"The effect of the Sacrificial Demon!" Beckas laughed loudly, "Absorb the True Red-Eyed Black Dragon for me as well!"
In the animation, the Sacrificial Demon has no limit on the number of monsters it can absorb, only that it can absorb once per turn. The absorbed monsters' attack power is entirely added up. And it can use one of the equipped monsters as a shield every time it's destroyed by battle.
It's truly an ace monster that excels in both offense and defense, Beckas's proudest card.
By gaining the power of this True Red-Eyed Black Dragon, his Sacrificial Demon will become even more invincible!
"Wishful thinking!" Joey Wheeler interrupted, "I activate a cover card!
The Continuous Trap Card "Gate of Dimensions"!"
The cover card in Joey Wheeler's back field flipped up. At the moment the trap was activated, a massive blue dimensional vortex appeared on his field. The powerful gravitational pull caught the True Red Eye trying to swallow it, the deep blue waves seemingly leading to an unknown dimension.
"The effect of the Gate of Dimensions, upon activation, allows you to select a face-up monster on your field to be removed from the game!" Joey said, "I choose the 'True Red-Eyed Black Dragon' to be removed from the game!"
"Oh?" Beckas squinted with interest, "Choosing to give up your own ace card to avoid it, are you that afraid of my Sacrificial Demon?"
He clearly understood Joey's plan. Monsters removed by the Gate of Dimensions aren't banished completely to the Other Dimension; as long as this Continuous Trap leaves the field, the monster can return to the field.
And during the opponent's direct attack declaration, the face-up Gate of Dimensions on the field can be sent to the graveyard, allowing the exiled monster to be resurrected.
The effect of the Sacrificial Demon can only be activated during the main phase, and cannot be used in the battle phase. This way, Beckas only needs to attack at Joey's empty field, and Joey will be able to resummon the True Red Eye as a shield.
Therefore, whether Beckas directly attacks the True Red Eyes or chooses to enter Main Phase 2 to have the Sacrificial Demon absorb the True Red Eyes, either way, this turn would be survived.
"Heh, as a defensive strategy, it's a pretty decent response. But..."
Beckas chuckled softly.
"Still too naive!"
He waved an arm and a cover card in his backfield responded.
"Speed Attack Magic 'Tornado'!" Beckas directly revealed the magic in his hand, "Destroy one magic or trap card on the field.
I destroy the Continuous Trap 'Gate of Dimensions'!"
A black storm engulfed the dimensional vortex, as dark lightning struck down, causing the Gate of Dimensions to vanish entirely.
"Although the Gate of Dimensions can summon the banished monster back to the field when sent to the graveyard, as a Continuous Trap, as long as it's destroyed before its effect resolves, it's okay."
Beckas sneered.
"Thus, the Gate of Dimensions' effect is negated, and it's destroyed directly."
"What?!" Joey was shocked.
Damn Beckas, he was indeed this troublesome, even blocking the means of escaping by banishment...
"Hahahaha——"
Beckas laughed triumphantly.
"A beautiful struggle, Joey Boy, but accept reality! The True Red Eye is mine now!"
Joey's defense was ultimately dismantled, and the True Red-Eyed Black Dragon was entirely absorbed into the body of the Sacrificial Demon. After an unwilling dragon roar, the True Red Eye was swallowed by the chaotic black fog, and the roar stopped abruptly, ultimately becoming part of the Sacrificial Demon's power, like a puppet with its strings cut.
"Now it's really over... but to die at the hands of your spirit True Red Eye and your friend Black Dark Dragon is quite appropriate.
Rest in peace, Joey Boy."
Beckas closed his eyes, paused mysteriously, then smiled coldly.
"And then, be reborn as a messenger of light."
"What?" Joey frowned.
But Beckas had no intention of continuing speaking, and shouted: "Sacrificial Demon, give Joey Boy the final blow!"
The single eye of the Sacrificial Demon opened, releasing an eerie green glow. The True Red Eye and Black Dark Dragon, seemingly bound by dark chains, shot out together, black flames and fierce fire intertwined, seemingly intending to melt Joey entirely with one strike.
Raging flames shot up, the spreading impact, and flickering flames cast eerie shadows on the walls and ceiling, as if demons were laughing.
But in the instant before the flames could reach Joey.
"Then I'll activate another cover card!" Joey shouted, "Continuous Trap 'Monster Box'!"
A giant box appeared on Joey's field in front of him, with several openings on top, resembling a wack-a-mole game.
"Monster Box requires a coin guess every time the opponent's monster attacks!" Joey said, "If guessed correctly, the attacking monster's attack power becomes 0!"
It's one of Joey's long-used survival traps, part of a package of the Gambling God's coin tricks.
To be honest, Joey didn't really want to use this card unless necessary.
Because he had resolved to prove himself.
However, in the end, he still had to rely on a coin...
He realized that it seemed that way all along. Every time he encountered an opponent of a certain level, he used all his wits and strength, and at the crucial moment, he always had to pull out dice and coins, like a kind of curse.
Maybe this is the legendary "despair relies on dice."
Oh well, a coin is a coin, he thought.
"Come on, damn Beckas!" Joey declared, "Do you have the guts to challenge me in a coin toss?"
"Finally, the legendary coin appears." Beckas chuckled, "But unfortunately, I'm not in the mood today, so I won't play the coin game with you."
"What?"
"Counterattack Trap 'Trap Interference Device'," Beckas said, "It can only be activated when the opponent activates a trap card during the battle phase. It negates the activation of the trap card and destroys it directly!"
Joey: "!"
The Monster Box, Joey's last defensive line, had an array pattern appearing beneath it. The Monster Box gradually dissolved in that array until it vanished without a trace.
"Now it truly is over." Beckas shouted, "Vanish, Joey Wheeler!"
Boom!
Flames swept through like a burning storm, as if a tornado had passed. Joey's figure and half of the field were engulfed, black flames reaching the sky.
"Well, it was quite a decent performance. But regrettably," Beckas chuckled lightly, "My duel is perfect. Just as I said, the gap in strength from the Duel Kingdom still hasn't changed...
...Hmm?"
Beckas's expression changed slightly.
Because he saw that as the black flames subsided and the thick smoke cleared, Joey Wheeler... was still standing resiliently.
"What?" Beckas was stunned, "Why? All of your defenses should have been..."
"Not all of them."
Joey smiled and indicated the next trap.
"Last turn, I sent more to the grave than just the True Red Eye; there's also this card.
'Light-Sealing Spirit Sword.'"
Joey waved the trap card.
"In the opponent's turn, by removing this card in the graveyard from the game, the opponent cannot perform direct attacks this turn!"