Chapter 376: Invincibility is a Debuff
After drawing a card, Amon waved his hand and ordered, "Then, enter my Battle Phase!"
"[Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball], [Cloudian - Turbulent Airflow], and [Cloudian - Storm Dragon] launch a Direct Attack on Dan Kuroto!"
[Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball] [ATK 200]
[Cloudian - Turbulent Airflow] [ATK 800]
[Cloudian - Storm Dragon] [ATK 1000]
Although the ATK of a single [Cloudian] is negligibly low, the three monsters combined still amount to a total of 2000 damage points.
If this attack connects, Amon's advantage would be considerable!
"Monsters of this caliber are simply unqualified to challenge my divine talent!"
Responding to the total attack of Amon's monsters on the Field, Chumley activated his Set card: "Chaining to [Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball]'s Direct Attack declaration, I activate my Set card, [Counter Gate]!"
"This negates [Little Smoke Ball]'s Direct Attack, and I draw one card from my Deck. If the drawn card is a Monster Card, I can Normal Summon that monster in Attack Position."
A white dimensional wall appeared before [Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball], repelling the charging monster back onto Amon's Field.
Seeing the attack negated, Amon frowned, "Normal Summon... meaning you can only Summon if you draw a monster that can be Normal Summoned, right? If you draw a high-Level monster, without any Tributes on the Field, you won't be able to stop the subsequent Direct Attacks of [Turbulent Airflow] and [Storm Dragon] either, Dan Kuroto."
"Wagagagaga, wrong, wrong! You haven't realized what my divine talent truly is," Chumley said with a hearty smile. "I am the Game Master of this Duel Monsters game, and I decide whatever card is drawn!"
"Just as game development needs prototypes, come forth, the first Cyber Dragon, [Proto-Cyber Dragon]!"
From within the dimensional wall, a grey mechanical dragon emerged, standing on Chumley's Field. Compared to its perfected future form, [Cyber Dragon], [Proto-Cyber Dragon]'s body was covered in power cables, clearly indicating an unfinished state.
[Proto-Cyber Dragon] [Level 3/LIGHT Attribute]
[Machine Type/Effect]
[1100/600]
Compared to [Cyber Dragon] with an ATK of 2100, [Proto-Cyber Dragon] only has 1100 ATK, originally making it a type ill-suited for combat.
But everything fears comparison; [Proto-Cyber Dragon]'s ATK is weak, and the [Cloudian] monsters' ATK is even weaker than [Proto-Cyber Dragon]'s.
An ATK of 1100 is sufficient to completely block the attacks of [Cloudian - Turbulent Airflow] and [Cloudian - Storm Dragon], forcing them back to Amon's Field without leaving a single point of damage.
With the round of attacks blocked, Amon was not discouraged. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he Set the last card from his hand, the one he had just drawn with [Dust Tornado]:
"I Set one card. My turn ends."
[Amon: 4000 LP, 0 Hand]
[Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball] [ATK 200]
[Cloudian - Turbulent Airflow] [ATK 800]
[Cloudian - Storm Dragon] [ATK 1000]
[Set Card]
"Hmph, this lineup is just like a low-quality program full of bugs, what a 'pile of garbage'. Such a lousy program should just be discontinued."
"My turn, Draw!"
"I activate the Set card on my Field, [Jar of Avarice]! I return two [Cyber Dragon]s, [Cyber End Dragon], [King of the Swamp], and [Counter Gate] from my Graveyard to my Deck, shuffle them, and then draw one card."
"Then, I activate the Spell Card [Fusion Recovery]! I add one [Cyber Dragon] and the Spell Card [Polymerization] used during my Fusion Summon from my Graveyard to my hand."
Chumley's hand size returned to three. Taking the recently recovered [Cyber Dragon] and [Polymerization] from his hand, Chumley looked at Amon and said, "Now, it's time to clear out your monsters on the Field!"
"[Proto-Cyber Dragon]'s own effect allows its name to be treated as [Cyber Dragon] while it is on the Field. I activate the Spell Card [Polymerization], using [Proto-Cyber Dragon] on the Field and [Cyber Dragon] from my hand as Fusion Material!"
"Form Change! Savage Twin-Headed Dragon! Come forth, [Cyber Twin Dragon]!"
On Chumley's Field, two [Cyber Dragon]s merged by their necks, forming [Cyber Twin Dragon], which was only missing a head and a pair of wings compared to [Cyber End Dragon]. Due to the lack of a central dragon head for harmony, the left and right heads were in constant conflict, but this also made [Cyber Twin Dragon] quite active.
[Cyber Twin Dragon] [Level 8/LIGHT Attribute]
[Machine Type/Fusion/Effect]
[2800/2100]
"LV 8, [Cyber Twin Dragon], complete," Chumley said with a proud smile. "Due to the absence of a Central Cyber-Brain for logical balance, [Cyber Twin Dragon]'s two heads operate independently."
"Within a single Battle Phase, [Cyber Twin Dragon] can attack twice! Now, let the Battle begin!"
"Go, [Cyber Twin Dragon]! All-Purpose Double Burst!"
"Target [Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball] for the first strike!"
Following Chumley's command, [Cyber Twin Dragon]'s left head opened its mouth and roared at the other head. A large amount of electricity was channeled into its mouth, forming a white laser beam that struck the trembling [Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball]!
[Cyber Twin Dragon]'s ATK is 2800, while [Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball]'s ATK is only 200. If this attack goes through, Amon will lose a massive 2600 Life Points at once.
What's more, [Cyber Twin Dragon] can attack again. Even if [Cloudian - Turbulent Airflow] and [Cloudian - Storm Dragon] have resistance to destruction by battle, attacking either one would be enough to wipe out Amon's Life Points!
As [Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball] was about to be hit, Amon decisively activated his Set card in the Back Row, "I activate the Continuous Trap [Soul Barrier]!"
Although Amon's Trap Card was successfully activated, the [Soul Barrier] merely deployed a transparent shield in front of Amon, with no intention of protecting [Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball], instead allowing it to be destroyed and Sent to the Graveyard.
After [Cyber Twin Dragon]'s attack destroyed [Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball], the residual energy swept towards Amon but was precisely blocked by [Soul Barrier].
[Amon: 4000 LP]
"The Continuous Trap Card [Soul Barrier]'s effect is that as long as I control a monster, I take no Battle Damage. In other words, I am now in an invincible, undefeated position."
Pushing up his glasses that had slipped down his nose, Amon looked at "Dan Kuroto" and said calmly.
"Invincible? You shouldn't say that." Chumley knew better than anyone what kind of Debuff "invincible" was. Even the invincible Jōtarō fell, and Golden Dandruff Invincible Dad wasn't immune to setbacks.
The Price of Sacrifice
Sacrifice
The Meaning of Sacrifice
(end of chapter)
"Invincible? You can't say that lightly." Hayato knew better than anyone what a "Debuff" "invincible" was. Even the invincible Jotaro could fall, and Golden Dandruff Invincible Dad had suffered setbacks before.
However, the card (Spirit Barrier) was indeed troublesome. As long as he controlled a monster, it could protect Adrian Gecko from taking Battle Damage. It was a perfect match for Cloudian monsters, which had weak ATK but generally possessed immunity to battle destruction, precisely compensating for the Cloudian archetype's biggest flaw.
Ironically, Hayato was using a Cyber Dragon Deck that relied on aggressive play as its main winning strategy. It wasn't that the Cyber Dragon Deck lacked ways to destroy the backrow; (Chimeratech Rampage Dragon) had the effect of destroying Spell/Trap Cards on the Field equal to the number of its Fusion Materials when it was Fusion Summoned.
But the problem was, Hayato didn't have (Chimeratech Rampage Dragon). The Cyber Dragon Deck he acquired only contained two Fusion Monsters in total: (Cyber End Dragon) and (Cyber Twin Dragon).
To strengthen his boss monster's power, Hayato had spent DP Points to acquire cards, but he only managed to get (Chimeratech Overdragon) and the invincible (Tandem Bicycle Robot). However, even these two monsters were useless against (Spirit Barrier).
Of course, Hayato's Deck also included three (Mystical Space Typhoon), but without drawing them, everything was futile.
Although (Cyber Twin Dragon) could attack once more, it couldn't destroy Adrian Gecko's Cloudian monsters on the Field, nor could it inflict damage to him. Hayato reluctantly played a card from his hand:
"Activate Continuous Spell Card (Mirage of Nightmare)! My Turn ends."
["Dan Kuroto": 4000 LP, Hand 0]
[(Cyber Twin Dragon)][ATK 2800]
[(Mirage of Nightmare)]
"Hmph, though young, you truly prove troublesome for Kami. It's hard to imagine you're the child of that irritable Ptah, even if not by blood."
Hearing "Dan Kuroto"'s words, Adrian Gecko's expression, rarely, showed a clear change: "You know my father?"
"Not really 'know,' if I had to say. We've just met, and haven't even exchanged more than five sentences." Hayato shrugged. "I've only witnessed that guy's frustrated reaction after losing a Duel."
During Duelist Kingdom, Ptah Garlem was one of the Top 8 Duelists. At the time, his opponent was the Legendary Duelist, the man favored by the Goddess of Luck, the lucky one, the Will of the Commoner, the Black Dragon wielder, Joey Wheeler. A victory that was practically in his grasp was turned around by Joey using an (Angel's Dice) in a comeback. Ptah was so enraged that he left Pegasus Castle immediately.
Although later, when Hayato and Yugi Dueled Pegasus, he returned to the castle to watch the battle due to his cooperation with Industrial Illusions.
Thinking about it now, two years had unknowingly passed since Hayato came to this world. Ptah seemed to have inherited his father's position, becoming the President of Garlem Corporation, and had also adopted the young boy named Adrian Gecko before him.
Compared to the easily agitated Ptah, who would get upset over a Duel loss, Adrian Gecko was calm, as if watching someone else's Duel. It wasn't the kind of indifference that had no desire for victory or defeat in a Duel; this young boy seemed to constantly gaze at something further away.
"I see. However, I don't find your talent particularly outstanding. To be called a God, you must at least defeat me first," Adrian Gecko said calmly. As he spoke, his finger rested on the Duel Disk, intending to draw a card. "My Turn, Draw—"
Hayato observed Adrian Gecko's expression, then suddenly laughed. "To consider yourself a trial for my divine talent, how arrogant. Oh, no, that's not right. You're actually just insecure, aren't you?"
Adrian Gecko's hand paused. He looked up at "Dan Kuroto," whose face held an unreadable smile, and said emotionlessly, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh? Is that so?" Hayato casually waved his hand. "A god's talent cannot be wrong. Whether it is or not, let your Duel tell me, Adrian Gecko~"
Frowning, Adrian Gecko's hand paused on his Deck, wondering what to do. A few seconds later, he chose to dismiss the meaningless words from "Dan Kuroto"'s mouth. "My Turn, Draw a Card."
"Then, during your Standby Phase, I Activate the Effect of (Mirage of Nightmare) on my Field." Hayato placed his free hand on his Deck and swiftly drew four cards. "During your Standby Phase, I draw cards from my Deck until my hand size is four. During my next Standby Phase, I discard cards equal to the number I drew."
"A meaningless card," Adrian Gecko frowned, not understanding why Hayato would Activate such a card. "You have no cards on your Field that can utilize your hand resources; you'll have to discard all four cards in your hand at the start of your Standby Phase."
"Even if you draw some powerful cards, you can't use them during my turn."
Despite saying that, Adrian Gecko actually remembered the (Red Reboot) from "Dan Kuroto"'s intel. However, for Adrian Gecko, who had no Set cards on his Field, even (Red Reboot) posed no threat.
Glancing at the drawn card, Adrian Gecko played and Activated it: "Spell Card (Pot of Greed)! I draw two cards from my Deck."
"Then I Activate the Effect of (Cloudian - Storm Dragon). Once per turn, I place one Fog Counter on one face-up monster on the Field. My target is (Cloudian - Cirrostratus). Then, I remove one Fog Counter, and (Cloudian - Cirrostratus)'s Effect activates! I Special Summon (Cloudian - Smoke Ball) from the Graveyard."
As (Cloudian - Smoke Ball) was Special Summoned on Adrian Gecko's Field, he looked down at a card in his hand.
"Dan Kuroto" was not wrong, as no one knew better than Adrian Gecko himself the inferiority complex within his mind.
Before being adopted by Ptah Garlem and taking on the "Garlem" surname, Adrian Gecko was merely an orphan from an impoverished region. His early struggles for survival were deeply etched into Adrian Gecko's memory, impossible to forget. It was for this reason that Adrian Gecko felt immense gratitude towards Ptah Garlem, who had adopted him and raised him as his own son and heir.
Although Ptah's personality was somewhat volatile, he was a very competent adoptive father. He was extremely dedicated to Adrian Gecko's education and told him that to become the President of Garlem Corporation, talent was not as important as capacity. One must possess the ambition to become number one in the world, to become a King, to become a god, in order to lead the Garlem Corporation to greater heights.
And Adrian Gecko, just as Ptah had taught him, truly tried to cultivate a "Heart of a King" within himself.
However, plans often don't account for changes. Not long ago, Adrian Gecko learned something—Ptah's wife, who had been married for a long time without children, was finally pregnant, and it was estimated to be a boy. In other words, the person with legitimate qualifications for the "Garlem Corporation heir" position that Adrian Gecko had been filling was returning.
Although Ptah continued to show Adrian Gecko the same care as always, Adrian Gecko himself was plagued by feelings of inferiority. After much internal conflict, he proactively sought out Ptah, explained that he would not accept the heir's position, and vowed to assist his unborn younger brother—Sidd.
'I truly am inferior, feeling inferior that I, a mere orphan, was lucky enough to be adopted by the Garlem Corporation. Inferior that everything I have comes from external endowments.'
'But, only Duel Monsters are different. This Cloudian Deck was not acquired through the power of the Garlem Corporation; I collected each card myself, one by one.'
'Only in Duel Monsters can I use my own power, not the Garlem Corporation's power, and accomplish things even my father couldn't!'
Looking up, Adrian Gecko's gaze met Hayato's. It was also the first time Hayato saw such a strong desire for victory in the eyes of this young boy with impressive hair. "That look is interesting."
"Dan Kuroto, I will win this Duel. Because my goal is Duel King; I want to become the Champion of the KC Cup and then defeat Hayato!"
Adrian Gecko, unaware that "Dan Kuroto" was Hayato, raised the card in his hand: "I Tribute (Cloudian - Smoke Ball) and (Cloudian - Cirrostratus) on my Field to Tribute Summon!"
"A radiance leading to the future, capable of stirring a tempest even in this windless land! Come forth, my Ace Monster from the Deck, (Cloudian - Eye of the Storm)!!"
(Cloudian - Cirrostratus) and (Cloudian - Smoke Ball) were Tributed at Adrian Gecko's command. The smoke clouds and air currents, no longer bound by Duel Monsters' power, began to spread, continuously expanding under the guidance of the nearby (Cloudian - Storm Dragon).
In just a few breaths, (Smoke Ball)'s smoke cloud was completely dispersed by (Cirrostratus) into a vast cloud, but then pulled towards the center by the centripetal force of rapidly moving air currents. The storm continuously expanded, and (Storm Dragon) began to circle around the massive tornado.
Abruptly, a massive single eye appeared within the storm, followed by a pair of colossal fists extending from it, slamming down onto the ground!
[(Cloudian - Eye of the Storm)][Level 8/Wind]
[Aqua-Type/Effect]
[3000/1000]
Looking at (Cloudian - Eye of the Storm), massive like a giant, Hayato felt no fear. Instead, he showed an intrigued smile: "Now this is more like it. Compared to those fodder monsters swarming earlier, this level is worthy of a proper game."
Adrian Gecko looked up at (Cloudian - Eye of the Storm). Although its appearance was much uglier than cute Duel Monsters like (Smoke Ball), he felt an immense sense of security watching (Eye of the Storm)'s arrival.
"(Cloudian - Eye of the Storm) is the strongest Cloudian monster in my Deck." Adrian Gecko adjusted his glasses, looked at Hayato's (Cyber Twin Dragon) on the Field, and waved his hand, commanding, "Now, enter my Battle Phase!"
"(Cloudian - Eye of the Storm), Attack (Cyber Twin Dragon)! Ultimate Storm Punch!"
As Adrian Gecko issued his spirited command, (Cloudian - Eye of the Storm) raised its thick arm and threw a powerful punch. Though it should have been insubstantial clouds, (Eye of the Storm)'s fist instantly shattered the light beam (Cyber Twin Dragon) spewed out in counterattack, then delivered a heavy blow that destroyed it and sent it to the Graveyard!
["Dan Kuroto": 4000 → 3800 LP]
"Next, a Direct Attack from (Cloudian - Storm Dragon)!"
Adrian Gecko pursued his advantage. (Storm Dragon) opened its mouth and exhaled a blast of cold air. On such a chilly day, this kind of attack made Hayato shiver, and his Life Points dropped again.
["Dan Kuroto": 3800 → 2800 LP]
"Even if your talent is truly divine, I will not lose to you, Dan Kuroto. Because this is my Duel, Adrian Gecko's Duel." Adrian Gecko Set the last card in his hand. "I Set one card. My Turn ends!"
[Adrian Gecko: 4000 LP, Hand 0]
[(Cloudian - Eye of the Storm)][ATK 3000]
[(Cloudian - Storm Dragon)][ATK 1000]
[(Spirit Barrier)][Set Card]
"What a spirited declaration! But words alone are far from enough. Fighting spirit can't bridge the gap in talent between us." Despite being at a disadvantage, Hayato's words were quite arrogant. If you were to ask why—
"My Turn, draw! Then I Activate (Emergency Provisions) from my hand, sending (Mirage of Nightmare) from my Field to the Graveyard, and gain 1000 Life Points." Sending (Mirage of Nightmare) to the Graveyard to draw cards for free, Hayato was getting smoother and smoother with this combo.
And he could swear to the heavens that he absolutely did not glue (Emergency Provisions) and (Mirage of Nightmare) together.
["Dan Kuroto": 2800 → 3800 LP]
"Next is the Spell Card (Pot of Greed)! I draw two more cards to my hand from the Deck."
After Activating (Pot of Greed), Hayato still had five cards in his hand. It didn't seem like much, but it was completely enough to win this Duel.
Although he felt sorry for Kaiser, who made (Cyber Dragon) a classic monster in countless people's hearts, just as Kaiser himself said, for victory, I am willing to give up my old friend (Cyber Dragon)!
Besides, Cyber Dragon is a Deck that specializes in Fusion! My next combo has no problems at all!
"As a game administrator, I know better than anyone that no matter how difficult a game is, there must be a chance to counter it. But as a game administrator, before I unfold this ultimate game, I must cut off your last hope, Adrian Gecko."
As he spoke, Hayato showed a confident smile and played a card: "Activate Spell Card (Mystical Space Typhoon)! Unconditionally destroy any Spell/Trap Card on the Field."
"Are you going to destroy (Spirit Barrier)?" Adrian Gecko instinctively looked at the (Spirit Barrier) protecting him. Because of the presence of this card, no matter how "Dan Kuroto" attacked his Cloudian monsters on the Field, which couldn't be destroyed by battle, it wouldn't inflict damage to him. Putting himself in "Dan Kuroto"'s shoes, Adrian Gecko thought that if he were Dan Kuroto, he would prioritize destroying (Spirit Barrier).
But to Adrian Gecko's surprise, "Dan Kuroto" wagged his finger. "How can a god's talent truly shine if the designer's intentions are so easily guessed? True power is never fully revealed; latent power is the most dangerous!"
"Crush it! I target your Set card in the backrow!"
(Mystical Space Typhoon) swept through, unable to budge (Cloudian - Storm Dragon) or (Cloudian - Eye of the Storm)'s bodies even slightly, heading straight for Adrian Gecko's Set card in the backrow. The fierce wind disdainfully tore the Set card apart. Before it was destroyed, Hayato saw that Adrian Gecko's Set card was (Aggressive Cloudian).
Hayato remembered this card as a dedicated support card for Cloudians. Because Cloudian monsters' characteristic was that they couldn't be destroyed by battle when in Attack Position, but would self-destruct if changed to Defense Position, dealing with Cloudian monsters could actually be easily solved by using cards that change a monster's battle position, such as (Nightmare Labyrinth) or (Enemy Controller).
And (Aggressive Cloudian) was a counter card against such strategies. It would Special Summon the self-destructed monster and place a Fog Counter on it, and also grant resistance to battle position changes, a defense card, when a Cloudian self-destructed due to its own Effect and was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard.
In summary, it was a card that, whether Hayato destroyed it or not, would have no impact on his subsequent combo. But people live for peace of mind, and destroying Adrian Gecko's Set card gave Hayato immense reassurance, allowing him to calmly proceed with his combo.
"I Activate Spell Card (Graceful Charity)! I draw three cards from my Deck, then select two cards from my hand to discard." After drawing three cards, Hayato unhesitatingly sent two cards from his hand to the Graveyard. However, before one of the cards was sent to the Graveyard, he specifically revealed it: "One of the cards sent to my Graveyard is (Executioner - Makyura)."
"A true Kami can even control the power of the deceased! During the turn (Executioner - Makyura) is sent to the Graveyard, I can directly Activate Trap Cards from my hand!"
"With this, my divine talent completely transcends the rules of Duel Monsters!"
Adrian Gecko's brow also furrowed.
The biggest characteristic of a Trap Card is that it needs to be Set on the Field for one turn before it can be activated. While some Traps have effects that can be activated from the hand under certain conditions, "Set" has always been the most distinctive feature of a Trap Card.
For this reason, Pegasus generously granted many Trap Cards powerful effects, as compensation for their need to be Set. But what would happen if Trap Cards no longer needed to be Set and could be activated directly from the hand, just like Spell Cards?
The answer is—
"From my hand, I directly Activate the Continuous Trap Card (DNA Surgery), and declare Psychic-Type!" Hayato still had three cards in his hand. As he placed (DNA Surgery) into the Duel Disk's Spell/Trap Zone, he held up three fingers. "There are three final steps left until my victory."
"The Effect of (DNA Surgery), I remember, is..." Adrian Gecko glanced at the card Hayato played. "As long as it remains on the Field, it rewrites the Type of all face-up monsters on the Field to the declared Type?"
"Bingo!" Hayato snapped his fingers. "The surgery is ready. Next is this card, (Zero-Force Magical Crusher)!"
"This card's effect allows me to discard one Spell Card from my hand to inflict 500 damage to you. Because this is Effect Damage, it won't be blocked by (Spirit Barrier)."
"Next is the Field Spell Card (Brain Research Lab)! It's a Field Spell Card with the effect that when a Psychic-Type monster activates an effect by paying Life Points as a cost, you can place a Psychic Counter on (Brain Research Lab) instead."
"And the final step: I Normal Summon (Monster Eye)!"
"Come now, witness what divine talent truly is!"
Hayato's hand was completely emptied, and on his Field, a research lab rose from underground. A rather eerie eyeball floated within a life support pod in the center of the lab.
[(Monster Eye)][Level 1/DARK]
[Fiend-Type/Effect → Psychic-Type/Effect]
Speaking of this (Brain Research Lab) card, Hayato had obtained it by defeating Espa Roba, who cheated during a Duel in Battle City. If one were to say, it could actually be considered a testament to bonds?
Hayato was engrossed in self-admiration, but Adrian Gecko still hadn't fully grasped where "Dan Kuroto"'s so-called "divine talent" ultimately lay.
Was it that rudimentary magical machine in his backrow, the Field Spell Card that appeared on the Duel Field, or the eyeball monster suspended in nutrient fluid?
"Confused? Ah, well, not everyone can comprehend my talent, after all." Hayato sighed dramatically, pointing one hand at Adrian Gecko. "After all, I am God Dan Kuroto; not even the era could keep up with my talent!"
"(Monster Eye)'s effect is that I can pay 1000 Life Points to add one (Polymerization) Spell Card from my Graveyard to my hand. I Activate it!"
As Hayato raised his palm, the eye of (Monster Eye), suspended in nutrient fluid, glowed. The (Polymerization) Hayato had used earlier to Summon (Cyber Twin Dragon) was inexplicably recycled into Hayato's hand. Simultaneously, an electronic screen lit up beside Hayato, displaying: "Remaining Uses: 3."
Hayato's current Life Points were 3800, meaning he could use (Monster Eye)'s effect three times.
However, what puzzled Adrian Gecko was that even though "Dan Kuroto" had already used (Monster Eye)'s effect to recycle (Polymerization) into his hand, why was the "Remaining Uses" on the electronic screen beside him still 3?
Of course, it wasn't because Senior Tachibana could only say 3. The answer is—
"(DNA Surgery) changed (Monster Eye)'s Type to the Psychic-Type that I declared. And when a Psychic-Type monster uses an effect that requires paying Life Points, a Psychic Counter can be placed on (Brain Research Lab) as a Substitute. This means I can recycle (Polymerization) from the Graveyard infinitely, and send it to the Graveyard using (Zero-Force Magical Crusher)!"
Hayato triumphantly held up (Polymerization) between his hands, and the number on the electronic screen beside him flickered wildly, changing to the maximum value of 99. "Then, let's keep playing until I clear the game!"
[Today's 6K update]
[Recently got a recommendation on the mobile end, daily subscriptions once soared past 6K+, daily favorites exceeded 2K. But starting the next day, favorites plummeted, and now it's almost back to where it was before the recommendation.]
[Sigh, quite a roller coaster.]
[Speaking of which, is it finally going to reach a million characters?]
(end of chapter)
The effect of [Zero-Force Magical Crusher] activated, sending the only [Polymerization] in Hayato's hand to the Graveyard and dealing Adrian Gecko 500 effect damage.
Then, the effect of [Monster Eye], which was transformed into a Psychic-Type by [DNA Surgery], activated. A new Psychic Counter was added to [Brain Research Lab], and the [Polymerization] Spell Card was recycled back to Hayato's hand once again.
Adrian Gecko's Life Points were whittled down to 0 in this infinite combo.
[Adrian Gecko: 500LP→0]
"Winner, No.114514!"
As Adrian Gecko's Life Points were completely depleted, the judge promptly announced the Duel's result: "Dan Kuroto" had claimed victory in the Duel. Simultaneously, "Dan Kuroto"'s name advanced two spots on the Points Ranking Board, while "Adrian Gecko"'s name dropped five spots.
During the time Hayato was Dueling, others were also Dueling, with some rising and some falling on the Points Ranking Board. As of now, Kaiba held first place on the Points Ranking Board; after all, Kaiba's "High-Level Hand" came with a version of [Polymerization] and [De-Fusion], leaving ordinary Duelists with no choice but to be crushed.
Besides Kaiba, Hayato also saw the names of Joey Wheeler and Yugi; both had pushed their points into the top twenty ranks.
Adrian Gecko was somewhat bewildered after the Duel ended. In his imagination, even if he lost the Duel, shouldn't it have been a defeat in an incredibly intense Monster battle? Being defeated repeatedly by the [Polymerization] Spell Card was practically destroying Adrian Gecko's preconceived notions about Duel Monsters.
How could there be a winning method in the world other than battle!
Regarding Hayato's dueling method, which completely bypassed Adrian Gecko's monsters on the Field and cards in the Back Row, defeating him by changing the Duel Field itself, Adrian Gecko could only say, "I don't understand it, but I'm deeply shaken." At the same time, he also developed an interest in this special victory method. He vaguely recalled that while collecting [Cloudian] cards, he had once unexpectedly drawn a card named [Left Arm of the Forbidden One], which seemed to belong to the [Exodia] Archetype, also possessing Special Victory capabilities. Should he try to collect [Exodia]?
Watching a pensive Adrian Gecko leave the Duel Field without a word, Hayato didn't pay it much mind. Instead, he continued to enjoy the cheers of "Lord Dan Kuroto!" from the surrounding crowd, and while waiting for his next opponent to step onto the Duel Stage acting as an Arena, he opened the System.
The Duel victory against Adrian Gecko only brought Hayato 400 DP points, which was just enough to be passable. Other than that, no cards were dropped.
Hayato checked the drop list for "Adrian Gecko (10 years old)", which exclusively contained [Cloudian] cards as potential drops. From [Cloudian - Little Smoke Ball] all the way to [Cloudian - Eye of the Storm], all were present, along with [Cloudian - Altus], [Cloudian - Ghost Fog], [Cloudian - Poison Cloud] and other [Cloudian] monsters that Adrian Gecko hadn't used in this Duel. Hayato didn't know if Adrian Gecko simply hadn't drawn them or hadn't collected them.
However, Hayato felt no regret, because the [Cloudian] Archetype monsters held little appeal for him. They lacked power, lacked popularity, the monsters weren't handsome or cool, and their combo/board development speed was painstakingly slow; even if dropped, Hayato was unlikely to use them.
But Hayato had other gains besides the duel settlement and card drops; the Duel with Adrian Gecko had unlocked two Achievements for him—
[Achievement: Survive Until the End]
[Condition: In one Duel, use cards or effects that require paying Life Points as a Cost 10 times (Completed)]
[Reward: 1000 DP points, Rare Exchange Ticket]
[Achievement: Satisfying God of Death]
[Condition: When your Life Points are lower than the opponent's, deal a total of 2000 or more Effect Damage and reduce the opponent's Life Points to zero using only Effect Damage]
[Reward: 1000 DP points, [Infernity Death Gunman]]
Now, this was a pleasant surprise.
Hayato claimed the rewards from both achievements. He had received a Rare Exchange Ticket once before, which he used to exchange for [Ojama Trio], and later awakened the card spirits of [Ojama Yellow] and its brethren. Although he hadn't used the exchange ticket yet, Hayato had already more or less decided which card he wanted to exchange for.
However, [Infernity Death Gunman] was Hayato's biggest surprise. Because Hayato had always thought that the System could only provide OCG versions of cards, yet [Infernity Death Gunman] was a card that hadn't been OCG-ized and only existed in the Anime, TF, and Duel Links. Unexpectedly, Hayato's special victory this time, achieved solely through Effect Damage, unexpectedly met the achievement unlock conditions.
As for the origin of the unlock conditions for the Satisfying God of Death achievement, Hayato immediately guessed it was from Kalin Kessler's Duel in Satisfaction Town, when he reappeared after the 5D's Signer Arc in the distant future. Although, Kalin Kessler didn't actually deal Damage back then.
Obtaining [Infernity Death Gunman] not only meant that Hayato could actually get cards from the System in versions other than OCG—he just hadn't found the method yet—but also that the [Infernity] Archetype Deck was now unlocked for Hayato, allowing him to draw them as long as he had enough DP points.
However, the biggest problem currently bothering Hayato was that he didn't have enough DP points. In Hayato's plan, once he acquired DP points, his first priority would be to draw some Dragon-Type monsters via [Odd-Eyes] to satisfy his Dragon Enthusiast tendencies. Next, he planned to first acquire [XYZ-Dragon Cannon], then draw the invincible [ABC], then the [Gaia] Deck, along with several other Deck Archetypes like [Cyber Dragon], [Dragon Rulers], and [Noble Knights] awaiting Hayato to complete.
Completing these Decks was very simple; Hayato didn't need to complete high-difficulty challenges like the Twelve Trials. He merely needed to Duel people to farm DP points, then draw, draw, draw. But the biggest problem lay precisely there—Hayato had an incredibly clear understanding of his hand luck: he wasn't an Unlucky Player nor a Lucky Player, but merely an "Asian average." When his luck was overflowing, he could get a hit on the first draw; when his luck was terrible, he could draw himself into poverty and only get one usable card. Such situations frequently occurred. Of course, having a clear understanding was one thing, getting carried away by drawing cards was another. After all, who hasn't fantasized about getting a hit on their next draw?
"Sigh, I really wish someone who could provide an exciting Duel but was also terrible would come along for me to farm points from."
Muttering to himself, Hayato then heard the broadcast announce: "No.114518, Alister, Please go to challenge Arena 44."
"114518? The number is surprisingly close to mine?" Hayato was somewhat surprised to be matched with a Duelist whose participant number was so close. While adjusting his Deck via the System, he waited for the Duelist named "Alister" to arrive. However, "Alister", or Alister, Hayato couldn't immediately recall any Duelist he knew with that name. He did remember that "Spider-Slayer" in the Marvel Universe was called Alister, but he wasn't Pajama Baby.
Just as Hayato was lost in thought, he heard someone call his name: "How calm and leisurely you are. Is this the confidence of the King of Games, Hayato?"
Under Hayato's surprised gaze, a familiar red-haired man calmly stepped onto the Duel Stage, his eyes fixed directly on Hayato. Due to [Millennium Rod], the surrounding crowd automatically filtered out the words "King of Games" and "Hayato" they heard and thus didn't notice anything amiss.
Hayato pondered for a moment, as if recalling something: "Aren't you that guy, the one with Raphael and that guy called Rex?"
The red-haired man crossed his arms: "Hmph, it's truly an honor to be remembered by the King of Games. But unfortunately, I won't hold back because of that, because I—"
"That Yamete?"
"It's Alister!"
Seeing the red-haired man—Alister—get a little emotional, Hayato waved his hand dismissively: "It's all the same, Yamete and Alister sound pretty similar."
"They're very different!" Alister said angrily, then suddenly, as if realizing something, he forced himself to regain his composure. After taking a few deep breaths, he said with annoyance, "Hmph, to be so proficient in Psychological Warfare, you've got some skills, King of Games."
"But to affect me, you're still far from it. This level of provocation only makes my fire burn brighter."
As he spoke, Alister glared fiercely at Hayato, shuffled his Deck a few times towards the judge, and then directly inserted it into the Duel Disk's Deck Zone, seemingly intending to stop talking to Hayato.
"He's certainly a short-tempered guy," Hayato shrugged, also inserting his Deck into his Duel Disk. "And you seem to have a lot of dissatisfaction with me?"
Alister glanced at Hayato, merely giving a cold smile. "I won't answer questions from a loser who is about to lose to me."
"But I can give you a hint: blame yourself for being a stumbling block on my path of revenge."
As if some unpleasant memory had been stirred, Alister turned his head to look at something in the distance, revealing a hateful, gritting-teeth expression.
Hayato followed Alister's gaze and saw only a billboard bearing the KaibaCorp abbreviation "KC" erected beside the Preliminary Round Venue.
"Revenge against KaibaCorp? Or rather, revenge against that Seto guy?" Turning back, Hayato looked at Alister, whose hatred seemed to almost turn into fire in his eyes, and uncharacteristically asked a serious question.
Although Hayato himself knew Alister's goal, the reasons he wanted to do it, and the deeper causes for Alister's hatred towards KaibaCorp, he didn't think telling Alister the truth would change his mind. It was hard to say whether Alister would even believe him. Furthermore, for Hayato, rather than telling the truth to someone he wasn't very familiar with, he was more concerned about whether the people he cared about would be harmed.
Alister gave his answer without hesitation: "KaibaCorp, Seto Kaiba, is there a difference between the two? For me, a revenger, concealing the truth of my revenge would only be an insult to the hatred I bear, so I will not hide my purpose."
"I will destroy KaibaCorp and Seto Kaiba completely, all of them, not a single one left! Utter annihilation!"
As Alister's words fell, the gravel-like green stone on the pendant around his neck emitted a sinister green light. Instantly, a spherical force Barrier precisely enveloped Hayato and Alister, as well as the Duel Stage beneath their feet. From a perspective imperceptible to others, a green Magic Circle began to spread from the center of the spherical Barrier, seemingly intending to encompass both Hayato and Alister.
Hayato, of course, recognized this thing. It was clearly the [Orichalcos Barrier], that thing with the power to "Seal the Soul of a defeated Duelist" and the Curse of "whoever uses it loses"!
Hayato didn't want to be dragged into a Duel within such a troublesome Barrier. With a thought, he opened the System, intending to activate a Shadow Game to counter the Orichalcos's power, but before he could activate it, a sudden change occurred on the Field. A sound of a card being torn suddenly came from Hayato's waist. At the same time, the expanding [Orichalcos Barrier] on the Field suddenly paused its expansion as if a pause button had been pressed, and then unbelievably, it began to contract as if Time Reversal had occurred, disappearing completely in the blink of an eye.
At this, not only Hayato, but Alister too was dumbfounded.
"The Barrier, disappeared!? How is that possible!" Alister frowned deeply. He glanced at Hayato, who also didn't know what had happened, and after a moment of thought, asked Hayato, "You, how did you just do that?"
In Alister's understanding, once the [Orichalcos Barrier] was deployed, the only way to break it was with the Orichalcos fragment he possessed, and it couldn't be done casually. Breaking the Barrier would also consume power from the Orichalcos fragment, preventing frequent use.
Hayato thought to himself, "Who are you asking? I'd like to know what just happened too." Of course, he didn't say that out loud: "Who knows? I won't answer questions from a loser who is about to lose to me."
"But perhaps that thing you just deployed disappeared because it was afraid of me."
Hayato's response was clearly nonsense, which greatly annoyed Alister: "Hmph, you talk nonsense. You're lucky, you've gained another life. But since I can't lay a hand on you, I'll teach you a lesson with Duel Monsters instead."
Saying this, he flicked his wrist, and his Duel Disk automatically deployed. Without waiting for Hayato, he drew five cards first.
"Isn't that a bit premature?" Hayato also deployed his Duel Disk. Looking at his Hand of unclear purpose cards, he showed a friendly smile. "Duel Monsters is a game that brings smiles to people. If you don't 'Smile,' then I'll help you 'Smile.'"
"Duel!" X2
Today's update is 4K words; the duel part will be tomorrow.
By the way, I recently picked up Space Engineers, and I feel like it's a pretty fun game.
(end of chapter)
"Duel!" x2
[Hayato: 4000 LP]
[Alister: 4000 LP]
"The first turn is mine, my turn, draw!" Alister had already drawn five cards for his hand, securing the first turn, and then drew another card from his Deck.
Looking at the card in his hand, Alister pondered for a moment, then played a card from his hand:
"I activate the Spell Card Machina Redeployment! This card's effect allows me to discard one card from my hand to add two 'Machina' monsters with different names from my Deck to my hand. Alternatively, I can discard one 'Machina' card from my hand to add two 'Machina' cards with different names, other than Machina Redeployment, from my Deck to my hand."
As he spoke, Alister sent a card to the Graveyard: "I choose to activate its first effect: I send one card from my hand to my Graveyard, then I add (Machina Sniper) and (Machina Soldier) to my hand."
"A 'Machina' Deck?" It wasn't Hayato's first time seeing a 'Machina' Deck. When Bandit Keith was controlled by Marik and attacked the Egypt Cultural Relics Touring Exhibition Hall, he also used a 'Machina' Deck, but Bandit Keith's 'Machina' Deck was merely full of fodder monsters.
Alister's lips curved slightly: "Hmph, hmph. While this can only be considered 'fighting fire with fire,' if my opponent is KaibaCorp, then using this machine army Deck for revenge couldn't be more fitting."
As he spoke, Alister added the two cards he had just searched from his Deck to his hand, then drew a card from his hand and played it: "I Normal Summon (Machina Soldier) in Attack Position, and activate its effect!"
"This effect can only be activated when no other monsters exist on my Field and (Machina Soldier) is successfully Summoned. I can Special Summon one 'Machina' monster, other than (Machina Soldier), from my hand. I choose to Special Summon (Machina Sniper) in Defense Position!"
On Alister's Field, with the hum of mechanical propulsion, two humanoid machines, one green and one yellow, appeared.
(Machina Soldier) had a sharp steel blade for its right arm, and its blood-red monitor coldly stared at Hayato. (Machina Sniper), on the other hand, carried a sniper rifle almost as tall as itself, its slender body crouching on the ground, cradling the weapon.
[(Machina Soldier) [Level 4 / Earth]]
[Machine / Effect]
[1600 ATK / 1500 DEF]
[(Machina Sniper) [Level 4 / Earth]]
[Machine / Effect]
[1800 ATK / 600 DEF]
Although he had Summoned two Level 4 monsters, it was not the era of Xyz Summoning, so Alister unfortunately couldn't perform an exciting Overlay. He drew two cards from his hand and Set them: "Since it's the first turn, I cannot enter the Battle Phase. Therefore, I Set two cards. My turn ends."
[Alister: 4000 LP, Hand 2]
[(Machina Soldier) [ATK 1600]]
[(Machina Sniper) [DEF 600]]
[Set Card x2]
"He presents himself like a brute, but his Dueling style is actually quite cautious?" Hayato muttered to himself, then drew a card: "Then it's my turn, draw!"
Hayato glanced at the card that had been added to his hand, then smiled triumphantly: "Then I activate the effect of (Cyber Dragon) from my hand! If there is a monster on my opponent's Field and no monsters on my Field, it can be Special Summoned directly from my hand!"
The same hum of mechanical propulsion sounded, but what appeared on Hayato's Field was not a war-machine-style 'Machina' soldier, but (Cyber Dragon), a mechanical creation perfectly integrated with bionic technology. Its silver-white body coiled, (Cyber Dragon) raised its head, proudly looking down upon Alister's 'Machina' forces on the Field.
[(Cyber Dragon) [Level 5 / LIGHT]]
[Machine / Effect]
[2100 ATK / 1600 DEF]
Alister recognized (Cyber Dragon). Rather, he had gathered information on Hayato. The intelligence about "Duel King Hayato, who Summoned (Cyber End Dragon) with a staggering 8000 Attack Points during the Battle City Seeding Match to determine the Top 4 Duelists' matchups," while difficult to obtain, did not stump Alister.
Alister was also aware that (Cyber Dragon) was a legacy card of the "Cyber Style" Dueling school. Although he didn't understand why Hayato, who had no connection to "Cyber Style," possessed (Cyber Dragon), this didn't prevent him from being wary of Hayato's (Cyber Dragon).
And why do you think Alister is here?
It's because Alister had just lost a Duel, and his opponent at the time was Sheppard, one of only two Duelists in this preliminary competition who used a (Cyber Dragon) Deck!
Due to the information about Hayato's "(Cyber End Dragon) with 8000 ATK and Piercing Effect," Alister focused heavily on Defense during his Duel with Sheppard, not rushing to attack first. As a result, he was disgusted by Sheppard's Shadow Realm Cyber Burn Strategy, losing the Duel in a highly embarrassing manner, which is how he ended up paired with Hayato.
Although Sheppard's (Cyber Dragon) had opened Alister's eyes, surely Hayato's wouldn't be as 'Shadow Realm', would it? Alister thought to himself.
Hayato, however, didn't know that Alister was in such a bad mood because he had just experienced a 'Shadow Realm' Duel with Sheppard, and seeing (Cyber Dragon) that he Summoned brought back unpleasant memories for Alister: "As you can see, this time I'm using a Pure Cyber Dragon Deck."
"I have no interest in the grudges between you and Kaiba, but if you harm someone I care about because of that resentment, then I'll have no choice but to 'resolve' your hatred through a Duel." Hayato said, playing a card: "With my Lulu!"
"I activate the Spell Card (Future Fusion)! As the name implies, this card enables a Fusion in the future. I'll show you one Fusion Monster, and then send the determined Fusion Material Monsters from my Deck to the Graveyard."
The (Future Fusion) that Hayato possessed was a card included in the original (Cyber Dragon) Structure Deck. Unlike the nerfed version, Hayato's (Future Fusion) could send Fusion Materials to the Graveyard immediately upon activation, and Summon the Fusion Monster on the second turn, significantly increasing its flexibility.
Drawing a card and showing it to Alister, Hayato explained: "The Fusion Monster I've chosen is this card, (Chimeratech Overdragon)! It requires one (Cyber Dragon) monster plus one or more Machine monsters as Fusion Materials, and there's no upper limit to this card's materials!"
As he spoke, Hayato's Duel Disk automatically searched for the monsters Hayato wanted. A thick stack, almost beyond Alister's imagination, because the cards Hayato pulled from his Deck numbered nearly thirty!
"Th-that many cards!" Alister was somewhat dumbfounded. "What are you doing?!"
"Hmph, my Deck contains a total of forty-five cards. My Spell and Trap Cards total ten, and the remaining thirty-five cards are all Machine monsters." Hayato said triumphantly, holding a thick stack of cards and pushing them into the Graveyard: "I'm going to mill my entire Deck!"
"In the next turn, the effect of (Future Fusion) will activate, and (Chimeratech Overdragon), using these thirty cards I sent to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials, will Summon!"
Alister unconsciously swallowed.
In Duel Monsters, most people's understanding of Fusion is combining two monsters. Fusion Monsters that can fuse three monsters are a rare minority, and they often possess extremely formidable power, such as the invincible (Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon) and Yoyo King.
But a Fusion of thirty monsters was simply unheard of. What kind of monster would that even be?
Alister had no way of knowing, but seeing Hayato's triumphant expression, he sneered: "That would be far too interesting, Hayato."
"You said (Chimeratech Overdragon) would Summon to your Field next turn, didn't you? As punishment for opposing me, I will crush your hopes!"
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, (Mystical Space Typhoon)! I will destroy your (Future Fusion) in the back row!"
A sudden gust of wind swept across the Duel Field. Hayato's (Future Fusion), which had just been activated in the back row, had only processed its first effect, sending monsters to the Graveyard. It hadn't even had a chance to await the "future" Summon or Fusion before it was torn apart by the gale and sent to the Graveyard.
Alister was triumphant, highly satisfied with successfully thwarting Hayato's plan.
Clearly, when Hayato had just shown him the effect of (Future Fusion), Alister hadn't had time to discern the detailed effect. If he had, he would naturally know that (Chimeratech Overdragon) has the effect: "Send all other cards you control on the Field to the Graveyard." The moment it appeared, it would self-destruct because (Future Fusion) was sent to the Graveyard.
In other words, by Hayato's next turn, even if Alister did nothing, the cards on Hayato's Field would be instantly board wiped due to (Chimeratech Overdragon). His action actually saved Hayato from that trouble.
Hayato was also somewhat surprised by Alister's move. Although he had been boasting, in reality, his activation of (Future Fusion) and subsequent Graveyard setup was purely for milling from the very beginning.
For a user of a (Cyber Dragon) Deck, whether on the Field, in the hand, Graveyard, or even the Banished Zone, these are all usable resources within their control, callable at any time. The only difficulty is how to move these resources from the Deck into the aforementioned zones.
The true purpose of (Future Fusion) was not the Fusion itself, but the milling.
Even if Hayato would have his Field board wiped by his own cards next turn for the sake of milling, that cost was negligible. He just hadn't expected Alister to be so kind as to remove this worry for Hayato.
In that case, Hayato couldn't possibly not "repay" him.
Although Hayato was secretly laughing, he put on a regretful and helpless expression: "To think you would destroy my highly anticipated (Future Fusion)! Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have discarded so many cards earlier. Now, my Deck only has nine cards left, doesn't it?"
"I have to end this Duel before my Deck runs out!"
Pretending to talk to himself, Hayato's voice wasn't lowered at all, reaching Alister's ears completely.
"This turn, I haven't performed a Normal Summon yet. I Normal Summon (Proto-Cyber Dragon) in Attack Position, and then enter my Battle Phase!" Hayato, with an impatient expression, waved his hand and commanded: "(Cyber Dragon), attack (Machina Soldier)!"
"Earth-Shattering Fist!"
Luckily, (Cyber Dragon) couldn't speak, or it would surely curse out loud – "I don't even have hands, what 'fist' do you expect me to use?"
Ignoring Hayato's usual nonsense shouting of names, (Cyber Dragon) opened its mouth, and a beam of pure white laser instantly shot out, striking towards the Attack Position (Machina Soldier). However, just as the attack was about to hit, suddenly, (Machina Soldier) grabbed the nearby (Machina Sniper) and used it as a defensive shield!
"Boom!"
(Cyber Dragon)'s attack hit, causing an explosion that dispersed the dust from the impact zone. (Machina Sniper) was shattered and destroyed, sent to the Graveyard due to its low DEF, revealing the unharmed (Machina Soldier) hiding behind it.
Alister said triumphantly: "(Machina Sniper)'s effect is that as long as this card exists in the Monster Zone, neither player can attack 'Machina' monsters other than (Machina Sniper). As long as it stands as a shield, no matter how powerful the firepower, it cannot harm me in the slightest."
"No, rather than protection, it was clearly used as a shield," Hayato retorted. At the same time, he glanced at (Proto-Cyber Dragon) on his Field and (Machina Soldier) on Alister's Field.
[(Proto-Cyber Dragon) [ATK 1100]]
[(Machina Soldier) [ATK 1600]]
"If you had attacked with (Proto-Cyber Dragon) just now, then (Machina Sniper), with only 600 DEF, would naturally be destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, and then you could attack my (Machina Soldier)." Alister said calmly, "But unfortunately, you used the wrong attack order, which means you can't inflict damage on me for now."
'So what will you do? Will you bring out a Fusion?' Alister secretly anticipated in his mind, because the Set card he had was a highly targeted (Fusion Failure), a "mind game" card that states: "When a Fusion Monster is Special Summoned, return all Fusion Monsters on the Field to the Deck." Its purpose was specifically to counter Hayato Summoning cards like (Cyber End Dragon).
What made Alister happy was that Hayato actually drew a card: "It's not good to speak too soon, I haven't used all my methods yet!"
"I activate the Spell Card (Instant Fusion)! I will use (Cyber Dragon) on my Field and (Proto-Cyber Dragon), which is treated as (Cyber Dragon), as Fusion Materials, for a Fusion during the Battle Phase!"
Alister couldn't help but inwardly rejoice: Although it wasn't a Fusion of three (Cyber Dragon)s to form (Cyber End Dragon), a Fusion of two (Cyber Dragon)s would be (Cyber Twin Dragon), right? That wasn't bad either.
"Come forth, (Tandem Bicycle Robot)!"
Huh? Cyber Tandem Bicycle, huh?!
(end of chapter)
Chapter 380: Bicycle-Type Dump Truck VS Tank-Type Dump Truck
As Hayato activated (Instant Fusion) from his Hand, the (Cyber Dragon) and (Proto-Cyber Dragon) on his Field immediately intertwined, transforming into a double helix pillar of light that flew into the vortex of (Instant Fusion)!
The Fusion result of the majestic, sci-fi-esque (Cyber Dragon) and the industrial (Proto-Cyber Dragon) was the Q-version, chibi-style (Tandem Bicycle Robot), which looked like a tandem bicycle with added eyes and arms!
[(Tandem Bicycle Robot)][5☆/Earth]
[Machine-Type/Fusion/Effect]
[1600/1200]
"This... this is what you Fused?" Alister felt like the fighting spirit he had painstakingly mustered was utterly wasted. Did he really have to use (De-Fusion) on this Monster that looked like it had no fighting power? Especially since (Machina Soldier)'s Attack was equal to this (Tandem Bicycle Robot).
"Heh heh, the tandem bicycle is invincible. It's much stronger than you think, so don't underestimate it."
Hayato wouldn't tell Alister that (Cyber Dragon) and all that was just for fun. The true profound secret of the Cyber Style was the Fatal Five-Strike of the Dump Truck Deck: Fusing two submarines into a tandem bicycle, then (De-Fusion) plus (Instant Fusion). If one wasn't careful and hadn't prepared defensive Cards, even a Meta Deck would suffer defeat under the Dump Truck Deck.
Although Hayato didn't explain that (Tandem Bicycle Robot) had the Effect of directly attacking the Opponent Player, Hayato's conviction made Alister raise his guard. "Is that so? Judging by your expression, you genuinely seem to think this Monster is very strong."
"Such a powerful Monster must be treasured. You can't just casually Summon it to the Field."
As he spoke, Alister ultimately decided to Activate his Set Card. Although he didn't quite know where Hayato's smugness came from, it was enough if his Set Card could annoy him.
"Trap Card, (Fusion Failure)! This Card can only be Activated when a Fusion Monster is successfully Fusion Summoned. It returns all Fusion Monsters on the Field to the Deck!"
As Alister's Set Card was Activated, cracks suddenly appeared at the connection point between the front and rear sections of (Tandem Bicycle Robot), which had just appeared on Hayato's Field and hadn't even had time to make a single impact. It then exploded with a "bang," and white smoke enveloped Hayato's Field.
But before Alister could smugly jeer a few words, he saw a silvery-white metallic tail suddenly whip out from amidst the exploding smoke and dust. The smoke and dust were instantly dispersed, revealing a brand new (Cyber Dragon) and (Proto-Cyber Dragon) beneath, as if Hayato hadn't Activated (Instant Fusion) at all!
"How dangerous, how dangerous! You almost cleared my Field." Hayato's tone was quite provoking. "Powerful Monsters I will naturally treasure, but not by being bounced back by your Cards. Rather, I actively recalled them myself."
As he spoke, Hayato pointed his hand towards his Field, making Alister follow the direction of his finger and see a Card that Hayato Activated—the Quick-Play Spell Card, (De-Fusion).
"The Effect of (De-Fusion) is to return one Fusion Monster to the Deck, and if the Material Monsters used for that Fusion Monster's Fusion are in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon the Monsters that were Sent to the Graveyard due to the Fusion Summon back to my Field."
As Hayato spoke, he looked at Alister with a scornful gaze, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Oh please, the Monster that is Fusion Summoned by (Instant Fusion) self-destructs. I haven't forgotten that Effect, of course I'd prepare a Card to circumvent this drawback. Or are you saying you don't even know this Effect?"
The oppressive presence of the (Proto-Cyber Dragon) and (Cyber Dragon) that Revived back to the Field was merely ordinary, but Hayato's extremely provocative words successfully enraged Alister.
"You bastard, what are you so smug about!"
Hayato spread his hands innocently. "I'm not being smug about anything. I just remember hearing someone say earlier that I couldn't inflict even a single point of Damage on him?"
"I'm afraid so. Well then, now I will Enter Battle Phase." Hayato raised his right hand like a pistol, aiming at Alister's (Machina Soldier) on the Field. "(Cyber Dragon), Attack Mr. Alister's (Machina Soldier),"
"Gaia Energy Cannon!"
Although (Machina Soldier) attempted to perform 'a knife piercing a beam cannon' before being Destroyed, after all, not everyone is Kira Yamato. At best, the mass-produced grunt unit (Machina Soldier) was instantly engulfed by "Evolution Burst," which, ironically, had nothing to do with the "Gaia Energy Cannon" attack name.
[Alister: 4000 → 3500 LP]
"Then, it's (Proto-Cyber Dragon)'s Direct Attack!"
"Garuru Missile!"
[Alister: 3500 → 2400 LP]
A white laser swept across. Because his Life Points were deducted twice in a row, Alister couldn't help but take a step back, his expression turning quite grim.
His goal was to destroy KaibaCorp and kill Seto Kaiba. For this reason, he paid close attention to Kaiba's movements, and naturally also watched the Battle City Finals broadcast on TV. In that Duel, Kaiba had completely dominated the early stages, deploying both (Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon) and (Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon).
Taking this Duel as a reference, Alister believed that if he wanted to defeat Kaiba and inflict a complete defeat upon him, he would need to do even better than Hayato. In other words, if Alister could defeat Hayato, then he would be 1000% certain of defeating Kaiba.
His encounter with Hayato during the preliminaries was purely accidental, but who would have thought that Hayato, who was using a rarely seen (Cyber Dragon) Deck instead of his main Deck, and whose Deck also didn't contain any God Cards, could actually gain the upper hand in the first Turn of the confrontation and even inflict nearly half of his Life Points in Damage.
"This is truly a disgrace." Alister lowered his head, his voice filled with suppressed rage.
If even Hayato in his not-fully-prepared state couldn't achieve complete victory himself, what hope was there of defeating Seto Kaiba?
When could he finally complete his revenge against him!
"Set one Card, my Turn ends." Hayato didn't have Mind Reading, so he naturally didn't know what Alister was thinking at that moment, nor could he imagine how someone could be so close to losing their mind with rage just because 1600 Life Points were deducted.
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand 0]
[(Cyber Dragon) ATK2100]
[(Proto-Cyber Dragon) ATK1100]
[Set Card]
It was Alister's Turn. He didn't immediately Draw a Card from the top of his Deck; instead, he looked up at Hayato, revealing an indescribable expression.
It was like jealousy, like resentment, and also somewhat like recognition.
"Hayato, I must admit, you are a true Duel King. Even if you're using a Deck you're not entirely familiar with, you can still tap into its potential to this extent."
As he spoke, Alister lowered his head and glanced at his Deck. "You might not know, but this Deck I'm using has actually always been hated by me, because what it represents is the root of my pain. Every time I Draw a Card, I'm tearing open my wounds."
"I hear the wailing of the dead, I hear the cannons and smell the gunpowder."
Alister closed his eyes, and the expression on his face became calm. At the same time, his index and middle fingers rested on the Card at the top of his Deck. "But it is precisely because of this that I can see even more clearly where my true objective lies."
"I will kill that man, and I don't care if I become just like the person who created the hatred within me!"
"With this Draw, let me show you my resolve!"
"My Turn, Draw!"
"Then, I Activate the Spell Card (Pot of Greed)!"
As Alister Drew two Cards, Hayato's gaze sharpened, because he could feel a very clear attachment of a Duel Monster Spirit's power on the Card Alister had just Drawn!
In other words, Alister seemed to have made a God Draw of a powerful Card.
"I Activate the Effect of (Machina Fortress) in my Hand! By Discarding Machine-Type Monsters with a combined Level of 8 or more from my Hand, I Special Summon (Machina Fortress) from my Hand! The one I will Discard is the Level 10 (Machina Armored Force)!"
"Roar into existence! This is divine retribution! Come forth, (Machina Fortress)!"
As Alister Sent a Card from his Hand to the Graveyard, the ground suddenly cracked open. A hollow cannon barrel burst forth from the earth, and closely following it was a strangely shaped tank. As soon as it appeared, it pointed its cannon barrel in Hayato's direction, as if threatening him!
[(Machina Fortress)][7☆/Earth]
[Machine-Type/Effect]
[2500/1600]
"This is my resolve, Hayato! As long as I can achieve my goal, even if it means using these sin-filled weapons of slaughter to become a Fiend, I am willing to do so!" As Alister spoke, he played the last Card in his Hand. "I Equip the Equip Spell Card (Air Crushing Storm) to (Machina Fortress), then I Enter Battle Phase!"
Saying this, Alister waved his hand forward. "Begin the Attack, (Machina Fortress), Attack (Cyber Dragon)!"
"Electromagnetic Cannon!"
After Alister's command was given, (Machina Fortress) immediately turned its cannon barrel towards the wary (Cyber Dragon). The hollow cannon barrel began to charge, and with a "boom," a cannon shell shot out of the barrel at three times the speed of sound. Even sound couldn't keep up with its speed, as it instantly struck (Cyber Dragon)'s head, inflicting overflowing Battle Damage on Hayato!
[Hayato: 4000 → 3600 LP]
Before Hayato could catch his breath, Alister commanded again, "It's not over yet! My resolve isn't just this much!"
"The Effect of (Air Crushing Storm) can only be Activated when the equipped Monster Destroys by Battle an Opponent's Monster. During this Battle Phase, (Machina Fortress) equipped with (Air Crushing Storm) can Attack one more time!"
"Target locked on (Proto-Cyber Dragon)! Reload! Second Electromagnetic Cannon shot!"
Having just fired one Electromagnetic Cannon shot, (Machina Fortress)'s alien-shaped cannon barrel was hot and glowing from overcharging with too much current in one go. Normally, it needed to cool down for one Turn before it could Activate another Attack, but with the Activation of (Air Crushing Storm) it was equipped with, a large amount of air was drawn into the cannon barrel to accelerate cooling. In just an instant, (Machina Fortress) regained its ability to Attack!
"Boom!"
In front of (Machina Fortress)'s standard protagonist Ace Card Attack of 2500, (Proto-Cyber Dragon), although it wanted to resist, its activation reaction speed couldn't match the flight speed of the Electromagnetic Cannon shell. It was instantly Destroyed and Sent to the Graveyard.
[Hayato: 3600 → 2200 LP]
"Ugh!"
It seemed that the Duel Monster Spirit within (Machina Fortress) also sensed its master's desire to win. Hayato felt that the force of this Attack was quite high. He grunted, and at the same time, couldn't help but take half a step back to absorb the impact.
Alister looked at Hayato with a very serious expression. "Duel King, have you felt the pain? But this is just pain simulated by KaibaCorp's Solid Vision, it's not even one ten-thousandth of my pain."
"In the coming Duel, feel more pain, Hayato. Take this pain and become the stepping stone for me to achieve my ambition!"
"Set one Card, my Turn, End."
[Alister: 2400 LP, Hand 0]
[(Machina Fortress) (Air Crushing Storm) ATK2500]
[Set Card]
After hearing Alister speak, Hayato's gaze bypassed the temporarily deactivated (Machina Fortress) and met Alister's eyes.
"From your recent Attack, I can feel your pain. Alister, you're moving forward burdened by hatred, aren't you?" An expression of helplessness appeared on Hayato's face. "If Seto were here, he would probably tell you something like 'Hatred belongs to the past,' 'I can only see the future,' or similar words, right?"
"But I won't say those kind of empty words."
As he spoke, Hayato's fingers rested on his Deck, and he Drew a Card without hesitation. "My Turn, Draw."
"Someone once said that people's joys and sorrows are not interconnected. I'm afraid, although I feel your pain, I cannot understand it, especially your idea of using Duel Monsters to inflict pain upon more people."
"I've said before, Duel Monsters are meant to bring smiles to people. You, who use them to inflict pain, have completely strayed from the path."
As he spoke, Hayato looked at the Card in his Hand, a little surprised that he would Draw such a Card. But, since he Drew it, he might as well use it.
"Since I'm dealing with you, who uses Duel Monsters on the wrong path, wouldn't it be better to use this Card?" Hayato's lips curved into a smile. He Flipped the Card in his Hand to show Alister, and subconsciously tapped the side of the Card. "I Activate the Spell Card (Card of Demise)!"
"I Draw Cards from my Deck until I have 5 Cards in my Hand. During my fifth Standby Phase after this Card was Activated, I Discard my entire Hand!"
Drawing Cards fiercely, Hayato looked at the Cards in his Hand and said with a smile, "But there's no need for that, because in this Turn, I will end this Duel!"
"I Activate the Spell Card (Overload Fusion)!"
(end of chapter)