[Yumi, LP 4000]
[Franz, LP 3500]
[Slifer the Sky Dragon, 2000 ATK]
[The Winged Dragon of Ra, 3300 ATK]
"Ra's original ATK and DEF are based on the original ATK and DEF of the Tribute Materials!" Franz declared with a smug grin.
"Slifer's effect."
Yumi didn't care.
Slifer's second mouth opened, lightning forming before firing straight toward the massive golden dragon.
The bolt struck Ra directly, yet it didn't have any effect, which confused Yumi.
"It's no use," Franz mocked. "Did you think your Slifer could suppress a god like Ra?"
In the anime, the final duel between the Pharaoh and his AIBO, Yugi used the God Cards' own power against them, while Atem failed to bring out the full power of the Gods.
Give the Obelisk to Kaiba and Ra to Marik; those two can bring out the full power of those two Gods, while Atem only summoned them out to be powerful beatsticks.
From Yumi's own memory, Atem didn't even manage to bring out the full power of Slifer, in fact, in the semi-final of Battle City.
The Duel between Atem and Kaiba, the King of Games, even manages to kick himself in the balls by using Exchange to take Slifer back from Kaiba's hand, while giving the President Life Shaver, instead of setting it down.
A trap card that makes the opponent discard cards, he could have set that card down, but chose to give it to Kaiba for some unknown reason.
Or perhaps he knew that he was the main character and decided to be cocky.
Still, that doesn't explain why Slifer's effect now suddenly doesn't work on Ra.
"My Ra is of a higher Divine Hierarchy," Franz said, smirking. "Your Slifer's lower Divine Hierarchy cannot affect it."
Yumi clicked his tongue in annoyance.
So it was the Manga hierarchy system.
In a spin-off manga series, Yu-Gi-Oh R, Divine-Beasts were ranked. Ra possessed Divine Hierarchy 2. Slifer and Obelisk were only Divine Hierarchy 1.
The higher hierarchy overruled the lower.
Ra roared loudly in anger, sending a bolt of thunder down on Franz, but the field spell, Mound of the Bound Creator. Blocked the bolt of lightning, then metal chains shot outward from the three ancient towers, wrapping around Ra's body, forcing it downward.
Ra roared angrily.
It hated being restrained. Its crimson eyes flickered toward Slifer, who hovered freely in the sky without chains.
That seemed to irritate it further.
"I activate Ra's effect!" Franz declared. "By paying 1000 Life Points, I send your Slifer to the Graveyard!"
[Franz, LP 3500 -> 2500]
"God Phoenix!"
Ra's golden body ignited, transforming into a blazing, flaming form. It launched forward like a meteor, slamming into Slifer.
Slifer roared as the impact sent it crashing backward, then it vanished. Ra returned to normal and was chained again.
"Now, Ra, direct attack! God Blaze Cannon!"
Ra opened its massive mouth, condensing a sphere of scorching golden fire before firing it toward Yumi.
"From my hand," Yumi said calmly, "I discard Kuritrapper to activate a Trap from my hand."
He sent a card to the grave.
A Kuriboh holding a shovel popped out briefly, dug into the ground, and pulled up a glowing Trap card.
"Trap Card, The Revived Sky God!"
The card activated instantly.
"The activation of this card cannot be negated. Special Summon one DIVINE Divine-Beast with 'Sky Dragon' in its name from my grave. Then both players draw until they have six cards."
Crimson thunders tore through the sky again.
Slifer descended once more, coiling protectively around Yumi.
[Slifer the Sky Dragon, 0 -> 6000 DEF]
Both duelists' hands refilled to six.
"Since the number of monsters changed, a battle replay occurs. I cancel Ra's attack!" Franz said quickly.
"Not happening," Yumi replied. "This isn't a monster but a GOD!"
"Since Slifer was Special Summoned in Defense Position, all effects and attacks that target exactly one target are switched to Slifer instead!"
Franz: "!!!"
The Winged Dragon of Ra: "!!!"
The fireball didn't disappear but instead flew directly toward the coiling Sky God.
Although Slifer was in a defensive position, Ra won't be destroyed by attacking it. Battle Damage is still a thing, with only 3300 ATK and 2500 Life Points, crashing into a 6000 DEF Slifer will definitely hurt.
Now, even Ra looks panicked, although it hates being forcefully controlled by this scum, losing to a Slifer like this was too humiliating.
Franz also noticed this, and having only 2500 Life Points left, he won't survive the Battle Damage.
"I activate Ultimate Offering, pay 500 Life Points, and immediately Normal Summon Chainsaw Insect from my hand!"
[Franz, LP 2500 -> 2000]
A summoning circle flashed beside the massive golden chicken. From it crawled out a grotesquely large insect with a rotating chainsaw-like pincers that buzzed loudly the moment it appeared.
[Chainsaw Insect, 2400 ATK]
"I activate Ra's effect, tributing the Chainsaw Insect on my field, and Ra gains its original ATK and DEF!"
The insect didn't even get to stay for long. Its body dissolved into golden particles mid-buzz, sucked straight into Ra.
[The Winged Dragon of Ra, 3300 -> 5700 ATK]
The fireball finally collided with Slifer's massive coiled body. The impact echoed across the field, flames bursting outward in a violent wave. Slifer held its ground in Defense Position, its enormous body absorbing the brunt of the attack.
The ground beneath Franz cracked slightly from the recoil. The flames rolled back toward him, licking at his coat and forcing him to raise an arm to shield his face.
[Franz, LP 2000 -> 1700]
Yumi looked annoyed, seeing that his plan to OTK this bastard with a punchable face had failed.
Franz exhaled slowly, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, before shifting his gaze back to his own hands.
He adjusted his glasses.
"I set three cards, turn end."
One by one, three face-down cards materialized behind Ra, their backs glowing faintly before settling into place.
Across the field, Slifer's massive form began to fade, vanishing and returning to Yumi's Graveyard.
"My turn." Yumi placed his hand on top of his deck, fingers resting lightly on the edge of the card, but before he could draw.
"I activate my Continuous Trap, Solemn Wishes! Whenever a card is drawn, I gain 500 Life Points!" Franz said, flipping up one of his face-down cards.
"Draw!" Yumi pulled the card from his deck. Immediately, a green light wrapped around Franz's body.
[Franz, LP 1700 -> 2200]
"Spell Card, Take Over 5! Send the top five cards from my deck to my grave!" Yumi didn't hesitate.
The freshly drawn card was activated instantly. Five cards slid from the top of his deck and dropped into the Graveyard slot of his Duel Disk in quick succession.
Yumi raised his Duel Disk. "I banished the Blade Graveyard from my grave, and added a card from the grave to my hand."
Two cards were ejected from his Graveyard slot. He caught them cleanly, putting one away before raising the other one high above his head.
"Spell Card, Heavy Storm, destroyed all cards in the Spell and Trap zone!"
Wind began to spiral across the field, gathering into a violent current.
"Counter Trap! Dark Bribe!" Franz flipped another face down in a hurry. "When you activate a Spell or Trap, negate it, and you draw one card!"
The storm collapsed instantly, the wind dispersing before it could fully form. The sky above remained darkened from the presence of a God.
Yumi then drew one card from his deck.
[Franz, LP 2200 -> 2700]
"I Normal Summon, Sky Striker Ace - Raye!"
He placed the card down.
Blue digital fragments gathered in front of him, condensing into his Ace. She stepped forward lightly, katana in hand, pale blonde hair flowing behind her.
[Sky Striker Ace - Raye, 1500 ATK]
From the sidelines, Pegasus leaned forward slightly.
"Sky Striker Ace..." Pegasus murmurs, he had heard about the new Sky Striker archetype, but this was the first time he saw it in person.
"The condition is a non-FIRE Sky Striker Ace." A soft orange glow covered Raye's body.
"Henshin! Sky Striker Ace - Kagari!"
Flames wrapped around her armor as it reconfigured. Mechanical wings unfolded behind her back, metal plates glowing faintly.
[Sky Striker Ace - Kagari, 1500 ATK]
Holding her tachi in hand, Kagari floated off the ground and glaring directly at the massive crispy chicken.
"Kagari's effect, when she is summoned, I can add a Sky Striker Spell from my grave to my hand!" Yumi said as a card shot out from the Graveyard slot again.
"Spell Card, Sky Striker Mobilize - Engage!"
He activated it immediately. His deck shuffled before presenting a card.
"This lets me add one Sky Striker card from my deck to my hand." He added it without pause. "And since I have three or more Spells in my Graveyard, I draw one card."
[Franz, LP 2700 -> 3200]
"The card I added is the Continuous Spell, Sky Striker Mecha Modules - Boost! And I activate it!" Yumi placed the card down on his Duel Disk. "Now my Sky Striker cards have their effect doubled and can be activated twice per turn!"
Kagari's armor glowed brighter.
"And Kagari gains 100 ATK and DEF for each Spell in my Graveyard."
[Sky Striker Ace - Kagari, 1500 -> 2500 ATK]
The flames around Kagari's armor intensified slightly as the Spell count in Yumi's Graveyard boosted her power. The air around her shimmered from the heat, mechanical wings twitching once as if adjusting to the increased output.
"Battle! Kagari attacks The Winged Dragon of Ra!"
Yumi didn't raise his voice much, but the command carried clearly across the field.
The six metal wings on Kagari's back unfolded fully with a sharp metallic sound. Thrusters ignited beneath them, and she shot forward, blade angled behind her.
Everyone: "!!?"
Ra hovered above Franz's field. Seeing a 2500 ATK monster charging straight at it, the Sun God let out a low, disdainful screech.
Was this supposed to be a joke?
With more than double the attack power, Ra gathered energy in its mouth. A blazing fireball condensed instantly, far larger than Kagari herself.
Ra launched it without hesitation.
The fireball roared across the field, heat distorting the air and casting long shadows behind Kagari's advancing figure.
And she didn't slow down.
"Quick-Play Spell, Battle Fusion!" Yumi flipped open the face-down card he had set earlier in the duel. "When our monsters battle, my monster gains your monster's ATK during the Damage Step!"
Franz's confident expression cracked instantly.
Franz: "!!!"
Ra's crimson eyes widened.
Ra: "!!!"
Kagari's body flashed with energy as the effect resolved.
[Sky Striker Ace - Kagari, 2500 -> 8200 ATK]
The moment the fireball made contact, Kagari tore straight through the flames, armor glowing brighter. The explosion scattered behind her as she emerged from the center of it, blade already mid-swing.
Ra didn't even have time to reposition.
Kagari closed the remaining distance in a blink and brought her tachi down in a clean diagonal arc.
The Sun God split apart.
Its body fractured into blazing fragments before scattering into particles of light. The flames dissipated, leaving only fading embers drifting downward.
[Achievement Unlock: God Slayer]
She landed lightly, spinning the blade once before resting it against her shoulder. She smiled, planting her free hand on her hips confidently.
[Franz, LP 3200 -> 700 -> 6400]
Yumi: "?"
Raye: "?"
Yet after the attack, Franz's Life Points seem to rise instead of dropping.
Their gaze shifted toward the final card that had been flipped open on Franz's field.
"When you destroy my Ra, I activate the Trap, Option Hunter." Franz adjusted his glasses, a mocking smile slowly returning. "I gain Life Points equal to the original ATK of my destroyed monster."
Unlike the real-world version, the Anime/Manga version of the God Cards' ATK and DEF were treated as original values as long as they were granted by their own effects.
Yumi stared at the field for a second, then exhaled lightly.
"You really are like a cockroach, pretty hard to kill." He said.
Franz's face darkened. "You-"
"The condition is one non-WATER Sky Striker Ace monster." Yumi didn't let him finish.
Kagari's armor began to glow again, this time shifting from fiery orange to a cool blue hue. The mechanical components rearranged smoothly, wings compressing and reshaping.
"Henshin! Sky Striker Ace - Shizuku!"
[Sky Striker Ace - Shizuku, 1500 ATK]
Shizuku hovered calmly, her equipment streamlined and defensive in appearance compared to Kagari's aggressive frame.
"I set four cards face-down."
One after another, four cards materialized behind Shizuku, forming a neat defensive line.
"Turn end."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Shizuku's effect triggered.
"At this moment, Shizuku's effect activates. During the End Phase of the turn she was Summoned, I can add a Sky Striker Spell from my Deck to my hand."
Yumi's deck shuffled briefly. Because of Boost, the effect resolved twice.
Two cards popped out from the deck slot.
He lifted them slightly so Franz could see.
"I'll add Sky Striker Mobilize - Linkage! and Sky Striker Mecha - Eagle Booster to my hand."
He slid both cards into his hand without further comment.
Exhaling lightly, Franz placed his hand on his deck.
"My turn! Draw!"
He pulled the card from the top of his deck. Immediately, Solemn Wishes shimmered again, bathing him in a faint green glow.
[Franz, LP 6400 -> 6900]
Franz glanced at the drawn card.
Then he chuckled.
"It seems your fate is sealed."
He lifted the card slightly between two fingers.
"Spell Card, Monster Reborn! Return to my side, my servant, The Winged Dragon of Ra!"
He slammed the card down.
A vortex of golden light spiraled open above his field. From within it, a familiar screech echoed as Ra descended once more, wings spread wide.
The moment Ra landed on the field. Metal chains shot out again from the towers of Mound of the Bound Creator, binding its limbs and wings in place.
Ra roared furiously, flames flaring.
[The Winged Dragon of Ra, 0 ATK]
"I Normal Summon Goblin Attack Force!"
He placed another card down.
A squad of goblin soldiers materialized in formation, armed and armored, shouting aggressively as they took their stance.
[Goblin Attack Force, 2300 -> 1100 ATK]
They beat their weapons against their shields, clearly ready to charge.
"Now I tribute my Goblin Attack Force and add its ATK to Ra!"
Franz swept his arm forward.
The goblins froze mid-shout before dissolving into particles of light. Those particles streamed upward, flowing directly into Ra's chained body.
[The Winged Dragon of Ra, 0 -> 2300 ATK]
Franz smirked.
"With Ra back on my field, all of your pitiful weak monsters are powerless against my servant!"
Ra roared again, but it wasn't exactly cooperative.
Yumi stared up at the chained God, seeing the anger in its eyes.
"Just because you managed to make a crispy chicken listen by chaining it up," Yumi couldn't help but ask, his tone mocking, "Do you really think you have any real power?"
Franz's smile twitched.
"Do you really think you ever stood a chance against me?" He shot back. "I'd create a card that would surpass the God Cards. A card feared even by duelists."
He clenched his fist tightly.
"As I am now, I can control a god. This power of mine is as real as it gets! No-"
He looked up at Ra.
"I have acquired the power to surpass a god!"
Ra's red eyes glared downward at him, clearly insulted.
"God, let us show them the power you possess as my servant!"
Ra let out another furious screech, chains clanking violently as Franz raised his hand high.
"Now, I add all my remaining Life Points except one to Ra's ATK!"
His body began to dissolve into golden particles. Instead of falling, those particles rose upward, merging with Ra's massive form. In the next instant, Franz reappeared standing on top of Ra's head, only his upper half visible as if fused with the God itself.
[Franz, LP 6900 -> 1]
[The Winged Dragon of Ra, 2300 -> 9199 ATK]
The chains holding Ra groaned but did not break, anchoring the empowered god in place as its aura intensified.
Franz spread his arms slightly, looking down at Yumi from above.
"In this moment, I become the ultimate god myself!"
His voice echoed across the field, amplified by Ra's presence.
"Before me, all are powerless! All is meaningless!"
Yumi looked up at him without much reaction.
Ra opened its massive mouth. Golden fire condensed rapidly into a dense sphere, larger than before, brighter than before. The heat alone made the air ripple violently.
"Take this! God Blaze Cannon!"
The sphere launched downward like a miniature sun, aimed directly at Shizuku and Yumi standing behind her.
"Begone! Lesser god!"