Meanwhile, below the stage, the spirits bound within sarcophagi and Professor Banner silently watched Jaden Yuki's duel unfold.
The Necrovalley and Hidden Temples of Necrovalley that were obstructing Jaden's plays had been easily dismantled by a single card. This duel was no longer just about deck strength or strategy.
"Such terrifying luck," Banner remarked, squinting as he gulped nervously.
In a situation like this, the only way to clear the board was likely the Cosmic Cyclone Jaden had just played. And yet, that exact card happened to be in his hand. It was unnerving. Was this all really just a coincidence?
"Has the Supreme King's control over his deck reached this level?" Ash Blossom thought, her eyes fixed on Jaden.
In a game like Duel Monsters, it wasn't that skill was irrelevant. However, the true factor that shifted the course of a duel was a person's luck during the draw. But only ordinary people relied on luck to win. Jaden's mastery had clearly transcended that of an average duelist.
He wasn't waiting for his deck to respond. Instead, he made the entire deck submit, manipulating every card at will. Even if Jaden were dueling with a pile of scrap cards, he would draw exactly what he needed, exactly when he wanted it.
"Among the Kings of Games throughout history, only Yugi Muto... or perhaps Pharaoh Atem, reached this kind of realm," Ash Blossom mused. "And yet, Jaden's ceiling just keeps rising. I can't see his limit at all."
A drop of cold sweat rolled down Ash Blossom's forehead. If the peak of past Kings of Games was limited by the constraints of their respective eras, Jaden was like a modern player who had mastered every summoning method in existence. His limit was the limit of Duel Monsters itself!
"It seems it's time for my offensive turn," Jaden said.
He glanced at the five cards remaining in his hand and picked a Spell.
"Before we end this game, let's start with a little appetizer." Jaden revealed the card. "I activate the Spell Card, Painful Choice!"
"I choose five cards from my deck and show them to you. You pick one for me to add to my hand, and the rest are sent to the Graveyard." Jaden drew his deck from his Duel Disk and began browsing.
"Painful Choice?!" Ash Blossom's eyes widened. You "honest-looking" Supreme King! Is it a rule for everyone in the GX Era to use Forbidden Cards like this?!
Jaden quickly prepared his selection and presented five cards to the Gravekeeper's Chief: Destiny HERO - Plasma, Break the Destiny, Destiny HERO - Malicious, Elemental HERO Shadow Mist, and Vision HERO Vyon. Totaling four monsters and one Trap.
"Uh..." Cold sweat beaded on the Gravekeeper's Chief's brow as he scanned the cards.
The Gravekeeper's Chief was stunned, and even the bound Ash Blossom felt her eyelids twitch. Any of these cards hitting the Graveyard would be lethal, and giving Jaden any one of them for his hand was just as dangerous.
"The optimal solution for you right now, old Gravekeeper guy, is to surrender immediately—unless you happen to have Ollihargan, God of Heaven," Ash Blossom muttered.
"Hmm? What is Ollihargan, God of Heaven, meow?" Banner asked, looking at her.
"Uh, nothing..."
The Gravekeeper's Chief sweated under the pressure. Though he didn't know the exact effects, he knew that if Jaden had presented these cards, none of them were simple. He looked at Destiny HERO - Plasma. As a high-level monster, the Chief knew there was no way he would let Jaden have it.
He considered the others. Break the Destiny... a Trap Card? He frowned. If it was a Trap, it was better left to rot in the Graveyard. Destiny HERO - Malicious had low attack, but it was Level 6, so it likely had a powerful effect. The last two were Level 4 monsters with unremarkable attack power.
"I choose... Vision HERO Vyon." After a moment of deliberation, the Gravekeeper's Chief decided to let Jaden add Vyon to his hand.
"You picked the absolute worst one..." Ash Blossom was speechless.
Aside from Vyon and Plasma, the other three cards all had effects that triggered in the Graveyard. And Vyon was a one-card starter for almost any HERO combo. Sure, no matter what he picked, he was doomed, but he didn't have to choose the most painful way to go!
"You'd have been better off leaving Break the Destiny in Jaden's hand. At least that wouldn't have brought that terrifying card out," Ash Blossom whispered.
"So, you're letting me have Vision HERO Vyon?" Jaden added Vyon to his hand and sent the other four cards to the Graveyard. "Then I won't hold back. I activate the effect of Elemental HERO Shadow Mist! When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can add a HERO card from my deck to my hand."
Jaden smiled as he pulled a card from his deck. "I add Elemental HERO Solid Soldier to my hand."
"Solid Soldier..." The Gravekeeper's Chief was drenched in sweat.
These were cards he had never even heard of. Guarding the tomb for millennia had left him ignorant of the outside world's progress. He knew nothing of an archetype like this.
"Seems like staying in a tomb for too long has left you completely out of touch," Ash Blossom sighed. "As the Supreme King said, have you locked yourself away along with your 'rules'?"
"Next, I summon Elemental HERO Solid Soldier!" Jaden slapped two cards onto his Duel Disk. "And thanks to Solid Soldier's effect, when it's summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower HERO monster from my hand. Come forth, Vision HERO Vyon!"
Light flashed twice as the two heroes materialized within the summoning circle before the Gravekeeper's Chief.
*[Elemental HERO Solid Soldier]*
*[Level 4]*
*[ATK 1300 / DEF 1100]*
*[Vision HERO Vyon]*
*[Level 4]*
*[ATK 1000 / DEF 1200]*
"Now, Vyon's effect! When this card is summoned or Special Summoned, I can send a HERO card from my deck to the Graveyard!" Jaden smiled and selected another card. "I send Destiny HERO - Denier to the Graveyard."
Watching Jaden execute a sequence that seemed etched into his very DNA, Ash Blossom couldn't help but click her tongue in admiration.
"Even without Link HERO monsters, Jaden is bringing out the absolute ceiling of the HERO archetype. I guess he really is the ultimate representative of the HERO deck..."
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access 400+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).