"My Turn..." Gazing at the five Set cards on Hayato's Field, Bastion Misawa drew a card, complaining, "Draw. Tch, not a card to deal with the back row. With so many Set cards, how is anyone supposed to play Duel Monsters?"
"Heavy Traps are an important part of the Duel Monsters experience. If you don't like it, then don't play."
Hearing Hayato's words, Bastion Misawa gritted his teeth: "Exactly as I know you to be, Hayato. Only you would be shameless enough to say something like that and truly believe it."
"Fine, the Traps are just sitting there, bound to be triggered sooner or later. I'll use this card to test the waters." Saying this, Bastion Misawa played a card, "I Normal Summon (Gozuki)!"
As the card was placed on the Duel Disk, a monster with a minotaur body, pitch-black skin, and a large hammer in hand appeared on Bastion Misawa's Field. It resembled a member of the legendary 'Ox-Head and Horse-Face' duo, popular figures from the Shadow Realm.
In appearance, it actually looked identical to the (Normal Monster) (Minotaur) that often appeared in Kaiba's early Deck, with only differences in skin color and weaponry.
[(Gozuki)][Level 4/EARTH]
[Zombie/Effect Monster]
[1700/800]
After Summoning (Gozuki), seeing that (Gozuki)'s appearance, with its Attack of 1500 or more, didn't activate any of Hayato's back row Traps, Bastion Misawa tentatively concluded that none of Hayato's five back row cards were Summoning Traps, and continued, "During the Main Phase, I activate (Gozuki)'s effect: Once per turn, I send one Zombie monster from my Deck to the Graveyard."
"I send this (Mezuki) to the Graveyard."
"(Gozuki) dumping (Mezuki), a classic Zombie combo." Hayato raised an eyebrow, watching Bastion Misawa about to send the card to the Graveyard, but then spoke up, "I was planning to use this card later to Banish Kaiba's (Blue-Eyes) to counter (Buster Blader)."
"Although banishing just one card is a bit of a loss, a card has no meaning if it's not used when it's supposed to be." Pressing the button to activate his Set card, Hayato declared, "I activate the Normal Trap Card, (Different Dimension Arena)! This turn, any Monster Card that would be sent to the Graveyard is banished instead!"
"What?!" The (Mezuki) Bastion Misawa was about to place in his Graveyard Zone hadn't even reached it yet, when suddenly, the Graveyard Zones on all four Duel Disks lit up. The (Mezuki) he was sending was intercepted midway and forcibly banished, never even entering the Graveyard.
"Why would anyone bring such a strange card?!"
Hearing this, Hayato said triumphantly, "Don't ask. If you must know, it's my deep bonds with my cards, Gozawa Tenku."
"It's Bastion Misawa!"
Unlike Bastion Misawa, Kaiba noticed something else: "Normal Trap? Why do you specifically emphasize that, Hayato? In a normal Duel, isn't it usually just shortened to 'Trap Card'?"
"Yes, why indeed?" Hayato flipped the single card in his hand. "Because, of course, this monster in my hand has a special synergy with Normal Traps."
"When a Trap Card is activated, I Special Summon (Labrynth Archfiend) by its own effect!" Hayato placed the Monster Card horizontally on his Duel Disk. A winged Fiend statue, clad in armor, descended onto Hayato's Field, its greatsword plunged into the ground as it propped itself up with one hand.
Hayato said proudly, "This time, we're playing a pure (Labrynth) Deck!"
The (Labrynth) Deck was one that Hayato had only managed to complete after spending a small fortune the last time. Although its official Archetype name is actually "Labrynth," just like the (Eldlich) Deck is called (Golden Land), and the (Resonator) Deck is called a Soul Deck, only an idiot would care about the original name.
And since he had drawn it, who could resist playing with a new Deck?
"(Labrynth)?" Not only the two opponents, but even Kaiba was hearing of this Deck for the first time. However, Kaiba had pretty much grown used to Hayato always pulling out strange cards. "A monster that Special Summons itself from the hand when a Trap Card is activated? That's certainly your style."
[(Labrynth Archfiend)][Level 7/DARK]
[Fiend/Effect Monster]
[2000/2800]
"A Level 7 monster with 2000 Attack and 2800 Defense, Summoned so easily?!" Bastion Misawa said, visibly annoyed, "And during my Turn, no less?"
"It's not over yet. When (Labrynth Archfiend) is Special Summoned, I activate its effect: I Set one Normal Trap from my Deck that can only be activated during the Attack Declaration, and (Labrynth Archfiend)'s Attack will increase by 400 for each Normal Trap in my Graveyard!"
The single eye revealed through the helmet's slit of the colossal Fiend statue glowed, and a card miraculously appeared in the newly vacant slot on Hayato's back row, filling it and giving Hayato's board a "T-shape."
[(Labrynth Archfiend)][2000/2800 → 2400/2800]
"It's clearly my Turn, yet you can still Set cards. And that monster's effects are a bit excessive, aren't they? It has three of them?" Bastion Misawa's expression was clearly displeased as he spoke. "However, a Set card that can only be activated during the Attack Declaration won't be useful now, so there's nothing to fear."
In this 2v2 Duel, the Turn order was Hayato → Bastion Misawa → Kaiba → Mysterious Person → Hayato. None of the first three players could attack during their Turns; they couldn't enter the Battle Phase until the Turn of the Mysterious Person, whose name Hayato and Kaiba still didn't know. This meant that Hayato's newly Set card wouldn't have a chance to be used until then.
Nevertheless, Hayato still had four unknown Set cards ambushing him on his back row.
Glancing at the cards in his hand, Bastion Misawa played a card: "My Turn continues. From my hand, I activate the Spell Card, (Proof of Dragon Destruction)! From my Deck or Graveyard, I add one (Buster Blader) to my hand."
"Next is this (Tribute Puppet)! I Tribute (Gozuki) on my Field, to Special Summon one Level 7 monster from my hand that can be Normal Summoned—specifically, the (Buster Blader) I just added to my hand! Come forth, (Buster Blader)!"
Bastion Misawa's idea was simple: While he couldn't deal with Hayato's Set cards for now, this Duel was a Tag Duel. Problems he couldn't solve himself, he'd just leave to his teammate. He hadn't had time to modify his Deck earlier, resulting in it still containing numerous cards specifically targeting Seto Kaiba. So, he decided to just go all in and focus on dealing with Seto Kaiba.
Against Seto Kaiba, who primarily used Dragon-Type monsters, although he had failed once before, this didn't mean (Buster Blader) was useless. This monster was still Bastion Misawa's first choice to counter Seto Kaiba.
However, watching Bastion Misawa's actions, Kaiba frowned and said, "Aren't these plays identical to your last Duel, aside from swapping (Gluttonous Dragon) for (Gozuki)? Hmph, you only ever have one or two tricks up your sleeve. What a boring duelist."
"Kaiba, you hardly have the right to talk. Don't you always start with the same 'High-Level' opening hand?" Hayato retorted, glancing at (Buster Blader) without activating any back row cards, just casually remarking, "Then, due to (Different Dimension Arena)'s effect, (Gozuki) that was sent to the Graveyard will also be banished, joining (Mezuki) in the Banished Zone."
"That's not how that idiom is used," Bastion Misawa said with a frown. "(Buster Blader), Special Summoned by (Tribute Puppet)'s effect, cannot attack this Turn. However, I don't have a Battle Phase this Turn anyway, so this negative effect effectively doesn't exist."
"I Set two cards, and my Turn en—"
He took two cards from his hand and Set them. But just then, Bastion Misawa heard Hayato interrupt him again: "And at this moment, I activate the Continuous Trap Card, (Jar of Sealing)! I activate it by targeting two Set Spell/Trap Cards on the Field. As long as this card remains on the Field, the targeted Spell/Trap Cards cannot be activated."
As another Set card on Hayato's back row flipped up, revealing an ancient-looking jar. Its open mouth released a gravitational pull, drawing the two cards that had just appeared on Bastion Misawa's back row into the jar. Then, the mouth of (Jar of Sealing) was pressed down by a heavy object, and ropes were wrapped around it, sealing it shut.
"Alright, it's your turn to play Duel Monsters now." Hayato said with a smile, looking at Bastion Misawa, whose facial expression was quite distorted. According to the Law of Conservation of Smiles, human happiness is constant: when one person's smile vanishes, that joy often transfers to another's face, just like with Hayato and Bastion Misawa now.
Annoyed by Hayato, Bastion Misawa glared at him fiercely and grumpily declared, "I end my Turn!"
I knew all along that besides being famous as a King of Games, Hayato was also notoriously known for the high number of Trap Cards in his Deck. Why did I foolishly play into his Turn?
[Bastion Misawa: 4000 LP, Hand 1]
[(Buster Blader) [ATK 2600]]
[Set cards X2 (Jar of Sealing)]
After Bastion Misawa's tormented Turn ended, it was Kaiba's Turn. Although the opponent tried to Set cards to interfere with Kaiba, due to Hayato's activation of (Jar of Sealing), Kaiba, who was the third to start his Turn, could now boldly develop his combo without any hindrance.
"My Turn, Draw! Then I activate the Continuous Spell Card, (Blue-Eyes Phantom Manifestation)." Instead of his signature opening hand of (Polymerization), (De-Fusion), and three (Blue-Eyes White Dragon), Kaiba first played a Continuous Spell Card. "Besides activating it directly, this card can also be activated by revealing one (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) in my hand. In that case, I can Special Summon one monster directly from my hand."
"I reveal (Blue-Eyes White Dragon), then Special Summon (Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon) from my hand!"
(Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon), whose design was closer to (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) and (Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon) than to the traditional (Blue-Eyes), descended with its wings of light spread. Immediately upon its Summon, it fiercely unleashed a beam of laser at (Buster Blader) on Bastion Misawa's Field, directly shattering the gem on its greatsword.
[(Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon) [ATK 2500]]
Even though the Dragon-Type monsters on the Field had increased, (Buster Blader)'s Attack hadn't increased at all. Bastion Misawa didn't even need to guess; he knew it was definitely caused by the beam of light (Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon) spat out upon its Summon.
Kaiba then spoke, "When (Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon) is Normal Summoned or Special Summoned: Target one face-up monster on the opponent's Field and activate its effect. That monster's effect is negated. This effect has no Turn restriction; it continues to take effect as long as that monster remains on the Field."
Although Kaiba had stated that those he defeated once weren't worthy of being remembered by him, this didn't mean he wouldn't remember Bastion Misawa's strategy, which he had just learned.
(Buster Blader), whose Attack increases for each Dragon-Type monster, and the (Destruction Sword Fusion) that can Fusion Summon with his own Dragon-Type monsters. The latter, a potential threat, had already been dealt with by Hayato's (Jar of Sealing). With just (Buster Blader) as a monster, if he couldn't even deal with that, wouldn't Hayato laugh him to death?
"Permanently negated? But even so, (Buster Blader)'s Attack is still higher than (Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon)'s." Bastion Misawa retorted stubbornly, only to see Kaiba let out a mocking sneer.
"Hmph, I never said (Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon) would battle (Buster Blader). She has already done her part. The rest will naturally be handled by my other (Blue-Eyes) monsters." Saying this, Kaiba took the (Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon) card off his Duel Disk. "I activate (Blue-Eyes Phantom Manifestation)'s effect: Once per turn, I target one face-up monster on my Field and return it to its owner's hand."
"After that, apply the effect based on the original card of the monster returned to the hand. When the card name is not (Blue-Eyes White Dragon), I Special Summon one (Blue-Eyes) monster from my hand."
"(Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon) returns to my hand! And now, come to my side, my glory, my Soul!"
(Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon), having fulfilled its duty, phased into transparency and vanished from Kaiba's Field, returning to his hand. In its place, the familiar white spirit dragon soared once more before Kaiba.
"(Blue-Eyes White Dragon)!"
The monster that had almost become synonymous with 3000 Attack Points—(Blue-Eyes White Dragon)—appeared on Kaiba's Field, as expected. And even though he couldn't enter the Battle Phase, Kaiba still chose to Special Summon it in Attack Position. (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) bared its fangs at (Buster Blader), whose effect was negated and still had 2600 Attack, seemingly planning where to strike later.
[(Blue-Eyes White Dragon) [ATK 3000]]
Unfortunately, since it was only the third Turn, no matter what Kaiba thought, he couldn't enter the Battle Phase yet. After Summoning (Blue-Eyes White Dragon), he took two cards from his hand and inserted them into the Spell & Trap Zone, saying, "Just wait a little longer, (Blue-Eyes), it'll be ready soon. I Set two cards. I end my Turn."
[Seto Kaiba: 4000 LP, Hand 2]
[(Blue-Eyes White Dragon) [ATK 3000]]
[(Blue-Eyes Phantom Manifestation)] [Set cards X2]
(end of chapter)