"Blocked again!?" Bakura doubted his life.
After exhausting the hand pit, it's now the grave pit. After such ferocious attacks over two turns, Bakura still hasn't managed to even touch a hair of the two Duel Kings on the other side.
"Tch." Bakura said irritably, "Such tenacious individuals. Then I'll set four cards and end my turn."
"In the End Phase, the effect of 'Shadow Knight' ends," Youyu said, "The card banished last turn can return."
A stone slab appeared from the void, accompanied by flickering electric currents, landing with a boom in front of Bakura. Bakura glanced at it, snorted lightly, and said nothing.
"Of course, at the same time in this End Phase, the special summoned Evil God's activity time also ends," Youyu said, "The Wicked Dreadroot will return to the graveyard."
With a heavy roar, the large dark vortex on the ground opened again. The massive body of the Wicked Dreadroot slowly sank into the earth, as if a mountain was being swallowed by the ground. Until its body finally disappeared, its malicious eyes remained fixed on the two Duel Kings, unnerving everyone.
But it eventually vanished, along with the suffocating aura of fear.
Bakura's front field was once again empty.
A perfect opportunity to attack!
This time it was Yugi's turn.
"My turn, draw!" Yugi said, "Activate the Magic Card 'Book of Magic from the Pot,' both players draw three cards from their decks."
Yugi drew three cards and immediately played one from his hand: "Special Summon 'Watapon!'"
...Okay, of course, it's Watapon.
Everyone knows that Pharaoh's Watapon and speed draw cards are always stuck together.
[Watapon, Defense 300]
But at this moment, Bakura moved as well!
"The moment you activated the Magic Card, flip the Set Card! Trap Card 'Jar of Greed'!" A stone slab in front of Bakura flipped, summoning a red jar grinning greedily.
The art style clearly resembled Pot of Greed's sibling.
"Jar of Greed's effect, I draw one card from the deck," he said, "Then immediately flip the next Set Card, Trap Card - Chain Detonation! Deal 500 damage to the opposing player!"
[Yugi and Youyu, LP 4000 → LP 3500]
Youyu raised an arm to block the 500 damage electric shock—this was the first time Bakura had actually reduced their Life Points in this duel.
But was this card only for the 500 damage?
Youyu remembered Chain Detonation, typically used in blood drain specialized decks. But Bakura's stance didn't seem like a blood drain setup...
Then Bakura waved his hand again, flipping another Set stone slab.
"At this moment, this guy's activation condition is met—Quick-Play Magic 'Miraculous Rebirth'!"
Youyu: "!"
Was this the real purpose?
"Miraculous Rebirth can only be activated as the fourth effect or later in the same chain," Bakura said, "In this chain, 'Book of Magic from the Pot,' 'Jar of Greed,' and 'Chain Detonation' have already been activated, meeting the conditions.
According to 'Miraculous Rebirth's' effect, I can revive a Monster from either player's graveyard!"
Bakura raised his arm high: "Return to the field! The Wicked Dreadroot!"
The black mist rolled again, and the Dreadroot, which had just retreated and hadn't even had time for a drink in the Netherworld, was dragged out again by its master. It raised its head and roared earth-shatteringly, as if to say, "Damn it, not overtime again..."
[Wicked Dreadroot, Defense 4000]
Even though it was as strong as the Evil God, Bakura still chose to summon it in Defense Position. It showed that despite Sok's arrogant and outrageous demeanor, he was actually quite cautious about this duel...
"I see," Yugi understood, "Using the Evil God as a wall to get through this turn?"
Indeed, Youyu's 'Black Luster Soldier - Super Soldier' had sent the infinitely bouncing 'Doomking Balerdroch' directly to the Other Dimension with one slash, leaving a significant gap in Bakura's tactics.
On Yugi and Youyu's turn, Bakura didn't have the endlessly reviving Doomking standing by, so he had to find a way to bring out the Evil God as a wall.
Though it was a loss, you have to admit, it's quite a tricky situation to resolve.
With four thousand Defense Points, Divine Beast-Type resistance, and an inherent effect that halves the Attack and Defense points of all monsters on the field, even in today's physical card environment, it's not something any Card Deck can easily deal with.
This seems like a temporary stalemate for Yugi, as he hasn't thought of a good strategy yet, but he must continue his move.
"When Watapon is added to the hand by a card effect, it can be Special Summoned directly," Yugi explained, "Next, I activate the Magic Card 'Multiply' from my hand!
By offering a monster on the field with 500 or less Attack Points as a tribute, I can Special Summon any number of Tokens. I offer 'Watapon' as a tribute to Special Summon three 'Cotton Ball Tokens'!"
The small Watapon disappeared under the effect of Magic, and quickly transformed into three adorable little Tokens, each shyly bowing their heads and trembling in fear of the Evil God's oppressive aura.
[Cotton Ball Token, Defense 300 → Defense 150] x3
Seeing these three adorable little creatures, Youyu and the spectators all realized what was about to happen next.
With great solemnity, Yugi drew a card from his hand, raising it high in the air.
"Descending at the chaotic moment between the Netherworld and reality, amidst the thunder of the skies—
—The God of the Netherworld! Slifer the Sky Dragon!!!"
Dark clouds gathered, and thunder rolled as the cerulean lightning carried the dragon's form down from the sky!
The arrogant Evil God was suppressed, its domain of terror compressed to the extreme. The Wicked Dreadroot involuntarily retreated, roaring defiantly. The Egyptian God expanded its crimson field, and the Sky Dragon coiled its massive form in midair, its dragon's roar resonating across the heavens.
This was the first Egyptian God summoned by Yugi and Youyu in this duel!
"Oh, it's here! Yugi's God!" Jonouchi exclaimed excitedly.
The Priests remained solemn, while the Egyptian soldiers behind them, and even the commoners beyond the Royal Capital witnessing the descent of the Egyptian God, could not help but kneel in reverent worship of their deity.
However...
"So, it's finally appeared, the Egyptian God?" Bakura wasn't surprised, instead letting out a light chuckle, "Without your participation, this duel would be too boring.
But you haven't forgotten, Pharaoh, have you? Slifer's Attack Points are determined by the number of cards in your hand, and you only have three cards in hand... and the effect of the Wicked Dreadroot has already been activated!
Devils Howling!"
The Wicked Dreadroot roared furiously, its dark shockwaves tearing through the air, shaking Slifer's body violently.
[Slifer the Sky Dragon, Attack 3000 → Attack 1500]
"A Slifer with 1500 Attack Points can't defeat anything." Bakura sneered.
"I know." Yugi said calmly, drawing another card from his hand, "I'll Set a card, then end my turn. At this moment, the Evil God will return to the graveyard due to its own effect."
The Wicked Dreadroot roared in discontent, and once again sank back into the graveyard with a rumbling noise. The Sky Dragon mockingly roared twice more as it watched it disappear, as if to say—
—That's right, go back home and play tic-tac-toe, idiot!
[Slifer the Sky Dragon, Attack 2000]
"Alright, it's your turn, Bakura." Yugi smiled, "Slifer's Attack Points are only 2000 now, so it's a perfect chance to knock it down."
"Tch, damn Yugi." Bakura grunted in annoyance.
Did he not understand what Yugi meant?
Although it seems like Slifer only has 2000 Attack Points now, it possesses the ability to instantly destroy any monster with 2000 or fewer Attack or Defense Points.
Even if Bakura could directly summon a high-level powerful monster without relying on any stepping stones, it would still lose 2000 Attack Points due to the 'Thunderstorm Bullet' effect.
In other words, he must find a way to summon a monster with over 4000 Attack Points in one go, without relying on any minor monsters or stepping stones, in order to deal with Slifer.
In the previous turn, he could have directly banished the 'Mezuki' in the graveyard to Special Summon an Evil God to clear the field, but now all three 'Mezuki' in his graveyard have been exhausted.
The problem has been thrown back to Bakura.
"Don't underestimate me!" Bakura muttered indistinctly, raising his hand, "It's my turn, draw!"
The slate dropped, and upon seeing the slate he had drawn, Bakura's eyes lit up.
Ha! It turns out that destiny still favors my Great Evil God Sock!
"Watch closely, Yugi!" He suddenly found confidence again, "This is the card that will bring about the end of your fate!"