Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pitfall Hero

Gazing at the silent girl opposite him, DD raised an eyebrow and said nonchalantly, "...Ed, you may not want to believe it, but in the beginning, I had no intention of killing your father, nor did I have the courage to do so. The moment I got the card, I had already planned to leave there and start my new life."

Edward: "..."

628 In order to determine the winner of fate

"After obtaining the Ultimate D, I had already planned to leave that place."

"...But then, at that moment, a voice suddenly told me that it was willing to grant me the ability to change the status quo."

"He told me that he had been waiting for someone like me with an evil heart for far too long, so long that he had almost forgotten the purpose of his own existence..."

"Of course I couldn't refuse such an opportunity, so I readily agreed to his proposal... And then, well, you know what happened next. Your father was killed by that will, and I became its new vessel, debuting with a new look. Relying on this power that originally didn't belong to me, I became the champion of the professional league!"

Raising his arm triumphantly, as if boasting to some non-existent entity, DD waved his arm as he explained, a twisted smile spreading across his face: "Ever since I got that card, things have gone more and more smoothly. Good luck and victories have come one after another like a dream..."

Riding this wave of momentum, I found a whole bunch of sponsors willing to invest, and I won every single battle in the professional arena, becoming the champion. To this day, I have maintained a glorious record of ten years without a single defeat..."

"...Ed, in this respect, I should really thank you... Thank you for giving me this opportunity and changing my life, hehehehehe..."

Although he was expressing his gratitude, DD's face clearly showed a mocking expression.

Clearly, he was merely using the truth of what had happened in the past as fodder for teasing Edward, and had no intention of genuinely repenting.

I did it, so what?

Edward, you're just a mortal hero, what makes you think you can fight me?

"...Then why did you volunteer to be my guardian back then?" Forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart, Edward calmly asked a new question.

She genuinely believed that DD was indeed someone her father had helped, as he claimed, and was now coming to repay that kindness to Edward.

In the end, Edward's father did him a great favor.

However, after learning the truth of the matter, Edward also realized that the so-called reason was actually just an excuse used by DD to hide his true purpose.

"Heh, at the time I wasn't familiar with that suddenly acquired power, so the impact of that incident was greater than I imagined. Besides... the International Fantasy Society and the police were also investigating this information everywhere, which gave me a huge headache. So at the time, I urgently needed someone to understand the progress of the investigation so I could take appropriate countermeasures, and you became the person I chose."

DD pressed his hand to his temple, circling his fingers, and stared at Edward, continuing his teasing, "Do you remember, Edward... in the time right after your father passed away, we would often go back to the park to exchange information? Watching you share everything you knew with me without reservation, I almost couldn't help but burst out laughing..."

"Ah, what did I say back then? I think I was comforting you, saying, 'Don't worry, we'll find the culprit soon, and I'll do everything I can to help,' right? Hehehehe... Do you know how happy I was at that moment, Edward!"

His distorted face was filled with a look of pleasure. He crossed his arms and hugged his body, tearing off the disguise of DD and launching an indiscriminate, targeted attack on Edward's heart.

They belittled her past, mocked her ignorance, and undermined her confidence...

Finally, we'll defeat her completely through a duel!

This is DD's current plan.

After defeating Ed, everything in the Phoenix family will become a stepping stone for him to climb higher. And after tonight, he will completely sever ties with the past and begin a brand new and glorious life!

“…DD!!! You bastard! All for your selfish desires…”

"For my own selfish desires? Ha, that's not right!"

Waving his hand to interrupt Edward, DD corrected him, saying, "I just wanted to know if I was the chosen one."

“Ed, look at history! Those heroes who wielded great power in history all committed crimes that are incomprehensible to ordinary people.”

Having found a seemingly sufficient reason for his actions, DD showed no remorse: "I killed your father and became a hero by doing so, proving that I am the one chosen by the times, hehehehehe..."

"...You madman!"

Unable to comprehend or even want to comprehend DD's words, Edward, his mind swirling with complex emotions and information, waved his arms and roared angrily, "DD... Father was killed by scum like you! I will never forgive you for this! You know that, don't you?"

"...I accept this duel that was agreed upon ten years ago!"

The long-suppressed anger, the setbacks experienced on the path of growth, a life built on lies, the entanglements of the past, the road ahead...

All of this will begin with this fateful duel.

Ed Phoenix will carry on his father's legacy and send that man named DD crashing into the abyss!

"Hehehe... Edward, I do not expect a mortal like you to understand my words or reach my current heights... The path of a hero cannot be explained by common sense. It is a completely new realm that no one has ever reached before. After I have eliminated you and rid myself of my past, I will step into that realm and become a truly supreme being!"

Pointing the Duel Disk at Edward, DD grinned wickedly, spreading his arms wide in a fighting stance: "Hehehehehe... Let's begin, this... duel of death!"

As DD spoke, a strange white mist appeared on his body.

DD, whose eyes were now filled with blood, drove the white mist to envelop the entire surrounding space.

At this moment, this place will be transformed into a death arena, where the loser will lose their life, just like in the Dark Duel!

"...Duel!"

"...Duel!"

(Ed LP: 4000)

(DD LP: 4000)

"It's my turn, draw a card!!!"

The lone hero, Ed Phoenix... with burning emotions in his heart, fiercely drew a card from the top of his deck.

As the card traced a semi-circular arc in the void, her unique and fierce aura transformed into a gale, driving away all the surrounding white mist.

The inescapable fate of heroes who must fight...

The weight of the cross borne by heroes...

The pain of unfulfilled desire and the deep-seated hatred are things that those who use heroes simply because they admire their coolness will never understand.

Even as a lone dark hero, without the bonds of others around him, Edward's eyes still burn with the flames of unwavering obsession.

"...Activate the Spell Card [Fate Draw]! Discard one [Fate HERO] card from my hand and draw two cards from my deck."

Sending one monster card from his hand to the graveyard, Edward then reached out and drew two more cards: "I discard the [Destiny HERO - Demon] (Warrior/DARK/Level 6/ATK: 800/DEF: 800) from my hand and draw two cards."

"Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Beyond Fate' from my hand! You can target 1 'Destiny HERO' monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon 1 'Destiny HERO' monster from your Deck with a Level that is half or less of that monster's Level. Destroy the monster Special Summoned by this effect during the End Phase of this turn."

"...Come on! [Hero of Destiny - Negator] (Warrior/Dark/3-Star/Attack: 1100/Defense: 600)!"

The Level 6 [Destiny HERO - Demon] in the graveyard allows Edward to Special Summon a Level 3 [Destiny HERO] monster from his deck using the effect of a Spell Card.

As Ed finished speaking, the vampire, who looked like a clown, appeared before Ed, brandishing the Chain of Fate and accompanied by black mist.

"The effect of [Destiny HERO - Demonic Man] in the graveyard is activated. Banish myself to Special Summon a monster of the same name from the Deck. Come forth, [Destiny HERO - Demonic Man]!"

Draw a card from your deck and place it on the deck of your Duel Disk.

As Edward moved, the devil-looking Furpants Man, who was beside Denial, was also specially summoned to the dueling arena by the exclusion of his brother.

"Attack power 1100... Attack power 800? These bastards aren't enough to pose a threat to me, Edward, don't disappoint me!"

Adjusting his glasses, DD patiently waited for Edward to unfold his DD, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

Although both are "Heroes of Destiny", this monster is not even in the same league as the Ultimate D; there is no comparison between them.

"It's not too late to say such things after I've finished explaining."

Unaffected by DD's trash talk, and with his beliefs firmly in his heart, Edward stretched out his arm and performed a classic triple combo: "Activate the effect of [Phantom Hero - The Solitary One], Special Summon [Elemental Hero - The Mist Lady] that was discarded from my hand!"

"...If the Solitary One is successfully Summoned or Special Summoned, I may choose one [Phantom Hero] from my Deck and place it in the Spell & Trap Zone. I choose to place [Phantom Hero Increment]!"

"And at this moment, linked to the effect of the Almighty, I activate the Graveyard Deliverance effect of the Shadow Mist Lady, searching my Deck for one [Hero] monster other than [Elemental HERO - Shadow Mist Lady]... I choose to search for [Destiny HERO - Theorist]!"

A pink, one-eyed hero covered in spikes appeared in mid-air as the Shadow Mist Lady escorted him to his grave.

Along with his arrival, another hero, enveloped in purple light, also arrived in Edward's Trap Zone.

"Activate the effect of [Phantom Heroes: Incremental Man], Tribute [Phantom Heroes: Solitary Man] from the Monster Zone to Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower [Phantom Heroes] monster from your Deck!"

"...Come on! [Phantom Hero - Android] (Warrior/Dark/4-Star/Attack: 1000/Defense: 1200)!!!"

With a purple searchlight embedded in his head, the last phantom hero, having paved the way through the heroes' betrayal, arrived before Edward.

"At this moment, the first effect of [Phantom Hero - Bionic Man] is activated. If this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I send one [Hero] monster from my Deck to the Graveyard. I choose [Destiny HERO - Disc Man].

"Next, I'll activate the second effect of [Phantom Hero: Android] to banish [Phantom Hero: Almighty] from my Graveyard and search my Deck for one [Fusion] Spell Card!"

The indicator light on the Duel Disk flashed, and a magic card popped out automatically.

Holding the key card from his hero deck in his hand, Edward closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then swiftly pulled it out, plunging it into the back row of the Duel Disk: "...Spell Card [Fusion] activated! I send [Destiny HERO - Demonic Man] and [Destiny HERO - Negation Man] from the field to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials to perform a Fusion Summon!"

"The two heroes who shattered the rock of fate, now unite as one and reign supreme over the dark future!"

"...Fusion Summon! Come on! [Destiny Heroes: Anti-Utopia] (Warrior/Dark/8-Star/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2400)!"

A vortex representing the power of fusion appeared before Edward as she moved, emitting a strong attraction that absorbed both the Denial Man and the Demonic Man.

After that, the two merged into one, and a new, dim light appeared in the vortex in the next instant.

He held a dark purple energy ball filled with destructive power in each of his palms, wore a golden D-mask on his head, and was covered in gold and purple armor, radiating a faint purple glow.

Warriors from the Dark Utopia have arrived!

629 Fate merges, the phoenix chick returns!

"...At this moment, the effect of [Destiny HERO - Dystopian] activates! If this card is Special Summoned, you can target 1 Level 4 or lower [Destiny HERO] monster in your Graveyard; inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's ATK!"

Raising his arm and pointing in DD's direction, Edward's eyes blazed with intense fire: "I choose the 3-star [Destiny Hero - Denial] from the graveyard, DD... I'll inflict 1100 points of damage on him!"

The phantom of the denier appeared on the field as Edward's words fell.

Aiming at DD's location, he hurled the Chain of Fate, piercing through DD's body!

(DD LP: 4000→2900)

"Hmph, a mere, ineffective attack."

DD placed his palm on his chest, which had just been attacked, and after a cold laugh, he revealed a disdainful expression.

For him, there was no need to pay special attention to 1100 points of damage.

Anyway, in the next round, this damage will be multiplied and reflected back to the opponent.

"Next, I will activate the effect of [Destiny HERO - Demonic Man] No. 2 in my Graveyard. By banishing this card from the Graveyard, I Special Summon a monster of the same name from my Deck. Come on, the third [Destiny HERO - Demonic Man]!"

Ed retrieved the Demon from the graveyard and put it in his pocket, then placed a new Demon from his deck onto the Duel Disk.

As before, the Furpants Man in the graveyard banishes himself, allowing cards with the same name in the deck to be Special Summoned to Edward's field.