Chapter 366 Yubel
Putting down the tablet computer, Hayato adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, looking through the glass in front of him at Chazz Princeton lying on the bed.
Beside him was a Jellyfish Head boy looking nervous and guilty, and Croquet, silently waiting for Hayato's opinion.
"How many times has something like this happened recently?"
Hayato asked without preamble.
Croquet pondered for a moment: "In my memory, this is the second coma incident since President Seto's Solid Vision system was put into wide use. The previous one was Yugi's grandfather, Solomon Muto."
"No, no, I wasn't referring to Kaiba's Solid Vision. That's just for auxiliary play, after all," Hayato waved his hand, turning to look at the Jellyfish Head boy, crouching down so their eyes were level. "It's Jaden, isn't it? Can you tell me, how many times has this happened recently?"
"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Hayato!" The Jellyfish Head boy, Jaden, looked extremely nervous. "It's all because I desperately wanted to win, that Yubel...!"
Halfway through, Jaden stopped himself, because he knew not everyone could see his partner, Yubel. Yubel had been by his side like an "Imaginary Friend" since who knows when. No one else could see Him.
Not even Mr. Hayato, the strongest Duelist, probably...
"Kurikuri~~"
Jaden suddenly heard a peculiar cry. Above Hayato's head, a Duel Monster that had repeatedly appeared in his duel recordings had materialized out of nowhere – [Rainbow Kuriboh]?!
"Th-that's!"
"As you can see, Jaden, you're not the only one with unique talents," Hayato offered a friendly smile. "I'm here to help you, so please believe me."
This was a lie.
Hayato had originally intended to duel with Marik at Kaiba Land today. While they both had Duel Disks, not every location offered a Duel Field as spacious as Kaiba Land's for Duel Monsters. Hayato primarily wanted to farm a few of those Slime cards from Marik.
However, Marik heard about a Honda car show today with new motorcycle releases, and his interest in that area was even greater than Duel Monsters, so he directly stood Hayato up. Left with no other choice, Hayato went to Kaiba Land alone, hoping to find some skilled opponents.
Not long after entering Kaiba Land, Hayato saw Chazz Princeton, who was enraged after being informed by staff that his brother had fallen into a coma due to an accident. Hayato had quite a good impression of the young Chazz Princeton, and being familiar with the President and Vice President of KaibaCorp, he acted as a mediator between Chazz Princeton and KaibaCorp, accompanying them to the hospital.
From the moment he first saw Jaden, through that hairstyle which immediately suggested he was a skilled duelist, Hayato had already recognized Jaden's identity. What's more, a vague humanoid figure had been floating around Jaden's side.
It appeared that the immense Dark Power latent within Jaden had begun to awaken as he grew older, even rousing [Yubel], who had been tasked with protecting Jaden. However, it seemed the Dark Power had not yet fully awakened, as Jaden could see Yubel now, but was completely unable to communicate with or control Him to prevent harm to others.
According to Jaden, Chazz Princeton's situation was not the first of its kind. There had been several previous instances where, due to being in a difficult situation during a Duel or desperately wanting to defeat an opponent, others who dueled him had either fallen into a coma or been injured. The difference was that in previous coma cases, the affected individuals had recovered quickly.
Furthermore, ever since the list of cards Hayato had used was published online, Jaden had revised his Deck based on that list, and he hadn't been at a disadvantage in Duels for quite some time. Consequently, he believed those situations were unlikely to reoccur. So he had come to Kaiba Land and faced Chazz Princeton.
Moreover, this time, Jaden himself confirmed that the previous incidents were not accidental. While he hadn't noticed it during the Duel, as [Gaia The Fierce Knight] delivered the finishing blow to Chazz, he saw that it wasn't himself controlling [Gaia], but Yubel, who had mysteriously appeared beside him.
After explaining the situation to Hayato, Jaden hesitated slightly. He opened a card case at his waist and took out his Deck, the top card being [Yubel].
"Mr. Hayato, I believe in Yubel. I truly believe He has no ill intentions; it's just that He ended up harming others because I wanted to win Duels." Holding the [Yubel] card, Jaden looked towards Hayato. "Please, I beg you, help me persuade Yubel and make Him stop harming others!"
With that, Jaden bowed ninety degrees to Hayato.
A golden light emanated from the [Millennium Ring] on Hayato's chest, and five dangling cones floated into the air, pointing at the [Yubel] card in Jaden's hand. After a brief observation, Hayato reached a conclusion.
"Relying on me won't be of much help in this matter; you need to find a way to change yourself, Jaden."
"Huh?"
Jaden didn't quite understand what Hayato meant.
"It's because you desperately want to win that [Yubel] ends up harming others. Ultimately, it's the presence of competitive spirit that's the cause. There's only one way to change Yubel – by changing your perspective on Duel Monsters."
A smile spread across Hayato's face. With a swipe of his hand across the card case at his waist, Hayato seemingly drew a card, but in reality, he retrieved a Deck from the System's Inventory. "The fun of Duel Monsters isn't just about winning; sometimes, losing can be quite interesting. What matters shouldn't be the outcome, but the process."
"Try to understand what a truly fun Duel is, Jaden." With that, Hayato handed the cards in his hand to Jaden. "Consider this Deck my gift to you. Although Pegasus hasn't released it yet, it's a recent development."
Jaden blinked in surprise and took the Deck from Hayato's hand. The top card depicted a masked man with a pair of wings on his back. His name was [Elemental HERO Wingman].
Sensing [Yubel]'s reaction intensifying due to Jaden obtaining the new Deck, Hayato smiled. "So, Jaden, let me teach you the true joy of Dueling through a Duel."
(end of chapter)
Chapter 367: A Left Kick Always Loses
Chazz Princeton frowned, looking at Hayato and that kid Jaden Yuki, who stood on either side. His mind couldn't quite grasp why the plot had suddenly progressed to a Duel.
"Mr. Hayato, I'm ready." Jaden fastened the Duel Disk provided by Chazz Princeton onto his wrist, then placed the (Elemental HERO) Deck Hayato had just given him into the Duel Disk's Deck Zone. This Deck also included his (Yubel) card.
According to Hayato, this Deck would be released soon and wasn't a Rare Deck. However, even though it was the first time Jaden had received this Deck, he felt remarkably familiar with it. Among the various Fusion Monsters, Jaden's gaze immediately fell upon one in particular.
Of course, the truth was that Hayato had specifically unlocked the (Elemental HERO) entry from the System and used up all his DP Points to assemble an (Elemental HERO) Deck. The Deck he gave Jaden wasn't the one he had completed, but rather a surplus Deck he had pulled.
The best proof was that Hayato had drawn three copies of (Elemental HERO Stratos), while Jaden's Deck only contained Elemental HERO Wastes, not even (Elemental HERO Bubbleman).
Naturally, Hayato had no intention of engaging in an (Elemental HERO) civil war for this Duel. Instead, he took out the Machine-Type Deck he had unlocked recently through Type-Specific Deck Construction. After all, if the opponent was using (Elemental HEROes), this Deck was perfectly suited for the task.
Machine-Type + Dragon-Type; the answer wasn't the (Drytron) that Hayato had hoped for, but the invincible (Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon). The Deck Hayato had unlocked was precisely the (Ancient Gear) Deck, famously known as the bane of Shadow Realm Stall Decks.
Although he had only unlocked up to (Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon), and none of the three Fusion Monsters—(Ancient Gear Chaos Giant), (Ancient Gear Megaton Golem), or (Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem)—were unlocked, it should be enough to Duel Jaden.
Croquet, temporarily assigned to handle the negative news of "KaibaLand's Virtual Projection System causing children to fall unconscious," stood calmly between Hayato and Jaden, adjusting his sunglasses. He truly hadn't expected to return to his old profession—a Judge.
"Then the First Turn is yours, Jaden."
"Duel!" x2
[Jaden: 4000 LP]
[Hayato: 4000 LP]
Both simultaneously Activated their Duel Disks, and Jaden also Drew a Card from his Deck.
"(Elemental HERO Clayman)? Its ATK is so low, but its DEF is quite good." After glancing at the Drawn Card, Jaden looked at the rest of his Hand.
Since he couldn't conduct a Battle in the First Turn, all Jaden had to do was set up a defense as much as possible to withstand Hayato's potential Attack and wait for a Counterattack on the Next Turn. In that case, (Elemental HERO Clayman), with the highest DEF, was the best choice.
"I Summon (Elemental HERO Clayman) in Defense Position, then Set two Cards. End Turn."
On Jaden's Field, a clay figure, almost three times Jaden's height and half a head taller than Hayato, rose from the Card. Its thick arms crossed over its chest, crouching in Defense.
[ (Elemental HERO Clayman) ] [ Level 4 / Earth ]
[ Warrior-Type / Normal Monster ]
[ ATK 800 / DEF 2000 ]
"You look so reliable, (Elemental HERO Clayman)!" Seeing (Elemental HERO Clayman) on his Field, Jaden was quite excited. He couldn't help but look down at the other Monsters in his Hand, wondering what heroic forms they would display.
"You seem pretty satisfied with this Deck, Jaden. Alright, it's My Turn. Draw!"
Drawing a Card, Hayato smiled faintly: "On my Back Row, I Set two Cards, then I Activate the Spell Card, [Storm]!"
"Eh?!"
On Hayato's Field, as he Activated a Card, a ferocious hurricane appeared out of thin air. After Destroying the two Set Cards Hayato had just Set on his Back Row, it swept towards the two Set Cards on Jaden's Back Row.
Jaden's two Cards were Flipped by [Storm]. (Clay Charge), used in conjunction with (Elemental HERO Clayman), and the Summon Trap, (Bottomless Trap Hole), were Destroyed and Sent to the Graveyard.
"Oh no, how could this happen?" Jaden was quite disappointed that not a single one of his two Set Cards on the Back Row remained. But when he looked up, he noticed that two Monsters had mysteriously appeared on Hayato's Field.
"Huh? When did those two Monsters appear?"
Answering Jaden's confusion, Hayato revealed two Cards: "The Trap Card, [Golden Wicked God Statue]. It's a Trap Card whose effect activates only when it is destroyed, not when it is actively played."
"When this Set Card on the Field is Destroyed and Sent to the Graveyard, I Special Summon an [Evil God Token] to my Field."
[ Evil God Token ] [ Level 4 / DARK Attribute ]
[ Fiend-Type / Token ]
[ ATK 1000 / DEF 1000 ]
"There are two Level 4 Monsters on the Field, here I go, Jaden!" Hayato Drew a Card from his Hand. "I Tribute Summon by Tributing the two [Evil God Tokens] on my Field! The ultimate creation of ancient civilization Revives here! Appear!"
"(Ancient Gear Golem)!"
As the two [Evil God Tokens] dissipated into golden light, accompanied by the sound of gears turning, a Machine Giant whose lower leg alone was taller than Hayato slowly rose on Hayato's Field. Although it seemed ancient, its exaggerated size indicated that this Monster was no mere Fodder Monster.
[ (Ancient Gear Golem) ] [ Level 8 / Earth ]
[ Machine-Type / Effect ]
[ ATK 3000 / DEF 3000 ]
A full 3000 ATK, on par with (Blue-Eyes White Dragon), the standard ace monster power for a rival character. And unlike a vanilla monster like (Blue-Eyes White Dragon), (Ancient Gear Golem) possesses quite practical Effects.
"When (Ancient Gear Golem) declares an Attack, neither player can Activate Spell Cards or Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step." Hayato said, raising his arm. "Furthermore, (Ancient Gear Golem) has Piercing Battle Damage capability."
"When attacking a Monster in Defense Position, any ATK that (Ancient Gear Golem) has above the Defense Position Monster's DEF is inflicted to the opponent's Life Points!"
Hearing this Effect, Jaden looked quite surprised: "What?! You mean—"
"That means, even if your (Elemental HERO Clayman) is in Defense Position, it can't protect you from taking Damage." Hayato waved his raised hand forward. "Enter Battle Phase! (Ancient Gear Golem), Attack (Elemental HERO Clayman)!"
"Machine Fist Smash Attack!"
Presuming that the Attack move names of Duel Monsters were not copyright protected, Hayato once again appropriated (Obelisk the Tormentor)'s Attack move.
(Ancient Gear Golem) raised its iron fist, which was slightly larger than the entire (Elemental HERO Clayman), and brought it down heavily. Without any Card support, (Elemental HERO Clayman) was instantly Destroyed and Sent to the Graveyard, and Jaden consequently took Damage.
[Jaden: 4000 → 3000 LP]
"I Set two Cards. My Turn ends." Hayato Set a Card from his Hand, thus ending his Turn.
"Woah! (Ancient Gear Golem) is way too strong!" Jaden took a small step back from the simulated impact, but his gaze towards (Ancient Gear Golem) was filled with fighting spirit.
The powerful Duel Monster instead ignited Jaden's fighting spirit. He couldn't wait to defeat the formidable enemy before him, completely forgetting Hayato's earlier advice to "find the fun in Dueling."
Because of his soaring fighting spirit, in Hayato's vision, the blurry figure of (Yubel) beside Jaden also became somewhat clearer. Synchronizing with Jaden's movements, (Yubel) and Jaden together Drew a Card from the Deck.
"My Turn, Draw!" Jaden, completely oblivious to what had just happened, showed an excited expression when he saw the Card he had Drawn.
"Alright, I've Drawn the Card that can defeat (Ancient Gear Golem)!" Jaden, filled with joy, played a Card from his Hand. "This Card is the stage for the heroes' Battle! I Activate the Field Spell Card, (Skyscraper)!"
As Jaden Activated the Field Spell Card, countless towering buildings rose within the Duel Field, surrounding the massive (Ancient Gear Golem). Jaden then played the decisive Card he had prepared.
"Activate the Spell Card, (Polymerization)! I Send (Elemental HERO Burstinatrix) and (Elemental HERO Wingman) from my Hand to the Graveyard as Fusion Material!" A Fusion Monster Card appeared in Jaden's hand, which he placed on his Duel Disk. "Come forth, my favorite Elemental HERO!"
"(Elemental HERO Flame Wingman)!"
Looking at (Flame Wingman) standing tall atop the (Skyscraper), Hayato felt his DNA stir. The only flaw at this moment was probably the absence of Jaden's iconic Execution Melody.
[ (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman) ] [ Level 6 / Wind ]
[ Warrior-Type / Fusion / Effect ]
[ ATK 2100 / DEF 1200 ]
"(Elemental HERO Flame Wingman)'s ATK is 2100, but with the help of the Field Spell Card, (Skyscraper), when an Elemental HERO Monster Attacks a Monster with higher ATK, it gains 1000 ATK!"
Jaden excitedly waved his hand and ordered: "Here I go, Mr. Hayato! I use (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman) to Attack your (Ancient Gear Golem)!"
"Skyscraper Strike!"
"Cha!" Receiving Jaden's Attack command, (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman) leaped from the top of the (Skyscraper), gliding towards (Ancient Gear Golem) using a single wing. It adjusted its posture mid-air, striking a flying kick pose.
[ (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman) ] [ ATK 2100 → 3100 ]
However, after glancing at (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman), Hayato quickly averted his gaze from it, looking instead at the eagerly expectant Jaden.
"While I'm certainly interested in classic reenactments, unfortunately, I have no intention of being Attacked by you, (Yubel)."
Hayato was quite sensitive to dark energy. He immediately sensed the power of (Yubel) wrapped around (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman). Being struck by this power would be no different from being injured in a Shadow Game.
While the boosted (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman) would only inflict 100 points of Battle Damage to Hayato, (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman)'s Effect deals damage equal to the Destroyed Monster's ATK to the opponent after Destroying it. The subsequent 3000 points of Damage was the main threat; its nickname, "3000 ATK Slayer," wasn't for nothing.
A professional Duelist like Hayato would be fine, but if an ordinary person like Chazz Princeton were hit by that Attack, merely falling unconscious would be the least of their worries.
Since (Yubel) was starting to play dirty, it wouldn't be excessive for Hayato to "slightly" counterattack. Rather, Hayato's Duel with Jaden had the secondary goal of teaching him to "enjoy the fun in Dueling"; his main objective was to "solve the Yubel problem."
"Well done, Jaden! It seems giving you the Elemental HEROes was the right decision." Hayato gave a thumbs-up in Jaden's direction, then rotated his wrist, pointing his finger downwards. "But, to defeat me, you're still twenty thousand years too early!"
"Let me show you an adult's Duel! I Activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, (Limiter Removal)!"
Under Jaden's surprised gaze, (Ancient Gear Golem)'s exposed, slowly turning gears suddenly began to spin faster. The originally heavy and sluggish (Ancient Gear Golem)'s movements abruptly became like those of a gymnast, nimbly pushing off a nearby building and striking a flying kick pose, just like (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman)!
[ (Ancient Gear Golem) ] [ ATK 3000 → 6000 ]
As the old saying goes, a left kick always loses. And from Judge Croquet's perspective, Jaden was indeed on his left.
(Yubel), who had imbued (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman) with power and intended to get revenge on Hayato for hurting her beloved Jaden, saw the situation worsen and tried to withdraw. But at that moment, the (Millennium Ring) on Hayato's chest shone brightly.
"You dare offend the Abbot and still think you can leave? At least entertain me with your wails, Being of No Light!" Paying the last 500 DP from his guaranteed stock to initiate a Shadow Game, Hayato precisely captured (Yubel)'s presence. Due to the rules of the Shadow Game, (Yubel) was now completely unable to escape!
At the same time, (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman) and (Ancient Gear Golem), with a size difference akin to Kamen Rider and Ultraman, collided. Even with (Skyscraper)'s boost, (Elemental HERO Flame Wingman) was instantly Destroyed and Sent to the Graveyard. As (Yubel)'s substantial power was shattered, a massive amount of Battle Damage was also dealt to Jaden.
"Eek!" Falling on his rear, sweat beaded on Jaden's forehead. "So, so strong! As expected of Mr. Hayato!"
Although he had awakened the ability to see Duel Monster Spirits, he was completely unaware that (Yubel) had just suffered a major setback.
[Jaden: 3000 → 100 LP]
"What's wrong, Jaden? Are you scared? Because you can't achieve Victory?"
Jaden shook his head: "No, it's not that. I think I finally understand, Mr. Hayato. You actually wanted to tell me that the ultimate goal in Duel Monsters isn't simply to be the victor, but to have a goal that pushes you to become stronger, right?"
Hayato raised an eyebrow: "Who told you that?"
"I was clearly trying to tell you that there's a lot more to Dueling than just Victory." With a triumphant smile, Hayato Activated the Set Card in his Back Row. "I Activate the Trap Card, (Ring of Destruction)! I Destroy (Ancient Gear Golem) on my Field, and both Duelists take 1000 points of Damage!"
"Now! I've reached my limit, I'm pressing it!"
Hayato gave a thumbs-up, aimed at (Ancient Gear Golem), and bent his thumb as if pressing a detonation button.
"Click!"
"Boom!"
[Hayato: 4000 → 3000 LP]
[Jaden: 100 LP → 0]
(end of chapter)
Chapter 368: KC Cup
The effect of Ring of Destruction took Jaden's last 100 Life Points, and Hayato's unleashed Shadow Game also inflicted punishment upon the captured (Yubel).
(Yubel), which had been reaching out to Jaden and hovering behind him like a ghostly presence, seemed to want to grab something, but was completely suppressed by the power of the Shadow Game and sealed back into its card, unable to appear.
Because this Duel ended too easily, only 200 DP were obtained upon its conclusion, which wasn't even enough to cover the cost of Hayato's earlier Shadow Game. Still, it was better than nothing.
Putting away his Duel Disk, Hayato walked over to Jaden, who was sitting on the ground.
Although the primary target of the Shadow Game Hayato unleashed was the (Yubel) held by Jaden, and not Jaden himself, and (Yubel) had also proactively shielded Jaden from a portion of it, it was still a Shadow Game. Jaden, who had lost the Duel, had a slightly dazed expression on his young face.
Chazz Princeton, who had been standing by the Duel Field, still didn't understand why Hayato had Dueled this kid even after the match ended. Just as he was about to say something, his phone rang in his pocket. He answered the call and, upon hearing the news, a smile broke out on Chazz's face. After hanging up, he excitedly told Hayato: "Chazz has woken up!"
"You go ahead, Chazz. I still have a few words to say to this boy," Hayato waved Chazz off. He had anticipated Chazz's awakening, as the culprit who caused Chazz to fall unconscious had just been sealed by him.
However, Chazz waking up so quickly was somewhat unexpected for Hayato. Another one with a resilient constitution, just like Joey.
"Chazz woke up?" Because he was the one who caused Chazz to fall unconscious, Jaden couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and seemed happy upon hearing the news of his awakening. "That's wonderful!"
"It's all because of me, (Yubel) was—"
As he spoke, Jaden suddenly realized something was amiss.
"Ack! Just now, it seems I was only thinking about winning the Duel, just like before." Jaden abruptly stood up from the ground and looked at Hayato with concern, "Hayato-sensei, are you alright?"
"Heh heh, I'm not that easy to defeat, Jaden." Hayato chuckled as he ruffled Jaden's jellyfish head. At the same time, he collected the lingering dark magic from (Yubel) on Jaden's body.
Because Hayato knew the truth behind (Yubel)'s protection of Jaden, while unleashing the Shadow Game, Hayato chose not to destroy (Yubel) but rather to seal it back into its card.
Although it was uncertain how long this Shadow Game would be able to seal (Yubel), at least for a considerable period, Jaden would not harm others through Duels, especially since Hayato had also cleansed the dark energy remaining on Jaden's body.
However, it was ultimately treating the symptoms, not the root cause.
(Yubel)'s source of power wasn't itself, but Jaden himself, whose dark power from a previous life was gradually awakening. As Jaden grew older, the seal on (Yubel) would eventually be reawakened by Jaden's power. Therefore, Hayato genuinely hadn't deceived Jaden; he truly wanted him to experience joys other than victory in Duel Monsters.
However, Hayato wasn't Uzumaki Naruto, a master of verbal persuasion. All he could do was teach Jaden what he considered the most joyful thing.
So, when Chazz, who had awakened and confirmed his body was completely normal, rushed to the open space downstairs from the hospital, he heard two figures, one large and one small, sitting side-by-side at the edge of the clearing, heads bowed, whispering with something in their hands—
"Hayato-sensei, do you want (Mirror Force)? I feel like this card isn't a card an (Elemental HERO) would use."
"You need to change your perspective. An (Elemental HERO)'s mission is to uphold justice and protect the weak. This (Hanoi's Sublime Power) is a card that represents the will to protect."
"Then what about (Solemn Judgment)?"
"What kind of (Elemental HERO) has no means to counter evil? The best way to uphold justice is to thwart evil forces' schemes before they can even unfold."
"I see! So (Bottomless Trap Hole) and (Fiendish Chain) should also be maxed out at three copies, right, Hayato-sensei!"
"Congratulations, Jaden, you've already learned to blurt out answers!"
Looking at Jaden's forty-card Deck, more than half of which were Trap Cards, Hayato nodded with satisfaction. Hmm, while not yet the complete form, lacking the meta-defining (Karma Cut) and the invincible (Book of Moon), it was beginning to resemble an Elemental Trap Hero.
Hayato, you've done too much evil!
While Jaden adjusted his deck, Hayato also took the treasured (Yubel) card from Jaden's hand.
After being sealed by Hayato, (Yubel)'s card became quite ordinary. Not to mention the special sensation of an awakened card spirit, there wasn't even a trace of dark power left. It seemed the dark magic lingering on Jaden was the last thing (Yubel) had left behind.
Although Hayato was quite moved by (Yubel)'s obsessive behavior, leaving power to protect Jaden even when sealed, this didn't mean Hayato intended to let (Yubel) off the hook. He had no intention of changing (Yubel)'s original fate, planning to let it take KaibaCorp's rocket to space, just like in the original storyline.
Letting (Yubel) absorb the power of the Light of Destruction, the biggest boss of the future GX era, and then having Jaden persuade (Yubel) back – Hayato "the Harmer" felt excited just thinking about such a self-serving act.
What, the final boss of GX is Darkness? Excuse me, who is that, truly unfamiliar.
Looking at (Yubel) with its ATK 0, DEF 0, god-tier stats, Hayato solemnly took out a card sleeve and sealed it, then attached it to a Kaiba-style chain and returned it to Jaden: "(Yubel) is a very powerful monster, and I can't solve the problems it possesses for now. In short, if you don't want to hurt others, definitely do not use (Yubel) to duel anyone else, Jaden."
"Even Hayato-sensei has no way to deal with (Yubel)?"
Hayato looked at Jaden, whose expression was a little dejected, and spread his hands helplessly: "Actually, I do have an idea, but I need to find someone to help me first."
"The thing is, that guy has severe duel addiction. If I ask him for help, it will definitely turn into his 'revenge match'. I even suspect that guy is currently using my duel data to play against duel bots."
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
"I am the storm that's approaching~~"
Music full of power rang from Hayato's phone. Hayato looked at the caller ID, which was noted as "Dragon Enthusiast, Duel Bot King" — it was a call from Kaiba.
Answering the phone, Hayato heard Kaiba's low voice from the other end: "Hayato."
"Yo, Seto. From your voice, I get the feeling you're not in a good mood?"
"Hmph, just now, I suddenly sneezed three times. The only possible explanation is that you're speaking ill of me behind my back." Uncharacteristically, the usually unsmiling Kaiba even joked along with Hayato's words.
Quite contrary to Hayato's words, his mood was actually quite good, but he generally didn't show his emotions on his face.
"Not at all, not at all. You know me, I never slander anyone behind their back." Because I'm telling the truth, that's why, hmm.
"Hmph, whatever. Enough small talk, my time is not abundant." Kaiba let out a stiff laugh, clearly not believing Hayato's words. "At this time, you should have already watched the videotape Pegasus sent to you and Yugi, right? To send a videotape instead of just calling, I really don't know what that guy is trying to be mysterious about."
No, no, no, of course it's because Pegasus thinks phone calls aren't as convenient as direct video conversations. Hayato grumbled inwardly. Knowing that Kaiba was superstitious about science, Hayato couldn't be bothered to explain to him that Pegasus also possessed some (Millennium Eye) power.
"Yes, I've watched it. He said he intends to accept your invitation and come to Domino City next Saturday to discuss the joint release of a Forbidden & Limited List by Industrial Illusions and KaibaCorp, and he also invited me."
At this point, Hayato paused slightly: "Theoretically speaking, even if it's to discuss specific regulations, Pegasus has absolutely no need to travel thousands of miles to Japan. Furthermore, he specifically invited Yugi and me to sign the Industrial Illusions share transfer agreement."
"Adding that, Seto, you also specifically called me. Let me guess, what you're announcing next Saturday should be far more than just the Forbidden & Limited List, right?"
Kaiba's light chuckle came from the other end of the phone: "It's indeed less effort talking to you than to a mediocre duelist. You'll find out anyway, so telling you in advance doesn't matter."
"The Battle City tournament was quite successful. Both KaibaCorp's Solid Vision licensing fees and Industrial Illusions' card sales have increased globally. The Domino City government also received a large sum of tax revenue due to the influx of numerous outsiders. I plan to strike while the iron is hot, before the enthusiasm for Battle City fades, and hold another Duel Monsters tournament."
"However, with a high-quality Duel Monsters tournament like Battle City already setting the standard, I plan to revise the rules, making it open to all, to maximize the popularity of Duel Monsters."
Hayato retorted: "To put it another way, KaibaCorp's 'scarcity marketing' for Duel Disks is over, and now you can start mass shipping to recover costs, right?"
"Hmph, if you insist on thinking that, it's your business." Kaiba didn't confirm, but he didn't refute Hayato's statement either, as it was indeed one of his objectives.
Hayato thought for a moment: "But if it's a duel open to all, you won't be able to freeload on popularity with Battle City's Card Gambling Rules anymore. If there isn't enough appeal, don't end up with a pathetic number of participants. After all, not everyone is satisfied just by dueling, like you."
"Also, you just said it's less effort talking to me than to a mediocre duelist. Have you also called Joey? That's unusual."
"While he's a mediocre duelist, he's at least a second-rate duelist, stronger than some fourth-rate duelists, and can somewhat improve the quality of a duel." Kaiba spoke with disdain for Joey, but if he truly looked down on him, he wouldn't have given Joey cards after the Semi-finals. Such a tsundere.
"Competing against duelists with some renown, and the champion getting the right to duel the King of Games, I think these should be attractive enough for ordinary people who dream of making it big overnight."
Pausing, Kaiba added: "There's also a champion's prize money of 5 million yen, 3 million yen for the runner-up, and 1 million yen for third place."
"That last one is the most attractive, isn't it?" Hayato quipped. "I was just wondering how you were going to tempt Joey; now I understand."
"Kaiba, you can't order me around, I'm not your subordinate!" Joey probably wanted to say that at the time, but Kaiba offered too much.
"But Kaiba, you said the champion of this match can duel the King of Games?" Hayato narrowed his eyes, sensing an opportunity to leverage. "I wasn't aware I had agreed to this."
"If the champion comes to you to claim their prize, only to find out you haven't consulted me about this, the impact on KaibaCorp could be immeasurable."
A slight silence came from Kaiba on the other end, then he chuckled: "Are you forgetting something? I never said that as the organizer, I wouldn't participate. Anyway, the first place can only be me, so whatever the champion's prize card is, it doesn't matter, because it will only fall into my hands."
This familiar overconfidence, it was indeed Kaiba. Hayato couldn't help but remind him: "You're the one who forgot something, aren't you? While Joey winning against you is pretty far-fetched, where do you get the confidence that you can definitely beat Yugi?"
Hearing Hayato's words, Kaiba on the other end of the phone sounded as if he had been waiting for this question for a long time, and smugly declared: "Even with (Obelisk the Tormentor) in hand, I couldn't be certain I could definitely beat Yugi. But now, I am no longer what I once was. With the stronger power I've gained in my deck, I can be 1000% confident that I can defeat Yugi!"
"And then it will be your turn; I will absolutely take the title of King of Games from your hands! Don't you dare fear my mighty power and avoid the match, Hayato!"
As he spoke, Kaiba looked at a card placed beside him.
With this card, I possess the power to decide the future. Any misfortune I refuse to accept will move away from me. Holding this card, I will be blessed with eternal and absolute luck.
I will become the King of Games. The King of Games will surely be mine, Kaiba's, for the taking!
Hearing Kaiba's confident declaration, Hayato also smiled: "Since you've put it that way, fine, I'll attend next Saturday's press conference to show my support. But I won't help you for free. As a trade, after I defeat that lucky champion, you'll have to do me a small favor, Kaiba."
"Hmph, you can ask for anything you want, but only if you can defeat me, if you can defeat me, who will become the champion of this 'KC Cup'."
With that, Kaiba hung up the phone.
"It is indeed the KC Cup. But from Kaiba's words, Industrial Illusions and KaibaCorp are teaming up? Although it's not the first time, for two corporations that were fiercely battling each other tooth and nail not long ago to cooperate so harmoniously, it goes to show that in business, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests."
Putting his phone away, Hayato muttered to himself and turned around, only to see Chazz and Jaden Yuki looking at him with eager expressions.
"KC Cup…"
"Champion…"
"Duel the King of Games!"
Chazz, who had been quite annoyed with Jaden earlier, synchronized his movements with Jaden, saying in unison: "Hayato-sensei, we want to participate in the KC Cup too!"
Hayato looked at Jaden and Chazz, whose expressions were incredibly sincere, as if they would evolve from a "humble craftsman's spirit" to a "Dogeza Alien" if he didn't agree. He stroked his chin, a slight smile on his lips. "Participate, you can all participate."
Kaiba's recent words had given Hayato a good idea.
----Kaiba is creating cards----
Under the influence of the Crimson King's power, time flew by, and several days passed in the blink of an eye.
On Saturday morning, a press conference jointly organized by KaibaCorp and Industrial Illusions officially commenced in front of the newly completed Domino City Sports Center, which was contracted by KaibaCorp.
At the press conference, the two champions of Duelist Kingdom – Hayato and Yugi – attended and formally signed a share transfer agreement with Mr. Pegasus, the 100% owner of Industrial Illusions, genius game designer, father of Duel Monsters, and one-eyed, silver-haired, childish foreigner (crossed out). Each acquired 30% of Industrial Illusions' shares.
Subsequently, Pegasus and KaibaCorp Vice President, Mokuba, jointly announced a new Duel Monsters rule called "Master Rule," which placed restrictions and modified effects on some Duel Monsters cards. Cards such as (Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End) and (Yata-Garasu) were listed as forbidden cards and not allowed to be used in official duels.
While powerful, cards like (Card of Safe Return), whose impact was not as significant as forbidden cards, were designated as limited cards, with only one copy allowed per deck.
Just as the press conference concluded, and reporters began compiling their articles, preparing to leave the venue, a sudden wind picked up over the venue grounds, accompanied by the roar of helicopter propellers, growing stronger and stronger.
Under the accustomed gazes of Hayato, Yugi, and Mokuba, Kaiba stood by the cabin door of a (Blue-Eyes White Dragon)-shaped helicopter, one hand gripping the handrail, the other pressing an earpiece to his ear. His voice boomed from the venue's speakers: "The most important news, it couldn't possibly be saved for last."
"Duelists watching this press conference, do you remember Battle City not long ago? Do you regret not making it to the Top 8 to contend for the supreme throne with the King of Games?"
"Do you want to experience again the wonderful collision of fiery duelist souls with top-tier duelists? Then celebrate, for your chance has come!"
"The blazing duel tournament is about to begin again! One week from now, jointly organized by KaibaCorp and Industrial Illusions, the largest Duel Monsters tournament in history will kick off in San Francisco, USA! So, celebrate once more for the fierce duels that are about to ignite again!"
Kaiba's white trench coat flapped wildly in the wind as he stood by the helicopter. Hayato truly couldn't understand if Kaiba had some strange preference for helicopters, why he always had to stand on one whenever he announced a Duel Monsters tournament.
But seeing Kaiba's trench coat, Hayato suddenly understood. Perhaps it was because the airflow from a helicopter was strong, and his trench coat would look cool when blown by the wind?
The other three in the press conference seats, though also focused on Kaiba's mode of transport, found the main point of contention to be its external design. They probably also thought traveling by helicopter was cool?
"Kaiba's aesthetic, it's still so... uh, unique?" Yugi's words, it had to be said, were extremely tactful.
Even Mokuba looked helpless: "I specifically reminded brother before I left not to use that helicopter. KaibaCorp isn't lacking in normal helicopters..."
Pegasus, on the other hand, was quite interested in the (Blue-Eyes White Dragon)-shaped helicopter in the air: "What, Kaiba-boy's helicopter is super kawaii, Oh My God, me thinks such a helicopter is simply a work of art, it makes one feel Funny!"
Kaiba, in mid-air, naturally couldn't hear the murmurs of those on the ground. As he braved the cold wind, he began to outline the KC Cup's procedures.
First, compared to Battle City, the KC Cup had no restrictions on a duelist's deck quality or dueling skill. As long as your deck composition was correct, met the 40-card requirement, and you had a functioning Duel Disk, you could register for the match. However, at the same time, the KC Cup also added a preliminary round. Only by gaining enough points through duels in the preliminary round could one qualify for the official match and gain fame by appearing in the live-streamed match.
With Battle City as a trial run, this KC Cup boldly expanded the number of participants in the official match to a full 64 people, dividing the official duelists into four groups—A, B, C, and D—each with sixteen participants. Duelists would duel in pairs to determine the strongest in each of the four groups, followed by the Semi-finals and Finals to decide the KC Cup champion.
It could be said that Kaiba had thoroughly mastered the entire match aspect. Setting aside the profits from Duel Monsters' boosted popularity, the television broadcasting alone during the KC Cup's duration would generate a huge sum of money.
Furthermore, even if someone wanted to try their luck, hoping to go from rags to riches and compete for the champion's 5 million yen prize money, they would first have to buy a Duel Disk monopolized by KaibaCorp. Kaiba was truly raking it in.
"Wait and hope, duelists!" Kaiba's speech reached its final sentences. "Whether it's wealth or honor, everything awaits you on the King of Games' throne!"
"Show your fangs towards the throne!"
"Ooooooh!!!"
Kaiba's (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) helicopter flew away from above the press conference, leaving behind the audience, stirred up by Kaiba, staring at Hayato like hungry wolves eager to devour. Even Hayato felt a chill run down his spine from their gazes.
Only then did he realize: Wait a minute, I've never heard of any honor or wealth on the King of Games' throne before?
Damn it, that bastard Kaiba must have skimmed off the top!
The author's thanks to "user ID 150907180610929" for 10 times 100 points, totaling 1000 points. Thank you, brother, it's already 1000%!
This chapter is a three-in-one. Asking for recommendations as usual this weekend (hinting to vote for recommendations on Monday, since it resets weekly).
(end of chapter)
Chapter 369: Bringing Smiles Through Duels
In front of the KC Cup registration, the Industrial Illusions staff member squinted, his glasses glinting behind his sunglasses, confirming that the deck displayed by the man in the neat suit had no major issues.
A basic forty-card deck, with the exception of one [Card of Demise], contained no limited cards and no forbidden cards were included. Coupled with a Duel Disk, which was one of the entry qualifications, this person's eligibility should be completely fine.
"Dan... Kuroto?" The staff member awkwardly pronounced the name written on the registration form by the man in the suit, stamped a piece of paper, and looked suspiciously at the man. "I seem to have met you somewhere..."
"Hello, little bao, sorry, goodbye!"
The man in the suit had no intention of staying there to let the staff member recall who he was. After retrieving his deck and the stamped proof of entry qualification, he quickly left the registration area.
Although it was a bit strange who that familiar-looking person was, there were many more people lining up to register. The staff member quickly forgot about the person named "Dan Kuroto."
Sharing the same feeling as that staff member was a pink-haired man in the queue for registration.
'That guy just now looked like an East Asian. Dan Kuroto, was it?' The pink-haired man had good hearing and heard the name the staff member just said. He could be sure he had no impression of the name "Dan Kuroto," but like the staff member, he felt he had seen "Dan Kuroto" somewhere before.
However, he didn't delve deeper, thinking it was probably because East Asians all looked similar to him, which was why he found "Dan Kuroto" familiar.
"By the way, Alister, didn't you hate KaibaCorp? Why would you want to participate in this tournament?"
"Hmph, you can guess without even thinking, Rex. My goal has always been a singular one: Seto Kaiba. The champion's prize money is a whopping 5 million Yen. While it's not US Dollars, I believe even Seto Kaiba would feel the pinch losing such a large sum."
Tilting his head slightly, the pink-haired man saw two men in strange attire chatting. The red-haired man's words revealed a kind of hostility towards KaibaCorp, and specifically towards Seto Kaiba.
'Heh heh, you can't stand KaibaCorp either? But that's how utterly ignorant. What's 5 million Yen to begin with?' The pink-haired man turned his head away, not looking at the two men.
In the middle of winter, one was wearing only a thin, round-necked shirt inside an open trench coat, while the other was wearing studded armor that one only saw at anime conventions. Neither looked like a normal person.
To make me, Siegfried, the esteemed chairman of Schroeder Corp, a genius inventor, a genius Duelist, Europe's "Undefeated Noble Prince," queue up with such inferior country bumpkins to register, damn you, Seto Kaiba!
"Sheppard?" "Yeah, it's me, sir."
A middle-aged East Asian man in front of Siegfried finished registering and politely smiled at Siegfried behind him as he turned to leave. But Siegfried merely arrogantly brushed off his dark red suit and walked to the registration desk with a cold snort.
He was a noble, after all. Not just anyone was qualified for him to greet.
Picking up a pen, he wrote the alias "Zigfried von Schroeder" on the registration form. Siegfried felt he was truly a genius. 'To think of the idea of registering with a false identity, my talent is truly terrifying!'
"To think of the idea of registering with a false identity, it is indeed my divine talent that is terrifying!" In a deserted corner, "Dan Kuroto" triumphantly removed cards like [Death Stalker] from his deck, which were used to conceal his identity, and replaced them with cards like [Rainbow Kuriboh] that would immediately expose him.
His form flickered, blurring for just an instant. Afterward, a hollowed-out golden disk appeared on his chest, and a golden scepter materialized at his waist.
Casually lifting his hand to push back his falling bangs, who else could it be but Hayato?
Having retrieved his cards from his inventory and made adjustments, Hayato revealed a smug smile. Since that Kaiba fellow was acting unethically, he wouldn't be blamed for acting unrighteously. If the organizers themselves could participate, then it was only reasonable for one of the "championship prizes" to also participate, right?
As for being easily recognized as the Duel King, that was not an issue either. Ever since Marik was diagnosed as being unable to conduct Shadow Games anymore, his [Millennium Rod] became useless. Hayato directly took over the [Millennium Rod] from Marik, under the guise of rent.
The reason Siegfried and the registration staff felt they had seen Hayato but had no impression of his appearance was the effect of the [Millennium Rod].
As the [Millennium Rod], which symbolized brain and thought, it couldn't "mind control" as easily as the [Millennium Eye]. However, simply blocking others from associating Hayato's appearance with their impression of "Duel King Hayato Kobayashi" was effortless.
Because the target of this ability was not other people's brains but Hayato's appearance, it could affect a considerable number of people at once, even those who saw Hayato through a monitor. Of course, Hayato used his real identity when passing through customs.
Quite a few people came to America with him: Tristan, Téa, Joey, Yugi, Duke Devlin, Mokuba, and even Marik and Grandpa Muto had arrived. As for the mode of transport to America? Naturally, it was the rich tycoon Kaiba's new toy – a jet plane shaped like a [Blue-Eyes White Dragon], though unfortunately not the kind that could revive cards destroyed by effects on the field.
Unlike previous tourist groups, among the passengers arriving in America aboard Kaiba's jet this time, aside from the utility character Croquet and his subordinates, Marik, Duke Devlin, Grandpa Muto, and even Téa, Tristan, and Mokuba all intended to compete.
After all, 5 million Yen was just a drop in the bucket for KaibaCorp, but it wasn't a small sum for ordinary people. Of course, the reasons for Mokuba and Tristan participating were slightly different. Mokuba intended to use the "I'm competing too" excuse to show his dueling-addicted brother how much work was involved in organizing a tournament.
As for Tristan, he was simply bored. He might as well join his good friends on the field for fun and see how far he, who had never encountered Duel Monsters before, could go.
Grandpa Muto made a special trip to America for several reasons. Firstly, he had been itching to duel properly after so many years. Secondly, he was also very interested in the 5 million Yen championship prize money. And thirdly, some time ago, his old friend Professor Arthur Hawkins had invited him for a meeting, stating he had found some very interesting archaeological data he wished to share with his old friend.
Just as Hayato was finishing organizing his deck, a voice came from behind him: "I didn't expect to run into a big shot like you here, Hayato Kobayashi."
Turning his head, Hayato looked at the blond man before him and recalled slightly: "You are Regulus?"
"Rafael, that is my true name. This is our second meeting, isn't it, Hayato Kobayashi." The blond man, Rafael, looked at the crowd around them. He wasn't lowering his voice, but after hearing the renowned title of "Hayato Kobayashi" in the Duelist community, no one else seemed to notice them.
Looking at the green light shining from the necklace hanging on his chest, Rafael's gaze swept over the [Millennium Ring] on Hayato's chest and lingered on the [Millennium Rod] at his waist: "So that's it, is it the power of a [Millennium Item]? Truly wondrous."
"Likewise, you also possess a peculiar power that isn't truly yours." Hayato looked at the necklace on Rafael's chest radiating an eerie green light. Was that a fragment of the Orichalcos?
"Then, Mr. Rafael, now that you've recognized my true identity, what do you intend to do?"
"I'm merely here to greet you, Hayato Kobayashi, as the currently recognized strongest Duelist. Now is not the appropriate time to reveal my intentions. After I win the KC Cup championship, then I shall state my purpose."
Rafael said this and was about to turn away, just as he said, it seemed he was only there to say hello. But at that moment, he saw two people approaching him from behind.
"Hey Alister, over there, over there! I found Rafael." The blond, wearing studded shoulder pads similar to Cloud's, called out casually to his companion beside him upon seeing Rafael.
"I'm not blind, Rex." The red-haired man named Alister complained beside the one called Rex, then glanced at Rafael before fixing his eyes directly on Hayato beside Rafael.
"I wasn't entirely sure just now, I thought it was my imagination. Isn't this Duel King Hayato Kobayashi?" As he spoke, Alister inserted his deck into the Duel Disk worn on his left wrist, his face full of fighting spirit. "Let's take this opportunity to snatch from your hands—"
"What are you doing, Alister!"
To Hayato's surprise, Rafael shifted his stance upon seeing Alister's actions, stepping between Hayato and Alister, and sternly questioned him.
The moment Hayato saw Alister insert cards into the Duel Disk, he was already prepared to initiate a Shadow Game.
Although his DP Points had recently dropped to zero, with the help of overconfident American 'helpful citizens'—referring to muggers who thought they were invincible in dueling—his DP Points had returned to four digits. While using them for drawing and pack openings was a drop in the bucket, it was enough to power a Shadow Game for a long time.
"Move aside, Rafael." Alister said unhappily, looking at Rafael blocking his way. "Sooner or later, we'll have to face him anyway. Don't forget, Hayato Kobayashi holds—"
"Since you know it's 'someday,' don't do anything rash before the time comes, Alister!" Rafael had no intention of backing down. "Or are you planning to betray Dartz and ruin his plan!"
Hearing Rafael mention "Dartz," Alister glanced at Hayato behind Rafael, snorted, and reluctantly put away his Duel Disk. "For... Dartz. I'll listen to you this time."
"You dodged a bullet there, Hayato Kobayashi. Hmph!" Alister said, turning around. Without waiting for Rafael or the guy named Rex, he left first.
"Hey, Alister, don't walk so fast alone!"
Rafael watched Alister and Rex leave by themselves. He couldn't do anything about his most radical companion. He turned and looked at Hayato: "Well then, farewell for now, Hayato Kobayashi."
Watching the three leave, Hayato frowned and took out three cards from the card case at his waist: [Slifer the Sky Dragon], [Obelisk the Tormentor], and [The Winged Dragon of Ra].
Although Alister's words were always interrupted by Rafael at critical moments, Hayato knew their target was the Three Egyptian God Cards he possessed.
Regarding the appearance of Doma's Three Swordsmen—that is, Rafael, Alister, and Rex—Hayato was surprised and also a bit puzzled about what Dartz, who was behind them, was plotting.
However, things would sort themselves out. Hayato felt it was best not to overthink things now and to focus on what was in front of him. Coincidentally, a nearby broadcast also began: "No.114514, Dan Kuroto, Please go to challenge arena 4."
"Competitor Number 114514, Dan Kuroto, please proceed to challenge arena 4."
It was currently the preliminary stage of the KC Cup. Participants who registered freely entered the queuing system after completing their registration and data input. After a period of waiting, the system would automatically arrange players with similar points for Duels. The winner gained one point, the loser lost one point. A negative point total meant direct elimination with no chance to re-enter.
After the three-day preliminary round, the top 64 Duelists with the highest points would advance to the main tournament. Because of this, the later one registered, the lower the chance of qualifying. Thus, shortly after the preliminaries began, the registration area had an exaggerated queue comparable to a CP exhibition.
When Hayato arrived at challenge arena 4, he found his opponent already in position. There also seemed to be many of the opponent's fans around, cheering his name:
"DD!" "DD!" "DD!"
If it weren't for the fervent expressions on the surrounding spectators' faces, just by hearing the pronunciation of "DD," Hayato might have thought the audience was actually calling the bespectacled man on the field a "little brother" (idiot).
Watching Hayato walk step by step onto the Duel Stage, the "DD" enjoying the audience's cheers turned his head. Seeing that the person named "Dan Kuroto" was merely a somewhat tall kid, he couldn't help but reveal a contemptuous smile.
"How strange, you look somewhat familiar, kid? Well, it doesn't matter, because you're about to face defeat, to be beaten by me, D.D.!"
"D.D.? Never heard of it." Hayato felt as if he had heard this name somewhere. Perhaps [D.D. Crow]? Why would anyone be named "Different Dimension"?
"You haven't even heard of my name, D.D.? Tsk, seems you're not from around here. I don't know why I'd be matched with someone like you." D.D. arrogantly raised his chin and held up five fingers. "In five turns, I'll finish you and secure my next consecutive win!"
"Duel!" x2
["Dan Kuroto": 4000 LP]
[D.D.: 4000 LP]
"I'll take the First Turn! Draw!" D.D. seized the initiative and drew a card. Upon seeing the card he drew, his face couldn't help but break into a smug smile.
"I activate the Spell Card [Unexpected Dai]! Since I control no monsters, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from my Deck." Playing a card from his hand, D.D. retrieved a card from his deck and summoned it. "I Special Summon [Death Stalker]!"
Hayato on the field didn't feel much, but the spectators off the field became excited.
"It's here, [Death Stalker]!"
"I heard it's an Ace Monster card that the Duel King used very early on!"
"As expected of Mr. D.D., who is rapidly rising in the professional dueling world!"
Although Hayato's hidden identity played a part, it was truly dramatic that the audience was fanatically cheering for another Duelist using Hayato's former cards, while the Duel King himself stood right there.
[Death Stalker] [Level 3 / DARK]
[Warrior-Type / Normal]
[900 / 800]
"Hey, kid named Dan Kuroto, over there, judging by your expression, you don't seem too bothered by this [Death Stalker]?" D.D. noticed the helplessness in Hayato's eyes and spoke up, "Let me teach you the dueling style of a seasoned professional Duelist."
"Every monster has its unique purpose!" As he said this, D.D. played a card from his hand. "Spell Card [Ties of the Brethren]!"
"I pay 2000 Life Points! I can activate this card by targeting one monster I control with Level 4 or lower. I Special Summon two monsters from my Deck that have the exact same Type, Attribute, and Level as that monster, but different card names!"
"Come forth, [Evil Nameless Warrior] and [Female Night Demon Warrior]!"
[D.D.: 4000 → 2000 LP]
As D.D. lavishly spent half his Life Points, two more Level 3 monsters of DARK Attribute and Warrior-Type were Special Summoned to his field, following [Death Stalker].
[Evil Nameless Warrior] [Level 3 / DARK]
[Warrior-Type / Normal]
[1000 / 500]
[Female Night Demon Warrior] [Level 3 / DARK]
[Warrior-Type / Normal]
[900 / 700]
To be honest, Hayato could somewhat understand D.D. using [Unexpected Dai] to Special Summon [Death Stalker] as a stepping stone for a Tribute Summon. But spending a full 2000 points just to summon two more vanilla monsters on the field? Hayato truly didn't understand this play.
However, D.D. didn't notice Hayato's confusion and mistakenly thought the young kid was stunned by his spectacular move: "Although after activating [Ties of the Brethren], I cannot Special Summon until the end of the turn, I haven't performed a Tribute Summon this turn yet."
"I offer my [Female Night Demon Warrior] and [Evil Nameless Warrior] on my field as Tribute to Tribute Summon [Chimera Manticore]!"
As the two monsters were Tributed, the rare card [Chimera Manticore], once used by Chazz Princeton, was summoned. At the same time, Hayato noticed that the man named D.D. had a displeased expression when summoning [Chimera Manticore].
It wasn't out of any aversion, but more like wanting to punch a street boxing machine but being stopped before the punch landed – that kind of frustration from wanting to unleash power and see how strong one was, but being unable to for various reasons.
[Chimera Manticore] [Level 8 / EARTH]
[Beast-Type / Effect]
[2800 / 2500]
Hayato also knew the effect of [Chimera Manticore]: it was to Special Summon monsters Tributed for its Tribute Summon from the Graveyard during D.D.'s next Standby Phase after negating their effects. It wasn't weak, but not particularly strong.
To be able to Special Summon three monsters in one turn and then Tribute them for a powerful monster, honestly, if not for the fact that the Three Egyptian God Cards were currently in Hayato's hands, he would truly believe this guy named D.D. was hiding the power to summon gods.
Of course, monsters summoned by Tributing three monsters are not limited to the God Cards. Joey's [Gilford the Lightning] can also be Special Summoned by Tributing three monsters. Furthermore, summoning [Raviel, Lord of Phantasms] by Tributing three Fiend-Type monsters, and the Three Wicked Gods from the Yu-Gi-Oh manga world, are also summoned by Tributing three monsters.
Now the question arises.
Hayato narrowed his eyes, looking at D.D., whose displeasure had subsided. He remembered another monster that could be summoned by Tributing three monsters, and also where he had heard the name D.D. before.
"I activate the Spell Card [Trade-In]! I send [Death Stalker] from my field to the Graveyard, and draw two cards from my Deck. Then I activate the Continuous Spell Card [Tribute Evolution Zone]." D.D., not noticing Hayato's gaze becoming increasingly dangerous, triumphantly activated a card. "I set two cards, ending my turn."
"At the same time, because I performed a Tribute Summon this turn, the effect of [Tribute Evolution Zone] activates during the End Phase." D.D. pointed to the illusory grid beneath his feet. "Based on the number of monsters Tributed for my Tribute Summon this turn, I can activate different effects."
"If there are two or more monsters, I can destroy one Set Card on your field and draw one card. Since you have no Set cards, I will draw one card."
[D.D.: 2000 LP, Hand 3 → 4]
[Chimera Manticore] [ATK 2800]
[Tribute Evolution Zone] [Set] x2
In one turn, summoning an ATK 2800 [Chimera Manticore] to the field, activating a powerful Continuous Spell Card, [Tribute Evolution Zone], setting two cards, and having two monsters revive from the Graveyard next turn, all for the cost of reducing hand size by two cards and 2000 Life Points. Hayato could grudgingly admit that this guy named D.D. had some skill.
However, having good skill didn't mean having good character. After all, those with both virtue and art are few; even international superstars occasionally have to eat plain cereal, don't they? (Tactical Retreat).
If this guy D.D. was indeed the one from Hayato's memories, Hayato felt it wouldn't be too much to get a little serious in the upcoming duel.
Dueling, isn't it something that brings forth a "roaring" expression?
"Kid, it's your turn." D.D. looked at Hayato, arrogantly extending his palm with his thumb slightly bent. "There are four turns left until your complete defeat."
"Duelists who give countdowns announcing their victory in advance usually meet a rather miserable end." Hayato stated that he was definitely not referring to Bakura, who had disappeared since Battle City. "However, since you're rushing me, then. My turn, draw!"
Looking at the card he drew, Hayato looked at [Chimera Manticore] on D.D.'s field and commented as if appraising it: "If I recall correctly, [Chimera Manticore] has the ability to Special Summon its Tributed monsters from the Graveyard during the next Standby Phase after a successful Tribute Summon, right? It's a quite good card."
"Its ATK and DEF are quite balanced, its Level is the esteemed 8☆, and its design is very cool, combining the wildness of an animal, the dominance of a monstrous beast, and the aesthetic of machinery." As he spoke, Hayato revealed a mysterious smile. "Personally, I think [Chimera Manticore] is not only suitable for staying on the field, but also a good choice to use as food, perhaps?"
"So, you're called D.D., right? I will Tribute your [Chimera Manticore] and bestow upon you this powerful monster!"
"What!?" D.D.'s eyebrows shot up, and a surprised expression appeared on his face. "Tribute my monster?!"
D.D.'s [Chimera Manticore] on the field suddenly felt like a rabbit being targeted by a lion. Although no danger was apparent, its sixth sense told it that it was noticed by some terrifying predator. Its body trembled uncontrollably from fear, even desperately trying to leave its current position.
But just as it managed to overcome its fear and take a step forward, the ground suddenly cracked open. A terrifyingly massive sea turtle burst forth from underground, soaring into the air amidst a flood. And precisely where [Chimera Manticore] was located, it was swallowed whole by the giant sea turtle's mouth, turning into turtle food.
Seeing the giant sea turtle appear, many among the onlookers who were familiar with Japanese tokusatsu exclaimed:
"A... a flying giant sea turtle?!"
"Gamera! It's Gamera!"
"Monsters have descended upon the real world!"
"It's not Gamera, it's Gameciel!" Seeing the giant sea turtle appear, the surrounding crowd was quite terrified, but Hayato was rather excited. "Yabari! What's truly terrifying is my divine talent, hohoho!"
The appearance of the giant sea turtle – "Gameciel" – also startled D.D. greatly, almost making him drop his Duel Disk and run. But upon noticing that the [Chimera Manticore] card on his Duel Disk had been replaced by the [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] that appeared from nowhere, he finally understood that this giant monster was also a Duel Monster.
As expected, after leaping up and grabbing most people's attention, the [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju], having swallowed a large hunk of metal, did not cause destruction like monsters in tokusatsu films. It merely stayed on D.D.'s field, clutching its jaw.
[Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] [Level 8 / WATER]
[Aqua-Type / Effect]
[2200 / 3000]
"The effect of [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] is that it can be Special Summoned from my hand to your field by Tributing one monster on your field." Hayato explained. "As a massive [Kaiju], its negative effect is that only one [Kaiju] can be on a field at a time."
D.D. was very displeased because he had originally planned to use [Chimera Manticore]'s effect next turn to Tribute it and the two revived vanilla monsters, Summon [Gilford the Lightning] from his hand to clear Hayato's field of any monsters, and then use Equip Cards from his hand to boost its ATK to finish off Hayato in one go.
But now, [Chimera Manticore] had become turtle food. The effect to revive Tributed monsters from the Graveyard required [Chimera Manticore] to be on the field, so his plan had fallen through, which was truly frustrating.
At the same time, he also noticed the keyword in Hayato's words: "You said, 'a field'?"
He looked at the [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] that appeared on his field. Its massive size brought a DEF of 3000 and a Level of 8☆. To normally Summon a monster of this Level required two monsters. D.D. didn't believe an unknown kid could possess such skill.
"Yes, because as you can see, [Kaiju] are very large. In nature, when animals of similar size meet, they also compete for territory, and [Kaiju] are the same." Hayato said, drawing a card. "Speaking of which, do you believe in gravity?"
"There is an invisible gravitational force between matter, attracting each other. This is called 'universal gravitation.' And precisely because of this, [Kaiju] and [Kaiju] attract each other!"
"Because you have [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] on your field, I can Special Summon [Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju] from my hand!"
From beneath the water surface summoned after [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] appeared, a red light flared, and with a roar, a giant dragon-like beast with massive wings, resembling a Tyrannosaurus Rex, appeared following the [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju], spitting scorching crimson breath, exuding a kingly aura!
[Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju] [Level 8 / FIRE]
[Dinosaur-Type / Effect]
[3000 / 1200]
Seeing the appearance of [Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju], D.D. revealed a smug expression: "You fell for it, kid! I was waiting for this opportunity!"
"I activate my Set card, [Adhesion Trap Hole]! This card can be activated when you successfully Normal Summon, Flip Summon, or Special Summon a monster, causing that monster's original ATK to become halved as long as it remains on the field!"
D.D. looked smugly at the giant dinosaur monster, intending to witness its pathetic scene falling into the trap. However, before his activated [Adhesion Trap Hole] could take effect, a red light flew from Hayato's hand and returned his activated [Adhesion Trap Hole] face-down?!
"Muda muda! From my hand, I activate [Red Reboot]! Your Trap activation is negated!" Hayato had no intention of giving D.D. a pleasant dueling experience, triumphantly placing his hands on his hips. "This is my divine talent!"
(end of chapter)
Chapter 370: Hero?
Under the effect of [Red Reboot], the Trap Card D.D. had activated on his field was negated and returned to its Set position. Amidst D.D.'s disbelieving expression, Hayato proudly explained:
"While conventionally, Trap Cards need to be Set from the Hand to the Field and activated after waiting a turn, don't try to fathom a God's talent with the mindset of an ordinary person!" Hayato lightly tapped the side of the [Red Reboot] card.
"By paying half of my Life Points, I can directly activate [Red Reboot] from my Hand, negating your Trap Card's activation and Setting it. Simultaneously, you can Set one Trap Card from your Deck onto your Field. Until the end of the turn, you cannot activate Trap Cards."
"If Duel Monsters is a game, this is the 'Reset' I, the game administrator, am imposing on you! All conditions unfavorable to me will be swept away!"
Upon hearing this, D.D.'s complexion turned somewhat grim. It was one thing for [Adhesion Trap Hole] to be negated, but besides [Adhesion Trap Hole], the other Set Card in his backrow was the simple-to-use and effective [Sakuretsu Armor].
But now, not only was [Adhesion Trap Hole] reverted, but [Sakuretsu Armor] also couldn't be activated due to [Red Reboot]'s effect. What was the point of even being able to Set a Trap Card from the Deck?
Annoyed, D.D. searched his Deck for a Trap Card. Upon spotting [Misoperation], he decisively chose to Set it.
'[Misoperation] has the effect to negate a Trap Card's activation and return it to its original state. This is using one's own methods against them. Let's see what an adult can do, you detestable brat!'
Triumphantly Setting [Misoperation], D.D. inwardly sneered, though he feigned an appearance of impotent rage.
"Don't think you can gloat with such tactics for too long. Your monster is destined to be defeated by a Hero, and that Hero is me, D.D.! Bring it on, Dan Kuroto!"
"Not Dan Kuroto, but God Dan Kuroto!" Hayato crossed his arms. "There's no need for Heroes in the presence of a God. I'll bring you despair with this move!"
"First, I equip the Equip Spell Card [Demotion Punishment] to [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju], and then the Normal Spell Card [Tail Whip Attack]!"
As Hayato played the two cards from his hand consecutively, D.D. noticed that although the ATK and DEF of [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] on his field hadn't changed, its aura had visibly decreased significantly.
If the previous [Gameciel] could somewhat stand against [Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju], then now, in front of [Dogoran] equipped with [Demotion Punishment], it could only tremble and bow in submission.
"You can activate this by selecting one Dinosaur-Type monster on my field, and returning up to two monsters on your opponent's field that are in Face-down Defense Position or have a Level lower than the selected Dinosaur-Type monster, to their owner's Hand!"
"Monsters with a Level lower than the selected Dinosaur-Type monster..." Hearing this, D.D. subconsciously turned his head to look at [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] on his field, only to find it coincidentally looking at him with ill intent.
[Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] [Level 8 → Level 6]
After its Level was reduced by 2 due to being equipped with [Demotion Punishment], [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju] was now lower in Level than [Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju], which had just been equal to it!?
D.D. recognized the card [Demotion Punishment], but in his memory, hardly anyone ever included it. This was because its effect was "Reduce the Level of the equipped monster by 2". If it were like [Cost Down], which directly reduced the Level of a monster in the Hand by 2, it would be understandable, but reducing the Level of an equipped monster was completely nonsensical.
"How could anyone possibly include this card!"
Amidst D.D.'s roar of complete incomprehension of Hayato's strategy, [Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju] let out a skyward roar and, with a speed quite unfitting for its massive body, swiftly turned. Its long, thick tail broke the sound barrier in an instant and powerfully lashed onto [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju]'s carapace.
Then, [Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju]'s face contorted into an extremely exaggerated expression of pain, and it let out a low groan as it was bounced back into Hayato's Hand.
After eating my [Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast], it actually escaped?! D.D.'s mind was now filled with classic American curses like "SOB" and "MF" that he wanted to direct at "Dan Kuroto."
Can this person let me duel properly? I want to experience monster offense and defense, not be unilaterally beaten up by your monsters!
Now, Hayato had [Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju] on his field, with an ATK matching the legendary [Blue-Eyes White Dragon], a massive 3000 ATK. Facing this was D.D.'s empty field, and three Set Cards sealed by [Red Reboot].
"This is the punishment delivered upon you for opposing me. The final finishing blow, go [Dogoran]!" With an exaggeratedly low bow, Hayato commanded, "Super Flame!"
Although it was also a giant dinosaur that breathed fire, [Dogoran] couldn't exhale a compressed ball of flame like Agumon. It simply raised its head, then spat its thermal ray directly at D.D., who had no means of resistance, instantly emptying D.D.'s remaining 2000 Life Points.
"Ughhhhhh!!!" The intense heat of the flames and the radiation within the breath inflicted severe pain upon D.D.'s nerves. Although it was a virtual image and not a Shadow Game, and the Duel Monsters didn't cause him actual harm, it was enough to make this weak-willed fellow wail incessantly.
[D.D.: 2000 LP → 0]
At the edge of the Duel Arena, the wailing of one of the Duelists attracted the attention of the Judge hiding beneath the Duel Arena. He poked out a smooth, shiny head, just as his gaze met that of "Dan Kuroto" and [Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju].
"Win, winner, No.114514!"
Not everyone possessed the strong heart of Croquet, who thought, "God Cards fighting in front of me? That's amazing, but what does that have to do with me, a soulless tool?" The bald Judge spoke with a slight stammer, quickly declaring Hayato the winner before immediately retracting his head to avoid being stared at by Hayato.
Watching [Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju] disappear from the field as the Duel ended, Hayato contemptuously glanced at D.D., who had collapsed unconscious from the intense pain in an extremely embarrassing manner, and sneered, "What a weak Hero. As expected, I am the God who presides over this game of Duel Monsters!"
"Wagagagaga~~!!"
Perhaps it was because "Dan Kuroto's" laughter was too demonic, but after witnessing "Dan Kuroto" use a giant monster to OTK his opponent, the surrounding crowd, having recovered from their brief panic, quickly transferred their previous adoration for D.D. to "Dan Kuroto."
"So, so strong! And both the monster and the Duelist himself are so cool!"
"Lord Dan Kuroto!"
"Wrong!" Just as someone in the crowd called out "Dan Kuroto," Hayato suddenly turned, pointing at the blonde girl who had just uttered his name, "Not Dan Kuroto, but God Dan Kuroto!"
As the medical team on standby at the Preliminary Round Venue carried him off the Duel Arena, D.D., who had fallen unconscious from pain, was briefly roused by the cheers of the surrounding audience. Listening to the shouts of "God Dan Kuroto!" all around, D.D.'s eyes fixed intently on "Dan Kuroto" on the Duel Arena, basking in the fervent adoration of his fans, his gaze filled with jealousy and malice.
This should have been mine! I had already won three matches in a row, so why is some unknown nobody who just beat me once getting so popular!
Reaching into his pocket and touching a card protected by a metal sheet, D.D. made a decision – the person who defeated me has no need to exist in this world!
————King Crimson!————
After finishing the day's preliminary rounds and raising his rank to a considerably high position, Hayato managed to shake off the rabid fans and leave the Preliminary Round Venue with his DP Points back in the five-digit range.
Although among his Duel opponents, only the initial D.D. possessed noteworthy strength, and most subsequent opponents were not professional Duelists, the sheer number of matches played throughout the day brought Hayato a terrifying amount of DP Points, even from low-quality Duels.
On the other hand, due to the excessive number of Duels, Hayato also felt quite exhausted and just wanted to return to the hotel he had booked near the Preliminary Round Venue to rest.
His current rank was tenth, and his qualification for advancement was almost guaranteed. There was no need to push himself as hard as he had today in the preliminary rounds for the next few days. This meant Hayato could even start considering how to have fun in the main tournament.
Just as Hayato was contemplating whether to buy [Dark Divine Bird - Smoph], [Last Warrior from Another Planet], [Macro Cosmos], and [Anti-Spell Fragrance] from the Shop to bring joy to other Duelists, a cloaked Masked Man slowly emerged from the quiet street he was walking along.
"I've been waiting for you, Dan Kuroto." The Masked Man seemed to have used a voice modulator, his voice carrying the characteristic static of electronic devices. Apart from a pair of glasses resting on his nose, Hayato couldn't discern any other features from the Masked Man.
However, while appearances and voices could be altered, the ominous aura residing within him could not be concealed.
"Blocking a God's path is a great disrespect. However, if you are an admirer who wishes to pay homage, God is forgiving. D.D."
Upon hearing Hayato call out his name, the Masked Man visibly flustered: "Impossible! How did you see through my perfect disguise!"
"Damn it! I originally intended only to prevent you from participating, but now I have no choice but to take your life, Dan Kuroto!" D.D., his disguise revealed, furiously tore off the cloth covering his face and extended his hand, already equipped with a Duel Disk, from his cloak. "You should blame yourself for being too smart, brat!"
"Go, [Ultimate D]!"
As D.D. played a card onto his Duel Disk, a bizarrely shaped, bloody palm rapidly transformed from ethereal to substantial and attacked Hayato.
But just as D.D. tilted his ear, expecting to hear Hayato's scream, he was astonished to find a sharp jousting lance flying out from the card case on Hayato's waist. It accurately pierced the palm, repelling it and impaling it onto the wall beside the road, even causing visible cracks to appear in the wall?!
"N-Impossible! What is this?"
D.D. had been confident in this attack, but this brat "Dan Kuroto" also displayed Supernatural Power. Amidst his astonishment, his mood worsened even further: "Just who are you!"
"I'm just a fake 'passing-by God'; remember that."
Although "Dan Kuroto" was merely a disguised persona for Hayato, Hayato cared about his character setting and tried his best not to let it devolve into another case of offending a hairstylist.
Looking at the face-down card D.D. had placed on his Duel Disk, Hayato narrowed his eyes. While he didn't understand much about technology, based on the exposed wires and distinctly different color scheme of the Duel Disk worn on D.D.'s wrist, his Duel Disk had clearly been modified.
Other functions aside, judging solely by the fact that he hadn't shown the card in his hand face-up and only played it face-down, the modification direction of the Duel Disk was likely to disconnect from KaibaCorp's data collection network, all to prevent the true nature of the card he held from being exposed.
"If even someone like you can possess Supernatural Power, it's only natural that I, as a God, possess miraculous power." Hayato arrogantly tilted his chin up, trying to glare D.D. to death with his nostrils. "But I am curious, what exactly is the reason for you to attack me, whom you've only met once?"
"Too much talk, Dan Kuroto!" D.D. had no intention of answering Hayato's question. Instead, he slipped the card from his hand into his Deck, instinctively shuffled it rapidly, and inserted it into the Deck zone of his Duel Disk. "If simpler methods are ineffective against you, then I'll resolve this with a Duel."
"Don't think that my strength during the day is all I have. If it's to silence you, I don't mind using this card!"
As D.D. inserted his Deck into his Duel Disk, Hayato also took out his Deck and deployed his Duel Disk. Simultaneously, an intangible energy, distinctly different from the Dark Power Hayato had felt in the past, began to spread outwards from D.D.'s Deck.
Before Hayato could activate a Shadow Game, as if encountering an ancient enemy, the [Millennium Ring] on Hayato's chest and the [Millennium Rod] by his waist simultaneously manifested. Dazzling golden light erupted, instantly suppressing the energy that had nearly spread to Hayato's side.
Compared to the aware Hayato, D.D. acted as if nothing had happened, arrogantly stating: "I've heard enough nonsense about gods and demons. Let me tell you what true adult romance is – being a Hero, Dan Kuroto!"
"Fall into a sea of blood and perish!"
"I refuse! As a deity, I am immortal!" Hayato drew five cards, struck a pose, and declared, "Keep me alive until clearance!"
(end of chapter)