On the surface, it seemed like Bakura's field was temporarily empty. But both Yugi and Youyu knew things wouldn't be that simple.
Yugi turned to Youyu, showing a trusting expression: "It's up to you now, Youyu."
"Yeah." Youyu nodded, "My turn, draw!"
"At this moment, the effect of 'Doomking Balerdroch' sleeping in the graveyard activates!" Bakura shouted, "When there is a card in the field area, during each player's standby phase, 'Doomking Balerdroch' can be special summoned in defense position.
Revive, Doomking Balerdroch!"
A storm of chaos, murky air blasted outwards. The undead King, adorned with bones and with a menacing face, seemed to break free from the mire, his skull's deeply set eye sockets flickering with a red glow.
[Doomking Balerdroch, Defense 2000]
"Hahaha!" Bakura boasted, "The special effects of Doomking Balerdroch, I don't need to explain further, right?"
When an Undead-Type monster other than itself activates an effect, once per turn, it can negate that effect; or once per turn, it can banish a monster on the field or in the graveyard from the game.
A powerful ability capable of directly sealing many deck's first-turn plays.
Youyu glanced over his initial six cards, pondered for a moment, and quickly made up his mind.
"Summon Elemental Hero Solidman!"
[Elemental Hero Solidman, Attack 1300]
"Solidman's effect!" Youyu said, "When summoned successfully, special summon a level 4 or lower Hero Monster from the hand. Come forth! Elemental Hero Shadow Mist!"
Bakura's expression changed abruptly, as if he recalled something unpleasant.
He remembered this female Hero.
Shadow Mist, when special summoned, adds the quick-play Magic card "Change" from the deck to the hand. Then, through the quick-play Magic "Mask Change," Shadow Mist can transform into a Masked Hero of the Dark Attribute.
Thinking of this, the image of a certain dark Masked Hero quickly surfaced in Bakura's mind. Thinking of that hero made him feel jittery.
Though he claimed to be the Great Evil God Sok, he felt that this supposed hero of justice was more evil than him!
Can't let that thing come out!
"Doomking Balerdroch's effect!" Bakura waved, "When an Undead-Type monster other than itself activates an effect, it negates the activation!"
Balerdroch raised its wand, the gemstone on it shining like a demon's eye opening, a dark red wave erupts, binding Solidman's power instantly!
So the summoning of Shadow Mist failed, and the invincible Masked Hero Dark Claw was stifled in its cradle.
"Trying to summon that troublesome Masked Hero again?" Bakura scoffed, "It won't work! The same trick won't affect my Great Evil God a second time!"
Do you think you're a Saint Warrior?
Youyu muttered internally, but didn't mind this interference: "Then I'll activate the Magic Card 'Fusion' from my hand! Fusion of 'Elemental Hero Solidman' on the field and 'Elemental Hero Shadow Mist' from my hand!
The fusion conditions are, an Elemental Hero plus any Earth Attribute monster! Fusion Summon! The hero of earth—
—Elemental Hero Gaia!"
Amidst the players' chants of "Gaia~", a heavy hero clad in black armor descended from the sky, landing with a burst of dust.
[Elemental Hero Gaia, Attack 2200]
"Gaia's effect!" Youyu said, "When successfully summoned, for this turn only, the attack power of opponent's monsters is halved and added to Gaia's attack power!
Gaia Shock!
Gaia growled deeply, the black heavy armor roaring with engine sounds operating rapidly. A massive metallic fist slammed down, the shockwave spreading swiftly across the cracked ground towards Bakura's field.
[Doomking Balerdroch, Attack 2800 → Attack 1400]
[Elemental Hero Gaia, Attack 2200 → Attack 3600]
"Hmph, meaningless!" Bakura shouted, "Doomking Balerdroch's second effect! Once per turn, when an Undead-Type monster activates an effect, a monster can be banished from the game!
Disappear now, Elemental Hero Gaia!"
Balerdroch's ruby flashed again, the eerie red glow enveloping Gaia's body. Against this mystic force, the high-tech hero had no resistance, being sucked into a distorted dimensional vortex without a trace.
"Ha! Heroes can't exert any influence in this undead domain..."
Bakura's arrogant speech hadn't finished when Youyu immediately followed up with: "'Elemental Hero Solidman's effect! When this card is sent to the graveyard by a Magic Effect from the field, special summon a Hero Monster in defense position from the graveyard!
I resurrect from the graveyard, Elemental Hero Shadow Mist!"
Bakura: "!"
Black fog erupted from the dark vortex, Shadow Mist lightly landed back on the field, arms crossed in front.
[Elemental Hero Shadow Mist, Defense 1500]
"Shadow Mist's effect!" Youyu said, "When special summoned, from the deck add 'Change' quick-play Magic to the hand. I add the quick-play Magic 'Mask Change' to my hand!"
Bakura gritted his teeth, "Tch, is it coming again?"
Just thinking that the unbeatable Masked Hero Dark Claw is about to make an appearance again, the Great Evil God felt utterly exasperated, his head throbbing…
"But because you resurrected a monster from the graveyard, 'Card of Safe Return' effect also activated." Bakura said gloomily, "I draw three cards."
"Quick-play Magic 'Mask Change'!" Youyu said, "Send the Hero Monster on the field to the graveyard, transforming it into a Masked Hero of the corresponding attribute.
I send the Dark Attribute Elemental Hero Shadow Mist to the graveyard! Masked transformation!
Knight born from the abyss, embodiment of Dark Law! Descend now—
—Masked Hero Dark Claw!!!"
Darkness erupted, black mist transformed into armor that wrapped around Miss Shadow Mist's graceful figure. A wolf-like helmet covered her head, streamlined jet-black armor adorned her entire body, with bright silver serrated spikes on her hands and feet.
[Masked Hero Dark Claw, Attack Strength 2400]
"Dark Claw!" The players' reaction at the moment was even more intense than seeing the Three Egyptian God Monsters, "Friendship Ending Hero!"
"This time, it's really going to fast-forward to the Great Evil God coming down and beating people!"
"That's nonsense, it's clearly a Friendship Hero! You definitely won't find a Hero more friendly than Dark Claw!"
"..."
Seeing this "symbol of friendship" Dark Claw appear again, Bakura's expression kept changing, then he snorted lightly, "Do you think things will go smoothly this time?
Activate Set Card! Trap Card - Bottomless Trap Hole!"
"Hmm?" Youyu raised an eyebrow.
Not bad, this Bakura is up to something. He's already hit two traps this turn, yet he's got a backup plan?
"Hahaha! Bottomless Trap Hole is a card that, when a monster with attack power over 1500 is summoned, can destroy and banish that monster!" Bakura said fiercely, "Banish yourself, Masked Hero Dark Claw! Disappear now!"
As he spoke, he made a fist, his nails digging into his flesh, his knuckles whitening.
This shows how deep the Great Evil God's hatred for this "Masked Hero Dark Claw" runs.
However...
Youyu and Yugi exchanged a glance, nodding to each other.
No words were necessary, just a look to convey a teammate's intention, this is the duelist's tacit understanding.
Everything understood without a word.
"At this moment!" Yugi waved his large hand, "I activate the trap card from the grave - Magician Navigation!"
Bakura's face showed an expression missing a piece from a previous scene, "Activating a trap from the grave!?"
The trap card that went to the graveyard last turn flew out from a dark whirlpool, the magic array swiftly expanded, magic power turbulent, as if countless transparent chains swung in the wind, unceremoniously binding Bakura's backfield trap card "Bottomless Trap Hole".
"The follow-up effect of 'Magician Navigation'. Only when a 'Dark Magician' exists on the field, by banishing this card from the graveyard, the effect activates!"
Yugi waved his large hand.
"Until the end of this turn, negate the effect of a magic, trap card on the field! I negate the effect of the trap card 'Bottomless Trap Hole'!"
Bakura froze for an instant, then quickly regained his composure, "But your 'Dark Magician' was destroyed last turn by 'The Wicked Dreadroot'!"
The Great Evil God's meaning——
—Pharaoh don't try and trick me again!
So damn close, I nearly got duped again by you trickster king....
However much to Bakura's surprise, Yugi wasn't bluffing this time, he pointed to the black-robed mage remaining on his field: "Magician of Dark Illusion, when existing on the field, can serve as 'Dark Magician' for card name usage!"
Bakura: "!"
I can't believe, is there such a maneuver?
The magic of the Dark Magician lineage is indeed top-notch, with the release of Magician Navigation's magic power, it promptly binds "Bottomless Trap Hole's" effect, rendering it completely useless.
Bakura bit his lips till they turned blue, almost bleeding. He glared at "Masked Hero Dark Claw" with eyes full of malicious intent, yelling: "Well I still have this card! Activate Set Card!"
The stone slabs flipped with a rumbling low hum, the sealed power inside erupted suddenly, conjuring another dark pit under Dark Claw's feet!
"Trap Card - Floodgate Trap Hole!" Bakura shouted, "When monster is successfully summoned, turn that monster face-down defense position… and the controller of that monster cannot change its battle position!"
Poor Masked Hero Dark Claw dodged so many traps, ultimately couldn't escape the Great Evil God's sanction, helplessly flipped into face-down defense, covered on the field.
Youyu: "..."
This Great Evil God Sock... how deeply does it resent Dark Claw?
(Masked Hero Dark Claw: That's too much, no need for that...)