Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pitfall Hero

"Heh, a monster with immortality? It revives every time it's destroyed during the preparation phase of the next turn. It's quite troublesome..."

Looking at the red hero who had reappeared in front of Edward, DD narrowed his eyes and then let out a sound that sounded like a sigh: "If we had sucked this monster over just now, none of this would have happened."

There are no "what ifs" in reality, and Edward wouldn't give DD that kind of opportunity.

Therefore, all DD could do was sigh like this.

"...The Spell Card [Pot of Greed] is activated! Based on this card's effect, I draw two cards from my deck!" After replenishing his hand with two cards, Edward then placed a new monster card horizontally onto the Duel Disk: "Next, I summon [Destiny HERO - Devilman] in Defense Position and activate its effect to banish Blood Demon-D until my second Standby Phase! Path of Destiny!"

"Hehehehehe... It's useless!"

As Devilman raised his arm and hurled golden chains toward Blood Demon-D, intending to exclude him from the duel, DD immediately taunted, "Didn't you understand what I just said? [Destiny HERO Blood Demon-D] will negate the effects of all the monsters on your field! Whether it's Devilman or Phoenix! They're just mortal bones now that have lost their effects!"

--Ding!

With a soft clang of metal, the golden chains touched the dark domain surrounding Blood Demon-D.

However, just as DD said, although Devilman's effect was activated, it was quickly nullified by Blood Devil-D.

The golden chains, which possessed an anti-canceling effect, couldn't even touch Blood Demon-D's body before disintegrating on their own, turning into fragments and disappearing without a trace.

"...Goo! I've laid a card in ambush. Turn over!"

With his last hand hidden in the back row, Edward felt somewhat at a loss, and a fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.

In terms of both intimidation and effect, [Destiny Hero Blood Demon-D] far surpasses other hero monsters. Only an anomaly like the Phoenix Man of Destruction can barely withstand its attacks.

The Devilman effect activated, which was a hasty attempt to switch states.

Perhaps it was because he felt immense pressure that Edward made such a meaningless move.

"My turn... Due to the side effect of the Continuous Spell Card [D-Power], I cannot draw a card during the Draw Phase while [Destiny HERO Blood Demon - D] is on my field..."

Entering the preparation phase, DD, holding two cards in his hand, glanced at the field and calmly explained the current situation.

At the same time, Edward activated the effect of his Field Spell Card: "At this moment, the effect of the Field Spell Card [Prison Clock Tower] activates! During your opponent's Standby Phase, place one [Clock Counter] on this card!"

During DD's second turn, the Field Spell Card "Clock Counter" naturally gained another one.

With two more [Time Counters], the [Prison Clock Tower] will grant Edward immunity to combat damage. At that point, even if DD launches another attack, it will be meaningless.

"Two more rounds... as long as the clock strikes twelve again... I'll still have a chance..."

Ed gritted his teeth, his face serious, but a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes.

Just hold on a little longer, hold on until after two rounds, then...

"Ed, it seems you haven't realized it yet?"

"……what?"

DD, whose body was covered in a layer of white energy fluctuations, continued speaking to Edward with a mocking sneer: "Devilman's ability is to manipulate the future, to send the opponent's monster several turns later. You subconsciously believed in his power, which is why you did this, right?"

"...But, Edward! No matter how much you believe in the power of the Hero of Destiny to manipulate the future, your own time has always been stagnant!"

Edward: "My time... has stopped?!"

Upon hearing DD's words, a look of astonishment flashed across Edward's face.

Decades have passed since the day her father was killed by DD, but DD tells her that her time... has stopped?

From that day until now...

"...That's right! Nothing has changed since the day your father died, and you haven't grown up at all!"

Pushing up his glasses, DD curled his lips into a smug smile, adding smugly, "...You're still the same lonely and helpless little girl you were back then! You can't affect me at all!"

Edward: "...!!!"

"Ha, watch closely, Ed, this is the best proof of your failure to grow... Magic Card [Time Drying] activated! Time, stand still!"

Holding a single card in his hand, DD contorted his expression and activated it immediately.

Above the illustration on the magic card is a picture of the D Pocket Watch with disordered time.

As this card's effect activated, the clock tower formed by the Field Spell Card "Prison Clock Tower" was simultaneously frozen in ice, falling into a state of stagnation.

"The world around the clock tower has stopped—no, it should be said that it's been frozen! What... has happened?"

"The effect of [Time Drain] is that if you have [Destiny Hero Bloodseeker-D] on your field, you can choose to freeze any phase for both players, skipping it directly in the following duel..."

With an air of self-righteousness, DD delivered this terrifying statement and explained to the flustered Edward, "What I chose is the preparation phase. Therefore, both sides' preparation phases will be skipped, and after the card-drawing phase, we will directly enter the main phase to unfold!"

[Prison Clock Tower] increases the effect of counters and can only be activated during the opponent's preparation phase.

When this phase no longer exists, its effect can no longer be activated.

"What...?! A card that skips the phase? How can there be such a card?"

Cards that can skip stages directly disrupt the balance of duels in a sense.

If this effect doesn't work on both sides simultaneously, but instead targets only Edward like Bloodfiend-D's effect, then DD would obviously choose to freeze Edward's combat phase and then slowly wear him down...

The deck has a maximum of 40 to 60 cards. Under normal circumstances, during each player's turn, during the draw phase, both players will draw one card from their decks. The player who has no cards to draw will naturally lose.

On DD's side, due to the existence of [D-Power], the act of drawing cards is blocked. If Edward's battle phase is also blocked, then even if Edward summons something that surpasses Blood Demon-D, it will be meaningless.

Anyway... we can't launch an attack, can we?

What good is the effect of the [Prison Clock Tower] being immune to combat damage? What good is letting you place 40 counters on yourself?

If you just patiently let Edward draw all the cards in his deck, DD will naturally be able to win without even having to fight.

"Hehehehehe... Ed, this way your time will completely stop."

Slowly raising his arm to enter the battle phase, DD pointed at the monster on the field and gave the attack command: "...Go! Blood Demon-D, Crimson Terror!!!"

As before, the hero of destiny, with his demonic appearance, spread his wings and arrived at the top of the clock tower.

Facing the monsters on the field, Blood Demon-D's eyes flashed with a bloody light, and then he unleashed a barrage of bloody judgments upon them.

"...At this moment, I activate the Trap Card [D-Counter]! This effect can be activated when a face-up 'Destiny HERO' monster on your field is targeted for an attack. Destroy the attacking monster."

"Muda muda muda!!! With the blessing of [D-Power], [Destiny HERO Blood Demon-D] cannot be destroyed by card effects! Nor can it be targeted by card effects! Trap cards are meaningless!"

"...Impossible! Wouldn't that make Blood Demon-D invincible?"

"Hehehehehe... That's it! Edward, are you surprised? Are you moved? This is the ultimate D created by your beloved father... the strongest card with power surpassing all monsters! This monster is a flawless existence! Only a world champion like me deserves this card!"

Ignoring the activation of the Edward Trap Card, Blood Demon-D's attack continued.

As DD let out bursts of maniacal laughter, countless drops of blood, sharp as the most razor-sharp swords, surged forth from the wings of Blood Demon-D.

The two attacks were launched simultaneously, piercing through the bodies of the Devilman and the Phoenix of Destruction, shattering them into golden specks of light, and sending them to the underworld where the dead reside.

"Hmm... The effect of [Destiny HERO - Phoenix of Destruction] activates! During the Standby Phase of the turn following a turn where the hero is destroyed by battle or a card effect, Special Summon yourself from the Graveyard! Phoenix Rebirth!"

"Hmph! You're quite good at hiding your strength. I'll see how long you can last... I'll lay an ambush and end the turn."

DD's second attack was successfully blocked by Edward. Since both monsters that were destroyed were in defense position, Edward was not harmed as a result.

After frowning in displeasure, DD waved his hand, ending his turn.

The existence of [D-Power] blocked his card-drawing behavior and also prevented him from acquiring new resources.

Although he had driven Edward to the brink of despair, at the same time, he was unable to go any further.

"Finally, we made it through this round..."

Raising his arm to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, Ed couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

Once you use one of your trump cards, you've got one less.

Under the current circumstances, Edward can only passively defend and has no ability to break through the Blood Demon-D effect blockade and launch a counterattack.

Blood Demon-D, whose attack power is currently maintained at 3600 points, has the ability to attack twice per turn, while Edward has 3200 health points remaining.

Therefore, Edward must always have at least two monsters on his field as meat shields in order to withstand Blood Demon-D's attacks.

If any mishap occurs, or if a gap is created due to the monster not being properly engaged, then Edward will face a direct attack from Blood Demon-D, thus losing this life-or-death duel in one fell swoop, becoming a sacrifice to Blood Demon-D just like her father.

The Phoenix Chick, possessing an immortal body, can only serve as a meat shield. What Edward needs to do now is to prepare another meat shield while desperately trying to find a way to solve the current situation.

If she doesn't find a way to break this stalemate, her resources will continue to be depleted, and there will eventually be a break in her supply.

By then, it will be too late.

632 She had once held expectations for him.

"Ugh... In the end, we still don't know who won or who lost!"

"There's nothing we can do. After all, such an accident happened. It's understandable that the duel was stopped, right?"

"Sigh, I've been looking forward to this match for so long... Just this morning, I was anticipating what kind of amazing performance that world champion would deliver, but I never expected this to happen..."

Meanwhile, at the same moment that Edward and DD risked their lives in a fierce battle aboard an oil tanker at sea.

As Yusei and his group emerged from the principal's office, they embarked on their return journey.

After finishing his meeting with Pegasus, Principal Samejima returned to Duel Academy by helicopter. Since the others had been occupying the principal's office without permission, it was no longer appropriate for them to stay there.

After the match was interrupted, Coach Napoleon and Professor Chronos left the principal's office, so until the evening, the principal's office became the entertainment venue for Yusei and his two companions.

As Samejima, the principal, looked on with a mixture of surprise and speechlessness, the three people who were watching a comedy on the big TV exchanged glances with him for a few seconds, then tacitly turned off the TV, scratched their heads, and left.

On their way back to the Red Dorm, as Yusei and the others felt the night breeze, they couldn't help but start discussing the interrupted duel they had witnessed during the day.

As I recall, the final shot seemed to focus on DD.

When he was in dire straits, he seemed to pull out a card, and an abnormal white light appeared on his body.

At that very moment, just as everyone was about to see the card, the live broadcast was abruptly cut off, and the television screen turned into a static display.

"……Um?"

"What's wrong, Yusei? Is something the matter?"

Seeing Yusei, who was walking at the front, suddenly stop and look towards the port where the lighthouse was located near the Red Dormitory, Jaden Yuki, who was discussing the competition with his younger brother Kenzan, couldn't help but ask a question out of curiosity.

"Jūdai, Kenzan... haven't you noticed that Edward's ship, which was docked at the port, is gone?"

"Ah? Is that so?"