"I still have a chance! Watch closely—I activate the Continuous Spell Card, [Heavenly Weather Magic]! While this card is on the field, I gain 1 Magic Counter for every Servant I summon!"
Surrounded by a team of magicians clad in white robes, Atrum began a lengthy incantation. In the false sky constructed by the Duel Space, lightning churned within the rolling clouds.
"Next, I Normal Summon [Atrum]!"
[Atrum]Caster – 1-Star – ATK 1000
Atrum personally stepped into the battle zone, confidently raising his hand. "This is the magician team I hired—they will fight alongside me! My own effect! When I successfully Normal or Special Summon this card, I banish the top 10 cards of my deck face-down and Special Summon up to four [Magician Team Tokens] as a cost! However, during the turn this effect is activated, I cannot Special Summon monsters except through this effect!"
A row of magicians, dressed identically to those chanting the weather magic, emerged from behind Atrum and lined up in perfect formation.
[Magician Team Tokens]1-Star – ATK 600 ×4
At this moment, [Heavenly Weather Magic] had accumulated 5 Magic Counters.
"Now, let me show you this grand-scale weather magic! Gush Out!"
Atrum raised his hand to the sky. Bolts of lightning tore through the heavens, roaring with deafening intensity as they cascaded downward from the clouds!
"[Heavenly Weather Magic] effect—by Tributing this card, I destroy all Servants on my opponent's field with ATK lower than the number of Magic Counters × 400, and inflict damage equal to Magic Counters × 200 to my opponent's Life Points!"
"Too strong! But—I activate a second [Intelligence Gathering] to negate and destroy [Heavenly Weather Magic]!"
The falling thunder abruptly halted. As if time itself had been rewound, the lightning reversed its course, returning to the sky along its original path.
"Damn it! At the very least, I'll thin your field! [Magician Team Tokens], attack [ Morning Glory]!"
The indistinct figures of the magicians launched their magical projectiles at [Morning Glory]. The attack was weak but more than enough to take down the tiny girl.
"Not so fast! I activate [Battle Retreat], returning [Morning Glory] to my hand and drawing a card!"
A shadowy figure with multiple shifting faces scooped up the little girl and delivered her back to Jiang You's side, where she transformed into a card and returned to his hand.
"Since your attack target is gone, the battle rewinds. There are still two [Hundred-Faces] Assassins left for you to choose from, Master Atrum. Who would you like to attack?"
Atrum clenched his molars so hard he nearly ground them to dust. His [Magician Team Tokens] had only 600 ATK each—attacking any of the [Hundred-Faces] Assassins would be nothing short of disrespectful to his remaining 900 Life Points.
"This isn't over yet! I can still send an Assassin off the field myself! I attack [Hundred-Faces]!"
Atrum poured mana into his catalyst, weaving a net of electricity that exploded from his hands and rapidly expanded, enveloping one of the [Hundred-Faces] Assassins.
"Such a terrifying attack! If it lands, I'll be eliminated instantly! I have to struggle while I still can! I activate [Morning Glory]'s effect from my hand—by discarding it, I change your monster to Defense Position!"
Once again, Atrum witnessed the miracle of time reversal. The mana he had just released returned to his body and his catalyst, completely intact.
[Atrum]ATK 1000 → DEF 500
"Damn it! But I still have hope! Your two [Hundred-Faced] Assassins can only deal 400 damage! If you don't draw another Servant next turn, even if you revive [Hundred-Faced] from the Graveyard, you won't have enough firepower to finish me off! … My turn is over!"
Atrum refused to abandon hope. He had learned to fight with everything he had. If he could survive this crisis, he might truly have the chance to step from a second-rate magician into the ranks of the elites.
But first, he had to survive.
"That's true. [Hundred-Faced] has only one [Fanatic] in my Extra Deck, and his attack power is indeed lacking. However—I activate [Archivist of Hidden Knowledge]! This represents [Hundred-Faced]'s ability to process and recall past memories using his multiple personalities. In game terms: I select three cards from my Graveyard, add one to my hand, and return the other two to my Deck!"
"I choose [Fanatic], [Intelligence Gathering], and [Delusional Illusion], adding [Delusional Illusion] to my hand!"
Atrum immediately realized what was coming. Fear of the impending darkness shattered what little battle courage he had left. He let out a meaningless, desperate wail.
"Don't look so miserable—smile! After all, you sacrificed so many people before this. Hundreds? Thousands? You've more than made up for it! This is a massive profit!"
Jiang You laughed without restraint, his unbridled amusement echoing throughout the Duel Space.
"I activate [Delusional Illusion], reviving [Hundred-Faced] and [Morning Glory] from the Graveyard!"
"Now, with three Hundred-Faces, I overlay them! Come forth, [Fanatic]! Send this man to his new home!Battle Phase! [Fanatic]—attack Atram!"
[Fanatic] | ATK 1000 → 2500
Among the Hassan assassins, Fanatic's combat prowess was unparalleled. In her hands, her daggers moved with inhuman precision, like spirits dancing through the air. Each slash was aimed at Atram's vital points—his eyes, temples, philtrum, throat, heart, kidneys—none were spared.
As Fanatic's deadly dance reached its crescendo, her movements became even faster, her strikes more relentless, raining down like an unstoppable storm. As she landed the final strike, Atram's body bloomed with wounds, like roses blossoming in the desert—beautiful, yet cruel.
Atram LP 900 → 0
Atram didn't even have time to scream. He lost consciousness immediately.
The Shadow Game's punishment activated according to its rules. Dark hands emerged from the void, crushing Atram's body like dough. His flesh was twisted and kneaded, reshaped into a mass of flesh infused with magic circuits. Under the influence of the Shadow Game, this grotesque creation pulsed with a bizarre, powerful vitality.
"Master, here is what you requested."
Hundred-Faces approached Jiang You and handed him a silver-gilded briefcase, along with a Victorian-style tailcoat. The case was just the right size to contain the flesh mass formerly known as Atram.
A single bloodstained eye remained on its surface, shedding tears of blood. It stared helplessly as Jiang You snapped the case shut. Perhaps it wished to beg for mercy, but it no longer had the organs to do so.
"Don't worry, it won't last long. Once the Holy Grail War ends, you'll be freed."
Jiang You wasn't a monster—he'd make Atram into a Soul Crystal soon enough.
"This is for all the innocent lives you used as currency."