"My turn!"
Because the devastation around him was too jarring, Jaden didn't waste time thinking. He swiftly drew a card and launched into the Duel, only hoping to end it quickly, take down the enemy in front of him, and save this village.
"Draw! I activate the Spell Card, Convert Contact! When I have no monsters on my field, I can send one each of 'Neo-Spacian' monsters from my hand and Deck to the Graveyard. Then, I draw two cards."
Without hesitation, he sent monsters he couldn't use right now to the Graveyard. "I send Neo-Spacian Glow Moss from my hand and Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab from my Deck to the Graveyard to draw two cards."
He quickly drew and glanced at his two new cards, then slammed down a Monster Card. "I Normal Summon in Defense Position, Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird!"
Whoosh
Bright white wings spread wide, and a crimson birdman emerged from between them.
[Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird] Level 3│WIND│Winged Beast│600 DEF
This was the Deck Jaden had received after his loss to Aster, a Deck gifted to him by a voice he heard in space.
The "Neo-Spacian" series. These were the very cards he'd drawn as a kid and sent off during a KaibaCorp event.
When he was most lost, they returned to him as trusted companions.
"Air Hummingbird's effect! For each card in your hand, I recover 500 Life Points."
"Honey Absorption!"
Air Hummingbird soared forward, flying up to the Legendary Flame Lord, its beak targeting the opponent's hand. The five cards in the Flame Lord's hand turned into five flowers, and just like a honeybee collecting nectar, Jaden's Life Points increased.
[Jaden, LP: 4000 → 6500]
"I set two cards face-down and end my turn!"
"Air Hummingbird… never seen such a strong monster before," the Legendary Flame Lord sneered.
Jaden didn't answer, his eyes fixed on his opponent.
"Come to think of it, we haven't agreed on a wager for this fight, have we?"
"Whatever, take anything you want. Even my life, if that's what it takes!" Jaden wasn't caught up in such things.
"Hahaha. Like I'd need that?" The Flame Lord laughed maniacally. "If you lose, your power will become mine anyway!"
His blood-red eyes scanned the surroundings. "Ah, I just got a great idea."
"My turn." The Flame Lord drew a card.
"I activate the Spell Card, Spell Absorption."
'Spell Absorption?'
That card restored 500 Life Points each time either player activated a Spell Card.
"I Normal Summon, Fire Princess!"
A crimson girl appeared on his field.
[Fire Princess] Level 4│FIRE│Pyro│1300 ATK
'Fire Princess?!'
"Bad news, bro! That monster deals 500 damage to the opponent every time the controller gains Life Points!" Syrus's textbook knowledge kicked in.
'What?!'
Jaden stared cautiously at the monster, ready for a fiery assault.
He'd dueled many spirits and fought through countless Shadow Duels. He had the experience to minimize his pain in battle.
"I activate the Spell Card, Pot of Greed. I draw two cards."
The Flame Lord casually drew two cards.
Thanks to the Spell Card activation, his Life Points increased as well.
[Legendary Flame Lord, LP: 4000 → 4500]
At the same time, Fire Princess's effect activated.
The crimson woman mage raised her staff, preparing to unleash flames upon Jaden.
But before she could, the Legendary Flame Lord raised his hand, ignited flames, and hurled them at a nearby house, blowing it apart.
[Jaden, LP: 6500 → 6000]
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Everyone present watched in disbelief.
"Hahahahaha!" The Flame Lord cackled wildly. "I've decided, every time your Life Points drop, I'll destroy another piece of trash around here!"
"Mommy!!"
"Waaaah!"
Even the surviving spirits, though they had escaped earlier, screamed at this sight.
"Bastard!" Jaden clenched his teeth, glaring at his opponent.
"Tyranno!" Syrus, snapping out of it like he'd been shocked, put aside his grievances with Tyranno Hassleberry and shouted, "Let's hurry and save them!"
They had to get the spirits out from the collapsing houses and burning rubble first!
"Hahaha, struggle all you want!"
"Why are you doing this?!"
"Why?" The Flame Lord stared at Jaden, his sneer fading, slowly twisting into rage. "Someone like you, with your brand new cards… how could you possibly understand the pain of beings like us?!"
What?!
"I need power… only power! Only with enough power will I never be abandoned! With enough power, no one will ever look down on me!"
He snarled viciously.
He wasn't a native of the Critical Nexus.
He was a Duel Monster Spirit born from the human world.
Once, he had been an outstanding high-level monster. A powerful Level 7 Ritual Monster. But as new cards emerged, as new spirits appeared, he and other "classics" were gradually abandoned.
Eventually, aimless and unwanted, he drifted into this dimension.
Some time ago, he had been enveloped in the Light's power, felt overwhelming strength, standing on par with regional leaders. That brief period had been a joyful time for him.
But, after certain events, the Light left him. Though he wasn't weakened, he could no longer grow as crazily strong as before.
The thought that he, a "relic" card, would someday be discarded again filled him with terror and rage.
"I need to destroy more! I need more power!"
The Flame Lord looked at his hand, pulled out a card. "I activate the Ritual Spell Card, Incandescent Ordeal!"
"I Tribute Garnecia Elefantis from my hand to Ritual Summon!"
He spread his arms wide and roared like a madman, "Aaaaaaahhhh!!! Burn it all down!!"
The flames surged violently, charring the land around him black as ink.
"Ritual Summon, myself!"
[Legendary Flame Lord] Level 7│FIRE│Spellcaster│2400 ATK
At the same time;
[Legendary Flame Lord, LP: 4500 → 5000]
[Jaden, LP: 6000 → 5500]
Flames burst forth from his body like meteors, crashing into the surroundings, one landing right beside Syrus Truesdale.
Though Syrus had a target, his physical condition wasn't as strong as those fusion-club-trained fighters. Blown away by the impact, he still managed to shield a spirit in his arms, saving it from disaster at the last second.
"Syrus!!"
Jaden shouted in alarm.
"I'm fine, bro! Keep Dueling…" Syrus struggled to his feet, comforting the spirit in his arms, then turned back to flash a smile at his brother.
"Syrus…" Jaden took a deep breath.
Seeing Tyranno helping evacuate a whole group of spirits as well, both of them shielding the spirits behind them, Jaden finally felt a bit of relief.
Now he could focus on the Duel.
"Tch…" The Flame Lord grunted.
"Then let's battle!"