[The Wicked Avatar] Level 10│DIVINE│Wicked God/Effect│? ATK/? DEF
Hell from turn one—faster than Miles had imagined, the black sphere that hovered in the sky descended as The Wicked Avatar.
Miles muttered, "So stopping an ace monster with a blitz tactic really is the low road, huh."
And yet Miles himself was a man of clear conscience and justice.
To avoid a head‑on clash with an opponent's ace—that kind of underhanded tactic was hard for him to execute.
"Reappear here, O darkness of the abyss—my strongest god!"
As the masked Pope of the Old Dominators chanted, the abyssal darkness that came with the strongest Wicked God began eroding the entire town.
"Ahhhh!"
"What is happening?!"
"Help!"
From atop the bell tower came the faint screams of the townspeople below.
Miles looked down; the girl's emerald eyes trembled. "No way—the land is being tainted by the abyss?!"
Centered on the cathedral bell tower, the surrounding ground turned to abyssal mire. The bottomless black did not destroy buildings, but anything living that touched it sank into the abyss.
And the darkness was spreading outward from the cathedral.
Thankfully, Miles had placed the unconscious Kaima a fair distance from the church—otherwise, she would already have been a sacrifice to the abyss.
"Why is this happening?"
Before this duel, The Wicked Avatar, lord of the abyss, had descended twice.
However, the erosion of the land by the abyssal dark had happened only now, in this duel with Miles.
"The two earlier duels were mere rituals to bring my god down in truth. Now, with the Seth siblings' life sources as the sacrifice, this duel will bring true salvation to this world!"
Though the mask hid his expression, his voice alone conveyed fanatical conviction.
As leader of the Old Dominators, he believed in the abyss more than anyone—so far gone that he would drag this city and all its people into the darkness he called "salvation."
"The Wicked Avatar's effect: once descended, it will forever remain the strongest on the field!"
The pitch‑black sun shifted shape, its Attack rising to 1 point above the highest Attack or Defense on the field.
At this moment, Utopia and Stardust Dragon each had 2500 Attack.
Thus, The Wicked Avatar's final form sprouted a dragon's claw and wing on the left, and armor with a long sword on the right—
[The Wicked Avatar, ATK: ? → 2501]
—a pure‑black fusion of dragon and warrior, grotesquely stitched from Stardust and Utopia.
A full‑blown abyssal monstrosity. That was everyone's shared impression as they watched the sky duel.
"Go—fight and annihilate everything, Avatar!"
Declaring the Battle Phase, the Pope pointed at Miles, commanding the stitched abomination.
"Either target will do—let's crush the Xyz first!"
Targeting Number 39: Utopia, the half‑dragon head and pitch‑black starblade struck together.
Miles countered, "Utopia's effect activates! When an opponent's monster declares an attack: detach 1 Xyz Material to negate that attack—'Light Wing Shield'!"
The barrier of hope that had saved Miles countless times—but not this time. The shining shield shattered instantly.
He had only wanted to test the Avatar's resistances once more.
With absolute immunity to card effects, The Wicked Avatar's attack could not be negated. Even a Trap like Magic Cylinder couldn't stop it.
What's more, after The Wicked Avatar was summoned, for two turns calculated during the opponent's turns, Miles was sealed from activating Spells/Traps at all.
[Number 39: Utopia destroyed]
[Miles, LP: 4000 → 3999]
The 1 point of damage barely stung his body in a Shadow Game.
Anyhow, watching his monster be destroyed without resistance left a hollow ache, as if part of his soul were torn away.
With Utopia gone, The Wicked Avatar's form changed again—now a dragon wreathed in pitch‑black stardust.
"My turn ends."
After battle, the Pope ended his turn, leaving a white Stardust and a black Stardust facing off in the sky.
"My turn, draw!"
Even with only one monster on the field, Miles still had no way to handle the strongest Wicked God.
[Upon this card's successful Summon, your opponent cannot activate Spells/Traps for 2 turns, counted during their turns.]
Unable to use Spells or Traps, what could he do against a monster unbeatable in battle?
"My turn ends."
Doing nothing for a turn—this was likely the first time Miles had been so utterly suppressed.
Stardust: "Sigh! Did you just sell me out, Miles?"
Miles: "In general theoretical terms… yes."
He had planned to rush with twin aces, but with the Avatar out on turn one, tactics had to change.
First, he had to survive the two‑turn seal on Spells/Traps.
"Do you really have time to idle?" the Pope suddenly asked.
"Hm?"
"Behold the land, welcoming the abyss's salvation!"
"Masaka!"
Sensing danger from his words, Miles looked down again.
The devouring darkness had spread further.
And not only from the cathedral outward—an outer ring of abyss had appeared around town, spreading inward.
Hemmed in before and behind, the townsfolk could only watch their footing swallowed by blackness.
Life's foothold was being stripped away—because this duel continued.
"This duel is the final rite. With each passing turn, the abyss spreads until it engulfs the town. Well? How does it feel to hold countless lives in your hand?"
Arms raised, even through the mask Miles could feel the Pope's fanatical zeal aimed at him.
"To command life and death—that is godhood! In this moment, both you and I are gods! How does it feel, Miles?"
"If that's what being a god feels like, I'd rather be human!"
The distant screams of fleeing residents forced Miles to think faster—he needed a way to end this quickly.
"My turn, draw."
The eyes behind the mask glanced over his card.
"It seems I'll be the one to hasten the end—Equip Spell [Big Bang Shot], activate!"
The god on turn one; the finisher on turn two. The same Equip that felled Kaima.
With Big Bang Shot equipped, The Wicked Avatar could strike Miles's Life Points even harder.
"Destroy Stardust Dragon by battle! —'Abyssal Meteor Resonance!'"
Pitch‑black stardust clashed with true starlight—and once again, light lost to darkness.
[Stardust Dragon destroyed]
[Miles, LP: 3999 → 3998]
Time and again, monsters of light fell to the abyssal dark of the strongest Wicked God.
In this duel broadcast in the sky, each fall only spread despair and fear among the crowd.
In the face of the Avatar, it seemed there was no hope of counterattack.
"Big Bang Shot's effect: you take damage equal to half of Stardust Dragon's Attack!"
This time, that 1 point of battle damage became a storm of black star‑fragments that ripped away a huge chunk of Miles's Life Points.
[Miles, LP: 3998 → 2748]
A powerful gust tore past him; unlike Kaima's tall, voluptuous frame, Aisha's body was far too light. Dueling in darkness at the tower's edge, one misstep and he could be blown off before the duel even ended.
[The Wicked Avatar, ATK: 0]
With Stardust Dragon destroyed, The Wicked Avatar reverted to its pure black sphere.
"My turn ends."
Aside from the Elder Entity summon on turn one, the Pope's dueling was nearly as simple as even Aisha's grandmother could manage—his reliance was entirely on the Wicked God's invincibility. And the most infuriating part was that nothing could counter such a force.
"My turn, draw."
This was Miles's second turn under the Avatar's Spell/Trap seal; once it ended, he could act freely again.
"I Set a monster in face-down Defense Position and Set one card. Turn end!"
That was all he could do—for now. Even as the abyss gnawed at the town with every passing turn, he could only bide his time and await the faintest chance at victory.
"My turn, draw."
As the Pope began his turn, the abyssal seal binding Miles's backrow finally dissolved.
"The seal has lifted. Perfect timing—I draw a servant of my own! I activate Spell Card [Nadir Servant]!"
Though calling it a servant, what he played was a Spell. A light opposite yet eerily linked to the abyss shone on the field.
[Send 1 monster from your Extra Deck to the GY; add 1 "Dogmatika" monster or 1 "Fallen of Albaz" from your Deck or GY to your hand, with ATK less than or equal to the sent monster's ATK. For the rest of this turn after this card resolves, you cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck.]
"I send [Elder Entity N'tss] from my Extra Deck to the GY! Since it has 2500 ATK, I add [Dogmatika Ashiyan] with 2000 ATK from my Deck to my hand!"
"Dogmatika?!"
The name shocked Aisha. According to what Camille, spirit of the Millennium Key, had told them, the Dogmatika were a church in Livorden's west—opposed to the abyss-worshipping Old Dominators. And the saint who once possessed Lishia to battle the cultists had been Dogmatika Ecclesia herself. That made Camille's words all the more credible.
Yet here, a Dogmatika card lay in the Old Dominators Pope's hand.
Aisha asked, confused, "What is this? Isn't it too confusing? There has to be some huge conspiracy, Miles!"
Miles said, "Don't get distracted, Aisha. No matter how twisted the truth is, our only job is to win this duel. When we do, breaking his mask will reveal all."
"You think you can still win? Then feel the punishment of the Elder Ones! I activate [Elder Entity N'tss]'s effect!"
[If this card is sent to the GY: Target 1 card on the field; destroy it.]
Like Norden, N'tss wielded the ocean's might. Sent to the GY, it destroyed one of Miles's cards.
With only a set monster and two face-downs, the Pope targeted the backrow.
"Destroy your leftmost Set."
"Tch. Then I chain its effect!"
If it was going to be destroyed anyway, he might as well use it.
"Continuous Trap [Court of Cards]!"
It could revive one of the knights each turn, but only if no monsters were on the field. Instead, he used its second effect.
[Banish King's, Queen's, and Jack's Knight from your hand/GY; draw 1 card for each.]
"I banish the three knights from my Graveyard to draw three cards!"
Light traced three blades across the sky, transforming into cards that dropped into Miles's hand.
[Court of Cards destroyed]
"No matter what you draw, destiny won't change. I activate [Dogmatika Ashiyan] from my hand!"
[If a Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz monster is sent to either GY: Special Summon this card from your hand.]
"Since Elder Entity N'tss was sent to the GY, I Special Summon Dogmatika Ashiyan!"
[Dogmatika Ashiyan] Level 8│LIGHT│Spellcaster/Effect│2000 ATK/1500 DEF
The Dogmatika disciple slashed open reality and entered the duel. And with a new monster on the field, The Wicked Avatar changed shape—now a black reflection of the Dogmatika.
[The Wicked Avatar, ATK: 2001]
"Battle! I want to see which gives way first—you or the city itself, Miles!"
The Avatar struck first at Miles's set monster, triggering Junk Barrage to add even more damage if successful.
Abruptly, then, flipped face-up, the monster revealed itself: [Crowned by the World Chalice]!
[Crowned by the World Chalice] Level 2│WATER│Spellcaster│0 ATK/2100 DEF
A priestess with steel-plated defense, her DEF exceeded the Dogmatika's ATK.
And at that moment, the Avatar transformed again—
[The Wicked Avatar, ATK: 2101]
—into a twisted black duplicate of the priestess.
The copy's water aura surged, overwhelming her and destroying the priestess instantly.
Miles's white bangs drifted in the splash. "Too bad. World Chalice's ATK is 0, so Junk Barrage won't deal damage."
"Then try this—Dogmatika Ashiyan, direct attack!"
The disciple lunged, claw aimed at Aisha's pale cheek.
"When an opponent declares a direct attack: I banish [Clear Kuriboh] from my GY to draw a card! If it's a monster, Special Summon it!"
The classic combo with Joker's Straight discarding Clear Kuriboh. Miles drew—and it was a monster.
"I Special Summon in Defense Position—[Mokey Mokey Adrift]!"
[Mokey Mokey Adrift] Level 1│LIGHT│Fairy/Effect│300 ATK/100 DEF
The tofu-like block with a question mark floated before him.
"Hm?"
Something felt wrong. From the start, Miles's monsters were odd.
"Why are they all weaklings?"
It was his first duel against Miles and Aisha's Decks. He had expected knights, Stardust, and Utopia to represent their true strength—yet these so-called weaklings were the Deck's real core.
"Strong rare Spells may have increased, but in the end, it's these old friends that work best!"
Miles flipped his other Set card.
"—Trap Card activate: [The League of Uniform Nomenclature]!"
[Select 1 face-up Level 2 or lower Normal Monster you control; Special Summon as many monsters as possible with the same name from your Deck.]
"Because of [Mokey Mokey Adrift]'s effect, it's treated as 'Mokey Mokey.' So I can Special Summon all same-named cards from my Deck!"
Drawing out his Deck from the Spirit Eyes, Miles spread it wide in a flourish.
"For victory, I'll reunite with my old friends! I Special Summon 3 Mokey Mokey from my Deck!"
[Mokey Mokey, DEF: 100] ×3
Only possible with Mokey Mokey Adrift on the field—he pulled out three more Mokey Mokeys at once.
"Even if you gather more weaklings, they're still weaklings."
Dogmatika Ecclesiastes attacked again, this time shredding Mokey Mokey Adrift with its claws.
"If you're just stalling, then this city will be swallowed by the abyss before you. I Set two cards and end my turn."
With the Avatar's Spell/Trap seal ended, the Pope finally set cards to his backrow.
"Stalling? Sorry, I've never once thought of stalling! My turn, draw!"
The card he drew gleamed like the blade once passed to him by the Court of Cards knights. It was an old tactic from half a year ago, back when his Deck was incomplete—obsolete since Aisha became a Royal Knight with access to rare cards from the vault.
Regardless, now, facing the strongest Wicked God, he chose this shocking path: reverting to his oldest cards.
Because against the theoretical strongest monster, none of the rare Spells—Raigeki, Dark Hole, Mirror Force, Magic Cylinder—could work.
Only his old friends might bring victory.
"Shining hexagram, become the light that pierces the Wicked God!"
He slammed down two Spells.
"I change my three Mokey Mokey to Attack Position! Then I activate [Triangle Power]!"
[All face-up Level 1 Normal Monsters you control (except Tokens) gain 2000 ATK/DEF until the End Phase. Destroy them during the End Phase.]
[Mokey Mokey, ATK: 300 → 2300] ×3
The three weaklings now blazed with power. As their ATK rose past Ecclesiastes's 2000, The Wicked Avatar morphed again—into a black tofu block with a question mark face.
[The Wicked Avatar, ATK: 2301]
"Bakana! My god, in such a ridiculous form?!"
Aisha yelled, "That's super cute, actually!"
"In any case, raising ATK is useless. No matter how high, you'll never surpass the Wicked God!"
"I admit it can't be surpassed. Even so, it can be bypassed—with this card!"
He revealed the second Spell—a strategy he had once used in the mountain duel against a Shadow Duelist.
"It's up to you, old friends! Overlay your triangles, ignite your limit! Spell Card activate—[Delta Attacker]!"
With Delta Attacker, the doubled triangles became a six-pointed star, a hexagram piercing the abyss.
[If you control 3 Normal Monsters with the same name (except Tokens): They can attack your opponent directly this turn.]
"Direct attacks with three monsters of the same name?" The Pope's masked face betrayed nothing.
Three Mokey Mokey fulfilled the requirement, each now with 2300 ATK.
Encircled by the shining hexagram, they shone like true angels.
"If I can't beat the Avatar, then I'll beat the Duelist! Go, Mokey Mokey—Seraphic Hexa-Impact!"
Together they struck for 6900 damage—far more than the Pope's 3000 LP after Instant Fusion's cost.
"Please succeed…!"
The town below, watching the sky duel, prayed as one.
But—
"Pathetic. You've lost."
[Dogmatika Ecclesiastes, LP: 3000]
"Continuous Trap Card [Spirit Barrier]!"
[While you control a monster, you take no battle damage.]
As the Mokey Mokeys charged, the Trap flipped open, crushing all hope. If even one monster stood on the Pope's field, no battle damage could be dealt.
The Wicked God could never be removed. And with Spirit Barrier, even direct attacks were null.
Hope turned to despair. Fear spread through the town, hastening the abyss's advance.
"It's useless."
"There's no way to win."
"That monster has no weakness."
"Such a duel is unwinnable."
Seeing the Avatar paired with Spirit Barrier, even Academy duelists despaired.
Tonight was an endless nightmare.
"Who says it's over?!"
A girl's sharp cry rang from the sky, jolting hearts awake.
"Keep going, Mokey Mokey—Impact!!"
Though Spirit Barrier blocked the first direct strike, Miles ordered another. The target shifted—to Dogmatika Ecclesiastes.
Once more, the Mokey Mokey streaked through the dark, striking true. Its mask shattered—along with the Pope's half-mask, exposing part of his aged face.
"You… still resist?"
For the first time, surprise flickered in his eyes.
"A true Duelist never gives up until the end!"
Aisha Carlos's resolute voice was the starlight that checked the abyss's spread.
As if to say to all: if the ones fighting haven't given up, how could you choose despair?
...
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