Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

With a powerful effort, Kagemaru actually lifted the quadruped robot along with its shattered life support capsule using only his own body, then flung it into the air. The heavy machine, which required a large transport plane to move, was easily thrown far away by Kagemaru, crashing into the forest outside the open space and exploding in destruction!

"Ah~ This endless power is surging, surging, and surging within me! What in the world can stop me? Damn it, what in the world can withstand me!"

Wearing only a loincloth, Kagemaru stared at the exploding device in the distance and laughed wildly, "Hehehehe, hahahahahahaha!"

"You said a whole bunch of stuff, but I didn't understand a single word you said, you old man!"

However, Kagemaru's laughter was interrupted. Manjoume looked at Kagemaru with displeasure and said, "Stop bothering me with your nonsense. Anyway, I can confirm that you are that old bastard from before, that Kagemaru, right?"

"—By the way, you didn't actually use some random stuff to build muscle, did you?"

“No, that’s Kagemaru himself, Manjoume-kun.” Daitokuji’s voice came. Although he was wearing a mask, his gaze at Kagemaru through the gap was somewhat complicated. “Although he looks completely different from the one I saw earlier, this is exactly what Kagemaru looked like when he was young.”

"It's Mr. Manjoume! Don't call me that, you imposter!" After glaring at Daitokuji, Manjoume looked at Kagemaru and said, "Knowing that is enough. For me as a duelist, nothing else matters except dueling. Things like 'for my sister's medical expenses' or 'the destiny of a clan with a thousand-year heritage' don't matter to me at all."

"The three primary elements of detective novels are Who, How, and Why. I never care about the last one. All I need to know is Who and How, which is who to defeat and how to defeat them."

"Whether you've become younger or you're still an old man, you're all the same in front of me, Mr. Manjoume, a champion of equality for men, women, young and old!"

Hearing Manjoume's words, Kagemaru revealed a contemptuous expression: "You really dare to talk back, brat, but it's over. Your monster has no hope of defeating me after I summoned this monster—"

Beside Kagemaru, the data of the monster that had caused Manjoume such discomfort was displayed:

【Dark Demon - Neosphia】【10☆/Dark】

[Demon/Special Summon/Effect]

[4000/4000]

With his palm outstretched in a clenched fist, Kagemaru arrogantly declared, "Do you dare disobey me, who possesses [Darkness]?"

Chapter 1169 Dark Demon - Neosphia

【Dark Demon - Neosphia】【ATK4000】

【Magic Shooter - Casper】【DEF2000】

[Rampaging Death Dragon] [ATK3500]

Comparing the monsters on both sides, Manjoume repeatedly examined [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia], finding it hard to understand how this monster had appeared: "A monster with an attack power of 4000 points, how could it possibly survive the Battle Phase..."

"Heh heh ha ha ha, it's only natural that a brat like you wouldn't understand. What Special Summoned this [Dark Demon - Neosphia] is none other than its own effect." Kagemaru said smugly, "When the opponent's monster declares an attack, I can Special Summon it by sending one Fiend monster from my field and hand to the Graveyard!"

"By sending my [Magic Bullet Shooter - Starr], which was the target of an attack, and [Magic Bullet Demon - Samir], which was summoned by the effect of [Magic Bullet Shooter - Kasper], to the Graveyard, I Special Summoned this invincible monster."

“I remember in the opera, ‘Kaspar’ was the guy who made a deal with the devil for his soul, so that ‘Magic Bullet Demon - Samir’ is the monster that corresponds to the ‘devil’?” Manjoume raised an eyebrow and said, “For the sake of that inexplicable monster’s arrival, he actually sold himself out, just like the original version of the deck.”

"What could a mere brat like you possibly understand?" Kagemaru looked at Manjoume with disdain. "If I had a choice, would I have swallowed that ring? How could a brat with so little experience possibly understand the hardships of this world? To prolong my life, I would do anything, whether it's sacrificing someone else's 'Philosopher's Stone,' harming someone else's 'Phantom Demon,' or this 'Dark Netherworld Demon' whose price is unknown!"

"Ha, you really only think about yourself."

"Stop wasting time, brat! Do you think I can't see through your plan?!" Seeing that Manjoume had changed his earlier eagerness to end the duel and was now speaking calmly, Kagemaru belatedly realized what he was thinking. He simply wanted to prolong the duel until the others, especially Kobayashi Hayato, arrived. "Fear or caution, my [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia] is invincible!"

"Not only does it have a powerful and unstoppable 4000 points of attack and defense, it can't even be destroyed in battle, so your monster has absolutely no chance of defeating it!"

"Battle resistance, isn't that the most useless resistance?" he muttered, but knowing a part of the effects of the newly appeared [Dark Demon - Neosphia] from Kagemaru was enough. Unfortunately, due to being misled before and wasting too many resources, even though Manjoume knew the effects of [Dark Demon - Neosphia], he couldn't come up with anything to deal with it in the short term.

“Since our attack power is currently outmatched, let’s just avoid it for now. After all, the effect of [Raging Death Dragon], which allows it to attack every monster on your opponent’s field, isn’t mandatory.” Manjoume pointed to another monster on Kagemaru’s field and said, “[Raging Death Dragon], destroy [Magic Bullet Shooter - Kasper]!”

Dragon's breath swept over the Gunner in defense position, pulverizing it and sending it to the graveyard. Kagemaru, however, showed no remorse for the destruction of his monster, saying indifferently, "It's just a monster that was destroyed. The destruction of 'Magic Bullet Shooter - Kasper' in defense position has no impact on me whatsoever."

"But when it's my turn, that [Raging Death Dragon] on your field will immediately become a ghost under the command of [Dark Demon - Neosphia]!"

To be honest, Manjoume couldn't deny what Kagemaru said. Of the two cards he had left, besides the [Radiant White Dragon - Tyrannosaurus Rex] which couldn't be Special Summoned by its own effect this turn, he only had one card of unknown significance. But he still stubbornly said, "If you really dare to attack, then let's try it."

"My battle phase ends, and then in the second main phase, I face down one card from my hand, and my turn ends."

"At the same time, because of the effect of my previously activated [Super Regeneration], during the End Phase I draw cards from my Deck equal to the number of Dragon monsters discarded from my hand this turn, and the number of Dragon monsters Tributed from my hand or field."

Behind Manjou, the monsters that met the requirements for [Super Regeneration] appeared one by one this turn: [Hell Dragon] and [Eclipse Wyvern] sent to the graveyard by [Angel's Charity], and [Dark Dragon - Collapsed Star Serpent] and [Radiant White Dragon - Tyrannosaurus Wyvern] released when he summoned [Dragon of Light and Darkness] at the Tribute. There were four cards that met the requirements, so Manjou drew a full four cards from his deck in one go.

【Manjoume: 4000LP, Hand 1→5】

[Rampaging Death Dragon] [ATK 3500 → 3000]

【GaiKa】

As Manjoume declared the end of his turn, Kagemaru didn't care much about the cards he drew. After all, in his opinion, Manjoume wasn't like him, using a deck with the "Magic Bullet" that could play cards directly from his hand. So drawing more cards was meaningless; he just needed to defeat him before his turn came.

Upon seeing that the body of the [Raging Death Dragon] on the field of Manjoume had become visibly stiff and its range of motion had decreased significantly, Kagemaru, who had already reviewed its effects, sneered: "Although it had an attack power of 3500 points when it first appeared, and seemed to be full of vigor, it will gradually weaken over time, just like how humans gradually become weak as they age."

"The [Raging Death Dragon] loses 500 attack power at the end of each of your turns. Even your monsters are helping me deal more damage to you!"

"My turn, draw a card!"

Seeing that Kagemaru had drawn a card, Manjoume gave him a cold look before glancing at the face-down cards behind him, waiting for Kagemaru to summon the [Magic Bullet] monsters again.

After all, that's only natural. The ability of the [Magic Bullet] Spell & Trap Card to be activated directly from the hand relies entirely on the universal effects of [Magic Bullet] monsters. With the [Magic Bullet] monster, Kagemaru could recklessly play cards during Manjoume's turn. And now that Kagemaru's last [Magic Bullet] monster—[Magic Bullet Shooter - Kasper]—has just been wiped out by Manjoume, he can't play any [Magic Bullet] Spell & Trap Cards in his hand.

Besides, Manjoume was actually somewhat relieved because Kagemaru had come out of the life support pod. For legendary duelists, drawing a card like "Secret Deal with the Devil" with "Pot of Great Desire" might be commonplace, but accurately playing a card without confirming its authenticity was too difficult and tiring for Manjoume. Even succeeding once out of ten times was exhausting.

Now that Kagemaru has regained his youthful body but lost the surveillance camera's assistance, it's actually a good thing for Manjoume. At least, he can look at the cards in his hand with peace of mind, without worrying that Kagemaru, without mechanical assistance, will be able to peek at what cards are in his hand.

Meanwhile, Kagemaru, despite his vow to annihilate Manjoume, was dumbfounded after drawing the cards he could get this turn. He discovered that the card he drew wasn't the "Magic Bullet" monster card that could help him play the "Magic Bullet" spell/trap card in his hand, but rather a meaningless spell card called "Magic Hammer." This card could be returned to the deck along with any cards from Kagemaru's hand, shuffled, and then the same number of cards from his hand could be drawn.

If he only has one [Dark Demon - Neosphia], he is confident that he can take down Manjoume's [Raging Death Dragon] on the field. However, for Manjoume, who still has 4000 life points, 1000 life points can still hold him off. If he can't take him down, who knows what kind of combo he can play with his five cards in hand next turn.

Initially, Kagemaru wanted to duel Manjoume simply because he felt that this brat, blessed by spirits, was an opportunity that had fallen from the sky. After all, even if he obtained the power of the "Phantom Demons," he would still need to collect the power of the "Spirits" to expand his control over them. In that case, collecting the power of the "Spirits" first wouldn't hurt. Besides, how much time could a brat possibly waste?

As a result, if he hadn't decisively accepted the power of "Darkness" and awakened the card in his hand to summon [Darkness Demon - Neosphia], he would have almost been OTK'd. These imps are just too ruthless these days.

Quite a bit of time has already been wasted. If we delay any longer, Kobayashi Hayato, who was lured away from the mountain, might return to this island at any moment. We must deal with this brat before he arrives and allow enough time to obtain the "Phantom Demon".

The card 【Mega Hammer】 is a card that discards existing resources and gambles on the next card drawn to change the situation. It is a gambling card that is even more desperate than flipping a coin or throwing dice. Kagemaru's act of leading the "Seven Stars" to attack Duel Academy Island just to obtain the "Phantom Demon" card naturally shows that he is also willing to gamble everything.

In fact, in order to maximize his returns, he wanted to invest even more in high-stakes gambling.

“Once per turn, the effect of [Dark Demon - Neosphia] activates, returning all face-up Trap Cards on my field to my hand. I also retrieve [Magic Bullet - Crimson Crown] from the field to my hand.” He then retrieved all activated cards from the field, and without hesitation, returned three cards to his deck and inserted one card into his Spell & Trap Zone. “Next, I activate the Spell Card [Magic Hammer]. I shuffle all three of my cards and [Magic Hammer] back to my deck.”

"Then I draw four cards from my deck!"

Seeing the new cards he had drawn, Kagemaru was overjoyed and looked triumphantly at Manjoume, saying, "The duel is over, right after I drew these four cards! You born evil brat Manjoume, I'm sending you on your way. Let your power, blessed by the spirits, become the first nourishment I receive!"

"Quick-Play Spell Card [Offering to the Dead]! Target 1 face-up monster on the field, destroy that face-up monster, and skip my next draw phase."

“But you’re going to lose this round, brat.” Kagemaru pointed at Manjoume’s [Raging Death Dragon] on the field, “Destroy [Raging Death Dragon] directly!”

The aura of the underworld enveloped the body of the [Raging Death Dragon]. Even though it still had 3000 attack points, it was completely unable to resist the power from the underworld because it had been resurrected from the underworld through a [secret deal with the demon]. Under the watchful eyes of Wan Zhangmu, it was dragged into the graveyard.

Thus, Manjoume's only remaining monster on the field was destroyed by Kagemaru, forcing him to directly confront Kagemaru's [Dark Demon - Neosphia], which boasts an attack power of 4000. Although Manjoume's base score remained at 4000, facing [Dark Demon - Neosphia]'s direct attack, only one outcome remained: being wiped out in one hit!

However, Kagemaru did not immediately enter the battle phase. Instead, he sneered and said, "I am not a brat like you who got to where I am today by luck. Better safe than sorry. Before entering the battle phase, I will activate this card from my hand again."

"The Quick-Play Spell Card [Forbidden Lance] reduces the ATK of [Nyosphia] on my field by 800 until the end of this turn, and grants it the ability to be unaffected by the effects of Spell/Trap Cards other than this card."

(A little bit of reference: The voice actor for the young Kagemaru voiced Cú Chulainn, a classic supporting character in Fate.)

【Dark Demon - Neosphia】【ATK4000→3200】

"In this way, no matter if your back row cards are [Explosive Armor], [Divine Shield - Mirror Power], [Enemy Manipulator], or [Mirror Wall of the Screen], they can no longer interfere with my [Dark Demon - Neosphia] in the slightest." Kagemaru said, playing another card. "As for the missing 800 attack points, although I can't make up for them with [Dark Demon - Neosphia], I can use this card to deduct your life points first!"

"Quick-Play Spell Card [Hermit's Poison]: Choose one of its two effects to activate: either restore 1200 Life Points to me or deal 800 damage to your opponent. I choose to deal 800 damage. Feel the pain of despair, brat!"

A vial of highly toxic liquid was thrown next to Manjoume. The vaporized poisonous mist surrounded him, causing Manjoume to cough involuntarily. He quickly covered his mouth and nose, but still felt dizzy.

'This feeling...is it...the Dark Game? Did it start after that monster appeared?'

Having played the Dark Game with Titan and knowing what kind of being it was, Manjoume immediately looked at the silent [Dark Demon - Neosphia] on the field, who was not making any moves. He noticed that as his life points decreased, the monster's eyes trembled, as if it was groaning as if it had absorbed something that made it feel comfortable.

'That senile idiot, does he really think that gaining power comes without any cost? Even I have guessed it, that monster is probably absorbing the power represented by the basic points lost by both sides in this duel...' Thinking this, Manjoume gritted his teeth, straightened his back, and looked at Kagemaru: "Completely painless, such an attack is nothing at all."

"Stop spouting such nonsense after my monster attack, kid. If you can still open your mouth, then. Enter my battle phase!" Kagemaru sneered, raising his hand and pointing at the empty field of Manjoume. "Use [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia] to attack your opponent's duelist. Swallow this 3200 points of damage and then perish!"

"A gate to a mirror overflowing with death!"

Upon receiving Kagemaru's order, [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia] suddenly turned its head in a spine-chilling motion, revealing the back of its neck, where an eye suddenly opened and released a purple beam of light that attacked Manjoume!

With 3200 attack power, it's just enough to wipe out Manjoume's 3200 base points!

But at that moment, Manjoume took a deep breath, and just as the light was about to reach him, he pressed the button to activate the cover card and waved his hand: "But I refuse! What I, Manjoume, like to do most is to say 'no' to self-righteous guys!"

"Trap Card [Crystal Substitute] activated! Stand by me!"

As the Trap Card was activated, a Blade Warrior made entirely of crystal appeared beside Manjoume, striking the same pose as Manjoume!

(Wrong set, this is the one)

Chapter 1170 Enjoy the Pleasures of Hell

"Trap Card [Crystal Substitute], activate!"

Following Kagemaru's declaration of attack, Manjoume flipped open the cover behind him, and a crystal humanoid appeared beside him, raising a crystal longsword that served as arms in place of hands, pointing fearlessly at the oncoming [Dark Demon - Neosphia].

"What is that?" Kagemaru raised an eyebrow. "For [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia], the effects of any Spell/Trap Card are nullified and cannot have any effect on it. What use could that nonsensical face-down card possibly have?"

"I never said that [Crystal Substitute] is a Trap Card that affects attacking monsters, old man." Manjoume pointed at Kagemaru and calmly explained, "[Crystal Substitute] is a card that can only be activated when the opponent's monster declares a direct attack, and that monster's ATK is more than my Life Points."

"Both of the cards you just played were Quick-Play Spell Cards, which have the same effect no matter when they're played. No, are you afraid that my face-down cards in the back row are Quick-Play Spell Cards that can't be chained into counter-trap cards like [Attack Nullification]? And are you also hoping to use [Dark Demon - Neosphia] to deliver the final blow to satisfy your boring, perverse sense of humor?"

"Anyway, thanks to this, the direct attack from [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia] with 3200 ATK fulfilled the activation conditions for [Crystal Substitute]!" Manjoume said, waving his hand. "After activation, [Crystal Substitute] becomes an Effect Monster with the same ATK as my Life Points, and is Special Summoned in Attack Position in my Monster Zone!"

After consuming the Hermit's Poison, Manjoume had 3200 remaining Life Points, which is equivalent to the 3200 Attack Power of the Dark Demon - Neosphia after receiving the blessing of the Forbidden Holy Lance. Therefore, the monster that can be transformed by the Crystal Substitute activated at this moment has an Attack Power of exactly 3200, which is equivalent to the Attack Power of the Dark Demon - Neosphia!

【Crystal Substitute】【4☆/Light】

[Warrior Race/Trap/Effect]

【? /0→3200/0】

"The follow-up effect of 【Crystal Substitute】after its Special Summoning is to transfer the opponent's monster's attack target to this card, allowing the battle to continue. This effect does not affect the monster but rather the duelist who commands the monster in battle. Therefore, even 【Nyosphia】, which is not affected by the effects of Spell/Trap Cards other than 【Forbidden Lance】, will still be forced to battle 【Crystal Substitute】!"

"What!?" Upon hearing Manjoume's words, Kagemaru's eyes widened in surprise. After a slight pause, he realized what was happening and sneered, "If the attack power is the same, are you trying to use that trap monster to take down my [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia] together? Muda muda muda! Don't forget that [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia] also has a powerful resistance to being 'not destroyed in battle'!"

"Total destruction? The only thing that will be destroyed is your card!"

The beam of light from the eyes of [Dark Demon - Neosphia] struck the [Crystal Substitute] blocking Manjoume's path, and a brief struggle ensued. If [Dark Demon - Neosphia] hadn't possessed resistance to combat destruction, the [Crystal Substitute] might have been able to withstand the attack for a while, using its own 3200 attack power, to eventually close the distance and perish together with it. But there are no "ifs."

Before long, the first crack appeared on the crystal body of the [Crystal Substitute]. The attack power of [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia] also suddenly intensified, causing the cracks on the [Crystal Substitute] to continue to widen and increase. After a "crack", the crystal warrior shattered into ice crystals all over the ground. It had not been able to cause any damage to [Dark Netherworld Demon - Neosphia] from beginning to end.

As for Kagemaru, he couldn't help but feel regretful. Although his [Dark Demon - Neosphia] was not destroyed by Manjou's counterattack, he also failed to clear Manjou's Life Points in this turn. The appearance of [Crystal Substitute] was completely unexpected, and the last Quick-Play Spell Card he had left in his hand was temporarily useless.

"You got lucky, you brat Manjoume," Kagemaru said unhappily. "I was just a hair's breadth away from ending the duel this round."

But upon hearing Kagemaru's words, Manjoume's lips curled into a smug smile as he said, "Sore wa to ka na!"