Dark Magician Girl: "Huh?"
So I'm not the ace, huh?
(Great Shogun Shien: I've seen this scenario before!)
"Using the Spellcaster-Type 'Dark Magician Girl' as a sacrifice," Youyu revealed a card from his hand, "Special Summon 'Silent Magician'!"
Dark Magician Girl pouted, transforming into a faint blue light and vanished, becoming a white, transparent magic array.
The girl was unhappy.
When she goes back, her master has to buy her an extra large, extra delicious popsicle to cheer her up!
The white magic array slowly rotated, with the outer circle distinctly engraved with complex magic inscriptions. Dazzling white light shone from the array, and a graceful figure flew out from it.
Dressed in a snow-white robe, with equally white legs partially visible beneath it. The Silent Magician, with ruby-like eyes and flowing silver hair, gracefully landed on the field.
She merely stood there calmly, holding a magic staff that appeared to be inlaid with a blue gemstone, her posture proud and tall.
Her gaze was as serene as a spring, and her fair, translucent face seemed to be covered with a layer of frost, emitting a cold, snowy aura. It seemed that the magic power inadvertently wielded by her was enough to suppress the entire field.
[Silent Magician, ATK 1000]
"Silent Magician's attack power increases by 500 for each card in my hand," Youyu said. "I have three cards in hand now, so her attack power increases by 1500."
[Silent Magician, ATK 1000 → ATK 2500]
"Silent Magician," Ishizu observed the cold magician, acknowledging, "I've heard she's one of the strongest magicians, too. I didn't expect to see her in this duel..."
"Let's battle." Youyu finally announced entering the Battle Phase, "Silent Magician, attack 'Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier'!"
At the same time, he swiftly played another card from his hand.
"Quick-Play Magic - Silent Burning! This card can only be activated during the Battle Phase, when my hand has more cards than my opponent! Both players draw cards from their decks until they each have six cards in hand!"
Ishizu was slightly startled: "Drawing up to six... does that mean her attack power will increase further?"
"That's right." Youyu drew four cards from his deck, "At this moment, Silent Magician's attack power increases again!"
[Silent Magician, ATK 2500 → ATK 4000]
The air seemed to freeze as the aloof magician raised her snow-white magic staff. Endless white light transformed into a swirling gale, converging entirely into that brilliant blue gemstone!
Four thousand attack points, signifying that her magic power had reached the pinnacle! The hem of Silent Magician's robe billowed in the white cyclone, revealing her smooth, even legs, radiating with luster.
The majestic momentum seemed overwhelming, as if anything in its path would be obliterated by the white light. Even the combined forces of the two Gravekeeper warriors on the field would not stand a chance!
But Ishizu still had one last card to play!
"Activate the Set Card!" She raised her voice, her usual calm and composed demeanor now tinged with excitement from the exhilarating battle, "Trap Card - Malevolent Catastrophe!"
Youyu's eyelid twitched slightly.
This card was not unfamiliar to him either.
Because it was the card Marik used in the Duel City Arc of the anime.
...It was also in Youyu's deck now.
"It can be activated when the opponent declares an attack." Ishizu declared loudly, "Destroy all monsters on the field!" (Anime effect)
A table-flipping type of trap, indeed worthy of the name "Malevolent Catastrophe," possessing the destructive power to instantly level everything on the field.
The trap card unleashed a powerful purple vortex, the force of some Evil God! The first to be affected were Ishizu's own monsters—her Gravekeeper's Seer, and the Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier. Their bodies decayed the moment they were engulfed by the purple light, quickly vanishing from the field.
The purple light was like a surging river, even the full-force strike of Silent Magician appeared unable to contend with it. Silent Magician gritted her colorless lips, striving with all her magic power, but her defenses were ultimately breached.
The white magic array burst like a pierced film, as the evil god's power rolled over like an endless ocean, engulfing the Silent Magician into it...
All monsters were wiped out.
The purple vortex swept across the field, its dissipating presence temporarily making it difficult to discern the situation on the field. Marik held his breath, silent for a while.
So... did sister win?
A reversal after a reversal, it seemed like sister was still the one coming out on top?
To reach this point and find sister still has countermeasures up her sleeve, Marik now held a newfound admiration for his sister, with whom he spent day and night.
But this way, Youyu shouldn't have any means left to reverse the situation. After all, so many rounds of attacks, so many countermeasures had been neutralized. It looked like next turn, his sister would reactivate the Valley of Eternal Rest, regrouping her forces...
...No, to Youyu, who only has 600 Life Points left, if Ishizu summons even just one more monster, a single touch would spell his doom.
This time it should be... completely over?
But as the purple light dissipated and the dust settled, Marik's pupils contracted in shock, astounded to find...
...that there was still a monster on Youyu's field?
A pristine white robe, a cold face as if detached from the mortal world, ruby-like eyes... wasn't she that "Silent Magician"?
No, that's not right, it shouldn't be the same card.
Though they looked quite alike, the vibe was somewhat different.
...For instance, the size of the front of the robe, and the curve at the back...
[Silent Magician LV 8, ATK 3500]
"'Silent Magician's' effect," Youyu said calmly, "when she is destroyed, Special Summon from the deck a monster with 'Silent Magician' in its name, other than herself.
So I Special Summoned her ultimate form, fully mastered over her magic power, 'Silent Magician LV 8'!"
[Silent Magician LV 8, ATK 3500]
Ishizu displayed a brief expression of surprise but quickly regained calmness, giving a slight smile and closing her eyes.
The field and set cards were both empty, leaving her truly without any means this time.
But she had nothing more to say.
Admitting fair defeat.
"Continue the Battle Phase." Youyu gestured with his hand, "Silent Magician LV 8, attack with Silent Burning!"
The same attack name, but with a completely different aura. The white-robed magician slowly raised her staff, a divine white light like it came from the celestial realm coiling around it, solid yet undispersed, less flashy and vast than the previous strike yet exuding stability.
Ishizu closed her eyes, calmly taking the Silent Magician's decisive blow.
...Just as when they first faced each other.
[Ishizu, LP 2450 → LP 0]