The surging fivefold elemental dragon breath engulfed Red-Eyes Black Dragon, whose attack power rivaled even Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.
The Accelerated Ritual Summon—an emergency Ritual Spell Reigun had employed for maximum board wipe—had worked spectacularly, even bypassing the debuff that normally prevents Mythic Dragon from attacking the turn it's Ritual Summoned.
"Useless son, this is the best you can do."
Mythic Dragon descended, shaking the heavens and earth. In terms of sheer combat power, even the legendary Quintet Magician and Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon fell short.
This was the ultimate monster of the national lion, Reigun Seth, the embodiment of absolute power.
"Damn it!"
Kevin's expression darkened as his Red-Eyes Black Dragon, in its strongest form, was effortlessly wiped out by an Accelerated Ritual Summon.
"I activate the effect of Black Metal Dragon, which was equipped as an Equip Card!"
[This effect can only be activated when this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard. Add 1 "Red-Eyes" card from your Deck to your hand.]
"Using Black Metal Dragon's effect, I add the Trap Card Red-Eyes Spirit from my Deck to my hand! Then I activate the Spell Card—Magical Stone Excavation!"
[Magical Stone Excavation - Discard 2 cards; target 1 Spell Card in your Graveyard; add that target to your hand.]
"I discard 2 cards to recover the Spell Card Back-Up Rider from my Graveyard. Then I set 2 cards and end my turn."
Since Mythic Dragon's summon had wiped the field clean, Kevin was now entirely defenseless. To survive its 5000 Attack next turn, he had to set up everything possible during his own turn.
The two set cards—Red-Eyes Spirit and the freshly recovered Back-Up Rider—were effectively face-up to Reigun.
"To challenge me with such pitiful strength... You're nothing but trash who doesn't even know your place. The Seth family has no use for someone like you!"
Calling him trash over and over, Reigun Seth had never once looked at his second son Kevin with true regard.
Kevin's very birth had been an accident. Born to a lowly yet beautiful maid, he was only allowed to stay in the Seth family because Reigun deigned to permit it.
Even within the Seth family, few knew the truth of Kevin's origin. Outsiders had no clue.
As for Kevin himself... he'd known since he was five.
"My turn. Draw."
Reigun's deep voice accompanied his draw.
The five Dragon monsters Reigun had sent to the Graveyard last turn as Ritual materials now had another use.
"Spell Card Dragon's Mirror, activate!"
[Fusion Summon 1 Dragon Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, by banishing Fusion Materials listed on it from your field or Graveyard.]
"I banish 5 Dragon monsters from my Graveyard as Fusion Materials to Fusion Summon Five-Headed Dragon!"
"Five-Headed Dragon?!" Kaima and Kevin exclaimed in unison.
After Ritual Summoning Mythic Dragon, he now brought out Fusion Summon Five-Headed Dragon.
Using the full power of 5 Dragons, this was the fighting style of the national lion, Reigun Seth.
"Six days to gather, four seas upheaved—when the five Dragon souls converge, all life is reduced to corpses! Fusion Summon! F.G.D. - Five-Headed Dragon!"
[F.G.D. - Five-Headed Dragon│Level 12│DARK│Dragon│5000 ATK / 5000 DEF
Like Mythic Dragon, it bore five different elemental dragon heads. Lacking a board-wipe effect, it made up for it with an equally massive 5000 Attack and immunity to destruction in battle against five Attributes.
"Let's end this meaningless duel, foolish son!"
Entering the Battle Phase, Reigun's two five-headed dragons had a combined 10,000 Attack, while Kevin had no monsters on the field.
"Destroy everything—Five-Dragon Divine Roar!!'"
"It won't end like this! I've already prepared a countermeasure for Mythic Dragon's attack!"
As the five dragon heads charged their elements to simultaneously fire at Kevin's empty field, a strange electromagnetic surge emerged from Kevin's Graveyard.
"I activate the effect of the monster card Electromagnetic Turtle in my Graveyard!"
[During your opponent's Battle Phase (Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your Graveyard; end the Battle Phase.]
"I banish Electromagnetic Turtle from the Graveyard to end this Battle Phase!"
Its effect, usable from the Graveyard, had been the true reason Kevin discarded it earlier using Magical Stone Excavation.
"Even if your total Attack is 10,000, it's meaningless if you can't battle—old man!"
Despite facing two five-headed dragons on an empty field, Kevin still found the breath to mock Reigun.
A true Duelist never lets their spirit be crushed, no matter how grim the field.
That's something Miles once taught Kevin in battle.
"I set 2 cards and end my turn."
"Big brother, it's up to you now!"
By ending Reigun's Battle Phase, Kevin had successfully passed the turn to Kaima.
Mythic Dragon and Five-Headed Dragon could only be destroyed in battle by LIGHT monsters.
And the one capable of defying the strongest dragons of the national lion—was undoubtedly Kaima Seth, the one who commanded the LIGHT Blue-Eyes.
"Yeah! My turn, draw!"
Scanning the card he drew, Kaima immediately activated it.
"Spell Card Pot of Greed, activate! I draw 2 cards from my Deck!"
A 1-for-2 hand refill—Kaima had drawn the key.
The two drawn cards: Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Polymerization.
Combined with the two Blue-Eyes in his hand—
"Spell Card Polymerization, activate! The evolved might of Dragons—let LIGHT's Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon shatter your pride, Reigun Seth!"
The three Blue-Eyes souls materialized behind Kaima's silver coat and soared into a swirling vortex in the sky.
Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, with 4500 Attack and the ability to attack three times, still fell short of the 5000 ATK Mythic and Five-Headed Dragons.
However, with the Spell Back-Up Rider Kevin retrieved last turn, that changed.
Back-Up Rider raised a monster's ATK by 1500—bringing LIGHT Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon to 6000 ATK, surpassing both dragons and allowing for a lethal triple attack.
The brothers' bond surpassed their father's might.
"I won't let you succeed!"
As Kaima activated Polymerization, Reigun chained his Trap from the previous turn.
"Continuous Trap Non-Fusion Area, activate!"
[Neither player can Fusion Summon.]
"As long as this card remains, Fusion Summons are off-limits. Kaima, your proud Blue-Eyes Fusion tactic is now useless!"
After using Fusion Summon himself, Reigun shut down the method via Non-Fusion Area, rendering Kaima's Polymerization null.
"You—!" Kaima bit her lip and glared at Reigun.
"No one knows their child better than a parent. I know you better than you know yourself! Obey me and follow my plan—that is your true path to power!"
Her furrowed brows and trembling fingers gripped the card tightly.
With Fusion blocked and three Blue-Eyes stuck in hand, Kaima's strategy was in ruins.
Just like in her duel against Aisha Carlos.
"Was the path I chose... really wrong?"
"Brother!" Kevin shouted, interrupting. "Forget that old man's plans! The path you believe in is a thousand times more correct!"
"A thousand times more... huh, Kevin..."
Pathetic. She actually needed her little brother to wake her up.
So what if Fusion was blocked? The duel wasn't over.
"I set 3 cards. Turn end!"
Setting every card except her three Blue-Eyes, Kaima knew that to beat Mythic Dragon, she and Kevin had to unlock a new potential within the Dragon race—one that surpassed their father.
"My turn. Draw!"
Reigun drew a Normal Dragon Monster, fodder for Mythic Dragon, though now irrelevant on this field of twin gods.
"Battle! Mythic Dragon—let's see how you'll block this one!"
Reigun declared the Battle Phase. Twin roars erupted as five elemental breaths blasted toward Kaima and Kevin.
Kaima swiftly flipped her set card.
"Quick-Play Spell Enemy Controller, activate!"
[Choose 1:
● Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; change its battle position.
● Tribute 1 monster, then target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; take control of it until the End Phase.]
As the giant controller appeared, Kaima expertly input the command:
"Up, Left, Down, Right, A, B, A, B! Change Mythic Dragon to Defense Position!"
[Mythic Dragon, DEF: 5000]
Attack mode to Defense mode—a clean stall on Mythic Dragon.
Regardless, Reigun still had F.G.D. - Five-Headed Dragon looming at 5000 ATK.
"Muda-da! Your struggles are pointless! Five-Headed Dragon, direct attack! — 'Fivefold Dragon God Roar!!'"
"Leave this one to me, brother."
Kevin activated his last face-down card.
"To carve the true path forward—show your potential, Black Dragon! Trap Card Red-Eyes Spirit, activate!"
[Target 1 "Red-Eyes" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.]
"I Special Summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon in Defense Position to block this hit!"
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, DEF: 2000]
The indomitable dragon roared, bearing Kevin Seth's unyielding will.
Unfazed by inferior stats or looming threats, whether it be Cyber Eltanin from Draco Constellation or F.G.D. - Five-Headed Dragon, Red-Eyes would always rise, its Black Flame roaring skyward.
"Trash like you can't block me!"
Reigun roared and flipped his final Trap.
"Trap Card Meteorain, activate!"
[During this turn, when your monster attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.]
Countless crimson meteors rained down, amplifying Five-Headed Dragon's attack. The overwhelming force pierced through Red-Eyes, striking the Seth brothers directly.
Kevin & Kaima [LP: 4000 → 1000]
Even blocking the hit, they lost 3000 LP in a single blow.
Within the grand dueling hall of the Seth estate, Reigun's attack blasted the brothers to the edge of the field.
"This pain is nothing compared to what you'll pay for defying me! I'll make you regret ever challenging me! My turn—end!"
The two brothers stood up at once, brushed off the dust—and looked at each other with matching smiles.
"Hahaha! Brother, he says we'll pay the price? That old fool doesn't get it at all!"
"Hmph, you're right, Kevin! It's our turn now—to shift the momentum!"
As Reigun ended his turn, Kaima flipped her last set card.
"We'll forge our own path from here on! From now on, Father—no, Reigun Seth... you have no right to interfere anymore!"
The tone grew defiant. At last, Kaima, like Kevin, had no hesitation calling her twisted father an old fossil.
"Born from the chaos of light and dark, of black and white—the Dragon of Chaos now rises beyond all strength! The Continuous Trap Renewal of the World, activate!"
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[Patreon.com/RedZTL]