Caius the Shadow Monarch, Summon!

[Caius the Shadow Monarch, ATK 2400]

Kira immediately raised an eyebrow.

So the true form of that dark spirit was Caius.

How convenient. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

How did you know I was collecting Monarchs?

The strongest early Monarch just delivered himself to his door, and even comes with a spirit.

Kira now looked at the King of Yamimakai with a gentler gaze—thankful that the guy had jumped out himself. Otherwise, if he’d just left after getting the artifact, he would’ve missed such a huge bonus.

The King of Yamimakai, however, was intoxicated with his newfound power, oblivious to Kira’s change in attitude. He laughed loudly.

"With the power of Caius the Shadow Monarch, you have no chance! Caius’s effect activates!

When Tribute Summoned, banish any card on the field!

Banish ’Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest’!"

The King of Yamimakai’s face twisted wickedly.

"That immortal baboon is troublesome, but before Caius’s might, it’s nothing! Disappear, trash!"

Caius crossed his hands, a dark energy wave distorting space and hitting the baboon. The baboon roared but was quickly sucked into the darkness and vanished.

"Now it can’t revive," the King of Yamimakai’s eyes flashed red. "Next, I activate Equip Spell ’Dragon Nails’!

Equip to Caius—ATK increases by 600!"

[Caius the Shadow Monarch, ATK 2400 → ATK 3000]

"Also, while equipped with ’Dragon Nails,’ Caius can’t be destroyed by opponent’s card effects.

Even if destroyed by battle, Caius is revived immediately and re-equipped!"

The King of Yamimakai raised his arms, laughing maniacally.

"With Caius’s power, I’m invincible! Shadow Monarch, continue to crush his field! Attack ’Nimble Momonga’!"

Caius charged a dark energy ball in his palms.

"Can’t be destroyed by effects, revives if destroyed by battle—too scary."

Kira snapped his fingers.

"I activate set card, Trap Card ’Phoenix Wing Wind Blast.’ Discard a card, target a card your opponent controls, and return it to the top of their deck!"

He pointed at Caius.

"Caius, back to the top of your deck."

The King of Yamimakai’s eyes almost popped out.

"What!? Not destroy, but return to deck?

Nooo!"

A phantom of Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys appeared, its wings stirring a fiery storm. Caius was engulfed, turned to shadow, and flew back to the top of the deck.

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!" The King of Yamimakai howled.

Back to the deck—again!

"With Caius gone, ’Dragon Nails’ is destroyed." Kira smiled. "But it’s still your turn. Go ahead."

"..."

Several seconds of silence.

The King of Yamimakai gritted his teeth and continued.

"I set two cards and end my turn."

He exhaled deeply.

It wasn’t over—Caius hadn’t completely abandoned him.

His set cards were his last hope.

"My turn—draw," Kira said. "Activate Trap, ’Destruct Potion.’ Destroy a monster I control and gain LP equal to its ATK.

I destroy ’Nimble Momonga’ and gain 1000 LP."

One Nimble Momonga exploded, its energy absorbed by Kira.

[Kira, LP 3000 → LP 4000]

The King of Yamimakai’s face darkened.

LP gain... No, that’s not the point.

"Then, another ’Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest’ in my graveyard—its effect activates. When a Beast is destroyed, pay 1000 LP to Special Summon Green Baboon!"

[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 3000]

From the grave’s vortex, the wild baboon jumped out again, howling.

[Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, ATK 2600]

King of Yamimakai: "Again with that thing..."

"Green Baboon, direct attack."

The baboon roared and attacked.

Now!

The King of Yamimakai’s eyes glowed red.

His last chance! His counterattack!

"Trap Card—Counter Gate!" He was surrounded by dark energy. "When an opponent’s monster declares a direct attack, negate the attack, draw a card. If it’s a monster, you can Normal Summon it in attack position!"

"Oh? Counter Gate?" Kira nodded.

"That’s right." The King of Yamimakai grinned. "And thanks to you, we both know the top card of my deck is a monster!"

"But Counter Gate is a Normal Summon. If it’s Level 5 or higher, you need a tribute." Kira reminded, cutting off any attempts at cheating. "Even if you draw Caius, you can’t summon it."

"Hahaha, you think I didn’t plan for that?" The King of Yamimakai shouted. "Chain—Continuous Trap ’Tiki Curse’! It can be Special Summoned as a monster!"

[Tiki Curse, DEF 1000]

"So you prepared another Trap Monster just for this." Kira nodded.

"Now resolve Counter Gate. Baboon’s attack is negated, I draw!"

The King of Yamimakai drew, then shouted.

"Tribute ’Tiki Curse,’ and once again, from the darkness, grant me your might—

—Caius the Shadow Monarch, Summon!"

In a dark storm, Caius returned!

[Caius the Shadow Monarch, ATK 2400]

"Caius’s effect—Tribute Summon, banish one card on the field!"

The King of Yamimakai roared.

"Banish the second immortal Green Baboon!"

Caius fired a dark wave, banishing the baboon.

"Now your graveyard has no baboons—immortality broken!"

The King of Yamimakai cackled, finally feeling vindicated.

"How’s that? Now you can see the true power of Caius the Shadow Monarch!"

"Impressive, both baboons gone." Kira sighed, faking a tough decision.

"No choice—activate Trap, ’Dark Advance.’

Return a monster with ATK 2400+ and DEF 1000 from your graveyard to your hand, then Tribute Summon a monster from your hand with ATK 2400+ and DEF 1000.

So, I return the card I discarded with ’Phoenix Wing Wind Blast’ last turn..."

Kira pulled out a card.

"’Raiza the Storm Monarch’ returns to hand.

Tribute my last ’Nimble Momonga’ to Tribute Summon! Ruler of the Storm—

—Raiza the Storm Monarch, Summon!"

A green tornado shot up, and the wind monarch appeared with arms folded.

"Hmm?" Caius’s eyes sharpened.

A fellow Monarch?

"When Raiza is Tribute Summoned, return a card on the field to the top of its owner’s deck." Kira smiled. "So, Caius, back to the top of your deck—again."

The King of Yamimakai’s smile froze.

"...Huh?"

His smile faded into horror.

He looked at Caius as if begging: "Caius, use your divine power to save me!"

But Caius just looked helpless.

As if to say: "It’s not that I won’t help, but I really can’t do anything here."

This clownery is beyond my pay grade.

So Caius once again turned to black mist and returned to the top of the deck.

The King of Yamimakai clutched his head, howling in pain.

Caius got bounced again!

The only one left was Raiza, arms folded, reigning supreme.

So, who’s the real king of the underworld now?

"Raiza, direct attack," Kira said.

A green storm swept the King of Yamimakai into the air, slicing him with a thousand winds, before dumping him to the ground.

[King of Yamimakai, LP 4000 → LP 1600]

"Ugh...!"

The mighty King of Yamimakai was about to cry.

There was pain, and grievance.

He’d used forbidden powers, sold his soul to the Shadow Monarch, and still had to suffer like this.

Was there any point to his sacrifice?

"Alright, my turn’s over." Kira smiled. "Your turn."

"..."

"Not drawing?" Kira grinned. "That’s not right. Even if you’re empty-handed and fieldless, a duelist always has hope as long as there are cards left in the deck.

What if your next draw changes everything?"

The King of Yamimakai twitched.

Hearing that, he almost wanted to cry more.

As if you don’t know what my next card is?

I’m empty-handed, fieldless, and drawing Caius... What’s the point?

He gritted his teeth.

"Fine, draw."

He drew the top card.

Sure enough, Caius the Shadow Monarch.

His strongest card, the embodiment of forbidden power, the ace with an evil spirit.

But now, with his ace in hand, both sides were silent.

The King of Yamimakai looked constipated, staring at his only card, wanting to tell Caius: "Can you get lost?"

You’re bricking me!

But Caius was also helpless.

"I’d love to give you a miracle draw, but Raiza’s got me locked here. What can I do?"

"If you don’t play anything, it’s my turn again." Kira smiled. "Draw.

Raiza, direct attack."

"..."

[King of Yamimakai, LP 1600 → LP 0]