"My turn, draw a card!"
Yubel draws a card and suddenly reveals their hand.
"Magic Card 'Pot of Greed', draw two cards from the deck!"
Yubel draws two more cards.
"Next, change Yubel on the field from Attack Position to Defense Position."
Yubel on the field transitions from attack to defense, with a card appearing horizontally beneath them. Wide skeletal wings overlap like two shields in front.
[Yubel, Defense Power 0]
Judai says, "Changing to Defense Position voluntarily? Oh, I see, using the side effect of Restricted Revival..."
Yubel laughs, "Nice, Judai, it seems you've studied well over these three years, done your homework nicely.
Indeed, it is the side effect of Restricted Revival. This card can revive a monster with less than 1000 Attack Power in attack position on the field, but once that monster is changed to Defense Position, it must be destroyed."
She points to herself on the field.
"As soon as I, Yubel, was changed to Defense Position, Yubel is destroyed by the effect of 'Restricted Revival!'"
The Continuous Trap that had revived Yubel now becomes the detonating fuse, exploding Yubel with a bang. Yubel's body is torn into pieces by the flames, dispersing into countless fragments flying from the fireball.
Yet, within the explosive flames and swelling black smoke, an even more massive form slowly emerges.
It's the form of a demon. If the first stage of Yubel was merely draped in dragon-like skin, demon armor, it still retained a humanoid shape. But the second stage signifies a complete abandonment of the human form, becoming an out-and-out demon.
The Demon Body descends, accompanied by a world-ending aura. A despairing darkness, an ominous atmosphere like the arrival of the king of demons.
Yet from the regal form, through the dense darkness, there seems to be... an endless sorrow.
"Because of not having the strength to protect those important to me, the pain gave birth to me, Yubel. That is Yubel's first layer of darkness."
Yubel speaks softly.
"And to gain strength, not hesitating to embrace darkness, abandoning something important. But even then, the result is a terribly ugly form. The physical pain followed by mental anguish because that ugly, evil form was not understood, was rejected, was hated..."
She slowly raises her hand.
"This is Yubel's second layer of darkness, the second stage—
—Yubel the Despised Knight!"
[Yubel the Despised Knight, Attack Power 0]
Judai looks up at the despised knight. Originally sacrificed for the power of protection, yet ended in such a sorrowful form.
"What's ugly about it..."
Judai says softly.
"Even so... it's clearly beautiful."
Yubel's pupils contract, as if her heart was struck heavily, her feet stumbling back half a step unconsciously.
But only for a moment of distraction, she soon regains the darkness in her eyes.
"No, Judai, you don't understand... you still don't fully understand.
Battle!"
She almost shouts with all her strength.
"Only after I've crushed all your excess companions, will you truly understand!
Yubel the Despised Knight, attack 'Elemental HERO Neos'!"
The despised knight emits a sound between a roar and a wail, eyes flashing with a beguiling light. Neos' eyes also light up similarly, a surge of uncontrollable impulse rises in his heart, body moving uncontrollably forward, swaying as he moves to charge at Yubel.
Once the battle succeeds, Yubel's side remains unharmed, but Neos' Attack Power, 2500 damage, will reflect entirely back onto Judai himself.
"Come, share it together, suffer together, Judai!" Yubel says, "Then you will truly understand my darkness, my all!"
"I will understand, but not in the way you say."
Judai says.
"Moreover, I won't abandon any of the companions I've met on this journey. Every irreplaceable companion makes me stronger, not only the Elves but also the friends I met at the Academy—
—Activate Cover Card, Trap Card 'Double Samba Dance'!"
Judai's Cover Card flips, surprisingly the iconic trap of Asuka Tenjouin. And it had already been upgraded to a superior physical card version by Asuka in Yugen's laboratory.
"Double Samba Dance can only be activated when the opponent's monster attacks your Attack Position monster."
Judai says.
"Deals damage equal to the attacked monster's attack power to the opponent, then turns that attack into a direct attack on oneself!"
Yubel: "!"
This is a rather brilliant counter, and this trap card has an even stronger effect on Yubel than usual. Turning
the opponent's attack into a direct attack on oneself, at first entails considerable risk. But since Yubel's Attack Power is 0, the direct attack is completely harmless.
It not only avoids having a monster and Yubel collide, evading damage while further delivering a strong counterattack, making it a particularly targeted trap for Yubel.
"Hence, the despised knight turns into a direct attack on me." Judai says, "Then you will suffer the attack power of Neos, which is 2500 points of damage!"
Neos regains consciousness in an instant under the trap's boost, immediately shaking off Yubel's mental seduction. With a nimble flip over the despised knight's head, he transforms into a streak of white light and charges directly at Yubel.
"Cunning means, is this how you refuse my love?"
Yubel says resentfully.
"But my love won't be dispelled so simply!
Activate Cover Card, Counterattack Trap 'Hell's Cold Gun'!"
The Counterattack Trap activates, a massive revolver appearing in Yubel's backfield. Neos' hand slices down, but all the power crashes against an invisible barrier, absorbed entirely, then refilled into the revolver.
The gun sounds, a golden light bursts from the revolver, rebounding all of Neos' attacks back, piercing through Judai's chest. Judai steps back staggeringly.
"Judai!" Neos says.
Judai steps back twice and steadies his stance, gritting his teeth, smiling: "No big deal."
[Judai, LP4000→ LP1500]
He raises his head and stands firm, saying, "But the effect of Double Samba Dance isn't over yet.
The monster targeted for attack—'Elemental HERO Neos'—can directly attack the opponent again in the next turn!"
Yubel says coldly: "That presumption is if he can still attack next turn.
I set three cards face down in the backfield."
With that, two cards in the graveyard exit simultaneously.
"End Phase, I Special Summon two 'Sacrificial Lotus' from the graveyard!"
Judai is shocked: "Both cards discarded by Angel's Charity earlier, they were both Sacrificial Lotus?"
[Sacrificial Lotus, Attack Power 0]x2
"Then the effect of Yubel the Despised Knight!" Yubel calls, "At the end of a turn, destroy all other monsters on your field!
And for each destruction by this effect, destroy one monster on the opponent's field correspondingly!"