Chapter 978: Sacred Spear

Attacking all monsters on the field—that description is obviously invalid; according to the rules, it’s impossible. But everyone present understood what Fake Jack meant.

The monster effect of Crimson Lotus Dragon, “Demon Meteor,” allows it to destroy all opposing defense-position monsters when attacking a defense-position monster.

At this moment, You Xuan’s field had Death Frog and E-Fisherman - Gunner, both forced into defense position last turn—originally there was also “Exchange Frog,” but Exchange Frog had been revived by the continuous trap “Restricted Revival.” Monsters revived by Restricted Revival explode when placed in defense position, so You Xuan’s field now held only two monsters.

Added to that, Jack had just given him two token monsters via “Gift of Resurrection,” totaling four monsters.

Crimson Lotus Dragon let out a deafening roar toward the sky, its amber vertical pupils contracting into dangerous slits. It spread its molten wings, blotting out the sun, with flames erupting from every gap between its scales.

“Absolute power suppression!”

As Fake Jack roared, the vertebrae of the dragon suddenly blazed with blinding red light—twelve molten chains shot from the void, as if simultaneously locking all four of You Xuan’s monsters.

The spiral crimson breath column triggered a chain reaction the instant it struck the first target; the pierced monsters didn’t even have time to scream before being reduced to sparks in the spreading firestorm.

Four monsters—in an instant—reduced to ashes!

“Finally, activate my face-down card: Trap Card ‘Genealogy of the Destroyer God!’” Fake Jack laughed. “When an opponent’s defense-position monster is destroyed this turn, choose one 8-star monster on your field.”

“That monster may attack a number of times equal to the number of defense-position monsters destroyed this turn!” (Original effect)

Real Jack gritted his teeth: “Of course—the fake even copies Jack Atlas’s BO.”

This was the combo Jack used when he was Emperor: “Gift of Resurrection” revives a tuner from the graveyard to facilitate Synchro Summoning Crimson Lotus Dragon, while leaving two defense-position tokens on the opponent’s field—perfectly synergizing with Crimson Lotus Dragon’s ability to destroy all defense-position monsters.

Combined with “Genealogy of the Destroyer God,” which adds extra attacks by destroying defense-position monsters, Crimson Lotus Dragon could easily attack two or three times per turn, effortlessly eliminating the opponent.

“Therefore, Crimson Lotus Dragon can attack four times this turn!” Fake Jack bellowed. “Die!”

“First strike!”

You Xuan: “Then I activate my face-down card: Trap Card ‘Strength Enhancer Super Z.’ When I take 3000 or more battle damage, I recover 4000 Life Points.”

【You Xuan, LP 4000 → LP 8000 → LP 5000】

“Heh, hiding a defense like this? But it’s useless! Crimson Lotus Dragon still has three more attacks—plenty left!”

Fake Jack snapped.

“Second strike!”

But before Crimson Lotus Dragon could unleash its second blow, a blinding white light exploded across the field, blinding everyone.

“What the—Nani!?”

When Fake Jack reopened his eyes, he saw the D-Ruler’s phase had already switched to “End Phase.”

What happened?

Did my turn end? When did that happen?

Then he saw the trap You Xuan had activated.

“Sorry,” You Xuan smiled. “I also activated Trap Card ‘Flash Bomb.’ It can only be activated when the opponent successfully performs a direct attack, and it immediately forces the turn into the End Phase.”

“Tch.”

Forcing the opponent’s turn to end like that? That’s allowed?

Now he couldn’t even set up for his next turn during Main Phase 2.

Well, whatever. The effect of “Unharmonious Counter” is still active—next turn, the opponent can’t even summon monsters. No real threat.

“My turn, draw.” You Xuan said. “First, ‘Killer Snake’ from the graveyard returns to my hand during the Standby Phase.”

“Next, activate Spell Card ‘Adversity’s Bounty.’ When the opponent has special-summoned monsters and I have none on my field, I draw two cards.”

Fake Jack sneered: “Struggle all you want. You can’t even summon a monster right now.”

“Not necessarily,” You Xuan said calmly. “Activate Quick-Play Spell ‘Turn Leap.’ Both players maintain their current field states, and the turn advances three turns. If this card is chained to another effect, that effect is negated.” (Original card)

This was Yugi Muto’s original Spell Card, the prototype for the later “Golden Cabinet” deck’s “Time Silence—Turn Silence.”

Fake Jack: “!”

With the turn advanced three turns, the restriction preventing monster summoning is lifted.

Fake Jack clenched his teeth.

“Tch. But defeating my Crimson Lotus Dragon isn’t that easy.”

“Is that so?” You Xuan smiled. “In your eyes, this is already the Emperor’s level? Then such an Emperor is cheap indeed.”

Fake Jack: “What are you implying?”

“Nothing. Just that those who’ve never seen true peak power easily become self-satisfied,” You Xuan said coolly. “Let me show you what a true summit looks like.”

“I summon ‘Rescue Cat.’”

【Rescue Cat, ATK 300】

“Rescue Cat’s effect: Send this card to the graveyard to special summon two Level 3 or lower Beast-type monsters from the deck.”

“I special summon Level 3 ‘Gladiator Beast—Shield Fighter’ and Level 3 Tuner monster ‘X-Swordsman—Elbern.’”

【Gladiator Beast—Shield Fighter, ATK 1600】

【X-Swordsman—Elbern, ATK 1600】

“Level 3 Tuner ‘Gladiator Beast—Elbern,’ plus two Level 3 ‘Gladiator Beast—Shield Fighter’—Tuning!”

【3+3=6】

“Frozen stars coalesce at the blade’s tip—a piercing lance of eternal winter! Synchro Summon—”

“—Level 6, Ice Barrier Dragon—Lightning Spear Dragon!!!”

This time, no accident, no interference—Lightning Spear Dragon appeared smoothly.

【Ice Barrier Dragon—Lightning Spear Dragon, ATK 2300】 Both Jacks’ expressions shifted slightly.

Rescue Cat can transform into two Level 3 monsters. Just pick one Level 3 Tuner and one non-Tuner, and you can easily Synchro Summon a Level 6 monster.

So as long as you draw Rescue Cat, it’s practically equivalent to “Normal Summon Lightning Spear Dragon”—this seemingly unimpressive monster is shockingly strong.

And this was only the beginning.

You Xuan continued: “Activate Equip Spell ‘Premature Burial.’ Pay 800 Life Points to special summon ‘Rescue Cat’ from the graveyard.”

【You Xuan, LP 5000 → LP 4200】

【Rescue Cat, ATK 300】

“Continuous Spell ‘Survival’s Bounty’—since I revived a monster from the graveyard, I draw one card from my deck.”

You Xuan drew a card.

“Next, activate ‘Ice Barrier Dragon—Lightning Spear Dragon’s’ effect: Discard any number of cards from hand to return the same number of cards on the field to their owner’s hand.”

Fake Jack tensed.

Is he going to return my Tamashi Crimson Lotus Dragon?

You Xuan: “I discard one card from hand to return ‘Premature Burial’ to my own hand.”

Fake Jack: “!”

Right—‘Premature Burial’ only says ‘when this card is destroyed, the equipped monster is destroyed.’ It never says the equipped monster is destroyed if this card is returned to hand.

“Activate ‘Rescue Cat’s’ effect again,” You Xuan said. “Send Rescue Cat to the graveyard to special summon ‘X-Swordsman—Elbern’ and ‘Gladiator Beast—Shield Fighter’ from the deck.”

“Then, from hand, activate ‘Premature Burial’ again—pay 800 Life Points to revive ‘Rescue Cat’ from the graveyard.”

“‘Survival’s Bounty’ effect—I draw one card from my deck.”

“Lightning Spear Dragon’s effect—I discard one card from hand to return ‘Premature Burial’ to my own hand.”

“Activate ‘Premature Burial’ again…”

Fake Jack was stunned.

Real Jack was stunned.

This—this—

Premature Burial revives Rescue Cat, Rescue Cat transforms into Lightning Spear Dragon, Lightning Spear Dragon returns Premature Burial, Premature Burial revives Rescue Cat again—

Oh right, every time Rescue Cat is revived, Survival’s Bounty draws a card—perfectly offsetting the cost of discarding a card for Lightning Spear Dragon’s effect.

You’re running a perpetual motion machine here!?

With this combo formed, theoretically, as long as field space permits, You Xuan could move his entire graveyard onto the field.

Of course, by now, anyone with eyes could see Fake Jack was already dead. The only question was what kind of death You Xuan would give him.

And You Xuan had just said he would show him a realm he had never seen.

Perfect—he could test the results of his time in the Synchro Dimension.

“Level 3 Tuner monster ‘X-Swordsman—Elbern!’”

“Plus two Level 3 ‘Gladiator Beast—Shield Fighter’—Tuning!”

【3+3+3=9】

As the ice crystal ring solidified in midair, the entire battlefield fell into absolute silence. The three monsters transformed into brilliant azure and silver auroras, shooting straight into the heavens.

“Sacred spear, released by the Destroyer God—now pierce the demonic city to its core! Synchro Summon—”

“—Level 9, Ice Barrier Dragon—Trident Dragon!”

As the summoning chant ended, the ring erupted in blinding blue-white light; snowflakes like a blizzard rained from the sky.

As the Trident Dragon descended slowly from the heart of the storm, even time seemed to freeze; its body was encased in armor forged from a thousand-year ice, and its left dragon head unleashed a breath of absolute zero.

【Ice Barrier Dragon—Trident Dragon, ATK 2700】

The entire field was frozen as if ten miles under ice; the biting cold felt real, making Jack feel his body was frozen solid. He stared in disbelief at the tyrannical dragon: “This dragon—could it be…”

A thought flashed through his mind.

You Xuan was now the holder of the “Dragon Head Seal,” one of their companions, a Dragon Marked. And each Dragon Marked should have a dragon representing them personally.

The “Ice Barrier Dragon” slot—first Lightning Spear Dragon, now Trident Dragon—could it be…

“Trident Dragon’s effect,” You Xuan said. “When this card is successfully Synchro Summoned, banish one card from the opponent’s hand, one from their field, and one from their graveyard!”

Crimson Lotus Dragon, still mid-flame, was instantly frozen solid; its magma-like scales cracked with a grating sound as they crystallized. The central dragon head let out an ethereal cry—Fake Jack’s graveyard card shattered into ice. The right dragon head fixed its gaze on the trembling hand of the opponent; a card in his hand turned to frost and scattered before it could even be seen.

Fake Jack: “My Crimson Lotus Dragon. Impossible. How could this happen?”

“I told you already—what you thought was the peak is nothing more than this. To call yourself a king at such a level is the funniest part of all.”

You Xuan smiled lightly.

“Light Spear Dragon, Trident Dragon—attack the false king directly!”

The three-headed roar of the Trident Dragon formed triple sonic booms; the blizzard converged spirally around the D-wheel. The left head’s freezing breath froze the engine into an ice sculpture; the right head delivered the final blow, its absolute zero breath crystallizing the entire vehicle, including the cockpit.

The frozen Lucky Wheel immediately toppled over, spinning as it crashed into the track’s edge.

Fake Jack: “Aaaah—”

【Fake Jack, LP3600 → LP0】

(End of Chapter)