Turn.1
"Since I'm taking on all four of you alone, I want four players' worth of LP! But to let you fight at full strength before losing to me, each of you may still use your own respective field—but your LP will be shared."
After drawing his starting hand, Youmi replied, "Fine by me. The sooner we finish with you, the sooner I can get back to the Duel City finals."
"Eh? So this Youmi was pulled here from the past? So that time you said you went off to save a world—this is what you meant? That's seriously hype~"
Paradox did not choose to draw four players' worth of cards. Whether he never intended to or simply chose otherwise was unclear. He drew five cards, then one more for his first-turn draw, and all four opponents knowingly refrained from interfering.
"I activate the Continuous Spell—the unspeakable domain of calamity—Malefic Territory."
Paradox's D-Wheel fired several streaks of pitch-black light, and the surroundings were gradually dyed in a distorted violet hue.
"Malefic Territory?"
"When this card is activated, I can activate Malefic World directly from my Deck. While this card remains on the field, neither player can target cards in the Field Zone with card effects." A large projection of Malefic World appeared before Paradox. "Its effect: during each of my Draw Phases, I can forgo my normal draw to instead reveal three Malefic monsters from my Deck, and you will choose one of them to add to my hand."
As he looked at the projected Malefic World, Youmi tried to determine whether Paradox's Deck was using OCG effects, anime effects, or some hybrid mix. "So Malefic World is using its OCG effect... but this Malefic Territory… what's going on with that?"
"I send Cyber End Dragon from my Extra Deck to the Graveyard to Special Summon Malefic Cyber End Dragon." Paradox slid a purple monster into the Graveyard; the futuristic Duel Disk swallowed Cyber End Dragon like an ATM card. "My Malefic monsters can be Special Summoned by sending their corresponding original monsters to the Graveyard."
Yusei stared at the newly summoned Malefic Cyber End Dragon, his expression tense. "He summoned a 4000-Attack monster instantly. And if I remember correctly, the original had piercing damage when battling Defense Position monsters. Has that effect carried over as well?"
"Normally, Cyber End Dragon requires Polymerization to bring out. Summoning it raw like this must come with some drawback," Jaden—likely the only fully max-leveled Duelist among them—pointed out. "Otherwise, there'd be no reason to activate Malefic Territory first and protect Malefic World. Looks like Malefic monsters are tightly bound to that Field Spell."
"Malefic monsters born by offering their originals as sacrifices… a darkness born from light and shadow?" Yami Yugi, whose own origin had yet to be fully revealed in the story at this point, gave a tentative judgment.
Meanwhile, Youmi looked like he'd just realized his guess had been right. "Isn't this the anime effect? Using whichever version is stronger—you're really shameless, aren't you?"
"Since it's turn one, I can't attack. I Set two cards and end my turn."
Turn.2
"May I take this one? Mr. Yugi, Mr. Jaden… and Mr. Youmi. Paradox stole Duel Monsters from across all eras and uses them as weapons to destroy the world. He even used my Stardust Dragon to attack the city and twist history itself. I want to protect everyone from every era—our cities, and our most precious partners. So I will fight with everything I have!"
The other three nodded in unison and offered their encouragement.
"Then, Yusei—use that burning spirit of yours to defeat him!"
"Also—why is mine the only name where the 'Yū' ends up in the surname…?"
"Remember to leave me a chance to jump in, okay? Don't just OTK him~"
Returning a grateful glance to each of them, Yusei drew his card.
"My turn! I activate the Normal Spell Tuning, adding one Synchro Tuner from my Deck to my hand, then sending the top card of my Deck to the Graveyard." Yusei added Quickdraw Synchron to his hand and milled Junk Converter. "I discard a monster to Special Summon Quickdraw Synchron. Quickdraw Synchron can substitute for any Synchron Tuner for a Synchro Summon—but I cannot use it to Synchro Summon a monster that specifically requires a Synchron Tuner. I discard Level Eater!"
After discarding a now-forbidden card to Special Summon Quickdraw Synchron—a classic move from back then—Yusei brought out his iconic Tuner:
"Next, I Normal Summon Junk Synchron and activate its effect to revive Junk Converter. Level 2 Junk Converter, tune with level 5 Quickdraw Synchron treated as Junk Synchron! Gathered cries turn into arrows that pierce the sky, forming a shining path! Synchro Summon—appear, Junk Archer!"
Quickdraw Synchron fired a shot into a roulette wheel, striking the slot labeled Junk Synchron. Then it dissolved into five green rings, encircling Junk Converter. A burst of light erupted—and Junk Archer emerged onto the field.
"A Synchro Summon?!"
"Nice! You used an awesome move, Yusei!"
"And that's not all, right?"
Yusei nodded. "Junk Converter's effect activates—when sent to the Graveyard as Synchro Material, I can target a Tuner in my Graveyard and Special Summon it in Defense Position. Its effects are negated this turn. I Special Summon Quickdraw Synchron. And my Doppelwarrior in hand activates, Special Summoning itself!"
"Level 2 Doppelwarrior Warrior, tune with level 3 Junk Synchron! Gathered stars call forth new power—shine as a blazing path! Synchro Summon—appear, Junk Warrior!" Yusei performed another series of smooth plays, bringing out his early-era ace.
"Junk Warrior's effect activates—when Synchro Summoned, it gains Attack equal to the total Attack of all level 2 or lower monsters I control. And Doppelwarrior's effect activates in the Graveyard, Special Summoning two level 1 Doppel Tokens, each with 400 Attack. Junk Warrior gains 800, rising to 3100!"
Youmi raised an eyebrow at the swelling field. "Huh, he really went for it. I thought he'd just bring out Junk Gardna and pass… Wait, hang on—no Jet Warrior? A clean 4+1 would've solved it…"
"Level 1 Doppel Tokens, tune with level 5 Quickdraw Synchron treated as Junk Synchron! When steel gathers around the wind's herald, their will becomes an iron wall—shine as a blazing path! Synchro Summon—Junk Gardna!" For the third time, the Synchro summoning effect lit up behind Yusei, and the Defense Position Junk Gardna appeared. "Now everything is ready. Junk Archer, activate your effect—once per turn, target one monster your opponent controls and banish it until the End Phase. I banish Malefic Cyber End Dragon!"
"Tch, using that hateful Synchro Summon…"
With Malefic Cyber End Dragon temporarily banished, Paradox's field now consisted only of Malefic Territory, Malefic World, and an unknown Set card.
"Battle Phase! Junk Warrior, direct attack—Scrap Fist!"
[Paradox, LP: 16000 → 12900]
"Junk Archer, direct attack—Scrap Shot!"
[Paradox, LP: 12900 → 10600]
Paradox dusted off his coat with a completely unfazed expression, as though nothing had happened. He even sneered: "Is that all?"
"Main Phase 2. I Set one card and end my turn."
…
PS: The reason Paradox's Malefic Territory effect is missing two lines is that most of his Malefic monsters use the anime effects; the remaining two effects of Malefic Territory would actually sabotage them. As for the first effect… if the last two were removed anyway, I went ahead and altered the first as well.
...
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