The older brother nodded calmly. "What a coincidence. My Deck contains 'Water Demon God Suijin.' I add it to my hand."
He searched his Deck and added the card.
In the stands, Daichi Misawa frowned. "They are cleverly using the rule that teammates count as opponents in Tag Duel."
"It is a Deck built specifically for team play," Asuka Tenjoin said quietly.
The brothers raised their arms together.
"We will show you!"
"The true meaning of Tag Duel!"
"Very impressive," Yugen said. "Then I activate my face down Trap Card 'Mind Crush.' I declare a card name. If that card is in your hand, you must discard it. If not, I discard one random card."
The two froze. "Nani?!?!"
Yugen smiled slightly.
"I declare 'Water Demon God Suijin.'"
The brothers exchanged looks and clicked their tongues. Reluctantly, they revealed the freshly searched card and sent it to the Graveyard through their Duel Disk.
"What a coincidence," Yugen said in a cheerful tone that echoed the older brother's earlier mockery. "You just happened to have 'Water Demon God Suijin.' Such good luck."
The veins on their bald foreheads bulged as their anger rose.
Paradox Brother (Younger) took a deep breath and pulled out another card. "I have not used my Normal Summon this turn. I Summon Kaiser Sea Horse in Attack Position."
Kaiser Sea Horse appeared on his field with 1700 ATK. He set one more card face down and ended his turn with a cold expression.
When they accepted this commission, they had heard it was a Penalty Duel arranged by Duel Academy against two first year students, so they had not taken it too seriously. But before the real clash had even begun, two of their three Demon Gods were already gone, one sent to Underworld and one to Different Dimension. Even in their long history of Tag Duels, that was rare.
The brothers exchanged a glance and understood each other at once. This Duel might not be as easy as they expected. Losing was out of the question, but it seemed they would need to put in more effort. After all, they were legends who had once fought Yugi Muto. Losing a team Duel to two freshmen from Duel Academy would be a joke.
"My turn, Card Draw!" Judai Yuki said. "First I activate the Spell Card Pot of Greed and draw two cards from my Deck. Then I set one monster in the Front Row and set two more cards. I end my turn."
Like in the anime, the academy's Tag rules did not allow anyone to attack on their first turn. Only after all four players had taken a turn could the Battle Phase begin. The students watching from the stands held their breath, knowing the real fight was about to start.
"My turn, Card Draw." It was Paradox Brother (Elder)'s move again. "I activate the Spell Card Monster Reincarnation."
He discarded a card to Graveyard. "With Monster Reincarnation, I discard one card to return a monster from my Graveyard to my hand. I choose Suijin that you forced me to discard with Mind Crush last turn."
The shadow of Suijin began to rise from the Graveyard, but Judai Yuki immediately interrupted him.
"Not so fast! I activate my face down Trap Card, Hero Rule 1 Five Freedoms. Both players can banish up to five cards total from the Graveyard!"
Meikyu Brothers's expression changed. "What did you say?"
"From your Graveyard, I banish Suijin, Sacrificial Doll, Launcher Spider, and Dark Designator from Yugi Muto!" Judai Yuki shouted.
A vortex opened in the Graveyard, and Suijin was dragged away, ripped from Underworld and thrown to the other side of Different Dimension. At the same time, every card in their Graveyard was cleared out. With no valid target left, Monster Reincarnation resolved without effect, and Paradox Brother (Elder) had wasted two cards for nothing.
In the stands, Daichi Misawa watched with a complicated look. "That was a great response, but…" he muttered.
Asuka Tenjoin glanced at him. "You think it does not feel like his usual style?"
"Maybe I am imagining it," Daichi Misawa said, shaking his head. Still, seeing two Legendary Duelist lose their composure was strangely satisfying.
"You resolved two of our Demon Gods so quickly. I will give you that," Paradox Brother (Elder) said coldly. "But if you think it will be that easy, you underestimate us."
He looked at his younger brother. "I will borrow your monster."
"Of course, brother."
"Kaiser Sea Horse has an effect. When it is Tributed for the Advance Summon of a LIGHT monster, it counts as two Tributes. I treat Kaiser Sea Horse as two Tributes and Advance Summon!"
Kaiser Sea Horse split into two beams of light and vanished into a glowing vortex. Thunder exploded across the field as a giant Demon God descended with a golden character for thunder on its chest.
"Thunder Demon God Sanga, Summon!"
With 2600 ATK, Sanga roared onto the field.
"I am not done yet!" Paradox Brother (Elder) continued. "I activate my brother's set Spell Card, Dimension Polymerization! I pay 2000 LP, and all monsters banished from Yugi Muto are Special Summoned as much as possible!"
Their LP dropped from 8000 to 6000. The students gasped as they realized that only the brothers' monsters had been banished so far.
"That means only we can Special Summon!" Paradox Brother (Elder) laughed. "Return from Different Dimension! Suijin and Wind Demon God Sanga!"
Storms of wind and water burst across the field as the two Demon Gods reappeared. Together with the thunder god, the three stood side by side, forming a wall of green, blue, and gold.
"Battle Phase!" Paradox Brother (Elder) declared. "Wind Demon God attacks that weak wall, Ojama Yellow!"
A violent storm swept across the field and tore Ojama Yellow apart. But Yugen immediately flipped a card.
"I activate Trap Card Ojama Trio! When my face up Ojama is Destroy and sent to the Graveyard, I return it to the Deck and shuffle. Then I draw two cards and discard one."
He drew, then sent a card to the Graveyard. "I discarded the Spell Card Ojama Magic. When it is sent from my hand or field to the Graveyard, I add Ojama Green, Ojama Yellow, and Ojama Black from my Deck to my hand."
Three cards popped out of his Deck and were added to his hand. Paradox Brother (Elder) snorted and continued.
"Then Suijin attacks your set monster!"
The face down card flipped up to reveal a small white creature with wings. "Kuriboh!"
It was Winged Kuriboh in Defense Position with 200 DEF. It was destroyed, but a soft white barrier surrounded the two students.
"Winged Kuriboh's effect," Judai Yuki said. "The battle damage I take this turn becomes 0."
"In that case, I end the Battle Phase." Paradox Brother (Elder) raised his hand. "Now witness our ultimate trump card. I Tribute Thunder Demon God Sanga, Wind Demon God, and Suijin!"
The three Demon Gods were swallowed by pillars of lightning, wind, and water. Their powers merged high above the field under the command of the Duelist.
"When the three Demon Gods unite, the power that has guarded us for generations appears. Come forth, our strongest card, Gate Guardian!"
A massive fusion of thunder, wind, and water descended onto the field. The ground of the Duel arena shook as the giant figure landed.
With 3750 ATK, Gate Guardian stood before them, fully Summoned.