Are you deaf?

Come to think of it, this might be the first time I've ever experienced something like this.

Clutching the cards in his hand, Yu Ming couldn't help but look straight ahead.

"Demon Soldier (LV4)"

"Attribute/DARK"

"Type/Fiend"

"ATK/1900 DEF/1500"

A normal monster on the front field, two face-down cards in the back row.

If this opening was his opponent's, he'd be thrilled, because it was a perfectly standard anime-style opening.

But when it was his own…

"Gulp…"

Glancing at the three cards still clutched in his hand, Yu Ming felt a pang in his heart.

That persistent normal monster and the magic cards that absolutely couldn't be played directly were, by their very existence, telling him, their owner, a very important truth:

He.

Yu Ming.

Was bricked in what might be the most crucial duel of his entire transmigration journey!

"How could this happen…?"

Even though there was only one monster on the opponent's field with a graveyard effect, and their graveyard was empty with only two face-down cards in the back, he was completely helpless.

He had put in cards like Pot of Greed and Graceful Charity, cards destined for the ban list, with such high hopes, yet he hadn't drawn a single one.

And more importantly, under the rule where he started a card behind going second, he had no choice but to play according to his opponent's whims!

"My turn, draw."

Under the pale blue firelight, the demon's chilling smile was reflected.

"Hmph, to be able to wield such demons at will, for your age, you've certainly achieved something in the path of Red Magic."

"Don't…"

Seeing Hades's genuinely serious expression beneath his hood, Yu Ming couldn't help but clutch his chest.

"I can't breathe, bro, stop talking."

He felt so embarrassed his toes were practically curling a three-bedroom apartment into existence, but unfortunately, the former Mr. Pluto had no idea how he was feeling right now.

"However, mere Red Magic simply won't be enough to defend against my attacks."

Or rather, he simply didn't care about such things.

"Now, experience the power of pure tyranny and destruction!"

At this moment, Yu Ming could only watch as he extended his index finger.

Then…

RUMBLE

The roar of thunder gathered and surged at the demon's fingertip.

But of course, this wasn't Hades deciding to give up dueling and personally beat someone up.

"Now, I activate the spell I set last turn!"

Behind the crisscrossing lightning, Yu Ming saw the flipped face-down card.

It was a flash of red!

"A Trap Card, then."

"I will expend my own magical power to unleash the destructive force of that Black Magic!"

"No, do you really explain effects like that?!"

RUMBLE

If this were under the rules of the physical card game, at this point, he might have been able to call for a pause and a judge, or suggest examining the opponent's card closely to confirm what a rule-compliant description should be.

But this place was different.

Shadow Games never had any pauses, and no matter how much Yu Ming complained about the unreasonableness of it, the surging lightning was already heading his way.

"Raigeki Break!"

"Tsk."

Drip

RUMBLE

The surging lightning struck, precisely hitting the Demon Soldier directly in front. High temperatures accompanied by white smoke diffused, seemingly obscuring everything on the battlefield.

Watching this scene, Hades couldn't help but cross his arms over his chest.

"After all, it's just a low-level demon. When faced with greater power, its only fate is to be utterly destroyed."

"If it were just that one, then yes, that would be true."

"Hmm?"

The sudden voice made Hades's eyes, murky like stagnant blood, tremble.

When the white smoke cleared, the Demon Soldier still stood firm, as if Hades's dark magic had achieved nothing.

"This is…"

However, there was a change.

"Claws?"

At some unknown moment, a pair of dark, sharp steel claws had appeared on the soldier's arms.

The lightning that should have destroyed it now coiled and pulsed within the steel claws' palms, only to be crushed by the soldier.

"Equip Spell – Claw of Hermos."

Yu Ming lightly tapped his Duel Disk.

"This card prevents the equipped monster from being destroyed by effects, and at the same time, increases the equipped monster's ATK by 600."

Demon Soldier ATK/1900→2500

"But when I activated my spell, you shouldn't have had a chance to equip your familiar, unless…"

"When you activated Raigeki Break, I chained my set card to yours."

Facing Hades's unsettling gaze, Yu Ming simply showed the card temporarily removed from his Graveyard.

"Weapon Call – this Trap Card allows me to search my Deck and equip a suitable Equip Card to a monster on my field."

"I see. I didn't expect you to be skilled in White Magic in addition to Red Magic. I underestimated you."

"Magic or not, anyone who didn't know would think this was some kind of wizard game…"

"However, since you're trying so hard to protect your familiar, it means your Red Magic isn't fully mastered!"

"…"

"Now, let me show you the essence of Red Magic."

Under Yu Ming's hesitant gaze, the demon waved its large hand.

As fire burned, a demonic phantom slowly emerged, with a grotesque exterior, yet it plunged its blade straight into the ground like a general.

"My loyal servant shall offer its life to open the path to transformation."

"Archfiend General…"

Listening to Hades's high-pitched, aria-like song, Yu Ming simply gazed at the demon's figure, which seemed to be gradually turning into a blood mist.

To be honest, Hades's completely irregular 'chanting' was automatically filtered out by him; the only important thing was the effect of his cards.

"The demon's path to ascension shall begin. Blood and life will eventually converge in the darkness, achieving supreme power through a thousand trials!"

If he remembered correctly, Archfiend General's effect was to send itself to the Graveyard as a cost, then search the Deck for a corresponding Field Spell.

"I call upon your name."

And that Field Spell was…

"Pandemonium."

BOOM

Amidst the thunderous roar, the surrounding scenery transformed.

Bone spurs extended from the barren earth. Amidst the demons' shrill wails, liquefied demonic lightning boiled on the altar.

"Witness it, the demon's path of transformation!"

"You've already activated a Field Spell?"

"I shall use its power to unleash my ultimate sorcery!"

"I asked if you activated it or not?"

"You shall witness that terrifying form…"

"Are you f*cking deaf?"

BOOM

Finally, perhaps Yu Ming had raised his voice enough for Hades to hear, and the archdemon at last interrupted his solo performance.

A flicker of confusion appeared in his crimson eyes, and a rare look of bewilderment crossed his face.

"You…"

"'You' what? Why is it so exhausting to talk to you?"

"I…"

"Alright, you piece of garbage, you activated a Field Spell, didn't you?"

"I... I did."

"Good, then I'll flip my set card and chain a Quick-Play Spell."

A gust of wind swept through the roaring field.

It was a very simple...

"Mystical Space Typhoon."

Corrected the issue with the number of set cards at the end of chapter 43_(:з」∠)_

Mainly re-evaluated the duel structure and found this way of writing it would be more interesting