Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!

"The combination of King Tiger Wanghu and Burden of the Mighty is pretty interesting,"

Kira admitted.

A different kind of summon lock. That was surprising, since he usually played these kinds of tactics himself.

Of course, Kira knew King Tiger Wanghu's effect—after all, it was once popular, especially when the metagame relied on low-ATK monsters.

"The 'Tree Otter' destroyed just now is a Beast monster,"

Kira revealed another card.

"When your own Beast monster on the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, pay 1000 LP to Special Summon 'Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest' from your hand!"

[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 3000]

[Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, ATK 2600]

Green Baboon thumped its chest and appeared at Kira's side, glaring through the wind.

"Oh? So you have a counter for King Tiger,"

The black Rider rasped,

"But even so, Green Baboon is a Level 7 monster, so it loses 700 ATK from Burden of the Mighty."

[Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, ATK 2600 → 1900]

"That's enough," Kira declared,

"Green Baboon, attack 'King Tiger Wanghu!'"

With a roar, the Baboon charged at the rider's bike, landing a punch that sent King Tiger tumbling far behind, shattering into fragments.

[Black Rider, LP 4000 → LP 3800]

"Nice!" Iwao cheered,

"That breaks the King Tiger lock!"

"Hah, you think it's that easy?"

The black Rider sneered. As he drifted around a corner, a massive black machine appeared beside him, scraping the ground and sparking as it turned.

A strange mist billowed out. When it cleared, King Tiger was back on the field.

[King Tiger Wanghu, ATK 1700]

"NANI?" Iwao gasped.

"Trap Card—'Time Machine.' When a monster is destroyed by battle, it returns to the field in the same position,"

the Rider explained.

"Nice move, but looks like you won't break through so easily."

Kira wasn't upset, just shrugged:

"Fine. Set three cards, turn end."

Both sides continued racing full speed toward the power station, weaving through zombies as they went.

Playing Duel Monsters really was good for the body—Kira realized that his spirit training and dark game powers really did enhance his stamina and reflexes.

Otherwise, normal humans could never duel at this speed.

Clearly, the opponent wasn't an ordinary human either.

"My turn. Draw."

The black Rider drew, tail-sliding to knock a zombie off the roadside.

Zombie: "???"

"I activate my set card—Trap Card, 'Sixth Sense,'"

Kira declared.

"Declare two numbers. Opponent rolls a die. If it lands on a declared number, I draw that many cards. If not, I send that many cards from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard."

Rider: "Oh? Which numbers do you choose?"

"Five and six, of course," Kira replied.

A virtual die appeared and rolled.

Number 4.

"Only 4, huh... that's fine."

Kira sent the top four cards of his Deck to the Graveyard.

Sixth Sense was nearly always a win, usually just a question of how much you gained.

"Among the cards sent was 'Learning Elf.' When Learning Elf is sent to the Graveyard, I draw one card."

"Only 4. Looks like luck isn't on your side,"

The black Rider chuckled, then drew another card.

"You're racing toward the abyss of despair, you just haven't realized it yet. This card will push you closer to that endpoint.

I activate another Continuous Spell—'Burden of the Mighty!'"

Iwao couldn't hold back:

"You have a second one?! Isn't that overkill?!"

The Continuous Spell appeared alongside the rider, who threw his head back, laughing.

"With two 'Burden of the Mighty,' your monsters lose ATK equal to their Level x200! Green Baboon is Level 7, so it loses 1400 ATK!"

[Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, ATK 1900 → 1200]

"A Level 7 monster with 2600 ATK, weakened to this point..."

Even Iwao, watching from the sidelines, grit his teeth.

"And with King Tiger on the field, any monster with less than 1400 ATK is destroyed on summon."

"Exactly!" the Rider laughed,

"Now, any Level 7 monster needs at least 2800 ATK to survive summoning. Even if you get one out, 3000 ATK drops to 1600, no longer a match for King Tiger."

Iwao gritted his teeth:

"What a despicable combo..."

But the black Rider seemed pleased with the compliment, and studied Kira, frowning under the helmet.

"Hmph, still acting calm in this situation?"

"Don't worry, I'll rip off that mask of yours soon enough.

I Normal Summon 'Slate Warrior.'"

[Slate Warrior, ATK 1900]

"Slate Warrior attacks Green Baboon!"

With double Burden of the Mighty, Green Baboon was powerless, taken out by a Level 4.

[Kira, LP 3000→2300]

The impact of the shadow duel sent a surge of darkness through Kira as Green Baboon was destroyed, causing his bike to wobble like a leaf in a current.

"I activate the trap 'Michizure.'"

Kira revealed another set card.

"When your monster is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, destroy a monster on the field. I choose 'King Tiger WAnghu.'"

The spirit of the Green Baboon grabbed King Tiger, dragging it to the underworld.

"I see, using a trap to get rid of King Tiger, breaking the summon lock and avoiding my second attack,"

the Rider observed.

"But it's useless!

Continuous Trap—'Call of the Haunted!'

Revive a monster from the Graveyard in Attack Position!

King Tiger, return!"