"Rematch! I demand a rematch!"
Gaius felt very humiliated. This rare chance to appear was so casually taken down, making him feel like a small fry.
However, the Evil Emperor soon deeply understood one truth: caution should be exercised when making wishes.
Because sometimes, wishes really do come true.
Gaius, who was still shouting, didn't even have time to react. He only felt a blur before him, and suddenly found himself on the field.
He blinked a couple of times, involuntarily looking down at his own body.
No longer a translucent ghost, but an entity... or rather, a solid-looking holographic projection.
But why? Wasn't he just kicked off the field?
Then he noticed the Speed Attack Magic card in Jim's backfield that appeared at some point.
"Before the battle occurred, I activated the Speed Attack Magic 'Half Life'." Jim chuckled, "This card can target any monster on the field.
The selected monster, if destroyed in battle during this turn, may reduce its Attack Power by half and render the destruction ineffective!" (Original Card)
[Evil Emperor Gaius, Attack Power 2400 → Attack Power 1200]
Gaius was enlightened. That's why he couldn't exit the field...
But why? Who would use their own card to prevent the opponent's monster from being destroyed?
Yugen reminded, "Skeleton Knight's Monster Effect."
"Noticed already?" Jim smiled, "Yes, Skeleton Knight's effect allows it to attack again if there is a monster on the opponent's field during the battle phase."
Gaius: "!"
Only then did he understand.
After he was destroyed, if the master's field had no monsters, the opponent could not continue to attack. But by bringing him back, it satisfied the condition of "monster presence" on the field, allowing Skeleton Knight to continue its pursuit.
Furthermore, Gaius's Attack Power was halved, potentially allowing for additional massive damage!
Gaius was raging.
So the intention was to whip the dead horse, huh?
At this point, Soga drifted out leisurely, unabashedly mocking, "Here's the rematch you wanted, perform well."
Gaius cursed, "Shut up! This doesn't count..."
But the latter half of the sentence was interrupted by Jim, "Skeleton Knight's additional attack!"
Another slash was delivered. Last time they were evenly matched, but this time Gaius was completely like a small fry, getting cussed out and chased off the field.
[Yugen, LP1800 → LP600]
The Evil Emperor retreated with a black face. Soga, arms crossed, floated nearby.
Gaius glared at him, "Dare to say a word..."
Soga replied without hesitation, "Pathetic."
Gaius was furious. The two ghosts got into a fight beside.
"A brilliant attack."
Yugen nodded with a smile, affirming Jim's performance.
Jim said nothing.
But this was likely also his final strike.
Behind the Valley of the Mother followed the Great Cosmos, with the cemetery almost empty, unable to pile new resources. His Fossil Card Deck couldn't move at all...
Jim: "Cover one card, end of turn."
"My turn, draw a card."
Yugen looked at the card he drew, mildly smiling.
"Using the Fossil Card Deck in such an unfavorable situation, performing to this extent, not bad, not bad. Only 600 Life Points left, it seems I better get serious..."
Jim was not surprised, instead, he smiled helplessly, "As expected, the King hasn't been serious, has he."
"Activate Magic Card from hand..."
Yugen revealed the magic card in his hand.
"Magic Card 'Beyond Expectation.' When there are no monsters on my field, I can Special Summon any Ordinary Monster of four stars or below from my Card Deck."
Yugen waved grandly.
"Special Summon 'Sword Fighting Beast - One-Eyed Fighting'!"
[Sword Fighting Beast - One-Eyed Fighting, Attack Power 1900]
Jim was amazed, "Sword Fighting Beast?"
A card deck he hadn't heard of...
"Then Special Summon 'Slave Tiger' from my hand!"
[Slave Tiger, Attack Power 600]
"When there's a Sword Fighting Beast on my field, I can Special Summon Slave Tiger.
Then, Slave Tiger's other effect. Use this card as a sacrifice to return the 'Sword Fighting Beast' on the field to the Card Deck. Special Summon a 'Sword Fighting Beast' from the Card Deck.
I offer Slave Tiger as a tribute, then return 'Sword Fighting Beast - One-Eyed Fighting' on the field to the Card Deck, and Special Summon any Sword Fighting Beast from the Card Deck.
Come forth! Sword Fighting Beast - Augustus!"
A jet-black storm descends forcefully with a bird beast sword fighting warrior, its sharp beak and broad giant wings.
[Sword Fighting Beast - Augustus, Attack Power 2600]
"Augustus is successfully summoned through the Sword Fighting Beast effect, allowing a 'Sword Fighting Beast' to be special summoned in defense mode from the hand."
Yugen slapped down another card in his hand.
"Special Summon 'Sword Fighting Beast - Gun Fight'!"
[Sword Fighting Beast - Gun Fight, Defense Power 800]
"Gun Fight's effect, when summoned via the Sword Fighting Beast effect, destroys a Magic or Trap Card on the field."
Yugen hooked his finger, pointing to Jim's rear field.
"Destroy the covering card in the rear field."
Jim's rear field card flipped over and exploded with a snap.
Blast Armor.
Yugen: "......"
This left him completely speechless.
No way...
Blast Armor second machine still works.
To be fair, traps like Blast Armor are indeed a commonly used trap for power, not only in the animated world but also in the current physical card environment, where they have a considerable market presence. So it's not surprising he encounters many who love using Blast Armor.
But it's the first time he's seen two Blast Armors in succession.
With this thought, Yugen felt a sudden admiration arising in him looking towards Jim.
A true man.
Jim: "?"
Though he was frustrated that his Blast Armor second machine fell before its mission began, he suddenly felt the Duel King was looking at him rather strangely?
Yugen: "Next, normal summon 'Sword Fighting Beast - Riding'."
[Sword Fighting Beast - Riding, Attack Power 1600]
"Then, return Augustus, Gun Fight, and Riding, three Sword Fighting Beasts from the field to the card deck, for a triple contact Fusion!"
Jim was shocked: "Is it really a triple contact Fusion?"
"Correct, Sword Fighting Beast fusion doesn't require Fusion Magic," Yugen explained. "Fusion conditions are, Augustus plus any two or more Sword Fighting Beasts!"
Wandering souls of ancient Sword Fighters, assemble under the Emperor's name, bestowing supreme power—
—Sword Fighting Beast - Blind Fighting!!!"
Designed personally by President Beckas, in the state of being empowered by the Light of Destruction, with exclusive animation features, a triple fusion Sword Fighting Beast, Sword Fighting Beast - Blind Fighting!
[Sword Fighting Beast - Blind Fighting, Attack Power 1000]
"Then Blind Fighting's effect, upon Fusion Summon success, special summon one Sword Fighting Beast Fusion Monster, ignoring summoning conditions!"
Yugen raised another card in his hand.
"A fierce bird fighter from ancient times merges with the sword fighting spirit, becoming a seasoned warrior! Fusion Summon—
—Sword Fighting Beast - Caesar!"
In the name of Ancient Roman Emperors, the arena's competitive king, the green bird beast warrior arrives amidst a green tornado!
[Sword Fighting Beast - Caesar, Attack Power 2400]
"Two Fusion Monsters like this in one go..." Jim was stunned, "What a terrifying explosive force..."
"It's too early to be surprised now."
Yugen smiled.
"Caesar's effect, when summoned successfully, can destroy up to two cards on the field."
Jim: "!"
Not only does it destroy his rear field Blast Armor defense, but it can proceed to explode further...
Sword Fighting Beasts, although an unheard-of deck, have destruction power that ranks top-tier among those he has seen.
Jim still didn't know at the moment, with further development and excavation, his Fossil Card Deck has tremendous potential too.
Of course, that's for the future. In the GX era, Fossils hadn't even become physical cards, while Sword Fighting Beast had already ascended as world champion.
At this moment, Jim's field already only had two remaining cards. The front Skeleton Knight and rear Guardian Barrier burst into pieces under Caesar's storm and the sky-scorching wings.
However, even the Skeleton Knight didn't manage to enter the graveyard, being banished by the Great Cosmos.
This implies, even if he survives this turn, it will be tough to maintain combat momentum thereafter.
Meanwhile, Yugen's Sword Fighting Beasts hadn't even reached their limit.
The reason for not continuing his operation is because Jim's field was already clean with no cards left. Otherwise, he could have continued to explode.
"Battle."
Yugen stated.
"Sword Fighting Beast - Caesar, direct attack."
[Jim, LP1600 → LP0]