"The effect of 'Black Core' excludes 'Destiny Hero: Dogma' from the game!"
The twisted black core radiated pitch-black lightning, as if the very space was warped by the leaping electric arcs.
As the energy released from the core grew stronger, it eventually engulfed the entire figure of Dogma on Ed's field. Dogma's form began to twist and spin, as if it were a paper caught in a vortex, drawn into the black whirlpool until it disappeared without a trace.
"Heh, you think that by sealing my attack, you can keep chipping away at my Life Points with this thing?"
The Bishop sneered.
"But such a tactic won't work on me!"
The followers around him laughed in agreement.
"Looks like the professional star player is only at this level after all."
"The brat should just go home early!"
"He's no match for His Excellency the Bishop!"
"..."
However, Ed seemed unfazed by this barrage of trash talk, maintaining his composed smile.
"If you think 'Black Core' is merely an offensive tool, you're too naive," the Bishop said as a burst of golden light emerged from his graveyard, revealing a card he had discarded, "The card I discarded when I activated 'Black Core' was this one.
Zeta Star of Net Fish!"
The Bishop presented his Monster Card, and a hologram of an alien with giant claws and covered in purple crystals flickered on the field.
"The effect of Zeta Star allows me, while this card is in the graveyard, to Special Summon an 'Extraterrestrial Life Derivative' on my field whenever an opponent's monster is excluded from the game.
Since 'Destiny Hero: Dogma' was just excluded, I can Special Summon an 'Extraterrestrial Life Derivative'!"
[Extraterrestrial Life Derivative, Defense Power 500]
"Next, I use the effect of another Zeta Star of Net Fish from my hand!" continued the Bishop, "Zeta Star can be Special Summoned from the hand by using an 'Extraterrestrial Life Derivative' on the field as tribute.
So I will use the derivative as tribute, and the Starry Sky Angel from the outer space descends—
——Zeta Star of Net Fish, Summon!"
A pillar of purple light descended from the sky, causing several crystals to hover in mid-air. Following this, the transparent body began to solidify, transforming into the image of an enraged alien, its sharp claws swinging fiercely.
[Zeta Star of Net Fish, Attack Power 2400]
"While excluding my monster, you're also laying the groundwork for your ace to arrive. I see," Ed acknowledged, "Resorting primarily to exclusion to resolve situations, is this the strategy of your card deck?"
The Bishop sneered, "It will also be the last card deck you face in your Duelist career.
Next, I'll flip summon the monster I had set last turn.
Flip Summon 'Death Camel'!"
[Death Camel, Attack Power 500]
"When 'Death Camel' is successfully flip-summoned, I draw one card from my deck."
The Bishop drew a card.
"And then, it's time for battle!
Zeta Star of Net Fish, attack 'Destiny Hero: Tenacious Man'!"
The Zeta Star roared as if its fury had been pent up for too long, and its sharp claws lunged fiercely at Tenacious Man.
Unfazed, Ed declared, "Then I'll activate the Trap 'D-Shield'!
When a face-up 'Destiny Hero' is attacked, I can convert this card into an Equipment Card to equip it to that monster.
I equip 'D-Shield' to 'Destiny Hero: Tenacious Man'!"
With the Trap equipped, Tenacious Man immediately crouched, switching from attack to defense. Countless stones floated up, forming a hovering shield in front of him.
"The monster equipped with 'D-Shield' switches to Defense Position," Ed explained. "Additionally, the equipped monster cannot be destroyed in battle!"
[Destiny Hero: Tenacious Man, Defense Power 800]
The full-force strike of the Zeta Star hit Tenacious Man, but its white claws were sharply rebounded by the floating shield, failing to cause any harm.
"Tch, impossible to destroy in battle..." the Bishop clicked his tongue.
This essentially meant an attack blockade on his end as well. Without monsters capable of penetrating defense, as long as Tenacious Man was present on the field, he couldn't inflict any damage.
"Then the battle phase ends," the Bishop declared, "But I'll activate 'Death Camel's' effect.
This card can voluntarily switch back to face-down Defense Position once per turn."
'Death Camel' curled back down, resetting to the face-down card position.
In a state where neither side could attack, 'Death Camel' transformed into a card-drawing machine that could be flipped once each turn to draw a card.
"Finally, I'll set a card face-down and end my turn."
"My turn, draw!" Ed announced, "Last turn's effect of 'Destiny Hero: Diamond Man'.
According to Diamond Man's effect, I can activate the effect of the drawn Magic Card this turn."
A burst of golden light flickered in his graveyard, and the image of last turn's Magic Card hovered in the air.
"The card drawn last turn was the Magic Card 'Adversity's Treasure Scroll'.
Its effect allows me to draw two cards from my deck when my opponent has Special Summoned monsters on the field, and I have no monsters on my field."
The Bishop retorted, "But you have 'Destiny Hero: Tenacious Man' on your field..."
"I know."
Ed chuckled softly.
"But Diamond Man's effect is to activate only the 'effect' of that Magic Card, bypassing any activation costs.
Thus, I draw two cards from my deck directly."
Ed drew two cards and then revealed one of them.
"Speed Attack Magic 'Burial from Another Dimension', which returns up to three Monster Cards excluded from the game to the graveyard."
The Bishop noted, "There is only one monster currently excluded from the game..."
"Correct, I will return 'Destiny Hero: Dogma' to the graveyard!" Ed stated, "Then I activate the Continuous Trap 'Call of the Living Dead' to revive a monster in Attack Position from the graveyard.
I am reviving 'Destiny Hero: Dogma' from the graveyard!"
Of course, if it were a Physical Card, Dogma couldn't be operated this way; it could only be Special Summoned by tributing three Destiny Heroes. Even if it appeared on the field once properly, it couldn't be revived from the graveyard. However, just like in the animation where Judai's Elemental Hero Fusion Monsters could ignore summoning restrictions once they appeared properly, Dogma could also be Special Summoned by other means.
"Return to my side, Destiny Hero - Dogma!"
[Destiny Hero: Dogma, Attack Power 3400]
The Bishop gritted his teeth.
"Is this annoying hero back again?"
But he quickly regained his composure and said.
"However, the effect of 'Light Sealing Sword' is still active, and this is just the second of your turns counted. Even with your ace back, you still can't attack this turn."
"Yeah, I know."
Ed smiled slightly.
"So next, I summon 'Destiny Hero: Destiny Killer'."
[Destiny Hero: Destiny Killer, Defense Power 1700]
Ed: "Destiny Killer's effect allows me to send a 'Destiny Hero' from my hand to the graveyard to inflict 500 points of damage to my opponent!"
He sent a card from his hand to the graveyard, and Destiny Killer leapt up, launching a bright sphere like a slam dunk that exploded right in the Bishop's face.
"Ugh!"
[Bishop, LP 2000 → LP 1500]
The Bishop's expression changed slightly as he began to feel a growing sense of unease.
Damn... Could it be that I'm going to be burned to death like this before the Light Sealing is over?