"Holy Serpent Apophis…?" Kisaragi murmured as she stared at the monster looming in front of her.
Rishid's voice carried a calm certainty.
"Holy Serpent Apophis can Tribute two 'Apophis' monsters on my field to Special Summon itself from the Extra Deck."
He followed immediately, sliding another card onto his Duel Disk.
"Next, I activate the Continuous Spell Temple of the Kings!"
The ancient hall's atmosphere thickened—like the entire chamber had become a sealed sanctuary.
"Now—Holy Serpent Apophis's effect. Once per turn, I can target up to three 'Apophis' Trap Cards with different names in my Graveyard, and Set them to my field."
He pointed sharply.
"I Set Shadow Serpent Apophis and Embodiment of Apophis from my Graveyard!"
Two cards snapped facedown onto the stone-like surface of his Spell/Trap Zone.
"And by Royal Treasure of the Kings' effect," he continued, voice unwavering, "I add Anubis, the Final Judge from my Deck to my hand!"
Kisaragi narrowed her eyes.
He's snowballing resources while rebuilding his trap engine…
Rishid raised one finger.
"And with Temple of the Kings, a Trap Card can be activated the same turn it is Set."
He flipped one card face-up.
"Then I activate Shadow Serpent Apophis—Special Summoned in Attack Position!"
Black mist erupted again. The serpent-headed humanoid reappeared, shoulders squared and ready to strike.
Shadow Serpent Apophis(1600 ATK / 1800 DEF)
"And Shadow Serpent's effect—Set an 'Apophis' Trap from my Deck, and activate it!"
He slammed the next card down without hesitation.
"I Set Apophis, the Swamp Deity—and activate it!"
A heavier presence poured out, coalescing into a larger serpent-god figure.
"On activation, it becomes a Normal Monster and is Special Summoned—"
Then Rishid's eyes flashed cold.
"And if I control other Continuous Traps, I can negate the effects of up to that many face-up cards your control until the end of the turn."
He pointed at her angel.
"I negate Darklord Ixchel's effect!"
Apophis, the Swamp Deity(2000 ATK / 2200 DEF)
Kisaragi clicked her tongue softly, unimpressed.
Rishid pressed on.
"Holy Serpent Apophis—once per turn, if a Trap Card is activated: I can target one card you control and destroy it."
He raised his twin curved blades.
"I target Darklord Ixchel!"
Holy Serpent Apophis stepped forward, blades arcing toward Ixchel's wings.
Kisaragi's voice snapped like ice.
"Not happening."
She flipped a Trap on her field.
"I activate The Sanctified Darklord. I send Darklord Lucifer from my hand to the Graveyard—negate your Holy Serpent Apophis's effect, and I gain Life Points equal to its ATK!"
A pillar of pale, corrupted "holy" light crashed down onto Holy Serpent Apophis, stripping its force away like peeled paint.
Kisaragi Aoi LP: 4500 → 7300
Rishid's eyes tightened.
"Tch… Turn end." (Cards in hand: 4)
Kisaragi exhaled once, steadying herself.
"My turn—draw."
She immediately followed up.
"I activate Pot of Greed. Draw two."
Then, without a pause:
"I activate Monster Reborn! I Special Summon Darklord Superbia from my Graveyard!"
A towering fallen angel dropped from the shadows, wings unfurling with a heavy thud.
Darklord Superbia(2900 ATK / 2400 DEF)
"And Superbia's effect—when Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I can target one other Fairy monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it."
She didn't hesitate.
"I Special Summon Darklord Lucifer!"
An eight-winged archangel descended—black armor, a long dark blade in hand, skin and hair eerily pale, expression cold enough to cut glass.
Darklord Lucifer(3000 ATK / 3000 DEF)
Kisaragi's eyes sharpened.
"Lucifer's effect—once per turn, send cards from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard equal to the number of 'Darklord' monsters I control. Then I gain 500 Life Points for each 'Darklord' card sent."
"I control three 'Darklords'—so I send three cards."
Three cards hit the Graveyard.
"All three are 'Darklord' cards. I gain 1500 Life Points."
Kisaragi Aoi LP: 7300 → 8800
Rishid's expression finally showed strain.
"Battle."
"Darklord Lucifer, attack Holy Serpent Apophis!"
Lucifer raised his black sword and cleaved down.
Rishid didn't flinch.
"Hieroglyphic Man's effect. While it's on the field, and while Temple of the Kings is present, this card and all 'Apophis' monsters I control cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects."
Kisaragi's lips curved—faint, confident.
"Then I'll remove the support."
"I activate Darklord Ixchel's effect. I pay 1000 Life Points—copy the effect of The Sanctified Darklord from my Graveyard."
Kisaragi Aoi LP: 8800 → 7800
She pointed straight at the linchpin.
"I negate Hieroglyphic Man's effect."
"And I gain Life Points equal to its ATK."
Kisaragi Aoi LP: 7800 → 8800
Rishid's eyes widened slightly.
"With its protection gone—your 'Apophis' monsters can be destroyed."
Lucifer's blade dropped again.
Holy Serpent Apophis was split cleanly in two, black mist exploding outward.
Rishid LP: 3600 → 3400
Kisaragi didn't let the tempo slip.
"Not finished."
"Darklord Superbia, attack Apophis, the Swamp Deity!"
The fallen angel smashed through the serpent-god.
Rishid LP: 3400 → 2800
"Darklord Ixchel, attack Hieroglyphic Man!"
Another strike—clean and brutal.
Rishid LP: 2800 → 1300
Kisaragi Set one card with a sharp flick.
"I Set one card. Turn end." (Cards in hand: 4)
Rishid drew—hands steady, but the air around him trembled with something deeper than anger.
He remembered his past.
He refused to end here.
A voice sounded inside his skull—smooth, commanding.
Marik.
"Rishid. It's time. Use your ace."
Rishid's eyes hardened.
"I understand. For Lord Marik… I'll use everything."
He slammed a Spell onto his Duel Disk.
"I activate Guard of the Temple!"
He spoke like reciting an ancient rite.
"This Spell lets me Fusion Summon an EARTH Fusion Monster using monsters from my hand or field as material. And if one of the materials is a monster that lists 'Temple of the Kings'… I can even use a face-up monster you control as Fusion Material."
Kisaragi's eyes narrowed.
Rishid's finger leveled at the field.
"I use my Mystical Beast of Serket… and your Darklord Ixchel as Fusion Materials."
A vortex opened beneath them—sand and shadow spiraling together.
"Fusion Summon—appear, Sacred Scorpion Beast Serket!"
A new monster rose—larger, denser, more vicious than Serket had ever been. The scorpion's carapace gleamed like blackened bronze, its presence crushing the air.
Sacred Scorpion Beast Serket(3000 ATK / 2000 DEF)
Kisaragi's gaze sharpened.
"So you brought that out…"
Rishid's voice stayed cold.
"When this card is Special Summoned, or at the start of the Damage Step when it battles— I can target one monster on your field or in your Graveyard, banish it, and this card gains ATK equal to half that monster's original ATK."
His eyes locked on the biggest threat.
"I banish Darklord Lucifer—and gain half of its 3000 ATK!"
Sacred Scorpion Beast Serket lunged—jaws opening to swallow Lucifer whole.
But—
A crimson ring of light erupted above Lucifer's head, flaring like a warning halo.
The scorpion recoiled violently, thrown back as if it had slammed into an invisible wall.
Rishid's pupils tightened.
"What—?!"
Kisaragi's tone was flat, almost bored.
"Nothing complicated."
"Darklord Lucifer can't be targeted by your opponent's effects while I control another 'Darklord' monster."
She stared straight through him.
"So your Sacred Scorpion Beast Serket can't banish Lucifer."
The Shadow Game air pulsed.
Rishid's expression didn't break—
but for the first time, his certainty wavered.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 139)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter171)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter100)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter184)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 168
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 156
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 105
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 185
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 160
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 150
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 76
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 97
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 116
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 75
Uma Musume: I Want All 93
I Can Copy Unique Skills 79
Summoning an Evil God, but the 55
Supernatural Multiverse 75
My Harem Is Indescribable 68
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 70
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 69
Still playing traditional Honk 49
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 53
What Should I Do After Switchi 42
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 50
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 38
Transmigrated as Sukuna 35
Checking In in Demon Slayer 40
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 55
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