'Sacred Sword of Seven Stars'," Youyu said. "Remove a Level 7 Monster from your hand or field from the game, then draw two cards from the deck."
"I remove my Level 7 'Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight' from the game and draw cards from the deck."
He draws two cards, adds them to his hand, and immediately draws one more card.
"Activate Magic Card 'Tribute Doll' from my hand," Youyu stated. "Sacrifice one Monster on the field to Special Summon a Level 7 Monster that can be Normal Summoned from my hand."
"I'll use 'Sangan' as the sacrifice. Level 7, Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight, Summon!"
Sangan's form vanishes, transforming into a beam of light that flies into the black void. The sound of galloping hooves is heard, as a spiral red lance pierces the darkness, and Gaia on a pitch-black steed storms out.
[Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight, ATK 2300]
"Gaia the Fierce Knight... Is this his key spirit?" Mahad pondered.
"Sangan's effect!" Before Youyu, the spectral image of the just-sacrificed Sangan quickly appears, "When it's sent from the field to the graveyard, I can add a Monster with 1500 or less ATK from my deck to my hand."
"I add the 500 ATK 'Beginning Knight' to my hand."
A card automatically pops out of the deck, Youyu draws it back into his hand, and the deck is swiftly shuffled.
"Magic Card 'Pre-Preparation of Rites'," Youyu continued. "Select a Ritual Magic Card from the deck, as well as the Ritual Monster listed on that Ritual Magic Card, and add them to your hand."
"I add the Ritual Magic 'Black Luster Ritual', and the Ritual Monster 'Black Luster Soldier' from the deck to my hand."
Again, two cards pop out of the deck. Youyu draws them, and the deck is shuffled once more.
Priest Mahad's eyelid twitched for a moment, doubting his hearing in that fleeting instant.
Did he just say... Black Luster Soldier?
Countless have heard of the legend, but none have ever seen its true form, the strongest warrior standing at the pinnacle of the Spirit World?
According to the normal unfolding 3000 years ago, the legendary Black Luster Soldier eventually bowed before the Pharaoh, willingly becoming Dark Yugi's loyal servant.
But in this Memory World, the strongest warrior is now Youyu's spirit.
"Ritual Magic 'Black Luster Ritual'!" With a grand gesture, Youyu directly activated the Magic. "Sacrifice Monsters whose levels total eight or more to perform a Ritual Summon!"
"Sacrifice the Level 7 'Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight' from the field, and the Level 4 'Beginning Knight' from my hand, Ritual Summon!"
A deep black altar, criss-crossed longswords glinting with dancing flames. The two knights take their positions, one golden beam and one dark glow interweave in mid-air, streaming left and right into the altar.
"One soul guides the light, one soul guides the darkness, the gateway to chaos opens here.
Black Luster Soldier, descend!"
The fusion of light and darkness pierces into the depths of chaos during this sacred ritual. The warrior's soul awakens, like a golden shooting star breaking out from the chaos, bearing a world-class warrior, with golden light washing over his deep blue armor and golden patterns.
[Black Luster Soldier, ATK 3000]
Mahad's face slightly changed.
It truly is Black Luster Soldier?
That Black Luster Soldier!?
Moreover, the Black Luster Soldier appearing here isn't just a normal Monster. Summoned using 'Beginning Knight' as the Ritual material, the Black Luster Soldier has powerful effects that allow it to remove any Monster on the field once per turn, and when it destroys an opponent's Monster, it can attack again.
A true warrior worthy of its strongest title!
"Even such a powerful warrior willingly serves you... No wonder Priest Set could not match you." Mahad quickly recovered, internally elevating his regard for the 'Pharaoh's friend.'
But he, Mahad, the 'strongest Magician,' holds his title for a reason. With a resolute expression, Mahad swung his hand, opening a stone tablet: "The moment your Black Luster Soldier steps onto this field, the Trap is already triggered!
The Trap he triggered is, 'Void Trap Hole!'"
Void Trap Hole can only be activated when a Monster with 2000 or more ATK is Special Summoned; it negates the Monster's effect and destroys it.
A chasm opens beneath Black Luster Soldier, and the warrior steps into the void, immediately falling into the trap, turning into a gold powder and vanishing.
"At this instant, the new Magician spirit's power is also triggered."
Mahad pointed in front, as another stone tablet quickly flipped.
"Appear, Magician of Dark Illusion!!!"
The stone tablet vanished into thin air, replaced by a gigantic black magic array. A magician in a black robe, holding an emerald magic staff, flew out from the array. Both in appearance and stature, he closely resembled the "Magician of Black Illusion" seen in later generations, except that his robe's face was completely dark.
[Magician of Dark Illusion, Attack Power 2100]
The Magician of Dark Illusion can be specially summoned from the hand if a magic or trap card is activated during the opponent's turn.
This magician spirit seems to be the one summoned during the duel line in the original animation between Mahad and Bakura. However, according to the card effects, the Magician of Dark Illusion needs to work with the "Dark Magician" to achieve his full potential, and without the Dark Magician, his power is naturally compromised.
Mana, secretly observing from the shadows, was full of admiration for her master's prowess, "As expected of Master, so amazing! He swiftly dealt with such a powerful warrior and further summoned the ace magician spirit..."
However, Youyu was not at all frustrated about his ace monster being trapped. He continued, "Next, the effect of 'Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight' activates.
If this card is used as a tribute, I can add a 'Black Luster Soldier' from my card deck to my hand."
Drawing a card that popped out from the card deck, Youyu briefly displayed it, "I have added 'Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning' to my hand."
"Envoy of the Beginning..."
This name made Mahad secretly feel a bit uneasy. But the Black Luster Soldier was already a legendary warrior, and his various aliases were unlikely to be seen by anyone else.
"Next, I remove the Light Attribute 'Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight' and the Dark Attribute 'Beginning Knight' from the game from the graveyard!
The souls of light and darkness as sacrifices for the Gateway to Chaos, the legendary strongest warrior descends here—
—Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning!!"
In the clear sky suddenly appeared a vortex of chaos, with dark clouds shrouding the Royal Palace.
Golden lightning pierced through the clouds, striking straight down on the stone pavement... no, it was not lightning, but an unparalleled sword light that cleaved the heavens and earth!
Sword Qi shattered the space, inducing heavenly phenomena! Golden light, like shooting arrows through the clouds, shot out from behind the clouds, and the swordsman in blue armor, with a divine presence, slowly descended to the ground.
[Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, Attack Power 3000]
"Next is the effect of 'Beginning Knight' that was removed from the game in the graveyard. When this card is removed from the game, add a Ritual Magic from the card deck to your hand."
Youyu slowly spoke, drawing another card from the deck.
"I have added the Ritual Magic 'Super Soldier Ritual' to my hand." After displaying the card, Youyu added it to his hand, "Next is the battle. 'Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning', attack Maha Vailo!"
The Black Luster Soldier leapt forward, his longsword extending like a silver dragon. The momentum of the sword suddenly exploded into layer upon layer of endless sword shadows, forming boundless waves surging forth!
Maha Vailo is merely a level four low-rank mage; how could he withstand such power? In an instant, the infinite sword light pierced his body full of holes, exploding on the spot.
[Mahad, LP 4000 → LP 2550]
The overwhelming Sword Qi and explosive impact blew Mahad back half a step, his Millennium Ring swinging wildly on his chest, with metal devices clinking crisply.
"The effect of 'Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning' activates," Youyu said, "When battle destroys an opposing monster, once again, it can attack again."
Mahad's eyelids twitched.
This warrior's power is indeed formidable!?
Seizing his initial victory, the Black Luster Soldier kept moving, spinning his steps and flashing right in front of the dark magician.
The Magician of Dark Illusion raised his magic staff, attempting to resist with a glowing array, but the Black Luster Soldier's longsword pierced forth like a dragon, shredding the green magic array to dust. Then with a flash of the sword light, the sword slashed upward, sending the magic staff flying into the air.
There's a saying that a close-quarters mage is just meat on the chopping board, which might not always apply today, depending on the situation, but in this context, it's quite fitting.
The Black Luster Soldier's sword spun again, unleashing boundless sword light that instantly tore the magician spirit apart, shattering it into pieces under the crisscrossing Sword Qi.
Space-Time Cleaving Dual Slash of the Beginning!
[Mahad, LP 2550 → LP 1650]
"Set two cards, end the turn," Youyu said.
Mahad stepped back, steadied himself, and looked up at Youyu with a newfound solemnity in his eyes.
He realized it.
This man...
...is unfathomable!