[D.D., LP 4000→LP 2000]
"Spell to Call the Void—by paying half my Life Points, I negate and destroy every card in this Chain." D.D. said. "Your Silent Magician, Dragon Warrior, all of them are getting blown up!"
Just as the four powers on the field were about to collide, a sudden Counterattack Trap shrouded everything, seizing control of the entire field in an instant.
The Mage's Magic, the Warrior's Dragon Soul, the holy reflected radiance—all of it suddenly dimmed. Endless Void devoured everything, swallowing those unleashed powers along with the Monsters and the cards themselves.
"But your own 'Effect Confinement' and 'Divine Protective Shield - Reflective Mirror Power' are also negated." Yugen said.
"Correct." D.D. said. "Reflection Mirror Power no longer activates, so the 'Deceitful Mage' on your field doesn't have to be destroyed. But Dragon Warrior and Silent Magician, whose effects were activated, must be destroyed."
Dragon Warrior and Silent Magician both detonated and burst apart. But when Silent Magician exploded, she did not vanish; the white Magic Power she released reconverged on the field, unfolding into an even more holy and dazzling Magic Barrier.
D.D. frowned. "What the hell is this now?"
"When True Silent Magician is destroyed and leaves the field by an opponent's card effect, I can Special Summon 'Silent Mage Lv8' from my Card Deck, ignoring its Summoning conditions!"
Yugen drew out the next card that had automatically popped out from his Card Deck.
"From the junction where chaos and order intersect, a silent radiance blooms—Light Magician, descend—
—Silent Mage Lv8!"
Destruction was merely a transformation into a higher form. The Divine Mage revealed her advanced form within the gathering white light, seemingly taller and fuller than before; her long white legs were faintly visible beneath the wide Magic Robe.
[Silent Mage Lv8, Attack Power 3500]
"Attack Power 3500..."
D.D.'s expression shifted slightly.
He had responded so beautifully—an almost perfect defense—layering a triple barrier, and even managing to successfully activate a powerful finisher like "Spell to Call the Void."
Yet even such layered lines of defense still seemed to have been broken through by the opponent.
To activate "Spell to Call the Void," he'd paid 2000 Life Points, leaving him with only 2000 LP. On Yugen's side, whether it was Silent Magician or Deceitful Mage, as long as even one of them landed a direct attack, just one hit, D.D. would still lose.
"So this is the Duel King. As expected, completely different from any opponent I've faced in the last ten years. But..."
D.D. narrowed his eyes again.
"The power I have now is so strong it scares even me!"
As the final word fell, that power erupted once more. Surging energy blasted out from within him and fell directly onto his front field; the light overflowing with Evil power actually condensed into the body of a Monster!
"When a card your opponent controls has its activation negated by your Counterattack Trap, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. Descend—
—Netherworld King Dragon - God of Judgment!"
Like a god of the Netherworld, a jet-black dragon with blood-red patterns all over its body seemed to trample thunder and lightning themselves, crashing down onto D.D.'s field with overwhelming might.
[Netherworld King Dragon - God of Judgment, Attack Power 2800]
"Furthermore, Netherworld King Dragon - God of Judgment gains different effects depending on the type of card negated when it was Special Summoned."
D.D. shouted.
"If the Counterattack Trap negated a Magic Card, inflict 1500 damage to the opponent.
If it negated a Trap Card, choose one card on your opponent's field and destroy it.
If it negated an Effect Monster, choose any Monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it to the field!"
"The Counterattack Trap you just activated is 'Spell to Call the Void.'" Yugen understood. "Spell to Call the Void negates all cards on the same Chain..."
"Exactly!" D.D. laughed. "So the Counterattack Trap I activated negated a Magic, a Trap, and an Effect Monster all at once. Netherworld King Dragon - God of Judgment gains all three effects simultaneously!
First, for the Magic—inflict 1500 damage!"
The Netherworld Dragon let out a deep roar, and a bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky, striking Yugen.
[Yugen, LP3000→ LP1500]
"Then, because a Trap was negated, I destroy 'Silent Mage Lv8'!"
The Netherworld Dragon lashed out with a claw; its talons tore open the void itself, and the black claw marks raked across Silent Magician's body. She exploded once more and left the field.
"Finally, since a Monster Effect was negated, I can Special Summon any Monster from my Graveyard!"
A beam of white light shot out from D.D.'s Duel Disc, falling onto the field and coalescing into a Monster's form.
It was a woman with long flowing white hair, wearing a half-face dark-red mask, wielding a long whip in her hand. Her curvaceous figure was tightly encased in dark-red armor.
"I Special Summon the 'Chaos Hunter' that I discarded to the Graveyard last turn!"
[Chaos Hunter, Attack Power 2500]
Once again, he'd reversed the situation in one breath!
D.D.'s heart swelled like never before.
This was the full Power of Light unleashed with no restraints—simply overwhelming. Even facing the Duel King, he wasn't losing in the slightest.
Too strong—it was so absurdly strong it even felt unreal to him.
And this was with the most crucial card still not yet Summoned...
The more he thought about it, the more the corners of his mouth curled up uncontrollably.
He was increasingly looking forward to seeing just how far his "power" would be amplified once Ultimate D was Summoned to the field.
"To actually bring out two such powerful Upper-Level Monsters in one go during my turn—not bad at all."
Yugen set another card from his hand.
"Netherworld Dragon and Chaos Hunter both have higher Attack Power than Deceitful Mage. I'm done here.
I set one card and end my turn."
D.D. felt even more pleased with himself.
The Duel had begun to move to his rhythm. If he maintained this and kept expanding his advantage, he'd be able to claim victory.
This was his chance to defeat the Duel King and prove he was the strongest. A title even above world champion—the true pinnacle on this planet!
"My turn, draw!" D.D. said. "Go, Netherworld King Dragon - God of Judgment, attack 'Deceitful Mage'!"
"Then I activate my Set Card." Yugen said. "Trap Card 'Absorption Shield.' Negate your attack, and I gain Life Points equal to that Monster's Attack Power."
The Netherworld Dragon's strike slammed into a rainbow-colored Water Shield. The blast of energy was completely absorbed by the transparent barrier and flowed back into Yugen's body.
[Yugen, LP1500→ LP4300]
"Tch... then Chaos Hunter, attack 'Deceitful Mage.'"
Chaos Hunter's long whip lashed out. Deceitful Mage clapped his hands together, trying to counter, but in the Hunter's grip, the whip seemed to come alive, deftly slipping past the Mage's hands, looping lightly around his arm with a few quick twists.
The Hunter yanked hard, pulling Deceitful Mage off-balance and stumbling. With a snap of her wrist, the whip cracked, its tip smashing into the Magician's chest, shattering his ribcage and splitting the question mark on his chest into several pieces.
[Yugen, LP4300→ LP3800]