"Hmph, I successfully interfered with your Summon of (XYZ), yet you can still smile, Hayato?" Bandit Keith looked at Hayato, somewhat perplexed.
Six of Hayato's monsters have already been banished so far. Doesn't he feel any heartache for his monsters?
"They're just a few monsters. For me, tricking you into activating your Trap Card was a worthwhile trade." Hayato glanced at the last card in his Hand. "You have no Set Cards left to Activate, so I can use this card without any worries!"
"I Activate the Spell Card, 'Heavenly Gift Cards'! Both players Draw until they have 6 cards in their Hand!" Hayato said, exchanging a look with Ishizu. Both of them, with empty Hands, simultaneously Drew 6 cards. Bandit Keith and that lackey each Drew 4 cards and 1 card, respectively.
"Bandit Keith, the equation for victory in my Deck is complete!" Hayato said with a smile, looking at the cards he Drew. "Face my infinite power!"
"I Activate the Spell Card, 'Star-Calling Heavenly Altar'! I return one Level 6 Monster from my Hand or Field to the Deck, then Draw two cards. I choose to return (Ojama King) to the Deck!"
"I Activate the Spell Card, (Double Summon)! This Turn, I can Normal Summon twice! I Normal Summon (Gearfried the Iron Knight) and (Fire Princess)!"
The figure of (Ojama King) vanished from Hayato's Field, replaced by a Steel Knight in heavy metal armor and a Witch wielding blazing flames.
"Heh, mere Fodder Monsters. What makes you so confident to call them infinite power?" Bandit Keith sneered. Marik, hidden behind him, scoffed at Hayato's so-called "infinite" proclamation. In his opinion, only the power of (Osiris), one of the Egyptian God Cards he possessed, was worthy of being called infinite power.
"Don't be so impatient, three-year-old. My equation is far more perfect than you imagine." Hayato said, activating three cards in quick succession. "First, (Mystical Space Typhoon)! I Destroy the troublesome (Dark Mirror of Absorption) on your Field. Then, the Continuous Spell Card, 'Uplifted Morale', and the Spell Card, (Graceful Charity)!"
(Mystical Space Typhoon) swept away (Dark Mirror of Absorption), which had enveloped the entire Field in its power. And 'Uplifted Morale', which has the ability to "Recover Life Points when a card is equipped to a Monster", appeared on Hayato's Field.
Seeing this, Bandit Keith didn't notice anything amiss, but Ishizu, beside Hayato, her pupils constricted, having understood in an instant what Hayato's "infinite power" truly was.
'When equipping cards, 'Uplifted Morale' Recovers Life Points, and then (Fire Princess)'s Effect inflicts Effect Damage to the Opponent Duelist when Life Points are Recovered.'
'But what about (Gearfried the Iron Knight)? Doesn't it only Destroy Equip Cards directly?'
After Drawing three cards, Hayato chuckled under Bandit Keith's deadpan gaze and proudly showed Bandit Keith the cards he was about to Send to the Graveyard: "Now, Marik, I will show you infinite power! Are you ready?"
Of the two cards he Sent to the Graveyard, one was (Dark Fiend - Gilfer Demon), a card Yugi had once used.
"At the moment it is Sent to the Graveyard, (Dark Fiend - Gilfer Demon)'s Effect Activates! It equips itself as an Equip Card to a monster on the Field, decreasing its ATK by 500!"
Looking at the spiritual body of (Gilfer Demon) resurrected from Hayato's Graveyard, Marik still didn't sense the approaching crisis: "Hmph, so you want to equip this Monster to my (Ancient Gear Sniper)? For a Monster in Defense Position, decreasing its ATK is completely inconsequential!"
"Who said I was equipping it to your Monster? The target of (Gilfer Demon)'s equip effect is (Gearfried the Iron Knight) on my Field!" Hayato pointed his hand at (Gearfried the Iron Knight) on his Field. "At the same time, because of 'Uplifted Morale''s Effect, I Recover 1000 Life Points!"
"Chain (Fire Princess)'s Effect! When my Life Points are Recovered, inflict 500 damage to the opponent!"
[Bandit Keith: 2500 → 2000 LP]
This was different from the previous 1500 Life Points lost, which Bandit Keith willingly paid to activate (Solemn Judgment). This time, it was Hayato's monster inflicting Effect Damage to him.
"Urgh!" Marik, far away, had been sitting properly in his chair, concentrating on controlling the group of four individuals in the duel. But he suddenly felt a pain surge through him, and even the face of Bandit Keith, whom he controlled most deeply, couldn't help but show a pained expression.
"This, how is this possible?!" Under Marik's control, Bandit Keith's expression twisted as he glared at Hayato. "I'm not the one participating in the Shadow Game, he is! Why are you able to hurt me?!"
Ishizu looked at Hayato with surprise. From Marik's words, Hayato had actually inflicted damage on Marik's actual body through the puppet he was controlling in this Shadow Game?!
Although Ishizu always tried to maintain a cold demeanor, as if she had severed all ties with Marik, upon learning that Marik's life might be in danger, as his sister, she instinctively felt worried for him.
Noticing the concern in Ishizu's eyes, Hayato smiled and said, "Don't forget I'm the initiator of this Shadow Game. It's not like I'd get the target of punishment incorrect, would I?"
"Unfortunately, due to the distance, it's only some mental pain at most; it won't take your life. You dodged a bullet, Empty— bah, Marik."
Ishizu noticed that although Hayato seemed to be talking tough to Marik, his gaze was directed at her, and she understood that he said these things to reassure her. While letting out a sigh of relief, she also felt grateful towards Hayato.
"Bandit Keith" took several deep breaths. Although he struggled to maintain his zombie-like face, he finally recovered from the pain. While he often engaged in Shadow Games to inflict abuse on others, Marik was especially cowardly, always using his (Millennium Rod) to control puppets to fight, so he himself would never feel the pain, even when subjected to Shadow Game penalties.
This was the first time he had suffered due to a Shadow Game, which filled him with deep malice towards Hayato. Despite the pain, he still outwardly taunted, "It's just 500 Damage! It's completely inconsequential! Come on, keep it coming, Hayato!"
"Well, you asked for it. I didn't force you."
Hayato immediately seized the opportunity, causing Bandit Keith's expression to stiffen.
'This guy can really do it again?'
"Seriously, I've never heard such a cheap request," Hayato spread his hands towards Ishizu beside him, then looked at Bandit Keith. "By the way, have you noticed the changes on (Gearfried the Iron Knight) equipped with (Dark Fiend - Gilfer Demon)?"
Bandit Keith subconsciously looked at (Gearfried the Iron Knight).
[**(Gearfried the Iron Knight)**] [Level 4/EARTH]
[Warrior/Effect Monster]
[ATK 1800/DEF 1600]
"(Gearfried the Iron Knight) hasn't changed, has it? Huh?! It actually hasn't changed at all!?" At first, Marik hadn't reacted, but the lingering pain in his body suddenly made him remember that Hayato had just equipped (Dark Fiend - Gilfer Demon) to (Gearfried the Iron Knight)!
"(Gearfried the Iron Knight) has excellent ATK and DEF among Warrior monsters, but as a drawback, it cannot use any Equip Cards and destroys Equip Cards," Hayato said calmly. "This was supposed to be a flaw."
"But a True Duelist not only knows how to use a monster's strengths but can also utilize its flaws," Ishizu said with a smile, continuing Hayato's words.
The (Dark Fiend - Gilfer Demon) that had been resurrected from the Graveyard earlier was about to equip itself to (Gearfried the Iron Knight) when it was destroyed by a chop from the knight's hand and Sent to the Graveyard. Then, under Marik's horrified gaze, the (Dark Fiend - Gilfer Demon) that was Sent to the Graveyard resurrected again!
"The old persistent (Dark Fiend - Gilfer Demon) tries to equip itself to (Gearfried the Iron Knight) again, but because of (Gearfried the Iron Knight)'s aloofness, it gets kicked away again!" Hayato explained in a strange manner. "At the same time, 'Uplifted Morale' and (Fire Princess) appreciate each other, Best Match!"
"Th-this is!"
Streams upon streams of flames flew from (Fire Princess), accompanied by the repeated appearance and disappearance of Life Points from 'Uplifted Morale,' and the unyielding (Dark Fiend - Gilfer Demon) crawling out of the Graveyard!
-500!
[Bandit Keith: 2000 → 1500 LP]
"Ugh!"
-500!
[Bandit Keith: 1500 → 1000 LP]
"Ah, ah!"
-500!
[Bandit Keith: 1000 → 500 LP]
"Hah, ah, ah, ah!"
"Manipulating someone else's body yet trying to escape punishment, Marik, ask yourself, where in the world would there be such a good deal?" Hayato pointed at Bandit Keith. Marik, who was controlling Bandit Keith from behind, felt as if Hayato was pointing directly at him amidst the pain.
"Now, count your sins!"
-500!
[Bandit Keith/Marik: 500 → 0]
"Hngh, ahhhhhh!!!"
Accompanying Marik's scream, the (Millennium Rod) slipped from his hand, and the four people controlled by him all cried out simultaneously, falling backward onto the ground.
"It seems that three-year-old has already suffered a lesson." Looking at the Shadow Game Domain, which was gradually dissipating because one side was no longer able to battle, Hayato put away his Duel Disk, watching (Gearfried the Iron Knight) and the others slowly disappear. "It's rare that I pull off such a powerful Combo, but I didn't even get to fully enjoy playing it."
"If that Duel wasn't fun enough, I'd be happy to play a few more rounds with you, Mr. Kobayashi," Ishizu said with a smile.
Hayato waved his hand. "Ah, just talk, just talk. It's getting late, and we still need to capture these guys and send them to the Metropolitan Police Department. We can do it another time."
No way, I'd rather go stomp on noobs who just started playing Duel Monsters than Duel against a Graveyard Control Strategy.
Ishizu smiled and said, "Then it's a definite next time, Mr. Kobayashi."
It's not definite next time! Hayato quickly changed the subject, "Calling me Mr. Kobayashi feels weird. Everyone else just calls me Hayato, Ishizu, you can call me Hayato too."
"Mm, Hayato-kun."
(end of chapter)