Disclaimer: See Chapter 43 for details
Chapter 44: Return of the Demon, Part 1
"I'll take first turn honors" rudely declared Black Joker "and I'll use my turn to summon Blue Ninja (1200/1500) in attack mode" he announced as his stealthy robotic blue ninja flipped onto the field, kunai ready to stab through a foe. "I'll set a card on the field before ending my turn."
"Heh. Child's play" retorted Kaiba, swiftly drawing his next card. "I'll place a monster on the field in defense mode, and set two cards face down and end my turn" he declared, three brown back cards making their debut on Kaiba's field.
"And you call my move pointless? I'll place another card on the field in my magic and trap zone! Then, go Blue Ninja, attack his monster with Swift Kunai Strike!" commanded Black Joker as the ninja flipped in the air, releasing five kunai which stabbed into the card. However, the monster was not destroyed by the kunai, only revealed.
"You attacked my Familiar Knight, so that means you lose 200 life points Joker" Kaiba explained. (J: 3800)
"Fine Kaiba, take your turn" Joker spat.
"I will" Kaiba drew. "Now witness this! I summon Spear Dragon (1900/0) in attack mode! Next, I'll move Familiar Knight into attack mode. You're making this way too easy Joker! Spear Dragon, destroy his ninja!" commanded Kaiba as his dragon obeyed, unleashing a cyclone blast, enveloping the robotic ninja. (J: 3100)
"Familiar Knight, attack him directly!" added Kaiba as his knight slashed vertically at Black Joker. (J: 1900)
"You'll pay for that move Kaiba," swore the joker.
"The way you've been dueling in this match, I highly doubt I will," responded Kaiba.
"Don't worry, I intend to step my game up! I call Zombie Archer (1400/1800) in defense mode to the field!" announced Joker as the undead archer knocked an arrow, ready to fire at any sign of instruction from his master.
"Another weak card? I'm growing tired of this" thought Kaiba, while drawing his next card. "I'll bring out Z-Metal Tank (1500/1300) he declared as his small yellow tank materialized on the field. "I switch Spear Dragon into attack mode as well! Spear Dragon, attack his archer!" he instructed as the dragon unleashed another cyclone blast, swallowing up the defending archer. (J: 1800)
"Familiar Knight, attack his life points directly!" added Kaiba, his knight charging at Joker.
"Hold on! Activate magic card, Full House!" sprang Joker as his card flipped up. Four knights, one orange, one blue, one red, and one green appeared on the field.
"What is this?" asked Kaiba, monster still charging for a knight.
"My spell has summoned four tokens to the field, but that's not all. They gain 500 attack points for each card I have in my hand, and I have four!" Joker enlightened Kaiba as each of his knights raised to 2000 attack points. "Ace Knight, counterattack!" he declared as the green knight stabbed Familiar Knight, destroying the monster. (K: 3200)
Kaiba growled. "I'll finish my turn then."
"Just what I thought," said the Joker. He casually drew, raising his cards' attack to 2500. "Perfect! I sacrifice my Jack Token to summon Primordial Slime (2000/1850)!" he declared as his monster's attack lowered to 2000. The blue knight exploded, its molecules reforming to form a chrome slime, which wiggled in place.
"I remember this card," recalled Kaiba. "He used it in his duel with Wheeler!"
Flashback---
"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" told the Black Joker.
"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. 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.
"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.
End Flashback---
"So if I try to attack, I'll just be hurting myself more than helping, but if I don't attack, I'll be good, at least for a while" strategized Kaiba. "However, there is a monster in my deck that could get me out of this jam. Oh, bad pun." He thought.
"While you're daydreaming, I'll be dueling" Joker broke Kaiba's concentration. "Primordial Slime, attack his Spear Dragon!" he proclaimed as his slime monster ate the dragon, transforming it into more slime for its body.
Kaiba drew. "I bring forth Blade Knight (1600/1100) in defense mode and move my Z-Metal Tank into defense as well" Kaiba declared as his light-blue armored knight brought its shield before it, and the tank shifted its wings into a defensive position. "Then I'll set a card on the field and end my turn"
Joker drew. "You're pitiful Kaiba. Primordial Slime, destroy that Blade Knight!" he commanded, the monster lunging towards the knight.
"Wait Joker! I've got a trap card, Ring of Destruction! This card will instantly destroy your slime and deduct 2000 life points from both of us! And if you're in too much shock to know how to subtract, that means you've just lost the duel!" Kaiba confirmed as a ring of grenades mystically appeared around the slime's neck. The grenades then exploded, spewing chrome slime all over the arena. The slime was holographically disappeared in a matter of seconds however. Joker was smiling.
"So you enjoy losing?" Kaiba asked.
"No, but I haven't lost so it's alright! Activate, Holy Water! This card replenishes my life points by half of my slime's attack power!" Joker countered, mystical water splashing on him, drying instantly. (J: 2800). The ring surrounding the slime then exploded, sending tiny pools of chrome all over the battlefield. (J: 800) (K: 1200).
"So it would seem I'm still in the game, eh Kaiba?" taunted the joker.
"Perfect" thought Kaiba "My attempt to defeat him failed, so he's not that bad of an amateur. But he's still nowhere near as good as I am. During my next turn, I might be able to do some heavy damage, I just need the right card."
"I'll set a card on the field and finish my turn" announced Joker, his remaining tokens' attack depleting to 1500.
"Heh…whatever" swiftly drew Kaiba.
"This duel's really more than it looks. I just pray Kaiba won't lose, or his soul may be stolen just like Joey's was. But I doubt even Kaiba can beat this guy, his deck theme's really peculiar and seems to be pretty powerful…I just don't know" pondered Yugi on the sidelines.
"Something the matter Yugi?" Anzu questioned, noticing a grim change in her friend's attitude.
"Oh nothing Tea, just…thinking about something" Yugi responded.
"It's Joey…isn't it?" she asked.
"Well…sort of" he paused. "I'm just not sure if even Kaiba can beat this guy, and Kaiba and I are practically equals, so if he can't, I'm afraid that I'll fail as well."
"Don't tell yourself that! You are Kaiba aren't equals, you've dueled and beaten Kaiba three times!" Anzu refueled Yugi's confidence.
"Yeah, you're right Anzu. Thank you for letting me see that, and maybe I can finish what Kaiba can't"
Kaiba drew. "My move!" he announced.
"Hold on, activate trap, Mass Extinction, which will destroy all cards on the field and will force us to discard our hands!" Joker responded as a massive vortex appeared on the field, dragging all monsters and set cards on the field to their demise. Both players followed by discarding their hands.
"Now what" Kaiba spat.
"Then, we both draw six cards, however, you are not permitted to attack this turn" Joker completed his explanation.
"Pretty nifty card" thought Kaiba. "I'll summon V-Tiger Jet (1700/1200) and place one card face down. That's all from me," he announced as his orange mechanic tiger appeared on the field.
"Fine by me…like it'll help" Joker replied, drawing his next card. "Now I call forth Red Knight (1200/1000)!" he announced as his monster, a decaying zombie in rusty red armor materialized on the field, emitting a deep groan.
"I'm afraid I don't see what this card can do? My Tiger Jet will send it back to the graveyard on my next turn" declared Kaiba.
"Fool, I'm not quite finished yet! Activate Legion of the Undead, which will call upon two more Red Knights (1200/1000) and then summon two Blue Knights (1900/2300) to the field! Arise my army of demon soldiers!" Joker commanded as two more of the red armored zombies, joined by two large shield and sword wielding blue armored demons appeared on the field.
"Didn't plan on that happening" thought Kaiba.
"That's not all that happens! For each Blue Knight on the field, my Red Knights gain 500 attack points (3 2200/1000), and for all the Red Knights, my Blue Knights gain 300 attack points each (2 2500/2300), so try getting past my inevitable army of monsters!" Joker recalled as his monsters' attack points rose accordingly.
"No! Now not only can he destroy my V-Tiger Jet, but my life points will be left wide open," thought Kaiba.
"I can tell by the look on your face you think I'm going to attack, well luckily for you, I can't this turn, so make your move!" Joker announced, much to Kaiba's pleasure, however, the young businessman showed no signs of relief. Instead, he drew.
"Alright, I've got nothing I can summon this turn…so I'm going to need to buy myself another move. If I get another monster, I could summon Blue Eyes White Dragon in my next turn, but to take out five monsters would take way too long going turn by turn, so maybe there's another monster I can use, and luckily for me, I have another component right here in my hand" he thought.
"If I knew you would take this long to play a card, I would have brought a novel along, now hurry up and play your card! Not like it will further your chances for victory! We both know there's no card that you have that can destroy my army of demons! They will annihilate you and the worst part for you Kaiba, is you know that there's nothing you can do to save yourself," Joker stated.
"Wrong" replied Kaiba. "I've got plenty of strategies that will take you down. And now that you've finally shut up, I can set another card on the field face down and summon W-Double Wing Catapult (1400/1600) to the field!" His new monster, a dark blue catapult with missiles aimed and ready to fire at a moment's notice, emerged on the playing field.
"I see where Kaiba's headed with this" slyly noticed Joker. "I'll just have to be sure what he wants won't happen."
"I think I know what Kaiba's planning" thought Yugi, "and it's probably his best bet to defeat this guy. Hopefully, he won't catch on until Kaiba's finished. Though his combo may be powerful, it takes a long time to set up…come on Kaiba."
"I draw," declared Joker. "This is the end of the line, Kaiba! Blue Knight, carve up his Winged Catapult and the rest of his life points with it!" announced Joker as the knight unsheathed a rusty iron sword, charging toward the machine.
"You've triggered my facedown spell, Card Guard! This card protects my monsters from any damage, as long as I discard two cards from my hand" Kaiba proclaimed, filling the requirement. Two duel-disks appeared before his monsters, serving as shields, which easily repelled the knight's attack before they dispersed.
"He may have escaped that attack, but I've got plenty of turns left to take him down," thought Joker, concluding his move.
Kaiba drew. "Good card. I use Life-Shortening Treasure to draw 5 cards in exchange for discarding my entire hand in five turns. But we won't get far enough for that to happen."
"I couldn't agree with you more" Joker concurred.
"Yeah, whatever. Next, I'll use Raise Dead to bring back my Z-Metal Tank (1500/1300) in attack mode, and then I'll move my V-Tiger Jet and W-Double Wing Catapult into defense mode, you know, to give them a new perspective. Finally, I'll finish with another card" Kaiba stated as his yellow tank reappeared on the field, and the tiger and catapult shifted into defense positions.
"I see straight through Kaiba's fool plan. He expects me to go for an attack on his life points to save his Tiger Jet and Catapult. I'll be sure to stop him," thought Joker as he drew. "I'll play Monster Reincarnation to move Primordial Slime from my graveyard to my hand!" he announced as his graveyard slot spat out the demon monster, which Joker eagerly transferred to his hand.
"Thanks fool! Now I can reveal Thirst for Compensation!" Kaiba sprang his magic card. "Now I can summon forth my X-Head Cannon (1800/1500) and Y-Dragon Head (1500/1600)!" He slammed the two cards on the field. A blue-and yellow cannon materialized followed by a red mechanical dragon. "Now all I need to do is combine them together, and he's finished"
"Nice plan Kaiba, but I'm afraid it won't work. My monster's attack strength clearly outnumbers yours. I'll give you credit for setting your ultimate machine up, but it's about to come tumbling down! Blue Knight, attack his X-Head Cannon!" Joker commanded as his monster once again unsheathed his sword, sending an airwave across the field, prepared to slice through the machine.
"Activate trap Attack Nullification! This trap absorbs your attack, saves my monsters, and ends your battle phase!" Kaiba replied, as the wave was absorbed into a vortex. Joker growled, knowing he'd been set up, and it had worked…to Kaiba's advantage.
"Aww…you don't seem so happy. Is it because I'm about to beat you even though you swore you'd be victorious? Here's a tip…don't become a psychic." Kaiba mocked.
"Heh" Joker sarcastically laughed.
"Well, no matter" Kaiba drew. "Now I combine the V-Tiger Jet and W-Double Wing Catapult into VW-Wing Tiger Catapult (2000/1500)!" he announced as his two machines combined. "Then, I'll combine X-Head Cannon, Y-Dragon Head, and Z-Metal Tank into XYZ-Dragon Cannon (2800/2600)!" he continued while the three other cards combined into one mega-monster.
"Kaiba's got a pretty good team of monsters on his hand" Tristan stated.
"Oh, he's not finished yet Tristan" Yugi added.
"You mean he can make those things more powerful?" Anzu questioned.
"Yes, and it seems Black Joker over there may be in trouble." Yugi responded.
"And if you think I'm finished, think again! Now I combine my two monsters into the unstoppable VWXYZ- Dragon Catapult Cannon (3000/2800)!" Kaiba completed his strategy as the two machines joined forces to create an enormous, all-powerful machine. "Next, I reveal one of my monster's effects! Dragon Catapult Cannon, remove one of the Blue Knights from the game!" Kaiba's monster obeyed, seizing a missile from X-Head Cannon and firing it at the knight, via W-Double Wing Catapult. The missile smashed into the knight, eliminating him on impact.
"There's no way you can win, just give it up!" Kaiba called.
"I may be down, but I'm not out Kaiba. You have no clue what my deck is capable of. I will defeat you, and once I do, your soul is mine." Joker thought, chuckling to himself.
CARDS PLAYED
Blue Ninja: Level 4/ 1200/1500/ Machine/Desc: When this card is summoned, you may move one "Razor Blade" card from your deck to your hand.
Familiar Knight: Level 4/ 1200/1400/ Warrior/Desc: When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard as a result of battle, each player can Special Summon 1 level 4 monster from their hand.
Spear Dragon: Level 4/ 1900/0/ Dragon Type/Desc: When this card attacks a monster in defense position, inflict the difference of points as battle damage to your opponent's life points. After this monster attacks, it is placed in defense mode after the damage step.
Zombie Archer: Level 4/ 1400/1800/ Undead/Desc: Each time a card equipped to this monster specifically effects Undead-type monsters, raise this monster's strength by a further 500 points.
Z-Metal Tank: Level 4/ 1500/1300/ Machine Type/Desc: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if you control this monster on the field, you can equip it to your "X-Head Cannon" or "Y-Dragon Head" as an Equip Spell Card OR change it back to a monster in face-up Attack Position. When equipped on a monster by this card's effect, that monster's ATK/DEF is increased by 600 points. (1 monster can only be equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time. If the monster that the card is equipped to is destroyed in battle, this card is destroyed instead.)
Full House: QUICK-PLAY MAGIC/Desc: This card may only be activated when there are no monsters on your side of the field. Special summon one "Ace Token", one "Jack Token", one "Queen Token", and one "King Token" to your side of the field in face up attack or defense position. The tokens' attack and defense strength is equal to the number of cards in your hand x500.
Primordial Slime: Level 6/ 2000/1850/ Undead 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).
Blade Knight: Level 4/ 1600/1000/ Warrior Type/Desc: When there is only one card or no cards in your hand, increase this card's attack power by 400 points. Also, if this monster is the only card on your side of the field, negate the effect of any flip-effect monsters destroyed by this card in battle.
Ring of Destruction: TRAP/Desc: Select and destroy one face up monster on the field, and inflict direct damage equal to the attack points of the destroyed monster to both player's life points.
Holy Water: QUICK-PLAY MAGIC/Desc: Select one monster. Increase your life points by an amount equal to half of the monster's attack points.
Mass Extinction: TRAP/Desc: Destroy all cards on the field and in both players' hands. Afterwards, both players draw six cards. The current player's turn's battle phase cannot be conducted.
V-Tiger Jet: Level 4/ 1700/1200/ Machine Type
Red Knight: Level 4/ 1200/1000/ Undead Type/Desc: Increase this card's attack power by 500 for each "Blue Knight" face-up on the field.
Legion of the Undead: MAGIC/Desc: This card may only be activated if there is a "Red Knight" on your side of the field. Special summon 2 "Red Knights" and 2 "Blue Knights" from your hand, deck, or graveyard to the field in face-up attack position.
Blue Knight: Level 6/ 1900/2300/ Undead Type/Desc: Increase this card's attack power by 300 points for each "Red Knight" on the field.
W-Double Wing Catapult: Level 4/ 1400/1600/ Machine Type/Desc: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if you control this monster on the field, you can equip it to your "X-Head Cannon" or "V-Tiger Jet" as an Equip Spell Card OR change it back to a monster in face-up Attack Position. When equipped on a monster by this card's effect, that monster's ATK/DEF is increased by 300 points. (1 monster can only be equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time. If the monster that the card is equipped to is destroyed in battle, this card is destroyed instead.)
Card Guard: QUICK-PLAY MAGIC/Desc: Discard cards equal to the number of monsters on your side of the field from your hand. In this turn, negate all magic effects, trap effects, and attacks on your monsters.
Life-Shortening Treasure: MAGIC/Desc: Draw 5 cards from your deck. Five turns later, discard your entire hand.
Raise Dead: MAGIC/Desc: Select one monster from either player's graveyard and special summon it to the field in face-up attack or defense position on your side of the field.
Monster Reincarnation: MAGIC/Desc: Select one undead type monster from your graveyard and place it in your hand.
Thirst for Compensation: QUICK-PLAY MAGIC/Desc: When your opponent places cards from the graveyard into their hand, you may activate this card. Special summon up to 2 level 4 monsters from your hand to the field.
X-Head Cannon: Level 4/ 1800/1500/ Machine Type
Y-Dragon Head: Level 4/ 1500/1600/ Machine Type/Desc: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if you control this monster on the field, you can equip it to your "X-Head Cannon" as an Equip Spell Card OR change it back to a monster in face-up Attack Position. When equipped on a monster by this card's effect, that monster's ATK/DEF is increased by 400 points. (1 monster can only be equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time. If the monster that the card is equipped to is destroyed in battle, this card is destroyed instead.)
Attack Nullification: TRAP/Desc: This card may only be activated when your opponent attacks. Negate the attack and end your opponent's battle phase.
VW-Wing Tiger Catapult: Level 6/2000/1500/ Machine Type/Desc: "V-Tiger Jet" + "W-Double Wing Catapult" This monster can only be Special Summoned by removing from play the above monsters on your side of the field. You do not use "Polymerization" to Special Summon this monster from your Fusion Deck. Discard 1 card from your hand to switch the mode of your opponent's monsters from defense mode to attack mode.
XYZ-Dragon Cannon: Level 8/ 2800/2600/ Machine Type/Desc: "X-Head Cannon" + "Y-Dragon Head" + "Z-Metal Tank" This monster can only be Special Summoned by removing from play the above monsters on your side of the field. You do not use "Polymerization" to Special Summon this monster from your Fusion Deck. Discard 1 card from your hand to destroy 1 card on your opponent's side of the Field.
VWXYZ Dragon Catapult Cannon: Level 8/ 3000/2800/ Machine Type/Desc: "VW-Wing Tiger Catapult" + "XYZ-Dragon Cannon" This monster may only be Special Summoned by removing from play the above monsters on your side of the field. You do not use "Fusion" to summon this card. During your turn, once per turn, you may remove one monster on your opponent's side of the field from play. When this card attacks, switch the target of the attack into attack position.