Chapter 240: Cute as Can Be
"Marik..." Ishizu looked at Marik, who had finally appeared, her expression somewhat complex.
Hayato, however, noticed that beside Marik, another tall Black-Robed Figure followed closely, emerging from the darkness. "Hey, Three-Year-Old, you're not playing fair! How come you brought backup?"
"Hmph, didn't you bring my Elder Sister with you too? We're even." Marik sneered, his expression somewhat twisted. "And one more thing, don't call me Three-Year-Old!"
"Lady Ishizu." The Black-Robed Figure standing beside Marik looked at Ishizu, who was next to Hayato, and bowed slightly. He lifted his hood, revealing a bald head, half of which was covered in strange tattoos.
Ishizu also recognized the newcomer. "Is that Rishid?"
"Isn't this fate? The three of us reunited here, it truly makes me happy." Marik chuckled sinisterly, raising the Millennium Rod in his hand and pointing it directly at Hayato. "But the tender reunion ends here. As per your urgent request, I've come to take your life, Kobayashi Hayato!"
Marik also wore a Duel Disk on his arm. As he inserted the Deck Rishid handed him into the Card Slot, the Duel Disk expanded, but the standard Virtual Projection System didn't activate from his Duel Disk.
Seeing this, Ishizu glanced at Hayato with slight worry. Hayato waved his hand, signaling her to relax. After Ishizu stepped back two paces, Hayato also expanded his Duel Disk. Similarly, his Duel Disk also didn't activate the Virtual Projection System.
"Now then, Kobayashi Hayato, let's begin this interesting Duel. I trust you haven't forgotten the stake you mentioned when you provoked me?"
Marik wasn't completely foolish. Although he had been enraged by Hayato during their "phone call" that day, afterward, he realized Hayato had intentionally provoked him. However, even knowing it was Hayato's provocation, Marik still chose to accept the challenge.
Hayato and Marik simultaneously drew five cards. As if not seeing Marik's murderous gaze, Hayato calmly said, "If you want to know what's in my head, you have to defeat me first. You know the rules."
"Heh heh, once you lose to me, I'll thoroughly examine the information in your head. However, I can't say how much your soul will suffer then."
Their gazes met, filled with fighting spirit, and they said in unison: "Duel!" X2
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand: 5]
[Marik: 4000 LP, Hand: 5]
"I'll take the first turn, Draw!" Hayato's movements were much more practiced than Marik's, who was used to controlling others Dueling. Hayato seized the right to go first. "Activate the Spell Card, Graceful Charity! Draw three cards from the Deck, then discard two cards from your hand."
Hayato sifted through the cards. Two cards were chosen, but before they were sent to the Graveyard, Hayato activated the effect of one of them. "Because Graceful Charity sent Ojama Pink to the Graveyard, I can activate its effect."
"Both players draw 1 card from their Deck, then choose 1 card from their hand to discard."
Marik and Hayato both drew a card from their Deck simultaneously. After seeing the card he drew, an unusually smug smile appeared on Marik's face. "Hahahaha, Kobayashi Hayato, I really have to thank you for your monster's effect."
"The first God, it actually came to my hand so quickly!" Saying this, Marik smugly revealed the card he had just drawn. It was none other than Slifer the Sky Dragon!
"Geez, you scared me. I thought you drew Aromage - Winged Dragon of Ra." Hayato scoffed. "Drawing cards isn't free, you still have to discard a card from your hand."
"Hmph, a boring trick." Marik unhappily sent a Scale Worm from his hand to the Graveyard. "But you also have to discard a card from your hand."
"The card I choose to discard from my hand is this one, Ojama Magic." Hayato chose a card from his hand and revealed it. "When Ojama Magic is sent from the hand or field to the Graveyard, I can activate its effect: Add Ojama Yellow, Ojama Black, and Ojama Green from my Deck to my hand."
"Furthermore, if an Ojama card is discarded by Ojama Pink's effect, I can also designate one zone on your field that cannot be used until the end of your turn!"
On Hayato's field, the Ojama Pink that was previously discarded by Graceful Charity floated up from the Graveyard and plopped itself down right in the center of Marik's field, rudely occupying the spot.
And on Hayato's field, thanks to Ojama Magic's effect, the figures of the three Ojama brothers flew out from Hayato's Deck. After making a brief appearance on the field, they flew into Hayato's hand.
All in all, Hayato had only activated one Graceful Charity. Not only did Hayato not lose a single card from his hand, but his hand size increased from six to nine, and he also occupied one of Marik's Monster Zones.
It's no wonder why Graceful Charity was listed as a Forbidden Card in the physical card environment of Hayato's previous life. Drawing three cards, then sending two to the Graveyard, with no cost and no card disadvantage – if it wasn't Forbidden, what would be?
And seeing Hayato use Ojama Magic's effect to add the three Ojama brothers to his hand, from his subordinates' memories of Hayato's Deck composition more than once, Marik immediately realized which monster he was about to Summon.
"From my hand, I activate King of the Swamp's effect! I discard it from my hand to add one 'Fusion' Spell Card from my Deck to my hand." Catching the Fusion card that popped out, Hayato directly inserted it into his Duel Disk's Spell & Trap Zone. "Then, I activate the Spell Card 'Fusion'! I use the three Ojama brothers from my hand as Fusion Material!"
"Come forth, Ojama King!"
The bulky Ojama King was Summoned to the field by Hayato on the first turn. It quickly threw out three seals, stamping them onto Marik's field. Just like that, Marik's Monster Zones were instantly reduced to only one remaining!
However, it was slightly regrettable that this was all the moves Hayato could make for now. The remaining cards in his hand weren't enough for him to lock down the last remaining Monster Zone. "I Summon Armed Dragon LV3 in Defense Position, then Set 1 card. I end my turn."
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand: 3]
[Ojama King DEF 3000]
[Armed Dragon LV3 DEF 900]
[Set Card]
"Now, my turn." Marik looked at the Monster Zone that had been locked down, leaving only one remaining. Annoyed, he drew a card. Seeing the card he drew, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. "Heh heh, you used up all but one of my usable Monster Zones? Just a little more, and you could have completely locked me down. What a pity."
"Then, I activate the Spell Card 'Fusion'!"
Just like the vortex that appeared when Ojama King was Summoned, a vortex also appeared on Marik's field, swallowing the three cards from his hand. But what emerged from the vortex was a monster that looked incredibly cute, somewhat out of place in this duel?
"Yu~"
Looking like a giant block of tofu, with a pair of tiny wings on its back and a halo made from a bent exclamation mark above its head, Marik, the leader of the Ghouls who gave off a dark impression, actually Summoned a Fairy Type monster that could be described as "cute"?
[Leisurely King] [Level 6/LIGHT]
[Fairy/Fusion/Effect]
[300 ATK/100 DEF]
As if seeing the unexpected look in Hayato's eyes, Marik said smugly, "Don't underestimate this monster, Kobayashi Hayato. This monster is the tribute I prepared for the arrival of a God."
"Activate the Spell Card 'Card of Demise'! Both of us can replenish our hand size to 6 cards!"
A shower of treasures descended from the sky. Due to this card's effect, Hayato drew three cards from his Deck, while Marik drew five cards in one go.
A strange smile appeared on Marik's face. "What good luck, Kobayashi Hayato. I drew an incredible card. This turn, you will witness the arrival of a God!"
"What?!" Ishizu, watching from outside the field, was somewhat surprised. In the future she had seen, a God shouldn't appear so quickly. How could Marik Summon a God now? Furthermore, he didn't have enough Tributes and space left on his field for a God.
"Entering my Battle Phase, I will use Leisurely King to attack the Ojama King on your field!" A smug smile appeared on Marik's face. "A king should be ended by a king, shouldn't it?"
"Is that why you want to become the Pharaoh? But unfortunately, Leisurely King's ATK is only 300, while Ojama King's DEF is 1000% of yours."
"I was well-prepared for this rebellion against the king." Marik didn't deny what Hayato said about him wanting to become the Pharaoh. Instead, he activated a card. "Quick-Play Spell Card 'Rush Recklessly' activate! Declare 1 Attribute. When the designated monster battles a monster with the corresponding Attribute, destroy that monster without damage calculation!"
"The Attribute I declare is, of course, Ojama King's LIGHT Attribute!"
The seemingly docile Leisurely King was originally floating slowly towards the unconcerned Ojama King. But halfway there, it suddenly accelerated, turning into a white blur, giving Ojama King no opportunity to react. The Fairy Type Leisurely King crashed directly through Ojama King with its body, returning to Marik's field covered in blood, its expression ferocious.
"Tch, truly not to be underestimated. It looked quite cute on the outside."
Leisurely King's attack on the field ended. Marik also ended his Battle Phase and entered his Main Phase 2. Meanwhile, Ishizu, watching from outside the field, noticed what Hayato had just said.
Since other people's decks have been strengthened, Three-Year-Old's deck must also be strengthened.
Although Leisurely King's effect doesn't seem like Marik's typical dark deck style...
But that's the main point, I wanted him to bring out the traitor dragon on the first turn.
(End of this chapter)