Chapter 112: Bond with the Sprites
Chapter 112: Bond with the Sprites
The King of Ends, Demise, has been defeated!
The massive World-Ending Evil Spirit transformed into ash and disappeared, and the oppressive atmosphere in the entire arena seemed to lessen slightly. The mysterious blue flames on Syrus's body also dissipated somewhat, but he was still gasping for breath.
"You actually defeated the King of Ends," Syrus exhaled, "I underestimated you. You're not just any ordinary kids."
"It's not over yet," Jaden said as he revealed two more cards in his hand.
"Magic card, 'Double Attack'! Discard one monster card from your hand to the graveyard. You can then select a monster on your field with a lower level than the discarded monster, and that monster can attack twice this turn.
I discard the Level 5 'Elemental Hero Dark Necro' from my hand and choose the Level 4 'Elemental Hero Bubbleman' on the field. Bubbleman can attack twice this turn!
Now, the Battle Phase begins!"
Jaden swung his arm down, signaling the start of the offensive for his heroes.
"First up is 'Elemental Hero Volt Claw', attacking the face-down monster!" Jaden declared, "When Volt Claw attacks a monster in defense position and its attack exceeds that monster's defense, it inflicts piercing damage to your life points for the difference!"
"Then, I activate my own face-down card!" Syrus activated his trap, "Trap card, 'Absorb Shield'! When an opponent's monster declares an attack, negate that attack and restore your life points by the amount of the attacking monster's attack points!"
A transparent absorption barrier shimmered with a rainbow-like glow. Volt Claw's electrical bombardment struck the barrier, only to have the surging energy absorbed and transferred to Syrus.
[Syrus: LP 4800 → LP 7600]
"Alright, his LP is increasing instead. 'Elemental Hero Bubbleman', attack the face-down monster! Bubble Blast!"
Bubbleman, half-crouched on the ground, fired his foam cannon. A barrage of bubbles, wrapped in a torrent of water, blasted forth, washing away the face-down monster on the field.
It was a one-eyed, pot-shaped monster with a sinister grin.
"Metamorphosis Pot!" Atticus furrowed his brows.
"Wow, he sure has a lot of incredible cards up his sleeve."
[Metamorphosis Pot: Defense 600]
"The effect of Metamorphosis Pot activates when this card is flipped face-up. Both players discard all cards in their hands, and then draw five new cards from their decks," Syrus explained.
The hands were changed once more, and the Metamorphosis Pot was shattered by the force of the bubbles.
"Due to the effect of 'Double Attack', Bubbleman can attack twice this turn!" Jaden continued, "Go, Bubbleman! Direct attack! Bubble Blast!"
Bubbleman fired his foam cannon once more, sending a barrage of bubbles exploding towards Syrus's face. Syrus staggered, taking a few steps back.
[Syrus: LP 7600 → LP 6000]
"This is far from enough to defeat me," Syrus said, standing firm.
"I set two cards and end my turn," Jaden said, turning to Atticus with a slight apology in his eyes. "Sorry, his life points increased instead."
"It's fine. You broke through his defenses," Atticus assured him.
Jaden gave him a thumbs-up. "I had a feeling our teamwork would be unbeatable!"
Syrus watched this exchange, his face twitching slightly, his displeasure evident.
"This is why companions are a weakness."
"What did you say?" Jaden asked.
"Heroes must be solitary; it is their destiny to bear the sword alone," Syrus replied.
Jaden pondered for a moment before speaking again. "You keep saying that you abandoned your companions and sprites. But I think you haven't truly let go yet, have you?"
"What?" Syrus asked, taken aback.
"The Phoenix God of Nefthys," Jaden continued, "You said it betrayed you, but you still carry it with you, don't you? You still use this deck. If what you said is true, and your family has preserved this card for generations, and you've considered it a friend since childhood, wouldn't it be hard to just discard it?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Syrus said coldly. "I already told you, dueling is about winning. Whether it's the Phoenix God or the King of Ends, they're just tools for a duelist, weapons to be wielded.
I simply make full use of whatever weapons I have at my disposal."
"Is that so?" Jaden pressed on. "Then why did you come all this way to this place, to this dimension, to seek out this hidden ruin? I don't think this is your first time here, is it?
"I thought so too, at first. But through our duel, I realized it's not that simple." Jaden shook his head. "Duels are a clash of souls, and through dueling, we can understand each other.
You are strong, possibly the most powerful duelist I've faced yet. You say that monsters are just tools to be used, but from our duel, I could sense that you have a heart that believes in your cards and your monsters, making you a true duelist."
"Rubbish, all of it!"
"You can deny it all you want," Jaden continued, undeterred. "It doesn't matter to me, but can you really convince yourself with such excuses?"
Syrus: "..."
You Xuan couldn't help but admire Jaden's prowess in the art of the verbal smackdown, a skill passed down from generation to generation of protagonists in the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise.
As Jaden's monologue went on, You Xuan could almost feel his opponent's aura weakening.
In the terminology of the card game taught at Duel Academy, Jaden's "momentum" as a duelist was overwhelming Syrus.
"Shut up!" Syrus shook his head, his voice cold.
"You're spouting nonsense. It was just a duel, what do you know? How can you possibly understand my thoughts? My turn, draw!"
He drew a card from his deck with force, the card slicing through the air in a wide arc.
"At the start of this turn's preparation phase, 'Nephthys, the Phoenix God' in the graveyard has activated its effect again!" Syrus declared, his voice rising. "Since 'Nephthys, the Phoenix God' was destroyed by the effect of 'Demise, King of Armageddon' last turn, its effect activates!
During this turn's preparation phase, Nephthys, the Phoenix God shall rise from the ashes!"
The phoenix's pillar of fire soared into the sky, and the golden phoenix, unbound by the green light barrier, spread its wings. The phoenix's flames condensed, slowly reshaping into the majestic form of the golden divine bird.
"Then, Phoenix God, activate your secondary effect! When you are resurrected by your own effect, destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field!" Syrus laughed triumphantly. "The combination of the Phoenix God and the King of Ends—each turn, after the King of Ends clears the field, the Phoenix God will resurrect during my next turn and sweep away any backrow cards!
In the face of this combo, any face-down defense strategies are meaningless. Your only choice is destruction!"
"I activate a face-down card!" Jaden interrupted. "Trap Card, 'Lost!
Banish one card from your opponent's graveyard!"
Syrus: "!"
What?! You're going to dig through my graveyard?!
Did you just print that card yourself?!
"I banish 'Nephthys, the Phoenix God' from your graveyard!" Jaden continued. "'Nephthys, the Phoenix God' is no longer in the graveyard during the resolution of its effect, so it cannot be Special Summoned and is banished from the game instead!"
The phoenix, taking form amidst the swirling flames, suddenly became transparent and illusory.
But in doing so, it freed itself from the bindings of Orichalcos.
The mark of restraint on the phoenix's forehead shattered, and its semi-transparent body burned silently in the air, its head lowered as it gazed at Syrus.
Syrus, despite himself, looked up at it.
"Phoenix God..."
In that moment, he felt he could hear a distant voice, as if it were breaking through countless barriers and traveling from another time and space, weak but distinct.
"I'm sorry..."
The phoenix's image burned away, disappearing from the field.
Syrus: "..."
He remained silent for a few seconds.
"As I thought, the bond between you and the sprite was never truly broken." Jaden continued, "It was just obscured by the forces of evil, and there must be more to the story from back then."
"My turn continues, main phase." Syrus interrupted coldly.
"Syrus?" Jaden frowned.
"Regardless, there's no point in dwelling on it now. I am no longer the successor of the Phoenix God; I am one of the Three Musketeers of New Domino City, and that is all there is to it."
Syrus lifted his head, his eyes sharp.
"I will defeat you here...and then continue on my path."
(End of Chapter)
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