Chapter 110: Battle of Undying and Inheritance
Eldest Nanki'in Munechihi, second Nanki'in Onikiri, third Nanki'in Muramasa.
The Nanki'in family's three heirs -- elders named the three children after three legendary swords from four thousand years ago.
According to Nanki'in family tradition, only the most excellent heir had qualifications to inherit the family's generation-spanning Shiranui deck.
Among the three heirs, though Nanki'in Onikiri was the only girl, she was also the most outstanding.
"Relax, Muramasa. Big sister will have your back in the future."
At age eighteen, Nanki'in Onikiri and Muramasa simultaneously enrolled in Synchro Academy.
In just two years, Nanki'in Onikiri became Synchro Academy's strongest. But Nanki'in Muramasa, due to mediocre talent, stirred no waves at Synchro Academy.
However, eldest Nanki'in Munechihi, though inferior to Onikiri in all aspects before age eighteen, took an unconventional path -- at 18 resolutely chose to join Fusion Academy.
Everyone in the Nanki'in family knew Shiranui was a Synchro deck. Joining Fusion Academy equaled abandoning rights to inherit the Shiranui deck.
But actually Munechihi saw more clearly than anyone -- Onikiri's talent was simply too excellent. If he also joined Synchro Academy, there truly wouldn't be the slightest chance.
Perhaps precisely this refusal to bow to fate's toughness let Nanki'in Munechihi, who devoted himself to researching Fusion's path, obtain power completely matching Shiranui Synchro.
Five years later, at the academy graduation duel, Onikiri who'd long become Synchro Academy's strongest and Munechihi who'd finally become Fusion Academy's strongest engaged in a duel deciding who qualified more to become Nanki'in heir.
That duel's intensity -- even fifty years later, Muramasa who'd been a spectator retained an incredibly vivid impression.
Yes, that duel -- Onikiri won in the end.
Won extremely narrowly. So narrowly that Nanki'in Onikiri, always proud and strong, who'd from childhood proclaimed herself the sole heir, nearly lost to Munechihi.
After that, Onikiri naturally became Nanki'in heir, obtaining the Shiranui deck.
Muramasa was also content with ease. Because he'd never had ambition from childhood. With Onikiri becoming heir, he could be a parallel king -- wealthy and influential without worrying about family affairs.
Only Munechihi, even after losing to Onikiri, still devoted himself to training, seeking paths to grow stronger.
In Muramasa's evaluation, compared to the family's heir, Nanki'in Munechihi more resembled a pure duelist.
The turning point came when Onikiri was 25.
This was probably what they called heaven's jealousy of talent.
Heaven gave Onikiri the finest talent but didn't leave her sufficient time.
Initially Onikiri paid no attention -- just occasionally during duels, her fingers wouldn't obey, dropping cards on the ground.
But as symptoms intensified, Onikiri's body grew increasingly difficult to control.
Frozen Body Syndrome -- even in Eden where mechanical prosthetic limbs could replace body parts, it still counted as an incurable terminal illness. Three thousand years ago thus, three thousand years later likewise.
When death's merciless scythe continuously chased the once universally admired genius girl, forcing her breathless.
"Muramasa, you know what? Only when genuinely facing death do you discover those so-called righteousness and loyalty are completely useless. I just want to live no matter what."
Having already become Nanki'in patriarch, Onikiri spared no effort using the entire family's power to find hope for survival cursed as if by fate.
Hidden in Eva's network -- the Millennium Item, the Millennium Key.
Abandon one's body, use the Millennium Key as soul vessel, transmit memories and consciousness to blood-connected people.
Muramasa was Onikiri's initial possession target.
However, the one who stood out to stop all this was still Nanki'in Munechihi.
That duel was a Dark Game. The duel's intensity exceeded even their academy graduation duel years ago.
But Muramasa hadn't seen the final duel result. Like his regret, fifty years ago, lacking courage to face it, he fled that darkness.
After that duel, both Onikiri and Munechihi disappeared. Muramasa became that generation's sole Nanki'in heir.
After the duel ended, what remained in place was only the Nanki'in family's inherited Shiranui deck.
The Millennium Key had disappeared.
Muramasa knew Onikiri hadn't died.
That demon-like obsession with life let Onikiri survive even facing terminal illness.
And he knew even more clearly -- with Onikiri's personality, once she held the possibility of immortality in hand, regardless of what price, even without terminal illness plaguing her, she would repeatedly, continuously extend her life.
For this, Nanki'in Muramasa spent fifty years, wagering half his life researching methods to oppose Dark Games.
Including collecting Dark Game duelist-related information, commissioning creation of mechanical prosthetic eyes that could see through dark power, and seeking Millennium Items likewise possessing power to open Dark Games.
"-- Corrupted Rainbow Light!!"
The 4000 ATK Malefic Rainbow Dragon's bizarre seven-color rainbow light instantly devoured Nanki'in Sakuya's field's 2500 ATK Synchro Monster Blade God - Shiranui.
[BLADE GOD - SHIRANUI] destroyed
Nanki'in Sakuya LP: 8000 - 6500
"Ahhhhhhh!" The Dark Game's bone-piercing pain and mental impact made first-time experiencer Sakuya emit a miserable scream.
Was this the "not good feeling" Amano had mentioned?
To rescue Class E classmates, Amano had actually experienced such dangerous duels. Truly a great Duel Committee member.
However, what Sakuya didn't know was the darkness she currently experienced was stronger than Amano's.
After the Life Point number decreased, Sakuya suddenly discovered part of her body had become rigid.
"Muramasa's granddaughter, don't make futile struggles. I'll be taking this body."
Taking? Body?
Again something completely beyond Sakuya's comprehension.
"Why, Onikiri!" Muramasa angrily questioned. "Why target Sakuya!"
Judging from this body's outward features, Onikiri was almost the same age as Sakuya.
According to her words, this body was already the third replacement.
Then possessing Sakuya's similarly-aged body had absolutely no meaning.
Unless--
Muramasa's mechanical prosthetic eye magnified the scene within view, indeed detecting unobvious slight tremors in Onikiri's card-holding fingers.
"Even this body has developed it!"
If bodies Onikiri possessed were all her descendants, then as a genetically probable terminal illness, this situation could indeed possibly occur.
"Every body developed this symptom, as if it's a curse encircling my fate! So to escape this curse, I need your descendants, Muramasa!"
If her descendants' genes couldn't escape this curse.
Then use the Millennium Key's power to possess uncursed bloodline genes.
"I Set one card and end my turn!"
Turn shifted. Nanki'in Muramasa drew a card.
"Even wagering this old life, I won't let you succeed, Onikiri! My turn, draw!"
Facing 4000 ATK Malefic Rainbow Dragon, Nanki'in Muramasa slammed a monster card onto the Duel Disk.
"I Normal Summon Mezuki in Attack Position!"
[MEZUKI] [LV4 EARTH]
[Zombie/Effect] [ATK: 1700] [DEF: 800]
Mezuki
EARTH
[Zombie/Effect] [ATK: 1700] [DEF: 800]
Onikiri mocked. "Hehe, gave away the sole Shiranui deck and can now only use monsters like this? Muramasa, what use does this old thing even have now?"
"I said, this is inheritance! I activate Mezuki's effect to send 1 Zombie monster from my Deck to the GY. I send Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon!"
Red-Eyes' variant form mutated into Zombie-Type. The dragon body burning with tattered flames -- Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon flew into Muramasa's Graveyard.
"Shiranui is the Nanki'in family's deck symbolizing inheritance. This old man fought alongside it for decades. I've already engraved the combat style into my soul!"
In the Graveyard zone Muramasa shared with Sakuya, the undying Synchro flames ignited and flickered.
"Though this old man gave the deck to Sakuya, as old friends who fought side-by-side so many years, this old man could tune Shiranui Synchro with eyes closed!"
Eden Tower allowed duelists to print cards in the Extra Deck zone.
As Shiranui's previous-generation user, Nanki'in Muramasa's rapport with Shiranui had reached the point where even giving all Extra Deck cards to Sakuya, he could reprint them anytime.
"Demon Blade - Shiranui's effect from the Graveyard! You should also know it all too well, Onikiri!"
As a Synchro deck, Shiranui's core combat method was also this Demon Blade - Shiranui's importance.
Could use Demon Blade - Shiranui in the Graveyard as Tuner monster, tuning with another Zombie monster in the Graveyard to Synchro Summon Zombie Synchro Monsters.
"As Synchro Materials, this old man banishes Level 2 Tuner Demon Blade - Shiranui and Level 6 Blade God - Shiranui from the Graveyard! Undying tuning!"
"2 + 6 = 8!"
"My old friend, respond to this old man's prayer for renewed battle! Redraw the righteous blade that severs all!"
"Synchro Summon! Level 8! War God - Shiranui!"
[WAR GOD - SHIRANUI] [LV8 FIRE]
[Zombie/Synchro/Effect]
[You can only Special Summon "War God - Shiranui" once per turn. 1: When this card is Special Summoned: You can banish 1 Zombie monster from your GY; this card gains ATK equal to the original ATK of the banished monster, until the end of this turn. 2: If this card on the field is destroyed by battle or card effect and sent to your GY: You can target 1 of your banished Zombie monsters with 0 DEF; Special Summon it.]
ATK/3000 DEF/0
War God holding the demon blade in left hand, blazing fire blade in right. The fire blade iai slash cleaved open dark mist, crimson flames scattering fan-shaped.
"Grandfather!" Sakuya, enduring body pain, looked excitedly toward her grandfather.
"Still giving this old man face, responding to this old man's request, old friend!"
Extra Deck printing succeeded. Muramasa placed the white Synchro card burning with high-temperature flames onto the Duel Disk.
As Level 8 Synchro, War God - Shiranui itself possessed ATK comparable to Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
"When Special Summoned successfully, War God - Shiranui can activate its effect!"
[When this card is Special Summoned: You can banish 1 Zombie monster from your GY; this card gains ATK equal to the original ATK of the banished monster, until the end of this turn.]
"This old man banishes Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon just sent to the Graveyard, increasing War God - Shiranui's ATK by 2400!"
"Roar--!!"
The dragon's lament from the Graveyard bestowed Red-Eyes' signature 2400 ATK to War God - Shiranui's burning blade.
[WAR GOD - SHIRANUI] [ATK: 3000 - 5400]
ATK breaking through 5000, successfully exceeding Malefic Rainbow Dragon's 4000, even surpassing Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.
"And when Blade God - Shiranui in the Graveyard is banished, it can reduce opponent monsters' ATK by 500!"
[MALEFIC RAINBOW DRAGON] [ATK: 4000 - 3500]
"Battle, War God - Shiranui!"
Nanki'in Muramasa declared entry to the Battle Phase. War God's blazing flames blade roared like a fire dragon, slashing toward the massive Malefic Rainbow Dragon in the sky.
"The instant you attack! Let you experience the ultimate Malefic Domain!"
Onikiri's extremely arrogant smile filled that young girl face completely mismatched to her soul's age.
Simultaneously, Onikiri's Set card from last turn flipped.
Black mist like a volcanic eruption instantly enveloped the entire Dark Game. Even this card itself seemed to feed on duelists' essence blood.
"Continuous Trap Card Skill Drain activates!"
[SKILL DRAIN] [Continuous Trap Card: Pay 1000 LP to activate this card. As long as this card remains on the field, negate the effects of all face-up Effect Monsters on the field.]
Nanki'in Onikiri LP: 8000 - 7000
Negating all monster effects -- even in duels from three thousand years ago, this card counted as top-tier lockdown.
However, what should be a double-edged Continuous Trap operated differently in a Malefic deck.
Malefic monsters almost all possessed overpowered-panel ATK that could directly Special Summon with one card, but accompanied by self-attached negative effects.
Skill Drain in Onikiri's hands not only negated opponent monster effects but also circumvented Malefic monsters' negative effects.
Onikiri's arrogant smile intensified further. "Since all monster effects are negated, War God - Shiranui's ATK returns to 3000! This way you'll self-destruct from your own attack, Muramasa!"
"Even in this endless darkness, this old man must open a beam of light for those who come after! Chaining Skill Drain, activate card!"
Light pierced the dark battlefield shrouded in Skill Drain's black mist. As if genuinely dispelling despair by a fraction in this instant.
During the Battle Phase, Nanki'in Muramasa threw a card into the Duel Disk. "Quick-Play Spell Forbidden Lance activates!"
[FORBIDDEN LANCE] [Quick-Play Spell Card: Target 1 face-up monster on the field; until the end of this turn, that monster loses 800 ATK, but it is unaffected by the effects of other Spells and Traps.]
A Quick-Play Spell that could reduce the target monster's ATK by 800.
If activating Lance targeting Malefic Rainbow Dragon, it could reduce Malefic Rainbow Dragon's ATK to 2700, lower than War God - Shiranui's 3000.
"This old man targets War God - Shiranui to activate Lance's effect!"
The lance of light stabbed toward War God - Shiranui, but War God caught the lance shaft with reverse grip, transforming the holy lance into part of his own combat power.
Though Lance's effect would reduce War God - Shiranui's ATK by 800, it would likewise bestow War God immunity from Skill Drain's Spell/Trap effects.
With its own effect not negated, War God - Shiranui's ATK remained 5400.
[WAR GOD - SHIRANUI] [ATK: 5400 - 800 = 4600]
Even subtracting 800 ATK, still higher than Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, far exceeding Malefic Rainbow Dragon.
"Continue the battle, my old friend!" Nanki'in Muramasa roared declaring the attack.
"Vengeful Spirit Flames - Iai Single Slash!"
The flaming katana slash pierced and severed Malefic Rainbow Dragon from head to tail. The dark, bizarre rainbow light dispersed amid the light and fire attack.
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