"Continuous Spell: 'Spirit Message E', activated from my deck!"
A second translucent ghost appeared on the Necromancer's field. Now there were two, each holding the letters "D" and "E".
"Destiny Board's effect: at each of your opponent's End Phases, place a 'Spirit Message' card from hand or deck." The Necromancer grinned coldly. "Once 'D', 'E', 'A', 'T', and 'H' are all on my field—including Destiny Board itself—it's over for you."
He didn't need to finish; Jaden was already frowning, understanding.
"I'll lose."
Destiny Board's effect was like Exodia—a victory by card combination. If the five letter cards spelling "DEATH" appeared on the field, the duelist won instantly.
"Heh heh, that's right. Two letters down. You'd better struggle with everything you have in the turns you have left.
My turn! Draw!"
The Necromancer drew a card, eyes flicking to Jaden's back row.
"Just to be safe, let's get rid of that set card. Quick-Play Spell: 'Mystical Space Typhoon'—destroy any Spell or Trap on the field!"
A black cyclone swept up Jaden's set card. The trap card was caught in the wind, spinning and then smashed to pieces by a bolt of lightning.
"You destroyed the trap card 'Dummy Marker'," Jaden grinned. "When Fake Marker is destroyed, I draw a card. If it was destroyed by an opponent's Spell Card, I draw two cards." (Anime Card)
The Necromancer frowned. "What?"
"Since your 'Mystical Space Typhoon' destroyed it, I draw two cards." Jaden drew.
"Tch, pointless tricks," the Necromancer muttered. "But it won't change the fact that you're getting closer to death."
He played two more cards from his hand.
"I set two cards face-down. Turn end."
Jaden knew he was right. Destiny Board was a sentence of death; with each passing turn, he drew closer to defeat—and in this duel, defeat meant death.
But Gravity Bind still locked down Level 4 and higher monsters, and Marshmallon was an annoyingly tough defender that couldn't be destroyed by battle.
He had to break through somehow.
"My turn! Draw!"
Jaden played a Spell Card from his hand.
"Spell Card: 'Shield Crush'! Destroy one Defense Position monster on the field!"
"Hm, found a way to break through Marshmallon's defense already?" the Necromancer grunted.
"That's right—Marshmallon can't be destroyed by battle, but card effects are fair game," Jaden answered. "So Marshmallon is destroyed!"
"Heh, but it won't be so easy. Activate Trap: 'Guard Mines'!"
The Necromancer called out, and numerous explosive spheres appeared on his field, forming a shield in front of Marshmallon.
"Guard Mines: when you activate a card that destroys one of my monsters, this negates and destroys it, and you take 500 damage!"
The magical beam from Shield Crush blasted the bomb wall, triggering a chain reaction of explosions. The shockwave sent Jaden stumbling back.
[Jaden, LP 3000 → LP 2500]
"Ugh, even Shield Crush couldn't break through…"
The Necromancer cackled. "Struggle all you like—it's all futile. No matter what you do, you can't change your fate."
"Heh, don't be so sure. In a duel, you never know the outcome until the very end."
Jaden didn't seem fazed. "I Normal Summon 'Elemental HERO Clayman'."
[Elemental HERO Clayman, ATK 800]
He played another card into his Duel Disk.
"Equip Spell: 'Spark Blaster'—equipped to 'Elemental HERO Sparkman'!"
A surge of electricity became a black, high-tech weapon in Sparkman's hands. Power flowed through his arm into the Spark Blaster.
"Spark Blaster's effect: I can change the battle position of any face-up monster on the field, up to three times."
Jaden pointed at Marshmallon.
"I switch Marshmallon to Attack Position!"
Sparkman fired, and Marshmallon trembled as its card changed from Defense to Attack, standing upright on tiny legs.
[Marshmallon, DEF 500 → ATK 300]
The Necromancer raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."
"That's right. Marshmallon can't be destroyed by battle, but as long as it's in Attack Position, I can deal damage!" Jaden declared.
"But even Marshmallon gets the Seal of Orichalcos effect—its ATK increases by 500."
[Marshmallon, ATK 300 → ATK 800]
"Even so, 800 isn't much!"
Jaden swept his arm forward.
"Wildheart is immune to traps, so Gravity Bind doesn't stop him. Wildheart, attack Marshmallon!"
The Necromancer responded: "Trap: 'Desert Sunlight'—all my monsters switch to face-up Defense Position!"
The trap activated, and Marshmallon immediately returned to Defense Position.
[Marshmallon, ATK 800 → DEF 500]
"Too bad—your effort was pointless," the Necromancer sneered.
"Not necessarily,"
Jaden revealed another Spell Card.
"Quick-Play Spell: 'Flash Fusion'—Fusion Summon using monsters from my field!"
"Oh?" The Necromancer smirked. "A Quick-Fusion?"
"I fuse 'Elemental HERO Sparkman' and 'Elemental HERO Clayman'!"
Jaden raised his arm high. On the field, one HERO turned to golden lightning, the other to a swirl of earth, both sucked into a fusion vortex, erupting in a brilliant golden light.
"The HERO who commands electricity, and the stalwart defender—they combine to summon a HERO of thunder! Fusion Summon!"
Jaden clenched his fist.
"Elemental HERO Thunder Giant!"
PS: Bonus chapter at 500 PS.