Ambition's Punishment!!!
The worshipful attack, a deadly offensive, spanned the empty field in front of Youyu, roaring towards him.
And in the face of this deadly strike, Youyu calmly drew a card from his hand...
...Kiteroid!
That's right, another new card Youyu had picked up from the Kaiba Company deck over the past year, the legendary life-protecting Divine Artifact, Kiteroid!
"Discard 'Kiteroid' from your hand," Youyu said, "For once, the battle damage from a direct attack by the opponent becomes 0."
A dark, transparent image appeared out of nowhere in front of Youyu. It was shaped like a glider, with human-like eyes, and a broad steel body that shielded its master like a protective shield, completely blocking Worship's "Ambition's Punishment" attack.
The "roid" series, familiar to many animation audiences as the "Vehicle" Deck, was used by Maruten Xiang in GX.
The Elemental Hero series has now become popular on the market, so it was only natural for the "roid" series of the same period to be released.
The first two card boxes of this deck had just been released, and without hesitation, Youyu went and snatched up a dozen "Kiteroids" to hold onto.
It's a no-brainer that such a life-protecting Divine Artifact will surely skyrocket in price in the future, yet another artifact for reaping profits.
However, from now on, the invincible "Kuriboh" might have a strong competitor...
Kuriboh: Kuri Kuri! (Declaring sovereignty fiercely)
"Kiteroid? I see, is it a card from the new series released by the company two months ago?" Mr. Phoenix was surprised for a moment, "As expected of Mr. Youyu, your preparation is indeed thorough."
Having exhausted his offensive options, he could only end the Battle Phase and drew another card.
"Set a card, turn ends."
"Your father is really amazing, Ed!" Judai said, "Of course, when it comes to dueling, Mr. Youyu is the strongest!"
Ed thought about it and didn't argue, nodding his little head gently, "Hmm, there's nothing that can be done about it..."
Mr. Phoenix: "..."
Though it's true, hearing it from his own son left him feeling quite helpless...
But the duel was not yet over.
And even if he couldn't win, he didn't intend to give up easily.
"My turn." Youyu drew a card, "'Gift of Greed', draw cards from the deck until your hand is full with five cards. But during the Preparation Phase five turns later, you must discard all cards in your hand."
...If it's still five turns later.
Mr. Phoenix's expression turned serious.
Is it coming, Mr. Youyu's counterattack?
"I summon 'Witch of the Black Forest', in Attack Mode."
[Witch of the Black Forest, Attack 1100]
"Quick-play Magic - Illusion Magic!" said Youyu, "Use one of your Spellcaster-Type monsters on the field as a sacrifice to add up to two 'Dark Magician' from your deck or graveyard to your hand.
I add one 'Dark Magician' each from my graveyard and deck to my hand!"
"Still choosing to counterattack with 'Dark Magician'?" Mr. Phoenix murmured.
"No, at this moment, the effect of 'Witch of the Black Forest' is triggered," Youyu said, "When Witch is sent from the field to the graveyard, add a monster with 1500 defense or less from the deck to your hand.
I add 'Super Soldier Soul' from my deck to my hand!"
"Super Soldier Soul?" Mr. Phoenix realized something.
"Magic Card 'Graceful Charity'. Draw three cards from the deck, then select two cards from your hand and send them to the graveyard."
Youyu drew the cards and without much thought, immediately chose two cards to send to the graveyard.
"Next, the effect of 'Super Soldier Soul' sent to the graveyard!" The card that was just sent to the graveyard was immediately ejected by the Duel Disc, "Banish 'Super Soldier Soul' from the game, and add 'Beginning Knight' from the deck to your hand!"
Seeing the card being ejected from Youyu's deck, Mr. Phoenix quickly understood: "Is the ultimate goal to retrieve that card?"
"Magic Card 'Pre-Preparation of Rites'!" A Magic Card reappeared in front of Youyu, "Add one Ritual Magic Card and a Ritual Monster used for ritual summoning from the deck to your hand.
I add the Ritual Magic 'Black Luster Ritual' and the Ritual Monster 'Black Luster Soldier' to my hand."
"As expected." Mr. Phoenix understood, "According to rumors, Mr. Youyu's strongest warrior obtained in the 'Trial Game'..."
"Ritual Magic - Black Luster Ritual!"
An ancient altar appeared, with silver longswords crossed, and flickering flames rising in the middle of the altar.
"Black Luster Ritual, by using monsters from your hand and field with a total level exceeding eight as sacrifices, ritual summon 'Black Luster Soldier' from your hand!"
Youyu revealed all the resources he had just accumulated into his hand in one breath.
"Level 7 Dark Magician, Level 4 Beginning Knight, use both monsters as sacrifices! Ritual Summon!
One soul guides the light, one soul guides the darkness, the gate of chaos opens here——
——Black Luster Soldier, descend!!!"
The two sacrificial souls entered the altar, pierced through the constraints of space, and broke through the gate into the realm of chaos. The primordial whirlwind of heaven and earth descended from the sky, transforming into a humanoid, a warrior in a knightly blue armor lightly landed on the ground, cutting through space with a longsword.
Black Luster Soldier, summon!
[Black Luster Soldier, Attack 3000]
"This is...the legendary strongest warrior..."
Mr. Phoenix, both a Duelist and a designer, found himself momentarily entranced by the elegant and domineering warrior king's arrival.
The two kids were even more excited; swords, knights, armors - these are irresistible to young boys at this age...
"'Beginning Knight' used as Ritual material to summon Black Luster Soldier can gain a new effect." Youyu said, "Once per turn, you can banish one Monster on your opponent's field from the game!
Banish 'Vision Hero Worship' from the game!"
The Black Luster Soldier slowly raised his sword, the release of Sword Qi seemed to distort the space, even the warrior's image started flickering.
He flicked his wrist, the sword blade descended, and where the sword light touched, the space immediately dislocated.
Dimensional Slash Opening!
Mr. Phoenix's pupils contracted: "Activate Set Card! Trap Card - Shield of Assault! Sacrifice one Monster on your field, until the end of the turn, its defense power adds to the attack power of another Monster!" (Original card)
He pointed at the Worshiper locked by the Dimensional Slash Opening.
"I sacrifice 'Vision Hero Worship,' and add its defense power to Witch Raider's attack power!"
[Vision Hero Witch Raider, Attack Power 2700 → Attack Power 4800]
"With attack power of 4800, it won't be defeated that easily!" Young Ed clenched his fist.
The figure of Worshiper vanished into thin air, and moments later the space he occupied briefly dislocated, a sword pierced through dimensions.
"Did it dodge? Then direct battle." Youyu raised his hand, "Black Luster Soldier, attack 'Vision Hero Witch Raider.'
"Huh!?" Ed's eyes widened, "Even if the attack power is lower by that much, still attacking?"
Mr. Phoenix didn't know his intent, but at this moment, there was no choice: "Witch Raider, counterattack!"
The Black Luster Soldier charged head-on, holding the Longsword horizontally. The Sword Qi danced with his movement, leaving scattered golden streaks in the air.
The Vision Hero Witch Raider lifted her gun barrel, the silver-white large muzzle aimed at the shimmering afterimage, a vortex of energy gathered in the barrel.
"At this moment!" Youyu revealed another card from his hand, "Activate the effect of 'Envoy of Chaos' in hand. You can discard this card from hand, and 'Black Luster Soldier' on your field increases attack power by 1500 points until the end of the turn."
[Black Luster Soldier, Attack Power 3000 → Attack Power 4500]
"It's equivalent to the attack power of 'Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon'!" Judai exclaimed.
"But the attack power still can't exceed Dad's Vision Hero!" Ed said.
Youyu added: "Moreover, during the turn 'Envoy of Chaos' effect is activated, the opposing Monster battling 'Black Luster Soldier' will have its attack power revert to its original power only during damage calculation!"
Mr. Phoenix's glasses almost slipped off: "What?"
[Vision Hero Witch Raider, Attack Power 4800 → Attack Power 2700]
Eliminating the boost brought by 'Shield of Assault,' while further strengthening the power of Black Luster Soldier?
Mr. Youyu's reputation is well-deserved!
But...
Mr. Phoenix's eyes flashed under his glasses, quickly drawing a card from hand and sending it to the graveyard.
"Effect of 'Destiny Hero Dynatag' in hand!" he said, "During battle, before damage calculation, discard this card from hand to activate its effect!
Make the battle damage to our side from this battle become 0! Afterwards, both players take 1000 points of damage!"
Youyu: "!"
What a guy, a new card from the Destiny Hero series?
Mr. Phoenix hasn't been idle this year; he even produced hand pit cards for Destiny Heroes?
[Youyu, LP 1000]
[Mr. Phoenix, LP 2000]
Young Judai quickly thought: "1000 points of damage, meaning...
"Both take 1000 damage, Dad's Life Points are still 1000, but Youyu's Life Points are gone!" Young Ed's eyes lit up, "Dad won!"
The sword of the Black Luster Soldier was about to slash down, the slender finger of Witch Raider was about to pull the trigger on the trigger. At this critical battle moment, the 'Destiny Hero Dynatag' that had already entered the graveyard appeared like a ghost in the middle of both sides, its entire body flashed dark golden light, like a roiling explosive on the edge of detonating...
Boom!!!
A strong explosion sound, heat wave erupted, smoke flooded, sound waves stimulating the eardrums.
The two kids were so scared they fell to the ground, desperately trying to open their eyes against dazzling light effects.
"What's happened?"
"Who won?"
"..."
[Youyu, LP 1000]
[Mr. Phoenix, LP 0]
Mr. Phoenix looked at the big "LOSE" on his Duel Disc with a face full of confusion.
What's going on?
Why did I lose?
He then raised his head, his vision passed through the smoke, and immediately saw the prominent Magic Card standing upright in front of Youyu.
Quick-Play Magic, Spell of Pain.
When the opponent inflicts effect damage on oneself, the damage is instead taken by the opponent.