Hand Destruction

4800 vs. 4500.

A 300-point difference might not be decisive in other games; skilled players can often compensate with their execution.

But this was a card game, and an instant attack difference was enough to determine the victor.

So, the undisputed outcome unfolded.

Boom!

Before Keith's stunned gaze, the crimson war machine crumbled.

An explosion accompanied by a fierce wind swept through, ruffling the warrior's dark cloak.

He stood tall at the forefront, like an indestructible blade, or the most solid bulwark.

Watching this scene, Yu Ming suddenly felt he understood something.

It was a sense of exhilaration that playing with physical cards, or even online matches, couldn't provide.

He wasn't sure if it was the sensory stimulation from the "battle effects" or simply the camaraderie of fighting side-by-side.

But...

"Thank you, Dark Blade."

Yu Ming spoke, looking at the warrior's tall back.

"..."

In that moment, he felt the warrior seemed to turn back.

Beneath the rare silver helmet, a pair of eyes glowed with a red light, as if signifying goodwill.

"Let's end all of this now."

After exchanging a glance with him, Yu Ming looked straight ahead.

Beyond the Swords of Revealing Light that still locked down the field, there was the smoke from the explosion.

And when the smoke cleared, it revealed Keith's body, hunched over from the damage.

"No... this is impossible."

Keith LP: 3000→2700

Indeed, 300 points of damage weren't much, especially compared to the barrage from Cannon Soldier earlier; it was a drop in the ocean.

However, Keith's expression was ashen, and his body swayed as if he might collapse at any moment.

After all, the situation had now been reversed.

"You have no cards in hand, and no other cards on the field apart from Swords of Revealing Light."

Yu Ming stated calmly, observing Keith's empty field.

"Under the blockade of the Crush Card Virus, you can't make any moves..."

"But so what?!"

Before Yu Ming could finish, Keith shouted back as if on reflex.

"You're still locked down by Swords of Revealing Light, still unable to attack! We're the same!"

But were they really the same?

"My turn, draw."

When Yu Ming drew a card, Keith's usually short breaths momentarily ceased.

In the eerie silence, only the young man's voice declared:

"I set one card in my back row and end my turn."

After a brief silence, Keith's trembling hand reached for his deck.

"My turn..."

It was at that moment that he seemed to hear the eerie and sinister laughter.

Accompanied by the wail of metal, the virus, which should have dissipated, inexplicably spread across the field once more.

Then...

"Draw."

Bang!

He didn't even have time to check the card he drew before a shattering sound echoed, and the card was swallowed by the virus.

Sphere Time Bomb

DEF/1400

The phantom of the monster flashed by, and a corrosive shadow, like a merciless hand, dragged the monster into the graveyard.

Watching this scene, the former champion felt dizzy.

"The virus..."

Unlike Yu Ming's simple attack lock, the surrounding viruses didn't need to rely on cards to continue lingering on his field.

More importantly, this effect would last for a while—three of his own turns. This period might seem long to card players, but it was also incredibly short.

"I'll set one more card. Turn end."

By the time Keith came back to his senses, the duel was already nearing its end.

With the declaration of his turn ending, the Swords of Revealing Light that had locked Yu Ming completely shattered.

As for Keith…

"I…"

Placing his hand on his deck once more, Keith's voice had grown hoarse.

He could still see the lingering viruses.

Though no one had explicitly mentioned it, everyone knew one thing: this was his final draw.

Am I going to lose?

The moment that thought appeared in his mind, Keith's breathing became shallow.

"No way, I can't possibly lose!"

Veins bulged on his right hand as Keith's fingers gripped the top card of his deck tightly.

"I swore an oath the moment I fell into this hell! Before I get my revenge on that bastard Maximillion Pegasus, I will never lose again—let alone lose to some unknown brat!"

Keith suddenly looked up, and a flicker of fire seemed to flash beneath his dark sunglasses.

"My turn!!"

He roared.

"Draw!!!"

In that moment, Yu Ming even sensed a subtle change.

Aura?

Atmosphere?

It seemed that at that moment, the guy's fingers and the card truly emitted a kind of fiery glow.

So, you're not going to shout about dignity and pride and then print a card for me, are you?

"The card I drew is a Spell Card—Card of Demise!"

Huh?

You actually printed one?

"Ha—hahahahahaha! As expected, the goddess of victory is on my side!"

Seeing the card he drew, Keith suddenly burst out laughing.

"Brat! If you want to defeat me, you're still far from good enough!"

Truthfully, Keith had every right to say that.

After all, in the anime, the so-called Card of Demise wasn't the useless card it became after being made into a physical card.

The physical version of Card of Demise not only reduced the number of cards drawn to three, but also had various negative effects like 'you must send your hand to the Graveyard at the end of the current turn,' 'opponent takes 0 damage,' and 'you cannot Special Summon.'

It was a trash card that even Dark World decks wouldn't consider using.

However, its original effect wasn't like that!

Clang

As Yu Ming looked straight ahead, he saw a guillotine already hanging high.

"The effect of Card of Demise—with this card, I can draw cards until I have five in my hand!"

Keith shouted loudly.

"But after five turns, I must discard all cards in my hand!"

If Yu Ming had to describe it, he could only call it "heaven-defying."

Drawing five cards at once made the card advantage the viruses had created look like a joke.

As for the so-called drawback, it seemed incredibly ironic in the DM era.

Five turns? Who can't one-shot someone in five turns?

Is that really a significant drawback?

Oh, I guess it is.

At least the characters in the anime considered it a drawback.

"This is a card that overdrafts the future."

Keith said coldly.

He slowly raised his hand, and his right hand, which was drawing cards, passed through the execution platform of the guillotine and pressed down on his deck.

"But a true champion always has the courage to put their future on the line!"

Yu Ming covered his face, watching the champion's seemingly resolute expression.

So, what exactly did you overdraw for?!

"Five turns, huh…"

A side effect that only takes effect after five turns is basically no side effect at all, isn't it?

Even an anime couldn't come up with a side effect that drags on for five turns!

However, Keith seemed unfazed by Yu Ming's almost-spoken retort.

Or rather, consumed by his fervor, he didn't even notice:

"Now, witness the power of a champion, you brat—Draw!!!"

He roared, as if to unleash all the pent-up frustration within him.

The moment he pulled his drawing hand out of the guillotine, the two-card difference created by the virus completely vanished.

If this were the environment Yu Ming was familiar with in his previous life, this kind of brutal card replenishment with no way to stop it would pretty much spell "GG."

However, this was still an early-stage environment.

Furthermore, the man he was facing was an anime character.

"Keith Howard."

And he had an identity:

"Champion…"

Yu Ming murmured.

"I can tell you value that identity very much."

In fact, both the manga and anime hinted at this; he would be delighted when his subordinates flaunted his "American Champion" status.

And whether facing Joey Wheeler or Maximillion Pegasus, he always emphasized that identity of his.

"It's your dignity, your pride."

But then, Yu Ming's eyes sharpened.

"But at the same time, that champion identity is also your greatest weakness."

"What?!"

Clearly, Keith hadn't grasped the problem yet.

No matter, he would soon find out.

"Heh."

A strange laugh shattered the fervor that should have continued.

"What's going on?"

Immediately, accompanied by that almost-familiar eerie laugh, the virus wrapped around his hand cards.

Before Keith could even look, these hand cards were revealed one by one.

"Though it's the last turn, 'Crush Card Virus' is still in effect. I will confirm your hand."

"Land Battle Ship"

"TM-1 Launcher Spider"

"Machine Soldier of the Underworld"

"Cyber Jar"

"Machine Hunter"

"These cards…"

Keith's breathing hitched for a moment as he stared at the emerging steel phantoms.

"They're all monsters?!"

Looking at the familiar monsters in his hand, he seemed to hear their lament.

"And almost all of them are monsters with 1500 or less DEF."

"No!"

Amidst Keith's astonished yet terrified cry, the unique wail of mechanical monsters echoed.

"'Land Battle Ship' has 1000 DEF."

Pieces of the Land Battle Ship began to fall off, and its hull gradually collapsed.

"'Machine Soldier of the Underworld' has 1200 DEF."

The machine soldier gradually eroded, falling to the ground.

But this was not the end.

"Cyber Jar has 900 DEF, and Machine Hunter has 800 DEF."

Clang

Clang

"No..."

Listening to the sound of decay and collapse, Keith looked around frantically.

Hehehe

But the eerie laughter seemed to be everywhere; he couldn't even tell where it was coming from.

"How can this be..."

Finally, his gaze pierced through the black mist that seemed to envelop everything, focusing on the source of it all.

"Kid..."

His voice trailed off. He only saw the young man, seemingly at the heart of the shadow, slowly reaching out and clenching his hand into a fist.

Whoosh

The next moment, a black storm, mixed with eerie shrieks, swept through, blotting out the sky.

In the abyss that almost obscured his vision, Keith only heard a declaration, like a judgment:

"All monsters above are destroyed."

Boom

The remaining Crush Card Virus took away the monsters in his hand, and it also took away the non-existent hope, like a mirage reflected in water.

"It's over, Keith."

"How is that possible..."