Kira said, "The attack power of ’Agent of Force - Mars’ depends on the difference between our Life Points. Both our Life Points have changed this turn, so Mars’s attack power has also changed."

[Kira, LP: 14,900]

[Paradox, LP: 1,500]

[Agent of Force - Mars, ATK: 13,400]

Paradox’s expression turned grim. At this level of attack power, it barely mattered if it went up or down—a single touch from that thing and it was game over for him.

"The battle continues," said Kira. "Agent of Force - Mars, direct attack!"

Mars raised his giant hammer again, this time with an earth-shattering momentum.

Kira smiled. "A man from the future who has gathered the powers of the strongest monsters from all dimensions—surely you won’t disappoint me so easily?"

Catching the sarcasm, Paradox’s lips twitched. He sneered coldly. "Your arrogance ends here, false king. I activate my set card—Continuous Trap—Skill Drain!"

The set card activated, and instantly, a boundless, bottomless vortex erupted from the trap. The entire field was enveloped, an indescribable pressure suppressing everything, as if the whole world dimmed in comparison to this card.

Even Kira’s expression changed slightly.

Skill Drain!

This guy actually had the legendary staple of antisocial duelists, a mass-destruction weapon that’s been active since its release and still devastates many meta decks—Skill Drain!

Any true Yu-Gi-Oh player—no, any real card enthusiast—would recognize this card. Its importance in "degenerate decks" is unparalleled.

With the evolution of the game, the effects of monster cards have become exponentially more important—searching, comboing, field-breaking, and disruption outside of the turn. Monster effects now far outclass spells and traps in terms of utility.

In modern Yu-Gi-Oh, when assessing a new card’s value, the ability to negate monster effects is almost always more valuable than negating spells or traps.

That’s why Skill Drain, which turns all monsters on the field into "vanilla" monsters by negating their effects, has only become more valuable over time. This old card is now a king among degenerate strategies.

"Skill Drain negates the effects of all monsters on the field!"

Paradox’s gloom vanished, replaced by a triumphant laugh.

"Your terrifying ’Agent of Force - Mars’ got all its attack power from its effect! With its effect negated, its original attack is zero!"

[Agent of Force - Mars, ATK: 13,400 → ATK: 0]

Mokuba’s face also changed.

"This is bad. With all monster effects negated, Marshmallon’s destruction immunity, Kristya’s special summon lock, and Mars’s insane attack—just one card neutralized everything!"

Mokuba scrutinized Paradox. "What kind of terrifying card is this guy packing? Who is he, really?"

Paradox sneered. "You’re not the only one who can lock down the field."

So you want to play degenerate? Who can’t do that?

Kira said, "I set a card. Turn end."

"My turn. Draw."

Paradox declared, "I activate the spell card ’Card of Adversity.’ If my opponent controls a Special Summoned monster and I control no monsters, I draw two cards from my deck." (anime card)

Paradox drew two more cards. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Including his previous Morphing Jar, his hand was now brimming with cards. As he looked at his refreshed hand, the corners of his mouth curled up—he seemed to have found a key card.

"I activate a second field spell—Malefic World!"

The illusory domain of the Malefics, ruler of the most powerful monsters across countless dimensions. The Sanctuary in the Sky was instantly shattered, sacred clouds replaced by darkness, and the pure white palace crashed from the clouds, shattered upon the earth.

"Malefic World has returned, so I can once again command Malefic monsters!"

Paradox grinned.

"I send ’Rainbow Dragon’ from my deck to the graveyard. Appear—Malefic Rainbow Dragon!"

Seven-colored gems floated and swirled in midair, forming a rainbow bridge. Under the rainbow’s light, a giant dragon dove down, crashing to the ground with a thunderous roar.

[Malefic Rainbow Dragon, ATK: 4000]

Mokuba cried out, "Even the Ultimate Crystal God is here!"

"Hahaha! This is the power of Malefic—strengths of the mightiest monsters from every timeline! And what’s more—"

Paradox sent two more cards from his deck to the graveyard.

"I also send a ’Blue-Eyes White Dragon’ and a ’Red-Eyes Black Dragon’ from my deck to the graveyard. Appear!

Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon!

Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

One black, one white—both legendary dragons from DM’s early era. The White Dragon brings victory; the Black Dragon, possibilities. Now, both appeared on the field.

[Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon, ATK: 3000]

[Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK: 2400]

In an instant, three powerful dragons descended!

The lab researchers were dumbfounded. "How can he summon so many high-level monsters at once? What kind of crazy deck is this!?"

The Malefic deck’s playstyle was beyond anything these duelists had seen—massive, high-level monsters popping out like they were free, a completely unreasonable strategy.

Kira shielded himself from the summoning gale, looking up at the three dragons. "Skill Drain negates all monster effects, and then you use the Malefics’ high ATK to pressure the opponent?"

Honestly, that’s an effective tactic.

Malefic monsters are easy-to-summon, high-ATK beatsticks, but most of their effects are downsides. In the anime, they’re strong, but in real life, if you lose your field spell, they self-destruct, and you can’t control more than one at a time.

But under Skill Drain, you lock your opponent and negate your own monsters’ drawbacks—a win-win. It’s easy to overwhelm your opponent.

Turn everything into vanillas and then rely on brawling experience to finish things off.

"Haha, even if you see through it, it’s too late!"

Paradox roared.

"Malefic Rainbow Dragon! Attack ’Agent of Force - Mars’!"

...

...

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