Chapter Nine: Endless Decay Part 2
Author's Note-Apologies for the late chapter. This one took a lot longer to plan and write than I was expecting, but it's finally finished so here you go. This was probably the most complicated duel I've had to create in this book, so please do notify me if you spot any mistakes.
Even the mention of Jake's sister's death seemed to cause him pain. "No. I don't want to talk about it. Can we please just finish this duel without mentioning anything personal?"
Endless Decay nodded. She understood that there are some moments in life people just don't want to relive. Still, for some strange reason, she sensed a twinge of guilt behind his words. "Fine, I end my turn then."
Turn 3 - Jake - 8000 LP - 3 cards in hand - 1 monster on field - 0 spells/traps on field
"I draw! The extra 500 DEF on my Kabuto wears off (DEF 2700 — 2200), but that doesn't really matter. Now, I can special summon 'Superheavy Samurai Big Waraji' (Lv5 ATK 800/DEF 1800) in defense position because I have no spells or traps in my graveyard and I'll use it as 2 tributes for the tribute summon of my 'Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei' (Lv8 ATK 1000/DEF 3500)! Benkei's effect allows it to immediately switch into defence position. It now gains 400 ATK and DEF for the Soulfire Suit and Big Waraji in my graveyard (ATK 1000 — 1400/DEF 3500 — 3900) thanks to |Rotting Corpses|. Next, I equip Big Benkei with 'Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns' (Lv1 ATK 0/DEF 300), allowing him to attack twice in the Battle Phase!"
Endless Decay shrugged. "Looks like you've got me cornered."
Jake paused for a second. Wait, why does she seem so nonchalant about it? Does she have a plan? No, I can't hesitate now. I'm doing this for my sister. "Big Benkei attacks and destroys Battlelord (ATK 3300)!"
Endless Decay's LP 8000 — 7400
"Nicely done, but when you destroy Battlelord, it allows me to add 'Revendread Executor' (Lv8 ATK 3000/DEF 0) to my hand and send 'Vendread Core' (Lv1 ATK 0/DEF 500) to the graveyard."
Jake couldn't wait anymore; he had to ask. "Why are you so calm? You have no monsters left on the field and I'm about to deal a massive amount of damage to you!"
Endless Decay laughed. "I have nothing to worry about because I have nothing to lose! If I win, I'll die and if I lose the outcome will be the same! If anything, I should ask you why you're so determined to get your sister's body back."
"I thought that would be obvious. If you win, and you lose control of Jane's corpse, she'll just be left laying on the ground. I need to succeed in this duel so that I can put her respectfully back in her coffin!"
"Hmm... you're an interesting one. Alright, in that case, let's not hold anything back! Hit me with everything you have!"
"As you wish! Big Benkei attacks you directly, but that's not all, Kabuto has also received a DEF boost from |Rotting Corpses| (ATK 1200 — 1400/DEF 2200 — 2400)! It attacks you directly as well!"
Endless Decay's LP 7400 — 1100
"That's all for now. Take your turn."
Turn 4 - Endless Decay - 1100 LP - 2 cards in hand - 0 monsters on field - 1 spell on field
"I draw! I activate Pot of Desires, banishing the top 10 cards of my deck to draw 2 cards! First, I activate the continuous spell 'Vendread Nightmare'. Then, I activate the effect of 'Vendread Nights' to discard 'Vendread Striges' to add another Striges to my hand, building up my graveyard for |Rotting Corpses|. I normal summon the Striges from my hand and I activate the ritual spell 'Revendread Origins' to ritual summon 'Revendread Executor' (Lv8 ATK 3000/DEF 0) by tributing Striges and banishing Revenants and Houndhorde from my graveyard. Since there are currently 4 monsters in my graveyard, Executor gains 800 ATK (ATK 3000 — 3800) and attacks your Kabuto! Striges was tributed for the ritual summon of Executor while it was on the field, so it gives Executor an extra effect. After battling your Kabuto, I can draw a card and then discard a card. Looks like I drew 'Vendread Chimera' (Lv5 ATK 2300/DEF 0), but I'm going to discard it straight away to keep growing my graveyard. 'Vendread Nightmare' gives my Executor an extra 1000 ATK for destroying Kabuto and it also gains an extra 200 ATK from the Chimera in my graveyard (ATK 3800 — 5000)."
Jake was a little shocked by how much powerful Executor was now, but luckily he still had a card in his hand to protect himself, so he stood his ground.
"As you probably know, when a Vendread monster I control destroys one of your monsters by battle, I can banish 'Vendread Striges' from my graveyard to allow Executor to attack another one of your monsters. Sure, that lowers its ATK a little (ATK 5000 — 4800) but it's worth it. Now, Executor attacks your Benkei!"
"That's what you think! I discard my second Soulfire Suit to protect my Benkei from being destroyed by battle!"
"Well played. I guess I'll have to end my turn here."
Turn 5 - Jake - 8000 LP - 0 cards in hand - 1 monsters on field - 1 spell on field
"I draw! As I have no spells or traps in my graveyard, I can special summon 'Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter' (Lv2/Tuner ATK 300/DEF 600) from my hand. Now, by using Trumpeter and Benkei, I can synchro summon 'Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susanowo' (Lv10 ATK 2400/DEF 3800) in defense position. Trumpeter, Benkei and Soulhorns are now all in my graveyard. With a total of 6 monsters in my graveyard, |Rotting Corpses| gives my Susanowo enough power to destroy your Executor (DEF 3800 — 5000)! Susanowo attacks Executor!"
Endless Decay's LP 1100 — 900
"Executor's effect makes its name 'Revendread Slayer' while it's on the field, so I can banish 'Revendread Origins' from my graveyard to save Executor from destruction."
"I knew that was going to happen. All I can do now is activate Susanowo's effect, which allows me to target the other 'Revendread Origins' in your graveyard and set it in my Spell & Trap Card Zone to get rid of all the protection you have. I end my turn."
Turn 6 - Endless Decay - 900 LP - 0 cards in hand - 1 monster on field - 2 spells on field
"I think this duel has gone on long enough. Time to break down your final defences. I draw and activate the ritual spell 'Revendread Evolution'! It allows me to ritual summon 'Vendread Battlelord' from my graveyard by sending another 'Vendread Battlelord' from my deck to the graveyard. Now, I activate the effect of the 'Vendread Anima' in my graveyard. By banishing it, I can target my banished Houndhorde and special summon it! Next, 'Vendread Core' also activates its effect. By banishing a Striges from my graveyard, I can special summon it, but it is banished when it leaves the field. Using Core and Houndhorde, I link summon 'Avendread Savior' (Link-2 ATK 1600/ARW Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right)! Savior allows me to add Houndhorde back to my hand, which I will discard right away with Nights to add Revenants to my hand. I normal summon Revenants and using Battlelord and Savior, I link summon another Savior!"
"What? You used your ritual monster and your link monster to summon the same link monster again? Why?"
"Well, your Susanowo has a ton of DEF, and |Rotting Corpses| rewards me greatly for adding more and more monsters to my graveyard. Plus, when Battlelord is sent to the graveyard, I can add 'Revendread Slayer' (Lv6 ATK 2400/DEF 0) to my hand and send another 'Vendread Anima' to the graveyard. Houndhorde's effect in the graveyard discards Slayer to special summon itself in attack position, but it is banished when it leaves the field. To add even more to my graveyard, I'm using Revenants and Savior to link summon yet another Savior. Now, with 7 monsters in my graveyard, Executor's ATK grows to monstrous proportions (ATK 4800 — 5400) and it can finally destroy your Susanowo! The effect Striges gave Executor activates, drawing me a Core which I will discard. Nightmare activates after the destruction of your Warlord, boosting Executor's ATK once again (ATK 5400 — 6600). I'm not done with you yet! Savior (ATK 1600 — 3200) and Houndhorde (ATK 0 — 1600) both attack you directly, and with that, I end my turn."
Jake's LP 8000 — 3200
Jake was a little taken aback by how effectively Endless Decay was using both his sister's deck and |Rotting Corpses|, but he still had a chance. That Houndhorde currently only has 1600 ATK. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to take advantage of that weak point and win! It's now or never!
Turn 7 - Jake - 3200 LP - 0 cards in hand - 0 monsters on field - 1 spell on field
"I draw!" Jake shouted, and his face immediately fell. He knew he had lost. "I normal summon 'Superheavy Samurai Soulpiercer' (ATK 1200/DEF 0), which gains 1200 ATK from |Rotting Corpses| (ATK 1200 — 2400). It attacks your Houndhorde and I end my turn."
Endless Decay's LP 900 — 100
Turn 8 - Endless Decay - 100 LP - 0 cards in hand - 2 monsters on field - 2 spells on field
Endless Decay coughed up a little blood, and gave a sad smile. "I left that Houndhorde on the field to give you one more chance to win, but it looks like you were just unlucky. It was a fun duel and you fought well, but I'm afraid I have to end it here. Hmm... looks like I drew my final Revenants, but it no longer matters. 'Revendread Executor' (ATK 6800) attacks your 'Superheavy Samurai Soulpiercer'. Looks like it's the end of the line for both of us. Goodbye Jake."
Jake's LP 3200 — 0
WINNER: Endless Decay
As Jake slowly began to lose consciousness, he could only think about one thing. I need to bury my sister again. I need to keep her corpse safe, because she was the only person who ever cared about me.