The moment Hu Tao heard the words Monster Reborn, she knew things were going south!
"Revive the dead?!"
From the name alone, she guessed the card's effect, and a chill of crisis rushed through her.
[Monster Reborn]
With this card, Luya could revive [Skull Servant] from her Graveyard onto his own field, weakening her [King of the Skull Servants] in the process.
As Luya activated [Monster Reborn], sacred music filled the Duel Field. A divine goddess appeared, holding a cerulean cross set with a ruby at its center.
With a sigh, she chanted an incantation.
Holy energy flooded the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. The white phantoms scattered in fear, unwilling to touch it.
The light coalesced into a radiant cross, then dispersed—
And a dopey little skeleton appeared on Luya's field: the [Skull Servant] Hu Tao had sent to the Graveyard.
[Skull Servant] DARK│Level 1│Zombie│300+500 ATK / 200 DEF
With Skull Servant Special Summoned, another Exorcism Counter appeared.
At the same time, Hu Tao's two Kings of the Skull Servants each lost 1000 Attack, dropping to 2500.
Luya had now revived two of Hu Tao's monsters to his own field.
Not only Hu Tao, but the entire audience was stunned.
"Uh…"
"We thought Hall Master Hu's Kings were unstoppable…"
"But suddenly the tables have turned!"
"No wonder he's the shopkeeper!"
"This Duel is so fun—who knew you could do that?!"
"Yeah, it looked like Hall Master Hu had it won, but now it's even again!"
At this point, the shy boy hiding behind Zhongli spoke up, "Even though Hu Tao-sis had two monsters stolen from her Graveyard… The shopkeeper's strongest monster is still just Zombie Master with 2300 Attack.
"Hu Tao-sis's King still has 2500! The shopkeeper still can't win!"
Next turn, Hu Tao-sis can Normal Summon another monster, then in the Battle Phase destroy his 500-ATK King and his 800-ATK Skull Servant.
Those two will return to her Graveyard, and her Kings will rise back to 4500 Attack!"
Zhongli nodded in agreement. Indeed, with no monster above 2500, Hu Tao still seemed favored.
Hu Tao's nerves eased at once. Her eyes sparkled with renewed confidence.
"Hehe~ This Hall Master isn't scared! Next turn, I'll take my babies back!"
Yet, Luya smirked.
"Haha! Hall Master Hu, things may not go as you think. I'll have to disappoint you~" He pinched a card between two fingers, flashing it at her.
"Time to teach everyone about Equip Spells!"
[Horn of the Unicorn]—just as its name implied.
"I equip [Horn of the Unicorn] to Zombie Master!"
At once, a golden-yellow unicorn horn appeared before Zombie Master.
He gripped it as a weapon, even tapping it teasingly against Skull Servant's skull. The little skeleton whimpered, helplessly enduring the bullying.
"By [Horn of the Unicorn]'s effect, Zombie Master gains 700 ATK and DEF!"
[Zombie Master] DARK│Level 4│Zombie│3000 ATK / 700 DEF
Hu Tao's eyes bulged.
"You—you—you…!"
Before she could finish, Luya shouted:
"Battle Phase!"
"I attack the King of the Skull Servants not bound by [Spellbinding Circle]!"
Obeying, Zombie Master leapt high, stepping on Skull Servant's head to spring upward.
He spun the unicorn horn in his hand, then drove it downward, piercing through Hu Tao's King.
The bone construct shattered into fragments. One spike shot forth, striking Hu Tao in the chest before dissolving into data.
"Ahhhh!!!"
"It hurts!"
Hu Tao stumbled, clutching her chest as her Life Points dropped from [4000] to [3500].
After a few seconds, she straightened, shrugging it off:
"Actually… that wasn't so bad."
The Duel device only transmitted 0.1% of the pain, like a kitten's scratch.
Still, the audience broke into a cold sweat—it was their first time seeing battle damage.
Zombie Master's 3000 Attack overpowered her King's 2500, dealing 500 damage. The King was shattered.
Hu Tao cried out in anguish:
"My King of the Skull Servants!!!"
But with its departure, her other King gained 1000 Attack, rising to 3500.
Yet bound by [Spellbinding Circle], it could not attack, reduced to a mere ornament.
And as long as it remained, Luya couldn't make a direct attack.
After his sequence of plays, Luya was left with just [Obnoxious Celtic Guardian] in hand and [Negate Attack] face-down on the field.
Albeit that was more than enough for victory.
"My turn ends."
"Hall Master Hu, it's your move!!!"
...
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