Feeling the change in Poma's aura, Yugen wasn't surprised: "Oh? Did the Evil God log in to play personally?"
This Evil God was the boss behind the Earth-Bound God, gathering the people of the Dark Markers. In the animation, whenever a Dark Marker's emotional knot was untied, losing their will to fight, this boss would personally log in and take over their account, overriding the Dark Marker's own will and continuing the fight.
Of course, in the animation, this boss was the type whose presence was grand and seemed very cool, but when you looked at the record, it was 0-5. He never won when playing on behalf of others.
Perhaps this is why, even though he could have outright seized control of the Dark Markers' mind, remotely controlling them as puppets to duel, he chose not to do so, instead going through elaborate schemes and misunderstandings so these Dark Markers would willingly fight.
Maybe it's because he wasn't confident in his own card skills either...
"Hmph, you have some skills, more impressive than I thought, Godwin."
The Evil God controlling Poma sneered.
"But now that the Earth-Bound God has taken the stage, the duel is over.
Set a card, turn end."
"Earth-Bound God, even something shackled to the earth can dare to call itself a god?" Yugen closed his eyes slightly, sneering, "Seems necessary to broaden your horizons a bit, let you old eternal ones from Hell see what truly deserves to be called 'God'."
"What?" Evil God was shocked.
Yugen: "My turn, draw a card."
A card automatically exited Yugen's graveyard.
"The 'Yellow Springs Frog' in the graveyard can be Special Summoned when there is no card in your Magic Trap Zone. Special Summon 'Yellow Springs Frog'!"
[Yellow Springs Frog, Attack Power 100]
Although there's a Field Spell High-speed World in place, in riding duels, the nature of High-speed World is special; it's a shared field, not belonging to either side. Therefore, in ruling, it doesn't count as a Magic Trap Card in Yugen's field.
"Also during the preparation stage, the 'Assassin Snake' in the graveyard returns to the hand."
"At this moment, my High-speed Counting has reached six. Therefore, I activate the High-speed Spell 'Fallen File' from my hand!" Yugen said, "Remove all six counts, draw two cards from the deck."
Yugen quickly used up all the High-speed Counting, the D-Wheel slowed down rapidly, falling behind Poma's chariot.
Yugen drew two cards.
"Using up all the High-speed Counting." The Evil God controlling Poma sneered, "Abandoning the right to use Magic Cards?"
"Because it's no longer necessary." Yugen said.
"What?"
Yugen: "The 'Ghost Frog' in my hand can discard a Water Attribute Monster in my hand for Special Summoning.
I discard the 'Assassin Snake' I just retrieved, Special Summon 'Ghost Frog'!"
[Ghost Frog, Attack Power 1000]
"When Ghost Frog is summoned, a Water Attribute monster of level 2 or lower is sent from the deck to the graveyard.
I send 'Pure Frog' from the deck to the graveyard."
"Then activate 'Pure Frog's' effect from the graveyard. By banishing a 'Frog' monster from the graveyard, Pure Frog can be Special Summoned.
The 'Death Frog' discarded last turn for the Light Spear Dragon's effect is banished from the game, Special Summon 'Pure Frog'!"
[Pure Frog, Attack Power 100]
Yugen exhaled deeply.
"With this, the preparations are almost complete. Then, as agreed... "
Yugen smiled mysteriously.
"Let me show you 'God'."
"Surpassing the Earth-Bound God's God?" The Evil God snorted, "What nonsense are you talking about... "
"Release 'Yellow Springs Frog', 'Ghost Frog', 'Pure Frog', the three monsters!"
Yugen raised his arm high.
"Embodiment of ultimate fear, the trembling god—
——Evil God: Root of Fear, Summon!!!"
A darkness with a tar-like texture descended from the sky, all light sources seemed to flow in reverse, as if all existence in the world was being drawn into the contour of the Evil God.
The world echoed with a roar like tearing fabric, descending in a form that seemed hardly biological. Grim skeletons covered a humanoid torso, beneath its godly body was an overflowing endless mire, the pitch-black swamp filled with purple lightning protruding like nerve endings.
The true Evil God, Divine Attribute, Evil Divine Beast Race, even branding the Evil God's name onto the card is its wicked embodiment.
Evil God: Root of Fear, Summon!
[Evil God: Root of Fear, Attack Power 4000]
Even the majesty of the Earth-Bound God was completely overwhelmed, that huge body seemed like an amalgam of endless evil, a blend of all creatures' fear in the world.
Even Yusei and Jack now felt their feet rooted as if they were planted in place, a shivering feeling uncontrollably surfaced from their hearts, suffocating them.
The Earth-Bound God that appeared to challenge their understanding of Duel Monsters thus far was terrifying enough, the worst thing they had seen in their lives.
And Godwin effortlessly pulled out a monster ten times more frightening than that!
This was already beyond the domain they understood for dueling.
Yes, a duel truly reaching the "realm of gods".
"Evil God: Root of Fear halves the attack power of all other monsters on the field," Yugen said.
[Earth-Bound God - Chaku Chaluya, Attack Power 2900 → Attack Power 1450]
Even the Evil God had to admit, he felt fear.
Coming from the Evil God named Root of Fear, as if it shouldn't exist in this dimension, a terrifying existence that just watching made people feel as if they were falling into Hell.
"No..."
Poma's eyes almost seemed to ignite with purple flames. The Evil God, enduring pressure, shouted.
"But even if the attack power is reduced, it doesn't matter! Earth-Bound God - Chaku Chaluya cannot be selected as an attack target!"
"Oh?" Yugen coldly replied, "If it can't be attacked, then I'll attack you instead.
Evil God: Root of Fear, direct attack on Poma... no, on the Evil God controlling Poma!"
Root of Fear emitted a deep roar.
It was conveying to Yugen, saying don't misunderstand, I'm not obeying your orders, just that these days such a thing daring to arrogantly call itself "Evil God" was quite annoying to it.
Does not represent we have reconciled!
Yugen smiled indifferently.
No worries, you say it is, then it is.
Then Evil God: Root of Fear punched toward the opponent.
Like a wave of pure, fearful will, rolling and surging towards the opposition, everything in its path would be engulfed and corroded in the dark tide.
Still, the Evil God struggled: "Activate Cover Card!
Trap Card 'Universal Landmine - Broadsword Style'!
Destroy the monster with the highest attack power on the opponent's field upon attack declaration!"
The Evil God laughed loudly.
"Earth-Bound God cannot be chosen as an attack target, so I might be targeted... you think such a thing wouldn't be within my calculations!?
I don't know where you got this fake god from, but destroy it for me... "
Yugen was expressionless: "God is not affected by any Trap's effect."
"What!?"
Poma's distorted face paled again.
Completely ignoring the detonation of the landmine, the Evil God punched without any hindrance, with a mighty wave, striking through Poma's body in one shot.
"Ahhhhhh—"
[Poma, LP1700 → LP0]