Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

The battle phase was forcibly ended, which means he can no longer use the battle to destroy Rafiru's monster and thus eliminate the threat of the "Magic of the Clean Graveyard".

If Rafael isn't defeated in this round, the duel will be decided, and the only way to do that is—

With a determined effort, Yugi played a card from his hand: "I activate the Spell Card [Reduce Cost], by discarding one card, I reduce the level of [Catapult Turtle] in my hand by 2 stars!"

"I will forsake the Eye of Timaeus!"

Without hesitation, Yugi sent the card "Eye of Timaeus" to the graveyard! Completely oblivious to the magic of "Orichalcos Barrier," Yugi noticed a flicker of disappointment in the gray of the "Eye of Timaeus" card as he sent it to the graveyard.

"Then, I haven't performed a normal summon this turn yet, so I'm performing a normal summon of the [Catapult Turtle] in Defense Position, which has been reduced to 3 stars!"

Slamming the card onto the Duel Disk, Yugi's eyes flashed with a hint of ferocity as he looked at the [Catapult Turtle] that appeared on his field: "This is my attack strategy, Rafael. If I can't destroy the monsters on your field, I'll just reduce your Life Points directly!"

[Catapult Turtle] [5☆/Water → 3☆/Water]

[Aquarium/Effect]

【1000/2000→1500/2000】

"Using the effect of [Catapult Turtle], I release one monster on my field, inflicting damage to my opponent equal to half the ATK of that released monster!" Yugi said, waving his hand, "Launch [Dark Magician] using [Catapult Turtle]!"

"This is a necessary sacrifice!"

Upon hearing the game's words, [Dark Magician]'s eyes, which had turned red due to the power of [Orichalcos Barrier], slowly closed, but his body moved without slowing down as he stood on the launch pad behind [Ejector Turtle].

[Black Magician] [ATK3000]

When the [Ejector Turtle] launches a monster, it records the monster's attack power at that time. This means that with the release of [Dark Magician], Rafael's base score will be reduced by half of its current 3000 attack power, which is 1500 points. However, Rafael's current base score is only 1000 points.

As the game states, sacrificing the Dark Magician is the least costly outcome compared to losing the duel. But is it truly a "necessary" sacrifice?

[Dark Magician] was instantly launched by [Catapult Turtle], transforming into a black-purple magic cannonball in mid-air that blasted towards Rafael. However, as the cannonball fell, Rafael pressed the button to activate the face-down card: "At this moment, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card [Extraordinary Food]!"

"Send any number of Spell & Trap Cards on my field, except for [Unexpected Food], to the Graveyard, and then restore my Life Points by that number x 1000!"

“I noticed the [Catapult Turtle] in your hand, Nameless Pharaoh, when I used [Hand Exchange] before. This card was prepared for this moment.” Rafael said, pointing to the game.

"On my field, besides [Extraordinary Food], the Spell/Trap Cards are [Goblin Servant], [Gravity Axe - Roar], and [The Magic of the Clean Graveyard]. I will send all three cards to the graveyard,"

"Therefore, my base score has returned to 3000 points!"

As Rafael spoke, feeling the massive amount of Basic Points he had regained in one breath, he opened his arms and directly took the magic cannonball formed by [Dark Magician] face to face.

[Rafiru: 1000→4000→2500LP]

Even though [Dark Magician] had been unleashed, Rafael's Life Points increased instead of decreasing, prompting Yugi to look at his own [Dark Magician Girl] on the field.

[Dark Magician Girl] was startled by the game's gaze. Judging from the game's expression, it seemed that he also had the idea of ​​freeing [Dark Magician Girl] as well?

However, despite his burning desire for victory, the game wasn't completely blinded by greed. Instead, he declared, "Although I couldn't defeat you, at least I disrupted your base score reduction tactics."

"Use the effect of [Orichalcos Barrier] to move [Catapult Turtle] to my Magic Trap Zone and place it, then end your turn."

[Game: 900LP, 0 cards in hand]

Dark Magician Girl: ATK 2800 → 3100

[Soul Barrier] [Ejector Turtle]

Location: [Orichalcos Barrier]

The effect of [Catapult Turtle] has no limit of once per turn; it can be activated as long as a monster exists, and it can even launch itself. Because another [Dark Magician] was added to the Graveyard, [Dark Magician Girl]'s ATK increased to 3100. However, even if [Dark Magician Girl] and [Catapult Turtle] are both released, it only deals 2300 damage to Rafael, still not enough to wipe out Rafael's current Life Points.

'The crisis is over. If I draw any monster with an attack power of 400 or more next turn, I can still win!' With this thought in mind, Yugi put down the Duel Disk he had raised.

"One more round and your Life Points will be zero, Rafael!" Confident of victory, Yugi looked at Rafael, who was clutching his chest after taking the attack, and smirked like a villain. "Now can you still say this was a boring duel?"

Because of the activation of the [Orichalcos Barrier], this duel has become a dark game that gambles on the souls of both duelists, and even the [Dark Magician] launched by [Ejector Turtle] has caused substantial damage. Although the pose of spreading his arms and using his "Ultra Chest" to absorb the damage was cool, Rafael now looks quite disheveled as he clutches his chest.

However, under the game's gaze, Rafael raised his head and said, "You want to win, don't you? You desperately want to win, don't you? You want to win no matter who it is, no matter what means you use. That's what you call 'Dark Will.' How does it feel to be certain of victory?"

"but!"

"'Dark Will' means using any means to achieve one's goals, but it doesn't mean having no bottom line!"

"Time and again you send your monsters to their graves, don't you hear it, nameless pharaoh? Your monsters are crying!"

"You said you wanted to prove that the light in your heart wouldn't be swallowed by darkness, but you, nameless pharaoh, have now become nothing more than a puppet of the [Orichalcos Barrier]!" Rafael raised his Duel Disk, his right hand resting on his deck. "My turn, draw!"

"Then, activate the spell card [Pot of Greed] and draw two cards from your deck!"

After drawing two cards, the white feather that had been seen falling before the game reappeared beside Rafael.

"Here it comes, my trump card, it's in my hands now, Nameless Pharaoh!" Rafael suddenly raised his hand and played a card. "First up is the Quick-Play Spell Card [Whirlwind], I'll destroy your [Soul Barrier] in the back row, Nameless Pharaoh."

The whirlwind was lifted up by the card Rafael played, swept towards the back of the game, and instantly destroyed the [Soul Barrier], but Yugi didn't pay much attention to it.

【Orichalcos Barrier】has the effect that prevents attacks on monsters in the back row when there is a monster in the front row. Therefore, in the last turn, the game specifically moved 【Catapult Turtle】 to the back row. Rafael can now only attack 【Dark Magician Girl】.

Thanks to the bonuses provided by the two [Dark Magician] and [Orichalcos Barrier] in the graveyard, [Dark Magician Girl]'s current attack power is a full 3100 points higher than [Blue-Eyes White Dragon].

The Soul Barrier has the ability to prevent the game from taking combat damage, but even now that it has been destroyed, Rafael would need to summon at least a monster with an attack power of 4000, similar to the Obelisk the Tormentor, to defeat him.

Could he print a card and beat me up in a second?

After activating [Whirlwind], Rafael played another card: "Next, I activate the Equip Spell Card, [Goddess's Holy Sword - Eagle Spirit]! Equip it to [Support Guardian] and increase its ATK by 300."

"Then, if I have [Goddess's Holy Sword - Eagle Spirit] on my field and no monsters in my Graveyard, Special Summon this card from my hand!"

A pair of holy wings suddenly unfurled behind Rafiru, accompanied by the cry of an eagle, and a monster that looked like an angel appeared!

"O holy sword that illuminates the soul, liberate the spirit, awaken the world! O holy wings that summon the eagle spirits! Let the souls ride the wind and roam the world!"

Special Summon, Wagatsumashi!

"【Guardian - Aetos】!"

Despite it being the dead of night, as Rafael summoned the monster, a holy white light illuminated the area around the two duelists as if it were daytime. With each flap of its wings, white feathers would fall, and the Guardian Ethos, wearing a falcon fur hat, landed gracefully and accepted the Goddess's Holy Sword - Eagle Spirit from the Support Guardian.

【Guardian - Aetos】【8☆/Wind】

[Angel Race/Effect]

【2500/2000→2800/2000】

The male protagonist's ace attack power is extremely standard, but even with the addition of the Goddess's Holy Sword - Eagle Spirit, the Guardian - Etos's attack power is only 2800 points, still no match for the Dark Magician Girl.

"Is that the spirit that protects you, [Guardian-Aetos]?" Yugi asked, frowning. For some reason, the holy appearance of [Guardian-Aetos] felt somewhat dazzling to him, and a faint unease rose in his heart. "But, it's just a monster with an attack power of only 2800 points."

"So be it?" Rafael felt incredibly relieved after summoning [Guardian - Etos]. "My [Guardian - Etos] is a monster that dwells with the spirits of the monsters. Let her slash determine our fates!"

"Activate the effect of [Guardian - Aetos], Holy Sword Soul!"

As Rafael finished speaking, the Goddess's Holy Sword - Eagle Spirit in the hand of [Guardian - Etos] emitted a pure white glow. As [Guardian - Etos] raised the sword, Yugi found that his left hand, which was wielding the Duel Disk, involuntarily rose into the air as well!?

"How could this be? My body acted on its own!"

"Send the Holy Sword of the Goddess - Eagle Spirit, equipped on [Guardian - Ethos], to the Graveyard. The souls of all monsters in the opponent's Graveyard will be purified and banished from the game." Rafael watched as the monsters, guided from the Duel Disk, appeared one by one on the field as phantoms. "And [Guardian - Ethos] will absorb their attack power!"

"【Dark Magician】!"

"【Grand Archmage - Dark Archmage's Apprentice】!"

"[The Elven Swordsman Who Tricks the Enemy]!"

"【Dark Magician】!"

"【Dark Knight - Gaia】!"

"【Super Magic Knight - Dark Magician Rider】!"

"【The Magician's Staff】!"

One by one, the monsters transformed into white light and merged into the [Goddess's Holy Sword - Eagle Spirit]. To the astonishment of the game, the attack power of [Guardian - Aetos] began to soar!

【Guardian - Aetos】【ATK2800→18400】

"Because of the darkness within you, nameless pharaoh, you continually send your monsters to the graveyard. This ever-expanding darkness carries the [Orichalcos Barrier] and unleashes the strongest power of [Guardian - Ethos]!"

"Bear the wrath of the monsters!" Rafael waved his hand forward. "Forbidden Truth!"

The white sword energy was unleashed by [Guardian - Etos], and even the power of [Dark Magician Girl] could not withstand this attack. It was instantly destroyed and sent to the graveyard, and the game that followed was also affected!

"Ugh, ughhhhh!!!"

[Game: 900LP → 0]

As the game's base score dropped to 0, the [Orichalcos Barrier] surrounding the two seemed to have triggered its condition, and the green light converged back into the ring.

Immediately afterwards, the emerald green barrier began to shrink, collecting the souls of the defeated, determined not to stop until it had collected every single one!

Chapter 628 There's no need for that.

Because of the fact that his base score had dropped to zero, and the pain from the combat damage, Yugi's body was stiff and he could barely stand up, unable to move. He could only stare blankly as the surrounding barrier began to shrink.

The look in the eyes of the monsters that emerged from his graveyard when [Guardian - Ethos]'s effect activated just now lingered in his mind—that look, that feeling of being judged...

Because of the power of the Orichalcos Barrier, Yugi, who was isolated in the Millennium Puzzle, naturally saw Yami Yugi in the outside world, who seemed to have given up on himself and chosen to submit to his defeat. He was extremely anxious.

"Another me!"

However, when the thin fist pounded on the barrier in front of him, it failed to create the slightest ripple.

Ever since Yami Yugi activated the [Orichalcos Barrier], he has been isolated in this small world and can no longer send his voice to Yami Yugi's ears. He can only watch helplessly as Yami Yugi continues to move in the wrong direction.

He had just made more than one attempt to break the barrier, but he was still unable to do so.

But now, even knowing that his efforts would be futile, Yugi kept trying again and again, because he saw that the [Orichalcos Barrier] had shrunk by about half as much as Rafiel, who was heading toward Dark Yugi.

There's no time left!

However, the [Orichalcos Barrier] in front of him remained as solid as ever, and his fists were simply unable to budge it!

Subconsciously, Yugi lowered his head and glanced at the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck.

Although this is a precious tool that connects my other self to myself, and an important item for my other self to regain my memories, the person, not the object, is what matters!

Ignoring all pretense, he gritted his teeth, grabbed the golden cone, and pointed the sharp end at the [Orichalcos Barrier] that imprisoned him.

Although it is a genuine artifact, it must be said that the Millennium Puzzle has a very good balance of weight and feels quite nice in the hand. With a sudden swing of the arm, like an assassin who has mastered the correct use of the "Apple of Gold", the game smashed the Millennium Puzzle onto the barrier!

He absolutely could not just stand by and watch Dark Game die! So, even if it meant sacrificing himself...

Perhaps it was the will of the game, perhaps it was the power of the Millennium Puzzle as one of the Millennium Items, or perhaps it was the increased pressure after reducing the contact area reaching the upper limit of the barrier's defense, but the sharp golden cone opened a hole in the Orichalcos Barrier, and golden light was released!

Deprived of his sight by the light, the isolated Yugi escaped through a crack in the barrier, his body feeling weightless. Meanwhile, outside, the "Orichalcum Shard" placed in Yami Yugi's pocket shattered, and a beam of light rose from the barrier beneath his feet!