"Could it be... I really can't defeat this guy..."
Just as Jack was sinking into self-doubt, a loud shout suddenly resonated.
"Don't give up!"
Jack snapped awake and turned to look at Yusei.
He saw Yusei's eyes still clear, firmly looking at him, saying, "Don't give up, Jack. Maybe we aren't mature yet, maybe our strength isn't enough.
But no matter how many times, if we fall, can't we just get back up again?"
Jack: "Yusei..."
"Yusei's right!"
From the side, Clero also spoke.
"Think back, Jack. We grew up in the Satellite District, in Martha's orphanage, and before the Satisfaction Alliance was formed, how many setbacks did we encounter along the way, how many times were we defeated?
But no matter how many times, we could always get back up again, couldn't we?"
Jack: "Clero..."
"Us people from the Satellite District, we're just like the roadside weeds, anyone could step on us, we've faced countless setbacks.
But in the end we always managed to stand up, didn't we? We fell time after time, and then with the help of our companions, stood up once more, which has led us to become strong like we are now, hasn't it?
Or is it that your two years of being king in the city has made you forget how we've gotten this far?"
Jack: "!"
The solitary king gently closed his eyes.
That's right, really, they've been getting through it like this all along, haven't they?
Why did he forget all this after becoming a king?
Even if he couldn't completely defeat it this time, at least he tried, at least he made an effort. Even in failure, he left his teammates with more possibilities.
Jack looked at the remaining cards in his hand.
His turn wasn't over yet, his battle wasn't over yet. Even if there were no cards left in his deck, even if there wouldn't be another turn, he still had a chance to pass hope on to his teammates.
Jack: "Setting a card face down, my turn ends!"
At the same time, the giant dragon on his field, covered in burning scarlet flames, shone even more brilliantly, raising its head to let out a red dragon's roar.
Then the World-Saving Demon Dragon spread its wings and soared, piercing the sky like a flaming meteor, disappearing into the horizon.
Jack spoke in a deep voice: "The World-Saving Demon Dragon is powerful but can only stay on the field for one turn. At the end of the turn, the World-Saving Demon Dragon returns to the Extra Deck, and I special summon the 'Red Lotus Demon Dragon' from the graveyard!"
The radiance of salvation subsided, and a pillar of fiery flames erupted skywards again. As if molten rock had formed into the body of a dragon, the wings of bone and lava spread wide, the dark red demon dragon returned to the field once more.
"Rise again, my soul, Red Lotus Demon Dragon!!!"
[Red Lotus Demon Dragon, Defense Power 2500]
Of course, this time it was in defense position.
No matter how much Jack emphasized attack and power, he's no fool. At this moment, Godwin has a Phantom Demon Emperor with an attack power of 4000 on the field, the Red Lotus Demon Dragon can't match.
Yugen smiled faintly: "The World-Saving Demon Dragon, a rare hope bestowed by the Red Dragon, in the end it's but a fleeting brilliance of a single turn, soon extinguished again."
"No, it hasn't disappeared!"
Jack declared firmly.
"Hope is indeed still there and will continue to be passed on. Even if I fall, it will still shine brightly in the hands of others!"
"Oh? Is that so."
Yugen nodded slightly again.
Impressive aura, that's the spirit.
It seems that in this duel, Jack's aura might've gotten a bit stronger with his spirit upgrade. Let's see if he can continue to bring surprises next.
"However, because you special summoned 'Red Lotus Demon Dragon' during the end phase of your turn, the effect of 'Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel' activates once again."
Yugen said calmly.
"When the opponent summons, special summons, or flips summons a monster, special summon a Phantom Demon Derivative to your field.
Come on, summon 'Phantom Demon Derivative' once more!"
[Phantom Demon Derivative, Defense Power 1000]
The three Phantom Demon Derivatives previously on the field had all been obliterated by the World-Saving Demon Dragon's attack, but now another is summoned with the ability of the Phantom Demon Emperor.
"My turn, draw."
Yugen drew a card, glanced at it, then raised his hand without hesitation.
"Once again, activate the effect of the Field Spell 'Lost Paradise.' Once per turn, when a Phantom Demon exists on my field, draw two cards from my deck.
This turn, 'Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel' is still on my field, so I'll draw two more cards from my deck."
Seeing Yugen draw more cards with Lost Paradise, everyone felt anxious again.
Those indestructible Phantom Demons, though all three Phantom Demons are ten-star monsters, at first glance the summoning conditions seem quite demanding, yet so far no matter how often they're defeated each turn they're able to revive, keeping a Phantom Demon on his field without fail each opponent's turn, using Lost Paradise's effect to draw cards relentlessly.
Clero: "Three Phantom Demons, truly a troublesome force, no matter how often we defeat them they keep reviving..."
"No, rather than the Three Phantom Demons, I think the real trouble is Godwin." Yusei said, "Three ten-star Phantom Demon cards, all cannot be normal summoned, only special summoned by each one's specific method.
Normally, simultaneously including such three cards should be difficult to manipulate but Godwin handles it as if they're extensions of his own body..."
Yusei took a deep breath and said in a deep voice.
"This guy... is dangerous."
At this moment, Yugen continued: "Once again activate the effect of 'Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel - Celestial Tyranny Fist' in the graveyard.
Once per turn, while this card exists in the graveyard, by releasing one monster from your field, return this card from the graveyard to your hand.
I release the 'Phantom Demon Derivative' on my field, returning 'Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel - Celestial Tyranny Fist' from the graveyard to my hand."
The Phantom Demon Derivative that appeared with the resurrection of the Red Lotus Demon Dragon at the end of the last turn turned into light dots and dissipated once more, absorbed into Yugen's graveyard. In exchange, a card withdrew from his graveyard, returning to Yugen's hand.
"I recover Celestial Tyranny Fist from the graveyard once more." Yugen chuckled.
Clero felt even more overwhelmed: "That troublesome card was recovered too..."
This now means they have to regard the Phantom Demon Emperor as possessing attack power of eight thousand, capable of attacking all monsters with terrifying ability.
"Now, Phantom Demon Emperor Rabiel."
Yugen lazily gave the order directly.
"Attack 'Red Lotus Demon Dragon'."
He said, looking with some anticipation at the remainder of Jack's cards in the field.
Come on, show me what card represents the hope you're passing onto your teammates.