Chapter 37: Did you tell me to move forward just for this?

"No chance of winning?"

Isis blinked her moist eyes.

"Mr. You Tian, although you are a traveler from another world, with the potential to break fate…"

"Honestly, the future cards summoned by the Millennium Pendant are too powerful. Even I don't know how to counter them."

"You have no cards in your hand."

Isis pointed to her Magic/Trap Zone.

"And on my field, I have the 【Gravekeeper's Trap】. When 【Reversal of the Living and the Underworld】 is in the Graveyard, this card can seal the effects of your hand and Graveyard, and prevent you from Special Summoning monsters from your Graveyard."

She pointed again to the Monster Zone.

"I also have the 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 with 4200 Attack Power. When this card is destroyed, I can discard a 'Gravekeeper' monster from my hand to avoid its destruction."

At this, Isis revealed her only hand card.

"And in my hand, I have the 【Gravekeeper's Descendant】 I just retrieved using the 【Gravekeeper's Trap】."

Here, Isis sighed and shook her head.

She now felt that asking You Tian to defeat her had been unreasonable.

"Hmph!" You Tian scoffed.

"Then watch closely, Ms. Isis!"

Saying this, You Tian immediately drew a card from his hand.

"I'll use this card to break your invincible 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】!"

Isis looked curiously at the card You Tian held up.

Could it be 【Raigeki】? But a single 【Raigeki】 would be useless against this card?

Soon, Isis's confusion was answered.

"I activate a Magic Card from my hand: 【Brainwash】!"

"By paying 800 Life Points, I gain control of your 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 until the end of this turn."

【You Tian LP: 4000→3200】

Isis: …

"So it's a mind-control card?"

As expected, the 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 moved to You Tian's field.

You Tian smiled.

"Ms. Isis, do you still claim you can win now?"

Isis smiled gently.

"Mr. You Tian, the 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 gains 200 Attack Power for each 'Gravekeeper' monster in the controller's Graveyard."

"You currently have zero 'Gravekeeper' monsters in your Graveyard, so the 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 reverts to its original Attack Power."

【Gravekeeper's High Priest】【Attack Power: 2000】

You Tian nodded.

As Isis said, the 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 on his field could only have 2000 Attack Power. But Isis still had 3000 Life Points; summoning just one 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 was far from enough to defeat her.

"No problem—I'll Special Summon this card from my hand! Come forth, 【Swift-Stepped Velociraptor】!"

【Attack Power: 1400】

"This card can be Special Summoned directly from the hand, and afterward, you may Special Summon one monster from your Graveyard to your field."

"But now, your field has the 【Gravekeeper's Trap】—this effect is nullified!"

Isis slightly raised an eyebrow.

"Now, the total Attack Power of my monsters is 3400—this ends it!"

"Go! Monsters, launch a direct attack on Ms. Isis!"

Unexpectedly, Isis remained calm.

"I flip over a face-down card: 【Graveyard's Grudge】."

"This card can be activated when your Graveyard contains eight or more cards—now, all monsters on your field have their Attack Power reduced to 0!"

As the Trap Card activated, two translucent ghosts floated out from You Tian's Graveyard and gently attached themselves to the 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 and the 【Swift-Stepped Velociraptor】.

【Gravekeeper's High Priest】【Attack Power: 2000→0】

【Swift-Stepped Velociraptor】【Attack Power: 1400→0】

You Tian frowned slightly.

Isis: "Mr. You Tian, please forgive my unreasonable demand earlier."

"It seems you truly cannot defeat me."

You Tian:???

Wait! Aren't you basically saying: "Can you even do this? Pathetic dog!"?

Can't defeat me? I'll make you cry!

You Tian drew two more cards from his hand.

"I Summon 【Divine Magic Master】 in Defense Position. Then, I activate the Magic Card 【Book of the Sun】 to flip the 【Divine Magic Master】 face-up."

"The effect of 【Divine Magic Master】 activates: when it is flipped face-up, I can choose one Magic Card from my Graveyard and add it to my hand!"

"Ms. Isis, this effect is not within the range prohibited by the 【Gravekeeper's Trap】."

Isis frowned.

You Tian: "The card I'm adding to my hand is this one: Equip Magic 【Faithful Retainer】!"

"Equip Magic?" Isis looked curiously at the card.

Your battle phase has already ended—what use is it to equip a magic card now?

You Tian turned the card 【Faithless Servant】 toward Isis and explained its effect.

"This card's effect: when the monster equipped by this card changes control, the player who gains control takes damage equal to the original Attack Power of the equipped monster!"

Isis tilted her head.

"But you already used 【Brainwash】 to take control of my 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】—now I have no monsters for you to control?"

You Tian smiled.

"This card's effect deals damage to the player who gains control of the monster!"

Isis grew even more confused.

"But my deck has no cards that manipulate control—this card won't affect me?"

You Tian flashed a brilliant smile.

"I will equip 【Faithless Servant】 to 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】."

"This 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 was summoned by my 【Brainwash】—control will revert to you only at the end of this turn."

"When control returns to you, you will take 2000 points of damage—equal to 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】's original Attack Power!"

Isis:???

What kind of twisted logic is this? My monster returning to my field triggers this effect??

"Next, I will set two cards face-down—end my turn!"

As You Tian said "End Turn," 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 returned to Isis's field.

"【Faithless Servant】's effect activates!"

"Ah!"

【Isis LP: 3000→1000】

"My turn—Draw Phase."

"No wonder you're a traveler from the Other World—you still managed to counter even in such a dire situation," Isis sincerely praised.

"But this is likely your last effort."

"You Tian, your deck has zero cards left, your hand is empty, and your field holds only those two monsters with almost no Attack Power."

Isis pointed at You Tian's back row.

"Your only chance lies in those two face-down cards—I need only end my turn without attacking, and I win."

You Tian's lips curled in a smile.

"Then try it!"

Isis frowned slightly.

The card I just drew is 【Gravekeeper's Spearman】—when it attacks a Defense Position monster, it inflicts piercing damage.

This card has 1500 Attack Power; his 【Divine Magic Master】 has only 400 Defense.

And 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】—though affected by 【Graveyard's Grudge】—on my field, his Attack Power rises to 2200 based on the number of "Gravekeeper" monsters in my graveyard.

If I use 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 to attack Your Tian's 【Swift-Stepped Velociraptor】—whose Attack Power is now 0—and then use 【Gravekeeper's Spearman】 to attack 【Divine Magic Master】, I win.

As she thought this, Isis hesitated again.

No—what if I trigger one of his traps when I attack?

But those two face-down cards might have an effect that returns cards to the deck. If I don't attack now, I might lose next turn.

No no—he might just be bluffing; those two cards might be useless.

Watching Isis's indecision, You Tian sighed helplessly.

"Ms. Isis."

"Hmm?" Isis lifted her head.

"The wheel of fate does not wait for the hesitant. If you wish to break free from your cage, stride forward! Come—attack me!"

In the girl's beautiful eyes, a spark flashed; she stared at You Tian, frozen for a long moment.

"Kek~"

Finally, Isis smiled gently, her eyes now free of doubt.

"Mr. You Tian, thank you!"

"But now you've lost!"

"I summon 【Gravekeeper's Spearman】 in Attack Position."

【Attack Power: 1500】

"I attack your 【Divine Magic Master】 with 【Gravekeeper's Spearman】!"

【Divine Magic Master】【Defense: 400】

Boom! 【Divine Magic Master】 cried out and vanished into the graveyard.

"Now, 【Gravekeeper's Spearman】's effect activates—you take piercing damage."

【You Tian LP: 3200→2100】

"Not over yet, Mr. You Tian—I will now use 【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 to attack your 【Swift-Stepped Velociraptor】!"

【Gravekeeper's High Priest】【Attack Power: 2200】

【Swift-Stepped Velociraptor】【Attack Power: 0】

The Gravekeeper's high priest raised his staff, aiming straight at the velociraptor.

"I win!" Isis whispered confidently.

In that moment, she felt as though she had finally stepped out from beneath the shadow of the Goddess of Fate.

Then she saw it—a bright, glaring trap card revealed in You Tian's back row.

"Ms. Isis, I activate the Trap Card 【Dimensional Wall】—you will take this battle damage for me!"

"What!!" Isis gasped in shock.

【Gravekeeper's High Priest】 attacks again!

Boom!

【Isis LP: 1000→0】

【Winner: You Tian】

Isis stared blankly.

Ignoring Isis's daze, You Tian sauntered forward with a smug grin.

"I told you, Ms. Isis—you can't beat me!"

Isis:...

You made me take a big step forward just for this?