Demon

"Summoned Skull (lv6)"

"Attribute/Dark"

"Type/Fiend Type"

"ATK/2500 DEF/1200"

Yu Ming stared at the only monster on the field, then at his now-empty hand, and could not help sighing.

One Level 6 normal monster in the front row, three set cards in the back row.

He had burned through the resources of all six cards in his hand just to put out something this plain, and he almost felt embarrassed.

But apparently, the others did not see it that way.

"Tch, a 2500 ATK monster right off the bat, and a Greater Demon of this caliber too..."

His gaze swept forward, and he saw the invader's grave expression. Yu Ming could even make out deep wariness in those scarlet eyes.

"Just as I thought, it can't be underestimated."

"..."

Come on, man, it really wasn't that serious.

Seeing the other side acting as though facing a great enemy, Yu Ming could not help feeling a little pressured.

But fortunately...

"I didn't expect you to be afraid of even this kind of enemy."

Directly across from him, the Pitch-Black King merely crossed his arms and scoffed at his companion's caution.

Seeing that confident demeanor, Yu Ming almost wanted to walk over and give him a hug.

Exactly, brother. What was there to be wary of?

"Isn't it just an ordinary demon with 2500 ATK?"

That's right, brother!

"It has no special abilities, and its strength is quite limited."

Looking at the Demon King's arrogant expression, Yu Ming finally relaxed.

Honestly, he loved enemies like this.

Confident, proud.

And more importantly...

"Watch me crush this guy right away!"

He had no brains!

"My turn!"

With a roar that seemed to shake the heavens, a red light lit up on the Demon King's breastplate.

"I draw!"

Beneath the scarlet indicator lights resembling eyes, that savage hand viciously drew a card from the deck mounted above the sword hilt.

"Hmph..."

As those ferocious eyes swept over the cards in his hand, a smile appeared on his already hideous face.

"Then let me show you the true power of demons!"

He shouted and directly threw a card onto the wings behind him.

"Spell Card, 'Fusion'!"

Black mist surged, gradually forming a vortex.

Within that vortex, a demon's shadow slowly emerged.

Then, it grabbed the cloudlike, grotesque creature beside it.

"I will use 'Mist Demon' as nourishment to evolve the 'demon' in my hand to a new stage!"

Mist Demon gradually dissolved and vanished, causing the golden lightning to shift into a deep purple glow.

At last, the vortex symbolizing fusion dispersed and disappeared...

"'Demon Manifestation'!"

A more imposing demon stood upon the field!

"Demon Manifestation (lv6)"

"Attribute/Dark"

"Type/Fiend Type"

"ATK/2500 DEF/1200"

"Do you see it? This is the evolved form of a Greater Demon!"

Of course, evolution was merely what they called it here.

Yu Ming was more familiar with another name for it...

"It's just a reskin."

Looking at the demon across from him, whose appearance was completely identical as though reflected in a mirror, Yu Ming merely crossed his arms.

Its appearance, Level, and base stats were all exactly the same.

If there was anything worth noting, it was probably its effect.

If he remembered correctly, this "reskin" was no longer the normal monster it used to be.

Bzzzt, bzzzt.

Dark magic trembled at the center of the field.

Amid the fierce glow of lightning, the Demon King standing behind the demon grinned.

"Don't think it's the same as the demon on your field, brat."

Against the backdrop of that pitch-black armor and skin, that mouthful of white teeth could even be described as dazzling.

"Although they have the same name, the demon on my field has the ability to amplify both its own power and that of its kin."

In plain terms, it meant an ATK boost.

"Thus, its ATK will increase by 500!"

"Demon Manifestation"

"ATK/2500→3000"

"Do you see it, brat? This is the true power of demons!"

The Demon King became intoxicated as he gazed at the demon on his field.

"Such pure darkness. Beautiful, isn't it?"

Yu Ming opened his mouth as he watched the Demon King's delighted expression.

But before he could speak, that scarlet gaze swept over him.

"So, do you have anything to say?"

"..."

Faced with the self-satisfied Demon King, Yu Ming fell silent.

How should he put it? He had no idea why Mr. Demon King was so proud.

It had no protection, its Level was not high, and the monster itself was even pretty mediocre.

Sure, it entered the field with 3000 ATK, had a continuous field-wide effect, and seemed to have a floating effect when it left the field. It looked pretty useful, right?

But the problem was that its so-called kin did not refer to Fiend Type monsters. It referred only to that original single card—"Summoned Skull."

It was not even a generic Fiend Type card.

Smack.

Thinking of this, Yu Ming could not help slapping his forehead.

He had guessed that Mr. Demon King might not be very bright, but he truly had not expected it to be this bad.

"You're not even as good as Keith."

"What did you say?"

"Couldn't you at least summon an eight-star boss monster?"

"Huh?"

Perhaps he genuinely had not heard what Yu Ming was saying, because Yu Ming saw the guy even lean an ear toward him.

"What are you muttering about over there?"

Seeing this, Yu Ming silently looked toward the other demon—Dark Invader.

As the Pitch-Black King's partner, he had already lowered his hood.

In fact, from the moment Mr. Demon King began boasting, he had already averted his gaze.

Those vicious, bloodthirsty eyes looked left and right before finally settling on the ceiling, as though a native of another world had developed an immense interest in high technology.

"Fine. Why don't you continue? Don't waste any more time."

Glancing at the clock still running in the room, Yu Ming spoke.

"Huh?"

Meeting the Demon King's astonished gaze, he merely sighed.

"You should at least finish building your field."

"Are you looking down on me?"

"..."

"Mortal, you will pay for your arrogance!"

Fine, fine. So every one of you was going to play it like this, huh?

Faced with the Demon King's twisted expression, Yu Ming instinctively wanted to make a sarcastic remark.

But...

"Forget it. At least he's finally doing something."

"I summon 'Demon Cavalry'!"

As the card leaped into the card slot on his wings, a bone spear tore through the mist.

"Demon Cavalry (lv4)"

"Attribute/Dark"

"Type/Fiend Type"

"ATK/1900 DEF/0"

Ghostly fire blazed from the cavalryman's eyes as it grinned wickedly, as though it would charge forth on horseback the next moment.

But it would never get that chance, because its master would never allow it to remain on the field.

Crack, crack, crack, crack.

Amid some sort of tremor and thunderous rumbling, the previously sealed ceiling was suddenly shattered.

"Roar!"

With a beastlike howl, a ferocious demon leaped into the center of the field.

However, it was not a helper in the conventional sense.

"'Berserk Demon'!"

Amid the flying debris, the Demon King slowly raised a card.

Then, he grinned wickedly.

"Take a good look. I will draw out the savage berserk fury hidden within it."

Boom!

In an instant, the demon threw a punch at its nearby "comrade."

Amid eerie wails, Demon Cavalry, rider and horse alike, was smashed into a pile of mush, leaving only a spear stuck in the ground.

"It unleashes its berserker ferocity at the cost of destroying a Fiend Type monster on the field, and then..."

Against the backdrop of shattered flesh and blood, the card that seemed to reflect an unknown abyss spun through the air.

Finally...

Click.

It quietly attached itself to the card slot in the monster zone.

"Special Summon!"

Murky dark-green filth spread outward as the demon slowly advanced, walking its way into the front row.

Then, it descended.

"Roar!"