"Disciple of the Human Order, let me lend you my strength!"
The Old Man of the Mountain's arrival triggered a deluge of notifications in Jiang You's mailbox. King Hassan's Card had been significantly replenished, a veritable windfall. The sheer quantity made Jiang You question its authenticity. After all, the beta test hadn't distributed any rewards thus far, and the gacha resources remained vague, with only the Soul Crystals showing any resemblance to the actual game.
King Hassan turned his gaze to Tiamat. "Mother of Creation," he boomed, "as the Mother of all living beings, can you not even tolerate this single individual?"
"Of course," Tiamat replied.
At this time, Tiamat had yet to suffer King Hassan's decisive strike, and thus carried no lingering psychological trauma. She met King Hassan's fiery gaze without flinching.
"Regardless of his origins, since he has chosen to aid my children in his own way and is willing to call me Mother, he may certainly be considered my child."
King Hassan's willingness to lend his strength was undoubtedly a boon, but Jiang You couldn't shake off a nagging sense of unease. Given King Hassan's aloof nature and towering dignity, he shouldn't have cared about Tiamat addressing him so familiarly. Still, Tiamat's willingness to call him "child" was indeed a boon, allowing them to forge a closer bond and making it easier to cultivate her favor and enlist her aid.
Tiamat's gaze softened slightly as she turned to Jiang You, her expression shifting from (???) to (???). In truth, the change was barely noticeable.
"You claim you wish to help humanity overcome this crisis, do you?"
Only now did Tiamat begin to truly scrutinize Jiang You, her scrutiny bordering on an interrogation. "...If it's you, then representing humanity poses no issue. Very well, prove to Mother that humanity can weather this calamity. If you fail, then humanity shall obediently return to my embrace... and you as well, of course."
"Then I'll give it my all."
Even if Jiang You lost, the other servants would still engage in a final battle. But Jiang You would undoubtedly just reload his save, so there wasn't much difference.
"Your resolve has reached Mother," Tiamat responded with a nod. "However, courage alone cannot overcome this calamity. Therefore, Mommy won't hold back either!"
"Just what I wanted!"
Jiang You hadn't expected Tiamat to hold back. "Children can't always hide under their mother's wings. Unless we prove to you that we can handle anything, how can you ever willingly let us go?"
This struck a chord with Tiamat, though she still had a slightly different perspective. "Even if you can handle everything, it's still okay to rely on your mother sometimes."
"Since this is a trial for humanity, let me make the first move!"
After this sentimental exchange with Tiamat, Jiang You seized the opportunity while she was in good spirits and decisively took the initiative. This would prevent his cards sent to the Graveyard from being banished face-down later when Tiamat's domain expanded.
"First, I activate the Spell Card 'Offer Your Head!'"
Jiang You immediately drew a card unique to King Hassan, depicting the final moments witnessed by generations of Hassan in their dying moments.
"Send up to three 'Hassan Sabbah' cards from your Deck to the Graveyard. If you send three different 'Hassan' names, search your Deck for a 'Hassan Sabbah' related card!"
As expected of King Hassan's card, its graveyarding speed was ridiculously fast. Now Jiang You wouldn't have to painstakingly draw them out one by one (except for Hundred Faces).
"I send 'Shining Star,' 'Cursed Arm,' and 'Serenity' to the Graveyard. Then, I search my Deck for 'To sound the funeral bell'!"
"Next, I Normal Summon 'Hundred Faces'! Activating its effect: Special Summon all cards with the same name from the Deck to the field, as many as possible!"
Whenever Jiang You used a Hassan Deck, Hundred Faces was always present.
Hundred Faces Attack Power: 800 x 3.
Hundred-Faced (Host) Attack Power: 800.
Morning Glory Attack Power: 0.
"Activating 'Hundred-Faced (Host)'s effect: When Special Summoned successfully, declare a card type! I declare—"
In that moment, as if struck by divine inspiration, Jiang You blurted out a type he would never normally consider.
"Trap Card!"
As expected, a purple-bordered card flipped over: Evening Bell, Homeward Bound!
This effect can only be activated when the opponent successfully reverses, Special Summons, or Xyz Summons a Beast-type monster. Banish those Beast monsters, as well as all cards banished by this effect and any cards with the same original name.
It's an extremely rare banish effect in this collaboration, and even more impressively, it doesn't target. Jiang You couldn't help but marvel, "Truly worthy of King Hassan."
"Next, I activate Battle Retreat, returning Morning Glory to my hand and drawing one card!"
Against Tiamat, it's best to keep life-saving cards like this close at hand.
"I overlay four Hundred Faces to Xyz Summon in Defense Position—Fanatic!"
Fanatic emerged from the shadows. Upon seeing King Hassan, she immediately performed a Cult salute. Only after receiving the reply, "Focus on the battle," did she hurriedly rise. Beneath her black veil, she secretly exhaled in relief; her efforts to maintain her assassin's composure had finally paid off.
Fanatic: DEF 1000
"Fanatic, detach one Xyz Material and activate Delusional Heartbeat!"
This was Fanatic's most frequently heard command, one she had long since grown accustomed to. The moment she heard those words, she braced herself for battle. But when she extended her black, magically-formed hand, she realized the Battle Zone was completely empty, save for her single servant and the card she held.
"Target: Fanatic!"
"What are you doing?!"
This was right in front of King Hassan. Of course, if he weren't here, she would have been even more furious.
"Have you finally gone mad?!"
"Not at all! For victory, I'm willing to abandon even my oldest friends!"
Fanatic truly deserved to be called an old friend.
"So, take your own life, Fanatic!"
Unfortunately, in the Duel, Fanatic had no choice but to obey Jiang You's commands. Her own hand had already gripped her heart.
"Then, Fanatic activates her effect! By detaching one material as a substitute, she negates this destruction!"
Jiang You successfully sent both Hundred Faces cards to the Graveyard unharmed.
Perplexed by Jiang You's intentions, Fanatic's expression grew even more confused. "What exactly are you trying to do?!"
"Patience."
Jiang You found it amusing to watch Fanatic's bewilderment without offering any explanation.
"Let's do this again!"
With all four materials now in the Graveyard, Jiang You's field was left with only a useless 1000-Defense Point, vanilla Fanatic in Defense Position.
Jiang You had effortlessly met the prerequisites for summoning King Hassan. Remarkably, he even had one more card in his hand than he started with. However, now wasn't the time to summon King Hassan; his full immunity only applied on the turn he was summoned.