Nimble Momonga had also been a solid floating Monster back in the day. If you attacked it, you gave the opponent Life Points, but if you did not, they could quickly gather tributes for a high-level Summon and bring out a powerful High-Level Monster first.
"Asura Priest's effect lets it attack every monster on your field once," Yugen said with a casual wave of his hand. "It attacks the other two Nimble Momonga."
Asura Priest hurled its blades again, piercing the remaining two set monsters and blowing them apart. "Then every time one Nimble Momonga is Destroy, I gain another 1000 Life Points."
The envoy's Life Points climbed from 5000 to 7000. "And it still isn't over."
The brutish creature twisted his mouth into a savage grin. "The moment you Break Strike the last mole, the effect of this guy in the Graveyard activates too," the envoy shouted as he raised a hand. "Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest in the Graveyard!"
"When a Beast-Type Monster on my field is sent to the Graveyard by being Destroyed, I can pay 1000 Life Points to Special Summon this card from my hand or Graveyard!" (ANIME EFFECT) He was using the old effect.
When Yugen heard that, his brow twitched on reflex. For an instant, he thought the man was making things up, because he remembered this card as only jumping out when a Beast-Type on the field was Destroy by a card effect.
Then he remembered. Right, this was the GX era.
This was not an anime-only effect, but the old pre-adjustment version of Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest from the real card game. Anyone who had gone through GX-era competitive play could never forget this card.
The Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest had been recognized as a frighteningly strong single card the moment it appeared. Entire top-tier Decks built around Beast-Type monsters had formed around it, creating the green Baboon Beat strategy.
Later, Konami weakened this card through rulings and effect text changes, and the faster environment pushed it even further out. Players who only saw the card later might not even understand how strong it had once been, but Yugen had lived through that early format and still remembered it clearly.
The current version of Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest only allowed it to special Summon itself from the hand or Graveyard when a Beast-Type Monster on the field was Destroy by a card effect. But the earliest version had simply said that if a Beast-Type was Destroy, it could jump out.
And during the GX period, the official ruling also allowed this effect during the Damage Step. That meant even if a Beast-Type was Destroy by battle, it could still leap out from the Graveyard.
So as long as Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest was in a Duelist's hand or Graveyard, nearly every Beast-Type Monster that Duelist controlled gained a layer of protection against being Destroy. Any attempt to remove one Beast-Type on that side of the field could trigger a chain reaction.
That ruling was not changed until 2009, after the game had already entered the era of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. Only then was it adjusted so Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest could no longer jump out during the Damage Step when a Beast-Type was Destroy by battle.
So even though the effect text had not been changed at first, actual play had already become the later version, where Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest could only appear when a Beast-Type was Destroy by card effect. That ruling change struck baboon Decks at the core and nearly took away the immortality the strategy had prided itself on.
But it was obvious that the version Yugen was facing now was from before that ruling change. And if the opponent was using a Beast-Type build centered on Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, then what Yugen was facing might be a variant of the peak GX-era top-tier Deck Baboon Beat.
"So that's it. No wonder they said the envoy sent by the organization was no ordinary person," Yugen said in realization. In the environment of the Spirit World, bringing a top GX-era Deck really would let you crush people with ease.
Still, Yugen narrowed his eyes and curled his lips upward. He seemed even more interested in this Duel now.
This trip to the Spirit World really had not been wasted. "I pay 1000 Life Points and revive Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest from the Graveyard!"
The envoy's Life Points dropped from 7000 to 6000. A huge green baboon leaped onto the field, beating its chest in challenge and glaring fiercely at Asura Priest.
Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, ATK 2600. "Then I activate my set card, Charge Into a Dark World!" the envoy shouted.
"I Destroy one face-up Beast-Type Monster on my field, then choose one Monster on your field and return it to the Deck." (ANIME EFFECT) He paused, and a cruel smile spread across his twisted face.
"I Destroy my own Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, then return your Asura Priest to the Deck!" The Green Baboon let out a loud roar and charged like a living cannonball.
The instant the impact landed, Asura Priest turned into a beam of golden light and flew back into Yugen's Deck. Right after that, the Green Baboon also exploded into pieces.
"But at this moment, the Effect Activation of the other Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest I discarded to the Graveyard activates," the envoy sneered. "When a Beast-Type on my field is Destroyed, Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest can pay 1000 Life Points to Special Summon itself." (ANIME EFFECT)
"Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest itself is also Beast-Type. So when the Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest on the field is Destroyed, the Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest in the Graveyard is reborn!" The envoy's Life Points fell from 6000 to 5000.
After the Green Baboon on the field shattered, a vortex to the Graveyard immediately opened in the ground. The second Green Baboon beat its chest and roared as it jumped back onto the field.
Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, ATK 2600. "And Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest receives the power of The Seal of Orichalcos, so its ATK rises!"
The Green Baboon pounded its chest again and let out a low roar. A six-pointed star mark appeared on its forehead, and its whole body looked as though it had been wrapped in dark green flames.
Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, ATK 2600 to ATK 3100. "Hahaha, do you see it? This is the strongest power the god has given me!"
Yugen fell silent for a moment. Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest really was a powerful card in this era, but he was thinking that Asura Priest was a Spirit Monster, so it was going back to the hand during the End Phase anyway.
That trap had been used a little too early. Even so, sending it back to the Deck had still forced him to spend one extra card, so it was not completely pointless.
Then he remembered that even Archfiend Bishop had not recognized Jinzo before. If that was the case, then the Spirit World probably had a generally lower level of access to and understanding of Card than Duelists outside, so not knowing the traits of a Spirit Monster was not strange.