"My turn..."
It was Delta's turn. He looked down at his deck, staring at the card sitting on top. It appeared unknown to the world, but in reality, its arrival was already a certainty. He didn't draw immediately.
A moment later, he muttered under his breath. "How ironic... just like my life. At least, if existences like us are even permitted to have the concept of a 'life' at all."
"Oh? Why is that?" Yue Xuan asked, his interest piqued.
"The future seems unknown, but in truth, it was decided from the very moment of birth," Delta said.
"Speaking of which, I've had a feeling since we started," Yue Xuan noted. "Intercepting me here and dueling me is your mission, but you don't seem very active... or even willing, for that matter."
"Whether I am willing or not makes no difference," Delta replied calmly. "The reason for our existence, our goals, our everything... though we have been granted thought, we lack the freedom to use those thoughts to determine our own futures."
He closed his eyes and gave a faint smile. "But this is enough. To be my father's right hand, to do something for him... that is more than enough."
An image of a man surfaced in his mind once again. He remembered when that man had handed him this cardone of the mainstays of his deck, Darkstorm Dragon.
"You are my most excellent son. I trust in your abilities, and I know you will not fail me," the man had said in a low, heavy voice. "Right, Delta?"
"...Of course." He had bowed his head, solemnly accepting the card. "I will not disappoint you. Never."
Yes, it was impossible to let that person down. Otherwise, wouldn't their very reason for existence vanish?
"Even if the future is fixed, I can only accept it and strive to realize my value within those limited choices. This is something you duelists could never understand," Delta said. "My turn, draw!"
Delta drew the card. Naturally, it was Darkstorm Dragon. In his hands, it was as good as playing with an open hand.
"As we enter the Standby Phase, the effect of Totem Dragon in my Graveyard activates," Delta declared. "During the Standby Phase, if this card is in the Graveyard and I control no monsters, it can be Special Summoned."
A golden light burst from the Graveyard slot of his Duel Disk, and a small dragon leaped onto Delta's field.
[Totem Dragon, ATK 400]
"So that was one of the cards sent to the Graveyard by Future Fusion," Yue Xuan said, understanding the play.
As expected of a card that had spent ages on the Forbidden List before the Errata, its resource-generating ability was truly formidable.
"Furthermore, when Totem Dragon is used as a Tribute for the Tribute Summon of a Dragon Type monster, it can be treated as two Tributes," Delta said. "Therefore, I offer Totem Dragon as a double Tribute! Appear once moreDarkstorm Dragon, Summon!"
A pitch-black storm swirled violently as the dark dragon manifested within the hurricane once again!
[Darkstorm Dragon, ATK 2700]
"You actually managed to bring it out again." Yue Xuan rested his chin in his hand. "You're quite obsessed with that monster. Does it have some special meaning to you?"
"That is none of your concern," Delta replied icily. "Next, I activate the Equip Spell, Supervise, and equip it to Darkstorm Dragon. This card can only be equipped to a Gemini monster. The equipped monster immediately becomes an Effect Monster and gains its Gemini effects."
"Darkstorm Dragon's Gemini effect: By sending one face up Spell or Trap I control to the Graveyard, I can destroy all other Spells and Traps on the field."
Yue Xuan nodded slightly. "A powerful ability. It would be quite a headache if I let you activate it again. Therefore, I activate my face down cardthe Trap, Spiritual Wind Art - Miyabi! By Tributing a Wind monster on my field, I can return one card on my opponent's field to the bottom of their deck."
Yue Xuan smiled. "I'll Tribute my Wind attribute Raiza the Storm Monarch to send your Darkstorm Dragon back to the very bottom of your deck."
A green gale surged as Raiza's body dissolved into the wind. The storm instantly swallowed Darkstorm Dragon. The poor beast had barely landed before it turned into a streak of gold and flew back into Delta's deckonly this time, it was buried at the very bottom.
Delta's movements stiffened.
Bounced back to the deck again...
In the span of just a few moments, his Darkstorm Dragon had been kicked back into his deck twice in a row. He froze for half a second before lowering his arm, taking a deep breath.
Stay calm. I must stay calm. I am the most excellent of all my father's sons, not just in strength, but in mental fortitude as well. I cannot let this guy set the pace.
"It's not over yet," Delta said, opening his eyes and speaking in a low voice. "Supervise has another effect. If this face up card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one Normal Monster from my Graveyard! Since Darkstorm Dragon was bounced back to the deck, Supervise lost its target and was sent to the Graveyard. Its effect activates!"
A card ejected from the Graveyard slot of his Duel Disk.
"And the one I shall summon is this other copythe one discarded last turn as the cost for Frost and Flame Dragon!"
The moment he held the card high, the image of his father flashed through his mind again. He saw that stern face, that cold gaze that felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and the way he had placed the card in Delta's hand.
"Don't let me down," he had said.
Delta's voice roared with power. "Resurrect from the Graveyardthe second Darkstorm Dragon!"
The storm rose once more. Its body was as thick as thunderclouds, its scales shimmering with a faint, eerie light. As its massive wings blocked out the sun, the freezing darkness of the storm seemed to solidify the air itself.
Darkstorm Dragon, Summoned again!
[Darkstorm Dragon, ATK 2700]
"You really did call it out again," Yue Xuan said, looking up at the dragon as it commanded the storm. "This dragon really does mean something special to you, doesn't it?"
"My father trusts me, and I will give my everything for him! That is all I need!" Delta shouted. "Darkstorm Dragon, attack directly!"
The black storm, carrying thousands of wind blades, swept toward Yue Xuan with a roar that sounded like the end of the world.
"I see. If I had to guess, this card carries the expectations of your so-called 'father,' and it is your reason for existing and fighting."
The corners of Yue Xuan's mouth curled into a faint smirk. "Perhaps you're right. Sometimes destiny only grants us limited choices. But other times... those limited choices don't necessarily lead to a way out."
He snapped his fingers lightly.
"I activate my TrapPhoenix Wing Wind Blast! By discarding one card from my hand, I return one card on your field to the top of your deck!"
If Delta had a heart like a human's, he might have suffered cardiac arrest right then and there.
Bounced back to the deck? Again?!
A third time?!
Delta's eyes were practically turning blood-red with rage.
Are you freaking kidding me?! Is it ever going to end?!
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