Gorlag swung his blazing sword at lightning speed. The audience saw only a flash of fire as it pierced the arena, burning away Ojama Yellow on Kira's field until nothing remained.
[Ojama Yellow, DEF 1000]
The Arbiter continued, "Gorlag's effect activates.
After destroying a monster in battle and sending it to the graveyard, Gorlag can special summon that destroyed monster to your own field in attack position at the end of the turn.
The summoned monster's effects are negated, but its attribute becomes FIRE."
"A battle-stealing effect!" Jaden couldn't help but exclaim.
"And since its ATK increases with the number of FIRE monsters, that's terrifying," Midori said gravely. "What a fearsome monster."
Gorlag's flames shot from its sword, piercing the ground and binding the now-defeated Ojama Yellow in the underworld.
"Activate set card," Kira declared. "Trap Card: 'Ojamarble!' When a face-up 'Ojama' monster you control is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, shuffle it back into the deck, draw two cards, then discard one." (Anime card)
The defeated Ojama monster vanished from the graveyard, Kira shuffled it back into his deck, and drew two cards, discarding one.
With its target gone, Ojama Yellow faded into light, and Gorlag's flames grasped at nothing, returning fruitlessly.
"Ojama," the Arbiter frowned.
To use such a weak monster in the finals, against himself?
Even the Arbiter, who had switched strategies against different finalists, had brought his main deck for the finals out of caution.
Was Kira looking down on him by using fodder monster?
Of course not. Facing a boss of this level, Kira wouldn't be so reckless.
But he knew the Arbiter excelled in multiple tactics and was adept at countering opponents' decks. Using unpredictable strategies here would give Kira the element of surprise and avoid being countered.
After the last duel, Kira felt his fate energy was at an all-time high—more in tune with his deck than ever before. In this state, he could handle even mismatched systems with ease.
Spectators, including the Arbiter, likely expected a clash of titans in the finals, a battle for the world's fate. But none could guess what awaited the Arbiter.
The Arbiter: "Set one card. End turn."
"My turn, draw," Kira said. "At the start of my turn, the card I discarded with 'Ojamarble' was 'Treeborn Frog.'
Treeborn Frog's effect: if it's in the graveyard and I control no spells or traps, it can special summon itself during my standby phase."
He raised his duel disk, and a beam of light brought Treeborn Frog onto the field.
[Treeborn Frog, DEF 100]
"Also during the standby phase, 'Take Over Five' in my graveyard activates: banish it and one copy from the deck, then draw a card."
Kira drew, then immediately played: "Spell Card 'Spider Web'—add a card sent to your opponent's graveyard last turn to your hand." (Anime card)
White threads shot from the card, snatching a card from the Arbiter's graveyard.
"I add 'Pot of Greed' to my hand, then activate it to draw two."
The Arbiter: "Using my Pot of Greed?"
Kira drew two, then played one at once.
"Spell Card 'Smashing Ground'—destroy the opponent's monster with the highest defense."
A crack ran beneath Gorlag, causing it to fall and shatter.
"I only had Gorlag," the Arbiter nodded. "It's destroyed."
"Now, I tribute Treeborn Frog to tribute summon—
The Nemesis of Magic—
Treeborn Frog vanished in a swirl of light, and a massive white machine appeared with a roar.
[Spell Canceller, ATK 1800]
"Oh! Kira's Spell Canceller!" Jaden yelled.
"As long as Spell Canceller is on the field, neither player can activate Spell Cards, and all Spell effects are negated," Kira declared.
"The Field Spell 'Seal of Orichalcos' is present," the Arbiter said coolly, "but it cannot be negated." Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by novｅlfire.net
Kira ignored him: "Direct attack with Spell Canceller."
A blast of energy struck the Arbiter. He stood firm, calmly absorbing the blow.
[Arbiter, LP 4000 → LP 2200]
Even Zane couldn't help but cheer.
"First blood—Kira has seized the advantage."
Kira set three cards.
"Set three cards. End turn."
The Arbiter calmly brushed imaginary dust from his shoulder.
"A neat attack, and you've sealed my Spell Cards."
The Arbiter narrowed his eyes.
Spell Canceller was troublesome for him.
With Spell Cards sealed, he couldn't activate the higher levels of the Orichalcos barrier, leaving his deck's strategy hamstrung.
Could Kira have known about his deck's features and chosen Spell Canceller as a counter?
But only Dartz had ever used Orichalcos before—only Atem and Kaiba had seen it in action.
How did this man know? Did Seto Kaiba tell him?
No, he suspected Kira might even know more than Kaiba.
The Arbiter's frown deepened, finding Kira more inscrutable and himself more cautious.
"Fujiki Kira, what secret are you hiding?"
PS: Bonus chapter at 100 PS