"I activate the Spell Card: Banishment of the Darklords."
Professor Seraph held up a card. "I can only activate one copy of this card per turn. I add one Darklord card other than Banishment of the Darklords from my Deck to my hand.
I add Darklord Ixchel to my hand."
Both spectators immediately sharpened their focus. Even Chazz, despite the scolding, locked his attention on the duel, hoping to cheer Hikaru on.
"Ixchel's effect: I discard it along with another Darklord from my hand. I draw two cards." Seraph took out the Darklord he'd just added, showed it to Hikaru, then revealed another card and sent both to the Graveyard. "I discard Darklord Ixchel and Darklord Nergal. Draw two cards."
After drawing two, he studied his hand again and Set two cards from it. "I Set two cards. Spell Card: Card Destruction. Both players discard their entire hand, then draw the same number of cards."
Hikaru raised an eyebrow, glanced at his hand, and silently sent it to the Graveyard.
After Seraph sent his own cards, he surveyed his new hand and nodded lightly.
"With this, the preparations for the summoning ritual are nearly complete."
Was it coming? The descent of the Darklords?!
Both spectators swallowed instinctively.
"Flip Set card: Darklord Contact." Seraph picked up his Set card. "Normal Spell Cards can be activated the turn they're Set. I activate this card. Through its effect, I revive Darklord Superbia from the Graveyard."
Darklord Superbia. Level 8, DARK Attribute, Fairy-Type. DEF 2400.
"When Superbia is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I can target one Fairy monster other than Superbia in my Graveyard and Special Summon it.
Revive: Nergal."
Black-and-white wings slowly unfurled. A blood-streaked halo flickered in the sky as a skeletal angel descended to earth.
Darklord Nergal. Level 8, DARK Attribute, Fairy-Type. ATK 2700.
"I activate its effect. By paying 1000 LP, I can target one Darklord Spell/Trap in my Graveyard and apply that card's effect. Afterward, that card is shuffled into the Deck."
Seraph picked up the Darklord Contact he had just used. "Although Darklord Contact can only be activated once per turn, the copied effect isn't bound by that restriction. So I can copy Darklord Contact's effect and revive a Darklord from the Graveyard in Defense Position.
Revive: Ixchel."
Holy light descended. Pure white feathers drifted down, but quickly began darkening until they turned completely black. A graceful female angel alighted gently upon the light.
Darklord Ixchel. Level 10, DARK Attribute, Fairy-Type. DEF 2900.
Seraph, LP: 4000 → 3000.
A classic combo chain, in a sense.
Hikaru wasn't surprised in the least.
"Three Darklords at once, and every one has impressive ATK!" Chazz was alarmed. This rate of deployment seemed rather difficult to handle.
"Ixchel can also pay 1000 LP to directly copy a Darklord Spell/Trap effect from the Graveyard. I pay 1000 and target Darklord Rebellion, which I discarded earlier. I apply its effect!"
Hikaru frowned and raised his hand. "Ultimate Flame Swordsman's effect, activate!"
Hikaru wasted no time. He raised his hand immediately. "I target one monster my opponent controls and destroy it, inflicting 500 damage to my opponent. While this card is equipped with an Equip Card, this effect can be activated during my opponent's turn! I target your Nergal."
"Doesn't matter. I can still copy the effect." Seraph wasn't bothered.
Flame Swordsman leapt up, his longsword blazing with surging fire. He appeared before the skeletal angel in an instant. The black-and-white-winged angel had been channeling divine power, preparing to unleash its blessing, but Flame Swordsman arrived first. Caught off guard, the angel was cleaved in two. The scattered sparks singed Professor Seraph's halo black.
But!
Although the Darklord was defeated, its accumulated divine power hadn't dissipated.
As a flash of divine light burst across the sky, the radiance pierced Flame Swordsman, causing it to vanish instantly.
Professor Seraph, LP: 3000 → 2000 → 1500.
"Darklord Rebellion's effect: destroy your Ultimate Flame Swordsman."
"He took down Ultimate Flame Swordsman that easily?"
"But..." Aster frowned, muttering. "The professor lost a lot of LP doing that."
"No..." Chazz shook his head. "I heard from Professor Crowler that the Darklord series doesn't lack LP recovery. He'll probably get those points back before long."
"Is that so?" Aster was beginning to grasp the Darklord strategy.
"Salamandra, the Flying Flame Dragon's effect." But Hikaru showed no distress over Ultimate Flame Swordsman's destruction. He continued operating. "When this card is sent to the Graveyard: add one Salamandra Spell/Trap from my Deck to my hand. I add Salamandra with Chains to my hand.
Then, at this moment: the effect of Mirage Swordsman in the Graveyard! When a face-up FIRE Fusion Monster I control is destroyed by battle or card effect: I can Special Summon this card from my hand or Graveyard!"
The red flames dissipated. In their wake came golden fire, and a golden-armored swordsman cleaved through the blaze, appearing at Hikaru's side.
"Oh?" Seraph studied the gleaming swordsman and nodded. "I see. A card sent to the Graveyard by my Card Destruction. If not for Card Destruction, you would have Special Summoned it from your hand?"
"Too bad. I was hoping to use this opportunity for a direct attack... Since I can't, I'll use this instead." Seraph placed a card in the Monster Zone. "Normal Summon: Darklord of Pleasure."
Unlike the towering Darklords, this was a rather ordinary-looking female, with only half a wing. Far less imposing than the other angels.
Darklord of Pleasure. Level 4, DARK Attribute, Fairy-Type. ATK 1600.
"Darklord of Pleasure's effect. When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: I select two Darklord monsters of different Levels from my hand or Deck. One is Special Summoned in Defense Position to my opponent's field, and the other is added to my hand.
I Special Summon Darklord Ukoback to your field, and add a second copy of Darklord Ixchel from my Deck to my hand."
"Then battle. Darklord of Pleasure attacks and destroys Ukoback by battle."
The Darklord that had barely found its footing on Hikaru's field was about to say something when the female angel grabbed it with one hand. With a chilling smile, she crushed it to death.
"I Set one card. Turn end."
Seraph ended his turn without a care.
He hadn't even engaged in any fierce combat. He had simply Special Summoned monsters.
"Two monsters in Defense and one with 1600 ATK. Looks like Hikaru can take this chance to mount a strong offense."
But Hikaru understood. Seraph's goal this turn wasn't combat. He wasn't trying to win in a single turn. He was steadily accumulating resources.
Hikaru studied his hand.
Chains and the Enthronement...
"My turn. Draw!" Hikaru glanced at the drawn card, placed it in his hand, then held up a card. "I activate Flame Swordsrealm's effect! I send Edge Imp Chain from my hand to the Graveyard and Fusion Summon directly!
Fusion Summon: Flame Swordsman!"
A second Flame Swordsman!
"Edge Imp Chain's effect: when this card is sent from the hand or field to the Graveyard, I can add one Frightfur card from my Deck to my hand.
I add Frightfur Patchwork to my hand."
"Immediately after, I activate Frightfur Patchwork's effect: add Polymerization and Edge Imp Sabres from my Deck to my hand."
Hikaru shuffled through his hand cards, then began his next round of Fusion. "Spell Card: Polymerization. Fusion conditions are one Extra Deck Special Summoned monster and one monster from my hand.
I fuse Edge Imp Sabres with Flame Swordsman on the field."
"Fusion Summon! The union of destruction and creation!
Magnum the Reliever!"
Crackle, crackle...
Orange-yellow lightning coalesced in the air. Then a black fiend appeared on Hikaru's field.
Magnum the Reliever. Level 8, LIGHT Attribute, Fiend-Type. ATK 2800.
"Angels followed by a demon?"
"Angels versus demons. But for us, if angels commit evil, then summoning a demon isn't such a bad thing."
With Magnum's arrival, Hikaru continued. "Magnum's effect: I target one Fusion Spell in my Graveyard. That card returns to the bottom of the Deck. Then I draw one card."
Hikaru opened his Graveyard. "I return Salamandra Fusion from the Graveyard to the Deck and draw one card."
"Oh! I see!" Chazz's eyes lit up. "He recovered Salamandra Fusion! Then he can equip Salamandra, the Flying Flame Dragon from the Graveyard to Mirage Swordsman. Next time Salamandra is destroyed, he can add Salamandra Fusion right back to his hand, setting up the next Fusion."
"Not only replenishing his hand, but creating a Fusion cycle through his monsters?" Aster joined in the praise. "The Chief's dueling is as elegant as ever."
"I see, so that was the intention behind your Trap. In that case, I can't let you activate it!" Seraph raised his hand sharply. "I activate the Trap Card: The Sanctified Darklord!"
"I send one Darklord monster from my hand or face-up field to the Graveyard. I target one Effect Monster on the field, negate its effects until the end of the turn, and I gain LP equal to that monster's ATK!"
"I send Darklord of Pleasure from my field to the Graveyard. I negate your Magnum's effects!"
Hikaru's eyes flew wide, then his lips curled into a smile. "This is exactly the moment I was waiting for! I activate Magnum's effect! When another card's effect is activated: I banish one Fusion Spell from my Graveyard and target one card on the field. That card is destroyed!
I banish Salamandra Fusion from the Graveyard. The card I'm destroying is... your Darklord Ixchel!"
A second effect?!
The first effect recovers a Fusion Spell, and the second uses a Fusion Spell for destruction?
Seraph froze briefly, then shook his head. "Impressive dueling. As expected of Hikaru, the one who claims to chase the ultimate Fusion..."
"Beautiful! Hikaru baited the opponent!"
"This way, since the Chief didn't actively activate this effect, it won't be negated! The crucial destruction effect goes through!"
Both spectators cheered.
"But it's not over yet, Hikaru! I activate my other Set card!"
Hikaru frowned.
What would the next Set card be?
"Quick-Play Spell: Forbidden Dress!"
Tch!
A "Forbidden" card!
A classical white garment descended from the sky, draping gently over Ixchel's shoulders.
"I target one face-up monster on the field. Until the end of the turn, that target loses 600 ATK, but cannot be destroyed by effects, and neither player can target that monster with effects."
"My choice is, naturally, Ixchel."
Magnum fired a golden orb from its right hand, slamming into Ixchel. But the attack had no effect whatsoever, dissipating harmlessly.
Then an unknown droplet fell from the sky, landing on Magnum the Reliever, rapidly draining its color until it was completely bleached.
Seraph, LP: 1500 → 4300.
"A Forbidden card." Seraph looked at the Forbidden Dress in his hand and murmured, "Strictly speaking, these are cards I shouldn't use. Cards restricted by God. But things have come this far. I can't hold back."
"Salamandra, the Flying Flame Dragon's effect in the Graveyard. Equip to Mirage Swordsman. Its ATK increases by 700."
Mirage Swordsman, ATK: 2800 → 3500.
3500 again.
Still 3500.
This was the bond of the Flame Swordsman brothers!
But every spectator could see how dire Hikaru's situation was becoming.
"This isn't looking good..." Chazz's brow furrowed deeply.
"No kidding..." Aster looked equally pained.
As expected...
"I pay 1000 LP and activate Ixchel's effect." Seraph's left hand trembled slightly. From the Graveyard, a Spell Card flew out on its own, transforming into a luminous altar. "I shuffle Banishment of the Darklords back into the Deck and apply its effect. From my Deck, I add Darklord Contact to my hand."
Seraph, LP: 4300 → 3300.
"Entering the Battle Phase." Hikaru's expression was tense.
Regardless, he needed to prioritize destroying Seraph's two monsters. Otherwise, they would only accumulate, making things even harder to manage.
But as Mirage Swordsman and Magnum attacked, although both angels were destroyed, their figures didn't dissipate. Instead, they smiled faintly and drifted to Seraph's side, as though they hadn't been destroyed at all.
"Of course!" Aster clenched his fist.
"Darklord Contact! Next turn, the professor can use Contact to Special Summon monsters from the Graveyard again!"
"Not only that... this time, his Graveyard also has The Sanctified Darklord... he can negate the Chief's Magnum at any time!"
If this continued, Hikaru would eventually face a situation where his monsters' effects were negated, his resources dwindled, and his opponent's LP kept climbing!
Hikaru glanced at his hand, frowned, and said, "I Set one card... Turn end."
That card could only be Salamandra with Chains!
The situation seemed to be developing in a direction very unfavorable to Hikaru!