"Activate (Magic Cylinder)!"
Hayato's Backrow flipped open, revealing that classic and useful Trap Card, (Magic Cylinder). Bastion Misawa, who had been swept up in the moment, suddenly remembered that this was the Card Hayato had Set when he Special Summoned (Labrynth Archfiend).
The Card searched and Set by (Labrynth Archfiend)'s Special Summon effect is specifically one that Activates during an Attack Declaration. How could he have forgotten that?
"(Magic Cylinder) can only be Activated when your Opponent declares an Attack, targeting that attacking Monster. It negates that Monster's Attack and inflicts Damage to your Opponent equal to that Monster's ATK." Hayato looked at Bastion's (Buster Blader) on his Field and said, "How scary, 5600 ATK. It can easily wipe out my Life Points."
"But the reverse is true as well! 5600 points of Damage is also enough to wipe out your Life Points!"
Hearing Hayato's words, Bastion panicked as well: "Oh no, this is terrible! If I die in this Dark Game... no, I absolutely can't let that happen!"
With a panicked expression, he glanced at his empty Hand, then looked at his Field where there were no Monster Effects he could Activate. His gaze fell upon his last Set Card in his Backrow: "Yes! I still have this Card, I still have a chance! It's not time for me to die yet!"
"Activate Quick-Play Spell Card (Half Shut)!"
With a look of having narrowly escaped death, Bastion activated the Card in his Backrow, and a beam of light fell upon his (Buster Blader) on the Field.
Even though (Buster Blader)'s ATK had previously been boosted by (Buster Blader's Destiny) to a full 5600, after Bastion activated that Set Card in his Backrow, (Buster Blader)'s ATK actually decreased!?
(Buster Blader) [ATK 5600 → 2800]
"(Magic Cylinder) certainly has the powerful ability to Reflect Attacks, but the precondition for defeating me with that Card is that (Buster Blader)'s ATK must be enough to wipe out my Life Points, right?"
Bastion, who had just been flustered, once again swaggered arrogantly, gloating after grabbing this lifeline. He looked at Hayato and said, "But according to the reverse resolution of the Chain, as long as I decrease (Buster Blader)'s ATK to a point where it won't wipe out my Life Points before (Magic Cylinder)'s Effect takes effect, I'll be fine!"
"Because of (Half Shut)'s Effect, (Buster Blader)'s ATK is halved until the End of this Turn, and it cannot be Destroyed by Battle."
Bastion smugly watched as (Buster Blader)'s Attack was blocked by two cylindrical barrels that appeared in front of (Labrynth Archfiend), its sword aura absorbed into them.
"My Life Points are at a full 4000. Although 2800 points of Damage is a heavy blow to me, as long as I can withstand this, I can Counterattack you with (Giant Taro)'s 3700 ATK, Hayato!"
"You're right about one thing you just said: after this Battle Phase, your Life Points will be like a flickering candle in the wind. If (Half Shut) had been (Fireball), that would have been a finishing blow. Too bad you can't switch it."
(Magic Cylinder) began to convert the Attack it had previously absorbed. Its barrels aimed towards Bastion, seemingly ready to Reflect the Attack back. Bastion had also prepared himself to take the Attack.
However, when his gaze landed behind (Magic Cylinder), he froze. He saw a hexagonal device that had appeared on Hayato's Backrow at some point, and within it were six circular holes resembling a revolver's cylinder, loaded with several (Magic Cylinder)s?
"What is that thing?"
"This? You were probably too busy looking at what Cards you could Activate in your Backrow to notice. This is a Card I Activated by Chaining to (Magic Cylinder)'s Activation, Normal Trap Card (Heavy-Armed Cylinder)."
Hayato spread his hands, an innocent expression on his face.
"But just now, there was clearly only one Set Card, (Magic Cylinder), in your Backrow!"
"That's right, my Set Card was indeed only (Magic Cylinder), but I never said (Heavy-Armed Cylinder) Activated on the Field." Hayato said, surprisingly taking a Card from his Graveyard. "When I Activate (Magic Cylinder), (Heavy-Armed Cylinder) can be banished from the Graveyard to Activate its effect. You're not the only one whose Trap Cards can Activate from the Graveyard."
"And (Heavy-Armed Cylinder)'s Effect doubles the effect damage (Magic Cylinder) reflects back to your Opponent." Hayato's face broke into a rather wicked smile as he licked his lips. "That means your struggle, trying to Activate (Half Shut) just now, was all for nothing, completely pointless! Hahahahaha!"
"Nani!?"
Bastion looked again at (Magic Cylinder), which was about to fire, and felt a power even greater than the Attack (Buster Blader) had unleashed earlier.
He had halved (Buster Blader)'s ATK with (Half Shut), then (Magic Cylinder) absorbed that Damage, and then (Heavy-Armed Cylinder)'s Effect doubled it. This meant the Attack now being reflected was still (Buster Blader)'s original 5600 ATK!?
This time, Bastion truly had no Cards he could Activate. He looked at the mysterious person beside him and pleaded, "Hey, help me! Quickly, Activate any Card you have, use your Card Effect to help me! My brilliant mind absolutely cannot disappear from this world!"
"Why are you just watching!"
"Tsk, why that ugly expression? Could it be that you can't accept the reality that you're about to be defeated in this Dark Game?" Hayato looked at Bastion and sneered, "Only those prepared to be shot have the right to pull the trigger. Rest in peace, Fodder Monster."
Even Kaiba crossed his arms, scoffing, "Just now, you seemed to be self-righteously evaluating the cooperation between Hayato and me, didn't you? Since your pathetic display managed to amuse me, I'll humor you with a response."
"Can Hayato and I not cooperate? That's not it. There's only one very simple reason you can't see our cooperation in this Duel—that is, Third-rate Duelists like you, using Fourth-rate Decks, don't even have the ability to make either of us take a solo Duel seriously. Cooperation is entirely unnecessary!"
"You all!" Seeing (Magic Cylinder) finally about to fire, Bastion said, somewhat hysterically, "Just you wait! When you are swallowed by Darkness and fall into Purgatory, you will surely remember the wrath of Bastion!"
"Boom!"
From (Magic Cylinder), a beam cannon converted from (Buster Blader)'s slash fiercely fired, sweeping past Bastion's (Buster Blader) on the Field, as well as (Gozuki) and (Giant Taro), who had merely made an appearance without even attacking once, and hit Bastion directly.
The destructive magic power instantly wiped out Bastion's Life Points, and amidst his wails, sent him flying directly out, piercing through the Dark Game Barrier and landing outside.
Outside, where several people were Dueling, Mokuba, who had been waiting for a long time with Alister, watching the Duel inside through a one-way window specially opened by Hayato with the power of the (Millennium Ring), subconsciously glanced at Bastion after noticing him fly out, then turned his head back to watch the Duel indifferently.
"One lost." "Yeah, one down." Alister and Mokuba chatted casually, neither of them paying any mind to the unconscious Bastion. This was true even within the Dark Game Barrier.
"Hmph, that superfluous Fodder Monster was finally defeated. If you had used a Direct Attack on that guy earlier, it would've been faster, Hayato." Due to Bastion's departure, his Turn immediately ended, and it was now Kaiba's Turn. While speaking, Kaiba placed his finger on top of his Deck. "My Turn, Draw."
"Don't say that, Kaiba. If I had attacked that guy just now, who would've stepped on that Trap for you? After all, your (Blue-Eyes) is far too susceptible to Trap Cards, isn't it?"
Seeing Kaiba's raised eyebrow as he drew a Card, Hayato more or less guessed what Card he had just drawn, and warned him, "Though I feel like you won't listen, it's okay to hold back your offensive a little. It'll be hard for you to finish this guy in one Turn."
"Hmph, have you not faced a (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) in too long, Hayato, that you've forgotten her power?" If Hayato hadn't spoken, Kaiba might not have been so determined to Activate the Card in his Hand, but now he felt he absolutely had to. "Then just watch! I'm going to deal with that mysterious guy on the other side this Turn!"
"Activate Spell Card (Card of Sanctity)! Everyone draws until they have six Cards in their Hand!" Inserting the Card in his Hand into the Spell & Trap Zone, Kaiba had already drawn six Cards as he spoke. "My Hand was at 0 Cards, so I can draw a total of six Cards!"
"...My Hand also has 0 Cards, so I can also draw six Cards." The mysterious person on the other side, following Kaiba's lead, also drew six Cards. Seeing this, Hayato sighed, "You just gave your Opponent six more Cards, Kaiba. Tsk, I have one Card in hand, so I can only draw five Cards."
"Seriously, if I'd known you were going to use (Card of Sanctity), I would've used this Card in my Hand. Losing out on one Card feels worse than taking a Card Disadvantage."
"Hmph, it doesn't matter. So what if I let my Opponent draw six Cards? I won't give him a chance to Activate any Cards on his Turn."
Kaiba said, Activating the effect of a Card on his Field, "Once per Turn, by (Blue-Eyes Illusion)'s Effect, I return one (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) from my Field to my Hand. Then, because the returned Card is (Blue-Eyes White Dragon), I can Special Summon a Monster directly from my Hand!"
"Appear, (White Spirit Dragon)!"
The figure of (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) vanished with (Blue-Eyes Illusion)'s Effect, replaced by a pure white dragon.
(White Spirit Dragon) [Level 8/LIGHT Attribute]
[Dragon-Type/Effect Monster]
[2500/2000]
"When (White Spirit Dragon) is Summoned or Special Summoned successfully, Activate: Target one Spell or Trap Card on your Opponent's Field and Banish it." Kaiba's target was directly the mysterious person's only Set Card in their Backrow. "I choose that Set Card in your Backrow."
Corresponding to (Blue-Eyes Armored Dragon)'s ability to negate Monster Effects, (White Spirit Dragon) has the ability to Banish Spell/Trap Cards upon appearing on the Field. Unlike Hayato, who knew the specific effects of (Eldlich)'s Spell/Trap Cards, Kaiba could only judge based on his own experience.
Unfortunately, when the mysterious person saw Kaiba about to Banish his card, he immediately Activated his Set Card.
"In that case, I Chain to (White Spirit Dragon)'s Effect, Activating my Set Card, Quick-Play Spell Card (Eldlixir of White Destiny). Due to the reverse resolution of the Chain, its Effect will take effect before you can Banish this Card."
The four processes of Alchemy—"Nigredo", "Albedo", "Citrinitas", and "Rubedo"—had seen their "Nigredo" and "Rubedo" Cards used in previous Duels. At this moment, the mysterious person Activated the "Albedo" Card, (Eldlixir of White Destiny), representing "Conjunction."
"(Eldlixir of White Destiny)'s Effect: Special Summon 1 Zombie-Type monster from my Hand or Graveyard. If no (Eldlich) monsters are on my Field, you can only Special Summon an (Eldlich) monster." Drawing a Card from his Hand, the mysterious person played it. "Thanks to (Card of Sanctity), I drew many Cards. I will Special Summon this monster in Defense Position from my Hand!"
The beam of light fired by (White Spirit Dragon) banished and annihilated (Eldlixir of White Destiny), preventing the mysterious person from banishing that Card from the Graveyard on the next Turn to further utilize Cards from his Deck. However, (Eldlixir of White Destiny)'s Effect itself had already successfully taken effect, and a monster appeared on his Field.
(Necroworld Banshee) [Level 4/Dark Attribute]
[Zombie-Type/Effect Monster]
[1800/200]
"Although it has 1800 ATK, its DEF is only a mere 200. It's weak enough that even the Fodder Monsters Hayato and Yugi like to use could destroy it."
Hearing Kaiba's words, (Rainbow Kuriboh) popped out of Hayato's Duel Disk on the spot, grumbling angrily at him. But because it was so cute, it could be forgiven even for swearing.
"Although you gained another monster, this also means you finally have no cards in your Backrow. I Activate a Spell Card from my Hand, (Polymerization)!"
"I use three (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) from my Hand as Fusion Material! Descend, evolved, strongest Dragon-Type!"
"(Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon)!"
Three (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) soared up behind Kaiba, fused into one in mid-air, and transformed into the ultimate Dragon-Type monster, (Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon)!
(Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon) [ATK 4500]
"While (Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon) exists in my Extra Deck, Once per turn, I can Activate (Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon)'s Effect, allowing it to Attack three times during the Battle Phase." Kaiba looked at the four monsters on the mysterious person's Field and sneered, "Enter Battle Phase! You've waited long enough, my (Blue-Eyes). Now, let the rampage begin!"
"Crush! Destroy! Grand Slam!"
As Kaiba pointed his hand towards (Conquistador of the Golden Land), (Guardian of the Golden Land), and (Eldlich the Golden Lord) on the mysterious person's Field, (Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon) behind him also opened its mouth, and white light converged within it.
"Hyper Burst Stream!"
(end of chapter)