After much hesitation, Chumley finally made up his mind and reluctantly refused Anacis's proposal.
"Ugh, why are you like this? Such a stubborn young man," Anacis said, looking exasperated. "I'd already raised the price to three million!"
"Don't tarnish a Sacred Duel with money! If you have any honor as a duelist, then defeat me in a proper Duel!" Chumley declared with an air of righteousness. What he didn't tell Anacis was that the reason he refused the offer was because he felt his own asking price of 1000 LP was still too low.
Furthermore, besides the two Star Chips as a wager, the *Millennium Ring* was also on the line for this Duel. Chumley had every reason not to hold back.
"If that's the case, then we'll have to settle this with Duel Monsters. My Turn!" Anacis declared, drawing a card from his Deck with vigor. After a glance, he grinned. "I activate the Spell Card, *Pot of Greed*! With its effect, I can draw two more cards from my Deck."
"Next, I activate the Field Spell, *Umi*!"
Raging waves appeared on the Field once again. Surrounded by a rainbow-colored aura, *Sea Dragon - Daedalus* was concealed within the surging tides, while the massive body of *VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon* was submerged in the water.
*Sea Dragon - Daedalus* [ATK 2600 → 2800]
*VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon* [ATK 3000 → 2800]
"So their Attack points have been brought to the same level?" Chumley muttered, looking at the reappeared *Umi*. "But because of the effects of *Rainbow Kuriboh* and *Skill Drain*, you still can't use *Daedalus* to attack or destroy other cards."
"*Sore wa dou kana?*" Anacis chuckled slyly and played another card. "*Skill Drain* has already served its purpose of stopping you from destroying my cards. Now it has one last bit of value. I activate the Spell Card, *Magical Planter*! By sending one face-up Trap card to the Graveyard, I can draw two more cards."
Although Pegasus had introduced the new "Trap Card" type, just like with Spell Cards, the current Duel Monsters game still had a blank slate when it came to Trap classifications; there was no distinction between things like Continuous Traps and Normal Traps.
"Now that *Skill Drain* has left the Field, the power of *Daedalus* is unleashed!" As Anacis spoke, a massive whirlpool formed on the surface of the sea. "Flood everything once again, *Daedalus*! Deep Sea Extinction Destruction!"
A monstrous flood once again ravaged the Field. *Daedalus* reigned over the giant waves like a sea god. Everything—*Rainbow Kuriboh*, *VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon*, and Chumley's Set Card in his Back Row—was submerged and crushed by the deluge.
But maybe not everything?
The flood gradually receded. *Sea Dragon - Daedalus* coiled on what should have been an empty Field, yet Anacis was surprised to find a monster still present on Chumley's side.
Chumley spoke up to explain, "The card I Set in my Back Row was *Dig of Destiny* again. When it's destroyed by you and sent to the Graveyard, I get to draw cards equal to the number of *Dig of Destiny* cards in my Graveyard. In this case, that's two cards."
"Adults aren't the only ones who can learn from experience, Uncle Anacis."
Chumley raised his arm, showing a card in his Hand before pointing to the monster on his Field. "Because of *Dig of Destiny*'s effect, I drew *Watapon* from my Deck. When this monster is added to the Hand by a card's effect, it can be Special Summoned to the Field."
*Watapon* [Level 1 / LIGHT]
[Fairy Type / Effect]
[ATK 200 / DEF 300]
"You're just delaying the inevitable. I still haven't used my Normal Summon!" Because he wanted to use *Sea Dragon - Daedalus*'s effect to clear the field, Anacis had deliberately saved his Normal Summon for this moment. "I Summon *Star Boy* in Attack Position! This monster increases the Attack of all my monsters on the Field and Weakens yours!"
Across from the fragile-looking *Watapon*, a red starfish with a single eye and a large mouth appeared. Chumley was about to say, "You're using Rule Bending again," but then he embarrassingly discovered that the effect description on Anacis's *Star Boy* card indeed read "all monsters on our side of the field" and "all monsters on the opponent's side of the field," with absolutely no Attribute restriction.
"Hmph, a normal *Star Boy* would of course have an Attribute restriction, but this *Star Boy* of mine is a Special Version! Its effect has no restrictions, just like almighty money!" Anacis said smugly. Evidently, his *Star Boy*, much like Yugi's *Magic Cylinder*, was a Special Version with a unique effect.
*Star Boy* [Level 2 / Water]
[Aqua-Type / Effect]
[ATK 550 / DEF 500]
As soon as it appeared on the Field, *Star Boy* began to wantonly spit water in all directions. The humid air caused the temperature to drop significantly, boosting both the *Sea Dragon* and itself.
*Sea Dragon - Daedalus* [ATK 2600 → 3100]
*Star Boy* [ATK 550 → 1050]
"*Star Boy*, take out that obstructive monster! Then, *Daedalus*, Direct Attack Chumley! Sea Dragon Torrent!"
Though the names *Watapon* and *Marshmallon* were only a single character apart, that character made a world of difference. *Star Boy* destroyed the Defense Position *Watapon* with a simple tackle, leaving nothing between the *Sea Dragon* and Chumley.
Just when Anacis thought the attack would finally connect, a very familiar rainbow-colored light shone from Chumley's Graveyard. It was, of course, the *Rainbow Kuriboh* that had just left the Field.
"Again?!"
Chumley took the *Rainbow Kuriboh* card out of his Graveyard. "When your monster declares a Direct Attack against me, I can activate this effect! The *Rainbow Kuriboh* in my Graveyard is Revived. Awaken, my warrior!"
"Kuri~" The newly revived *Rainbow Kuriboh*, expressing "I fight for you" in its own language, bravely met the attack from *Sea Dragon - Daedalus*. Water splashed everywhere, and when the attack concluded, *Rainbow Kuriboh*'s form vanished once more.
"When a *Rainbow Kuriboh* Summoned by this effect leaves the Field, it is Banished." Chumley placed the battle-destroyed *Rainbow Kuriboh* card into his pocket. "Thanks, Aibo."
"You saved your skin again, kid," Anacis said, clearly annoyed. "I end my Turn."
[Anacis: 3250 LP, Hand: 1]
[*Sea Dragon - Daedalus*] [ATK 3100]
[*Star Boy*] [ATK 1050]
*'I still have a *Mecha Sea Dragon Plesiosaurus* in my Hand. Next turn, I can use its effect to Summon it.'* Anacis calculated mentally, looking at Chumley's empty Field. *'No matter what monster you Summon, I can use the effect of *Mecha Sea Dragon Plesiosaurus* on my next turn. I'll Tribute *Star Boy* to Destroy it.'*
*'After that, both my monsters will launch a Direct Attack. I refuse to believe another Fodder Monster will just pop out to save you. Victory is in my grasp! That golden disc is mine!'*
"My Turn, Draw!" Chumley drew a card. For a brief moment, his expression froze. He glanced over at Bakura, who was watching the Duel from the sidelines. When he turned back to face the Field, a confident smile had spread across his face.
"It seems the final Ace Card always finds its way to me in the end."
---
① The original effect of *Star Boy* is—all WATER Attribute monsters on the field gain 500 ATK, and all FIRE Attribute monsters lose 400 ATK.
② However, the one here is a "novel-exclusive bootleg card": all of our monsters gain 500 ATK, and all of the opponent's monsters lose 500 ATK.
③ In other words, it's *Ultimate Insect LV5* + a permanent 5-point boost from *Angel's Dice*.
(end of chapter)