With the activation of Goblin Thief, Hert's Life Points dropped to 0, and the winner of the Duel was decided.
Looking at the unconscious Hert lying on the ground, the Earthbound Immortal pounced ferociously, like a lust-crazed hungry ghost just released after thirty years of imprisonment, upon seeing an old sow.
Unfortunately, Hayato was a step quicker, snatching it from the Duel Disk first. Looking at the rapidly dissipating Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca and its resentful gaze cast upon him, Hayato waved his hand without mercy, signaling it to scram.
However, before it completely dissipated, the giant eagle Earthbound Immortal let out a cry. The soul-piercing sound wave precisely bypassed Hayato and Yugi's group, knocking out Hert, who still had a last trace of struggling strength, and the other two black-robed Rare Hunters.
Joey and Tristan crouched down to check on the two semi-conscious black-robed figures, while Téa and Yugi approached Hayato. Watching Hayato bend down to retrieve Hert's Deck, Yugi asked with some concern, "Hayato, are you alright?"
"Oh, me? I feel pretty good." After flipping through Hert's Deck and finding they were all fake cards, not a single real one among them, Hayato reluctantly tossed them into a roadside trash can. "What's wrong?"
"Hayato, the Aura on that Card you just Summoned was far too heavy with evil. I think it's better to use such Duel Monsters as little as possible," Téa voiced her opinion.
When Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca was Summoned, let alone the two Yugis, even Téa clearly smelled the evil Aura emanating from it, an Aura more vile than rat droppings in a toilet.
"You mean this thing?" Hayato said, drawing Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca from the top of the freshly organized Deck and holding it in his hand. "Honestly, even if I wanted to use it in every Duel, I probably couldn't."
Under the astonished gaze of Yugi and Téa, the Card Art of Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca was actually changing.
The giant eagle that Hayato had just Summoned, having failed to devour any Souls to replenish its Power, had its stripes become incredibly dull, and its body shrunk. Pale blue lines, like tail feathers, gradually wrapped around its entire body, dragging it into the ground, leaving behind only a Nazca Line drawing on the cracked earth, and a little chick beside it.
"Damn it, you mean it can't even eat one?" Yugi even heard the little chick complaining to Hayato with a displeased look.
"Not a single one, and no one is allowed to be eaten. That's part of the contract." Hayato glared back, causing the little chick to mindlessly flop down beside the drawing.
"What's... what's going on?" Yugi asked, puzzled.
Hayato spread his hands helplessly. "As you can see, this Card is a rather evil Monster, but it's in a sealed state. I made a contract with it, agreeing to let it out for a breath of fresh air every now and then, and it must obey my commands."
"If its true form were normally Summoned, it would require a large number of human Souls as Tribute. I use the Power of the Millennium Ring as a Substitute, but there's still a difference. Without Souls as sustenance, this guy has to rest for a long time every time it comes out."
Only then did Yugi understand why Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca, after being Summoned, refused to stay in one place and kept flying around in the sky.
"Moreover, I believe that while Card Power may have good and evil aspects, ultimately, where that Power is directed is decided by the Duelist, isn't it?"
Hayato smiled and patted Yugi's shoulder, glancing at the three fallen figures on the ground. "Joey, although not much time has passed, don't forget, Serenity Wheeler is still waiting for you."
"Oh, right!" Reminded by Hayato, Joey looked like he had just remembered, and said awkwardly, "Hayato, your Monster just now was so intimidating, I completely forgot. It's not too late now, let's hurry to the hospital!"
Téa glanced at the black-robed figures lying on the ground and asked Hayato, "Are we just going to leave these people here? What if they wake up and attack others?"
Hayato thought for a moment, then said, "First, call Kaiba and tell him to send someone to arrest these guys. You all go to the hospital; I'll stay here and keep an eye on them." As he spoke, he flexed his bicep. "Even if they wake up, I can handle them alone."
At first, Yugi and the others were a bit uneasy about leaving Hayato alone, but considering Serenity Wheeler, who was about to have surgery, was waiting for them, and Hayato repeatedly urged them to leave, the four of them finally departed in the direction of the hospital.
Just as Yugi and his companions' figures disappeared around the corner of the path, Hayato suddenly turned around, coming face to face with Hert, who had somehow gotten up behind him. Hayato instantly reached out and seized his wrist, twisting slightly to make him release his grip, and the dagger intended for the sneak attack fell to the ground.
"A dog can't change its habit of eating shit, and a thief can't stop ambushing, Marik." Kicking the lifeless-eyed Hert to the ground and watching him slowly rise like a Zombie, Hayato said coldly to the Eye of Udjat on Hert's forehead, "Or do you think I'd forget so quickly that you can control other people's bodies?"
"Though you've failed twice in a row, against both me and Seto."
"Hayato!" "Hert" angrily shouted Hayato's name, but then, as if going mad, suddenly burst into laughter. "Heh heh, heh ha ha ha, interesting. You actually use such seemingly utterly evil Cards? It seems you're not as simple as you appear."
"Oh? So you've already rummaged through this guy's memory?" Hayato's gaze flicked to the trash can where Hert had just thrown his Deck. "The Deck he uses isn't even as good as that Pandora guy's; not a single real card. Have your Rare Hunters really become so desperate that you can only use such Fodder Monsters to get revenge on me?"
Marik scoffed, "Hmph, you certainly have the nerve to say that. If it weren't for you, you bastard, destroying our Rare Hunters' largest stronghold in Domino City, how could we Rare Hunters have fallen to such a state?"
Hayato glanced at Marik, who seemed to have no intention of making a move, and thought to himself, 'This childish guy is really easy to trick. With just a few words, I've extracted a bit more information from him.' "The largest stronghold in Domino City"—does that mean there are other strongholds?
"That's the expression I look forward to most, Marik." Hayato chuckled smugly, watching "Hert's" face twist in anger, mirroring Marik's emotions. "That look of wanting to kill me but being unable to is truly amusing. Let me guess, you haven't arrived in Domino City yet, have you?"
"How many more days until you arrive in Domino City? Three days, five days? Or will you be unable to make it in time even after Battle City has begun? It's a pity, Marik. Even if you have the ability to defeat me, even if you intend to defeat me, your subordinates left in Domino City are merely worthless."
"They're just a bunch of Third-rate Duelists with fourth-rate Decks; they can't do anything to me. In these next few days, you can only watch helplessly as I bounce around Domino City, unable to do a thing, ha ha ha ha."
"You, you bastard! Hmph, you only have these two days. In five days, I'll be in Domino City, and by then, the wrath of Ra will consume you! Prepare for your end!"
Hayato's provocation was quite effective. The face of "Hert," controlled by Marik, already displayed an extremely distorted, grotesque facial expression; clearly, Marik on the other end was beyond furious. But this level wasn't enough, so Hayato added fuel to the fire.
"Oh, right, Marik. I heard your father is dead, and he died because of the Pharaoh, didn't he?" Hayato provoked. "I happen to know some insider information, you know~"
Marik's fury paused for a moment. His hatred for Yugi stemmed primarily from his father "dying because of the Pharaoh," which was why he resented Yugi so much and stole the Egyptian God Cards, intending to seek revenge on the Pharaoh.
Hayato's words precisely struck a raw nerve in his mind.
"What insider information, tell me!"
Hayato knew very well how Marik's father had died. But even if he told Marik, "Your father wasn't killed by Yugi, but by your other personality, you unfilial son," would Marik believe him?
Impossible!
Back then, Marik, yearning for the outside world, left the Tomb Keepers and violated their precepts. His sworn brother Odion, to protect him, took the punishment in his place and nearly died. Marik, who had deep feelings for Odion, was overwhelmed with pain, which resulted in the release of his Dark Personality, "Dark Marik," born from the torture he had endured.
The first thing Dark Marik did after seeing the light of day again was to personally use the Millennium Rod in his hand to kill the leader of the Tomb Keepers, who had issued the punitive order against Odion—who was Marik's own father.
Because the personalities weren't shared, Marik had no idea about anything Dark Marik did after appearing. Through Ishizu and Odion's concealment, the "truth" he unexpectedly learned was that the Pharaoh had killed his father. He firmly believed this and stole the Egyptian God Cards to seek revenge against the "Pharaoh"—namely, Yugi.
"Too bad, I don't feel like telling you." Amidst "Hert's" twisted expression, Hayato calmly said, "You'll be in Domino City in five days? Then in five days, I'll be waiting for you at the Domino City docks. If you want to get everything I know, defeat me in a Duel!"
(end of chapter)