Yugi: Stare into the face of defeat!
Slifer the Sky Dragon roars. The sound is so loud that it reverberates multiple times throughout the entire stadium and shatters several large screens where the audience is watching the duel, causing people to duck and cover as broken glass rains down on them. Slifer curls his long serpentine body more and more around the colosseum. His gigantic head hovers mere feet above the pharaoh.
Kemo (who looks like he's about to get a heart attack) runs over to Pegasus, who has stopped sipping his glass of red wine.
Kemo: Attention duel— I mean, Mr. Pegasus sir! That THING… that huge monster card is far too dangerous! People can get hurt and we could be opening ourselves up to some serious lawsuits! I strongly suggest we order Yugi Moto to remove it from the field immediately!
Pegasus is visibly shaken, but his voice remains steady when he answers his employee.
Pegasus: And have thousands of people asking for a refund? No. I have felt the wrath of an Egyptian God myself, Kemo. So have all three of those duelists. Yugi is fully aware of the risks. Maybe this was his plan all along - to bring Kaiba and Joey to the brink of destruction so that they would be forced to rely on each other to survive…
I do wonder what's going through that head of yours, Yugi-boy, thinks Pegasus as his finger rubs the spot where his Millennium Eye used to be. Nobody appreciates a good show more than I do, and you're putting on quite the performance. But you now wield an ancient and dangerous power, and with great power comes with great responsibility.
The sold-out crowd in New York starts up a "this is awesome!" chant, experiencing the once-in-a-lifetime event of seeing a God Card in person – blissfully unaware of the present danger.
Seto Kaiba hasn't moved a muscle since Slifer arrived. Nearly in a catatonic state, the KaibaCorp CEO stares wide-eyed at the gargantuan beast now before him. Joey is shaken up too, but he fights back memories of Marik's Winged Dragon of Ra sending him to the hospital and tries to reach out to his partner:
Joey: Didya hear what I said, Kaiba? If we don't get on da same page, Yugi's gonna take us out one by one!
Kaiba makes no sign that he heard Joey; his gaze is still fixed on Slifer.
Joey: Hey Kaiba! Earth to Kaiba! Hey, are you in there? It's your turn!
Finally, the sound of that annoying Brooklyn accent proves enough to snap Kaiba back to reality. He runs his fingers through his brown hair as he assesses the current predicament, then turns to Joey. The classic Kaiba scowl returns.
Kaiba: You're the reason we're in this mess in the first place, Wheeler! If you had just followed my instructions, kept your mouth shut and not screwed things up, this duel would have been over by now! Instead, you let him summon enough monsters to sacrifice for his Egyptian God Card!
Joey rolls his eyes, kinda getting used to everything being his fault now according to professor Kaiba.
Joey: Don't "Wheeler" me! If you don't need any help to beat Yugi, then quit putting the blame on everyone but yaself!
Kaiba: That's right – I don't need you. I've taken down Slifer the Sky Dragon on my own before, and I can do it again.
Kaiba stubbornly turns away from Joey and locks eyes with Yugi, determined to make good on that promise.
Turn 11 – Yugi: 6000 LP, Kaiba: 3200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Yugi smiles at Kaiba, looking forward to meeting his challenge. Perfect! thinks Seto to himself as he sees the card he pulled in his Draw Phase. Just what I needed.
Yugi: True, you've defeated Slifer before. But never against such odds. Take a look, Kaiba: Your field is empty. While I have five cards in my hand, meaning that Slifer's attack and defense points equal 5000!
Screens around the dueling arena display Slifer's stats as (ATK: 5000/DEF: 5000), a value so high it causes onlookers to gasp and wonder what plan Kaiba can possibly concoct to take down such a powerful monster. The rest of the dueling field looks like this: Yugi has no cards in play other than Slifer the Sky Dragon, and the only three cards on Joey's field are his three Sheep Tokens (ATK: 0/DEF: 0) that were special summoned during turn 8.
Kaiba isn't nervous. He takes his new card and places it on the duel disk horizontally.
Kaiba: First, I'll set a monster card in defense mode.
A dark silhouette of a monster card appears on Kaiba's side of the field. Slifer immediately reacts by opening the higher of his two enormous mouths.
Yugi: Have you forgotten about Slifer's second mouth? It'll automatically attack any new monster that appears on your side of the field and lower its attack or defense by 2000 points - depending on what position it's in. And that's not all. If that monster's points are reduced to 0, it'll be destroyed!
Slifer generates a supercharged ball of lightning in his second mouth and then fires it off towards Kaiba's set monster.
Kaiba: Don't insult me, Yugi. Nobody has studied the effects of the three Egyptian God Cards more extensively than I have. Have YOU forgotten that I discovered Slifer the Sky Dragon's weaknesses long before you ever did?
When Kaiba says this, Yugi's mind creates a flashback to Battle City, to when he was dueling Strings the Rare Hunter while Kaiba was watching from the sidelines. At one point in that duel, Yugi had lost all hope and had fallen to one knee, unable to do anything but bow before the superior might of Slifer the Sky Dragon. It was Kaiba that motivated Yugi to "get up off his feet" and continue the duel, because Kaiba had already figured out the dragon's weakness. He's using the same strategy right now! realizes a shocked Yugi as his mind returns to the present time.
Slifer's swirling ball of electricity makes a direct hit on its intended target. Before it goes to the graveyard, Kaiba's set monster is revealed: Cyber Jar.
Kaiba: Slifer has no choice but to attack any monster I play, making him powerless to stop Cyber Jar's special ability from activating! Now observe, as Cyber Jar wipes out every monster on the field. Then, we must each draw five cards and summon any monsters with 4 stars or less.
Cyber Jar's portal opens up and absorbs every monster on the field. Slifer is unaffected, but Joey's three Scapegoats are sucked into the portal. The jar then closes and explodes, destroying all creatures trapped within it. Joey winces from the sound of the detonation, feeling sorry for his furry friends.
All three players then draw five cards. Slifer's ATK skyrockets to a mammoth 10,000 points. Kaiba special summons Blade Knight (1600/1000) in defense position. Joey special summons Rocket Warrior (1500/1300) in defense position. Yugi has no monsters he can special summon. Slifer's second mouth ability then activates once again and fires off two thunderballs at both of the newly summoned monsters. Since neither monster has enough DEF to withstand the 2000 points of damage, both Blade Knight and Rocket Warrior are destroyed and sent to the graveyard.
With both of his opponent's fields cleared of monsters, Yugi is more confident than ever.
Yugi: It seems your plan backfired! Not only did you make Slifer even stronger, but you also destroyed your only line of defense.
Slifer the Sky Dragon (10,000/10,000) appears to be even more colossal than before. But despite the sudden surge in the Egyptian God's power level, Kaiba laughs, enjoying this rare moment when his strategy has managed to catch even the King of games off guard.
Kaiba: It makes no difference how many attack points Slifer has, you fool. I don't need to beat him to win this duel. I just need to beat YOU.
Yugi's eyes get wide, suddenly catching on to Kaiba's real plan. But it's too late to do anything about it.
Kaiba: Thanks to Cyber Jar, I just drew the card I needed to seal your fate. I banish Cyber Jar and Blade Knight from my graveyard, in order to special summon one of the most feared creatures in all of Duel Monsters!
The ground starts shaking, signaling the imminent arrival of the monster every duelist dreads.
Kaiba: Prepare yourself, Yugi, because the end is here. Arise... CHAOS EMPEROR DRAGON - ENVOY OF THE END!
The energies of light and darkness intertwine, unleashing unfathomable power in an invasion of chaos. The terrifying Chaos Emperor Dragon (3000/2500) emerges on Kaiba's field in defense position. Slifer's second mouth fires off a shot directed at the new dragon, but with 2500 DEF, Chaos Emperor Dragon is sturdy enough to survive the blast with 500 DEF points to spare.
Kaiba: Now I activate Chaos Emperor Dragon's special ability! First I must give up 1000 of my life points – a small price to pay for what I'll get in return. Because Chaos Emperor Dragon will obliterate every card on the field and in our hands, inflicting 300 points of damage to your life points for every card it sends to the graveyard. According to my calculations, that should be more than enough cards to bring your life points down to zero. You're FINISHED!
Kaiba's life points drop to 2200 as Chaos Emperor Dragon starts glowing and generating the supernova that will end the duel. But at that moment, hundreds of giant hairy balls pop up out of nowhere and start covering the dragon from head to toe, smothering it and preventing it from activating its effect.
Yugi: Guess again! I discard Clear Kuriboh from my hand to negate the special ability of your Chaos Emperor Dragon! Clear Kuriboh is just as useful as the rest of the Kuriboh brothers, and he can protect me from any monster effect that damages my life points.
Kaiba clenches his fist so hard his hand goes numb, furious that one of his almighty dragons was humiliated by floating hairballs once again. On the sidelines, Pegasus laughs at the unfolding events, knowing that when he made new Kuriboh cards one of his hopes was that Yugi would use them to troll his opponents just like he did with the original Kuriboh.
Joey: Nice going, money bags. I demand you pay restitution for da Scapegoats you just blew up.
For once, Kaiba doesn't have a comeback. He just scowls at his hand, not willing to admit that the only plan he had against Slifer failed. He sets two cards in his spell/trap card zone before quietly ending his turn.
Turn 12 – Yugi: 6000 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Yugi swiftly conducts his Draw Phase, eager to utilize the full might of his God Card.
Yugi: I'll begin my turn by playing Pot of Greed! This spell card lets me draw two cards from my deck and add them to my hand.
After making sure everyone heard his robotic explanation of how the card works, Yugi unites his two new cards with the rest in his hand and seems very pleased at the possible combinations now available to him. Slifer's ATK is now 11,000.
Yugi: Next, I activate Polymerization to fuse Berfomet and Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts, in order to fusion summon… Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast!
The two fusion materials swirl together and merge into one two-headed beast, one head resembling Gazelle while the other resembles Berfomet. Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast (2100/1800) flies down with a roar and lands next to Slifer. It looks unusually small in comparison to the huge God, whose ATK drops to 8000 due to the three cards Yugi just played from his hand.
Yugi: Then I'll boost Chimera's attack and defense by 700 with the Horn of the Unicorn!
A mystical horn protrudes from Chimera's Gazelle head, imbuing it with electrical powers. Its stats increase to (2800/2500).
Yugi: And now, Kaiba… prepare to experience a force like none other! Slifer, annihilate Chaos Emperor Dragon with thunder force attack!
Slifer opens its gigantic lower maw and releases a stream of fire so intense it incinerates Chaos Emperor Dragon almost instantly. Kaiba is nearly knocked down from the shockwave generated by the attack, and he must use all his strength to hold his ground. When the air becomes still again, he looks up and finds that his deadly dragon has been reduced to a tiny pile of ash. At least in was in defense position, so his life points were unharmed.
With Kaiba's monster taken care of, the pharaoh turns to his friend and prepares for part two of the assault.
Yugi: Joey. I didn't want to subject you to a direct attack from an Egyptian God Card unless I had no other choice. So I'll have my Chimera finish you instead. You only have 50 life points remaining and no monsters with which to guard them. My friend, you have fought valiantly… but your journey ends here. Chimera, attack Joey's life points directly and eliminate him from this duel with pulverizing pounce!
Chimera leaps at Joey, but he doesn't seem concerned about the oncoming threat.
Joey: Hold ya horses, Yoog! I ain't ready to kick da bucket just yet!
Suddenly, Chimera freezes. A monster that kinda looks like a sword has appeared in front of it like a stop sign. Chimera proceeds no further.
Yugi: Where did that creature come from? You had no cards on your field!
Joey: Got dat right! It came from my hand, and it's a handy little monsta called Battle Fader. It's kinda like my version of Kuriboh - when you attack me directly, I can special summon Battle Fader from my hand and immediately end da Battle Phase. Not too shabby, eh?
Yugi does seem to think Battle Fader is a neat card to have, but even more so he's relieved that his friend is still hanging on. Unfortunately for Joey, a blast from Slifer's second mouth quickly erases Battle Fader from the field, leaving it barren once again.
Yugi: Well, since my Battle Phase is over I may as well play out my Main Phase 2. So I'll set one card face-down and end my turn. Your move, Joey.
One mystery spell or trap cards appears behind Yugi's monsters. Slifer's ATK is now 6000.
Kaiba: I'm not impressed, Wheeler. Stalling won't help if you don't have what it takes to defeat an Egyptian God Card.
Joey: You had your chance to take down Slifer and you dropped da ball, so pipe down! Now it's my turn.
Kaiba smirks.
Kaiba: Like you could do any better than I did.
Joey: We'll see about dat. You're right, Kaiba, I've never beaten an Egyptian God Cahd before. But I've also done something you never have: beat Yugi Moto fair and square!
Kaiba's head snaps towards his partner in bewilderment.
Kaiba: What are you talking about? You... beat Yugi? That's preposterous.
Joey nods at Yugi so that he backs up what Joey's about to say. But Yugi averts his gaze, unable to look Joey in the eyes.
Joey: Guess you didn't hear dat me and Yoog dueled each other after the Battle City Tournament. He had my Red-Eyes Black Dragon cahd, so I beat him to get it back.
Kaiba stares at Joey incredulously.
Kaiba: Do you honestly expect me to believe that? Or are you just trying to save face because you know how close you are to losing this duel?
Joey tries to appear confident, but a bead of sweat rolls down his forehead.
Turn 13 – Yugi: 6000 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
As someone who is a firm believer in superstition and luck, Joey can't help but feel unnerved by the fact that it's the 13th turn of the duel. He looks at his latest draw (Flame Swordsman) and sadly puts the warrior-type monster back into his hand, knowing it would be easily vaporized by Yugi's killing machine.
How am I supposta put up a fight when Big Red weakens the attack or defense of every monsta I play? thinks Joey as he desperately tries to come up with a strategy. Come on Joseph, think! There's gotta be some cahd, some combo in my hand dat can come thru for me here!
Joey raps his knuckle against his skull, trying to get the noggin going. It actually works.
Attack OR defense…wait…dats it! He realizes, then begins chucking at his own brilliance. Slifer only decreases my monsta's attack OR defense points. Not both!
Joey: Hehehe… I just figured out how to beat your unbeatable God Cahd.
This statement catches both Kaiba and Yugi by surprise.
Kaiba: No way! You must be bluffing.
Joey: Yes way, and I don't need some big fancy "chaos dragon" to do it neither. I just need a little critter called Copycat!
The mischievous wizard known as Copycat is summoned in attack position. It holds a mirror in front of its face which is reflecting Slifer the Sky Dragon.
Joey: Copycat lets me copy da attack and defense points of any monsta on da field. Guess which one I'm gonna pick?
Copycat's mirror shines as it copies the power of the monster it's reflecting. Its stats become (6000/6000). Slifer's second mouth then triggers, lowering Copycat's ATK to 4000.
Joey: Now dis is where it gets interesting! I activate Shield & Sword, which swaps the attack and defense points of every monsta on da field!
The magic of Shield & Sword kicks in, changing the field's gravity and reversing all monster's offensive and defensive values. Chimera's stats change to (2500/2800). Copycat's ATK now becomes 6000 – equal to Slifer's once again. But this time it will stay that way.
Kaiba gasps when he figures out Joey's plan, floored by the fact that Wheeler was actually able to put together a combination of cards capable of felling the mighty dragon. Joey stands up straighter and his eyes sparkle with renewed passion as he recalls every trial he's been through to get to this moment.
Joey: I've been mind-controlled by evil robe-wearing freaks, trapped in virtual words by creepy geezers who wanted to take over my body, almost drowned, struck by lightning, forced to put on a dog costume, and have been putting up with Seto Kaiba for the past 13 turns. If you thought some overgrown lizard was gonna spook Joey Wheela... you thought wrong! Copycat, take out Slifer da Sky Dragon!
Copycat's mirror shines once again as it imitates Slifer's thunder force attack. A stream of supercharged fire comes directly out of the mirror and heads straight for Yugi's giant beast.
Yugi: That was a good move, Joey. But not good enough. Your attack triggers my trap card: Mirror Force!
Joey almost faints when he sees Yugi activate the card that has saved him countless times. Copycat's stream of fire is reflected right back at it and the trickster is burned to a crisp, feeling the wrath of the God whose power it stole.
Ah man! The only monsta I had dat could beat Slifer just got barbecued! What the heck am I gonna do now? worries Joey as he slumps down to one knee, staring at the smoking pile of ash where his best bet was standing just a moment ago. Kaiba stares at the same pile with a conflicted expression – surprise at Wheeler getting so close, and disappointment at Yugi stopping the attack cold.
The King of Games crosses his arms and smiles, invigorated by the failures of his foes.
Yugi: I commend both of you for finding ways to exploit Slifer the Sky Dragon's abilities, but you've each made a critical error in judgment. You were so focused on Slifer that you turned a blind eye to the rest of my cards - and the traps lying in wait there. A good duelist never leaves his best monsters unsupported, no matter how powerful they may be on their own. And the same holds true for both of you. Though you may be powerful duelists on your own, if you support one another you will be unstoppable.
Joey looks down in despair, knowing that Yugi is right, but Kaiba's ego will get in the way of any productive cooperation between them.
All I got is deez two traps, and they ain't gonna be enough. Oh well… might as well go down swingin'. Joey inserts the two cards into his duel disk and they are projected face-down on the field in front of him. He ends his turn, preparing for the worst. I tried my best. Guess my best just wasn't good enough.
Chimera's stats revert to (2800/2500) as the effect of Shield & Sword wears off.
Turn 14 – Yugi: 6000 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Yugi draws; Slifer's ATK climbs to 7000. Joey decides that now is as good a time as any to springs one of his two traps.
Joey: Not so fast there, slick! Reveal face-down cahd: Drop Off! It forces you to send da cahd you just drew straight to da graveyahd. So Slifer's attack points will stay da same.
Slifer's ATK falls back to 6000 as Yugi nods and puts the card into the graveyard slot of his duel disk. Joey manages to catch a brief glimpse of the card as it's deposited: Dark Magician.
Yugi: Very well. True to form, you're not going down without a fight. But it won't make a difference. We're right back where we started two turns ago, except this time you're out of Battle Faders and out of luck. Chimera, crush the rest of Joey's life points!
Joey closes his eyes and tightens his butt cheeks, bracing himself for the final assault. Chimera roars and leaps into action. Joey doesn't dare open his eyes until it's over.
Kaiba: NEGATE ATTACK!
Chimera crashes into some kind of invisible force field mid-leap; its two faces squish against the barrier as they collide with it. The beast then hops back to Yugi's side of the field with its tail between its legs.
Kaiba: Sorry Yugi, but we're going to be putting up with the blonde buffoon for at least one more turn. Thanks to my Negate Attack card, your Battle Phase is now over. So you can forget about attacking with any more monsters this turn.
Joey opens his eyes and blinks a few times to make sure he's not dreaming. He raises his eyebrows at Kaiba, wondering if he finally managed to remove the stick from his ass.
Kaiba: Don't look at me like that. I didn't have some sudden change of heart after hearing one of Yugi's cheesy motivational speeches, and I don't plan on signing up for your Friendship Club any time soon. I only bailed you out because if I hadn't, Yugi would have just used Slifer to wipe out my life points after Chimera wiped out yours. And I doubt a trap like Negate Attack would have much effect on an Egyptian God Card…
Yugi thinks there are more reasons for Kaiba coming to Joey's aid than the CEO lets on, but the pharaoh decides not to say anything. Kaiba isn't done, however.
Kaiba: Yugi. You dare lecture ME about the mistakes in judgment I've made in this duel, yet you just made the biggest mistake of them all. You didn't have the guts to directly attack your best friend with an Egyptian God Card, because you know he's not as strong as you and I. That is a sign of weakness, and there is NO room for weakness in Duel Monsters! Don't tell me that not having to "save the world" anymore has made you soft.
Yugi narrows his gaze upon Kaiba, not appreciating his tone.
Kaiba: How could you let a third-rate chump like Wheeler almost take down your Egyptian God Card single-handedly? If you no longer care about defending your title of King of Games, then perhaps it's time that someone more deserving of that title takes it from you. And I'll do it. By any means necessary.
Yugi doesn't reply. He sets one card - undoubtedly something else intended to protect Slifer. The turn concludes with Slifer's ATK at 5000.
Turn 15 – Yugi: 6000 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
The card Kaiba draws is usually a duel-ender, but not under these circumstances. Crush Card Virus. Not only would it cripple Yugi's deck, but his hand as well, and would therefore also weaken Slifer the Sky Dragon, thinks Kaiba as he remembers the hundreds of monster card this devastating card has eliminated over the years. Unfortunately, I don't have a monster with 1000 or less attack points to combine it with. But Wheeler does. I'll need to buy some time…
Seto presses a button on his duel disk to reveal his second face-down card:
Kaiba: Your puppy dog is about to be put down. I activate Soul Exchange, which lets me sacrifice your monsters instead of my own. So I'll sacrifice Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast in order to tribute summon Dragon Seeker in defense mode!
Chimera is enveloped in a magical vortex which absorbs its energy and uses it to call forth the fiendish Dragon Seeker (2000/2100) to Kaiba's field. It takes a knee and crosses its arms as it takes a defensive stance. Slifer's second mouth lowers the Seeker's DEF by 2000 points, but it barely survives with 100 DEF left.
Kaiba: Unfortunately for you, my move also comes with a nasty side effect. When Horn of the Unicorn is sent from the field to the graveyard, it returns to the top of your deck. And you know what that means. You'll be forced to draw it next turn - instead of a monster card you could have summoned and attacked us with.
As per the rules of the equip spell card, Yugi takes Horn of the Unicorn out of his graveyard pile and places it on top of his deck.
I hate hiding behind monsters almost as much as I hate having to rely on Wheeler's pathetic cards, but it's necessary if my plan is to succeed, thinks Kaiba as he watches his crippled Dragon Seeker act as a feeble guard against a direct attack. But it will be worth it in the end, because everyone will know that it was through MY superior strategy and dueling skills that we emerged victorious. The glory will be all mine.
Kaiba: Before I end my turn, I'll place these two cards face down. Now make your move!
Hidden from everyone but Kaiba, Crush Card Virus appears face-down behind Dragon Seeker, waiting to unleash its chaos.
Turn 16 – Yugi: 6000 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Yugi draws Horn of the Unicorn as expected, but unbeknownst to Kaiba he possesses a card that can thwart the CEO's strategy.
Yugi: As you well know, there are ways of drawing outside the Draw Phase. This spell card is one of them: Graceful Charity! It allows me to draw three cards from my deck as long as I then discard two cards from my hand.
Kaiba holds his breath, praying that Yugi doesn't draw a monster as the pharaoh picks up the top three card of his deck and adds them to his hand, then discards Horn of the Unicorn and Lightforce Sword. But judging by his pause, it appears that he did not draw a summonable monster card. Kaiba's breathing returns to normal
Kaiba's right, Yami, says little Yugi to his alter-ego as they communicate inside their shared mind. Joey is the only one of us who can't control an Egyptian God Card. Attacking him directly with Slifer could be too dangerous. How do we know Kaiba will come to his aid?
It's okay, Yugi, replies the pharaoh reassuringly with his deep Dan Greenish voice. Kaiba will make the right decision. If he doesn't—
Joey: Just do it, Yoog!
The mental conversation between the two Yugis is interrupted by Joey. His arms are outstretched and he has a fearless look in his eyes.
Joey: I don't want you goin' easy on me. Take your best shot! Or I'll make ya regret it.
Yugi nods at his friend.
Yugi: All right. Slifer, attack Joey's life points directly!
Slifer opens its enormous mouth and starts generating the blast that will eliminate Joey from the game.
Kaiba: Dragon Seeker, intercept the attack!
Before Slifer's beam can reach Joey, Kaiba's Dragon Seeker moves in front of him and takes the full force of the attack. The creature melts, but Joey's life points are safe.
Joey: I knew it! You can't do dis without me. Admit it.
Kaiba smirks and deliberately avoids Joey's gaze.
Kaiba: Don't flatter yourself. The way I see it, you got us into this mess, so you have to help get us out of it. It's only fair.
Joey nods.
Joey: You got yaself a deal. Now let's do dis!
Yugi's face is glowing. Things are developing just as he'd hoped.
Yugi: I'm glad you have finally come to your senses. But at this point, I'm afraid it's too little, too late.
Kaiba: Wrong. Your little social experiment is about to blow up in your face. I'll make you regret ever trying to manipulate me.
The two partners take a deep breath and prepare for a double-teamed assault on Slifer the Sky Dragon.
Turn 17 – Yugi: 6000 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Kaiba puts phase two of his plan into motion.
Kaiba: Listen to me very carefully, Wheeler. I need you to summon that Time Wizard of yours.
Joey is baffled. He cleans his ears out, not sure he heard Kaiba correctly. This is coming from the same guy who called Time Wizard an "unpredictable" and "dangerous" card at the beginning of this duel and specifically wanted Joey NOT to summon it.
Joey: But Time Wizahd only has a few hundred attack and defense points. He's not gonna make it!
Kaiba: I'm well aware of that fact. Just play it.
Joey sees that Kaiba isn't messing around. is He plucks the Time Wizard from his hand, shrugs, and slaps it onto his duel disk. He doesn't have much choice anyway.
Joey: Ok. Gooooooo… Time Wizahd!
The famous clock-loving magician (500/400) is summoned to Joey's field, but it doesn't have a chance to use its time magic before Slifer's second mouth opens and the red dragon fires off a thunderball at the newly-summoned monster. Time Wizard disappears in a cloud of smoke just as quickly as he arrived.
Yugi: Your Time Wizard has been destroyed!
Kaiba: I suggest you take a closer look. Was it destroyed… or sacrificed?
Following Kaiba's advice, Yugi takes a closer look at the field. The charred remains of Time Wizard levitate in the air. They quickly crumble into dust, but that dust seems to have a mind of its own. It forms a dark cloud and then starts floating towards Yugi's hand and deck.
Kaiba: Time Wizard turned out to be a fitting host for my lethal Crush Card Virus. As we speak, the virus is beginning to infect your hand and deck, exterminating any and all monsters with 1500 or more attack points!
The black cloud of disease infiltrates Yugi's deck. Kaiba watches the process with glee, as he does every time Crush Card devastates his opponent's best cards.
Kaiba: Several turns ago, Cyber Jar forced you to summon almost every weak monster in your hand. Judging by the fact that your hand is now full yet you haven't played another monster, I'm betting that you must have several high-level monsters in your hand that can't be summoned without sacrifices. The virus will force you to discard those monsters, thereby lowering Slifer the Sky Dragon's attack points!
Crush Card would seal the fate of any other duelist, but not Yugi. The King of Games presses a button on his duel disk and his counter trap card is flipped up.
Yugi: Not if I eradicate the virus with the Seven Tools of the Bandit! At the cost of 1000 of my life points, Seven Tools of the Bandit negates the effect of your Crush Card trap. So it looks like the monsters in my deck – and my hand – just got a clean bill of health!
Yugi's life points drop to 5000 as the virus is expunged from his cards. Kaiba turns pale, defeat flashing before his eyes, his final plan to dethrone Yugi Moto foiled. He has a counter for everything! How can this be?!
Joey on the other hand is ecstatic.
Joey: You just fell for our REAL trap! Dat was the plan all along. To get you to use your face-down cahd… so you couldn't stop mine.
Both Yugi and Kaiba freeze and stare at Joey, neither of them aware of any such plan. A mocking laughter fills the arena, but it's not coming from any of the three duelists.
Joey: I play Graverobba to steal a monsta from your graveyahd!
The mischievous Graverobber pops up on Joey's field, laughing at Yugi while holding a card from his graveyard in its hands. It slowly turns the card over so its owner can see it: Dark Magician. Yugi's faithful wizard is special summoned in attack position, now under Joey's control.
Yugi: OH NO! My Dark Magician! I was forced to discard him when you played Drop Off!
Yugi is powerless to stop Slifer's second mouth from lowering his faithful servant's ATK by 2000 points, but Dark Magician is powerful enough to survive with 500 points left – as Joey undoubtedly knew he would.
Joey: Why da long face, Yoog? I thought you'd be happy to see your favorite monsta. Maybe you'll feel betta if I combine him with MY favorite monsta? I play Polymerization to fuse Dark Magician with da Flame Swordsman in my hand!
Magic and fire become one as Dark Magician and Flame Swordsman merge to create the Dark Flare Knight (2200/800). Despite Slifer's second mouth leaving it with a mere 200 ATK, the warrior still looks noble and combat-ready. A long black cape billows out behind it. Its armor is made of materials taken from the armors of both monsters used to create it. Its sword burns not with a red flame but with a blue one, indicating that the knight can control extreme heat. Yugi is shaking his head, having a hard time believing that he allowed himself to be caught in this trap. He knows exactly what's coming next.
Joey: Alright, here I come! Dark Flare Knight, attack Slifer da Sky Dragon!
Kaiba: Are you crazy!? Look at the difference in their attack points!
Kaiba wildly rants and raves at Joey, making all sorts of threatening gestures as he panics. Joey ignores him and carries out his attack. Dark Flare Knight raises his sword and points it toward the imposing Egyptian God Card. A tornado of magic and flame erupts out of it. Slifer counterattacks, and both monster's beams collide in the air. Slifer's beam easily overpowers Dark Flair Knight's and sends it crashing back down toward the warrior-type monster. The ensuing explosion wipes out Dark Flare Knight. Yet Joey's life points remain the same.
Joey: Dark Flare Knight has not one, but two special abilities! First, it prevents me from losing life points when it falls in battle. Second, when it goes to da graveyard, another even more powerful monsta takes its place. So goodbye Dark Flare Knight, hello MIRAGE KNIGHT!
A new hero clad in golden armor materializes in the same spot where Dark Flare Knight stood. Mirage Knight (2800/2000) endures the blast from Slifer's second mouth and has only 800 ATK remaining, but like his predecessor his true power is yet to be revealed. Yugi has witnessed this hidden power before - for this was the card he and Joey used to defeat the Big Five's Five-Headed Dragon in the Virtual World.
Joey: And I'm just gettin' warmed up! Your Egyptian God on the other hand... is about to be ancient history. Mirage Knight, slice and dice Slifer da Sky Dragon!
Mirage Knight leaps into battle, fearlessly rushing at the dragon. Slifer counterattacks, engulfing Mirage Knight in a stream of fire.
Joey: Did I mention Mirage Knight has a special ability too? He's able to absorb da attack points of da opposing monsta to boost his own!
Mirage Knight's ATK shoots up to a grand total of 6800. For the first time, Slifer is outmatched. The knight emerges from the fire unscathed and swings his scythe, cutting the God in half with a single stroke. The long serpentine body writhes and thrashes about in agony as it falls in two pieces onto the arena floor. The pieces then shatter and explode, shaking the stadium to its very foundations. Slifer the Sky Dragon has been slain.
Joey: AAAHHHHHH YEAAAAAAAHHHH! Who's da man? I'm da man!
The crowd bursts into cheers and applause, and it doesn't take long for the sound to reach deafening levels. Even Pegasus and Kemo are on their feet and clapping from the sidelines. Seto Kaiba is beyond words. Incredible. He actually did it. The imbecile actually did it. Maybe he IS a better duelist than I thought. Or maybe just the luckiest duelist I've ever seen. The KaibaCorp president wrestles with the decision of how much credit Joey actually deserves long enough to almost forget about his face-down card.
Yugi: I wouldn't be so quick to celebrate if I were you. This duel is far from over.
Kaiba: Indeed. Your suffering has only just begun. And I'm about to intensify it. Reveal trap card: Flat Level 4! It allows each of us to special summon a 4-star monster from our decks directly to the field. Now stand back, as I call upon the mighty Vorse Raider!
The wicked man-beast (1900/1200) emerges from the darkest recesses of Kaiba's deck in attack position, eager to spill new blood.
Joey: Vorse Raider, huh? Then I guess it's a raiding party!
Axe Raider (1700/1150) answers the call of duty, firmly gripping its double-headed axe. Joey is proud to have this old warrior by his side once again, recalling all the times it took care of business for him at Duelist Kingdom.
Yugi: As for me, I'll summon Magician's Valkyria in defense mode!
A female spellcaster with a twisted wand (1600/1800) takes a knee on Yugi's field, ready to defend the pharaoh's life points with her life. Since Valkyria's DEF is higher than Axe Raider's ATK, Joey figures that there's no point in attacking this turn. Despite this he's still on cloud nine, certain that the tide has turned in his and Kaiba's favor.
Joey: Well what do ya know, we got Yugi Moto on da ropes playing defense! You don't look so tough without your God Cahd. I'll set one cahd face-down and end my turn. Let's see what else ya got.
A concealed card appears in Joey's back row behind Axe Raider.
Turn 18 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Yugi seems pleased with his latest draw, but he adds the card to his hand without playing it. Just like assembling the pieces of a puzzle. One down, two more to go.
Yugi: You're half right. I am on the defensive… for now. But as far as having me on the ropes is concerned… you are sadly mistaken. First I activate the spell card Pot of Dichotomy! It lets me return three monster cards from my graveyard to my deck; then I draw two cards.
Yugi shuffles Dark Magician, Berfomet, and Gazelle back into his deck and draws two cards, one of which is exactly the one he was looking for. Two down, one to go.
Yugi: Then I'll reinforce my line of defense with the Giant Soldier of Stone!
A colossal warrior made of solid rock (1300/2000) is summoned in defense position next to Magician's Valkyria.
Kaiba: OH MY GOD A GIANT ROCK! It's a rock and it's giant!
Kaiba can't resist poking fun at Yugi's guardian, but his joke is met with a tough crowd.
Yugi: Mock my Stone Solider all you want. With 2000 defense points, there isn't a monster on either of your fields with enough attack power to penetrate its armor.
With a devilish grin, Kaiba looks down at one of the monster cards in his hand.
Kaiba: You'll live to regret those words.
Turn 19 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Kaiba takes his time conducting his Draw Phase, enjoying the chance to be in control and make his greatest rival squirm.
Kaiba: Allow me to introduce you to the Kaibaman! I don't believe you two have met.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Did Seto Kaiba clone himself? A man wearing a Blue-Eyes mask and the same outfit as Kaiba appears before him. Upon closer inspection he's actually a holographic projection of the monster card known as the Kaibaman (200/700). Not the hero we deserve, but the one we need right now.
Joey: Kaibaman? How come there's no Joeyman?
Kaiba: Because only the world's best duelist has cards custom-made just for him.
Pegasus rolls his eyes (eye?), knowing it took serious monetary incentive from the Kaiba Corporation to produce the card, and serious threats from its president to convince Pegasus not to name the card "Kaibaboy" instead.
Kaiba: What the Kaibaman lacks in attack and defense points, he more than makes up for with his unique superpower. You see, I can sacrifice him to bring out my ultimate beast: the BLUE-EYES WHITE DRAGON!
Kaibaman is tributed and sent to the graveyard, having served his role and now possibly off to join The Justice League. Kaiba's legendary engine of destruction descends from the sky, bathed in a shower of glittering white light. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500) lands in the arena with an assertive thud and roars. Fans in the colosseum welcome it with a massive ovation, showing how much they respect and admire one of the most famous duel monsters of all time.
Kaiba: And I saw, and behold a pale dragon. And his name that sat on him was death, and hell followed with him.
Even Yugi is unnerved in the presence of Blue-Eyes. Though he has faced the creature many times, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon always projects a certain aura that is both awe-inspiring and bone-chilling to even the most experienced of duelists.
Kaiba: Blue-Eyes, turn that giant rock to dust! White lightning!
Blue-Eyes White Dragon opens its mouth and unleashes a beam of white lightning. Giant Soldier of Stone tries to stand its ground, but it has no chance against the supreme power of Blue-Eyes. The colossus crumbles, causing an earthquake as pieces of its body topple onto the field.
Kaiba: Your turn, Vorse Raider! Carve up his Magician's Valkyria!
Vorse Raider jumps up and slices the magician, shattering the hologram into hundreds of pieces. Since both of Yugi's monsters were in defense position his life points remain the same, but his field is now unguarded against a direct attack. Kaiba can't resist the opportunity to gloat.
Kaiba: You're unusually quiet, Yugi. Too busy consulting with your imaginary friend? KaibaCorp employs some of the best psychologists in the country. You should really give them a call. I'd even be willing to foot your bill.
Yugi doesn't fall prey to Kaiba's mind games. He maintains his concentration, knowing that all he has to do is bide his time and let destiny take its course.
Turn 20 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Yugi draws the third and final card he needed. He smiles up at Kaiba.
Yugi: I combine Alpha, Beta, and Gamma the Magnet Warriors in my hand, merging them together to form a new monster with 500 more attack points than your Blue-Eyes. Behold… Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!
Alpha. Beta, and Gamma all emerge from Yugi's hand and fly into the air. They disassemble and then their individual body parts combine and lock in place one by one. Valkyrion the Magna Warrior (3500/3850) is created. It has the body and sword of Alpha, the horns of Beta, and the wings and feet of Gamma.
Kaiba grits his teeth in frustration, having nothing planned against Valkyrion's surprise appearance. But Joey does.
Joey: You might wanna tell Valkyrion to watch his step!
Yugi doesn't know what Joey means until he looks down just in time to see the Magna Warrior falling through an endlessly deep pit in the ground. Its metallic body quickly disappears in the blackness of the chasm.
Yugi: Valkyrion! What have you done?
Joey: On my last turn, I placed a hidden trap on my side of da field. A trap dat triggers when you summon a monsta with 1500 or more attack points. It's called Bottomless Trap Hole, and it banishes Valkyrion from da game!
Yugi isn't sure how to respond. Very rarely does one of his most powerful monsters get shut down so abruptly. Kaiba is once again taken aback by Joey's impressive moves and quick thinking. Wheeler is really pulling his weight. About time.
Yugi ends his turn, still trying to process what just happened.
Turn 21 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Joey draws. Joey grins.
Joey: Hey Kaiba… mind if I use your Vorse Raider?
Kaiba does mind, but he has a pretty good idea of what monster Joey intends to tribute it for. He smiles.
Kaiba: I've always wanted to see those two fight side-by-side. Do it.
Joey giggles, unable to contain his excitement any longer. This is something he too has always wanted to witness.
Joey: I sacrifice Vorse Raider and Axe Raider. Come on out RED-EYES!
At first, only the scarlet eyes of the ferocious Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000) are visible in the darkening sky, glowing like two hot coals. The creature's silhouette comes more and more into view as it dives down into the arena and lands next to Kaiba's dragon. Cameras flash all throughout the stadium as fans try to capture the dream team now standing side-by-side for the first time ever. Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Blue-Eyes White Dragon have joined forces.
Yugi: Red-Eyes… and Blue-Eyes… on the same team? Never thought I'd see the day.
Joey: And if you think Red-Eyes is a tough customer now, wait till ya get a load a this makeover! I equip him with Dragon Nails to increase his attack points by 600!
Red-Eyes Black Dragon's claws are transformed into steel nails, and his ATK rises to 3000 – equal to that of Blue-Eyes. Joey breathes a sign of relief, not having to worry about his dragon looking inferior to Kaiba's any longer.
Joey: Now Red-Eyes, attack Yugi's life points directly! Inferno fire blast!
Red-Eyes arches its head back and spits out a supercharged fireball directed at Yugi. But the King of Games always has one more trick up his sleeve.
Yugi: I banish Clear Kuriboh from my graveyard to activate its second special ability! When I am under a direct attack, Clear Kuriboh allows me to draw a single card from my deck. And if that card is a monster, I can summon it to the field right away!
Yugi places his thumb and index finger on his deck, but hesitates before drawing. If this doesn't work, Joey's Red-Eyes will wipe out almost all my life points – a setback I may not be able to recover from.
Destiny rewards him. The card is indeed a monster. Obnoxious Celtic Guardian (1400/1200) is special summoned in defense position and takes the full force of Red-Eyes Black Dragon's fire blast. But when the smoke clears, the elf swordsman is completely unscathed. Joey does a double-take.
Joey: Hey, what gives? Celtic Guardian only has 1200 defense. He shoulda been torched!
Yugi: And he would've been, if not for his special ability. This isn't just any Celtic Guardian, Joey. This is Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, and he can't be destroyed in battle with any monster that has 1900 or more attack points. Your Red-Eyes Black Dragon is well above that number.
We can barely make a dent in his lift points! thinks Joey in frustration. We still got da advantage though. Nobody can hold back both Red-Eyes and Blue-Eyes for long. Not even Yugi.
With no other cards to play, Joey has no choice but to end his turn.
Joey: You ain't kidding about the "obnoxious" part…
Turn 22 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Now that he's been granted a second chance, Yugi intends to do what he does better than anyone else in the game: turn the tables.
Yugi: I sacrifice Obnoxious Celtic Guardian in order to tribute summon the second-most famous magician in my deck. Behold… the Dark Magician GIRL!
Every female fan in attendance squeals with glee when they see the beautiful Dark Magician Girl (2000/1700) flying through the air like she's in a Broadway musical. She twirls her wand and strikes a cute pose in front of Yugi, glitter falling off her body when she lands on the field. Dark Magician Girl winks at Joey, nearly causing him and every other male in the audience to faint. The only person who isn't affected by her charm is Seto Kaiba.
Kaiba: I'm beholding. Tell me, what chance does she possibly have against our dragons?
Yugi: Oh, she won't be alone for long.
Both Kaiba and Joey knows exactly where this is going.
Yugi: I activate the spell card Sage's Stone! With Dark Magician Girl on the field and the Sage's Stone in play, I am able to call forth Dark Magician from my deck!
A spellbinding circle appears next to Dark Magician Girl. A shiny purple stone floats in the center of the circle, glowing and pulsing with hidden magical properties. She casts a spell on the stone, unlocking its true power. The stone submerges itself into the circle, and moments later Dark Magician (2500/2100) rises up from it, standing right beside his female counterpart. The unstoppable duo has reformed. The magicians nod at each other, ready to kick ass and perform magic tricks. And they're all out of ass.
Yugi: It's time for me to take this duel to the next level. Kaiba. Joey. Ready your cards, forge your strategies, and prepare yourselves. For the clash of ages is about to begin!
Red-Eyes and Blue-Eyes stare across the field at Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl. The battle lines have been drawn. A war is brewing.
To be continued…