"Come forth, Special Summon—[Heroic Spirit – Scáthach]!"
[Heroic Spirit – Scáthach ★★★★★★★★★★ (Level 10)] [DARK] [Zombie/Effect][ATK 3300 / DEF 2500]
[Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by banishing 1 [Heroic Spirit] monster from your hand, 1 [Heroic Spirit] monster from your field, and 1 [Heroic Spirit] monster from your Graveyard.]
"The Queen of the Land of Shadows, Scáthach, answers the call. When peril looms, I shall turn the tide!" she declared, twirling her crimson spear with elegance. Even in the presence of three towering Divine Beasts, Scáthach's tone remained calm and unwavering.
"You think you can take on the three Egyptian Gods? Keep dreaming! Slifer, unleash Thunderforce!" Marik commanded, directing Slifer's wrath toward Scáthach.
A circular bolt of lightning shot out from Slifer's maw, hurtling toward Scáthach with deadly precision.
But the attack, infamous for weakening its foes' power, was effortlessly deflected. With a swift, elegant motion, Scáthach intercepted the bolt with her crimson spear. The lightning exploded harmlessly at its tip, not even grazing her.
"The one who can kill me... doesn't exist!" she declared, her confidence absolute.
Marik's composed demeanor faltered. "She blocked Slifer's effect? How is that possible?"
"Slifer the Sky Dragon? Ha! It's no match for the invincible and beautiful Scáthach!"
[This card is unaffected by the effects of monsters Level 10 or higher.]
Yugi stared in awe. "Is this Hoshino's trump card against the Egyptian Gods? A monster capable of defeating the gods themselves?"
Clad in her sleek, form-fitting black outfit, Scáthach's tall, perfectly proportioned figure might seem frail compared to the colossal Egyptian Gods. Yet her presence exuded such dominance that even the gods appeared to hesitate before her.
Her crimson spear moved with a deadly rhythm, less like a wild dance and more like the deliberate, precise bloom of a deathly flower—a stark contrast to her apprentice Cú Chulainn's ferocity.
"I leave it to you, Shishō!" Hoshino raised her Duel Disk, its lights flickering faintly as Scáthach's card resonated with her will.
A faint smile graced Scáthach's lips. "Normally, I'd scold you for your weakness, but not this time. To fight through such dire circumstances and make it this far... Master, you've done remarkably well."
"Shishō, it wasn't just me! Everyone lent me their strength, allowing me to challenge the Egyptian Gods!"
Hoshino had fought tooth and nail alongside her Heroic Spirits, overcoming unimaginable odds. Every step was fraught with danger, like walking a razor's edge above a bottomless abyss.
Scáthach nodded approvingly. "Courage alone isn't enough. Only those who face despair head-on and wield both wisdom and strength earn my respect. You, Master, have done just that."
"Hehe, I knew Shishō cared about me the most! Now, let's fight side by side—[Heroic Spirit – Scáthach]'s monster effect activates!"
[Once per turn, during your Main Phase: You can Special Summon 1 [Heroic Spirit] monster from your hand or Graveyard.]
"First, we need to deal with that Field Spell!" Scáthach's sharp gaze fell on the Mound of the Bound Creator, its dark chains binding the gods to the battlefield.
Tracing glowing runes in the air, she summoned immense magical energy. "Primordial Rune, carve a miracle and summon the valiant warrior to my side!"
Hoshino retrieved a card from the Graveyard and placed it on her Duel Disk. "Using Scáthach's effect, I Special Summon [Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc] in Attack Position!"
[Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)] [LIGHT] [Fairy/Effect][ATK 2500 → 500 / DEF 3000]
Jeanne raised her sacred flag, shielding herself from Slifer's Thunderforce. With eyes closed, she whispered, "This time, I won't fall so easily. Lord, grant me the strength to sever this domain's hold!"
"[Heroic Spirit – Jeanne d'Arc] activates her effect! I target one Spell or Trap on the opponent's field and discard a card of the same type from my hand to destroy it!"
Marik's eyes widened. "True Name Discernment?!"
"That's right! True Name Discernment targets Mound of the Bound Creator! I discard my Spell Card—go, Jeanne!"
Jeanne's eyes snapped open, and she pointed her flag at the towering pillars of dark chains binding the gods. "Lord, unleash your judgment upon this twisted domain!"
Unlike Slifer's destructive lightning, Jeanne's sacred thunder struck swiftly, shattering the dark chains and towering pillars in a single stroke.
[Mound of the Bound Creator destroyed]
With the Field Spell gone, the Egyptian Gods lost their immunity to effects. Their once-mighty forms now wavered, vulnerable and unstable.
"With Mound of the Bound Creator destroyed, the Egyptian Gods have lost their resistance to destruction effects. Now's the time to strike!" Hoshino declared, activating another card.
"I activate the Spell Card [Triple-Linked Crane Wings], targeting Scáthach!"
[Triple-Linked Crane Wings Spell Card Effect: Target 1 face-up "Heroic Spirit" monster on the field. Halve that monster's ATK. During this turn, that monster can attack up to 3 times.]
[Heroic Spirit – Scáthach ATK 3300 → 1650]
Jonouchi looked baffled. "Why cut her attack power? She won't even be able to take down Slifer, let alone Obelisk!"
Kaiba's eyes narrowed in thought. "It doesn't matter if her power is halved. If she can bypass Obelisk's wall, she can target the others."
Kaiba referred to Obelisk's effect: when it was on the field, it could only be targeted for attacks.
Hoshino smirked. "The Egyptian Gods are powerful, but in front of Shishō, they're nothing but paper tigers. Scáthach's effect activates—when this card battles a Level 10 or higher monster, it doesn't calculate battle damage. Instead, it destroys the monster outright!"
With the Field Spell gone, the three Egyptian Gods stood defenseless against Scáthach's absolute god-slaying power.
"With Crane Wings, Scáthach can attack three times this turn. None of the Egyptian Gods will survive!"
Each thrust of her spear carried the precision of a god-slayer. With a flick of her wrist, Scáthach hurled her spear, splitting it into countless crimson projectiles.
"Stab and penetrate... thrust and drill! Gáe Bolg Alternative!!!"
Without holding back, Scáthach unleashed a relentless barrage of countless death-spears. The sharp spear tips, brimming with immense magical energy, rained down upon the massive forms of the three Egyptian God Monsters.
Marik's expression was more pained than the gods themselves. With the destruction of Mound of the Bound Creator, he could no longer suppress the gods' wrath. The torment of feeling countless spears piercing his body, amplified by the Shadow Game, left him in visible agony.
It was as if Scáthach's spears had pierced the heavens themselves, bringing about a dramatic reversal. Kaiba, watching intently, muttered with a complex expression, "Even the three Egyptian God Cards can be defeated? Just how far does your power extend, Hoshino?"
Marik, despite his pain, roared defiantly, "You think I'll let you destroy the Egyptian Gods so easily? Obelisk's effect activates!"
"It's useless, Marik!" Hoshino shot back. "Without Mound of the Bound Creator, you can't command your counterfeit Obelisk to activate its effects. The only thing waiting for you is divine punishment!"
"Hahaha! A counterfeit Obelisk? Punishment? Don't be so naive, Hoshino. The Obelisk on my field is no fake—it's the genuine article!"
The shattered forms of Slifer the Sky Dragon and The Winged Dragon of Ra were crushed in Obelisk's massive fists.
"When I used Monster Reborn, I didn't revive the counterfeit card in my hand. I resurrected the real Obelisk the Tormentor, slumbering in your Graveyard! Even without Mound of the Bound Creator, Obelisk's special ability—Soul Energy MAX—can still activate!"
As the wielder of the Millennium Rod, Marik had the qualifications to command the true God Cards.
[Obelisk the Tormentor ATK 4000 → ∞]
"Not only that," Marik sneered, "but the moment Mound of the Bound Creator was destroyed, I tributed Slifer to further empower Obelisk. Did you really think I wouldn't anticipate your moves, Hoshino?"
When the storm of death-spears cleared, the only monster left standing on the field was Obelisk, its infinite attack power emanating an overwhelming presence.
"Oh? An attack power that surpasses all limits? Now that's a worthy opponent. But even that can't kill me!" This time, Scáthach didn't throw her spears. Instead, she charged head-on. Her crimson spear clashed directly with Obelisk's massive fists, creating a shockwave that rippled through the field.
Hoshino smirked, raising her Duel Disk. "Even if you raise Obelisk's attack power to infinity, it's meaningless against Shishō's effect!"
In the world of Duel Monsters, countermeasures often reigned supreme. Scáthach's special ability, which allowed her to destroy Level 10 or higher monsters outright, rendered even an infinitely powerful Obelisk powerless.
In a single strike, Scáthach's spear pierced through Obelisk's massive fists. Its colossal arms crumbled away, disintegrating as though consumed by flames.
Taking advantage of the opening, Scáthach leapt into the air. Her spear, spinning like a crimson whirlwind, tore apart Obelisk's massive form in an instant.
"Hah! That's it for Obelisk, isn't it?" Hoshino exclaimed, standing with her hands on her hips as she watched the shattered remains of Obelisk fade away.
However, Scáthach returned to Hoshino's side with a grave expression. Instead of pressing the attack to reduce Marik's Life Points, she lowered her spear.
"Master, be cautious. Something feels off. The sensation wasn't right when I destroyed it. This god didn't feel like it died—it felt more like it willingly disappeared."
Hoshino frowned, puzzled. "Willingly disappeared? Are you saying gods surrender when they know they can't win?"
"Of course not, Hoshino!" Marik's sinister laughter echoed across the battlefield, his face contorted in a triumphant sneer. Even the damage inflicted by the Shadow Game had seemingly vanished from his body.
"Tributed Obelisk?" Hoshino felt a surge of unease as she noticed Marik's restored condition.
Marik held up the card he had just activated, his smug grin widening. "This is why you'll never defeat me, Hoshino. The moment the Egyptian Gods entered this duel, your defeat was inevitable. Destroying a god? Impressive, I'll admit. But ultimately, meaningless!"
"Quick-Play Spell Card—[Mystik Wok]!"
[Mystik Wok Quick-Play Spell Effect: Tribute 1 monster. Select either its ATK or DEF and gain that many Life Points.]
Kaiba stepped back in shock. "Sacrificing a monster with infinite attack power… does that mean—?!"
[Marik's LP 1000 → ∞]
With his Life Points soaring beyond measure, Marik's confidence surged. "With infinite Life Points, I've achieved immortality! Attack me all you want—it's completely futile!"
Hoshino stared, dumbfounded, her mouth slightly agape. "That's allowed? I can understand infinite attack power being part of Duel Monsters, but infinite Life Points?!"
Marik spread his arms wide, his expression exuding smugness. "Go ahead, Hoshino. Attack me. If you manage to deal even a single point of damage, I'll admit defeat!"
Jonouchi groaned in frustration. "So, what now? Wait for Marik to run out of cards in his deck?"
Yugi shook his head gravely. "That won't work. Hoshino's deck draws cards faster because of Marie's effect, and Marik used Pot of Avarice to recycle his deck. In a deck-out scenario, Hoshino would lose first."
Jonouchi's shoulders slumped. "Then what? Are you saying Hoshino's already doomed?"
Yugi's gaze remained steady. "There's one card in Hoshino's deck that can break this stalemate. If she realizes it, there's still a chance."
"My turn ends," Hoshino said, clenching her fists in frustration. "For now."
"Gahaha! Finally realizing how pointless your efforts are? Why not surrender and save yourself the humiliation?" Marik taunted as he casually drew his next card. "This duel is so one-sided, I don't even feel like summoning a monster. I'll set one card and end my turn."
[Marik: 3 Hand Cards | 1 Set Card]
"Sorry to disappoint, Marik, but it's you who's finished!" Hoshino's troubled expression vanished, replaced by fiery determination.
"I banish Marie Antoinette from my Graveyard to Special Summon Marie Antoinette Alter from my hand! When she's summoned, I can send one Heroic Spirit monster from my deck to the Graveyard!"
Yugi's eyes widened as his earlier suspicion was confirmed. "As I thought. Hoshino has realized the key to breaking this stalemate. That card…"
"I'll send [Heroic Spirit – Vlad III] to the Graveyard!!"
(*****)
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