Chapter 89: Fighting Despair (2/2)
This is a two-in-one bonus chapter.
After satisfying the strict activation conditions, the Trap Card [Crystal Avatar] could even achieve an effect comparable to [Magic Cylinder].
For example, the scene that instantly reversed the situation, directly inflicting a huge 2500 points of effect damage to the opponent in reverse.
Similar to the soul impact of a Shadow Game, Dark Aisha's slender body rolled several times on the floor before finally stopping. Her Life Points were also reduced to only 1500, surpassed by the genuine Aisha.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
Her lips seemed to have been scraped from the rolling impact just now; spitting out saliva mixed with crimson liquid, Dark Aisha cursed and swore, propping herself up.
"Damn it! Dog shit! Vermin! Dregs!"
Mm, cursing and swearing, her language became increasingly vulgar. It's hard to imagine such filthy vocabulary coming from the mouth of a girl as pure in appearance and kind at heart as Aisha.
You Ling : "Alright, it's not hard to see, the opponent's mentality has completely collapsed."
You Ling had emphasized to Aisha more than once that anger in a duel wouldn't bring any improvement, but would instead affect thinking during the duel, making mistakes more likely.
So when you inevitably can't control your anger in a duel, it can be directly attributed to your mentality collapsing.
Using [Baby Tiragon] in conjunction with the direct attack of a Level 1 monster, plus the attack power boost from [Inherited Strength] , was indeed a very clever and unexpected offensive tactic, difficult to guard against.
But such a tactic was probably all the struggle Aisha Carlos could muster after being expelled from Fusion Academy and seeking a breakthrough on her own.
Grown, but not fully grown.
In a desperate situation, desperately searching, trying, resisting a predetermined fate.
And then, Aisha Carlos obtained a portion of power, saw hope.
As a result, cruel reality told her again that that portion of power was fundamentally not enough.
All your efforts were merely prying open a sliver of light in the darkness, only to return to darkness again.
Aisha Yuna Carlos fell into deep despair.
"Why? Why! I gambled everything, staked my entire future, yet I still can't win!"
Aisha replied solemnly: "I told you, because that's not true growth. Emotions dominated by despair and revenge, the power obtained from them, cannot support a complete life."
Biting her lip tightly, Dark Aisha glared at the other herself in front.
Unwilling.
Both are Aisha Carlos, why can you live a campus life full of laughter, while I must struggle and crawl in the mud of the swamp under everyone's contemptuous gaze.
"I set 1 card, turn end."
Dark Aisha, having propped herself up again, did not give up the duel, and resiliently threw down another card.
But You Ling could see that the blackened girl before him, so miserable it made one couldn't help but sympathize, was already at the end of her tether.
"My turn, draw."
At this time, Aisha's field still had the First of the Dragons left by You Ling.
In contrast, Dark Aisha's Magic Card [Inherited Strength]'s attack power boost only lasted until the End Phase; the 800 ATK, Attack Position [Rose Girl] already had death written on her face.
"Battle, use the power Mr. You Ling left behind. First of the Dragons' attack!——『Primordial Shockwave』!"
The attack power difference between the two was 1900 points; the roaring impact from the massive ancient dragon was no longer something Dark Aisha could withstand.
"Activate Trap Card!——[Half or Nothing] !"
[Half or Nothing Trap Card Effect: Target 1 monster on the field; this turn, the selected monster cannot be destroyed by battle, and battle damage inflicted to you from battles involving that monster is halved.]
"I make the [Rose Girl] on my field indestructible by battle, and the damage received is halved!"
Just as You Ling thought, no matter how much Aisha "grew" after being expelled, limited Spell resources wouldn't allow her to craft high-level powerful Spell Cards.
Spell Cards like Inherited Strength and Half or Nothing, whose strength was even more awkward than Crystal Substitute, compared to Aisha Carlos who was rapidly earning academic points in the academy, the gap was already very obvious.
Aisha Carlos (Dark) LP: 1500→550
Aisha Carlos, having halved the battle damage she received using a Trap Card, barely avoiding being taken out by First of the Dragons' blast, fell to the ground again due to the powerful impact.
As the dark side of Aisha's own heart, yet being beaten into such a miserable state in a duel, was truly heartbreaking; even Aisha herself couldn't bear it.
"Give up, other me. Even if you can survive this turn, you can no longer win this duel."
"Shut up!"
Her soul continuously damaged, Dark Aisha, who already found it very difficult to even get up, showed no sign of backing down verbally.
"The me who enjoys a pleasant academy life, the me who doesn't even understand despair. Losing to such a me, what meaning does my life of struggling and crawling until now even have!"
"A mistaken life, a life seeking meaning in darkness and despair, is inherently meaningless. Face reality, other me! I set one card, turn end."
Whether in the duel or in belief, the genuine Aisha Carlos already held an absolute advantage. Regarding this duel, You Ling seemed to have nothing more to worry about.
"My turn..."
No matter how much she struggled, she couldn't win this duel.
At this moment, Dark Aisha Carlos understood this better than anyone else.
Lost.
Lost.
Lost.
Lost.
Lost.
My life is meaningless.
A false life.
A life that doesn't even count as truly existing.
Worthless.
「Only when the soul feels despair will the power of the Despair God respond to you.」
Camille's slightly narrowed eyes suddenly snapped open.
"It's finally here, the final step of the trial!"
Crack——!
A heavy metallic clang, accompanied by the sound of a lock shattering.
The second seal on the Despair God Anti-Hope card was unlocked amidst the soul's ultimate despair.
On the card face of the Level 12 monster, all information was completely revealed. Although there was still a third seal locked on the card, at this moment, the card was undoubtedly in a usable state.
The Despair God card, placed beside the Millennium Key , as if finding the destined home of a truly desperate soul, traced a black trajectory and shot into Dark Aisha Carlos's deck.
You Lingsaid in surprise: "Wait, just now the Despair God's card, did it go to the opponent's side?"
"(*ﾟﾛﾟ) It seems that's what happened, Mr. You Ling!"
"My turn... my turn..."
Her weak body swaying, she was slow to draw the starting card of her turn. Dark Aisha Carlos, as if guided by a desperate fate, finally waited for the chance of a reversal.
"My turn, draw!"
This draw, with a pressure stronger than any monster, erupted completely like a bursting flood.
Things like the soul of a black dragon appearing behind when drawing, or a white dragon's roar erupting, compared to this instant, were simply child's play.
Even separated by the barrier, Kevin could clearly feel that immense abnormality, "Could it really be, Kami (- God)?"
"——Activate Quick-Play Magic Card [Xyz Remora] ( Xyz Overlay Light Delay)!"
Dark Aisha first activated the Quick-Play Magic Card in her hand, pointing at the Xyz Monster [Baby Tiragon] on the field.
"Return an Xyz Monster you control to the Extra Deck, then Special Summon the Xyz Materials that were attached to that Xyz Monster from your Graveyard in Defense Position!" (Note: Xyz Remora's real effect is different. This is a custom effect described).
If [De-Fusion] (- Fusion Release) is a Quick-Play Magic Card that defuses a Fusion Monster and Special Summons the Fusion Materials.
Then this [Xyz Remora] is undoubtedly equivalent to an Xyz version of De-Fusion.
"I Special Summon the 2 remaining Xyz Materials of [Baby Tiragon], [Yoyo] and [Volcanic Rat] , in Defense Position!"
[Yoyo DEF: 100]
[Volcanic Rat DEF: 500]
The two Level 1 monsters returning after Xyz De-fusion, plus the [Rose Girl] forcibly protected by [Half or Nothing] , totaled three Level 1 monsters.
Aisha swallowed, saying nervously: "I remember, summoning a god requires 3 tributes..."
"No, the God of Deeper Despair requires 4 monsters! I Normal Summon the Level 1 [Skull Servant] (White Bone), then when there are 4 Level 1 monsters on the field, it is time for the god to descend!"
Dark Aisha raised the card drawn this turn high. Before even summoning, the entire underground space, along with Fusion Academy connected to the ground above, began to shake violently.
"I offer the 4 Level 1 monsters on my field as tributes, respond to my despair, Kami!"
"Offering 4 Level 1 monsters, is this the summoning condition for Despair God?"
You Ling suddenly remembered that when the first seal shattered, the description of the Despair God card indeed contained the words 「1-star monster」.
And the complete summoning condition for [Despair God Anti-Hope] is——
[This card cannot be Normal Summoned. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand or Graveyard) by sending 4 face-up Level 1 monsters you control to the Graveyard.]
A Level 12 monster that must tribute 4 Level 1 monsters to be Special Summoned. It could be called the most contradictory summoning paradox of low-star and high-star in this world.
"Born from the despair deep within the soul, spread this darkness to the ends of the yonder! Howl, suffer, struggle! Kami no Kourin (- God's Advent)!——Despair God Anti-Hope!"
[Despair God Anti-Hope ★★★★★★★★★★★★ (12-Star) DARK][Fiend-Type/Effect ATK: 5000 DEF: 5000]
"Run quickly, get far away, the barrier can't hold!"
Before Despair God fully descended, Camille, who had already sensed something amiss, quickly pulled out the Millennium Key stuck in the ground, incidentally reminding the three spectators beside her to flee towards the previous labyrinth space.
Then, the next second, the trial barrier, unable to withstand Despair God's massive size, shattered.
Cracking along with it was the entire ruin chamber.
Despair God's size was truly too immense; the ceiling of the room was directly pierced through.
The pitch-black god, more than half of its body already protruding from the ground surface, looked down upon all creation, standing beneath the heavens.
And the position directly above the ruin chamber was Fusion Academy's student plaza.
At this moment in the spacious plaza, the scene of the massive Despair God shattering the earth and descending stunned all the students in the academy.
"Hahaha, I finally succeeded."
Dark Aisha, the girl, laughed almost maniacally.
"I can finally take revenge on Fusion Academy, I will use this Despair God to make everyone feel the same despair as I do!"
"Other me, before you use God to take revenge on everyone, defeat me first!"
The ceiling of the ruin chamber had already been pierced through by Despair God and completely disappeared.
But the two Aisha Carloses, still remaining in the open-air room, signified that this duel was not yet over.
"Alright, I'll use the power of God to take care of you first!"
Entering the Battle Phase, Dark Aisha waved her hand forward, guiding the god.
"Battle, Despair God Anti-Hope!——Annihilation God's Judgment !"
The god's thick arm guided the light of all-destroying judgment, bombarding the [First of the Dragons] on Aisha's field from the sky above.
At the same time, Aisha also flipped over the set Trap Card in her back row.
"——Activate Trap Card [Tricky Plan] ! Discard [Summoned Skull] from my hand, decrease the ATK of [Despair God Anti-Hope] by 2500 points!"
[Despair God Anti-Hope ATK: 5000→2500]
The demon's thunder confronting the light of judgment directly halved Despair God's terrifying 5000 ATK, the monster's ultimate cap.
[First of the Dragons ATK: 2700]
"This way, First of the Dragons' attack surpasses it!"
"Surpass God? Stop dreaming! Activate the effect of [Despair God Anti-Hope]!"
[Once during the Battle Step, if this card battles: You can banish 1 Level 1 monster from your Graveyard; this card is unaffected by other card effects until the end of that Damage Step, and it cannot be destroyed by that battle.]
"I banish the Level 1 monster Yoyo from my Graveyard, granting Despair God Anti-Hope an invincible resistance during battle, unaffected by any card, a despairing invincibility!——『God's Domain』!"
[Despair God Anti-Hope ATK: 2500→5000]
The absolute resistance to all cards gained instantly in battle allowed Despair God's own power to override the ATK reduction brought by the Trap Card [Tricky Plan].
The bombardment of 5000 attack points frontally engulfed the massive First of the Dragons.
Although it was unclear that a duel was proceeding underground at the academy, in the eyes of everyone at Fusion Academy, in that instant, the pitch-black massive god had genuinely brought down a divine punishment that annihilated everything.
Aisha Carlos LP: 2400→100 (Note: Initial LP for this duel was 4000, then 4000->2500. This should be 2500 -> 100, or an earlier hit was missed.)
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh——!"
The immense destructive power caused by Despair God's strike sent Aisha's weak body crashing heavily against the gradually crumbling ruin wall behind her.
Saying the final trial wouldn't cause real physical damage was all a lie.
Enduring a god's strike, it clearly hurts like hell QvQ.