# Chapter 275: A World Where You Duel If You Don't Agree
Just then, Rishid suddenly heard the crisp sound of a soda can dropping onto the ground from outside the alley.
Turning back, he saw Hayato's figure appear at the alley entrance, leaning against the wall. He was pinching his nose with one hand and waving the other to disperse the unpleasant smell in the air: "The conditions here are a bit too poor, I'd say. Do I really have to complete my Puzzle Card collection in a place like this?"
"You are, Kobayashi Hayato?" Rishid called out Hayato's name, looking at him with some vigilance.
Hayato, as if not noticing Rishid's guard, greeted him in a friendly manner: "Yo, I remember you're Rishid, right? The bald guy following Marik, that Three-Year-Old."
"Don't be so nervous, don't be so nervous. I can tell you're a bit different from the other Ghouls. I'm not some evil spirit that attacks everyone it sees. The reason I've been taking revenge on you Ghouls before is simply because that guy Marik just provoked me." Seeing Rishid's wary expression, Hayato calmly waved his hand, indicating he had no intention of Dueling him.
Hayato would absolutely never admit that whenever he saw Rishid, he would recall how he often got defeated by Heavy Trap Strategy lockdown players using the Rishid character in a certain Yu-Gi-Oh! mobile game from his previous life, which indirectly led to him feeling inexplicably annoyed just thinking about Dueling Rishid.
The same situation happened with Téa, but Téa only occasionally played a few games of Duel Monsters with Yugi, so the situation was a bit better.
While speaking, Hayato looked down at the Black-Robed Figure lying on the ground: "Is this guy one of your Ghouls? But from the looks of it, he's probably a Traitor or a double-crosser. Is it okay to just leave him here to bleed to death?"
"...Do you think it's appropriate for me to call an ambulance to save him?" Rishid held it in for a long time before saying faintly.
Hayato shrugged his shoulders: "That's true. But, what's with the wound on his wrist?"
"I don't think an ordinary knife could make such a clean cut. Plus the inexplicably missing piece of Life Force from this guy and that thing behind you." With a flick of his finger, a Card appeared in his hand, "You don't happen to have a 'The Sacred Beasts' Card too, do you?"
Rishid had just relaxed his guard a bit, but seeing Hayato's action, he became nervous again and demanded sharply: "What are you doing, Kobayashi Hayato!"
"I'd like to ask what *you* are doing, Rishid?" Hayato said coldly, "How long have you had the 'The Sacred Beasts' Card? But even if you just got it, you should be able to sense what the 'The Sacred Beasts' truly are, right? Unlike the 'Egyptian God Cards', they are Fiends."
Rishid was silent for a moment, then said: "I don't care what they are. I only know that Master Marik's order to me is to Duel as much as possible using the 'The Sacred Beasts' Card."
Hayato frowned: "You really are foolishly loyal. Would you even do it if Master Marik told you to die? Don't you have your own thoughts?"
Rishid's serious face was Hayato's answer: "If that is Master Marik's wish, I will do it."
"Tsk, what an idiot." Hayato said, flipping the Card in his hand over, revealing its true form. "I can't be bothered to talk to you anymore. The Winged Dragon of Ra, tear apart that Raviel, Lord of Phantasms behind Rishid!"
"Don't get in my way, Rishid, I'm saving you here!"
Accompanied by a loud eagle cry, the Immortal Bird, like the sun's disc, swooped out from the Card in Hayato's hand, directly crashing into the faint blue phantom hidden behind Rishid, knocking it out. Even though it wasn't through the Duel Disk's Virtual Projection Device, the Card Spirits of the two Duel Monsters appeared simultaneously and began fighting in this secluded place.
The strongest of the 'The Sacred Beasts'—Raviel, Lord of Phantasms—facing the strongest of the 'Three Egyptian God Cards'—The Winged Dragon of Ra's Attack, was not to be outdone and actively swung its fist in retaliation. However, only upon hitting did it discover that The Winged Dragon of Ra was currently in its 'Immortal Bird' state, its entire body made of Solar Flame, making it completely impossible to hit. Instead, The Winged Dragon of Ra's sharp beak and claws were continuously tearing off flesh and blood from Raviel, Lord of Phantasms's body.
Seeing that Raviel, Lord of Phantasms's Card Spirit was losing ground and was about to be beaten to death, Rishid, who didn't want to fail Master Marik's order, quickly inserted the Deck containing the Raviel, Lord of Phantasms Card into his Duel Disk, activating it. He shouted loudly: "I won't let you destroy this Card, Kobayashi Hayato!"
"I told you I'm saving you, you idiot!" Hayato said unhappily, watching The Winged Dragon of Ra miss its target. He reluctantly raised the Card to recall it, then put the Card into his Deck and also activated his Duel Disk. "You should know you can't beat me, right?"
"It's not about winning or losing. As long as I still have a breath left, Master Marik's orders must be carried out," Rishid said, drawing five Cards into his Hand. "Even though I know the 'The Sacred Beasts' Cards will harvest the Life Force of innocent people, and that guy named Bakura Ryo is using Master Marik under the guise of a trade."
"You actually know exactly what's going on, don't you?" Hayato also drew five Cards. "Forget it, I'll finish you off quickly. Don't think you can protect that Card by Dueling."
Each drew five Cards into their Hands, and the two confronted each other in this deserted place.
This was a Duel that could have been completely avoided.
If he continued to use the Raviel, Lord of Phantasms Card, even if he subjectively didn't want to use this Card to harm others, but because the 'The Sacred Beasts' Cards cannot be controlled, more and more people would be affected by its Power and have their Duel Monsters' Power stripped away.
For this reason, Hayato wanted to stop Rishid. Both to protect Domino City and because he didn't want Bakura, who had been collecting the 'The Sacred Beasts' Cards, to succeed.
However, "Duel as much as possible using the Raviel, Lord of Phantasms Card" was the order Master Marik gave to Rishid, so Rishid wouldn't let Hayato have his way.
"Duel!" x2
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
[Rishid: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
"I'll take the First Turn, Drawing Cards!" Rishid seized the right to the First Turn. He kept the Card he had just drawn from the Deck in his Hand, and the other five Cards were all inserted into the Spell & Trap Zone of his Duel Disk. "Set five Cards, my Turn ends!"
[Rishid: 4000 LP, Hand 1]
[Set Card] x5
The overly ridiculous start made Hayato couldn't help but complain: "So all of you Tomb Keepers are Dark Players? One plays Present Underworld, one plays Giving away big treasures, and you're a Heavy Trap Strategy player?"
However, Hayato noticed the Information Rishid unintentionally revealed before the Duel began—the 'The Sacred Beasts' Cards Master Marik distributed to the Ghouls members were obtained from Bakura Ryo through a trade. This piqued Hayato's curiosity—that guy Bakura is no benevolent benefactor. What exactly did he trade with Master Marik?
"Then, my Turn, Drawing Cards." After drawing a Card, Hayato didn't rush to Summon a Monster but Activated a Card. "Your Set Cards are too troublesome. Activate Spell Card Harpie's Feather Duster, Destroy all Spell/Trap Cards on your Field!"
A giant feather duster whipped up a strong wind and swept towards Rishid's Field. Seeing that his Set Cards in the Backrow were about to be revealed, Rishid calmly Activated one of the Cards: "Responding to your Harpie's Feather Duster, I Chain Activate a Set Card, Counter Trap Dark Bribe."
"When the opponent Activates a Spell/Trap, Negate the Activation, then the opponent draws one Card."
Corresponding to the howling wind, above the Duel Field, two voices suddenly sounded:
"What do you mean by giving me money?!"
"It doesn't mean anything."
"You're really interesting. Saying it like this is meaningless."
"That's not what I meant, I just meant it as a gesture."
Listening to the level 10 listening comprehension that could stump 99% of foreigners, Hayato reluctantly drew a Card: "I knew it wouldn't be that easy to break through your Traps."
"Then, I Activate this, Spell Card Unexpected Dai. When there are no Monsters on my Field, Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from the Deck."
"Come forth, X-Head Cannon!"
After the howling wind dissipated due to the "money power," a ball of lightning appeared on Hayato's Field. Within the gradually dissipating lightning, the blue machine soldier—X-Head Cannon—revealed its form.
However, Rishid Activated another Set Card.
"Activate Trap Card Mirror of Oaths," Rishid flipped over a Set Card. "This Card can only be Activated when the opponent Special Summons a Monster from the Deck. Destroy all of those Monsters, then I can draw one Card from my Deck."
As soon as the lightning surrounding X-Head Cannon dissipated, several prisms of equal height suddenly rose around it. Powerful Magic Power was reflected from the mirrors, blasting X-Head Cannon into pieces in just an instant and allowing Rishid to draw a Card from his Deck.
Hayato frowned: "Then, I Normal Summon Goblin Attack Force. I don't believe you still have a Summon Trap."
A group of Goblin Monsters dressed like special forces soldiers appeared in groups on Hayato's Field. What made Hayato slightly relieved was that this time Rishid did not Activate a Set Card to counter Hayato like before.
[Goblin Attack Force] [Level 4 / DARK]
[Warrior-Type / Effect]
[1000 / 0]
"Equip Spell Card Dragon Slaying Sword to Goblin Attack Force, then enter the Battle Phase." Hayato waved his hand forward. "Launch a Direct Attack on the opponent Duelist!"
"Then, I flip open a Set Card." Watching Goblin Attack Force begin to move, Rishid Activated a Set Card once again.
(End of Chapter)