Chapter 303: Unleashing Ultimate Power
[Hayato: 3000 → 500 LP]
As Gravekeeper's Oracle completed its attack, Hayato's Life Points decreased to a dangerously low level, where a single Fireball could finish him off.
Unfortunately, the Battle City rules were the same as those in Duelist Kingdom and did not allow the use of finishing blow cards like Thunder Crash or Fireball.
Hayato was fortunate that the cards he Set were Book of Eclipse, which allowed him to Set Gravekeeper's Descendant and Gravekeeper's Summoner back down; otherwise, he would have already lost.
"You barely managed to cling to life, Hayato. In that case, with your 500 Life Points flickering like a candle in the wind, prove to me your resolve to surpass the future." Though her words seemed merciless, Ishizu's eyes held a deep sense of expectation as she looked at Hayato. "I Activate the effect of Gravekeeper's Visionary, then End my Turn."
"During the End Phase, all face-down Defense Position monsters on my Field will change to face-up Defense Position, and since two monsters changed to face-up Defense Position, I can Draw two cards from my Deck. Furthermore, by using Gravekeeper's Visionary's effect, I Add one Shrine of Necrovalley to my Hand."
[Ishizu: 1800 LP, Hand 3]
[Gravekeeper's Oracle] [ATK 2500]
[Gravekeeper's Visionary] [ATK 2500]
[Gravekeeper's Descendant] [DEF 1200 → 1700]
[Gravekeeper's Summoner] [DEF 1500 → 2000]
Field: Necrovalley
Even with only 500 Life Points remaining, Hayato smiled as he looked at the heavily defended monsters on Ishizu's Field. "You've really pushed me to the brink, Ishizu. But I don't have something like 'resolve to surpass the future'."
"Only immature people spout 'human resolve' or 'the name of a champion given in a single breath'. I don't need something unnecessary like 'resolve to surpass the future'. Because, as long as I set my mind on 'surpassing the future,' I can certainly do it, and I've already achieved 'surpassing the future'!"
"My Turn, Draw!" The moment he Drew a card, Hayato felt as if he had drawn a sharp sword. The card in his hand was light, but the resolve entrusted to it was incredibly heavy. "I Activate the Spell Card, Card of Demise, to replenish my Hand until I have five cards. Then, during my fifth Standby Phase after this card's activation, I must Discard my entire Hand."
"But it won't take that long, because this Duel was already decided the moment I Drew this card!" Hayato declared, playing a monster card from his Hand. "I Normal Summon the only Spellcaster-Type monster in this Deck to the Field! Come forth, Beautiful Headhuntress!"
The languid girl appeared on Hayato's Field with a delicate look. However, what surprised Ishizu was that Hayato had Normal Summoned Beautiful Headhuntress, a monster with 0 Attack Power, in Attack Position?
Noticing Ishizu's confusion, Hayato reminded her, "Ishizu, did you know I have a Fusion Monster whose Summoning requirements are extremely similar to Five-Headed Dragon? However, Five-Headed Dragon's Fusion Materials are five Dragon-Type monsters, whereas my Fusion Monster requires five Spellcaster-Type monsters. And as luck would have it, exactly five Spellcaster-Type monsters have gathered on the Field."
Ishizu didn't react much, but Marik in the audience seating frowned. He searched his memory and found a set of records that Light Marik had once perused, which documented Hayato Summoning a powerful monster Fused from five Spellcaster-Type monsters, and easily defeating his opponent at the time with its power.
However, due to the distance and stealth involved in gathering the information, that Spellcaster-Type monster, akin to Five-Headed Dragon, only revealed three facts: "4500 Attack Power," "highest Level of 12☆," and "an effect that can Destroy all cards on the Field at once." Beyond that, whether it had more effects, its Attribute, or its specific name remained unknown.
Although he didn't know how Hayato, who couldn't access Graveyard resources, would gather five Fusion Materials, from his demeanor, it seemed he was fully prepared and about to initiate Fusion.
"Heh, I was expecting a boring show, but a hidden card has been revealed. My dear sister has really done me a huge favor."
Yugi glanced at Marik, who was making a facial expression battle-like grin while licking his Millennium Rod. "Marik, are you targeting Hayato? What exactly are you trying to do?"
"What am I doing? Isn't it obvious?" Marik sneered, glaring at Yugi. "That guy dared to Take Control of my The Winged Dragon of Ra. Of course, I'm going to reclaim it and then punish him!"
"The one destined to command the power of all three Egyptian God Cards and ascend above all things can only be me, Marik!"
Kaiba, who had been looking straight ahead, interjected, "I've never heard of such a thing."
"You want to Take Control of Obelisk the Tormentor from me, and take The Winged Dragon of Ra, which that Hayato somehow got his hands on? With a sewer rat like you? Don't dream, Fodder Monster."
Kaiba's tone was far calmer than Yugi's, but that only highlighted Kaiba's contempt for Marik. In Kaiba's eyes, even though Marik previously held two God Cards, his role, much like Ishizu's, was merely that of a tool to provide the Egyptian God Cards.
In Kaiba's mind, only three people, including himself, were truly qualified to hold the Egyptian God Cards and contend for the Duel King's throne. Marik was not among them. Furthermore, he firmly believed he would be the ultimate victor.
"If I face you in the next round, prepare to meet the wrath of Blue-Eyes and Obelisk the Tormentor, Fodder Monster." Kaiba glanced at Marik, a smirk playing on his lips, then shifted his gaze to Yugi. "Though, thinking about it, that's impossible. If Yugi were to lose to a third-rate Duelist like you, he wouldn't be worth my attention to this day."
Meanwhile, on the Field, Hayato, amidst everyone's anticipation, held his decisive ace card high above his head, clamped between two fingers.
Although he hadn't placed it on his Duel Disk, a powerful surge of power erupted from the card in Hayato's Hand. A torrent of wild magical energy swept across the entire Field, causing even the cliffs on both sides of the solemn Necrovalley to begin cracking.
"What kind of power is this?" Even Gravekeeper's Oracle, who had been quite composed moments before, changed its expression. From the card in Hayato's Hand, it felt a terrifying power it had never encountered, neither in life nor in death – it was like the ultimate divine power in the world.
No, perhaps even a god would find it difficult to withstand the power of that card?
"I Discard one card from my Hand to Activate this ultimate card, the Quick-Play Spell Card, Super Polymerization!"
Hayato held up the Super Polymerization card, slowly speaking as he felt the wondrous sensation of ultimate divine power grasped in his Hand. "Although I only have one monster on my Field, the effect of Super Polymerization is that I can use monsters from both players' Fields as Fusion Material!"
"What!" Ishizu frowned. "In that case... because your Super Polymerization has the effect 'Discard one card from your Hand,' I Activate the effect of Gravekeeper's Watcher from my Hand, to Negate the activation and effect of Super Polymerization and Destroy it!"
Facing the increasingly powerful wind pressure, Ishizu struggled to Draw the Gravekeeper's Watcher card from her Hand. But the moment Gravekeeper's Watcher, holding its stone tablet, appeared on the Field and attempted to exert its power, the wall of strong wind stirred up by Super Polymerization actually bounced it back into her Hand?!
"Gravekeeper's Watcher's effect cannot Activate! What's happening?"
Amidst Ishizu's bewildered cries, Hayato confidently stated, "It's useless. Super Polymerization is no ordinary Duel Monster card. This is the ultimate power unleashed, and no Spell, Trap, or Monster effect can Chain to its activation!"
The effect of Super Polymerization is quite simple: besides being able to use monsters from the opponent's Field as Fusion Material, it also has the clause that it "cannot be Chained to." It is these two effects, combined with Super Polymerization being a Quick-Play Spell Card itself, that have made it the legendary "pseudo-Spell Speed 4" card.
In Duel Monsters, effects have a "Spell Speed" setting. Actively activated Monster effects and Spell Cards are "Spell Speed 1." Quick-Play Spell Cards, regular Trap Cards, and passively triggered Monster effects are "Spell Speed 2." Counter Trap Cards, however, are a unique "Spell Speed 3."
Cards of the same Spell Speed can Chain to each other, but lower-speed effects cannot Chain to higher-speed effects. For example, Normal Spell Cards cannot Chain to Quick-Play Spell Cards, and Quick-Play Spell Cards cannot Chain to Counter Traps, but higher-speed cards can Chain to lower-speed cards.
Due to its "cannot be Chained to" ability, even the highest-speed Counter Trap Card cannot Chain to Super Polymerization. However, because it is still ultimately a Quick-Play Spell Card and cannot Chain to a Counter Trap, it earned the title of "pseudo-Spell Speed 4."
Under the power of Super Polymerization, Hayato's Beautiful Headhuntress on his Field, along with Ishizu's Gravekeeper's Oracle, Gravekeeper's Visionary, Gravekeeper's Descendant, and Gravekeeper's Summoner—a total of five monsters—were all drawn into the storm.
Then, supported by a five-colored magic circle, the supreme Spellcaster made its descent onto Hayato's Field.
[Quintet Magician] [ATK 4500]
Quintet Magician, having just appeared, raised its hand and softly snapped its fingers. Its formidable magical energy effortlessly suppressed the entire Field, and Ishizu's Necrovalley was shattered in an instant, returning the Field to the Sky Duel Arena.
"Quintet Magician is the strongest Spellcaster I possess. Its Fusion Materials require five Spellcaster-Type monsters. And when it is Fusion Summoned using five Fusion Materials with different names, it Destroys all cards on the opponent's Field."
Hayato's voice reached Ishizu's ears amidst the strong winds rushing over the top of the Airship.
As Necrovalley was Destroyed, the Graveyard, which had been Sealed since the beginning of the Duel, was finally unsealed. The Winged Dragon of Ra, which had been waiting for a considerable time, couldn't help but let out a cry from the Graveyard, accompanied by the call of Rainbow Kuriboh.
"Nyah~"
"Kuriboh~"
Hayato raised his hand, pointing at Ishizu, whose Field was now completely empty. "This attack is the final blow, Ishizu!"
"Quintet Magician, launch a Direct Attack on Ishizu! Ultimate Quintet!"
Behind Quintet Magician, the silhouettes of the monsters previously used as Fusion Material appeared one by one. Following Hayato's command, they, in conjunction with Quintet Magician's movements, raised their scepters. Five beams of magical energy cannon fire, dyed into five-colored light pillars by the five-colored magic circle, intertwined with Quintet Magician's own energy blast, striking towards Ishizu.
However, just before the attack could reach Ishizu, Quintet Magician, which was guiding the light cannons, voluntarily disengaged the attack and nullified most of the impact. All Ishizu, who had closed her eyes, felt was a warm, gentle breeze on her face.
[Ishizu: 1800 LP → 0]
Ishizu, who had been bracing herself for the impact, opened her eyes to see Hayato smiling brightly at her. "That was a truly enjoyable Duel, Ishizu."
"Indeed, it was a very enjoyable Duel," Ishizu smiled back. "And Hayato, you are quite gentle."
"Giving my all in a Duel is a sign of respect for you as my opponent, but outside of a Duel, being considerate towards a woman is also a sign of respect for you as a woman."
At the Judge's Stand, Croquet, after confirming Ishizu's Life Points had dropped to zero, professionally raised his left hand. Hayato was standing to his left.
"The victor has been decided! Duelist Ishizu Ishtar's Life Points have dropped to zero, and so I announce that the winner of the third Top 8 to Top 4 elimination Match of Battle City is—"
"Hayato!"
Putting away his Duel Disk, Hayato tidied his cards. The Super Polymerization card also slowly faded as the Duel ended, reverting to Philosopher's Stone - Hellel. However, the normally radiant Philosopher's Stone was now incredibly dim, as if its power had been completely drained.
Just as he tucked the Philosopher's Stone - Hellel card back into his Deck and took out the card that dropped from the System's settlement, Hayato hadn't even had a chance to see what it was when he noticed three cards held by a delicate hand, presented before him. He looked up to see a smiling Ishizu.
"Ishizu?"
"Yes, it's a Battle City rule, after all. It's quite normal for the loser to give cards to the winner," Ishizu said, placing the three cards into Hayato's Hand. "In my Deck, these are the only three rare cards I have. Please take them and become the Duel King, Hayato."
Hayato looked down at the cards Ishizu handed him. The famous "Graveyard Control" cards: Exchange of the Spirit, Blast Held by a Tribute, and Painful Choice.
(end of chapter)