Chapter 371: The Thrill of Updating at the Last Minute
Hayato already knew that the true identity of the card D.D. held was Destiny HERO - Plasma after confirming D.D.'s identity.
Therefore, the true identity of the power appearing on D.D.'s body, the power that contended with the strength of the Millennium Items, was also obvious: it was the Light of Destruction residing within D.D., or rather, within Destiny HERO - Plasma.
Having just dealt with Yubel, only to encounter Destiny HERO - Plasma so soon, Hayato couldn't help but wonder if the Light of Destruction was targeting him and planning to cause trouble.
"I'll take the first turn. My Turn, Draw." After deploying his Duel Disk, Hayato saw that D.D. had no intention of taking the first turn, realizing D.D. didn't want to be countered by him again like during the daytime preliminaries. Hayato didn't stand on ceremony and accepted the first turn.
"I Activate the Spell Card Metal Fiend Sanctuary! I Special Summon one Metal Fiend Token to my Field! Then, I Activate the Spell Card Interrupted Kaiju Slumber!"
This time, Hayato was still using the "pure Kaiju" Deck he used during the day.
"Destroy all Monsters on the Field, then Special Summon one Kaiju Monster with a different name from my Deck to each player's Field in Attack Position."
A Card appeared on Hayato's Back Row, from which a visible sound wave flew out and struck the ground between Hayato and D.D. Immediately after, the ground began to tremble, and two gigantic Kaiju burst forth from the earth!
They were none other than Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju, and Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju, which Hayato used to defeat D.D. in the daytime preliminaries!
Seeing Hayato Summon these two Monsters again, D.D.'s expression showed his terrible mood: "It's those two Monsters again, you bastard!"
Just like the battlefield during the day, Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju, was on D.D.'s Field, while Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju, landed on Hayato's Field. Unlike during the day, the two Kaiju appearing now looked much more agitated.
It made sense; they had been busy all day, finally got to rest, only to be woken by an alarm clock right after lying down. Forget about Kaiju, if it were an overworked office worker, they might have a mental breakdown on the spot. Of course, afterward, they'd still have to respectfully greet the boss who called them in the middle of the night to make a report.
Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju [ATK3000]
Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju [ATK2200]
"The Kaiju Special Summoned by Interrupted Kaiju Slumber cannot change their Battle Position, and if they can Attack, they must Attack."
Saying this, Hayato played another Card: "Then I Activate the Spell Card Time Capsule! I select one Card from my Deck and place it inside, Banishing it face-down from the Game."
On Hayato's Back Row, Time Capsule slowly rose. However, rather than a "time capsule," it looked more like a sarcophagus for an Egyptian Pharaoh's mummy.
"Time Capsule will be Destroyed during the Standby Phase of my second Turn after its activation, and the selected Card will be Added to Hand at that time."
After selecting a Card from his Deck and placing it into Time Capsule, watching Time Capsule slowly sink into the ground, Hayato drew a Card from his Hand and played it: "I haven't performed a Normal Summon this Turn. I Summon Planet Pathfinder in Defense Position, then I Activate its Effect, Release it to Send to Graveyard, and Add one Field Spell Card from my Deck to Hand."
Next to the massive foot of Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju, the miniature Planet Pathfinder appeared for just a moment before being Sent to Graveyard. A terrain report flew out from its remains and landed in Hayato's Hand, transforming into a Card.
After Adding the Card to Hand, Hayato did not Activate it. Instead, he took two Cards from his Hand, aside from that Field Spell Card, and Set them face-down on his Back Row: "I Set two Cards. My Turn ends here."
[Hayato: 4000LP, Hand 1]
[Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju] [ATK3000]
[Time Capsule] [Set Card] x2
Hearing Hayato declare his End Turn, D.D.'s face twisted into a sneer: "Hmph, is that all? Then I shall continue to pass a Death Verdict upon you."
D.D. extended three fingers toward Hayato: "Within three Turns, you will lose this Death-Match Duel and become nourishment for my Ultimate D!"
"My Turn, Draw!"
As D.D. Drew the top Card of his Deck, the power of the Light of Destruction on the Field suddenly swelled, and the Dark Magic of the Millennium Items also grew to maintain balance. However, Hayato also guessed what Card D.D. had Drawn from this change.
"I Drew it, it's this Card!" D.D. seemed very excited, "Indeed, I am the chosen hero!"
"I Activate the Spell Card Blood Note! I Target one Monster on the Opponent's Field. For every 4 Stars that Monster has, I Special Summon one Blood Token to my Field."
A human-skin book opened on D.D.'s Back Row. A wound suddenly appeared on the chest of Hayato's Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju, from which blood dripped onto the ground. Two blood-red slime-like humanoids were Special Summoned.
[Blood Token] [Level 4/Water]
[Aqua-Type/Token]
[0/0]
"Dan Kuroto, I couldn't unleash my full power in public before. Now, I'll use your Life Points, and that bothersome Sea Turtle you put on my Field, to become nourishment for me to become a hero!" D.D.'s expression was somewhat twisted, and he held a Card high in his Hand,
"I Release two Blood Token and Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju on my Field as Tribute, and Special Summon Destiny HERO - Plasma!!"
As if offering three Tributes to a God, D.D.'s two Blood Token transformed into a pool of blood, swallowing Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju. Amidst Gameciel's wails, a humanoid Monster clad in blood-red dragon bone armor gradually rose from the blood pool. An ominous Aura swept across the entire Field; even Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju involuntarily tensed its muscles, seemingly sensing a threat.
Destiny HERO - Plasma [Level 8/DARK]
[Warrior-Type/Effect]
[1900/600]
Despite requiring three Monsters as Tribute, like the Egyptian God Cards, the Destiny HERO - Plasma D.D. Summoned only had 1900 Attack. Forget comparing it to the Egyptian God Cards; even Joey's Panther Warrior could defeat it in one strike.
Of course, a Duel Monster's strength is never determined solely by its Attack; its Effect is the most crucial aspect.
"In front of Destiny HERO - Plasma, no Duel Monster has any meaning to exist! This is the strongest Card in Duel Monsters, and the ultimate Power that best suits my identity as a hero!" D.D. waved his hand excitedly, "Your arrogance shall be crushed by me!"
"Coagulated Blood!"
Following D.D.'s command, Destiny HERO - Plasma's bright yellow eyes gazed up at the colossal Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju. Its broken wings spread, and a terrifying suction force abruptly appeared from its body!
In just an instant, along the fresh wound on Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju's chest, a large amount of blood was drawn towards Destiny HERO - Plasma. D.D. explained triumphantly: "The strongest Power of Destiny HERO - Plasma is its ability to Absorb the power of other Monsters and extract the abilities within their blood."
"Once per Turn, Destiny HERO - Plasma can Absorb one Monster from the Opponent's Field as an Equip Card for Destiny HERO - Plasma, increasing Destiny HERO - Plasma's Attack by half of the equipped Monster's Attack, and gaining the same Effect as the equipped Monster!"
"I won't let you do that! How dare you lay your hands on a God's Monster without the Game Administrator's permission!" Hayato decisively Activated his Set Card on the Back Row. "Quick-Play Spell Card, Mysterious Chinese Pot!"
Before Destiny HERO - Plasma's Effect could fully apply to Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju, a large iron pot, scaled up proportionally to the Kaiju's size, suddenly appeared, covering Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju upside down and transforming it into life energy that surged into Hayato's body.
Due to the disappearance of the Target Monster, Hayato successfully interrupted Destiny HERO - Plasma's Effect Activation; it ended up absorbing nothing.
"Wah-ha-ha-ha, the talent of a God is immortal!" Hayato, who Activated Mysterious Chinese Pot, chose to Gain Life Points equal to Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju's Attack, saying smugly, "Ultimate Power, you say? You're merely dancing in the palm of my hand!"
["Dan Kuroto": 4000 → 7000LP]
"Damn it, don't get so smug, Dan Kuroto!" D.D. was furious at Hayato's attitude.
Mysterious Chinese Pot was a Card Hayato used quite frequently in Duels, and Duelists who could calmly, even smugly, Tribute their own Monsters to "cook and eat" them like Hayato were few.
But that was before Hayato's Deck list was publicly released. Since that list was published, D.D. had encountered Duelists using "Duel King recommended Cards" more than once. Hayato's act of Tributing Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju, only annoyed him slightly, and he didn't connect it to Hayato himself.
But what angered him was that "Dan Kuroto" dared to say he was merely dancing in his palm?
"My goal is to become a hero who stands at the pinnacle and holds great power. I am willing to commit any sin for it, as long as I can obtain the ultimate Power that will help me become a hero." D.D. ordered angrily, "How dare you say that I, who paid such a heavy Cost, am merely dancing in the palm of your hand?"
"Unforgivable!"
"I Activate the Equip Spell Card Axe of Despair and Equip it to Destiny HERO - Plasma! Then, I Declare a Direct Attack on the Opponent Duelist!"
"Bloody Terror!"
Destiny HERO - Plasma [ATK1900 → 2900]
An axe appeared in Destiny HERO - Plasma's hand. With D.D.'s command, Destiny HERO - Plasma leaped high into the air, its sharp axe descending fiercely towards Hayato, as if to cleave him from head to toe!
The only regret, perhaps, was that Destiny HERO - Plasma didn't shout "Destiny HEROes shall never be slaves!" in an appropriate manner, like Hellscream.
"In the name of God, I command you to retreat!" Hayato showed no weakness, activating another Card on his Back Row. "Witness my divine talent, transcending eras!"
"Continuous Trap Card, Swords of Revealing Light! When an Opponent's Monster declares an Attack, I Pay 1000 Life Points to Negate that Attack!"
The sharp giant axe struck Hayato in an instant, sending him flying. Hayato's body was thrown like a doll by the impact, then, like a character in a Death Game, he dissolved into pixels and vanished.
Where Hayato was hit, a green pipe, which would incur a copyright warning from a certain red-hatted character, appeared. Hayato, unharmed, rose from the pipe. Beside him, his Life Points decreased by 1000.
["Dan Kuroto": 7000 → 6000LP]
"It's not that easy to Attack me. My Life Points can be renewed." Hayato glanced at the Life Points System Panel beside him. "So, six more times. But I remember you said you'd finish me in three Turns?"
"Damn it, you troublesome brat!" D.D.'s face darkened. He took two Cards from his Hand. "I Set two Cards. My Turn ends."
[D.D.: 4000LP, Hand 1]
[Destiny HERO - Plasma (Axe of Despair)] [ATK2900]
[Set Card] x2
"Then it's my Turn, Draw!" Hayato Drew a Card, revealing a healthy smile. "As the Game Administrator of this Duel Monster Game, I hereby pass judgment: someone with such limited talent as you is not qualified to experience this Game. In other words, I shall render you obsolete."
"With this Card that proves my talent!"
As he spoke, Hayato played the Field Spell Card he had Added to Hand last Turn using Planet Pathfinder's Effect: "I Activate the Field Spell Card Mausoleum of the Emperor! This is a stage befitting a God!"
After the Kaiju that burst from the earth, the ground surrounding D.D. and Hayato suffered a third assault. A burial ground rose from underground, surrounding both Hayato and D.D. The flickering candlelight created an eerie atmosphere straight out of a horror film.
"Mausoleum of the Emperor?" D.D. frowned. He recognized this Card and knew its Effect. As long as one had enough Life Points to Pay, Mausoleum of the Emperor could substitute for Tributes to Tribute Summon Monsters.
D.D. couldn't help but glance at "Dan Kuroto." Because of the Mysterious Chinese Pot that Tributed Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju, even after using Swords of Revealing Light's Effect once, "Dan Kuroto" still had a full 6000 Life Points. Life Points that ordinary Duelists had to carefully manage, he could squander freely.
Looking at "Dan Kuroto," D.D. guessed he probably wanted to use Mausoleum of the Emperor's Effect to Tribute Summon a High-Level Monster and defeat his Destiny HERO - Plasma while it was weakened without an equipped Monster.
D.D. glanced at his two Set Cards, a triumphant expression on his face. One of the Cards he Set was the Trap Card Absorption Shield. If "Dan Kuroto" attacked with a High ATK Monster, D.D. would gain a huge advantage, recovering a large amount of Life Points.
And to guard against "Dan Kuroto"'s previously used Red Reboot, which countered Trap Cards, D.D.'s other Set Card was Misoperation, which he hadn't been able to use last time. It could Negate the Activation of a Trap Card and return it to its original state by Paying 500 Life Points.
If "Dan Kuroto" used half his Life Points to Activate Red Reboot from his Hand, D.D.'s Misoperation would show "Dan Kuroto" what a hero's strategy truly was.
Under D.D.'s expectant gaze, "Dan Kuroto" looked at his last Card in Hand, a mysterious smile on his face: "The earlier you appear, the earlier you'll face setbacks. The same goes for final forms and Ace Monsters."
"Watch closely, this is how you use this Card!"
The Card in his Hand was slammed onto the Duel Disk. Hayato's body moved stiffly, like a zombie, his hands pointing to the sky: "Beware, the crisis of death is approaching!"
"I use the Effect of Mausoleum of the Emperor! By Paying 2000 of my Life Points as a Cost, I Tribute Summon by substituting for two Monsters!"
"Come forth and stir, Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca!!!"
["Dan Kuroto": 6000 → 4000LP]
The innocent ground suffered its third assault. An Aura that made D.D.'s hair stand on end and filled him with a sense of crisis accompanied the shattering earth, soaring high into the sky. Only pale blue translucent ribbons, like a tail, connected the gigantic hawk soaring through the heavens.
The Monster Hayato called forth was his long-unused Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca. As soon as it appeared, Wiraqocha Rasca fixed its gaze on the sinful Soul within D.D., who stood opposite Hayato.
Hearing the impatience in the hawk's cry, Hayato wasn't in a hurry to launch his offensive. Instead, he looked at D.D. with a smug expression: "This is my divine talent, transcending eras!"
Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca [Level 10/DARK]
[Winged Beast-Type/Effect]
[1/1]
"Attack and DEF are both 1?!" Breathing the air filled with "death," feeling targeted by a Top-tier predator, and awakening the cowardice in his DNA, D.D. widened his eyes, staring at Wiraqocha Rasca's abysmal Attack and DEF, completely unfitting for its exaggerated size.
Because he possessed Destiny HERO - Plasma, which also lacked outstanding Attack and DEF, D.D. didn't judge a Card's strength based solely on its Attack and DEF, unlike other Duelists. He was extremely wary of Wiraqocha Rasca's presence.
"Earthbound Immortal Monsters, like Kaiju, due to their exaggerated size, only one Earthbound Immortal can exist on the entire Field. Among all Earthbound Immortals, Wiraqocha Rasca has the strongest Effect, befitting my divine talent."
Hayato calmly explained Wiraqocha Rasca's Effect: "As a member of the Gods, the Opponent's Spell and Trap Cards are all Negated for Wiraqocha Rasca, and it cannot be the Target of an Opponent's Monster's Attack. Furthermore, Wiraqocha Rasca can Direct Attack the Opponent Player."
"However, if it were only to this extent, Wiraqocha Rasca would not be enough to be the Final Boss in this Duel Monster Game." Hayato crossed his arms over his chest, saying smugly, "Wiraqocha Rasca's last and strongest Effect: Once per Turn, you can skip my Battle Phase and reduce the Opponent's Life Points to 1!"
"This Effect is not Damage and cannot be Countered. Receive this divine Power that even stardust and death must submit to, Polar Star Obedience!"
Just like Destiny HERO - Plasma absorbing Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju earlier, Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca spread its wide wings. A cry, seemingly reaching the depths of the Soul, echoed. D.D. felt his body plunge into an ice cellar; all sensations instantly left his body, and even his Life Points plummeted like a waterfall!
[D.D.: 4000LP]
[D.D.: 1000LP]
[D.D.: 100LP]
[D.D.: 10LP]
[D.D.: 1LP]
"Cough, cough, ugh, heh, heh, heh..." After Wiraqocha Rasca stopped its movement, D.D. knelt on the ground, drenched in sweat, as if he had just completed a full marathon. Sweat dripped from his head like rain, and heavy, roaring breaths escaped his mouth.
"Next Turn will be Wiraqocha Rasca's Direct Attack. Await death's gradual approach in dread," Hayato declared, "My Turn ends here."
["Dan Kuroto": 4000LP, Hand 0]
[Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca] [ATK1]
[Time Capsule] [Swords of Revealing Light]
Shaking his head to regain his composure, D.D. laboriously lifted his head to look at "Dan Kuroto" and the Monster on his Field, which truly deserved the title of "God." He swallowed hard.
Though his heart fiercely resisted, D.D. had to admit that "Dan Kuroto," having Summoned Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca, indeed possessed a Final Boss Aura, akin to a Demon King or Demonic Dragon appearing in the final stages of a Game, just as he had claimed.
Yet, precisely because of this, D.D. felt immense resentment and jealousy towards "Dan Kuroto."
"Why, why can you possess such powerful Duel Monsters!" D.D.'s gaze towards Hayato was filled with malice. "You're just an arrogant brat who thinks he's a God. What have you sacrificed to obtain such great Power?!"
"I have grand ambitions, to become a 'hero' who surpasses all others! For this, I even murdered the person who created Destiny HERO - Plasma, using his blood and sins as the starting point of my legend! I—"
Mid-sentence, D.D.'s expression flickered into momentary confusion. He stopped, a little bewildered, and murmured to himself, "Why did I suddenly say that?"
"Because I believe a fool like you isn't qualified to possess a powerful Card like Destiny HERO - Plasma," Hayato released his hand from the Millennium Rod and smugly raised his head: "Rules can't restrict my divine talent. The Attack of Wiraqocha Rasca just now contained a portion of Magical Energy that amplified your jealousy."
"Now, my curiosity is satisfied," Hayato said, then pointed a finger at D.D. "Not just mine, but yours too!"
D.D. didn't understand why "Dan Kuroto" would say his curiosity was satisfied, but he quickly realized that "Dan Kuroto"'s finger wasn't actually pointing at him, but at someone behind him.
A murderous intent flared in D.D.'s heart. He abruptly turned his head and saw a young boy with an expression of utter disbelief.
"No, no way... why, why is it you, D.D.—"
This chapter is genuinely substantial. Seriously, Blizzard should just go bankrupt. This is my sincere advice as a former Blizzard fan, now anti-fan.
Today, I reminisced about that classic cinematic of Warchief Grommash Hellscream—Grommash cleaving Mannoroth. It was truly epic; Orcs shall never be slaves.
Back then, Blizzard made games with their feet, but now they're worse than making games with their feet.
I remember a saying, "If you must die, may you die well." Blizzard should really just die already.
Then, give WoW to Microsoft, Diablo to Sony, WoW to Steam, and Hearthstone to Nintendo so I can play Cards on my Switch anytime.
(end of chapter)
Chapter 372: Clang! A Shocking Revelation!
"No... no way. Why, why is it you, D.D.—"
The boy's expression was one of disbelief under D.D.'s gaze. "It's not you, is it? The one who killed my father, it can't be you, D.D.!"
Even though he had personally seen the last Duel Monster Card his murdered father had created—(Destiny HERO - Plasma)—appear on D.D.'s Field; even though he had personally heard D.D. admit to committing murder to obtain (Destiny HERO - Plasma).
With the evidence stacked against him, the boy looked at D.D., yet still held a sliver of trust, wanting to hear D.D. explain himself and clear his name.
"Aster..." D.D. looked at the boy, but a smirk slowly crept onto his lips. "Hehehe, ha ha, hahahahahaha!"
"That's right, Aster, I'm the one who killed your father. Do you see? This is the ultimate power I gained after killing your father and becoming a hero!"
D.D. stepped aside, allowing the boy named Aster to get a clearer look at the Monster on his Field. It was the last Card Aster's father completed before his death, (Destiny HERO - Plasma)!
Aster had seen the original artwork for this Card in his father's manuscripts. He already knew about the existence of (Destiny HERO - Plasma) and considered the (Destiny HERO - Plasma)—the only Card missing from the scene of his father's murder—a crucial clue in tracking down his father's killer.
The situation was now clear. D.D. had killed Aster's father and taken the (Destiny HERO - Plasma) Card!
"Why?" Beyond his disbelief, uncontrollable rage appeared on Aster's face. "D.D., why was it you!"
"Why? Heh, what a ridiculous and foolish question, Aster. Don't Duelists only value victory?" D.D. sneered, turning away and ignoring Aster, his gaze instead fixed on (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca) on "Dan Kuroto"'s Field. "As long as a Monster can bring me victory, I don't care what Cost I have to pay to obtain it!"
"Dan Kuroto, the torment you inflicted upon me, I will pay back in full this Turn!" D.D. swiftly Drew a Card from the top of his Deck. "My Turn, Draw!"
"Activate (Destiny HERO - Plasma)'s Effect! Once per turn, you can equip one monster from your opponent's field to this card. This card gains ATK equal to half the equipped monster's ATK!"
His finger pointed sharply at the exaggeratedly large (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca). D.D. laughed maniacally as he commanded, "Coagulated Blood! Let's see how you resist this time!"
(Destiny HERO - Plasma) spread its shattered wings once more, and a blood-red storm enveloped (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca). Even the strongest Earthbound Immortal could only unwillingly be drawn into (Destiny HERO - Plasma)'s body when faced with the power of this storm.
From (Destiny HERO - Plasma)'s wings, parts of (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca)'s body occasionally protruded, as if struggling to escape. For (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca), who had been bound in the Virtual World for so long, being confined somewhere was even more unbearable than being Destroyed and Sent to Graveyard.
Seeing the familiar Effect, Chumley's eyes narrowed. "The last person who used this kind of Monster lost an eye."
"Pegasus? Heh heh, I've heard a little. But how can his (Relinquished) compare to my invincible (Destiny HERO - Plasma)?" D.D. sneered. "Dan Kuroto, feel the power of your own Monster!"
"Polar Star Obedience!"
(Destiny HERO - Plasma) raised its right arm. The dragon-headed gauntlet opened automatically as if alive, and a mass of dark red liquid, sticky like blood, surged out, wriggling and mimicking the shape of (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca)'s head.
As the eagle beak opened, a cry that reached into the depths of the soul assailed them, and Chumley's Life Points rapidly changed!
["Dan Kuroto": 4000 → 1 LP]
"Yikes, you actually used a bootleg without permission!" Chumley was quite annoyed at being hit by (Destiny HERO - Plasma) mimicking his Monster. "O-nore!"
Seeing that "Dan Kuroto" was still so energetic after being affected by the Effect—even though he himself had almost been too embarrassed to get back up earlier—D.D. frowned in dissatisfaction. "Although it has the same Effect, is there still a difference in its actual implementation?"
"Hmph, it doesn't matter. This Death-Match Duel will only be a hero's victory. Your Monsters will also become my Prize Cards by then!"
These words were like a spark, igniting the rage of Aster behind D.D. "Shut up, D.D.! What kind of hero are you!"
Hearing this, D.D. turned his head back to Aster, his face filled with impatience. "Shut up, Aster!"
Along with D.D.'s displeasure, (Destiny HERO - Plasma) on his Field also moved, leaving the Duel Field and reaching out towards Aster!
"Ugh!!"
Aster was just a five or six-year-old child. Unlike Jaden of the same age who had (Yubel) protecting him, he was instantly ensnared by a bloody tentacle extending from (Destiny HERO - Plasma), lifted into the air, unable to move!
"A Duel Monster actually has a physical form!?" Aster's face was filled with disbelief. Why could a Duel Monster touch a physical body? This was practically shattering his worldview!
The impact on teenagers was immeasurable.
"Hmph, a hero? Let me teach you, Aster, that heroes are the embodiment of justice and that justice must prevail—I've never opposed these two points. I simply believe their order needs to be adjusted."
Looking at Aster, who was captured by (Destiny HERO - Plasma) and brought before him, D.D. grabbed Aster's face with a twisted expression and pulled him closer, allowing Aster's eyes to clearly see every detail of his face. "Justice must prevail, because history is written by the victors. That is to say, the victor is justice!"
"As long as there's the fig leaf of 'justice,' any crime can be concealed, whether it's cheating, fraud, or murder. I want to become a hero, in the name of 'justice'!"
D.D. controlled (Destiny HERO - Plasma) to turn, looking at "Dan Kuroto," who had been watching with his arms crossed over his chest. "Aster's father was the first sacrifice in my hero biography, and you and your Monsters will be the second, Dan Kuroto!"
"Set one Card! I end my Turn!"
D.D. Set a Hand Card on the Field. Aster's faint voice reached his ears: "A hero isn't like that..."
[D.D.: 1 LP, 1 Hand Card]
[(Destiny HERO - Plasma) (Axe of Despair) (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca)] [ATK 2900]
[Set Cards] X3
"Come on, Dan Kuroto, weren't you saying you had god-given talent and were the Game administrator for this Duel Monster Game?" D.D. spread his palm, pointing at the captured Aster. "Attack! If you don't care at all about this annoying brat's life!"
"But if you can't, then in the Next Turn, you and your flickering Life Points will vanish with the Wind!"
'If you Summon a Monster, the Card I just Set is (Adhesion Trap Hole), which can reduce a Monster's ATK to half its original value. Even the legendary (_Blue-Eyes White Dragon_) would fall before (Destiny HERO - Plasma) if it triggered this Trap!'
'With (Absorption Shield) to defend against an Attack, and this brat who has completely become my shield, this Duel is undoubtedly my victory.'
Looking at D.D.'s triumphant smile, his face radiating confidence as if victory was already in his grasp, Chumley said helplessly, "Since that's what you ask, I'll grant it. I'll just take that brat's life now."
"My Turn, Draw."
"Dan Kuroto"'s expression was too calm. When he said he would "take Aster's life," his tone was as placid as if he were saying, "Let's go eat yakiniku tonight," making D.D. wonder if he had misheard something.
"What did you just say?"
"Although I don't like repeating myself, I just said I'm going to take that brat's life." Drawing a Card, Chumley showed a healthy smile. "This is a great act of god's mercy."
"I'm kind-hearted; I can't bear to see others suffer. So let me help that brat find liberation!"
"During my Standby Phase, (Time Capsule), which was Activated earlier, takes Effect, adding the Card placed within it to my Hand!"
(Time Capsule), which had previously sunken into the ground, slowly rose from beneath. As the sarcophagus lid opened, a Card flew out and landed in Chumley's Hand.
After catching the Card, Chumley didn't keep them in suspense, directly flipping it over and showing it to D.D. "The Card I added to my Hand is (Change of Heart)!"
"Your (Destiny HERO - Plasma) is a good Monster, but next second, he'll be mine!"
"N-Nani!?"
D.D. had expected the Card Chumley placed in (Time Capsule) to be a Limited powerful Card like (Card of Safe Return), (Pot of Greed), or (Lightning Vortex), or perhaps some High Level Monster Card that worked with (Mausoleum of the Emperor).
But what in the world was (Change of Heart)!?
Taking a deep breath, D.D. regained his composure, remembering the (Absorption Shield) in his Back Row.
"What if you added (Change of Heart) to your Hand? Don't forget, after Absorbing your (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca), my (Destiny HERO - Plasma) also gained the ability to not be affected by the Opponent's Spell Cards or Trap Cards as long as a Field Spell Card exists."
"(Change of Heart) is Negated for (Destiny HERO - Plasma)!"
"Sore wa dou kana!"
Chumley sneered, "As a Game administrator, only Cards that obey my command have meaning. Since (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca) betrayed me, it means it no longer has commercial value!"
"Cards with no commercial value should definitely go out of print!"
Chumley revealed the Card he had just Drawn from his Hand—the Spell Card, (Harpie's Feather Duster).
(end of chapter)
Chapter 373: Be Banished into Darkness Along with the Truth
"Harpie's Feather Duster", a powerful Spell Card that, despite its name, has virtually no direct connection to the Harpie Lady archetype. Although not as rare as "Red-Eyes Black Dragon", it still boasts considerable rarity. Even after giving one each to Hayato and Joey, Mai Valentine still had three copies in her hand.
The effect of "Harpie's Feather Duster" is very simple: requiring no cost, it directly destroys all Spell and Trap Cards on the opponent's field, earning it the title of a "table-flipping" card in backrow destruction.
Of course, in terms of practicality, "Heavy Storm", which can destroy one's own cards as well, is often more useful. However, looking at the current situation on the field, "Harpie's Feather Duster" was more than sufficient.
As Hayato raised "Harpie's Feather Duster" high and slammed it onto the Duel Disk, a giant feather duster appeared out of nowhere. With just one swing, it instantly stirred up a furious tornado, clearing all five of D.D.'s backrow cards in one go!
Whether it was "Misoperation", "Absorption Shield", "Adhesion Trap Hole", or "Axe of Despair" and "Earthbound Immortal Uru" equipped to "Destiny HERO - Plasma"!
"D-Damn it! All my cards are—!" D.D.'s confidence instantly twisted into terror as his fully stocked backrow was instantly cleared by "Dan Kuroto" with a single card. "With this, my 'Destiny HERO - Plasma'—!"
"Huh? What strange things are you saying?" Hayato played "Change of Heart" and, looking at "Destiny HERO - Plasma", whose control had been transferred to his field after losing the resistance provided by "Earthbound Immortal Uru", broke into a wide smile.
"See, 'Destiny HERO - Plasma' is clearly my card, isn't it?"
Not only "Destiny HERO - Plasma" was brought to Hayato's field, but also the young Aster, who had been controlled by "Destiny HERO - Plasma" under D.D.'s orders as a hostage.
"Hehehe, young man, sing praises and glorify the mercy of a god!" As he said this, Hayato waved Aster back, signaling him to move further away from the field. Aster obediently stepped back several paces, standing behind Hayato. "Because the game we are about to play is adult content, only for those eighteen and older."
Although, this statement was not at all convincing coming from Hayato, who was also under eighteen.
Aster obediently took a small step back, watching D.D. on the opposite field with a look of resentment and anger, and Hayato with a confident smile.
Although he always spoke like a chuunibyou, calling himself a god, and his smile was so sinister it made him seem like the villain, at this moment, Aster suddenly felt that this man named "Dan Kuroto" was truly a hero!
Despite just having taken a fatal blow from that scoundrel D.D., dropping his Life Points to a mere 1, he could still smile and create a miraculous victory. Aster couldn't help but feel ashamed of the fear that had risen within him earlier when he heard "Dan Kuroto" speak of "taking his life."
D.D.'s mindset, however, was completely different from Aster's.
With his meticulous backrow defenses wiped out by a single card, and his powerful monster stolen away to the opponent's field, D.D.'s face at this moment was like a mask of agony, his gaze towards "Dan Kuroto" filled with terror.
Seeing that "Dan Kuroto" was about to give the order to attack "Destiny HERO - Plasma", D.D., unwilling to concede defeat, was about to beg for mercy when he heard his opponent "Dan Kuroto" nodding repeatedly as he looked at the "Destiny HERO - Plasma" card.
"Mm-hmm, I see. A card that houses a soul? Truly a genius design. Only cards like this are worthy of inclusion in the game."
"Then, D.D., as punishment for opposing me, I shall reveal your 'truth'!"
As he spoke, Hayato glanced at D.D., then turned to Aster with a smile. "Aster, why would D.D. commit murder over just one card? Why did D.D. become your guardian? Why has D.D. never used the 'Destiny HERO - Plasma' card!"
"There is only one answer, Aster! It is that D.D.'s own kind soul was long ago devoured by 'Destiny HERO - Plasma'. And what now possesses D.D.'s body is an evil soul!"
"What?! Is that so!" Aster, hearing Hayato's words, looked shocked and turned to the bewildered D.D. "D.D.'s body has actually been taken over by evil power!"
"Precisely. Within the 'Destiny HERO - Plasma' card, the kind soul of D.D. told me everything." Hayato feigned a touched expression. "I never expected the truth to be like this. Evil soul, your fate shall be changed by me!"
D.D. frowned. "I'm already dead? How come I don't know? What the hell is an evil soul? I am D.D. mysel—"
"Silence, demon! Do not try to deceive us with your words!" Hayato put on a righteous front. "I will avenge the D.D. who sacrificed himself for justice!"
"The time for judgment has come. The victory of this Duel shall be mine." Hayato commanded "Destiny HERO - Plasma" on his field, "To deliver the final blow using your own monster... Yes, the name is decided!"
"Shit-Don't-Flush Demon Person, Chientara Bloodrain!"
"That's not it, I am actually—!"
D.D. struggled to speak, trying to prove he was D.D. himself, but suddenly, "Destiny HERO - Plasma" on Hayato's field transformed into a blood-red water column in an instant. In the blink of an eye, it struck D.D. in the abdomen, making him unable to utter another sound due to the pain.
Immediately after, the gushing blood gathered towards D.D. again, encircling his body in a semi-transparent sphere. Unable to move, he could no longer utter any words.
Wearing a blade-like Duel Disk, Hayato calmly strode before the blood-enveloped D.D. He reached into the blood sphere, pulled, grabbed D.D.'s head, and brought it close to his own, whispering into his ear, "Just kidding! How could I not know that you are D.D. himself?"
"Urgh!" D.D. had his face grabbed by Hayato, wanting to curse him out, but Hayato's grip was too tight, making it impossible for D.D. to even open his jaw to speak.
"Honestly, scum like you deserve to die. You were just trash to begin with, and out of greed, you stole other people's cards, then killed someone after being discovered." Hayato gripped D.D.'s chin with a look of disdain. "While the Society of Light's manipulation played a part in the final step, the fact that you are scum hasn't changed in the slightest."
"Afterward, to stay updated on the investigation of the case, you scoundrel shamelessly became the guardian of the child whose father you murdered, and even used the other man's father's cards to kill people for amusement in the Underground Duel Arena. It's rare to find someone as despicable as you, D.D."
As he spoke, Hayato released D.D.'s face, but before he could beg for mercy, the blood sphere pulled him back again.
"You should probably thank me. Had your past actions been exposed, you would have only become an object of hatred for that boy, your reputation stinking to the heavens. But now, with my 'help,' that child will remember you as a hero who sacrificed himself fighting against darkness."
"In a way, I've helped you fulfill your dream."
Grabbing D.D.'s shoulders with both hands, Hayato straightened his right leg backward. "Now then, not in the name of 'Dan Kuroto,' but in the name of 'Hayato',"
"Be banished into darkness along with the truth, D.D.!"
With a sudden upward knee strike, the power of the Millennium Items held by Hayato actively participated in the punishment of this duel. As the blood sphere surrounding D.D. exploded violently, D.D.'s soul was completely shattered and annihilated.
"Fuc—" Even his final curse, D.D. couldn't utter.
Along with it, the power of the Society of Light, which hadn't had time to withdraw from D.D. and return to the "Destiny HERO - Plasma" card, was also heavily damaged. With a venomous roar unheard by anyone except Hayato, the power of the Society of Light vanished from D.D.'s body.
[D.D.: 1 LP → 0]
This Shadow Game, initiated by D.D., ultimately ended with D.D.'s demise. And, precisely as the duel concluded, Hayato received the duel settlement rewards delivered punctually by the System.
Having had his Life Points reduced to a mere 1 and ending the game on the fifth turn, coupled with achieving difficult conditions like "defeating the opponent with the opponent's monster" and "taking no battle damage", Hayato received a full 1000 DP this time.
However, to his surprise and pleasure, D.D. had left him a gift—dropping a card, the highest reward obtainable from dueling him: "Destiny HERO - Plasma".
Although the "Destiny HERO - Plasma" Hayato obtained was the Real Card version, losing the ability to "gain the equipped monster's effects", conversely, the Real Card version consolidated the Anime Version "Destiny HERO - Plasma"'s ability to negate the effects of monsters on the field (which required "D-Power") into a single card. Rounding it up, it's neither an enhancement nor a weakening.
Maintaining his usual good habit, Hayato casually took all the cards from the fallen D.D.'s Duel Disk. He glanced at Aster, who was still immersed in D.D.'s death, then took out a few cards and walked up to him.
"The 'Destiny HERO - Plasma' card has been retrieved. However, its appearance is incredibly ugly, not at all fitting my aesthetic." With a look of disdain, Hayato performed a flexible dip, looking down at the saddened Aster. "Answer me, what is your name."
"Is it me?" Aster looked at the lively Hayato and said politely, "My name is Aster, Aster Phoenix, Mr. Dan Kuroto."
"Not Dan Kuroto, but New Dan Kuroto!" Casually changing his name again, Hayato stuffed a few cards into Aster's arms. "These lousy cards are a perfect match for an idiot like you who can't even remember my name. Hurry up and take these cards and disappear from my sight!"
Ignoring the stunned Aster, Hayato's gaze flickered to the face of the man appearing behind Aster, a man who resembled Aster greatly.
What Hayato had just said wasn't entirely false. He hadn't seen D.D.'s soul on the "Destiny HERO - Plasma" card, but the souls of those who perished at D.D.'s hands were all residing within "Destiny HERO - Plasma".
Among them was Aster's father.
However, without the power of the Society of Light, his soul couldn't remain in the "Destiny HERO - Plasma" card for too long. It would be best to let this father watch over his child a little longer.
(end of chapter)
With a finger pressed against the back of his neck, Kaiba stretched his neck, feeling his bones crack as he moved it after holding it in one position for too long. He pulled his gaze away from the computer screen.
Because Mokuba had also registered for this KC Cup, Kaiba couldn't delegate all the trivial matters to him as he had in the past; instead, they had to split the tasks fifty-fifty.
Dealing with customs for the large volume of equipment shipped from Japan to America, renovating the venue within the three days before the qualifiers ended, arranging and designing the event schedule, and more – all of it had to be handled by Kaiba. And of course, the most important thing of all—paying taxes to the tax bureau.
In the "free" America, you could engage in all sorts of illicit activities, join gangs, do drugs, or own a gun, but you absolutely could not avoid paying taxes. For many powerful figures with shady backgrounds, even the FBI showing up wasn't a big deal, but the tax bureau knocking on your door was a serious problem.
Annoyed, Kaiba closed the document. His procrastination kicking in, he decided to put off his work for later. Casually, he opened a folder on his computer, intending to relax for a bit.
Of course, the typical relaxation methods of normal adult men couldn't satisfy the intensely driven President Kaiba. The only way he could truly relax and entertain himself was still—
"Hmph, compared to the Battle City days, have you become more adept at commanding your spellcasters, Yugi..."
Watching the video file, Kaiba let out a sinister smile as Yugi used the combo of "Magical Trickster - Reijin" and "Sage's Stone" to gather both "Dark Magician" and "Dark Magician Girl" in a single turn. He then used "Dark Burning Attack" to destroy all cards on the opponent's field and launch a Direct Attack, clearing the opponent's Life Points.
"But the evolved strongest Dragon-Type monsters in my Deck cannot be conquered by mere magic of that level. Show me more power and ignite my fighting spirit!"
Kaiba scrolled through the mouse wheel, browsing through the duel recordings of the entire day's qualifiers. He had no interest in wasting his precious time on ordinary, nameless Duelists, his gaze quickly scanning for anyone that piqued his interest.
"Sheppard? Top 4 in the Duelist Kingdom? He uses the same 'Cyber Dragon' as that Hayato guy, but focuses on a Burn Damage strategy? Hmph, uninteresting."
"Mai Valentine, that mediocre talent's companion? Useless except for bullying fourth-rate Duelists."
"This guy is called Rex? Just an incompetent."
When he clicked on a video, Kaiba raised an eyebrow and opened it with interest.
In this duel recording, both Duelists were quite obscure in the Duel Monster world. Normally, Kaiba wouldn't have any interest in this duel, but if one of the Duelists was Kaiba's younger brother, Mokuba, that would be a different story.
"My turn, Draw!" In the video, the Indian guy opposite Mokuba drew a card and said smugly in heavily accented English, "Hoo hoo, I didn't expect a brat like you to dare participate in this tournament. You're really unlucky to have run into me."
"Normal Summon the 'Senju of the Thousand Hands'! When 'Senju of the Thousand Hands' is successfully Normal Summoned, I activate its effect to add one Ritual Monster from my Deck to my Hand!" The Indian fellow searched for a card from his Deck and added it to his hand, then said proudly, "I didn't expect to summon my strongest monster on the first turn. Truly blessed by the gods!"
"Activate the Spell Card 'Ritual of Zera'! I will Tribute 'Sonic Bird' from my Hand and 'Senju of the Thousand Hands' from my Field, a combined Level of 8☆!"
"Ritual Summon the 'Zera the Archfiend' I just added to my Hand!"
The Indian fellow's Hand and Field each had a Monster that turned into beams of light. Under the sacred ritual, the monster that descended onto his field, using two Monster Cards as Tributes, was a ferocious demon.
[Zera the Archfiend] [8☆/DARK Attribute]
[Fiend-Type / Ritual / Effect]
[2800 / 2300]
"Hahahaha, tremble in fear before my mighty 'Zera the Archfiend'! I bet you've never seen such a powerful and terrifying monster in your entire life!" The Indian fellow glanced arrogantly at Mokuba, not setting any cards, and said, "My turn ends, brat."
Mokuba saw the Indian fellow end his turn and sighed with a touch of helplessness, "What? I was actually expecting some kind of Combo from you, but is this all you've got?"
"Although comparing your dueling to Hayato's level is a bit much, as my older brother said, you're just a third-rate Duelist using a fourth-rate Deck." With a dismissive smile, Mokuba placed his finger on the top of his Deck. "My turn, Draw!"
"You really give me the confidence to break through! You're nothing special, old man!"
Mokuba's relaxed smile, which showed he wasn't taking the Indian fellow seriously at all, made the latter quite angry. "Arrogant brats are truly annoying! Besides, I'm only eighteen!"
Stroking his thick beard, which had grown due to stimulated development from a childhood spent absorbing the rich periodic table elements from their "Sacred River," the Indian fellow said angrily, "You're saying such condescending things! Do you really think you can defeat me in one turn?"
"It's not impossible, old man." Mokuba flashed a confident smile. Seeing this, Kaiba, who was watching the video, managed a rare smile. The two brothers had the same confident smiles; imperceptibly, Mokuba had grown from a child who needed his protection into someone who could stand on his own.
"I activate the effect of 'Thunder Dragon' in my Hand! I discard 'Thunder Dragon' from my Hand to the Graveyard, and then I can add up to two 'Thunder Dragon' cards from my Deck to my Hand."
"Then I Normal Summon 'Dragon Magician Guardian'. When this card is Normal Summoned or Special Summoned, I discard one card from my Hand to add one 'Fusion' Normal Spell Card from my Deck to my Hand."
"Next, I activate the second effect of 'Dragon Magician Guardian'! After revealing 'Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon' to you, I can Special Summon one of 'Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon''s Fusion Materials from my Graveyard—that being the 'Thunder Dragon' that was just sent to the Graveyard by its own effect—in Face-down Defense Position!"
"Activate the Spell Card 'Tribute to the Doomed'! I discard one 'Thunder Dragon' from my Hand, target the 'Zera the Archfiend' on your Field, and destroy it!"
"Finally, I activate 'Fusion'! I send 'Thunder Dragon' from my Hand and 'Thunder Dragon' on the Field to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials. Come forth, 'Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon'!"
After a series of brilliant moves, Mokuba was left with two cards in his Hand, while on the field, a "Dragon Magician Guardian" with 1800 ATK and the "Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon," which lowered the average aesthetic value of the Thunder Dragon Deck, were summoned. Meanwhile, on the field of the still-boasting Indian fellow, his pride and joy, "Zera the Archfiend," was dragged back into the Underworld, bound by a pile of bandages emerging from the ground.
Glancing at the "Mirror Force" and "Forbidden Lance" in his Hand, Mokuba looked at the stunned Indian fellow and casually spread his hands. "Duel Monsters is surprisingly easy, isn't it? What a pleasant duel, old man."
"Wh-what? How is this possible! 'Zera the Archfiend,' my 'Zera the Archfiend'!" The Indian fellow looked as if he couldn't accept reality. But what did his inability to accept reality have to do with Mokuba? Mokuba was very much like Kaiba in his cold indifference towards strangers. He calmly gave an order:
"Launch a full-scale assault and attack the opponent Duelist directly, 'Dragon Magician Guardian,' 'Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon'!"
Watching Mokuba command the two monsters to completely deplete the Indian fellow's Life Points, Kaiba closed the video with satisfaction. It seemed Mokuba, like himself, had a certain talent in the domain of Duel Monsters.
Thinking this, Kaiba casually closed a participant's profile sheet that was open next to the video.
According to the information retrieved for the Indian fellow's name, he was actually just an ordinary person who couldn't stand the oppression of the high caste in his home country and had run to America after going bankrupt. He participated in Duel Monsters simply because he casually bought a pack of cards, pulled out "Zera the Archfiend," and thought he might be able to get lucky and become a champion.
Regarding Mokuba's duel video, Kaiba felt that watching one was enough to gauge his younger brother's skill level. What truly interested him were the powerful Duelists. And then—
"Alright, the die roll is a six! This means your monster's ATK will be reduced to one-sixth of its original value. Counterattack, 'Red-Eyes Black Blade Dragon'!"
Watching Joey in the video trade blows evenly with some unknown minor character, his Life Points dipping to a critical point below 1000, only to predictably win at the last moment through sheer, unbelievable luck with a Gambling Card, Kaiba's expression turned quite unpleasant.
"Someone who was a Top 4 Duelist in both Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, someone who had once even made Kaiba feel a sense of crisis in a duel—that bastard Joey could go back and forth with a third-rate Duelist like that, wouldn't that make Kaiba look like a total embarrassment?!"
"That idiot, is he the type who only gives his all when his Life Points are like a candle in the wind!" Kaiba no longer wanted to see Joey's silly smiling face after his victory on the screen. Annoyed, he closed the video and continued searching for Duelists worth paying attention to.
For example, Marik, who had once possessed two God Cards.
After finally finding a trace of Marik among the myriad duel recordings, Kaiba watched Marik's duel recording for about five minutes before getting annoyed and exiting.
Marik, in his previous duels, had basically based his strategy around "Summon the God Card" → "Protect the God Card" → "Blow the opponent away with the God Card." Now, after losing both God Cards, Marik's dueling strategy, which lacked a decisive finishing move, had naturally become—
First, five Set Cards in the Back Row, either "Bottomless Trap Hole" or "Sakuretsu Armor," along with "Magic Jammer," using various methods to stall for survival.
Then, provoke the opponent with all sorts of trash talk, tricking them into summoning one or more Monsters.
Once the opponent had two Monsters on their Field, Marik would decisively send a Level 8 monster with 3000 ATK to the opponent's side, followed by "Nightmare Wheel," which prevents Monsters from attacking or changing their Battle Position. This was his strategy of inflicting Burn Damage with Effect Damage each turn.
In the duel recording Kaiba had opened, Marik faced Sheppard, whom Kaiba had seen before. As the saying goes, "experience makes perfect." Both Marik and Sheppard had played stall strategies for so long that they naturally learned how to counter them. As a result, the two stall strategists were evenly matched, fighting a fierce contest.
Ultimately, if Marik hadn't impatiently activated "Painful Choice," trying to add a game-changing card from his Deck to his Hand, only to have Sheppard inflict a massive 1500 points of damage with "Skull Invitation," the duel would likely have continued until one of them decked out.
Letting out an involuntary yawn due to the excessively boring duel, Kaiba closed the video. As his gaze drifted down, about to search for the names of more familiar Duelists, he unexpectedly discovered, next to that video, that a thumbnail of a duel recording clearly showed Hayato's laughing face.
Upon clicking it, it turned out as expected: one of the two Duelists appearing before Kaiba's eyes was indeed Hayato, while the other was a Duelist named "D.D." who had recently risen to prominence in the professional Duelist circles.
However, what puzzled Kaiba was that, externally, no matter how one looked at it, it was Hayato. Yet, everyone around him completely ignored him, instead fanatically cheering for the person called "D.D." Even the name Hayato used when participating was "Dan Kuroto," which Kaiba had never heard before.
"Hmph, in any case, he's used some strange methods again, like hypnosis or something. He hasn't focused on Duel Monsters but indulged in those unorthodox ways. To become so arrogant and lazy after obtaining the title of King of Games—don't resent me when I catch up and take away your honor, Hayato."
Kaiba's lips curled slightly into a cold smile as he muttered to himself. While watching the duel video, he jotted down the brand new monster used by Hayato during the duel—"Kaiju"—in his notepad for future research. Kaiba then casually opened "Dan Kuroto's" profile report. As expected, there were no entry or exit records for the name "Dan Kuroto" with customs.
This meant that either this "Dan Kuroto" was just a stowaway who looked a lot like Hayato, or Hayato was using an alias. After seeing "Dan Kuroto" use "Red Reboot," Kaiba felt the latter possibility was the most likely.
Casually activating the backend editing mode of the matching system from the qualifiers phase, he tampered with the data to pair himself up with participant number 114514, "Dan Kuroto," and Kaiba burst into triumphant laughter.
"You found a loophole, with no restrictions preventing the King of Games from participating, and you want to compete for the championship? This kind of tournament is what piques my interest." Narrowing his eyes, Kaiba wished he could accelerate time to tomorrow morning so he could have an exciting Duel Monsters match with Hayato. "But the championship prize money isn't easily won. Since you've entered voluntarily, don't blame me for seeking you out, Hayato Kobayashi!"
—————Made In Heaven—————
"Surprise?"
"More like a shock."
Hayato looked at Kaiba, who stood opposite him with a smug expression, and helplessly covered his forehead.
"As expected of Kaiba, to see through my perfect disguise so easily.jpg"
"It's a shame Hayato didn't bring Tequila; otherwise, he really could have cosplayed this famous scene. It's just a bit regrettable that the character who could have replaced Kazu met his end yesterday."
(D.D.'s voice actor, like Kazu's, is Kazuhiko Inoue)
Inserting his Deck into his Duel Disk, Kaiba ignored the cheers of the crowd that had gathered around him due to his fame and said spiritedly to Hayato, "Since you registered for the qualifiers, you shouldn't be surprised by any opponent you face. After all, KaibaCorp's matching system is quite intelligent and only pairs players of similar skill levels."
"Alright, let's start this Duel, 'Dan Kuroto'!"
Hayato looked at the serious expression on Kaiba's face and his own expression also became somewhat solemn. "I see, so that's how it is."
"You're right. Although I'm a little displeased, since I've been matched with you, this really is the only way, Seto."
Saying this, under Kaiba's expectant gaze, Hayato patted his left arm and thigh, not wearing his Duel Disk. "The famous President Kaiba, the Legendary Duelist Seto Kaiba, if I'm going to Duel you, I need to use my strong arms and legs. First up is—"
Hayato's hand reached for the card case at his waist. Just as Kaiba thought he was about to take out his Deck for their Duel, Hayato suddenly raised his hand. "Referee, I surrender!"
The Judge by the Duel Field heard Hayato's words and nodded, announcing, "Winner, No.1, Seto Kaiba."
"Wh-what?!" Kaiba's expression froze for a moment, then he reacted—although he didn't know how Hayato managed it, his current identity wasn't the King of Games, but merely an ordinary Duelist who had recently gained a little fame in the KC Cup. Facing a Legendary Duelist and the runner-up of Battle City, Seto Kaiba, forfeiting and surrendering was hardly embarrassing.
Moreover, this wasn't an official match where losing meant disqualification; it was merely the qualifier phase. Even if he forfeited, Hayato would only lose a few points. His accumulated points still ranked him within the top twenty participants, so losing one point wouldn't affect his qualification.
Feeling tricked by Hayato, Kaiba took a step towards him angrily. However, Hayato, who had already planned his escape route, gave Kaiba a wicked grin. "Well then, Nigelu Dayou~"
Saying this, Hayato showed Kaiba what he meant by "using his legs"—with a sprint, he leaped nearly nine meters, approaching a world record, and vanished into the crowd. All that remained were countless admirers of Kaiba standing by the Duel Stage.
"Onore!"
Listening to Kaiba's angry roar from behind him, Hayato chuckled. Taking advantage of the fact that the matching system hadn't assigned him a new opponent yet, he began to wander around the qualifier venue.
Weaving through the crowd, Hayato also unexpectedly saw many familiar figures—Rex Raptor, Mako, Espa Roba, and even "King of Sea Transport" Anacis, who had helped Hayato collect star chips during the Duelist Kingdom, had also entered the KC Cup.
Hayato even overheard Uncle Anacis boasting to his opponent that even the King of Games—that is, Hayato himself—had struggled fiercely in a duel with him and almost lost. By equivalent conversion, Hayato > Anacis, Hayato > Seto Kaiba, therefore Anacis ≈ Seto Kaiba.
Hayato couldn't help but marvel; this uncle, whose chin was shaped like a butt, was truly a mathematical genius.
As Hayato walked, he saw the side of a Duel Stage where a duel had just concluded. On one side of the Duel Stage, the loser of the recent duel was kneeling on the ground, dejected, seemingly unable to accept his defeat, while his opponent calmly pushed his glasses up.
"So strong! Despite being a minor, he has such powerful dueling skills."
"Children from rich families are indeed different from us ordinary people. I bet he's received elite education since he was in the womb, right?"
"Huh? That's not it. Don't you know him? Adrian Gecko."
"Gecko? You mean the adopted son?"
"So it has nothing to do with prenatal education! Speaking of which, I think I've seen several young brats with terrifyingly strong Duel Monsters skills."
Barely catching the name "Adrian Gecko" from the onlookers—a name that wasn't entirely unfamiliar but not exactly well-known—Hayato's gaze lingered on the face of the young boy wearing plain glasses.
In appearance, Adrian Gecko was nothing like Ptah Garlem, whom Hayato had met briefly during the Duelist Kingdom, as he was an adopted son. Age-wise, he looked a bit older than Chazz Princeton and Jaden Yuki, whom Hayato had seen before, perhaps eight or nine years old. However, the calm indifference on his face, showing neither joy nor sorrow for victory or defeat, was something even most thirty-something-year-olds found hard to achieve.
As if sensing the gaze from the crowd, Adrian Gecko looked towards Hayato. Upon seeing Hayato's face, he paused slightly, then tilted his head with a hint of confusion, as if wondering why Hayato seemed so familiar yet he couldn't recall ever meeting him.
And precisely at this moment, Hayato heard the announcement: "No. 114514, Dan Kuroto, please go to challenge arena 44."
Hayato glanced at the stage again and chuckled—although the number "44" might displease a certain Italian, the Duel Stage Hayato had wandered to happened to be Arena Number 44.
This meant Hayato's next opponent was Adrian Gecko.
(end of chapter)
"Adrian Gecko."
"Dan Kuroto."
Stepping onto the Duel Stage, Hayato and Amon simply stated their names to confirm their opponent's identity, without exchanging pleasantries.
To Hayato, Adrian Gecko was merely one of the characters who would appear in the future world; the Adrian Gecko who hadn't yet grown up was not worth Hayato's attention.
To Adrian Gecko, while the name "Dan Kuroto" had entered the top ranks in the previous day's qualifiers, he was merely a minor character compared to other well-known Duelists. For Amon, whose goal was to be Champion, Dan Kuroto was just one of countless opponents he would defeat along the way.
The Judge confirmed that both Duelists were ready, nodded to announce the Match's start, and then quickly moved to the side of the Duel Stage.
Although Hayato might not remember, this particular Judge was the one who presided over Hayato's Duel against D.D. He had a very deep impression of the massive, terrifying (Kaiju) that Hayato used.
Hayato turned his head to glance at the Scoreboard by the Arena. "My current rank is twenty-fifth, the penalty for surrendering is still acceptable."
"But I still prefer to be First Place. So, Adrian Gecko subjugation, commence."
Amon listened to Hayato's words, his face expressionless as he pushed up his glasses. "It doesn't matter, because I will not lose."
"Duel!" x2
["Dan Kuroto": 4000 LP]
[Amon: 4000 LP]
"I'll take the First Turn, Draw!" Hayato seized the First Turn, drawing a Card first. "I Activate the Effect of (King of the Swamp) in my Hand. During my Main Phase, I Discard (King of the Swamp) from my Hand to the Graveyard, to add a (Polymerization) Spell Card from my Deck to my Hand."
"Then, I Activate the Spell Card (Polymerization)! I Fusion Summon using three (Cyber Dragon) from my Hand as Material! Come forth, (Cyber End Dragon)!!"
As the passionate piano music abruptly echoed from Hayato's Duel Disk, the (Polymerization) Vortex swallowed the three (Cyber Dragon) from Hayato's Hand. The massive (Cyber End Dragon) emerged from the Vortex, its three heads appearing, standing tall on Hayato's Field!
[(Cyber End Dragon)] [Level 10/LIGHT Attribute]
[Machine-Type/Fusion/Effect]
[4000/2800]
"Huh, it's not a (Kaiju)?" Amon was slightly taken aback.
Although Adrian Gecko wore an indifferent expression, he had actually spent all of last night gathering information on the Duelists ranked above him on the Points leaderboard, committing their used Cards to memory.
Duelist No. 114514, "Dan Kuroto," used a (Kaiju) Deck that had the Effect of Tributing an Opponent's Monster on their Field to Special Summon a (Kaiju) to the Opponent's Field, supported by Cards like (Owner's Seal) to achieve an OTK. His Points ranking was just above Adrian Gecko's before Hayato surrendered to Kaiba.
But throughout yesterday, "Dan Kuroto" had never revealed that he actually used a "Cyber Style" Deck.
Hayato noticed Amon's surprise, but he shrugged it off, Setting two Cards from his Hand. "Then I Set two Cards and End my Turn."
["Dan Kuroto": 4000 LP, Hand 0]
[(Cyber End Dragon)] [ATK 4000]
[Set Card] x2
It was Amon's Turn. Before starting his Turn, Amon briefly recalled the "Cyber Style" Duel style as he knew it. Although the current Master, Sheppard, had taken a strange path that went against tradition, the past information Amon had collected indicated that (Cyber Dragon) Decks primarily focused on Aggressive Play.
And as the strongest Monster of the "Cyber Style," Fusion Summoned from three (Cyber Dragon), (Cyber End Dragon) not only boasted a high ATK Value of 4000 but also possessed Piercing Defense capability. Keeping Life Points by defending in Defense Position would be meaningless against (Cyber End Dragon).
However, this had no impact on the Deck Amon used—
"My Turn, Draw." With a Strategy in mind, Amon Drew a Card from his Deck. "I Normal Summon (Cloudian) - Turbulence in Attack Position."
A large mass of mist spontaneously appeared on Amon's Field. Within the mist, a storm seemed to be brewing, and the cloud's form rapidly changed, eventually revealing human-like eyes and a mouth on the cloud itself!
[(Cloudian) - Turbulence] [Level 4/WATER Attribute]
[Fairy Type/Effect]
[800/0]
"As expected, it's a (Cloudian)."
Although Hayato wasn't as diligent as Amon in collecting information on others overnight, based on his impression of the future Adrian Gecko, Hayato also remembered the existence of this Deck.
Most (Cloudian) are WATER Attribute Fairy Type Monsters. Due to the nature of clouds and mist in the natural world, which can be dispersed but are difficult to Destroy, (Cloudian) possess an Effect common to most Monsters: they cannot be Destroyed by Battle, but they self-destruct when in Defense Position.
Furthermore, most (Cloudian) Monsters require Fog Counters to Activate their Effects.
"Turbulence, formally known as turbulent flow, or more commonly 'disorderly flow'," Amon explained calmly, pushing up his glasses. "Although it appears to have a shape, a cloud is ultimately a fluid. The true form of (Cloudian) - Turbulence is a high-speed flowing cloud mass."
"I use a (Cloudian) Deck associated with natural clouds. So, when I successfully Summon (Cloudian) - Turbulence, I Activate its Effect, placing Fog Counters on (Cloudian) - Turbulence equal to the number of (Cloudian) Monsters on the Field."
Beside the grayish-blue (Cloudian) - Turbulence, a wisp of mist rapidly materialized, forming a blue-and-white cloud emblem that began to revolve around (Cloudian) - Turbulence.
However, this Fog Counter only appeared for a moment before disappearing as Amon Activated the Effect of (Cloudian) - Turbulence. "I Activate the Effect of (Cloudian) - Turbulence, removing one Fog Counter placed on it, to Special Summon one (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball from my Deck or Graveyard."
The recently appeared Fog Counter spun closer and closer to the body of (Cloudian) - Turbulence. After being absorbed into its body, a puff of air erupted from a hole atop (Cloudian) - Turbulence, and a cute yellow cloud appeared on Amon's Field.
Seemingly disoriented by the high-speed rotation within (Cloudian) - Turbulence, the dizzy (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball weakly lay on the Field, appearing very frail.
[(Cloudian) - Smoke Ball] [Level 1/WATER Attribute]
[Fairy Type/Normal Monster]
[200/600]
Just as Amon was about to explain, Hayato spoke up with interest, "Smoke Ball, the most basic and common type of cloud."
"A Duel Monster Archetype based on ephemeral and leisurely clouds, truly inspiring."
Hearing "Dan Kuroto"'s assessment of "clouds," Amon neither refuted nor agreed, merely pushed up his glasses, leaving one unsure if he agreed with Hayato's thoughts or opposed them. "Is that so? In that case, allow me to demonstrate more of the clouds' Power."
"I Activate the Spell Card 'Fog Control'! I Tribute Release one (Cloudian) Monster on my Field—specifically, (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball—to place three Fog Counters on one Face-up Position Monster on the Field."
Before (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball could recover from its dizziness, it suddenly found its body dispersing into mist, much like Spider-Man after Thanos's snap. It dissipated, forming three new Fog Counters beside (Cloudian) - Turbulence.
"The Effect of (Cloudian) - Turbulence does not have a Once per Turn restriction. This means I can use its Effect three more times." Amon commanded, "I Activate its Effect again, Special Summoning (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball from my Graveyard and two more (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball from my Deck to the Field!"
As the three Fog Counters were swept into (Cloudian) - Turbulence, the previous scene repeated itself, followed by three (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball being Summoned to Amon's Field. Although their individual stats were not high, Summoning four Monsters to the Field in a single Turn was enough to prove Adrian Gecko's extraordinary strength.
And the Cost for this was merely Adrian Gecko's one Normal Summon and two Cards from his Hand.
"Spell Card (Trade-In)! I Send one (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball from my Field to the Graveyard, then Draw two Cards from my Deck." After Sending a Smoke Ball to the Graveyard and Drawing two Cards, Amon looked up at the towering (Cyber End Dragon) and calmly stated, "The leisurely nature of clouds ends here. From now on, I will show you the terror of celestial phenomena, Dan Kuroto."
"I Banish (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball from my Graveyard, and Special Summon (Cloudian) - Storm Dragon from my Hand!"
The calm air currents surged once more. On Amon's Field, a ferocious cloud Dragon appeared, its art style completely different from the previous (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball, looking more like a Fiend or Zombie-Type than a Fairy Type!
[(Cloudian) - Storm Dragon] [Level 4/WATER Attribute]
[Fairy Type/Special Summon/Effect]
[1000/0]
Perhaps having just accepted the cute image of Smoke Ball, many in the audience were startled by the appearance of (Cloudian) - Storm Dragon.
However, Amon's gaze towards (Cloudian) - Storm Dragon was calm, seemingly finding no difference between the unsightly (Cloudian) - Storm Dragon and the adorable (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball.
"(Cloudian) - Storm Dragon is not an embodiment of clouds, but rather symbolizes the Storm that holds dominion over them. Its Effect is: Once per Turn, I can place a Fog Counter on one Monster on the Field."
Hayato raised an eyebrow. "But, you should only have three (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball in total, right? Two of them are already on your Field, and the Effect of (Cloudian) - Turbulence won't work on the (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball that was Banished."
"I'm well aware of that."
As he spoke, Amon's finger pointed at (Cyber End Dragon) on Hayato's Field. "The Target for (Cloudian) - Storm Dragon's Effect is a Monster on the Field, not just a (Cloudian) on my Field. This means even (Cyber End Dragon) on your Field is within the Effect's range."
"I Target (Cyber End Dragon) and place one Fog Counter on it!"
(Cloudian) - Storm Dragon, flicking out a scarlet tongue, flapped its bluish-black wings. Its liquid body compressed, and a blast of intensely cold air shot from its mouth, condensing into a Fog Counter beside (Cyber End Dragon).
As a digital lifeform, although it suffered no Damage from the high-humidity, low-temperature air current, (Cyber End Dragon) seemed annoyed by the appearance of the Fog Counter next to it, restlessly twitching its long tail.
"It's not over yet! I Activate the Spell Card (Magical Stone Excavation)! I Discard two Cards from my Hand to add one Spell Card from my Graveyard to my Hand. I choose 'Fog Control', and then Release my second (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball to Activate it, placing three more Fog Counters on (Cyber End Dragon)!"
The cold air current struck again. As the number of (Cloudian) - Smoke Ball on Amon's Field dropped to just one, four Fog Counters now encircled (Cyber End Dragon) on Hayato's Field.
Although no actual Damage had been dealt and (Cyber End Dragon) remained unaffected, the sense of unease from Amon's series of actions grew stronger.
"Hmph, useless! You can't defeat (Cyber End Dragon) with those nonsensical plays and those weak (Cloudian)s! This is the strongest Machine-Type!" Hayato crossed his arms, a confident smile on his face. "Just adding Fog Counters to (Cyber End Dragon) is useless!"
"I never do anything meaningless, Dan Kuroto." Amon calmly pushed up his glasses, playing a Card from his Hand. "Technology has its path to Evolve, and clouds have their way of survival. This Card is how I will defeat your (Cyber End Dragon)."
"Spell Card (Dust Tornado)!"
As Amon played the Card from his Hand, a sparkling storm, as if mixed with stars, rose from the ground and swept across the entire Field. In just an instant, (Cyber End Dragon), surrounded by four Fog Counters, was frozen and then torn apart and Destroyed by the storm!
"The Effect of (Dust Tornado) can only be Activated by Targeting a Monster on the Field with four or more Fog Counters," Amon explained. "That Monster is Destroyed, and for every four Fog Counters, I can Draw one Card from my Deck."
"While it held an overwhelming advantage in sheer Power, a wise person knows to play to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses."
After Drawing a Card, Amon waved his hand and commanded, "Now, enter my Battle Phase!"
"(Cloudian) - Smoke Ball, (Cloudian) - Turbulence, and (Cloudian) - Storm Dragon, Direct Attack Dan Kuroto!"
(Author's note: Only 4K today, I'll owe it for now. I'll see if I can update earlier tomorrow to make up for it.)
(Author's note: Temperatures are fluctuating greatly, everyone please take care to stay warm. I'm one of those fools who caught a cold [perhaps it's also because I just got vaccinated?])
(end of chapter)