"It would seem that poor Yusei can't take the heat." said Lucifer.
"Master, how is it possible that a mere mortal can last this long in your domain?" asked one of the demons "He looks like he's ready to pass out."
"He's physically weakened my servant… and his strength his being zapped with every passing moment, but his mind and his spirit are still strong… He's willing to brave all Hell, literally, to save his friends and the woman he loves. He intends to stick this out to the bitter end, to use every last bit of his strength and every last card in his deck until there is absolutely nothing left. Like I said earlier, he's one in a million, and his soul will indeed make a priceless addition to my collection…"
(Yusei, Speed: 9)
With nine speed counters Yusei was flying down Hell's highway, normally he loved the feeling of going real fast on his runner, but right now the feeling was just mocking him.
"Racing for my grave… already dead…" he thought "But I… I can't rest… I can't give in… not with everything that's on the line… No rest for the wicked… or those who dare deal with them… And while I'm struggling to remain conscious the devil and his demons are watching, enjoying the spectacle… ready to cut me off at my grave."
Yusei looked at the cards in his hand, he was relieved to see he had a speed spell he could use, now he could end what was hopefully the final threat Damian's deck had to offer.
"I… I play…. Muhagh! I play… Angel's Baton! This let's me draw two cards as long as I discard one… Now Nitro Warrior's effect activates… Because… because… I played a speed spell, he gains one thousand attack points."
(ATK: 3800)
"Nitro Warrior, attack his Exodia Necross!"
Nitro Warrior launched itself at Exodia Necross, but the creature's skin wasn't even scratched.
(Damian: 3500)
"What?! My… My Nitro Warrior had more attack points than Exodia Necross… so why wasn't it… destroyed?"
"HA AH! All this fire and brimstone must've cooked your head. My Exodia Necross can't be destroyed in battle, and it can't be destroyed by spell or trap cards either."
"But… now…. My Nitro Warrior loses the one thousand attack points it gained…"
(ATK: 2800)
"And now it's my turn."
(Damian, Speed: 6)
"During my standby phase Exodia Necross gains 500 attack points."
(ATK: 4100)
"And now it's time to catch up with you. I activate Hellfire Acceleration, normally I'd have to discard my entire hand to use this card, but as you can see I have no cards in my hand, so I don't have to discard any cards. Now not only do I get to draw two cards during my draw phases, but I gain two speed counters every turn! Now Exodia Necross, attack and destroy his Nitro Warrior!"
Exodia Necross crushed Nitro Warrior beneath its fist.
(Yusei, Life Points: 1400 Speed Counters: 8)
Yusei's runner started to spin out, he managed to keep it in control, but just barely. It was taking every bit of his willpower just to hold on.
(Yusei, Speed: 9)
"Hyper Synchron… But it doesn't matter… That thing has over 4000 attack points, not even my Stardust Dragon could take it… I don't know how I can win this… no… I can't give up… Akiza and all the others are counting on me."
Yusei thought… How could he win this duel? He felt like he was fighting Kalin's Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu again… Exodia Necross was even invulnerable to his speed spells and trap cards… But then he noticed something, even though Exodia Necross wasn't destroyed by Nitro Warrior he was still able to attack it and cause Damian to lose life points, this gave Yusei an idea, and he didn't need to beat Exodia Necross at all, after all there's more than one way to win a duel, all he had to do was stall for time… that is… if his body didn't give out before then.
"I'll place one card face down… and summon a monster… in defense mode…"
"Is that all?" asked Damian "Well then it's your funeral!"
(Damian, speed: 8)
"Since it's my standby phase Exodia Necross gains 500 attack points!"
(ATK: 4600)
"Now Exodia Necross, attack his face down monster!"
Exodia Necross hurled its fist at Yusei's monster.
"Not so fast! I activate my face down trap, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!"
"What!?!"
Damian couldn't believe it, but his mighty Exodia Necross had been stopped by a collection of junk.
"You just said your Exodia Necross couldn't be destroyed by trap cards, but apparently I can still block its attacks with them. And instead of going to my graveyard Scrap-Iron Scarecrow is set facedown on the field again, so I'll be able to use it again on my next turn."
"I guess I have no choice… I'll end my turn with a face down card."
"Then it's my… aaaaghhh! Turn…"
(Yusei, speed: 10)
Yusei's insides felt like they were on fire, he ordered himself to ignore it.
"I play one card face down… And end my turn."
"Good, now I can start ending you!"
(Damian, speed: 10)
"So we're finally caught up, and since it's my turn again Exodia Necross gains another 500 attack points."
(ATK: 5100)
"It doesn't… ugh… matter… I'll just block its attack again with Scrap-Iron Scarecrow."
"MWAH AHAH HA AH HA AH HA AH!!! Yusei Fudo, have you forgotten who you're talking to? Do you really think you can stop me with one card? Well then allow me to erase all hope you have of that happening! I activate the trap card, THE FORBIDDEN RITUAL OF REVIVAL!!!"
"The… what?!"
"The Forbidden Ritual of Revival… and once activated this trap card cannot be destroyed."
"Dare I ask… What does it do?"
"Well I can only activate this card when Exodia Necross is on the field, once per turn I can take one monster in my graveyard with The Forbidden One in its name and remove it from play, and I choose Left Leg of the Forbidden One!"
Just like that Damian's card was removed from play.
"Normally Exodia Necross would be destroyed right now, but The Forbidden Ritual of Revival lets him stick around for awhile, and that's not the only thing."
Yusei noticed that Exodia Necross' left leg was changing color, it was going from its regular black to the tannish gold color that Exodia usually was.
"Confused? Well you see Yusei, Exodia Necross is just an undead Exodia, a ghost of his true potential… But with the Forbidden Ritual of Revival I can restore my mighty beast to his former glory! When all five pieces of Exodia are removed from play by the effect of the Forbidden Ritual of Revival Exodia will be complete and given new life! Just as I will when I defeat you with him… You have four more turns to prepare for damnation… Provided you can last that long."
Yusei's strategy was shot, even with Hellfire Acceleration in play Damian wouldn't run out of cards in his deck in just four turns. Yusei wasn't even sure if he could last that long. He was waterlogged with sweat and suffering from dehydration, it was getting harder and harder for him to breathe, the heat was getting more intense, and his heart pounded like it was trying to jump out of him.
"No… I still have… four turns… to find… a way."
(Yusei, speed: 11)
"I… summon… a monster… in defense mode."
"It doesn't matter, no defense will save you when Exodia is complete!"
(Damian, speed: 12)
"Yeehaw! I'm maxed out! Now my Exodia Necross gets another 500 attack points!"
(ATK: 5600)
"Now I'll use the Forbidden Ritual of Revival's effect to remove Right Leg of the Forbidden One from play!"
Exodia Necross' right leg started to change color.
"It's… my… turn…"
(Yusei, speed: 12)
"I… play… a… facedown."
"Look at yourself, you look like a dog waiting to be put out of its misery! But don't worry mortal, it will all be over soon, and believe me, this is nothing compared to what awaits you and your friends in this God forsaken place! Now it's my turn, so Exodia Necross gains another 500 attack points!"
(ATK: 6100)
"Now I'll use the Forbidden Ritual of Revival to remove Left Arm of the Forbidden One from play!"
Yusei had to wipe away the perspiration from his eyes to see Exodia Necross' arm change color.
"No… must go on…"
Yusei drew his card.
"I… I… pass."
"That's it? Well then it's your funeral! It's my turn again so Exodia Necross gains another 500 attack points!"
(ATK: 6600)
"Now I'll use the Forbidden Ritual of Revival to remove Right Arm of the Forbidden One from play!"
Yusei was barely holding onto his runner. He was hunched over on the front and didn't see Exodia Necross' final limb change color.
"And just to show you how hopeless it is I'll activate these two speed spells, first I play this, Total Paralysis! This causes you to lose all the speed counters you have, and it prevents you from gaining any more!"
(Yusei, speed: 0)
Yusei's runner started falling far behind Damian and his Exodia Necross.
"Now I activate my second Hidden Power, which I will use to double Exodia Necross' attack points again!"
(ATK: 13200)
Exodia Necross let out a triumphant roar as its attack points increased.
"WALLOW IN DISPAIR AND HOPELESSNESS! YOU ARE POWERLESS IN THE FACE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST DUELIST! POWERLESS!!!"
"My favorite part of the game…" said Lucifer smiling "Sudden death…"
