"Because you activated a Spell Card, [Skilled Dark Magician] gains one Spell Counter."
The Spell Counter on Skilled Dark Magician's chest lit up.
[Skilled Dark Magician: Magic Counters 2→3]
"Yes! With three Magic Counters, [Skilled Dark Magician] can use its effect to summon a high-level monster!"
Jonouchi said excitedly.
"Hmph! A loser is still a loser! [Skilled Dark Magician] is currently equipped with [Robe of the Dark Magician], raising its ATK to 3400. Yugi probably won't use its ability so easily."
However, President Kaiba also had a feeling that Yugi would soon use that effect.
At the same time, Bakura took out his deck.
"According to the effect of [Demon Dog Hachikukken]."
When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: Add 1 Level 8 Fiend-type monster from your Deck to your hand.
After searching for a while, he took out a card.
"I add [Dark Doll Nicolefia] to my hand."
[Bakura's Hand: 1→2]
"Be careful, Other Me! That card gives me a very bad feeling..."
Since Yugi was not sure whether its effect was the same as in the OCG, saying too much might cause the King to misjudge the situation, so he could only remind him to be careful.
"Yeah, I know..."
The King also knew there was something wrong with that card.
At that moment, Bakura directly slapped the card onto his Duel Disk.
"I Special Summon this card! The condition to summon this monster is to offer three monsters to it as sacrifices in the Graveyard! Come on! Awaken, ruler of the world of death, [Dark Doll Nicolefia]!"
A bizarre bald demon clutching a damaged doll was projected onto the field.
[Dark Doll Nicolefia: ATK 2200] [Bakura's Hand: 2→1]
"Battle! [Dark Doll Nicolefia], attack [Skilled Dark Magician]! Mind's Eye Kill!!"
Dark Doll Nicolefia opened its eyes wide and fired a red beam at Skilled Dark Magician.
"It actually chose to attack a monster with higher ATK!? There's definitely something fishy going on. Then I can't let you have your way! I activate my Set Card, [Hexagram Curse]! I target [Dark Doll Nicolefia]! The targeted monster loses 700 ATK, cannot attack, and cannot change its battle position!"
A hexagram magic circle locked Dark Doll Nicolefia in place.
[Dark Doll Nicolefia: ATK 2200→1500]
"Tch! Always playing petty tricks!"
Bakura clicked his tongue.
"Then I change [White Robe Phantom Thief] to Defense Position."
White Robe Phantom Thief crouched into a defensive stance.
[White Robe Phantom Thief: DEF 700]
"I set one card and end my turn."
Bakura set his final card and ended his turn.
[Bakura's Hand: 1→0]
"My turn, draw!"
[Yugi Muto's Hand: 1→2]
"Didn't draw it..."
The card he had drawn was a Monster Card that was useless in this situation.
"This Set Card still isn't the time to use it. I have to wait until the very last moment..."
Looking at the card he had set during his previous turn, the King muttered softly.
"It would be better to test Bakura's Set Card first."
After thinking for a moment, the King immediately made his decision.
"Battle! [Skilled Dark Magician], attack [White Robe Phantom Thief]!"
Skilled Dark Magician fired a sphere of darkness at White Robe Phantom Thief.
"Hmph! Yugi, don't think you can get away! I activate my Set Card, [Forced Enemy]! Your attack target becomes [Dark Doll Nicolefia]!"
Dark Doll Nicolefia took Skilled Dark Magician's attack, and the monster instantly shattered.
[Bakura: LP 2600→700] [Skilled Dark Magician: ATK 3400→2900]
"This is bad!!"
The King sensed trouble.
Bakura had sacrificed his own Life Points just to destroy Dark Doll Nicolefia. It was obvious that monster had some troublesome effect.
"My combination is finally complete, Yugi! Because [Dark Doll Nicolefia] was sent to the Graveyard, I activate the Field Spell [Dark Sanctuary]!"
As the Field Spell activated, the surrounding area was covered by a dim, dark-red space. The shadow of a castle appeared within it, while countless eyes and mouths opened all around them, making the space utterly eerie.
"So this card was why you were willing to reduce your Life Points!?"
The King realized the situation had become serious.
"That's right, Yugi! Let me tell you: [Dark Sanctuary] lets Spell Cards and Trap Cards be placed in the Monster Zones of the Duel Disk. In other words, the problem of insufficient Spell & Trap Zones has been solved. Under the power of [Spirit Medium's Board], your life has truly entered a countdown! Hahahaha..."
Bakura could not help bursting into laughter.
"AIBO, you were right. Bakura really prepared cards to support [Spirit Medium's Board]."
"So what we need to do is thin out the deck and draw that key card, Other Me!"
"Yeah! I understand!"
After discussing it with Yugi, the King removed Skilled Dark Magician from the field.
"I activate [Skilled Dark Magician]'s effect."
You can only activate this effect by Tributing this card with 3 Magic Counters on it. Special Summon 1 [Dark Magician] from your hand, Deck, or Graveyard.
"Appear! My strongest servant, [Dark Magician]!"
As Skilled Dark Magician vanished, a magician clad in purple robes appeared.
[Dark Magician: ATK 2500]
"You gave up [Skilled Dark Magician], which had higher ATK. What are you trying to do!?"
Bakura questioned the King.
However, the latter did not answer.
"Not answering!? Fine, hurry up and end your turn, Yugi!"
Bakura shrugged indifferently, as though victory were already in his grasp.
"I end my turn."
The King ended his turn without setting another card.
"Then during your End Phase, [Spirit Medium's Board] activates once again and places the Continuous Spell [Death Message "A"]."
Another letter, "A," appeared on Bakura's field. Only then did his turn begin.
Chapter 25: Dark Magic Attack
"My turn, draw!"
[Bakura's Hand: 0→1]
"I summon [Vengeful Spirit Collective] in Defense Position."
A mass of gathered ghosts appeared on Bakura's field.
[Vengeful Spirit Collective: ATK 900] [Bakura's Hand: 1→0]
"I end my turn. And in order to maintain the Field Spell [Dark Sanctuary], I need to Tribute one monster on my field. I Tribute [Vengeful Spirit Collective]."
The Vengeful Spirit Collective on his field dispersed.
"He actually gave up his shield? Did he set some terrifying card?"
The King frowned as he thought, then drew a card.
"My turn, draw!"
[Yugi Muto's Hand: 2→3]
The King still had not drawn the card he wanted.
"Battle! [Dark Magician], attack [White Robe Phantom Thief]! Dark Magic Attack..."
Just as Dark Magician was about to step forward and attack, a ghost suddenly flew out from behind it and charged at the King.
"Vengeful Spirit Break!!"
As Bakura's voice fell, the ghost struck the King.
[Yugi Muto: LP 4000→2750]
"Something attacked me...?"
The King said in shock.
"Fuhahahaha! Looks like that gave you quite a scare. That was a vengeful spirit created by the effect of the Field Spell [Dark Sanctuary]. That spirit possesses an opponent's monster as an Equip Card. When a monster equipped with a Spirit Attachment attacks, that attack is negated, the opponent takes damage equal to half that monster's ATK, and I recover Life Points equal to half that monster's ATK."
[Bakura: LP 700→1950]
"As an Equip Card? Then shouldn't it be equipped to [Skilled Dark Magician]? Why is it equipped to [Dark Magician]... Don't tell me!?"
After pausing for a moment, the King immediately realized something.
"Hehehe! You must have figured it out, Yugi! The monster I initially equipped was [Magician Knight Defender], and the spirit can change its equipped target every turn. This turn, it was equipped to [Dark Magician]. At the same time, because of the Continuous Spell [Dark Door], you can only attack with one monster each turn. In other words, if you choose the wrong monster to attack with, your own body will be beaten into pieces."
Bakura explained smugly.
"I end my turn..."
The King could only end his turn.
"Then during your End Phase, according to the effect of the Continuous Trap [Spirit Medium's Board], I place the Continuous Spell [Death Message "T"] from my Deck."
The fourth letter, "T," appeared on Bakura's field.
"Other Me, be careful. There's only one turn left..."
"Yeah, all we can do is wait a little longer."
Yugi could not offer any help now, so he could only make the King be even more careful.
"My turn, draw!"
[Bakura's Hand: 0→1]
Bakura directly slapped the card onto his Duel Disk.
"I summon [Headless Knight] in Defense Position."
A headless knight appeared on Bakura's field.
[Headless Knight: DEF 1700] [Bakura's Hand: 1→0]
"I end my turn, and I maintain [Dark Sanctuary] by Tributing [White Robe Phantom Thief]."
Before you continue