The End

If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent, during their next Draw Phase, before they draw, they must discard their entire hand.

This is the effect of Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi after it inflicts damage.

At first glance, it seems incredibly powerful, but most Spirit Monsters have increasingly abstract summoning conditions—either "cannot be Special Summoned" or "cannot be Normal Summoned," in addition to their common effect of "returning to the hand at the end of the turn."

One can only say...

"It's insane."

Yu Ming couldn't help but exclaim.

Spirit Monsters are insane, but Noah Kaiba, who can use them as the core of his main deck, is even more so...

"Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing."

Meeting Noah's slightly confused gaze, Yu Ming just smiled.

"I just think you're really strong."

Anyway, for these anime characters, bricking hands simply doesn't happen. Something like Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi can be summoned at will, appearing effortlessly.

In such circumstances, the drawbacks of Spirit Monsters can be largely ignored.

No search effects, just hard drawing from the start, as if glued to their hand.

But of course, in this world, that's not how they'd put it.

They have their own special way of saying it:

"This isn't just my battle, after all."

Noah whispered, caressing his deck.

"It's not so much that I'm strong, but that my partners are willing to be strong... I'm grateful that they're willing to lend me their strength."

It's always that kind of talk.

Friendship, bonds.

Souls, pride.

Duelists in the anime shout these things, using cards that real-life players would consider utterly useless and absurd, creating one baffling play after another.

And then...

"How could this happen?"

And then this situation occurred.

"How can a monster have an effect like that?"

When Yu Ming looked to the other side of the field, he saw two demons staring at each other.

Mr. Pitch-Black King was already looking around frantically, while Dark Invader kept his head down.

Although his face was completely obscured by the shadow of his hood, Yu Ming could tell that Mr. Invader was clearly not in a good mood.

After all, in a tag duel, having all your hand cards wiped out before you even get to make a play would make anyone furious just thinking about it.

What's worse, this is a Shadow Game, a true best-of-one death match, so no matter what happens, they have to grit their teeth and keep playing.

And so...

"It's not over yet."

After a moment of emotional turmoil, the demon gritted his teeth and said, "We still have one last card!"

Wait, buddy, is that really what you should be saying?

Looking at Mr. King's resolute expression, a strange feeling of oddness suddenly welled up in Yu Ming's heart.

He couldn't help but glance at the gate, now reduced to crumbling ruins, and then at the scattered decorations around them.

"Anyone who didn't know better would think we were the invaders."

"Draw a card, partner. Let them see our power."

The King clearly didn't hear Yu Ming's internal thought; he just looked at his comrade.

"No matter the outcome, I'll see this through with you until the very end!"

However, his passionate resolve seemed to have been misplaced.

"..."

After the King's words faded, a strained silence hung in the air.

The eerie quiet extinguished the ambition the King had just managed to ignite. The pitch-black demon tentatively called out:

"Are you alright?"

Receiving no response, the King couldn't help but reach out and poke the dark gold body, only for a splitting, collapsing sound to follow immediately.

CRASH

The shattered armor and metal fell to the ground, and as the dark gold faded, the body lying there transformed back into ordinary flesh and blood.

"You bastard!"

The King roared.

"You coward! How dare you abandon me and run away!"

Well, isn't that just devilish friendship?

"Cough… cough, cough."

Watching the King break down and curse to himself, Yu Ming felt his throat tickle.

"But then again, do devils have means of escape even in a Shadow Game?"

"Yes," Noah nodded. "They are skilled in various methods of manipulating consciousness, soul, and body. The one standing here earlier was clearly not the real person."

So, in other words, it's similar to Marik's remote control and possession methods, huh?

"I see. Then it seems quite difficult to punish them through a Shadow Game."

"It's not actually difficult, but right now, it's more like the will is there, but the strength is lacking…"

"Even so, I won't give up!"

The brief conversation was interrupted as Yu Ming and Noah looked straight ahead.

"Even if I'm alone, I'll keep fighting."

The smell of char remained in the air as the disheveled King slowly rose.

Then, he slowly placed his hand on his deck.

"My turn, draw!"

"…How should I put it? He's really passionate."

Watching this scene, Yu Ming's mouth twitched.

"Don't tell me he'll actually draw some card that can turn the tide…"

"Hahahahahahaha!!!"

The King laughed maniacally, his coarse, grating voice directly rattling Yu Ming's brain.

"I did it!"

Observing the deranged roar, Yu Ming looked at Noah.

"Do you have a countermeasure?"

Noah nodded. "Yes."

Immediately, he pressed a button on the Duel Disk.

"Trap Card."

"Now I have in my hand a gu—"

Just as the King raised his card, a phantom figure, like an angel or a Buddha, descended from the sky. Like Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam, it effortlessly took the card from the King's hand.

"Drop Off – Discard one card drawn during your opponent's Draw Phase to the Graveyard."

"…"

Watching the King's solidified, stunned expression, like a statue, Yu Ming couldn't help but cover his face.

Though they were enemies now, he genuinely felt sympathy for him.

"It's… it's okay. I'll just end… end this turn like this."

After a sigh, he heard the King roar with a trembling voice.

His hand was empty, and the field was clear, yet his voice grew louder.

"Your hand is also empty now! Even if you draw a Monster Card next turn, you won't be able to defeat me in one blow!"

Yu Ming saw the King's crimson gaze sweep over him, his eyes filled with a near-feral resolve and frenzy.

"Next turn… as long as I wait for the next turn, I still have a chance!"

Good!

Very spirited!

Yu Ming wanted to say that, but after checking his face-down cards, he couldn't help but sigh:

"Mr. King, why don't you just surrender? Sometimes, persisting isn't necessarily a good thing."

"Less talk! Hurry up and start!"

"…"

Yu Ming couldn't help but sigh, seeing the other person's unappreciative expression.

"Alright then... My turn, draw card."

"Yu Ming, don't forget to check your face-down cards."

Yu Ming's mouth twitched at Noah's reminder.

He had actually already checked his face-down cards, and that was precisely why he'd felt that way.

After all, those set cards weren't so simple...

"Trap Card — Earthbound Ritual."

This card was Noah's, a support card specifically for Spirit Monsters in the anime.

Though it hadn't been made into a physical card yet, its effect was very simple:

"Add one Spirit Monster from the Graveyard to your hand (original effect)."

So, the question was, were there any Spirit Monsters in the Graveyard?

Yes, there were.

Although Noah hadn't made it clear before, the card he discarded via the Spirit Energy Stabilizer was indeed a Spirit Monster.

And its identity...

"Caw!"

"Caw!"

As the Trap Card activated, a stream of light, accompanied by a hoarse cry, slowly overflowed from the Graveyard, coalescing into a single card.

It was a crow...

"I add Yata-Garasu to my hand, then..."

He slapped it down.

"Summon."

At this point, the game was completely over.

"Yata-Garasu, direct attack on the player."

Pitch-Black King LP: 5200→5000