The white translucent magic array bloomed like a flower, sacred white light spilling out, and the white-robed mage stepped lightly forward, her smooth, slender white legs faintly visible beneath her flowing robe.
[Silent Magician, Attack Power 1000]
"Silent Magician's attack power will increase by 500 points for each card in my hand," said Youyu. "I have two cards in hand, so the attack power increases by 1000."
[Silent Magician, Attack Power 1000 → Attack Power 2000]
"The attack power hasn't changed much," Marik murmured. "What's the point of this?"
Before he could fathom the reason, Youyu swiftly waved his arm: "Battle Phase. 'Silent Magician', attack 'Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist'!"
Silent Magician raised her little hand, gripping the white Magic Staff tightly with her snow-white glove, as magic power formed a vortex and surged forth with a strike!
"Supernaturalist, hit back!" Marik retorted, refusing to be outdone.
But Youyu wasn't just sending Silent Magician up for nothing; he quickly revealed a card from his hand: "Quick-Play Magic 'Silent Burning'!"
Marik was startled: "A magic card with the same name as Silent Magician...damn."
"During the Battle Phase when 'Silent Magician' exists, both players draw cards from their decks until their hands are full with six cards each!" said Youyu. "Moreover, this activation cannot be negated, and its effect cannot be invalidated!"
Both Duel Discs simultaneously displayed "DRAW", and several cards automatically popped out, drawn into their respective players' hands.
"At this moment, Silent Magician's attack power rises again," Youyu explained. "Since my hand size has reached six cards, Silent Magician's attack power increases by 3000!"
[Silent Magician, Attack Power 1000 → Attack Power 4000]
"The attack power suddenly reaches four thousand?" Marik exclaimed.
The torrent of magic power surged, the white vortex devastatingly destroying the Tomb Guardian's incantation, fiercely striking the body of the gravedigger.
[Marik, LP 4000 → LP 2500]
This hit was quite painful; Silent Burning's strike instantly cut more than half of Marik's life points. The impact of the magical vortex's projection made his whole body shudder, bringing pain, and yet...
...also a bit of excitement?
It felt like the combative cells within his body were activated by this blow, instantly entering a state of exhilarating readiness.
Yes, this is precisely the feeling he wanted!
Youyu truly is remarkable, hitting the mark in an instant, sparking the fighting spirit that had been dormant for years!
"Activate the Set Card! Trap Card 'Rite of Spirit'!" Marik announced. "Special Summon a monster from your graveyard with 'Gravekeeper' in its name!
Also, the activation of this card is unaffected by the Field Magic 'Necrovalley'!"
Rite of Spirit activated, and the gravedigger that had just exited the field again quietly stepped out from the Valley of Eternal Rest.
[Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist, Attack Power 2000 → Attack Power 2500]
"Set a card face-down, and end the turn," said Youyu. "As my hand size decreases, Silent Magician's attack power will decrease with it."
[Silent Magician, Attack Power 4000 → Attack Power 3500]
"Then it's my turn, draw!"
He first activated another Trap Card he covered last turn: "Trap Card 'Reckless Greed'! At the cost of skipping the next two draw phases, draw two cards from the deck!"
He replenished his hand, and without hesitation, Marik revealed the revenge-style magic he searched last turn.
"Continuous Magic 'Hidden Temples of Necrovalley' activated!" Marik proclaimed. "Can only be activated when a monster with 'Gravekeeper' in its name and 'Necrovalley' are on the field!
As long as this card exists, neither player can Special Summon monsters except those with 'Gravekeeper' in their name!"
The magic took effect, and the geography of the Valley of Eternal Rest altered again. A mass of buildings rose in the corner where sunlight couldn't reach, gradually ascending from the depths.
"Then, at this moment, I activate 'Silent Magician's effect!" Youyu gestured. "Once per turn, Silent Magician can negate the activation of a Magic Card!
I negate the activation of 'Hidden Temples of Necrovalley'!"
Marik: "!"
Silent Magician flicked her delicate wrist, releasing a powerful magical prohibition. The building rising from the earth was immediately suppressed, quickly collapsing back down into the valley.
"I see, when summoning Silent Magician, there was already vigilance against the temple," Ishizu softly said beside him. "As expected of Mr. Youyu, always with impeccable strategies."
But Marik wasn't done yet: "Then I activate the Magic Card 'Graceful Charity', draw three cards from the deck, then discard two cards from my hand.
The discarded card includes the Magic Card 'Card of Compensation', which, when discarded to the graveyard, allows me to draw two more cards!"
A slew of cards streamed through, replenishing his hand, and Marik's eyes lit up as if he saw a ray of hope.
"Next, I Normal Summon 'Gravekeeper's Heretic'."
The white-haired gravedigger stepped onto the field, cloaked in black and holding a golden Magic Staff, looking similar to the 'Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist' beside him.
[Gravekeeper's Heretic, Attack Power 1800]
Activate the Magic Card 'Throne of the Necrovalley'! This card allows you to choose one of two effects to activate.
You can add a 'Gravekeeper' monster from your deck to your hand, or Normal Summon a 'Gravekeeper' monster from your hand!"
Marik revealed another card from his hand: "This 'Gravekeeper's Oracle', although a level 10 monster, it can be Tribute Summoned using a single monster with 'Gravekeeper' in its name as a tribute!
I tribute the 'Gravekeeper's Heretic' on the field for a Tribute Summon—
—'Gravekeeper's Oracle', arrive!"
Heretic turned into scattered points of light and disappeared from the field, while a stone throne magically appeared in the valley. The magnificent gravedigger crossed his legs, sitting regally on the throne, holding a long Egyptian-style Magic Staff, looking cold and dignified.
Level 10 gravedigger, Gravekeeper's Oracle, summoned!
[Gravekeeper's Oracle, Attack Power 2000]
"Upon Tribute Summoning Oracle, he gains different effects based on the number of 'Gravekeeper' monsters used as tribute," Marik explained. "I used one Gravekeeper monster as a tribute, so I can choose one of three effects:
This card's attack power increases by 100 times the total levels of the tribute monster;
Destroy all face-down monsters on the opponent's field;
Or all monsters on the opponent's field decrease their attack and defense by 2000 points!"
The gravedigger on the throne struck his Magic Staff down firmly, sending golden transparent waves sweeping through, quickly passing through the Silent Magician.
Silent Magician bit her bloodless lips, her long white robe fluctuating in the magic waves, revealing her two long, well-proportioned white legs.
"I choose the third effect, all monster attack and defense decrease by 2000!" Marik declared.
[Silent Magician, Attack Power 3500 → Attack Power 1500]
"Then, due to the effect of 'Necrovalley', Oracle's attack power increases by 500 as well!"
[Gravekeeper's Oracle, Attack Power 2000 → Attack Power 2500]
"Next, I will activate this card once more." Marik grinned mysteriously, "It seems I've gotten lucky, Mr. Youyu. Through my draws, I managed to draw this card again—
—Continuous Magic 'Hidden Temples of Necrovalley'!"
He displayed it and immediately slotted it into the Duel Disc.
A second Hidden Temples of Necrovalley!
Considering how many cards he drew at once, it wasn't too surprising to draw it.
"Temple's effect activates again!"
Geography shifted, stone halls emerged from the ground. The ancient palace nestled in the valley's shadow, flanked by giant statues.
"As long as the temple exists on the field, neither player can perform Special Summons except those of 'Gravekeeper' monsters," Marik smiled. "Thus, Mr. Youyu, the absolute lockdown of 'Necrovalley' is complete!"