Big thanks to Elbarto4000, matrixnis, Citylover96, Unknowedz, Playerhood18, jason, Ulrich362, dvdryms, GamingGuy84, NeoFGD, Ryujomaru15 for reviewing the previous chapter!
Hopefully you'll enjoy reading this chapter.
VIRUS CORE – SEWER – LINK VRAINS – DEN CITY – CANTIDEL EMPIRE – ARTIFICIAL DIMENSION
Hyde was staring at the black-colored reverse pyramid surrounded by red bits of data with menacing grin. His eyes were observing every part of the black pyramid – the very source of the virus he had created. He projected a holographic screen that showed the condition above. The virus was spreading at significant rate thanks to the aid of bugs and Servants. Duelists who were present in LINK VRAINS were annihilated and infected by the virus, resulting them to be in state of berserk in real life or in coma. The negative energies from the people who went berserk and the ones around them who were upset by the impact of the virus to the victims provided enough negative energies for his master.
Personally, he didn't really care. His main interest was seeing his project came to fruition. He couldn't wait to see the outcome once the virus completely corrupted LINK VRAINS. Maybe he should extend it to not only LINK VRAINS, but also to the whole network. The current virus won't be enough at the moment, though. Once this was over, he must think of a way to spread the virus further. Who knows what kind of disorder will happen if he infects the whole network with his beloved creation. He couldn't wait. He was so excited.
"You seem to be in a creepily good mood, Hyde." Neon came, amused by the face Hyde was making.
"Miss Neon." Hyde greeted politely. "How is the development of the virus I gave to you?"
"It's great. I can't wait to use it. I've been itching to use it on my target." Neon said, giggling. Out of the five lieutenants, she liked Hyde the most. The man was as twisted as she was, and even more than Geist who often joined her company. She wished their master gave birth to Hyde sooner. They could have discussed lots of...interesting things.
"I knew since the moment we met that the both of us will click in." Hyde replied, pleased by Neon's satisfaction.
"The other lieutenants are on standby in their posts?" Neon asked, not seeing the other four lieutenants.
"Yes. Soon I'll be leaving to stand on my post too. How about you, Miss Neon?" Hyde asked.
"I'm going to stay here a bit longer. You don't need to worry about the core. We'll have watchdogs to protect it." Neon said, eyes glinted sinisterly as she turned behind her. Something came in and seeing them made Hyde's face brightened, impressed.
"How wonderful! I wish I knew you sooner, Miss Neon! I would love to share my research with you!" Hyde said ecstatically.
"The feeling is mutual, Hyde." Neon licked her lips.
A loud sound came from above, causing the place to shake for a few seconds. Neon and Hyde smiled at each other. That was their cue.
The fun time begins now...
MEETING ROOM – MANSION – THE BROTHERHOOD'S HQ – DEN CITY – CANTIDEL EMPIRE – ARTIFICIAL DIMENSION
Yuno have gathered his personal squad, his compatriots, his descendants, Celica's descendants and guardians, and Yukiya in the meeting room. Celica actually wanted to attend the meeting as well, but she received order from the Emperor for their help in important mission. Shark shared the information given by Shun yesterday that surprisingly contained the layout of the area where the virus and bug activities were highly concentrated. Studying the static and patterns based on the information, they were able to pinpoint the source of the virus and bug. From the layout, they deduced the source was located in the sewer of LINK VRAINS.
However, before they could reach the sewer, similarly as the underground prison that was protected by electrical barrier system, they first must turned off the security system blocking the entrance to the sewer, which was separated into four different locations. That wasn't their only concern, however, as they also must handle the increase in activities of Apophis Servants. Looks like even though Shun has helped in decreasing their numbers, he and whomever he was working with have limitation with the sheer numbers.
"I have discussed this through with the captains and we will form six groups. Group 1 will be Yuya and Yuzu. The two of you will turn off the system at the west barrier." Yuno gestured to the two Pendulum counterparts who nodded, accepting the task.
"Group 2 will be Mai and Serena. Your group will go to the east barrier." Yuno turned to Mai and Serena. Serena nodded and Mai winked at the Oracle while hugging her student, saying the two of them would succeed.
"Group 3 will be Ryo and Yuri. You two will handle the south barrier." Yuno shifted his gaze to the Fusion mentor-student pair. Yuri replied with a confident 'roger' while Ryo simply made a voice of agreement.
"Group 4 will be Kiryu and Rin. You will turn off the north barrier." Yuno moved to the Synchro mentor-student pair who nodded to him.
"Group 5 will be Yugo and Sherry. You will be the ones to go first into the sewer once the barriers have been turned off." Yuno looked at the other Synchro mentor-student pair. Yugo accepted the task as energetically as always, earning him a scold to calm down by Sherry.
Yuno then turned to the rest who he hasn't named. "The rest of you will be in Group 6. You will form a perimeter to stop the Servants from interfering with Group 1 to 5. Make sure no one getting near them. I'll also join once I recover–"
"Not a chance. You will take a rest and leave everything to us. You're still too exhausted from using your vision. And I'm here to make sure you're not going to do anything stupid." Jounouchi interjected, forcing Yuno to sit.
The Oracle finally used his vision and managed to pinpoint Apophis' possible location. He deduced that if they managed to destroy the virus, the path to Apophis' hideout within LINK VRAINS will open. Right after he used it, however, he collapsed. Even now, it was actually difficult for him to speak. Jounouchi knew that if he joined the operation, no one will watch over Yuno and considering the Oracle's personality, they have no doubt Yuno will try to force himself to log in once there was no one to supervise him, so Jounouchi determined not to leave Yuno's side and stop him from doing something stupid. Yuno sighed, reluctantly conceded.
"Yukiya, Lilac, I leave the vaccine to you. Please make it as quickly as possible." Yuno told the two said computer geeks who gave him double thumbs up.
"I wish you all prevail." Yuno said for one last time before closing the final meeting. Jounouchi forced him to sit on wheelchair and pushed him back to his room while the rest were leaving, prepared to log into LINK VRAINS.
"Sorry I can't go with you guys." Yukiya apologized to Yuya. He wanted to go and fight too, but it would be difficult for Lilac alone to create the vaccine. She needed his help.
Yuya shook his head, smiling in assurance. "Don't be hard on yourself. The vaccine is crucial for this operation. Even if we're able to find the core, without the vaccine, it won't work out. So, we're counting on you, Yukiya." He told his grey-haired look-alike.
"Don't die until I bring the vaccine." Yukiya said while extending his fist, offering a bump fists.
"Got it." Yuya replied, bumping his fist to Yukiya's. At that moment then, he suddenly saw a light. And then from the light, he saw a golden figure. A Duel Monster with golden body with Egyptian appearance. When he blinked and shook his head, he only saw Yukiya again, looking at him with confused face.
"What's wrong?" Yukiya asked.
"No. Nothing. See you later!" Yuya said, following the others who have left and dismissed what he saw earlier as just his imagination.
He was unaware that his pendant was glowing dimly.
WEST BARRIER – LINK VRAINS – DEN CITY – CANTIDEL EMPIRE – ARTIFICIAL DIMENSION
Phantom logged into LINK VRAINS, landing near the place where he and Yuzu were assigned to go. He frowned at the condition of LINK VRAINS. The once beautiful futuristic scenery was tainted by black spots eating away the city and anything it could. He wasn't surprised no one would want to come to this place again. If this continue...
"We'll restore this place again, Phantom."
Phantom turned to his right side and his eyes' widened. It was Yuzu in her avatar form, Flora Diva. She has lighter pink hair with a light pink blouse, a white skirt with white lining tied with a flower belt and a pink cape with sleeves. Her look was completed with pink gauntlets and boots decorated by floral ribbons. Phantom knew that this wasn't the right time to say this, but it was the first time he saw her avatar, and she was so cute. It was really fitting for her.
"What's wrong? Does my avatar looks weird?" Flora Diva asked, looking at herself.
"N-no. I think...it's cute." Phantom said it without thinking. He clasped his hand to his mouth when he realized what he said. He blushed. Why did he say it out loud?! Didn't he say it to himself this wasn't the right time?!
"T-thank you..." Flora Diva blushed at the compliment.
"L-let's go! We don't have time to waste!" Phantom said quickly before things became awkward between them, pointing at the building where they have located the first barrier system.
They both jumped onto their D-Boards, using the Data Storm to reach the building faster. Flora Diva was having difficulty keeping her balance at first, but with Phantom's advice, she got a hang of it quickly. The building fortunately was not so far away and with the Data Storm, it didn't take a few minutes for them reach the building. They found it, the pillar that was projecting the barrier. Once they disabled it, the first stage of the barrier will be destroyed.
"You're faster than I expected."
As they thought, someone was guarding the pillar. He was a tall, dark-skinned man with dark-brown hair and a stern expression that soon turned crazed. Phantom and Flora Diva paled at his expression. They knew that kind of expression. This man was what they would call mad in every way. They didn't like him one a bit at first sight.
"My name is Hyde. I am the third-rank lieutenant protecting this pillar. I am also the one who created the virus and bugs that were running amok in this place." Hyde introduced himself, amused by the reaction he got from the two teens.
"You're the one who created them?!" Phantom exclaimed.
"That makes it all the more reason for us to defeat you." Flora Diva stated, ready to fight.
"Yes. I have been waiting to use my greatest Deck. I want to see my marvelous creation reach its apex, and I cannot have anyone getting in my way to realize it. I'll annihilate the both of you...no wait, only the girl since His Excellency has ordered me to use you as a bait." Hyde said, setting Flora Diva as his main target to be destroyed.
"That won't happen! We'll defeat you here!" Phantom stated, activating his Duel Disk.
"We'll do Master Duel and players cannot attack on their first Turn to make it fair." Hyde stated, beginning the Duel.
[MASTER DUEL!]
"My Turn! With Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and Scale 8 Timegazer Magician, I set the Pendulum Scale! With this I can simultaneously summon Level 2 to 7 monsters! Swing, Pendulum of the Soul! Create an arc of light across the aether! Pendulum Summon! Appear, my monsters!" Phantom summoned Entermate Odd-Eyes Witch and Entermate Bubble Caster (ATK: 1300 / DEF: 200 / LV: 4) from his hand in Attack Position in the Main Monster Zone.
"When Bubble Caster is Special Summoned from hand, I can Special Summon a Magician-Type Monster from my Deck!" Phantom special summoned Entermate Sleight Hand Magician (ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2000 / LV: 7) in Attack Position in the Main Monster Zone.
"I activate Odd-Eyes Witch's Effect! I can Fusion Summon a Fusion Monster with this card and a Monster on my Field! I Fuse Odd-Eyes Witch and Bubble Caster! Dual-colored eyed witch, become the eyes that lead the orb of the summoner! Fusion Summon! Descend! Magical Swordsman of Astronomy! Astrolabe Paladin (ATK: 2600/ DEF: 1400/ LV: 8)!" Phantom Fusion summoned Astrolabe Paladin in Attack Position in the Extra Monster Zone.
"I end my Turn." Phantom concluded.
"My Turn! As I control no monsters, I can discard a Helix card to Normal Summon Hellix Marmotroll (ATK: 2600/ DEF: ? / LV: 5) without tributing!" Hyde summoned Hellix Marmotroll in Attack Position in the Main Monster Zone.
"I end my Turn." Hyde concluded.
"My Turn! With Scale 2 Astrid the Melodious Diva and Scale 8 Ella the Melodious Maestra, I Set the Pendulum Scale! With this I can simultaneously Summon Level 3 to 7 Monsters! Pendulum Summon! Appear!" Flora Diva summoned 2 Monsters to her Field that consisted of Soprano the Melodious Songstress (ATK: 1400 / DEF: 1400 / LV: 4) and Canon the Melodious Diva (ATK: 1400 / DEF: 2200 / LV: 4).
"Appear, the circuit of our harmony!" Flora Diva opened the Link Circuit.
"Arrowhead confirmed! The summoning condition is one Melodious Monster! I set Canon the Melodious Diva and Soprano the Melodious Songstress in the Link Marker! Circuit Combine!" Yuzu set Canon on the Right arrow while Soprano on the Left arrow.
"Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Prodigy Stradivarius the Floral Melodious Maestra (ATK: 2000 / LINK: 2 / LM: Right, Left)!" Flora Diva summoned her Link Monster in Attack Position in the Extra Monster Zone.
"I activate Quick-Play Spell: Flower Link! I can change a Link Marker of a Link Monster's position to one of the bottom markers!" Flora Diva changed Prodigy Stradivarius' Right Arrow to Bottom Arrow.
"I activate Prodigy Stradivarius' effect! On the Turn this card is Link Summoned, I can special summon a Melodious Monster to the zone pointed by its Link Arrow from my hand but it cannot attack this Turn!" Flora Diva summoned Aria the Melodious Diva (ATK: 1600 / DEF: 1200 / LV: 4) in the zone pointed by the Bottom Arrow.
"I end my Turn." Flora Diva concluded.
"My Turn! I activate Magic Card: Magician's Chronicle! Until the end of this Turn, all Magician-Type Monster I control gains 300 ATK!" Phantom increased Astrolabe Paladin's ATK to 2900 and Sleight Hand Magician's ATK to 2800.
"Battle! I attack Hellix Marmotroll with Astrolabe Paladin! Triangular Space!" Phantom declared attack with his paladin. Astrolabe Paladin moved staff, causing the already space to formed into small pyramid-shaped terrain. Hellix Marmotroll roared in pain as the gravity only around it became heavier, causing the monster to collapsed together with the floor beneath it.
"Hellix Marmotroll's effect! Once per turn, I take no battle damage involving this card." Hyde revealed as Marmotroll was destroyed.
"Next, I attack directly with Sleight Hand Magician!" Phantom proceeded with his attack. Sleight Hand Magician strikes the Apophis Duelist with a palm strike, pushing him back.
HYDE LP: 4000 = 1200
"I set a card and end my Turn." Phantom concluded. He eyed Hyde. "You spread the virus like this...looks like Apophis' soul is inside LINK VRAINS as we suspected."
Hyde raised a brow. "Oh? You've figured that out? I'm impressed." He mockingly applaused.
"But do you really need to spread this much virus just to hide hime?" Phantom questioned.
"No. Not necessarily, but His Excellency needs negative energies to recover the power he had lost. At the very least, he'll gain enough power to materialize and look for the Four Heavenly Dragons himself." Hyde revealed.
"Negative energies?" Flora Diva repeated in question.
"Sadness, anger, disgust, despair, and any of the sort that comes from humans. They are negative energies that replenish His Excellency's power. You haven't forgotten that he was born from those very emotions of humans, haven't you?" Hyde explained, reminding of what Yuno and Celica had told them before.
"You...you're making people suffer for that reason?" Flora Diva hissed, her anger spiking.
"That is just the law of nature. The survival for the fittest." Hyde simply replied.
"My Turn! I activate Magic Card: Graveyard Incubation! I can Special Summon 2 Hellix monsters with the same name from my Graveyard with their effects negated and their ATK and DEF reduced to 0." Hyde special summoned two copies of Marmotroll in Attack Position in the Main Monster Zone.
"Arrowhead Confirmed! The summoning condition is 2 Hellix monsters. I set my two Marmotrolls in the Link Markers! Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Hellix Gothiclone (ATK: 0 / LINK: 2 / LM: Top, Bottom)!" Hyde summoned Gothiclone in Attack Position in the Extra Monster Zone.
"As there's a Link Monster on the Field, I can summon Hellix Dreadrat (ATK: 1200 / DEF: 2000 / LV: 5) without releasing from my hand!" Hyde summoned Dreadrat in Attack Position in the Main Monster Zone.
"Battle! I attack Astrolabe Paladin with Hellix Gothiclone!" Gothiclone moved forward, surprising Phantom and Flora Diva as the Hellix Monster has 0 ATK.
"At this moment, Gothiclone's effect activates! Its ATK becomes equal to the monster it is battling until the End Phase, while its other effect prevents itself from being destroyed by battle once per turn!" Hyde revealed, changing Gothiclone's ATK equal to Astrolabe Paladin's 2600. Gothiclone and Astrolabe Paladin clashed fiercely against each other. However, as they were equally strong, they soon got blown away by the clash with Astrolabe Paladin disappeared while the Hellix Monster remained standing due to its effect.
"As Gothiclone was not destroyed by battle as a result of its effect, I can activate its last effect! By releasing a monster next to its Link Marker, I can inflict damage to the opposing player equal to the released monster's ATK!" Hyde released Dreadrat, inflicting its ATK as effect damage to Phantom.
PHANTOM LP: 4000 = 2800
"I set 2 cards and end my Turn." Hyde finished.
"My Turn! Battle! I attack Hellix Gothiclone with Prodigy Stradivarius!" Flora Diva immediately declared battle.
"I activate Prodigy Stradivarius' effect! When there's a Monster pointed by its Link Marker, it cannot be destroyed by Special Summoned Monsters and any destruction and Battle Damage involving this card is inflicted to the opponent instead!" Prodigy Stradivarius played its violin, creating soundwaves that cleared the dark atmosphere inside the room.
"Trap Card: Regeneration Cure! When my opponent activates a card or effect that would inflict damage to me, I can make that damage 0 and special summon 1 Hellix Token (ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 1)!" Hyde negated Prodigy Stradivarius' effect, resulting him not taking any damage nor his monster was destroyed due to its effect.
"Also, I activate the second Trap Card: Hellix Cure! I can add the damage that was negated involving Hellix monster into my LP and that Hellix Monster cannot be destroyed until the end of this Turn."
HYDE LP: 1500 = 3500
"Ugh..." Flora Diva made a voice of disappointment. Even if she attacks with Aria supported by her Quick-Play Spell she has in her hand, Hyde will just use Gothiclone's effect to negate Aria's effect damage and from his face, he seemed he was waiting for her to attack. She wouldn't do that for now.
"I end my Turn." Flora Diva finished.
"My Turn! With the set Pendulum Scale, I Pendulum Summon! Appear!" Phantom summoned Entermate Odd-Eyes Lilipath in Attack Position in the Main Monster Zone from his hand.
"Odd-Eyes Lilipath can be treated as two monsters! Come forth! The circuit of entertainment that enlightened the future!" Phantom used Odd-Eyes Lilipath and Astrolabe Paladin to open the Link Circuit.
"Arrowhead confirmed! The summoning condition is at least 1 Odd-Eyes monster! I set Odd-Eyes Lilipath treated as 2 monsters and Astrolabe Paladin on the Link Markers! Circuit Combine!" Phantom set Astrolabe Paladin on the Top Arrow while Odd-Eyes Lilipath was on the Bottom and Right Arrows.
"Link Summon! Link 3! Cyber-Eyes Dragon (ATK: 2300 / LINK: 3 / LM: Top, Bottom, Right)!" Phantom summoned Cyber-Eyes in Attack Position in the Extra Monster Zone, replacing Astrolabe Paladin.
"Battle! I attack Hellix Token with Cyber-Eyes Dragon!" Phantom declared attack. Cyber-Eyes Dragon spread its wings, the orbs around its body produced white electrical circles that starting to form white spiraling energy sphere. Cyber-Eyes' dichromatic eyes glinted as it shot the sphere.
"Hellix Cure's effect! I can banish it from Graveyard to negate destruction of Hellix Monster I control until the end of this Turn and change its Battle Position!" Hyde changed Hellix Token into Defense Position, allowing it to survive against Cyber-Eyes' blast. As it was in Defense, Hyde didn't receive any damage.
"Tsk...! I set a card and end my Turn." Phantom concluded, clicking his tongue.
"My Turn! I activate Dreadrat's effect in the Graveyard! I can special summon it but it is excluded when it leaves the Field." Hyde summoned Dreadrat in Attack Position in the Main Monster Zone, and immediately opened the Link Circuit.
"I set Dreadrat and Hellix Token on the Link Markers! Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Link 2! Hellix Necro Darwin (ATK: 1800 / LINK: 2 / LM: Left, Top)!" Hyde summoned Necro Darwin in Attack Position in the zone pointed by Gothiclone's Link Marker.
"Trap Card: Entermate's Magical Gloves! When my opponent special summoned a monster while I control Entermate Monster, I can inflict damage equal to that monster's ATK!" Phantom opened his Reverse Card he set in the previous Turn. A pair of red gloves appeared and formed a fist before going towards Hyde.
"Hellix Necro Darwin's effect. While this card is co-linked, monsters my opponent controls cannot attack this card. When my opponent activates a card or effect that would inflict damage to me, I can make that damage 0, then this card's ATK becomes double its current ATK until the end of this turn." Hyde revealed, destroying the pair of gloves coming at him and doubled Necro Darwin's ATK to 3600.
"Battle! I attack Aria with Hellix Necro Darwin!" Hyde pointed at the weakest Monster on the Field. Plus, Flora Diva was his main target to be annihilated in this Duel. Necro Darwin strikes the Melodious Monster, destroying it.
FLORA DIVA LP: 4000 = 2800
"Next, I attack Prodigy Stradivarius with Gothiclone!" Hyde moved on to the next Melodious Monster.
"I activate Quick-Play Spell: Hellix Corruption! When a Hellix Monster attacks, the opposing monster's effect is negated!" Hyde activated the card from his hand, sealing Prodigy Stradivarius' effect.
"I activate Hellix Necro Darwin in the Graveyard! I special summon it to a zone a Link Monster I control next to the link." Hyde special summoned it to the Bottom next to the link of Hellix Gothiclone.
"As a Link Monster was Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I activate Magic Card: Preserve Species to halve the ATK of one of my opponent's monster and inflict damage equal to half of my opponent's LP." Hyde pointed at Phantom's Cyber-Eyes, halving its ATK to 1150 and halved Phantom's LP.
PHANTOM LP: 2800 = 1400
"I end my Turn. How is it? Aren't my monsters and cards wonderful? They are cards that I created myself and then imbued with His Excellency's power! With this combo, the two of you won't stand a chance!" Hyde laughed madly, looking at his monsters with dreadful delight. Phantom felt even more disgusted by this person. By far, he was the Apophis Duelist he couldn't stand of.
But as much as he hated to admit it, Hyde was right. At the moment, neither he nor Flora Diva could do anything. They must break his combo somehow. But how? What could they do at this situation... It was then, Phantom saw it again. The light and the Egyptian figure.
And somehow, against all odds, the entire area stopped. Phantom heaved in heavy gulps of air as his vision returned back to LINK VRAINS. Flora Diva and Hyde, even their monsters' eyes were on him, as though he had them under some kind of spell. Their faces were pale, muscles trembled. Phantom's head pulsed.
"Phantom," Flora Diva whispered. "You're…you're glowing."
Phantom blinked. He raised one hand up, and sure enough, beneath his skin, there was a soft, golden glow. The figure appeared again. As the figure came closer, it raised its hand until its palm was in front of him. When its fingers touched his forehead, he saw it. He saw the silhouette of a humanoid monster. His pendant started glowing again, and light also came from inside his Extra Deck.
"Flora Diva, leave this to me!" Phantom suddenly said, startling the girl.
"Huh?"
"Just trust me! I know how to defeat him!" He said. He has heard the voice. He knew what he needed to do. He was forever grateful that Flora Diva trusted him and skip her Turn, simply drawing a card and ended her move with that.
"I'll say this, Hyde; this will be your end!" Phantom stated as he raised his arm up.
"Appear! The circuit of entertainment that enlightened the future!" He opened the Link Circuit.
"Arrowhead confirmed! The summoning condition is 1 Magician-Type Monster! I set Cyber-Eyes Dragon and Entermate Sleight Hand Magician on the Link Markers! Circuit Combine!" Phantom set Cyber-Eyes Dragon on the Top, Bottom-Right, and Left Link Markers while Sleight Hand Magician on the Upper-Left Link Markers.
"Link Summon! Appear! Link 4! Decipher Paladin (ATK: 2400 / LINK: 4 / LM: Top, Bottom-Right, Left, Upper-Left)!" Phantom summoned a new paladin. It has a short spiky blond hair with a scar underneath its left eye. It wears a form-fitting black shirt with a small, white, collared vest and finger-less gloves. It was also carrying gunblade as its weapon.
"This power coming from you...! Impossible!" Hyde took a step back in disbelieve. He recognized that power all too well. It was the same power that sealed them away 1,500 years ago.
"I activate Decipher Paladin's effect! On the Turn this card is Link Summoned, I can special summon a Magician-Type Monster from Graveyard next to its Link Marker!" Phantom summoned back Sleight Hand Magician in Attack Position.
"I activate Sleight Hand Magician's effect! By discard a card, I can destroy a monster my opponent controls!" Phantom discarded a card from his hand and pointed at Gothiclone, removing it from the Field.
"What?!" Hyde exclaimed as his first Link Monster was destroyed, leaving him only with Necro Darwin.
"Battle! I attack Hellix Necro Darwin with Sleight Hand Magician!" Phantom made his first attack with his Entermate Monster. Sleight Hand Magician's body was covered in red energy as it delivered the Hellix Monster with repeated palm strikes, destroying the Hellix Monster
HYDE LP: 3500 = 2800
"Now, the finale! I attack directly with Decipher Paladin!" Phantom declared his decisive attack.
Using the paladin's final effect, Phantom increased its ATK by 400 for every monster pointed by its Link Marker. As Sleight Hand Magician was pointed, its ATK was increased to 2800, precisely the same as Hyde's remaining LP. Decipher Paladin first shot Hyde twice, pushing him back against the pillar. Decipher Paladin then changed its gun into sword. Dashing forward, its body was covered in golden light and slashed the Apophis Servant together with the pillar, ending him for good and disabled the barrier.
HYDE LP: 2800 = 0
Hyde wobbled backward, crumbling down on his back. His entire body slowly turned black, from feet to his head. His body was trembling and he writhing in pain, which shocked Phantom and Flora Diva. This was the first to ever happen. Before, when they defeated Apophis Duelist, nothing like this happened. Why now...he looked dying? What exactly happened?
"You...!" Hyde stared wide eyed, close to horror, towards Phantom. "How...did you...possess...that power...?"
"What power?" Phantom asked, not understanding what he meant.
"That power...! That abominable power...of the light...! The power...of...Ma'at...!" Hyde's eyes bulge and the blood leak from his mouth. His body dissipate like a smoke, not leaving a single trace of his existence. And both Phantom and Flora Diva meant that literally it was like...Hyde has truly died. They thought it won't be possible since they were online, but somehow their intuitions were strongly saying otherwise.
Phantom and Flora Diva looked at each other, confusion on both their faces.
What just happened?
HIDEOUT – LINK VRAINS – DEN CITY – CANTIDEL EMPIRE – ARTIFICIAL DIMENSION
Apophis roared. His movement grew restless as he started destroying his surrounding, but not enough to destroy the entire place. The human who was standing near him dodged his attacks until the dragon calmed down. Even though he looked calm, the human was also a bit worried. He glanced up at the dragon. He only knew one thing that could make the dragon this restless.
"I sensed it...! I sensed his power...!"
Apophis roared again, its voice echoed throughout the whole place. He looked up, eyes burning in rage as he sensed the very presence he detested.
"Ma'at...! So you've begun to make your move...!"
NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW:
The Bonds of Past & Present – Yuri and Ryo encounter the second lieutenant, Achille. Meanwhile, Serena and Mai encounter Shiki who are guarding the south barrier that blocking the entrance to the source of the virus.
Finally finished with this chapter. Sorry that this chapter was shorter than usual though. For Yuzu's VR name, I originally wanted to give her a singer, composer, and those kinds of names like her Deck, but I also want to include her En Flower theme like the others whose name also include their En cards themes. And that's why, this become...possibly her temporary VR name unless I find better name for her.
Please don't forget to review this chapter!