"Magic Card 'Nephthys' Hope', I choose the 'Nephthys Phoenix God' on my field and destroy your 'True Silent Magician'!"
"Not this move again." Judai frowned, "My Mudballman was also defeated by that..."
"Silent Magician, activate effect." Yugen said, "Once per turn, when a Magic Card is activated, negate that activation!"
Silent Magician's staff spun, a milky wave of magical power blossomed, as if transparent chains bound the opponent's magic in the back field, the Magic Card shattered into fragments with a snap.
"Ha, no surprise coming from Yugen." Judai flashed a V-sign at him, "No matter if it's a front field or back field attack, you have countermeasures..."
Sher squinted his eyes, scrutinizing Silent Magician and Yugen.
"Such a troublesome ability. Is that your elf?"
"Correct, the elf is our battling companion." Judai said, "Someone like you who enslaves their monster with power wouldn't understand."
"Ha, why do you think I wouldn't understand?" Sher said coldly, "And why assume that I haven't believed before?"
Judai was taken aback: "What?"
"Not just me. My family too, for generations, we have believed. We call ourselves the 'Phoenix' messengers, we have passed down the Phoenix card for generations, believing the Phoenix God would protect us."
Yugen thought considering Beckas discovered Duel Monsters not long ago, how could you have family legacy cards?
But then he recalled, in 5DS, they said the Nordic Triad was also passed down through their family. So, prior to Beckas inventing card technology, perhaps they preserved them as stone tablets.
"But the truth is not so." Sher continued, "One day disaster struck, enemies invaded our village. I watched as my clan was slaughtered, friends dying horribly before my eyes.
Yet in the end, the Phoenix God never appeared. All that talk of companions, guardians, were self-deceptive lies. Only the power under one's own control is absolute."
Judai pondered for a moment.
"You've... been through something like that..."
"It's all in the past. Whatever happens, it's irrelevant now." Sher said indifferently, "The Phoenix deity abandoned us, to obtain power, strength to protect everyone, I found a new path."
"Orichalcos?" Yugen asked.
"Correct. And they offered me a chance, to sign a pact with demons for new strength." Sher raised his voice, shouting, "If you can gain power, what's selling your soul to demons?
I activate the Magic Card 'Celestial Treasure Scroll' from my hand!
Until both players have six cards in hand, draw from your decks!" (anime effect)
Yugen: "!"
Woc, how did you secretly play something so outrageous while building up the atmosphere?
He somewhat wanted to say, dude, is this what you traded your soul for?
Then tell me where to buy it, I want it too...
Yugen solemnly looked at Judai: "Judai! No matter what, you must win this duel!"
"Huh? Oh... of course." Judai nodded.
He also found it odd that Yugen's morale seemed suddenly higher. Not sure why...
Indeed, he probably also doesn't agree with the opponent's methods like I do?
Yugen is truly a righteous duelist...
With replenished hand, he drew another card from his hand. This time much slower, as if performing a solemn ritual.
"This is the absolute power I gained from demons!" Sher shouted, "Activate Magic Card 'High Ritual Technique' from my hand!
By offering ordinary monsters from the deck as ritual sacrifices, perform a Ritual Summon according to the total level value!"
He drew two cards from the deck.
"I offer two Level Four 'Flying Mantis' from the deck as sacrifices for a Ritual Summon!
Infuse the world with the flames of doom, grind everything to dust—
——King of the End - Demis, Descend!!"
The ritual array burned with blue flames of destruction, the dark currents erupted as if Doomsday descended. From it emerged a pitch-black giant, clad in armor of destruction, wielding a heavy axe, descending with immense pressure.
Legend says that only when a world ends will the King of Armageddon appear, King of the End - Demis.
[King of the End - Demis, Attack Power 2400→Attack Power 2900]
"Aahhhh!"
With the ritual activated, Sher involuntarily shouted loudly. His forehead veins bulged, shrouded in ghostly blue flames, blending with the green glow of Orichalcos on his body.
Judai gazed at the destructive giant for a moment, instinctively clutching his chest: "Wha... what's happening? Why is this monster causing such pressure..."
"That's not just any monster." Yugen said, "That card holds powerful dark magic."
"Indeed, Demis is a demon king of destruction, and it's this power that allowed me to fend off strong foes." Sher's eyes burned with blue flames, "And now, you will be extinguished under the flames of annihilation!
The effect of 'King of the End - Demis' is activated! Pay 2000 Life Points, and all cards on the field except him..."
He raised his right hand high and clenched his fist fiercely.
"...are all destroyed!"
Judai: "Such a powerful ability..."
"That's right, as long as I continue to sacrifice my life force to Demis, he is invincible!"
Sher waved his hand grandly.
"Doomsday!"
[Sher, LP 5500→LP 3500]
The Demon King of the End swung his battle axe. The ice-cold blue flames, like ghost fires from the Netherworld, devoured everything mercilessly wherever they went, as if dragging the entire world into the abyss of doomsday.
The Phoenix God was powerless to resist the tide of destruction, let out a helpless cry, and was burned away under the flames of destruction. The flames continued to sweep towards Yugen and Judai's field, and both the Silent Magician and the cover cards in the back field were dispelled by the indiscriminate flames of the end.
"Then the effect of the 'True Silent Magician' is activated." Yugen said, "In the case of being destroyed by the opponent's effect, she can further evolve into a new form!
From the convergence point of chaos and order blooms a quiet radiance, the Light Magician descends here—
—Silent Mage Lv8!"
The magic power released after the Silent Magician's departure transformed into a white array, and a dazzling white brilliance burst forth, evolving into a higher-level silver-haired mage treading on the array.
[Silent Mage Lv8, Attack Power 3500]
Judai brightened up: "Yugen, nice! More backup after the backup."
Sher's breathing began to become somewhat erratic, seemingly the simultaneous augmentation of two extraordinary forces making him somewhat exhausted.
The King of the End turned to look at him, a faint blue light flickered briefly in his cold eyes.
A cold, hoarse voice sounded in Sher's ear.
"It seems you need more power. Come, give me more life, and you will gain further strength..."
"Tch, isn't it just life? Take good care of it and shut up!"
Sher staggered to his feet and shouted loudly.
"Useless! King of the End - Demis... Effect activated again! Pay 2000 Life Points, destroy all cards!
Doomsday!!!"
Judai: "Eh? No limit to the number of activations!?"
[Sher, LP 3500→LP 1500]
Once again harvesting the Duelist's life as nourishment, the King of the End raised his battle axe, the world-ending axe fell again! At the moment of impact, the endless blue flames swept over like waves. The Silent Magician tried her best to resist, but the array was finally broken under that power, and she reluctantly retired.
"In this way, your field is...blank."
Sher took a moment to catch his breath, stabilizing his erratic breathing.
"Then next is the card in my hand..."
He revealed another card from his hand.
"'Demon Shovel Worm', which can be Specially Summoned by banishing two Insect Race cards in my graveyard from the game!
I banished two 'Flying Mantises' from the game in the graveyard, Special Summon 'Demon Shovel Worm'!"
Evidently, the two cards just sent to the graveyard as the cost of activating the High Ritual Technique were not chosen randomly, but intentionally picked two Insect Race cards for the summoning condition of the 'Demon Shovel Worm'.
At the same time as summoning the King of the End, accurately sending cards to the graveyard from the deck, using the King of the End to clear the field, then leveraging the resources in the graveyard to summon the Demon Shovel Worm, instantly establishing a game-winning combo!
[Demon Shovel Worm, Attack Power 2800→Attack Power 3300]
"In this way, I'll finish by dealing with one of you in this turn."
Sher stopped speaking here, his gaze drifting between the two for a moment, as if deciding on the priority target, and finally his gaze fell on Judai.
Perhaps it was something special he sensed on Judai, or maybe he was displeased by the recent debate.
In any case, the Boss's hostility was now directed at Judai.
"Then I'll start by taking you down. If the bond you claim with your monsters can summon a miracle, then show it to me!"
Sher waved his hand grandly.
"It's over!
Demon Shovel Worm! King of the End Demis!
Direct attack!!!"