Duels should be played with a smile.

"Gaia's other effect is that if it is Normal or Special Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 5 Dragon monster from your hand or Graveyard in Defense Position."

"Transform the curse into power and soar through the skies! Special Summon [The Cursed Dragon - The Cursed Dragon] from your hand in Defense Position!"

The Cursed Dragon, a high-ranking monster with exceptionally long service, has become even more powerful after the passage of time. While other dragons were getting into trouble and being imprisoned, it chose to stay quiet and keep to itself with its old friend Gaia.

[Dark 5★ Dragon 1500 Defense]

Although the Orichalcos Barrier exists on Atm's field, and Gaia and the Cursed Dragon's attack power each increased by 500 points due to the barrier, these two monsters were not marked with the Orichalcos symbol like Iron Knight and Puppet.

All the darkness was borne by the Pharaoh alone.

"The effect of the Cursed Dragon: If this card is Normal or Special Summoned, you can add 1 Spell/Trap Card with 'Gaia the Dragon Knight' in its name from your Deck to your hand."

With a flick of its tail, the Cursed Dragon tossed a Gaia-related card from its deck into Atm's hand.

"I'm adding [Spiral Fusion] to my hand!"

Gaia and the Cursed Dragon are both monsters that Yugi Muto, the original Duel King, has been using since the Duel Kingdom era. This time, they have reappeared on the field in an even more powerful form, which has given many people who have gradually fallen behind the times because their favorite cards are not strong enough to keep up with the times a lot more hope.

Presumably, this Atm player obtained these enhanced form cards in Duel Links, right? Does that mean his former comrades-in-arms will have a chance to reappear?

Many people have already secretly planned to go inside and explore it thoroughly as soon as the competition ends.

"Raphael! You were simply unable to face your past, and were taken advantage of when you were lost! Think about it carefully! Think about everything you have done up to this day!" Atm shouted again.

"It seems you know quite a lot, but your words mean nothing to me. I know very well what path I'm on, what I'm doing, and what I want to do."

Raphael's expression was equally resolute. If the green light emanating from the Orichalcos barrier on his forehead hadn't become even deeper, Atm might not have been prepared to hold back any longer.

Aetos, who was guarding Raphael, shook her head slightly at Atm. She was protecting Raphael, but now Raphael could no longer even turn around to look at his former companions.

The guardian in the cemetery, who had weathered the storms alongside him, was ruthlessly abandoned by him. The battle-damaged Ethos in his hand was now merely a tool to serve Dartz in order to achieve his goals.

"Darkness cannot obscure my heart, but it has clouded your vision. Today, let me pierce the fog before your eyes!"

"I activate the Spell Card [Spiral Fusion]!"

"Send the Fusion Material Monsters listed on a Dragon Fusion Monster Card from your hand or field to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summon that Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck."

"I will use Gaia and the Cursed Dragon on the field as fusion materials to perform a fusion summon!"

"Demonic lightning! Cursed fire! Now merge into one! Transform into a spear that pierces the darkness! [Demonic Dragon Riding Cursed Dragon]!"

Gaia, riding on horseback, leaped up and landed on the back of the cursed dragon. The power of magic merged the two into one, and the comrades who once fought side by side returned to the battlefield after becoming stronger.

[Dark 5★ Dragon 2000 Attack Power]

"If this card is successfully Fusion Summoned, you can target 1 Spell/Trap Card in your Graveyard with 'Dragon Knight Gaia' listed in its name: I target Spiral Fusion in my Graveyard and return it to my hand!"

"It's a Fusion Card recycling card?! Are you planning to fuse a second monster? But you only have one card left in your hand! Or are you planning a Double Fusion?"

"It doesn't need to be that complicated!"

"The effect of the Cursed Dragon of the Spellblade is that, as long as this card is in the Monster Zone, if you Fusion Summon a Level 7 Dragon-Type monster, you can banish monsters from your Graveyard as Fusion Material."

"I'm activating [Spiral Fusion] again!"

"Based on the effects of the Magical Dragon Rider, I will use Gaia from the graveyard and the Cursed Dragon as fusion materials!"

The power of the dragon knight, who wields the power of magic, can pierce the cycle of time and reactivate the power he left behind. Under the command of the Pharaoh, Gaia once again merges with the cursed dragon.

"The strongest knight who traverses between dimensions, breaking through all obstacles, transforms into the strongest knight soaring through the sky alongside the cursed dragon, harnessing the power of the wind, piercing through all darkness for me! Fusion Summon! [Sky Dragon Knight Gaia]!"

Amidst endless flames and howling winds, a knight in golden armor wields twin spears, riding the gale, determined to sweep away all hardships and difficulties, until he reaches the other side of the dimension.

[Wind · 7★ · Dragon · Attack Power 2600]

"[Gaia, the Sky-Soaring Dragon Knight]'s effect: While this card is in the Monster Zone, its name is treated as [Gaia, the Sky-Soaring Dragon Knight]!"

"At the same time, if [Dragon Knight Gaia] is Special Summoned through the Spiral Fusion effect, that monster's ATK increases by 2600, and it can attack the monster up to twice during the same Battle Phase."

Attack power increased from 2600 to 5700.

"Attack power of 5700?!"

If his doll isn't switched to Defense Position by Kuriboh, Raphael wouldn't be worried about the 5700 attack power. However, the only stat increase a doll can get is attack power!

"That's not all! Gaia's other effect is that if it is successfully Special Summoned, you can retrieve one [Spiral Shot] from your Deck or Graveyard!"

"I activate the Continuous Spell Card [Spiral Shot]!"

A strange power emanated from beyond the dimension, coiling around Gaia's two spears and causing them to ripple.

"Battle has begun! Gaia! Attack the puppet!"

"Spiral Shot Kill!"

Gaia's attack moves when she wields a gun are all Spiral Gun Kill, so it's understandable that Gaia's support magic card is called Spiral Gun Kill.

With the combined power of Spiral Fusion and the Orichalcos Barrier, Gaia is now the strongest monster on the field. It can defeat the puppet with only 1000 DEF points without breaking a sweat.

Furthermore, the strange power wrapped around the spear tip also came into play; the aftershocks of the battle, which should have been completely blocked by the puppet, passed directly through the puppet's body and struck Raphael behind it.

Raphael LP: 9700→5000

The immense impact sent Raphael flying, and if Etos hadn't intervened in time to pull him up, he might have fallen off the ring.

"The effect of Spiral Shot grants [Dragon Knight Gaia] piercing ability; your wall monsters can no longer shield you from the wind and rain."

The guardian monsters who once sheltered him from the wind and rain are almost forgotten by him.

"The second effect of Spiral Shot Kill, the first effect applies when [Dragon Knight Gaia] inflicts combat damage on the opponent, draws 2, discards 1."

The knights went to war and returned victorious, bringing back spoils that replenished Atm's nearly depleted resources.

"Gaia! Launch another attack on the Iron Knights!"

"At the same time, Gaia's second effect can also be activated. When declaring an attack against an opponent's monster, it can be activated to change its battle position from Iron Knight to Defense Position! Dragon's Might Suppression!"

[Iron Knight Attack Power 2300 → Defense Power 1600]

With the dragon's might unleashed, even the armored knights were forced to defend themselves. Under the powerful penetrating force of the spiral spear, the armored knights could only meet their demise.

Raphael LP: 5000→900

"The effect of Spiral Shot has no limit of once per turn, so I can draw 2 more cards and discard one."

The LP, which originally numbered nearly 10,000, was reduced to a precarious state after Gaia's two attacks, once again demonstrating just how fragile LP is in Yu-Gi-Oh!

"The final battle is about to begin!"

"Dragon Rider of the Demonic Path, the final attack! Spiral Spear Slash!"

"At this very moment! I activate the Spell Card 'Salvation of the Buried God' (Anime Card) from my Graveyard!"

At the crucial moment, Raphael finally reacted.

"Once during a duel, if this card is in your Graveyard and your opponent's monster declares an attack, banish 5 cards from your Graveyard, negate that attack, and end the Battle Phase."

Raphael selected five cards from the graveyard and removed them. Atm noticed that among these five cards was the Guardian he had previously discarded, but not the Iron Knight and the Puppet that had just been defeated.

"The fact that you didn't launch it from the beginning, but waited until the last minute, suggests you have other plans..."

"Don't underestimate me!" Raphael said loudly, "Your offensive was indeed stronger than I expected, but the final result was still within my expectations!"

"Oh? What about this one?" Atm smiled slightly and slapped out a card that normal people don't usually carry.

As long as you have faith in your deck and the synergies are in place, the cards that are meant to come will come to you!

"Activate the Spell Card 'Grave Digger' and banish 1-2 Monster Cards from your opponent's Graveyard!"

"I will exclude the Iron Knight and the puppets from your graveyard!"

The ghoul appeared next to Raphael's graveyard, and under Raphael's gaze of "How can anyone still carry this kind of card?", it picked up a Luoyang shovel and dug up the Iron Knight and the puppet with two quick strokes.

"You were probably planning to use the Resurrection card to revive next turn and then do another infinite loop, right? Now, you no longer have that chance!"

"Cover one card in the back row, end the turn!"

Atm was getting serious, and it was within his expectations that he failed to defeat Raphael in this round.

After all, he was a duelist who had defeated him before. Even though the timeline had changed, he wouldn't fall so easily.

But this makes it even more necessary to defeat him! It's both to redeem him and to prepare for the possible final battle that might follow.

"During my turn, based on the effect of the Guardian's Borgha, I can draw two cards."

Raphael's face was ashen. He knew perfectly well that he had been driven into a corner. If he could not use this card to turn the tide, his soul would be sealed within the barrier and become a sacrifice for the descent of the god Orichalcos.

If... if that really happens... it doesn't seem so unacceptable.

In any case, my life actually ended many years ago and has already lost its meaning.

My own time stopped forever at that moment.

"Let this gacha pull decide my fate."

"Fate is irresistible, and I will accept whatever the outcome may be."

Raphael's fighting spirit vanished, replaced by a deathly stillness.

A deathly silence capable of swallowing everything, like an abyss.

"Fate, tell me, where should I go?"

"Draw a card!"

"..."

"So, this is the path I'm meant to take...?"

"Covering two backcourt players."

"I activate the Spell Card [Heavenly Treasure Card]! Both players draw cards up to six!"

“My destiny has been revealed, and I will use this card to bury your soul.”

"And I will bury myself along with it..."

Chapter 150 At That Time, Just Like Now (Bounty 4/?)

Since Aetos was retrieved by Raphael, it had not had a chance to play. After covering the cards that could be covered, Raphael activated the Heavenly Treasure Card and gained a new possibility.

This also provided a large amount of resources to the opposing ATM.

"I activate the Echo Spell Card I just set down and equip it on your Sky Dragon Knight Gaia."