Chapter 42: Strategy Against the God

"Damn! You Tian isn't in form today! Why is he always being crushed by Malik?!"

Seeing the attack of 【Masked Beast Death Guardian】 neutralized, Jonouchi on the sidelines muttered in frustration.

Game fell into a brief silence.

"Jonouchi, although this is my first time watching You Tian's Duel, I can't help feeling that You Tian's Dueling has taken on a certain anxious mood."

Hearing Game's words, everyone turned their heads simultaneously. Read novels first at Tiantian Kan Xiao Shuo, ttks. tw super powerful

"Anxious?" Jonouchi frowned in confusion.

Game nodded.

"Maybe it's just that You Tian is playing too aggressively," Jonouchi said.

"No!"

Unexpectedly, at that moment, Kaiba suddenly spoke up.

"He's afraid!"

Everyone: "Afraid?!"

"What are you talking about, Kaiba! How could You Tian be afraid of that guy!" Jonouchi protested angrily.

Kaiba ignored Jonouchi, his brow still furrowed as he watched the Duel on the stage.

When You Tian faced my Obelisk, he never showed this kind of panicked, desperate behavior.

Now, facing Malik, are you actually afraid? Damn it!

Game turned his head back to the stage.

Afraid…?

Game's brow also knitted together.

Summoning a god requires three Tributes. Could it be that You Tian fears Slifer the Sky Dragon, and is trying desperately to prevent Malik from gathering the Tributes?

Onstage, You Tian, seeing his Death Guardian's attack also neutralized by Malik, could only sigh helplessly.

"End of my turn."

It was Malik's turn again.

Afraid…?

Malik licked his lips, savoring You Tian's current expression.

"My turn, Draw Phase!"

Malik glanced sidelong at the card he drew.

I'll use this card to plunge you into deeper fear!

"I activate this card from my hand: 【Mask of the Spirit Soul】!"

No sooner had he spoken than a strange mask slid from the card onto the head of You Tian's 【Masked Beast Death Guardian】.

"The monster wearing this mask cannot attack. At every one of my Standby Phases, you take 500 points of damage! Ahahaha!"

"Of course, my 【Restrict Arm】 already prevents your 【Masked Beast Death Guardian】 from attacking."

You Tian's expression was far from pleasant.

"I also Summon this card from my hand! Come forth, 【Giga Drill Bug】."

【Attack Power: 1600】

【Effect: When the opponent's field has only monsters with Attack Power 1600 or higher in face-up position, this monster can directly attack the opponent player.】

"Next, I activate this card from my hand: 【Divine Blessing】. Both players may draw until they have six cards in hand!"

You Tian frowned. Even this ridiculous anime fake card has appeared.

Malik's hand +6

You Tian's hand +4

Malik's gaze swept over his six newly drawn cards — the first one was unmistakably 【Ra's Slifer the Sky Dragon】!

Oh~ So it's here already.

But to deal with this guy right now, I don't even need Ra.

"I Set one more card. End of my turn!"

This time, it was You Tian's turn again.

"My turn, Draw Phase."

Malik has too many card-drawing methods. He might already have 【Slifer the Sky Dragon】 in hand.

I can't afford to drag this out. I must end him now — before he gets the chance to Summon 【Slifer the Sky Dragon】!

Otherwise…

You Tian looked at Malik's field.

My Death Guardian is sealed by 【Mask of the Spirit Soul】 and 【Restrict Arm】, and I take damage every time it's Malik's turn.

【Restrict Arm】 cannot be destroyed as long as its target remains on the field.

Thinking this, You Tian turned his gaze back to his own Death Guardian.

"Sorry, you'll have to go to the Graveyard for now!"

Death Guardian: "Go ahead, Master, I'm used to it!"

You Tian: …

Why does that make me feel a little sad?

You Tian shook his head.

"I activate my Set Card: 【DNA Transplant Surgery】. According to its effect, I can change the attribute of all monsters on the field to Earth."

"Then, I reveal my other Set Card: 【Earth Spirit Art - Iron】."

【Effect: You can banish 1 Earth-Attribute monster you control to target 1 Earth-Attribute monster with Level 4 or lower in your Graveyard, excluding that monster; Special Summon that monster.】

"I tribute my 【Masked Beast Death Guardian】 to Special Summon the 【Giant Rat】 you sent to my Graveyard with your 【Hand Destruction】 last turn!"

【Giant Rat】 【Attack Power: 1400】

Malik's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Oh~ You banished your own powerful monster?"

You Tian pointed at Malik.

"At this moment, your 【Mask of the Curse Spirit】 is destroyed for losing its equipped target!"

Boom! 【Mask of the Curse Spirit】 shattered.

"Not over yet! When 【Masked Beast Death Guardian】 is sent from the field to the Graveyard, I can equip one 【Last Will Mask】 from my Deck to your monster and gain control of it."

As soon as he spoke, a 【Last Will Mask】 flew out from You Tian's Deck and landed directly on the face of 【Giga Drill Bug】.

Malik: "Oh~ More of Niu Tounren's tricks?"

"Good! Well done, You Tian! Now you've destroyed 【Mask of the Curse Spirit】, and Malik's field is left with only one weak monster!" Jonouchi exclaimed in delight.

"Is this You Tian's Duel style?" Game nodded.

Indeed, a brilliant field clearance.

Game turned his gaze back to Malik.

Hm? This guy isn't panicked. Could it be?

You Tian, seeing his plan succeed, curled his lips into a smile.

"Attack! I use 【Giant Rat】 to attack your 【Restrict Arm】, then 【Giga Drill Bug】 for a direct attack on you!"

Game: "Wait, You Tian..."

"You fell for it!" Malik, seeing You Tian issue the attack command, revealed a sinister grin.

"Trap Card activated: 【Great Disaster of the Evil God】!"

"What?!" You Tian gasped.

"【Great Disaster of the Evil God】 can only be activated when your opponent declares an attack; this card destroys all Spell and Trap Cards on the field! Ahahaha!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

You Tian's 【DNA Transplant Surgery】 and 【Last Will Mask】; Malik's 【Nightmare's Torture Chamber】 were all destroyed.

"Since 【Last Will Mask】 was destroyed, 【Giga Drill Bug】 returns to my field! Ahahaha!"

You Tian frowned slightly.

"It doesn't matter—【Giant Rat】's attack continues!"

【Giant Rat】 【Attack Power: 1400】

【Restrict Arm】 【Defense Power: 1200】

Boom! 【Restrict Arm】 shattered.

Malik: "Fierce attack, huh~"

You Tian ignored Malik's taunt.

Only one monster left?

"Not over yet! I haven't Normal Summoned this turn."

Saying this, You Tian drew three cards from his hand.

"I Set one monster, and place two cards face-down. End my turn!"

"Ahehehe, it's my turn again~ Draw Phase."

You Tian steadied his mind.

In the Duel Monster, the ThreePhantomGods are immune to mind-control cards.

Most of my Niu Tounren cards are ineffective against the ThreePhantomGods.

To counter them, I specifically added cards like 【Dimensional Wall】 and 【Amazon's Female Swordsman】.

Although I didn't clear his field this turn...

You Tian's gaze dropped lower.

But now, I have 【Dimensional Wall】 Set on my field.

When 【Giant Rat】 is destroyed in battle, I can also Special Summon 【Amazon's Female Swordsman】 from my Deck.

That way, even if he Summons Slifer the Sky Dragon, I'll still have a chance to fight back!

Malik's eyes narrowed as he scanned the two Set cards on You Tian's field.

Traps?

Then I'll let my weak monsters test the waters first.

"I Summon 【Poison Root King】 from my hand!"

【Attack Power: 1700】

"Go, 【Poison Root King】, attack his 【Giant Rat】!"

You Tian frowned: Not you!

"Activate the Set Card: 【Rush】! This card increases 【Giant Rat】's Attack Power by 700."

"A card that boosts Attack Power?" Malik raised an eyebrow.

【Giant Rat】 【Attack Power: 2100】

Boom! 【Poison Root King】 shattered instantly.

【Malik LP: 4000→3600】

"Aaaah!!"

At the moment 【Toxin Root King】 was destroyed in battle, Malik also felt the pain brought by Yami's Game.

The crowd below: "Good! We finally dealt damage to this guy!"

But immediately after, Malik, enduring the pain, suddenly wore an exaggerated, grotesque expression.

"Ehehehe! Kimoji~ Ehehehehe!"

"Excellent~ Excellent! You Tian, thank you for destroying my monster."

Seeing Malik's perverted expression, the crowd below shivered with cold.

"The effect of 【Toxin Root King】 activates!"

Jonouchi, Yami: What? Is this a monster with a last words effect?

"When this card is destroyed in battle, I can revive one Plant-Type monster from my Graveyard!"

"The one I'm reviving is 【Des Fungus】, sent to my Graveyard at the start by 【Hand Destruction】!"

【Des Fungus】 【Attack Power: 1700】

"The Battle Phase isn't over yet! Go, 【Giga Drill Bug】, attack his Defense Position monster!"

You Tian's face-down monster flipped over.

【Three-Eyed Monster】 【Defense Power: 600】

Boom! 【Three-Eyed Monster】, destroyed.

You Tian: "The effect of 【Three-Eyed Monster】, destroyed in battle, activates: I add one monster with 1500 or less Attack Power from my Deck to my hand."

"I'm adding this one: 【Dark Mask】!"

Malik licked his lips.

【Dark Mask】? What scheme are you plotting?

"My turn isn't over yet. Activate 【Des Fungus】's effect: By banishing 【Toxin Root King】 from my Graveyard and 【Human Slime】, sent there by 【Hand Destruction】, I Special Summon a 【Des Fungus Token】!"

【Attack Power: 700】

Yami: "No good! Malik now has three Tributes on his field!"

The crowd:!!!

But at this moment, You Tian smiled inwardly.

Yes! Summon the god, Malik!