Chapter 113 Ptah: My Invincibility Buff is On!
"This is the end for you, you small fry! Be consumed by my mighty army of (Sealed Beast)s!"
"First, I'll activate (Charmagal)'s effect! While (The Seal of Orichalcos) is on the Field, I can immediately destroy one of your Spell/Trap Cards." Ptah pointed casually. "Your Field is completely full now. Not even a Card like (Scapegoat) can save you."
A flash of white light. One of the Set Cards Joey had placed last turn was engulfed by the hot breath spewed by (Charmagal). Before it shattered, the Set Card's true form was revealed—it was the (Skull Dice) that had failed to Activate at the very beginning of the Duel.
Joey had originally thought that if Ptah Summoned a powerful Monster, he might be able to use this to trip him up. But who would have known that the strongest one, (Sealed Beast)-Baolong, couldn't be targeted by effects?
"In that case, I'll Activate the Effect of (Skull Dice) before you Destroy it!" Joey thought. It would be a waste to let it be destroyed, so he might as well use it. "I Target the just-Summoned (Sealed Beast)-Boa Bolong and Activate (Skull Dice)!"
A chibi-style demon appeared on the Field. It threw the giant Dice it was holding, which tumbled across the ground several times before stopping. The number that came up was a 1.
"Bad luck! This is why I don't like using Gambling Cards!" Joey, the self-proclaimed King of Gamblers, misplayed for once. The Effect of (Skull Dice) is to multiply the target monster's ATK by 1 divided by the number rolled. But one divided by one is still one, so (Sealed Beast)-Boa Bolong's stats wouldn't change at all.
"Tch, a pointless trick." Watching Joey's futile death throes, Ptah sneered. "And now, it's time for my all-out attack!"
Following Ptah's command, his five (Sealed Beast)s on the Field charged at the five Monsters on Joey's Field, which included three (Sheep Token)s. Leading the charge was the very (Sealed Beast)-Boa Bolong that Ptah had used his Normal Summon on this Turn.
[(Sealed Beast)-Boa Bolong] [Level 4/FIRE Attribute]
[Reptile-Type/Effect]
[1700/1000]
As the other "Child of the Sun" corresponding to (Charmagal), (Boa Bolong) possesses the highest Attack among the lower-level Monsters in the (Sealed Beast) series, and it also has an Effect to Destroy the Opponent's Monster after Battle.
And its chosen Attack Target was the (Panther Warrior) that had just appeared on Joey's Field. Although it had 1600 DEF, it ultimately couldn't block (Boa Bolong)'s Attack.
As for the other three lower-level (Sealed Beast) Monsters, they each went after a (Sheep Token). After a round of Attacks, the only Monster left on Joey's Field was a single (Axe Raider).
"(Sealed Beast)-Baolong, Attack (Axe Raider)!" Ptah commanded.
A flash of bronze light, and the (Axe Raider)'s resilient body was completely annihilated. Joey's Life Points dropped once again.
[Joey: 3800 LP → 2800]
"Well, even though you still have 2800 Life Points, for my invincible (Sealed Beast)s, finishing you off is as easy as snapping a chopstick. I'll let you struggle on for one more Turn." With that, Ptah Set his last Card from his Hand. "I Set one Card and End my Turn."
[Ptah: 300 LP, Hand: 0]
[(Sealed Beast)-Inun] [ATK 200]
[(Sealed Beast)-Nunurao] [ATK 500]
[(Sealed Beast)-Charmagal] [ATK 1200]
[(Sealed Beast)-Boa Bolong] [ATK 1700]
[(Sealed Beast)-Baolong] [ATK 2700]
[Set Card] [(The Seal of Orichalcos)] [Set Card]
Although his Life Points were absurdly low, what Ptah had exchanged them for was a spectacular lineup of Monsters.
In the Spectator Stands, Tristan noticed something. "Wait a minute, are all of that guy's Monsters on the Field in Attack Position?"
"Well, you can only attack in Attack Position. In a way, this Ptah Garlem guy is just like Joey—both of them are hotheads who only think about offense," Téa quipped. Ever since the Duel began, every single Monster Ptah had Summoned was in Attack Position; not a single one had been in defense.
"No, that's not what I'm talking about." Tristan shook his head, pointing to the Field with a hint of excitement on his face. "That guy's weakest Monster only has 200 ATK, and he himself only has 300 Life Points!"
Téa looked at the Field too, her spirits lifting. "You're right! In that case, all Joey has to do is Draw a Monster with 500 or more ATK and then Attack, and he'll win!"
The two of them couldn't help but feel happy, as in this situation, it seemed Joey had the clear advantage. But neither Yugi, Chumley, Mai Valentine, nor Sheppard thought so. "That Ptah Garlem... although he seems arrogant, he's actually an incredibly meticulous person."
So said Sheppard, who had Dueling experience against Ptah.
And Joey began his Turn.
"My Turn, Draw!"
"Then I Activate (Pot of Greed) and Draw again."
Adding the two cards to his Hand, Joey's gaze fell upon the (Sealed Beast)-Inun, the Monster with the lowest Attack on Ptah's Field. It was something that even Duel novices like Téa and Tristan could notice, so naturally, Joey, who understood Dueling far better than them, had noticed it as well.
However, he had also noticed Ptah's Set Cards in the Back Row. One of them, in particular, had been Set since the start of the Duel and had never been Activated.
To Pay a large amount of Life Points, lowering his own to a mere 300, yet failing to end the Battle in one Turn and leaving an opening for a Counterattack... Joey felt that Ptah, as the young master of the renowned "Garam Conglomerate", shouldn't have made such a huge mistake.
*'Could it be a Trap?'* Joey couldn't be sure. *'Whatever, I'll just try attacking first.'*
"I Summon (Falcon Knight) in Attack Position, and now, let's Battle!"
[(Falcon Knight)] [Level 3/Earth]
[Warrior-Type/Effect]
[1000/700]
"Although (Falcon Knight)'s Attack is only 1000, its advantage is its light weaponry, allowing it to Attack twice during one Battle Phase." Joey swiped his hand down. "Attack that (Sealed Beast)-Inun! Dive Attack!"
"Kyah!"
Wielding a swift sword, the bird-headed (Falcon Knight) soared into the air, making a beeline for (Sealed Beast)-Inun, which only had 200 ATK. If this Attack went through, Ptah Garlem would take 800 points of piercing battle Damage, more than enough to wipe out his Life Points.
If Ptah didn't Activate his Set Card, that is.
(end of chapter)