"Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin—effect activate!"
Jaden declared.
"Discard 1 card; look at your opponent's hand and choose 1 monster. If I control a monster with higher ATK than that monster's ATK, destroy it and inflict 500 damage."
"Destroy my hand, is it," the Supreme King said. "A troublesome effect indeed. I'll dispose of it quickly.
I activate my set Quick-Play—Effect Shut. Negate that monster effect's activation, then destroy that monster."
Aqua Dolphin cried out as currents bound him; after one electric torture sequence, he shattered into fragments.
"Aqua Dolphin…"
Jaden raised an arm to shield himself, gritting his teeth.
One of his Neo-Spacian big brothers, the Dolphin, was boxed before he could shine.
But that's fine—there's still the more reliable Mole.
"Then, battle!" Jaden said. "Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, attack Evil HERO Lightning Golem!"
The Supreme King clearly hadn't seen Mole's trick before and frowned. "Attacking with a lower-ATK monster?"
"Leave it to me!"
Grand Mole's confident voice was reassuring. His head-drill locked, and he burrowed into the ground with a rumble.
The ground beneath Lightning Golem split open; he stumbled and sank. Grand Mole burst out, drilling into Lightning Golem. One became golden light, the other dark current, each bouncing back to their controller's hand.
"What?" the Supreme King growled. "Lightning Golem, by a small fry like that—"
"Grand Mole's effect!" Jaden said. "At the start of the Damage Step when this card battles an opponent's monster: return both that monster and this card to their owners' hands; no damage calculation!"
The Supreme King snorted heavily, silent.
But inwardly he mused: first the Duel King, now even my mirror—indeed, that neighboring dimension is a devious place.
"Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird, direct attack!"
Hummingbird beat his wings, swept across the aurora-lit field, and pecked the Supreme King with a spear-like beak.
[Supreme King, LP 3200 → 2400]
"Then I activate the Continuous Spell—Damage Off Zone," Jaden said. "While this card remains on the field, both players halve any battle damage they take." (Anime card)
"My turn ends."
Jaden raised his voice.
"Well? Do you see it? My irreplaceable Neo-Spacian partners—the power of heroes needed by others! Different from someone like you!"
The Supreme King pondered.
Heroic power…
A hand-ripper Dolphin and a monster-bouncing Mole?
Admittedly, not to be underestimated.
"My turn. Draw," the Supreme King said.
"I also play the Spell—Spellbook from the Pot. Both players draw three cards."
The Supreme King drew three.
"Then I discard Evil HERO Adusted Gold from my hand to activate its effect," the Supreme King said coolly. "Add from my Deck to my hand 1 card that lists 'Dark Fusion' or 'Dark Fusion' itself, except Adusted Gold.
From my Deck, I add…"
He revealed the searched card.
"The Spell—Dark Calling."
Jaden watched the fleeting phantom of Adusted Gold on the field and muttered, "Even the Captain Gold got corrupted?"
"I activate the Spell—Dark Calling!"
The Supreme King raised the card high and shouted.
"Banish Fusion Material monsters from my hand or GY to Fusion Summon an Evil HERO!"
Jaden held his breath. "Even an evil version of Miracle Fusion…"
"I banish Evil HERO Infernal Wing and Evil HERO Adusted Gold from my GY to perform a dark fusion!
Fusion materials: 1 Evil HERO + any Level 5 or higher monster. Fusion Summon!
The ultimate darkness—the emblem of my power—
—Evil HERO Malicious Bane!!!"
A dark gale brewed, like the breath of the abyss, carrying an unspeakable dread that dimmed even the auroras of Neo Space.
As if darkness itself were given life, it spun and wove into a tornado that could shake the whole realm. Countless ink-black particles whipped in the storm, crazily condensing—through extreme compression and friction forming silver talons, a powerful long tail, grim heavy armor—every inch radiating hellish malice and madness.
The ultimate evil Hero—Evil HERO Malicious Bane—descended!
[Evil HERO Malicious Bane, ATK 3000]
Darkness itself had come, a terrifying storm threatening to overturn Neo Space. Jaden raised an arm and stared, aghast, at the great demon king that landed before him.
"This evil HERO… this power—what is it?"
Jaden instinctively pressed his chest.
It wasn't just the godlike aura of power. Simply looking at this demon king made his heart seize.
"This monster likely embodies a part of the Supreme King's avatar," a voice sounded by his ear.
Jaden turned—Elemental HERO Neos, hovered behind him like a guardian spirit.
"I see," Jaden murmured. "That's why it gives me such dread…"
He clenched his fist.
"Malicious Bane's effect," the Supreme King said. "Once per turn: destroy all monsters on your opponent's field with ATK less than or equal to this card's ATK."
"All of them?" Jaden was taken aback.
A board wipe. That made him even more certain of Neos's insight: this monster was part of the Supreme King's avatar. An overwhelming, sweeping power—fitting the Supreme King perfectly. The most suitable monster for him.
The poor Hummingbird could not withstand such crushing force. Buried beneath the tide of darkness, it was obliterated.
"And during this effect, Malicious Bane gains power," the Supreme King continued. "For each monster destroyed by this effect, Malicious Bane gains 200 ATK!"
[Evil HERO Malicious Bane, ATK 3000 → 3200]
"Not good, Jaden," Dolphin, already off the field, said as a ghostly afterimage. "The more he destroys, the stronger he gets. And in reverse, the higher the ATK threshold of what he can destroy next time!"
Malicious Bane can sweep all monsters with ATK lower than its own; the more it blows up, the higher its ATK climbs—a positive feedback loop.
"Indeed. Malicious Bane is the ultimate evil Hero—his power has no limit," the Supreme King said. "But you won't live to see him at his strongest.
Evil HERO Malicious Bane—direct attack!"