Dark Scorpion Burglars—summon!
Well, four out of five.
Cliff looked aggrieved. Don Zaloog coughed.
"Hey, nothing personal. I just didn't draw you."
Don Zaloog promised, "Next time! For sure next time!"
Cliff pouted and retreated to the sidelines.
"Fine, but you guys better win."
"Hahaha, don't worry. You know my skills."
Don Zaloog beat his chest confidently.
"Leave it all to me."
"Yeah!" Chick agreed. "Boss's skills are undisputed. And now that we're all assembled, no opponent stands a chance."
"That's right!"
Don Zaloog laughed.
"Looks like you bricked and couldn't draw a monster to summon. Too bad!
In front of the Dark Scorpion Burglars, one slip means total defeat. Remember that lesson!
Battle! I'll use myself—"
He paused, looking awkward, then quickly drew his revolver and pointed it at Kira.
"Ahem, since this is the real world, I have to do it myself.
I attack the player directly!"
Bang bang!
He fired two shots.
Kira blocked with his Duel Disk, taking the hit.
[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 2600]
Don Zaloog was thrilled.
No traps triggered—he scored a direct hit. Must be a real brick; today's his lucky day.
"My effect activates: when I inflict battle damage, you must discard the top card of your deck or a random card from your hand.
I choose one random card from your hand."
"Then I activate my set card," Kira snapped his fingers. "Trap Card: 'Damage Condenser.'
When I take battle damage, I discard a card and special summon a monster from my deck in attack position with ATK less than or equal to the damage I took."
Kira's deck auto-searched a card.
"Special summon: 'Pyramid Turtle' in attack position."
[Pyramid Turtle, ATK 1200]
"Oh? You barely summoned a monster to defend? Hahaha, but it's too late." Don Zaloog said, "Battle continues!
Gorg, attack 'Pyramid Turtle'!"
Gorg smashed the turtle to pieces with his hammer.
[Kira, LP 2600 → LP 2000]
"When Gorg inflicts battle damage, you send the top card of your deck to the graveyard!"
Kira obeyed and calmly sent a card from his deck to the graveyard.
"Now, Pyramid Turtle's effect: when destroyed by battle, I can special summon an Undead monster with DEF 2000 or less from my deck."
"Another effect?" Don Zaloog frowned.
"Yes, I summon this card."
Kira pulled the card his deck ejected.
"Special summon: 'Vampire Lord'!"
[Vampire Lord, ATK 2000]
The burglars finally understood.
"A chain to bring out a high-level monster in one go!"
Chick looked at his boss.
"Boss, now we really can't beat him."
"Shut up, I know." Don Zaloog snapped. "Chick and Meanae can't beat the Vampire, but don't think that means we're finished!
Activate set card: Trap Card—'Bottomless Trap Hole'!
When a monster with 1500 or more ATK is summoned, destroy and banish it!"
"Whoa, awesome, boss!"
The minions cheered.
"If it's banished, the Vampire is finished!"
Meanae and Chick rubbed their hands, ready for the finishing blow.
"Then I activate my set card," Kira snapped his fingers.
"Trap Card: 'Deck Devastation Virus!'
I tribute a DARK monster with 2000 or more ATK to destroy all of your monsters with ATK 1500 or less in your hand, on the field, and for the next three turns!"
The whole burglar gang froze.
"1500 or less..."
Chick and the others exchanged looks.
Seconds later, they realized what that meant.
"N-NANI?!"
That's almost their whole gang!
"I tribute 'Vampire Lord' for Deck Devastation Virus!" Kira declared.
The Vampire Lord laughed, then was consumed by the virus's power, which swept over the burglars' field!
"Ahhhh!"
The burglars panicked, ducking for cover as the black virus tornado swept through, one explosion after another sending a burglar flying and rolling back to the audience.
Cliff, who hadn't gotten on the field, adjusted his glasses, relieved.
"So close, good thing boss didn't summon me..."
"Bastard..."
Don Zaloog crawled back to the duelist's zone, gritting his teeth.
Ridiculous!
With all their monsters under 1500 ATK sealed, the gang was doomed!
Their whole family only had Gorg above 1500 ATK...
Now Don Zaloog only had Gorg left on the field.
[Dark Scorpion - Gorg the Strong, ATK 1800]
The big guy touched his bald head, confused why all his teammates were gone.
"Go, Gorg!"
"Gorg, you're all that's left!"
His teammates cheered.
With the virus, Don Zaloog's deck only had Gorg left as a usable monster. He truly became the village's last hope.
"I set one card, end my turn," Don Zaloog muttered.
"Activate spell card 'Graceful Charity'—draw three, discard two."
Kira discarded two cards.
"But one discarded card is 'Learning Elf.' When sent to the graveyard, I draw another card."
"Then, 'Monster Reborn'! I revive 'Don Zaloog' from your graveyard to my field."
"Kisama (You bastard)!" Don Zaloog cursed.
But his card obediently flew to Kira's hand, and when Kira played it, it—like before—didn't generate a projection.
Because the spirit itself was out in the real world, the card was now just an empty shell.
Don Zaloog, face full of unwillingness, gritted his teeth and walked across the field to stand in Kira's monster zone.
"Is this good enough?" Don Zaloog growled.
Kira: "...Well, at least you're playing by the rules."