He stood like a shadowed knight—broad-shouldered, clad in obsidian armor with crimson spikes, dark horns like a demon goat rising from his skull, and a black cape cascading from his back. Seated calmly upon a darkened throne, he radiated unyielding might.
The Emperor of Darkness had arrived—and with his presence, a crushing force of oppression fell upon the battlefield.
[Erebus the Underworld Monarch]
DARK | Level 8 | Zombie-Type
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 1000
"So it's Erebus. Just as I predicted."
Ryo Marufuji (Zane Truesdale in the dub) narrowed his eyes. He had studied You Feng's deck meticulously.
He had anticipated this: the Heavenly Monarch, the Light Monarch, and now the Underworld Monarch—You Feng's triple imperial foundation.
All unfolding according to Ryo's mental simulation.
"It seems you've done your homework," You Feng said coolly, "but you've barely scratched the surface."
"My Monarch strategy isn't limited to the classics. The core I wield—Heaven, Light, and Underworld—is just the beginning."
Indeed, You Feng's full monarch arsenal also included Raiza the Storm Monarch, Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, and Caius the Shadow Monarch, each representing different oppressive dominions.
Yet it was Erebus who ruled today.
"And thanks to the effect of The Monarchs Stormforth," You Feng continued, "when Erebus is Tribute Summoned, I can add to my hand a monster from my deck with either 2400 ATK/1000 DEF or 2800 ATK/1000 DEF that has a different name from Erebus."
He seamlessly added a card to his hand—maintaining hand advantage despite his powerful summon.
"Now, I activate Erebus's effect!"
"By sending two 'Monarch' Spell or Trap cards from my hand or Deck to the Graveyard, I can shuffle one random card from your hand back into your Deck."
With a decisive motion, You Feng sent The Prime Monarch and The Monarchs Erupt from his Deck to the Graveyard.
Ryo flinched subtly as one card from his four-card hand was whisked away.
The pressure was mounting.
"It's far from over!" You Feng's voice rang sharp. "You think I haven't studied your plays, Ryo?"
"Your signature ace—Chimeratech Overdragon—will never see the light of day today!"
His fingers poised above his Duel Disk, You Feng revealed another card.
Gasps echoed across the massive arena.
"He's trying to shut down the Overdragon?" a student cried.
"Nani!" Ryo's expression shifted, his composure finally cracking.
Professor Chronos shot up from his seat in disbelief. "Mamma mia! Impossible!"
Sho Marufuji (Syrus) turned pale. "My brother's ace… being blocked? That has to be a bluff!"
But You Feng was resolute. His cloak whipped behind him, unfurling with supernatural flair.
With a sharp motion, he slammed his card into his Duel Disk.
"Field Spell—Domain of the True Monarchs, activate!"
The entire Duel Field shifted.
Darkness swept in, and a hellish altar emerged behind You Feng—burning with regal intensity. Around him, towering monuments of monarchic power pierced the veil.
The effect of the card took immediate hold:
"As long as I have no cards in my Extra Deck, and I control only Tribute Summoned monsters, my opponent cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck!"
"Say goodbye to your Chimeratech Overdragon, Ryo!"
A collective roar surged through the crowd.
Even Seto Kaiba, seated in the VIP box, narrowed his eyes at the field. The oppressive aura, the authoritarian dueling presence—it triggered a memory.
"That pressure… it's the same intensity I once felt from Mutou Yugi."
He clenched his fists.
"Foolish nostalgia…"
Back on the field, You Feng raised his arm again, imposing like a sovereign.
"Next, I set one card face-down and end my turn."
With two cards left in his hand, he had already swung the tempo of the duel. His opening was clean, powerful, and suffocating.
Ryo Marufuji's face darkened. Rarely had he been forced into this position.
"This… is the strength of You Feng?" Misawa Daichi (Bastion) whispered.
"I thought Ryo had the advantage going second," Asuka Tenjoin (Alexis) admitted. "But You Feng's lockdown made even a Cyber Dragon deck stumble."
Fubuki (Atticus) added gravely, "No wonder he defeated Seven Stars so easily."
"Brother, don't lose!" Sho Marufuji shouted from the crowd, clutching his fists.
Meanwhile, the Dueling Academy was in uproar.
This duel—broadcast globally—was reaching new heights. Even the subway, cafes, and lecture halls were tuned in.
Ryo, ranked #37 on the Duelist Gold List, now faced You Feng—the duelist who had just defeated Asuka, a fellow Gold List member.
This duel, with decks at stake, had become a symbolic clash between two of the academy's greatest hopes.
"The viewership just passed 10 million!"
"A battle of two gold-ranked duelists—this is unprecedented!"
"Deck versus deck… this is a duel of souls!"
Back in the arena—
Ryo Marufuji calmly drew a card.
He scanned his five-card hand, expression unreadable.
Then, he played his first move.
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card—Mystical Space Typhoon!"
"I target your Field Spell—Domain of the True Monarchs!"
A gust of magical wind sliced across the arena.
A direct hit.
The emperor's domain shattered in a burst of dark energy.
"I didn't expect you to run MST in your Cyber Dragon deck," You Feng muttered. "That was fast."
The momentum had shifted again.
With the Domain destroyed, Ryo's path to his ace monster had reopened.
But You Feng did not panic.
His gaze locked with Ryo's—intense, calculating.
He knew the true duel had only just begun.