Shell frowned at that answer. The idea that someone could find a life and death duel fun clearly unsettled him.
"Fine. Then enjoy the end of your life," he said coldly as he set two more cards. "I end my turn."
"My Turn!, Card Draw," Yugen said calmly.
"King of the End Demise, King of the End is the absolute power granted by the god!" Shell shouted. "It proves my transformation. If you think I am wrong, then defeat it!"
Without changing his expression, Yugen revealed a card from his hand. "I activate the Spell Card Abyssal Designator. I pay 1500 Life Points and declare a Type and Attribute. You must send one monster on your field that matches to the Graveyard. I declare DARK Fiend."
He looked directly at Shell. "Send your King of the End Demise, King of the End to the Graveyard."
Yugen: Name Taken
Yugen LP 4000 to 2500.
Shell stared at the Abyssal Designator that Yugen suddenly revealed, his facial muscles twitching. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out for a moment. From its text alone, it was clear that Abyssal Designator targeted the player directly, forcing the opponent to choose and send one of their own monsters to the Graveyard, much like a Duelist tributing their own monster.
In other words, it could remove even a boss monster that was unaffected by card effects. They had just said that a Duel was a clash of hearts, a way to read and understand each other. Yet if this Duel revealed anything, it was that Yugen's entire soul was saying he only cared about winning, and if he could have some fun along the way, that was just a bonus.
"But you think that's enough to deal with King of the End? Not that easy!" Shell shouted. "I activate my set Trap Card, Mirror Marshman! I declare Attribute and Type. It becomes a Normal Monster with the declared Type and is Special Summoned. I declare DARK and Fiend. Special Summon Mirror Marshman as a DARK Fiend Trap Monster!"
Mirror Marshman, ATK 1800.
"Now resolve Abyssal Designator. That gives me two DARK Fiend monsters on the field." He calmly sent the Trap Monster to the Graveyard through his Duel Disk. "I choose the DARK Fiend Mirror Marshman and send it to the Graveyard."
The newly appeared monster was swallowed by darkness, dragged into the abyss. With a substitute gone, King of the End remained.
"So even that didn't work," Judai Yuki muttered. "He's really strong."
"Then I Normal Summon D.D. Warrior Lady," Yugen said.
Shell stiffened. He remembered its effect. If it battled, both monsters would be banished from Yugi Muto, and a single strike would take down King of the End.
"Tch. Another troublesome monster." Shell sneered. "I activate Trap Card Trap Hole. When you Summon a monster with 1000 or more ATK, Destroy it!"
D.D. Warrior Lady fell into a pit and shattered before it could act. Yugen simply raised another card.
"I banish the LIGHT D.D. Warrior Lady in my Graveyard and the DARK Old Vindictive Magician discarded there earlier by your Morphing Jar. Light and darkness offered within the Field of Chaos. Descend, legendary warrior. Black Luster Soldier - Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, Summon!"
Light and darkness fused, and chaotic power surged upward. A warrior in heavy golden armor stepped forth, blade cutting through space.
Black Luster Soldier - Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, ATK 3000.
"So the legendary warrior's Spirit appears," Shell said quietly. "Then I'll claim that Spirit as well."
"If you can win," Yugen replied. "Battle. Black Luster Soldier - Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning attacks King of the End - Demise, King of the End."
Judai Yuki held his breath. If Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning destroyed a monster by battle, it could attack again. With Shell at 2500 Life Points, one clean sweep would end it.
"Open my set card. Quick-Play Spell Command Silencer!" Shell declared.
"By its effect, you cannot declare an attack with Black Luster Soldier this turn. It cannot receive your command. Then I draw one card."
"Then I end the Battle Phase and enter Main Phase 2," Yugen Do said calmly. "Since no attack was declared, Black Luster Soldier did not attack. Once Per Turn, I banish one monster from the Graveyard."
His blade pointed at King of the End again.
"Banish King of the End - Demise, King of the End. Chaos Dimensional Slash."
The sword split space open, forming a crack like a broken mirror. Even the king of destruction could not resist and was pulled into the rift.
"Beautiful!" Judai Yuki exclaimed. "Banished means it's basically gone for good."
As the demon king vanished, the blue flames around Shell faded. He staggered, breathing hard.
"I set two cards and end my turn," Yugen said.
After a few seconds, Shell raised his arm again. "My Turn!, Card Draw. I activate Spell Card Preparation of Rites. I add the Ritual Spell Card Doomsday and the Ritual Monster Ruin, Queen of Oblivion to my hand."
Judai Yuki tried again to reach him, but Shell cut him off. He spoke about betrayal, about being chosen to inherit Phoenix Force, about gaining power only to lose everyone. He claimed that a Hero was destined to walk alone, blade in hand, pushing others away.
"You're wrong," Yugen interrupted.
Shell narrowed his eyes. "Because of you?"
"You can guess."
Shell laughed harshly. "You won't even survive this turn."
He revealed three cards. "Ritual Magic Doomsday. I tribute the Level 8 Beast King Barbaros from my hand. Descend, Ruin, Queen of Oblivion!"
The goddess stepped out from a vortex of destructive energy.
Ruin, Queen of Oblivion, ATK 2300.
"She gains power from The Seal of Orichalcos!" Shell shouted.
Ruin, Queen of Oblivion, ATK 2300 to 2800.
"Equip Spell Psychic Sword. I pay 2000 Life Points to increase her ATK and DEF by that amount!"
Shell LP 2500 to 500. Ruin, Queen of Oblivion, ATK 2800 to 4800.
"When she destroys a monster by battle, she can attack again. Battle. Ruin attacks Black Luster Soldier - Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning!"
Destructive energy mixed with Orichalcos power gathered in her hands. Black Luster Soldier braced, but the difference in strength was clear.
"Then as you wish," Yugen said. "I activate my set Trap Card Dark Trap. When my Life Points are below 3000, I pay 1000 and banish another Trap Card in my Graveyard from Yugi Muto to copy its effect. I choose Magic Cylinder."
Yugen LP 2500 to 1500.
The Trap transformed into Magic Cylinder. The reflected blast shot back at Ruin and then at Shell.
"So that's your answer," he coughed, barely standing. "But not enough!"
"Open my set card. Trap Card Destroy Wheel! Destroy one monster, and all players take damage equal to its ATK. I destroy Ruin!"
Ruin, Queen of Oblivion, ATK 4800. Shell LP 500. Yugen LP 1500. Judai Yuki LP 1100.
"Trying to take us down with you?" Yugen asked.
"If you can't stop this, your resolve means nothing!"
"Not necessarily." Yugen flipped his last Back Row. "Quick-Play Spell Curse of Soul Pain. When the opponent activates an effect that would deal damage to us, that damage is inflicted to them instead."
Shell's pupils shrank.
"Destroy Wheel would deal 4800 damage to both sides. Under team rules, that is 4800 to us. That portion is reflected. So you take 9600."
The flames swept across the field, but the damage aimed at Yugen and Judai Yuki reversed direction and crashed back into Shell.
He opened his mouth as if to speak, then slowly closed his eyes.