Endless darkness, golden particles spewed out from the abyss like cotton, as a deep purple entity roared and charged out from the abyss.
This was a Cubic Monster with an unprecedented aura, its head covered by a deep purple transparent cube. It had sharp axes and blades, and at almost every joint of its body, there was a strange single eye. All the eyes spun together, observing the world from all angles.
Crimson Nova the Dark Cubic Lord!
Until now, the monsters summoned by Aigami were some "Cubic Beast," "Cubic Emperor," "Cubic Super Beast," "Cubic Super Emperor," but the arrogant entity before us was prefixed as "Dark Cubic Lord," which from the art style alone was in a different league.
Previously mentioned, "Cubic Seed Vijam" is the starting point for all tactics in the Cubic Deck. With an attack power of only 0, Vijam transforms and overlaps to spawn various powerful Cubic Monsters for consecutive attacks, which is the core idea of the Cubic Deck.
But there are exceptions.
This "Dark Cubic Lord" doesn't need Vijam as a stepping stone, doesn't require that complex sequence of overlap, transform, and separation—it can simply be summoned by revealing three "Cubic" monsters from hand.
This is a Cubic Monster that shouldn't exist, even Aigami hasn't seen it.
In the original work, this is a Dark Cubic Monster conceived after Aigami was possessed and corrupted by the evil thoughts of the Millennium Ring, emerging from the deepest darkness and evil.
Undoubtedly, this was Z-ONE's preparation beforehand. Before causing trouble and initiating a duel challenge at this venue, he had printed this card with the plan to duel Youyu using "Cubic" power from the start!
Oh, he even pretended to have casually snatched a deck from Aigami for the duel.
If you ask Youyu, this guy came fully prepared!
"Impossible..." Aigami was shell-shocked, "No one knows Cubic better than me, such a Cubic Monster shouldn't exist...Impossible..."
"Battle Phase." Z-ONE's voice remained indifferent like a machine, "'Crimson Nova the Dark Cubic Lord' attacks 'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero.'"
The spinning blades, silver axes surrounded by golden light, transformed into a spinning golden disc to slice through. The white armor of the Elemental Hero was torn apart, shattered like diamonds, with endless ice crystals erupting from the fissure.
[Youyu, LP 4000 → LP 3500]
A sharp pain spread intensely from within—Youyu was not surprised that this duel could cause substantial impact on the Duelist. He staggered half a step, then immediately raised his hand.
"The effect of Elemental Hero Absolute Zero. When it's destroyed, all monsters on the opponent's field are destroyed!"
Absolute Zero!
The space completely solidifies, the earth freezes. The air, like the breath of a frigid Vice Dragon, transforms into tides, sweeping towards the Cubic Monster.
Yet, even as strong as Absolute Zero cannot save the day. The Dark Cubic Lord impatiently swings the blade in its hand, a silver light breaking through Absolute Zero's rule with an irrefusable order. The realm of extreme cold was shattered, clusters of ice crystals crumbled under the domineering impact, silver fragments like drifting snow.
"Effect of Crimson Nova the Dark Cubic Lord." Z-ONE coldly said, "It is unaffected by effects from monsters originally with less than 3000 attack points."
Youyu frowned slightly, didn't reply, only said, "Then when I take damage, the effect of 'Vision Hero Multiply Guy' in the graveyard activates.
Multiply Guy, when one takes battle or effect damage, can be placed in the Magic Trap Zone on the field."
The phantom of the Hero emerged, transforming into a blurred silhouette, appearing in Youyu's backfield.
He certainly knew about this Dark Cubic Lord's effect resistance, he also knew Absolute Zero, with only 2500 attack points, couldn't handle the opponent. Additionally, he even knew this thing's ability didn't end there.
"Follow-up ability of Crimson Nova the Dark Cubic Lord." Z-ONE continued, "When it destroys opponent's monsters in battle, once, it can continue to attack."
Outside the field, Yugi was surprised, "This Cubic Monster...not only possesses immunity to monster effects, but can also attack multiple times? Such strong power..."
Kaiba also said, "So that means the abilities of monsters below 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon's' attack power are all invalidated...what a terrifying opponent."
Kisara didn't speak, but she tugged on the president's shirt corner and pouted her little mouth.
The attack power was obviously quite high, but when did everyone start treating her as a measurement unit of battle force...
The Dark Cubic Lord swung once more, the massive blade drawing a golden arc as it lifted. It slashed through space, fiercely descended, with the scorching strike pressing forward.
But of course, it wouldn't be that simple. Youyu revealed a card in his hand: "I discard 'Kuriboh,' making the battle damage 0!"
Amid the vortex of light, the battle-hardened Kuriboh appeared: "Kuriboh!"
Even with the increasing number of newcomers in the Hand Pit world and the growing competitive edge in the industry, Kuriboh will never fall out of favor!
The axe dragging the golden light swirl was deflected, the second strike from the Dark Cubic Lord didn't succeed. But Z-ONE seemed unsurprised at him taking this second assault, only calmly ended the Battle Phase.
"I set two cards on the field."
In the conversation, all the eyes at the joints of "Crimson Nova" opened. The large eyeballs were filled with eye whites, with blood threads crawling over the fierce eyeballs like wriggling snakes.
All the eyes concurrently shot out purple-black beams towards the sky! The light like swords slicing through the darkness...but they are Double-Edged Swords, affecting both friend and foe alike!
"The effect of Crimson Nova the Dark Cubic Lord. At end of the turn, both players take 3000 damage." Z-ONE said.
"Huh!?" Yugi was surprised, "Even yourself..."
Kaiba furrowed his brow as well: "This guy, is he trying to launch an attack by self-destructing?"
"Discard 'Hanewata' from the hand." Z-ONE said calmly, "All effect damage I receive this turn becomes 0."
A fluffy white soft ball bounced out, perfectly shielding him from the backlash of the Cubic Lord.
"Ah," Yugi said, "this way, only Youyu will take damage..."
"Activate the effect of 'Destiny Hero Decider' in the graveyard!" Youyu picked up a card ejected from the Duel Disc Grave Zone, "When the opponent deals effect damage to me through Magic, Trap, or Monster Effect, I can return this card from the graveyard to the hand, making that damage 0!"
The shadow of the Destiny Hero appeared, using its body to block the impact. Youyu also dodged a bullet.
"It's a good thing, Youyu has a response too..." Yugi sighed in relief.
"Hmph."
Kaiba glanced at Z-ONE, his brows tightly knitted, temporarily silent.
But with his years of battle experience, Kaiba was very sure that this guy was nothing ordinary, possessing something entirely different from a regular duelist.
A true strongman emerged from countless bloody battles.
"... My turn!" Youyu drew a card.
The Monster Effect of the Dark Cubic Lord nullifies any Monster with an attack below 3000. And three thousand happens to be a benchmark hard to reach for a Hero Deck—not that it's impossible to break through such attack power, but to achieve above 3000 points, Heroes must rely on their special effects.
But it's not impossible to break through.
"In the preparation phase, I banish 'Take Over5' and a card with the same name from the deck, then draw one card from the deck."
Youyu drew a card, then two more cards popped out from the graveyard.
"Next, I banish 'Fusion Substitute', return 'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero' from the graveyard to the deck, and then draw another card from the deck."
After consecutively drawing two cards and adding them to his hand, he then revealed a card from his hand.
"Activate Magic Card 'E - Emergency Call' from the hand, adding an Elemental Hero Monster to the hand from the deck." Youyu drew a card from the deck, "I add 'Elemental Hero Airman' to the hand."
"Next, Summon 'Elemental Hero Airman'!"
[Elemental Hero Airman, ATK 1800]
"Airman's effect, upon Summon, adds a 'Hero' Monster to the hand from the deck. I add 'Vision Hero Faris' to the hand."
Youyu revealed Faris that he added to his hand.
"I discard one 'Hero Monster' from my hand and directly Special Summon 'Vision Hero Faris'!"
[Vision Hero Faris, ATK 1600]
"Faris' effect, upon Summon, places 'Vision Hero Increase' from the deck in the Magic Trap Zone.
"Next is the effect of 'Increase', sacrificing 'Vision Hero Faris' on the field, it Special Summons itself!"
[Vision Hero Increase, ATK 900]
"When Increase is Special Summoned from the Magic Trap Zone, it Special Summons 'Vision Hero Vyon' from the deck."
[Vision Hero Vyon, ATK 1000]
"Vyon's effect, when Summoned, sends one 'Hero' Monster from the deck to the graveyard. I send 'Destiny Hero Malicious' to the graveyard."
A series of operations left the onlookers dazzled. Yugi widened his eyes, "Vision Heroes... Is this Youyu's new Hero? What a powerful operating capability!"
Kaiba said nothing, but thought to himself—
—You↑yu↓, in just a few days, his power has grown to such an extent!
Looks like the schedule for their next duel needs to be pushed up.
"The subsequent effect of Vyon, banish 'Vision Hero Faris' from the graveyard, add the Magic Card 'Fusion' to the hand from the deck."
With everything set up, Youyu directly revealed the Fusion he added to his hand.
"Magic Card 'Fusion'! Fuse 'Vision Hero Increase' and 'Vision Hero Vyon' on the field!
Fusion Materials needed are two Hero Monsters! Fusion Summon!
The true form of a Hero emerges from the vortex of vision—
—Vision Hero Adoration!!!"