Across from the group, the moment the phantom throne of bones solidified, four skeletons clad in rusted armor rose from the ground, kneeling on one knee.
A tall figure clad in black armor, with a broken crown atop his head and a greatsword in both hands, slowly stood from the throne.
Marina focused sharply. In a Trial, the boss was usually the strongest.
But there was one exception—a Hidden Trial Boss!
"Intruders of the royal tomb, be sentenced to eternal servitude!"
The greatsword struck the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. The grinding of bone came from beneath the armor.
Dark red marrow oozed from between the skeleton's joints, forming a blood the tall man that streaked past Marina and shot toward Kai.
Under everyone's shocked gaze, a blood-red barrier spread from the tall man, slowly unfolding and pushing the others away.
Seeing this, Marina didn't hesitate. She threw something from her pocket to Kai.
"Catch this!"
Just before the barrier fully closed, Kai caught the object.
It felt like stone and glowed faintly green.
"That's a Phase Stone. Crush it, and you can leave the Trial!"
She had saved that as a last resort for herself.
Regardless, now wasn't the time to think about that. She couldn't just stand by and watch a civilian die.
"Field Spell Card [Zombie World] activate!"
As Kai was thinking, purple mist swept across the field, enveloping everyone.
No need to ask… just seeing Marina's darkened expression told him the Phase Stone was now useless.
Still, if it were anything else, Kai might be scared. But Dueling? He'd never feared anyone!
He had brought his Decks, but no Duel Disk!
Just as he thought that a silver mechanical structure automatically formed on his arm and rapidly assembled into a Duel Disk.
"Spirit energy?!"
Marina couldn't help blurting out. The others were just as stunned.
"Card Spirit?!"
No one had expected Kai, who seemed like just a bystander, to actually possess a card spirit.
Kai drew out one of his Decks, the one glowing faintly—the source of the Duel Disk.
"Alright, let's go with you!"
Kai slammed the Deck into the Duel Disk with a bold declaration.
"Duel Start!"
"I am Karthus! Duel Start!"
A coin carved of bone flipped into the air, etched with both their faces, and slowly fell.
"I go first!"
The armored side landed face up.
[Karthus, LP: 8000]
[Kai, LP: 8000]
Both drew five cards from their Decks.
"I Normal Summon [Uni-Zombie] from my hand!"
Two figures—one fat, one thin—appeared, humming an eerie melody.
[Uni-Zombie] Level 3│DARK│Zombie│1300 ATK
"Phew, only 1300 ATK."
The others relaxed a little. Maybe this Hidden Boss wasn't that tough.
"Don't be naive. That thing has a special effect!"
Marina furrowed her brows, already nervous for Kai.
"I activate [Uni-Zombie]' effect."
[Target 1 face-up monster on the field. Discard 1 card; increase that monster's Level by 1.]
"I target [Uni-Zombie], discard [Wightbaking] from my hand, and increase its Level by 1."
"Next, I activate the effect of [Wightbaking] in the Graveyard."
[When this card is sent to the Graveyard: add 2 monsters from your Deck to your hand whose names include 'Skull Servant' (max 1 of each name). Then, discard 1 card.]
"I add [Wightprince] and [Wightlord] to my hand, then discard [Wightprince]."
"Trigger [Wightprince]'s effect: send [Skull Servant] and [The Lady in Wight] from the Deck to the Graveyard."
Kai watched Karthus' smooth combo and could only think—no wonder he was the Hidden Boss. He wasn't in the same league as those minor mobs.
Marina looked even more concerned. She'd studied this in school. That monster's effects didn't end there!
"Now I activate [Uni-Zombie]' other effect."
[Target 1 face-up monster on the field. Send 1 Zombie monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. That monster gains 1 Level.]
"[Uni-Zombie] can use both effects once per turn."
"I send [Wightprince] to the Graveyard."
"Trigger [Wightprince] again: send another [Skull Servant] and [The Lady in Wight] to the Graveyard."
If nothing else, the Wight archetype sure knew how to mill.
Kai thought that if this kind of precision dump went to "that" person, he didn't even want to imagine what could happen.
"Now I activate [Wightlord]'s effect in my hand."
[If 'Skull Servant' or 'King of the Skull Servants' is in your Graveyard, you can send this card from your hand or field to the Graveyard: send cards from the top of your Deck to the Graveyard equal to the number of 'Skull Servant' and 'King of the Skull Servants' in your Graveyard.]
"My previously milled monsters all count as 'Skull Servant.'"
"Including [Wightlord], I now have 8 'Skull Servant' cards in my Graveyard, so I mill 8 more from my Deck."
After Karthus's insane combo, his previously full Deck was now barely half remaining.
"I activate [Wightprince]'s other effect from the Graveyard."
[Banish this card and 2 other 'Skull Servant' cards from your Graveyard: Special Summon 1 'King of the Skull Servants' from your Deck.]
"I banish [Skull Servant], [Wightprince], and [The Lady in Wight] to Special Summon [King of the Skull Servants] from my Deck!"
The smoke cleared as a green skeleton wrapped in a tattered royal cloak appeared.
It didn't look much different from any other skeleton, though its presence radiated regal authority.
[King of the Skull Servants] Level 1│DARK│Zombie│? ATK / 0 DEF
"This card's original ATK becomes the number of 'King of the Skull Servants' and 'Skull Servant' cards in my Graveyard times 1000."
"Right now, I have 11 in my Graveyard!"
...
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