At the moment the Monster Card was slapped onto the Duel Disc by Yugen, the pitch-black night sky seemed to flicker.
The swirling clouds were like being wantonly stirred by an invisible hand, brewing an unprecedented storm. The rumbling of thunder was faint, initially echoing deeply like ancient war drums, but soon it quickly gathered into an irresistible force, booming heavily between heaven and earth.
As if chaos and order intertwined, the sky cracked open into a dazzling silver fissure. Descending from within was not ordinary lightning but a manifestation of pure thunder condensed from the world.
Like a golden body formed by lightning itself, it seemed as if skeletal armor was draped over the massive monster. Its eyes burned like two clusters of lightning fire, with countless tiny electric beads encircling its body, constantly leaping and crackling.
One of the Three Phantom Demons, Thunder Emperor Harmon, summon!!!
[Thunder Emperor Harmon, Attack Power 4000]
"Thunder Emperor... Phantom Demon!?"
Even Tragodia couldn't help but have his eyelid twitch wildly.
"You... summoned a Phantom Demon right at the start!?"
Judai and Chazz gazed up at the massive figure, feeling the extraordinary monster's powerful spiritual pressure, equally shocked in their hearts.
"So this is the Phantom Demon..." Judai murmured.
"Such a strong aura, no wonder so many people want to snatch these cards..." Chazz was also lost in thought.
Indeed, it was a terrifying monster beyond the realm of reason.
The Power of Triangle Array just used by Yugen, apart from sending a card with the same name from the deck, seemed to have no effect at first glance. It appeared to just fill a slot. But if used as the summoning cost for the Thunder Emperor, it can achieve a one-card direct connection to summon Thunder Emperor.
This was precisely the card Yubel held in the animation to summon the Thunder Emperor, perfectly matching with Harmon.
"Straight to the battle phase."
Yugen chuckled lightly.
"Alright, then let's see if your confident rear guard can successfully defend against a blow from the Phantom Demon.
Go, Thunder Emperor Harmon's direct attack.
Thunder of Lost Joy!"
Thunder Emperor spread its wings.
As if the sky was guided, the earth trembled with the sound of thunder. Thunder Emperor's lightning-flaming eyes shot out lightning, endless killing intent transformed into tangible thunder, piercing straight into the sky.
The clouds churned violently once more, converging into a massive thunderstorm vortex! In the vortex's center, the lightning roamed wildly like an enraged dragon, each collision sparking dazzling light and deafening roars, powerful enough to shake the heavens!
"Activate trap!"
Tragodia, naturally having trap defenses, shouted immediately.
"Trap Card 'Karma Flame Shield - Flame Power'!
When an opponent's monster declares an attack, all attack position monsters on the opponent's field are destroyed, and you take damage equal to half the combined original attack power of all monsters destroyed by this effect.
Then afterward, inflict the same amount of damage to the opponent!"
The flame-formed shield took shape in front of him, like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment. It was the most offensive shield, activated with the intention of mutual destruction.
According to its effect, Harmon would be thwarted by its backlash and explode, and both sides must simultaneously withstand damage equal to half of Harmon's attack power, two thousand points.
Of course, this degree was useless.
"Kida." Yugen said calmly, "Thunder Emperor Harmon is unaffected by any Trap Card effects."
The Three Phantom Demons are unaffected by Trap Card effects and only acknowledge the magic card effects activated within the turn, not being influenced by magic effects not activated within the turn.
The Phantom Demon's only recent appearance in the world was during Yugen's battle against Kagemaru. Little Lobster had not seen the Phantom Demon and did not know of this universal resistance, causing him to be inwardly shocked.
The Three Phantom Demons... could they possibly have resistance akin to a god's!?
Not to mention other effects of the card itself, just the god's resistance alone already made it quite a troublesome monster.
Of course, the Phantom Demon's resistance is actually far inferior to the Phantom God's, though outsiders did not know that.
"Good!" Chazz couldn't help but cheer, "With the trap nullified, this strike is enough for an instant kill!"
Simultaneously, he couldn't help but marvel at the Phantom Demon's power in his heart. Just a single Phantom Demon, can it really finish off this opponent so effortlessly...
Of course not.
"Speed Attack Magic 'Emergency Food'!" Tragodia said with a steady face, "Send the Magic Trap Card on the field to the graveyard, recovering 1000 Life Points for each card.
I'll send the activated 'Karma Flame Shield - Flame Power' to the graveyard, recovering 1000 Life Points!"
Thunder Emperor's Celestial Thunder descended.
Amidst the impact of the Dark Game, mixed with Thunder Emperor's Divine Power. The Celestial Thunder shook Professor Mackenzie's form, black energy being expelled from his body, briefly forming a twisted face, seemingly roaring hoarsely before quickly being absorbed back into his body.
[Tragodia, LP 4000→ LP 5000→ LP 1000]
"He blocked it." Yugen nodded, "Then I'll set a card and end my turn."
Tragodia, with a gloomy face, emitted black smoke.
"To summon such a Phantom Demon from the start... tsk, I was careless."
He stood, saying coldly.
"But from now onwards, that won't happen again!
My turn, draw a card!"
He played the card he just drew immediately.
"Magic Card 'Angel's Charity.' Draw three cards from the deck and discard two cards from your hand."
He drew two cards, selecting cards to discard from his hand. But soon, one of the cards radiated golden light, appearing on the field.
"Magic Card 'Card of Compensation,' send to the graveyard to draw two cards from the deck."
After drawing to add to his hand, he then drew another card from his hand.
"Next, I'll Special Summon this guy...
Desolate Dead!"
What appeared on Tragodia's field was a horrifying mummy, its entire body wrapped in white bandages, resembling something unearthed from a desert pyramid, yet its fists were unusually large, like heavy hammers wrapped in the bandages.
[Desolate Dead, Attack Power?]
Chazz: "It's actually a Special Summon?"
"Desolate Dead can be Special Summoned from the hand when Life Points are below 1000." Tragodia said, "Moreover, this card's attack power becomes 100 points less than the opponent's Life Points." (original effect)
In the manga, Little Lobster used this original monster. Although it later got a physical card adaptation, its effect was adjusted according to the physical card environment.
The physical card effect is, can be Special Summoned when Life Points are below 2000, and upon successful Special Summoning, attack power becomes half the opponent's Life Points.
Considering the physical card environment has an 8000 Life Points standard, if it followed the original effect, then its attack power would be 7900 upon reaching the field, an epic level enhancement compared to the original.
[Desolate Dead, Attack Power 3900]
"To summon such a high-attack monster so easily..." Chazz muttered.
Judai: "But it's still weaker than the Phantom Demon."
Tragodia, however, only gave a heavy snort.
"Is that really the case? Very well, then this turn, the Phantom Demon shall be defeated!"