"Vanish, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" the Wicked God laughed.
Kaiba grunted, gritted his teeth, and picked up the Ultimate Dragon card from his duel disk, reluctantly sending it to the graveyard.
A torrent of darkness erupted from Dreadroot, enveloping the Ultimate Dragon. Despite its resistance, even ultimate immunity couldn't block the evolved god's power, and the dragon was dragged into the abyss, vanishing without a trace.
"The battle continues!" the Wicked God declared. "Your field is empty!
Dreadroot, direct attack!"
The Wicked God's roar thundered, sounding like laughter. Its arm, armored in bone, slammed down with explosive force, shattering the air with darkness.
Boom—
Dropping his arm, the Wicked God seemed certain the duel was over, smirking. "As entertainment, this was decent. But against an evolved god, even you, Seto Kaiba, are—"
Suddenly, he paused.
"Huh?"
The darkness faded, and in the aftermath, Kaiba was still standing, swaying but upright, breathing heavily yet defiant. Smoke rose from his body, but his eyes burned with resolve.
"How... You should have been hit directly..."
Scanning the field, the Wicked God's eyes landed on Kaiba's activated trap.
Trap Card – Nutrient Z.
When about to take over 2000 battle damage, you can activate this to instantly recover 4000 Life Points—a true super energy drink.
With Dreadroot's evolved ATK at 5000, Kaiba's Life Points had recovered to 6250 right before the direct attack, letting him barely survive.
[Kaiba, LP: 1250]
Steadying himself, Kaiba said proudly, "Is that all?"
The Wicked God fumed. "This guy..."
Still, he had to admit Kaiba's tenacity. Although he survived by restoring his LP, he had still taken the full force of an evolved god's attack, a blow that should have crushed any human's spirit.
Dreadroot was modeled after Obelisk, and now, after evolution, was equal to the Winged Dragon of Ra.
Back in the Battle City finals, Marik summoned a zero-ATK Ra, and in a shadow game, a direct attack knocked Joey unconscious, even though a zero-ATK should deal no damage. The flames of the phoenix still burned him senseless.
Now, Dreadroot's evolved ATK was 5000. Even if it didn't kill you by the rules, it should shatter any human's spirit.
Yet Kaiba only staggered, then straightened, as unyielding as bamboo.
"A priest reborn, after all. There's something special about him," the Wicked God thought.
Still, it only means a bit more trouble. Not that I'm worried.
"Finally, I activate the Spell Card Card of Heaven and Earth. After a Tribute Summon, draw two cards, but you can't use them this turn. If possible, you must set at least one."
(Manga Card.)
The Wicked God drew two cards.
"Set one card. End turn."
Kaiba said, "My turn. Draw!"
"I activate the Spell Card Card of Demise! Draw until I have five cards in hand, but in five turns, I must discard my entire hand."
The Wicked God said, "No matter how many cards you draw, the evolved god is invincible!"
Kaiba ignored him. "I activate Trade-In. Discard a Level 8 monster from my hand to draw two cards!"
He revealed his hand.
"I discard 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' to draw two!"
Earlier, he had fused two Blue-Eyes and a Blue-Eyes Alternative. So there was one more in his deck.
"Next, I play Graceful Charity! Draw three, then discard two."
Kaiba looked up.
"Divine Evolution... It seems you've made some progress in these ten years. But the evolution of myself and my Blue-Eyes surpasses even that—no god can stop us!
I activate Monster Reborn! Return to me once more—
—Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"
White light shot up like a burning sun. The sphere of light burst open, and the three-headed blue-white dragon descended again!
[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, ATK 4500]
The Wicked God was unfazed, smiling. "Welcome back, Ultimate Dragon. But it changes nothing now."
At this point, Dreadroot had evolved to 5000 ATK, as strong as the Five-Headed Dragon. Its suppression effect didn't work on Ultimate Dragon, but Ultimate Dragon couldn't beat it head-on either.
"I tribute Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" Kaiba declared.
The Wicked God was shocked.
The supposedly ultimate Blue-Eyes, with absolute resistance—being tributed?
"From beyond the ultimate beast, the dragon of light that erases all! Appear—
—Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon!!!"
Kaiba's current ace, surpassing even the Ultimate Dragon. The Ultimate Dragon froze, like a crystal statue. Cracks spread, then—
The crystal shattered, releasing a blinding light. A soul that transcended 3000 years flew up, spreading radiant wings, shining like the sun.
Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, Summon!
[Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, ATK 3000]
Even the Wicked God was startled at the sight.
"Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon? What is this monster?"
Even he sensed an extraordinary power from within this creature.
It was almost like staring at another god!
Could the evolution of Blue-Eyes White Dragon really rival a god?
"Battle!" Kaiba roared. "Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, attack The Wicked Dreadroot!"
The Wicked God startled. "But its attack is lower—"
"Lower?" Kaiba sneered. "Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon's effect: For every Dragon in my graveyard, it gains 300 ATK!"
If my Shining Dragon lacks anything, it's not attack power!
"There are eight Dragons in my graveyard!" Kaiba shouted. "Shining Dragon's ATK increases by 2400!"
[ATK 3000 → 5400]
The Wicked God exclaimed, "It even surpasses my evolved attack... But! In front of Dreadroot, all monsters' ATK are halved! Fear Suppression!"
A powerful aura erupted. By theory, only over 10,000 ATK could defeat him head-on!
However—
"MUDA!" Kaiba shouted. "Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon's effect! Any effect that would affect it, I can choose to accept or not!
I refuse the effect of Dreadroot!"
"NANI!?" the Wicked God gasped.
There's an effect like that?
…