Chapter 247: Draw!
(Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca) possesses the ability to be unaffected by the opponent's Spell/Trap Card Effects while a Field Spell Card is active on the Field.
But the problem was, neither of them possessed Resistance to Monster Effects. The only card that could help (Armed Dragon Thunder) resist being Destroyed, Ojama Pajama Party, could not Activate its Effect because Marik had already Banished all Ojama Monsters from the Graveyard beforehand.
Transforming into an (Immortal Phoenix) enveloped in scorching flames, (The Winged Dragon of Ra) crashed into Hayato's Field. Under its Suicidal Attack, both the (Earthbound Immortal) and (Armed Dragon Thunder) were simultaneously incinerated into ash by the divine solar fire.
Collecting the two Cards from his Field, Hayato sighed, saying to them, "You've done well enough. Rest for now."
[Marik: 8600 → 7600 Life Points]
Watching Hayato Sent to Graveyard the two Monsters, Marik laughed triumphantly, "What touching Bonds. It's truly rare for a Duelist and their Duel Monsters to be so in sync."
"Separating from your Monsters must be quite painful, wouldn't you agree? I'm a kind-hearted person, I can't stand to see others suffer. So, allow me to send you down to reunite with your Monsters," Marik said, Setting all the Cards in his Hand onto the Field. "Set two Cards from my Hand. My Turn Ends."
"Now then, Hayato, Duel King who will soon die by my hand, quickly begin your struggle in your final Turn!"
[Marik: 7600 Life Points, Hand 0]
[Set Card X2]
Watching (Ra), which had transformed into the (Immortal Phoenix), return to the Graveyard due to the End Phase and the Spell Card's one-Turn duration, Hayato took a deep breath and calmly Drew a Card from his Deck.
"This Card is..." Hayato looked at (Philosopher's Stone - Hellel) in his Hand, a confident smile appearing on his face. "The equation for victory is complete."
"What?" Marik hadn't heard Hayato's mumbling clearly.
"My Turn begins. I hereby Declare," Hayato looked at Marik, "This Turn, I will End this Duel!"
"Normal Summon (Skull Stalker) in Attack Position! Come forth, my glory, my Soul!"
The Scorpion Warrior appeared on Hayato's Field with a nostalgic expression. Seeing its appearance, Marik's expression slightly froze.
[(Skull Stalker) [900/800]]
"You actually Summoned such a Fodder Monster? Hmph, hmph, you've truly run out of tricks, Hayato."
"No, no, no, don't underestimate this Monster, Marik. This (Skull Stalker) was one of the first Duel Monsters I ever used. The Power contained within it is beyond your imagination!"
With that, Hayato Activated a Card: "Spell Card, Dark World Dealings! Draw one Card from your Deck, then Discard one Card."
Marik had no choice but to Draw a Card from his Deck along with Hayato. However, unlike Hayato who could choose which Card to Discard, Marik only had the Card he had just Drawn in his Hand, so he could only Discard that one.
"By using the Effect of (Executioner Makyura), which was just Sent to Graveyard, this Turn, I can Activate one Trap Card directly without Setting it." Hayato watched (Philosopher's Stone - Hellel) turn from Dark World Dealings into (Executioner Makyura), then showed it to Marik.
"I Activate (DNA Transplant)! Then, the Set Card on my Field joins the Chain."
Hayato revealed his last Set Card on the Field: "Continuous Trap Card, (DNA Surgery), Activate! Declare a Type, and all Face-up Position Monsters on the Field become the Type I Declared."
"And with (DNA Transplant), Declare an Attribute, and all Face-up Position Monsters on the Field become the Declared Attribute!"
Marik glanced disdainfully at the two Cards Hayato Activated: "Are you trying to Declare a specific Type and Attribute to Enhance that Fodder Monster on your Field? Useless, useless, useless. No matter how much you Enhance it, can it really become a God?"
Marik didn't believe that just any Monster could possess Power comparable to the Divine, like the (Earthbound Immortal) and (Armed Dragon Thunder).
Hayato, to Marik's surprise, actually nodded after hearing his words: "Of course. (Skull Stalker) will certainly become a God. Because what I'm Declaring is the Divine-Beast Type and the Divine Attribute!"
"What?!"
An invisible ripple descended upon (Skull Stalker). From its deepest genes, it began to transform from its original form, leaving behind an empty husk on the Field. Standing up from the husk was a woman with a scorpion on her head, dressed in Egyptian attire?
"Continuing to call her (Skull Stalker) might be a bit inappropriate. Now, she should be called, (Skull Stalker) - Serket?" Hayato thought of the scorpion goddess in Egyptian mythology. Her appearance wasn't too different from (Skull Stalker) after undergoing (DNA Surgery) and (DNA Transplant), so Hayato casually named her.
However, the Effects of these two Cards are surprisingly good? They transformed the originally ugly (Skull Stalker) into such a beautiful goddess? I'd call this the fifth great evil art of Asia.
"You dare to toy with me using such methods!" Marik's face twisted in anger. "Do you think merely changing its Type and Attribute to Divine will grant it Divine Power? I'll show you what a true God is!"
"Activate Trap Card, (Call of the Haunted)! I Special Summon (Ra) from my Graveyard—"
"Chain (Call of the Haunted), Quick-Play Spell Card, Activate!" Hayato decisively interrupted Marik, playing (Philosopher's Stone - Hellel) from his Hand. When placed on the Duel Disk, the (Philosopher's Stone) had already changed its appearance. "Quick-Play Spell Card, Stand-In!"
"I Tribute (Skull Stalker) - Serket on my Field, and Special Summon one Monster from your Graveyard with the same Type and Attribute as it to my Field!"
"Come forth, (The Winged Dragon of Ra)!"
The light of the sun once again shone upon the Duel Field, but unlike before, this time, (The Winged Dragon of Ra) stood on Hayato's side.
Hayato looked at (Philosopher's Stone - Hellel), its long-stored Power completely depleted after Activating Stand-In, and Sent it to Graveyard.
The Card Stand-In was originally only meant for Special Summoning Monsters with the "original Type and Attribute" matching. However, just now, from Marik's Graveyard, (The Winged Dragon of Ra) actually actively responded to (Philosopher's Stone - Hellel), providing assistance to forcibly change the Card's Effect.
It seemed this Marik fellow, even the God Card in his possession, couldn't wait to leave him.
Because the Target was lost, Marik's (Call of the Haunted) Revived nothing and was Sent to Graveyard. However, he had no time to worry about that, only staring wide-eyed at (The Winged Dragon of Ra) on Hayato's Field: "H-how is this possible?!"
"(Ra) should only obey me! I am the Pharaoh, I am God!"
Hayato glanced at (The Winged Dragon of Ra) above him, then boldly Paid a large amount of his Life Points. Looking at the incredulous Marik, he said coldly, "Foolish! Nothing is impossible for the Pharaoh on Earth! All things are in my Hand!"
"That's right, the Hieratic Text! The Hieratic Text!" Marik suddenly remembered something and shouted, "Only those who can read the Hieratic Text written on (Ra)'s Card can use (Ra)'s Power!"
"Hieratic Text? Hmph, that's just a bluff." Hayato disdainfully glanced at the text appearing on (The Winged Dragon of Ra)'s Card. Although, for some reason, Hayato fully understood its meaning, that didn't mean he would listen to Marik. "Are you trying to tell me what to do?"
"(The Winged Dragon of Ra), show him what you can do!"
[Hayato: 1900 → 1 Life Point]
[(The Winged Dragon of Ra) [0/0 → 1899/1899]]
Under Marik's astonished gaze, Hayato so casually ordered (The Winged Dragon of Ra), and it actually obeyed the command and Attacked Marik without Hayato reciting the Hieratic Text!
"Damn it, you dare to Take Control of my God Card!" In a fit of rage, Marik revealed his last Set Card. "Activate Trap Card, (Mirror Wall)! As long as this Card exists on my Field, the Attack of all Monsters on your Field becomes half their original value!"
"Trap Cards are Nullified against Gods!"
Hearing Hayato's words, Marik retorted, "(Mirror Wall) isn't activating directly on the God itself, it's merely reducing its Attack Power!"
Just as Yugi Muto would use a Trap Card to limit (Obelisk the Tormentor) in the future, Marik's Activated (Mirror Wall) blocked the Attack spewed by (The Winged Dragon of Ra).
[(The Winged Dragon of Ra) [Attack 1899 → 949]]
Its Attack, already only 1899 points, became a mere 949 points after being halved. Compared to Marik's current 7600 Life Points, it was utterly negligible.
[Marik: 7600 → 6651 Life Points]
"It's completely painless!" Forcibly enduring the burning pain of the solar fire, Marik finally understood how his former subordinates felt when he punished them. But he still put on a brave front, "So what if the God is temporarily used by you? Spell Cards only have a one-Turn Effect on Gods!"
"By the Next Turn, (Ra) will return to me, and then it will be your defeat!"
But in response, Hayato's lips curled into a cold smile: "I was originally going to use my own Cards to actively lower (The Winged Dragon of Ra)'s Attack, but since you're so proactive, I won't be polite."
"Discard all Cards in my Hand! Activate Quick-Play Spell Card, (Berserker Soul)!"
"Draw 1 Card from my Deck. If the Drawn Card is a Monster Card, Send that Card to the Graveyard, then Target one Monster on my Field with 1500 or less Attack, and that Monster can Attack once."
Saying this, Hayato Drew the top Card of his Deck: "Degenerate!"
It was Dark Knight Gaia.
"(Monster Card)!"
After Declaring the Type of Card Drawn, (The Winged Dragon of Ra) immediately, and eagerly, launched its second Attack, as if retaliating for the repeated humiliations it suffered when Marik used it before.
"Ugh!"
[Marik: 6651 → 5702 Life Points]
"Ah, one thing I forgot to explain." Hayato Sent the Dark Knight Gaia Card to the Graveyard, and smiled at Marik, who was immersed in pain, "This Effect can continue to Activate until I Draw a Card that is not a Monster Card."
"H-how is that possible?!" Marik struggled to open his eyes. As he had said before, even a single point of (The Winged Dragon of Ra)'s Attack could make someone wish for death, and now he had directly taken two hits!
"Degenerate!" (Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight)! "(Monster Card)!"
"Ugh ahhh!"
[Marik: 5702 → 4753 Life Points]
"Degenerate!" (Wretched Ghost of the Attic)! "(Monster Card)!"
"Hmph!"
[Marik: 4753 → 3804 Life Points]
Intense pain afflicted Marik again and again. At first, he could still wail, but eventually, he lost even the strength to make a sound.
He was on the verge of losing the ability to think, his consciousness completely subdued, only able to feel the repeated agony in his Soul.
[Marik: 3804 → 2855 → 1906 → 957 → 8 → 0 Life Points]
The moment his Life Points completely Nullified, Marik regained consciousness for just a brief moment. To his own defeat, he actually felt joy—'Finally, it can end...'
"Finally, it can end? Is that what you're thinking, Marik?" Hayato's finger remained on his Deck. "Didn't I just say that the Effect of (Berserker Soul) only ends when I Draw a Card that is not a Monster Card?!"
"Degenerate! (Monster Card)!"
Hearing Hayato's words, Marik, who had almost completely associated them with pain, looked terrified. The damage to his Soul, combined with the mental assault, caused him to completely fall unconscious.
Hayato glanced at the Trap Card (Ojama Trio) in his Hand and shrugged indifferently: "This guy actually scares so easily..."
"Lord Marik!"
Almost immediately after the Duel ended, Odion, who had been unable to approach the two Duelists due to the Divine Power of (The Winged Dragon of Ra) on the Field, rushed in, picked up the unconscious Marik from the ground, and anxiously called his name.
"Lord Marik!"
"Hayato!" Ishizu, who had been with Odion earlier, also came before Hayato, who had flopped onto the ground, looking at him with concern. She remembered clearly that even though Hayato's final (Berserker Soul) Draw was spirited, his Life Points were only 1.
"Don't worry too much about me. Most of my Life Points were actively Paid by me. The real Damage was only 100 points. Though I'm not entirely sure if that even counts as Damage." Hayato said, noticing Ishizu's glances towards Marik.
"Don't worry too much. I'm not like Marik, who treats human lives as expendable. I told (The Winged Dragon of Ra) to hold back at the end, so he won't die. But the pain is a punishment he deserves."
As he spoke, Hayato felt a bit dizzy.
"Hayato!"
"It's nothing, just suddenly, a little sleepy..." Before he could finish his sentence, Hayato could no longer stay seated. With a "thud," he fell backward onto the ground and drifted into unconsciousness.
(end of chapter)