"Well, I stopped the Snake Deity, but my formation still got blown up by 'Offering to the Snake Deity,'" Kira said lazily.
"As expected of the Professor—you solved the Abyss lockdown combo. Without Gravity Bind protecting from attacks, I don't have any monsters capable of fighting for now. Next turn could be rough.
Let me see…"
He looked like he was picking through his hand, and after a moment he chose one card.
"Let's do this.
I'll set this guy face-down in Defense Position, then end my turn."
A face-down monster appeared on his field as a temporary wall.
For some reason, just watching this guy's mannerisms made Professor Viper want to punch something.
No—don't get tilted again.
Viper shook his head to regain focus. He sensed an inexplicable aura from this man—just looking at his face could make you mad, easily disrupting your decision-making mid-duel.
Could this be part of the Duel King's power?
"My turn. Draw!"
Viper forced his attention back to the duel. He glanced at the card he drew and immediately revealed it.
"Spell Card 'Spell Books from the Pot.' Both players draw three cards from their Decks." (Manga card)
"Wow, generous," Kira chuckled, drawing three. "I won't be shy then."
Viper ignored the chatter and drew his three.
Then he looked up, voice low.
"You think I'm helpless now?"
"Your plan is to keep bouncing my Snake King and keep interrupting the Snake Deity's descent, is that it?"
"You think choking the Snake Deity in its cradle means you won't have to face her divinity?"
Viper raised his voice.
"No. The Snake Deity is not merely my ace—she is my obsession, the burden I must bear as a duelist! The only meaning left in my life, a goal I must achieve no matter what—this weight will not stop here!
I activate the Spell Card 'Monster Reborn'! Revive a monster from the GY to the field!"
"'A monster in the GY,'" Kira said flatly. "'Rise of the Sacred Deity' was negated, so Vennominaga never appeared. Which means you're reviving…"
"Exactly!"
Viper roared.
"Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes, return to my field!"
Black mists surged and coalesced. Countless tiny serpents, a twisted mass of writhing coils, and those dangerous red eyes—the Snake King descended onto the field yet again.
All the overtime had left even this king looking a little tired…
"So this is Viper's obsession," Adrian murmured. "I don't know his exact goal… but to be fixated on summoning that Snake Deity to such an extent—that's some serious obsession."
[Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes, ATK 0]
"I have seven Reptiles in my GY. Each one increases Vennominon's ATK by 500!" Viper shouted. "So Vennominon's ATK rises to 3500!"
[Vennominon, ATK 0 → 3500]
"Next, I Normal Summon 'Venom Serpent' from my hand!"
A green-scaled serpent slithered forth. Near its neck, the body split in two, sporting twin snake heads, each flicking its tongue with a hiss.
[Venom Serpent, ATK 1000]
"I cannot lose—and I will not lose!" Viper roared. "Vennominon the King, attack the face-down monster!"
The Snake King bellowed. Tired as it was, it still exuded menace, as if venting the frustration of being removed over and over without dealing a single point of damage.
The attacked monster flipped face-up.
A small, even cute penguin with stubby arms and legs, holding a sword a bit too big for it. It puffed out its round belly, sporting an adorably fierce expression.
[Penguin Soldier, DEF 500]
"Yare yare, you've disturbed 'Penguin Soldier,'" Kira smiled. "Penguin Soldier's effect: when flipped, you can choose up to two monsters on the field—"
He glanced meaningfully at the freshly returned Snake King, whose feet had barely stopped sliding, then at the newly summoned two-headed serpent.
"—and return the chosen monsters to the owners' hands."
Viper: "…"
He was at a loss for words.
Even Adrian pushed up his glasses and coughed twice.
Er, Lord Kira… you really are something else.
"Sorry, Professor Viper. You finally brought the Snake King back, but…"
Kira smiled apologetically.
"I'm going to have you return both Vennominon and your freshly summoned 'Venom Serpent' to your hand."
The Snake King roared in frustration but was helpless. Its undying trait only covers destruction, not bouncing; it could only retreat to Viper's hand yet again, fuming.
"WRRRRRRRRY—!"
Viper howled.
He was about to explode.
His invincible Snake King, his undying Snake King—taken out repeatedly this duel, and not once did the undying effect even matter.
Can you believe it?
A certain Snake Deity still sleeping in the Deck: Feels like I won't be getting stage time today…
"Of course, the Flip effect triggers during battle, and the battle did occur," Kira said mildly. "So my 'Penguin Soldier' is still destroyed by battle."
But the little penguin had gloriouly completed its mission. Trading its small body for a two-for-one and bouncing a Snake King?
Outstanding value.
Viper muttered gloomily, "I set one card and end my turn."
Even Adrian couldn't help a sympathetic look at the Professor.
He could feel it now. He didn't know the Professor's exact goal, but his belief was intense—like the only reason he lived was to achieve it.
With such a mindset, suffering this kind of duel, it wouldn't be surprising if the man went insane afterward.
No wonder the rumors say the Duel King is terrifying. Some say the King's duels don't just take your victory—he sometimes break your spirit.
"My turn. Draw."
Kira said:
"In the Standby Phase, I activate 'Sinister Serpent' effect in my GY.
If this card is in my GY during my Standby Phase, I can return it to my hand."
He retrieved Sinister Serpent to his hand.
Then he smiled lightly.
"Right now, neither of us has monsters on the field. If I just summon a monster and attack, it feels a bit unfair…
So let's do this. I'll give you a strong monster first, then we'll fight."
He revealed a card from his hand.
"I Special Summon this guy to your field, Professor Viper.
Level 8, Grinder Golem in Attack Position!"
Viper: "???"