Chapter 236: Suicide Attack
"Rare Card Hunter, Hert, that name really suits your line of work," Hayato quipped.
He hadn't expected that after he wiped out a Ghouls Base, the butterfly effect would cause this group from the Ghouls to still target them, but their objective had shifted from Joey Wheeler to himself.
Thinking about it, it made sense. While Red-Eyes Black Dragon was indeed a rare card, it wasn't quite on the level of Blue-Eyes White Dragon, of which there were only four. Although scarce, Red-Eyes Black Dragon could still be bought with money. For instance, as far as Hayato knew, Kaiba actually possessed a Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
However, that arrogant guy had said something like, "With the same Tribute, why would I Summon Blue-Eyes? Only a mediocre Duelist would consider that Card an Ace Card," and refused to include it in his Deck.
Comparing a rare card, valuable but not unique in the world, with an enemy who had offended their organization and even destroyed an important Base, the Ghouls naturally chose to target the latter.
With a cold chuckle, Hayato stepped past Joey Wheeler, who was blocking his way, and raised the Duel Disk on his arm. "You bunch of rotten potatoes and stinky eggs actually think you can Challenge me? Fine, have it your way."
Saying this, Hayato reached for the Card Box on his waist. The moment he touched the Deck, the dozens of Cards briefly vanished and then reappeared. Using the System's function, Hayato switched the Deck he had used in his Duel against Manjoume Shouji to another one.
There was a Card he hadn't had a chance to use since he obtained it. This was partly because there was no need to use it against ordinary small fry, and also because that kind of Card wasn't suitable for Dueling against regular people.
However, now was a good time. Since his opponents were from the Villainous Organization Ghouls, who used Fake Cards, Hayato didn't need to pretend to be a gentleman when dealing with these wicked people. He was laying his Cards on the table: he played a Heavy Trap Strategy.
"Be careful, Hayato," Tristan warned. He and Joey Wheeler wanted to take advantage of Hayato's Duel with the Rare Card Hunter Hert to take care of the other two Black-Robed Figures, but the two Black-Robed Figures seemed to have been prepared. They pulled out two small Knives and kept their distance, giving Tristan and Joey Wheeler no Opportunity to fight back.
"These guys might resort to underhanded tactics if they lose the Duel." Because of what happened at the Egyptian Artifacts Exhibition, Yugi Mutou had a very bad impression of the Ghouls. After all, if Hayato hadn't forcefully started a Dark Game that time, the Ghouls would have directly used Force.
Hayato sneered, "I actually hope these guys use some underhanded tactics. Otherwise, how can I justify being ruthless towards them?"
"Duel!" x2
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
[Hert: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
As soon as he drew his Hand, Hert's face lit up with joy, though his smile wasn't visible due to his hood. He was so happy because in his Hand, there were two Exodia Cards: Left Arm of the Forbidden One and Left Leg of the Forbidden One.
Seeing that Hayato had no intention of taking the Right to Go First, Hert didn't hesitate. He drew a Card from his Deck. "Then the first Turn is mine. My Turn, Drawing Cards!"
"I Activate the effect of the Spell Card, Graceful Charity! I can Draw three more Cards from my Deck, then Discard two Cards from my Hand."
"Then I Summon a Monster in Face-Down Defense Position. My Turn ends."
Hert ending his Turn so quickly made Joey Wheeler and the others somewhat disdainful. "What the heck? He talked so big, but in the end, it's just a Turtle Strategy?"
[Hert: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
[Face-Down Defense Monster]
Hearing Joey Wheeler's mockery, Hert coldly glanced at Joey Wheeler, who was keeping watch on his companions nearby. He thought, 'I'll remember this grudge. As soon as I Defeat the King of Games, it'll be your Turn, Joey Wheeler!'
But on the surface, he maintained a calm demeanor. "Heh heh, so, are you going to Attack, King of Games?"
"What do you think I gave up the Right to Go First for?" Hayato said with a cold smile. "My Turn, Drawing Cards!"
"I Normal Summon Mystic Tomato, and then I Activate the Field Spell Card, Temple of the Mind's Eye."
Accompanied by a rumbling sound from the ground, the scene they were in transformed from the original alley into a rather solemn Shrine. In the center of the Shrine, a Spear of the Mind's Eye was enshrined.
"As long as Temple of the Mind's Eye is on the Field, whenever either Duelist takes Battle Damage, regardless of the amount, it will be forcibly changed to 1000 Damage," Hayato explained the Card's Rules. "In other words, both sides have four Opportunities to be Attacked."
"Then, I Activate the Spell Card, Stop Defense! I will change one Defense Position Monster on the Field to Attack Position!" Hayato pointed at the Monster on Hert's Field. "Reveal your true form before me!"
The Card flipped over, and a giant metal robot appeared on Hert's Field. Its metal plating looked incredibly sturdy. However, due to the Effect of Stop Defense, it was forced into Attack Position, exposing its most vulnerable gear joints.
[Gear Golem the Moving Fortress] [4☆/EARTH]
[Machine Type/Effect]
[800/2200]
[Mystic Tomato] [1400/1200]
"Hmph, so that's your plan? As long as you inflict Damage, you'll deduct a full 1000 of my Life Points. You can win by successfully Attacking 4 times." Hert looked at the eager Mystic Tomato on Hayato's Field and felt it was troublesome. He still only had two Exodia Cards in his Hand; Graceful Charity hadn't brought him any new pieces.
However, he was actually wearing a pair of special Contact Lenses that allowed him to see the special Coating he had left on the back of the Cards. And the Card on top of his Deck was Exodia's Right Arm.
So now, it would come down to whether Hayato could clear his Life Points faster, or if he could Draw all five Exodia pieces first.
Just as Hert had predicted everything that would happen next, he found Hayato looking quite troubled. "Seriously, it's a Monster with only 800 Attack Points? That's really troublesome."
"I originally thought I wouldn't need to use this Card, but it turns out it's actually useful." Hayato said, revealing a Spell Card from his Hand. "I Activate this Card, the Quick-Play Spell Card Rush Recklessly! Target one Monster on the Field, and increase its ATK by 700 points until the End of the Turn!"
Hayato's move confused not only Hert but also Joey Wheeler and Yugi Mutou watching from the sidelines.
"Why would Hayato Activate Rush Recklessly now? Because of the Effect of Temple of the Mind's Eye, no matter how high the ATK is, it can only deal 1000 Damage to that guy. Activating Rush Recklessly at this time is a complete Waste!"
Joey Wheeler said to Yugi Mutou in confusion, and Yugi Mutou analyzed based on his words, "Every Card Hayato Activates should have a purpose. He wouldn't carelessly Waste a Card on Mystic Tomato, which can already Defeat the opponent's Monster, unless the Target of Rush Recklessly isn't Mystic Tomato at all?"
Yugi Mutou suddenly remembered Mystic Tomato's Effect.
"What?" Hert also heard Yugi Mutou's analysis and looked at Hayato in surprise, finding that he had indeed targeted Gear Golem the Moving Fortress with Rush Recklessly, just as Yugi Mutou had said.
[Gear Golem the Moving Fortress] [ATK 800 → 1500]
Not too much, not too little, Gear Golem the Moving Fortress's ATK, after being boosted by Rush Recklessly, was exactly 100 points higher than Hayato's own Mystic Tomato?
"What are you doing?"
Facing the confused Hert, Hayato gave a contemptuous smile and pointed towards Gear Golem the Moving Fortress on Hert's Field, which was ready to counterattack. "Just watch. You'll see the Advent of a God soon."
"Sacrifice for the greater good! Go, Mystic Tomato, Attack Gear Golem the Moving Fortress!"
"God? Idiot, in the World of Duel Monsters, not just any Monster is Qualified to be called a 'God'!" Hert couldn't help but recall a past event he had witnessed: a punishment Ritual that Marik, the leader of the Ghouls, had inflicted upon a member who had betrayed the organization—a Duel.
If the Traitor lost, he would be eternally controlled by Marik's Millennium Rod, but if he won, he would be released without guilt. Under the pressure of his life, the Ghouls Traitor accepted the gamble of this Game.
And in that Duel, an Ultimate Monster that Hert would never forget appeared on Marik's Field. Its brilliant form, like the sun hanging high in the sky, and its God's Flame that seemed to burn everything, even the Soul—that was the Duel Monster that could be called a "God" in Hert's mind.
"Counterattack, Gear Golem the Moving Fortress!" Facing the Mystic Tomato that had launched a Suicide Attack, Hert sneered and ordered his Monster to strike back. Since the King of Games himself had decided to launch a self-damaging Attack, how could he possibly disappoint him?
The 1400 ATK Mystic Tomato reluctantly crashed into Gear Golem the Moving Fortress's fist, and the rapidly spinning metal gears ground it into a pulp. Simultaneously, the overflowing 100 points of Battle Damage were transferred to Hayato, but due to the Effect of the Field Spell Card Temple of the Mind's Eye, Hayato's Life Points dropped by a full 1000 points.
[Hayato: 4000 → 3000 LP]