Chapter 877: One More Look and I'll Explode
"Hmph, another victory without a shred of suspense."
Putting away his Cards, Kaiba arrogantly tilted his head back, looking down through his nostrils at the Mysterious Person who had collapsed in despair after the [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon]'s 'Fatal Five'.
"Damn it! This wasn't the outcome I planned at all! Why couldn't I defeat you, Seto Kaiba, even after putting so many Counter Cards against you into my Deck!?"
"You bastard, you're not even looking at me properly!" He looked up and saw that Kaiba couldn't even be bothered to glance at him, and the man was furious.
Although Kaiba had indeed enjoyed himself with [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon] in this Duel, deep down he still felt somewhat unsatisfied.
The kind of Duel he desired had to be one where both sides gave their all, constantly strategizing against each other, countering the riddles left by their Opponent, and after a series of entanglements, finally ending the Duel with an overwhelming offensive. Only that kind of Duel could truly satisfy him.
As for the uninvited guest who was his Opponent this time, although he had loaded his Deck with Counter Cards, he only drew one [Buster Blader] throughout the entire Duel. It was clear he wasn't a True Duelist at all; after all, what True Duelist relies on data? — Selectively, Kaiba forgot that he himself had often used Hayato and Yugi's Duel data for simulated Duels.
Furthermore, the counterability of [Buster Blader] was honestly just so-so. It merely served to Increase ATK, Negate Monster Effects, and lockdown attacks. From Kaiba's personal experience, it couldn't compare at all to the various insidious tactics Hayato had used, such as [Mind Crush] to Destroy a [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] in the Hand, or [Crush Card Virus] to Chain Destroy a [Blue-Eyes White Dragon], and so on.
Turning around, Kaiba's voice was filled with disdain and contempt: "Hmph, I never make a habit of remembering the names of losers. To be defeated by me once means you will never be able to defeat me again. My genius mind only holds the future; there's no room for eye-sore losers."
"Normally, I might investigate where this guy who inexplicably stopped me came from, but now I don't have any free time. This completely unsatisfying Duel has already wasted a significant amount of my time. Now, I'm going to find Mokuba."
As he spoke, Kaiba took a step, about to leave. He didn't even bother to look back at the Mysterious Person he had defeated, not even once, as if looking at him again would make him explode.
But precisely because Kaiba couldn't even be bothered to glance at him again and had mocked him with words, the gritting-his-teeth Mysterious Person angrily stood up and was about to pounce on Kaiba: "How can someone of your stature be so narrow-minded! Someone like you, I'll correct you!"
Kaiba frowned, immediately preparing himself, waiting for the Opponent to charge behind him to stylishly execute a spinning roundhouse kick. But to his surprise, the guy had only taken two steps before stopping again. This wasn't because he was afraid of Kaiba, but because someone had grabbed his raised hand.
Suddenly, a person, also cloaked in a black robe and wearing a hood, whose face was unclear with only their chin visible, appeared. They silently grabbed the man's hand, and the guy who had Dueled Kaiba struggled several times but couldn't shake off the other person.
Kaiba turned around in surprise, because he hadn't noticed where this suddenly appearing guy had been standing before. Where exactly did they come from? Also, this guy's build...
Although the black cloth obscured the other person's exact figure and face, their height, however, couldn't be faked. The second person to appear seemed quite tall; Kaiba estimated by eye that they must have been around 1.95 meters (6'4") tall, about the same height as Hayato.
"That guy is!?" It wasn't just Kaiba; Hayato and the others, hiding in the shadows, were also very surprised that someone suddenly appeared. Where had this person been before? If they hadn't just arrived, could they also have been hiding somewhere, just like them?
After several struggles, he still couldn't shake off the other person. The first person, though still angry, had calmed down somewhat and said to the second person: "I get it, I won't be impulsive anymore. Let me go."
Hearing this, the second person finally released his hand and let go of the other. From these words, Kaiba also gathered that these two similarly dressed guys were indeed working together and knew each other.
"My previous Duel with you could only be considered a personal grievance, but since I've already failed once, I won't talk about righteousness or morality anymore, Seto Kaiba." The shorter man said as he pulled back his hood, revealing a face that would be unnoticeable in a crowd. "I want to Duel you again, Seto Kaiba!"
"Hmph, boring. I won't repeat the same thing twice. I have no need to accept a loser's challenge." Kaiba said to the first man with contempt, but he was somewhat concerned about the other person who had appeared and remained silent.
He had already assessed the former's skill level; he was just a Third-rate Duelist with a Fourth-rate Deck. But Kaiba's instinct as a Duelist was reminding him that person and his companion seemed to be on a completely different level and needed to be slightly wary of.
Hearing Kaiba's words, the man sneered: "I'm not asking for your permission. You can indeed refuse a normal Duel, but what you're about to face is a [Shadow Game]! What's more, it's no longer one-on-one, but two-on-one!"
As the man's words fell, he suddenly pulled a Card from his pocket, held it above his head, and shouted: "Everything is for That Lord!"
In an instant, black energy rapidly expanded outwards from the Card in his hand, enveloping Kaiba and the two men before he could even react.
Within the suddenly deployed [Shadow Game] Barrier, the one who had deployed the Barrier, after confirming there would be no more witnesses, said smugly: "Heh heh, excellent. Now you can't escape, can you, Seto Kaiba."
"Although you weren't our Target from the start, you got too close to that person. To prevent you from interfering, we'll eliminate you here, and even the traces of your Soul will be crushed in this [Shadow Game]!"
"No need for chivalry with Seto Kaiba. There's only one person on the other side; let's team up on him!"
Saying this, the shorter man deployed his [Duel Disk], about to Duel Kaiba again. Kaiba, frowning, also took out the Deck he had just put away.
Although he had said that those he defeated once wouldn't be remembered, that didn't mean he would underestimate this so-called "[Shadow Game]" initiated by the shorter man. After all, it was a two-on-one situation, especially since the other person gave him a very dangerous feeling.
Caution aside, Kaiba still had confidence that he would surely claim victory again. After all, he had said he would never lose again before defeating Hayato and Yugi. The reason he frowned in annoyance was that a two-on-one would definitely take up a lot of time. What if Mokuba couldn't find him and cried?
The taller man also seemed about to raise his [Duel Disk], but his movements suddenly paused as he looked at a Zone shrouded in Darkness. He spoke for the first time: "No, it's not two-on-one. It's two-on-two."
"Hoh ho, keen senses, huh? You actually noticed me? Noticed my arrival, Hayato Kobayashi?"
The voice made Kaiba turn around and look. Suddenly, a golden light flared in the Darkness, and Hayato's figure appeared before the three of them. The [Millennium Ring] on his chest glowed.
"Hayato Kobayashi!?"
"Hayato Kobayashi?!"
"Kobayashi, Hayato..."
Hayato looked at the two people opposite him. He didn't recognize the shorter one and couldn't recognize the taller one either. Furthermore, they had no obvious marks that could prove their identity. Not knowing their background, he looked at Kaiba and said: "Yo, Kaiba, you're really unlucky, aren't you? Someone's got their eyes on you again?"
"If I could, I wouldn't want to get involved in such a boring [Duel]. If it were a Duelist like you or Yugi, it might even excite me."
Hearing Kaiba's words, Hayato retorted: "I never thought there'd be a day when Yugi and I could stand alongside [Blue-Eyes] in your heart. After all, you only get excited for [Blue-Eyes], don't you?"
"Hmph, cut the chatter. If you're just here to watch, then you can leave. I don't have a penchant for acting as a stage performer for others' entertainment." Rolling his eyes at Hayato, Kaiba turned back to face his Opponents, inserting his Deck into his [Duel Disk], which automatically Shuffled it.
Just then, the shorter man opposite him spoke again: "No, you're not allowed to leave, Hayato Kobayashi!"
"Originally, we only planned to take down Seto Kaiba, but I never expected to run into you, Hayato Kobayashi. Compared to Seto Kaiba, you are our true Target and someone who must be eliminated for That Lord!" With a sinister grin, the man raised his [Duel Disk]. "When you get to Hell, tell them my name!"
"Duel!"
"You—!" Seemingly stunned by the man's Aura when he spoke, Hayato raised an eyebrow, pointed a finger at him, and remained silent for a long time. Suddenly, he turned to look at Kaiba again and asked, "What's this guy's name?"
"You actually plan to remember the name of such a nobody?" Kaiba glanced at Hayato and actually retorted for once. After a brief thought, Kaiba spoke, "That guy just now did seem to state his name, but I had no interest in remembering it. I think it was something like Sishoku arithmetic..."
"It's Bastion, Bastion Misawa!" The shorter man—[Bastion Misawa]—said angrily, "That's so disrespectful, Seto Kaiba, I'll kill you, I'll kill you!"
"Getting this angry over having your name mispronounced? Mokuba would have to kill himself from anger, wouldn't he?" Hayato, although he had some impression of the name "Bastion," also remembered it as the name of a small city. Someone named Bastion? Is there such a person?
If I don't remember, then there isn't one. Mm.
"What about you then? Since we're having a [Shadow Game], stating your name is basic courtesy, isn't it?" Hayato took out his Deck and inserted it into his [Duel Disk], standing beside Kaiba and looking at the person opposite him who was roughly his height.
Hearing Hayato's words, the man showed no reaction. He merely placed his hand on his Deck, which had been Shuffled and inserted into his [Duel Disk], seemingly ready to Draw, with no intention of answering Hayato.
"Not planning to answer, huh..." Hayato was slightly concerned about that person, not for any other reason, but merely from a subtle intuition. He didn't know why. But it didn't matter, Dueling could solve all problems.
"Alright, this time we're Dueling. On the other side, one [Dragon-Type] user is desperately playing Counter Cards aimed at Kaiba, and the other person, we know nothing about. And our teammate is a simpleton who only knows Aggressive Play."
Ignoring the death glare Kaiba shot his way, Hayato continued, unconcerned: "But it doesn't matter, the Deck we're playing this time has powerful adaptability to handle any situation!"
"Duel! X2"
"Duel..."
Kaiba, Hayato, and the Mysterious Person shouted in unison. The three of them simultaneously Drew five Cards to their Hand, and then it was time for the beloved speed-Draw, Take the First Turn segment.
Although [Bastion Misawa] slyly Drew five Cards early, waiting for Hayato and the others to Draw their Hand so he could Seize First Turn, to his surprise, as Hayato Drew five Cards from his Deck, the Card on top of his Deck was actually ejected by the [Duel Disk] itself!
"Oh oh oh, these are the Deck's Bonds! It's the Deck responding to me!"
Although Hayato said this, Kaiba, standing nearby, immediately exposed the truth: "Mokuba's automatic Search system actually has such a use!? It can definitely be used next time."
"Damn it! Why are you all so rich!" [Bastion Misawa], whose [Duel Disk] was merely a standard version mass-produced by [KaibaCorp] without any additional features, said somewhat sourly.
Anyway, Hayato secured the First Turn.
[Hayato Kobayashi: 4000 LP, Hand 6]
[Bastion Misawa: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
[Seto Kaiba: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
[?: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
"My Turn, Draw! Even though I already Drew it." Hayato said with a righteous expression, glancing at the Card in his Hand. "A King's Duel must be [Entertainment Dueling]! Unlike you guys who try to hurt others with [Duel Monsters], I'm going to bring smiles to everyone with [Duel Monsters]!"
"Set five Cards, My Turn End Phase!"
While he spoke of bringing smiles to people, Hayato's incredibly skilled move of immediately filling his [Back Row] with [Set Cards] instead proved that he clearly intended to bring them "wry smiles."
"Five [Set Cards] in the [Back Row]. Please advise." Hayato said with a pleased expression, looking at [Bastion Misawa], whose expression had frozen.
(end of chapter)