Yugioh [912-914] (Patreon)

Chapter 912 — Yubel's Love

Dimensional Fissure caused Yubel's emotions—only just barely calmed when the duel began—to surge violently again.

This card basically amounted to sealing off the existence of both players' Graveyards, delivering a massive shock to Yubel's entire tactical plan. From here on, she had no choice but to reconsider her deployment.

"Next, I Normal Summon D.D. Survivor."

Kira summoned another monster. This time it was a warrior whose body was mostly wrapped in a cloak—someone who had traveled through dimensional cracks for years and had ample experience with interdimensional travel.

[D.D. Survivor, ATK 1800]

"D.D. Survivor, attack Samsara Lotus."

The D.D. warrior snapped his cloak, pushed off with his foot, and dashed out as a blur. His fist carried a gale of air as it smashed into the lotus bloom that had opened on the ground.

A lotus with no combat power, of course, couldn't withstand such a heavy blow. Flower and leaves alike were driven almost into the earth, and then it exploded with a boom.

"I activate a face-down card," Yubel said. "Trap Card Sinister Seeds.

Activate when a face-up Attack Position monster you control is destroyed by battle. For each 1000 points of damage you would have taken from that battle, negate that 1000 points of damage, and Special Summon 1 Sinister Seed Token to your field." (anime effect)

This card exists in real life too, but the real card can't negate battle damage; it only Special Summons Tokens based on the damage you took. Also, in the anime it converts one Token per 1000 damage, whereas the real card only needs 500 damage to Summon one.

"The battle damage from D.D. Survivor's attack is a total of 1800," Yubel said.

"Therefore, Sinister Seeds negates 1000 points of battle damage, and Special Summons 1 Sinister Seed Token to my field."

[Yubel, LP 4000 → 3200]

The impact energy blocked by the Trap was absorbed, then transformed into a seed that scattered onto the ground. A transparent ripple spread across the surface, and the seed sank as if into water, disappearing underground.

Moments later, roots and a stem rapidly sprouted where it had gone in. The twisting stalks quickly formed into a crooked plant that landed on Yubel's field.

[Sinister Seed Token, DEF 0]

"A Trap that converts damage into a monster," Kira said.

"Exactly," Yubel replied. "If I learned anything in the last ten years, it's that you grow from pain."

As she said this, her heterochromatic eyes grew hazy, and she spoke with an almost obsessive fixation:

"At first I couldn't understand. All that pain—every torment—I asked myself again and again: why?
Why would Jaden, the Jaden I loved—and who loved me—make me go through all of that?

But then, I finally understood."

A cold, dangerous light flashed in her eyes.

"Pain is an expression of love. Because of pain, I can become stronger.

The essence of love is sharing—sharing happiness, and sharing pain. Sharing the pain I've come to understand with Jaden is the truest expression of love!"

Kira: "…"

He wasn't sure whether years of torment in space had finally driven her insane, or whether the Light of Destruction had twisted her mind. But judging by the results, it looked like she'd gone off the deep end.

"And you… you obstruct my sharing. You obstruct the love between Jaden and me."

Yubel's gaze became even more dangerous.

"You're an obstacle that must be removed!
My turn—draw!"

Yubel revealed another Spell.

"I activate Spell Card Fiend's Sanctuary! Special Summon 1 Metal Fiend Token to my field!"

A puppet formed from countless silver metallic spheres appeared on Yubel's field, floating above a transparent magical barrier.

[Metal Fiend Token, ATK 0]

"Next, I activate the Continuous Spell Precious Cards from Beyond."

"Then I Tribute the Metal Fiend Token and the Sinister Seed Token—two Tokens—to Tribute Summon!
The seeds of the Demon World bloom into demonic flowers… bloom—

—Regenerating Rose!"

The two Tokens vanished, and a massive plant rapidly grew across the field. Green vines bristled with thorns; its vivid petals looked as though they'd been soaked in blood. When it bloomed, it resembled a gaping, blood-red maw ready to devour prey.

[Regenerating Rose, ATK 0]

"By Precious Cards from Beyond's effect: if I Tribute Summon using two or more Tributes, I draw two cards."

Yubel drew two cards.

Seven stars, needing two Tributes, and yet only 0 ATK—at a glance, clearly the type with a special trick.

"Regenerating Rose's monster effect," Yubel said flatly. "When this face-up Attack Position card battles an opponent's monster, it can copy that monster's ATK, becoming the same value." (anime effect)

"I see," Kira said. "So no matter how strong the opponent is, it can drag them down with it—an 'equalize' type effect?"

Though if that was all, it almost seemed inferior to Copycat.

Copycat was only a Level 1 monster, but it could also copy an opponent's monster's ATK. The difference was that it only copied upon being Summoned and wouldn't change afterward—whereas this Rose copied every time a battle occurred.

"Not only that," Yubel continued. "When Regenerating Rose is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, it leaves behind two Regenerating Rose Token on my field."

She paused, then glanced with disgust at the pitch-black rift on Kira's field and snorted.

"But with Dimensional Fissure on the field, even if it's destroyed by battle it can't go to the Graveyard at all, so that effect can't activate."

At that, the dimensional rift looked even more obnoxious.

"Then I definitely can't let it be destroyed easily," Yubel said coldly. "I activate the Continuous Spell Kishido Spirit.

As long as this Spell remains on the field, if my monster battles a monster with the same ATK, it won't be destroyed by battle."

The Spell activated, and a transparent energy barrier enveloped the Regenerating Rose, like semi-transparent battle aura.

Kishido Spirit usually looked like a pointless Spell, but paired with this Rose, its power spiked. The Rose could always copy the opponent's ATK, and with equal values it couldn't be destroyed by battle—so aside from not being able to inflict battle damage, it was almost like having infinite ATK!

"Battle!" Yubel said. "Regenerating Rose, attack D.D. Survivor!"

…

Chapter 913 — Rainbow Veil

"Regenerating Rose, attack D.D. Survivor!"

The demon rose whipped its vines. Its bright flower opened and closed like a starving mouth longing to devour prey.

"At this moment, Regenerating Rose's effect," Yubel said. "It copies the ATK of the attack target."

[Regenerating Rose, ATK 0 → 1800]

Two vines bound D.D. Survivor's arms from left and right like tentacles, while two more speared forward like lances. The Survivor was impaled through the chest and exploded off the field.

"Of course, protected by Kishido Spirit, Regenerating Rose itself won't be destroyed by battle against a monster with the same ATK."

Yubel chuckled smugly, then slowly drew out another card between two fingers.

"Next, I activate Spell Card Card of Heaven and Earth. In a turn in which I performed a Tribute Summon, I can draw two cards. However, the drawn cards can't be used this turn; and if I can Set cards, I must Set at least one of them."

Yubel drew two cards, glanced at them, added them to her hand, then chose three cards from her hand.

"I Set three cards. My turn ends."

"Three backrow Sets, huh—scary," Kira said calmly.

"But in this End Phase—"

From the dimensional rift on Kira's field, black lightning crackled and burst forth, slamming down like thunder onto the field. The lightning exploded across the ground, then reformed into a tattered cloak. The cloaked warrior returned.

[D.D. Survivor, ATK 1800]

"What?" Yubel frowned. "D.D. Survivor? That thing should've been defeated!"

"He's called a 'Survivor' for a reason," Kira said. "During the End Phase of the turn this face-up card you control is banished, Special Summon this banished card to your field."

"Banished…"

Yubel looked up at the rift and immediately understood.

"Dimensional Fissure, huh?"

Under Dimensional Fissure, all monsters that would be sent to the Graveyard are banished instead. So when D.D. Survivor was destroyed by battle, it was naturally banished—then its own effect revived it back to the field.

So now both sides had monsters whose battle was essentially meaningless: one that always copied the opponent's ATK and couldn't be destroyed by battle, and one that would endlessly crawl back from another dimension if destroyed.

"A monster built specifically to combo with Dimensional Fissure," Yubel snorted. "Then I have to deal with that annoying rift first."

"My turn—draw," Kira said.

"At this moment," Yubel swept her arm.

"I activate a face-down card: Trap Card Dust Tornado! Destroy 1 Spell/Trap on the field!"

Her target was obvious.

"Destroy the Continuous Spell Dimensional Fissure!"

The Spell that had been the biggest thorn in her side finally dissipated into nothing within the tornado.

Kira didn't seem bothered, and moved into his Main Phase.

"I Tribute D.D. Survivor to Tribute Summon! The monarch who commands light and thunder—

—Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, Summon!"

D.D. Survivor vanished in a storm of tribute energy. Blazing electricity and thunder converged into a rolling heavenly bolt that slammed into the ground.

Where the lightning burst, the Monarch's cloak billowed in the wind. The white Monarch hovered in midair, surging electricity like an army awaiting command.

[Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, ATK 2400]

"You Tributed the Survivor… I see," Yubel said. "If I hadn't destroyed Dimensional Fissure, the tributed Survivor would've been banished and could've returned in the End Phase, letting you use it as tribute again and again."

"When Zaborg the Thunder Monarch is Tribute Summoned, destroy 1 monster on the field," Kira said, pointing.

"Destroy Regenerating Rose."

Thunder gathered in Zaborg's raised right hand, forming a roaring sphere of lightning. It blasted forward toward the demon rose.

"The rose is only 'invincible' in battle," Kira said. "It can't do anything against effect destruction."

Yubel: "I activate a face-down card: Trap Card Dark Sacrifice!
When your opponent activates a Spell/Trap/monster effect that would destroy a card on the field, negate that activation, and send 1 DARK monster with Level 3 or lower from my Deck to the Graveyard."

A mass of black fog burst from her Trap, forming a hazy barrier in front of the demon rose. Zaborg's lightning plunged into the swirling cloud like a stone into the sea, leaving no trace.

"Using Zaborg to break through a battle-immune Regenerating Rose was a nice idea," Yubel chuckled. "Too bad—it seems I'm still one step ahead."

"Then I activate the Equip Spell Rainbow Veil."

Kira revealed the Equip Spell from his hand.

"Equip it to Zaborg the Thunder Monarch."

Seven-colored rainbow light wrapped around Zaborg like a gorgeous suit of prismatic energy armor.

"When a monster equipped with Rainbow Veil battles, during the Battle Phase only, the effects of the opponent's monster it battles are negated."

Yubel: "!"

In other words, if Zaborg battled the Rose, the Rose's effect would be negated—making it just a 0 ATK vanilla.

But what truly horrified Yubel was that this Equip would work on her true form as well.

Yubel had evolved through the Light of Destruction in space and now had three forms. But regardless of the form, her base ATK was 0. Her main combat method was that she couldn't be destroyed by battle and could reflect battle damage back at the opponent.

Yet this single Equip Spell was enough to turn the very body she took pride in into a 0 ATK blank.

A banish-based Graveyard denial deck centered on Dimensional Fissure… and now Rainbow Veil aimed right at her throat.

Was this a coincidence?
Could sheer coincidence really counter her this hard?

"Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, attack Regenerating Rose," Kira said. "And during the Battle Phase, by Rainbow Veil's effect, the rose's effect is negated during the Damage Step."

Yubel: "Tch."

Still, the rose's other effect—leaving two Tokens if destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard—would normally give her strong follow-up. And now that Dimensional Fissure was gone, even if the rose fell, next turn—

"During the Attack Declaration, I activate Quick-Play Spell Celestial Transformation," Kira said. "Special Summon 1 Fairy monster from my hand. That monster's ATK is halved, and it is destroyed during the End Phase."

Yubel: "?"

A Fairy Special Summon at this moment?
What was that supposed to be?

Kira: "I Special Summon this Fairy from my hand.

Banisher of Radiance!"

[Banisher of Radiance, ATK 1600 → 800]

"Banisher of Radiance's effect," Kira said with a smile. "While this card is face-up on the field, any card that would be sent to either player's Graveyard is banished instead."

Yubel: "…"

…

Chapter 914 — Yubel Summons!

Banisher of Radiance.

If Dimensional Fissure was a Spell version of Macro Cosmos, then this monster was basically a walking, human-shaped Macro Cosmos.

Either way, the message was clear—

—Today, you're not using your Graveyard.

"Because Banisher of Radiance is on the field, Regenerating Rose, destroyed by battle, isn't sent to the Graveyard—it's banished."

Kira said.

"The rose must be destroyed and sent to the Graveyard to leave Tokens. If it's banished directly, that effect can't activate."

As he spoke, he even gave an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Yubel, but it looks like you'll need another plan."

Yubel didn't answer.

But her fist unconsciously tightened even more, and the murderous fire in her mismatched eyes looked ready to burst out.

"Battle continues—Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroy Regenerating Rose!"

Lightning coiled around Zaborg's heavy fist. He struck, rainbow light blazing over the massive demon plant. All of its abilities were suppressed by the prismatic radiance; it could only helplessly be blasted char-black by towering thunder, then crumble and disintegrate as it left the field.

[Yubel, LP 3200 → 800]

"Next, Banisher of Radiance," Kira said with a wave. "Direct attack."

[Banisher of Radiance, ATK 800]

Since it had been Special Summoned temporarily by Celestial Transformation, the banisher's body was half-energy, unable to exert full strength. Yet even halved, its ATK became exactly 800—almost as if mocking her—perfectly matching Yubel's remaining Life Points.

This blow would be the finishing strike!

Boom!
A violent explosion. The flash of light nearly stabbed at the retina. White light and smoke swallowed Yubel and half the field, erasing even her outline.

Kira frowned slightly.

He'd thought Yubel, in a weakened state, couldn't display her full power—but even so, this felt too easy.

As expected—

[Yubel, LP 4800]

As the smoke cleared, Yubel stood at the center of the blast, her gaze cold and sharp.

"Let me guess," Kira said. "Rainbow Life?"

Yubel snorted without answering. But the Trap revealed behind her in the thinning smoke explained everything.

Trap Card — Rainbow Life. Discard 1 card; your Life Points become the same as they were at the start of this turn, then you gain Life Points equal to the damage you have taken so far this turn up to the activation of this card. (anime effect)

So in the instant before Banisher attacked, her LP returned to the 3200 she had at the start of the turn, then absorbed Zaborg's hit to rise to 5600. After taking Banisher's 800, she became 4800.

In the anime, this was a card Yubel used while possessing Jesse.

"That's more like it—if it ended that easily, I'd start suspecting you were a fake," Kira smiled.

Yubel's face was dark, and she said nothing.

"Then I also activate Card of Heaven and Earth—in a turn I performed a Tribute Summon, I can draw two cards."

Kira drew two cards.

"Then I Set two cards. My turn ends," Kira said. "Of course, during the End Phase, the monster Special Summoned temporarily by Celestial Transformation must be destroyed.

Therefore, Banisher of Radiance is destroyed."

With a boom, the banisher angel exploded. The dazzling light within flared like a miniature sun, then quickly dissipated—ending a brief but sinful life.

The banisher's disappearance was one of the few pieces of good news Yubel had—but the situation was still grim.

And she could feel it: this man still had room to spare.

From him she felt a sense of danger unlike most opponents—as if the duel itself was walking on thin ice. She had a premonition that if she made a single mistake, she might fall into an irredeemable abyss—an ending even worse than the ten years of suffering in space.

But she had no way out.

Yubel clenched her fist, her gaze firm.

She had already decided: she would see Jaden again, no matter the price.

To return to his side—even if it meant being shattered to pieces—she wouldn't hesitate.

"My turn—draw!" Yubel said. "I activate Spell Card Card of Sanctity!
Both players draw from their Deck until they have six cards in hand!"

Hands were replenished. At this moment, Yubel had none of the ease or teasing she'd shown against most opponents in the original story—instead she faced him as if confronting a deadly threat.

"Next, I Summon this monster to your field—"

Yubel raised a monster card. A beam of light shot onto Kira's field, transforming into a steel giant covered in serrated edges!

"Level 8—Grinder Golem!"

The giant, bristling like a walking rack of instruments, was like a metal version of Lava Golem. It landed on Kira's field with a thunderous step.

[Grinder Golem, ATK 3000]

Kira looked up at the Grinder Golem.

"Huh. Seeing this thing on my own field for once feels kind of weird…"

Of course, he hadn't forgotten: in the original, this was a card Yubel used first—and its whole purpose was to enable a one-turn-kill combo with Yubel.

"What are you muttering about?" Yubel frowned.

"Sorry—nothing," Kira smiled. "Go on."

Yubel snorted. "Grinder Golem can Special Summon itself to the opponent's field by Special Summoning two Tokens to my field.

Therefore, I Special Summon two Grinder Tokens to my field."

[Grinder Token, ATK 0]

"Then I Tribute both Grinder Tokens!"

Both Tokens were wrapped in a whirlwind and crushed into fragments that dispersed. As Yubel raised the card in her hand, the third eye on her forehead opened, and her eyes blazed with mismatched light.

Kira could feel her presence spike sharply at that instant.

"I Summon my own self—the sorrowful warrior tempered by pain, clad in dragon armor—

—Yubel!"

A summoning storm engulfed Yubel herself, and then—like something splitting off from her body—an avatar shadow separated and manifested on the field.

Dragon-like bone wings unfurled. The demonic body was half male, half female. In its heterochromatic eyes swirled sorrow and rage as it stared forward coldly.

[Yubel, ATK 0]

"Heh. So the real one finally shows up," Kira smiled.

"But even so, your condition still isn't complete, is it?"

Yubel said coldly, "After I deal with you, I'll naturally return to my peak. The darkness in your heart is enough to equal a hundred people—at least."

"That's slander," Kira shook his head. "I'm such a bright, sunny person. Where would I get darkness from?"

Yubel stared at him coldly and didn't respond.

But inwardly, she added another label to him besides dark-hearted:

"Thick-skinned to an absurd degree."