"An effect similar to [Skilled White Magician]... Could it be meant to summon [Dark Magician]!?"
President guessed inwardly.
"Then I'll set two more cards. With two additional set cards on my field, [Skilled Dark Magician]'s attack rises once again."
[Skilled Dark Magician: ATK 2400→3400] [Yugi Muto's hand: 6→2]
"Tch! Its attack actually reached 3400!? If I'd known, I wouldn't have put it in Attack Position..."
Bakura clicked his tongue.
"Battle! I use [Skilled Dark Magician] to attack [Hidden in the Painting]!"
Following the King's attack command, Skilled Dark Magician fired a black sphere at Hidden in the Painting and shattered it.
"Ughhh—!"
Bakura cried out in pain.
[Bakura: LP 4000→1800]
"That hurt..."
Bakura no longer dared to get careless.
"I end my turn."
The King ended his turn as well.
"My turn, draw!"
[Bakura's hand: 5→6]
This time, Bakura had learned his lesson.
"I summon [Jirai Gumo] from my hand in Defense Position."
A demon's pair of hands and head crawled onto his field.
[Jirai Gumo: DEF 2000]
Then he gathered three cards from his hand.
"Next, I activate the Continuous Spell [Dark Door]."
During the Battle Phase, both players could only attack with one monster.
There was an illustration here, available after updating to the latest version.
"Since you activated a Spell Card, [Skilled Dark Magician] gains another Spell Counter."
As the King spoke, the black orb on Skilled Dark Magician's other shoulder lit up as well.
[Skilled Dark Magician: Magic Counters 1→2]
Seeing the increase in Magic Counters, Bakura frowned.
"Hm!? I see..."
He muttered under his breath, as though he had received some message.
"Then I'll set two cards and end my turn."
Bakura set his remaining two cards and ended his turn.
[Bakura's hand: 6→2]
Spirit Medium's Board
"My turn, draw!"
[Yugi Muto's hand: 2→3]
The King put away the card he had drawn, then slapped another card from his hand onto the Duel Disk.
"I summon [Magician Knight Defender] from my hand in Defense Position."
A magician holding a massive shield in his left hand was projected in front of the King, standing guard before him.
[Magician Knight Defender: DEF 2000]
There was an illustration here, available after updating to the latest version.
[Yugi Muto's hand: 3→2]
"[Magician Knight Defender]'s effect activates."
When this card is successfully summoned, activate this effect. Place 1 Spell Counter on this card, up to a maximum of 1.
The counter on Defender's shield lit up.
[Magician Knight Defender: Magic Counters 0→1]
"Battle! I use [Skilled Dark Magician] to attack [Jirai Gumo]!"
Skilled Dark Magician fired another black sphere.
At that moment, the King flipped over one of his set cards.
"And at this moment, I activate the Trap Card [Magician's Formation]."
This card could only be activated when your or your opponent's Spellcaster monster declared an attack. Both players Special Summoned one Spellcaster monster with 2000 or less ATK from their Decks in Attack Position.
There was an illustration here, available after updating to the latest version.
Bakura immediately flipped over his set card as well.
"Then, at this same moment, I activate the Trap Card [Chain Destruction]!"
When an opponent's monster declared an attack, target one attacking monster and activate this card. Destroy that attacking monster.
The Trap Card fired a beam of light at Skilled Dark Magician.
"Useless! I use [Magician Knight Defender]'s effect!"
Once per turn, when a Spellcaster monster on the field would be destroyed, you could remove that many Magic Counters from your field instead.
Defender immediately stepped in front of Skilled Dark Magician and blocked the beam of light.
[Magician Knight Defender: Magic Counters 1→0]
"Tch! Did you predict my set card...?"
Seeing this, Bakura clicked his tongue.
Then the King selected a card from his Deck.
"And through [Magician's Formation]'s effect, I Special Summon [Black Magician] from my Deck in Attack Position."
Black Magician was immediately projected before him.
[Black Magician: ATK 1200]
"Then I'll Special Summon [White Robe Phantom Thief] from my Deck."
A "white-robed" phantom thief wearing a blue suit appeared.
[White Robe Phantom Thief: ATK 1000]
"Since I have one fewer Trap Card on my field, [Skilled Dark Magician]'s attack decreases."
[Skilled Dark Magician: ATK 3400→2900]
At the same time, Skilled Dark Magician's attack landed and destroyed Jirai Gumo.
There was no rule for battle replay yet, so it could only continue attacking Jirai Gumo.
"Next, I activate [Black Magician]'s effect. I change this card to Defense Position and place one Spell Counter on [Magician Knight Defender]."
Defender gained another Spell Counter.
[Black Magician: DEF 1800] [Magician Knight Defender: Magic Counters 0→1]
"Finally, I set one card and end my turn."
The King set another card before ending his turn.
[Yugi Muto's hand: 2→1]
"Heh heh heh heh..."
At that moment, Bakura suddenly began to laugh.
"What are you laughing about!?"
The King asked with a frown.
Then Bakura flipped over another set card on his field.
"Yugi, witness the terror of my supernatural Deck! I activate the Continuous Trap [Spirit Medium's Board]!"
When this card and all four types of [Death Message] cards were gathered on your field, you won the Duel.
At the end of your opponent's turn, activate this effect. Place one [Death Message] card from your hand or Deck in your Spell & Trap Zone in the order of "D," "E," "A," "T," "H."
There was an illustration here, available after updating to the latest version.
A letter "D" appeared on Bakura's field.
"Next, through [Spirit Medium's Board]'s effect, I place [Death Message "E"] from my Deck."
He inserted a Continuous Spell into his Duel Disk, and another letter, "E," appeared on his field.
"'D,' 'E,' 'A,' 'T,' 'H'... DEATH! That means death, huh!? If he activates the effect three more times, I'll lose, but..."
After thinking for a moment, the King looked at the Continuous Spell [Dark Door] on the other side of the field.
"One Spell & Trap Zone has been occupied, so the remaining [Death Message] cards can't all be gathered..."
Just as he thought that, Yugi spoke up.
"Don't let your guard down, Other Me! Do you think Bakura wouldn't have considered that? He must have prepared a supporting card."
After hearing the King's words, Yugi hurriedly warned him. He remembered there was a supporting card called [Dark Sanctuary], but he did not know what effect it had here.
"AIBO... I understand. In other words, the best way to break this strategy is to destroy [Spirit Medium's Board] directly."
The King then looked toward Skilled Dark Magician.
"I have to draw that card within the next three turns..."
He seemed to have thought of something.
Dark Sanctuary
"My turn, draw!"
[Bakura's hand: 2→3]
Bakura immediately smiled when he saw the card he had drawn.
"Heh heh heh heh... Yugi, I've already drawn the key card!"
He directly slapped the card onto his Duel Disk.
"I summon [Demon Dog Hachikukken] from my hand in Defense Position."
A black demon dog with red markings and an enormous head appeared on his field.
[Demon Dog Hachikukken: DEF 800]
Bakura then inserted another card from his hand into his Duel Disk.
"Next, I activate the Quick-Play Spell [Mysterious Chinese Wok]."
Tribute one monster on your field. Choose that Tribute monster's ATK or DEF, then recover that amount of Life Points.
[Bakura's hand: 3→1]
"I Tribute [Demon Dog Hachikukken]."
[Bakura: LP 1800→2600]
At this moment, the King hurriedly spoke.
Before you continue