Fast-Forwarding Through the Story / Shell
Just then, the Demon Lizard Yihao roared and lunged forward, crashing into Vylon Alpha's arms and dragging him into the spatial rift.
Once the spatial rift closed, Vylon Alpha was banished, while the Demon Lizard Yihao was spat back due to the associated effect.
"It's two against one now."
You Zhi crossed his arms and spoke slowly and deliberately.
Vylon Omega reached out into the void again, scooped up a Vylon Spirit, and was about to attach it to itself.
The Amazoness Princess flashed to her side, thrusting her spear forward and sending the Vylon Elf flying, preventing him from growing stronger.
At this moment, lightning crackled around Vylon Omega, then transformed into a violent current that spread out in all directions. The Amazoness Princess, being Ground-type, was completely unaffected. Instead of retreating, she advanced, letting the current assault her body, and seized the opportunity to thrust out a spear, piercing through the opponent's wing.
The Demon Lizard Yihao had no lineage immunity and dared not confront the enemy head-on, after all, the enemy's attack power had soared to 4200. The giant lizard's eyes darted around and it quickly hid behind its master.
"Hey! Is this how you act as a Pokémon trainer? Using your trainer as a shield, you've completely disgraced the Pokémon world!"
As You Zhi complained, he stomped his leg, and a stone wall immediately rose up in front of him, blocking the incoming electric current.
"I wasn't planning on doing anything, but you ruined the whole thing."
Just as You Zhi was about to criticize the Demon Lizard Yihao for cheating, he caught a glimpse of a signal flare rising slowly in the distant sky, flashing continuously.
"Wow, so fast! This direction is... Lance, are Dragon-type Pokémon really that strong?"
He thought about his family's mascot and realized that might not be the case.
Furthermore, judging from the Yugi's setting, the Pokémon Lance uses may not necessarily be Dragon-type; it could simply be a Pokémon whose name contains the character for "dragon."
"Give me a push, everyone! I don't want to be the one holding everyone back."
You Zhi didn't take the initiative to fight from beginning to end. It wasn't that he was putting on airs; it was simply because the operation required all four of them to destroy the defensive core simultaneously. Even if he finished the battle early, he would patiently wait for the others to finish, so he wasn't in a hurry.
But that doesn't mean he's willing to be the last one to finish the task.
"If I embarrass myself this time, I'll triple my training load when I get back!"
The Amazoness Princess snorted and silently increased the frequency of her attacks. Demon Lizard Yihao roared and evolved into the Giant Divergent Lizard Yihao. No longer dodging, it launched a strong attack against the enemy's onslaught.
The ensuing battle was devoid of any tricks; both sides engaged in a fierce struggle based on sheer strength. Vylon Omega had a numerical advantage, Giant Divergent Lizard Yihao and Amazoness Princess had a lineage advantage, with the latter also able to withstand Electric-type moves with her Ground-type abilities.
You Zhi simply watched from the sidelines, neither personally intervening nor activating any more Spell Card. He had confidence in his Pokémon; the beatings he endured every day were definitely not in vain!
Sure enough, shortly after the second signal flare was launched, the two Pokémon finally managed to destroy Vylon Omega despite being severely injured!
"Not bad, barely passable."
As You Zhi gave his evaluation, the Amazoness Princess, who had absorbed a large number of spiritual energy particles, emitted a glow of evolution.
Chapter 239 Skipping the Plot
The light emanating from the Amazoness Princess abruptly stopped after it had just begun; she hadn't actually evolved. You Zhi was prepared for this and took out an Earth Attribute Evolution Stone, throwing it at her.
Like pouring a bucket of oil on an extinguished campfire, the Amazoness Princess, having absorbed the Evolution Stone, immediately shone with an even brighter light than before, her body expanding and changing at a visible speed.
[Amazoness Empress (8-star) location]
[Faction: Fighting-type, Ground]
[Level: 32]
[Talent: Ferocity]
[Attack Power: 2800 (2520)]
[Defense: 2400 (2160)]
[Warrior-Type, Effect: ① "Amazoness" cards on the field cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects; ② When an "Amazoness" spirit attacks, inflict battle damage to the opponent equal to the difference between its ATK and DEF; ③ Can be activated by consuming a certain amount of Life Points to summon an "Amazoness Pet Tiger-Lion" with its ability nullified as a mount.]
The evolved Amazoness Empress seemed to have changed from 14 to 18 years old. She still had wild white hair, but the bull horn hat on her head had been replaced by a beast skull. Her figure had obvious curves, and her clothing was still revealing, showing off her toned abs. Her weapon had changed from a spear to a winding beast tooth blade.
"From princess to empress, the first characteristic is resistance to battle penetration and effect penetration, the second is penetration effect, and the third is summoning a mount. Hmm... they're all quite useful."
Time was of the essence, You Zhi didn't let the opponent test their abilities and immediately launched a signal flare.
Feeling her newfound power, the Amazoness Empress felt an overwhelming sense of confidence welling up within her, and couldn't help but show an eager expression. However, when her gaze fell upon You Zhi, and after roughly estimating the difference in their strength, she abandoned this tempting idea.
--It's not time to make a comeback yet. We must be patient. I can feel that there is still untapped potential within me. The next evolution will be the time to wipe away this humiliation!
You Zhi, lacking the ability to read minds, was unaware of his Pokémon's thoughts. Upon seeing the fourth signal flare rise, he turned and destroyed the energy conversion device, interrupting the energy transmission. The other three towers also went out one after another, and the protective shield enveloping the Gold Letter structure disappeared.
The five regrouped in the city center. You Zhi noticed that Lorelei seemed to be slightly injured, but she acted as if it was nothing to worry about, so he didn't ask. After all, even former Elite Four have their pride.
Surprisingly, Wataru, who was his companion, didn't seem to care. It's unclear whether he was just a typical straight man and didn't notice, or if he shared the same concerns.
Formerly Yusei Fudo, now Skyborne Phantom Star, took a deep breath in front of the gate and said, "Let's go in."
If possible, You Zhi would prefer to attack from the outside and destroy the entire building directly. After all, entering enemy territory is tantamount to surrendering the initiative, and who knows what kind of ambush they might encounter. But as mentioned before, rashly destroying the Perpetual Motion Machine Center could very likely trigger the explosion of Perpetual Motion Machine around the world.
In comparison, stopping the program is a safer option, and it just so happens that Skyborne Phantom Star and Antinomy are both excellent in software technology.
"Everyone must be vigilant. The closer we get to success, the more likely we are to encounter unexpected events that could lead to failure," A-Du said.
You Zhi glanced at it and teased, "Is this advice from an elder?"
"It's the experience of a loser."
Adu, however, did not shy away from the topic and faced it frankly.
However, after the five people cautiously entered the building, they did not encounter any danger. There were no traps or ambushes along the way until they saw the huge Perpetual Motion Machine.
"Humanity has come to an end; the destruction of this world is a foregone conclusion. No matter how you struggle, you cannot change your destiny."
A thick black mist shrouded the Perpetual Motion Machine, filled with various negative emotions. Just by looking at it, one could feel a strong malice towards humanity. It was as if one could hear various murmurs such as "Destroy the sinful humans," "Hopeless creatures," and "Planetary garbage," polluting everyone's mind.
"Quickly enter the state of Clear Mind!"
Skyborne Phantom Star, Antinomy, Lorelei, You Zhi all focused their will and eliminated distracting thoughts.
"Humanity... purification... annihilation of sinners..."
A-Du covered his head with both hands, revealing a pained expression, and his eyes gradually reddened.
"Oh no! Du hasn't practiced the Clear Mind!"
Lorelei a strong will, their idea of eliminating humanity was, in a sense, similar to each other's. After all, the original Utopia Plan also aimed to eliminate humanity, which was harmful to the world.
She wanted to stop it, but her mind was in turmoil, and she couldn't maintain her Clear Mind state of mind; she was immediately invaded by evil thoughts.
"Shut up, you're so noisy!"
At this moment, he could no longer conceal his strength. You Zhi unleashed a punch, and the phantom of Obelisk the Tormentor appeared behind him. The Divine Fist Shatter Annihilation Wave, easily dispersing the black mist in front of him, and silencing the whispers in his ear.
However, a moment later, the black mist seeped out from the void again, saying with a hint of surprise, "A mere human can actually wield the power of Egyptian Gods... but it's useless. The Pharaoh of yesteryear could not destroy me, nor could the Supreme King Judai kill me. As long as darkness remains in people's hearts, I will be immortal."
You Zhi complained, "Why is it always about the darkness of human nature? I feel like I'm seeing this everywhere in the world. What's your relationship with the God of Orichalcos?"
"My existence is the manifestation of humanity's will to self-destruct. You can save one or two people, but you cannot stop everyone from indulging in desires. This is an unchangeable fate."
"Since it's an unchangeable destiny, then don't try to stop us from halting this Perpetual Motion Machine. What's the point of all your efforts? Just stay put and wait for humanity to face its demise, won't that be better?"
"It's pathetic that as the best among humankind, they cannot see through the emptiness of fate and persist in meaningless actions. It shows that humanity is truly beyond saving."
The black mist's voice had a bewitching effect; even in their Clear Mind state, Huan Xing and Antinomy couldn't help but ponder the validity of the other's words. But before they could figure it out, You Zhi, with a look that said, "Are you an idiot?", retorted:
"Are you out of your mind? What do you mean by meaningless? You define meaning yourself? Everyone dies eventually, so people should slit their own throats as soon as possible? Maybe you really can't eliminate them, maybe humanity really will self-destruct, but the instinct of living beings is to cherish life and fear death. We should live one more day as long as possible. I don't care what the future of humanity will be like, and I can't control it, but now you want us to obediently die? Then you'd better die!"
You Zhi wouldn't argue with the other party about whether humanity can be saved; whether humanity can be saved is none of his business.
Upon hearing this, Huan Xing and Antinomy immediately realized that this was not the time to argue. What was wrong with them, as living beings, wanting to survive?
They're being killed by others, and instead of waiting to die, they've chosen to fight back. It's that simple; there's no need to get into any grand theories.
"... Very well, humans are ultimately incapable of understanding each other. I'll just use force to subdue you."
Within the black mist, the barrier of the Dark Duel spread out, enveloping everyone.
You Zhi said with a look of disgust, "You've been rambling on and on about nothing, and all you want to do is duel? If you knew that, you should have just started the duel! You need to keep up with the times. Nowadays, players aren't interested in the story. Yugi that doesn't even give you a skip option will be called garbage!"
Chapter 240 Shell
Before You Zhi's duel even began, Wataru, who was under Mind Control, made his move first.
"Filthy humans should all be exterminated!"
He summoned Starving Venom Fusion Dragon and unleashed Sludge Bomb directly at the group.
Lorelei promptly summoned the Snowdust Magician, creating an Ice Wall to block the attack, and said, "I'll hold off Lance for as long as possible; you guys focus on defeating the enemy."
Regardless of whether Lance is good at Flying-type or Dragon-type, he is countered by Lorelei's Ice-type, which she is good at. She is confident in this regard.
"Let me help you."
Antinomy quickly analyzed the situation and realized that dealing with the seemingly unfathomable black mist would likely be a hindrance, so he summoned his ace, the "T.G. Blade Blaster," to help Lorelei defend against Adolf.
On the other side, the black mist transformed into an angel-like creature with black and white wings and half of its body made of machinery.
It spoke, saying, "My existence signifies humanity's inevitable destruction; your resistance is futile."
You Zhi scoffed, "Booting will only expose your weakness. Now that things have developed to this point, we have no interest in your origins. Either you kill us, or we kill you."
"Humanity remains as foolish as ever."
Even the most ignorant creatures have the right to live.
Huan Xing faced him with a solemn expression, his eyes unwavering. He drew Pokémon Card from the void and chanted, "The gathered starlight is about to awaken new power, transform into a radiant path! Appear, Junk Warrior!"
With a flash of light, a purple mechanical warrior appeared in the air, a scarf around its neck, ice-blade-like metal on its feet, and a weapon resembling a brass knuckle duster on its right fist. Propelled by powerful jet thrusters on its back, it soared through the air, throwing a punch in a show of defiance while simultaneously spreading its legs into a split, appearing extremely fierce and powerful.
The stronger form of "Junk Berserker" was not chosen, but the attack and defense stats of the Junk Warrior are actually better. However, its characteristic "increases the attack power of the opponent's Pokémon with 2 stars or less" is basically useless in Spirit Duel.
"Summoning these lowly spirits, is it a sign of giving up the struggle?"
The Mechanical Angel spoke with disdain, raised his hands, and accompanied by a strong surge of spiritual energy, a massive mechanical building appeared out of thin air.
[Hidden Shell Core Atheism (9 Stars)]
[Lineage: Steel, Evil]
[Level: 54]
[Attack Power: 2900 (3190)]
[Defense: 2500 (2750)]
[Machine-Type, effect: omitted]
You Zhi saw the opponent's abilities and attributes through the cheat, his expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly reminded Huan Xing: "Be careful, this Pokémon is not affected by Spell Card, nor by the characteristics of Pokémon below 9 stars, and it can control one of the opponent's Pokémon once per turn."
During their journey, You Zhi had demonstrated his ability to know all the Pokémon's information, so Huan Xing wasn't surprised. However, upon hearing this, she couldn't help but gasp. "Isn't that almost complete resistance?!"
The Mechanical Angel glanced at You Zhi with a hint of curiosity, then said expressionlessly, "It's too early to be surprised. There's another spirit with the same effect, or even stronger."
As soon as he finished speaking, accompanied by an even stronger fluctuation of spiritual energy, a mechanical structure resembling a spider appeared out of thin air.
[Hidden Shell Killer Materialism (10-star)]
[Lineage: Steel, Psychic]
[Level: 60]
[Attack Power: 3000 (3300)]
[Defense: 2600 (2860)]
[Machine-Type, effect: omitted]
This spirit emitted invisible energy fluctuations, which reduced the attack and defense stats of the affected Junk Warrior by 500.
"This Pokémon has the same resistances and will reduce the Attack and Defense of special-form Pokémon by 500. In addition, once per turn, it will force the opponent to sacrifice one of their Pokémon."
"Forced duelists to their funerals?" Huan Xing instantly grasped the key point.
You Zhi nodded solemnly. This effect was no simple matter; theoretically, even the Three Egyptian Gods couldn't withstand it, because it was an effect on the trainer, not on the Pokémon.