Chapter 22: You Think Using a Burn Card Is Despicable? What Does That Have to Do with My Drain Card?
"You know, when you put it like that... it kinda makes sense?" Joey was dumbfounded by Hayato's words. Thinking about it, that seemed to be the case. It seemed no rule stated a person could only have one Soul Card.
For example, if someone's Soul Card was Blue-Eyes White Dragon, would that mean summoning Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon by fusing three Blue-Eyes was a Tribute of their Soul?
Without continuing the banter with Joey, Hayato explained the effect of *Ojama Trio* to the frantic Shoji on the other side. "The effect of the card I activated is to Summon three 'Ojama Tokens' to your Field that cannot be Tributed."
"Cannot be Tributed!?" Shoji was somewhat frantic. In the current rules, there was no concept of "Tribute" for summoning monsters. Only the effects of a few Spell Cards required Tributes, such as when a monster equipped with *Axe of Despair* is destroyed, you can Tribute a monster to return *Axe of Despair* to the top of your Deck.
Another example was Hayato's *Soul-Eating Demon Blade*, which would forcibly Tribute Normal Monsters on his own Field upon activation.
"So you're saying these three monsters—disgusting as week-old, stinking durians dropped from the sixth floor and run over by a steamroller ten times—are going to occupy my Field slots indefinitely!?"
Hayato ignored Shoji's bizarre metaphor and added, "Not only that, but when they are destroyed, you will take 300 points of damage."
"What kind of Broken Card is that!?" Shoji was already miserable looking at *Necro-Count*, but who would have thought Hayato would send over three even uglier monsters. "You three pieces of crap, just go and die!"
"Ayy~"
"Hah~"
"Hic~"
The three Ojama Monsters, lounging as if on a beach, were incredibly thick-skinned. Although they heard Shoji's roar loud and clear, they pretended not to, adopting a 'dead pigs don't fear boiling water' attitude. *Ojama Green*, with its single eye and long tongue, even rolled over on its beach chair because the rooftop sun was too bright.
"Damn you!"
Shoji was grinding his teeth so hard they might shatter. He wished he could follow Hayato's example and summon his own fists to the Field to tear the three Ojama Monsters to shreds. However, Hayato, on the other side, had no intention of ending his Turn early just because of Shoji's disgust. "The 'Ojama Tokens' are all Level 2, LIGHT Attribute, Beast-Type monsters with 0 Attack and 1000 DEF. Although destroying one will inflict damage to you, it's a pity that the monster with the highest attack in my Hand is this one."
Slapping a card from his Hand onto the Field, Hayato summoned *Death Stalker*. Staring at the dual-wielding *Necro-Count* with its massive 2500 Attack, and then at its own feeble 900 Attack, the summoned scorpion warrior, *Death Stalker*, was a little confused.
*Hey, that thing over there is clearly not on my level, boss. I think you want me dead.*
"Hmph, you still dare to remain in Attack Position in the face of my *Necro-Count*? You're courting death." Shoji couldn't help but laugh at Hayato's pathetic move. *Necro-Count* had 2500 Attack, a full 1600 points higher than *Death Stalker*'s 900, and even higher than Hayato's remaining 1400 Life Points.
He had wasted his summon on a Fodder Monster. So what if he used some Equip Spells to raise its attack? He could let him destroy one of the annoying Ojama Monsters; it was only 300 points of damage anyway. On his next Turn, he could easily wipe out his opponent's Life Points!
"Oh dear, still 100 points short of an Ojama Token's DEF. A miscalculation, a miscalculation." Hayato lamented with false regret, then drew another card from his Hand. "Just kidding. I'm also activating this Spell Card."
A Spell Card appeared on Hayato's Field. Before Shoji could see what card Hayato had activated, a whirlwind suddenly burst forth from the Card Art, sweeping up *Ojama Yellow* from its beach chair.
*Ojama Black* and *Ojama Green* turned their heads to see their brother, shedding his previous lazy demeanor, now waving his little fists with a look of fiery passion, standing beside *Necro-Count*.
"The Spell Card I'm activating is *Stop Defense*," Hayato said unhurriedly, gesturing to the Spell Card on his Field. "According to its effect, I can change one Defense Position monster on your Field to Face-up Attack Position. I Target the 'Ojama Token' that was just summoned to your Field."
"The Monster is changed to Attack Position! This way, Hayato can deal a ton of damage to that Chazz Princeton guy at once! Awesome!" Joey's face was full of excitement, but Yugi looked a little worried.
"Battle! Go, *Death Stalker*! *Scarlet Poison Sting*!"
The scorpion warrior, standing on its hind legs, charged up its tail stinger for a moment before thrusting it forward violently. *Ojama Yellow*, poised in a boxer's stance, didn't have time to react. Its face frozen in a state of shock, it was instantly killed by *Death Stalker*. Shoji took the full 900 points of battle damage.
[Shoji: 1500 LP → 600 LP]
But it wasn't over! *Ojama Yellow*, struck by the tail stinger, was so weak that its defeat sent it flying. The virtual image shot directly towards Shoji's face. An ugly yellow monster in disgusting red-striped underwear was about to sit on his face with its butt. Shoji, startled, threw a punch that hit nothing but air, only then remembering it was just a virtual image.
However, the loss of Life Points was real.
[Shoji: 600 LP → 300 LP]
"You despicable bastard!" Because of *Ojama Yellow*'s antics, Chazz Princeton had lost his composure, and he blamed it all on Hayato. "Next Turn! On my next Turn, I will have *Necro-Count* destroy that Fodder Monster of yours! Savor the wrath of Chazz Princeton!"
"Unfortunately for you, you don't have a next Turn." Hayato did not declare the End Turn after the attack. "According to the rules of the game, there is a Main Phase 2 after the Battle Phase. Although most people don't use it, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. In my Main Phase 2, I will activate this Spell Card."
Hayato revealed a Spell Card in his Hand and placed it on the Field.
"He still has a Spell Card!" Shoji's eyes widened, staring intently at the Spell Card on the Field, trying to see its effect.
"This card's name is *Goblin Thief*. As the name suggests, it's a Goblin whose profession is thievery." A chubby, sneaky-looking Goblin emerged from the card. Acting as if everyone was blind, it tiptoed over to Shoji's Duel Stage, believing it hadn't been seen, and bent down to search for something on the ground.
"Why is it on my Field again!" Shoji was about to lose his mind. First, there was the rotting corpse-like *Necro-Count*, then the disgusting Ojama Monsters, especially *Ojama Yellow* which had almost sat on him. And now there was a greasy Goblin?!
"The *Goblin Thief* doesn't steal anything else, it steals your Life Points. According to its effect, I can drain 500 Life Points from you." As Hayato spoke, the Goblin Thief dug out a ball of light from Shoji's Duel Stage. As soon as it had it, it immediately scurried back and placed the ball of light in front of Hayato's Duel Stage.
[Shoji: 300 LP → 0]
[Hayato: 1400 LP → 1900 LP]
"Congratulations, student Shoji. Your house has been robbed, the kind that leaves you bankrupt."
Shoji was enraged by Hayato's words. "You shameless bastard! To use such a despicable Burn Card, you're no man at all!"
"Hey, hold on. By that logic, aren't Volcanics the most Shadow Realm Deck in the world? Besides," Hayato wouldn't accept the "despicable" label Shoji had given him, "you think using a Burn Card is despicable, but what does that have to do with my Drain Card?"
(end of chapter)