"But the card you destroyed on your side should also have an effect, right?" Kira said.
T-Bone had deliberately set a card before activating Heavy Storm; he wasn't being charitable and just giving his opponent a plus-one.
"Correct," T-Bone said. "The card I destroyed on my side was the Trap 'Dormant Volcano'!
When this card is sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, inflict 300 damage to the opponent." (Anime card)
A volcano roared up behind T-Bone, spewing molten lava. A fireball arced out and exploded against Kira.
[Kira, LP 2200 → 1900]
"And there's a follow-up effect: during the next Standby Phase, both players can add one FIRE monster from their Deck to their hand!"
"Search a FIRE from the Deck?"
Kira raised an eyebrow.
His instinct was to say, then I'll add Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring...
Oh, right, that's not printed yet. Sorry. Never mind.
"I don't have any FIRE monsters in today's Deck," Kira shrugged.
"Heh, then I won't be polite," T-Bone said. "Next Standby, I'll add 'Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch' from my Deck."
It was also the only other card in his Deck harboring a spirit's power.
The Rock and Fire Monarchs—precisely the two monarch spirits Kira still lacked.
"Next, I Normal Summon 'Invasion of Flames.'"
A mass of fire surged up, forming a ferocious visage on T-Bone's field.
[Invasion of Flames, ATK 1300]
"Attack the face-down monster!"
Flames shot forth toward Kira's field. The set monster flipped—it was a green bone-winged Dragon.
[Troop Dragon, DEF 800]
"When Troop Dragon is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon another 'Troop Dragon' from the Deck."
Golden light shimmered where Troop Dragon fell; a second Troop Dragon stepped over its comrade's corpse.
"A last-breath monster, huh—stubborn as a wall."
T-Bone grunted.
"I set a card and end my turn."
"My turn. I draw." Kira immediately revealed the card. "I activate the Spell 'Spell Book From The Pot'—both players draw three cards."
"Then I Normal Summon 'Dark Scorpion Burglars.'"
He slapped down a monster card, and five figures leapt out at once. The burly, door-god-sized Gorg stood in the back, Meanae cracked a thorn whip, Cliff pushed up his glasses with a sinister smirk, Chick eyed the field like a weasel, and in front their one-eyed leader, Don Zaloog, narrowed his eye with authority.
The five-man squad made its group entrance.
"Gorg, you're crowding me," Chick complained, glancing back. "Move a little behind."
Gorg muttered, "Any further and I'll be out of the zone. That's a foul."
"Just a little out is fine!"
Cliff coughed. "Bear with it—five people in one monster zone is what it is..."
"No helping it. We five are of one heart and body," Meanae said.
"Quiet, all of you!" Don Zaloog glared. "It's rare we get stage time—don't embarrass the boss!"
"Yes, sir!"
They stiffened to attention.
T-Bone: "..."
He kind of wanted to say, your monster troupe's stage play is pretty unique...
"I activate the Spell 'Shien's Spy,' giving control of one of my monsters to the opponent until the end of the turn."
T-Bone: "?"
Huh?
But the guys on the field were old hands. The moment they saw that card, they immediately understood.
"So it's 'that move,'" Chick nodded.
"The boss has given the order—move it!" Don Zaloog barked. "Hold formation! Advance!"
"Yes, sir!"
They spoke in unison.
Then the whole Dark Scorpion crew rushed over in a swarm... to the opponent's field.
T-Bone: "???"
Why are these monsters so eager?
Why does everything feel so off...
"Battle Phase," Kira said. "Troop Dragon, attack 'Dark Scorpion Burglars.'"
T-Bone was even more baffled. "You hand me control of your monster, then use your own monster to suicide into it?"
What kind of line is this?
As Troop Dragon took flight, Don Zaloog shouted, "All units ready—first delivery incoming!"
"Yes, sir!"
The burglars braced.
Troop Dragon dove in, only to be piled on and beaten down by the thieves in a flurry.
[Troop Dragon, ATK 700]
[Kira, LP 1900 → 1600]
"Effect of Dark Scorpion Burglars," Kira said. "When this card inflicts battle damage to the opponent, it must activate: the opponent sends one Spell Card from their Deck to the Graveyard."
"The opponent..."
T-Bone's brain lagged for a moment.
"Right, since you control the Dark Scorpions now, from that card's perspective 'opponent' means me.
So you can send a Spell Card from your Deck..."
In that instant, a thought struck T-Bone; his face went white.
Sh—!?
That Jackpot Pot just now...
"Exactly. The Spell 'Jackpot Pot 7' is banished when sent to the Graveyard by an opponent's card effect."
Kira smiled and pulled a card that automatically presented itself from his Deck.
"The card I'll banish, of course, is 'Jackpot Pot 7.'"
"You—"
T-Bone watched as another Jackpot Pot 7 shimmered from Kira's hand and vanished, dumbfounded.
This... actually works?
But it makes sense—since the Dark Scorpions were handed to him, they count as "opponent's effect"...
Still, to think up a tactic like this—does this guy have a few screws loose?
"The second 'Jackpot Pot 7' is banished—just one more to go."
Kira continued.
"And you didn't forget Troop Dragon's effect, did you? When Troop Dragon is destroyed by battle, Special Summon another 'Troop Dragon' from the Deck."
[Troop Dragon, ATK 700]
What happens next was obvious.
Troop Dragon would suicide again into the Dark Scorpions. Their effect would trigger, Kira would send a third Jackpot Pot 7 from his Deck to the Graveyard, it would be banished, and the Duel would end immediately.
T-Bone would lose.
The Dark Scorpions were already high-fiving and popping champagne at mid-field.
"This is what happens when you cross the Dark Scorpions!"
"That's right—let these bumpkins witness our crew's might!"
Ever since they found the right boss, even their lines had gotten cocky.
"...No."
A glint flashed in T-Bone's eyes as he barked:
"It's not over!"
"Oh?"
"Activate face-down—Trap Card—
—'Mirror of Oaths'!!!"