This was actually quite beyond Kira's expectations.
Originally, he just wanted to make a grand entrance—some flashy special effects, a shocking debut, and then land in a classic superhero three-point pose.
He hadn't planned on landing right on top of someone's altar.
So, naturally, the people opposite immediately took him for the embodiment of their Evil God, or at least some kind of envoy.
Kira pondered for two seconds.
His original plan was simple: charge in, start a rampage, question those willing to cooperate, and beat up the unwilling until they did.
Pretty standard Knights of Hanoi style.
But now, since the other side took him for an Evil God's avatar, maybe he could make use of that.
Unfortunately, before he could put that idea into action, some unexpected variables forcibly interrupted him.
Suddenly, a bolt of pitch-black lightning shot down from the air, roaring straight at Kira.
Kira stood there, unmoving, as a transparent white magic barrier instantly unfolded over his head. The thunderous bolt struck the barrier with all its might, the shockwave spreading in every direction, but the shield held firm.
Having missed, another boom of thunderous rage echoed from the dark clouds overhead. The second bolt crashed down—not at Kira, but at the bishop standing at the edge of the altar.
The bishop's eyes went wide, and he let out a string of furious shouts as the lightning struck.
Next moment, a tremendous aura erupted from within the bishop, and a vague phantom appeared above his head.
Kira knew this state all too well.
He was being possessed by something.
"You dare trespass upon the altar and disrupt the ritual..."
The bishop's eyes turned pitch-black as he spoke slowly.
"...Unforgivable sin."
The change happened too fast, in the blink of an eye. The congregation below the altar stared in confusion, struggling to process what was happening.
This overwhelming pressure—this force that crushed their spirits, making them afraid to raise their heads or even breathe deeply—there was no mistaking it. It was the familiar, suffocating presence of the Evil God.
The bishop's condition was exactly like when he'd been possessed before. It seemed the Evil God had once again manifested in him.
So, did that mean the young man who descended from the sky earlier wasn't the Evil God's avatar after all?
"You're the so-called Evil God?" Kira asked.
The bishop glared coldly, offering no reply.
"The real deal coming out personally? Even better." Kira nodded. "I was going to start with your underlings and work my way up to you, but since you're here, that saves me some trouble."
He directly activated his Duel Disk.
The bishop—or rather, the thing possessing him—stared at Kira for a moment.
Then, in a hoarse voice, said, "Humans only accomplish things in their own little worlds, and then think themselves invincible. Very well."
The bishop extended his hand, and the swirling darkness behind him condensed around his arm, forming the shape of a Duel Disk. Dark mist gathered in the slot, materializing a deck of cards.
"Duel!" ×2
[Kira, LP 4000]
[Bishop, LP 4000]
"I'll go first. Draw."
Kira took the first turn.
He quickly glanced at his hand.
"I set a monster in face-down Defense Position."
A face-down monster card appeared in his back row.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Card Destruction,'" Kira said. "Both players discard their entire hands, then draw the same number of cards from their decks."
Both players discarded, then redrew.
"Finally, I set a card face-down. End of turn," Kira announced.
A duel had suddenly broken out atop the altar. The cultists exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to react to this new development.
"Stacking up defenses and graveyard resources, hmm?" the bishop remarked. "But the risk of 'Card Destruction' is that, while you're building your own graveyard, you're also giving your opponent the same chance."
"True."
Kira smiled.
"So, Evil God, you'd better seize this opportunity."
Bishop: "My turn. Draw."
He also glanced quickly at his hand, then, without hesitation, played two cards.
"I set a monster in face-down Defense Position," the bishop declared, "then set one Spell/Trap face-down. End turn."
"Oh, not attacking? Isn't that a waste of a rare chance?" Kira grinned.
The bishop ignored him. "Your turn."
"So cold. Looks like the Evil God isn't much of a talker." Kira laughed.
Bishop: "If you're trying to probe me, don't bother."
"That's not it. Just making small talk. My turn—draw."
Kira casually flipped over his face-down monster.
"Since you're not coming for me, I'll take the initiative.
I flip-summon 'Witch of the Black Forest.'"
The cloaked witch leapt from the card, standing quietly in the center of the field.
"Next, I flip my face-down card. Trap Card: 'Armory Call.'"
A green vortex appeared above Kira's field, like a portal.
"Armory Call lets me add an Equip Spell from my Deck to my hand. If I have a valid target, I can equip it immediately."
A monster card popped out of Kira's deck. He showed it.
"I add 'Wonder Wand' to my hand."
The deck reshuffled itself.
"Wonder Wand can be equipped to a Spellcaster. Witch of the Black Forest qualifies. I equip it, boosting her ATK by 500."
A magical staff materialized, coalescing in the witch's hand.
[Witch of the Black Forest, ATK 1100→1600]
"Wonder Wand's effect: send both it and the equipped monster to the Graveyard to draw two cards."
The witch swung the wand, unleashing its final magic, then both she and the wand vanished.
"Wand's effect to draw cards," the bishop noted. "And the witch's search ability will trigger, right?"
"Oh? You know your stuff."
Kira drew two cards, smiling.
"Correct. Now, Witch of the Black Forest's effect activates.
When she's sent to the Graveyard, I add a monster with 1500 or less DEF from my Deck to my hand.
I'll add this one."
Another card popped out of his deck; he took it.
"I add this monster with 0 DEF to my hand—'Chaos Summoning Beast.'"
…