Yugen Do said, "Then, my turn., Card Draw. I activate a Spell Card! 'Trade-In', Discard a Level 8 monster from my hand monster, Draw two cards from the Deck."
Yugen revealed a card from his hand. "I discard this card Level 8 monster card 'Black Luster Soldier'."
Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, first used by Yugi Muto Yugi Muto, the original Ritual version Black Luster Soldier. This card had not been in Yugen's possession before. He obtained it during this trip to Kaiba Corporation Headquarters from the Black Luster Soldier Research Team.
Yako Tenma's eyelid twitched. "Legendary Warrior?"
However, he knew that ever since Envoy of the Beginning was developed, Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning had been regarded as the evolved form of Black Luster Soldier. The old Ritual vanilla version now had more collector value than practical use. Even if this card appeared now, what could it really change?
"Discard 'Black Luster Soldier' and draw from the Deck."
After drawing, Yugen continued calmly. "I have felt your passion as a Duelist, and I appreciate the honor of becoming the first Duelist to face the brand new form of Beast King Barbaros. As a return gift, I will show you a new form of Black Luster Soldier that no one has seen before."
The entire arena reacted in shock. A new form of Black Luster Soldier?
Several sharp minded Card Professors immediately glanced at Mokuba Kaiba. They had heard that Kaiba Corporation had its top research team working on related projects. Could it be that they had truly achieved a breakthrough?
Mokuba Kaiba quickly understood. "You are going to test that here?"
"Yes. I promised the team leader I would test it in real combat and provide data as soon as possible," Yugen Do replied. "There is no more suitable Duel and no more suitable opponent. I activate a Spell Card! 'Reinforcement of the Army', Add 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior monster from your Deck to your hand. I add this card from my Deck to my hand."
He revealed the card searched by the Deck. "Level 4 Warrior, 'Beginning Knight'."
Yako Tenma held his breath. Just a four star Warrior, yet it gave him a bad feeling.
"Next, I activate the Ritual Spell 'Super Soldier Origin'!"
Yugen raised the Spell Card. "By sending a LIGHT or DARK monster from my hand to the Graveyard, then sending a monster of the opposite Attribute from my Deck to the Graveyard, I can Perform a Ritual Summon 'Black Luster Soldier' from my hand or Graveyard!"
The crowd gasped. Selecting materials from the Deck and even Ritual Summoning from the Graveyard was unheard of.
"I use the LIGHT 'Beginning Knight' from my hand and the DARK 'Evening Twilight Knight' from my Deck as Ritual Materials. Perform a Ritual Summon!"
One light and one dark, the two young knights turned into spirals of energy that merged like a vortex in a galaxy. Their power gathered at the center of the field.
"One soul guides the light, one soul guides the darkness. Gate of Chaos opens here."
Chaos Storm erupted, followed by Heaven-Cleaving Blade of Light. A pillar of light fell from above, and particles in the storm formed the shape of a knight. The blade split the light curtain as armor reflecting starlight appeared.
"Black Luster Soldier, Summon!"
Black Luster Soldier, ATK 3000.
The pressure was even greater than that of Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning. For a moment, Yako Tenma was reminded of the descent of a god. A violent storm rose within the Duel Arena, as if the battlefield now belonged entirely to this Black Luster Soldier.
"Even so, Black Luster Soldier's ATK is only equal to Beast King Barbaros," Yako Tenma said. "And it does not have any ability that surpasses Beast King Barbaros."
Everyone knew that Black Luster Soldier was a vanilla monster with no effects. Yet despite his words, Yako Tenma felt a trace of anticipation. There was clearly something different about this Black Luster Soldier.
"Black Luster Soldier, Effect Activation." Yugen waved his hand. "Once Per Turn, banish one monster on your field from the Graveyard."
"Nani?!?!"
Yako Tenma stared in disbelief. Was this not supposed to be a vanilla monster?
"Open Dimensional Slash!"
The blade flashed. Space split apart, and the mighty Beast King was pulled helplessly into the Rift of Dimensional Slash.
Yako Tenma was shaken, but he quickly understood. "Those two Ritual Materials just now..."
Yugen smiled. "Correct. The effect of 'Beginning Knight'. When it is used as Ritual Material for 'Black Luster Soldier', it grants an additional effect. One of them is opening Dimensional Slash, allowing Once Per Turn to banish a monster on your field from the Graveyard."
"I see. It grants Black Luster Soldier an ability similar to 'Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning'."
Yako Tenma smiled faintly. "But do not forget the card I took from your hand with Card Exchange last turn."
Yugen nodded. "'Swift Scarecrow'. If discarded when I take direct attack damage, it makes that damage 0. And while it is in the Graveyard, it can negate direct attack damage once."
"Exactly," Yako Tenma said. "How will you overcome your own defense?"
Yugen smiled again. "Black Luster Soldier, another Effect Activation."
Yako Tenma's eyes widened. Another effect?
"The other Ritual Material," he realized.
"Correct. When 'Evening Twilight Knight' is used as Ritual Material, it also grants an additional effect." Yugen said, "Once Per Turn, randomly banish one card from your hand from Yugi Muto until the end of your next turn."
Yako Tenma stiffened.
"You only have one card left in hand. That is 'Swift Scarecrow'." Yugen Do declared. "So I banish 'Swift Scarecrow' from the Graveyard. Evening Dimensional Slash!"
A second slash of light and darkness cut toward his hand. The Swift Scarecrow vanished instantly, disappearing beyond the Dimension.
"Battle."
Yugen gave the order. "Black Luster Soldier, direct attack on Maximillion Pegasus!"
Black Luster Soldier leapt forward. The blade split into countless streaks of light, filling the sky like a storm of swords.
Yako Tenma looked up at the shining knight, momentarily lost in the brilliant display. "So this is the new evolution of Black Luster Soldier..."
Yako Tenma, LP 500 to 0.
The blade of chaos fell and brought the Duel to an end.
Even after the projection of the Duel faded, the Card Professors remained where they were, staring at the spot where Black Luster Soldier had vanished. For a long time, no one spoke. They were still trapped in the shock that a so called blank monster actually had effects.
Yako Tenma was the first to stand up again.
"A fine Duel. I lost," he said after a moment of thought. "But Black Luster Soldier gained such power through its Ritual Materials. So this is the true path of Chaos evolution? It seems all our previous research went in the wrong direction."
He glanced at Mokuba Kaiba beside him.
"As expected of Kaiba Corporation, known for its research strength. To achieve such a breakthrough is impressive. It seems the academic claim that Black Luster Soldier had already reached its limit was wrong."
"Thank you for the praise, but this time it was not our achievement," Mokuba Kaiba said with a smile, gesturing toward Yugen. "Black Luster Soldier chose him. In fact, we made this progress because of him."
Yako Tenma looked surprised and turned to Yugen again.
He narrowed his eyes slightly. Yugen noticed that he seemed to be observing something behind him.