Within the lightning-flickering demon cave, the shattered flesh and blood of Berserk Demon splattered everywhere, gathering into the altar of Pandemonium.
Then, the blue flames overhead flared violently, as if they had been fed firewood and fuel.
A wisp of flame leaped out from that savage blaze like a passageway, gradually coalescing into a card.
"Pandemonium will guide a new servant weaker than the fallen warrior into my hand."
Although Hades did not say exactly what kind of Fiend monster he had searched for, Yu Ming no longer cared much about that.
He only knew that once he ended his turn, Hades's turn would begin.
A turn that spoke no human language, required manual timing, and might be even more exhausting than executing his own combos.
Boom.
Under the interwoven flashes of thunder and fire, Pluto's stiff, dead face was illuminated.
"When my turn arrives, Pandemonium will not only pay the cost of maintaining my demons, but also draw forth the power of the demons I have buried deep within the Graveyard."
"And now he doesn't even announce his draws anymore..."
"Archfiend Empress, grant power to the lesser demons."
"Oh, he didn't say what he was calling when he used his wife or feathers to dump monsters into the Graveyard before, either."
Boom.
Where the Pandemonium altar stood, an abyss symbolizing the underworld spilled outward.
Then it wrapped itself around the orange-red general.
"Archfiend General (Lv. 4)."
Behind it, the phantom of another, fiercer demon emerged.
"Archfiend Empress."
As for this so-called granting of power, there was a more official way to describe it in a duel.
"While Pandemonium is on the field, Archfiend Empress can increase the ATK of all Level 4 or lower Fiend monsters on the field by 1,000."
In other words, Archfiend General's final value, as the target of that boost, was...
"ATK/2100 → 3100."
"It's not over yet. I summon another servant in attack position—Archfiend King."
"Archfiend King (Lv. 4)."
"Attribute/DARK."
"Type/Fiend."
"ATK/2000 DEF/1500."
After the hellfire burned away, three Fiend Type monsters had once again gathered on Pluto's field.
"That ends it!"
Hades gritted his teeth.
"Disappear, you fool blocking my path!"
With a sweep of his hand, the chess-inspired pawn raised its sword and claws.
"Pawn, get rid of that eyesore of a skeleton—Suicidal Charge!"
Boom.
In an instant, the pawn left its spot and charged straight toward the skeleton.
"See? You really are hated, White Bone."
"Is there any chance you're the one who summoned me?"
"That was a tactical necessity, after all."
Boom.
As they spoke, the silent pawn had already crossed the center line. Yet just before it reached its destination, it stepped into empty air.
Squelch.
As though it had stepped into a mud pit, its previously steady body stumbled.
At some point, the hard, barren ground had turned into a purple-red swamp of viscous sludge.
"This is..."
Faced with that sudden development, Hades's already lifeless, cloudy eyes widened.
"Ah, are you looking at me? Hello... goodbye!"
His gaze passed over White Bone, which had already vanished into the purple-red swamp, and fell upon the source of it all.
"Crush Card Virus (uncensored)."
Yu Ming could not help yawning.
Rumble.
In an instant, the purple-red tide surged forward, completely swallowing his battlefield and his Pandemonium.
Within the virus vortex that blotted out the sky, he felt his senses completely cut off.
The only thing he could receive, the only thing echoing in his mind, was the voice that came with the sweeping virus:
"To activate this Trap Card, I must Tribute one DARK monster on my field with less than 1,000 ATK. After activation, I can inspect my opponent's field, hand, and every card they draw during the next three turns counted from yours, then destroy all monsters among them with more than 1,500 ATK."
For a moment, he did not know how to describe that voice.
"Let me see your hand... Fusion? Can't blow that up. What a shame."
Calm and lazy, yet intensely stimulating, awakening instincts that should have remained sealed away.
All at once, he remembered the things he had once seen.
"No wonder it was like that..."
Boom.
When the crimson torrent finally receded completely, almost nothing remained on the field. Only a lone pawn stood there.
It seemed to want to find its King and general, but everywhere it looked was empty, leaving it at a loss.
"Since White Bone left the field after being used as the virus's sacrifice, the number of monsters on the field changed."
Walking past the pawn that was looking around, Yu Ming shifted his gaze behind it.
"Would you still like to continue attacking?"
Hades merely stood there, gasping heavily.
The virus had only destroyed his hand, cleaned out his hand a little, yet he looked as though he had truly been corroded.
After a pained whimper, that inhuman gaze swept toward him.
"So this is what you rely on."
"Huh?"
"If this is truly something born from your heart, then I think I understand why it was afraid, and why I have always felt uneasy."
Hades clutched his collar tightly, as though he wanted to grasp his own heart in his hand.
"Those who can wander this world without losing their consciousness usually carry regrets, or some kind of obsession."
"...Can we keep playing cards?"
"The evil dragon that once destroyed the world was like that, and now that Necromancer King is the same."
"Hey..."
"But you are completely different. You have never had a clear goal, nor have you ever known what you wanted to do!"
"..."
"Deep within your heart lies nothing but emptiness. Nothing can fill that void, which is why it gave birth to a power that seems determined to corrode and destroy everything!"
As he spoke, Hades raised his withered hand and clutched his collar even tighter.
"Damn it, Necromancer King actually left a ticking time bomb like you unattended, and that Holy Knight even tried to control you!"
Facing the demon's resolute and furious gaze, Yu Ming could not help covering his forehead.
Though he could not understand a single word Hades was saying, he suddenly recalled what most people did whenever a download progress bar, update, or installation got stuck.
It was simple.
"Look up at the sky..."
Of course, that was nothing more than superstition.
Yet sometimes, it really did seem to work.
"But it doesn't matter. I will personally seek an explanation from that Holy Knight..."
Almost at the same moment, Pluto swept his hand.
"When a demon is destroyed, Pandemonium will guide a weaker demon into my hand. Then, I set one card in my back row and end my turn!"
"Good!"
Almost at the same moment, Yu Ming fixed his eyes ahead.
"My turn, draw!"
Seriously, he did not want to listen to this messy nonsense any longer. It was as foul and long-winded as a stinking rag.
And now!
"Now..."
Staring at the card he had drawn for quite some time, Yu Ming clenched his fist.
"I... I set one card in my back row."
Though he was extremely unwilling, he had to say those words.
"End turn..."
"Hmph, as expected. Someone like you, who lacks a strong sense of purpose, has power but cannot define his own goals, much less master this sacred ritual."
"Ah... system, save me."
"But I am different. Even now that I have revived, I still have things I must do, and the ritual will surely answer me!"
"I won't complain about the plot anymore. Just give me back the skip button..."
"My turn. I draw the ritual..."
Rumble.
In an instant, thunder and lightning erupted over Pandemonium as demons and viruses roared together.
As the queen appeared behind the pawn, the virus also wound itself around the blue flames representing the card.
Then, its face was revealed:
"Card of Demise."
"...Why am I not surprised at all?"
Before you continue