Chương 80: Cultist Extermination

[Yuna's POV]

I groaned and rested my face on the cold table. Glaring at the laughing dragon, I sighed helplessly as all the insults I had prepared stuck in my throat; no matter how annoyed I was, I didn't want to die.

"You spoke of a sister earlier... Who was it?" I asked carefully, gauging his reaction.

Settling back in his seat, Ten Thousand Dragon smirked. "Who else do you think? The Creator of Light, the God among gods, the one who looked after humans."

I closed my mouth at his preposterous answer and stared at him with doubt. "Then, may I ask what Ten Thousand Dragon-sama is the god of?"

"Hmph... Well, if you have to know, I'm the God of spirits," He spoke with evident pride: "Every Duel Monster spirit you have seen was all created by me. Do you know how hard it was to create each of those troublesome creatures meticulously?"

"Wow... So cool..." I clapped half-heartedly, and his nose twitched at the praise.

As the conversation finally drew to a close, my eyes subconsciously wandered to the floating mirror.

"Kaiba... Pharaoh... Have they won yet?" I mumbled, and unable to resist my growing curiosity, I peered in and resumed watching the duel...

[3rd POV]

"Now, I will battle! Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon, defeat that last Mirror Knight Token!" Yami Yugi shouted.

The mage pointed his staff, firing a bolt of red lightning across the field. Staring at the last Mirror Knight Token containing Yugi's soul, the Pharaoh's face contorted into a complex expression. His eyes couldn't pry away from his friend's reassuring smile as Yugi muttered slowly.

"Be careful... The hard part is not over yet."

*BOOOM*

The explosion roared as the Mirror Knight finally vanished. Yami Yugi clenched his teeth in barely restrained fury. The adversary they faced now was even more menacing than Marik, and his unforgivable deeds only fueled Yami Yugi's resolve.

"I will set two cards and end my turn!" Yami Yugi declared confidently, and Dartz scowled.

"You truly have made this difficult, Pharaoh," Dartz said, glaring at Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon with contempt. "The card you got from that girl is quite troublesome. But I've spent enough time messing around!"

"I will start with Pot of Greed!" he shouted. "This will allow me to draw two cards from my deck!"

"Then I will respond with Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon's effect and negate your Spell Card!" Yami Yugi retorted. "Additionally, Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon will gain an additional one thousand attack points!"

[Red Eyes Dark Dragoon: 5000 -> 6000 Attack]

"Foolish Pharaoh..." Dartz mocked with an ominous smile: "You should have saved Dragoon's power for something far more important, for something like this! I will play Shaddoll Fusion!"

"Shaddoll Fusion allows me to fuse two monsters from my hand or field. However, when my opponent controls a monster summoned from the Extra Deck, I will be able to use monsters from the deck as materials as well!"

Seto/Yami Yugi: !!!

"I will send Re Shaddoll Wendi and QadShaddoll Keios from my deck to the grave. With these two cards, I will fusion summon my El Shadoll Construct!!"

[El Shaddoll Construct: 2800 Attack]

[El Shaddoll Construct: 2800 -> 3300 Attack]

"Next, I will activate the effects of Re Shaddoll Wendi and QadShaddoll Keios!" Dartz declared, causing Seto and Yami Yugi to frown nervously as they tried to keep up with the multitude of effects unfolding simultaneously.

"QadShaddoll Keios allows me to send the Shaddoll Beast from my hand to the graveyard," Dartz explained, his voice ringing with confidence. "And for the rest of this turn, all monsters I control will gain attack and defence equal to Shaddoll Beast's level!" [1]

[El Shaddoll Construct: 3300 -> 3600 Attack]

"Then, with Re Shaddoll Wendi, I will be able to special summon Shaddoll Dragon from my deck in a face-down defence position."

"Finally, with the Shaddoll Beast, I am able to draw one card. Now that's settled, I will normal-summon Orichalcos Kyutora!"

[Orichalcos Kyutora: 500 Attack]

[Orichalcos Kyutora: 500 -> 1300 Attack]

"I will battle! Orichalcos Kyutora will attack Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon!" Dartz demanded, and the small sea urchin charged fearlessly into battle.

"Tsk... Don't you know Orichalcos Kyutora is much weaker?" Seto remarked with a sneer. "Has your eyes begun to deceive you, old man?"

"Yet your wisdom still couldn't match mine," Dartz smirked as Orichalcos crashed into Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon and exploded into a green mist.

"While Orichalcos Kyutora is on the field, any damage taken will be rendered zero," Dartz explained with a confident smile. "Then, when Orichalcos Kyutora is destroyed, I can reveal its true form; I will summon Orichalcos Shunoros!"

*RUMBLE RUMBLE*

Seto and Yami Yugi gritted their teeth as they stared at the massive jade statue standing before them. The statue's eyes shimmered, and its two arms detached, creating three separate monsters on the field.

[Orichalcos Shunoros: 4300 Attack]

[Orichalcos Aristeros: 0 Attack]

[Orichalcos Dexia: 0 Attack]

[Orichalcos Shunoros: 4300 Attack -> 5100]

[Orichalcos Aristeros: 0 Attack -> 800 Attack]

[Orichalcos Dexia: 0 Attack -> 800 Attack]

"Orichalcos Aristeros, attack Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon!" Dartz yelled. "When Orichalcos Aristeros and Orichalcos Dexia battle, it will gain an attack equal to the targeted monster plus three hundred!"

[Orichalcos Aristeros: 800 -> 7100 Attack]

*BANG*

Orichalcos Aristeros shot through the monster's chest like a missile, and Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon clutched its wounds in pain. Unable to endure the injury, it vanished into the darkness.

[Yami Yugi: 4000 LP -> 2900 LP]

"El Shaddoll Construct, destroy his Dark Magician!" Dartz shouted, and Yami Yugi's trusted mage also fell helplessly to his attack.

"Now, Orichalcos Shunoros, finish him off! Attack his life points directly!" Dartz laughed, and the statue rushed towards Yami Yugi at unprecedented speed. "It's over now, Pharaoh. Nobody can stop me!"

"Tsk..." Yami Yugi gritted his teeth: "Not so fast! I will..."

"I activate my Trap Card, Attack Guidance Armor, and I'll equip it to my Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Seto's voice cut through the tense atmosphere.

Orichalcos Shunoros, interrupted in its deadly trajectory towards Yami Yugi, swiftly altered its course. With a sinister gleam in its eyes, it reattached one of its limbs and seized Blue-Eyes White Dragon by the neck, hurtling it to the ground. Before the dragon could regain its footing, Orichalcos Shunoros struck with merciless force, snuffing out Blue-Eyes White Dragon's life with a thunderous blow.

[Seto Kaiba: 2500 LP -> 400 LP]

"Kuh..." Seto groaned, his body falling to one knee, his breath rattled by the immense damage he'd endured.

"Kaiba," Yami Yugi muttered, concern lacing his voice. "You shouldn't have interfered. I would've been fine on my own!"

"Shut up..." Seto glared at him with contempt, "Do you think I wanted to do this?"

Yami Yugi: "Then why....."

"Because Sano said so," Seto growled, his anger and envy palpable. "She said you have the power to end this mess. And didn't that b*stard Pegasus give you a card as well, or have you forgotten?"

"Kaiba..." Yami Yugi muttered, clearly touched by his words, which only deepened Seto's scowl, filled with annoyance.

"What's with that look on your face?! Just because we're teaming up doesn't mean we're friends! Let me tell you right here: I still hate you, and I don't trust you. I trust Sano, so save up your strength; I'll give you time..."

Seto cursed under his breath, the bright light of the Duel Disk blinking flashily, irritating his eye. Even now, he was starting to feel regret over taking the hit for the Pharaoh. He wondered if he could duel Dartz alone.

However, as Seto glanced at Yami Yugi, he wavered. Despite his intense distaste for the Pharaoh's righteous and naive personality, he still begrudgingly listened... For her.

"Come on, geezer," he mocked at Dartz, who watched the interaction with interest. "Play your cards; we don't have all day."

"Then, in that case, after Orichalcos Shunoros has attacked, it will lose attacks equal to Blue Eyes White Dragon's defence."

[Orichalcos Shunoros: 5100 -> 2100 Attack]

"When Blue-Eyes White Dragon is destroyed, I'm able to summon Keeper of the Shrine from the graveyard," Seto explained, attempting to fortify his defence.

[Keeper of the Shrine: 2100 Defence]

"Fine... Then I will use Orichalcos Deuteros and attack the Pharaoh's life points directly!"

[Yami Yugi: 2900 LP -> 2100 LP]

"Finally, I will activate the effect of Orichalcos Deuteros and gain five hundred life points for each monster I control, and I will set two cards; that concludes my turn..."

[Dartz: 1200 LP -> 3700 LP]

Staring at Seto, Dartz's smile widened into a taunting grin. "What now, boy? Ready to show me how it's done?"

"Kaiba, your life points are low. Just step back and focus on protecting yourself," Yami Yugi urged, his voice tinged with concern. "You've done enough."

"Step back?" Seto clenched his fists in anger. "What gives you the right to tell me to step back? I'm not someone who needs your protection."

Silently, he gauged his hand and the cards placed across the field. Gears turned frantically in his head as he considered all the different approaches.

"In the end, it's all about life points..." Seto frowned.

"First, I will set three cards face down and then activate Card of Demise. This spell allows me to draw until I have five cards, but during my fifth standby phase, I must discard my entire hand."

"Next, I will activate Emergency Provision! By sending two face-down cards I control, I can gain two thousand life points!"

[Seto Kaiba: 400 LP -> 2400 LP]

"Then, I will activate Monster Reborn to revive a monster from any of our graveyards! I will choose the Black Luster Soldier!"

[Black Luster Soldier: 3000 Attack]

"Finally, I will activate my set card, Ultimate Fusion!!" Seto's voice echoed with determination, and energy burst forth all around him, causing Yami Yugi's eyes to widen in surprise.

"This card allows me to Fusion Summon a monster that explicitly requests a Blue-Eyes White Dragon or Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon as material by shuffling monsters from my hand, field, or graveyard back into the deck!"

Two portals suddenly emerged in the air, one beneath Black Luster Soldier and the other beside Seto. A deafening roar resounded from one of the portals as Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon emerged onto the field.

"Using Black Luster Soldier and Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon as materials, I will summon Dragon Master Kni...."

Suddenly, Seto's grip tightened on his chest, a surge of intense sensation coursing through his body. Agonized groans escaped his lips as he fought against an unseen force, his words trapped in his throat as if shackled by invisible chains.

"Got to hold it together..." He hissed at himself, struggling to suppress the unbearable pain pounding against his head.

Turning his head, Seto noticed the two blue portals starting to flicker and crack. "No!" he shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the powerful energy that was wreaking havoc on his body.

"What's happening?" Seto muttered, his voice barely audible amidst the chaos. He could sense the subtle changes in his body, and he realised that the card was fighting against him.

As his vision dimmed, he felt himself being pulled into an abyss. When he finally opened his eyes, Seto found himself engulfed in darkness, surrounded by an eerie void that seemed to swallow everything in its path.

*Giggle*

Seto lifted his head at the sound, his senses heightened with caution. Slowly rising to his feet, he fixed his gaze on the back of a woman with long white hair.

"Who are you?" Seto demanded, his voice tinged with suspicion. The woman slightly tilted her head, revealing a faint smile.

"Why don't you tell me?" the woman replied, her tone enigmatic. Seto clicked his teeth in irritation at her nonchalant attitude.

"Stop messing around; where is this place? What am I doing here?!" Seto demanded, his agitation evident in his tone. "Answer me this instance!"

"You're trying to wield a power that you don't deserve," the woman replied cryptically, her voice carrying a hint of warning. "Which is why you're here now."

"Who do you think you are? Telling me that I don't deserve it?" Seto clenched his fists, his anger boiling. "I don't have to prove anything to you!"

"Indeed," The woman nodded, her demeanour unfazed. "But it's not me that you're going to convince..."

*WOOOSH*

A strange force knocked him backward, and Seto rolled across the floor. Catching himself, he skillfully stood back up, glaring warily at where the woman had been. However, her figure had vanished, and in her place stood a massive dragon with beautiful white scales.

The dragon's gentle blue eyes scanned Seto meticulously, and its head lowered in a posture of calmness. It neither moved nor uttered a sound, presenting unexpected tranquillity. As Seto's breathing returned to normal, he cautiously advanced towards the docile creature, his steps marked by a mixture of confusion and disbelief. The memory of the enigmatic woman faded rapidly from his mind, replaced by the overwhelming presence of the majestic dragon before him.

"Why did you finally show up now?" Seto asked calmly, approaching the Blue-Eyes White Dragon with conviction. "The number of victories we've shared is too great to count."

His scowl deepened as he continued, "Yet right now, you didn't answer my call when I needed you the most."

Hearing his statement, Blue-Eyes White Dragon snarled and snapped its teeth at him. Though it spoke no words, its thoughts echoed clearly in Seto's mind.

"Did you really believe that winning was the only thing I cared about?" Seto growled, his voice thick with disappointment. To his disbelief, the dragon slowly nodded, its eyes reflecting a deep understanding of Seto's obsession with victory.

Suddenly, Seto found himself drawn into a whirlwind of scenes, each revealing a different facet of his past. He witnessed his relentless pursuit of power, the battles fought, and the sacrifices made along the way. With each memory, the dragon's silent narrative painted a vivid portrait of his journey to become the greatest duelist.

As the final memory came to an end, Seto took a deep breath, the weight of his past experiences pressing upon him. In the silence that followed, he found himself lost in contemplation, grappling with the revelations unearthed by the dragon's memories.

"I do not regret what I have done, and I won't regret anything I will do in the future," Seto spoke honestly, his words tinged with conviction.

"But," he uttered coldly, his gaze unwavering, "you seemed to have mistaken my reliance on your power. If you're not going to help me, then make sure to stay out of my way. My friend's life depends on this duel, so I don't need another obstacle."

Without remorse, Seto turned his back to Blue-Eyes White Dragon for the first time in his life, his resolve unwavering as he walked deeper into the darkness, intent on finding a way out on his own. With each step, he distanced himself from the memories and revelations that had unfolded.

After walking for what felt like an eternity, Seto finally came to a stop as light slowly filled his surroundings.

Feeling the presence following him, Seto paused, his senses alert as Blue-Eyes White Dragon gently nudged its head against his shoulder. Despite his resolve to walk alone, he couldn't ignore the bond that had formed between them.

As their eyes met, Seto sensed a shift in the dragon's demeanour. It seemed to understand his newfound determination, his desire to gain strength not for himself but for someone else.

For the first time, Seto felt a glimmer of understanding; a connection forged not just through battles won but through shared trials and unspoken bonds. With a silent nod, he acknowledged the dragon's presence, a silent promise of mutual support in the trials ahead.

"Good, I'm glad we reached a consensus... Now, show me the exit, and let's finish the battle once and for all..."

*WOOOSH*

Back in Dartz's chamber, Seto's eyes snapped open, a surge of renewed energy coursing through him. With determination etched in his features, he rose to his feet, feeling the indescribable power flowing smoothly through his body. The once-crackling portals had now become serene, a testament to his newfound strength.

He realized he had been foolish as the knowledge of Blue-Eyes White Dragon flooded his mind. Why had he summoned something so seemingly weak when another creature lay dormant, waiting for him?

"I will summon!!" he yelled, and the entire room trembled under the immense pressure. Despite being underground, the wind blew fiercely around him.

"Using Black Luster Soldier and three of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons as material!"

"I call upon two beings that rule over light and darkness!

The Mythical Warrior of Chaos that wields magic like no other!

The Celestial dragon that's the strongest of them all!

Follow my command and bring victory to this duel!

I summon Dragon Magia... Master!!!" [2]

The two portals combined into one as the cries of both monsters echoed through the chamber. After a tense few seconds, a massive three-headed dragon emerged from within.

Compared to the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon from before, this new creature's scales had merged into plates of armour, and its claws and spikes had become sharper. On each of its heads, there lay a red marking, symbolizing the pattern of chaos. Standing atop the dragon was a man wearing a black suit, his long black hair flowing behind him. He wore a helmet with two horns protruding from both sides and in his hand, he held a massive, sleek red staff that seemed to contain immense power...

[Dragon Magia Master: 5000 Attack]

"While using Ultimate Fusion, I can destroy cards equal to the number of Blue-Eyes White Dragon or Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon I used as material! That means I can destroy up to three cards!"

With confidence, Seto eagerly pointed at Dartz: "I will choose Orichalcos Shunoros, El Shadoll Construct and the face-down monster on the field!"

"I won't allow this; I will activate my trap, Safe Zone and target Orichalcos Shunoros! That means that while the card is on the field, Orichalcos Shunoros cannot be destroyed by card effects!"

However, to Dartz's shock, before the effect could resolve, the trap card explodes into thousands of tiny pieces, leaving him dumbstruck.

"I will use the effect of Dragon Magia Master..." Seto's deep voice travelled loudly in the room: "Once per turn, when my opponent activates a card effect, I can negate the activation and destroy it. Additionally, Dragon Magia Master can activate the effect for each card type used, that be monsters, spells or traps."

"Now, Ultimate Fusion, bring his field to oblivion!" Seto shouts as the monsters on the field are suddenly consumed by the massive blue portal, never to return: "With Orichalcos Shunoros gone, that means Orichalcos Dexia and Orichalcos Asterios will leave the field too."

"Then I will activate the effect of Shaddoll Dragon that was destroyed and sent to the graveyard, targeting True Light and destroying it!" Dartz yelled frantically, causing Seto to smirk.

"That won't be possible. Dragon Magia Master's effect will activate to negate your Shaddoll Dragon! Now, your field is truly empty, Dragon Magia Master; attack him directly!!"

*BOOOOOMMMM*

Smoke filled the field as the dragon unleashed a white beam from each of its three heads. When their vision cleared, Dartz was seen standing, sweat forming all over his face as if he had just stared death in the eye. "With Waboku... I won't take any battle damage until the end of this turn."

Slowly, Dartz's shoulders trembled, and he burst into a fit of laughter. "Just like that girl, you have pushed me over the edge." His smile widened, but his eyes turned bloodshot as an ominous aura emanated from his body, sending shivers down the spines of Seto and Yami Yugi.

"Congratulations, you now have my attention. It would be wise for you not to lose it!"

Ten Minutes Later...

The ferocity of the duel intensified tenfold as Dartz unleashed everything without hesitation. Under extreme pressure, Seto and Yami Yugi fought passionately, their life points hanging by a thread.

With each move, they drove Dartz into a corner, their relentless onslaught slowly wearing down his defences. Finally, with his last reserves of strength, Dartz found himself on his last leg, his once-imposing facade crumbling under the relentless assault of Seto and Yami Yugi.

When he finally ran out of options, Dartz roared in anger and unleashed his last trump card, revealing Divine Serpent Geh... The Card that defeats Yuna.

"There's nothing you can do!" Dartz cackled, "My Divine Serpent Geh is unstoppable!"

"Kaiba!" Yami Yugi shouted: "Follow my lead; I will activate Exchange!"

Yami Yugi: "I will give you my Mirror Force!"

Seto: "Here, take this Fang of Critias!"

The two duelists threw their cards at each other, a symphony of determination and strategy echoing through the air. Yami Yugi skillfully caught the card before immediately activating another.

"With this, all conditions have been met," he declared, his voice ringing with confidence. "I will use my Legend of Heart to pay one thousand life points and tribute my Obnoxious Celtic Guardian to remove Fang of Critias, Claw of Hermos, and Eye of Timaeus from the game to summon the three legendary warriors that guard Atlantis!"

"Legendary Knight Timaeus!"

"Legendary Knight Critias!"

"Legendary Knight Hermos!"

"I call upon you!"

[Legendary Knight Timaeus: 2800 Attack]

[Legendary Knight Critias: 2800 Attack]

[Legendary Knight Hermos: 2800 Attack]

"With the three legendary knights, their powers will be combined into one and summon Timaeus, the Knight of Destiny!" [3]

Raising their swords simultaneously, light burst out of the tip of the blade as they gradually merged, transforming into a tall knight covered in golden armour with a cape spanning into three separate colours.

[Timaeus, the Knight of Destiny: ?? Attack]

"Timaeus, the Knight of Destiny, attack Divine Serpent Geh!!" The Pharaoh ordered, and the knight fearlessly charged towards the humongous snake.

"My Divine Serpent Geh has an infinite attack. Timaeus, the Knight of Destiny, will be destroyed!" Dartz shouted in confusion, but Yami Yugi merely smiled.

"Unbeknownst to you, Timaeus, the Knight of Destiny have a remarkable effect; when it attacks a monster, this card will gain an attack equal to the strongest monster on the field, which is your Divine Serpent Geh!"

[Timaeus, the Knight of Destiny: ?? Attack -> ∞ Attack]

"Dartz!! This is the end. All the people you have harmed and the souls you have captured will be liberated today!" Yami Yugi spoke with conviction: "Timaeus, destroy that monster once and for all!!"

"NOOOO!!!" Dartz screamed as Timaeus swung its blade, and the duel reached its conclusion...

-------------------------

[1] Qadshadoll Keios's effect doesn't affect the monsters currently on the field but to all monsters dartz control that turn.

[2] Ocg card

[3] Timaeus Knight of Destiny doesn't require polymerisation to be summoned.