Chapter 317: The Eternal God
Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) looked at the invincible monster he had summoned within a single turn, a triumphant smile gracing his face, which had transformed to resemble (The Judge).
In his opinion, this combo, learned from the duel replays of Joey Wheeler, a Top 4 competitor in both Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, was arguably the best in the world, impeccable, and could even be said to have surpassed the master.
After all, Joey had only managed a five-for-one trade to summon a single *Red-Eyes Black Dragon* with an ATK of 2400, whereas the *Sword Hunter* summoned by Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen), after being equipped with *Legendary Sword*, boasted an ATK of 2750. Very few monsters could surpass its ATK.
However, Hayato's impression of his play was quite dismissive.
"I originally thought that after being banished to the Network World, perhaps you would break through human limits and become stronger in dueling by no longer being human."
Hayato almost had "Is that all?" written on his face. "If this is all you've got, you're done for, mate. And if you ask why, it's because I'm already holding hope in my hand."
"My Turn, Draw!"
After drawing a card, Hayato immediately played the card he had just drawn: "Target locked, annihilate all enemies! Appear, *X-Head Cannon*!"
As the card landed on the Duel Disk, a blue aircraft appeared on Hayato's Field, silently and faithfully facing *Sword Hunter*.
*X-Head Cannon* [ATK1800]
"Oh, facing my invincible *Sword Hunter*, you didn't choose Defense Position to preserve your Life Points as much as possible, but chose Attack Position instead?"
"Because if it weren't in Attack Position, I wouldn't be able to beat you up with it." Glancing at the cards in his hand, Hayato directly set four of them in his Back Row. "I set four cards, and my turn ends."
"As expected, it's this move." Seeing Hayato set a full four cards in one go, a look of understanding crossed Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen)'s face.
"In the duel records related to you, I discovered something, Defendant Hayato." The gavel in (The Judge)'s hand tapped the table, as if to pronounce Hayato's guilt. Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) said confidently, "Although on the surface, you often use strange monsters like *Ojama* and *Armed Dragon* cards. If ordinary Duelists studied your Deck, they would likely focus their attention on these monsters."
"But as a legal elite, I am different. I have already seen through the essence of your Deck! The existing synergy between monsters is completely irrelevant; the most crucial thing to guard against are the strange Spell and Trap cards in your Deck!"
While saying this, Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) pointed to his Deck and drew the top card: "From the moment I learned I would be facing you, I began preparing. Do you know what kind of cards I've included in my Deck?"
"*Mystical Space Typhoon*, *Heavy Storm*, *Giant Trunade*, and even your companion Mai Valentine's *Harpie's Feather Duster*—I've included all these cards that specifically target the Back Row. Although I didn't draw any of them on the first turn, my draw this turn is quite a damning piece of evidence for your impending downfall!"
"I activate the Spell Card I just drew, *Heavy Storm*, and with this, I'll destroy all the cards in your Back Row!"
As Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) raised the card in his hand, an indiscriminate storm immediately swept across the entire Field. In an instant, both the *Legendary Sword* in *Sword Hunter*'s hand and the four cards Hayato had just set in his Back Row began to tremble violently, as if about to be swept away by the storm!
"Don't think you'll succeed. I activate my Set card, *Imperial Order*!" Hayato naturally wouldn't sit idly by and watch the four cards he had set be destroyed like this, so he immediately activated one of them. As the Set card was revealed, a king clad in a luxurious robe and wearing a crown suddenly appeared before the Defendant's Stand where Hayato stood, sternly raising his hand and pointing at the raging storm:
"By this decree, Magic, cease!"
As the king's command was issued, the furious storm, acting as if it were a sentient being, obeyed his instructions and vanished from the Field in an instant. The *Legendary Sword* in *Sword Hunter*'s hand and the other three Set cards in Hayato's Back Row also calmed down. However, what disappeared along with the storm was the dazzling cold light that had previously flowed over *Legendary Sword*.
"The Continuous Trap Card *Imperial Order* negates all Spell Cards on the Field as long as it remains in the Spell & Trap Zone." Hayato then explained, unhurriedly.
Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) had originally thought that activating this card would secure him a great advantage, but it was instead intercepted by Hayato. Nevertheless, he still felt the situation was under his control: "The Spell Cards negated by *Imperial Order* also include your own cards, don't they? Furthermore, to maintain *Imperial Order*'s existence, you must mandatorily pay 700 Life Points during your Standby Phase each turn."
"And even if the Equip Spell Card fails, *Sword Hunter* can still easily defeat your *X-Head Cannon*!" With that, Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) ordered, "*Sword Hunter*, attack *X-Head Cannon*! Sentence it to death, execute immediately!"
The lusterless *Legendary Sword* in its hand was casually tossed aside by *Sword Hunter*. It drew two sharp longswords from its waist sheath again, and *Sword Hunter* advanced to attack Hayato's *X-Head Cannon* on the Field, whose ATK was far inferior to its own.
Although theoretically, Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) could have fully activated (The Judge)'s effect at this moment—at the cost of 1000 Life Points to banish Hayato's *X-Head Cannon* from the Field, and then have *Sword Hunter* directly attack Hayato for maximum damage—his obsession with activating *Sword Hunter*'s effect of "destroying a monster and then equipping it as an Equip Card," coupled with the slight disadvantage of using its Deck Master effect now, prevented Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) from doing so.
"Just perish under the sword of *Sword Hunter*!"
Hearing (The Judge)'s booming voice, Hayato fiddled with his ear and remarked, "Isn't it a bit much to ask that of a Machine-Type monster?"
"Furthermore, protecting my subordinate monsters is my duty as a Duelist. If you think you can just destroy my *X-Head Cannon*, you clearly don't take me seriously!"
"I activate the effect of the eternal god among Duel Monsters!"
As he said this, Hayato drew a card. Hearing Hayato's words, (The Judge), embodying Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen), wore an expression of disbelief: "Impossible! The KaibaCorp database shouldn't have any records of God Cards!"
"Heh heh, that's because you're ignorant. Although the card I'm about to use isn't of the God Attribute, it's not an exaggeration to call it a god!" Smiling, Hayato flipped over the only card in his hand. "The card I'm activating is this one: my most trusted Aibo, my Tamashii! The invincible *Rainbow Kuriboh*!"
"When an opponent's monster declares an attack, I equip *Rainbow Kuriboh* onto the attacking monster. Therefore, monsters equipped with *Rainbow Kuriboh* cannot attack!"
"Th-that card!?"
What Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) said about "researching the duel records of famous Duelists" wasn't a lie, so he also clearly knew how powerful the effects of *Rainbow Kuriboh* were, having been used by Hayato countless times. Not to mention, *Rainbow Kuriboh*'s glorious track record includes, but is not limited to, being "the key card in defeating Weevil Underwood" and "creating opportunities to defeat Pegasus," and so forth.
Furthermore, as one of the two Duel Kings, it was one of Hayato's most representative cards, and also one of the few cards recorded in the KaibaCorp database.
As a seven-colored light screen appeared, *Sword Hunter*, which excelled at equipping other monsters as its own equipment, encountered the greatest adversary of its career. The soft and elastic light screen was impervious to needles and water, and no matter how *Sword Hunter* struggled, it could never escape *Rainbow Kuriboh*'s binding play.
*Sword Hunter* [ATK2450]
*Legendary Sword* became useless, and its attack ability was stripped away by *Rainbow Kuriboh*. The *Sword Hunter* that Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) had barely managed to summon last turn instantly turned into a useless wall monster. It served no purpose other than to block Hayato's attack path.
"Tch, using this kind of monster to restrict me really adds to your crimes, Hayato." Johnson (Ooka Chikuzen) said unhappily.
"Sounds like you're quite unhappy with me?" Hayato raised an eyebrow and let out a cold smirk. "Then, next, I'll make you even more unhappy with me."
"During your Battle Phase, I activate the effect of my Deck Master, *Cactus Fighter*." Hayato pointed to the Plant Warrior standing by the Defendant's Stand and said, "Once per turn, it can lower the ATK of one monster on my Field to half its original value, granting it the same effect as *Cactus Fighter*. This effect can also be activated during the opponent's turn."
"I will lower *X-Head Cannon*'s ATK to half its original value, granting it the same effect as *Cactus Fighter*."
*X-Head Cannon* [ATK1800→900]
"Then, I activate my Set card in the Back Row, the Continuous Trap Card *Summon Limit - Rampaging Monsters*."
Another card opened up in Hayato's Back Row, revealing the images of three red, yellow, and green Gear monsters. Hayato did not own these three monsters; he had only seen them in Yugi's Deck. However, this did not prevent Hayato from using this card.
"As long as *Summon Limit - Rampaging Monsters* exists on the Field, when a monster is Special Summoned successfully, it must be changed to face-up Attack Position, and if it can attack, it must do so."
(end of chapter)