Skull King: ATK: 2000 → 4000!
"What a shame. If your monster had been in Attack Position, this duel would already be over," the man sighed.
Indeed, Flashy Track Star and Skull King were similar in a sense. Skull King relied on the number of "Skulls" in the Graveyard to increase its ATK, while Flashy Track Star relied on Levels. Having activated its effect earlier, the originally Level 7 Flashy Track Star had become Level 5, and its ATK had dropped to 1500.
As he spoke, the man began doing what he enjoyed most—watching his opponent's expression.
That was right. After summoning his ace, Skull King, his favorite thing was seeing the look of despair on his opponent's face.
However, something unexpected happened. The young Duelist before him showed not the slightest hint of fear or despair. Instead, he looked remarkably... calm?
No, no, no. He had to be so scared that his face had frozen and he could not make an expression! This was a monster with 4000 ATK, even higher than Blue-Eyes White Dragon!
Thinking that, the man sighed regretfully again. What a pity. He had not seen what he wanted to see. He waved his hand and said listlessly, "I enter the Battle Phase. Skull King, attack Flashy Track Star!"
Hara Shichi watched Skull King charge toward his field and could not help twitching his lips.
He had thought that anyone daring enough to stake their soul on a Dark Duel must have something to rely on, surely a highly skilled Duelist. Yet...
"That's it?"
Hara Shichi expressionlessly flipped open his Set Card. "I chain and activate the Quick-Play Spell Card—Book of Moon."
"Target Skull King on your field and change him to face-down Defense Position."
"Substitute Soul"
"What?!"
The man's body stiffened. Before he could react, Skull King on the field had already turned into a face-down Set Card.
"Book of Moon... Tch, what good luck." The man frowned, but quickly regained his composure after his initial panic.
Although Skull King had 0 DEF, it possessed a revival effect: "When this card is sent to the Graveyard by battle, you can banish 1 'Skull' or 'Skull King' from your Graveyard; Special Summon this card." Flashy Track Star on the opponent's field only had a mere 1500 ATK. Even if revived Skull King lost one "Skull," it would still have 3000 ATK!
"I end the Battle Phase, enter Main Phase 2, then Set one card and end my turn."
"Then it's my turn. Draw." Hara Shichi drew a card and made a decision in an instant as he looked at his hand.
"Let's end this quickly. I'm worried about the others," Hara Shichi said to Ai.
"Mm. Let's finish the duel this turn," Ai nodded.
"Then I enter the Main Phase." Hara Shichi slapped a card from his hand onto the Duel Disk. "I Normal Summon Mille-feuille the Magical Cat!"
The pink stuffed cat appeared on the field after a long absence. It tilted its head and meowed, calling the owl from Hara Shichi's hand down as well.
"I activate Mille-Feu Cat's effect and Special Summon the owl from my hand."
"Not so fast! I chain and activate Naraku's Hole, destroying and banishing your owl." The man flipped open the Set Card on his field. Before the owl could even steady itself, a bottomless pit suddenly opened beneath its feet.
"Did you forget something?" Hara Shichi said calmly. "I chain and activate Flashy Track Star's effect, lowering its Level by two to negate and destroy Naraku's Hole."
"Tch, what a troublesome thing." Only then did the man realize how troublesome this Synchro Monster was. Its ATK and DEF were not particularly impressive, but such straightforward disruption and protection made it impossible to ignore.
"Next, I activate the owl's effect. I banish Madolche Puddingcess from my Graveyard to Special Summon Glace-Glace Mailman from my Deck. I activate Mailman's effect and add Magicalized Pâtissière Ticket to my hand." Hara Shichi had just taken Madolche Ticket from his Deck when he immediately inserted it into his Duel Disk. "I activate Madolche Ticket."
"Then I overlay Mille-Feu Cat and the owl on my field. With these two monsters, I construct the Xyz Network. Xyz Summon—Void Sea Dragon Levaiathan!"
"X-Xyz Summon?!" The man instinctively stepped back, staring fixedly at Void Sea Dragon Levaiathan as it appeared on the field. Cold sweat immediately broke out across his body. "Who are you?! Why can you use Xyz Summoning?!"
"Hmm? Just an ordinary Duelist." Hara Shichi glanced at Ai beside him and silently added in his heart, Though I do have cheats.
Damn it, damn it, damn it!
He had definitely run into one of those monsters raised by Duelist families!
"Say... how about we make peace?" The man who had been so arrogant moments ago quickly changed his expression.
"Make peace? Isn't a Dark Duel impossible to end once it has begun?" Hara Shichi asked strangely.
"But... but someone from a major family like you must carry something like Substitute Soul, right?" the man forced a smile.
"What is that? I've never heard of it." Hara Shichi frowned.
"Don't play dumb with me!" the man roared. "Sealing human souls alive within 'artifacts' as insurance against Dark Duels—isn't that a common sight among your great families?!"
"Sorry, I think you may have misunderstood something." Hara Shichi looked indifferently at the man before him. "I am not the descendant of any Duelist family. I am merely an ordinary Duelist."
As he spoke, Hara Shichi removed one material from Void Sea Dragon Levaiathan without hesitation. "I activate Void Sea Dragon's effect. I detach one Xyz Material and target one Level 4 or lower monster banished by either player. Special Summon that monster to my field. I Special Summon Madolche Puddingcess."
"Next, I activate Madolche Puddingcess's effect and Special Summon Mailman from my Deck."
Since there was no owl on the field, Mailman could not search further. Hara Shichi simply continued, "I overlay the two Mailmen on my field. Xyz Summon—Tiramisu of the Tiara!"
"A second Xyz Monster..." The man had begun trembling, but he still consoled himself. "It's fine. Skull King has 3000 ATK..."
However, Hara Shichi quickly shattered his hopes.
"I activate Tiramisu of the Tiara's effect. I detach one Xyz Material, return Madolche Puddingcess and Mailman from my Graveyard to the Deck, then choose Gorgonic Guardian and Skull King on your field and return them to the Deck."
"Return them to the Deck?!" Despite having been a hunter for so many years, the man had only seen effects that returned monsters to the Deck a few times.
Hara Shichi would not stop just because of the man's cry of surprise. After all, he had heard such sounds of shock so often that his ears were nearly growing calluses. "Because Tiramisu of the Tiara's effect returned Madolche monsters to my Deck, I trigger Madolche Ticket's effect and Special Summon Mailman from my Deck once again."
Looking at the man's completely empty front row, Hara Shichi changed Flashy Track Star on his Duel Disk to Attack Position and said, "I enter the Battle Phase."
"Wait!" The man finally panicked and hurriedly said, "What do you want?! Gold Coins? I have two thousand Gold Coins saved up! They can all be yours! You can have my Deck too! And... and I can work for you! Don't let my appearance fool you, I have some reputation in hunter circles! I know a lot of people! Right... aren't you looking for those humanoid Duel Spirits?! I know where they are sold! There are lots of them, lots and lots!"
Hara Shichi silently watched him without speaking.
"How about it? Let's make peace, okay? My worthless life isn't worth dirtying your hands over, right?!" The man wore a fawning expression like a begging dog.
Hara Shichi still did not speak.
"Say something!" the man howled unwillingly. "What do I have to give for you to spare me?! Just say it!"
"If that's the case." Hara Shichi revealed a pitying expression. "Give me your soul."
"Flashy Track Star, Tiramisu of the Tiara, Void Sea Dragon, Mailman... attack directly!"
"AAAAAHHHH!"
With a scream, dark mist engulfed the man and devoured him. Only after consuming his soul completely did it slowly disperse.
"Sorry, I really don't have something like Substitute Soul." Hara Shichi murmured. "If you were so afraid of death, why did you start a Dark Duel?"
"Because the profits are enormous."
A cool voice sounded beside him. Hara Shichi turned around and discovered that Julie had appeared behind him at some point.
"Magician of Silence"
"You won." Seeing the purple-haired girl before him, Hara Shichi unconsciously let out a breath of relief.
"Against an opponent of that level, wasn't it only natural?" Julie said flatly.
Hara Shichi's gaze fell on Julie's slightly trembling arm.
"Don't misunderstand." Seemingly noticing his gaze, Julie hid her hand behind her back. "I'm just a little uncomfortable because it was my first time 'killing' someone."
No, it was more likely the relief of surviving a close call. Recalling that duel just now, Julie still felt a lingering fear.
Time returned to twenty minutes earlier...
"Hehehe... I get the first turn." Gloomy Woman slapped a monster card onto her Duel Disk. "I enter Main Phase 1 and Normal Summon Magician of Silence LV4."
"Next, I Tribute Magician of Silence LV4 on my field to Special Summon—Magician of Silence! Then, due to Magician of Silence's effect, this card gains ATK equal to the number of cards in my hand × 500. I have three cards in my hand, so it gains 1500!"
Magician of Silence: ATK 1000 → 2500!
"I'll end my turn like this." Gloomy Woman giggled.
"Magician of Silence?" Julie looked at the silver-haired woman in blue robes on the opponent's field and frowned slightly.
As someone who spent much of her time in the library, she naturally recognized this famous monster and understood its strength: an easy summoning condition, high ATK, and a troublesome effect—once per turn, when a Spell Card was activated, that activation could be negated.
If the opponent negated the Polymerization in her hand, her ace, Dragon Doom, would not be able to appear on the field.
So... she had to get rid of it!
"My turn, draw!" Julie said, forcing herself to remain calm. "I Normal Summon Gorgonic Guardian."
"I activate Gorgonic Guardian's effect and send one Zombie monster from my Deck to the Graveyard. I send Gozu-Meizu to the Graveyard, then activate Gozu-Meizu's effect and activate Zombie World from my Deck!"
As Zombie World activated, the Duel field, already shrouded in black mist, gained an even colder aura, as though they were standing in hell.
"This ugly field really suits you perfectly." Gloomy Woman sneered at the skeletons and rotting trees covering the ground.
Doesn't she know? Julie's lips curled slightly. Of course, who would know the effect of a Field Spell Card they had never seen before?
In that case, she would not be able to activate Magician of Silence's effect!
"I activate Borreload Dragon's effect, discarding Growing Flower from my hand to Special Summon it to the field."
"Next, I activate Growing Flower's effect and add one Level 5 or higher Zombie monster from my Deck to my hand. If Zombie World is in the Field Zone, I can Special Summon it instead of adding it to my hand. I Special Summon Giant Ghoul Majera!"
A horn-broken demon carrying a chipped cleaver appeared on the field. Though it looked battered and ruined, the terrifying aura it radiated made others afraid to underestimate it.
"Majester has 2800 ATK. Added to Borreload Dragon and Gorgonic Guardian's ATK... I'm still short by 500." Julie's long eyelashes trembled slightly. "Calm down. Don't rush. I already have the advantage, so I just need to take it slowly."
"Phew—"
"I enter the Battle Phase. Majester, attack Magician of Silence!" Julie shouted.
"Pfft." Gloomy Woman laughed. Hugging her stomach, she looked as though she had heard some enormous joke. She even doubled over and shook with laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" Julie watched Gloomy Woman warily. She had known about Magician of Silence's effect long ago. It had neither a final effect nor any other effect, and there were no Set Cards on the opponent's field. There was no way she could activate Mirror Force now.
"Has no one ever told you not to attack LIGHT monsters so casually?" Gloomy Woman said mockingly. Then she sent a card from her hand to the Graveyard. "Before damage calculation, I send Honest from my hand to the Graveyard. Magician of Silence gains ATK equal to Majester's ATK!"
Magician of Silence: ATK 2500 → 2000 → 4800!
"What?!" Julie cried out. A powerful impact immediately slammed her delicate body hard into the cold earth.
"Impossible... why do you have a hand trap?!" Julie struggled to climb back up. Among the people she knew, aside from Professional Duelists, only Hara Shichi and Nero, those two "freaks," had hand traps. This person was clearly just a "hunter," so why did she have hand traps too?!
"Don't you know? Hand traps on Honest's level have already been phased out by Professional Duelists." Gloomy Woman spread her hands. "After all, it can only be used on LIGHT monsters, and boosting ATK is such an outdated dueling strategy. The hand trap that's popular now is Effect Veiler!"
"That's exactly why huge numbers of Honest and Battle Fader cards have flooded into the Black Market, and I happened to snatch up the bargains! Hahaha! The monsters Professional Duelists discard as useless are treasures to me!"
"So that's how it is." Julie dusted herself off. She had thought her opponent possessed the level of a Professional Duelist, but it turned out that changes in the professional environment had simply allowed her to pick up powerful cards from the previous era.
"Then I end my turn." Julie looked at the Polymerization in her hand and could only sigh helplessly.
But it was fine. Her opponent could not possibly have a second card of that caliber, and Borreload Dragon could revive Zombie monsters from the Graveyard. Meanwhile, as a Zombie monster, Majester had inherited the Zombie race's fine tradition of reviving itself.
"My turn, draw." Gloomy Woman casually drew a card, then slapped a monster onto the field. "I Normal Summon Spirit Reaper Sea Sky."
"I activate Borreload Dragon's effect and Special Summon your Magician of Silence LV4 from the Graveyard to my field in Defense Position. Then my Borreload Dragon enters the Banish Zone," Julie said flatly.
"Did it get away?" Gloomy Woman murmured. "I enter the Battle Phase. Sea Sky, attack Gorgonic Guardian!"
"I activate Majester's effect in the Graveyard. If a Zombie monster on my field would be destroyed by battle or card effect, I can banish this card from my hand or Graveyard instead," Julie said without hesitation.
"Spirit Reaper Sea Sky's effect: as long as this card exists in the Monster Zone, the opponent cannot banish cards from either Graveyard." Gloomy Woman sneered.
"Tch." Julie clicked her tongue. She had not read enough. If she had known her opponent's effect, she would have used Borreload Dragon's effect to revive Majester.
"It's not over yet. I activate Spirit Reaper Sea Sky's effect. When this card inflicts battle damage to the opponent, I can target up to two monsters in the opponent's Graveyard and banish them. I banish Majester and Gorgonic Guardian from your Graveyard!" Gloomy Woman pointed at the monsters in Julie's Graveyard.
"Hmph, looks like you don't know my monster's effect either." Julie's lips curled slightly. "I activate Majester's effect. When this card is banished from the hand or Graveyard, I can Special Summon it in Defense Position. After that, I can reduce its Level by 1!"
Gloomy Woman had intended to reduce Julie's Graveyard resources, yet she had instead helped Majester appear on the field once more.
"Dragon Doom! My Dragon Doom!"
"I end my turn like this." Gloomy Woman only had two cards in hand, so Magician of Silence had only 2000 ATK and could not break through Majester's 2300 DEF.
"I activate Borreload Dragon's effect. Borreload Dragon returns to the field." Julie said flatly. "Then it's my turn, draw!"
Julie changed Majester on her Duel Disk to Attack Position. "Next, I enter the Battle Phase. Majester, attack Magician of Silence!"
Gloomy Woman's LP: 4000 → 3200.
"Just as I hoped. I activate Magician of Silence's effect. When this card is destroyed by battle or an opponent's card effect, I can Special Summon one 'Magician of Silence' monster other than 'Magician of Silence' from my hand or Deck, ignoring its Summoning conditions. I Special Summon Magician of Silence LV8!" Gloomy Woman grinned.
Before you continue