"Soar, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
Under Ryuzaki's gaze, who grimaced in pain due to Painful Decision, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon card chosen by Ryuzaki was not returned to Joey Wheeler's hand. From the revealed card face, the black magic dragon bathed in surging lava and soared into the sky. Even under the gaze of the Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, whose sheer size was despair-inducing, the unyielding Black Dragon still let out a proud roar!
"ROAR!!"
Seeing the familiar Black Dragon appear before him, Ryuzaki subconsciously couldn't help but murmur, "Red-Eyes..."
Called out by Ryuzaki, Red-Eyes Black Dragon lowered its head slightly, glanced down at Ryuzaki from the air, and after a low roar, it moved its gaze away from Ryuzaki without hesitation, focusing on Ultimate Conductor Tyranno.
Ryuzaki was the previous user of Red-Eyes before Joey Wheeler, but that was all. To Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Ryuzaki was just a passerby; the only one it recognized was Joey Wheeler.
Red-Eyes Black Dragon [Level 7/DARK]
[Dragon-Type/Normal Monster]
[2400/2000]
"Even Red-Eyes Black Dragon only has 2400 Attack points." Pulling his attention back from Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Ryuzaki looked at Joey Wheeler again. "My Ultimate Conductor Tyranno has 3500 Attack points."
"That's true. It would be quite difficult to defeat Ultimate Conductor Tyranno using Red-Eyes Black Dragon."
Joey Wheeler nodded, but then revealed a triumphant smile. "But, Ryuzaki, I never said I was going to defeat Ultimate Conductor Tyranno with Red-Eyes."
"The monster I'm going to use to defeat you next is this one!"
As he spoke, Joey Wheeler played a card from his hand onto the field. "I'm Normal Summoning Cook Pal Captain, and then I'll activate its effect!"
On Joey Wheeler's field, a man wearing an apron stood resolutely before a large pot set over a fire, using a ladle to scoop out some soup from the pot and taste it for seasoning.
Cook Pal Captain [Level 3/EARTH]
[Warrior-Type/Effect]
[1200/400]
"When Cook Pal Captain is successfully Summoned, I can return one card from my hand to the Deck and shuffle it, then draw one card from the Deck."
Watching Joey Wheeler shuffle a card from his hand into his Deck, Ryuzaki said disdainfully, "Tch, in the end, it's just an effect that lets you change your hand. Do you think you can defeat me with just an effect like that? Aren't you looking down on me too much, Joey Wheeler?"
"No, wait, I remember now. If Red-Eyes Black Dragon Fuses with a Warrior-Type monster, you can Fusion Summon another Red-Eyes Fusion Monster—Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon, right? Are you planning to use that to defeat me?"
"Muda muda, I remember Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon's effect. It just equips a Warrior-Type monster from the Graveyard to increase its Attack by 200 points. It still can't compare to Ultimate Conductor Tyranno!"
"Oh, is that so?" Although Joey Wheeler's tone was questioning, his face still held a smile. "Of course I know that, but Ryuzaki, Cook Pal Captain's effect hasn't finished resolving yet!"
"Courage, role models, and logistics are the three most important elements of an army. Cooking and making porridge isn't a great achievement, but warriors can't die on the battlefield with empty stomachs." As he spoke, Joey Wheeler drew a card. "If the card I draw with Cook Pal Captain is a monster card, I can Special Summon it!"
"And the card I drew is this one, Meteor Dragon!"
Nani?! Shooting Star Dragon!
Ryuzaki, across from Joey Wheeler, was still calm, but Hayato in the audience seats almost couldn't stay seated. He watched as Joey Wheeler slammed the card he had just drawn onto his Duel Disk, about to Special Summon the Shooting Star Dragon he mentioned.
Isn't this card creation too much? How did a Shooting Star Dragon suddenly appear? Is he about to start Accel Synchro, which can even surpass light?
Then, after seeing the monster Joey Wheeler Summoned clearly, Hayato was somewhat glad he hadn't gotten overly excited just now.
The monster Joey Wheeler drew wasn't the Synchro Monster Shooting Star Dragon at all; it was clearly another Meteor Dragon.
Compared to the pure white Accel Dragon with a jet-like form, Meteor Dragon's form was basically a turtle with two wings attached to its back. Its appearance lowered the average aesthetic appeal of the Dragon-Type even more than the Thunder Dragon disgrace, Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon.
Meteor Dragon [Level 6/EARTH]
[Dragon-Type/Normal Monster]
[1800/2000]
Normally, a Level 6 Meteor Dragon would require a Tribute to be Summoned onto the field, but thanks to Cook Pal Captain's effect, it was Special Summoned directly onto the field.
"Hehe, Ryuzaki, I wonder if you've ever heard this saying." Seeing Meteor Dragon appear, Joey Wheeler said to Ryuzaki with considerable pride, "White Dragons bring victory, while Black Dragons bring possibility."
"If Blue-Eyes White Dragon symbolizes the strongest power, then Red-Eyes Black Dragon corresponds to infinite hope!"
Ryuzaki tilted his head in confusion and scratched his hair through his hat. "I've never heard that before. Who said that?"
This question stumped Joey Wheeler.
"Hayato said it! He said it's a legend that's been circulating in the Duel Monsters world for a long time."
Ryuzaki retorted, "There's no such thing! Kobayashi Hayato is always messing around; he must be pulling your leg again."
Joey Wheeler was quite stubborn. "No way."
As he spoke, Joey Wheeler held up the last Fusion in his hand. "It must be true. Otherwise, why would my Red-Eyes Black Dragon always create miracles again and again?"
"Let me show you another form of Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Ryuzaki! I activate the Fusion Spell Card! I'll use Meteor Dragon and Red-Eyes Black Dragon as Fusion Material!"
"Come forth---"
"Meteor Black Dragon!"
The Fusion Card was played by Joey Wheeler onto the field. At the same time, the Fusion vortex that appeared on his field sucked in Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Meteor Dragon.
"They... disappeared!"
Ryuzaki was quite surprised. The previous Fusion of Summoned Skull and Red-Eyes Black Dragon to Summon Archfiend Black Skull Dragon could barely be explained as a resonance of both sides' shared dark magic, and both were quite powerful cards.
But Meteor Dragon, with 1800 Attack and 2000 Defense, much less as a Level 6 monster, many Level 4 monsters can reach this strength. Furthermore, it has no effect itself and is just a Normal Monster. It's unremarkable in every way, yet it can fuse with Red-Eyes Black Dragon?
As if intentionally opposing the light of the supernova blooming from underground by Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, a fiery light appeared from the horizon, quickly stretching into a line of fire and rushing towards the Duel Field. In just a single breath, a giant fireball, like a meteor, crashed onto the ground.
Accompanied by a loud "boom," the rock fragments encasing the fireball exploded, revealing the sturdy giant dragon within the fireball.
Red-Eyes Black Dragon's originally slender body seemed as if it had consumed hundreds of pounds of protein powder and worked out intensely. It became thick and powerful, and its muscles changed to the same black-purple as Meteor Dragon's. Its physique was roughly twice as large as before.
Feeling the surging power within its body, the post-workout Red-Eyes Black Dragon, or rather, Meteor Black Dragon, let out a roar, showing off its strength towards the Ultimate Conductor Tyranno before it.
Meteor Black Dragon [Level 8/FIRE]
[Dragon-Type/Fusion/Effect]
[3500/2000]
"Gathering the power of Meteor Dragon, Red-Eyes Black Dragon's power has been amplified to the extreme," Joey Wheeler said, looking at Meteor Black Dragon. "Actually, I was planning to save Meteor Black Dragon for last, to give Kaiba a surprise."
"But as expected, I can't duel against you, Ryuzaki, without going all out."
"Hmph, I wouldn't mind if you didn't go all out, Joey Wheeler," Ryuzaki grumbled, annoyed. "Although I can't fully display my strength, I can accept getting a higher ranking."
He said that, but seeing Meteor Black Dragon appear, Ryuzaki was quite nervous.
Meteor Black Dragon, with 3500 Attack points, had just enough capability for a mutual destruction with Ultimate Conductor Tyranno.
Furthermore, Cook Pal Captain, which brought him Meteor Dragon, was Summoned in Attack Position on Joey Wheeler's field with 1200 Attack points, while Ryuzaki's own Life Points were 1100.
This is bad!
No matter how he thought about it, that guy Joey Wheeler's next attack could only be---
"Now, I'll enter my Battle Phase!" Joey Wheeler declared excitedly, touching his nose sheepishly. "Victory is about to be mine, Ryuzaki!"
"Damn it, don't be so quick to assume you've won 1000%, Joey Wheeler!"
Hearing that Joey Wheeler was entering the Battle Phase, Ryuzaki also made up his mind and ruthlessly declared, "Before you enter your Battle Phase, my Ultimate Conductor Tyranno on the field has an effect I can activate!"
"Once per turn, during either player's Main Phase, Ultimate Conductor Tyranno can destroy one monster in my hand or field to Set all monsters on your field face-down!"
"Nani, Set all monsters face-down?!" Joey Wheeler was also stunned. "Wait, that's not right, Ryuzaki. Your hand should be empty, and you only have Ultimate Conductor Tyranno on your field... Don't tell me!"
"Sacrifice yourself for the greater good, Ultimate Conductor Tyranno!"
"You did it again!!"
Ever since he made Super Conductor Tyranno self-destruct to Summon Ultimate Conductor Tyranno before, it was as if Ryuzaki had flipped some strange switch. This time, when he made Ultimate Conductor Tyranno self-destruct, there was none of the hesitation he had before; instead, he seemed somewhat excited.
As Ryuzaki targeted Ultimate Conductor Tyranno for destruction, the giant dinosaur first tilted its head back slightly, then sharply lowered it, unleashing a breath of destruction towards the ground beneath its feet!
Starting from where Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's breath landed, the Duel Field suddenly cracked open, as if the surface was shattering and falling apart at the coming of the apocalypse. Large amounts of scorching lava erupted from the fissures, surging high into the sky in an instant. Both the powerful Meteor Black Dragon and Cook Pal Captain, who hadn't even had time to serve the food from the pot, were completely engulfed by the lava.
As for Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, which actively detonated the underground lava, it was the first to be engulfed.
After the high temperature slightly receded, everyone could finally see inside the field, discovering that everything was covered by cooled lava. Except for Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, which was completely engulfed by the lava, destroyed, and sent to the Graveyard, both Meteor Black Dragon and Cook Pal Captain on Joey Wheeler's field had turned into lifelike stone sculptures.
Meteor Black Dragon → [Face-down Defense Position Monster] [ATK 3500 → DEF 2000]
Cook Pal Captain → [Face-down Defense Position Monster] [ATK 1200 → DEF 400]
Witnessing his two monsters being turned into stone sculptures and flipped face-down into Defense Position, Joey Wheeler was still immersed in shock. "All the monsters were covered in an instant! Such power!"
Ryuzaki also somewhat recovered from the joy of "setting off firecrackers" and said seriously, "In the face of Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's power, let alone your Meteor Black Dragon, even a God has to be Set face-down. Although its power requires sacrifice to be released, it has the ability to inevitably guide destiny towards a favorable direction."
This point was not Ryuzaki bragging.
God Cards have resistance against monster effects: destruction effects from non-God Cards are negated, non-destruction effects only last for one turn, and monster effects of Level 10 or lower are negated. However, Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's effect is not within the scope of the above protection.
Its Level is also Level 10, and its effect is not destruction but changing Battle Position, so indeed, as he said, even a God has to be Set face-down.
"Because both Meteor Black Dragon and Cook Pal Captain are monsters I Summoned this turn, even when it's my Main Phase 2, I can't change their Battle Position," Joey Wheeler said with a frown, his tone full of helplessness. "In that case, I can only end my turn."
"But Ryuzaki, you also lost your strongest Ultimate Conductor Tyranno because of this, so I still think victory belongs to me."
[Joey Wheeler: 2700 LP, Hand 0]
[(Cook Pal Captain)] [DEF 400]
[(Meteor Black Dragon)] [DEF 2000]
Ryuzaki just remained silent, placing his finger on his Deck. He couldn't refute Joey Wheeler's words, because he had indeed lost his strongest Ultimate Conductor Tyranno.
The experience of losing Red-Eyes Black Dragon back then resurfaced in Ryuzaki's mind. The large investment of funds had gone to waste, causing his Deck's strength to plummet and ultimately failing to qualify for the Top 8 of Duelist Kingdom.
Chapter 387: Haga, Living in Memories
Back during Duelist Kingdom, Ryuzaki was the rising star, the Runner-up of the Japan National Duel Monsters Tournament. Although he lost in the Finals to Haga because he wasn't prepared for the newly introduced Trap Cards, he was confident that his skill was among the best of all Duelists, having bought the Red-Eyes Black Dragon with his Runner-up prize money.
Then, in Duelist Kingdom, he met Joey Wheeler. Driven by greed for Joey's Time Wizard, he bet his Red-Eyes Black Dragon, but was defeated by Joey's comeback, losing a large number of Star Chips and the Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
After the Duelist Kingdom Top 8 were decided, Ryuzaki, filled with intense shame, also watched the match where Hayato and Yugi Mutou, who had reached the championship, challenged Maximillion Pegasus.
In that match, Ryuzaki witnessed Hayato's highly coordinated Performapal Deck, Yugi's endless Spell Cards, and Pegasus's despair-inducing Illusion Monsters.
He suddenly realized that he had actually been arrogant within a tiny circle all along, thinking he was Number One in the World just because he won a Runner-up title.
Little did he know, let alone the Father of Duel Monsters, Pegasus, even Kobayashi Hayato and Mutou Yuugi, who were also in Japan, had much greater skill than him.
For the first time, Ryuzaki truly recognized himself, but he had to face a reality – his skill was actually nothing special compared to many other Duelists. Even later in Duel City, he was defeated multiple times by some obscure, unknown Duelists.
After Duelist Kingdom ended and before Duel City began, Ryuzaki did encounter that guy, Haga, again. At the time, Ryuzaki was quite surprised that Haga, who had gambled the future of Duel Monsters in his duel against Hayato and was sentenced to never touch Duel Monsters again, had somehow obtained a Duel Disk.
Haga specifically sought out Ryuzaki then. One goal was to show off the power he had obtained from someone, and the other was to recruit Ryuzaki into the organization he was part of. It seemed to be called Ghouls.
And the bargaining chip Haga used to tempt Ryuzaki was many powerful cards, from Dark Magician, Exodia, and even Blue-Eyes White Dragon, which should only have four copies, to the Red-Eyes Black Dragon that Ryuzaki had lost.
At that time, Ryuzaki was really just a hair's breadth away from accepting Haga's invitation to join. However, whether it was a sudden enlightenment or a complete awakening, Ryuzaki refused Haga's invitation.
"Compared to powerful cards, although it sounds a bit ridiculous, I actually want to believe in the Power of the Heart that Joey Wheeler and Yugi Mutou talked about."
"Cards that only have Power but no Heart residing within are just empty shells. Don't get lost in it, Haga."
Haga left after being refused by Ryuzaki. Out of their past perceived friendship, Ryuzaki did not report Haga to the KaibaCorp department responsible for overseeing Duel City.
Later, Ryuzaki heard that Haga seemed to have died. After that, he heard that the organization called Ghouls had also been disbanded.
Ultimate Conductor Tyranno was a card Ryuzaki unexpectedly obtained before participating in this KC Cup. It was also because of this card that Ryuzaki, who was hesitant about whether to participate in the KC Cup, decided to enter the tournament.
The reason he used to convince himself was to attract enough popularity in the KC Cup to gain the attention of investors and become a professional duelist, but he knew the truthful answer in his heart.
"As expected, I still can't forget it, I can't forget losing the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Joey Wheeler."
Ryuzaki looked at Joey Wheeler.
"If your obsession is to defeat Seto Kaiba, then my obsession is actually to defeat you!"
"It's not because of things like power or honor, I simply want to see how you truly embody the Heart of the Cards."
As Ryuzaki spoke, he suddenly drew a card from his Deck: "Respond to me, my Deck! Let this draw decide everything!"
"My Turn, draw!"
As Ryuzaki drew a card, even though Ryuzaki didn't perform any action, Joey Wheeler once again felt the imposing presence that had left the Field with the disappearance of Ultimate Conductor Tyranno.
The card Ryuzaki drew was indeed—
"I activate the Spell Card Monster Reborn!"
Receiving the Deck's response in a desperate situation, Ryuzaki excitedly held up the card in his hand: "I heard your roar! Then, revive from the grave of regret, Ultimate Conductor Tyranno!"
The light of Supernova bloomed on Ryuzaki's Field once again!
"ROAR!!!"
[Ultimate Conductor Tyranno] [ATK 3500]
Ryuzaki turned his head to look at the revived giant Dinosaur. Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's gaze met Ryuzaki's, and it slowly nodded, as if acknowledging something.
"Is that so? Then, I can't let down your acknowledgment either." Ryuzaki smiled as he looked at Joey Wheeler, a confident smile on his face. "Now, I'm entering my Battle Phase, Joey Wheeler!"
"Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's second Effect is that it can only be activated at the start of the Damage Step when it attacks a Monster in Defense Position."
"Inflict 1000 points of damage to the opponent duelist, and send the attack target Monster directly to the Graveyard!" Ryuzaki fiercely waved his hand. "[Supernova Blast]!"
A purplish-red blast sprayed from Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's mouth, instantly destroying one of Joey Wheeler's two face-down Defense Position Monsters as if to pulverize everything.
The card that was hit was Meteor Black Dragon. Unwilling, it wanted to counter to show it wasn't completely helpless, but a certain destructive power contained within the Supernova Blast destroyed it in the blink of an eye, not even leaving it a chance to act.
"Ugh!"
[Joey Wheeler: 2700 LP → 1700 LP]
Raising his hand to block the air current brought by Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's attack, Joey Wheeler felt the Battle Damage inflicted upon him and stubbornly endured, "It's just 1000 points of damage, I can still take it."
"Hey, Joey Wheeler, when did I say my Battle Phase was over?" Ryuzaki said, and while speaking, he held up three fingers. "Next is Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's third Effect,"
"During a single Battle Phase, Ultimate Conductor Tyranno can attack all Monsters on the opponent's Field once each!"
"What?!" Joey Wheeler was also startled. "There's another Effect? That's way too powerful!"
Ryuzaki smiled triumphantly. "That's why I said, don't underestimate me, Joey Wheeler."
"Then Ultimate Conductor Tyranno! Second blast, [Supernova Blast]!"
Chapter 388: Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Meteor Dragon, Fusion Up!
"Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, second Supernova Breath!"
The purple-red light of destruction reappeared. Following Meteor Black Dragon, the other monster on Joey Wheeler's Field in Face-Down Defense Position, Properly Cooked Captain, also met the same fate. It was instantly pierced by the Breath and sent to the Graveyard, not even leaving it a chance to struggle or cry out.
Joey Wheeler's Life Points also took another 1000 damage.
[Joey Wheeler: 1700→700LP]
"So strong!" In the Spectator Area, Tristan couldn't help but be shocked by the power displayed by Rex's Ultimate Conductor Tyranno. "It's simply overwhelming power!"
Although the person facing Ultimate Conductor Tyranno at this moment was his friend Joey Wheeler, that didn't stop him from praising Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's strength.
"By destroying one of your own monsters, you can arbitrarily Set all of the opponent's monsters without targeting them. Then there's the effect to send Defense Position monsters directly to the Graveyard without destroying them when attacking, and the ability to attack all of the opponent's monsters." Marik listed Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's abilities. "It is indeed very strong. It's not an exaggeration to call it comparable to a god."
As the person who once held the most Three Egyptian Gods besides Hayato, Marik had enough authority to make such an evaluation.
Glancing at Joey Wheeler on the Field, Marik narrowed his eyes with interest. "Looks like that guy who only relies on luck will have his KC Cup journey end here."
Hayato, however, didn't think so. "Don't jinx it. Kaiba said the same thing last time, but Joey Wheeler still reached fourth place in Battle City."
"Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's power is indeed very strong, even comparable to a god, but you probably didn't notice." Hayato pointed at Joey Wheeler. "That guy has the will and ability to defeat even gods. The greater the adversity, the more Joey Wheeler can display his talent."
"Talent?"
Marik looked at Hayato confused. "What talent could that guy possibly have?"
"Of course he does. Joey Wheeler's talent is naturally..."
Rex glanced at Joey Wheeler, his excitement slightly calming down. As if letting out a sigh of relief, he said easily, "Then, my turn ends here, Joey Wheeler."
[Rex: 1100LP, Hand 0]
[Ultimate Conductor Tyranno] [ATK3500]
Rex's face was full of relief. After all, whether he could defeat Joey Wheeler or attract enough popularity no longer mattered to him, because he had already gained something more precious than that.
"Try to defeat me, and my Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, Joey Wheeler!"
For the first time, Rex no longer cared about winning or losing in a duel. What he wanted to see now was whether Joey Wheeler could display more of the bond between him and his cards, to become a role model for him to chase after.
Raising his head, Joey Wheeler said stubbornly, "Shut up! I can do that even if you don't say it!"
"Yours Truly is Joey Wheeler! Just a mere dinosaur, watch Yours Truly defeat him for you!"
"My turn, draw!"
Drawing a card fiercely, Joey Wheeler looked down and proudly activated the card he just drew. "Alright! I activate the card I just drew! Spell Card, Card of Fate!"
"I roll a dice. Based on the result, I draw a number of cards equal to the result from the Top of Deck, and then banish a number of cards equal to the result from the Top of Deck."
As he spoke, a large dice appeared on Joey Wheeler's Field, pushed by an invisible force, it was thrown onto the ground and spun.
Seeing this, Rex couldn't help but rant, "You, in the end, you're still using those Gambling Cards."
"Hehe, mainly because a pure Dragon Deck is just too expensive." Joey Wheeler scratched his head, a little embarrassed. The original intention of building his current Red-Eyes Deck was because he thought Kaiba's pure Dragon Deck was very strong, so he built one too.
However, Dragon Decks were simply too expensive. The price of even slightly powerful Dragon-Type monsters was ridiculously high, and the Dragon Support Cards were also super expensive.
With Red-Eyes Black Dragon as the core, putting together Summoned Skull, Meteor Dragon, and some Warrior-Type monsters to fill in, plus some Gambling Cards taken from his previous Gambling Deck, this was the "Pure Red-Eyes" Deck Joey Wheeler was currently using.
The rolling dice slowly stopped. Under everyone's watching eyes, the points finally showed—6!
"Alright! In that case, I can draw six cards, and then banish six cards from my Deck!"
Joey Wheeler's Hand was instantly replenished to six cards because of Card of Fate. Then he banished the six cards from the Top of Deck one by one. While banishing the cards, he noticed one of the cards and was momentarily stunned, but still put them into his pants pocket.
Looking at his Hand, Joey Wheeler drew one of the cards. "This card really came at the right time."
"First, I activate the Spell Card Pot of Avarice! I return two Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Meteor Dragon, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, and Properly Cooked Captain, five monsters from my Graveyard to the Deck and shuffle it, then draw two cards."
"Next, I activate this card, Spell Card Dragon's Mirror!"
After Pot of Avarice recycled the cards from Joey Wheeler's Graveyard, a tall mirror decorated with dragon patterns manifested on Joey Wheeler's Field. Within the mirror, the images of the monsters that were still remaining in Joey Wheeler's Graveyard appeared one after another.
"That card..." Rex frowned, clearly knowing Dragon's Mirror's effect as well.
"That's right. Unlike Polymerization which Fuses monsters from the Hand and Field, Dragon's Mirror is specifically used for Fusing monsters on the Field and in the Graveyard. However, as a cost, Dragon's Mirror can only be used for the Fusion Summon of Dragon-Type Fusion Monsters."
While explaining, Joey Wheeler chose two monsters from the Graveyard without hesitation. "Then help me out one more time,"
"Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Meteor Dragon!"
"Fusion Up!"
"Roar!!"
The images of Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Meteor Dragon flashed one after another within the Dragon's Mirror. Subsequently, a thick arm violently smashed the Dragon's Mirror! Meteor Black Dragon, which was Set before and then destroyed by Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, appeared again!
[Meteor Black Dragon] [ATK3500]
"You Summoned this monster again?! But it's useless, Joey Wheeler! You shouldn't have forgotten Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's effect! No matter how many powerful monsters you Summon, they can only fall before its effect!"
Hearing Rex's words, Joey Wheeler smiled. "Of course I know that, Rex."
"But, the same attack won't work on me twice!"
"Are you some kind of Saint Seiya?!"
Second update
Also, indeed, no saved drafts
End of Chapter
Chapter 389: Time, Engraved Here
Ignoring Rex Raptor's complaints, Joey played another card: "I haven't performed a Normal Summon this turn yet. I Summon Rocket Warrior in Attack Position!"
Appearing on Joey's field was Rocket Warrior, looking like a rocket transformed into a humanoid form, as if it had run over from the Cybertron set next door. It held a sword, looking eager for battle.
Rocket Warrior [Level 4/LIGHT]
[Warrior/Effect]
[1500/1300]
"Alright, I'm starting my Battle Phase now, Rex Raptor!" Joey's provocative smile made Rex Raptor quite annoyed.
"Are you trying to use Meteor Black Dragon and Ultimate Conductor Tyranno to destroy each other again, and then use Rocket Warrior for a Direct Attack? Hmph, I told you, that move won't work!"
"In your Main Phase before entering the Battle Phase, I activate Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's effect!"
As Rex Raptor spoke, he was about to order Ultimate Conductor Tyranno to self-destruct again and Set Joey's cards. But just then, he saw a look of successful scheming on Joey's face.
"Heh heh, didn't I just say it? That same move won't work on me!" Joey laughed and played a card. "I was prepared for you! Chaining to Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's effect, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card Forbidden Chalice!"
"Nani?!"
Rex Raptor exclaimed in surprise.
Just as Ultimate Conductor Tyranno raised its head and took a deep breath, preparing to Set all of Joey's cards on the field again at the cost of itself, it was inhaling when suddenly, a golden cup filled with crimson liquid was thrown into its mouth, getting stuck right in its throat.
It felt like accidentally inhaling something while taking a big gulp of air.
With a foreign object stuck in its throat, like chronic pharyngitis that couldn't be coughed up or swallowed down, Ultimate Conductor Tyranno became very agitated, and the attack it was brewing dissipated as a result.
Ultimate Conductor Tyranno [ATK 3500→3900]
"Forbidden Chalice, I heard its prototype seems to be a Holy Grail that held the blood of a saint? Anyway, it has the effect of increasing a monster's Attack by 400 points until the End Phase." Joey explained the effect of Forbidden Chalice. "But as the cost for using the Holy Grail, that monster's effect is negated until the End Phase."
According to the "Chain Rules" in Duel Monsters, Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's effect, which activates in "Both players' Main Phase," is a Trigger Effect. Both it and the Quick-Play Spell Card Forbidden Chalice have Spell Speed 2 and can chain to each other; it just depends on who activates first.
If Joey had actively activated Forbidden Chalice in his Main Phase, Rex Raptor could have chained Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's effect to Forbidden Chalice. Following the principle of resolving the last activated effect first, before Forbidden Chalice negated Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's effect, he could have Set all of Joey's monsters.
But there are no ifs. Joey, who "won't play unless he's low on Life Points," had his passionate side shut off after his Life Points dropped to 700, and his clever wits took over. He successfully tricked Rex Raptor into activating Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's effect and negated it with Forbidden Chalice!
Having been outplayed by Joey, Rex Raptor frowned and said unhappily, "You've really improved, Joey. But did you forget that Forbidden Chalice's effect is beneficial to both of us?"
"Although Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's effect was negated, its Attack also increased due to Forbidden Chalice's effect,"
"The Meteor Black Dragon, which originally had the same Attack as Ultimate Conductor Tyranno and was equally matched, has now lost the ability to destroy Ultimate Conductor Tyranno in battle!"
Answering Rex Raptor was Joey's confident smile. The close-up of Joey's face filmed on the screen made Mai Valentine blush slightly, which was rare for her: "That guy, sometimes he's unexpectedly handsome too."
Looking at Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, whose Attack had increased to 3900 points, Joey looked at his hand and felt incredibly relieved: "It's just as you said, Rex Raptor, the balance of power between the two monsters is imbalanced."
"But in my opinion, the weak side is not me, but you, because your monster has been alone from beginning to end!"
As Joey spoke, he pointed to the Rocket Warrior he had just Normal Summoned onto his field. "The Meteor Black Dragon that received strength from its partners is already invincible!"
"No matter how powerful the enemy, as long as I have my partners by my side, I can defeat them!"
With a fierce wave of his hand, Joey gave the command: "Go, Rocket Warrior! Attack Ultimate Conductor Tyranno!"
"For Meteor Black Dragon, no, for our victory, open up the road to the future!"
"Rocket Headbutt!"
Rex Raptor was stunned to hear that Joey had chosen to actively attack: "Are you crazy, Joey? Rocket Warrior is just a Level 4 monster with 1500 Attack. If it attacks my Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, you'll take a whopping 2400 points of battle damage!"
Joey confidently crossed his arms over his chest: "Sore wa dou kana?"
On Joey's field, Rocket Warrior, upon receiving Joey's attack command, transformed its body, turning into a rocket and attacking the giant Ultimate Conductor Tyranno with a long tail flame trailing behind it!
Ultimate Conductor Tyranno had just had its throat stuck by Forbidden Chalice and was feeling uncomfortable, not knowing where to vent its anger. Seeing Rocket Warrior attacking it, Ultimate Conductor Tyranno had no intention of holding back. Its two giant claws slammed together, aiming to capture Rocket Warrior!
One should know that Ultimate Conductor Tyranno is not like Tyranno Rex, whose hind limbs are extremely developed but forelimbs are severely atrophied. Its forelimbs are just as strong and powerful as its hind limbs that support its enormous volume, even possessing a terrifying grip strength capable of crushing carbon into diamonds!
"Boom!"
Just as Rocket Warrior was about to be crushed into sheet metal by Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's claw, the rocket it had transformed into suddenly increased its propulsion just as it was about to be captured. It accelerated and avoided its twin claws just before Ultimate Conductor Tyranno could perform its "Empty-Handed Rocket Grab." Like a mosquito that wasn't swatted, it cocked its rear end proudly and crashed into Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's chest area!
"Aow~~"
Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's voice was somewhat painful. After being hit by Rocket Warrior, it slammed its chest hard, but the attack had already hit, and Rocket Warrior had already accelerated away, returning to Joey's field.
"What's going on? Why wasn't Rocket Warrior destroyed!?"
Rex Raptor was quite surprised to see Rocket Warrior teasing Ultimate Conductor Tyranno relying on its small size, and despite the attack having hit, it wasn't destroyed by battle.
"I remember there's a saying, 'Courage is knowing what fear is, and facing it, regarding it as within one's grasp.' In other words, even against a monster as despair-inducing as Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, I will use my courage to open up a road forward in the dark wilderness!"
Joey's fighting spirit soared. "Rocket Warrior is a monster whose maximum strength can only be unleashed by a Duelist filled with courage. During my Battle Phase, Rocket Warrior gains the ability to not be destroyed by battle, and the battle damage I take from its battles is 0."
"Furthermore, after damage calculation when Rocket Warrior attacks a monster," Joey's finger pointed precisely at the chest of Ultimate Conductor Tyranno that had just been attacked by Rocket Warrior, "the attacked monster's Attack decreases by 500 points until the End Phase!"
"Na, Nani?!"
Under Rex Raptor's horrified gaze, a wound suddenly split open on Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's chest, blood splattering even staining the gem on its body.
Ultimate Conductor Tyranno [ATK 3900→3400]
"This is bad! This way—" Rex Raptor's eyes widened as he looked at Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, whose Attack had decreased. "Meteor Black Dragon's Attack is higher now!!"
"That's right!" Joey punched the air excitedly. "So it's your turn to attack, Meteor Black Dragon!"
"Over there? No, over here, that's right, right there!" Joey directed Meteor Black Dragon where to attack and gave the command, "That position is the perfect angle to land a punch!"
"Attack Ultimate Conductor Tyranno! Get a little revenge for being Set by it earlier, Meteor Black Dragon!"
"This move is called, Jounouchi Meteor Punch!!"
Meteor Black Dragon roared towards the sky, spread its wide dragon wings, and leaped high, reaching a height level with Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's head. Under Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's angry gaze, Meteor Black Dragon began its dive, accelerating, its body wrapped in black flame like a meteor!
"Roar!"
Provoked repeatedly, Ultimate Conductor Tyranno angrily extended its claws to attack the approaching Meteor Black Dragon, but its attack speed was simply too fast. In an instant, it hit Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's body, and the location was precisely the chest that had just been struck by Rocket Warrior!
"Boom!"
Like a monster struck by a Kamen Rider's Rider Kick, after being hit by Meteor Black Dragon's attack that seemed to infringe on someone else's copyright, the invincible Ultimate Conductor Tyranno exploded with a roar and was sent to the Graveyard for the second time.
It seems that not surviving for more than three turns is Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's eternal destiny.
[Rex Raptor: 1100→1000 LP]
"Ultimate~ Conductor~ Tyranno!!"
Rex Raptor called out Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's name, but it had been truly sent to the Graveyard, unable to respond to Rex Raptor anymore.
His Ace Monster was destroyed again, and Rex Raptor was somewhat shaken, but he still pulled himself together and looked at Joey.
"Truly, a powerful combo, Joey. I have to admit, you are stronger now."
Struggling to escape the shadow of Ultimate Conductor Tyranno being destroyed again, Rex Raptor looked at Joey's field with a determined gaze: "But, the more this happens, the more fighting spirit I have. I will definitely counterattack next turn!"
Unexpectedly, upon hearing Rex Raptor's words, Joey shook his head: "No, Rex Raptor, there is no next turn."
"As for why..." As he spoke, Joey drew a card from his hand and placed it in his Duel Disk. "During the Battle Phase, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card Dimensional Eruption!"
"You can activate this card by returning one face-up Fusion Monster on my field to the Deck. Both players choose up to two monsters banished from play and Special Summon them to their respective fields."
As Joey activated the card, Meteor Black Dragon, which had just completed an attack on his field and successfully achieved revenge against Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, dissipated into light particles with a satisfied look. On both Rex Raptor's and Joey's fields, four light pillars were cast down.
Seeing the appearance of the light pillars, Joey seemed prepared and pulled two cards from his pocket: "The monsters I choose are these two."
"Monsters banished from play?" Rex Raptor saw the card Joey activated and took out two cards from his pocket. "The cards I have banished from play are only two."
"Then,"
"I Special Summon these two monsters!" X2
As Rex Raptor and Joey, as if having a telepathic connection, declared in unison and placed their cards into their Duel Disks, within the two light pillars on both players' fields, a total of four figures returned from the void, revealing their true form.
The monsters Rex Raptor Summoned were naturally Super Conductor Tyranno and Speedy Raptor, which he had banished from his Graveyard earlier to Summon Ultimate Conductor Tyranno.
Super Conductor Tyranno [ATK 3300]
Speedy Raptor [DEF 400]
In Rex Raptor's expectation, the monsters Joey banished would be Meteor Dragon and Red-Eyes Black Dragon, which he had banished using Dragon's Mirror's effect to Summon Meteor Black Dragon. If he Special Summoned Speedy Raptor in Attack Position, with only 1400 Attack, his Life Points would be depleted if it were attacked by Red-Eyes Black Dragon with 2400 Attack.
However, if he Special Summoned Speedy Raptor in Defense Position, everything would be fine.
Thinking this, Rex Raptor looked at the two light pillars on Joey's field. And sure enough, he saw Red-Eyes Black Dragon in one of the light pillars. And in the other light pillar, it was indeed Time Wizard...
Hmm?!
"Time Wizard?! When did that card—"
"Heh heh, of course, it was the Card of Fate I activated earlier." The question had just left his mouth, but as if he had already known Rex Raptor would have this doubt, Joey said proudly.
"Although before, I always treated Card of Fate's effect that requires banishing a card after drawing cards as a negative effect, Hayato told me, 'A true Duelist can even utilize a card's negative effect.'"
"Even the most useless card can occasionally have a purpose."
"Speaking of which, there's a line I've wanted to say for a long time."
Looking at the Time Wizard on the field, Joey deliberately put on a cold and arrogant expression, but Joey, who had "goofball" engraved in his DNA, looked funny no matter how he posed:
"To deal with you, this card is probably better, right?"
At the same time, as Joey's words fell, as soon as his Time Wizard walked out of the light pillar and landed on the field, it raised the staff in its hand high above its head. The clock hands within the staff began to spin rapidly.
Looking at the familiar Time Wizard, whose casting movements were exactly the same as in his memory, Rex Raptor felt somewhat annoyed.
Back in Duelist Kingdom, he had gambled his Red-Eyes Black Dragon because of his greed for Time Wizard's effect, and as a result, he had reminded Joey. That guy used Time Wizard's effect to directly destroy the Red-Eyes Black Dragon on my field and send it to the Graveyard, resulting in his biggest defeat during the Duelist Kingdom era.
"When it is Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned successfully, coin toss. If the result is Heads—"
Joey began to explain Time Wizard's effect, but before he could finish, Rex Raptor on the opposite side took over the words: "If the result is Heads, destroy all monsters on my field whose original Attack is higher than their Defense. And if it's Tails, all of your monsters, Joey, are destroyed."
"I remember Time Wizard's effect very clearly."
"Heh heh, I was just afraid you forgot."
Joey scratched his head slightly awkwardly, only then remembering that if Rex Raptor hadn't been interested in his powerful Time Wizard's effect back then, he wouldn't have been defeated and lost Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
At that time, Joey had clearly already drawn Time Wizard, but if Rex Raptor hadn't reminded him, he really wouldn't have remembered Time Wizard's effect. In a sense, Rex Raptor understood Time Wizard's effect even better than Joey.
Rex Raptor watched Time Wizard's clock hands spinning slower and slower. This should have been the critical moment to decide the outcome of this Duel, but he showed a relieved smile, as if he had let go of his pursuit of victory: "I say, Joey, you still like using these gambling cards so much."
"Tell me, is there a chance that this time my luck is better, and the result is Tails?"
Hearing this, Joey rarely showed a proud expression: "Although, I've always thought relying on luck to Duel isn't great, but it's not just me saying this, everyone knows it."
"When it comes to luck, I'm Number One in the world. And before activating these gambling cards, I can feel what the result will be..."
"The result, of course, is Heads!"
As Joey spoke, the pointer spun slower and slower, finally nearing a stop. In the end, Time Wizard's clock hands really stopped at the "Clock" position representing Heads!
"Then, Time Magic Activate!" Joey excitedly waved his hand and gave the command, "Time, Fly Away!"
Time Wizard, holding its staff high, gripped its magic staff with both hands as Joey spoke, and slammed the base of the staff onto the ground. Time Magic was released through the staff, and the ground suddenly cracked open, revealing the infinite void hidden behind it!
For a moment, whether it was Rocket Warrior or Red-Eyes Black Dragon on Joey's field, or Speedy Raptor and Super Conductor Tyranno on Rex Raptor's field, they were all unable to move. They could only watch with wide eyes as Time Wizard, staff in hand, walked alone in this flying time and space.
"No one can defy the destiny ordained by heaven..."
"The only outcome awaiting you is destruction..."
"Only I can stand at the eternal peak..."
"In a world where time vanishes, chant a dirge!"
A deep voice, completely inconsistent with Time Wizard's appearance, rang out. As the chant continued, under the gaze of Rex Raptor and Joey, Speedy Raptor and Super Conductor Tyranno aged and died almost in the blink of an eye, turning into fossilized skeletons!
"Time, Engraved Here"
Putting away its staff, Joey's Time Wizard made its final chant and snapped its fingers, filling the surrounding void again. Then its figure disappeared.
Whether the effect activation is successful or fails, Time Wizard is sent to the Graveyard after using its effect, just like a Spell Card.
Looking at the two dinosaur fossils on his field and the Red-Eyes Black Dragon on Joey's field, Rex Raptor couldn't help but sigh: "You really got me, Joey. I always felt like I had hope of victory during the Duel."
As he spoke, Rex Raptor adjusted his hat and spread his arms: "Alright, begin your final attack!"
"Rex Raptor... Okay, here I come, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" Joey's gaze met Rex Raptor's. From Rex Raptor's eyes, Joey didn't see any unwillingness; instead, joy occupied the majority of his emotions. "This is the final blow, Rex Raptor!"
"Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Direct Attack 'Dinosaur' Rex Raptor!"
"Black Flame Bullet!"
The black magic dragon opened its mouth, and dragon flame was compressed into a sphere and spat out. It passed through the two fossils on Rex Raptor's field without obstruction and landed directly on Rex Raptor's body.
This 2400 points of battle damage should have given Rex Raptor an impact sensation due to the Virtual Projection System, but for some reason, Rex Raptor felt no pain at all.
Bathed in the fiercely burning black flame, Rex Raptor's gaze met Joey's across the field.
"I lost..." Rex Raptor's gaze shifted from Joey to Red-Eyes Black Dragon. "Then, Joey, take my share and become the KC Cup Champion with Red-Eyes Black Dragon."
"Okay, I will, Rex Raptor."
[Rex Raptor: 1000 LP→0]
"Duel Outcome Decided! I declare the victor of this Duel is—"
"Jounouchi Katsuya!"
(Author's Note: I'm sorry for the missed update. I'll slowly make up for it.)
(Author's Note: I've already updated twice today, this is the third update, plus the missed updates from the past two days.)
(Author's Note: So now, I only owe one chapter for today's tips.)
(Author's Note: As for why Dimensional Eruption is Kaiser's card and why it appeared in Joey's hand? Yes, why indeed, I'm also looking for the reason (World Destroyer face))
(Author's Note: That's all, going to sleep now.)
(End of Chapter)
## Chapter 390: The America-Exclusive Kaiba Land
Witnessing Joey Wheeler defeat Ryuzaki and secure his first victory in the KC Cup, the people in the audience couldn't help but feel happy for him.
Everyone looked happy, but Hayato noticed that Mokuba, sitting next to him, was pressing a hand to his ear, listening to reports from the communication channel, and his expression wasn't good at all.
"I wrote that program, how could it be wrong?"
"The data channel is completely jammed. Didn't you try shutting it down?"
"It's the same system as the Kaiba Dome? Which idiot designed this!"
"Brother? Oh, then it's fine."
"I'll head over there now."
Hayato wasn't the only one who noticed Mokuba's serious expression; Yugi Mutou did too. Seeing him take his hand away from his ear, Yugi asked, "What happened, Mokuba?"
"Yeah, but it's not here at the Kaiba Dome. It's at the Kaiba Land building next door." Mokuba glanced around, sighed, and lowered his voice, saying, "It's not really convenient to talk about it in too much detail here. Anyway, I probably won't be able to watch the rest of the matches. Sorry, Yugi, Hayato."
As he spoke, Mokuba stood up with an apologetic look. "Although I was really looking forward to your upcoming duels, I guess I still have to fulfill my duty as the Vice President of KaibaCorp."
"Something happened at Kaiba Land?" Hayato was a little confused. In his memory, although the KC Cup in the original timeline also had problems, that was in the final rounds and caused by that guy named "Siegfried." It seemed too early for problems to appear now.
Moreover, even if that guy who looked like he stepped out of Norse mythology wanted to cause trouble, he should be trying to disrupt the KC Cup, which was in full swing at the Kaiba Dome, not causing trouble at the Kaiba Land building next door, which was completed around the same time as the Kaiba Dome.
To attract as many bystanders as possible who weren't very familiar with Duel Monsters, making them interested, the preliminary matches of the KC Cup, with 64 participants, required a total of 32 matches and would be split over two days. Before it was their turn, no one could predict who their next opponent would be; it was completely random drawing on the spot.
—Incidentally, Kaiba, uncharacteristically, didn't abandon the old for the new. He brought out the "Blue-Eyes White Dragon Lottery Machine GO! GO!" that he had used on the S.S. Anne Airship during the Duel City tournament and used it for the drawing.
However, the duelists could know in advance if they had a match today, allowing them to arrange their time reasonably. Duelists with matches today naturally waited here at the Kaiba Dome, while duelists without matches could choose to stay and watch to gather information, or leave on their own. Of course, most duelists chose the former.
Joey Wheeler and Mai Valentine's duels were both scheduled for today, while Hayato and Yugi's matches were tomorrow. Kaiba also had his duel tomorrow.
If they hadn't been divided into different groups and wouldn't face each other early, Hayato suspected that Kaiba would definitely have pulled some little trick again to arrange them together and try to duel him. It wasn't like he hadn't done that before.
The reason Hayato stayed at the duel arena to watch was also to see if there were any duelists he needed to be wary of, such as Amelda and the other "Doma's Swordsmen," or if Joey Wheeler, Yugi, and Kaiba had printed any new cards to give him a surprise, or what alias that guy whose original name was probably "Siegfried" was using and if he needed to expose his plan in advance.
However, since KaibaCorp had a problem, and he was just idle anyway, he was quite willing to lend a hand.
"Do you need me to go with you, Mokuba?" Hayato also stood up. "Anyway, the rest are just some rotten potatoes and stinky bird eggs. It's fine if I don't watch. I'll go with you. I can help out."
"That would be great, thank you, Hayato."
From a distance, Valon, sitting in his seat, tossed a piece of popcorn high into the air, tilted his head slightly to catch the falling popcorn perfectly in his mouth. Just as he was having fun, his gaze caught sight of Hayato and Mokuba leaving their seats and heading somewhere through the passage.
"Kobayashi Hayato? What's that guy going to do?"
Tilting his head, Valon withdrew his gaze, feeling a bit bored.
Compared to Rafael, the loyal dog who was completely obedient to The Master, and Amelda, whose eyes were only on revenge against Seto Kaiba, Valon was the most "unambitious" of Doma's Swordsmen.
This wasn't a derogatory term, because Valon's personal philosophy was to always maintain a peaceful life. Self-satisfaction was enough for him; he wouldn't be overly obsessed with the outcome or troubled by worries, nor would he create enemies that kept him awake at night. This was his attitude towards the world, and also his happiness.
However, if he had to compete with someone, he was confident that he wouldn't lose to anyone else.
As for participating in the KC Cup match, the reason the three of them came was simply because Amelda wanted to. Valon had no great interest in becoming the first place and being in the spotlight. In his opinion, it was enough for him to be the fourth place, not too dazzlingly brilliant and not too bad.
If he encountered Hayato in a duel, Valon might get serious and go all out. It wasn't to prove that he was stronger than the King of Games. He mainly wanted to take the *Egyptian God Cards* from Kobayashi Hayato, which The Master had mentioned had an important purpose, as a way to repay The Master for getting him out of prison back then.
However, Valon had seen the list. Kobayashi Hayato, using the alias "Dan Kuroto," had his duel tomorrow, while his own duel was scheduled for today. There was no possibility of them facing each other in the short term.
Although he had some pursuit for victory, Valon wasn't so impatient for victory that he would resort to unscrupulous means. Playing with popcorn was much better. Why bother looking for Kobayashi Hayato?
Thinking this, Valon tossed another piece of popcorn, but his other empty hand reached into his pocket and sent a message to his companions sitting in other seats:
[Armor Protection] - "Hey, I just saw Kobayashi Hayato. That guy left the duel arena with a kid. Don't know where they're going."
After sending this message, Valon, who knew that Amelda was very obsessed with Seto Kaiba and had even included Kobayashi Hayato in his list of people he needed to defeat, wanted to see his reaction after receiving this provocative message. However, after a period of silence in their Doma's Swordsmen discussion group, Amelda sent a message:
[Heard Kaiba's natural enemy is Sea Serpent] - "I have no interest in that Kobayashi Hayato guy at all. If you want to duel him, go ahead, I don't care."
[Ah~ Aitosi] - "Amelda, I remember you really wanted to duel Kobayashi Hayato before? Why the sudden change of heart?"
[Armor Protection] - "Did you duel him?"
[Heard Kaiba's natural enemy is Sea Serpent] - "Absolutely not!"
[Heard Kaiba's natural enemy is Sea Serpent] - "Ahem, mainly, I think, as the most famous duelist worldwide and the one who has publicly demonstrated the strongest strength, it's not a good thing to alarm him too early. For The Master's plan, we should wait until the time is right before dueling him and taking 'those cards.'"
[Heard Kaiba's natural enemy is Sea Serpent] - "Solemnly declare, I absolutely have never dueled him before, nor have I ever lost to him, and I wasn't disgusted!"
[Armor Protection] - "Right, right, the two things are completely unrelated."
Valon replied to Amelda perfunctorily and sighed with some disappointment.
That Amelda guy can't even lie! Anyone could tell that he must have faced Kobayashi Hayato at some point during the audition, and he lost, and he lost quite miserably.
Just as he was about to put away his mobile phone and watch the duel that had already started in the duel arena to pass the time, with a "buzz," Valon noticed that a message had appeared in their three-person discussion group, and the content was quite unexpected.
[Ah~ Aitosi] - "Indeed, it's not appropriate to expose our goal so early now. However, I think we still need to do some basic observation. I'll go take a look."
Rafael is going to find Kobayashi Hayato again?
Huh? Why did I say "again"?
————Ah~ Shirley————
Seto Kaiba, President of the famous KaibaCorp, Genius Inventor, Legendary Duelist, and a severe dueling addiction patient, the kind who feels uncomfortable if he doesn't duel for a day.
Although it sounds a bit dreamy, Seto Kaiba's most genuine wish is indeed to build Kaiba Land all over the world.
It's such a strong contrast that the aloof Kaiba's wish is so full of childlike innocence, just like a Fanma Xingren claiming his favorite toy is a pink fluffy rabbit.
However, Kaiba's wish is merely to build Kaiba Land for children to play in. Considering the different customs and traditions of different countries, it's understandable that the game facilities inside Kaiba Land would be adapted to local conditions, right?
Following behind Mokuba, Hayato passed by a game room. Listening to the sound of whips, wails, and the rustling of leaves being pulled off when the cotton was removed from the room, Hayato was filled with the urge to complain. However, considering that complaining about this might lead to the destruction of the world, he decided to hold back for now.
In this first Kaiba Land in the American area, the gap between it and the Kaiba Land in Domino City couldn't be described as large; it was practically two different worlds. The American specialty Hayato just heard was secondary; the biggest difference was that this Kaiba Land—
Actually, didn't have Blue-Eyes White Dragon!!
As if sensing Hayato's doubt, Mokuba proactively explained, "Hayato, you must be wondering why this Kaiba Land doesn't have Brother's favorite Blue-Eyes White Dragon, right?"
"Yeah, just like the West can't lose Jerusalem, how can Kaiba Land lack Blue-Eyes White Dragon?" Hayato said with a serious expression. "Without Blue-Eyes, how can Kaiba Land's uniqueness be reflected? I can only say, my youth is over."
"Oh~ Hayato boy, I didn't expect you to agree with Kaiba boy's aesthetic?"
Just as Hayato finished speaking, like a ghost, a completely improper voice suddenly sounded from behind Hayato, startling him.
"What's up! Maximillion Pegasus?"
"Yes, I am~"
Appearing behind Hayato was none other than Maximillion Pegasus, who, despite his age, always acted improperly. Striking a stance quite like "Chicken Boy Red," Maximillion Pegasus greeted Hayato, "Aloha, Hayato boy~"
Hayato looked at Maximillion Pegasus with considerable disdain and asked Mokuba beside him strangely, "Why is this perverted uncle here?"
"Oh, you actually called me a pervert, so sad~"
Mokuba beside Hayato turned his head awkwardly, seeing Maximillion Pegasus's improper behavior. "It's not like I wanted this guy to participate in Kaiba Land."
"Hayato, you know, although after Duel City, many people recognized the potential contained within Duel Monsters, the amount allocated to the Virtual Projection System wasn't quite enough." As he spoke, Mokuba pointed to his feet. "Perhaps it made people care, but it was far from enough to persuade the American government to approve a large piece of land for KaibaCorp to build Kaiba Land."
"Although Kaiba Land successfully settled in America, someone's effort was indispensable in it."
"It's me, it's me!" Maximillion Pegasus excitedly raised his hand, his face full of smiles. "For Kaiba boy's Kaiba Land, I am very supportive of such a great dream, so I also contributed a part of my power to help."
"By the way, Industrial Illusions also has a stake in the American area of Kaiba Land." Maximillion Pegasus patted Hayato's shoulder. "So, Hayato boy, actually you are also a shareholder here."
Hayato glanced at Mokuba beside him. Although he looked helpless, Mokuba still nodded.
This suddenly made Hayato feel inflated.
"What? So I'm also a shareholder here? Ahem, then Mokuba, tell this shareholder, what exactly is wrong with Kaiba Land?"
"Hayato, your face changed too fast!" Mokuba complained about Hayato, who had adapted to his capitalist identity in the blink of an eye, and sighed, pointing to a room not far away. "The problem is in that zone. Originally, I was thinking of making use of old resources, not letting Brother continue to waste money. That's why I brought that thing out again, and I even wrote a new program."
"That shouldn't be right, I don't think I messed anything up?"
Hayato was a little curious. Even Mokuba, this genius child, made a mistake?
"So what is that thing?"
"That thing, actually, is—"
Following the direction Mokuba was pointing, Hayato saw a huge sign on the wall—
"The Brand New Fun of Duel Monsters! Want to Duel against Legendary Duelists?"
"Legendary Duelist Portal!"
After walking into the empty play area, the first thing Hayato saw was a red ring suspended in the air, emitting light projection. And beneath the projection, a very familiar person wearing a Duel Disk on their wrist was proudly pushing back their bangs.
"That thing, actually, is—"
"My Clone?! The Sith are coming for revenge! Quick, find Anakin Skywalker!"
"It's not Star Wars! That's a Duel Robot!"
Because of well-known reasons, the JP server opened the infinite pool today, and it's a cba rerun.
I logged in for 2050 days today, got 30 Stones, and pulled a Ten Pull. Finally, I have all the Support from every era (Caster Fox, Kongming, Merlin, cba, caber, Oberon, Assassin Fox).
In short, my Level 100 Teacher Chen has new ammunition.
(End of this chapter)