Chapter 920: The Desperate Battle
Chapter 920: The Desperate Battle
"Special Summon four Gladiator Beasts from my Deck."
You Xuan swiftly played four cards.
"Gladiator Beast Nubifer's effect, Special Summon these two Gladiator Beasts.
Gladiator Beast Arma! Gladiator Beast R$fdata!"
[Gladiator Beast Arma, ATK 1600]
[Gladiator Beast R$fdata, ATK 1200]
"Gladiator Beast Caesar's effect, Special Summon these two.
Gladiator Beast: Augusti! Gladiator Beast Dim!"
[Gladiator Beast: Augusti, ATK 2600]
[Gladiator Beast Dim, ATK 1600]
"Gladiator Beast R$fdata's effect," You Xuan explained, "When a Gladiator Beast is Special Summoned using its effect, I can remove one card from my opponent's Graveyard.
And the card I'm choosing is this one."
You Xuan pointed at Yubel's Graveyard with ill intent.
"Remove Yubel from the game."
Yubel's pupils constricted.
Digging my grave again? And this time, specifically targeting my true self's coffin.
You Xuan stated calmly.
"However, if Summoned through Yubel's effect, they can be advanced Summoned from either the Deck or the Graveyard."
The core of Yubel's Deck was naturally herself, so it was easy to deduce that her primary objective would be to retrieve her previous stage from the Graveyard and then proceed with her second and third stages.
But if her true self was removed from the game, all of this would be pointless.
"Set two cards, my turn is over." You Xuan declared.
Yubel pondered.
Four Gladiator Beasts again. After each battle, they could switch to new Gladiator Beasts with terrifying card-breaking abilities, pushing forward relentlessly.
Even Yubel had to admit that they were formidable.
Perhaps this was indeed an opponent she couldn't handle at her current level of revival.
Perhaps this would be her final battle.
Yubel lowered her head, gazing at her Duel Disk extending from her arm and the Deck on it, remaining silent for a long time.
"I'm sorry, Shidai," she whispered, "I might not be able to keep my promise and return to you."
This time, she might truly lose.
But even so...
She lifted her head, her heterochromatic eyes still burning with determination.
"Oh?" You Xuan asked, "Haven't you given up yet?"
"Give up? Don't be ridiculous," Yubel scoffed.
"Do you know how much pain I endured to return to this planet? Compared to all that, this is nothing!"
Indeed, she had already made up her mind. For Shidai, she would do whatever it took and sacrifice everything.
The Duel wasn't over, and neither was she.
"My turn, draw!"
Yubel was still struggling, and she could still fight.
"Activate Spell Card, Dark Allurement!
Draw two cards from the Deck, then remove one DARK monster from your hand from play. If there are no DARK monsters in your hand, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard!"
Yubel drew two cards, then tossed a monster card into the air, which was sucked into a dimensional vortex and vanished.
"Next, activate Spell Card, Vase of Greed!" Yubel shouted, "Select three monsters from the removed cards and return them to the Deck, then draw one card!
I return Yubel, Split World Rose, and the DARK monster I just removed to the Deck and draw a card!"
"Oh?" You Xuan raised an eyebrow, "Is this your way of retrieving your original form?"
He narrowed his eyes, "And do you think you can draw it back with just one draw?"
Well, considering the Spirit herself was dueling, such a bond wasn't unusual.
"Unnecessary!" Yubel retorted coldly.
"Normal Summon, Tomato Ancient!"
[Tomato Ancient, ATK 1400]
You Xuan understood.
Oh, so that's the plan.
"Battle!" Yubel declared, "Tomato Ancient, attack Gladiator Beast Arma!"
Tomato Ancient launched a suicidal attack, and as expected, it was pierced by Arma's attack, exploding and leaving the field.
[Yubel, LP 9700 → LP 9500]
"Tomato Ancient's effect, when destroyed in battle, Special Summon a DARK monster with 1500 ATK or less from the Deck in Defense Position."
Yubel paused, then broke into a sinister smile.
"And I, myself, am a DARK monster with 1500 ATK or less! Return to the field, my avatar—
—Yubel!!!"
The dragon's skeletal wings spread once more, its androgynous demonic body now seemingly covered in scars, its eyes radiating loneliness and sorrow, yet also a resolute acceptance of fate.
[Yubel, ATK 0]
"Yubel, attack Gladiator Beast: Augusti!"
Yubel's eyes turned crimson, and she manipulated the Gladiator Warrior to attack.
This time, Yubel succeeded. Augusti roared and swung his greatsword, striking Yubel with full force. The impact was absorbed by the entwining vines and rebounded, hitting You Xuan instead.
[You Xuan, LP 4700 → LP 2100]
Success! Yubel's excitement was palpable.
Finally, at the very end, she had landed a hit.
This person wasn't as invincible as he seemed, and his Life Points weren't truly unassailable.
There was still a chance!
"Not giving up even at this point, your determination is admirable." You Xuan dusted himself off.
"Nonsense," Yubel replied coldly, "I said that anyone who stands in the way of me and Shidai must be destroyed."
Her eyes flashed with danger once more.
"Even if the price I have to pay is myself."
"Excellent, excellent, that's the spirit," You Xuan praised.
Yubel gave him a strange look and coldly added, "At the End Phase, Special Summon Sacrificial Lotus from the Graveyard."
[Sacrificial Lotus, ATK 0]
"If Yubel doesn't Tribute a monster during the End Phase, it must be destroyed."
"Yueber spoke, 'I offer Sacrificial Lotus as a tribute, and the turn ends.'"
As she spoke, a sudden thought crossed her mind, and she frowned, "Aren't you going to return your Gladiator Beasts to the Deck this turn after they've battled?"
You Xuan slapped his forehead, "Oh dear, my memory is slipping. I completely forgot."
Yueber stared at him expressionlessly.
"Ahaha, it seems you don't believe me." You Xuan laughed, "Actually, there's no need for that anymore."
"What?" Yueber furrowed her brows.
"It's my turn to draw a card." You Xuan said calmly, "I've seen your determination, and I've seen enough. Now, it's time to bring this Duel to an end.
I summon 'Spartan Magician'."
[Spartan Magician, ATK 400]
Yueber's brows knitted together.
What is this thing?
"Let the battle continue."
You Xuan's tone was light and cheerful.
"Gladiator Beast: Augusti, attack Yueber."
"What the...?!"
Yueber was shocked.
Knowing that she had a counter-damage ability, she still attacked. She gritted her teeth, feeling that something was amiss, but at this moment, she had no other choice but to yell.
"Since you seek death, I shall grant your wish. Yueber, counterattack!"
As expected, Augusti's sword had no effect on Yueber, and the impact of the blade was reflected back by the thorny vines.
"However, during the attack declaration, my trap card has already been activated."
Yueber: "!"
Activating a trap card during the attack declaration?
"Trap Card: Natural Reflection." You Xuan stated calmly, "This turn, all effects that would give me LP will be reflected back to the opponent."
Yueber's pupils constricted.
Her own effect was that any battle damage she received would be reduced to 0, and the negated damage value would be inflicted on the opponent.
It definitely belonged to the "inflict damage on the opponent" type of effect.
And since all effect damage this turn would be reflected back, it meant that—
"Not bad. Augusti's ATK is 2600. Therefore, Yueber reflects 2600 points of damage back to me," You Xuan smiled, "and then it's reflected back to you by the effect of 'Natural Reflection'."
Thus, Yueber was hit by her own counter-damage.
"Waaaah—"
[Yueber, LP 9500 → LP 6900]
Yueber panted heavily, gritting her teeth, "You...you..."
"Gladiator Beast R$fdata, attack Yueber."
[Gladiator Beast R$fdata, ATK 1200]
Once again, Natural Reflection reflected Yueber's counter-damage, and another counter-damage hit her face.
"Ugh!"
[Yueber, LP 6900 → LP 5700]
Yueber: "Damn it!"
"You're welcome." You Xuan bowed politely, "Gladiator Beast Arma, attack Yueber."
[Gladiator Beast Arma, ATK 1600]
Yueber: "Ahhh—"
[Yueber, LP 5700 → LP 4100]
She knelt on one knee, her eyes losing focus.
Isn't it over yet?
"Spartan Magician, attack Yueber."
[Spartan Magician, ATK 400]
[Yueber, LP 4100 → LP 3700]
"Gladiator Beast Dim, attack Yueber."
[Gladiator Beast Dim, ATK 1600]
[Yueber, LP 3700 → LP 2100]
The five burly men took turns pressing Yueber to the ground, and even though she endured this deadly five-hit combo, her physical and mental strength seemed to be at their limits.
She knelt on one knee, struggling to support herself by gritting her teeth.
"It's not over yet."
She still had life points left, and she could still fight.
They had promised to meet Shidai again.
The two of them, would be together again.
"Gladiator Beast Dim's monster effect."
The cold voice from the other side seemed to come from the depths of hell, gentle in tone but like the whisper of a demon lord.
"Through the monster effect of the Gladiator Beasts, Dim, who was Special Summoned, can attack twice in one turn."
Yueber's lips trembled involuntarily.
There's...more?
"Gladiator Beast Dim." You Xuan said, "Once more, attack Yueber."
Six consecutive hits!
"Ahhh—"
[Yueber, LP 2100 → LP 500]
How ironic. Yueber, who was most adept at counter-damage and had killed countless people with it, was now being tormented by her own counter-damage.
Losing over 9000 life points in an instant, she could barely stand.
But her gaze remained determined.
"It's not over yet."
"Your tenacity is admirable. Well, it's actually over, but you just haven't realized it yet." You Xuan said calmly.
Yueber was stunned.
What?
"The effect of Spartan Magician: As long as this card remains on the field, each time a monster is Special Summoned from the Deck, inflict 500 damage to your opponent."
Yueber froze.
The common effect of the Gladiator Beasts was that after the battle, they could return to the Deck and then Special Summon new Gladiator Beasts from the Deck.
"It seems you've realized it." You Xuan smiled, "Good. At the end of the battle, my four Gladiator Beasts on the field will return to the Deck, and then four new Gladiator Beasts will be Special Summoned from the Deck.
So, let's calculate how much damage you still owe me."
Yueber: "..."
"I return all four Gladiator Beasts on the field to the Deck."
You Xuan calmly placed the cards back into the Duel Disk. The Deck automatically shuffled, and four cards popped out of the Duel Disk.
"Special Summon four new Gladiator Beasts from the Deck. And at this moment, the effect of Spartan Magician..."
You Xuan narrowed his eyes.
"A total of 2000 additional damage."
Yueber remained silent, feeling as if something was blocking her throat, preventing her from speaking.
After a while, when the four new Gladiator Beasts landed and the magician recited the incantation, carrying the energy of destruction towards her, Yueber slowly looked up to the sky.
"I'm sorry, Shidai."
She closed her eyes.
[Yueber, LP 500 → LP 0]
(End of Chapter)
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