Despair from the Dark was a hellish-looking Zombie-Type Monster. It had once appeared in Manjoume's hands in GX, and despite being an old card, it still played an important role even in the sixth series, Vrains.
"Despair from the Dark can be Special Summoned if it is sent from the hand or Deck to the Graveyard by the opponent's effect. Therefore, I Special Summon 'Despair from the Dark' directly. Come forth!" Flames like those of hell burst upward and formed the image of a drifting Fiend.
Purple-black claws, a vicious grin, and abstract horns crowned its head. Despair from the Dark, ATK 2800. "He actually drew 'Despair from the Dark'!" Sho Marufuji cried out.
Even Asuka Tenjoin looked stunned. "To draw a card like that at the exact moment Drop Off hit him... was that really just a coincidence? Or could it be..." Daiyama laughed loudly. "I told you, my Card Draw is invincible now!"
"Use your strongest tactics if you want. In the end, my unbeatable Card Draw will resolve all of them!" He drew another card. "Then I activate 'Pot of Greed.' Both players draw three cards from their Deck. (ANIME EFFECT)"
"After that, I Normal Summon 'Alexandrite Dragon'!" Alexandrite Dragon, ATK 2000. "Go! Alexandrite Dragon, attack the facedown monster!"
The facedown monster flipped up, and a huge rat jumped out. Giant Rat, DEF 1450. Giant Rat was shattered in battle and left the field, and Yugen pulled a card from his Deck.
"When Giant Rat is sent to the Graveyard by battle Destroy, I can Special Summon an EARTH Monster with 1500 or less ATK from my Deck in Attack Position. I Special Summon 'Pyramid Turtle.'" Pyramid Turtle, ATK 1200.
"Then 'Despair from the Dark,' attack Pyramid Turtle!" Daiyama ordered. "Use Break Strike and wipe out that wall!" The Fiend's claws came slashing down, and the giant turtle carrying a pyramid was torn open before exploding into pieces.
Yugen's LP dropped from 3000 to 1400. "Then Pyramid Turtle's effect activates. I Special Summon a Zombie-Type Monster with 2000 or less DEF from my Deck. I Special Summon this card..."
Yugen slapped the searched card onto the field. "Special Summon 'Ryu Kokki'!" A sinister aura spread across the field, and a giant body formed as if made from countless skeletons fused together.
Every bone stood out with unnatural clarity. Skulls overlapped and tangled into a huge twisted frame, ghostly flames burned in its eyes, and a warped evil grin hung beneath its sharp fangs. Ryu Kokki, ATK 2400.
The moment it appeared, Sho Marufuji instinctively hugged himself and felt as if the air had turned colder. He muttered quietly, "Why are all of Yugen's monster cards the kind that make people feel bad just looking at them..." Daiyama raised his chin proudly.
"I see. You used the Double Coston setup as a stepping stone to Summon such a powerful high-level Monster in one move. Hmph, a fine tactic, but it still can't beat my 'Despair from the Dark.'"
"In the end, tactics and construction have limits. Only within Card Draw does the truth of Duel exist!" As he spoke, Daiyama Hei drew two more cards from his hand and set them both in the Back Row. "I end my turn!"
Then he pointed at Alexandrite Dragon on his field. "During the End Phase of the turn it attacked, it Destroys itself. (ANIME EFFECT)" After attacking, Alexandrite Dragon paid the price for its four-star 2000 points and exploded with a bang, leaving the field in a burst of flame.
"Then, my turn. Draw." Yugen drew, then played a card from his hand. "I Summon 'Mystic Tomato.'"
Mystic Tomato, ATK 1400. "Attack Position?" Daiyama frowned. "With a weak monster like that..." Yugen gave a light nod.
"That's true. I've seen how strong your Card Draw is. I really didn't expect 'Despair from the Dark' to jump out like that. It's very strong. To be honest, I don't have any monster in my hand right now that can beat it."
The more Daiyama heard, the wider his grin became. But then Yugen continued, "Since I can't beat it, I'll just requisition it for a while. I activate a Spell Card! 'Creature Swap.' Each player selects one Monster on their own field and exchanges control of them."
The smile vanished from Daiyama's face at once.
"Creature Swap!?"
Daiyama Hei's face darkened.
"That's right. I choose the 'Mystic Tomato' on my field, and the selected Monster is transferred to your field," Yugen said with a smile. "And you have to choose one Monster to trade control of with me. Of course, you only have one Monster on your field anyway."
"Tch."
With a grim expression, Daiyama Hei had no choice but to select the lone "Despair from the Dark" on his field. The Fiend moved to Yugen's field, while the little tomato bounced its way over to Daiyama Hei's side.
"Next, the Battle Phase," Yugen said. "'Ryu Kokki', attack 'Mystic Tomato'."
Ryu Kokki lunged forward, and its skeletal iron fist smashed the little tomato without mercy. The tomato burst apart, and Daiyama Hei raised both arms in front of himself, taking the damage head-on with his sturdy body.
Daiyama Hei, LP 4000 -> LP 3000
"At this moment, 'Mystic Tomato's Effect Activation activates," Yugen said. "When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 DARK Monster with 1500 or less ATK from the Deck."
The poor student Sho Marufuji looked stunned once again. "Huh? But the tomato was destroyed on the other side of the field, so shouldn't the search come from that side's Deck...?"
"By the time the effect resolves, Mystic Tomato has already returned to its original owner's Graveyard, so of course Yugen is the one who gets to search," Hayato Maeda said.
"I see..." Sho Marufuji glanced at Hayato Maeda. "You even know that, Hayato Maeda..."
Sho Marufuji suddenly looked around and realized he was the only clueless one there.
"According to Mystic Tomato's effect, I Special Summon 'Don Zaloog' from the Deck."
Don Zaloog, ATK 1400
Daiyama Hei kept a dark look on his face. "So with Creature Swap, you make me take the damage, and then you still get to search from your Deck?"
"Then 'Despair from the Dark' attacks directly," Yugen said.
"Good. If these next two attacks go through, Yugen wins right here," Hayato Maeda said.
But Asuka Tenjoin was not so optimistic. "Would Student Council really be that easy to deal with?"
Sure enough, Daiyama Hei said, "Then I activate the Trap 'Draining Shield'! Negate the opponent's attack, and I recover Life Points equal to that Monster's ATK!"
A colorful barrier appeared. The heavy punch from the Fiend slammed into it, but all of its force was absorbed.
Daiyama Hei, LP 3000 -> LP 5800
Just as expected, he had used his Trap to block the attack from the stronger Despair from the Dark. "Then 'Don Zaloog' attacks directly."
Don Zaloog pulled out its gun and fired twice. One revolver round pierced straight through Daiyama Hei's chest, while the other punched through one of the cards in his hand.
"Urgh..."
Daiyama Hei, LP 5800 -> LP 4400
"Don Zaloog's effect. When it inflicts battle damage, the opponent randomly discards 1 card."
Daiyama Hei looked at the card in his hand with a bullet hole through its image, then suddenly let out a low chuckle. "Heh, too bad. The card your monster hit was the one I just drew."
He revealed it from his hand. "'Spell Card' 'Pot of Greed'. When it is sent from the hand to the Graveyard, draw 2 cards!" (ANIME EFFECT)
"That backfired too," Sho Marufuji said with a frown. "This guy's Card Draw really does seem incredible."