Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!-Chapter 108: Power of the Phoenix

Nephthys Phoenix God, Summon!

Even Kira could sense that while the summoned Phoenix God possessed a certain fluctuation of power, most of it came from the energy Shell had just absorbed from the statue. The card still lacked a spirit's blessing.

However, in this world, as long as a Duel Monster card isn't a bootleg or a knock-off, even without a spirit inhabiting it, it still possesses a certain supernatural quality.

The monsters and spirits summoned by duelists from each card are somewhat like projections and originals, or you could say they're avatars of the spirits.

Sometimes, if a duelist pours enough emotion into a card, it may naturally attract a genuine spirit to inhabit it.

So, it's possible for an ordinary card to suddenly become a spirit card.

"As long as 'The Seal of Orichalcos' remains on the field, all my monsters gain 500 attack points," Shell said. "Therefore, 'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys'' attack increases."

[Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, ATK 2400 → ATK 2900]

Jaden frowned at the Phoenix God, whose forehead now glowed with a green mark, and couldn't help but say, "Can't you feel it? Your monster is crying out in pain!"

"So, what if I hear it? So, what if I don't?" Shell replied coldly. "The only thing a duelist needs to consider is victory. Trust only leads to betrayal. In the end, the only one a duelist can count on is themselves."

"That's not true."

Jaden wanted to argue, but Shell cut him off: "Why don't you beat me first before lecturing me? I activate the Spell Card 'Last Hope of Nephthys!'

I destroy one 'Nephthys' card on my field and one card on your field.

I destroy 'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys' and your 'Elemental HERO Clayman'!"

The Phoenix God erupted in flames, transforming into a fiery bird that swooped towards Clayman. Together, in a blaze of fire, both were reduced to ashes.

The shockwave swept over. Jaden raised his arm to shield his face: "Ugh, sacrificing his monster just to take mine down with him..."

Shell said, "I set one card face-down and end my turn."

Kira: "Then it's my turn. Draw."

"In my hand, I use the effect of 'Thunder Dragon.' By discarding this card, I add up to two 'Thunder Dragons' from my deck to my hand."

He added two cards to his hand, and then immediately played another card.

"Spell Card, 'Card Destruction'! Both players discard all cards in their hands and then draw the same number from their decks."

With this exchange, a large amount of Light and Dark monsters were now in the graveyard.

"Next, I banish 'Apprentice Magician' (Dark) and 'Thunder Dragon' (Light) from my graveyard! A sorcerer who commands the power of Light and Darkness, descend now—

—Chaos Sorcerer, Summon!"

Beams of light and darkness shot into the air, intertwining and vanishing into a vortex. Chaotic energy exploded, gradually taking human form as the Chaos Sorcerer spun and landed.

[Chaos Sorcerer, ATK 2300]

"Chaos power, huh? The students of Duel Academy do have some terrifying cards," Shell said coldly. "In that case, I activate my set card: Trap Card—Torrential Tribute!

When a monster is summoned, destroy all monsters on the field!"

The Trap Card flipped up, and a blue torrent swept the field. Chaos Sorcerer, just summoned, shattered into light under the surging current.

Jaden: "Ah, Kira's Chaos Sorcerer went down in an instant..."

Kira: "No problem. I use the effect of 'The Tricky' in my hand. By discarding a card, I can Special Summon this card."

He sent a card to the graveyard. A summoning circle opened, and a mage with a question mark on his head appeared.

[The Tricky, ATK 2000]

"The card I just discarded was the Quick-Play Spell 'Silent Burning.'"

Kira now picked up the Spell Card from his graveyard.

"By banishing 'Silent Burning,' I can add one 'Silent Magician' from my deck to my hand. Silent Magician can be Special Summoned by tributing one Spellcaster monster on the field.

I tribute 'The Tricky' on my field!

Silent wings of hope, magician of light, appear—

—Silent Magician, Summon!"

The Tricky's form dissolved in the summoning circle. A white-robed mage spun onto the light magic circle, staff whirling gracefully.

[Silent Magician, ATK 1000]

"Silent Magician's ATK increases by 500 for each card in my hand. I have three cards, so ATK increases by 1500!"

[Silent Magician, ATK 1000 → ATK 2500]

"Silent Magician, direct attack! Silent Burning!"

A swirling vortex of light gathered at the staff's tip and exploded into Shell's face. The swordsman of Doma staggered back a step but managed to stand firm under the forceful impact of the magic.

[Shell, LP 8000 → LP 5500]

Jaden punched the air: "Yes! That's a big hit!"

"You're pretty good."

Shell cracked his neck.

Kira set three cards and said, "Set three cards face-down and end my turn."

"Seems you two aren't just ordinary students. In that case, I'll get a bit more serious." Shell narrowed his eyes. "My turn, draw.

At the start of my Standby Phase, I activate the effect of 'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys,' which was destroyed last turn.

When this card is destroyed and sent to the graveyard by an effect, Special Summon it during your next Standby Phase."

Shell raised his arm.

"The Phoenix shall be reborn from the ashes, and with its blazing flames, burn everything to cinders—

— Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, revive!"

A spinning pillar of fire soared, golden wings spread wide— Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, reborn!

[Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, ATK 2400 → ATK 2900]

"And upon resurrection, Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys's effect activates," Shell shouted. "When Special Summoned by its effect, destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field!"

The Phoenix shrieked, spreading its wings to unleash a fiery storm, sweeping across the field in a burning tornado!

"What a powerful ability," Jaden said. "But that means your field will be destroyed, too..."

"'The Seal of Orichalcos' can't be negated or removed from the field by any means once activated," Shell replied icily. "This duel ends only when one of our souls is fully sacrificed.

So only your set cards will be destroyed."

He swept his arm over Kira and Jaden's four set cards.

"So, all your set cards are gone!"

The Phoenix's flames swept across Kira and Jaden's fields, blowing up four set cards. Shell immediately noticed two of them were "Mirror Force"!

"Hm?" Kira and Jaden glanced at each other.

One was set by Kira and one by Jaden.

"Haha, sometimes we do choose the same cards," Jaden scratched his head.

In the original, Jaden also used Mirror Force. Not only that, in the early duel against Titan, he drew two Mirror Forces in his opening hand—unique in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime.

"Too bad our traps didn't get a chance to activate," Jaden said regretfully.

"Not necessarily." Kira smiled.

As the flames swept by, three of the set cards spun in the air and landed face-down again.

"What?" Shell frowned. "Why weren't they destroyed by the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys's effect?"

"One of my set cards was the Trap Card 'Fake Trap,'" Kira explained, pointing at a floating Trap Card.

"When an effect would destroy your traps, 'Fake Trap' can be destroyed instead, and all other Traps remain."

In a real duel, the opponent could check the cards that were set again, but in this world's duels, you can't just walk over and flip them. Shell could only rely on a glimpse from the anime-style animation to see that there were two Mirror Forces left.

"Impressive, the Duel Academy's Trap Master planned for a field wipe," Jaden laughed.

"Two Mirror Forces—quite the ironclad defense." Shell said, "But I have more effects to resolve. Last turn, my 'Defender of Nephthys' destroyed a card—'Chronicler of Nephthys.'

When Chronicler of Nephthys is destroyed by an effect, during your next Standby Phase, you can add one 'Nephthys' card from your graveyard to your hand."

A card popped from the graveyard, and Shell drew it.

"I return the Spell Card 'Last Hope of Nephthys' to my hand."

Jaden: "Ah, that troublesome Spell again..."

"Spell Card 'Last Hope of Nephthys'—activate."

Shell played the Spell Card again, its image flaring with fire.

"I destroy one 'Nephthys' card on my field and one of your cards!"