"Forbidden Chalice negates 'Chaos Core's' effect!" Kagemaru declared.
"At this moment, Chaos Core's effect activates," Kira said.
Kagemaru: "!"
An effect that triggers even when negated?
"Right. When Chaos Core is targeted by a card effect, or chosen as an attack target, it can activate," Kira said.
"When targeted, Chaos Core can send up to one each of 'Uria, Lord of Searing Flames,' 'Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder,' and 'Raviel, Lord of Phantasms' from hand or Deck to the GY."
Kira drew out three auto-ejected cards from his Deck and fanned them.
"So I send Uria, Hamon, and Raviel—three total—from my Deck to the GY."
He displayed them openly, and Kagemaru's eyes went wide.
The Three Sacred Beasts!
"Y-you—"
His eyes reddened.
He had rallied the Shadow Riders, poured in resources, had everyone fighting tooth and nail—for what?
For the sealed cards, the three legendary Sacred Beast!
And this guy just casually flips them out?
He sputtered before managing: "You—my—why are my Sacred Beasts in your hands?"
"I don't recall the Beasts ever being yours," Kira smiled.
"Simple. I gathered enough Duel Energy to break the seal, then borrowed the three from the Academy. Compared to the seven keys, with the Shadow Riders attacking, keeping them on me was safer than in the seal. The Chancellor and the staff agreed."
Kagemaru opened his mouth, speechless.
Wait—
When I asked them to hand me the Beasts—Kaiba, the Board, the Academy—no one agreed. But they just gave them to you?
"I'm not like you," Kira said. "I won't use the Beasts to steal lives or drain spirits for selfish desires.
And I proved I can control them—restrain that power and wield all three."
He paused, smiling.
"Funny enough, I have you and your Shadow Riders to thank. Without your threat, the Beasts wouldn't have landed in my hands so smoothly.
For three cards that can only be taken via dueling, there's no place safer than the Duel King's hands, right?"
A vein bulged on Kagemaru's forehead.
His life's pursuit—his last hope—was right there in front of him, in the opponent's hands.
And he was being taunted that all his efforts stitched the bride's dress for someone else.
Worse, the bastard was probably right—
Bubbles gurgled in the pod as the old man panted.
"Tch, so you only dumped them to the GY," Kagemaru sneered. "If their seal is broken and you brought them to me, then it's easier.
I just have to beat you and take them!
I activate the Spell 'Card of Burial Magic,' banishing 'Graceful Charity,' 'Forced Activation,' and 'Forbidden Chalice' from my GY to draw two."
He drew two more.
"Then I Summon 'Gene-Warped Warwolf'!"
[Gene-Warped Warwolf ATK 2000]
"Battle!" he roared. "Warwolf attacks!"
The werewolf leapt with a roar, claw slashing toward Kira.
"I activate a set card," Kira said. "Continuous Trap: Gravity Bind! Neither player's Level 4 or higher monsters can attack!"
"Another attack lock?"
Kagemaru snarled.
"MUUDA!
Troposphere is unaffected by Traps! Troposphere, attack Chaos Core!"
The bird tore through Gravity Bind's shackles; a cyclone ripped the fiend to pieces.
Chaos Core, after sending the three Beasts, could place three counters and remove one to prevent battle destruction—but with its effects negated, it couldn't.
No matter; its mission was done.
"Then I activate Continuous Spell 'Mirage of Nightmare.' During your opponent's next Standby Phase, draw until you have four cards in hand."
He set it.
"I set two and turn end."
"End Phase, I flip my set Quick-Play 'Fires of Doomsday'." Kira said. "Special Summon two 'Doomsday Token' to my field."
Two black flames ignited, taking token form.
[Doomsday Token DEF 0] x2
Kagemaru frowned.
End Phase activation—right. The turn you use Fires of Doomsday, you can't Summon monsters by any other effect—he'd neatly sidestepped the drawback. Planning to tribute the tokens for a Tribute Summon?
But if he remembered right, Fires of Doomsday's tokens can only be used to Tribute Summon DARK monsters.
Kira: "My turn. Draw."
"At this moment, Mirage of Nightmare activates!" Kagemaru said. "I draw until I have four cards!"
Classic GX draw engine. At least one of those two sets was now obvious.
He narrowed his eyes.
Two tokens were ready—clearly for tributes. But Tribute Summon would have to be DARK...
Kira: "Then I'll also use Pot of Greed—draw two."
"Next, I activate my set Trap 'Immortal Class.' I tribute two monsters I control to Special Summon, from the GY, a Level 7 or higher monster, ignoring its Summoning conditions and restrictions!" (anime card)
The very trap Yubel used in the anime to bring out the Beasts—ignores even summoning and revival limits.
Kagemaru's pupils tightened.
Not a Tribute Summon, but a tribute as cost?
Level 7+ in the GY—
No—don't tell me—
"Correct. I can revive a Sacred Beast from the GY."
As Kira raised his hand, black clouds congealed over the arena.
A leaden pall smothered everything—nature's wrath condensed. The air grew heavy, every breath crackling with charge.
Suddenly, the roiling clouds tore, as if stirred by an unseen hand, coalescing into a vast sea of thunderheads. Lightning writhed within like dragons in a trench, each flash booming like the end of days.
And from that storm, wreathed in serpents of lightning and clad in glaring yellow, descended a colossal form of sovereign might.
"Let heaven's thunder mete out timeless judgment—now descend—
—Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder!!!"