Chapter 1302: Time Lords vs. Abyss

The crimson crystal on Lazion, the Timelord's chest suddenly burst with dazzling light. The elder's face inside glared furiously. The blue flames on its shoulder armor boiled as if liquid time had been poured onto them. Flame rings spun wildly behind it, dyeing the entire battlefield a scorching orange-red.

BOOM!

A vast flame storm swept across Kira's Duel Runner, carrying away 1000 Life Points.

[Kira, LP 3500 → LP 2500]

"The Time Lords' main method of attack is indeed through battle," the fake Z-ONE said, "but do not think that sealing their attacks renders them powerless. The power of the Tree of Life far exceeds your imagination. Your little tricks are merely delaying the inevitable."

"Delaying the inevitable, huh?"

Kira smiled, not minding the opponent's reaction. He felt the opponent still hadn't realized how serious the problem was. But it didn't matter—there would be plenty of opportunities for him to slowly discover the joy of dueling.

"Enter Standby Phase," Kira said. "First, an effect from my Graveyard—the Spell Card 'Take Over 5' from last turn. During the Standby Phase, banish this card and any other copies of it from the Graveyard and your Deck, then draw one card from your Deck."

Kira drew one card.

"Then, the effect of 'Sinister Serpent' in my Graveyard. During your Standby Phase, if this card is in the Graveyard, you can return it to your hand."

A green Sinister Serpent image flashed above him, flicked its tongue, and returned to Kira's hand.

The fake Z-ONE's gaze shifted. With his tactical awareness, he immediately realized how troublesome Sinister Serpent was. As a WATER monster, it could be used as cost for Abyss Soldier's effect, and it had the ability to return itself from the Graveyard to the hand every turn. Combined with Abyss Soldier, it could provide infinite bounce ammunition—very annoying.

"Next, Normal Summon another 'Abyss Soldier' from my hand!"

The second Abyss Soldier emerged from a watery iris cut open by a golden trident.

The fake Z-ONE's expression grew even graver. Two Abyss Soldiers meant one bounce per turn became two. The threat level skyrocketed.

Sure enough, Kira immediately targeted one. "First, Abyss Soldier No. 1, effect activated. Once per turn, discard one WATER monster from your hand to return one card on the field to its owner's hand."

He sent the Sinister Serpent that had just returned to his hand back to the Graveyard. "Bounce 'Lazion, the Timelord' back to your hand!"

Abyss Soldier thrust its trident. A pale blue turbulent flow burst from the tip. The water current, like a spacetime maelstrom from the abyss, wrapped around Lazion's metallic body. The flames on its shoulder armor hissed in the water, and the crystal on its chest flickered violently.

"At this moment, I activate the set card, Trap Card 'Card of Sacrifice'," the fake Z-ONE said. "If the combined ATK of monsters on your field is lower than the lowest ATK monster on the opponent's field, draw two cards from your Deck." (Anime card)

For a Time Lord deck where all monsters had 0 ATK, this card was quite useful.

The fake Z-ONE drew two cards. "However, during the turn this card is activated, you cannot Normal Summon, Special Summon, or Flip Summon monsters."

Under the tearing turbulent flow, Lazion's massive body gradually faded and was forcibly compressed back into card form. The card carrying the Time Lord's power traced a burning trajectory through the air and landed heavily in the fake Z-ONE's hand, leaving only a few wisps of white vapor as proof it had once descended.

The fake Z-ONE looked at the Time Lord that had returned to his hand again, his eyes gloomy, and remained silent.

"Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Dual Gate' from my hand," Kira said. "Banish a copy of this card from the Graveyard to draw two cards from your Deck."

Obviously one of the five cards sent to the Graveyard from the top of the deck last turn. Two copies of Dual Gate turned into flickering golden light and vanished above Kira. He drew two more cards.

"At this moment, I chain the Quick-Play Spell 'Serial Spell'!" Kira declared. "Discard all cards in your hand to copy the effect of a Normal Spell activated in the same chain. Therefore, I use 'Serial Spell' to copy the effect of 'Dual Gate.' I can draw two more cards from the Deck without banishing a copy from the Graveyard. In total, I draw four cards from my Deck!"

Kira continued accelerating his draws.

At this moment, the fake Z-ONE's field was once again empty after the Time Lord was bounced. But he glanced at the opponent's back-row Continuous Trap. Gravity Bind was active, preventing Level 4 or higher monsters from attacking. This condition should apply to the opponent as well. So even without a Time Lord, it should be fine…

Just as he thought this, Kira continued, "Next, activate the effect of the second 'Abyss Soldier.' Once per turn, discard one WATER monster from your hand to return any one card on the field to its owner's hand."

Kira sent another card from his hand to the Graveyard and pointed at his own back row. "I bounce my own Continuous Trap 'Gravity Bind' back to my hand!"

Fake Z-ONE: "!"

Bouncing his own…

Only now did the fake Z-ONE, who had completely overlooked the possibility of self-bouncing, react. That's right. Abyss Soldier's bounce ability could not only clear the field but also bounce its own cards. This turned Gravity Bind into a one-sided lock—only his Time Lords were prevented from attacking!

The gravity waves of Gravity Bind instantly dissipated. The trap flew back into Kira's hand. The attack restriction was lifted. Both Abyss Soldiers glared menacingly at the nautilus vehicle floating opposite them.

"Abyss Soldier, direct attack!" Kira declared.

The Abyss Soldiers' tridents, wrapped in pale blue water light, thrust forward. The waves stirred by the tips condensed into sharp ice crystals in the air.

But just as the attack was about to hit the fake Z-ONE, a huge trap flipped in front of him.

"Counter Trap 'Negate Attack.' Negate a monster's attack and end the Battle Phase."

A transparent white cyclone erupted from the card, instantly forming a three-meter-wide spiral vortex in front of the fake Z-ONE. The moment Abyss Soldier's trident stabbed into the vortex, the water flow wrapped around it was reversely decomposed into countless floating water droplets.

When the vortex reached maximum speed, the entire cyclone suddenly exploded outward. Abyss Soldier was slapped by an invisible giant palm. Its armor emitted a metallic groan of overload. Man and trident were blasted back the way they came.

"As expected, it's not that easy to take down."

Kira smiled. "I set four cards. Turn end."