Episode 47: Showdown of Shadows Part 2

Yugi and Ruin are staring each other with hatred after starting their duel. Yugi holds his hand over his deck and says, "You have caused me nothing but pain! This will be the end of that! I draw!" Yugi dramatically draws his card. "I'm going all out! I summon Cyber-Tech Prime (Light/Level 1/Machine/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 0)!" The monster looks like a simple mechanical box of some kind. It glows all the colors of the rainbow. "Cyber-Tech Prime is the original component of any Cyber-Tech monster, and as such, I can tribute it to special summon a level seven or higher Cyber-Tech monster from my hand. I special summon Cyber-Tech Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" Cyber-Tech Prime begins to glow even more brilliantly. Its shape starts to change, as if extra parts are being built onto it. It becomes the shape of Cyber-Tech Magician's armor. The magician itself then appears inside of the armor. "With that, I end my turn. Let's do this Cyber-Tech Magician (Yugi's hand: 4)! Now that I have Cyber-Tech Magician on my side, I might as well have Yuni with me!"

Ruin states, "But you don't. Yuni is gone. I made sure of that."

Yugi returns, "Yuni will always be with me! He may not be here physically, but he is in spirit! And I will make sure to get his mind back to!"

"You're welcome to try, but I assure you, it will do you no good."

"I've beat bigger, more powerful foes than you!"

"Maybe you did back in ancient times, but this is a new age. You're outdated. You're a relic. A relic that may have been relevant in the past, but can do nothing for the present."

"That's not true. Some of the greatest people I've known, ones who have saved the world in both the past and the present, have been your so called 'relics.'"

Ruin draws a card. "Think what you'd like. I know what will happen already. Let's start this turn. I summon Lich Knight (Dark/Level 4/Zombie/Effect/ATK 1700/DEF 0)!" An undead knight wearing rusted armor charges on to the field riding an undead horse. "Then, when I summon Lich Knight, I'm allowed to discard one card from my hand in order to special summon another Lich Knight from my deck!" A second zombie gallops onto the field. "Now, since I control two Lich Knights, I can special summon a zombie monster from my grave. I call back the third Lich Knight that I discarded earlier." Yet another undead knight makes his way to the field. "Now I control three level four monsters. I use them to build the Overlay Network! I Xyz summon Lich Lord the King (Dark/Rank 4/Zombie/Xyz/ATK 2600/DEF 0)!" The monster that emerges from the Overlay Network is a regal appearing zombie. It wears torn and dirty red and gold robes and a cracked, golden crown. It also holds a rusted scepter. "Go my king, attack Cyber-Tech Magician!" The monster raises its scepter and fires a beam of energy from it.

Yugi says, "I activate the effect of Cyber-Tech Prime in my grave! By banishing it, I can negate an attack against a level seven or higher Cyber-Tech monster I control!" The attack suddenly stops and dissipates.

Ruin says, "You may have stopped my attack, but you should know, I will not fall to you again. I have spent hours studying our previous duels. The deck I am using now has been specifically designed to completely lock-down and defeat your deck. Here's your first example. I activate Time Freeze!"

Yugi looks surprised. "What's that card do!?"

"This card will be your deck's doom, or should I say ruin. As long as this spell remains face up on the field, it completely freezes time! That's right! It makes it so that the turn count doesn't go up!"

Yugi says in shock, "But that means-!"

Ruin interrupts, "That means that you can't summon Temporax, the Cyber-Tech Magician of Time or Chronos, the Temporal Lord!"

Yugi shouts, "No!" He thinks, Ruin wasn't exaggerating. The card stops two of my most powerful monsters. I'll have to find some sort of way around this.

Ruin states, "My turn will end with that (Ruin's hand: 3)."

Yugi draws and looks at the card. He thinks, That's it! That's the card I needed! He says aloud, "I activate Mystical Space Typhoon in order to destroy Time Freeze!"

Ruin objects, "No you don't! I activate the effect of Lich Lord the King! By removing an Overlay Unit, I can negate an effect that would destroy a card on the field! I told you, I have planned this entire duel out. You can't win."

"I have to try! For Yuni! I summon Cyber-Tech Knight (Earth/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 500)!" It's a knight wearing what looks like regular knight armor, but is actually high-tech. It holds a shield and sword made out of light. "Cyber-Tech Knight gives a 300 attack point bonus to all Cyber-Tech monsters I control (Knight's ATK: 1800) (Magician's ATK: 2800)! Now Cyber-Tech Magician, attack Lich Lord the King, Cyber Magic Attack!" Ruin's monster is blasted away (Ruin's LP: 3800). "Now it's your turn, attack Ruin directly Cyber-Tech Knight!" Yugi's monster charges at Ruin with its sword risen and attacks (Ruin's LP: 2000). "How about that? I'll set one card and end my turn (Yugi's hand: 3)."

Ruin draws. He says, "I assure you, that is the last bit of damage that you will cause me. I have already gained the upper hand, and you don't even know it. I activate Lich Reborn! As you may have guessed, this card allows me to summon a Lich monster from my grave! I revive you, Lich Lord the King!" The ground in front of Ruin cracks a bulges. Lich Lord the King rises from the ground. "Now for things to get interesting. I Evolve Lich Lord the King!" Ruin's monster becomes cloaked in light. "I Evolve it into Lich Lord the Tyrant (Dark/Level 8/Zombie/Evolution/ATK 3000/DEF 0)!" The monster emerges from the light as a new monster. It's robes have been replaced by a semi-rotted, regal uniform.

Yugi says, "I activate my facedown card, Draw Force! With this card, I'm allowed to draw a card once per turn when a monster is summoned! I'll take that card now!" Yugi draws a card.

"Draw all you like Yugi. It makes no difference in the end. Let's go my Lich. Attack Cyber-Tech Magician now!"

Yugi says, "Wait just a second! I now activate the effect of Cyber-Tech Knight! He redirects any attacks declared against a Cyber-Tech monster to him!"

"Fine with me! That means that you only take more damage! Continue your attack!" Ruin's monster unleashes a burst of energy that surges at Yugi's knight and destroys it (Yugi's LP: 2800). "Not to mention, since you lost your knight, your Cyber-Tech Magician loses his attack bonus (ATK: 2500). That's not all though, when my tyrant destroys a monster, it's effect allows me to summon a Zombie type monster from my grave. Return to me, Lich Knight!" Ruin's knight returns to the field. "The monster I summon using that effect can't attack the turn it's summoned, but that's not what I intend to use it for. You see, I'm allowed to tribute a Lich monster in order to prevent my Lich Lord the Tyrant from devolving at the end of this turn, and I'll do just that and then end my turn (Ruin's hand: 3)."

Yugi draws. He thinks, Darn it! I could have summoned Temporax, the Cyber-Tech Magician of Time this turn, if it wasn't for that Time Freeze card. I could have overpowered his Lich and this duel would have been over pretty fast. I'll need to adapt. Yugi looks at his hand. Hmm…There isn't much I can do in the way of attacking right now. I'm going to have to build up a strong defense.

Ruin taunts, "What is it Yugi? Do you have no moves to pull of? Are you wishing that you could summon Temporax about now? It looks likes I was correct to put Time Freeze in my deck. I'd like to remind you, you have never beaten me without using your Yugohan Lord, so I'd be nervous right about now if I were you."

Yugi says, "Well you're not me! Just because I've used Chronos in our past two duels doesn't mean that I can't beat you without it!" He thinks, Alright, I've been saving Cyber-Tech Magician just incase I could eliminate his Time Freeze, but that spectacle is starting to look hopeless. My best move now is to get rid of Cyber-Tech Magician. Oh well. He says aloud, "I activate Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Reproduction! This card allows me tribute a Cyber-Tech Magician monster I control. In return, I'm allowed to summon from my deck any number of Cyber-Tech monsters, as long as those monster's total levels add up to the level of my magician. I'm sorry about this my friend." A spellbook appears in Cyber-Tech Magician's hand. It chants a spell and suddenly turns into a large orb of light. That orb of light splits into three separate orbs. "I summon two copies of Cyber-Tech Scout (Earth/Level 2/Machine/Effect/ATK 1000/DEF 1200) and Cyber-Tech Gardna (Earth/Level 3/Warrior/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 2000) all in defense mode!" The Cyber-Tech Scouts are small, squat, almost cartoonish robots. Yugi continues, "Since I just summoned a monster, I can draw a card thanks to Draw Force!"

Ruin mocks, "So you're resorting to playing defense. My, my. Oh, how the mighty have fallen."

Yugi asserts, "There is no shame in playing the defensive. I feel no dishonor."

"We'll just have to see about that."

"I believe in my monsters. I know that they can pull through for me. That is why I win duels."

Ruin questions, "But these aren't even your monsters. You're just using Yuni's deck. Even if I was to believe in that Heart of the Cards garbage, which I don't by the way, how could I believe that you can work with a deck that isn't even yours?"

"You're wrong. This deck is mine. I have spent months bonded with Yuni, mind and body. We were one, that is until you ripped us apart. What was his was mine. His deck is as much mine as my grandpa's deck was. Just as I was reborn in the mind of Yuni, my deck was reborn as Yuni's deck. It has the same heart that mine did, and I believe in it. That is why I will win this duel. That is why I will get Yuni back! We are one, and so we shall be again! You can not overcome the force of friendship. My bond with Yuni will be what allows me to overcome. It is what will allow me to defeat scum like you!"

Ruin simply says, "Amusing."

"Say whatever you want, it doesn't matter. It will happen because I have the will to make it! What you see as a desperate act of defense, is actually me putting my trust in Yuni's monsters…in my monsters. I end my turn (Yugi's hand: 5)."

Ruin draws. He laughs evilly. "Can you guess what I just drew?"

Yugi immediately answers, "You've got an Evolution monster on your field and you're amused with your draw. There's only one card it could be. You've drawn Corruption of Darkness! And you know what? I'm not scared. It's not going to make a single difference. I will overcome anything you can throw at me."

"We'll see about that. I activate Corruption of Darkness! I call forth upon the grand powers of Darkness! Go, Darkness Evolution!" Lich Lord the Tyrant becomes cloaked in shadows. "I Evolve Lich Lord the Tyrant into Darkness Evolution: Lich Lord the Despot (Dark/Level 9/Zombie/Evoltuion/ATK 3500/DEF 0)!" The shadows dissipate to reveal a zombie wearing rotting black robes and holding a golden staff.

Yugi says, "Now, I'll draw another card!"

Ruin continues, "The end is near Yugi. This Darkness Evolution has more potential than any one that I have summoned before. Go, Lich Lord the Despot, attack a Cyber-Tech Scout!" The monster raises its staff and summons a massive beam of shadows and sends it at Yugi's monster.

Yugi says, "I activate the effect of Cyber-Tech Gardna! Once per turn, I can negate an attack!" A shield of energy appears around the monster and the attack bounces harmlessly off of it.

"That does not matter, for I activate the effect of Lich Lord the Despot, by discarding a card, I can allow it to attack a second time. The only draw back is it inflicts no damage from the attack. I don't think that matters though, seeing as you have only defense position monsters. I'll activate the effect now!" A card disappears from Ruin's hand. "Attack Cyber-Tech Scout again!" Another attack is launched. Yugi's monster is destroyed.

Yugi says, "You activated the effect of my Cyber-Tech Scout! When it's destroyed by battle, I can special summon a Cyber-Tech monster with 1500 or less attack straight from my deck! I call out my third copy of Cyber-Tech Scout!" Another copy of the destroyed monster appears.

"More defense. Alright, fine. I end my turn (Ruin's hand: 2)."

Yugi holds his hand above his deck. He thinks, I have a strong defense built up. I could theoretically last at least two if not three more turns just with the cards I have on the field now, but there's no way to know what Ruin might pull out. I have to do something now. It's up to this draw! I believe in this deck. I believe in its cards! I believe in the Heart of the Cards! Yugi draws dramatically. He looks at the card. Perfect. This card could win it for me on the next turn! He says aloud, "This will be a simple turn. I'm just going to set a card and end my turn (Yugi's hand: 5)!"

Ruin mocks, "That was all you could muster!? Ha!" He draws. "All you could manage was a simple facedown card. Maybe I didn't even need to worry about putting together my deck just to beat you. I'm disappointed."

Yugi says, "That's what you think! I turn this duel around right here! I activate Explosive Implant! This card equips to the monster on the field with the highest attack! Then at any point I want, I can destroy it, which activates its effect! When it's destroyed, it also destroys the equipped monster and inflicts damage to its owner equal to its attack! It's time to win! I'll destroy-!"

Ruin interrupts, "Not yet!"

Yugi asks, "What!?"

"I have a trick up my sleeve that you never saw coming. It is time to utilize the ultimate ability of Darkness!"

"What!?"

"Go Supreme Darkness Evolution!" Suddenly the entire field becomes cloaked in shadows. Everything goes dark. "Power of Shadows! Force of Darkness! Grant me your strength! Deliver to me the power to destroy all who oppose!" Ruin holds his hand up to the sky shadows begin to swirl around it. The shadows then consolidate in his hand and form into the shape of a card. He continues, "I summon Supreme Darkness Evolution: Lich Lord the Divine (Dark/Level 10/Zombie/Evolution/ATK 4000/DEF 0)!" All that can be seen is the silhouette of a massive, looming monster in the shadows with glowing red eyes.

Yugi says in both awe and shock, "What is this…?"