Chapter 52 The Death Guardian

"I see. You've got some decent moves."

The masked spellcaster's gaze swept over the two magicians standing like bodyguards on the left and right of Youxuan's field, and he let out a cold, harsh hum.

"However, after obtaining the evolutionary power bestowed upon me by my god, I am now invincible.

My turn, draw!"

After drawing a new card, the spellcaster revealed it directly.

"Magic card, 'Pot of Greed'! I draw two more cards from my deck."

The spellcaster drew a card and then pulled two more from his hand.

"Magic card, 'Sacrificial Doll'! By offering one monster on my field as a tribute, I can Special Summon a monster that can be Normally Summoned from my hand!

I will send the set monster on my field to the graveyard, and then Special Summon this card!"

The set monster on the field flipped face-up, revealing a grim, red hound whose body dissolved in a storm of dark shadows, forming the shape of a summoning circle.

"Level 7, 'Holy Elf Dragon', appear!"

A storm of holy fire erupted from the summoning circle, and a giant dragon spread its wings, circling as it flew onto the field.

[Holy Elf Dragon, Attack Power: 2500]

The goblin lackies in the back started shouting again, "Master Spellcaster is awesome!"

"Summoning such a powerful monster in an instant, that brat doesn't stand a chance!"

"..."

The masked spellcaster also hummed smugly. "You're cautious; you didn't attack my set monster last turn. Were you wary of a Flip Effect?

It's useless. The monster I set was 'Fiend Hound - Eight-Ghost Hound'. When this card is sent from the field to the graveyard, you can add one Fiend-Type, Level 8 monster from your deck to your hand.

Even though you didn't attack it, sending it to the graveyard as a tribute via 'Sacrificial Doll' triggers this effect just the same."

The masked spellcaster drew the Fiend monster he searched from his deck and smiled coldly.

"The Fiend I want to search is precisely this card. After receiving my god's blessing and undergoing my own evolution, my most ferocious, most evil form—

—'Masked Beast - Des Guardius'!"

Youxuan: "..."

So this thing counts as your evolutionary form?

It was also a monster that had appeared in Duel Monsters, used by both the Paradox Brothers and Marik. A Level 8 Fiend with 3,300 attack points, it required two monsters on your field as tributes, which must include at least one of [Masked Sorcerer - Curse Throat] or [Melchid the Four-Faced Beast], to be Special Summoned.

"And I haven't done a Normal Summon this turn." The spellcaster smiled coldly, raising his volume. "Therefore, next, I will Normally Summon myself!

[Masked Sorcerer - Curse Throat], summon!"

Sure enough, as the card in his hand slapped onto the Duel Disk, a clone-like image emerged from the spellcaster's body, separating directly onto the open space of the front field.

[Masked Sorcerer - Curse Throat, Attack Power: 1500]

***

Secret Technique: I Summon Myself!

The scene looked somewhat bizarre, but Youxuan remained calm. He knew this was a mandatory ritual to appreciate in the Yugioh tradition, and even weirder things were yet to come.

"Although the Sheep Tokens summoned by 'Scapegoat' cannot be used as tributes for a Tribute Summon, they can be used as tributes for other effects."

The spellcaster clasped his hands together tightly, as if chanting a string of incantations, and then shouted aloud.

"Therefore, I sacrifice one 'Sheep Token' along with myself!"

Advanced Secret Technique: I Sacrifice Myself!

Just like that, the spellcaster's clone and a Sheep Token vanished simultaneously, as if swallowed by a rapidly expanding mass of darkness. A chaotic vortex erupted, sharp claws slashed through the darkness, and a bizarre fiend with three masks emerged from the chaos.

[Masked Beast - Des Guardius, Attack Power: 3300]

The goblin minions grew restless again: "It's here, Master Spellcaster's evolved ultimate form!"

One minion even taunted Youxuan directly, "Ha, you're already a dead man. It's too late to surrender now!"

"It's not over yet!"

After summoning the Masked Beast, the spellcaster's voice seemed to have become sharp and distorted.

"Next, I activate the Equip Magic 'Viper's Grasp' from my hand. The equipped monster becomes a Reptile-Type, and its attack power increases by 800.

I equip it to 'Holy Elf Dragon', increasing Holy Elf Dragon's attack power by 800!"

[Holy Elf Dragon, Attack Power: 2500 → Attack Power: 3300]

"Oh?" Youxuan frowned.

Holy Elf Dragon was Special Summoned via the effect of the Magic card "Sacrificial Doll", and monsters summoned through this effect should not be able to attack during this turn.

"Heh, you must be wondering why I'm powering up Holy Elf Dragon? The answer is this—"

The spellcaster played another card from his hand and shouted.

"Magic card, 'Cross Attack'!"

The magic card surfaced on his field amidst rolling golden light, which enveloped both the Holy Elf Dragon and the Masked Beast on his field.

"Cross Attack allows you to choose two monsters with the same attack power on your field. This turn, one of the chosen monsters can attack directly, while the other monster cannot attack!"

The minions understood once more.

"I see! By using equipment to raise Holy Elf Dragon's attack power so it matches the Masked Beast, it becomes possible to attack directly!"

"Not only that, but Holy Elf Dragon, summoned via 'Sacrificial Doll', couldn't attack this turn anyway—he even utilized that..."

"A direct attack with 3,300 attack power, with this single blow, that brat's Life Points will be like a candle in the wind!"

"This is Master Spellcaster's duel, far too strong..."

Youxuan: "..."

That really is a combo with anime characteristics.

***

Although he felt he was getting the hang of drawing what he needed and dared to be a bit bolder with his deck building, he was still not quite used to such acrobatic combos for the moment...

"The attack power of the 'Holy Elf Dragon' on my field has increased to match the 'Masked Beast - Des Guardius', so naturally, I choose to sacrifice Holy Elf Dragon's attack as the cost, allowing the Masked Beast to attack directly!"

The spellcaster laughed sharply and loudly.

"Attack directly with 'Masked Beast - Des Guardius'! Experience the power of destruction!"

The massive fiend lunged forward, its sharp claws slashing down fiercely toward Youxuan's head.

But the next moment, a miracle occurred!

Silent Magician actually jumped out on her own, standing right in front of Youxuan! She spread her arms, using her slender body to forcefully block the fiend's sharp claws, and with a snap, she dissolved into golden light.

"Nani!" The spellcaster was shocked. "What's going on? Why did the monster jump out to take the hit by itself?"

"Heh heh, this is the bond between a duelist and their monsters," Youxuan said righteously. "The power of bonds can create miracles. Someone like you wouldn't understand."

The spellcaster: "???"

What on earth?

He suddenly remembered hearing rumors that the Duel King from some unknown world possessed the terrifying ability to retcon the rules aloud. Could it be that he had encountered the legendary...

However, his gaze immediately fell upon a trap card that had been flipped face-up in his opponent's backrow at some point.

Trap Card - Temptation of the Wandering Mummy: When the opponent's monster declares an attack, you can re-select the attack target yourself.

"Tch, you noticed it after all," Youxuan pouted. "That's right, I re-designated the attack target of 'Masked Beast - Des Guardius' through the trap's effect.

Therefore, your attack target changed from me to Silent Magician. And because of that attack, I lost 1,300 Life Points."

[Youxuan, LP 4000 → LP 2700]

The masked spellcaster finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Good thing he had sharp eyes and caught a glimpse of the backrow. The brat actually tried to trick him; he almost thought he had run into the legendary rule-breaking King...

"Talking all high and mighty, you're still just using your own monster as a human shield," the masked spellcaster sneered.

Youxuan paid him no mind. Right where the Silent Magician had vanished on his field, a white magic circle opened out of thin air. Waves of magic power burst forth like a storm, swirling straight up into the clouds.

"Nani?" The spellcaster was startled once more. "Wasn't she defeated?"

"No, all you did was release her true power. When Silent Magician is destroyed by battle or an opponent's effect, I can Special Summon another 'Silent Magician' monster from my hand or deck, ignoring its summoning conditions.

Blooming with quiet brilliance at the intersection of chaos and order, O Magician of Light, descend here—

—Silent Magician LV8!"

A transparent magic storm whipped up, white robes fluttering. The white-robed spellcaster who had just retreated returned once more, the aura of magic overflowing from her body even greater than before.

Silent Magician LV8, summon!