Yugen: "Set one card, turn over."
Malik instinctively brushed off the virtual water on him. Though he had taken some losses in the first skirmish, he found it interesting.
After all, Malik had been playing cards for many years, but rarely encountered opponents who shared his interests. Although the first encounter today was just a simple probe from both sides, his intuition had already told him that the person in front of him might be a kindred spirit.
A duelist of the same type as himself, but now one who has ascended to the throne at the top of the world, any duelist would have thoughts upon meeting him.
It made Malik more convinced that his understanding of card play and dueling direction was correct, and also filled him with anticipation for the class and clash with this person.
Malik: "My turn, draw!"
Malik directly took the Bloodsucking Maggot from the Duel Disc and replaced it with a new Monster Card.
"Sacrifice 'Speed Attack Bloodsucker,' Upper-level Summon!
The demon general who masters the power of darkness and confuses hearts, descends here—
—Demon General Star, Summon!"
Golden lightning struck the ground, exploding into a giant shadow of a demon. Its red body was clad in steel armor, wrapped in thunder all over, with lightning seeming to flash in its eyes.
Demon General Star, the evolved form of Demon Summon. Same star level, same panel, but granted a more powerful Monster Effect.
[Demon General Star, Attack Power 2500]
"When Demon General Star is successfully Upper-leveled Summoned, you can choose a 'Demon' monster of level 6 from your graveyard and Special Summon it in Defense Position."
Malik pulled the demon sent to the grave last turn, instantly playing it.
"Great Master of Demon Swordsmanship, Tawa Scimitar Demon, Summon!"
The green-bodied demon, holding a scimitar in each hand, descended gloomily onto the field.
[Tawa Scimitar Demon, Defense Power 2150]
Though the General Star's ability is strong, allowing it to immediately summon higher-level demons, its entrance is restricted to Defense Position, thus it can't launch attacks immediately.
"Battle," Malik said, "Demon General Star, attack 'Submarine Robot'."
The black claw of the demon struck fiercely, golden thunder crashing down, smashing the small submarine No. 2 in the electric light.
"At least the troublesome submarine is dealt with," Malik said.
The combination of the submarine and machine city, striking with 1800 damage, exerts strong pressure in a four-thousand blood environment. If not dealt with quickly, lingering for one or two turns would directly wipe a person out.
"Next, set one card, turn over."
Yugen said: "My turn, draw."
He drew a card and narrowed his eyes, then first picked out two cards from his hand.
"Set two cards on the field."
Malik felt a stir in his heart.
Starting the main phase with a set card, huh?
Yugen said: "Then activate the Magic Card 'Life-Reducing Treasure Scroll'!
Draw cards from the deck until the hand becomes five. In the preparation phase after five turns, discard all cards in hand." (Original effect)
Malik said: "President Kaiba's usual card, huh."
Using DM's famous draw engine instantly replenishes ammunition. As his sight swept over the newly drawn five cards, catching a glimpse of one among them, Yugen's mouth couldn't help but curl up.
Finally came.
Indeed, if the opponent is Mr. Malik, without this card it would ultimately feel like something is missing. Drawing five violently at once, I finally drew it.
Yet he didn't urgently make a move, instead raising his head and saying: "If you know about my past, you should know that my exposure to dueling...or to say, my debut was much later than you and Isis senior."
Back when you were top duelists standing at the absolute peak, I was still only half-understanding dueling."
These words were also true. Not just referring to Yugen's original body after crossing, it was actually the same for himself. Back when the DM anime was aired to the Duel City arc, he was still playing with mud, though he knew about the "Yu-Gi-Oh!" IP, his card skills were only limited to clumsy mimics of characters in the animation with friends, even often recreating mouth scenes.
"When I saw you back then, I suddenly realized that the duelist I aspired to become was exactly someone like you.
It was because of your inspiration that I have walked the road of a duelist to this day."
Malik felt a stir in his heart.
"You..."
For a moment, he was overwhelmed with emotions, unable to speak.
Although Duel City was Malik's personal peak, it was also a black history he wasn't quite willing to recall.
During that period, his personality was devoured by inner darkness, committing many despicable acts, hurting many people he wouldn't want to harm. Later, though the inner personality was eradicated, many sins still remained on him, unable to shake off.
Yet, today is the first time he realized that even someone like him, could possibly inspire juniors and become an object for later generations to aspire towards?
And the youth who once looked up to him back then, is now at the pinnacle of the dueling realm, reaching heights he himself never touched...
So, is it possible that what he left for this world wasn't just sin and hatred?
Malik suddenly felt closer to this sunny youth, a surge of good feelings filling his heart.
Well, this state likely only lasted about two seconds.
Until Yugen continued: "Then let Mr. Malik see what I've learned from you, my ace, my soul!
Sacrifice 'Demon General Star,' 'Tawa Scimitar Demon,' and offer this powerful monster to Mr. Malik!
Awakened from the abyssal lava, the power of destruction and rebirth—
—Level 8, Lava Demon God!"
Malik: "..."
The two great demons were swallowed by the scorching lava rolling up from the ground, their sturdy demon bodies instantly incinerated to ashes in the magma. The flame consumed the demon completely, seemingly turning into nourishment for some stronger existence.
Then a giant hand extended from the magma, a huge palm slammed onto the ground. The Molten Giant, burning all over, rose up, the flaming iron cage trapping Malik inside, even the space within seemed charred red by lava.
Mr. Malik might never dream of finding himself one day inside this cage.
No...
Malik's face twitched.
You said what you've learned from me... it's this thing?
[Lava Demon God, Defense Power 2500]
"Of course, summoning the Lava Demon God means I can't proceed with a Normal Summon this turn." Yugen said, "However, Special Summoning is still possible."
He pressed the trigger button behind the Duel Disc.
"Activate the card set last turn, Continuous Trap 'Call of the Living Dead,' Special Summon 'Submarine Robot' from the grave, return to the field in Attack Position!"
[Submarine Robot, Attack Power 800]
Malik: "!"
It's this thing again?
Looking at the Lava Demon God, then at the Submarine ramping up on the other side, Malik suddenly seemed to realize what was going to happen next.