"Field Magic activate! Temple of the Kings!"
The deep, resonant voice fell, and the entire scene both sides were in began to change.
Golden tiles paved the earth, and ancient buildings rose from the ground with a rumbling sound.
The golden and sacred palace quickly took over the entire area, dimming the light within the space. Flickering torches were placed on both sides of the hall, their faint glow illuminating the ancient text densely covering the walls.
A golden box was sealed tightly in front of the wall, and an ominous aura faintly emanated from its seams.
"It's here! The Ancient Forbidden Card!" The players started getting excited again.
What? You say why does every notable person casually pull out a forbidden card?
That's exactly right.
Although the early Yu-Gi-Oh! DM environment was simple and slow, looking back now, it was truly a time when forbidden cards were everywhere. Any random card had terrifying overpowered abilities by today's standards, but due to the one-dimensional environment of the DM era, these cards' terrifying potential couldn't be unlocked.
The Temple of the Kings is a typical example. This card was also once a forbidden card locked away for eternity, until fifteen years later when the K Consortium modified its card effect and weakened its power, allowing it to see the light of day again.
In the later parts of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime, in "Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS," the Temple of the Kings had a chance to reappear, but the version appearing in the anime had already been weakened to match the effect of the physical card.
But now there's no doubt that the Temple of the Kings in Rishid's hand has not been nerfed, and it even boasts the more powerful anime effect!
Indeed, this temple is Youyu's real target, and this super forbidden card is something he vows to get!
"While Temple of the Kings is on the field, the opponent can only Set one Magic Trap Card per turn." Rishid explained coldly, "And as the temple's guardian, my Trap Cards can be activated on the turn they're Set."
"What the hell, cheating like this, it's so powerful?" A player started losing composure.
"Set one Magic Trap Card per turn? With such an effect?"
"Must be the anime effect; the physical card version of the temple is a Continuous Magic, I remember it's only in the anime that it's Field Magic."
Rishid said grimly, "The Temple of the Kings is the sacred domain for the worship of Pharaoh, and our Gravekeeper Race bears the sacred duty of protecting this domain! My traps are set for this very purpose!"
So this is why you keep picking on the Pharaoh?
If you're so eloquent, then quickly go and pledge your loyalty to the Pharaoh!
Be sincere, Marik, break the Millennium Rod in front of Yugi, declare an oath of "I will serve you" ... maybe the Pharaoh, in good spirits, will decide to let bygones be bygones?
"Look, to resist invaders, the sacred embodiment of the guardian temple has appeared!" The man, seemingly experiencing a fit of chuunibyou, struck an exaggerated pose, "Now I'll summon the Temple Guardian Trap Monster!
Activate the Set Card - Embodiment of Apophis! After this card is activated, it is summoned in my Monster Zone as a Monster Card.
Appear, Embodiment of Apophis!"
A black mist was released from the temple's tiles, and a dark monster rose from the ground. Its form resembled that of a standing snake, with both hands emerging from the sides of its torso, each holding an archaic sword and shield. It had a humanoid head, but a snake's head also protruded from its back.
[Embodiment of Apophis, Attack Power 1600]
The NPCs watching were all astonished: "Nani? It's a Trap Monster?"
"A Trap Card that can be used as a Monster? Never heard of such a thing!"
"Doesn't that mean it can be summoned during the opponent's turn and doesn't count towards the Normal Summon limit? Isn't that a bit too strong?"
"..."
In contrast, the players had completely different reactions.
"What a useless Trap Monster, 1600 attack vanilla…"
"Don't say that, at least it can block an attack."
"Call in Canadian Insect!"
"Call in Zoma the Spirit!"
(Canadian Insect and Zoma the Spirit are both Trap Monsters. Canadian Insect can turn an opponent's monster into face-down Defense Position, while Zoma the Spirit, when destroyed by battle, inflicts damage equal to the attacking Monster's Attack to the opponent.)
Listening to this group of idiots chattering beside him, Rishid couldn't help but start feeling a bit irritated. Even more annoying was the fact that of all the cards they mentioned, he felt like he hadn't heard of a single one...
"Battle!" he shouted vigorously, "Embodiment of Apophis, direct attack!"
That serpent-like monster flew forward, its blade aimed fiercely at Youyu's head. Youyu raised his Duel Disc like a shield to block, and the blade's image slashed down on him, simultaneously taking away 1600 Life Points.
[Youyu, LP 4000 → LP 2400]
...just a scratch.
Sure enough, as expected, Rishid's deck was poor at offense. Ninety percent Traps in the deck, with what little offense there was possible, was reliant on this 1600 Attack vanilla Trap Monster.
"Set two more cards, and end the turn."
Rishid placed two more set cards in his back row.
Youyu: "My turn... Activate Graceful Charity. Draw three cards from the deck, then discard two."
With the Magic effect accelerating his draws, he drew three more cards, his gaze sharpened—it's here!
"Activate Magic Card from hand... Heavy Storm!"
A crowd of players went wild upon seeing this card. Like Mystical Space Typhoon, this card is known by almost everyone who's played the game.
The effect of Heavy Storm is simple and brutal—destroy all Magic Trap Cards on the field, just like that.
This is also one of the representative cards with powerful effects from the early days, which remain formidable even after ten or twenty years and is a frequent guest on the forbidden list.
Players were extremely excited.
"Can someone tell me if this card is available in Youyu's shop?"
"It is, but it's useless for you to ask because only those with connections can buy it; they don't sell to just anyone."
"Don't listen to that nonsense, just flaunt your assets, and you can buy it."
"..."
Heavy Storm can destroy all Magic Trap Cards on the field, including the Temple of the Kings and the Trap Card that Rishid is using as a monster.
As long as this storm passes, Youyu's win is more than half secure.
However, the storm, like a sky-reaching tornado, was stopped short at the edge of the temple. It was as if it hit an invisible wall, unable to advance further, seemingly having touched the edge of a sacred domain.
Youyu frowned slightly.
"Hmph, the Temple of the Kings is the most sacred domain, you can't destroy it so easily," Rishid said. "I've told you, the temple is full of mechanisms, and traps will punish anyone attempting to trespass.
Look! The trap that's been triggered now is this! Trap Card—Judgment of Anubis!"
Black mist emerged from the gaps between the temple's floor and bricks, quickly forming and swirling into a phantasmal entity.
It was a purple-black head, similar to a jackal. The gigantic tornado stopped before it as if trembling. The jackal's eyes glowed with sinister crimson, piercing the storm like an evil blade.
A player exclaimed: "Birusu! Is that you, Birusu?"
"Oh crap, now that you mention it, it does look like the God of Destruction, Birusu, from Dragon Ball!"
"Mister, you've got the wrong franchise; Dragon Ball is next door..."
Rishid shouted: "Judgment of Anubis is a Trap that can be activated when the opponent activates a Magic Card. It negates the card effect, destroys all opponent's monsters on the field, and inflicts damage equal to half the total attack of the destroyed monsters." (Animated effect)
However, as it stands now, Youyu's field is empty with nothing on it, so the effects of "destroying monsters and receiving damage" won't trigger.
Judgment of Anubis is also one of Rishid's signature cards, with an animated effect that makes it usable whenever the opponent "activates a Magic Card," making it extremely hard to defend against.
"Then I will now summon 'Magician's Rod' from my hand, in attack mode."
[Magician's Rod, Attack Power 1600]
This is from the same series as the 'Magician's Robe' he used before. Summoned to the field is a blue phantom resembling the Black Magician, with only the magic staff in hand having a tangible form.
"When Magician's Rod is successfully summoned, I can add a 'Black Magician' related Magic Trap Card from the deck to my hand."
Youyu chose a Trap Card from the deck and flipped it to show the opponent.
"I'm adding to my hand, 'Magician Navigation'."
The players began to get excited.
"Here it comes, here it comes! Standard Black Magic setup!"
"But it seems like Youyu doesn't have a Magical Dimension?"
"No difference, Ghouls' big brother should have walked away..."
The players all had the "anyone who doesn't understand professional commentary about this situation is a novice" look, as if the Black Wuke on Youyu's side was already a goner in their eyes.
However, the NPCs watching were all puzzled.
What are these guys talking about? Isn't Youyu still at a Life Point disadvantage?
How is the outcome determined already? Am I just not smart enough to understand?