The road stretched endlessly before them, the asphalt painted gold beneath the late afternoon sun. The sky hung low in a soft shade of orange, the occasional passing cloud casting brief shadows over the narrow country highway. Arthur Hawkins sat at the wheel of a well-aged sedan, its dashboard cluttered with folded maps and old Duel Monsters promo cards. His granddaughter Rebecca sat beside him, her arms crossed, a brow raised in quiet skepticism.
Rebecca glanced sideways. "You've been awfully quiet, Grandpa. For the last hour. And don't pretend you're focusing on driving—we haven't passed another car since we left that gas station."
Arthur gave a small chuckle. It didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I suppose it's time you heard the story about when I faced the Duelist Exterminator.""
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flashback
"So you're the American champion, Arthur Hawkins," the Duelist Exterminator sneered, his lips curling into a malicious grin. His eyes gleamed with a cruel intensity, as if dissecting Arthur where he stood. "Hand over the Blue-Eyes, and I'll let you live."
The man stood tall across the shadowed dueling platform, a battered trench coat flaring around his boots. A white cowboy hat shaded his angular face, and around his neck, a thick iron chain hung heavy with bronze Millennium symbols—twisted relics of a long-lost time. Each one clicked softly as he moved, echoing in the stale air like distant clockwork.
Arthur Hawkins squared his shoulders, steel tightening in his spine. His expression was calm, but his sapphire-blue eyes narrowed with a sharpened focus. His jaw clenched slightly. The rising wind tossed his coat behind him, revealing his duel disk ready and active.
"So you're the Duelist Exterminator?" Arthur asked, voice low, laced with unflinching confidence. "You don't look that tough. I should be able to beat you quite easily... and be home in time for lunch."
The Exterminator laughed—a cold, hollow sound without a shred of amusement. It echoed off the metal walls like a predator's warning growl.
"I'll take the first turn," he said, flipping a card dramatically onto his duel disk. "I'm not going to let you have any room to breathe."
Arthur's smirk didn't falter. "Fine by me."
"I'll start with a normal summon—Cyber-Tech Alligator, in attack mode!" he barked. The ground quaked as a hulking, metallic alligator burst from a digital portal, roaring with mechanical menace. Its polished steel hide shimmered under the flickering arena lights.
"2,500 attack points," the Exterminator added, placing two more cards into his duel disk. "And I set two cards face down in my back row. I end my turn."
Arthur gave a single nod. "Not bad. But now it's my move." He drew a card, his eyes lighting up. "I'll summon the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon, in attack mode!"
The air trembled as the shimmering form of the great dragon appeared, its wings folding outward, its electric-blue eyes blazing with fury. The beast let out a deafening roar, shaking the very foundation of the platform.
"I'll also activate Heavy Storm—a spell that destroys all Spell and Trap Cards on the field!" Arthur declared, slamming the card onto his disk.
The Exterminator didn't flinch. "I chain both my trap cards. Jar of Greed lets me draw a card. Waboku protects my monster from being destroyed this turn and prevents any battle damage."
A glowing barrier of light enveloped his side of the field as Arthur's storm obliterated the back row. The cybernetic gator remained intact, encased in a protective shimmer.
Arthur growled low under his breath. "Smart move... I end my turn."
The Exterminator smiled, wolfish and unnerving. "I draw. I set three cards face-down in my back row," he said, sliding the cards in one by one with mechanical precision. "Then I activate Fissure. It destroys the weakest monster on your side of the field."
Arthur's heart sank. "Blue-Eyes is my only monster."
A pit formed in his stomach as the dragon let out a pained roar and shattered into light.
"Cyber-Tech Alligator, direct attack!" the Exterminator ordered.
The machine roared again and lunged forward. A beam of energy exploded from its jaws, slamming into Arthur and sending him sliding back. Sparks flew from his duel disk as his life points plummeted to 1,500.
Arthur grimaced, struggling to remain upright. Sweat trickled down his temple.
"So this is the great American champion?" the Exterminator mocked, voice coated with disdain. "I am not impressed."
Arthur's glare could cut steel. "I'll show you," he whispered.
He drew again, studying his hand. Shadow Ghoul. His mind raced.
Shadow Ghoul will grow stronger the more monsters I send to the graveyard. If I can just stall long enough…
He slapped down his spell. "I activate Graceful Charity! I draw three cards, then discard two."
"Not so fast," the Exterminator snapped, flipping one of his face-downs. "Macro Cosmos."
Arthur's heart skipped a beat.
"No..." he muttered, eyes wide.
"Any card sent to the graveyard is now banished instead," the Exterminator explained with sick satisfaction.
Arthur winced. He discarded Witch of the Black Forest and Sangan—cards that would've given him major advantage. Now removed from play. His advantage was gone.
The Exterminator chuckled, folding his arms. "Let me guess—you were counting on using Shadow Ghoul. That pitiful little ghost was your ace in the hole, right?"
Arthur clenched his jaw, saying nothing.
The Exterminator's smirk deepened. "I've studied your deck inside and out, Arthur. Every card, every combo, every gamble you're foolish enough to bet your life on. I built this deck not just to win—but to dissect you. Every possible move you could make? I have an answer. I don't duel... I exterminate."
Arthur's hands tightened into fists.
The Exterminator leaned closer, lowering his voice into a venomous whisper. "Your graveyard-based combos? Gone. Banished before they even start. That Shadow Ghoul of yours is nothing more than a memory now. Just like your dueling career will be."
Arthur's breath caught in his throat. He had underestimated just how far ahead this monster of a man was playing.
But it wasn't over.
"I won't go down that easily," he said through gritted teeth, his mind racing. "This duel's not over."
He placed one monster face-down in defense position. "That will be the end of my turn."
The Duelist Exterminator smirked. "I normal summon Amphibian Beast in attack mode—2,400 attack points. Now, Cyber-Tech Alligator, attack his face-down!"
The card flipped to reveal Millennium Shield, its gleaming golden surface radiating strength. The impact of the attack sent shockwaves across the arena, but the shield held firm. The Exterminator's life points dropped to 3,500.
He frowned, displeased at the unexpected setback—but quickly masked it with a neutral scowl.
"I end my turn here," he said, his tone clipped, though his jaw ticked with irritation.
Arthur straightened, his confidence slowly rebuilding. This wasn't over. Not yet.
His face, though pale with strain, remained calm. His mind spun through his options like a machine: If I can survive one more turn… just one more…
But the Duelist Exterminator wasn't done. He tilted his head, cracking his neck.
"You're not bad," he muttered. "But that Blue-Eyes of yours—it deserves a better master. I will rip it from your cold fingers."
Arthur's eyes burned. "Over my dead body."
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