"According to the effect of Ultimate Offering, for every 500 Life Points paid, I can Normal Summon one monster!"
"Could it be..." Hoshino was slightly stunned. "He's trying to summon an evil god using such a reckless method?"
"Is this guy out of his mind?!" Da Vinci was equally shocked. "With his soul already torn apart, if he uses this method to summon an evil god..."
"Pay 500 Life Points and summon [Witch of the Black Forest]!" Before Da Vinci could finish, Yako had already summoned a second monster.
[Tenma Yako LP 2100 → 1600]
[Witch of the Black Forest★★★★(4-Star)][DARK][Spellcaster/Effect][ATK 1100/DEF 1200]
"It feels like I'm seeing a whole bunch of banned cards..." Hoshino muttered, her eye twitching as she watched the monsters materialize on Yako's field.
"Pay another 500 Life Points!" Yako's strained voice showed the pain of draining his life force.
"Da Vinci, are there consequences to just losing Life Points in this Shadow Game?" Hoshino asked. She thought the rules meant only the destruction of monsters would cause a soul to be torn apart.
"Hoshino-chan, this is a Shadow Game. There will be some impact," Da Vinci explained patiently.
The reason Hoshino wasn't aware of this was because, since the beginning of the duel, despite losing numerous monsters, her Life Points hadn't decreased at all. Da Vinci silently admired her. "Even after being countered by Yako's Skill Drain, Hoshino has created such an impressive situation. She's truly remarkable."
[Tenma Yako LP 1600 → 1100]
"Come forth, [Cyber Archfiend]!"
[Cyber Archfiend★★★★(4-Star)][DARK][Fiend/Effect][ATK 1000/DEF 2000]
"Yako already has three monsters on the field. With this, he has the sacrifices for the Evil God..." Mokuba glanced up at Kaiba. Of everyone present, only Kaiba had seen the true form of Yako's evil god.
"Yeah, this setup...!" Kaiba's eagle-like eyes locked onto Yako's field. "That card is coming. The ultimate monster of the evil gods, an invincible beast."
"An invincible monster... even stronger than Obelisk the Tormentor?" Mokuba asked, nervous. This was the first time he had heard Kaiba refer to a monster as invincible.
Mokuba had battled Obelisk the Tormentor countless times in practice duels, and it had perfectly embodied the overwhelming strength of a god in Duel Monsters. Could the evil god about to be summoned really be stronger than Obelisk?
"Behold, this is the final Evil God!" Having set up the board for his ultimate summon, Yako raised the card in his hand, nearly overcome with madness.
"In its primordial form, it becomes the strongest god! One that makes the heavens tremble and the earth bow! It can take on the form of any god, yet stands above all gods!"
With a powerful slam, Yako placed the card on the field. A menacing, ominous energy surged forth like a fierce storm.
"Sacrifice the three monsters on the field as tributes to summon the strongest Evil God—[The Wicked Avatar]!"
[Tenma Yako LP 1100 → 600]
As if consumed by the storm of ill omens, the three monsters on Yako's field began to distort and shatter, fragmenting into pieces. Unlike typical tributes, these felt more like a sacrificial live offering for the arrival of a god.
Through cracks in the Shadow Game's space, Hoshino could barely see outside and was certain that the sky beyond was as dark as the space they were in. Due to the height of the rooftop, everyone could feel the changes in the sky above.
"Thunder's rumbling, rain's coming! Akasha's gotta go home and grab her laundry! ┌(.Д.)┐" Akasha ran around, whether from excitement or fear, it was hard to tell.
"At least, based on the summoning effects, it is indeed a little more grand than a typical god," Hoshino mused, gazing up at the sky.
"Tremble in fear, and bow before the most powerful form of god!" Yako, intoxicated by the malicious energy swirling around him, bellowed his proclamation.
As the summoning sequence concluded, the final Evil God revealed itself before everyone.
"This...!"
But what shocked Hoshino wasn't the god's overwhelming aura or terrifying presence, but...
[The Wicked Avatar★★★★★★★★★★ (10 Stars)][DARK][Fiend/Effect][ATK ?/DEF ?]
"Why... why is it a sphere?!"
Even though the atmosphere was deadly serious, Hoshino couldn't suppress her urge to comment.
"Why did that long, drawn-out summoning sequence end with a sphere?! How can this thing be called the strongest Evil God?!"
The contrast between the terrifying appearances of the Wicked Dreadroot and the Wicked Eraser and the surprisingly cute black sphere was so jarring that Hoshino couldn't help but feel that it was somewhat adorable.
"Brother, is this really the strongest Evil God?" Mokuba, equally skeptical, turned to Kaiba.
Kaiba's clenched fists, trembling ever so slightly, provided the answer. "Be careful, Hoshino. This Evil God can't be defeated by normal means..."
"Before crushing you with the Evil God's power, I'll first activate the effects of Sangan and Witch of the Black Forest, which have been sent to the Graveyard." Yako calmly began searching his deck.
[Sangan Effect: When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, add one monster with 1500 or less ATK from your deck to your hand.]
[Witch of the Black Forest Effect: When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, add one monster with 1500 or less DEF from your deck to your hand.]
"I'll be adding [Cyber Jar] and [Goblin Attack Force] to my hand."
In the brief few seconds Yako spent searching his deck, the Wicked Avatar, hovering over the field, began to transform. The enormous sphere shrank to human size and started taking on a new form.
"This is...!!" Hoshino was more stunned than ever by the Evil God's transformation.
"It's... Nero?!"
The black sphere had reshaped itself into the exact appearance of Nero standing on Hoshino's field. The only difference was in color: while Hoshino's Nero wore a red gown, the Evil God remained cloaked in its original black.
"How dare it copy my appearance!" Nero's displeasure was evident as she glared at the opposing god.
"Hahaha!" Yet again, to Hoshino's surprise, the evil Nero also laughed. "Come at me! I'll show you what a truly great figure looks like!"
"It even talks, and its tone is exactly the same! It feels like there's just another Nero standing across from me!" Hoshino exclaimed.
"Umu~!"
Even the umu was perfectly mimicked!
"Umu! This infuriates me! It even perfectly copied my cuteness!" The real Nero's eyes grew even more serious.
"So, Nero, you've always considered that verbal tic one of your charms?"
"Isn't it, Master...?"
Her refined face, initially showing some anger, unexpectedly reddened a little. Nero shyly asked, "Does Master not like the way I talk?"
"Oh no, I love it! The 'umu' quirk is very cute!" Hoshino nodded vigorously, his eyes twitching slightly.
Suddenly, Okita spoke up from his hand, "I see, I see! So, Master likes that sort of thing. Okita has learned something—umu!"
"Please don't add unnecessary traits to yourself, Miss Failure =_=."
"Σ(っ°Д°;)っ So harsh, Master! That's an even worse title than being the sick swordswoman!"
"But is this what they call a Shadow Servant?" As Hoshino looked at the black Nero's form, the term popped into his mind.
However, the Nero on the opposing side didn't just resemble a Shadow Servant—it surpassed it in appearance and exuded a force far beyond that of a normal monster.
It could be said without exaggeration: the opposing Nero felt stronger!
"Attack, Wicked Avatar!" Yako raised his arm confidently, his simple words full of authority.
"Let me see your power!" The Wicked Avatar raised its blackened Aestus Estus, charging forward with Nero's exact tone.
"How dare you mimic my way of speaking!" Nero, unwilling to be outdone, also rushed forward.
Boom!
The red and black flames surrounding their swords clashed heavily, sending shockwaves through the air.
"To think a mere impostor possesses strength equal to mine?"
Nero gritted her teeth as she felt the abnormal strength within her black doppelgänger.
"Equal strength? Don't make me laugh~"
The black figure smirked with a trace of malice. Even though its entire body was black, it retained the exquisite beauty shared with Nero.
"How about this, then?" With an arrogant declaration, the black flames turned into roaring slashes, gradually pushing Nero back.
"This is so fun! Let me enjoy it a little more!"
The Wicked Avatar wore a joyful expression, savoring the thrill of battle while Nero struggled to hold her ground—a stark contrast between the two.
"To think I'd be completely overwhelmed by myself...how ironic!"
Even as she barely managed to defend with Aestus Estus, Nero could clearly sense the power gap between her and the doppelgänger.
Slash!
A streak of dark energy crossed, and a thin red line appeared on Nero's flawless white face.
[Heroic Spirit - Nero Claudius ATK 3800]
[The Wicked Avatar ATK 3801]
"They're separated by only 1 point?!" Mokuba shouted in surprise. "I've never seen monsters in a duel with such precisely close attack points!"
"Just a difference of 1 point, and yet I'm being completely overwhelmed?"
Nero let out a bitter laugh, feeling the blood trickle down her cheek, blending into her crimson gown.
"Stop playing around. Finish her, Wicked Avatar." Yako frowned slightly, urging it forward.
"When did you earn the right to order me around?" The Wicked Avatar's calm tone sent a chill down Yako's spine.
Placing its black sword against Nero's pale neck, the Wicked Avatar spoke with excitement. "Now, let me enjoy this a bit longer. You must have more strength, right?"
Clash!
Sparks flew as Nero deflected the black blade pressing against her neck, her body now glowing with a mysterious power.
"Just a 1-point attack difference? Activate the set Quick-Play Spell, [Hero Creation]!" Hoshino activated his set card, unaware of the true nature of the Evil God.
[Nero Claudius ATK 3800→ 4800]
"Umu! Nice support, Master!" The flames on Nero's sword reignited. "Let's start our counterattack!"
"How amusing!" Unfazed, the Wicked Avatar ignited its own black flames. "Let's settle this on the golden stage you hold so dear!"
"Aestus Domus Aurea!" x2
Red and black flames erupted on the battlefield, creating a fiery tornado of scorching winds.
"What happened?!" Shielding his face from the heat with his arms, Mokuba asked anxiously.
"Careless!" Kaiba, in stark contrast, stood firm in the scorching winds, his coat flapping wildly. "Even though Hoshino's Hero Creation greatly increased her attack power, that alone is useless against the Evil God in front of us."
"Brother, what do you mean?" Mokuba tried to face the winds as Kaiba did but eventually gave up.
"So what's the outcome then?!" Mokuba shouted, frustrated, unable to see the battlefield clearly due to the fiery winds.
[Hoshino Chiyuki LP 4000 → 3999]
Unlike the spectators, who were blinded by the storm, Hoshino could see the battle clearly and realized that even with Nero's boosted attack power, she had still lost.
[Heroic Spirit - Nero Claudius] destroyed.
"How did this happen...?"
[The Wicked Avatar ATK 4801]
"Hahaha, do you see now? This is the true, invincible power of The Wicked Avatar!" The doppelgänger laughed wildly as Nero was defeated, and its form began to change again.
"Hoshino Chiyuki, no matter how hard you struggle, there is no longer any hope of victory!" Now that the Evil God had finally defeated Hoshino's Nero, Yako laughed maniacally.
"The Wicked Avatar will always have the highest attack power on the field!"
[This card's ATK and DEF become the highest ATK of any other monster on the field, plus 1.]
"So that's how it works... No wonder even Obelisk the Tormentor was defeated." Finally understanding the Evil God's mechanism, Hoshino felt cold sweat running down her temple.
"A monster that cheats like this... Is there really any chance of beating it?"
(*****)
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