"Spell Card 'Nephthys's Hope' – I choose to destroy 'Nephthys Phoenix God' on my field and 'True Silent Magician' on your field!"
"It's the same trick again." Judai frowned. "My Mudball Man was taken out by this before."
"Silent Magician, her effect activates!" You Xuan declared. "Once per turn, when a Spell Card is activated, negate that activation!"
The Silent Magician twirled her staff, and milky white magic waves bloomed, like transparent chains binding the opponent's spell in the back row. The Spell Card shattered into pieces.
"Ha, you truly live up to your reputation, Yugen." Judai gave him a V sign. "Whether it's a front row or back row attack, you always have a countermeasure."
Shell narrowed his eyes, looking intently at the Silent Magician and You Xuan.
"You possess such a troublesome ability. Is that your spirit partner?"
"That's right. Spirits are our companions in battle," Judai affirmed. "Someone like you, who uses power to enslave their own monsters, wouldn't understand."
"Oh? And what makes you think I don't understand?" Sher retorted coldly. "What makes you think I never believed?"
Judai was taken aback. "What?"
"It's not just me. My family has believed for generations. We call ourselves messengers of the Phoenix. We pass down the Phoenix Card through the ages, believing that the Phoenix God will protect us."
You Xuan initially thought that it hadn't been long since Pegasus discovered Duel Monsters, so how could someone already have an heirloom card?
But then he recalled that in 5D's, the Nordic Triple Gods were said to be family heirlooms. So, it was possible that before Pegasus invented card-making technology, they had preserved stone tablets or something similar.
"But that's not the reality," Sher continued, his voice hardening. "One day, disaster struck, and enemies invaded our village. I watched my people being slaughtered and my friends dying before my very eyes.
But in the end, the Phoenix God did not appear. The so-called companions and guardians were nothing but self-deceptive rhetoric. Only the power in your own hands is absolute."
Judai hesitated for a moment, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.
"Has something like that ever happened to you?"
"It's all in the past. What happened is irrelevant now," Sher said calmly, masking his pain. "The Phoenix God abandoned us. To gain power, power to protect everyone, I found a new path."
"The Seal of Orichalcos?" You Xuan guessed.
"That's right. And they offered me a chance to gain new power by signing a contract with the devil." Sher's voice rose with conviction. "As long as I can obtain power, what does it matter if I sell my soul to the devil?
I activate the Spell Card 'Treasure Drop from Heaven' from my hand!
Until both players have six cards in their hands, we both draw cards from our decks!" (animation effect)
You Xuan was caught off guard. "!"
Whoa, how could you secretly set up such an incredible play while delivering that emotional monologue?
He almost wanted to say, Man, is this what you got for selling your soul? Tell me where to buy it; I want one too.
You Xuan looked at Judai with renewed determination. "Judai! We absolutely have to win this duel!"
"Huh? Oh, of course." Judai nodded, his gaze equally resolute.
At the same time, Judai felt a strange surge in You Xuan's morale, even stronger than before, though he couldn't pinpoint the reason.
Sure enough, he must feel the same way I do, disagreeing with the opponent's actions, right?
Yu Xuan was indeed an honorable duelist.
After replenishing his hand, Shell immediately drew another card, but this time his movements were much slower, as if he were performing some kind of solemn ritual.
"This is the absolute power I obtained from the devil!" Shell declared, his voice resonating with dark energy. "I activate the Ritual Spell Card 'Advanced Ritual' from my hand!
By tributing Normal Monsters from my deck as a ritual offering, I can Ritual Summon a Ritual Monster whose Level is equal to the total Levels of the tributed monsters!"
He drew two cards from the deck.
"I sacrifice two Level 4 Flying Mantis from my deck! Ritual Summon!
Envelop the world in the flames of annihilation, and crush all creation into dust—
——The King of the End, Demis, descends!!!"
The ritual circle blazed with blue flames of destruction. The moment the dark energy erupted felt like the world's end. A shadowy giant emerged, clad in shattered armor, wielding a heavy axe. His descent was accompanied by an overwhelming, oppressive force.
Legend spoke of the Demon King of Destruction, Demis, who would appear only when a world reached its final moments, bringing about its utter demise.
[King of the End, Demis, ATK 2400 → ATK 2900]
"Drink this in, ahhhhh!"
As the ritual concluded, Shell couldn't help but roar, his voice filled with dark elation. Veins bulged on his forehead, and a dark blue flame engulfed his entire body, a stark contrast to the green glow of the Seal of Orichalcos.
Judai stared up at the monstrous giant for a moment, unconsciously clutching his chest. "What… what's going on? This monster, why does it feel so… suffocating?"
"That's no ordinary monster," You Xuan warned grimly. "That card contains a very potent dark power."
"Yes, Demis is the Demon King of Destruction. It is with this power that I was able to vanquish my powerful enemies," Shell's eyes burned with blue flames. "And now, you too will be consumed by the flames of the end!
The effect of 'The King of the End, Demis' activates! By paying 2000 Life Points, I can destroy all other cards on the field!"
He raised his right hand high, clenching his fist.
"Vanish! Everything!"
Judai gasped, "Such a powerful ability!"
"That's right! As long as I continue to offer my life force to Demis, he will be invincible!"
Shell waved his hand, a sinister grin spreading across his face.
"The end of the world has come!"
[Shell, LP 5500 → LP 3500]
The Demon King of the End swung his massive battle axe. The chillingly cold blue flame was like a phantom fire from the underworld, mercilessly devouring everything in its path, as if determined to drag the entire world into the abyss of oblivion.
Even the Phoenix God was powerless against the tide of destruction. After letting out a helpless cry, it was incinerated by the flames of annihilation. The flames continued to sweep towards Yugen and Judai's field. The Silent Magician and the face-down cards in the back row also succumbed to the indiscriminate flames of the apocalypse, dissipating and leaving the field.
"Then, the effect of 'True Silent Magician' activates," Yugen stated calmly. "When she is destroyed by an opponent's card effect, she can further evolve into a new form!
From the intersection of chaos and order, a silent radiance blooms. The ultimate magician of light descends here!
——Silent Magician LV8!"
The residual magic power released after Silent Magician left the field transformed into a radiant white magic circle. A dazzling white light erupted, and the silver-haired wizard, having evolved to a higher level, returned, stepping onto the magic circle with renewed power.
[Silent Magician LV8, ATK 3500]
Judai's eyes lit up with relief. "Nice one, Yugen! There's a backup plan after the backup plan!"
Shell's breathing had become ragged and uneven, as if the two extraordinary powers acting upon him simultaneously were beginning to overwhelm him.
The King of the End turned his massive head, his cold eyes flashing with a dim blue light as he glanced at Shell.
A chilling and hoarse voice echoed in Sher's ears.
"It seems you require more power. Come, offer more of your life force, and you will gain even greater strength."
"Tsk, it's just your life force! Just keep it and shut up!"
Shell stood up shakily and shouted defiantly.
"It's useless! The effect of the King of the End, Demis, activates once more! Pay 2000 Life Points, and all cards are destroyed!
The end of the world!!!"
Judai exclaimed in disbelief, "Eh? There's no limit to how many times it can activate!?"
[Shell, LP 3500 → LP 1500]
Drawing upon the duelist's life force as sustenance once more, the King of the End raised his battle axe. The axe of destruction fell again! The moment the blow landed, endless blue flames surged like waves anew. The Silent Magician LV8 tried her best to resist, but the magic circle was finally shattered by the overwhelming force, leaving her with no choice but to leave the field.
"With that, your field is now… empty."
Shell took a deep breath, attempting to steady his disordered breathing.
"Then, next is the card in my hand."
He revealed another card.
"'Devil Shovelworm' can be Special Summoned by removing two Insect-Type monsters in your Graveyard from play!
I remove the two Flying Mantis in the graveyard from play and Special Summon Devil Shovelworm!"
Apparently, the two cards he had just sent to the graveyard as the cost for activating Advanced Ritual were not chosen randomly. He had intentionally selected two Insect-Type monsters to serve as the summoning conditions for "Devil Shovelworm."
He had accurately stacked the graveyard from the deck while summoning the King of the End, used the King of the End to clear the field, and then utilized the graveyard's resources to Special Summon the Devil Shovelworm, instantly setting up a potential one-turn kill combo to secure victory!
[Devil Shovelworm, ATK 2800 → ATK 3300]
"That's it. It's over. I'll take out one of you first in this round."
Shell paused, his eyes flicking between the two of them for a moment, as if deciding which target to eliminate first. Finally, his gaze settled on Judai.
Perhaps it was because he sensed something special within Judai, or maybe the debate from moments ago had unsettled him.
In short, it was clear that the BOSS's hatred was now directed squarely at the tenth-generation student.
"Then I'll start with you. If your so-called bond with monsters can truly bring about miracles, then show me! Prove it!"
Shell waved his hand, his expression twisted in a cruel smile.
"It's over!
Devil Shovelworm! Demis, King of the End!
Direct attack!!!"