So DD threw his deck's strongest ace, "D-Power," into the graveyard.
He did it willingly.
It's just that his mood didn't seem great, his expression kept twitching, and he was mumbling something like "I'll kill you."
"Do you think losing D-Power changes anything?"
DD shouted.
"My Blood Demon D still possesses the world-ending Power of Light, I'm still the strongest Duelist!"
He revealed a card from his hand.
"Magic Card 'Angel's Charity,' draw three cards from the deck, then discard two cards from your hand."
Immediately after, he summoned a monster from his hand.
"Normal Summon 'Split Mushroom Fang!'"
What appeared was a green malevolent monster, with a giant red eye on its large round green forehead, twisted green tentacles waving around it.
[Split Mushroom Fang, Attack Power 1700]
"Effect of Split Mushroom Fang, remove two Water Attribute monsters from your graveyard, and Special Summon a 'Split Mushroom Fang Derivative' in attack position on your field."
DD revealed two Water Attribute monsters from the graveyard, which were clearly just sent there.
"Remove the Water Attribute 'Jar Turtle' and 'Water Spirit Akuaelia' from the game, Special Summon 'Split Mushroom Fang Derivative'!"
The two Water Attribute monsters disappeared from the field, and the green tentacles of the large eye waved, quickly merging two streams of water into a smaller replica of the tentacled giant eye.
[Split Mushroom Fang Derivative, Attack Power 700]
"Then activate the Magic Card 'Demon Sanctuary,' Special Summon 'Metal Demon Derivative'!"
[Metal Demon Derivative, Attack Power 0]
"So quickly gathered three sacrifices again..." Ed's expression was solemn.
It's already quite clear, Blood Demon D is basically the core of DD's deck, and other parts of his deck are either support cards for Blood Demon D or cards used to quickly summon him as a sacrifice. Even without D-Power, Blood Demon D is still his optimal choice.
For him, it's a matter of having no choice, as Blood Demon D is the source of his power, providing him the cards to reach the pinnacle of strength.
This is akin to why many Duelists in this world are obsessed with summoning their ace cards, despite their ace being just a high-star Mortal Bone. The more extraordinary the Duelist, the more this holds true.
"Three monsters as sacrifices, once again descending, let's paint this world in blood!"
DD yelled.
"Ultimate D, Destiny Hero - Blood Demon D, summon!!!"
The three monsters disassembled into bloody sludge, and the sinister Blood Demon slowly rose from the swirling blood, with its bone wings releasing terrifying crimson that seemed to overshadow the sky.
[Destiny Hero: Blood Demon D, Attack Power 1900]
But without the blessing of D-Power, its effects were greatly diminished, and its presence was notably weaker compared to its last appearance.
"The effect of Destiny Hero: Blood Demon D, once per turn, absorb a monster as equipment!" DD shouted, "Absorb 'Nightmare Penguin'!"
The blood arrows shot by Blood Demon D turned into tentacles once again, binding the little penguin and absorbing half of its Attack Power.
[Nightmare Penguin, Attack Power 900]
[Destiny Hero - Blood Demon D, Attack Power 1900 → Attack Power 2350]
"Then Blood Demon D, direct attack!" DD ordered, "Bloody Terror!"
The bone wings of Blood Demon D spread wide, countless blood arrows rushing towards Yugen, only to crash into a layer of grey-black transparent shadow, held at bay outside.
"Remove 'Undead Guardian' from the graveyard." Yugen said, "This turn, I can negate one of my opponent's attacks."
DD frowned slightly.
"Fine then, I'll set two cards and end the turn."
DD let out a sigh.
Even without D-Power, it would indeed have a significant impact, but at least Blood Demon D was summoned anew. Destiny should still favor him.
He had always won this way, even when Blood Demon D wasn't in the deck for official matches, it granted him power to suppress any Duelist. There should be no reason he couldn't win now.
Unless the power of the person before him could surpass this Ultimate D.
But that's impossible, no one could surpass Ultimate D, it must be so.
Otherwise, his murder of Ed's father, the years of concealing the truth, enduring the torment of power, would all turn into a mockery?
"Then it's my turn, draw a card." Yugen said, "You seem to have quite a lot of confidence in this so-called Ultimate Hero."
"Of course." DD said, "The power of Blood Demon D is absolute!"
"I see..."
Yugen lightly nodded.
Then revealed a faint, chilling smile in DD's eyes.
"Then let's begin with this part for the breakdown."
DD was taken aback: "What?"
"Remove the Light Attribute 'Silent Magician' and the Dark Attribute 'Knight of the Night' from the game." Yugen slowly raised the card in his hand.
"Sacrifice the souls of light and darkness to the Chaos Field, the legendary warrior descends again. Heaven and earth open——
——Chaos Warrior - Messenger of Creation, summon!"
Interwoven light and dark vanished within the vortex of chaos, whereupon the chaos explosively burst apart. Sword Qi cleaved through that void, as the Swordsman splendidly emerged from the vortex.
[Chaos Warrior - Messenger of Creation, Attack Power 3000]
"Messenger of Creation..." DD said deeply, "The legendary warrior attempting to challenge the power of Ultimate D?"
"You seem to have misunderstood something."
Yugen said calmly.
"The challenger... is you."
DD: "!"
"The 'Knight of the Night' that was just banished from the graveyard, activates its other effect. When this card is banished from play, add a Ritual Monster from the deck to the hand."
Yugen drew the card that automatically popped out from the deck.
"Add another 'Chaos Warrior' from the deck to the hand."
Although he only had one Pioneer Knight, the original Mortal Bone Ritual Monster "Chaos Warrior" was obtained by Yugen from a subsidiary institute of the Kaiba Group, and there wasn't just one.
"Next, the Pioneer's Envoy activates its effect. Once per turn, banish a monster on the field from the game," Yugen said, "banish 'Destiny Hero: Blood Demon D' from the game.
Chaos Dimension Slash!"
The pioneer's sword slashed out, its light as if slicing through the void. It was a legendary sword that splits the heavens and earth, shattering dimensions wherever the sword qi went, leaving a long sword scar stretching towards Blood Demon D's location.
"An expected attack!" DD didn't panic at all, "Activate the cover card, Continuous Trap 'Demon Race's Chain'! Negate the effect of the Pioneer's Envoy, and it cannot change form or declare an attack!"
Ink-green demon lock chains shot out from the trap, winding straight towards the Chaos Warrior!
"With the power of Blood Demon D, I am invincible!" DD's eyes were bloodshot, shouting frantically, "Even if it's a legendary warrior, so what! It can't even touch a finger of Blood Demon D!"
"Is that so?" Yugen said, "It seems that not only me, but even the legendary warrior is being underestimated by you..."
The Chaos Warrior nodded at him.
Yugen then waved his hand: "Activate the cover card, Trap Card 'Rebirth of the Super Warrior'!
Send a 'Chaos Warrior' monster on your field to the graveyard, and special summon a different 'Chaos Warrior' from your hand, ignoring summon conditions!"
DD was taken aback: "Ignoring summon conditions...!?"
"That's right, using 'Knight of the Night' effect just added the 'Chaos Warrior' to my hand."
Yugen revealed the Ritual Monster in his hand.
"Rebirth, Pioneer Knight, once again open the gates of chaos and descend—
—Chaos Warrior, Rebirth Summon!"
The chaotic cyclone erupted from the Pioneer's Envoy, instantly dispersing the incoming chains. Within the chaotic aura, the sword qi surged, and the Chaos Warrior reappeared with a new set of armor.
[Chaos Warrior, Attack Power 3000]
"With the Pioneer's Envoy sent to the graveyard, it's no longer on the field, and 'Demon Race's Chain' loses its target, thus becoming ineffective," Yugen said.
DD said in a deep voice, "But this Chaos Warrior that appeared this way is just a 3000 attack blank slate, it doesn't have the power to defeat Blood Demon D..."
The moment he spoke, he immediately realized the problem, his pupils shrinking rapidly.
"Looks like you've realized," Yugen smiled, "Correct. The 'Chaos Dimension Slash' of the Pioneer's Envoy has been activated, but before the effect is processed, the Pioneer's Envoy has already been sent to the graveyard by 'Rebirth of the Super Warrior', and is no longer on the field.
During the effect processing, 'Demon Race's Chain' no longer has a target to bind, so the activation of Chaos Dimension Slash still takes effect."
In the conversation, the sword qi of the Chaos Warrior that had already left the field slashed through as if transcending the spatial barrier. The space was cleaved open, releasing a horrific suction force pulling Blood Demon D into it!
"Another sacrifice escape!?"
Even Ed was shocked.
He was already a somewhat famous newcomer in the professional circle and thought he had encountered many masters. But recalling between, he realized that in his life he's encountered no other duelist who could so freely employ strategies such as sacrifice escape and self-chain methods, perhaps just this one.
"Even though a Chaos Warrior activated 'Chaos Dimension Slash', the turn it's activated cannot be attacked, but the one who used the Dimension Slash was the sacrificed Pioneer's Envoy, irrelevant to the newly summoned 'Chaos Warrior'.
Yugen said.
"This turn the Chaos Warrior can still attack.
Chaos Warrior, direct attack!"
The Chaos Warrior expressionlessly, calmly drew its sword, seemingly carelessly swinging it, the lethal sword qi straight towards DD's face.
DD's face twitched.
Are you kidding me?
He's the world champion, with the invincible Ultimate D's blessing.
He had already sacrificed his soul, vowed never to be defeated again in this life.
Promised to become the pinnacle of the world.
Even summoning Blood Demon D today, how could he still lose?
Is this unacceptable?
He had one last move: "Activate the cover card! Trap Card—
—Dimensional Confinement!"
Ed: "!"
DD this guy... actually has such a killer move hidden!
"When the opponent's monster declares an attack, banish the attacking monster directly from the game!" DD's eyes were blood red, "Disappear, Chaos Warrior..."
But before he finished speaking, he was so astonished that his eyes widened, almost biting his tongue.
Because he saw that the Chaos Warrior just casually slashed, the domineering sword qi directly broke through the crack of Dimensional Confinement.
The void was nullified under the chaotic sword qi, disappearing the moment it opened.
He was dazed, unwilling, and puzzled.
Why!?
Even if they say it's a legendary swordsman, isn't this thing a blank slate? How could it even ignore Dimensional Confinement?
"Counter Trap," Yugen pointed at the last cover card on the field, "Shield of the Super Warrior.
When there is a 'Chaos Warrior' monster on your field, and a monster effect, magic, or trap card which targets a monster on the field is activated, that activation is negated and destroyed."
Yugen paused, then said lightly.
"I told you... you really underestimated the legendary warrior."
DD dazedly watched that one sword strike towards him, a sword unstoppable, a sword he exhausted his Destiny Power and every means achieving was unable to block.
Suddenly just felt that the past ten years of brilliance under this sword strike seemed like a joke, so laughable, yet so insignificant.
[DD, LP1300→ LP0]