The shadow of the demon dragon, like black mist, spat out an energy blast wrapped in black lightning, blasting Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon into fragments. Pale blue flames and shattered branches fell onto the field, crackling as they hit the ground.
"Next is the effect of the Snoww, Unlight of Dark World I just discarded. When this card is discarded to the Graveyard by a card effect, add 1 Dark World card from your Deck to your hand."
Just as the assassin was about to draw her card, Alice shouted coldly, "Then at this moment, I activate Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon's final effect. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, Special Summon 2 FIRE Level 1 monsters from your Graveyard.
"I choose to Special Summon Snake-Eye Ash and Snake-Eyes Poplar from my Graveyard!"
The pale blue flames on the field suddenly surged upward. The broken branches flew into the fire, and the two Snake-Eye monsters reappeared within the blaze.
[Snake-Eye Ash, DEF 1000]
[Snake-Eyes Poplar, DEF 200]
"It can even revive its own monsters!? Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon is such a strong monster!" Alicia was once again stunned by the strength of Alice's monsters, and Yuui did not deny it.
"The Sinful Spoils cards are, in many cases, simply stronger than our HERO cards. And Alice has incredible mastery over her own effects. Even with an incomplete Sinful Spoils Deck, she can still suppress her opponent for a while."
The assassin stared at the two newly returned Snake-Eye monsters. Beneath her mask, her eyes narrowed slightly before she continued, "I add the monster card Parl, Hermit of Dark World from my Deck to my hand."
"Parl, huh." Yuui raised an eyebrow, then hurriedly explained Parl's effect and his suspicions to Alicia. Alicia turned pale and repeated Yuui's words exactly to Alice.
After hearing Parl's effect and Yuui's deduction, Alice frowned. Just then, the assassin drew the card she needed.
Alice deftly reacted: "Then now, Snake-Eye Ash and Snake-Eyes Poplar's effects activate.
"Snake-Eye Ash: when this card is Normal or Special Summoned, add 1 FIRE Level 1 monster from your Deck to your hand. Snake-Eyes Poplar: when this card is Normal or Special Summoned, add 1 Snake-Eye Spell/Trap from your Deck to your hand.
"I add the Spell Card Sinful Spoils of Subversion - Snake-Eye and the FIRE Level 1 monster Snake-Eye Birch from my Deck to my hand!"
Destroying a single Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon had only caused Alice to summon two monsters and search two more cards. The assassin's decision to destroy Flamberge Dragon had turned out to be completely wrong.
The assassin fell silent for a moment, then placed a card into the Field Zone.
"I Set a card in my Field Zone, then activate—"
"I activate Diabellze the Original Sinkeeper's effect!!" Before the assassin could flip the Field card, Alice cut her off sharply. "Once per turn, while this card is in the Monster Zone, if a Spell/Trap is Set on the field, target 1 card you control and 1 card your opponent controls; destroy them.
"I choose to destroy my Snake-Eyes Poplar and the card you Set in your Field Zone!!"
Diabellze raised her staff, unleashing two golden beams of magic that blasted apart Snake-Eyes Poplar and the assassin's Set Field card.
"Snake-Eyes Poplar's final effect activates. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, target 1 FIRE monster in your Graveyard; place it face-up in its owner's Spell/Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell.
"I choose Snake-Eyes Poplar itself, placing it as a Continuous Spell in my Spell/Trap Zone."
The adorable Snake-Eyes spirit appeared in Alice's backrow, greeting her cheerfully. Watching this, the assassin's expression behind her mask grew darker and colder, her red eyes glowing like a volcano on the verge of erupting.
Although, in the end, she only said icily, "Then I activate the effect of Grapha in my Graveyard. This card lets me return 1 Dark World monster I control, other than Grapha, to my hand, then Special Summon Grapha from the Graveyard.
"I return Brron, Mad King of Dark World from my field to my hand, then Special Summon Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World!!"
BOOM!!
Purple demonic lightning fell. Darkness swallowed the fiend. The thunder became nourishment for the coming devil-god. In that mad, shrieking laughter, a dragon's roar shook the sky.
"ROOOOAR!!"
Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World — descends!
[Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World, ATK 2700]
"I activate the Trap Card Startling Stare of the Snake-Eyes!!" Alice shouted. "If the combined Levels of the Snake-Eye monsters I control is 2 or more, target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; that monster is treated as a Continuous Spell and placed face-up in its owner's Spell/Trap Zone.
"I target your Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World, and place it as a Continuous Spell in your backrow!!"
The phantom of Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon roared forth. The crimson jewel on its head glowed intensely, firing a scarlet beam that turned Grapha's once-solid form transparent—then sealed it as a Continuous Spell in the assassin's backrow.
Alicia swallowed hard. Even though she'd said it many times already, she still couldn't help but think: Alice was simply too strong.
Even though her opponent was a Magus, Alice was overpowering her with the strength of a Great Magician—an overwhelming force.
Abruptly, then, the assassin across from her spoke calmly: "Then I Set another card, and activate the Spell Card Into the Void. This card can only be activated when you have 3 or more cards in your hand. Draw 1 card from your Deck, and during this turn's End Phase, discard your entire hand."
"Eh (゜Д゜)? Such a huge drawback!"
Alicia was shocked that anyone would still use such a card, but Yuui immediately reminded her, "Idiot, she isn't after the draw. She wants to discard her hand!"
"Oh, right! If she discards, her monster effects can activate again! But she only has four cards left. How many monsters can she even have in there?"
On the other side, the assassin drew another card, glanced at it, and under her mask showed a faint, exhausted smile.
"Looks like I won't need Into the Void's effect after all." The assassin gave a cold laugh. "I Set another card, then activate the Spell Card Graceful Charity. Draw 3 cards, then discard 2!!
"I choose to discard two monsters: Parl, Hermit of Dark World, and Kahkki, Guerilla of Dark World!"
Perhaps the Dark World spirits hated terms like "angel," so the assassin had not drawn this extremely fitting Spell Card until now. But finally, she could use it.
"Then right now, Parl's effect activates. When this card is discarded to the Graveyard by a card effect, target 1 Dark World monster in your Graveyard other than Parl; Special Summon it to either field. I target Ceruli, Guru of Dark World in my Graveyard and Special Summon it—onto your field!"
The assassin pointed at Alice, then continued: "Next is the effect of Kahkki. When this card is discarded to the Graveyard by a card effect, target 1 monster on the field and destroy it.
"I choose your Diabellze the Original Sinkeeper—destroy that troublesome monster, Kahkki!!"
A short, grotesque, headless demon with a bone dagger appeared behind Diabellze and stabbed toward her back.
"Sister!"
The Black Witch spirit beside them cried out, but Diabellze only shook her head. Turning around, she swiped her claw and sent Kahkki flying.
Even so, her form slowly shattered and faded away. Yet before disappearing fully, Diabellze bowed slightly in Alicia's direction and said, "Please fight alongside my master and defeat this powerful foe."
Alicia was stunned by the request, while Alice only snorted coldly.
"Hmph. I don't need her. I can defeat this woman myself!"
"Is that so? Then let's see." The assassin continued, "Next, Parl's effect continues—return to the field, Ceruli!!!"
A silver-gray fiendish silhouette appeared on the assassin's field. It gripped its staff with both hands and slammed it onto the ground.
BOOM!!
A bolt of purple lightning fell, and that unsettling, hunched demon reappeared once again—on Alice's field.
[Ceruli, Guru of Dark World, ATK 100, Controller: Alice]
"Then, at this moment, Ceruli's effect activates. When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a Dark World card, your opponent chooses 1 card from their hand to discard.
"Since this monster is under your control, both you and your friend must discard 1 card!" the assassin said to Alice.
"She and I are not friends. She was nothing more than a toy I once used to pass the time."
"Eh!?"
Alicia froze mid-motion at those words, but the assassin seemed unconcerned about their relationship.
"The card I discarded just now was Reign-Beaux, Overlord of Dark World. When this card is discarded to the Graveyard by your opponent's effect, it Special Summons itself."
Golden lightning burst forth from the Dark World Gate. A horned demon clad in pitch-black armor shining with rainbow hues, wielding a golden lance, descended upon the field.
[Reign-Beaux, Overlord of Dark World, ATK 2500]
"Now then, Reign-Beaux's effect activates. Since it was Special Summoned by its own effect, I choose 1 of its effects to apply.
"I choose the first effect—destroy all monsters you control!!"
...
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