"Next I activate the Spell Super Evolution Pill from my hand," Genichiro continued. "I tribute one Reptile monster on my field to special summon a Dinosaur monster from my hand. I tribute Balloon Lizard!"
Golden light poured from the spell card and wrapped around the lizard. Under the magic's influence, its body expanded at a visible rate, growing to a towering height in moments.
"From the depths of time, breaking free from endless ages, descend now. Evolution Summon, level eight. Overtex Qoatlus!"
The monster emerged with an attack power of 2700.
Despite triggering trap after trap, he had summoned another ace monster in the same turn. Genichiro felt a surge of pride and nearly laughed out loud.
Could his opponent really have another Bottomless Trap Hole waiting?
"Activate set card, Trap Card, Transaction Rollback," Yugen said evenly, snapping his fingers again. "I can only use it while my Life Points are 3000 or lower. I pay 1000 Life Points, and this card's effect becomes the same as a Normal Trap in my graveyard. (ANIME EFFECT)"
Yugen's Life Points dropped from 3000 to 2000.
"The one I choose is this."
His face-down Trap Card shifted in a stream of data, changing its form.
"Trap Card Bottomless Trap Hole. When a monster with 1500 or more attack is summoned, destroy it and remove it from play."
Genichiro stared in shock.
He reached out desperately toward the monster he had just fought to summon. The Overtex Qoatlus glanced back as if resigned, then tilted and fell into the pit, following Serpent Night Dragon into another dimension.
Genichiro went silent again.
It was Floodgate Trap Hole once more, and again Trap Hole. He finally put on a look of pure misery.
Something about this felt deeply wrong. He was supposed to be the one using Shadow Duel, the one who brought darkness and pain to others through duels. Yet halfway through the match, he realized that the pain was written all over his own face.
For the first time since becoming a Shadow Duel user, he felt that his opponent was even darker than he was. His own methods relied on supernatural power and physical suffering, but the person in front of him needed none of that.
Just playing cards was enough to crush him.
He could not help thinking that even as a Shadow Duel user, this style of dueling felt far more terrifying.
"I set two cards and end my turn," he said gloomily.
There was nothing else he could do, but he still had hope. Even now, he trusted his back row and believed his defense would not fall so easily.
"My turn, Card Draw," Yugen said. "First, I activate the Spell Card Pot of Greed. I draw two cards, but I cannot activate other Spell Cards this turn. (ANIME EFFECT)"
He drew two cards from his deck.
"Next, I flip my set monster face-up. Flip Summon, Witch of the Black Forest."
The monster appeared with 1100 attack.
"Then I tribute Witch of the Black Forest to special summon this card from my hand."
Yugen paused as he held the card, turning his head slightly to the side. Beside him floated a faint, robed figure, pale and calm, its expression unchanged as it gave a small nod.
Without words, he seemed to understand. Yugen nodded in return.
"I'm counting on you."
He turned back to the duel.
"I tribute Witch of the Black Forest and special summon Silent Magician!"
A pale blue magic circle spread like moonlight on water. A slender figure in white robes appeared within it, silver hair flowing, a staff glowing with deep starlike light.
Silent Magician stood on the field with 1000 attack.
"So you've appeared, Spirit," Genichiro muttered, watching warily. Silent Magician remained calm, looking straight ahead as if he did not exist.
"Silent Magician cannot be Normal Summoned," Yugen explained. "It can only be special summoned by tributing a Spellcaster Type monster on my field. At the same time, the effect of Witch of the Black Forest activates when it is sent from the field to the graveyard."
"When sent to the graveyard, I can add a monster with 1500 or less defense from my deck to my hand."
Genichiro laughed it off.
"Defense 1500 or less? Those are all trash monsters."
"I add Jinzo to my hand," Yugen replied.
Genichiro nearly choked.
"That thing has defense under 1500?"
Jinzo's stats flashed, showing 2400 attack and exactly 1500 defense.
It was one of Joey Wheeler's famous aces, a new card from a supply pack given by Hall Master Takeuchi. That razor-thin defense value was exactly why Witch of the Black Forest was so dangerous.
"From my hand, I activate the effect of Performapal Trick Clown," Yugen continued. "I special summon it in attack position. (ANIME EFFECT)"
The monster appeared with zero attack.
"Then I tribute Performapal Trick Clown and Tribute Summon Jinzo!"
The clown dissolved into light, forming a swirling summoning storm. Metal and sparks burst forth as Jinzo descended onto the field with 2400 attack.
Genichiro felt like his mind had split apart.
Jinzo was famous for shutting down Trap Cards completely. As long as it stayed on the field, all of Genichiro's traps were useless decorations.
The worst part was something else entirely.
This thing also had only 1500 defense.
"Silent Magician gains 500 attack for each card in my hand," Yugen said. "I have two cards, so it gains 1000 attack."
Silent Magician's attack rose to 2000.
Together, the two monsters had 4400 total attack, enough to end the duel in one battle phase.
"Battle. It's over," Yugen said, raising his hand.
"Silent Magician and Jinzo, direct attack!"
Light gathered around the staff, and electricity crackled between Jinzo's hands.
"Not so fast!" Genichiro shouted. "I activate Quick-Play Spell Half Shut. One monster's attack is halved and it cannot be destroyed by battle this turn. I choose Jinzo!"
Even with traps sealed, he could still use spells. Reducing the damage would at least keep him alive.
"No," Yugen said quietly.
He snapped his fingers.
"Silent Magician's effect. Once per turn, when a Spell Card is activated, I can negate its activation."
Genichiro froze.
Spells negated, traps sealed by Jinzo. Both were locked down completely.
Half Shut shattered into fragments under the magic seal.
Desperate, Genichiro flipped his last set card.
"Activate! Activate already! Mirror Force, blow them away!"
Jinzo crossed its arms, red light flashing in its eyes. A wave of psychic force swept the field, pressing the trap back into silence.
Genichiro was left in despair.
This did nothing, that did nothing. He could not play at all anymore.
Silent Magician and Jinzo unleashed their final attacks. The surge of light swallowed Genichiro and his entire field.
Genichiro's Life Points dropped from 4000 to 0.
The final attack came down and took away all of his remaining Life Points, and in the Shadow Duel he himself had triggered, it also marked the end of a Duelist's true life. At that moment, he could not even feel the pain brought by the backlash of the Shadow Duel. His senses were already slipping away from his body.
Just moments ago in the duel, he had boasted loudly that being caught by him would be the other side's lifelong misfortune. Looking at it now, whose misfortune was it really. This young man was strong, but the feeling he gave was completely different from any powerhouse he had met before.
It was hard to explain, but it was as if the way this boy saw duels was entirely different from how everyone else understood them. This was also the first time in Genichiro's life that such a thought appeared after finishing a card game with someone. Duels were really hard.
After his defeat, Genichiro collapsed to the ground, and his body was soon covered in a layer of golden light. The light scattered into countless particles and vanished, just like the people who lost and died in the GX Different Dimension Arc.
Yugen sucked in a sharp breath. So this was why Shadow Duel was said to be dangerous, losing meant being erased completely, which was downright terrifying. Luckily, he had been a step better.