"Is this the power of the Egyptian God Cards?!"
Joey stared at the [The Winged Dragon of Ra] with 7299 Attack Points before him, swallowing hard.
Judging from the rising temperature around them, this monster bearing the title of a 'God' might actually inflict real damage when it attacked. But it was just a duel… how could anyone die from it?
Thinking that, Joey gritted his teeth and shouted, "Counterattack, [Red-Eyes]! Inferno Fire Blast!"
The two dragons' breaths collided, but in an instant, the blast from [The Winged Dragon of Ra] completely overwhelmed it. Before that golden flame could strike him, Joey quickly flipped his face-down card: "I activate my face-down, [Nutrient Z]! When I would take 2000 or more battle damage during damage calculation, I gain 4000 Life Points before that damage is calculated!"
[Joey, LP: 4000 → 8000 → 3101]
Perhaps because Marik bore no true malice toward him, the golden fire burning away [Red-Eyes Black Dragon] only surged around Joey without truly harming him. The heat was intense, yet it didn't burn him.
"To think you'd use that trick…"
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Joey revealed a card from his hand. "I activate the effect of [Red-Eyes Retro Dragon]! This effect can be activated when a Level 7 or lower [Red-Eyes] monster I control is destroyed by battle or by an opponent's card effect and sent to the Graveyard. [Red-Eyes Retro Dragon] is Special Summoned from my hand in Defense Position, and as many of those destroyed monsters as possible are Special Summoned in the same positions they were destroyed in."
"Transcend the ages and take flight—[Red-Eyes Retro Dragon], [Red-Eyes Black Dragon]!"
From the enormous time machine-like portal, the two black dragons emerged, led by [Red-Eyes Retro Dragon], returning to Joey's field.
"[Red-Eyes Retro Dragon]... I see, it's you again."
A glint of silver flickered in Youmi's eyes as she glanced at the [Ten Thousand Dragon] in her arms, who had taken the place of [Sphere Kuriboh]. 'Just as Atem gained cards like [Dark Magic Inheritance], Joey also has drawn [Red-Eyes] support to his side. Not bad at all.'
"Hey, stop pinching me! Any harder and you'll dent me!" Feeling Youmi's grip tightening, [Ten Thousand Dragon] yelped. "It's just a couple of new cards, why take it out on me?!"
Back on the field, Marik ran a hand through his hair as he looked at the two dragons Joey had just revived. "To withstand a God's attack like that and even come out ahead with an extra monster... that's just like you, Joey. My Life Points are in the danger zone now; however, before I prepare to show another of Ra's abilities, I'll first activate the Quick-Play Spell [Mystik Wok]! I tribute [The Winged Dragon of Ra] and gain Life Points equal to its Attack!"
"You're seriously stir-frying a God?!"
Both the dueling Joey and the observing Seto Kaiba cried out in disbelief, while Youmi looked genuinely touched—it was one of the lessons she'd taught Marik herself.
"A great teacher once told me—'Even a God is still just a card. When the time comes to discard it, do so without a single doubt. Hesitation only leads to defeat.' Thanks to [Mystik Wok], I gain 7299 Life Points!"
Marik nodded in satisfaction at their reactions, cast a glance at Youmi, then said, "Now I move to Main Phase 2, set two cards, and end my turn."
[Marik, LP: 1 → 7300]
Turn 3
"Seven thousand three hundred Life Points? That's way too much! My turn—draw!"
Even with the difference in Life Points, Joey didn't flinch. His opponent only had two face-down cards, and if he could boost his power enough, he could finish it this turn. Besides, he'd already set things up last turn. "I banish [Dark Dragon Ritual] from my Graveyard to activate its effect—add one [Red-Eyes] Spell or Trap from my Deck to my hand! I add—"
Joey then activated one of the strongest draw spells ever, rivaling [Pot of Greed] and [Card of Sanctity]. "Next, I activate the Normal Spell [Roll of Fate]! I roll one die, draw cards equal to the result, then banish the same number of cards from the top of my Deck!"
The die landed on four. Joey drew four cards, then banished four from the top of his Deck.
"Alright! I drew something good! I activate the Ritual Spell [Red-Eyes Transmigration]! I Tribute monsters from my hand or field whose total Levels equal 8 or more—or banish [Red-Eyes] monsters from my Graveyard instead—to Ritual Summon [Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning] from my hand!"
As he spoke, Joey revealed a Level 8 Warrior monster. "I Tribute [Gilford the Lightning] to Ritual Summon [Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning]!"
The armored [Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning] appeared on the field, clad in dark blue armor. Normally, this monster had appeared fused onto Joey in the Doma arc—but here, under the Duel City rules, it simply manifested on the field.
"Then I Normal Summon [Versago the Destroyer]! He can substitute one Fusion Material Monster. I activate [Dragon's Mirror]! I banish Fusion Materials listed on a Dragon monster from my field or Graveyard to Fusion Summon it! I banish [Versago the Destroyer], treating it as [Red-Eyes Black Dragon], along with [Gilford the Lightning] in my Graveyard, to Fusion Summon—[Red-Eyes Slash Dragon]!"
Now Joey's field, from left to right, consisted of [Red-Eyes Retro Dragon], [Red-Eyes Black Dragon], [Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning], and [Red-Eyes Slash Dragon].
Their combined Attack far exceeded Marik's Life Points. Ignoring those two face-downs, victory seemed certain.
Even so, Youmi, knowing the true nature of [The Winged Dragon of Ra], was already chuckling inwardly.
Marik's poker face began to crack into a murky smile as he pressed a button on his Duel Disk. "The moment you successfully Fusion Summon [Red-Eyes Slash Dragon], I activate my face-down—Continuous Trap [Call of the Haunted]! I target [The Winged Dragon of Ra] in my Graveyard and Special Summon it in Attack Position!"
"Aren't the Egyptian Gods only allowed to be Special Summoned once per turn? And you're summoning one with zero Attack in Attack Position…"
Joey muttered to himself, calculating Marik's plan. "The Gods can only be affected by effects that don't destroy or target, so now's my chance! I activate [Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning]'s effect! Once per turn, when a Spell, Trap, or Monster effect other than [Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning] is activated, I can target one Spell or Trap on the field and destroy it! I target [Call of the Haunted]!"
Marik rested his chin on his hand, nodded, then flipped his second face-down. "So that's your [Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning]'s effect? Then it's useless now. I activate my second [Call of the Haunted] to Special Summon [The Winged Dragon of Ra] from the Graveyard again!"
From the Graveyard, [The Winged Dragon of Ra] manifested as a blazing golden phoenix that rose beside Marik. Yet before its form could stabilize, it dispersed completely.
"What…?! How could this be…"
Stunned that his 'God' hadn't returned, Marik looked toward Joey's field in disbelief.
There, a Counter Trap was revealed.
"Counter Trap [Royal Surrender]! When your opponent activates a Continuous Trap, negate its activation and effect, and destroy it."
Joey stepped forward from behind the Trap Card, pointing at its text. "I don't have many rare cards. Before meeting Yugi and Youmi, my Deck was cobbled together from scraps… but even those cards have their worth."
"During Duel City, I realized that besides [Monster Reborn], the most-used cards for reviving monsters from the Graveyard were [Call of the Haunted]. So I added this card—specifically to counter it and other Continuous Traps!"
"Most duelists go for the broader answers like [Seven Tools of the Bandit] or [Dark Bribe]. I don't have that kind of rare stuff; that said, I saw the potential in [Royal Surrender]! So now—"
Joey pointed straight at Marik, striking a confident pose before slipping into his trademark Perfect Joey stance. "Since you've got no plays left, it's time for Hyperfect Joey Wheeler to finish this! Switch [Red-Eyes Retro Dragon] to Attack Position—go, my monsters!"
...
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