Lava Golem.
Momono's cheek twitched.
Countless duelists and researchers study the Duel King's decks. Every deck he's used and every tactic he's employed gets analyzed.
And anyone who's tried to learn about the Duel King would never fail to recognize this monster—
—Lava Golem.
The legendary big fella that devoured the invincible Orichalcos serpent and saved the world.
Sure, it's fun to watch as a spectator. When an opponent's painstakingly summoned, soul-bound boss gets gulped down and that look of aggrieved rage crosses their face—it brings a pure, wholesome smile to millions.
Well, as long as you're not the one in the duel.
Watching his opponent calmly add the big fella to hand, Momono found his frustration impossible to put into words.
He knew what was coming. He couldn't stop it. He couldn't protect his angels.
And what's even more frustrating—
"End Phase: your 'Volcanic Queen' effect activates," Kira said. "During your End Phase, you must Tribute one of your monsters to 'Volcanic Queen'—or take 1000 damage."
The Eye chimed in: "The choice is yours! So merciful, right?"
Kira gestured politely. "Go on—choose."
Momono: "…"
A weird illusion came over him.
He felt like he wasn't dueling. He was a dog chained to a post.
The two jerks stood just outside the length of the chain, taunting him every which way. He was rabid with rage, the urge to tear them apart barely contained—but that damned chain kept him tied up. All he could do was bark himself hoarse.
"Hmm?" Kira tilted his head. "Not choosing?"
Momono took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said coldly, "I Tribute 'Airknight Parshath' to the GY."
The Volcanic Queen, with his permission, beamed. She opened her jaws and swallowed the holy knight whole. The superheated flames melted him in an instant, reducing him to a fireball that vanished in her belly.
Sated, the Queen let out a burp. Momono couldn't tell if he was imagining it, but he felt like she smiled at him.
As if to say, thanks for the meal.
Momono breathed deeply, multiple times.
He knew he'd made the right choice.
Against a pure stall opponent like this, Life Points are more precious than ever. A thousand damage is no joke; he couldn't just tank it.
And Parshath wasn't going to survive anyway. Even if not Tributed now, Lava Golem would eat him next turn.
That's the logic—but watching his holy knight get swallowed left him thinking—
—this is really damn infuriating.
He should have realized it then.
The worst was yet to come.
"My turn. Draw."
Kira drew, then immediately revealed a card from his hand.
"Spell Card 'Dual Gate': banish a copy of 'Dual Gate' from your GY to draw two cards." (Anime Card)
A second copy slid out of the GY.
"Among the two cards I sent to the GY earlier with 'Doomdog Octhros,' the other was another 'Dual Gate.' So I draw two more."
Kira drew two, paused, then slowly raised his gaze with a smile carrying a hint of danger.
Momono grit his teeth.
He knew what was coming.
But all he could do was watch.
"Tribute your 'Volcanic Queen'… and 'Tualatin' again, to Special Summon this powerhouse to your field.
My soul. My ace. Power of ruin and rebirth—
—Lava Golem, summon!"
The Volcanic Queen grunted, then dissolved into lava, dragging the innocent Tualatin along and burning him to ash.
Magma boiled. Flames roared. Rivers of molten rock surged. From the fiery chaos, a colossal form rose in a heat haze. A red-hot iron cage clamped down over Momono, forged like rails from hell itself, imprisoning him.
Literal jail time.
Momono's cheek twitched.
Lava Golem burns its controller for 1000 each Standby. He hadn't forgotten.
But that wasn't his only problem.
"Now that the Volcanic Queen has been Tributed, she's back in my GY," Kira said evenly. "Activate 'Monster Reincarnation': discard a card to add a monster from your GY to your hand.
I discard 'Learning Elf' to return 'Volcanic Queen' to my hand."
Momono: "…"
The husband-and-wife tag team, huh?
Still not done, huh?
The message was obvious. No matter what you summon, the Queen will eat it. An open scheme.
He's holding Volcanic Queen face-up. Either you don't summon and give up—or you summon and feed the Lava Couple.
And as long as 'Scrubbed Raid' remains, he can't attack anyway.
"Finally, I set one and end my turn," Kira said.
The Eye kept up the taunting: "Your turn again! The countdown to your demise is ticking—cherish your last turns!"
"Your spirit is noisy!"
Momono, already barely holding it together, grew more irritable.
"My turn. Draw!"
"At this moment, Lava Golem's effect," Kira said lazily. "You take 1000 damage."
Scalding magma splashed over Momono, making him grimace in pain.
[Masumi Momono, LP 2200 → 1200]
"Damn it… this LP is enough!" Momono snapped. "Spell Card 'Enchanting Fitting Room'! Pay 800 LP; reveal the top 4 cards of your Deck. Special Summon any Level 3 or lower Normal Monsters among them, return the rest to the Deck!"
[Masumi Momono, LP 1200 → 400]
Do or die. Against this kind of deck, that LP was already meaningless.
He had to figure something out this turn—
He revealed four.
"Special Summon 'Petit Angel'!"
[Petit Angel, DEF 900]
"Then I Tribute 'Petit Angel' and 'Lava Golem' to Tribute Summon—
—Majestic Mech - Goryu!!"
A vicious gleam flashed in Momono's eyes.
"Begone, Lava Golem!"
Lava Golem rumbled low, then its energy diffused into white light. That light gathered, coalescing into the white Goryu descending upon the field!
[Majestic Mech - Goryu, ATK 2900]
"Damn, he actually Tributed the big fella…"
The Eye grumbled, but its big eyes quickly curled into crescents again.
"Even so, your troubles aren't over," it said, eyeing Goryu with ill intent. "As long as 'Scrubbed Raid' is up, even a strong monster can't attack.
That dragon looks tasty. Heehee… next turn, Volcanic Queen eats it right up!"
With Momono at 400 LP, if he didn't feed the Queen next turn, he'd burn to death.
"I don't need your commentary!"
Momono snapped, then shouted:
"Spell Card 'Remove Trap'! Destroy a Trap on the field!
Destroy the Continuous Trap 'Scrubbed Raid'!"
The wall of absolute defense exploded. The Eye's color changed. "Ah! You—how dare you destroy Scrubbed Raid—!"
"Hahahaha! I told you, I'm not the same as those street duelists. Underestimate me and you'll pay!
Wipe him out—finish him!"
Momono's eyes were red; he was almost shouting himself hoarse.
"Majestic Mech - Goryu, direct attack!"
But as the colossal angel rose and gathered power for the finishing blow, Kira's lips curled ever so slightly.
A playful smile that sent a chill down Momono's spine.
"You just declared an attack, right?" Kira asked.
The question made Momono's heart lurch.
He blurted, "Wait, let me think—"
"Too late!" the Eye crowed. "You declared it! I heard it! Hahaha—totally fell for my stellar acting—"
Kira glanced at the floating eyeball and said with a smile, "To fall for such clumsy acting… you really are street level."
The Eye chimed in, "Exactly!"
Then realized something was off.
"Hey! Who are you calling clumsy?"
Kira ignored it and continued.
"Lava Golem is my ace. It eats the strongest monsters by Tributing and inflicts ongoing damage on the opponent.
With your LP this low, one more burn would be fatal. The simplest way to remove Lava Golem is to Tribute it…"
Momono swallowed. That smile looked more and more sinister.
"…Did you think I wouldn't account for that?"
Momono opened his mouth, but no words came.
"Playtime's over. This ends now."
Kira casually flipped his last set.
"Trap Card 'Blast Held by a Tribute.'
When a Tribute Summoned opponent's monster declares an attack: destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls. Then…"
He paused, then added meaningfully:
"…deal 1000 damage to your opponent."
Momono's eyes bulged.
Tribute Summoned monster. Attack declaration—
He looked at the already-charging Goryu, then at Kira, and croaked:
"Y-you were waiting… for me to do this from the start…"
Kira smiled and said nothing.
Boom—
Goryu detonated, and the fireball swallowed Masumi Momono.
[Momono, LP 400 → 0]
...
2 Bonus chapters at 1000 PS