137 Game: Youyi, your waifu (phantom god) is truly amazing! Slurp! (Wink)

"Boom! Boom!"

Up ahead, the leaving-the-field effect of Youyi's Absolute Zero had destroyed Yugi's two great magicians—the "Chaos Magician" and the "The Dark Magicians." Now, in a reciprocal gesture, Yugi used a quick-play spell to clear away two of Youyi's heroes: "Elemental HERO Wildedge" and "Elemental HERO Sunrise."

Having long been aware of the effect of "Dark Burning Magic," Youyi didn't overthink the departure of his two heroes, though he still feigned a look of surprise on the surface.

"I activate the second 'Miracle Fusion' from my deck! I banish 'Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier,' 'Elemental HERO Wildheart,' and 'Elemental HERO Wildedge' from my graveyard to perform a Fusion Summon!"

Since it requires three heroes as fusion material with no specific monsters mandated, there was only one candidate among the "Elemental HERO" fusion monsters:

"Fusion Summon! Appear, Elemental HERO Core!"

The evolved form of Elemental HERO Terra Firma, a new hero born from the core of his mother, "Earth."

"Core requires three 'Elemental HERO' monsters as fusion material to be summoned."

"Furthermore, the effect of the banished Liquid Soldier activates again! Besides allowing me to draw cards when sent to the graveyard as fusion material, he also grants a draw when banished as material!"

Yugi: "..."

Youyi's water-attribute monster, "Elemental HERO Bubbleman," had a special condition to draw two cards, which their group of friends nicknamed "Greed Man." Now, Yugi's other water-attribute monster, "Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier," was one Yugi felt tempted to call "Little Greed Man"!

"I set two cards and enter the Battle Phase!"

Setting his two cards and playing his second quick-play fusion spell, Youyi pointed toward the opposing Dark Magician Girl as the target for Core's attack.

Dark Magician Girl's unique effect makes her stronger the more of her mentors exist in the graveyard—truly a case of "sacrifice the master for infinite power!"

If he attacked the Dark Magician, although it would deal damage, it would only deduct 200 life points from Yugi. However, that would result in two "Dark Magicians" residing in Yugi's graveyard, boosting Dark Magician Girl’s power to 2600! Since the Chaos Magician’s name is treated as "Dark Magician" while on the field or in the graveyard, Youyi chose to destroy Dark Magician Girl in battle first.

"Nuclear Impact!"

Gathering energy, a scorching beam erupted from the core at the center of his chest, instantly destroying the Dark Magician Girl, who had only 1700 defense points.

"Turn end."

This turn, Youyi didn't go on a summoning spree like before; he simply brought out a new 2700-attack hero and ended the turn after destroying the Dark Magician Girl.

"My turn, draw!"

With no cards in hand and only the Dark Magician left on the field, his attack points were still 200 shy of Core.

Despite such a desperate situation, Yugi maintained his passion for dueling.

'Youyi! You really are strong! You are the only opponent I've faced on this journey that I might not be able to defeat even after going all out!'

Meeting Youyi’s gaze, the fire of fighting spirit ignited in Yugi’s eyes. Accompanied by the golden draw effect, a card bearing his hopes arrived in his hand!

"I activate the Magic Card 'Card of Demise'!"

Youyi: ?!!

Wait! How do you have that card, Yugi?

In the anime, only Seto Kaiba possessed the Card of Demise. In this reality, Kaiba still held it, and it wouldn't be excessive for him, the President of Industrial Illusions, to have one. But where did Yugi get this one?

Yugi: 'Do I really have to say, "Because I've been eyeing this card for a long time, and since I have almost no resources left, I just manifested it on the spot"?'

"I draw until I have five cards in my hand, but during my fifth turn's Standby Phase, I must discard all cards in my hand."

Tasting the effect of Demise for the first time, Yugi couldn't have been happier, especially after seeing the old man depicted on the spell card; the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upward.

"Youyi!"

"Yeah?"

Why is Yugi calling me so formally all of a sudden?

Under Youyi's puzzled gaze, Yugi smiled and uttered something truly diabolical:

"The cards of the three Egyptian Gods—they're quite good to use, aren't they?"

"..."

It was phrased as a curious question, but Youyi sensed a hint of danger and conspiracy. What was Yugi up to?

The next second, as Yugi spoke and played the card in his hand, Youyi understood why he felt that aura of intrigue:

"Two of the three Egyptian Gods have already appeared, but the third has yet to show its face! Therefore, I will use this card to summon the third God in this duel!"

"Magic Card: 'Soul Exchange'! I pay 2000 life points to declare a monster name, and my opponent must search their deck! If that monster exists, I can add it to my hand, or ignore its summoning conditions and Special Summon it in Attack Position!"

In the anime, Kaiba used it to steal the God card from his opponent's deck after losing his own Obelisk the Tormentor. Unexpectedly, Yugi was using it now! But Youyi could understand his logic.

Though Kaiba lost the Tormentor, he gained the new "Blue-Eyes" series and the "Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon," which could rival the Gods in power.

As for Yugi? He had lost Slifer the Sky Dragon. Although he gained a new series built around "Dark Magician" and "Dark Magician Girl," none of those monsters could compare to the Gods in raw power or effects! And he was facing Youyi, who had defeated him and possessed all three God cards!

This led Yugi to include some cards in his deck that seemed inexplicable to Youyi, like "Soul Exchange."

Without waiting for a word, Youyi knew which one Yugi wanted. Under the smart-feeder of his duel disk, he took the card of The Winged Dragon of Ra from his deck and flicked it toward Yugi.

"Thanks!"

Looking at The Winged Dragon of Ra—the highest-ranked of the three Gods—in his hand, Yugi gave Youyi a look that seemed to say, "Your wife is truly magnificent," which made Youyi grit his teeth in rare irritation.

"Next, I activate the final 'Pot of Greed'! Draw two cards!"

With that, there were no more "Greed" cards left in Yugi's deck to draw without cost.

"I banish the Earth-attribute 'Magnet Warrior Alpha' from my graveyard to Special Summon 'Rock Spirit' from my hand!"

A heavily armored warrior wielding a massive mallet, who could only be Special Summoned by banishing an Earth monster from the graveyard, appeared on Yugi's field.

"Then, I use the magic card 'Foolish Burial,' paying 800 life points to revive the prized pupil of my greatest servant!"

Empowered by the "Forbidden" Foolish Burial, the Dark Magician's student, Dark Magician Girl, hopped back onto Yugi's field.

Using "Soul Exchange" to get the third God, "The Winged Dragon of Ra," from Youyi, and then using various card effects to assemble three monsters on his field—Yugi's next move was clear:

"I offer 'Rock Spirit,' 'Dark Magician,' and 'Dark Magician Girl' as tributes!"

The skies shifted. A massive golden sphere descended from the lightning-streaked, pitch-black clouds, hovering about seven or eight meters above Yugi’s head.

"Almighty protector of the sun and sky, I beg of thee, beseech thee, grace our humble field. I shout thy name, Winged Dragon of Ra!"

The moment he held the God card, Yugi understood how to summon it! He had to chant those ancient Egyptian priestly incantations that no ordinary person could comprehend.

"It takes such complex procedures just to summon it; no wonder it’s the highest-ranked of the three," Yugi thought, offering a rare, small complaint.

"Come forth! The Phoenix of the Sun—The Winged Dragon of Ra!"