Chapter 242: Armed Dragon Thunder
Without Marik even needing to declare an attack, Slifer the Sky Dragon spontaneously unleashed a Thunderforce Attack that struck the Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 that Hayato had Special Summoned by the effect of Armed Dragon Thunder LV7.
Amidst the overflowing lightning, Slifer's Thunderforce Attack finally managed to take effect, destroying it before it could fully appear. But before Marik could even smile, the Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 that had just been destroyed by the Thunderforce Attack reappeared on Hayato's field as if time had been reversed.
[Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 ATK 3000 / DEF 2000 → 3000 / 0]
"Because I Special Summoned Armed Dragon Thunder in Defense Position, Slifer the Sky Dragon's effect activated, reducing its Defense to 0, triggering its destruction effect. Armed Dragon Thunder should have been sent to the Graveyard." Hayato explained,
"But because of the effect of my Ojama Pajama Party on the field, when an Armed Dragon monster is destroyed by battle or effect, I can Banish one Ojama monster from my Graveyard as a substitute."
In front of the defensively crouching Armed Dragon Thunder LV10, the figure of Ojama Blue gradually faded away.
"At the same time, because it was sent to the Graveyard to activate an Armed Dragon monster's effect, Armed Dragon Thunder LV7's effect activated, allowing me to add one Armed Dragon card from my Deck to my Hand."
Although he didn't quite understand the concept of 'card advantage', since he frequently used Slifer the Sky Dragon, Marik paid more attention to hand size than other duelists of his era.
Watching Hayato catch the card that popped out of his Deck, Marik suddenly noticed something — Hayato had started his turn with seven cards in hand, and after upgrading the monster on his field, he still had a full five cards in hand?
And this was without him even using hand-replenishing cards like Card of Safe Return!
"I Set two cards. My turn ends."
Under Marik's wary gaze, Hayato ended his turn.
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand: 3]
[Armed Dragon Thunder LV10: DEF 0]
[Ojama Pajama Party: Set] x2
"My turn! Draw!"
[Slifer the Sky Dragon: ATK 4000 → 5000]
Marik glanced at the card he had drawn. It was Golden Ladybug. Although its Attack and Defense were quite low, it had an effect that allowed him to recover Life Points from his Hand each turn, so Marik included it in his Deck.
"During my Standby Phase, I activate the effect of Golden Ladybug from my Hand." Marik revealed the card. "By revealing it until the End Phase, I recover 500 Life Points."
[Marik: 4000 LP → 4500 LP]
"Then, I Normal Summon Vampire Baby in Attack Position."
On Marik's field, a baby appeared, still sucking on a pacifier, clad in a black cloak, and looked at the Armed Dragon Thunder on Hayato's field with an evil grin.
[Vampire Baby: Level 3 / DARK]
[Zombie / Effect]
[ATK 700 / DEF 1000]
At the same time, Slifer the Sky Dragon on Marik's field also had its ATK decrease due to the change in his hand size.
[Slifer the Sky Dragon: ATK 5000 → 4000]
"Enter Battle Phase!" Marik sneered and pointed forward. "Slifer, attack that Armed Dragon Thunder with Hyper Thunder Mega-Blast!"
The great dragon, bearing the name of the God of the Underworld, once again opened its maw full of fangs. However, unlike the previous Thunderforce Attack that used its upper mouth, this time, Slifer the Sky Dragon opened its lower mouth.
Lightning gathered, forming a massive sphere of electricity almost the size of Slifer the Sky Dragon's entire head. With a single exhalation, the lightning sphere transformed into a thick energy cannon, which blasted towards the Armed Dragon Thunder on Hayato's field.
Although it had 'Thunder' in its name, just like Gaia The Fierce Knight is Earth Attribute and Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight is DARK Attribute, its name didn't mean Armed Dragon Thunder possessed lightning immunity. Furthermore, its current DEF had been reduced to 0 by the previous Thunderforce Attack, meaning it had no ability to withstand this attack.
"I activate the effect of Ojama Pajama Party! I Banish another Ojama monster!" Hayato waved his hand, and an Ojama Red card popped out of his Graveyard, which was banished from the game, acting as a substitute for Armed Dragon Thunder's destruction.
"Heh heh, you fell right into my trap, Hayato." Seeing that Slifer the Sky Dragon's attack hadn't worked, Marik suddenly started to laugh. "If you had just let your monster be destroyed, at most you would have taken a direct attack from Vampire Baby and lost 700 Life Points."
"But now, you've completely stepped into my trap!" Marik pointed triumphantly at Vampire Baby. "I will use Vampire Baby to attack your Armed Dragon Thunder, and at the end of the Battle Phase when it destroys your monster, I can Special Summon that monster to my field!"
"What? That kind of effect?!" Ishizu, observing from the sidelines, was startled. If the Armed Dragon Thunder that Hayato had just barely Summoned were to be taken control of by Marik like this, things would take a terrible turn!
"Want to take control of my monster? No way! I'm the only one who takes control of others' monsters." Hayato looked at Vampire Baby, which was obeying Marik's command and lunging towards Armed Dragon Thunder. "I activate Armed Dragon Thunder LV10's effect! When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of an Armed Dragon and its ATK is 1000 or more,"
"Once per opponent's turn: I can Discard one card from my Hand, then target another card on the field and activate this effect. That card is destroyed, and Armed Dragon Thunder's ATK increases by 1000 points!"
"Counterattack, Armed Dragon! High-Pressure Lightning Strike!"
A card from Hayato's Hand was sent to the Graveyard, transforming into powerful energy to charge the Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 on the field. The Vampire Baby that had lunged towards Armed Dragon Thunder had just removed its pacifier, intending to bite it, but was instantly incinerated into a pile of ash by the uncontrolled lightning overflowing from Armed Dragon Thunder.
[Armed Dragon Thunder LV10: ATK 3000 / DEF 0 → ATK 4000 / DEF 0]
"It increased its ATK? Damn it!" Marik's eyes narrowed. Slifer the Sky Dragon's ATK was currently only 4000, and now Armed Dragon's ATK was equal to a God Card's. He felt a bad premonition. If it weren't for the fact that only monsters with a Level higher than a God Card's could affect a God Card, Slifer the Sky Dragon would probably have been taken down just now.
He didn't Set any cards, as that would only further decrease the God Card's ATK. Marik hastily ended his turn: "My turn ends."
[Marik: 4500 LP, Hand: 4]
[Slifer the Sky Dragon: ATK 4000]
[Set]
(end of chapter)