"*Predaplant*"?! I must Summon *Anaconda* immediately!
This was Hayato's first reaction upon seeing the new Deck unlocked by the System. However, considering the crowd around him, he didn't just pull out the new Deck.
Even without taking out the Deck, a slightly calmer Hayato understood that while this *Predaplant* Structure Deck might contain most of the *Predaplant* Cards, the "Anaconda" he longed for—*Predaplant Verte Anaconda*—could not possibly be in this Deck.
The reason was simple: while *Predaplant* mainly focuses on Fusion, with a mix of Pendulum and Synchro Summons, *Predaplant Verte Anaconda* is the only Link Monster, and the System would absolutely not make it available.
Though its presence wasn't strong, Hayato's SaiQ Duelist System still held its bottom line; it absolutely refused to make available Summoning methods that didn't belong to the DM (Duel Monsters) era. The Tuner Monsters like *Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring* that Hayato currently possessed were obtained from Paradox, who had specifically come to challenge and be defeated by Hayato after traveling through spacetime to face four opponents. And because of the Crimson Dragon's departure, they remained without the "Tuner" designation to this day.
What vexed Hayato somewhat was that while the *Predaplant* Deck had a certain level of power, it, much like *Infernoid* and *Shaddoll* Decks, looked like something a protagonist wouldn't use. Even if one were to become an Antagonist, they'd at least be a character like one of the Dark Four Heavenly Kings.
How could he, a dignified Duel King, who was usually sunny and cheerful, and kind-hearted and passionate in his Duels, always end up with Decks like these? Oh well, *Predaplant* was still decent. At the very least, *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon*, whose potential Hayato had unlocked by acquiring *Predaplant*, could now advance to its next stage with *Predaplant*'s assistance.
As one of the "Four Heavenly Dragons" appearing in famous Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction, the Fusion Dimension's *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* was a Level 8, a misfit among its peers who were either Level 7 or Rank 7. However, it also possessed the ability to evolve into other forms. And the next form of *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon*, *Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon*, required *Predaplant*.
Hayato wasn't just realizing this now. The main reason he hadn't actively redeemed any *Predaplant* Card to complete *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon*'s evolution before wasn't because he was stingy. Instead, compared to *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon*'s power to take other monsters' ATK and effects, *Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon*, as its evolved form, could only negate the opponent's effects, making evolution a less desirable option.
What's more, compared to *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon*, which only required "2 DARK Attribute Monsters" as material, *Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon*'s Fusion Material requirements were "1 *Predaplant* Monster + 1 DARK Attribute Monster with original Level 8 or higher". With its unexceptional effect and higher Fusion Material requirements, *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* still offered better cost-effectiveness.
But spending DP Points to buy Cards was one thing; the System giving him a Deck was another. As for me, Hayato, I absolutely love freebies.
However, Hayato was also curious about the details of this Achievement for obtaining *Predaplant*. Putting aside the name, which clearly came from William Blake, Hayato genuinely hadn't realized that the *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* in his possession had been quietly engaging in predatory behavior.
The *Phantom Gate* it devoured when he created Cards with *Super Polymerization*, Anubis who possessed the power of Orichalcos, *Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon*—the symbol of Yugi and Joey's Bonds during their Duels, and just now, *Despair God - Anti-Hope*. He hadn't realized until he counted; Hayato discovered that his *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* had indeed devoured quite a few extraordinary beings.
As Hayato took *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* off his Duel Disk, he saw the Duel Monster Spirit of *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* stretching on the Card.
Although its appearance was fierce, Hayato noticed that the *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* on the Card was surprisingly docile, showing no intention of leaving the Card. The thoughts Hayato perceived from the *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* through the Card were also similar, giving him the impression that she was an otaku?
"The outside world is so boring. Compared to all those boring things, I much prefer staying inside the Card. So, master, please feed me more delicious things! But even if you don't, it's fine; I'll always offer you my power~"
That was roughly what *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* conveyed, and Hayato smiled slightly, looking at the Card: "You're impossible. Well, next time you can work even harder! But don't worry about feeding; there will be plenty of characters for you to feast on in the future."
"Huh? Brother-in-law, were you just saying something?" As Hayato put away *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon*, Marik, who had walked closer, happened to hear Hayato's voice and asked curiously. Because *Starving Venom Fusion Dragon* remained inside the Card and didn't come out, even Marik didn't notice the presence of the Duel Monster Spirit within the Card.
"No, nothing at all," Hayato casually dismissed, glancing at Zane Truesdale, who was being carried on Rex's back nearby. "How's that kid, Zane Truesdale?"
Marik shrugged. "We took a quick look, and he seems to be doing alright. Although he did pass out because of the Dark Game, Brother-in-law, you interfered early, so he wasn't too badly affected. He just fainted from the pain, and he'll be fine once he wakes up."
"However, this brat might not be so lucky."
As he spoke, Marik glanced at Syrus next to Hayato, a playful smirk on his face.
When Syrus had been gloating earlier while holding the advantage, his incredibly arrogant expression had made Marik quite disdainful. He'd only gotten a Card with "God" in its name and a slight Special Ability. Marik, on the other hand, had once wielded two genuine "God Cards," and even he wasn't as cocky as that kid.
"Uh, perhaps he wasn't *that* cocky?" Marik selectively forgot his behavior during the Battle City period. "The one you found was the Rare Hunters' leader, the dramatic Dark Marik. What does that have to do with me, the pure and sunny big boy, Marik?"
"Brother-in-law, I saw all your little tricks just now. That 'Despair God' Card, you snatched it again, didn't you?" Marik nudged Hayato with his elbow, a curious expression on his face. "Quick, take it out and let me take a look! You wouldn't want others to know the Duel King is snatching other people's Cards again, would you?"
Hayato was too lazy to correct Marik's address for him again. He took out the *Despair God - Anti-Hope* Card and said, "I was planning to find a quieter place later to examine it more closely. If you want to see it, go ahead."
But just as Hayato raised his hand to hand the Card to Marik, Marik, who was reaching out to take it, paused. He said to Hayato, "Brother-in-law, why is your Card glowing?"
"Glowing?"
Hearing this, Hayato lowered his head in confusion, discovering that the *Despair God - Anti-Hope* Card in his hand was indeed glowing. As it glowed, it actually began to tremble, and a voice rang out from within: "I wondered who had obtained this Card, and it's you again, Hayato!"
"That voice, it sounds so familiar." Frowning, Hayato picked up the Card and examined it closely. "I feel like I've heard it somewhere before."
Not just Hayato, but Marik, who was standing by, also nodded. "I seem to have some impression of it too. I've definitely heard that voice somewhere before; I'm as certain as I am that peeing against the wind will get your shoes wet."
"You didn't even remember my name?! You, Hayato, *Onore*!" Even though Marik hadn't remembered the voice either, the voice from the *Despair God - Anti-Hope* Card only remembered to vent its displeasure at Hayato. "Remember this: I am the darkness, I am revenge, I am Yako!"
"Time and again, you've escaped from those I sent after you many times, but you're only eking out a miserable existence. The net I've woven for you is about to close. Soon, I will complete my plan and, with absolutely invincible power, kill you once you're caught in the net!"
Hayato frowned at the words from the Card. "What nonsense? 'Eking out a miserable existence'? Let me think. That Camula person who caused trouble on the plane on my way to Egypt, was she sent by you?"
As he spoke, Hayato unhesitatingly walked towards Pegasus with the glowing Card in his hand. Although he had asked once before, now that Yako had actually appeared, he had to ask Pegasus again about how many adopted children he actually had.
But just as Hayato took two steps towards Pegasus, Yako's voice rang out from the Card once more: "Looking for Mr. Pegasus? Heh, do as you please. You won't get any information about me from anyone else's mouth, whether it's Mr. Pegasus or my brother, Gekko."
"Enjoy the last moments of your life, but do so in fear, hahaha—"
Yako's laughter was abruptly cut off. Hayato pulled out the *Millennium Rod* and directly pierced the *Despair God - Anti-Hope* Card. The light on the Card instantly dispersed, and the *Despair God - Anti-Hope* Card itself rapidly became transparent, transforming into a blank Card with a single crack before Hayato and Marik's eyes, clearly rendered useless.
"Tsk, it escaped quite fast. I was hoping to intercept a part of it to try and trace it," Hayato said with some regret as he pulled out the *Millennium Rod*, looking at Marik beside him. "I originally planned to slowly settle accounts with the guys who've been bothering us recently once I returned to Domino City, but it seems they just jumped out themselves."
"Well, that guy's really unlucky, to be targeted by you, Brother-in-law. No, rather, he's digging his own grave by actively looking for trouble with you," Marik said with a chuckle, then asked curiously, "By the way, 'Yako'—that's a person's name, right? What's his connection to Pegasus? And isn't Gekko Pegasus's adopted son? Is he too?"
"Me's adopted son? Me only adopted Gekko boy, one child!" Marik's voice caught Pegasus's attention. He walked closer and happened to hear Marik mention his adopted son, Gekko, and another unfamiliar name, "Yako." "The other name, Hayato boy asked Me about it before, but just like my answer then, Me still doesn't remember such a person."
Hayato nodded, still somewhat baffled by how Yako managed it. Based on information Kaiba had gathered from very old pictures, not textual records, Pegasus had indeed adopted Yako along with Gekko back then, and Gekko also showed a certain Duelist talent at the time.
But besides that, there was absolutely no information about Yako on the internet. Even Pegasus and Gekko themselves didn't remember Yako existing. If Hayato didn't trust Kaiba's abilities, he would have doubted if the news reports he found were fake.
Also, Marik's statement puzzled Hayato. "Yako's name, while the surname is indeed strange, sounds like a person's name at first listen, right? What's so strange about it?"
"No, it's not the name itself," Marik said. "I think I've remembered where I heard that voice before. I think Rex over there should also remember. During the KC Cup when things went awry, when I was holding back Rex for Tristan and the others, I heard the voice of that 'person'—it was in the Underground Space beneath the stage they broke into."
"However, it wasn't a person speaking, but a Card, a glowing Card, just like a moment ago."
***
"Hayato, and Yugi, are they in Luxor now?"
In front of a lit screen, a green-haired man whose face bore some resemblance to Gekko moved his gaze from the data stream on the screen, looking at a map displayed on another screen nearby. On the map, at Luxor in Egypt, a red dot that had just been flickering disappeared.
"Tsk, a fragment destroyed? Even though it was a freebie, wasting it like this still makes me quite unhappy."
He said casually, but suddenly, several sharp phantoms, like claws of some creature, extended from the green-haired man's body, grasping at their surroundings as if struggling to leave him. The green-haired man couldn't help but show a troubled expression.
"Still not giving up, *Tragoedia*? You lured me to eliminate Hayato for your revenge, yet when you tried to devour me, *Despair God - Anti-Hope*, attracted by my despair, hindered me. Haven't you realized yet that your power is already a part of me?"
"Give up. I will fulfill your wish and eliminate the reincarnations of the Pharaohs who previously sealed you, whether it's Yugi, Seto Kaiba, or Hayato." The phantom-like claws on his body gradually retracted. The green-haired man turned around, looked at a device placed behind him, and revealed a sinister smile.
Several Cards were placed around the device, connected to it by cables, seemingly providing some kind of energy. On the Card placed within the device, the name *Tragoedia*, which the green-haired man had just mentioned, was written. However, the card art of a lobster-like fiendish monster on it was constantly changing, occasionally even transforming into the green-haired man's form.
"After I make it possible for humanity to become spirits, to become 'gods'."
(end of chapter)