Disclaimer: See Chapter 37 for details
Chapter 38: Demonic Assault, Part 2The score was Black Joker: 100 to Joey: 700. Joey completely had control of the field with his Guilford the Lightning, the only monster in play. Black Joker had one set magic or trap on the field, while Joey had none. Guilford had just reduced Black Joker's life points dramatically, and the joker stumbled to maintain a steady balance. When he did, the first thing he did was activate his set card.
"Reveal trap, Beacon of Hope! This card allows me to summon any monster from my deck to the field with less attack points than your Guilford" he explained as he shuffled through his deck until he found the perfect monster, which he slapped on the duel disk. "The monster I choose to summon is my Primordial Slime (2000/1850)" he announced as his monster appeared. Several chrome droplets formed together until they took the shape of a chrome-Revival Jam. The monster wiggled in place.
"What is that?" a disgusted Joey questioned.
"A monster that will bring me one step closer to victory and you one step closer to defeat. Now hurry up and end your turn!" demanded the Black Joker.
"Fine. There's nothing else I can do, so I'll end my turn," responded Joey.
"About time" Black Joker hissed whilst he drew. "I'll set a monster in defense mode and set two cards face-down. Why don't you attack my monster Joey? I'm sure your Guilford with 2800 attack points can easily destroy this card!" he coaxed.
"That's probably the worst baiting attempt I've ever seen" dully replied Joey.
"Suit yourself, but remember, every turn you do nothing, it doesn't bring you closer to victory, so why don't you take a chance Joey. You're known for taking risks" Black Joker poorly continued his coaxing spree.
"We'll see" Joey ended the discussion. He drew his card. "Alright, I'm setting Baby Dragon (1200/700) on the field in defense mode! Now, Guilford the Lightning, attack his Primordial Slime!" commanded Joey as his monster charged his sword full of electricity and ran up to attack the slime.
"Reverse trap card!" cut off Black Joker. "Silent Wall! This trap will nullify your Guilford's attack while providing me with 1400 more life points" he explained as a trio of magicians formed on the field, encircling Guilford in a ring of magic, negating his attack. (BJ: 1500)
Joey growled a bit, knowing he was at a minor setback. "That's all for now" he snapped as Black Joker chuckled.
Black Joker snatched a card from his deck holster. He was surprised by what he had drawn. "This card could clench the match for me if used properly. But too bad I've got no way to summon it. I'll just have to hope the cards I need come soon. Joey here's not too bad of a duelist," he pondered, studying the field and his hand several times.
"Make your move already!" demanded Joey.
"I'll pass this turn," replied the joker.
"I wonder what card he drew. I have a feeling it's a powerful card, Black Joker's known for stalling to figure out top-notch strategies," pointed out Miranda on the sidelines.
"Yes, I get that same feeling" Yugi responded.
"My move" declared Joey as he drew his next card. His card wasn't too powerful, but it was more powerful than Baby Dragon. He decided to play it. "I'm sacrificing Baby Dragon to bring out The Legendary Fisherman (1850/1600)" he proclaimed as his tiny, orange dragon was replaced by a muscular fisherman with frizzy, blue hair riding on a skinny, sleek blue orca whale. The fisherman's weapon of choice was a sharp bladed harpoon.
"Joey's a bigger fool than I imagined if he thinks Black Joker's going down this easily" Ace of Spades thought.
"Now let's try this again! Guilford the Lightning, attack his Primordial Slime!" Joey said. Guilford obeyed and charged his sword up again, this time, successfully slicing the slime in several pieces, which were scattered about the battlefield. (BJ: 700) However, to Joey's astonishment, the scattered remains fused back together. The slime glowed a vibrant white light. When the light died down, there were two Primordial Slimes instead of one. Joey scanned the field. No traps had been activated, so what could have been going on??
"Surprised, Joey? I would be too. You see, my Primordial Slime also carries with it a special ability. First, any time you destroy it, it instantly returns to the field in attack mode. Next, whenever it returns to the field, it allows me to bring out another Primordial Slime. And finally, each time it returns to the field from the graveyard, Primordial Slime's attack power increases by 500!" Black Joker explained as his first slime's attack points rose to 2500.
"Oh no!" Yugi gasped. "Joey's got himself in a tight spot. And if he attacks again, his Guilford the Lightning will be overwhelmed. But that's exactly where Black Joker's problem is. The only way his monster can come back is if Joey attacks it" he told his friends. "Joey! Try to use a magic or trap card to destroy the slimes! Attacking won't work" he announced to his friend.
"Looks like Wheeler's still relying on backseat dueling" Kaiba told Mokuba.
"Oh. Good call Yugi" Joey realized.
Black Joker drew. "I'll set a card face down on the field and end my turn" he declared. "Come on Joey, do something stupid again. This time, however, the consequences will be much more worse."
Joey drew. "What's this guy up to? That facedown monster must be significant in his plans, but I've got bigger problems with these two slime things. If I attack, they come back stronger and bring another one with them? But that gives me an idea. He still lost life points when I attacked before, so if I can attack the weaker one and destroy it, he'll lose anyway. I just hope he can't stop my attack" he deliberated attacking, but decided to. He just might win. "Guilford the Lightning!" he announced.
"That's it" thought Black Joker.
"Attack his weaker Primordial Slime! Lightning Blade!" Joey finished his command as his monster once again lit his sword up with electricity and dashed up to the slime.
"Activate trap card! Shift! Now I'll transfer your attack to my face-down monster!" Black Joker cut off the attack as the Primordial Slime was replaced with the facedown card. Guilford sliced the card in half, revealing a tiny, sparkling fairy in a golden gown. The fairy was instantly destroyed.
Miranda growled, knowing what this meant. "Miranda, something wrong?" Yugi noticed her change in behavior.
"Nothing too serious, except Joey picked a bad card to destroy. See, when it's sent to the graveyard, Fairy of Last Hope allows Black Joker to sacrifice one monster to summon any monster in his hand that he wants" pointed out Miranda. Yugi sighed heavily upon hearing her response.
"Now my Fairy of Last Hope's power activates! I can sacrifice the weaker Primordial Slime to summon my Invisible Soldier (2500/2500)!" he explained as the slime burst to be replaced by a monster only visible by the hairlines that outlined its body. It also carried with it a jagged edged sword capable of damaging countless enemies.
"Great" Joey thought to himself. "I guess I'll end my turn" he finished his turn.
"Fine by me. I draw" announced Black Joker. "I'll let you figure out my card's special abilities on your own" he slammed one card in the duel disk. "I set a card face down and end my turn. Back to you, Joey."
"This duel's quite a bore. I wish someone would do something exciting again" contemplated Ace of Spades.
"I'm not giving up" spoke Joey as he drew. "Let's go Guilford! Attack and destroy the Invisible Soldier!" once again spoke Joey. For the fourth time, Guilford charged up his sword and brought it before Invisible Soldier, only to have Invisible Soldier surrounded by a magical barrier, negating the attack. Black Joker's life points also increased instead of decreased. (BJ: 1950)
Joey had a confused look on his face. "Since you seem stunned, I'll take the liberty of filling you in. My magic card, Holy Water, has increased my life points by half of the attack points of Invisible Soldier and negating your Guilford's attack as well. Pretty nifty card eh?" Black Joker chortled as Joey growled. He hit another roadblock. Guilford wasn't helping out nearly as much as Joey had planned.
"I set one card face down on the field and end my move" Joey declared.
"I think I'll make this duel a little more interesting" announced the joker. He drew. "Primordial Slime, attack Guilford the Lightning now!" he demanded.
"What?" protested Joey. "Your monster's about to be destroyed! The first rule in Duel Monsters is that the monster with the lower attack points loses? What are you thinking?"
"A lot more than you are" snapped Black Joker. "Remember, Primordial Slime will be destroyed in battle, allowing me to bring it back AND raise its attack power to 3000! Seems like I'm always one step ahead of you" he protested as the slime began to wrap around Guilford, nearly swallowing him.
"Really? Well, I'd think again because this trap can stop that from happening! Reveal trap, Vow of the Family! Since we both control 2 monsters, your attack becomes null and void!" happily elucidated Joey as he had finally pulled out a trick himself.
"Well Joey, I assure you that move was coincidental and lucky. It won't happen again. But for now, I'm forced to end my turn" Black Joker stated coolly.
"Fine by me" Joey snatched his next card. "Hmm…what to do this turn. Luckily, I still have the strongest card on the field, my Guilford the Lightning. But if I attack that Primordial Slime, it will just come back and destroy me next turn. My only shot is to go for that Invisible Soldier, but does it have any special ability?" he wondered until Yugi interrupted his thoughts.
"Joey, this is a great time to attack! He has no set cards on the field!" pointed out Yugi, reawakening Joey's senses.
"If he got this far, I'm sure he can duel for himself!" angrily retorted Ace of Spades, fed up with all of this backseat dueling. The entire gang stopped to stare at him, and he just glared back. There was a brief silence between the two parties broken only by a command from Joey.
"Oh yeah! Guilford the Lightning, slice and dice that Invisible Soldier!" Joey commanded as his monster once again had his sword light up with electricity and charged at the outline of Black Joker's invisible creature. However, Guilford soon became confused! It was as if the monster had disappeared all together! Guilford then returned to his post. In a chain reaction, the Invisible Soldier reappeared and solified, revealing a devious, translucent creature.
"I don't get it? Why isn't your monster one for the graveyard?" Joey speculated. It didn't seem to make any sense.
"Let me put it to you this way, I pay 1000 life points, my monster evades your attack!" smiled the Black Joker, in unison with his Invisible Soldier. Joey set a card on the field. "And that concludes your turn." Black Joker drew. (BJ: 950)
"I set another card on the field. And just so you won't pull another Vow of the Family on me, Invisible Soldier attack the Legendary Fisherman!" commanded Black Joker. His soldier once again vanished, reappearing right behind the fisherman, stabbing him in the back before he shattered. The soldier then floated back over to Black Joker's field but not before flashing Joey a wicked grin. (J: 50)
Joey drew once again. He was only 50 life points away before being defeated, something he didn't want to happen. Not only would he lose his spot in the finals, but also as Yugi said before, he has no idea what these people may do to him. He remembered that time a while back when Malik trapped Mai in the Shadow Realm. It was awful just thinking about it. He didn't want it to happen to anyone again, especially himself.
He looked at his card. It was Tiger Axe, not a relatively strong monster, but any monster could be used to defend his monster. "I set a card face down" Joey began "and set one magic or trap on the field. That ends my turn this time around" he finished, knowing he couldn't risk triggering the trap Black Joker had for he was close to being finished.
Black Joker drew. "There's nothing you can do" he taunted. "But there is plenty for me to do! Like discarding two monsters from my hand to bring forth my Death Wasp (800/1100)!" he explained as a burnt orange wasp materialized on the field, and briefly glowed orange. It seemed to multiply itself, one glowing blue, and another wasp glowing green. The light died down to reveal indeed, three wasps.
"Like my little magic trick?" Black Joker questioned. "Since I special summoned my Death Wasp, two others are joined along side it. Next up, I'll use this powerful little magic card, known as the Dark Designator!" he declared.
"Oh no!" Yugi protested on the sidelines.
"What's wrong Yugi. Is that card powerful?" Anzu asked.
"Not necessarily, but the way it's been used here it can be. Black Joker can still summon a monster to the field and I think he's summoned those wasps so he can sacrifice them for a high-powered monster from Joey's deck. See, the card he just used allows him to name one card. If that monster is in Joey's deck, it gets added to Joey's hand." Yugi explained the card. Anzu seemed discouraged at first, but then noticed an important factor.
"Wait, the card will be in Joey's hand, so how can Black Joker use it?" she argued her case.
"Just watch" was Yugi's solemn reply.
"Go on and name something!" Joey impatiently demanded.
"Fine then, but since I carefully analyzed your deck before this duel, I know nearly every card in it! So, the card I have chosen to fulfill my magic card's power is your Insect Queen! Cough it up!" Black Joker already knew the card laid dormant in Joey's deck. Joey's deck holster spit out the card for him to take, which he did and placed it within his hand.
"Then, I'll use this magic card too!" he announced as the card flipped up. "Pillager!" Joey instantly remembered that card. How could he forget?
-------- FLASHBACK -------------
"I'm using the Pillager! This card lets me look at your hand and take one card from it, so lay them down!" Bandit Keith stated as his magic card took effect. He studied Joey's hand, noticing a particular card in the middle. "Hey, I think I'll take this card!" he tapped it on his screen and the card was transferred to Bandit Keith's side of the arena. He snatched it up from the distributor in and slammed it onto the field. "Go! Shield and Sword! Swap attack points with defense points" he said as Slot Machine's stats swapped to 3000/3400 while Red Eyes Black Metal Dragon was 2400/3400. "Attack!" demanded Keith. The machine fired missiles at the dragon and a huge wave of smoke engulfed the arena. The smoke died down to see Joey still with 450 life points and a little demon holding a Time Machine card in his hand.
Bandit Keith couldn't believe it. His own trap was used against him, resurrecting Red Eyes Black Metal Dragon at full strength: 3400/3000. The dragon counterattacked and won the duel, barely.
-------- END FLASHBACK --------
That one magic card nearly cost Joey the duel, and his spot in the finals. If Bandit Keith hadn't have played his own trap, Joey would have lost. And now the same card was coming back to haunt him.
"I'll take that Insect Queen" Black Joker cunningly said.
"Catch" Joey said as he threw it at him, which he caught easily.
"Now I'll sacrifice my Invisible Soldier and one of my three wasps to bring out your Insect Queen!" Black Joker declared as he slapped the card on the field. Instantly the two monsters were offered up and the Insect Queen card materialized on the field. The card swirled briefly and two long, thorny indigo legs burst from the card, signaling the presence of the queen. Her large head and thorax-followed suit complete with her red-shelled abdomen. She screeched when she had completely come out of the card. (2200/2400)
"That makes no sense" instantly thought Joey. "He sacrifices a stronger monster to bring out a weaker—oh wait a minute" he remembered her special ability, gaining 200 attack points for each insect on the field. Now she was equal to Guilford in attack strength.
"Now, since my monster can't beat yours, I'll set a card face down and let you continue things from here" he pointed at Joey.
"Don't worry, I won't disappoint" sarcastically countered Joey. "If I don't attack now, I might not get the chance later, I've got one way to increase Guilford's strength, but it will only work for one turn. Come on Lady Luck, be on my side today" he silently and quickly prayed before activating the card. "I'm using this magic card, Riryoku Blade! This card sends electricity coursing through Guilford's veins, powering him up 500 points!" Joey explained as his monster's stats shot up (3300/1900).
"That's it stupid. Just one more word out of your mouth and that'll be curtains for Guilford" Black Joker carefully thought out Joey's soon-to-be mistake.
"Guilford the Lightning, attack the Insect Queen with Thunder Blade Strike!" instructed Joey as his monster received a dramatic lightning bolt striking his sword, much more powerful than the ones before. He charged full-speed at the Insect Queen.
"And that's the end of this monster! Miracle of Fallen Spirit, activate!" sprang Black Joker as a column of fire instantly swirled around Guilford. The heat was too intense for the monster and he was finally banished to the graveyard.
Joey growled, knowing his best card had been defeated. "Relax" came Black Joker, "look on the bright side. You get to gain 2800 life points, so it's not a complete drawback" he announced as Joey's life points skyrocketed (J: 2850)
"All I can do now is hope that this card can do some damage" a depressed Joey thought out. "I place one card in defense mode and end my turn" he said, with an obvious lack of enthusiasm.
"Be strong Joey!" encouraged Yugi. Joey smiled in response.
"What's there to be happy about?" Black Joker snapped. Joey turned to face him. Black Joker drew, eyes still staring at Joey's. "I think it's time to unleash a creature that will help me consume your soul! Are you ready Joey? It doesn't matter! For now I use this magic card, Liberation of Insect Goddess! This allows me to sacrifice Insect Queen and another insect to bring forth the most powerful Insect being ever! I offer up Insect Queen and one Death Wasp to play this! Insect Goddess, Hecuba, arise!" he slapped the monster on the field.
The winds picked up in speed drastically, and a vortex appeared on the field. Insect Queen and a Death Wasp were lost within it, their souls offered to the goddess. She accepted the offering and emerged from the vortex unfolding her wings. Her wings completely filled up Black Joker's side of the field. The goddess' skin was a dusty yellow color with at least 30 eyes (you know how insect vision works). She had 6 legs, even though she only used 2. Her other 4 were folded before her for quick use if she needed. Her arms had poisonous sharp pincers on them, ready to strike and poison any foes. Her stats were shown at 3400/3700.
"That's one…big…bug" Joey stumbled through his sentence.
"Joey! Be careful!" Yugi cried out.
"Yeah! Stay strong man!" cheered Tristan
"Just believe and you can defeat him!" added Miranda.
"Believe what you want, fools, nothing can save him now. Even though this isn't the best Black Joker's got, it's pretty good" Ace of Spades commentated to himself on the sidelines.
"Pretty powerful card he's got there. I wonder what else I can strip him of when I defeat him in a duel" Kaiba greedily conjured up.
"So Joey, what will you do now? I've got you cornered, staring down one of the most powerful cards in all of Duel Monsters. Face it, even if you had every card in your deck in your hand you couldn't defeat me! You're about to lose!" Black Joker yelled.
"There's no way I'll loose to a creep like you! I've got real reasons for fighting and with them, my friends, and my deck fighting beside me there's no way I can lose this duel" Joey retorted.
"Well, if you think that your deck is so "powerful" then why don't you show some of that power?" Black Joker replied.
"Don't worry. I will" Joey said, with new determination in his voice.
CARDS PLAYED
Beacon of Hope: TRAP/Desc: You may only activate this card when there are no monsters on your side of the field. Special summon one monster from your deck to the field in face-up attack position. The monster's attack points must be equal to or lower than all of your opponent's face-up monsters attack points.
Primordial Slime: Level 6/ 2000/1850/ Aqua Type/Desc: When this card is sent to the graveyard as a result of battle, it is immediately special summoned back to the field in face-up attack position. At that time, increase this card's attack power by 500 points. When this card is special summoned from the graveyard, you may special summon another "Primordial Slime" from your hand or deck to the field (in any position).
Baby Dragon: Level 3/ 1200/700/ Dragon Type
Silent Wall: TRAP/Desc: When your opponent attacks, negate the attack and increase your life points by an amount equal to half of the attacking monster's attack points.
Legendary Fisherman: Level 5/ 1850/1600/ Warrior Type/Desc: When "Umi" is face-up on the Field, this card is unaffected by any Magic Cards and cannot be attacked by your opponent's monsters.
Shift: TRAP/Desc: You can activate this card when your opponent designates 1 monster on your side of the Field as the target of a Magic, Trap, or battle attack. Change the target to a different monster on your side of the Field.
Fairy of Last Hope: Level 2/ 500/500/ Fairy Type/Desc: When this card is sent to the graveyard as a result of battle, you may sacrifice one monster on your side of the field. Special summon one monster from your hand.
Invisible Soldier: Level 7/ 2500/2500/ Spellcaster/Desc: When this card is designated as the target of an attack, you may pay 1000 life points to negate the attack.
Holy Water: QUICK-PLAY MAGIC/Desc: Select one monster on your side of the field. Increase your life points by half of that monster's attack points. Select a monster on the field. Any attack made by that monster during the turn in which this card is activated is negated.
Vow of Brothers: TRAP/Desc: During this turn, if both players control the same number of monsters, neither player can conduct a battle phase.
Death Wasp: Level 4/ 800/1100/ Insect/Desc: This card may be special summoned from your hand by discarding 2 monster cards from your hand. When this card is special summoned, you may special summon up to 2 more "Death Wasps" from your deck to the field in face-up defense position.
Dark Designator: MAGIC/Desc: Declare 1 Monster Card name. If the declared card is in your opponent's Deck, add 1 of that card to your opponent's hand.
Pillager: MAGIC/Desc: Look at your opponent's hand and take one card from their hand and add it to yours.
Insect Queen: Level 7/ 2200/2400/ Insect/Desc: This card cannot attack unless you offer 1 of your monsters on the field as a Tribute. Increase this Monster's attack strength by 200 for each Insect-Type Monster on the Field. When this card destroys an enemy monster, you can place an "Insect Monster Token" (Face-up Attack position/Insect-Type/Earth/1 Star/ATK 100/DEF 100) on the field at the end of your turn.
Riryoku Blade: EQUIPMENT MAGIC/Desc: This card may only be equipped to "Guilford the Lightning." Increase "Guilford the Lightning's" attack power by 500 points until the End Phase in which this card is activated.
Miracle of Fallen Spirit: TRAP/Desc: When your opponent attacks, destroy the attacking monster. Your opponent gains life points equal to the original attack of the monster that was destroyed by this trap card.
Liberation of Insect Goddess: RITUAL MAGIC/Desc: Sacrifice one "Insect Queen" and a second insect monster on your side of the field. Special summon one "Insect Goddess- Hecuba" from your hand or deck to the field.
Insect Goddess-Hecuba: Level 9/ 3400/3700/ Insect/Desc: This card may only be special summoned by the effect of "Liberation of Insect Goddess." This monster's attack power increases by 500 for every insect monster on the field (excluding this card). Increase the attack power of every insect monster on your side of the field by 500 points. When this card is chosen as the target of a monster effect, magic card, or trap card, you may decrease this monster's defense points to make this card immune to the effect (excluding during this card's controller's battle phase).