"Continuous Magic - Card of Safe Return activates." Before Youyu, this Magic Card also appeared, "Whenever a Monster is revived from the graveyard to the field, I also draw three cards."
Thanks to the generosity of the Ghouls brothers, the conditions for both sides are now back to being equal.
"Then I summon 'Elemental Hero Heat', attack mode!"
Flames soared up, transforming into the image of a fiery Hero, manifesting in mid-air and falling in a crouch, trailing a flame trajectory.
[Elemental Hero Heat, Attack Power 1600]
"Heat's effect, his attack power increases by 200 points for each Elemental Hero on our field..."
"That won't do." Dartz smiled casually, pointing to the side, "Flip Cover Card, Trap Card - Torrential Tribute!"
Another classic old card, still occasionally seen in today's physical card environment, with few players unfamiliar with its face.
"This card can activate at the moment of Monster summoning," Dartz sneered, "Destroy all Monsters on the field!"
From the center of the Trap Card surged a raging torrent, flooding the entire field like an apocalyptic deluge. The poor fiery Hero had just appeared, not even standing firmly, when his body was submerged by the water. His flames reacted intensely with the cold water, emitting a 'hiss', as his body quickly disintegrated into ashes.
Of course, the Orichalcos Chijama on Dartz's field was also blown into fragments.
"What happens next doesn't need much explanation." Dartz chuckled softly, waving his hand, "Orichalcos Chijama is an undead Monster, no matter how many times, it will always return from Hell!"
"Come back to the field, Orichalcos Chijama!"
A whirlpool of darkness opened, and the sinister Giant Spirit returned from the Netherworld once again, with blood-red eyes and a different aura than before.
[Orichalcos Chijama, Attack Power 900 → Attack Power 1400]
"At this moment, the effect of 'Card of Safe Return' also activates," Dartz drew three cards, "Due to Chijama's revival, I draw three more cards from my Card Deck."
"Then on my side, the effect of 'Card of Safe Return' also activates!" Youyu also drew cards, "I draw three cards from my Card Deck as well!"
This turn's Normal Summon chance has been used, but Youyu certainly can't simply pass this turn.
"From my hand, I activate Magic Card - Black Magic Veil!" Youyu waved his hand, and a green card appeared before him, "Pay 1000 LP to Special Summon Dark Magician from my hand!"
"Appear, Dark Magician!"
[Youyu, LP 3100 → LP 2100]
A Magic Array burning with transparent flames materialized, as the noble red-robed Mage leapt out, the Magic Staff spinning agilely in his hand, erupting with a transparent invisible magic power as it swept across the sky.
[Dark Magician, Attack Power 2500]
"Battle!" Youyu pointed forward, "Dark Magician, attack Orichalcos Chijama!"
The Dark Magician jumped into the air, the Magic Staff swinging down, sending a green impact that roared out like a torrent. Despite multiple enhancements, the ability of the Orichalcos Giant Spirit was still far inferior to that of this advanced Magician, and in an instant, it turned to ashes under the torrent of magic power.
[Dartz, LP 3500 → LP 2400]
Dartz took the damage without expression, speaking lightly, "But Orichalcos Chijama will continue to be revived.
"Come back to the field, Orichalcos Chijama!"
The dark whirlpool opened, and the sinister Giant Spirit, relentless, returned to the field once more, like an unyielding restless soul.
[Orichalcos Chijama, Attack Power 1400 → Attack Power 1900]
"Card of Safe Return's effect!" Dartz said, "I draw three more cards."
Youyu narrowed his eyes, waving his arm: "Then on my side, I activate Card of Safe Return's effect, drawing three cards!"
Youyu's Card Deck had been expanded to sixty cards already, a capacity that wouldn't be exhausted anytime soon.
Yet he glanced at Dartz's Card Deck, estimating that it also appeared as a hefty stack unlikely to be depleted easily. If both sides dragged on, it seemed quite consuming...
Glancing at Dartz's large hand of cards, Youyu squinted and pondered, then played his reverse cards strategically.
"Set three cards, end of turn!"
"My turn. However, due to the side effect of Orichalcos Chijama on the field, I can't perform a normal draw while it's present."
Dartz paused, slowly drawing a card, chuckling softly, "But that's not necessary. The key card has arrived in my hand.
"Magic Card - Heavy Storm, activate!"
The Magic Card appeared before Dartz, and a powerful cyclone emerged on the field. The black whirlwinds towered threateningly, as if housing some beast roaring loudly, the world seemed to tremble under its presence.
"Destroy all Magic and Trap Cards on the field." Dartz smiled, "Naturally, your Continuous Magic Card - Prohibition also needs to be destroyed."
"If Prohibition is destroyed, The Seal of Orichalcos becomes usable..." Youyu narrowed his eyes, then smiled faintly, "Of course you would think so."
"Oh?"
"Flip Cover Card!" Youyu waved his hand, "Counter Trap Card - Dark Bribe! Negate and destroy the activation of Magic and Trap Cards, and the opponent can draw one card!"
The black storm was shredded into pieces, the beast inside roared unconvincingly, but the sound gradually faded away.
The storm ceased, ultimately failing to touch Youyu's backfield.
The Heavy Storm didn't work, but Dartz wasn't bothered. He drew a card into his hand, then revealed another card in his possession.
"Then Quick-Play Magic - Mystical Space Typhoon activates," he said, "Destroy one Magic Trap Card on the field. I choose to destroy, Prohibition!"
An electric flash fell from the sky, the whirlwind rising spontaneously, roaring towards Youyu's backfield, hungrily tearing Prohibition to shreds.
Youyu instinctively raised his arm to shield himself from the storm and chuckled lightly, "You really want to destroy this 'Prohibition' card, huh..."
Dartz smiled indifferently.
"This way, the troublesome thing won't exist anymore." He slowly drew a card from his hand, "Now, get ready to face the judgment of the great God of Orichalcos.
This is the power you fear, the gift and trial granted to humanity by the gods..."
"Wait a minute!" Youyu waved his hand, "Don't rush; before that, I'll activate this card! Flip Cover Card, Trap Card - Mind Crush!"
A Set Card in front of Youyu quickly flipped.
"This trap allows me to declare a card name to activate! If the declared card exists in the opponent's hand, they must discard all cards of the same name!
If it's not there, then I must discard one random card from my own hand!"
Youyu paused and smiled slightly.
"I don't need to say which card I'm declaring, do I?"
Dartz: "......"
"The card I declare is 'The Seal of Orichalcos'!" Youyu pointed to Dartz's hand, "If you have that card, kindly discard them all for me!"
In what might have been an illusion, Dartz's facial muscles seemed to twitch for a moment.
"Hmph."
I must admit, for someone with world-destroying capabilities, he still honestly abides by the basic rules of card dueling.
Although displeased, Dartz drew two cards from his hand, showed them briefly to Youyu, and then discarded them to the graveyard.
He actually had two The Seal of Orichalcos cards in his hand!
Youyu let out a deep breath.
Thankfully, that Mind Crush hit timely enough. Luck was indeed on his side, managing to crush two Seals in one go.
Though with this, Dartz's mental state might also collapse...
However, it didn't. Dartz maintained his composed demeanor, playing the next card with calm confidence, "Magic Card - Raigeki Break activates. Discard a card from my hand to return one card from the graveyard to the top of the deck."
Dartz discarded a card to the graveyard, in exchange, another card burst back from the graveyard.
Dartz smiled, "The Seal of Orichalcos returns to the top of the deck."
Youyu frowned.
With that...
"Battle." Dartz pointed straight at Youyu's Dark Magician on the field, "Orichalcos Gigas, attack Dark Magician!"
The giant spirit let out a low roar and charged forward with a suicidal command. Though considerably strengthened, it was still somewhat insufficient before the Magician.
With just one burst of magic power, the giant spirit was immediately shattered to pieces again.
[Dartz, LP 2400 → LP 1800]
Dartz remained composed, taking the damage with poise, his blue hair fluttering gently in the aftermath.
"Of course, Orichalcos Gigas will be revived again."
A bellow echoed from deep within the underworld, and the burly giant spirit reappeared on the field, breathing heavily through its nostrils.
[Orichalcos Gigas, ATK 1900 → ATK 2400]
Though revived within the battle phase, as shown in the animation, Orichalcos Gigas can only attack once in the same battle phase, even when revived from the graveyard.
"At this moment, the effect of the Card of Safe Return activates again." Dartz smiled, "I'll draw three more cards."
As expected, the 'The Seal of Orichalcos' card, which was just placed back on top of the deck, was drawn back into his hand.
"Then, due to the effect of Card of Safe Return, I'll draw three cards as well." Youyu also drew cards.
"As you like. My battle phase ends here, but..."
Dartz's pupils contracted as he raised a card high towards the dome of the great hall.
Finally!
The key to his entire deck's operation, the most crucial card, after many twists and turns, was finally about to be played!
"Oh mighty and all-powerful god!" Dartz raised his voice, "With this card as a medium, grant us the power to cleanse the filth..."
"At this moment!" Youyu's voice rang louder, overpowering Dartz's, "Flip the Set Card, Trap Card - Lightforce Sword! Randomly select an opponent's card, banish it face-down from the game, and return it to their hand after three of their turns!"
Without hesitation, Youyu pointed to the card Dartz was dramatically raising skyward like a mid-battle affectation.
"The hand card I want to seal, is that one!"
A sword flew from the sky, striking the card Dartz held aloft with a clang, pinning it to the wall.
Although Youyu didn't see what that card was, he's sure it must be The Seal of Orichalcos...
Dartz: "........."