It was a black dragon covered in pitch-black steel armor, its body entwined with dark red patterns, resembling surging magic power shuttling through a predetermined circuit. Its long, metallic tail lashed the ground, and each breath from its metal mouth was accompanied by dark red black flames.
[Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, attack power 2800]
And Jonouchi's strategy wasn't over yet.
"The effect of Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!" Jonouchi announced, "Once per turn, special summon a Dragon-Type monster from your hand or graveyard!
I special summon from the graveyard the Level 1 Dragon-Type, 'The Black Stone of Legend'!"
The ground under their feet cracked open, and a small, pitch-black stone emerged from the earth, its surface wrapped in lava-like red patterns, resembling an unhatched dragon egg.
[The Black Stone of Legend, attack power 0]
"'The Black Stone of Legend' activates its effect!" Jonouchi declared, "By offering this card as a tribute, special summon a Level 7 or lower 'Red-Eyes' from the deck!
I offer 'The Black Stone of Legend' as a tribute to special summon from the deck! Trembling Red-Eyes, Demon King ——
—— Level 6, Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning!!!"
Lightning struck the black stone, scarlet eyes lit up from the swirling black mist, and a demon's body emerged from the darkness! It was a demon with eyes resembling those of a black dragon, covered in skeletal armor, with patterns like disassembled white ribs assembled into armor form, and dragon's bone wings spread out from its back.
It appeared to be a fusion of Red-Eyes and the "Summoned Skull".
[Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning, attack power 2500]
"Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning is a Gemini Monster," Jonouchi explained, "I use the Magic Card 'Double Summon' to perform a second summon on 'Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning' to gain a new effect!"
"So strong, Jonouchi." Even Yugi couldn't help but praise, "Jonouchi has indeed become different from before."
"Hehe." Jonouchi rubbed his nose, a little proud.
Indeed, Jonouchi, now a Legendary Duelist, never relaxed for a moment. The Jonouchi now and during the times of Duel City are definitely different people.
The familiar resemblance to "Summoned Skull" in the new Red-Eyes caught Youyu's eye too.
The destructive power of this thing is quite fierce. Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning, once per turn, can destroy all monsters on the opponent's field with defense lower than its attack, a perfect field clearing tool.
The key point is that this time, Youyu was playing with a Monarch Deck, and for Monarch Decks, the attack and defense stats are fixed templates — the defense points of the Monarchs are generally only 1000.
That's a bit troubling.
But — it doesn't matter!
"At this moment, I activate the effect of 'Ehther the Heavenly Monarch' in my hand!" Youyu revealed a card, "During the opponent's main phase, by banishing a 'Monarch' Magic Trap Card in my graveyard from the game, I can perform a Tribute Summon!"
Yugi and Jonouchi both showed surprised expressions.
"A Monarch that can be tribute summoned during the opponent's turn?"
Never heard of such a Monarch!
"I banish the Trap Card 'The Prime Monarch' from the game to tribute summon 'Ehther the Heavenly Monarch'," Youyu stated, "And although 'Ehther the Heavenly Monarch' is a Level 8 monster, it can be tribute summoned by offering another summoned monster as a tribute.
So I offer 'Zaborg the Thunder Monarch' as a tribute, to tribute summon ——
—— Ehther the Heavenly Monarch!"
A brand new high-level Monarch appeared, clad in a wide robe, bathing in divine light, holding a long golden scepter, radiating an indescribable majesty.
[Ehther the Heavenly Monarch, attack power 2800]
"Summoning during the opponent's turn..." Jonouchi quickly realized the problem, "When Monarch monsters are tribute summoned, they possess special powerful abilities..."
"Exactly. To realize this, Jonouchi, it shows you've also grown stronger." Youyu smiled, "Ehther the Heavenly Monarch's effect!
When this card is tribute summoned successfully, send two types of 'Monarch' Magic Trap Cards from hand or deck to the graveyard, and special summon from the deck a monster with 2400 or more attack and 1000 defense!"
"2400 or more attack, 1000 defense... are Monarchs?" Yugi remarked, "But Monarch monsters only gain effects during 'tribute summon', so it would be meaningless to special summon any Monarch from the deck..."
"Not necessarily." Youyu smiled, "There do exist Monarchs whose effects can be triggered when special summoned."
"Could it be... another new Monarch?" Jonouchi realized.
A card already shot out automatically from Youyu's deck and was deftly pinched into his hand.
"The Radiant Monarch of Light, descends now ——
—— Kuraz the Light Monarch!!!"
Light surged like a cascading waterfall; a giant with a golden body emerged from behind the curtain of light, countless sparkling golden points of light falling gently, a golden cloak fluttering in the wind.
[Kuraz the Light Monarch, attack power 2400]
"The Light Monarch?" Jonouchi was astonished, "But among the six great Elemental Monarchs of Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Light, and Dark, shouldn't the Light Attribute belong to 'Thunder Monarch'?"
"When Kuraz the Light Monarch is successfully special summoned, he can destroy up to two cards on the field!" Youyu swung his arm, "I destroy 'Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning' and 'Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon'!"
The Light Monarch burst with a veil of golden light, and an overwhelmingly forceful impact radiated from his fists! Two spiraling impacts pierced through Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon and Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning, reducing them to fragments under the irresistible golden light flow.
"Amazing!" Yugi couldn't help but exclaim, "Even though it's Jonouchi's turn, his two ace monster lineup was instantly defeated..."
"However, when Kuraz the Light Monarch uses its effect to destroy cards, the controller of the destroyed cards can draw cards equal to the number of destroyed cards from the deck." Youyu said, "I destroyed two cards of yours, so draw two cards, Jonouchi."
Jonouchi silently drew two cards.
After drawing, his eyes lit up, seemingly having seen a new path.
"Alright then! I'll activate this... the Magic Card 'Monster Reborn'! Reviving the 'Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning' from my graveyard!"
A pitch-black vortex leading to the Netherworld opened, and the Red-Eyes demon soared out. Current flowed along its white skeletal armor, and molten flames surged in its red eyes.
[Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning, attack power 2500]
"Then the Equip Magic 'Supervise', equipping it to the 'Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning', bringing it into the second summoned state with a new effect." Jonouchi stated, "Once per turn, it can destroy all monsters on the opponent's field with defense lower than its attack!"
The demon erupted fully, endless golden electric light roaring like a galloping army!
Youyu snapped his fingers: "Flip Cover Card, the Trap 'The Monarchs Awaken'! By negating the effect of a tribute summoned monster on my field, it can't be affected by other card effects other than this one.
I use this effect to protect the tribute summoned 'Ehther the Heavenly Monarch' from Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning's effect!"
Kuraz the Light Monarch and the Dream Pilferer were instantly swallowed by the electric light, streams of currents like golden snakes drilled through the Monarch's body, breaking it down into dust from the outside in.
"Still couldn't stop it..." Youyu looked at the two great Monarchs reduced to ashes before him in the black smoke, "You did great, Jonouchi."
"Heh, of course, you better be careful." Jonouchi confidently said, "The current me isn't limited to just this!
I offer the 'Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight' on the field as a tribute to special summon from my hand!
Awakened through a long evolution, the new form of the black dragon's soul ——
—— Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon, descend!!!"
The rock suddenly shattered, a beam of flame like erupting magma shot into the sky, enshrouding a pitch-black dragon!
Red flames flowed across its body, a sharply defined long tail as if forged from steel, the black dragon unfolded its wings and descended slowly, its eyes flashing with a dark red gleam!
Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon, summon!