Chapter 1020: Chapter 1020: The So-Called Wicked Gods

The dragon’s roar pierced the heavens and earth, its body clad in iron-like armor, shooting red beams in all directions. Like a hundred rays tearing the darkness to shreds, the beams merged into a crimson curtain, sweeping everything before them.

The humanoid duelist conjured by the Wicked Gods was utterly obliterated by this strike, vanishing like smoke in a violent storm. Even in the void, the unwilling roar of the Wicked Gods echoed, lingering as if in the depths of hell.

"Gandora the Dragon of Destruction," Kaiba muttered.

The Destruction Dragon summoned by Kira was one he had never seen before. Gandora-G the Dragon of Destruction, was perhaps being used in a duel for the first time since the dawn of time; it had never appeared in the records of dueling history.

Destruction Dragon Gandora itself is a card series. Starting from the original Gandora the Dragon of Destruction first used by Yugi Muto in Duel Monsters, it seemed that Gandora’s fate to be notorious was already decided.

Nowadays, most duelists believe that the protagonist’s ace monster "Firewall Dragon" from Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS was the first protagonist’s ace monster to be "banned into the little black room" (forbidden), but in fact, if you count Yugi’s deck as a protagonist’s deck, Gandora the Destruction Dragon should enjoy this honor instead.

Gandora the Destruction Dragon: just pay half your life points to destroy and banish all other cards on the field, then gain 300 attack for each card destroyed. More terrifying, this effect is not limited to once per turn.

So as early as 2004, this ancestor of the Gandora family was sent into the "little black room" and started a thirteen-year sentence.

Later, Gandora was released on parole, but in the movie, Yugi summoned a new family member, "Gandora-X the Dragon of Demolition," in his duel against Kaiba, a monster also able to wipe the field, burn life points, and boost its attack.

But as Gandora-X also stayed on the front lines of FTX (Forbidden, Limited, or Errata lists), it too was sent to jail in 2019, only being released years later after its effect was revised.

Thus, the Gandora family’s "prisoner" constitution was set from the very start—any new form would be suspect for a trip to the little black room.

Kaiba had plenty to say about this; after all, he was the victim last time, bombarded by "Gandora-X the Dragon of Demolition."

"The Shining Sarcophagus. Gandora the Destruction Dragon," Kaiba muttered.

Yugi, you really haven’t been idle all these years.

The outside world said Yugi Muto had retired and lost most of his strength, but Kaiba never believed it. He didn’t believe someone as strong as Yugi could just walk away and never touch cards again.

Now it seemed he was right. Yugi merely stopped appearing, not stopped striving for greater heights. Maybe today’s environment and tournaments no longer interested him, but he was always walking alone on the road to higher realms.

Maybe, just maybe, he’d already surpassed Kaiba.

No, that’s impossible.

Kaiba clenched his fist.

Last time they met, he was careless and used the "Monster Reborn" Yugi had given him, only to be trapped. But next time, he wouldn’t be caught off guard again.

No matter how far Yugi had advanced, Kaiba would crush him with even greater strength!

Though the Wicked Gods were defeated, their energy did not disappear. The three Wicked Gods’ massive shadows stood like mountains, and beneath them a sphere of darkness condensed.

Kira stepped forward and reached toward the dark sphere.

"Kira!" Jaden called out.

Though the Wicked Gods were beaten, their evil aura and power greatly diminished, and even the surrounding dark domain seemed to be collapsing, Jaden still sensed danger from that black sphere.

It was the remains of the three Wicked Gods’ power. Though weak and damaged, it was still dangerous.

But Kira just smiled at him.

"It’s fine."

So Jaden said no more.

Kira’s smile was always reassuring, making people instinctively believe everything would be fine, even if he said nothing.

Of course, that only applied to allies.

If you were Kira’s opponent and saw that sunny smile, you’d be chilled to the bone, feeling that today your life and death were uncertain.

Today’s Wicked Gods were a good example.

Kira reached out and touched the darkness.

In an instant, an endless gravity seemed to yank him into the sphere.

His consciousness traversed a timeless corridor, as if crossing millennia.

Then Kira saw it.

An ancient city, shrouded in dark clouds. Monstrous shadows flickered within.

Chaos erupted. People ran in panic, some knelt and trembled, some took the chance to rob and kill, fire burning everywhere.

"The Wicked Gods!"

"They’re here!"

...

A flood of chaotic memories, only scattered fragments. But within the chaos, the three Egyptian Gods stood tall: Slifer, Obelisk, and Ra, with a starfish-haired king commanding them.

"You are too dangerous, Wicked Gods," said the Pharaoh.

"I cannot let you roam free."

He waved, and the Egyptian Gods surged forward under his command, pummeling the Wicked Gods.

Then, an old man with a harmless look appeared.

Kira recognized him: High Priest Shimon, the past life of Solomon Muto.

"Well done, Pharaoh!" Shimon said. "The Wicked Gods’ power is too great, they are cursed gods and must be sealed!"

Wicked Gods: ...

You have a cheat of the Egyptian Gods, and you’re the master of Exodia, are you serious?

Yes, the Wicked Gods are cursed gods, doomed to be sealed. Because they are too dangerous, too powerful. Their appearance brings disaster and destruction.

Because they are the Wicked Gods.

They are the root of fear, embodiments of evil, the source of all ruin. From their birth, they were named "Wicked Gods." While the Egyptian Gods are worshipped and revered as protectors, the Wicked Gods are destined to be cursed, reviled, and sealed as symbols of evil to soothe humanity’s fears.

"...We lost," came the voice of The Wicked Avatar.

No longer as angry as during the duel. Perhaps a little dejected, but now calm.

"Do what you must. Seal us, human."

"But gods are eternal," sneered the Wicked Gods. "As long as darkness exists, no matter how many times, we will—"

Before they finished, Kira reached in and pulled three cards from the darkness, slipping them into his pocket.

Wicked Gods: "?"

Stunned for a moment, they couldn’t help but ask,

"You’re not going to seal us?"

...

...

PS: Support me and read advanced Chapters at patreon.com/AbsoluteCode