"Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, descend!"
One of the Three Sacred Beast, said to possess power capable of plunging the world into chaos—and that's no exaggeration.
Many might think Chairman Kagemaru's description is overblown, that even if the Three Sacred Beast are powerful Duel Spirits, they're not truly top tier. Talk of world-destroying is too much, right?
Actually, not at all.
It's true the Three Sacred Beast seem less awe-inspiring than the previous generation's Egyptian Gods. Even by anime standards of strength, their innate resistances and effects don't match the Gods.
But "plunging the world into chaos" doesn't refer to how they perform in a duel.
In the duel between Jaden and Kagemaru, even halfway through a single duel, the Sacred Beast showed exactly why they bring darkness.
It's a power outside of dueling.
The Three Sacred Beast are practically the nemesis of all Duel Spirits in the world.
Just during that brief stretch of Jaden's duel, the three Sacred Beast Kagemaru summoned had already absorbed vast amounts of spirit energy. Even Spirits thousands of miles away were affected, nearly drained dry.
With this power alone, the Three Sacred Beast can inflict catastrophic damage on every Duel Monsters card worldwide. In a world where the extraordinary—and even the fundamental rules—are built on cards, saying they can drag the entire world into chaos and darkness is neither alarmist nor exaggerated.
And at this very moment, Kagemaru, who spent his life pursuing the power of the Sacred Beast, had the honor of being the first in years since their sealing to experience their power firsthand.
Such pressure and might—merely looking at them was almost suffocating.
"So this is a Sacred Beast."
Staring up at the colossal silhouette, Kagemaru grit his teeth.
This should have been his power.
His hope to keep living.
"Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder attacks," Kira waved his hand. "Attack 'Troposphere'!"
Kagemaru said in a low voice, "You activated the Continuous Trap 'Gravity Bind' yourself. Monsters Level 4 or higher can't attack."
"Yes, but Hamon is a noble Sacred Beast." Kira smiled lightly. "Traps don't work on Sacred Beast."
Those were Kagemaru's exact words to Jaden in the anime after the Sacred Beast appeared. Traps are ineffective on Sacred Beast; Spells only work if activated that turn.
In the anime, the Sacred Beast' resistance to Spells/Traps resembles the Gods' in some ways. In DM, the Gods' resistances were described as "Traps don't affect the Gods, and Spells only have effect for one turn."
Similar to the Sacred Beast, though in GX the Sacred Beast' resistances hew closer to printed card templating.
All Three Sacred Beast are unaffected by Traps. Spells only affect them during the turn they're activated. If it's a Continuous Spell activated earlier, or a Normal Spell like Swords of Revealing Light that continues to apply after the turn of activation, once that turn passes, the Sacred Beast are immune to it.
However, Sacred Beast seem to have no blanket resistance to monster effects, and lack the "cannot be forced to leave the field" protection the Gods sometimes showed, or hidden resistances like Slifer being immune to Brain Control under Marik.
Otherwise Jaden wouldn't have one-tapped them with Elemental HERO Neos Bubbleman's effect after battle.
Elemental HERO Neos Bubbleman is only Level 4, but it can destroy a monster it battled after damage calculation. That worked on a Sacred Beast, so they likely lack general monster-effect and destruction immunity.
Only traps are fully nullified.
Kagemaru bit down.
Traps don't affect Sacred Beast, so if you're running a Sacred Beast deck, Gravity Bind basically does nothing.
Does that mean only his own side can't attack?
"Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder attacks," Kira said. "Thunder of Despair!"
Hamon raised its head and loosed a lightning lance skyward. Thunder serpents writhed in the black clouds as azure bolts gathered and crashed down on Kagemaru's Sphere with world-rending force.
With only 100 LP flickering like a candle in the wind, Kagemaru couldn't possibly withstand the blow. Even a graze from a Sacred Beast's might would pulverize him.
"Activate face-down, Trap Card 'Waboku'!" Kagemaru barked. "This turn, I take no battle damage, and my monsters can't be destroyed by battle."
Three robed maidens appeared on Kagemaru's field, holding talismans of peace. Their energy unfolded into a transparent barrier that enveloped his side.
A sacred no-damage zone: not even the Lord of Striking Thunder could pierce it. Heaven-splitting bolts washed over the barrier like water, sparks scattering and leaping, but no damage was dealt.
"And chain Quick-Play Spell 'Emergency Provisions'! Send the activated Trap 'Waboku', 'Ultimate Offering', and 'Mirage of Nightmare' to the GY to gain 3000 LP!"
[Kagemaru, LP 100 → LP 3100]
All four backrow vanished at once, turning into golden warmth that flooded the life-support pod. The old man gulped down a deep breath of blood-rich fluid; his LP quickly recovered.
Escaping that candle-in-the-wind LP eased him slightly, but the Sacred Beast's pressure remained—he couldn't relax.
"You blocked Hamon's attack—impressive as expected of the Chairman." Kira chuckled. "The Chairman's blade hasn't dulled. I'll set two and end."
Kagemaru: "…"
He'd always believed his blade was sharp, but in this man's mouth it sounded different.
Especially with the duel proceeding entirely at the opponent's tempo; everything he'd done so far was a struggle to survive, and he'd been on the brink more than once.
Now he had to face a Sacred Beast.
Will I lose?
The thought flashed unbidden.
Is this really the end?
The Duel King, and the Sacred Beast snarling behind him, blurred into a terrifying mountain in the old man's eyes—a peak unlike any he'd faced, nearly impossible to climb.
No, I must climb it.
He must live. He had decided long ago: he would live, at any cost.
If a god stands in the way, then he'll topple the god as well.
"My turn!"
The voice, still hoarse, echoed muddily through the life-support equipment. Yet the figure within seemed a bit straighter. Though the draw was made by a mechanical arm, a ripple of pressure seemed to follow.
Kira knew that rhythm too well.
He'd seen it in countless opponents—the moment they realized they were cornered.
He was about to go all in. A desperate last stand.
The old man raised his head, a fire in his eyes as he looked at Hamon.
"The power of the Sacred Beast—no matter what, it will be mine!"