Compared to verbal communication, sometimes a Duel can allow one person to understand another more directly. This was something Hayato realized through countless Duels.
Compared to Yako, who had ceased to exist, Gekko, the sole surviving twin, seemed quite normal in all aspects, and Hayato hadn't found any suspicious points about him during their conversations.
Therefore, the next part of the probing would be done through a Duel.
Just as one's true character isn't judged by their everyday politeness but by whether they curse after being crushed in a game, in Duel Monsters, few can mask their true emotions.
Even the introverted and timid Yugi would display a calm and decisive personality during an intense Duel. So, when Gekko proposed a Duel with Hayato, it was exactly what he wanted.
In an empty room next door, Hayato and Gekko took their positions on opposite sides.
"I'm ready, Mr. Hayato." Gekko, having equipped his Duel Disk, inserted his Deck into the slot and unfolded it. "I'm using a Fairy Type-focused [The Agent] Deck."
Although he gave the first impression of a "calm and gentle gentleman," Gekko seemed to be a genuine fan of Hayato. When Hayato accepted the Duel, a clear expression of excitement appeared on Gekko's face.
"[The Agent] Deck, a Fairy Type Deck?" Hayato mused, then inserted his Deck into his Duel Disk. "I'm using a Warrior-Type focused Deck, and my Ace Monster is [Dark Knight Gaia]."
"It's [Gaia]? How exciting!" Gekko said expectantly. "Then, Mr. Hayato, let's begin!"
"Duel!" "Duel!"
[Hayato: 4000 LP]
[Gekko: 4000 LP]
"I'll gladly take the First Turn."
Leveraging the advantage of his Duel Disk modified by Mokuba, Hayato was the first to Draw a card, seizing the First Turn. He then immediately played the card he had just drawn: "I Activate the Spell Card [Future Fusion]! This card's Effect allows me to choose the Materials needed for a Fusion Monster from my Deck, and then Fusion Summon it in the future."
After explaining the Effect of [Future Fusion], Hayato raised the Duel Disk on his left arm. Two cards automatically emerged from his Deck and were Sent to the Graveyard: "The Fusion Monster I choose is [Dragon Knight Gaia], so I will Send [Dark Knight Gaia] and [Curse of Dragon] from my Deck to the Graveyard."
"During my second Standby Phase after [Future Fusion] is Activated, [Dragon Knight Gaia] will appear on my Field. However, I'm quite impatient, and I can't wait that long."
As Hayato spoke, he played another card: "Therefore, I Activate the Spell Card [Dragon's Mirror]! I can Banish Fusion Materials required for a Dragon-Type Fusion Monster from my Field or Graveyard, and Fusion Summon that Dragon-Type Fusion Monster."
"I Banish [Dark Knight Gaia] and [Curse of Dragon] from my Graveyard! The Monster I will Fusion Summon is [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion]!"
"Come forth, Dragon Knight soaring through the heavens!"
With a series of swift actions, Hayato quickly completed the process of Sending Materials from his Deck to the Graveyard and choosing Fusion Materials from the Graveyard. At the cost of two cards from his Hand, he Summoned [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] to the Field on his First Turn.
"Amazing! To Summon such a powerful Fusion Monster on the First Turn, and with only two cards from your Hand." Gekko praised. "As expected of Mr. Hayato, this is the power of the King of Games."
[Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] appeared on Hayato's Field, riding a Wyvern and harnessing the gale. Hayato reached out his hand into the wind, and a Card materialized in his grasp.
"When [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] is Special Summoned successfully, I Add one [Spiral Spear Strike] from my Deck to my Hand, then I Activate [Spiral Spear Strike]." Hayato inserted the card he had just Added to his Hand into the Spell & Trap Zone. "This card will grant my [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] Piercing Defense."
"Then, I Set two cards. My Turn ends here."
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand 2]
[[Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] ATK 2600]
[[Future Fusion], [Spiral Spear Strike], Set Card X2]
Hayato's series of moves flowed smoothly. While not overtly stunning, it was solid. He Summoned [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] for Field presence, prepared [Spiral Spear Strike] for a next-turn Attack, and had [Future Fusion] for ongoing resources, plus two Set Cards for countermeasures and protection.
Although Gekko had informed Hayato that he was using an [The Agent] Deck, even the same Deck could be played with different styles in the hands of different Duelists. Thus, uncertain of Gekko's Dueling style, Hayato opted for a more conservative approach.
"Ah, [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion]. I recall it has the ability to determine the Battle Position of an Opponent's Monster when it Attacks. Combined with the Piercing Defense it gains from [Spiral Spear Strike], it truly symbolizes a spear of offense."
After offering his praise, Gekko said seriously, "Although I'm not confident I can defeat you, Mr. Hayato, I also don't want to lose too badly. So, I'll make taking care of [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] my first objective."
"My Turn, Draw!"
Glancing at the Card he Drew, Gekko immediately Activated it on the Field: "I Activate the Continuous Spell Card, [Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen]!"
As Gekko placed the Card into his Spell & Trap Zone, the ground rumbled, and a solemn building slowly rose from beneath the earth, surrounding three sides of Gekko's Field, leaving only the front exposed.
"[Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen]'s Effect is: If I control no Monsters on my Field, I can Once per turn Special Summon one Fairy Type Monster from my Hand. I Special Summon [The Agent of Creation - Venus]."
Behind Gekko, an image of Venus, magnified countless times, appeared in the air. A golden-haired woman with two wings emerged from Venus, standing firm on Gekko's Field, hands clasped, eyes closed in prayer.
[[The Agent of Creation - Venus] Level 3 / LIGHT Attribute]
[Fairy Type / Effect]
[1600/0]
"The [The Agent] Archetype cards were designed by Maximillion Pegasus, based on Roman and Greek mythology, combined with solar system celestial bodies. [The Agent of Creation - Venus] represents Venus, the goddess of beauty, symbolizing the planet Venus."
"I Activate [The Agent of Creation - Venus]'s Effect! By Paying 500 Life Points, I can Special Summon one [Mystic Shine Ball] from my Hand or Deck to my Field. This Effect has no Once per turn restriction." As he spoke, Gekko held up three fingers. "Therefore, I Pay a total of 1500 Life Points to Activate [The Agent of Creation - Venus]'s Effect three times."
"I Special Summon three [Mystic Shine Ball]s to my Field!"
[Gekko: 4000 → 2500 LP]
The praying [The Agent of Creation - Venus] opened her eyes, extending her arms straight out in front of her. The Phantom Image of Venus reappeared behind her, and three orbs began to orbit Venus, as if becoming its nonexistent satellites.
[[Mystic Shine Ball] Level 2 / LIGHT Attribute]
[Fairy Type / [Normal Monster]]
[500/500]
At the Cost of 1500 Life Points, Gekko Summoned three seemingly powerless Normal Monsters to the Field. If this were the era of Xyz and Link Summons, Hayato might have felt a bit threatened by the three Monsters on his Field, but in the current era, three such Monsters posed no threat whatsoever.
However, judging by Gekko's actions, he didn't intend to defeat Hayato with just three [Mystic Shine Ball]s. Drawing a Card from his Hand, Gekko flashed an excited smile; he hadn't even performed a Normal Summon this Turn yet.
"Now, Mr. Hayato, I will Summon the strongest Monster in my Deck! I Tribute two [Mystic Shine Ball]s on my Field for a Tribute Summon!"
"Oh, magnificent star of dawn, the time of your Descent has come! Bring forth the Cycle of life for me!"
"Tribute Summon! [The splendid VENUS]!"
The [Mystic Shine Ball]s on Gekko's Field transformed into two streams of light, intertwining as they ascended into the sky. The image of Venus, which had appeared when [The Agent of Creation - Venus] was Summoned, reappeared, but this time it was far more brilliant and beautiful.
From within the Phantom of Venus, a four-winged angel flew out, clad in luxurious golden armor. A ruby adorning the Staff in her hand shimmered with magical light.
As soon as [The splendid VENUS] appeared on the Field, an invisible surge of Magical Energy spread from her, engulfing the entire Field in an instant. The first to be affected was [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion], standing before Hayato.
[[Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] ATK 2600 → 2100]
"[Gaia]'s ATK decreased?"
Gekko watched [The splendid VENUS] slowly descend onto his Field, and said, as if boasting, "[The splendid VENUS] is the Ace Monster in my Deck. Although her ATK is only 2500, even [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] cannot easily defeat her. This is because as long as [The splendid VENUS] remains on the Field, all non-Fairy Type Monsters' ATK and Defense Points are decreased by 500."
No, no, 2500 ATK is already quite good! The Ace Cards of protagonists throughout history all boast that auspicious number.
Muttering to himself, Hayato remained composed: "So, are you going to Attack?"
"No. Although I don't know what your Set Cards are, Mr. Hayato, I have a bad feeling." Gekko shook his head firmly. "I learned one thing from the Battle City footage: in Duel Monsters, the most important thing to be wary of are unknown Set Cards. I must be careful."
"I Set one card, then I Activate the Spell Card [Heavy Storm]."
As Gekko Activated the Card, a hurricane appeared in his Backrow. As soon as it appeared, it Destroyed [Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen], and the newly Set card in his Backrow, Sending them to the Graveyard, seemingly without purpose.
"[Heavy Storm]'s Effect is: Destroy all Spell/Trap Cards I control on my Field, then Destroy Spell/Trap Cards on the Opponent Duelist's Field equal to the number of cards Destroyed. Since two of my cards were Destroyed, I can Destroy both Set Cards in your Backrow, Mr. Hayato."
As Gekko spoke, he also revealed the Set Card that had just been Destroyed: "Furthermore, because [Dark Coffin], which I had just Set, was Destroyed and Sent to Graveyard, its Effect Activates. You, Mr. Hayato, choose one Effect to Activate."
"Either randomly Discard one card from your Hand, Mr. Hayato, or Target one Monster you control on your Field to Destroy."
Gekko's face broke into a sly smile: "Also, [The splendid VENUS] has another Effect: while she is Face-up Position on the Field, the Activation of Spell/Trap Cards I Control, and their Effect Activations, cannot be Negated. This means even if you had Set a card like [Solemn Judgment], Mr. Hayato, you couldn't Negate my Combo."
Indeed, although Gekko claimed Pegasus had deemed him to have "no talent in Duel Monsters," he Dueled quite competently when it came down to it. After such an excellent Combo, Hayato truly had no way to Counter it. He said resignedly, "Then, I choose to Discard one card from my Hand."
After Sending a card from his Hand to the Graveyard to resist [Dark Coffin]'s Effect, the furious winds stirred up by [Heavy Storm] immediately followed, Destroying both cards in Hayato's Backrow.
Before being Destroyed, both cards were flipped Face-up, allowing Gekko to see their true forms: the Counter Trap [Stacking Trap], which could Negate an Effect Activated during a Summon, and the Trap Card [Bomb Defense], which could Negate the Effect of a Destroyed Monster.
"With this, now is the best time for me to safely Activate an Attack! Here I come, Mr. Hayato!" Gekko raised his hand and pointed at [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] on Hayato's Field. "I Target [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] on your Field, Mr. Hayato! I use [The splendid VENUS] to Attack!"
"Shining Cycle!"
At Gekko's command, [The splendid VENUS] flapped her wings and flew up, raising the Staff in her hand. A golden orb of Magical Energy flew out as she swung her Staff, attacking [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion] like a falling meteor.
Due to [The splendid VENUS]'s Effect, [Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion], with its ATK weakened by 500 points, now only had 2100 ATK. It was no match for [The splendid VENUS]'s 2500 ATK. If the Attack went through, the only result would be its destruction, followed by Direct Attacks from [The Agent of Creation - Venus] and the [Mystic Shine Ball]s in Attack Position on Gekko's Field.
All tallied, the total Damage would be as high as 2500, equivalent to one [Dark Magician]'s ATK, which was still quite painful.
"If I don't use a Card when it's needed, it loses its meaning." Hayato raised his Duel Disk, and a light glowed in its Graveyard Zone. "I Activate the Effect of the Card I just Sent to the Graveyard!"
[The splendid VENUS] seemed like a very ordinary Card, serving merely as a Defense Point for a Fairy Type Deck to prevent Counters. But what was important wasn't its Effect, but its inherent meaning.
(end of chapter)
### Chapter 422: Classic Absorption Shield
"I activate the effect of Bone Swine Toss from my Graveyard!"
Following Hayato's declaration, just as Splendid Venus' attack was about to hit Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion, a dark shadow suddenly flew out from the Graveyard, striking the magic orb and prematurely detonating it in mid-air before Splendid Venus' attack could even connect.
"During the Battle Step when both monsters are engaged in battle, I can banish Bone Swine Toss from my Graveyard to negate that monster's attack." Hayato took the Bone Swine Toss card from his Graveyard and put it into his pocket. "Although Splendid Venus prevents your Spell and Trap Cards from being negated, monster attacks are not within its protective range."
Gekko showed an understanding expression. "I see, that's the card that was just sent to the Graveyard by my Dark Coffin's effect, isn't it? As expected of Hayato, you can even utilize disadvantageous effects used by your opponent."
"It's a pity I couldn't deal with Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion. In that case, I activate the Spell Card Trade-In from my hand, Tributing the Normal Monster Sacred Orb on my field, and then Draw two cards from my Deck."
After drawing two cards from his Deck, Gekko looked at his hand and Set them all. "I Set both cards in my hand, and end my turn."
[Gekko: 2500 LP, Hand 0]
[Splendid Venus ATK 2500]
[The Agent of Creation - Venus ATK 1600]
[Set Card] x2
In the just-concluded turn, out of caution and to maximize his advantage, Gekko didn't choose to attack directly. Instead, he opted to counter Hayato's Set Cards, only launching his offensive after ensuring it was foolproof. However, this step turned out to be unnecessary.
If he had attacked directly, Hayato's two Set Cards would have been completely ineffective, Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion would have been destroyed, and the Bone Swine Toss Hayato held in his hand would not have been sent to the Graveyard by Dark Coffin's effect, thus preventing its activation.
However, even if Dark Coffin's effect was to randomly send a card from the hand to the Graveyard, Hayato still precisely discarded Bone Swine Toss. Perhaps it was luck.
Looking at Gekko's slightly regretful expression, Hayato had a realization regarding why Pegasus said Gekko "had no talent in Duel Monsters." However, because they had only dueled for one turn, Hayato wasn't very certain.
"My turn, Draw!"
Anyway, let's start my turn first.
"During my Standby Phase, Future Fusion's effect is activated. Dragon Knight Gaia, sent to the future, will appear on my field!"
As he spoke, a pillar of light rose from the Future Fusion on Hayato's field. The pillar of light opened an illusory portal in mid-air, and the figure of Dragon Knight Gaia riding Curse of Dragon appeared within it.
But watching Hayato Summon Dragon Knight Gaia, Gekko revealed a triumphant smile. "At this very instant, I activate my Set Card on the backrow, Adhesion Trap Hole!"
"When your opponent successfully Normal Summons, Flip Summons, or Special Summons a monster: While that monster is face-up on the field, its original ATK becomes half!"
"Additionally, even monsters that appear later will be suppressed by Splendid Venus' effect, and their ATK and DEF will decrease by 500 points!"
Before it could even flaunt its power, Dragon Knight Gaia, which had just appeared on Hayato's field, was suddenly drenched from head to toe with a bucket of sticky, snot-like green liquid. Then, by Splendid Venus' power, it was dragged directly from the air to the ground, falling dizzily and getting stuck to the ground by the adhesive.
[Dragon Knight Gaia ATK 2600 → 1300 → 800]
Merely because of its dashing entrance, Dragon Knight Gaia was imposing for a moment. Its ATK plummeted in an instant to a meager 800 points. Let alone battle, even defending itself was becoming difficult.
"Tsk, its battle capabilities are practically nullified." Hayato looked at the helpless Dragon Knight Gaia and played a card. "In that case, I can't really rely on him. Rather than just leaving him on the field as a waste (Dragon Knight Gaia: Who are you calling useless?), it's better to put him to some use."
"I activate the Spell Card Seven Star Sword! I banish the Level 7 Dragon Knight Gaia from my field, and Draw two cards from my Deck."
After replenishing his hand to four cards, Hayato glanced at the situation on his field.
Although Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion's ATK was decreased and couldn't compare to Splendid Venus, destroying The Agent of Creation - Venus was still easily within its capabilities.
What's more, Spiral Spear Strike on Hayato's backrow wasn't just for show. Coupled with the fact that Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion had the ability to decide the opponent's monster's battle position, Hayato's decision was indeed—
"Entering my Battle Phase, I will use Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion to attack The Agent of Creation - Venus!" Hayato raised his arm and swung it forward. "Before Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion, the one who decides your monster's battle position is me, Hayato!"
"I will change The Agent of Creation - Venus to Defense Position!"
Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion did not rush to activate its attack. Instead, it tugged the reins, riding the red Curse of Dragon and began flying around the field, accelerating constantly, even becoming a red streak of light that shot across, as if becoming a red comet.
Although it didn't have horns, Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion still sped up to three times the normal speed, creating a whirlwind around Gekko's field. The Agent of Creation - Venus could barely maintain its alert state at first, but was soon left dizzy and disoriented, finally dropping to one knee and turning into Defense Position in a dazed state.
[The Agent of Creation - Venus ATK 1600 → DEF 0]
Gekko exclaimed in surprise, "My The Agent of Creation - Venus' DEF is 0, and Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion has a piercing effect... This is bad!!"
Hayato pointed at the defenseless The Agent of Creation - Venus and directly ordered, "From this angle, go, Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion!"
"Golden Cavalry Charge!"
The red stream of light changed direction. As its mount, Curse of Dragon, rotated in sync, spiraling power accelerated to the extreme gathered on Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion's spear tip, seemingly warping even time-space. He plunged downwards and thrust his spear at The Agent of Creation - Venus!
Just then, Gekko gritted his teeth, as if finally making up his mind. His finger pressed the Activate Set Card button on his Duel Disk. "At this moment, I activate my Set Card!"
"Trap Card, Absorption Shield! Negate Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion's attack, and I gain Life Points equal to Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion's ATK!"
Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion's inevitable strike was blocked by a translucent energy shield that suddenly appeared in front of The Agent of Creation - Venus. Even a spiraling spear thrust that pierced everything ultimately couldn't resist the rules of Duel Monsters. Was Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion's effort for nothing?
[Gekko: 2500 LP → 4600 LP]
The Life Point deficit from activating The Agent of Creation - Venus' effect was replenished by Absorption Shield's effect, and he even gained an additional 600 points. Looking at his rising Life Points, Gekko couldn't help but smile.
If Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion's recent attack had destroyed The Agent of Creation - Venus, the monster being destroyed and him taking a lot of damage would have been secondary. The real crucial point was that Hayato could then activate Spiral Spear Strike's effect to draw new cards from his Deck.
But now, he successfully blocked Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion's attack with just one card. Protecting his monster, recovering Life Points, and preventing the opponent from drawing cards—Gekko looked at his own play and was thoroughly pleased with his maneuver.
With this feeling of satisfaction, Gekko looked at Hayato, wanting to hear his comments on the maneuver. Although Gekko held sincere respect for Pegasus, it was impossible for Gekko not to feel a sense of defiance regarding the evaluation Pegasus had made.
Ever since he was young, he had always been called a genius, talented in many aspects, and had even received Maximillion Pegasus's admiration early on, assisting him in working at Industrial Illusions.
But someone like himself, even though his adoptive father was Maximillion Pegasus, the creator of Duel Monsters hailed as the "Father of Duel Monsters," he himself was evaluated as "having no talent in Duel Monsters." Gekko felt immense dissatisfaction.
I'm still the older brother, after all...
Suddenly, such a thought popped into Gekko's mind, but the next moment, he himself found it odd. Did he have siblings?
Forgetting the strange thought in an instant, Gekko looked at Hayato expectantly, but he only heard Hayato sigh.
"Hmph, it seems you're nothing but a fake fan, Gekko." Hayato looked at Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion on his field and drew a card from his hand. "Even though I use this move frequently, why did no one tell you about it?"
"Cards like Absorption Shield and Counter Gate, which negate monster attacks, are useless against me!"
The card Hayato held between his fingers flipped over, revealing a green card printed with a slot machine.
"Quick-Play Spell Card, Double Up Chance! Or, as they say, 'a second shot'! Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion, whose attack was negated, gains a second attack opportunity, and its ATK is doubled!"
"Wha—what?!"
Under Gekko's astonished gaze, the red comet reappeared. A more powerful attack than before descended, and this time, Gekko no longer had Absorption Shield.
The Agent of Creation - Venus, with 0 DEF, was instantly destroyed. And Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion's ATK, which had doubled to 5200 points, even though it was weakened by Splendid Venus by 500 points, still reached a high 4700 points. It inflicted piercing battle damage thanks to Spiral Spear Strike's effect, instantly emptying Gekko's Life Points!
[Gekko: 4600 LP → 0]
No, that's Diabolo, alright?
(end of chapter)
Chapter 423: Absolutely No Problem (Confirmed)
Although it wasn't a Shadow Game, because the Attack Power of Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion after combining with the Double Up Chance Effect was too high, Gekko was slammed against the wall by the impact simulated by the Solid Vision, letting out a "thud" that sounded quite severe.
Sky Galloping Gaia the Dragon Champion, which had delivered the finishing blow, disappeared from the Duel Field as the Duel concluded. Hayato also received the System's Settlement for the recent Duel.
[Congratulations on another victory! Duel Settlement: 650 DP]
[Current Accumulated DP Points: 10000 DP]
[You have one Prize Card]
The 650 DP from the Battle Settlement was within Hayato's expectations, after all, he had resolved the Duel within three Turns and taken no damage. However, he had unknowingly accumulated 10,000 DP Points again.
If he were to buy Card Packs, Hayato could open 100 Card Packs in one go. But for the current Hayato, accumulating them to directly buy powerful Staple Cards like the invincible Nibiru, the Primal Being or Maxx "C" seemed more practical than obtaining new Cards or completing existing Archetypes.
What surprised Hayato, however, was that after such a long time, he had actually received another Dropped Card.
Even though he had Dueled for so long during the preliminary stages of the KC Cup, Hayato had won countless times without a single Card dropping. Yet, after a single Duel with Gekko, an "outsider" who wasn't participating in the KC Cup, a Card dropped.
Not expecting to get any powerful Cards, Hayato opened the Claim Interface, but the Card that appeared before him surprised him slightly.
"Kuririri?" On Hayato's shoulder, Rainbow Kuriboh felt a familiar yet unfamiliar Aura appear and scampered out to see what was happening.
A Monster Card appeared in Hayato's hand. On the Card Art, a Monster that looked extremely similar to the Kuriboh held by Yugi, but with a pair of small, pure white wings on its back, yawned lazily. Noticing Hayato outside the Card was looking at it, it actively waved its hand in greeting.
"Kuriboh, Kuriboh~"
The Card Hayato received was actually Winged Kuriboh?
As is well known, in the Yu-Gi-Oh! World, every generation's protagonist has their own Kuriboh Card. While it may not always be a Card frequently used to decide victory, it's a Card one must have even if they don't always use it. Just like Yugi's Kuriboh, Winged Kuriboh is the Kuriboh Card of the second-generation protagonist, Jaden Yuki.
For now, however, Hayato wasn't in a hurry to bond with Winged Kuriboh. He put it away first to check on Gekko, who had been heavily impacted. Winged Kuriboh was also very understanding, obediently stretching inside the Card and closing its eyes to rest.
Walking over to Gekko, who was leaning against the wall and standing up, Hayato asked, "How are you? Not hurt, are you? Sorry, I accidentally didn't hold back."
"No, no, Mr. Hayato, it has nothing to do with you. It's mainly my own lack of strength," Gekko's face subconsciously showed an expression of shame. "It seems I'm still too far from being the Perfect Duelist that Maximillion Pegasus spoke of."
A Perfect Duelist?
Prompted by Gekko, Hayato suddenly remembered something: the Gekko before him seemed a little different from the Gekko he remembered from the Yu-Gi-Oh! R manga.
In the manga world, Gekko was not evaluated by Pegasus as having "no talent in Duel Monsters." Instead, he was indeed called a "Perfect Duelist," and even the Ace of Industrial Illusions, their trump card.
However, considering that Pegasus hadn't died and Gekko didn't have a twin brother, Yako, a slight difference seemed quite normal.
More than those things, Hayato was more interested in the Card Gekko had used in the Duel.
The splendid VENUS, taken alone, was just a Card whose Effect wasn't too powerful. With the same Tributes, much stronger Monsters could be Summoned.
However, while the Effects of Duel Monsters are important, the Power hidden behind the Cards is even more important. Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician are still Normal Monsters with no Effects, yet their symbolic meaning is far more important than many Monsters with powerful Effects.
And The splendid VENUS was precisely such a Card.
In Hayato's memory, this Card's origin, like Gekko's, was in the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga world. However, Gekko existed in the Yu-Gi-Oh! R manga, while The splendid VENUS originated from the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX manga.
In the GX manga, The splendid VENUS belongs to the "Planet" Archetype. The Cards in that Archetype were designed based on the sun and the eight planets of the solar system, plus Pluto, which had since been reclassified, totaling ten Cards. The power of the "Planet" Archetype itself isn't important; what's important is that they are keys to opening a seal.
However, Hayato decided that even if The splendid VENUS appeared before him, it didn't mean that the other nine "Planet" Cards would also appear one by one in the near future. Not to mention, the Earth-symbolizing Card in the "Planet" Archetype is E-HERO Earth Hero, and there's simply no possibility of that Card appearing.
Hayato wasn't lying when he gave the E-HERO Cards to Jaden. Pegasus had told him that he planned to release the newly designed E-HERO Deck after the KC Cup. Until then, only Hayato and Jaden would likely possess E-HERO Cards worldwide.
While Hayato had no doubt about Jaden's compatibility with E-HERO, it was too early to talk about Card Creation; how long had Jaden even had the E-HERO Cards?
Under such circumstances, no one could create the E-HERO Earth Hero Card. This meant that even if the other nine "Planet" Archetype Cards appeared, that potentially existing seal would remain unopened due to the missing key.
Hayato firmly believed this.
Checking his phone, about an hour had passed since he left the Kaiba Dome Venue. Unable to find clues about "Night" from Gekko, and having already Dueled, Hayato had no intention of staying longer or watching Gekko and his staff busy themselves. After confirming that Gekko was not injured, and watching the staff escort him back to the monitoring room, Hayato departed.
Watching Hayato leave, Gekko, seated in the center of the monitoring room, couldn't help but press his temples.
He had a strange feeling that he hadn't given his all in the Duel. But that shouldn't be right; he had already Summoned his strongest Monster, so how could he not have given his all?
Pulling out his Deck to confirm, Gekko was absolutely convinced that his Deck's Ace Monster was The splendid VENUS. Even when Master Hyperion—the Boss Monster of The Agent Archetype, whose Level was equal to The splendid VENUS—passed before his eyes, he didn't even glance at it.
"That despicable Seto Kaiba, and that Yugi!" Zigfried von Schroeder furiously overturned the coffee table in front of him. The tea previously placed on the glass coffee table spilled all over the wooden floor, and the glass teapot and cups shattered into pieces.
Having lost his Duel against Yugi, Zigfried von Schroeder was now an Eliminated Duelist, no longer eligible to participate in the upcoming KC Cup tournament. Furthermore, he strongly opposed giving money to Kaiba, so he hadn't purchased a seat to watch the event inside the Kaiba Dome. Thus, he could only return to a hotel near Kaiba Land to vent his frustrations in his room.
Beside the exasperated Zigfried von Schroeder, his younger brother—Leonhardt von Schroeder, who was using the alias "Leon Wilson"—tried to calm him, saying, "Brother, don't get too angry. Winning and losing in Duel Monsters is normal. Besides, your opponent was Mr. Yugi; he's a Top 4 Player from Battle City and has only lost to Duel King Hayato. His strength is formidable."
"Are you saying I'm not as strong as him?!" Siegfried—who was using the alias 'Zigfried von Schroeder'—glared at his younger brother.
Leon didn't answer his hot-headed brother's question, choosing to remain silent. However, from his expression and eyes, it was clear that he genuinely believed his brother's skill in Duel Monsters was inferior to Yugi's.
Even though he was his own brother, he wasn't taking his side at all. Siegfried glowered at Leon, annoyed. He was the elder brother, so why was he eliminated in the first round of the KC Cup while his brother had defeated his opponent and advanced to the second round?
Siegfried was so angry he felt like smoke would come out of his throat. He reached for some tea to soothe it, only to realize the prepared tea had just been knocked over. With nowhere to direct his anger, he called out to the butler waiting nearby: "What are you standing there for? Get me some water!"
"That hateful Yugi, using such despicable tactics! If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been so humiliated. He's dragged the Schroeder Family name through the mud, damn him!"
"But brother, weren't you using 'Zigfried von Schroeder' as an alias? Nobody knows you're 'Siegfried.' How would that bring shame to the Schroeder Family—"
"Shut up! How dare you talk back when your elder brother is speaking!" The fuming Siegfried cut off Leon's unfinished sentence. Looking at his brother, who immediately closed his mouth, he took a deep breath, barely managed to calm himself, and said, "In short, Leon, you must bring honor to our Schroeder Family."
"You must keep winning, all the way until you stand before Seto Kaiba and defeat him. This is the Quest your brother has assigned you, and you must achieve it."
"Don't worry, brother, I have no intention of losing a Duel before becoming Champion," Leon said, glancing at his Deck. "I believe in my Fairy Tale Deck. I will not lose before I Duel Mr. Hayato."
(end of chapter)
Looking at the confident Leon, Siegfried merely pursed his lips and said nothing more. Compared to his declaration to Leon, "To restore Schroeder's glory is our inescapable duty," his true goal had always been to sabotage this KC Cup.
To achieve this goal, not long ago, with the help of a mysterious individual who approached him, he discovered a fatal vulnerability in the firewall used by KaibaCorp.
Based on this vulnerability, Zigfried von Schroeder wrote a Trojan horse program and sent it into KaibaCorp's internal systems. Siegfried's "partner" proactively took on the task of providing cover, acting as a wingman to launch an attack on KaibaCorp's network, seemingly gaining control of some equipment in Kaiba Land.
The result was, naturally, a success. With the help of his "partner," Zigfried von Schroeder successfully infiltrated KaibaCorp's internal network with the Trojan horse program. As soon as it was successfully detonated, the data stored on KaibaCorp's network would be completely destroyed in a very short time. At that point, let alone continuing the KC Cup, it would be difficult to say if the highly networked KaibaCorp could even maintain its current status.
At that time, it would naturally be Schroeder Corp's chance to rise to power!
Watching his younger brother, Leon, stand up and return to his room, Siegfried leaned back into the sofa, narrowing his eyes.
If an immediate or timed activation device were used, the Trojan horse program would be very easily discovered, and reinvading through that vulnerability would also leave traces. Therefore, the Trojan horse program's trigger mechanism Siegfried set up was a conditional trigger.
He discovered that Kaiba, to ensure that no fake cards appeared during the KC Cup, had added a setting to every Duel Disk connected to the KC Cup program. This setting dictated that each time a card was placed on the Duel Disk, a copy of the card's data would be read and compared with the card data stored in KaibaCorp's server.
Based on this, Zigfried von Schroeder configured the Trojan horse program to trigger upon reading a specific card. That card, Zigfried von Schroeder set it to be a Field Spell Card from his younger brother, Leon Wilson's, Fairy Tale Deck, specifically "Golden Palace of the Rushing Rapids", whose prototype comes from the fairy tale "The Raven."
"Just you wait, Kaiba. I'm really looking forward to the look of indignation on your face after my plan succeeds, Hahahaha!"
-----
Hayato, having left Gekko's side, did not return to the Audience Seating within the Kaiba Dome. Instead, he appeared beside Kaiba, who had somewhat sated his craving after playing a Duel.
"Gekko? I recall him being sent by Industrial Illusions to assist, wasn't he?" Sitting in his private lounge, Kaiba crossed his legs on his executive chair, speaking disdainfully. "Although KaibaCorp has achieved a certain level of business cooperation with Industrial Illusions, that Pegasus fellow still refuses to grant me full access to the Duel Monster data."
"He says some data can't be released yet, keeping things hidden. Even though he's opened up some permissions, he demands Industrial Illusions participate in the supervision. Hmph, what a troublesome guy."
Hayato raised an eyebrow: "I thought the KC Cup was solely supported by KaibaCorp."
"Hmph, I suppose I can take your words as a compliment to KaibaCorp." Kaiba glanced at Hayato, then at a transparent tablet-style personal terminal resting beside him. "In any case, Gekko is the person Pegasus arranged to send over. Free labor, no reason not to use it. I simply had him and the Industrial Illusions crew take charge of overseeing the situation at the KC Cup."
"Are you very interested in him?"
"No, just a little curious about his 'background setting'." Hayato spread his hands. "Mainly because your KC Cup process is both tedious and long-winded. I don't think an increase in participants necessarily means the KC Cup will be a qualified event. At least, I feel a long segment of the process could be cut directly, and just move straight into Duels with only a few people. How much better would that be?"
"You think I haven't thought that way? Fool, business matters aren't as simple as doing whatever you want."
Kaiba picked up the tablet, tapping repeatedly on the screen as if filtering something, and casually said, "Although Industrial Illusions is helping, to gain government support, I first need to convince the local conglomerates. And the best way to do that is to create enough profit for them."
"The longer the KC Cup lasts, the more it can stabilize the hype behind it. In fact, just yesterday alone, the revenue from a few advertising billboards hanging around the venue was more than the KC Cup's ticket sales."
"But compared to all that, I think you might be more interested in this."
As Kaiba spoke, he pushed the tablet towards Hayato, stood up from his seat, adjusted his trench coat, and picked up his Deck and Duel Disk.
Hayato looked at the tablet Kaiba handed him. Displayed on the tablet were numerous videos, images, and documents, all of which, without exception, were related to Gekko.
"The Genius Boy of Industrial Illusions," "Gekko, Adopted Son of the Father of Duel Monsters," "No Talent for Duel Monsters?"
From the newspaper headlines about Gekko's adoption when he was young, to Gekko joining Industrial Illusions due to his brilliant mind, all the way to Pegasus's assessment of Gekko as having "no talent for Duel Monsters," it covered Gekko's life from childhood to adulthood, and it didn't significantly deviate from what Hayato understood.
However, one newspaper article had been specially filtered out by Kaiba and placed in the most prominent position: "Father of Duel Monsters Adopts Two Boys."
"Recently, a lot of strange individuals seem to have infiltrated the KC Cup, so I used KaibaCorp's algorithms to filter everyone, and I did find a few interesting people. Although Gekko was sent by Industrial Illusions and isn't a participant, out of curiosity, I also looked into his information."
Kaiba stood opposite Hayato, put on his Duel Disk, and after confirming his Deck, inserted it into the Duel Disk. "A rather reasonable life, with no suspicious points. In some ways, it even bears a slight resemblance to my own life. The only differences are that Pegasus is still alive, and he doesn't have a younger brother as an assistant."
"That's what I originally thought, until I found a piece of data hidden in a forgotten corner – the photo you're seeing."
Printed on the newspaper titled "Father of Duel Monsters Adopts Two Boys" was a photograph. A boy who was clearly a young Gekko stood a little shyly to Pegasus's left side, holding his hand. He seemed somewhat embarrassed to face the interviewing reporters but still stepped forward, managing a barely decent smile.
To Pegasus's right side, another boy, identical in appearance to Gekko, also held Pegasus's outstretched hand, but his gaze towards the camera was full of indifference and disdain.
Furthermore, perhaps due to the time and angle of the photograph, the side where Gekko stood was perfectly bathed in the dusky yellow sunset, while the other boy and half of Pegasus's body stood in the shadows.
"At least I can confirm that Gekko, adopted by Pegasus, should have a twin brother. However, for some reason, the existence of Gekko's younger brother seems to have been shrouded in his elder brother's shadow for a very long time?"
The Duel Disk on Kaiba's hand had already unfolded. He flashed a cold, arrogant smile at Hayato, who was still looking at the tablet. "But what makes me even more curious is that even if his presence was extremely low, he should at least be traceable. Yet, no matter how much I search, I can't find any evidence of Gekko's younger brother's existence beyond this one photo."
"It's almost as if he stayed in his brother's shadow for so long that his very existence melted away? Thankfully, Mokuba isn't like that."
"So, that Yako guy is real? Did Pegasus and Gekko lie?" Hayato was somewhat surprised by the information he learned from Kaiba. Honestly, he hadn't initially expected to learn anything from Kaiba; he was just thinking about whether to come here and Duel with Kaiba to pass the time.
As it turned out, Kaiba casually dropped such a bombshell of information.
Now, the mysteries piling up before Hayato were increasing—why were Pegasus and Gekko completely unfazed upon hearing the name "Yako," and why did they ask Hayato "Who is Yako?" as if they weren't lying at all?
Why was "Night," the one who called him, surprised by the name "Yako"? Was he Yako, or was he connected to Yako, and why did he suddenly disappear from the Millennium Ring's perception?
And why could Kaiba only find this one photo, seemingly a stray, on the network, with no other information about "Yako"?
"Although I still haven't learned the full truth, Kaiba, you are truly formidable." Hayato put down the tablet he was holding and looked at Kaiba, who had a battle-ready expression. "You've really helped me a great deal. Even if you asked me to Duel you, I wouldn't mind."
"Didn't you bring that up yourself?" Kaiba proudly lifted his chin. "Although you're only willing to use your full power in public and refuse to Duel me in public, defeating you here would also be quite satisfying."
"Let's Duel, Hayato!" As he spoke, Kaiba was about to draw a card from his Deck.
But Hayato suddenly stood up and ran towards the office door: "Let's talk about that later! I suddenly have something urgent I need to take care of. Excuse me, Kaiba, Ciao~"
"You scoundrel, stop right there! My Duel Disk has already unfolded! Saying you'll Duel me and then running away, grrr!"
Outside the office, Croquet, who had left the infirmary early due to his own insistence but was still forbidden by Kaiba from acting as a judge and could only serve as a gate guard, pushed up his sliding sunglasses. He watched Hayato emerge from the door with a tablet and Kaiba chasing after him, waving his Duel Disk which, after unfolding, resembled a blade. Croquet's expression remained calm.
(end of chapter)
It was another clear morning. Inside the bustling Kaiba Dome, Mai Valentine looked at the large screen on the central stage, a strange expression on her face.
The screen displayed the Duelists scheduled for today's first KC Cup match. Yugi, Chumley, Tristan, and others were already in their seats, yet Joey, usually the most enthusiastic about the KC Cup, was absent – a clear sign that he was once again up first.
Tristan, who had just finished a phone call with Joey's sister, Serenity Wheeler, back in Domino City across the ocean, saw Mai Valentine staring at the screen and grumbled, "Kaiba must have rigged the KC Cup's Duel schedule. Otherwise, why is Joey always up first?"
It was exactly eight in the morning now. However, the time difference between Japan and America was a full fourteen hours, meaning it was roughly ten at night in Japan. When Yugi and the others first arrived in America, it took them quite some time to adjust to the time difference.
Although thanks to KaibaCorp, Serenity Wheeler could watch the KC Cup broadcast on TV without delay even from far-off Japan, ten o'clock at night was still quite late for someone like Serenity, who never stayed up late. After all, before her eye surgery, Serenity had always maintained good habits to protect her eyesight and try to slow its deterioration, though it hadn't helped much.
Moreover, Serenity hadn't taken time off school like Yugi and the others. Having to attend school the next day, Serenity, despite really wanting to see her brother Joey's triumphant figure on TV, could only regrettably go to bed early.
Fortunately, Serenity's TV still had a recording function, allowing her to record programs to watch later, which Serenity had done the day before yesterday.
However, instead of waiting until the next evening after school to watch the recorded show to learn about her brother's battle, Serenity had a faster way: Tristan, who had accompanied Serenity after her surgery during Battle City and coincidentally gotten her phone number.
Tristan had been watching the KC Cup exceptionally seriously these past two days, not because he loved Duel Monsters so much, but so he could remember the Duelists who appeared and the circumstances of their Duels, allowing him to have more topics to discuss with Serenity once she finished watching the recording.
Incidentally, Tristan would always estimate the time in Japan in advance, sending text messages to Serenity in Japan around five in the afternoon his time in America, so that Serenity, who would have just woken up at seven, could know Joey's battle status immediately.
The cost of international calls and texts?
Did Tristan lack that little bit of money? A small phone bill for a legitimate reason to contact Serenity—in his eyes, it was an absolute steal!
Hearing Tristan's grumbling, Mai Valentine also pulled her gaze away from the screen. However, the reason she had been staring at the screen wasn't because of "Joey Wheeler," Joey's English name displayed on it, but rather the name of Joey's Opponent shown on the other half of the screen.
No. 1919, Reiko Northwood. It seemed to be a Japanese name, and "Reiko"? It sounded like a woman.
A strange sense of crisis suddenly rose in Mai Valentine's mind, and then she abruptly blushed.
"Seriously, even if Joey's Opponent is a woman, or even if he found a girlfriend, it has absolutely nothing to do with me!"
But Mai Valentine couldn't even convince herself of that thought. No one truly knew what she was thinking.
However, recalling Joey's thickheadedness, Mai Valentine somewhat relaxed.
"Even if he's up against a female Opponent, it doesn't matter. With Joey's low emotional intelligence, who could he possibly attract? How could anyone like a guy like that?"
Having barely prepared his Deck, Joey walked out of the Duelist Prep Room with a triumphant look, closing his eyes to bask in the cheers of his few, but present, fans. He stepped onto the Duel Arena, awaiting his Opponent's appearance.
Joey was initially annoyed with Kaiba for being scheduled as the first Duelist to appear once again. He even imagined Kaiba's disdainful expression as he tampered with the KC Cup schedule.
'If a Third-rate Duelist like Joey, with his second-rate Deck, appears in the middle of the KC Cup, the momentum that the KC Cup has finally built up will definitely be dragged down by that Mediocre Duelist. Putting him last would only be a bad ending, so he might as well go first.'
Although he hadn't heard Kaiba say these words himself, Joey firmly believed this was exactly what Kaiba was thinking.
Later, however, Joey, possessing a heart and nerves far beyond the ordinary, easily convinced himself with a different line of thought.
"Being the first to appear clearly shows how strong I am, I'm perfect for the opening act!" Standing on his Field with his hands on his hips, Joey grinned foolishly. "And even if other Duelists perform exceptionally well afterward, none of them will be as memorable as yours truly, Joey!"
"This is great, going first is great, ehehehe~"
As Joey chuckled, he suddenly noticed that at some point, a black-haired girl wearing glasses had appeared opposite him, looking at him with a mix of fear and reluctance.
"Ahem, ahem, you're my Opponent, right?!" Joey coughed twice, trying to ease the somewhat awkward atmosphere on the Duel Arena, and spoke proactively, "Uh, your name is..."
As he spoke, Joey looked up at the screen beside the Duel Arena. Although he had seen his Opponent's name before stepping onto the stage, it was widely known that Joey's memory lasted only three seconds. With a "1, 2, bang!", Joey could completely forget certain memories and write new ones, just like a Pokémon.
"Northwood Reiko? Reiko Northwood, is it?" Joey first pronounced the girl's name displayed on the screen in his less-than-fluent English, then translated it back into Japanese and said it again.
Joey felt his luck was quite good. Since the KC Cup preliminaries, most of his Opponents had miraculously known Japanese. He had even encountered an American, similar to Pegasus, who spoke Japanese better than English, saving Joey the trouble of forcing himself to communicate in his heavily accented English.
In the previous round, he had faced Rex, and this round, the girl named "Reiko Northwood" also seemed to be Japanese. What good luck!
Looking at Joey, Reiko Northwood timidly nodded, her mouth slightly agape as if she wanted to say something. She hesitated two or three times before finally mustering the courage to whisper, "U-um, h-hello, I'm Reiko Northwood."
After speaking so haltingly, Reiko Northwood seemed to have finally gathered her courage, managing to say smoothly, "Anyway, I'll do my best in the Duel!"
Although she said words that sounded like self-encouragement, no matter how Joey looked, he couldn't see even a trace of fighting spirit in Reiko Northwood.
'Is this girl really a Duelist?' Joey scrutinized Reiko Northwood from head to toe. She was wearing a white cashmere long-sleeved top under a black sleeveless shirt, and a light gray pleated skirt that reached her knees, paired with relatively short white tube socks. She looked like the girl next door.
Joey even felt that Reiko Northwood was simply a common Japanese high school girl, the studious, well-behaved type at that.
'Absolutely no drive as a Duelist. Her fighting spirit is practically zero.'
Joey made this assessment in his mind.
Although Joey's mind was quite pure, genuinely judging Reiko Northwood's personality without any thought of ogling her beauty—after all, Joey was a resolute man; if he said he liked blonde bombshells, he liked blonde bombshells, whether they were 18, 38, or 58.
Nevertheless, his gaze, as he scrutinized Reiko Northwood's attire, was caught entirely by Mai Valentine in the Audience Seating due to the image on the big screen.
"That pervert Joey! Instead of properly starting the Duel, what is he looking at?!" Mai Valentine clenched her fists tightly, and behind her, flames seemed to ignite with a "Raging Fire Draw!"
The Judge, at Kaiba's signal, announced the start of the Duel, without making Mai Valentine, who had grown angry for no reason, wait any longer.
Hearing the Judge's words, Joey inserted his Deck into his Duel Disk and declared with high spirits, "Just so you know, I'm really strong! Don't get burned by my blade!"
"Duel!"
"Eek!" Slightly startled by Joey's loud voice, Reiko Northwood's hard-won courage retreated. "I-I'll Duel seriously too, Duel!"
[Reiko Northwood: 4000 Life Points]
[Joey: 4000 Life Points]
"Yosh, I'll be taking the First Turn! My Turn, Draw!" Joey excitedly claimed the right to go first, drawing a Card from his Deck.
Reiko Northwood quickly gave a slight bow. "Oh oh oh, please don't be shy, I ask for your guidance."
Joey scratched his cheek, feeling a little awkward. He had plenty of experience dealing with rude Opponents, but this was the first time he had encountered one as polite as Reiko Northwood, and he was somewhat unaccustomed to it.
"Seriously, don't make the atmosphere so weird."
"S-sorry!"
"I told you not to... no, never mind. Anyway, I'll start My Turn." Joey gave up on trying to make Reiko Northwood less polite and more serious.
'Seriously, with an Opponent like this, I don't think winning will give me much Achievement.'
Glancing at the Card he had just drawn, Joey immediately Activated it. "I Activate the Spell Card, (Red-Eyes Insight)! This Card's Effect allows me to Discard one Level 7 Red-Eyes Monster from my Hand, then Draw two Cards from my Deck. After that, I can Send one Level 7 Red-Eyes Monster from my Deck to the Graveyard."
After drawing two Cards, Joey Sent a (Red-Eyes Black Dragon) he had Searched from his Deck to his Graveyard.
"Then, I Activate the Ritual Spell Card, (Red-Eyes Transmigration)! From my Hand, I Tribute a Level 4 Red-Eyes Wyvern as the required Tribute for a Ritual Summon. The Level requirement is Level 4, so I Ritual Summon this Monster from my Hand!"
Joey, rarely using a Ritual Spell Card, Sent a Monster he had just drawn through the Effect of (Red-Eyes Insight) from his Hand to the Graveyard, then placed another drawn Card onto his Duel Field.
"Claim the light, let the jet-black sword ruthlessly dominate the dark dragon!" Joey excitedly pumped his fist. "Ritual Summon! (Paladin of Dark Dragon)!"
On Joey's Field, the Phantom of Red-Eyes Wyvern, which had just been Tributed for the Ritual Spell Card's Activation, appeared. Under the influence of (Red-Eyes Transmigration), its form twisted, and in place of Red-Eyes Wyvern appeared a Warrior standing on the back of a black dragon, wielding a sharp sword.
[(Paladin of Dark Dragon)][Level 4/DARK Attribute]
[Dragon-Type/Ritual/Effect]
[1900/1200]
The (Paladin of Dark Dragon)'s 1900 Attack Power was only second to (Dark Blade) among the Low-Level Monsters Joey used, which required Tributing a Monster to Attack. After all, Ritual Monsters required at least three Cards—the Tribute, the Ritual Spell, and the Ritual Monster itself—to be Summoned. While having decent Stats, it also had a reasonably good Effect.
"(Paladin of Dark Dragon)'s relationship with the Black Dragon isn't that of master and mount; he is the Black Dragon's Initiator, capable of Summoning the Black Dragon's appearance with his own Power." Joey said, giving the command, "(Paladin of Dark Dragon) can Tribute itself to Special Summon one (Red-Eyes Black Dragon) from my Deck or Hand!"
The knight riding the black dragon didn't get a chance to participate in Battle. Upon receiving Joey's command, it dissipated into a Vortex, and from that pitch-black Vortex, Joey's most trusted Ace Monster—(Red-Eyes Black Dragon)—made its magnificent entrance!
[(Red-Eyes Black Dragon)][ATK 2400]
"ROAR!!!"
"Uwah!" Accompanied by the roar of (Red-Eyes Black Dragon), Reiko Northwood, facing the Black Dragon directly, subconsciously wanted to cover her head and squat down. However, she still somewhat remembered that she was in a Duel. Although she let out a scream of fright, she managed to stay standing, though her legs trembled slightly.
Joey naturally noticed this, looking at Reiko Northwood with utter exasperation. He hadn't even Activated an Attack yet, so why was she so scared?
"S-sorry, it's just that Duel Monsters feels a bit scary, and Duelists too, so I unconsciously..." Reiko Northwood apologized again, sounding very timid.
"You really are something, sigh." Joey was truly speechless. "(Red-Eyes Black Dragon) cannot Activate an Attack in the Turn it was Summoned by (Paladin of Dark Dragon)'s Effect, but since it's the First Turn, it doesn't matter."
"Then I Activate the Continuous Spell Card, (Dangerous Machine Type-6)."
As Joey inserted a Card into his Duel Disk, a mechanical sphere adorned with six glowing devices slowly rose from the ground beside his (Red-Eyes Black Dragon).
"(Dangerous Machine Type-6)'s Effect is to roll a Dice during each of my Standby Phases, then forcibly Activate its Effect based on the Die Roll. However, since it's not time for its Activation yet, we can ignore it for now." Joey said, somewhat sheepishly glancing towards the Audience Seating.
Although he had told Tristan, Chumley, and the others countless times that he would rather lose a Duel Monsters match, starve to death, die outside, or jump from a height than use a Gambling Card.
Well, it's pretty sweet, after all.
"After that, I Set two Cards and end my turn." Joey drew two Cards, inserted them into his Spell & Trap Zone, then snapped his free fingers, flashing a proud smile. "Then, during my End Phase, Red-Eyes Wyvern in my Graveyard has an Effect that can Activate."
"Eh? A Monster Effect that Activates from the Graveyard during the End Phase?" Reiko Northwood said with some surprise. "Can Monster Effects really just Activate automatically?"
"Don't tell me you thought Monster Effects only had the 'manual activation' type?"
Hearing Joey's words, Reiko Northwood became very nervous and quickly said, "R-r-right, I'm sorry! My experience with Duel Monsters isn't very extensive, and I haven't fully grasped the Rules regarding Monster Effects."
"Huh?" Joey was genuinely puzzled. In his opinion, his own knowledge of Duel Monsters was already quite lacking; if it weren't for Grandpa's hellish tutoring, he might not even recognize many Cards. But even he, untrained as he was, at least knew that Duel Monsters Effects had differences.
Effects that Activate manually, those that Trigger passively, and continuous Effects – even Tristan and Téa, who didn't play Duel Monsters very often, knew about these. How could this Reiko Northwood girl not know even this? How had she managed to advance this far?
Realizing this, Joey suddenly had an epiphany—oh right, this girl wasn't just some random person off the street. This was the KC Cup, already in the second round. Reiko Northwood was among the Top 32, just like him; there was no way she knew absolutely nothing about Duel Monsters.
'This girl is definitely using a Strategy of "pretending she knows nothing about Duel Monsters to make others drop their guard." Those who play with Strategy are cunning, what a wicked woman!'
'I completely understand now!'
Startled by Joey's suddenly sharp gaze, Reiko Northwood stammered, "Ah, I-I've only been playing Duel Monsters for j-just a month..."
"A month?" Hmph, yours truly, Joey, is very smart; don't think you can fool me! "Is that so? That's really impressive, making it to the Top 32 of the KC Cup in just one month."
"However, the Effect of Red-Eyes Wyvern in my Graveyard continues to Activate." Joey, firm in his deduction, Declared, "Although I've Special Summoned both (Paladin of Dark Dragon) and (Red-Eyes Black Dragon), I haven't performed a Normal Summon."
"During the End Phase of a Turn in which I haven't performed a Normal Summon, I can Banish Red-Eyes Wyvern from the Game from my Graveyard. I can then Activate this Effect by Targeting one Red-Eyes Monster in my Graveyard, Special Summoning that Monster!"
"Come forth, second (Red-Eyes Black Dragon)!"
(end of chapter)