"To gather all three Egyptian Gods in a single turn… we really got outplayed by Marik," Kaiba said seriously, staring at the roaring trio of gods ahead.

"And in contrast, Yugi has now lost all of his God Cards," Mokuba analyzed. "With this shift in advantage—and on top of that, Hoshino wasted her Summon last turn on Eve—the situation has suddenly turned against us."

"( ;ﾟдﾟ) H-Hey, what do you mean 'wasted' a Summon on Eve?! Explain yourself clearly!"

Even under the pressure of the three Gods, Eve still insisted on defending herself.

"And besides, don't let their fierce appearance fool you—right now, I can block two of those Gods!"

The two Gods Eve claimed she could block were:

One was The Winged Dragon of Ra, which had 0 ATK because it wasn't Tribute Summoned.

The other was Slifer the Sky Dragon, whose ATK equals hand size ×1000. Since Marik only had two cards in hand, its ATK was 2000—lower than Eve's 2100 DEF.

["Now that I think about it… for a moment, I actually feel like Eve might be somewhat useful!"]

Eve gained the title: Shrine Maiden Who Withstands Two Gods

"Gahahahaha! I set one card, then activate the Spell Card—Card of Sanctity! Everyone draws until they have six cards in hand!"

A move so familiar it was practically ingrained in their DNA—after summoning Slifer, Marik used Card of Sanctity to replenish his hand and boost Slifer's ATK, instantly negating the card disadvantage from summoning the three Gods.

[Slifer the Sky Dragon ATK 1000 → 6000]

Eve lost the title: Shrine Maiden Who Withstands Two Gods

Strictly speaking, a Normal Monster couldn't withstand The Winged Dragon of Ra anyway. If Marik paid another 1000 Life Points to activate Ra's Phoenix Mode and burn Eve away, Hoshino would be left with an empty field.

However, after already paying 6000 Life Points, spending another 1000 would be too risky—especially since Hoshino had set four cards last turn and had now drawn five more.

Playing it safe, Marik chose to proceed directly to the Battle Phase.

"Feel the wrath of the Gods, my wrath, and the wrath of darkness, Hoshino! Obelisk the Tormentor attacks—Divine Hand: Crushing Blow!!"

With a devastating punch, Obelisk smashed Eve head-on, sending her flying straight into the spectator stands.

"(._°)☆ That hurt!!"

[Crowned by the World Chalice] destroyed

"And now, the effect of the Field Spell Mound of the Bound Creator!—when a Level 10 or higher monster destroys a monster by battle, the controller of the destroyed monster takes 1000 damage!"

[Hoshino & Atem LP 8000 → 7000]

"Hahahaha! Follow up with a direct attack from Slifer the Sky Dragon—Superconductive Wave: Thunder Force!!"

From Slifer's massive jaws, a terrifying surge of lightning gathered, locking onto Hoshino's now-empty field.

"A direct attack with 6000 ATK—that's dangerous!" Eve panicked, even as she wiped the nosebleed from Obelisk's punch. "This is all my fault—I shouldn't have tried to join Hoshino's duel…"

"No—you blocked well, Eve!" Hoshino reassured her, flipping over a set card.

"—I activate the Trap Card Imaginary Around!"

"It's useless! The Gods are unaffected by Trap Cards!" Marik retorted.

"I know that—but this card affects the rules!"

[When a monster you control is destroyed by battle, Special Summon 1 "Heroic Spirit" monster from your Deck whose Level is 1 higher or lower than the destroyed monster. Then, end the Battle Phase.]

"From Imaginary Around comes the proof of freedom—shadowed void becomes a swift and fleeting wind! I Special Summon a Heroic Spirit from my Deck with a Level one higher than Crowned by the World Chalice!"

Hoshino placed the monster card onto her Duel Disk, and the Imaginary Number effect forcibly ended the Battle Phase. Even though the Gods were unaffected by Trap Cards, they could not defy the rules once the battle flow was interrupted.

"—I Special Summon Heroic Spirit – Formal Dress: Kiyohime in Defense Position!"

[Heroic Spirit – Formal Dress: Kiyohime ★★★ (Level 3)][FIRE][Dragon/Tuner/Effect][ATK 1000/DEF 1000]

Appearing with blue flames beneath her feet, Kiyohime materialized gracefully in elegant attire, gently touching her cheek.

"Ah, my beloved Anchin-sama, have you been captivated by this outfit? But no matter how splendid my clothes are, when I'm with my master in bed… I'd rather strip everything off~"

Eve: "!!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ Th-There's a pervert here!"

Mokuba: "Huh… I feel like I'm already getting used to this kind of scene."

["Another Tuner monster… just as I thought, Aibo…"]

Hoshino nodded. "Yeah. Whenever we get close to a new Star Relic, my deck changes on its own—back into a Synchro Deck."

The faint white particles clinging to the cards seemed to convey some mysterious power to her.

"Even if you stopped the attack, you can't stop the Gods' effects! Slifer the Sky Dragon's effect—Thunderforce!"

[Effect: When a monster is Summoned, reduce its ATK/DEF by 2000. If it becomes 0 or less, destroy it.]

"A weak monster with only 1000 DEF—be obliterated by divine lightning! Thunderforce!"

From Slifer's second mouth, a lightning blast shot forth, striking Hoshino's field and reducing Kiyohime's DEF to -1000.

[Heroic Spirit – Formal Dress: Kiyohime] destroyed

"How dare you interrupt my time with Anchin-sama—unforgivable!"

Even after being destroyed, Kiyohime's lingering resentment seemed to remain, her blue flames still burning beneath her.

"Formal Dress: Kiyohime's effect activates—"

[When this card is sent to the Graveyard: Target 1 "Heroic Spirit" Spell/Trap in your Graveyard; set it on your field.]

"Undying flames of obsession! I set the Trap Card Imaginary Around back onto my field!"

"So you're stalling again with Trap Cards—just as annoying as ever," Marik sneered. "But under the pressure of the Gods, you won't be able to summon monsters properly anymore!"

"Sore wa dou kana?" Atem, who had been silently observing the duel until now, suddenly spoke up. "Marik, a duelist of your level—even if you forcibly summon all three Gods—you won't be able to make any real impact."

"What did you say?!"

"I said—you're too weak!"

Throwing a card from his hand, Atem declared, "I activate the effect of Magician of Dark Illusion in my hand—when a Spell/Trap effect is activated during the opponent's turn, I can Special Summon this card!"

A shadow gathered into form through magic, materializing on the field through the effect of Hoshino's Imaginary Around.

[Magician of Dark Illusion ★★★★★★★ (Level 7)][DARK][Spellcaster/Effect][ATK 2100/DEF 2500]

[While this card is on the field, its name becomes "Dark Magician."]

"You say I'm weak?" Marik snapped. "At the moment your summon succeeds, Slifer's effect activates! It reduces Magician of Dark Illusion's DEF by 2000!"

A second Thunderforce blast struck, bombarding Magician of Dark Illusion. Though the 2000 reduction was severe, its original 2500 DEF allowed it to barely endure.

[Magician of Dark Illusion DEF 2500 → 500]

"A pathetic monster with only 500 DEF left—go ahead and struggle uselessly before the Gods. I set two more cards and end my turn!"

[Marik's: 4 Hand Cards | 3 Set Cards]

[Slifer the Sky Dragon ATK 6000 → 4000]

"My turn—draw!"

With Marik's earlier Card of Sanctity effect, Atem's hand had also been replenished. Including the previously Special Summoned Magician of Dark Illusion, he still had six cards in hand.

"Mound of the Bound Creator… Marik, as the holder of the Millennium Rod, you should already be able to control the Gods. Yet now, you enslave them like this!"

"So what?" Marik shot back. "You don't even have a single God left. What can you possibly do now, Yugi?"

"Even without the Gods, I'll defeat you with this card!" Atem roared, slamming a card onto his Duel Disk. "Feel a wrath that surpasses the Gods—I activate the Spell Card Magicalized Fusion!"

[Effect: Banish Fusion Materials from your field or Graveyard to Fusion Summon a Spellcaster Fusion Monster.]

"Fusion Summoning using monsters from the field and Graveyard?!" Eve gasped excitedly. "Wait… does that mean I might get fused too?!"

"I banish Magician of Dark Illusion from my field and Heroic Spirit – Formal Attire Kiyohime from the Graveyard as Fusion Materials!"

Eve: disappointed.

Mokuba asked curiously, "He's fusing a Spellcaster with a Heroic Spirit? What does he mean by 'wrath beyond the Gods'?"

"Because of Magician of Dark Illusion's effect, it is treated as 'Dark Magician' while on the field."

As the materials were banished, a circular magical array appeared, merging the power of the Dark Magician with Kiyohime's draconic essence.

"That means my Magicalized Fusion will fuse 'Dark Magician' with a Dragon monster! Descend—transcendent mage beyond the Gods! Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon!"

[Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon ★★★★★★★★ (Level 8)][DARK][Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect][ATK 3000/DEF 2500]

["Dark Magician" + "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" or 1 Dragon Effect Monster]

With black dragon wings spreading behind him, the summoned Dragoon stood firm like a war god, unfazed by the lightning of the Temple and the overwhelming presence of the three Gods.

"No matter what Fusion Monster it is, when it is Fusion Summoned, Slifer's effect activates! I'll weaken it—Thunderforce!"

Atem smirked. "I've been waiting for that! I activate the effect of Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon!"

[Once per turn, when a card or effect is activated: discard 1 card; negate and destroy it, and this card gains 1000 ATK.]

"I discard one card to negate Slifer's effect!"

"It's useless! Gods are unaffected by monsters of lower Level—your Level 8 Dragoon can't affect Slifer!"

"That's not necessarily true, Marik!" Hoshino chained her own effect, activating a set card.

"—I activate the Trap Card Imaginary Number Magecraft!"

[Effect: Return 1 banished "Heroic Spirit" Tuner to your hand; then increase the Level of 1 monster on the field by up to 3. After that, you can destroy 1 Spell/Trap on the field.]

"This is the forbidden art that turns disadvantage into a blade! I return the banished Tuner Heroic Spirit – Formal Attire Kiyohime to my hand and increase Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon's Level by 3!"

[Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon LV8 → LV11]

"The monster on Yugi's field has surpassed the Gods in Level!" Mokuba exclaimed excitedly.

"And now!" Continuing the effect, Hoshino pointed at the three massive stone pillars. "I destroy the face-up Spell/Trap on the field—collapse, Mound of the Bound Creator!!"

The imaginary light spread across the field, swallowing the environment and erasing the Temple that granted resistance to high-Level monsters.

[Mound of the Bound Creator destroyed]

"Your Level advantage is gone—and so is your protection!" Hoshino mocked. "Marik, are your Gods really this weak?!"

"Go, Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon!" Atem commanded. Having already discarded a card to activate its effect, Dragoon cut through the Thunderforce, negating and destroying Slifer's effect.

"This is the counterattack that surpasses the Gods—our combined power!—Super Magician Dragon Slash!!"

[Slifer the Sky Dragon] destroyed

[Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon ATK 3000 → 4000]