Low, oppressive, murderous strings and orchestral music echoed through the great hall and the void of the river.
"Sad Duel," that tune etched into countless Duelists' DNA, poured brazenly into Yūki's ears along with the churning black mist.
Although Supreme King Jaden had only one hundred Life Points left above his head, the savage pressure radiating from him was several times fiercer than when he had been at full health.
Pure golden eyes locked onto Yūki through his faceplate.
His black-and-gold cape stirred without wind. Supreme King Jaden raised his left arm and drew a Monster Card from his hand with long, powerful fingers.
"Your struggles end here."
Supreme King Jaden's voice held no human inflection, as cold as a wind blowing from the bottom of the abyss.
"I activate a monster effect from my hand."
"[Evil HERO Poison Bubble]."
"This card can be Special Summoned from my hand! I Special Summon it in Defense Position!"
Snap!
The card was placed sideways in the Monster Zone of his pitch-black, bone-bladed Duel Disk.
Boom!
Several muddy fissures glowing a venomous, eerie green suddenly split open across the previously empty field.
Thick, foul-smelling, dark green poison mist, reeking of acrid corrosion, bubbled up through the cracks.
Then translucent, gray-black bubbles condensed out of the void and burst. The venom they scattered seared the light steps of the river of Time and Space with a sizzling hiss.
At the heart of that churning poisonous miasma, a twisted figure broke through the mist, kneeling on one knee.
[Evil HERO Poison Bubble] [Level 4 / WATER Attribute / Fiend-Type] [ATK: 800 / DEF: 1200]
It was Bubbleman, utterly fallen.
His once-bright, eye-catching blue hazmat suit had long since become gray-black, corroded battle armor riddled with holes.
The high-pressure water cannon that had once