“My turn, draw!”
After looking at the card he drew, Kazumo smiled.
“So this is your answer?
Good, then we’ll crush him head-on!”
The newly drawn card and another card in his hand were slammed down one after another.
“I activate the Continuous Spell, Piercing the Darkness!
Then I Normal Summon Mafteal!”
The Mafteal in his hand appeared on the field.
The sheep-headed figure no longer wore its usual carefree grin.
Its face was filled with fury.
“I activate Mafteal’s effect to revive Clavkiys from the Graveyard.”
Light flickered within the Graveyard Zone as Clavkiys crouched low and returned to the field.
[Maginificent Magikey Mafteal] Level 4│LIGHT│Tuner│Fiend│1600 ATK
[Clavkiys, the Magikey Skyblaster] Level 4│DARK│Warrior│1900 DEF
“Because Clavkiys was summoned, I activate the effect of Piercing the Darkness and draw one card!”
At this point, Kazumo paused slightly and stared at the card in his hand that still radiated faint warmth.
After a long silence, all hesitation vanished from his heart as he fiercely slammed the card down.
“I activate the Spell Card!
Harmonic Synchro Fusion!”
A green ring representing Synchro shimmered into existence, while a red-and-blue vortex symbolizing Fusion intertwined above the field.
From the void opposite Mafteal and Clavkiys, another identical “self” stepped forth from each monster.
The four monsters exchanged glances and gave slight nods before simultaneously extending their right hands and clasping them together in pairs.
The next moment, the two pairs of monsters embodying the powers of light and darkness leapt into the ring and vortex.
Fusion Summon!
Synchro Summon!
[Magikey Fiend – Transfurlmine] Level 8│FIRE│Thunder│2800 ATK
[Magikey Dragon – Andrabime] Level 8│WIND│Dragon│2800 ATK
That was the effect of this card.
With a single set of materials, it could perform both a Synchro Summon and a Fusion Summon simultaneously.
The roar of thunder and the deep cry of a dragon echoed through the sky.
Like their master, the two monsters vented the overwhelming obsession burning within them.
“This power…”
Roman’s skeletal face showed slight emotion.
This power gave him a strange sense of familiarity, yet he could not tell where that feeling came from.
Kazumo gave him no chance to think.
“Infernal Flame Bullet!”
Magikey Dragon spat forth a fireball.
Skeletal Dragon was not immediately destroyed, but instead ignited in flames.
It rolled across the ground in agony, yet it was useless.
In the end, it burned into a pile of ashes.
The surging flames even spread onto Roman’s body, but amidst the blazing fire, he merely frowned without any further reaction.
Black mist swept outward, instantly extinguishing the flames covering him.
“Hmph, a cheap trick.”
Roman’s mockery received no response as Kazumo continued his turn.
“According to Magikey Dragon’s effect, I can draw one card.
Draw!”
Kazumo sharply pulled out the card, leaving behind a trail of light.
“It’s over!
Battle Phase!” Kazumo did not even look at the card he drew.
He already knew exactly which card it would be.
At that instant, an intense feeling of unease surged through Roman’s heart.
However, his confidence in his Duel Dragon quickly suppressed that worry.
“Transfurlmine, attack Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon!”
The Continuous Spell, Piercing the Darkness, emitted a brilliant golden light.
The High Paladin engraved upon the card transformed into a phantom and floated behind Transfurlmine.
[Magikey Fiend – Transfurlmine, ATK: 2800 → 5800]
“For all your confidence, this is all you amounted to in the end.” Roman shook his head regretfully, his tone filled with disdain.
“Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon cannot be destroyed by battle, and any monster that battles it will have its Attack reduced to 0 afterward.
Although this strike may wound me, it is ultimately nothing more than suicidal foolishness!”
“I’m not so sure about that!”
“Now it’s your turn to taste the forbidden fruit!
At this moment, I activate the Quick-Play Spell in my hand, Forbidden Droplet!
I send my last card in hand to the Graveyard as the activation cost!
Negate your Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon’s effects and halve its Attack!”
“What?!” For the first time, shock appeared upon Roman’s skeletal face.
Kazumo’s declaration of victory rang out immediately afterward.
“Now it’s truly over!”
The golden chalice once used by Roman appeared once more.
Even now, it was still filled with deadly crimson liquid, but this time it splashed across Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon’s body.
Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon let out a mournful cry as its body turned gray-white and all its effects vanished.
The phantom of the High Paladin crossed together with Transfurlmine’s flaming lance.
The two attacks merged midair into a surging torrent of golden light that swallowed both Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon and Roman behind it!
Black mist wildly gathered around Roman to defend him, but before the tyrannical blast of light, it shattered instantly upon contact.
Darkness was utterly torn apart!
[Roman (Puppet), LP: 6000 → 1700 → 0]
The torrent of light swept across the battlefield, completely dispersing the black mist that had blanketed the land.
The ring of purple flames surrounding the battlefield also disappeared.
The electronic voice of the Duel Disk declaring victory echoed from the arm of the only person still standing: Kazumo.
“Hah…
Hah…
That was torturous.”
Kazumo gasped heavily.
He could still feel phantom pain radiating from the left side of his body.
Regardless, the ending was good; he had won the duel, and survived.
He moved his left hand and shoulder a little bit.
After confirming there were no serious problems, Kazumo stopped paying attention to the discomfort.
Not far away, the skeletal body controlled by Roman had been shattered by the torrent of light, leaving behind only a pile of ashes and a Duel Disk displaying red letters of defeat.
Seeing this, Kazumo quickly walked over, picked up the Duel Disk, and focused on examining the Deck still inserted within it.
Once the Deck was removed, the Duel Disk’s light faded.
“Tch, just like in the anime.
His cards really were printed on the spot using power alone.”
Kazumo quickly flipped through the Deck in his hands.
It was filled with various weak Normal Monsters and meaningless Spells and Traps.
The hand traps, Zombie monsters, and Duel Dragon that had pummeled him earlier had all disappeared alongside Roman’s defeat.
Still, it was not a complete loss.
In this real Yu-Gi-Oh!
world, there was naturally no so-called Forbidden and Limited List created in the real world just to sell cards.
And so, this time Kazumo obtained one of the future “Forbidden Cards”:
Graceful Charity.
After putting the two copies of Graceful Charity into his pocket, Kazumo reinserted the remaining Deck back into the Duel Disk and placed it on the ground once more.
He bowed respectfully toward the ashes and Duel Disk.
“Hope you can rest in peace.
Play plenty of cards in the Netherworld and try to reincarnate into a better life next time.”
The roar of an engine sounded out as Kazumo mounted his D-Wheel once more, his figure disappearing into the night.