"Using (The Winged Dragon of Ra)'s power to save your own life, benefiting yourself at others' expense – that is certainly your style, Marik." Chumley sneered, raising his hand to point at the weakened (The Winged Dragon of Ra) on Marik's Field. "Then, I use (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10 to Attack your (The Winged Dragon of Ra), whose Attack is 0!"
"Fool, if you can do it, then try! It's only after entering the Graveyard that (Ra)'s true terror will be revealed!" Marik was completely unconcerned by Chumley's plan to Destroy his (The Winged Dragon of Ra). "However, since you're Sending it to the Graveyard, I might as well make the most of (Ra)."
"Activate my Set Card in the Back Row, (Painful Decision)!"
Above Marik's head, the completely powerless (Ra) despairingly watched as (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10, covered in dangerous lightning, approached it, as if seeking revenge for almost being Destroyed last Turn. Marik's Set Card was Activated, but what the eagerly waiting (Ra) received was not support, but being Tributed and Sent to the Graveyard.
"Although Gods are unaffected by Trap Card Effects, (Painful Decision)'s Effect is to Tribute one Monster to Activate its Effect. Even a God cannot completely bypass the Rule." Marik felt no guilt about using (The Winged Dragon of Ra) again. After Tributing it and Sending it to the Graveyard, he Drew a red-bordered Card. "I Add (Slifer the Sky Dragon), which has the same Type, Attribute, and Level as (The Winged Dragon of Ra) in the Graveyard, to my Hand."
"You actually Tributed a God?" Chumley recalled the despairing look (Ra) had given him when it was Sent to the Graveyard. "Duel Monster Cards all house a Heart (of the Cards). I think you know that, Marik."
"But knowing that, you still treat all your Cards as mere tools, even squeezing out their last shred of value. That's unforgivable, Marik!"
Facing Chumley's rebuke, Marik shot back, "So what!"
"My goal is to become the Pharaoh, to become a God surpassing all living beings, a true God! The mere Egyptian God Cards are nothing more than tools for the Pharaoh. As the one destined to become the Pharaoh, it is only natural for me to control them and exhaust their value!"
"Marik," Ishizu said, looking at Marik who uttered such blasphemous words, truly at a loss for what to say.
"Roar!" Chumley had no more words to retort to Marik. All he could do was grimly command (Armed Dragon) Lightning to resume the Attack that had been momentarily called off.
[Marik: 5100 → 100 Life Points]
"Yes, that's it, that's this pain!" Due to the intense pain, Marik hunched over, his head tilted as he stared intently at Chumley with one eye. "Next Turn, I'll return this pain to you immediately, Hayato!"
"My Turn, End Phase." Looking at the crazed Marik, Chumley frowned and ended his Turn.
No matter how he looked at it now, this should have been his advantageous Turn. What exactly made Marik so confident that he could defeat him next Turn?
After all, he only had one (Golden Ladybug) in his Hand, and (Slifer the Sky Dragon), which he had just Recycled from the Graveyard by sacrificing (The Winged Dragon of Ra). Even if he Summoned (Slifer the Sky Dragon) without Tributes, its Attack would only be 1000 due to the number of Cards in his Hand. What could he even do with that?
[Chumley: 1900 Life Points, Hand 0]
[(Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10] [ATK 5000]
[(Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca)] [ATK 1]
[Ojama Pajama Party] [Set Card] [Set Card]
Field: (Mausoleum of the Emperor)
"Then, My Turn!" Marik placed his finger on top of his Deck but didn't Draw immediately. His eyes widened as he murmured, "I see it, I see victory coming!"
"I reveal (Golden Ladybug) from my Hand to Recover Life Points, then I Activate this Card, (Card of Demise)!"
[Marik: 100 → 600 Life Points]
"Now that the Duel has progressed this far, both our Hands are pretty much depleted, aren't they?" Marik chuckled sinisterly, Drawing four Cards from his Deck. "Draw, King of Games, and enjoy the last Turn of your Life!"
"Since my Hand is 0, I Draw six Cards." Chumley Drew six Cards, immediately spotting (Rainbow Kuriboh) among them. (Rainbow Kuriboh), which had saved him countless times before, appeared now, but it failed to bring Chumley a sense of security.
If he wasn't mistaken, Marik was very likely to gather Tributes to Summon a God again in one Turn. Facing the God's Effect of "ignoring the Effects of all Monsters with a Level lower than or equal to the God," (Rainbow Kuriboh) would probably be of little use this time.
"Because of (Card of Demise)'s Effect earlier, I Added these two Monsters to my Hand." Marik Drew two Cards from his Hand and revealed them. "(Marshmallon). When it's Added to my Hand by a Card Effect, I can Special Summon it to the Field."
"Then, I Activate the Spell Card (Magical Stone Excavation). By Discarding two Cards from my Hand, I Recycle one Spell Card that has been used from my Graveyard. The Card I choose is—" After Sending his remaining Hand, including (Golden Ladybug), to the Graveyard, Marik was left with only (Slifer the Sky Dragon) in his Hand. He Drew a Card that had just been Sent there from his Graveyard, smiling as he revealed it.
"—The answer is, the second Activation of (Card of Demise)!"
Just now, because of (Card of Demise)'s Effect, Chumley's Hand was replenished to 6 Cards, but Marik, by Activating (Card of Demise) a second time, replenished his Hand again, and this time, he Drew another (Marshmallon).
"Activate (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10's Effect!" Before (Card of Demise)'s Effect took hold, Chumley promptly Activated his Monster's Effect. "By Discarding one Card from my Hand, I Destroy one (Marshmallon) on your Field!"
[(Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10] [ATK 5000/DEF 0 → ATK 6000/DEF 0]
"Hmph hmph, do you think Destroying one Monster can hinder a God's Descent?" Marik watched Chumley, who seized the opportunity to Send (Rainbow Kuriboh) to the Graveyard and Draw another Card via (Card of Demise), then triumphantly played a Card from his Hand. "(Card of Safe Return) is Activated! Each time a Monster is Special Summoned from either player's Graveyard, I can Draw three Cards!"
"Then I Activate (Silent Doom)! Special Summon one Normal Monster from the Graveyard in Defense Position!"
"Revive (Speedroid Yoyo), then I Draw three Cards because of (Card of Safe Return)!"
"Finally, (Pot of Greed)'s Effect, Draw two Cards from the Deck."
After a series of Draws, Marik's unusually thick Deck was reduced to a thin layer of less than ten Cards due to his continuous Draws. In exchange, his Hand count now stood at seven Cards.
"There are three Tributes on the Field. Descend again, (Slifer the Sky Dragon)!" Holding six Cards in his Hand, Marik raised the (Slifer the Sky Dragon) Card above his head.
Amidst flashing lightning and thunder, (Slifer the Sky Dragon)'s figure reappeared in the sky for the second time. Its golden eyes glared fiercely at Marik, who had just Tributed it, before (Slifer the Sky Dragon), compelled by the Rule, unwillingly let out a roar towards Chumley.
[(Slifer the Sky Dragon)] [ATK 6000]
"The God has Descended again," Chumley coldly snorted, looking at the second appearance of (Slifer the Sky Dragon). "You spent so many resources just to Summon a God, but Marik, (Armed Dragon) Lightning on my Field has been accumulating Power over these past few Turns."
Marik's gaze shifted to (Armed Dragon) Lightning on Chumley's Field. In the Turn it was first Summoned, (Armed Dragon) Lightning was almost directly Destroyed by (Slifer the Sky Dragon)'s Thunder Force that was present on the Field at the time. Even though it survived due to Ojama Pajama Party's Effect, its DEF was reduced to 0.
However, after several Turns of growth, (Armed Dragon) Lightning's Attack had now reached a formidable 6000 points. Even with six Cards in Marik's Hand now, (Slifer the Sky Dragon)'s Attack was only equal to it.
"Are you trying to tell me that mere mortals can stand shoulder to shoulder with Gods if they just work hard?" Marik narrowed his eyes, then chuckled, using the (Millennium Rod) in his hand to prop himself up. "The Power of a God is absolute. Your Monster was once suppressed by a God, so no matter how powerful you become now, you still cannot escape the fate of being suppressed by a God!"
"Activate the Spell Card, (Riryoku)! Halve the Attack of your (Armed Dragon) Lightning on the Field, then increase the Attack of my (Osiris) on the Field!"
Invisible waves connected (Armed Dragon) Lightning on Chumley's Field with Marik's (Slifer the Sky Dragon). Watching (Armed Dragon) Lightning's Attack continuously decrease and (Slifer the Sky Dragon)'s Attack continuously increase, Chumley couldn't help but recall his very first Duel when he came to the "Yu-Gi-Oh" Game world.
At that time, he had used (Gaia), equipped with (Sword of Dragon's Soul), in a Duel against Yugi, who then used that (Riryoku) to decrease his (Gaia)'s Attack and increase (Summoned Skull)'s Attack, turning the tables on him.
[(Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10] [ATK 6000/DEF 0 → ATK 3000/DEF 0]
[(Slifer the Sky Dragon)] [ATK 6000/DEF 6000 → ATK 8000/DEF 5000]
"This is the final blow, Hayato! (Osiris), Attack (Armed Dragon) Lightning, Hyper Thunder Mega-Blast!"
5000 points of Damage, let's see how you block this move!
Marik looked at Chumley, trying to discern expressions of "fear," "disbelief," or "unacceptance" on Chumley's face.
But he was disappointed. Facing (Slifer the Sky Dragon)'s terrifying Attack that surpassed everything, Chumley raised his lowered head, revealing a smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Marik, if you had used other Cards, perhaps I really would have been helpless. But with (Riryoku), I refuse to lose to it!" Chumley smiled, Activating the Card he had Set on the Field a long time ago. "Trap Card Activate!"
"Traps are ineffective against Gods!"
Marik said fiercely, but Chumley returned with a cold snort: "I never said my Trap Card was *targeting* a God. Trap Card, (Armed Dragon's Myriad Thunders)!"
"Zzzzzzz" Facing the gigantic thunder cannon unleashed by the Divine Dragon in the sky, (Armed Dragon) Lightning, stripped of half its Power by (Riryoku), struggled to puff out its chest. It almost exhausted all its strength, squeezing out as much Power as possible from its body to meet the Attack.
But how could a mortal thing contend with a God? Especially when the God also possessed the Power that had been stripped from it.
Facing an Attack difference of 5000 points, (Armed Dragon) Lightning fearlessly charged forward.
And at that moment, with Chumley's Set Card Activation, several Dragon Roars echoed in its ears.
Behind (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10, a strange yet familiar current surged into its body. Looking back, it was astonished to find several Phantom Images of gigantic Dragons surrounding it.
"That Set Card is!" Marik suddenly remembered that when Chumley Summoned (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10, he seemed to have used the Effect of the Tributed (Armed Dragon LV7) to Add an (Armed Dragon) Card from his Deck to his Hand, and it seemed to be the very Card he just Activated!
"(Armed Dragon's Myriad Thunders) can only be Activated by Targeting one (Armed Dragon) Monster on my Field," Chumley calmly explained. "Every Type of (Armed Dragon) Monster slumbering in my Graveyard will become a source of Power for (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10."
The Phantom Images around (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10 gradually became clearer, but the moment they fully appeared, they transformed into bolts of Lightning and surged into (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10's body.
(Armed Dragon LV3), (Armed Dragon LV5), (Armed Dragon LV7), (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV7, (Armed Dragon LV10) — a total of five (Armed Dragon) Monsters all transformed into Lightning and surged into (Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10's body. Its lost Power was replenished, and it became even stronger!
[(Armed Dragon) Lightning LV10] [ATK 3000/DEF 0 → ATK 8000/DEF 0]
"Its Attack, it's equal to a God's again? This is bad!" Marik stared in shock at (Armed Dragon) Lightning's surging Attack, suddenly remembering that this Monster has the Effect: "cannot be Destroyed by Battle"!
Its Attack is equal to (Osiris)'s, and it cannot be Destroyed by Battle. In other words, (Osiris)'s Attack cannot even result in Mutual Destruction!?
"Gather all thunders within yourself, declare our Power to the Divine, and Counterattack, (Armed Dragon) Lightning!" Chumley shouted, looking at (Armed Dragon) Lightning standing before him. "Thunder Mercury - Crimson Thunder Control!!!"
A vast amount of lightning frantically pulsed across (Armed Dragon) Lightning's body. Facing the Attack descending from the God, (Armed Dragon) Lightning gathered all the lightning. The color of the lightning evolved from bright yellow to sky blue, and finally compressed into a beam of red-black liquid plasma, which it flung towards (Slifer the Sky Dragon)'s Hyper Thunder Mega-Blast.
A powerful energy collision. An 8000 Attack versus 8000 Attack clash wasn't like low-level battles where the forces simply cancel each other out. The immense Power brought forth an explosive shockwave that swept across the entire Field.
(Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca) also knew this was no time to slack off and quickly shielded Ishizu and Odion with its wings, deflecting a portion of the explosion's impact for them.
(Armed Dragon) Lightning, meanwhile, loyally stood before Chumley. It unleashed all its raging lightning at once, but besides the lightning, its physical body was also a formidable weapon.
The nuclear explosion-like shockwave shattered (Mausoleum of the Emperor) beneath their feet even further. If Chumley hadn't known that Battle would not Destroy a Field Spell Card, he would have doubted if (Mausoleum of the Emperor) could still be used.
The smoke and dust gradually cleared. (Slifer the Sky Dragon), which had clashed with (Armed Dragon) Lightning, disappeared from Marik's Field. Marik had no Monsters to help him block the Damage, so he was directly blown away by the impact and fell backward onto the ground.
Chumley looked at the fallen Marik, about to mock him for having two Gods but neither appearing to protect him during the Attack, but then his expression changed as he looked at Marik's Life Points.
[Marik: 600 → 8600 Life Points]
His gaze shifted to Marik's Spell & Trap Zone, and Chumley instantly found the reason for his Life Points' sudden surge.
(Mystic Wok).
Marik, who had climbed up from the ground completely unharmed, felt the immense Power he had Absorbed from (Slifer the Sky Dragon), and a triumphant smile appeared on his face. "This Combo is quite powerful, isn't it? Speaking of which, I have you to thank, Hayato."
"In your countless past Duel records, the Card (Mystic Wok) has appeared more than once. It's been a great help," Marik said with a sinister grin. "In your words, perhaps—"
"Instead of letting (Slifer the Sky Dragon) and (Armed Dragon) Lightning result in Mutual Destruction, I might as well stir-fry it and eat it."
"My Battle Phase ends, then, Main Phase 2." After speaking, ignoring Chumley, Marik glanced at the five remaining Cards in his Hand. "First, this Card, (Soul Release). I can Banish a total of five Cards from the Game from both Graveyards."
"I will Banish all those troublesome Ojama Monsters from your Graveyard!"
Under the Effect of (Soul Release), (Ojama Yellow), (Ojama Black), (Ojama Green), (Ojama King), and (Armed Dragon LV3) were Banished from the Graveyard.
Marik continued, "Then, I Activate (Monster Reborn)'s Effect to Revive (The Winged Dragon of Ra) from my Graveyard!"
The Ankh Rune shone, and the golden (The Winged Dragon of Ra) reappeared on Marik's Field, though this time there were no Tributes to provide it with Power, so (The Winged Dragon of Ra)'s Attack was only 0.
"As I said before, (Ra)'s Power is fully revealed only when it's in the Graveyard." Marik's Life Points, just gained from (Slifer the Sky Dragon), dropped by 1000 points. In exchange, (Ra)'s Power surged again, and its entire body ignited with flames. "On the Turn it is Special Summoned, I Pay 1000 Life Points to Activate its Effect!"
"Send all Monsters on your Field to the Graveyard! Go, (Ra), God-Phoenix!"
This chapter is 3K, plus the one I owed yesterday, has been combined into 5K.
I'll finish this Duel with another chapter tomorrow, and another one after that.
After all, Battle City hasn't even started yet.
(end of chapter)