A dragon's roar pierced the heavens and earth, its body resembling an armor-clad dragon, shooting red beams from all directions simultaneously. Like a hundred rays of light tearing the dark realm to shreds, merging into a crimson curtain that swept across.
The duelist form conjured by the Evil God disintegrated completely under the might of this strike, just like smoke dispersing in a violent storm. Even the void echoed with the unwilling roar of the Evil God, reverberating as if in Hell.
"Destruction Dragon Gandora..."
Kaiba murmured.
Yugen's summon of this Destruction Dragon was unfamiliar to him. Destruction Dragon Gandora G, perhaps the first time anyone used it in a duel since the world began, having never appeared in past duel history.
Destruction Dragon Gandora itself is also a card deck series. Starting with the original version used by Muto Yuugi in DM, it seems Destruction Dragon had already been destined for its flamboyant fate.
Currently, players generally believe that the protagonist's ace "Firewall Dragon" in the sixth installment "Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains" was the first anime protagonist's ace monster to be directly banned. But in fact, if the tabletop game's card deck is regarded as the protagonist's deck, Destruction Dragon Gandora perhaps should hold this honor.
Destruction Dragon Gandora, only needs to pay half of its Life Points to destroy and exclude all cards on the field except itself, then its effect increases by this number of destroyed cards x300 points. More terrifyingly, there is no limit of once per turn for this effect.
Therefore, as early as 2004, the ancestor of the Destruction Dragon family was invited into the little black room, living a prison life for thirteen long years.
Though the big brother was later released on parole, in the movie version of the duel with Kaiba, the tabletop game invited a new member of the Destruction Dragon family, "Destruction Dragon Gandora X", also possessing the effect of destroying the entire field, burning blood and amplifying Attack Power.
Later, because this big brother was also active on the front line of FTX for many years, he was imprisoned in 2019 and released years later after the effect was modified.
Hence, the imprisonment physique of the Destruction Dragon family was undoubtedly set by the ancestor big brother, and new appearances easily become suspects for special attention in the little black room.
President Kaiba has quite a voice on this matter, after all, he was the victim bombarded by the "Destruction Dragon Gandora X" when the tabletop game last made a move...
"Golden Cabinet of Light, Destruction Dragon..."
Kaiba murmured.
Yu↑gi↓, you bastard, you haven't been idle over the years.
The outside world says Muto Yuugi sealed cards and retired, and his strength had long dwindled to nothing, but Kaiba never really believed it. He doesn't believe that a pinnacle expert like Yuugi would truly quit just like that, never touching cards again.
Now it seems he was indeed right. Yuugi merely stopped appearing, not abandoning the pursuit of greater heights. It might be that today's environment, now competitions hold no appeal to him, but he continuously walks the path of exploring higher realms alone.
Now it seems he might have already surpassed Kaiba.
No, that's impossible.
Kaiba clenched his fist.
Last time when they met, he carelessly used "Revive the Dead" given by Yuugi and was so fooled that he was utterly disoriented. But next time they meet, he won't be so embarrassed.
No matter to what realm Yu↑gi↓ has progressed now, he will crush him with even stronger power!
Although the Evil God was defeated, the energy did not completely dissipate. The enormous phantom of the Three Evil Gods stood tall like three mountains, with a sphere of darkness gathered beneath.
Yugen stepped forward, slowly reaching out toward the dark sphere.
"Yugen!"
Judai intervened.
Though the Evil God had been defeated, the sinister aura and power weakened mostly, even the surrounding dark realm dispersed, Judai still sensed threat from that dark sphere.
It was the aggregation of the remaining parts of the Three Evil Gods. Though broken, weak, still dangerous.
But Yugen looked at him, merely smiling slightly.
"It's okay."
Thus, Judai said no more.
Yugen's smile always felt reassuring, as though even if he said nothing, one instinctively believed everything would be fine.
...Of course, only for teammates.
As an opponent of Yugen, seeing that sunny smile, one would only feel chills, instinctively sensing today may hold life-or-death outcomes.
For instance, today's Evil God was such an example.
Yugen reached and touched that darkness.
Suddenly, the dark sphere released endless gravity, seemingly having immense force yank him swiftly into it.
Consciousness wandered through what felt like an infinite channel, as though traversing through millennia.
Then Yugen saw it.
An ancient town seemingly from ancient times, the vastness of dark clouds covered the land. Grim shadows floated within the oppressive black clouds.
The town instantly descended into chaos. Some citizens frantically fled, some knelt trembling, others even looted amidst the disorder, harming fellow people with arson and thievery, fires ignited throughout the city.
"Evil God!"
"The Evil God arrived!"
"..."
Then a chaotic sequence of memories, only fragments scattered about. Yet among the chaos, one could faintly see the proud-standing Three Phantom Gods. Sky Dragon, Giant Divine Soldiers, and Winged Divine Dragon, and the king with a starfish head ruling over the three gods.
"Your existence is too dangerous, Evil God."
The Pharaoh spoke solemnly.
"You cannot be allowed to continue freely."
He gestured, and under his command, the Phantom Gods charged, subduing the Evil Gods into the ground.
Appearing next was an elderly man with a seemingly harmless appearance.
Yugen recognized him as Priest Simon, Solomon Muto's previous life.
"Well done, His Majesty the Pharaoh!" Priest Simon exclaimed, "Evil God's power is too potent, a cursed God, it must be sealed!"
Evil God: "......"
You bunch, one cheating with Phantom Gods, the other the master of Exodia, what are you pretending for?
Yes, the Evil Gods were cursed Gods, entities that must be sealed. Because they are too dangerous, too powerful. Because whenever they manifest in the world, disaster and destruction follow.
Because they are the Evil Gods.
They are the sources of fear, embodiments of evil, culprits of everything's ruin. From their birth, they were given the name "Evil God". Just as Phantom Gods are worshiped, revered, regarded as protective deities, they were destined to be cursed, spurned, sealed as symbols of evil to comfort mankind.
"...We lost."
The voice of Evil God: Divine Incarnation resounded.
No longer as angry as during the duel. Though somewhat dejected, it had become calm.
"Do what you must, seal us, humans."
"But gods are immortal." the Evil God stated coldly, "As long as darkness exists in this world, no matter how many times we..."
Before it finished speaking, Yugen reached in, and from the heart of darkness retrieved three cards, casually pocketing them.
Evil God: "?"
Stunned for a moment, the voice couldn't help but ask.
"You're... not planning to seal us?"