The battle lines have been drawn.
On one side of the field stand two of the greatest dragons in all of Duel Monsters. The legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon (ATK: 3000/DEF: 2500) proudly roars, announcing it is once again ready to serve the will of its one and only master, Seto Kaiba. Beside it, the ferocious Red-Eyes Black Dragon (3000/2000) glares at the opposition with crimson eyes, enjoying a 600-point power boost due to being equipped with Dragon Nails. Joey Wheeler lovingly gazes at his reptilian friend, a card that has come through for him on countless occasions ever since he won it from Rex Raptor back in Duelist Kingdom.
On the opposite side of the field, the ultimate spellcaster tag team is ready for action. Dark Magician (2500/2100) and Dark Magician Girl (2000/1700), the two monsters that have fought at Yugi's side through the harshest of times and against the strongest opponents. This may prove to be the duo's toughest test yet.
Kaiba and Yugi stare each other down like only true rivals could, the air between them so tense you could cut it with a knife. They know the showdown has arrived. Joey tries to imitate them, but he can't seem to contain his inner fanboy.
Joey: Ah man, dis is too awesome! Red-Eyes and Blue-Eyes versus Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl? Dis is da kind a thing I read about in fanfics, yet it's actually happening right now! Hey, Yoog, guess what? Red and blue make purple, which is exactly what your magicians are gonna be after our dragons are thru with 'em! HAHAHA!
Joey's chin contorts into a creepy grin as he shakes his fist at Yugi and trash talks the King of Games. As usual, Kaiba is not impressed.
Kaiba: Wheeler, you make it sound like this is actually going to be some kind of contest. Those magicians are the weakest monsters in play. Our dragons will make quick work of them. And then, it'll only be a matter of time before we win this duel and I get one step closer to reclaiming the title that is rightfully mine. The title of number one duelist! The title Yugi stole—
Kaiba's monologue is suddenly interrupted when three giant bright swords fall from the heavens and surround the two dragons, preventing them from attacking for three of Kaiba and Joey's turns.
Kaiba: Damn.
Yugi: Well Kaiba, it seems you're all too familiar with the card I just played, but you don't seem to grasp where the real strength of my spellcasters lies. It's support. My deck is filled with cards that enhance and expand the magical capabilities of my Dark Magicians. And now that both of them are on the field at the same time, they are unstoppable! I'll be interested in seeing if Blue-Eyes and Red-Eyes can support one another the way my magicians do.
Yugi sets one of these support cards in his spell and trap zone, intending to bolster his forces while under the protection of the Swords of Revealing Light.
Joey: Yugi makes a good point. It won't be easy to take those magicians down when they're together like dat.
Kaiba: Speak for yourself. If I had a dime for every magician my Blue-Eyes has wrecked over the years… I'd be even richer.
Turn 23 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Kaiba glances at his newest card and bursts into an arrogant cackle. Looks like he won't be waiting 3 turns after all.
Kaiba: You're getting predictable in your old age, "pharaoh". Those swords have been wasting my time ever since our very first duel. But times change. I'm always upgrading my deck, refining my strategies, ensuring I don't fall victim to the same moves again. Unfortunately for you, I now possess a spell card that allows my Blue-Eyes to bypass the Swords of Revealing Light.
A curious Yugi listens, having several ideas about which card Kaiba could be referring to.
Kaiba: It's called Burst Stream of Destruction, and for one turn it unlocks the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's most devastating attack. An attack so powerful, it can obliterate every single monster on your field in a single shot. Now my dragon, take flight! Burst Stream of Destruction attack!
Kaiba activates the card and Blue-Eyes begins flapping its giant wings, generating an intense gust that forces Joey and Yugi to put their arms up. The pale beast then takes off with the speed of a fighter jet, soaring higher and higher into the sky, above the stadium, through the clouds. The audience members crane their necks to try to see how far up Blue-Eyes is going, a task which soon becomes nearly impossible. When it has almost reached outer space, Blue-Eyes finally stops its ascent and begins charging its blast.
Yugi: Oh my gods.
Seto Kaiba laughs, relishing the sheer amazement and terror his holographic technology is now capable of instilling in people. Even he didn't know it could go this far. For a moment, Joey's instincts kick in and he feels concerned for his friend.
Joey: YUGI! Hang in there!
Blue-Eyes unleashes its attack. A massive beam of electricity is discharged from its mouth and plummets toward the arena, ripping through cloud after cloud. Yugi's entire field is engulfed in the storm, and he musters all his strength to prevent being knocked over himself. For a moment it appears as if his two magicians were instantly vaporized by the attack. But looks can be deceiving. It soon becomes clear that Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl are holding their own. The tips of their staffs are touching, forming a protective bubble that surrounds the two mages and shields them from the blast.
Kaiba: How are they withstanding my dragon's wrath? Explain yourself!
Yugi: Gladly! My magicians are under the protection of Spell Shield Type-8, a trap card I set on my previous turn. All I had to do was discard one spell card from my hand, and Spell Shield negated the effect of your Burst Stream of Destruction. It's going to take much more than that to beat my Dark Magicians, Kaiba! Though it wasn't a bad first try.
Kaiba grits his teeth in frustration as Yugi inserts Dark Magic Curtain into the graveyard slot of his duel disk to pay the cost of Spell Shield Type-8. Blue Eyes White Dragon's attack is cancelled and the dragon returns to its master's side.
Kaiba: Inconsequential. I may not be able to attack for a while, but you're in no position to do so either. So I'll do things your way – use this downtime to build up my strength. And then… when those swords expire… I promise it'll take a lot more than one card to hold back what I have in store for you!
Kaiba sets two cards in his back row and ends his turn. One of the Swords of Revealing Light disappears. Two remain.
Turn 24 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Just as he was hoping, Yugi draws another useful support card for his magicians and places it in his back row along with one other – building up his arsenal of spells and traps in preparation for the impending war.
Yugi: I'll also place two cards face-down. That will be all for now.
Turn 25 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Joey is relieved that the pace of the duel has slowed for the time being. This is a good time for him to build up some defenses of his own to try to protect the few life points he has left. He draws a card and immediately activates it; it happens to be one of his favorites.
Joey: I'm on a roll! A Roll of Fate dat is. Dis cahd lets me roll a die and then whatever numba I get, dat's how many cahds I get to draw from my deck. Of course I also have to send da same amount of cahds from my deck to da graveyahd, but so what?
Roll of Fate is activated and a six-sided die is cast onto the field. Come on baby! Joey needs a new pair a shoes! mutters Wheeler to himself as he eagerly watches the die roll. It finally stops on a "4". Good enough for me, thinks Joey as he draws four cards and then sends Battle Warrior, Salamandra, Giant Trunade, and Gearfried the Iron Knight from the top of his deck to the graveyard.
Joey: Then, to keep things interesting I play Dangerous Machine Type-6!
Joey inserts the continuous spell card into his duel disk. The earth starts shaking as a large metal machine emerges from underground, steam hissing from its many gears and cogs before it settles in front of Joey. Neither Yugi nor Kaiba are sure what to make of this strange gadget, but Kaiba tends to lean towards pessimism more often than not.
Kaiba: I don't like the look of that thing, Wheeler. What does it do?
Joey scratches his blonde hair.
Joey: I have no idea.
Kaiba: WHAT!?
Joey giggles, reeling Kaiba in after the he took the bait.
Joey: Relax, I'm just messin' with ya. What I meant is, Dangerous Machine Type-6 does something different every turn. We won't know what, until I give it a spin during each of my Standby Phases. What numba comes up determines what effect the machine has on dat turn.
Seto groans in frustration and tries to focus on his own cards, but his eyes keep darting toward the big machine on Joey's field.
Joey: Anywho, I've given both you guys plenty to think about for now, so I'll set three cahds face-down and then end my turn.
With these three cards, Dragon Nails, and Dangerous Machine Type-6, Joey's spell and trap card zone is now full. As his turn concludes, the second Sword of Revealing Light vanishes. Only one sword remains.
Turn 26 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Not quite ready to go on the offensive yet, the King of Games is content to play out this turn in much the same way he did his previous one.
Yugi: I'll set another two cards face-down, and then end my turn.
Yugi now has a total of four face-downs in his spell and trap card zone.
Turn 27 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Kaiba: You disappoint me, Yugi. Whatever it is you plan on doing next turn, it had better be worth the wait. Because you're out of time, and I'm out of patience.
Kaiba then sets three face-downs in his spell and trap card zone, maxing it out. Joey nods at his partner and then does some shadowboxing to stretch out his muscles.
Joey: We're ready for ya, Yoog! Come get some!
Yugi: Very well. It is time.
Kaiba has five face-down cards in his spell and trap zone. Yugi has four. Joey has three. All preparations for the battle have been made. Every man's full arsenal amassed, just waiting to be unleashed. An eerie stillness has descended over the stadium. It's so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The calm before the storm.
As the final Sword of Revealing Light vanishes, all three participants look at one another and shout the same thing:
Yugi, Joey, and Kaiba: LET'S DUEL!
Turn 28 – Yugi: 4200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
The clash begins.
Yugi: To start things off, I play the spell card Dark Magic Twin Burst! It increases Dark Magician's attack points by the total attack points of Dark Magician Girl.
The two magicians bring their staffs together to unite their magic. Dark Magician Girl transmits her energy to Dark Magician, raising his ATK by 2000 points: from 2500 to 4500.
Kaiba: Why thank you. That's exactly what I was expecting you to do. I activate Absorb Spell! This card will absorb the power of Dark Magic Twin Burst. Therefore, the attack points you just added to your Dark Magician will be transferred to my Blue-Eyes White Dragon instead!
Dark Magician glows red as its ATK returns to 2500. Blue-Eyes glows green as its ATK climbs from 3000 to 5000.
Yugi: I thought you might try to counter that, so I prepared a counter of my own: Mystical Refpanel! Now I can redirect the power boost your Blue-Eyes just gained… right back to my Dark Magician!
A blue-haired fairy holding a big mirror appears in front of Yugi. It reflects Kaiba's Absorb Spell, then turns around and shines it on Dark Magician, bringing his ATK back up to 4500 while the ATK of Blue-Eyes returns to 3000. With the advantage in his corner again, Yugi transitions into his Battle Phase.
Yugi: Dark Magician, vanquish Joey's Red-Eyes Black Dragon! Dark magic twin burst attack!
With the power of Dark Magician Girl making him almost twice as strong, Dark Magician leaps up and points his staff at Red-Eyes, preparing to vaporize both the monster and Joey's life points.
Joey: Not if I sic dis trap on ya: KUNAI WITH CHAIN! It switches David Copperfield to defense mode!
Joey presses a button on his Duel Disk to raise his face-down Kunai With Chain. A long chain with three blades erupts out of it, heading straight for the attacking Dark Magician.
Yugi: You used that trap for the first time when we dueled the Paradox Brothers. Ironically, that's also the first time I used THIS trap: It's called Shift, and it makes my two monsters switch places!
Dark Magician vanishes and then reappears in the same spot Dark Magician Girl was standing in mere seconds ago, while she teleports to his spot. This forces Kunai With Chain to wrap itself around Dark Magician Girl instead, pulling her down into defense position. Dark Magician is unaffected.
Yugi: Let's try this again. Dark Magician, attack Red-Eyes Black Dragon now!
Kaiba steps in, surprising everyone.
Kaiba: You're going up against two duelists, remember? Not just one. I activate Magical Trick Mirror, which in turn lets me activate any spell card from your graveyard and use it against you. Tell me, Yugi… how does it feel when YOU have to wait 3 turns before attacking for a change?
A mannequin wielding several mirrors is summoned on Kaiba's field. It points those mirrors at Yugi's graveyard, reflecting back an image of three bright swords, which then fall around Yugi's monsters the same way they had confined Joey's and Kaiba's dragons for the past several turns.
Yugi: You chose Swords of Revealing Light? Very well. I'll just blow them away with Dust Tornado!
Dust Tornado quickly goes to work, sweeping Yugi's field and erasing the Swords of Revealing Light.
Yugi: You keep springing them up, I'll just keep shutting them down. Dark Magician, att—
Kaiba: GO COMMAND SILENCER!
Before Yugi can finish his sentence, Kaiba activates yet another one of his face-down cards. A totem pole materializes on his field and begins emitting a supersonic screech. The noise is so loud it causes Yugi to drop to his knees and cover his ears in a feeble attempt to block it out.
Yugi: What… is… happening?
Kaiba: It's quite obvious. Your monster couldn't hear your command, therefore your attack is cancelled. Ready to throw in the towel yet? I can do this all day, Yugi!
When the totem pole leaves the field, Yugi picks himself up, looks his foe right in the eyes, and grins – never happier than when he's right here in the heat of battle.
Yugi: So can I! First, I activate my final face-down card: Zero Gravity! It changes the battle positions of all monsters on the field.
The ground trembles as gravity is reversed and all face-up creatures are affected. The chains ensnaring Dark Magician Girl shatter as she stands up and switches to attack position (ATK: 2000), while Dark Magician changes to defense position (DEF: 2100). Red-Eyes (DEF: 2000) and Blue-Eyes (DEF: 2500) both take a knee.
What's he planning? wonders Kaiba, confused by this latest move. Dark Magician Girl can attack now, but that prostitute doesn't have enough attack points to bring either of our dragons down. Unless…
Yugi: Then, I play a spell known as Dedication Through Light and Darkness. My Dark Magician will now conjure up both dark magic and light magic, combining their powers to enhance his own. And when the boundaries between light and darkness are broken… chaos reigns. So observe, as I sacrifice Dark Magician to call forth… DARK MAGICIAN OF CHAOS!
A portal to the dimension of chaos opens up beneath Dark Magician. He crosses his arms and sinks into it. After a few moments, a new, much more powerful mage slowly begins rising from the portal. Dark Magician of Chaos (2800/2600) is special summoned in attack position. On the sidelines, Pegasus feels a chill run down his spine. For this is an even more powerful version of the ritual monster that defeated him in Duelist Kingdom.
Yugi: I'm afraid there's more. With Dark Magician now in my graveyard, Dark Magician Girl gains an extra 300 attack points!
Dark Magician's Girl's ATK rises to 2300 due to her effect, higher than the DEF of Red-Eyes. Kaiba catches on to Yugi's brilliant play.
Kaiba: With our dragons in defense mode, they won't be able to survive an attack! Their defense points are too low!
Yugi: And therein lies their weakness. Now that I've exposed it, your dragons are no match for my sorcerers. Dark Magician of Chaos will rid the field of Blue-Eyes, while Dark Magician Girl does the same to Red-Eyes!
The pharaoh launches a double-teamed assault as both of his magicians point their rods at the opposing dragons and simultaneously shoot out beams of dark magic.
Joey: What if I even the odds with a little Skull Dice action?
In the midst of all the monsters about to collide, a naughty little demon flies overhead and drops a red six-sided die onto the field. It lands on a "3", meaning that all of Yugi's monsters lose 300 ATK until the End Phase. Dark Magician of Chaos' ATK drops to 2500, making it equal to the DEF of Blue-Eyes. Dark Magician Girl's ATK reverts to 2000, which is equal to the DEF of Red-Eyes.
The beams of dark magic hit their intended targets, creating a large explosion that obscures the entire field in smoke for a few minutes. The fans in the stadium are on their feet, eagerly anticipating the outcome of the collision. When the dust clears, all four monsters are unscathed.
Kaiba: It's a stalemate!
Yugi: Not necessarily. My turn isn't over yet.
Both Joey and Kaiba gawk at Yugi, wondering what the King of Games can possibly throw at them next.
Yugi: When Dark Magician of Chaos was summoned, his special ability activated - allowing me to return one spell card in my graveyard back to my hand. The card I chose was the Card of Sanctity. I shall now activate it - meaning we all draw until we're holding six cards in our hand.
Transitioning into his Main Phase 2 now, Yugi reloads his guns as Kaiba and Joey do the same.
Yugi: Next, I play Dark Magic Inheritance. It transfers one Dark Magician-related spell card from my deck to my hand, as long as I banish two spell cards from my graveyard first.
Yugi removes from play Swords of Revealing Light and Horn of the Unicorn in his graveyard before searching his deck for the Dark Magician-related card he needs.
Yugi: I cannot use this card if Dark Magician is not on the field. So first, I'll resurrect him by invoking the Dark Magic Veil spell and paying 1000 life points.
Yugi's life points drop to 3200. An enchanted vortex opens up on his field and Dark Magician leaps out of it, returning in attack position next to Dark Magician Girl and Dark Magician of Chaos. Three of the mightiest spellcasters in all of Duel Monsters are now assembled on the pharaoh's field.
Joey: Yeah, dat's it. Line up every magician ya got. Red-and-Blue Eyes will send 'em packing one by one! Summon a thousand magicians for all we care!
Yugi: What about a Thousand Knives?
Hundreds of razor-sharp flying daggers suddenly appear out of thin air in front of Dark Magician. Evidently, this is the card Yugi took from his deck by the effect of Dark Magic Succession.
Yugi: If I can't blast Blue-Eyes away, then I'll just skewer him. Go Thousand Knives!
With a single phrase, Dark Magician releases the daggers and they all head straight for Blue-Eyes White Dragon. But right before they impale it, the beast dematerializes. The knives continue on their original trajectory and head for Kaiba instead. He doesn't even flinch as the holographic knives crash against his body.
Yugi: Do my eyes deceive me, or did Blue-Eyes just vanish? Where is it?
Kaiba: In a different dimension and safely away from your kitchen utensils, thanks to my handy Interdimensional Matter Transporter. It banished my monster for one turn. So I regret to inform you that its absence is only temporary.
Kaiba and Joey then brace themselves for the next wave, not certain they have anything left to repel it. But Yugi is out of ammo too, so he has no choice but to cease the assault. For now.
Yugi: There's nothing more I can do. I set two face-downs and end my turn.
Two shadowy cards appear in Yugi's back row behind his three magicians, whose ATK points are restored to their original values as the effect of Skull Dice wears off. Blue-Eyes White Dragon rematerializes in front of Kaiba.
The crowd holds their breath in anticipation of the next card activation. When they realize the turn has officially concluded, they erupt in a simultaneous, thunderous cheer. The sudden noise snaps the three duelists out of their intense concentration and they each take a deep breath, realizing how tense they've been throughout the battle.
Everyone is on their feet clapping for the back-and forth sequence they just witnessed. Even the hard-to-impress Pegasus is on his feet with the rest of them, spilling red wine over his expensive clothes in the midst of all the excitement.
Pegasus: Incredible! The combos, the counters, the reaction time… these truly are the top three duelists in the world.
Those top three duelists are already examining the new cards in their hand, deciding which of them to utilize during the next round.
Turn 29 – Yugi: 3200 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Joey's Dangerous Machine Type-6 begins shaking and buzzing with electricity as his turn starts.
Joey: Time to give the old one-armed bandit a spin!
Numbers begin turning inside the machine as it vibrates. The number that eventually comes up is "4". Joey seems disappointed with the result.
Joey: Knew I shoulda put some grease in dat thing… anyway, 4 means you get to draw one cahd from your deck, Yugi.
A grumble can be heard coming from Kaiba's general direction. Yugi picks up the top card from his deck and adds it to his hand, hoping the rest of Joey's turn goes as well as it has thus far.
Joey: First I'm switching my Red-Eyes Black Dragon to attack mode!
Red-Eyes stands up and points its steel claws at the trinity of magicians in front of it. With 3000 ATK, none of them can withstand its ferocity. Of course, Yugi knows this and came prepared.
Yugi: Sorry, gonna have to take a rain check on that attack. Reveal face-down card: Mystical Space Typhoon!
Joey: Let me guess – you'll use it to negate Dragon Nails, right?
Yugi: Right. Well… technically, wrong. I'll use it to destroy them. MST doesn't negate.
Before the rulings of the card can be debated any further, a black typhoon is generated. It encircles Red-Eyes, erasing its Dragon Nails equip spell card and lowering its ATK by 600.
Yugi: With only 2400 attack points, there's nothing preventing me from destroying Red-Eyes next turn. And when it goes, so will the rest of your life points. It's been fun, Joey.
Joey chuckles as he presses a button on his duel disk.
Joey: Sure has, Yoogs. And it's about to get funner, once I give old Red-Eyes a little upgrade...
Joey activates his trap; Red-Eyes begins transforming. A layer of nearly impenetrable stainless steel begins covering the black dragon's entire body from head to toe, making it even more deadly and intimidating than it was before. Its stats rise to (2700/2300).
Joey: Metalmorph turns my Red-Eyes Black Dragon into a Red-Eyes Black METAL Dragon, boosting its attack and defense by 300 points. But wait, there's more! Whenever Red-Eyes attacks, it gains attack points equal to half da attack points of its target. Your three amigos ain't got nothin' on him now!
Kaiba is clearly impressed by Red Eyes' new paint job. If there's one thing the KaibaCorp president knows how to appreciate, it's a cool-looking dragon.
Joey: I plan on reducin' the local wizarding population from 3 to 1 dis turn. To help with dat, I summon Goblin Attack Force!
A rabble of green goblins armed with clubs (2300/0) is conscripted on Joey's field. With that, the Battle Phase is under way.
Joey: Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon, show Dark Magician a Chaos why you're da top of da food chain! FLASH... FLARE... BLAST!
Metalmorph's magic boosts the metallic dragon's ATK to 4100. It rears its head back and spits out a fiery orb at Dark Magician of Chaos. The mage is engulfed and promptly destroyed by the blast. Yugi grimaces as the shockwave ripples through him and his life points decrease by 1300.
Joey: Down goes your strongest monsta, and there's more where dat came from. Now I would personally never hit a woman, but my goblins have no such issues. It's clobberin' time!
The army of goblins surround Dark Magician Girl and start pummeling with their clubs so wildly that they create a cloud of dust. But when the dust clears, Dark Magician Girl is nowhere to be found. A solitary white pigeon flies over the heads of the goblins and past Yugi before disappearing into the winds.
Joey: Did… did they get her? I would hate to see her go, but I love to watch her leave. Know what I'm saying?
Yugi: The only place she went is back into my hand, thanks to my Magical Pidgeon spell card. It transformed Dark Magician Girl into a pigeon, allowing her to easily slip past your clumsy goblins and escape harm. They're a reckless force. Too reckless. One attack is all they can manage before they're out of breath and on the defensive.
Yugi's words ring true. The Goblin Attack Force is panting heavily; some of the band members are on their knees while others are on their backs. The monster card has been switched to defense position. Its DEF points are 0.
Joey: Yeah, but in defense mode I won't lose any life points if they get attacked. So I didn't leave any openings for you to poke through. All you gotta worry about is my Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon breathing down your neck. And on dat note... it's your turn.
Joey sets one card in his back row before throwing it to Yugi. As the turn ends, Dark Magician Girl returns to the field and takes her place beside Dark Magician.
Turn 30 – Yugi: 1900 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 50 LP
Neither of my magicians are strong enough to take down Joey's evolved Red-Eyes. But those goblins... are a much, much bigger target than he realizes, thinks the pharaoh while surveying the field.
Yugi: If you think your life points are safe with Goblin Attack Force in defense mode… think again. I equip Dark Magician with the spell card Dark Spear!
The magician's staff transforms into a lance. His ATK and DEF points stay the same however, so there must be another benefit.
Yugi: From now on, every time Dark Magician attacks a monster in defense mode whose defense points are lower than his attack points, the difference will be subtracted from your life points.
Wheeler! mutters Kaiba, realizing that his partner is about to be eliminated from the duel. Why does it not surprise me that he runs Goblin Attack Force, a glass cannon whose weakness can easily be exploited. And we're up against the master of exploiting weaknesses.
Dark Magician leaps at the exhausted Goblins. He easily pierces their nonexistent armor, taking them out along with the rest of Joey's life points.
Yugi: Joey, you should know by now that defense mode isn't always enough to protect your life points, especially since you only had 50 of them left. You simply couldn't afford to make such moves.
Yugi is confused. Joey's life point counter reads 1550. Is it a glitch in the system? Surely KaibaCorp has ironed out all the kinks in its duel disks by now.
Joey: Hehehehe… I knew you would think dat I would think dat. It's a new technique I've been practicing called "reverse psychology". I WANTED you to attack my Goblins so I could activate my wonder drug, Nutrient Z! It increased my life points by 4000 right before I took the damage from your attack. So 50 plus 4000, minus 2500, equals…
Joey quickly glances at his duel disk life point display.
Joey: 1550! Not only did I survive, I managed to restore my life points too. Ya keep underestimatin' me, Yugi. Bad idea.
Yugi and Kaiba are floored, once again finding themselves surprised by Joey. With each passing turn, he keeps proving more and more than he belongs on this stage.
Yugi: I should've known you'd have a Nutrient Z lying around somewhere. Good card. Just as good as these.
Yugi sets three cards in his spell and trap card zone, then ends his turn.
Turn 31 – Yugi: 1900 LP, Kaiba: 2200 LP, Joey: 1550 LP
The spotlight now shines on Kaiba, and he intends to make his presence known.
Kaiba: It's my move, so stand back!
Seto dramatically pulls his next card, KaibaCorp cape billowing majestically in the wind.
Kaiba: The scoreboard says I'm in the lead. And with this two-card combination, you geeks will be eating my dust. I play the spell cards Soul Absorption and Soul Release!
Kaiba slips them into his duel disk. As their magic takes effect, a green aura begins emanating from Seto's body, healing and powering him up to new levels.
Kaiba: Soul Absorption gives me 500 life points every time a card is removed from play, while Soul Release lets me banish up to five cards from any graveyard. Do the math.
Chaos Emperor Dragon, Kaiser Glider, Slider the Sky Dragon, Valkyrion the Magna Warrior, and Beast of Gilfer are banished to ensure that Yugi won't be able to revive the strongest monsters for the rest of the game. Kaiba's life points increase by 2500, climbing all the way up to 4700. He now has more than twice as many life points as either of the other competitors in the duel.
Kaiba: All right Blue-Eyes, it's just another day at the office. Annihilate his Dark Magician and prove your superiority once and for all!
Yugi: Magical Hats, materialize!
Two giant hats with big "?" question marks hover above Yugi's field.
Yugi: As for my magicians: now you see them…
The hats drop on top of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, concealing them. The two hats then double into four and spread out in a line across Yugi's field.
Yugi: ...now you don't.
Kaiba shakes his head, chuckling to himself.
Kaiba: The same old tricks again. Fine, I'll bite. Blue-Eyes, attack the hat on the far right!
Blue-Eyes opens its mouth and unleashes a beam of white lightning that instantly vaporizes the hat. But it appears there was nothing underneath it.
Yugi: Wrong guess. I take it it's my turn now?
Kaiba: Not so fast. You see, unlike Wheeler I don't rely on luck to win duels. I create the odds!
With that, Kaiba presses a button on his duel disk to activate his trap card: Tyrant Wing.
Yugi: OH NO!
Kaiba: OH YES. With Tyrant Wing, my dragon can attack twice in one turn. Looks like my odds just went up!
The white dragon's wings shine and grow twice as big. Only three Magical Hats remain, giving Kaiba a 2/3 chance of taking a monster out.
Kaiba: Blue-Eyes, attack the middle hat! White lightning!
The center hat is obliterated. As the smoke begins to dissipate, a dark shape becomes visible in the spot where the hat previously stood. Bingo, thinks Kaiba as he grins in satisfaction. The crowd gasps, wondering which magician was hit.
Kaiba: Got him. Or her?
Yugi: You certainly got something…
The King of Games returns Kaiba's smile. For he used one trick to mask another. The shape beneath the hat wasn't a monster at all, but a trap. An enchanted circle imbued with arcane incantations rises up and attaches itself around Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon's body, paralyzing the creature. Joey can do nothing but gape in shock as his dragon's ATK falls to 2000.
Yugi: Theatricality and deception - powerful agents to the uninitiated. I secretly hid a Spellbinding Circle underneath those hats, and your second attack triggered it. It weakens Red-Eyes by 700 points and prevents it from attacking. Now I've neutralized the offensive capabilities of both your dragons for the foreseeable future.
Kaiba tries to hide his frustration at failing to destroy Yugi's magicians once again. He steers ahead and transitions to his Main Phase 2.
Kaiba: What befalls Wheeler's metal hunk of junk is of little concern to me. I activate my Cost Down card! By discarding one card, Cost Down lowers the level of all monsters in my hand by 2 stars. That allows me to summon Gadget Soldier, normally a 6-star monster, without a sacrifice.
Seto discards Judge Man to pay the cost. A bulky warrior, half man and half machine (1800/2000), is called up to his field in defense position. It comes equipped with a grenade launcher propped up on its shoulder.
Kaiba: Finally, I'll place these two cards face-down and end my turn.
Two dark cards fill the row behind Gadget Soldier and Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The two remaining Magical Hats fade away, revealing the monsters underneath them.
Turn 32 – Yugi: 1900 LP, Kaiba: 4700 LP, Joey: 1550 LP
Dispatching the weakened Red-Eyes this turn won't be enough. I'll still be at the mercy of Kaiba's Blue-Eyes next time it attacks, mulls the pharaoh as he picks up Summoned Skull in his Draw Phase. I need to wipe both of their dragons out. And I need to do it now.
Yugi: I'll begin by activating Altar of Restoration. It banishes the top two cards of my deck. In exchange, it returns one spell card in my graveyard to my hand.
As the top two cards in Yugi's deck (Catapult Turtle and Gazelle) are removed from play, Kaiba's continuous spell card Soul Absorption kicks in to raise his life points by 1000.
Yugi: I select Card of Sanctity and then activate it. You know what that means.
Once again, all three duelists draw until they're holding six cards. Kaiba wonders if Yugi's plan will pay off or come back to haunt him. He keeps recycling Card of Sanctity to replenish his hand. Not a bad strategy, except for the fact that it helps us out as well…
Yugi: Since one of the cards I drew with Card of Sanctity was Watapon, I can immediately use its special ability to summon it directly to the field.
A cute little furry called Watapon (200/300) is special summoned in defense position. A collection of "aaaaww!"s can be heard coming from female fans in the audience.
Yugi: Next I reveal my face-down: Card Destruction! Now we must discard our entire hands and draw the same number of cards.
Having no choice but to obey the card's rules, Joey and Kaiba throw out their hands and draw six cards again.
Joey: Bad hand da first time around?
Yugi: Quite the contrary. I just needed to double it. And I'll do it with this trap card: Disgraceful Charity! Now we take the cards we just sent to the graveyard and add them back to our hand.
The duelists unite everything they discarded with their existing hand, giving them a wide variety of cards to use. Unfortunately for Kaiba and Joey, it's Yugi's turn. And he got just the cards he wanted.
Yugi: I sacrifice Watapon in order to tribute summon… the mighty Summoned Skull!
A portal to the realm of Archfiends opens up beneath Watapon, swallowing the little hairball up and replacing it with a far scarier creature. Summoned Skull (2500/1200), one of Yugi's classic creatures, rises up in a dark cloud and opens its wings. The demonic monster terrifies the same girls who squealed at Watapon earlier.
Yugi: Next I play the spell known only as… MAKIU, the Magical Mist!
The weather suddenly takes a turn for the worse. A fine mist rains down on the field, and it doesn't take long for everything to become soaked.
Kaiba: It'll take a lot more than a light drizzle to intimidate me.
Yugi: I'm sure it will, but can the same can be said for your monsters? Drenched in water, they've all become one giant lightning rod… the perfect targets for my Summoned Skull's electrical attack. Through Makiu, it will wipe out any and all monsters on my opponent's field with defense points equal to or less than its attack points.
Joey gasps, realizing that none of his or Kaiba's monsters have more DEF than Summoned Skull's ATK. It's going to be one hell of a fireworks show.
Yugi: Summoned Skull, LIGHTNING STRIKE!
The fiend roars and calls down an electrical current that surges from its body, quickly spreading from Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon to Gadget Solider to Blue-Eyes. Expecting huge explosions and resulting shockwaves, Joey puts his arms in front of his face to protect himself. But nothing happens.
Yugi: It's not working! But why?
Kaiba: See for yourself.
To Yugi's horror, Summoned Skull is shrinking. As its size diminishes, so does its strength. A once-powerful electrical storm has now been reduced to mere sparks, harmless to Joey's and Kaiba's monsters.
Kaiba: My Shrink card cuts your Summoned Skull's attack points in half, making it lower than all of our monster's defense points. At this rate, its electrical output isn't high enough to charge a phone, much less inflict damage.
Eventually, the storm subsides and the tiny Summoned Skull (now much cuter as a result) makes a disappointed high-pitched squealing sound.
Kaiba: You also neglected to mention the drawback Makiu has, so allow me. On the turn in which Makiu is activated, you can't attack with any other monsters. In other words, your Battle Phase is effectively over.
The pharaoh nods, but he's not worried. With Spellbinding Circle ensnaring Joey's Red-Eyes, he does not fear a counterattack coming next turn. So Yugi sets two cards and ends his.
Turn 33 – Yugi: 1900 LP, Kaiba: 5700 LP, Joey: 1550 LP
Dangerous Machine Type-6 buzzes to life once again as numbers spin and gears turn. Joey eagerly watches the gadget, excited to see what fortune will bring him this time. The number "1" comes up. The machine dies down, and so does Joey's enthusiasm.
Joey: I get 1, which means I gotta… discard a cahd from my hand dis turn.
Joey discards Jinzo as he gives his machine the stink eye. It had better start producing some good results soon.
Kaiba: Hold on, Wheeler. Before you do anything else, listen up. I have one question to ask. Can you summon a monster with at least 2000 attack points this turn? I have a plan.
Joey groans and looks at the hand he just discarded Jinzo from. NOW he tells me!
Joey: There is... one monsta I can summon. And it's a big one. But I need dat Summoned Skull.
Kaiba nods, smiling at Joey for the first time. But only because if this works, they win.
Kaiba: I have just the thing. Reveal face-down card: Enemy Controller!
Kaiba's quick-play spell card produces a huge joystick in front of him, and the KaibaCorp CEO begins reciting a code required to trigger one of the card's effects.
Kaiba: A! B! A! Left! Right! Up! Down! Up! Down! C! A! Left! Left! A!
Summoned Skull twitches as its mainframe gets hacked. It then levitates from Yugi's side of the field to Kaiba's. Enemy Controller allows him to take control of it for one turn, at the cost of 1000 of his life points.
Joey: Now dat Skeletor is on our team, I can use him to bring out one of my all-time heavy hitters. Get ready for a blast from da past, Yoog. Cause I activate my Red-Eyes Fusion spell cahd to combine Red-Eyes and Summoned Skull, in order to create…
Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon merges with the Summoned Skull on Kaiba's field, shattering Spellbinding Circle in the process. A new, far bulkier, far stronger dragon now stands on Joey's field.
Joey: Da supreme BLACK SKULL DRAGON!
Half-demon, half-dragon, with black horns protruding from its cranium. The feared Black Skull Dragon (3200/2500) roars to announce its presence.
Yugi: Black Skull… I've faced it before. I've used it before. But as impressive as it is, do you think it will be able to do what your other dragons couldn't – overcome my magicians?
Kaiba: It doesn't have to. It's not going after them. It's going after YOU.
Kaiba presses a button on his duel disk to activate his other face-down card, and Gadget Soldier is tributed to pay for its cost. A blue reflector appears behind Yugi and opens up like a flower. It's shaped like a satellite dish with an antenna pointed at the pharaoh.
Kaiba: Here's the plan, Wheeler. Once your Black Skull Dragon attacks, my Reflect Energy satellite will redirect the blast directly to Yugi's life points. His spellcaster buddies won't be able to pull any parlor tricks to bail him out of this one.
Joey salutes Kaiba.
Joey: Aye aye, captain. Our phasers are at da ready. Black Skull Dragon, attack his life points directly! Molten fireball!
The demonic dragon opens its maw to generate a swirling ball of magna and launches it towards the spellcasters. The blue satellite behind Yugi captures the flaming ball, then shoots it directly at his back. Neither of his magicians are in a position to protect him. He's defenseless.
Time seems to slow down as the blast gets closer and closer to Yugi's body. Just then, a wall of Kuribohs surrounds the pharaoh. The blast makes contact and explosions starts happening all around Yugi. But he is calm, standing perfectly still with his eyes closed. More and more Kuribohs get blown up, but even more take their place, multiplying faster than they can possibly be destroyed. The blast eventually fizzles out even with the Kuribohs still multiplying infinitely.
Kaiba: You've got to be kidding me! Those annoying furballs have gotten in my way for the last time!
Kaiba's fist is clenched. He truly thought they had checkmated Yugi there, and his frustration is mounting.
Kaiba: I'll beat you. Whatever it takes. WE'LL beat you. That's what you wanted, right? Wheeler and I being a "team".
Yugi nods and smiles at his opponents as he puts Kuriboh in his graveyard pile. This is exactly what he wanted. They've both made leaps and bounds as duelists in this match alone. Their teamwork has vastly improved. But they have to keep it up.
Joey: Since I played Red-Eyes Fusion, I can't summon any more monstas this turn. But with Black Skull Dragon being da strongest thing on da field without any competition, I ain't exactly sweatin'.
The Reflect Energy satellite behind Yugi disintegrates.
Turn 34 – Yugi: 1900 LP, Kaiba: 4700 LP, Joey: 1550 LP
The ball is in Yugi's court, but he doesn't have anything that can overcome the dragons this turn, so he'll just have to buy time until he does.
Yugi: I switch Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl to defense mode, then play two cards face-down. What do you have for me, Kaiba?
Both sorcerers take a knee.
Turn 35 – Yugi: 1900 LP, Kaiba: 4700 LP, Joey: 1550 LP
Angered by his recent failures, Kaiba is in a hurry to have some successes.
Kaiba: Plenty. I activate Spell Sanctuary! Does it look familiar?
Indeed it does, thinks Yugi, identifying the continuous spell card. Kaiba used this when we dueled in the Battle City finals.
Yugi: It treats all spell cards as quick-play cards, and it also lets us add any spell card from our deck to our hand. But why would you let me do that?
Kaiba: Because I'm going to use the spell card I pick this turn to win the duel. Now make your choice!
Joey and Yugi spend a few minutes searching their decks for the right spell card to take, while Kaiba makes his decision quickly and then impatiently waits for the others to finish. After all decks are shuffled, he proceeds.
Kaiba: I discard Thunder Dragon, which lets me add two more Thunder Dragons to my hand. Then I'll fuse them together with Polymerization!
That must have been the card he got with Spell Sanctuary!, thinks Yugi as a thunder clap signals the arrival of Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon (2800/2100).
Kaiba: First I'll use Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon to wipe out both your magicians at once, then I'll have my Blue-Eyes attack your life points directly and finish you off. Any questions?
Yugi: You have a card that allows your Thunder Dragon to attack multiple monsters at once?
Kaiba: No, but you did. Take a look at the field, you fool! It's still drenched in water from Makiu the Magical Mist. My Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon is a thunder-type monster – meaning it attacks using electricity just like Summoned Skull!
Yugi looks around at the wet state of his field, surprised that Kaiba figured out how to use Makiu against him. Still, it won't make a difference. Thunder Dragon calls down a surge of electricity to strike down the magicians, but they are unaffected by it.
Kaiba: What now?
Yugi: My Black Illusion trap card! It prevents all spellcaster-type monsters with at least 2000 attack points from being destroyed by attacks or effects for the remainder of the turn.
As the electrical storm rages fruitlessly on his opponent's field, Kaiba looks at the magicians with a blank look on his face. He failed AGAIN. Very rarely does he run out of ideas, but this is one of those moments.
Joey: I told you, Kaiba. We can't beat those magicians when they're together. It's impossible.
Kaiba silently ponders what they can possibly do to make some progress, staring at the cards in his hand with a blank expression. He looks at his partner and solemnly nods.
Kaiba: You're right. We can't beat them.
He places two cards face-down.
Kaiba: I end my turn.
Joey looks at Kaiba in surprise, not believing that he would give up so easily. On the other hand, what can he do? Are they going to keep throwing attacks at Yugi until the pharaoh runs out of cards to protect his magicians with?
On the sidelines, Pegasus and Kemo are intently observing the duel.
Kemo: I'm no expert at this game, sir, but it seems like neither side can gain the upper hand. They're going back-and-forth every turn, but there's still a bunch of dragons and magicians on the field.
Pegasus: Something has to give.
Turn 36 – Yugi: 1900 LP, Kaiba: 4700 LP, Joey: 1550 LP
Yugi draws a card that will allow him to go on the offensive again.
Yugi: I switch Dark Magician to attack mode and then equip him with Magic Formula! It raises his attack strength by 700 points.
Dark Magician gets to his feet and reads the ancient tome that has appeared in front of him. His ATK shoots up to 3200.
Yugi: Dark Magician, attack Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon! Dark magic attack!
Kaiba: ENOUGH OF THIS. Activate Attack Guidance Armor!
A sinister-looking piece of armor appears in front of Kaiba. It has the ability to attach itself to any monster and act like a magnet for Dark Magician's attack.
Yugi: NO! KAIBA, PLEASE DON'T!
Kaiba: If I can't destroy those magicians, then I'll just get them to destroy each other!
Attack Guidance Armor equips itself to Dark Magician Girl. She helplessly squirms, trying to get it off, but the evil armor cannot be overcome. Dark Magician's spear turns away from Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon and points at her instead. With great anguish on the duel monster's face, Dark Magician tries to control his weapon and turn it away. But he can't.
Yugi: No! Not like this!
Dark Magician thrusts his spear deep into Dark Magician Girl's heart, impaling her. Her face turns pale and the light in her eyes goes out.
Kaiba: Pop goes the weasel.
Dark Magician Girl's hologram shatters before Yugi's eyes. The pharaoh is motionless. The crowd is quiet, shocked at the cruel way one of their favorite duel monsters was just eliminated. Joey doesn't say anything. The silence is broken only by Kaiba's laughter. At long last, he is triumphant.
Kaiba: That's the problem with you "good guys". That's the problem with your "Heart of the Cards" philosophy. You become too attached to your monsters, and suddenly you're heartbroken when they get butchered. I'm not a good guy. I'm Seto Kaiba.
Yugi is still staring at the spot where Dark Magician Girl stood a minute ago.
Kaiba: Why the long face, Yugi? Was she the closest thing you'll ever have to a girlfriend?
Yugi looks up at Kaiba. With a dead-serious expression, he says only one thing:
Yugi: You'll pay for that.
Seto is unnerved by Yugi's tone. He isn't sure how to respond. But before he can think of a witty comeback, Yugi goes ahead with the rest of his turn.
Yugi: I activate Double Spell. It duplicates the effect of a spell card in your graveyard.
A grim Dark Magician points his finger at Kaiba, invoking a spell from his graveyard. The spirit of Dark Magician Girl appears beside her partner, strengthening his spell with her own. As they perform their magic, both magicians look at Kaiba with an accusing expression. He feels even more uncomfortable.
Kaiba: Well, don't stop there... What card were you planning on-
Yugi: Polymerization. With it, I will fuse Dark Magician with the Buster Blader in my hand.
Kaiba stiffens. Flashbacks to his greatest loss atop KaibaCorp Tower fill his mind. A nightmare he never wanted to relive.
Yugi: But before its effect resolves, I'll chain my Emergency Provisions spell card. Then I can send every spell card on my field to the graveyard, gaining 1000 life points for each one. And because of Magic Formula's second effect, I'll gain another 1000 life points on top of that when it goes to the graveyard.
As his demise draws near, a bittersweet Joey can't help but marvel at Yugi's play. Those cards were going to da graveyahd anyway cause Dark Magician is too, so he's not really sacrificin' anything and still increasing his life points. With moves like that, we never stood a chance, did we?
Dark Spear, Magic Formula, and Double Spell go the graveyard, boosting Yugi's life points all the way to 5900. And now that he's all powered up, the King of Games unleashes his wrath. The effect of Double Spell (Polymerization) resolves, merging Dark Magician and Buster Blader.
Yugi: Behold the harbinger of your demise. Dark Paladin, the ultimate magical swordsman!
A magical whirlwind swirls before the pharaoh, and from it leaps a heavily armored version of the Dark Magician. Wielding a great sword, Dark Paladin (2900/2400) hits the field, ready to decimate everything in his path.
Yugi: Dark Paladin is the greatest dragon slayer in all of Duel Monsters. His special ability boosts his attack points by 500 for every dragon-type monster in ours fields and graveyards. Your own monsters... turned against you.
Dark Paladin raises his great sword, using it to collect the spirits of Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Black Skull Dragon, as well as the spirits of the Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Baby Dragon in Joey's graveyard and The White Stone of Legend in Kaiba's. The paladin's ATK climbs to a massive 5400.
Yugi: It gets worse. I activate Diffusion Wave Motion. All I have to do is pay 1000 life points, and Dark Paladin will be able to attack all of your monsters at once. You're done. Both of you.
Listening to the emotionless tone in which Yugi delivers these lines, the thought crosses Kaiba's mind that he might have pushed the pharaoh too far. Joey is thinking the same thing. Knowing that the ensuing attacks will eliminate out all their monsters AND their life points, the Brooklyn native looks at his partner - proud that they made it so far considering all the problems they had working as a team in the earlier rounds.
Joey: So long rich boy, and thanks for all da insults!
Dark Paladin continues to absorb energy, forming a glowing orb at the top of his sword. The orb is getting bigger and bigger.
Yugi: Dark Paladin, attack everything! WIPE THEM OUT.
The swordsman gives a heroic battle cry and unleashes wave after wave of magic attacks at the opposite side of the field. The relentless barrage slices Blue-Eyes, Thunder Dragon, and Black Skull Dragon into hundreds of pieces. Their severed limbs go flying in all directions.
Joey's and Kaiba's fields are empty; all of their dragons massacred. The stalemate has finally been broken. On the other side, the King of Games stands tall and observes the damage.
Yugi: THIS DUEL... IS OVER!
When the dust clears around his opponents, Joey is literally glowing. His body is surrounded by white light.
Joey: Uh… what gives? Am I dead?
Joey looks at his partner for answers. Kaiba has his arm outstretched, pointing to a single trap that has been flipped up in front of him.
Kaiba: We're not done. I had a card. It's called Wish of Final Effort, and it converts every one of my Blue-Eyes White Dragon's attack points into your life points, Joey.
Yugi can hardly believe his eyes. This is the same card Kaiba used to save him when they dueled Dartz.
Joey looks at the life point display screen on his duel disk. Kaiba's trap card explains why it reads 2350 instead of 0. Kaiba has 2100 life points left. If he hadn't sacrificed Blue-Eyes for Wish of Final Effort, both of them would have lost. Seto looks at his partner sternly.
Kaiba: It's up to you now. You must find a way to turn this around. Got it? If you screw this up after all we've done, I will haunt you till the end of your days.
Joey: Even more than ya already do?
Kaiba can't help but smile.
Kaiba: Yeah.
Joey nods and looks at Yugi's Dark Paladin, knowing he has a tall task ahead of him.
To be continued…