"Evil Heart Hero: Evil Blade Demon's direct attack!"
With the command of the Overlord, Evil Blade Demon seemed to utter a great laugh. A towering darkness surged from within him like a stormy sea, stripping away the light and color of the New Space, leaving only pure, oppressive darkness.
As Judai was engulfed by this darkness, it was as if he heard the distortion and shattering of space, as if time and space trembled beneath the sharpness.
Even the strongest will would be dismantled by this terrifying force, and the most solid walls would crumble. The pouring darkness felt like a train charging at full speed, penetrating his defenses, shaking his skin, muscles, and even bones.
It was as if his life force was swiftly washed away by the dark currents, and an unprecedented pain almost caused him to faint.
Yet it was not only physical pain but also a psychological impact. At that moment, Judai felt as though he saw countless familiar yet strange faces, the faces of the Elves he had seen, victims of calamity during his countless dimensional journeys, all those who had suffered under the Overlord's war.
Even more, he saw distant images, seemingly no longer belonging to him, yet like memories.
He saw a battlefield filled with smoke.
He saw life and death, saw his best companions dying before his eyes, and even more cruelly... questions, even betrayal, from his best friends.
"What... what is happening...!?"
Judai fell to his knees, clutching his head.
Fragments of memories appeared like memories from countless reincarnations and different lives. He saw unfamiliar faces in those images, yet emotions surged within him like those shared with friends through countless lives and deaths.
Even the stabbing pain from losing these friends on various battlefields, even being betrayed by them, felt so real.
But this sensation came and went quickly. Soon, Judai felt the world spin, as if he had been spun countless times in the dark void before being heavily thrown out, hitting the ground.
Judai breathed deeply, taking in the cold air, and stood up, looking incredulously at the Overlord.
Was that just now...?
This guy's memories?
Or maybe my own...?
He suddenly remembered what Yugen had said to him about past lives and present selves. But the concept was too absurd for him to fully believe.
Could those really be his own... or shared past lives with the Overlord before his eyes?
Yugen had said the Overlord was the dark side of his heart... So how much pain and betrayal through lifetimes had it taken to create a personality like this?
Judai stood up with labored breathing.
"The effect of the Continuous Magic 'Damage Closure Interval'. While this card is on the field, all battle damage received by both sides is halved."
The Overlord said, "Evil Heart Hero: Evil Blade Demon's Attack Power is now 3200, so even with half, you still take 1600 battle damage."
[Judai, LP2300 → LP700]
Judai barely steadied his steps.
He could still withstand this level.
"Do you understand now? There is no justice for the weak."
The Overlord's cold voice came again.
"Without power, no matter how nice your words sound, they are just void; ultimately, you are only my redundant shadow."
Judai looked up, casting a complex look at the opponent once more. For some reason, looking at his mirror image before him now seemed less repulsive than before.
"Evil Heart Hero: Evil Blade Demon cannot be destroyed by battle or effects; it's a demon with absolute destructive resistance." The Overlord paused and said, "Yet, still, you have cards in your hand that can threaten Evil Blade Demon."
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
New Space Hero: Earth Mole, this insidious mole had already left a profound impression on Lord Overlord through his brief appearance in the last round, something that couldn't be ignored.
But it's okay, solutions were already in place.
"Magic Card 'Handwriting Erasure'." The Overlord played the Magic Card, "Both sides discard all cards in their hands, then draw the same number of cards!"
"Discarding hand cards..."
Judai glanced at his hand. He saw the spirit of Earth Mole float out, sighing in frustration, "Damn, this guy predicted it. Then I'll have to rely on you next, I gotta step back first, Judai."
"Mm... mm."
Judai nodded, discarding Brother Mole along with the remaining hand and drawing new cards.
"Finally, set two Cover Cards, ending my turn," said the Overlord.
"...My turn, draw!"
Judai drew a card and then played it from his hand.
"Activate Magic Card 'Revive the Dead'!"
The classic image of the Magic Card appeared, with an ancient green resurrection symbol emerging above Judai's field, like a bridge connecting the living world and the Netherworld.
"I can revive a monster from the graveyard to the field. The card I want to revive is, of course..."
As the golden light exited from Judai's graveyard, the card had not yet exited, but the spirit had already exuberantly jumped out.
"New Space Hero: Earth Mole!"
Brother Mole stood on the field once again, with hands on his hips, laughing loudly.
Unexpected, eh? Brother Mole is back!
Even the overbearing Evil Blade Demon couldn't help but glance at Lord Overlord when he saw Brother Mole return.
Think of something, Leader, I can't handle Brother Mole...
The Overlord let out a heavy huff.
Even with the discard, peace was not possible... but this level was still within expectation.
"Ridiculous, you're inadequate before the King's power." The Overlord said coldly, "Activate Cover Card, Trap Card 'Call from the Graveyard'.
This card can only be activated when 'Revive the Dead' is activated, nullifying the effect of 'Revive the Dead'."
Judai: "?"
Ah? So targeted?
Printed on the spot?
He even had the urge to go up and check if the card was still warm, if the ink had dried...
But the resurrection mark on his field was immediately nullified, the Magic of Revive the Dead was swallowed by darkness and vanished without a trace.
All that could be said was that printing bosses are terrifying, while Judai, who usually relied on Destiny Power to overpower his opponents, finally found himself in the victim's perspective today...
But it was still okay.
"Then I will Normal Summon 'New Space Connector'!"
The little New Space Connector arrived on the field, with patterns similar to Neos and a noticeable crystal akin to Ultraman's timer, resembling a shrunken Q-version Ultraman.
The effect of 'New Space Connector', upon the successful summoning of this card, allows the Special Summon of 'Elemental HERO Neos' from the hand or card deck.
Judai raised his fist high, and the background transformed into the cosmos and galaxy.
"Come forth! From the distant New Universe Space, the miraculous Elemental Hero—
—Elemental HERO Neos, summon!"