NOVEL WEB Chapter 380: 380
"Why didn't he take any damage?"
Grapha asked in confusion.
"Because I banished this card from my Graveyard," Jaden raised the card for his opponent to see. "Necro Gardna."
"This card can be banished during the opponent's turn to negate one of their attacks."
"Oh, discarded by Dealings, huh? You're a lucky one," Grapha muttered as he caught on.
"Whatever. I'll Set a card and end my turn."
"Go ahead, Overlord, it's your turn."
"Stop calling me that! I'm Jaden Yuki! A different Jaden than the one you knew!" Jaden growled under his breath, drawing a card.
"That's right! He's our Jaden, not some reincarnation or whatever!" Tyranno yelled. "He's a human being and the pride of our school!"
Syrus coughed but still chimed in from the car, "Yeah! Go for it, Jaden!"
"Syrus... Tyranno..." Jaden's tense expression softened slightly.
"Oho... human, is it?" Brron chuckled darkly, clearly entertained.
"You're trying to distance yourself from us, Overlord?" Grapha laughed heartily. "Did you hear that, Reign-Beaux? He's never changed.
Back then, he never looked at you properly. And now? He still doesn't see you as his subordinate.
You sacrificed your comrades to protect him, bore countless wounds, but he'll never care about any of that!"
Reign-Beaux, standing beside Jaden, said nothing.
He was used to this kind of treatment. The rare moments when the Overlord acknowledged him almost made him anxious rather than honored.
Jaden clenched his fists, his whole body trembling.
Reign-Beaux?
It's true. He hadn't really considered the demon's feelings.
In fact, once he realized Reign-Beaux's true nature, he had understood;
This demon wasn't there to help him. It existed solely to serve the Overlord.
It didn't care about Jaden's thoughts or desires. It only existed to fulfill the will of someone Jaden didn't even know.
That meant it had no intention of protecting the students he wished to save, nor any other life outside that one purpose.
It was no better than Grapha. Equally cold. Equally ruthless.
Even if Grapha weren't here, would he still be in this agony because of Reign-Beaux?
Even now, after seeing how hard Jaden was trying to protect everyone, Reign-Beaux still wouldn't stand by his side. So was it really loyal to him?
No. It was loyal to a stranger Jaden never asked for.
"My turn, draw!" Jaden drew his card with force.
Seeing Jaden's resolve, Grapha burst out laughing again.
Jaden examined his hand.
Dark World's Dragon Lord had the power of constant revival.
Worse yet, he might have other methods of retrieval. That meant Jaden had to face the threat of destruction every turn.
He looked at Grand Mole in his hand.
This wasn't the time to use it. Even if he could bounce Grapha back to hand, that would just give him another card destroyed this turn. Not worth it.
Then;
"I activate the Spell Card, Convert Contact. Since I have no monsters on the field, I send 1 "Neo-Spacian" each from my hand and Deck to the Graveyard to draw 2 cards. I send Neo-Spacian Grand Mole from my hand and Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird from my Deck."
Jaden finished resolving and glanced at his new hand.
Good.
Use this!'
"I activate the Spell, Neo Fusion!"
He slid the card into his Duel Disk and clenched his fist.
This was one of the Fusion tactics he'd learned from Hikaru Amaki, a highly efficient Fusion method.
"I send the Fusion Materials listed on a monster that lists Elemental HERO Neos from my hand or Deck to the GY, then Special Summon that monster from my Extra Deck, ignoring Summoning conditions.
After this card resolves, I cannot Special Summon other monsters this turn."
"I send Neos and Flare Scarab from my Deck to the Graveyard!"
"Fusion Summon, Blazing Neos!"
Neos emerged with beetle armor, cloaked in flames. With a shout, he landed before Jaden. Both Grapha and Reign-Beaux flinched at the overwhelming aura beneath the surface.
This was an embodiment of the Overlord's power.
[Elemental HERO Flare Neos] Level 7│FIRE│Warrior│2500 ATK
"Flare Neos gains 400 ATK for each Spell and Trap Card on the field!"
[Flare Neos, ATK: 2500 → 3300]
"Yes! He's stronger than Grapha now!"
"But Flare Neos returns to the Deck at the end of the turn, right?"
The situation was still shaky. Tyranno and the others stayed worried.
"I equip him with the Equip Spell, Instant Neo Space!" Jaden revealed the card. "Only monsters that list Neos as material can be equipped. The equipped monster doesn't return to the Deck at the end phase!"
"With that, Flare Neos's ATK rises to 3700 and he won't return to the Extra Deck!"
Jaden kept his momentum and set another monster: "In Defense Position, I Summon, Card Trooper!"
A tank-like robot spun its treads and rolled up beside him.
[Card Trooper] Level 3│EARTH│Machine│400 DEF
"Once per turn, I can send up to 3 cards from the top of my Deck to the GY. Card Trooper gains 500 ATK for each. I send 3 cards!"
Jaden quickly milled three cards, checked them, and nodded.
"I activate the Continuous Spell, Mirage of Nightmare. I also Set 1 card."
With this, Flare Neos's ATK rose to 4500!
"Whoa, that's a huge boost!"
"We've got this! Come on, everyone!"
"Battle! Flare Neos attacks Grapha!" Jaden commanded, his Neos charging forward.
"HRAAGH!" Flare Neos shouted as he lashed out at Grapha's clone.
Boom!
The dragon exploded into shards.
[Grapha, LP: 4000 → 2500]
"I end my turn..."
"You used your entire hand just to destroy one copy of me?" Grapha cackled. "Is that all the Overlord has to offer?"
"Or are you suppressing your true nature? Suppressing your power?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jaden said, firm and resolute. "I'm Jaden Yuki. Not the person you think I am."
"Hahahahahaha, how weak! Brron, look at how he runs from reality! So adorable! This is the so-called King of Fusion? Pathetic!
Very well, then, I won't hold back any longer!"
"My turn!"
Grapha's Duel Disk began spinning again, emitting a violent screech like a windmill tearing through steel.