Turn.2
Yami Yugi drew a card from his Deck, carefully re-examined Marik's field, and formed his conclusion.
"A strategy that relies on constantly reviving monsters from the Graveyard to build up your hand—that's your goal, isn't it, Marik!
"I won't let you get away with it. I activate the Normal Spell [Heavy Storm] from my hand, destroying all Spell and Trap Cards on the field."
This was a countermeasure Yami Yugi had prepared, combining Youmi's Deck with Yugi's deck-building style. If his opponent relied on Continuous Spells or Traps to pull off combos, this card would completely ruin that setup. "If your set cards can respond to this, you'd better use them now, or your strategy will fall apart."
The Counter Trap [Solemn Judgment]—a powerful card that requires paying half your LP to activate—had appeared before in Bandit Keith's Deck during the Duel City events. Yami Yugi didn't believe that Marik, who once controlled Keith, wouldn't possess similar rare cards that ensured his strategy's success.
However, in terms of cost efficiency and rarity, the choice of [Dark Bribe], previously used by Pandora, was far more reasonable. Though it allowed the opponent to draw one card, in an environment where Deck structures weren't yet fully optimized, that single draw was a small price to pay.
[Solemn Judgment] had the advantage of negating Summons of any kind—Normal, Flip, or Special—regardless, for Marik's current Deck, losing LP directly due to the Egyptian Gods could become troublesome. For example, even dealing with his own [Revival Jam] would be difficult; if his opponent had piercing damage, his LP could be easily drained.
"Just as you predicted—Counter Trap [Dark Bribe]! I negate your [Heavy Storm].
"As the cost, you draw one card. See? I'm even helping you replenish your hand—so considerate of me!"
Marik had anticipated that Yami Yugi would use single-sweep Spell/Trap removal like this; after all, both his sister Ishizu and his foster brother Odion used Gravekeeper Decks filled with similar cards. "If you've got a second copy, go ahead and use it. Then again, I doubt you'll be able to break through my iron defense."
Yami Yugi certainly wished he could pull out another [Heavy Storm] now, but he simply didn't have it in hand.
"Due to the effect of [Dark Bribe], I draw one card from my Deck. No matter how strong your fortress may be, I will destroy it… for my lost past, and for Yugi."
Yami Yugi's fingers brushed across the remaining six cards in his hand before selecting one. "I activate [Ancient Rules] from my hand, to Special Summon one Level 5 or higher Normal Monster from my hand. Come forth, my strongest servant—[Dark Magician]!"
He opened with his signature monster right away, but with neither [Dark Magic Attack] nor [Thousand Knives] drawn, dealing with Marik's coming setup would be difficult.
"Even an Egyptian God Card requires enough tributes to be summoned. Marik already has two monsters on the field—no matter what, I'll need to reduce that number." With that thought, Yami Yugi activated an Equip Spell. "I equip [Dark Spear] to [Dark Magician]. The monster equipped with this card gains piercing damage."
Yami Yugi then Normal Summoned another monster and launched his attack. "Next, I Normal Summon [Obnoxious Celtic Guard]! Entering the Battle Phase—[Dark Magician], attack the left monster! Black Magic Spear Thrust!"
The [Dark Magician], now a close-combat mage wielding a black spear, spun it and pierced through Marik's set monster. The face-down card flipped, revealing a blue, viscous form—[Revival Jam].
"The monster I set was the weak [Revival Jam], with only 500 Defense. Because your [Dark Magician] was equipped with [Dark Spear], I take 2000 piercing damage. But don't think it ends there." The puppet under Marik's control showed no reaction, and Marik himself remained unfazed by the predictable outcome. It was fortunate he hadn't used [Solemn Judgment]—otherwise, he'd have lost 4000 LP right away to Yami Yugi's opening strike.
[Marik, LP: 4000 → 2000]
"[Revival Jam] is an immortal monster. Whenever it's destroyed by battle or card effect and sent to the Graveyard, it can Special Summon itself back to the field no matter how many times. And thanks to [Card of Safe Return], I draw three cards from my Deck. Ku-hu-hu… Pharaoh, your choices bring both you and your vessel, Yugi Muto, closer to destruction."
Yami Yugi frowned, realizing he had fallen into his opponent's trap once more, but still declared another attack. "[Obnoxious Celtic Guard], attack the other face-down monster!"
"Too bad for you. The monster I set was [Man-Eater Bug]. When flipped, it destroys one monster on the field.
"I'll choose your [Dark Magician] equipped with [Dark Spear]. Keeping that one around would be too dangerous for me."
Marik's Deck was built around draw engines and [Slifer the Sky Dragon]; however, the appearance of an old card like [Man-Eater Bug] was unexpected—even Youmi had almost forgotten such a thing existed, thinking of more modern equivalents like [Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter].
Still, compared to that old card, what Youmi really wanted to complain about was—
"Do main characters never brick? That opening hand is absurdly strong."
Nonetheless, he held his tongue.
"I Set one card and end my turn." Watching his [Dark Magician] destroyed pained Yami Yugi deeply, but he gritted his teeth and Set a card.
Turn.3
"My turn. Draw." The puppet drew a card again, and Marik's laughter echoed through it. "Hahaha! Seems the goddess of luck always favors me. I activate two [Jam Breeding Machines], then Set one card and end my turn."
[Jam Breeding Machine] is a Continuous Spell that Special Summons one [Slime Token] during each Standby Phase. However, while this card remains on the field, you cannot Summon, Flip Summon, or Special Summon any monster other than [Slime Token]s. That essentially sealed off [Revival Jam]'s revival ability.
Although that made Yami Yugi a bit suspicious, since his opponent had already chosen to end the turn, he began his own.
Turn.4
"My turn. Draw. I flip my set card—Normal Spell [Monster Reborn], reviving the [Dark Magician] from the Graveyard. Because of [Card of Safe Return], you must draw three cards from your Deck."
Youmi never expected that under the rule set where you cannot Chain a Monster Reborn on the opponent's turn, someone would still set a [Monster Reborn] face-down like a show-off— and that it would be Yami Yugi, who rivals the club president.
Marik glanced at the laughing Youmi in puzzlement, assuming she was amused that the Pharaoh's play had just refilled his hand.
"Then I activate the Normal Spell [Pot of Greed]; I draw two cards from my Deck."
After drawing two cards from the Deck, Yami Yugi's gaze suddenly sharpened. "Next, I activate the Normal Spell [Dark Magic Inheritance] from my hand. I banish two Spell Cards from my Graveyard as cost. I add from my Deck one Spell/Trap Card that lists the name 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' on it, except for [Dark Magic Inheritance]."
"Huh? That [Dark Magic Inheritance]..." Youmi remembered this card wasn't an old one—the artwork of the Dark Magician on the card face differed from versions circulating in the game now. "I see—powerful Duelists tend to attract cards that make them stronger, huh?"
After all, this wasn't an exact DM world but a parallel one similar yet different; the odd anachronistic card appearing once or twice wasn't impossible.
Yami Yugi hadn't drawn [Dark Magic] earlier, but he finally had it now. He added [Dark Magic] to his hand and immediately activated it. "I add [Dark Magic] to my hand and activate it. This card can only be activated while I control a [Dark Magician]; it destroys all Spell and Trap Cards on my opponent's field."
"Continuous Trap [Imperial Order]. This card forces a choice every Standby Phase—either pay 700 LP or destroy this card. Of course, that's not the point right now." Marik produced a powerful Continuous Trap not yet numerically referenced and explained its key effect. "Its crucial effect is: as long as this card exists in the Spell & Trap Zone, all Spell Cards on the field have their effects negated! What a pity— even if you have [Dark Magic], you can't use it at all."
Not only that, because [Imperial Order] negated the effects of all Spell Cards, Marik was not suffering from the Jam Breeding Machines' restriction; in other words, [Revival Jam]'s previously sealed revival effect was now active again.
Seeing a close-up shot of [Imperial Order]—whoever had filmed it—Youmi exhaled in surprise. "Eh, so it really is that version..."
At that moment, Youmi had a question.
"Wouldn't it have been better to flip [Imperial Order] when you activated [Pot of Greed]? Now Yugi still has a completely unknown card in hand, little brother Marik." Youmi looked at Marik with a face that clearly said What on earth are you doing?
"No problem. No matter how many cards he draws, next turn I can summon [Slifer the Sky Dragon]. With [Imperial Order] on the field, he won't be able to win no matter what he draws." Marik tossed his hair confidently as if he'd already seen the goddess of victory beckoning. "Even [Solemn Judgment] can't stop a God's Summon."
"To use it this way..."
Just one turn was all he needed. Next turn Marik would choose not to pay the 700 LP and allow [Imperial Order] to be destroyed, then Jam Breeding Machines would Special Summon two [Slime Tokens], and he'd do whatever with those Tokens. Yugi's hand couldn't handle that situation now.
However, it couldn't handle that situation only for the moment.
Yami Yugi saw a glimmer of victory in his hand and Set it face-down on his field.
"I Set one card, and end my turn."
"Ku-hu-hu, it seems you've run out of options, Nameless Pharaoh. Let me make this clear: if this duel ends in my victory, no matter where you run, this puppet will find and kill you—no matter how far."
The puppet controlling Marik drew a card, still holding the freshly drawn card as it pointed at Yami Yugi. "For my personal vendettas and for my people's cause, Pharaoh—you must die here."
Turn.5
"During my Standby Phase, I do not pay LP—[Imperial Order] is destroyed. And due to the effects of the two [Jam Breeding Machines], two [Slime Tokens] are Special Summoned."
Marik looked at the three monsters on his field, combined with his hand, and was full of confidence. "Quick-Play Spell [Emergency Provisions]—I send both [Jam Breeding Machines] to the Graveyard; I gain 2000 LP."
[Marik, LP: 2000 → 4000]
"Ha! It's time to show you the power of one of the 'Gods'—[Slifer the Sky Dragon]. Among the three Pharaoh God Monsters, they require three tributes for a Tribute Summon, and must be sent to the Graveyard at the End Phase of the turn they were Special Summoned. Now I have three Tributes on the field—Tribute Summon!"
While Marik was still soliloquizing, Yami Yugi calmly revealed his face-down card. "After your LP recovered, I flip my set card—Normal Trap [Mind Crush]. You must declare one card name to activate this card. If the declared card is in your hand, all copies of that named card in your hand are discarded. If not, I randomly discard one card from your hand."
"I declare [Slifer the Sky Dragon]! Ha—discard your [Slifer the Sky Dragon]! You must have it in hand!"
Youmi, who had been sipping a soda brought just for fun and lamenting he'd forgotten popcorn, sprayed his drink across the room when Yami Yugi's play made him burst out laughing.
"But Gods are immune to effects other than Tribute Spells—that is, they are not affected by Normal Spells or Trap Cards, so the effect of [Mind Crush]—"
"The target of [Mind Crush] is Marik—you yourself!
"And even if a God has Spell/Trap immunity, it is only a card in your hand; due to [Mind Crush]'s effect, you must discard it! Jounouchi shared with me today how to counter Exodia—this gave Yugi the idea.
"Against Kaiba, it was just the right tactic since Kaiba could always start with three [Blue-Eyes White Dragon]; after weighing the options, Yugi and I discarded [Obedience Through Voice] and chose this [Mind Crush] to counter you—who knew it would work against you too, Marik!"
…
PS: The original's rulings and effects regarding the Gods are a bit vague, so various versions—the main manga, side stories, anime—differ and even contradict each other. Here, the God-related content is unified under the author's own setting and will be gradually revealed when they formally appear.
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