"It's my turn again."
Everyone: "..."
The 5D's group was speechless for a moment.
For some reason, even when facing one against three, upon hearing Godwin declare "my turn," everyone still involuntarily felt a wave of pressure.
Godwin... This guy really has that kind of power.
"My turn, draw card."
Yugen slowly raised his hand.
"Then, I'll activate the effect of 'Chaos Illusion.' Chaos Illusion can, once per turn, select an effect monster from my graveyard and acquire its card name and effect!"
This time, I want to acquire the identity of the final Phantom from the graveyard, 'Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel'!"
The energy of the final Phantom seeped out from the graveyard, being absorbed into the Chaos Illusion on the field. The vortex of the illusion began to tremble uneasily, the black gelatinous substance started transforming into a solid form, rapidly growing taller at a visible speed, unleashing an endless pressure even before it took shape.
Clero: "Is the final Phantom about to appear!?"
But at this moment, Yusei stepped forward to interrupt the spell: "Activate the cover card, Trap Card 'Forgetfulness'!
It can be activated when an opponent's monster in attack mode activates its effect, making that effect nullified, and then forcibly changing that monster to defense mode!"
He pointed towards the illusion on the opponent's field.
"Invalidate the effect of 'Chaos Illusion,' then switch to defense mode!"
The black mud that was transforming into a Phantom abruptly halted, and the massive Phantom quickly contracted, the originally forming shape fell apart and reverted back into the puddle of black mud.
[Chaos Illusion, Attack Power 0 → Defense Power 0]
"Nice job, Yusei!" Clero praised, "The effect of Chaos Illusion can only be activated once per turn, if nullified, it can't transform into a Phantom for this turn.
This combo was broken!"
"As expected of Yusei, you were prepared with a strategy to counter Chaos Illusion,"
remarked Yugen.
"Then, I'll activate the Magic Card 'Resurrection of the Dead.'
Discard a card from my hand, add a Monster Card from the graveyard to my hand."
Yugen placed a card from his hand into the graveyard, then as an exchange, a Monster Card emerged from the graveyard.
"I'll add 'Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel' from the graveyard to my hand."
Seeing Yugen showcase the recovered Phantom from the graveyard, everyone felt a shiver in their hearts.
The combo of sending the Phantom to the graveyard and using Chaos Illusion's copying was broken by Yusei. Actively retrieving the Phantom from the graveyard indicated Godwin might have abandoned that combo.
Could he be about to summon the Phantom again?
Yugen: "Normal summon 'Phantom Gunman.'
[Phantom Gunman, Attack Power 1100]
"Phantom Gunman's monster effect allows you to special summon up to the same number of 'Gunman Derivative' based on the number of monsters you have on the field upon successful summon."
Yugen gestured grandly with his hand.
"Currently, I have 'Phantom Gunman' and 'Chaos Illusion' on the field, totaling two monsters. Thus, special summon two 'Gunman Derivatives' to the field."
[Gunman Derivative, Attack Power 500] x2
Yusei seemed to have anticipated something and solemnly warned his teammates: "Be careful! It's coming!"
Indeed, Yugen then announced: "I'll release two 'Gunman Derivatives' and one 'Phantom Gunman,' three monsters in total!"
Yugen raised his right arm high. At that moment, it was as if blood-red lightning tore through the sky, and the entire altar began to tremble violently.
"This Phantom can't be normally summoned, it can only be special summoned by releasing three monsters on the field!" (Original effect)
Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel, while the physical card changed to "only use three Demon Race," making the summoning condition much stricter, its ability was actually weakened compared to the animation, hence it had remained somewhat low-key in the physical card environment.
Although the animation version of the Phantom Demon Emperor didn't restrict race, allowing any three monsters to be released for summoning, Yugen's Phantom Gunman and Gunman Derivatives were originally Demon Race, so regarding summoning conditions, the physical card is no different from the animation.
"The flames of the triple altar incinerate illusion, the final Phantom descends——
——Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel, descends!"
The crevices of space gushed out purple mist, three giant skeletal claws shattered space, as the Phantom broke through the rifts, a twelfth-grade Hurricane swept across the field.
The towering Demon God's body, dark cobalt blue exoskeleton brimming with lava-flowing cracks similar to a living volcano, faintly visible beneath it are surges of nebula-like purple energy. Its spine-extended skeletal wings spread wide, almost covering the sky; the savage Demon Body like the ultimate creation of a nightmare creator, brings tremors to the soul.
[Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel, Attack Power 4000]
Phantom Demon Emperor descends, the entire field trembles!
Leo was stunned: "What kind of monster is this... No, can this thing still be called a monster!?"
Even Jack was moved: "This soul-stirring power, what is...?"
Yusei gritted his teeth, cold sweat seeped from the side of his face, clearly feeling enormous pressure.
"The effect of the Field Spell 'Lost Paradise.'" Yugen stated, "Since I have Phantom on the field, it can be activated. Once per turn, draw two cards from the deck."
Yugen drew two more cards.
Yugen said: "Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel, attack 'Scrap Warrior.'
The Phantom Emperor's rugged right arm suddenly surged with lava-like veins, the entire arm seemed to swell with energy. Its spine bone wings swung back like siege hammers accumulating force, the trajectory of the punch crumbled space, the void twisted and melted like wax under an iron stamp.
Just as a punch is about to land, Scrap Warrior would shatter to pieces under it. Yusei's eyes flashed, and suddenly shouted: "This is the moment I've been waiting for!"
Yugen: "Oh?"
Yusei swiftly played a card from his hand.
"Send 'Rushing Warrior' from hand to the graveyard, activate the effect!
During the damage calculation when your Synchro Monster with 'Warrior' in its name battles your opponent's monster, by sending this card from your hand to the graveyard, only during damage calculation, it allows your monster's attack power to double!"
In the realm of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, hand traps prosper, and as a prominent figure, Yusei Fudo was a master of hand traps in the animation. Several of the most popular, even still-used hand traps in physical card history originated from Yusei, with some yet to be physically cardized even today.
Clero rejoiced: "You did great, Yusei; you summoned Scrap Warrior knowing how to prepare for Phantom's next move right from the start!"
Yusei remained silent, showing no signs of joy on his face.
Scrap Warrior adopted the effect of Rushing Warrior, its attack power doubling.
[Scrap Warrior, Attack Power 2300 → Attack Power 4600]
Can it really... defeat the Phantom this way?