"The blockade of 'Necrovalley', huh." Youyu nodded slightly, "Indeed, it's quite a troublesome array you've set up. You've certainly improved a lot."
Receiving such affirmation made Marik feel a bit elated, but of course, he didn't let it distract him from the task at hand.
"I activate again the effect of 'Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist'! Gravekeeper's Divination!"
The Magic Staff of the Supernaturalist lightly tapped the ground, and waves of golden Magic Power spread out, seemingly dispersing into some point in the future.
"This effect can only be activated during the Main Phase. At the end of the turn, you can add a 'Gravekeeper' monster or a 'Necrovalley' card from your Card Deck to your hand."
Ready, Marik then shouted, "Now it's the Battle Phase! First, 'Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist' attacks 'Silent Magician'!"
The Supernaturalist closed his eyes and chanted a spell. Dense golden incantations climbed up his arm to his golden Magic Staff, striking the Silent Magician like a spear piercing the sky.
The white-robed Magician let out a muffled groan, and his body shattered like broken glass, his Magic Staff thrown into the air, also turning to golden powder and dispersing.
[Youyu, LP 5000 → LP 4000]
As the Silent Magician exited the field, a crystal-clear magical array was left on the ground. It rotated slowly, but the flow of Magic Power was quickly contained by some invisible restriction in the field, ultimately forced to stop and exploding into a shower of sparkling fragments.
"When 'Silent Magician' is destroyed, it can normally Special Summon a 'Silent Magician' monster from the Card Deck ignoring conditions," Ishizu explained, "but due to the 'Hidden Temples of Necrovalley', monsters that are not 'Gravekeeper' cannot be Special Summoned."
"What a terrifying array." Aigami murmured from the sidelines.
"Indeed." Sella agreed, "If my brother were facing that person, he wouldn't stand a chance."
Aigami immediately looked dejected. Just as he was about to retort, on second thought, he realized that there was some truth to his sister's words.
Monsters that are not 'Gravekeeper' cannot be Special Summoned?
Then it's over, his whole Cubic Deck would be stuck in its cradle...
"Next, 'Gravekeeper's Oracle', direct attack!"
The imposing figure seated on the throne stood up, and energy from the incantations felt like an artillery barrage from afar! The golden light engulfed Youyu's entire silhouette, his clothing fluttering in the brilliance.
[Youyu, LP 4000 → LP 1500]
As the light screen dissipated, seeing Youyu's upright stance among it, Marik couldn't help but smile, "For Mr. Youyu, an attack of this level wouldn't faze you at all."
Just as expected of Mr. Youyu, even taking a hit looks so cool!
"I set three cards, end my turn." Marik said, "And during the End Phase, the effect of 'Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist' also activates!
I add a second 'Hidden Temples of Necrovalley' from my Card Deck to my hand."
"A second Hidden Temples...is it to prevent me from getting rid of the first one?" Youyu understood.
The core of this whole blockade system is obviously the Field Magic 'Necrovalley'. Without Necrovalley, the effects of the other cards would be invalid. However, the Field Magic and the protection effect of 'Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist' exist in mutual protection, making it hard to eliminate.
So perhaps Mr. Marik is playing it safe, preventing Youyu from drawing a cyclone to blow away his Temple.
...And it seems that Youyu could indeed do that.
"Draw...Magic Card 'Spellbook of Potions', both sides draw three cards from the Card Deck."
Youyu drew a card and calmly revealed a card in his hand: "Quick-Play Magic 'Cosmic Cyclone'! Pay 1000 Life Points to banish a Magic or Trap Card on the field from play!
I banish the Field Magic 'Necrovalley' from play!"
[Youyu, LP 1500 → LP 500]
Marik: "!"
Necrovalley is the core of his entire blockade system, if it's blown away, the whole underworld environment he built would instantly collapse!
And what Youyu revealed is 'Cosmic Cyclone', which in the realm of wind cards is considered the nemesis of Necrovalley because unlike other winds, Cosmic Cyclone banishes instead of destroys.
The effect of the Supernaturalist can only protect Necrovalley from being destroyed, but banishing falls into his blind spot of knowledge.
But he obviously won't let that happen: "Activate Set Card! Counter Trap - 'Imperial Tombs of Necrovalley'!"
"Huh?" Youyu was surprised, "The second Imperial Tomb?"
"This can only be activated when a monster with 'Gravekeeper' in its name exists on the field, and Field Magic 'Necrovalley' is present!
Negate the activation of a monster effect, Magic, or Trap by the opponent and destroy it!"
The silent valley once again issued the decree of prohibition, and the cosmic cyclone that had intruded upon this forbidden territory was stifled in an instant, unable to move this valley till it dissipated.
It's indeed a bit painful even cosmic wind was nullified; if no method is found to dismantle Marik's underworld array, it would be impossible for Youyu to field his power smoothly.
Fortunately, there are other plans.
"In that case, I also activate a Field Magic... 'Temple of the Kings'!"
Marik: "!"
The solemn and silent valley cracked instantly, and the space itself shattered like a mirror being smashed by a hammer.
A majestic temple descended from the sky, the sacrificial flames dancing in the braziers, and the shadows on the walls resembled dancing demons.
Of course, Mr. Marik couldn't possibly forget this card.
This is the Super Rare Card that Youyu swindled from their Ghouls during Duel City back then!
Temple of the Kings, in the anime, was originally a Field Magic, but when translated into a Physical Card, its effect was weakened and it was turned into Continuous Magic.
Of course, since it's taken from Mr. Marik, the card in Youyu's hands is still Field Magic. And according to the rule during this period, both Field Magic cannot coexist, the new field activates instantly, naturally replacing the previous field.
And this process is destruction at the rule level, not effect destruction, so even the protection resistance of 'Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist' is powerless.
Seeing his field removed by a card that Youyu had taken long ago, Mr. Marik should have been furious but he felt somewhat...comforted?
Ha! The card that Mr. Youyu took from me back then, he still uses today!
It made Mr. Marik feel truly smug.
"You should also be familiar with the effect of 'Temple of the Kings', right?" Youyu said.
"Of course. The Trap Card can be activated during the turn it was Set. Also, due to Necrovalley leaving the field, 'Hidden Temples of Necrovalley' will be destroyed."
As they spoke, the giant stone temple fractured, with sculptures on both sides crumbling into dust scattered all around.
Marik smiled and said, "To use such a method to dismantle Necrovalley is indeed impressive...but the matter of field coexisting was long within my calculations, Mr. Youyu!"
With a wave of his hand: "Activate Set Card! Continuous Trap 'Hidden Temple of Necrovalley'!
This card can be activated once per turn when there is no card in its own field zone, selecting a 'Necrovalley' from your hand or graveyard!
The field card that was just squeezed into the graveyard immediately ejected from the Duel Disc again.
"So using this effect, return once more to the field, forbidden land of Pharaoh's rest —
——Necrovalley, activate again!!!"