Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

【Osiris's Sky Dragon】【ATK3000→2000】

【GaiKa (Eternal Soul)】【GaiKa】

Location: [The Rescue of the Archmage]

Chapter 922 The Trolley Problem? There's no need to choose!

"My turn..." After Atum's turn ended, it was the game's turn, but he didn't rush to draw his cards. Instead, he looked at Atum's hand with some suspicion.

Although the card recovered by [Chaos Dark Magician] was not shown, the game speculates that it will most likely be [Heavenly Treasure Card]. Among the magic cards in Atem's graveyard, that card can bring the greatest benefit. Even cards like [Master-Disciple Bond] can only gain one or two cards at most, which is not comparable to [Heavenly Treasure Card], which can gain up to six cards.

Was it because he had cards in his hand that he couldn't play and couldn't maximize the benefits, so he planned to use it in the next turn? The game thought about it and then rejected his guess. If Atum was planning to use [Heavenly Treasure] in his next turn, he would have already used up his cards by then and could have drawn cards at the same time. Atum was definitely not the kind of person who would lose the big picture for a small gain.

Atem had only used the "Heavenly Treasure" card as a deceptive tactic in his previous duel with Seahorse, and he would never risk using it again.

Excluding other possibilities, does that face-down card have the ability to work in conjunction with [Heavenly Treasure]? Looking at the two face-down cards in Atem's back row, Yugi draws a card: "My turn, draw."

[Game: 4000LP, Hand 9→10]

Yes, ten cards! The player currently has a full ten cards in hand!

In the last round, he received both [Heavenly Treasure] and [Electronic Pot]. Even though his hand was reduced to zero in order to activate the effect of [Super Magical Dragon Knight - Red-Eyes Dragon Rider], his hand size has still grown to its current level. Even he has never fought a battle with such a large hand size.

However, due to the large number of cards drawn, the game's deck became nearly a third thinner than at the start of the duel. But it didn't matter, because this time he had included many cards of Honda, Jonouchi, Hayato, Kyoko, and Bakura in his deck, which was the maximum of 60 cards. He didn't have to worry about losing because his deck was empty.

It's better to worry about drawing untimely cards and getting stuck with a bad hand than to run out of cards in your deck.

'【Hand Destruction】, a card that can exchange cards between both players at once. Looking at my other deck, it seems to be a standard 40-card deck. Under normal circumstances, deck destruction tactics could indeed be used, but the problem is that with my current hand size, it would only destroy my own deck...'

Yugi glanced at the cards he had drawn, thinking to himself. However, after looking at one of the face-down Defense Position monsters on his field, another thought popped into his head: 'However, if I combine [Hand Elimination] with that monster, maybe... But, there's still a problem.'

The game's focus is on the most prominent unit on Atum's field, the Sky Dragon of Osiris.

If we only consider attack power, according to Kaiba's previous prediction, Atem summoning Obelisk the Tormentor would be the most correct choice. However, Duel Monsters is never a game of simply comparing the numerical values ​​of monster attack power. Compared to the powerful destructive force of Obelisk the Tormentor and the pure strength of Ra the Winged Dragon of Ra, it is precisely the seemingly untimely appearance of Seraphim the Sky Dragon that makes Yugi the most troublesome opponent.

Whether summoned, flipped, or special summoned, any Yugi monster summoned after Osiris the Sky Dragon has appeared will be subjected to the "Summoning Lightning Bomb" attack. Any monster with a value below 2000 in its corresponding battle position will be destroyed by Osiris the Sky Dragon. It is a more efficient monster crusher than Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon.

In the face of [Osiris the Sky Dragon], only the strong have a chance to appear. Even powerful monsters become weak and vulnerable after their stats are reduced by 2000 points. What's even more absurd is that [Osiris the Sky Dragon]'s effect is not guaranteed to activate once per turn.

Of course, if the summoned monster is a "Disruption" monster with a direct attack power of 0 that cannot be reduced further, it will not be destroyed by the god.

Regarding the crushing of weaker opponents, we can see this from Yusei's deck, which is somewhat similar to the one used in the game. When Yusei traveled through time, he wanted to duel with Hayato. After giving up the first turn, he found that Hayato summoned "Sky Dragon of Osiris" in one turn, which blocked his board and prevented him from setting up any monsters. No matter how many monsters he summoned, they would be destroyed by Osiris. He had no choice but to surrender.

"The bonds that come together" are indeed powerful, but the premise is that they must be gathered together first. If one of them comes out and Hayato destroys it, then what's the point of fighting?

Fortunately, the game had two monsters left on its field due to the effect of the previous [Electronic Kettle]. As long as one of them is kept, the other monster can be used as a Tribute to perform a Tribute Summon.

"I Tribute one of my face-down Defense Position monsters to Tribute Summon this monster."

As a monster in face-down defense position disappeared from the game field, and a slender monster wearing a mage's robe appeared where it had vanished, Atem didn't bother to see what the monster was. He simply said, "If it's in attack position, due to the effect of [Sky Dragon of Osiris], its attack power will be forcibly reduced by 2000 points, and when its attack power reaches zero due to this effect, destroy that monster!"

"Summoning Thunder Bomb!"

The red dragon spat out a lightning bolt at the monster that Yugi had just summoned. However, as the lightning bolt exploded and released its power, the monster that Yugi had just summoned remained unmoved, as if it had not been affected by the effect of [Sky Dragon of Osiris].

[Mutant Pioneer] [ATK0]

"Huh? This isn't right. Isn't it supposed to destroy a monster when the Sky Dragon of Osiris's 'Lightning Summoning Bomb' reduces its attack or defense to 0?" Bakura asked the person next to him, puzzled. "Why is that monster completely unharmed?"

"I don't even know where the end of the universe is, how could I possibly answer your question?" Honda shrugged, indicating that he was just a newbie in Duel Monsters.

The game on the field also spoke up: "Although the Sky Dragon of Osiris has a suppressive effect on most monsters, even the most powerful monsters cannot avoid being weakened by its power. However, if a monster's attack power or defense power is 0, then even a god cannot make it weaker or destroy it."

"Using the [Mutant Vanguard], which originally had zero attack power, to fight? Indeed, if that's the case, even the extremely powerful [Sky Dragon of Osiris] wouldn't be able to handle it." Atum also recalled the effect of the monster he used in the game. "Moreover, I remember that the [Mutant Vanguard] seems to have the ability to seize control of monsters during the battle phase?"

"Yes, if the opponent has two or more monsters on their field, [Mutant Vanguard] can be activated when it declares an attack, taking control of one face-up Attack Position monster on the opponent's field until the end of the Battle Phase."

Yugi nodded, looking at the [Mutant Vanguard] on his field and honestly explained its effect, "Although the monster obtained by this effect cannot attack directly, it can attack another monster on my field, and right now, on another field, there is a [Chaos Illusionist] with even higher attack power than [Sky Dragon of Osiris].

"The Sky Dragon of Osiris, which has complete dominance over the opponent's monsters, has no ability to suppress its own monsters. Even a god that has some resistance to spell, trap, and monster effects cannot avoid being destroyed by the purest form of battle."

Upon hearing the game's words, Atum chuckled: "Aibo, you've said too much and it's too obvious. Are you trying to get me to activate my back row face-down card and destroy it before [Mutant Vanguard] can attack?"

The game was also taken aback, and scratched the back of its head somewhat embarrassedly: "You saw through me? I knew I couldn't hide it from you, my other self."

"So, do you intend to destroy the [Mutant Pioneer]?"

Atum thought for a moment and nodded helplessly: "It's another open scheme, just like those consecutive special summons used as bait for [Electronic Pot]. Even though I see that you are definitely hiding something, I still have to step into the trap you set."

"Then, I open the face-down card in my back row, the Continuous Trap Card [Eternal Soul], and immediately use its effect to Special Summon a [Dark Magician] from my Graveyard. I chose [Chaos Magician], and if it exists on the field or in the Graveyard, its card name is treated as [Dark Magician]."

On Atem's field, [Chaos Magician] returned to his field via a circular magic circle, and at the same time, [Dark Magician Circle] in Atem's back row was also activated. "Due to the Special Summon of [Dark Magician], the effect of [Dark Magician Circle] is activated. Aibo, target [Mutant Vanguard] on your field and banish it!"

"And the effect of [Chaos Magician]: When the effect of a Spell/Trap is activated, it can target one card on the field and destroy it once per turn. I chose the face-down card on your field, Aibo!"

Although Atem hadn't paid much attention to the card that Yugi had set to the back row with the effect of [Magic Crystal Dragon - Water-Bullish Magician], that was in the last turn. After a turn of preparation, the card that had been set back to the back row was now ready to be activated.

What card could Aibo use the effect of [Magic Crystal Dragon - Water-Bullish Magician] to specifically set back the cards on the back field? But whatever it is, as long as it's destroyed before it can be activated, there's nothing to be afraid of!

In his mind, Atum made a vow, while the [Chao Magician] guided two magic circles to lock onto two cards on the field.

[Mutant Vanguard] was banished after only a little over a minute on the field, failing to play any role. Just as the only face-down card in the back row was about to be destroyed along with the Magic Bullet, Yugi pressed the button to activate the face-down card.

"You are indeed very cautious, my other self, but you are a step too slow. At the very moment my turn arrives, I have already completed the tactic that can defeat God, and that is this face-down card in my backcourt."

"The more monsters you summon, the more power this card can unleash. No, it's reached its limit now, I'm going to press the activation button!"

With a wave of his hand, the face-down card on the field was suddenly flipped open before it could be destroyed: "This is a trap card that even the gods cannot resist, [Torrent Location] activated!"

Time seemed to stand still. Both the beam of light from the Dark Magic Circle and the magic bullets thrown by the Chaos Magician were suspended in mid-air. As the Yugi Faceless Card was activated, the monsters on Atem's field split up to the sides, and a railway track led from behind Atem to their respective locations.

A light appeared behind Atum, and when he turned around, he saw a train that had appeared out of nowhere, also in a state of time freeze. Beside Atum, there was a switch that looked like a toilet plunger that had appeared out of nowhere.

Looking at the Sky Dragon of Osiris on his left, and then at the Chaos Mage, Chaos Illusionist, and Sorcerer's Staff on his right, even Atum immediately thought of that classic question.

"Is this the trolley problem?"

"The effect of [Torch Location] is that if your opponent controls three or more monsters, choose one of them. Then, instead of me, your opponent, who is another version of you, chooses to send any monster to the Graveyard."

The game player pointed to the [Sky Dragon of Osiris] on the side: "The monster I've chosen is [Sky Dragon of Osiris]. For the other monster, you can choose to send [Sky Dragon of Osiris] to the graveyard."

After a pause, the game shifted its focus to the three-body monster on the other side, "or, all the monsters on your field except for [Sky Dragon of Osiris]."

Jonouchi, standing off the field, scratched his head in confusion: "Huh? Will this card be useful? I remember that [Eternal Soul] grants Atem's [Dark Magician] on the field complete immunity to opponent's effects, right? And [Sky Dragon of Osiris], isn't it said that God cards can ignore Trap Cards?"

"You're immune to all monsters, not all duelists. The decision made by this card, 'Transition Point,' isn't about activating cards, and its effect isn't on the monsters on Atem's field, but on Atem himself." Hayato shrugged, reached into his card case, and took out a card. "It's Atem who sends the monsters to the graveyard, not 'Transition Point' itself, just like this card."

"Um, who will win in Ji Kang?"

"It's 【Battle of the Two】! Jonouchi, you're such a rascal! Hayato has used that card before. You've banished so many monsters and you still haven't remembered the name of this card?"

"Hmph, a mediocre person is a mediocre person."

"Huh? Kaiba, you want to fight?!"

It seems that Jonouchi and Kaiba, the "two generals," are about to clash again. Meanwhile, Atem, who was on the field, said with some emotion after listening to Yugi's explanation, "That's truly a remarkable tactic, Aibo. Even though it was disrupted by [Dark Magician] last turn, you didn't activate this card. Were you trying to avoid arousing my suspicion?"

"A trap that even the gods cannot overcome. It seems that I can only save the Sky Dragon of Osiris by sending the Chaos Magus and the others to the graveyard."

As he spoke, Atum stopped, smiled, and decisively said, "However, this 'trolley problem' was never valid for me from the beginning, and I will never give up on [Dark Magician] and the others."

"So, sleep, Sky Dragon of Osiris!"

With that, Atum released the switch at his side. The train, which had been restored from the time stop, did not switch to another track, but instead headed straight for the bewildered Sky Dragon of Osiris!

"boom!"

【Osiris's Sky Dragon】 was killed by the speeding train, and the First God Body was destroyed!

Chapter 923 Why is the Lion Wizard a god?

Although [Sky Dragon of Osiris] was successfully defeated, Hayato, who was watching, showed a regretful expression: "What a pity, Atem actually sent 'Sky Dragon' to the graveyard like that. If he had kept it on the field, he might have been able to continue to dominate the game."

"But at the same time, even the Pharaoh couldn't avoid being tricked by the Sky Dragon of Osiris, right?" Recalling his crushing defeat to Atem in Duel City because of the Sky Dragon of Osiris, Malik said unhappily, "After all, it's the 'sinkhole dragon' that you mentioned, brother-in-law."

Honda recalled the final battle in the world of King's Memory, where the Dark God Zorc Nelofa used the Sky Dragon of Osiris to annihilate the three Egyptian Gods who had once been overwhelming him, and nodded in agreement: "To be fair, that's true."

Unable to hear the whispers of the people outside the field, and watching Atum send the card of [Sky Dragon of Osiris] to the graveyard, Yugi said, "As expected, my other self would make such a choice, decisively giving up [Sky Dragon of Osiris] and choosing [Dark Magician] and the others."

“Powerful monsters are certainly important.” Atum smiled as he looked at the game. “However, the bonds between you and your companions are far more important. The visible former is far less powerful than the invisible latter.”

"However, Aibo, although you have successfully defeated the first-body god I summoned, [Sky Dragon of Osiris], you have already used a Normal Summon this turn, so how are you going to deal with the all-out attack from the three-body monsters on my field next turn?"

[Chaos Magician] [ATK2500]

【Chaos Illusionist】【ATK2500】

[Magician's Staff] [ATK1600]

Although he had a considerable number of cards in his hand, and even after defeating the gods, Yugi still had a full nine cards in his hand, he couldn't Normal Summon any monsters since he no longer had the ability to Normal Summon. All he had left on the field was a monster in face-down Defense Position with no clear purpose.

In the next turn, Atem's Eternal Soul in the back row can activate its effect again and Special Summon Dark Magician from the Graveyard. At that time, this face-down Defense Position monster will be unable to withstand the effects of the chain-applied Dark Magician Circle or Chaos Magician. At that time, the game will face the combined attack of Atem's monsters with a total ATK of 6600.

But who says you can't summon a monster without a Normal Summon?

"I activate the effect of 'Swamp Demon King' in my hand. During my Main Phase, I discard this card from my hand to the Graveyard to activate this effect, and add one 'Fusion' card from my Deck to my hand." Yugi showed Atem a monster card from his hand, discarded it to the Graveyard, and was about to retrieve a card from his Deck.

"Without a Normal Summon, are you trying to use Fusion to summon a powerful monster from your hand?" Atem guessed, then decisively waved his hand to interrupt the game. "That won't do, Aibo. I won't let you activate your monster's effect so easily with Chaos Illusionist on the field!"

"You can activate the effect of [Chaos Illusionist] only when your opponent activates a monster's effect. Return the monster to your hand and Special Summon one [Dark Magician] from your Graveyard. Negate the effect of the monster your opponent activated!"

Atem's Chaos Illusionist took off his cloak and flung it across Yugi's field. The Swamp Demon King, who had just been sent to the graveyard by Yugi, tried to use his effect to search for Fusion, but found himself completely enveloped by the Chaos Illusionist's cloak, his connection with Yugi severed, and unable to activate his effect.

The Chaos Illusionist, having removed his cloak, reverted to the Dark Mage.

[Black Magician] [ATK2500]

"Here we go again, with that troublesome ability of [Chaos Illusionist] to negate monster effects. Although it seems to come at the cost of returning itself to the Pharaoh's hand, it can then use its effect to search for cards in the deck the next turn, so it doesn't lose any cards at all." Malik frowned. "It's practically cheating. The [Dark Magician] deck is just too good at jumping back and forth between the graveyard, isn't it?"

"...You, using a card like [Regenerating Slime], have the right to say such things?" Hayato glanced at Malik and said, "Serves you right that [Survival Treasure Card] was almost banned because of your reckless actions in Duel City."

In other words, Atem didn't include "Treasure of Survival" in his deck. Otherwise, with his "Dark Magician" constantly moving between the graveyard and the field, his card-drawing speed would be even more terrifying than "Treasure from Heaven." However, if one isn't careful, the card-drawing effect of "Treasure of Survival" is forced and uncontrollable, potentially leading to the deck being completely drained due to too many monsters reviving from the graveyard.

For this reason, although the ban/limit card list was designed to include "Survival Treasure Card", "Heavenly Treasure Card" was ultimately the one that was restricted.

After Dark Magician arrives on the field with the effect of Chaos Illusionist, Atem will activate the effect of the Field Spell Card Magician's Rescue to revive Dark Magician Girl by taking advantage of Dark Magician's Special Summon.

When [Eternal Soul] revived [Chaos Mage], he could have activated this effect, but a strange sense of crisis made him hold back and not use the effect immediately. As a result, the game immediately activated [Trajectory Point] after that.

"Because [Dark Magician] was Special Summoned, I activate the effect of the Field Spell Card [Rescue of the Magician] to Special Summon [Dark Magician Girl] from my Graveyard, which has a different name than [Dark Magician]."

Just like the previous round, the magic circle leading to the graveyard opened again, but this time it was the Dark Magician who reached out to help the Dark Magician Girl inside, pulling her out of the graveyard.

"Yo-ho, aragato, Master~" Grabbing [Dark Magician]'s hand, [Dark Magician Girl] thanked her and returned to Atem's field, hands on her hips arrogantly, "I'm back from hell!"