Saiou quickly snapped out of the shock from Time Wizard's self-destruction.
Coincidence, it's definitely just a coincidence!
Sure, fate is absolute, the wheel of destiny is unstoppable... but people have off days, right?
Maybe just now old man Destiny simply nodded off for a bit?
Yeah, that's gotta be it!
Saiou flipped out another card and said in a low voice, "Equip Magic 'Premature Burial'. I pay 800 Life Points to revive a Monster in my Graveyard!
Show yourself again, 'Arcana Force XV - The Fiend'!"
[Saiou, LP 5500 → LP 4700]
The vortex in the Graveyard opened once more, and the twisted, grotesque Tarot Fiend emerged again, its long, limp tentacles writhing up and down.
[Arcana Force XV - The Fiend, ATK 2500]
"When The Fiend is Summoned, it gains different effects depending on a random upright or reversed position." Saiou shouted.
The Arcana card spun rapidly, then stopped with a sharp shout.
Upright.
"Hahahaha, see, fate hasn't wavered after all!" Saiou's confidence returned.
"Next, I activate the effect of the Field Magic 'The Graveyard of the Emperor'. I pay 1000 Life Points to perform a Tribute Summon without Tributes!"
[Saiou, LP 4700 → LP 3700]
He raised a card from his hand like a madman, practically screaming at the top of his lungs, "Arcana Force XXI - The World!!!"
Air currents rampaged as an astonishing power erupted. A steel body crashed heavily onto the ground, unmoving yet overwhelmingly imposing, as if the entire world lay within its grasp!
[Arcana Force XXI - The World, ATK 3100]
"Arcana Force... The World." Facing that towering body and the shockwave it gave off, Jonouchi couldn't help but swallow hard. "So that's your ace card..."
"When The World is Summoned, it also gains different effects depending on an upright or reversed position!" Saiou shouted. "Spin, fate!"
The World's card spun, then stopped a moment later at Saiou's cry.
Another upright.
Saiou's confidence kept swelling.
As expected, Time Wizard's loss just now was nothing but an accident. Fate is still on his side!
"Die die die!" Saiou roared, "Battle! First, 'Arcana Force XV - The Fiend', attack 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon'!"
The Fiend only had 2500 ATK, while Red-Eyes had 4800. At first glance it was a battle with an overwhelming gap in power, totally unwinnable—except that wasn't the case.
"Arcana Force XV - The Fiend, upright effect! When it attacks, destroy one Monster on your opponent's field and inflict 500 damage!
Destroy 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon'!"
The tentacles shot out faster than sight, crushing Red-Eyes's throat to powder. The dragon let out a powerless wail as it exploded into fragments.
[Jonouchi, LP 3150 → LP 2650]
But Jonouchi immediately revealed a card from his hand. "The effect of 'Red-Eyes Retro Dragon' in my hand! When a Level 7 or lower 'Red-Eyes' Monster on my field is destroyed by an opponent's Monster's attack or an opponent's effect and sent to the Graveyard, I can activate this!
I Special Summon 'Red-Eyes Retro Dragon' from my hand in Defense Position, then Special Summon the destroyed Monster in the same battle position it had when it was destroyed!"
Jonouchi pulled out the 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' that popped out of the Graveyard and showed it together with the Retro Dragon in his hand.
"I Special Summon 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' and 'Red-Eyes Retro Dragon'!"
[Red-Eyes Retro Dragon, DEF 1600]
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK 2400]
"Heh, but that means 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon's ATK has been reset." Saiou sneered. "And at the moment you activated that effect, I'm going to activate this card from my hand—
—Quick-Play Magic 'Demise of the Land'!
I can only activate it when my opponent successfully Special Summons a Monster, and I can activate one Field Magic Card directly from my Card Deck!"
A card popped out from Saiou's Card Deck, and he yanked it out to show it off. "Field Magic 'Light Barrier'!"
The ancient emperor's tomb began to collapse, floor tiles cracking, terracotta soldiers shattering. Blinding, searing light swallowed the entire space as a massive barrier covered the field. The surroundings vanished completely; nothing remained but light.
"In the domain of 'Light Barrier', all Monster effects except those of 'Arcana Force' are negated." Saiou shouted. "And within this barrier, when 'Arcana Force' Monsters are Summoned, I don't need to randomize; I can freely choose their upright or reversed effect!"
"Huh? That broken? Isn't that cheating?" Jonouchi glanced sideways at him.
"Battle continues!" Saiou said. "Have 'The Fiend' attack 'Red-Eyes Retro Dragon'!"
Countless tentacles skewered Red-Eyes Retro Dragon. The dragon gave a brief cry and was hurriedly dragged off the stage.
"It was in Defense Position so there's no battle damage, but 'Light Barrier's effect activates!" Saiou declared. "'Arcana Force' Monsters restore my Life Points by the destroyed Monster's ATK when they destroy an opponent's Monster in battle!"
[Saiou, LP 3700 → LP 5400]
"Next is 'Arcana Force XXI - The World'! Attack 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon'!"
The World adjusted its trajectory and locked onto the target. A beam of energy blasted Red-Eyes away without a word. The black dragon was blown off the ground into the air, its black skeletal wings violently shattered by the impact, its body ripped apart once more.
[Jonouchi, LP 2650 → LP 1950]
"Light Barrier's effect." Saiou shouted. "I restore Life Points equal to 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon's ATK!"
[Saiou, LP 5400 → LP 7800]
"I'm not done yet!" Saiou raised his voice. "At the end of the Battle Phase, I activate the Equip Magic 'Burial Goods of the Sacrifice', and equip it to 'The Fiend'!" (original card)
The corner of his mouth curled up into a cold, vicious grin.
"When the equipped Monster is used as a Tribute, this Equip Card can substitute for one Tribute as well," he said. "Then I activate the effect of 'Arcana Force XXI - The World'!
By Tributing two Monsters on the field, I can skip my opponent's next turn entirely!"
"Hah!?" Jonouchi shouted on the spot. "You can just skip my turn!?"
"Exactly, that is The World's absolutely unbeatable power!" Saiou roared. "I Tribute 'Arcana Force XV - The Fiend' and the Equip Card 'Burial Goods of the Sacrifice' to activate The World's ability—
—The World! O time, come to a halt!!!"
Space-time froze. Everything was locked in place; even the light and air on the Duel field seemed to solidify. Only the displays on their Duel Discs were rapidly skipping from "Draw Phase," fast-forwarding in a blink straight to Jonouchi's "End Phase."
An entire turn was jumped over, and it became Saiou's turn again.
"My turn, draw."
"Hey hey, skipping turns has gotta be against the rules!" Jonouchi pointed at him.
"Hahaha, this is fate! Humanity is nothing but tiny ants before this power!" Saiou said. "I enter my Standby Phase. During each of my Standby Phases, 'Light Barrier' must reroll between upright and reversed.
If it's upright, everything stays the same. If it's reversed, then until my next turn, 'Light Barrier's effect is negated."
The Barrier's card appeared out of thin air, spinning like a wheel.
"Of course, fate's already been decided!" Saiou laughed loudly, pointing at the card above his head. "Obviously it's going to be upright!"
Click!
Light Barrier's card stopped spinning.
Reversed.
Saiou: smile disappears again.JPG.
"Na... nani!!??"
Saiou looked completely deranged.
There's a fix! This has to be rigged!