"Enter battle." With the advantage on the field, Tenma Gekko directly announced the start of the battle, "First, Archlord Kristya, attack Masked Hero Anki!"
The archangel obeyed the command, flapping its wings and taking flight. Its holy wings radiated pure white divine light, and light swirled in its palms, brewing a storm of light.
[Archlord Kristya, Attack Power 2800]
[Masked Hero Anki, Attack Power 2800]
Nearby, Mokuba commented, "Both have 2800 attack power, are they planning on mutual destruction?"
Kaiba replied calmly, "Not at all, watch closely."
As the archangel's attack was about to strike, the black Masked Hero prepared to counterattack, but unexpectedly, a shadowy figure appeared behind Anki. A translucent demon emerged abruptly, unexpectedly grabbing and restraining the hero's arms.
"What is this...?"
"Archfiend of Gilfer, also discarded through the previous 'Card Destruction' effect," Tenma Gekko explained. "When this card is sent to the graveyard, it can be equipped as an Equip Card to a monster on the field. That monster's attack power is reduced by 500."
The black Masked Hero struggled desperately to evade the oncoming torrent of light, but the translucent demon held him captive like a relentless spirit, preventing him from moving an inch.
[Masked Hero Anki, Attack Power 2800 → Attack Power 2300]
Kaiba evaluated, "By using Card Destruction, he gathered four Fairy-Type monsters in the graveyard to meet 'Archlord Kristya's' summoning condition... He then used the archangel's ability to retrieve 'Angel O7' and quickly summoned it to suppress the opponent.
It's not over yet; he even thought of using the effect of Gilfer Demon to lower the opponent's attack power during Card Destruction... Tenma Gekko truly qualifies as an opponent for the Duel King."
Kaiba's standard for evaluating people was, indeed, simple enough. With Gekko's outstanding performance on the field, he had already upgraded from "irrelevant small fry" in President Kaiba's eyes to the level of "worthy of dueling," a qualitative leap.
But that doesn't matter.
If a player faced this absolute blockade, they might have yielded immediately, but Youyu demonstrated that true duelists don't flinch.
"Activate the Set Card!" Youyu pointed to his feet, "Quick-Play Magic - Double Cyclone! Choose one Magic or Trap Card on both the opponent's and my field, and destroy the chosen cards."
Gekko quickly understood, "The card you're choosing is..."
"The 'Archfiend of Gilfer' on your field being used as an Equip Card," Youyu pointed at the demon binding Masked Hero Anki, "as well as my Continuous Magic Card - Mirage of Nightmare."
"Brilliant!" Even Mokuba now understood the purpose of these actions, "If Gilfer Demon is destroyed, Masked Hero Anki's attack power will recover! And destroying the Mirage of Nightmare can avoid the downside of discarding hand cards... Youyu is amazing!"
Kaiba snorted, smiled without speaking, but his expression seemed to show approval.
Mokuba: "No wonder he defeated my brother!"
Kaiba's smile quickly disappeared, and his expression darkened immediately.
Red and golden cyclones intertwined as they flew out from the magic cards. The red wind swept away Youyu's "Nightmare's Mirage," reducing it to dust, while the golden wind shredded the transparent demon binding Anki into pieces.
[Masked Hero Anki, Attack Power 2300 → Attack Power 2800]
Freed from the bind, Anki resumed action, exuding a renewed determination. With an agile dodge, he narrowly evaded the piercing white light stream, pushing off the ground and leaping towards the archangel in mid-air with a flying kick.
The archangel, unwilling to be outdone, followed with a palm strike. The clash of dazzling holy light and the Masked Hero's flying kick in mid-air triggered a violent impact, causing a shockwave that rebounded, blowing both the archangel and hero into fragments.
With identical attack power, mutual destruction was the inevitable result.
But now, Youyu's field was left empty.
"However, Archlord Kristya is undying."
Tenma Gekko continued as a golden light glowed in the grave zone. The "Archlord Kristya" just obliterated and sent to the graveyard was already popping back out, and he placed it on top of his deck.
"When 'Archlord Kristya' would be sent to the graveyard, it returns to the top of the deck instead."
This effect of Kristya's is more of a rule inscribed on the card itself rather than a monster effect.
"Returning to the top of the deck instead of going to the graveyard" is a rule on this card, so when it would enter the graveyard, it automatically bounces back, doesn't require "activation," and thus isn't affected by Angel O7's "monster effects cannot activate."
Such effects that don't require "activation" to take effect are generally referred to as "non-type effects" in the Yu-Gi-Oh! system.
So next turn, as long as Gekko draws the archangel back into his hand, he can summon this powerful angel once again.
"I still have 'Angel O7' that hasn't attacked." Tenma Gekko gestured, "Angel O7, direct attack!"
The remaining ace angel of Gekko's immediately launched an attack. A spiral beam of light shot straight towards Youyu, crashing with full force into him.
Youyu stumbled back two steps, with virtual image projections emitting black smoke from his body.
[Youyu, LP 3600 → LP 1100]
"I'll set a card and end my turn." Gekko set a card and announced the end of his turn.
Both LP and the situation on the field had reversed again, but Tenma Gekko wasn't overly optimistic.
Although it seemed quite advantageous, the development differed slightly from his prior calculations. Archlord Kristya couldn't remain on the field this turn. With only one Angel O7 on the field, the suppressive power was greatly reduced.
However, Archlord Kristya was only temporarily off the field, currently back to the top of his deck, ready to return next turn.
Just need to hold on for this turn!
"My turn, draw!"
Youyu added the drawn card to his hand, glancing at the Angel O7 on the opposite field.
All Monster Effects can't be activated... indeed, a rather troublesome ability. It does not pair well with the Hero Deck.
So Youyu definitely had to get rid of this troublesome ability first: "Quick-Play Magic - Forbidden Chalice! A monster on the field gains 400 attack, but its effects are negated.
I increase 'Angel O7' by 400 attack points, negating its effects!"
[Angel O7, ATK 2500 → ATK 2900]
Although the monster's attack increased, Tenma Gekko couldn't help but frown.
The effect of Angel O7 being negated meant his angel combo lock was completely broken.
Now Youyu could play without any restraint: "I summon 'Elemental Hero Liquidman' in attack position!"
A stream of water rose from the ground, forming the water-blue hero shrouded in water, crouching into form on the field.
[Elemental Hero Liquidman, ATK 1400]
"Liquidman's effect! Upon successful summoning, special summon a Level 4 or lower Elemental Hero from the graveyard!" A card popped out from Youyu's graveyard zone, "Revive, Elemental Hero Blazeman!"
Flames roared as the fiery hero returned to the field, gave a sharp cry, and struck mid-air with a punch.
[Elemental Hero Blazeman, ATK 1200]
"Blazeman's effect, upon summon or special summon, add a Fusion Magic Card from deck to hand."
A familiar sequence of moves, seeing Youyu add Fusion to his hand, Tenma Gekko seemed to realize: "It's still Fusion..."
"Not necessarily." Youyu gave a mysterious smile, waved an arm, "From the graveyard, activate the effect of 'Destiny Hero Malicious', banishing this card from the graveyard, to special summon another 'Destiny Hero Malicious' from the deck!"
A golden light burst from the Duel Disk Grave Zone, a Destiny Hero card ejected from the graveyard, and Youyu placed it in the card box. A beam of golden light flew from the deck, transforming into a hero with devil-like wings arriving on the field.
[Destiny Hero Malicious, ATK 800]
Gekko raised an eyebrow: "Not Fusion?"
"Archlord Kristya and Angel O7 are indeed very powerful monsters." Youyu paused his actions and said, "I've witnessed your strength as a duelist, so let me bring forth a monster befitting this duel."
He raised the card in his hand high.
"...Using 'Elemental Hero Liquidman', 'Elemental Hero Blazeman', and 'Destiny Hero Malicious' on the field as tribute!"
Tenma Gekko's face changed, astonished: "Three monsters as tribute!?"
Even Kaiba's expression altered slightly: "Could it be a god... no, the Normal Summon this turn has already been used, summoning a god is impossible. So, what is this..."
A blood-red mist gradually permeated, spiraling like a vortex from hell swirling on the ground. An ominous aura enveloped the entire field, an invisible gloomy cloud weighed heavily on the mind, impossible to shake off.
At that moment, everyone felt a strong premonition internally—
—Something incredibly powerful yet permeated with strange and evil energy was about to arrive.
"Using three monsters as tribute, Special Summon!"
Youyu placed the Monster Card onto the Duel Disc.
"Destiny Hero Plasma (Bloo-D)!"