Yugioh [832-834] (Patreon)

Chapter 832: Can't Hit? So Annoying

Careless.

Momono was now truly experiencing the malice of society through a duel, and he'd come to a deeper understanding of the maxim "never use something your opponent gives you in a duel."

Otherwise, getting the short end of the stick is one thing—but being mocked until your mentality collapses is the real problem.

That's exactly how he felt now. The more he looked at that Volcanic Queen, the more punchable she seemed. Something about her presence felt like she was constantly mocking him.

"Don't get cocky too soon!"

Momono barked.

Just one Continuous Spell to shut down his offense? Who did this guy think he was dealing with? Some overrated street duelist?

"Quick-Play Spell 'Mystical Space Typhoon': destroy any Spell/Trap on the field," Momono snapped. "Naturally, I'm destroying your face-down Continuous Spell 'Level Limit – Area B'!"

A black tempest hoisted the Spell Card into the air, and a lightning bolt from the eye of the storm split it into glittering shards.

The oppressive seal instantly lifted. The pressure crushing all monsters on the field dissipated in a heartbeat.

"With that, the attack restriction is gone," Momono said. "Monsters can change their battle positions again.

Change 'Volcanic Queen' and 'Airknight Parshath' from Defense Position to Attack Position!"

[Volcanic Queen: DEF 1200 → ATK 2500]

 [Airknight Parshath: DEF 1400 → ATK 1900]

"Next, Equip Spell 'Premature Burial'!" Momono thrust out the card. "Pay 800 Life Points to Special Summon a monster from my GY in Attack Position and equip it with this card!

Obviously, I'm reviving this one."

[Masumi Momono, LP 3000 → 2200]

A vortex to the underworld opened. Before the monster even appeared, blinding white radiance burst from the darkness, as if turning hell into high noon. A towering steel angel rose like a sun; argent armor gleamed with searing brilliance.

Tualatin, revived!

[Tualatin, ATK 2800]

"If you thought a single Spell could seal my attacks, you miscalculated," Momono roared. "I'll use the monster you gifted me to finish you off!

 First, Tualatin attacks directly!"

Endless white light gathered, coalescing into a blade. A holy sword forged from pure luminance. The tip touched the ground and sent ripples of power across the field, burning away darkness like the noonday sun.

One sweeping strike carved through Kira's empty board and came crashing down upon him—

"This isn't good," the Eye muttered snidely on the side. "If we get felled by the monster we gave him, that'd be hilarious."

"True enough."

Kira remained utterly calm. He snapped his fingers with a smile.

"Activate the set card: Continuous Trap 'Scrubbed Raid.'

I can send any other card I control to the GY to activate its effect.

End this Battle Phase immediately."

Momono: "!"

His pupils shrank. He immediately realized what that meant.

This thing was more suffocating than Level Limit or Gravity Bind! Level Limit – Area B only forced Level 4+ monsters to Defense. Gravity Bind only locked Level 4+ attacks. Monsters unaffected by Spells/Traps could ignore those, and you could also summon low-Level monsters with high ATK or use direct attackers to get around it.

None of that applies here.

As long as Kira has any card to send, he can forcibly end every Battle Phase, and it's Continuous. In other words, as long as he keeps feeding it, he can skip Momono's Battle Phase every turn.

No Battle Phase means no attacks. Unless Momono deals with this Trap, even the Egyptian Gods would just sit there and glare at it.

"I send 'Doomdog Octhros' from my field to the GY to activate 'Scrubbed Raid.'"

Kira casually slid the monster card into the Duel Disk's GY.

"Battle Phase ends."

The eerie hound dissolved into particles and sank into the Trap as raw energy. A domineering wave burst from the Trap, sweeping across the field.

Tualatin's holy sword shattered the instant it touched that wave, scattering back into light. The steel angel hit the pulse and rebounded, thwarted.

The Eye pulled down its eyelid in mockery. "Ha! Can't hit means can't hit. Mad yet? Scrub."

Momono's face was dark. "Your spirit has no manners."

Kira smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment. Thanks."

Momono: "…"

"We're not done," Kira added cheerfully. "The monster I just sent to the GY as COST, 'Doomdog Octhros,' also has an effect.

If this card is sent from the field to the GY, add one Level 8 Fiend from your Deck to your hand."

Momono frowned. "Level 8 Fiend?"

Back in his card-shop-wrecker days, he specialized in studying opponents and picking "counter decks" to beat them. He always did his homework before a match.

And according to his intel, when the Duel King searches a Level 8 Fiend, it usually means—

"I add 'Lava Golem' from my Deck to my hand," Kira showed the card with a smile.

Momono's face darkened further.

Knew it.

Chapter 833: Been Waiting For This

Lava Golem.

Momono's cheek twitched.

Countless duelists and researchers study the Duel King's decks. Every deck he's used and every tactic he's employed gets analyzed.

And anyone who's tried to learn about the Duel King would never fail to recognize this monster—

—Lava Golem.

The legendary big fella that devoured the invincible Orichalcos serpent and saved the world.

Sure, it's fun to watch as a spectator. When an opponent's painstakingly summoned, soul-bound boss gets gulped down and that look of aggrieved rage crosses their face—it brings a pure, wholesome smile to millions.

Well, as long as you're not the one in the duel.

Watching his opponent calmly add the big fella to hand, Momono found his frustration impossible to put into words.

He knew what was coming. He couldn't stop it. He couldn't protect his angels.

And what's even more frustrating—

"End Phase: your 'Volcanic Queen' effect activates," Kira said. "During your End Phase, you must Tribute one of your monsters to 'Volcanic Queen'—or take 1000 damage."

The Eye chimed in: "The choice is yours! So merciful, right?"

Kira gestured politely. "Go on—choose."

Momono: "…"

A weird illusion came over him.

He felt like he wasn't dueling. He was a dog chained to a post.

The two jerks stood just outside the length of the chain, taunting him every which way. He was rabid with rage, the urge to tear them apart barely contained—but that damned chain kept him tied up. All he could do was bark himself hoarse.

"Hmm?" Kira tilted his head. "Not choosing?"

Momono took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said coldly, "I Tribute 'Airknight Parshath' to the GY."

The Volcanic Queen, with his permission, beamed. She opened her jaws and swallowed the holy knight whole. The superheated flames melted him in an instant, reducing him to a fireball that vanished in her belly.

Sated, the Queen let out a burp. Momono couldn't tell if he was imagining it, but he felt like she smiled at him.

As if to say, thanks for the meal.

Momono breathed deeply, multiple times.

He knew he'd made the right choice.

Against a pure stall opponent like this, Life Points are more precious than ever. A thousand damage is no joke; he couldn't just tank it.

And Parshath wasn't going to survive anyway. Even if not Tributed now, Lava Golem would eat him next turn.

That's the logic—but watching his holy knight get swallowed left him thinking—

—this is really damn infuriating.

He should have realized it then.

The worst was yet to come.

"My turn. Draw."

Kira drew, then immediately revealed a card from his hand.

"Spell Card 'Dual Gate': banish a copy of 'Dual Gate' from your GY to draw two cards." (Anime Card)

A second copy slid out of the GY.

"Among the two cards I sent to the GY earlier with 'Doomdog Octhros,' the other was another 'Dual Gate.' So I draw two more."

Kira drew two, paused, then slowly raised his gaze with a smile carrying a hint of danger.

Momono grit his teeth.

He knew what was coming.

But all he could do was watch.

"Tribute your 'Volcanic Queen'… and 'Tualatin' again, to Special Summon this powerhouse to your field.

My soul. My ace. Power of ruin and rebirth—

—Lava Golem, summon!"

The Volcanic Queen grunted, then dissolved into lava, dragging the innocent Tualatin along and burning him to ash.

Magma boiled. Flames roared. Rivers of molten rock surged. From the fiery chaos, a colossal form rose in a heat haze. A red-hot iron cage clamped down over Momono, forged like rails from hell itself, imprisoning him.

Literal jail time.

Momono's cheek twitched.

Lava Golem burns its controller for 1000 each Standby. He hadn't forgotten.

But that wasn't his only problem.

"Now that the Volcanic Queen has been Tributed, she's back in my GY," Kira said evenly. "Activate 'Monster Reincarnation': discard a card to add a monster from your GY to your hand.

I discard 'Learning Elf' to return 'Volcanic Queen' to my hand."

Momono: "…"

The husband-and-wife tag team, huh?

 Still not done, huh?

The message was obvious. No matter what you summon, the Queen will eat it. An open scheme.

He's holding Volcanic Queen face-up. Either you don't summon and give up—or you summon and feed the Lava Couple.

And as long as 'Scrubbed Raid' remains, he can't attack anyway.

"Finally, I set one and end my turn," Kira said.

The Eye kept up the taunting: "Your turn again! The countdown to your demise is ticking—cherish your last turns!"

"Your spirit is noisy!"

Momono, already barely holding it together, grew more irritable.

"My turn. Draw!"

"At this moment, Lava Golem's effect," Kira said lazily. "You take 1000 damage."

Scalding magma splashed over Momono, making him grimace in pain.

[Masumi Momono, LP 2200 → 1200]

"Damn it… this LP is enough!" Momono snapped. "Spell Card 'Enchanting Fitting Room'! Pay 800 LP; reveal the top 4 cards of your Deck. Special Summon any Level 3 or lower Normal Monsters among them, return the rest to the Deck!"

[Masumi Momono, LP 1200 → 400]

Do or die. Against this kind of deck, that LP was already meaningless.

He had to figure something out this turn—

He revealed four.

"Special Summon 'Petit Angel'!"

[Petit Angel, DEF 900]

"Then I Tribute 'Petit Angel' and 'Lava Golem' to Tribute Summon—

—Majestic Mech - Goryu!!"

A vicious gleam flashed in Momono's eyes.

"Begone, Lava Golem!"

Lava Golem rumbled low, then its energy diffused into white light. That light gathered, coalescing into the white Goryu descending upon the field!

[Majestic Mech - Goryu, ATK 2900]

"Damn, he actually Tributed the big fella…"

The Eye grumbled, but its big eyes quickly curled into crescents again.

"Even so, your troubles aren't over," it said, eyeing Goryu with ill intent. "As long as 'Scrubbed Raid' is up, even a strong monster can't attack.

That dragon looks tasty. Heehee… next turn, Volcanic Queen eats it right up!"

With Momono at 400 LP, if he didn't feed the Queen next turn, he'd burn to death.

"I don't need your commentary!"

Momono snapped, then shouted:

"Spell Card 'Remove Trap'! Destroy a Trap on the field!

Destroy the Continuous Trap 'Scrubbed Raid'!"

The wall of absolute defense exploded. The Eye's color changed. "Ah! You—how dare you destroy Scrubbed Raid—!"

"Hahahaha! I told you, I'm not the same as those street duelists. Underestimate me and you'll pay!

Wipe him out—finish him!"

Momono's eyes were red; he was almost shouting himself hoarse.

"Majestic Mech - Goryu, direct attack!"

But as the colossal angel rose and gathered power for the finishing blow, Kira's lips curled ever so slightly.

A playful smile that sent a chill down Momono's spine.

"You just declared an attack, right?" Kira asked.

The question made Momono's heart lurch.

He blurted, "Wait, let me think—"

"Too late!" the Eye crowed. "You declared it! I heard it! Hahaha—totally fell for my stellar acting—"

Kira glanced at the floating eyeball and said with a smile, "To fall for such clumsy acting… you really are street level."

The Eye chimed in, "Exactly!"

Then realized something was off.

"Hey! Who are you calling clumsy?"

Kira ignored it and continued.

"Lava Golem is my ace. It eats the strongest monsters by Tributing and inflicts ongoing damage on the opponent.

With your LP this low, one more burn would be fatal. The simplest way to remove Lava Golem is to Tribute it…"

Momono swallowed. That smile looked more and more sinister.

"…Did you think I wouldn't account for that?"

Momono opened his mouth, but no words came.

"Playtime's over. This ends now."

Kira casually flipped his last set.

"Trap Card 'Blast Held by a Tribute.'

When a Tribute Summoned opponent's monster declares an attack: destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls. Then…"

He paused, then added meaningfully:

"…deal 1000 damage to your opponent."

Momono's eyes bulged.

Tribute Summoned monster. Attack declaration—

He looked at the already-charging Goryu, then at Kira, and croaked:

"Y-you were waiting… for me to do this from the start…"

Kira smiled and said nothing.

Boom—

Goryu detonated, and the fireball swallowed Masumi Momono.

[Momono, LP 400 → 0]

Chapter 834: The Professor Moves Early

"Lava Golem. Volcanic Queen…"

Momono was shattered, starting to question his life choices.

Maybe all the duels he's fought really went to the dogs.

How is this even fair?

 And that last 'Blast Held by a Tribute'…

 A self-destruct that triggers the moment a Tribute Summoned monster declares an attack. No doubt, summoning Lava Golem and Volcanic Queen was bait to make him Tribute Summon. They ate his monsters, occupied his field, burned his LP. Of course—especially at critical LP—you'd immediately think to Tribute them away as material to clean up the mess.

Little did he know, that was stepping into the second trap laid by this insidious schemer.

"Looks like I won."

Kira walked up to the kneeling Momono, hands on hips, looking down.

Momono glanced up. In the moonlight, the Duel King's pallid face looked like something out of a horror movie.

He remembered the previous Duel King from years ago. He wasn't this scary.

Momono instinctively averted his eyes and forced his voice not to shake. "I-I won't tell you anything.

I'm a mercenary duelist; please respect my professional integrity!"

Kira chuckled. Well now—tough guy.

He'd already noticed: Masumi Momono wasn't a dark duelist, just a hired hand—like the fake dark duelist Titan from GX S1 or later Axel Brodie.

Not all hired duelists use dark powers. Some are just regular mercenary.

If it's not necessary, Kira generally won't initiate a Shadow Game against ordinary people.

"All right then. Honestly, I don't dislike duelists with principles. Having your own creed is respectable; you're a stand-up guy."

Momono relaxed a little at Kira's words—then Kira stepped back and gestured.

"He's all yours."

Momono: "?"

Whose…?

Kira stepped aside—revealing a petite girl.

A chill gripped Momono's heart.

Wait—what is that?

Night hung low. A waning moon cast a cold, eerie light over the abandoned, haunted dorm.

In the dead silence, a figure stepped into view.

A breathtakingly beautiful girl—yet something about her inspired unspeakable dread. Her skin was so pale it seemed translucent, like frost on a winter morning window—otherworldly and cold.

She wore a Victorian-style long dress. The hem whispered over the floor without a sound, like a ghost in the night. Though it was night, she held a pitch-black parasol. Her hair flowed like moonlit water.

Her red lips parted in a dangerous smile, revealing two sharp fangs—unmistakably vampiric.

"A-a vampire!?"

Momono dropped to the floor and crab-walked backward.

"W-what are you going to do to me?"

The girl licked her red lips and smiled.

"Why, savor you, of course. I just love tough guys' blood—it tastes extra delicious."

"N-no, wait, you've got it wrong! I was just talking big—actually I'm super cowardly," Momono babbled. "I was just going through the motions! Who starts torture without even asking questions?"

"Oh?" Kira turned back. "So you'll cooperate?"

Momono nodded frantically. "Say it—ask anything, I'll tell you!

 Want to know my employer? No problem! His name is Viper, a professor at Duel Academy's Western Branch!

 Want to know why I'm here? Just ask! I came to find a student named Jaden Yuki. The mission is to test his potential and collect his duel energy as a research sample!"

Fear really is the best teacher. Look—he's answering before being asked.

Vampire Fraulein, having stepped back, hid her face beneath the shadow of her parasol again, visibly displeased, muttering, "Am I really that scary? He looked like he saw a ghost…"

Silent Magician patted her shoulder in reassurance. Don't worry—our master's always been like this. Before you came, the spooky gigs were my job.

Kira frowned. "Viper sent you?"

"It's the truth! I swear I'm not lying!" Momono thumped his chest. "He's a Duel Academy professor, respectable and all—but yeah, it's definitely him.

He told me to find that student named Jaden Yuki—"

"I didn't say I didn't believe you." Kira waved him down.

Professor Viper is next semester's main antagonist—Kira knew. He just didn't expect action this early.

More precisely, Yubel must be making moves.

Unfortunately, this guy only knew so much; further questions wouldn't yield more.

Having gotten what he wanted, Kira turned—and saw Alice wearing a morbid, uncanny expression, staring at Momono with a creepy "heh-heh-heh" grin.

"Another duelist swallowed by darkness…"

Kira flicked her on the head.

"Ow!" Alice yelped; the creepy grin vanished, replaced by a teary-eyed, aggrieved look. She clutched her head and looked up at Kira as if about to cry.

"Be sunny. Less doom-and-gloom," Kira scolded. "Or your sentence gets extended."

"…Okay."

Alice hugged her head, not daring to look at him, but muttered under her breath.

"You're the one who drags people into Despairland. I can't even laugh a little…"

"You say something?" Kira glanced back.

Alice flashed a sweet smile. "Nope! I said master is amazing."

"Much better."

Silent Magician and Vampire Fraulein: "…"

Kira thought.

With the timeline warped, he couldn't rely too much on the original. Viper and Yubel moving early wouldn't be surprising.

Still, early on, Yubel appeared half-dead with only one arm, regaining strength only after absorbing a ton of duel energy from the Academy.

If it's that low-HP Yubel, dealing with them shouldn't be too hard for him now. Compared to the bosses he's already handled, not that troublesome.

But complacency kills.

Kira walked out, chin in hand, musing.

When the professor arrives, maybe he should prepare a surprising welcome ceremony.