The opposing duelist stood in his own monster zone, and the two were nearly face-to-face—an unprecedented situation.
The dumb big guy Gorg saw his boss on the other side. Now, only Gorg was left alone on his side, dumbfounded.
"Boss, did you betray us?"
"Shut up!" Don Zaloog yelled. "Do your best—this is the burglars' life-or-death moment! It's all up to you now!"
"Oh." Gorg scratched his head, even more confused.
Kira: "I also activate 'Mustering of the Dark Scorpions.' If Don Zaloog is on my field, I can special summon other Dark Scorpions from my hand."
The burglars were even more shocked.
He not only stole the boss, but also has the exclusive support cards!
"According to the card's effect, I special summon a new Dark Scorpion from my hand."
Kira revealed another card.
"Special summon: 'Dark Scorpion - Meanae the Thorn'!"
"Huh? This time it's me?"
Meanae instinctively walked toward Kira's field, but when the card was played, only a projection of Meanae appeared.
Only then did she realize—oh, it's just the card, not me. She turned back to see her teammates staring at her with hurt expressions.
"Ahaha, sorry, wrong move. I just saw the boss over there and moved without thinking..."
[Dark Scorpion - Meanae the Thorn, ATK 1000]
Gorg's eyes reddened. "Even Meanae went to the other side..."
He wasn't very bright and usually just followed orders. Now, with the boss and Meanae both on the other side, he started to wonder—
Did they betray him, or did he betray them?
Maybe he was the traitor...
"Calm down, don't panic!" Don Zaloog shouted from the other side. "Your ATK is higher than me and Meanae—you can beat us both."
"Is that so?" Kira said. "Then I activate 'Dark Scorpion - Tragedy of Love.'
This card can only be activated if both Don Zaloog and Meanae are on my field.
Send Meanae to the graveyard: destroy all monsters on your opponent's field!"
Meanae was shocked. "He knows my move too!"
Kira's Meanae leapt up, whipping Gorg with her thorns. Gorg, miserable, was forced off the field.
"Then, Don Zaloog attacks Don Zaloog directly."
Kira paused, curiously watching Don Zaloog on his field, wondering how he'd attack himself.
Don Zaloog's face twisted for several seconds, then he gritted his teeth and punched himself in the face.
[Don Zaloog, LP 4000 → LP 2600]
He hit himself hard, knocking himself down and spitting blood.
"Damn it..." Don Zaloog spat out blood.
"Good job," Kira laughed.
"Normally, Don Zaloog's effect would make you discard a random card when you take battle damage, but you have no hand, so never mind."
Don Zaloog grew angrier.
"This humiliation will be avenged!" he glared at Kira.
Next was his turn.
"My turn, draw!"
He looked at his only card.
It wasn't enough to turn things around.
Was this the end?
He felt a little hopeless.
But then he looked at his burglars.
Those who lived and died with him, his irreplaceable companions.
Their eyes burned with hope and trust.
Even though he stood on the other side now, that trust never wavered.
As their leader, carrying their trust, how could he give up so easily?
No, he couldn't end it here.
"For the friends who believe in me and fight to the end, I can't fall now!"
Don Zaloog yelled.
"AAAARGH!"
"Activate trap 'Reckless Greed'! Skip my next two draw phases to draw two cards!"
It was all or nothing—a final counterattack!
Don Zaloog drew, then slammed one card down.
"Activate spell—
—'Owner's Seal!'
All monsters return to their original owners' control!"
Kira nodded. "Impressive topdeck."
"Now I return to my own field!"
Don Zaloog ran back to his side, looking rather comical.
"Now your field is empty! Then I activate 'The Warrior Returning Alive' from my hand to add 'Dark Scorpion - Meanae the Thorn' from my graveyard to my hand! Since it's not drawn, it won't be destroyed by Deck Devastation Virus.
Then I normal summon Meanae!"
Summoned, Meanae leapt onto the boss's field.
[Dark Scorpion - Meanae the Thorn, ATK 1000]
The burglars cheered.
"If this attack goes through, boss wins!"
"Unbelievable comeback!"
"Amazing, boss!"
The Dark Scorpions shouted.
"Heh, using our own cards against us? Too naive! Now pay the price!"
Don Zaloog pulled his gun.
"First, I attack directly!"
But as he fired, a white light flashed in Kira's graveyard—a fluffy white-winged ball appeared.
[Winged Kuriboh, DEF 200]
"Nani?!" Don Zaloog exclaimed, "Why—?"
"By banishing 'Kuribohrn' from my graveyard, I special summon any number of 'Kuriboh' from my graveyard on your attack declaration.
I special summon 'Winged Kuriboh.'"
"You discarded that with Graceful Charity last turn?" Don Zaloog frowned. "But the other one—"
"That was the card you made me discard earlier," Kira smiled. "Thanks for that."
"Tch."
Don Zaloog was annoyed.
"But that monster's easy to deal with—I'll just destroy it!"
He fired, destroying Winged Kuriboh.
"True, but when Winged Kuriboh is destroyed, I take no battle damage for the rest of the turn."
A transparent shield enveloped Kira.
"Ahhh, so annoying!"
His finishing blow denied, Don Zaloog was frustrated.
He had a bad feeling—something terrible was about to happen next turn.