"Retrieve the Magic Card 'Revive the Dead' from your graveyard!"
White spider silk shot from Yugen's card, precisely sticking to the 'Revive the Dead' card in Judge's graveyard pile.
The silk contracted, and the Magic Card drew an elegant arc in mid-air as it fell into Yugen's hand.
"Recovered the opponent's Revive the Dead!" Judai said, "This way we can call back the Phantom God again!"
"Tch, the haunting Pharaoh King, leaving such entangled Phantom Gods behind." Judge sneered.
Without a doubt, the Winged Divine Dragon was the opponent's absolute main force, and the most promising method to defeat his Snake God Vennominaga. If Revive the Dead is used to summon back the Winged Divine Dragon, it would transform again into the Phoenix form due to the Special Summon.
Although with Yugen's remaining LP, it seems impossible to trigger the Winged Divine Dragon's explosive effect again, his Life Points are only 800; just a slight recovery would bring it back over 1000. Judge had to guard against this possibility.
Snake God Vennominaga leaving the field would mean his defeat; once the Phoenix returns to the field, his situation becomes critical.
No matter what, the Phantom God must not be allowed to return.
"Magic Card 'Revive the Dead'!"
The Magic Card was already inserted into Yugen's Duel Disc.
A large green resurrection symbol floated in the air, followed by a flame-like burn. The flames vaguely transformed into the image of burning wings, and even before descending, that illusory divine bird already seemed to manifest through the resurrection magic, glaring at the Snake God in the Black Hole.
"Targeting 'Winged Divine Dragon of Ra' in the graveyard, revive the Winged Divine Dragon..."
"Kida!"
Before he could finish, Judge had sharply interrupted.
"Activate Trap 'Lost'!
Banish one card from the opponent's graveyard from the game!"
He pointed his finger at Yugen's graveyard, yelling hoarsely.
"'Winged Divine Dragon of Ra', banished from the game! Dead souls should honestly disappear!"
His words seemed to address the Winged Divine Dragon in Yugen's graveyard, but they also vented his grudge against the persistent Pharaoh who wouldn't rest quietly even after passing.
Though divine beings ignore traps, before coming out, it's still just an ordinary card. The Divine Card was banished from the game, making the burning divine bird turn virtual and transparent. Before departing, it seemed unwillingly to let out a roar at the Snake God, but ultimately vanished helplessly into a shadow.
Judge laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! To propose the Phantom God was indeed unexpected, but now without the Phantom God, what will you use to fight me? On what grounds to face the Snake God Vennominaga's infinite power?"
"Speed Attack Magic 'Burial from Another Dimension'." Yugen said, "Return up to three monsters banished from the game to the graveyard.
I return these three banished cards..."
Yugen displayed three cards at once.
"Clean Chestnut Ball, Winged Divine Dragon of Ra, and Evil Emperor Gaius, three cards returning to the graveyard."
Judge was instinctively moved.
Recovering Clean Chestnut Ball and Winged Divine Dragon...
This combination instinctively raised an ominous foreboding.
"Activate the Magic Card 'Upper-Level Draw', using the Eight-Star 'Cyber Twin Dragons' as a sacrifice." Yugen said, "Draw two cards from the card deck."
Cyber Twin Dragons transformed into light points and disappeared from the field, Yugen drew two cards.
"Normal Summon 'Electronic Mutant Dragon'." Yugen said.
[Electronic Mutant Dragon, Attack Power 0]
"The Electronic Mutant Dragon has three effects, one of which allows excluding this card and one hand card from the game, to return any card from the graveyard to the top of the card deck."
He threw a hand card into the air. The Electronic Mutant Dragon's ability activated, roaring while opening a black whirlpool in mid-air, absorbing itself and the card it threw into the whirlpool, disappearing.
"I exclude 'Electronic Mutant Dragon' and one hand card from the game, to recover this card from the graveyard..."
Instantly, the card withdrew from the graveyard, seemingly with a flicker of the divine bird's shadow, a supreme majestic wave expanding from the card in his hand.
"Return 'Winged Divine Dragon of Ra' to the top of the card deck."
He swiftly inserted the card back into the card deck.
At this point, Judge understood the rival's intention.
After all, he suffered this move's loss last round - direct attacks triggering the Clean Chestnut Ball's effect, just drawing the Winged Divine Dragon on top of the card deck.
The Winged Divine Dragon summoned through this effect transforms again into the 'Divine Phoenix'. If the Phoenix's effect is activated, he and Snake God Vennominaga are doomed.
The situation was already clear.
After sacrificing Twin Dragons, Yugen was left with an open field. Judge only needed to attack in an open field to necessarily trigger Clean Chestnut Ball's effect, then trigger consecutive draws straight from the card deck to Winged Divine Dragon.
"Troublesome brat." He cursed under his breath, "Are you so fixated on calling Winged Divine Dragon back?"
Yugen smiled and retorted, "Are you so afraid of me calling Winged Divine Dragon back?"
Judge was at a loss for words momentarily.
"Finally, cover four cards, ending the turn."
Sensing this setup, how could Judge not guess?
The Cover Cards likely contained cards capable of restoring LP.
Under normal circumstances, regaining one or two thousand LP wouldn't matter much, but in this situation, recovering two thousand HP meant two more shots from the Phoenix, truly life-threatening.
"Hmph, but if you think this formation is enough to seal Snake God Vennominaga's offense, it's really underestimating me.
My turn, draw!"
Judge drew a card.
As Yugen waved, a card in the back row was already activated.
"Activate Trap Card 'Combat Maniac' simultaneously!
All face-up monsters on the opponent's field turn to attack mode, attack modes cannot be changed this turn.
Moreover, all monsters capable of attacking this turn must attack!"
Judge frowned, "Snake God Vennominaga is unaffected by trap effects."
"I know. Therefore, 'Combat Maniac' cannot forcefully change Snake God Vennominaga's attack mode. But once this card is activated, as long as there remain 'capable attacking' monsters on the opponent's field, the opponent must enter the battle phase to initiate an attack."
The setup was completely formed, preventing Judge from bypassing Clean Chestnut Ball's combo option through passive avoidance.
The only remaining path before him was to use Snake God Vennominaga's attack, triggering Chestnut Ball's combo, then getting eliminated within the Phoenix's flames.
"Amazing... amazing..." Judai was awestruck by Yugen, full of admiration.
This was open strategy!
Arrogantly digging a big pit for the opponent, with the obvious card being Winged Divine Dragon waiting on the deck, but the opponent seemingly had to leap into it.
The entire audience had already instinctively held their breath, awaiting the turn of events on the field.
Could they successfully defeat the invincible Snake God, thereby securing victory?
"Also chain the effect of 'Combat Maniac', activating the Cover Card, Speed Attack Magic 'Emergency Food'."
Yugen triggered the second card in the back row, indeed Emergency Food.
"Send the activated Trap 'Combat Maniac' and another Cover Card to the graveyard, recover two thousand LP."
[Yugen, LP 800→LP 2800]
Two thousand LP, everyone knew clearly, in this duel under this situation, it was equivalent to the Divine Phoenix's two absolute finishing shots.
Judge: "Activate Magic Card 'Angel's Charity', draw three cards from the card deck, then discard two hand cards."
After replacing and exchanging cards, Judge's gaze lowered, seeming to ponder for several seconds, then looking up coldly at Yugen.
"The strongest Phantom God Winged Divine Dragon issues a challenge, does it? Very well... if you think this means I'm helpless, it's really underestimating the Snake God's might.
Then this challenge, I shall accept!"
Judge stepped forward, screeching fiercely.
"By sending ten cards from the card deck to the graveyard, Snake God Vennominaga attacks! Direct attack!!!"