Surveying the formation on the opposite side of the field, Jaden Yuki pressed his fingers atop his Deck. His gaze narrowed, scanning each card under the Gravekeeper's Chief's control. Finally, his eyes lingered on the spirit of the white haired youth.
"The Gravekeeper's have guarded the Pharaoh's tomb for thousands of years, ensuring his eternal slumber remains undisturbed," Jaden murmured, drawing a card. "That long standing obsession has allowed your clan to evolve powerful locking abilities. But that power doesn't just lock down your enemies it locks you away as well."
The Gravekeeper's Chief furrowed his brow. "What are you implying, sir?"
"Thousands of years of isolation have made the Gravekeeper's stubborn and narrow minded," Jaden continued quietly. "New generations are forced to accept a mission passed down through the ages. Though you call it a mission, it's more like a curse a curse bestowed upon your clan by the Pharaoh himself."
"How dare you speak with such arrogance!" The Chief's face twisted. Though he feared Jaden's strength, he couldn't suppress the rising tide of anger in his heart.
On the field, the white haired youth remained silent, his sharp eyes fixed intensely on the red clad teenager before him.
"Well, in any case, your internal clan affairs are none of my business," Jaden said with a small smile. "You've blocked my Special Summons, but have you ever considered that your chain has a fatal flaw?"
"A flaw? What flaw?" The Chief's brow tightened as a flicker of nervousness crossed his eyes.
"You are too obsessed with the King's tomb," Jaden said calmly. "Once Necrovalley vanishes from the field, your entire lockdown will crumble on its own."
The Gravekeeper's Chief was silent for a moment before a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Indeed. This entire Deck revolves around the King's tomb, Necrovalley. And that is exactly why I summoned our clan's prodigy to guard it."
With a sweep of the Chief's hand, the white haired youth unleashed a surge of power that shrouded the valley behind them. An orange light, reminiscent of a setting sun, wrapped around the tomb. The youth stared coldly at Jaden, his stern face devoid of any youthful expression.
"As long as Necrovalley is on the field, Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist and any Field Spells cannot be destroyed by card effects!" the Chief shouted. "Give up any thoughts of touching the King's tomb!"
"He's right, Jaden. With Supernaturalist there, it's impossible to get rid of Necrovalley. Right now, you should focus on the Hidden Temples of Necrovalley, which is what's blocking your Special Summons, meow," Professor Banner added, squinting from inside his coffin. Even he had to admit that under the Gravekeeper's strict defense, the King's tomb was nearly impossible for outsiders to disturb.
"Is that so?" Jaden smiled faintly.
In Duel Monsters, most people seeking victory would strike at the opponent's weakest point. But Jaden was different. He enjoyed dismantling the cards his opponents valued most.
"If I can't destroy it with an effect, then I'll just make the King's tomb vanish from this world entirely. I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Cosmic Cyclone!"
Bam!
Jaden slammed the card into his Duel Disk. A brilliant light erupted as a massive purple cosmic vortex began to swirl above the field.
"W-What is this?!" The Gravekeeper's Chief turned pale with shock as he watched the scene unfold.
The enormous vortex swept toward the valley. Wherever it touched, a terrifying force caused space itself to collapse. The valley was being compressed into the deepest layers of reality. The ground shook and the sky trembled as the valley before the Chief's eyes began to shatter under the weight of the spatial collapse.
"Impossible! Quickly, guard the King's tomb!" the Chief screamed, frantically gesturing to the white haired youth.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down the youth's temple. He tried to resist the force, but within that terrifying power, he sensed an aura that made his soul shiver with dread. This... this was...
He whipped his head around to look at Jaden. Jaden's eyes were flashing with a dark gold light. And behind Jaden, a figure clad in black armor emerged in the reflection of the youth's pupils.
What is that...
The aura was radiating from that figure. It was a power sufficient to destroy the entire Gravekeeper's clan no, a power that could destroy the entire Duel Spirit World.
Boom!
The valley shattered. The surrounding landscape vanished in an instant, reverting back to the ancient stone architecture. Before the Chief's stunned eyes, the King's tomb was absorbed by the mysterious purple gale, disappearing without a trace.
"By paying 1,000 Life Points, Cosmic Cyclone allows me to banish one Spell or Trap on the field," Jaden said slowly.
[Jaden Yuki LP: 4000 → 3000]
"Eeeek!" As Jaden's LP dropped, a heavy thud echoed as the spirits and Professor Banner's coffin lid slid shut by another quarter.
"Aaaagh! Jaden! Don't lose any more Life Points! You're going to kill me!" Banner cried out, tears streaming down his face. "I can hardly see anything outside anymore!"
Jaden's mouth twitched, and his serious expression nearly cracked. Clearing his throat, he turned his attention back to the Chief's side of the field. "Because Necrovalley has left the field, the Hidden Temples of Necrovalley is destroyed by its own effect."
With a roar of collapsing stone, the temple behind the Chief crumbled. The two sphinxes associated with it dissolved into dust along with the ruins.
"D-Damn it!" The Chief's expression became hideous. He marched over to the white haired youth and delivered a sharp slap across his face. "You coward! Guarding the King's tomb was your responsibility, yet you let someone disturb his rest so easily!"
The youth held his cheek, remaining silent. He looked at Jaden with a gaze filled with an indescribable fear. He knew it now. This boy's power far exceeded anything the Gravekeeper's possessed. It was impossible to win. No matter the lockdown, they could never defeat the man standing before them.
"Even if... even if the King's tomb is gone," the Chief gritted his teeth, glaring at Jaden, "I still have Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist on my field with 3200 Attack Points. You won't find it easy to get past this!"
Jaden smiled. "Is that so? Personally, I like nothing more than clearing a field when there's nothing left in the way."
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