Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 111: Bonds with Spirits

The End of Demise, King of Armageddon!

The massive apocalyptic demon god shattered into ashes and vanished from the field as if the oppressive pressure over the entire arena suddenly lightened. The strange blue flames on Shell's body also faded a little, but he was still panting heavily.

"So, you defeated the King of the End..." Shell let out a long breath. "I underestimated you. You two are certainly not ordinary brats."

"It's not over yet!"

Jaden flashed two cards from his hand.

"I activate the Spell Card 'Double Attack'! By discarding a monster card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can select one monster on my field with a lower level than the discarded monster, and that monster can attack twice this turn!

I discard Level 5 'Elemental HERO Necroshade' from my hand and select the Level 4 'Elemental HERO Bubbleman' on the field. This turn, Bubbleman can attack twice!

Now, let's enter the Battle Phase!"

Jaden swung his arm, signaling his heroes to attack.

"First, 'Elemental HERO Sparkman,' attack the face-down monster!" Jaden declared, "When Sparkman attacks a Defense Position monster if its ATK exceeds that monster's DEF, the difference is inflicted as piercing damage!"

"Then I activate my set card!" Shell responded, activating a card in his back row. "Trap Card: 'Draining Shield'!

When an opponent's monster declares an attack, that attack is negated, and I recover Life Points equal to that monster's ATK!"

A transparent shield unfurled, shimmering with rainbow light. Sparkman's lightning attack was completely absorbed by the barrier, and the surging energy was transferred into Shell's body.

[Shell, LP 4800 → LP 7600]

Jaden: "Ugh, his LP increased! Then, 'Elemental HERO Bubbleman,' attack the set monster! Bubble Shot!"

Bubbleman crouched low, hefting his foam cannon as a stream of bubbles shot forth, washing away the face-down monster.

A pot-shaped, one-eyed monster with a sinister, leering grin was revealed.

Morphing Jar!

Kira frowned slightly.

'He quietly set another troublesome card.'

[Morphing Jar, DEF 600]

"Morphing Jar's effect: when this card is flipped, both players discard all cards in their hands," Shell explained, "then each player draws five cards from their deck."

Hands were replaced once again, and Morphing Jar was shattered by the onslaught of bubbles.

Jaden: "Because of 'Double Attack,' this turn Bubbleman can attack twice!

Go, Bubbleman, direct attack! Bubble Shot!"

Bubbleman fired his foam cannon, sending a barrage of bubbles exploding in Shell's face. Shell staggered back a few steps, reeling from the impact.

[Shell, LP 7600 → LP 6000]

"This isn't nearly enough." Shell stubbornly got back up.

Jaden: "I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

He then looked apologetically at Kira: "Sorry, his Life Points increased..."

"It's fine, you've broken his formation," Kira replied.

Jaden gave him a thumbs-up: "I had a feeling our teamwork was invincible!"

Shell silently watched, his face twitching, seeming even more irritated.

"Companions, it's because of things like this that they become weak."

Jaden: "What did you say?"

"Heroes are always alone and must be. This is the fate of one who wields the sword."

Jaden pondered, then said, "You keep saying that, about abandoning companions and spirits... but I don't think you've truly let go, have you?"

"What?"

"The Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys —you say it betrayed you, but you still carry it, still use that deck, don't you?" Jaden said. "If, as you say, your family has preserved this card for generations, and you've considered it a friend since childhood, maybe it's not so easy to give up, right?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Shell replied coldly. "Like I said, dueling is only about victory. Whether it's the Phoenix or Demise, they are just swords in the hands of duelists and only need to fulfill that role.

Every weapon that can be used must be used to the utmost, that's all."

"Is that so? Then why did you come all the way here, to this dimension, seeking this hidden ruin?" Jaden pressed. "I don't think this is your first time searching. You've been wandering, searching for traces of the Phoenix, because you want to meet its spirit, don't you?"

"Nonsense. I only want to capture the spirit's power for my use." Shell was unmoved. "Or maybe I came to take revenge for its indifference all those years ago?"

"I thought so too at first, but through dueling, I realized that's not the truth." Jaden shook his head. "Dueling is a clash of hearts—from dueling, we can truly understand each other.

You're strong, maybe the strongest duelist I've faced so far. You say monsters are just tools, but from our duel just now, I can feel it—you trust your cards, your monsters. You're a true duelist."

Shell: "Nonsense. Total nonsense!"

"You can deny it all you want." Jaden pressed on. "But using such words, can you convince yourself?"

Shell: "..."

Kira, though silent, was beginning to admire Jaden's classic talk-no-jutsu power, passed down through generations of protagonists.

You know, after all that, Kira could faintly feel that Shell's aura had weakened.

To use the Duel Academy's card drawing class terminology, it was as if Jaden's duelist momentum was suppressing Shell.

"Enough!"

Shell shook his head, speaking icily.

"Such nonsense. It's just a duel—what do you know? How could you possibly understand me?

My turn. Draw!"

He drew powerfully, his card arcing through the air.

"At the start of the Standby Phase, the effect of 'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys' in my Graveyard activates!" Shell raised his voice. "Because last turn 'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys' was destroyed by 'Demise, King of Armageddon's' effect, its effect activates!

During this Standby Phase, the Phoenix will resurrect in a blaze of glory!"

A fiery pillar shot up, and the golden phoenix spread its wings in the green barrier, flames coalescing as its form gradually reappeared.

"Then Phoenix's follow-up effect activates! When revived by its effect, all Spell and Trap cards on the field are destroyed!" Shell laughed. "The combo of Demise and the Phoenix—each turn King of the End wipes the field, and the next turn Phoenix resurrects and sweeps away all the back row!

No set card can stand against this combo. You have no choice but destruction!"

"Activate set card!" Jaden interrupted, "Trap Card: 'Disappear'!

Banish one card from your opponent's Graveyard!"

Shell: "!"

NANI? He's grave-digging me!? ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Did you just print this card on the spot!?

"Therefore, I banish your 'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys' from your Graveyard!" Jaden said. "'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys' is no longer in the Graveyard during effect resolution, so it can't be Special Summoned and is banished from this duel!"

The phoenix's shape flickered in midair but quickly faded into a transparent phantom.

But in doing so, it broke free from the Seal of Orichalcos.

The binding mark on the Phoenix's forehead shattered, its translucent body burning silently in the air, looking down to meet Shell's gaze.

Shell unconsciously looked up at it.

For a moment, he seemed to hear a faint voice from the distant beyond, as though from another time and space.

"I'm sorry..."

Then the phoenix image burned away completely, disappearing from the field.

Shell: "..."

He was silent for a few seconds.

"As I thought, your bond with the spirit was never truly broken." Jaden continued, "You were just blinded by evil power, right?

There must have been more to what happened back then..."

"My turn continues, entering Main Phase." Shell cut in coldly.

Jaden frowned.

"In any case, talking is pointless now. I am no longer the Phoenix's heir. I am one of the three Swordman of New Doma, and that's all."

Shell raised his head, his gaze chilling.

"I will defeat you here... and move forward."