Turn 4 — Ishizu
The Millennium Necklace pulsed again, showing Ishizu the branching threads of fate. Though Jason had struck down her field spell, she knew the desert's power would not be denied.
With a calm, deliberate motion, she placed another card forward. The arena shuddered as Necrovalley returned, its sandstone pillars erupting once more, jackal-headed guardians kneeling along a royal road. The stifling desert air pressed down over the dueling platform, smothering Jason's graveyard strategies once again.
"I summon Gravekeeper's Descendant!"
The sentinel emerged from the sands, eyes sharp beneath a gleaming helm, his spear raised high. With Necrovalley's blessing, his strength surged to 2000 ATK.
Ishizu followed with a spell card, her tone as calm as the Nile at dusk. "Pot of Greed." Two new cards slid into her hand, the Necklace thrumming approval.
The future shimmered before her eyes. She raised her hand toward Descendant. "I activate Descendant's effect—by offering up a fellow Gravekeeper, I can destroy one card you control."
Gravekeeper's Guard gave a solemn bow before dissolving into golden sand. The sentinel's spear ignited, launching a bolt of ancestral energy that tore through the shadows of Masked HERO Dark Law. The cloaked figure gave a final screech as it shattered, banished in fragments of black glass.
Jason's jaw tightened, his brow creasing in the faintest sign of annoyance.
"There is nothing science can do against fate, Jason," Ishizu said, her voice resonating like an oracle's decree. "I am destined to win this duel."
Her next card slid forward: Graceful Charity. Three cards blossomed into her hand, and two were cast into the grave. Among them fell Gravekeeper's Chief, his hieroglyphs etched in fate itself.
Ishizu raised her arm, the Necklace flashing with brilliance. "I activate my facedown—Rite of Spirit!"
The trap flared to life, glowing like an open tomb, and from the sands stepped Gravekeeper's Chief. His dark robes swept outward, his form towering in solemn majesty. (ATK: 2400).
The desert guardians bowed in unison. Chief was immune to Necrovalley's binding of the dead; his resurrection was inevitable.
The battlefield shifted into her favor. Ishizu's hand moved gracefully, like the stroke of a calligrapher's brush. "Chief—strike down Celestial."
The dark warrior fell beneath the hierophant's command. Celestial shattered, and Jason staggered under the weight of the blow. His Life Points dropped sharply: 3600 → 2500.
"Now, Descendant—attack directly!"
The sentinel lunged, spear thrusting past Jason's defenses, piercing straight into his Life Points. Jason flinched, his coat ruffling under the projected shockwave. His Life Points fell again, 2500 → 500.
The Necklace glowed warm against Ishizu's skin. The outcome was inevitable. She ended her turn, her sentries raised and listening, her hand the exact weight the Necklace had shown her.
From the stands, relief exploded like thunder. Cheers rang out, clapping rolled in waves.
"Yes!" Joey whooped, slamming his palm against the rail. "Kick his butt, Ishizu!"
Connor clapped so hard he nearly dropped his foam pointer, his little face beaming with excitement. "She's got him! Jason's done for!"
Rebecca laughed, pulling him into a quick squeeze.
Yugi exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing with a mixture of pride and unease. "She's dictating the pace of the duel perfectly… Jason may not be able to recover."
Marik did not smile, but the tightness in his stance seemed to ease. His shoulders lowered by the smallest fraction, the tension that had been coiled like a serpent unspooling just slightly. From his place in the shadows of the observation deck, he looked down at the duel with a gaze that was both cold and searching.
He believed Ishizu was still in full command, still weaving the duel exactly as the Millennium Necklace dictated. Every card she played, every tribute offered, every spell set—it all looked like a flawless execution of destiny's script. To him, she wasn't even fighting at her limit yet. She was toying with Jason, proving the futility of resisting fate.
Marik's lips pressed into a thin line, his thoughts racing beneath his calm exterior. The Necklace never lies. Its foresight is absolute. Jason may be clever, but cleverness cannot defy destiny. No scientist, no machine, no amount of cold calculation could stand against the power of prophecy.
And yet, something in his chest refused to rest completely. He had trained under Jason. He had learned strategies, dueling philosophies, even ruthlessness at the man's side after their father's death. Jason was no ordinary opponent—he was the mentor who had sharpened Marik's mind, taught him discipline, and given him tools to survive when the Pharaoh had shattered their family.
Turn 5 — Jason
Jason's expression did not change. If anything, his calm grew sharper, frighteningly precise, as though every movement had been calculated long before the duel even began. He slid a card forward with surgeon-like efficiency."Fusion Destiny."The card flared with ominous power. A wash of ink-black energy flooded the arena, coiling up like smoke from a burning lab experiment. The oppressive wave tugged at Jason's deck, pulling two warriors from its depths: Destiny HERO – Malicious (ATK: 800) and Destiny HERO – Dynatag (ATK: 1000) hurled themselves into the graveyard, their forms ripped apart and twisted into fusion material.
The circle of fusion spun violently, sparks screeching like grinding gears. From within the maelstrom, a hulking figure emerged—armor shaped like a coffin, its edges striped in hazard yellow, every plate screaming of danger. Its glowing lenses burned with crimson warning."
Destiny HERO – Dystopia" (ATK: 2800).
The moment it landed on the field, its effect triggered. A searing pulse of heat erupted outward, and the entire platform trembled as its summoning ripple struck Ishizu directly, scorching her with burning energy equal to Celestial's ATK. Her Life Points plunged: 3500 → 1900.
For the first time, the crowd thought they saw Ishizu falter. Her hair whipped across her face from the impact, her hand instinctively reaching for the Millennium Necklace as if to steady herself. And yet, when the moment settled, her expression was serene. Calm. Composed. Almost as though she had already foreseen this exact turn of events.Jason's face was unreadable, hidden behind his glasses, but his jaw shifted just enough to suggest satisfaction.
His movements remained cold, his coat swaying slightly as the blimp's engines hummed.He wasn't finished."I normal summon Destiny HERO – Doom Lord."A shadowy figure materialized beside Dystopia, its frame wiry and bent, one arm elongated into a wicked, spectral scythe. (ATK: 600). Its hollow eyes glowed faintly, promising inevitability.Jason raised a hand, and Doom Lord's power rippled outward. Gravekeeper's Descendant froze in place, his form flickering before dissolving into particles of darkness. Banished.
The Necklace's glow dimmed faintly against Ishizu's skin as her monster was erased from the battlefield for two turns."Battle."Dystopia surged forward, its armor clanging like a warning siren. It brought its coffin-like fists down upon Gravekeeper's Chief. Sand exploded across the dueling stage as the Chief dissolved, returning to the dust of the tombs.The shockwave struck Ishizu hard, but she did not grimace.
Her hair whipped wildly, yet her posture never wavered. She remained upright and dignified, eyes calm, as her Life Points dropped again: 1900 → 1500.
Jason did not hesitate. He gestured, and Doom Lord glided across the field, scythe slicing through the desert mirage. The blade passed Ishizu directly, and she staggered back a step as the projection of its strike landed.Her Life Points fell: 1500 → 900.
The spectators reacted instantly.Rebecca gasped, clutching Connor's shoulders. "That was too close—!"Connor's wide eyes were glued to the field, his mouth slightly open. Joey slammed his fist against the rail, snarling. "Damn it! He turned it all around in one move!"
Yugi's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing with calculating intensity.
On the far side, Marik's gaze sharpened. His lips pressed together, almost a smirk, though his eyes betrayed something more complicated: pride.
He had seen this methodical cruelty before—it was Jason's teaching, Jason's philosophy, now laid bare before everyone.And yet, while the crowd gasped and reeled, Ishizu's face remained serene. Her calm was unshaken, as if she had expected this exact outcome all along. To her, this was not a setback but simply another step along the path destiny had already revealed.
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