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# Chapter 339: Armed Dragon's Rapid Evolution
As the sun rose above the horizon, the morning sunlight shone on the silver-white Duel Tower top.
After departing from Domino City and enduring a day and night of airship travel, the semifinals of the Battle City tournament were about to begin. Everyone who had rested was now seated in the audience.
However, calling it "rest" was just them chatting together. The sleeping pods used to enter the virtual world had a strong sedative effect on the user's body while their consciousness was transferred into the virtual world. Because of this, theoretically, everyone who had been exhausted from the night's events felt no fatigue at all.
Under everyone's expectant gazes, Yugi Mutou and Kobayashi Hayato walked out of the lounge one after another and stepped onto the stage for the duel.
Staff members placed the photography equipment around the stage and turned them on one by one to record the upcoming duel from various angles. After Roland confirmed that all equipment was ready, he announced loudly:
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting. The first match of the Battle City tournament semifinals is about to begin. The players are Yugi Mutou and Kobayashi Hayato. The victor will advance to the finals and compete for the title of King of Games."
"Both players are ready, so I declare,"
"Let the match begin!"
"Duel!" x2
Watching the two on stage simultaneously draw their hands, Joey Wheeler shouted excitedly, "Go, Yugi! And Hayato too!"
"Who cheers for both sides like that?" Tristan , standing beside him, retorted.
Joey Wheeler shrugged, "But aren't both Yugi and Hayato our friends right now? That Hayato guy just had to be matched up with Yugi. I don't even know who to cheer for, so of course, I have to cheer for both sides."
"Hmph, you mediocre one. Cheering and shouting offer absolutely no use to a Duelist. Or do you think Yugi or Hayato need a Third-Rate Duelist like you to worry about them?"
Joey Wheeler didn't even need to turn around to guess who was speaking.
"Kaiba!"
"Shut up, close your mouth and watch the match quietly." Kaiba crossed his arms over his chest and coldly glanced at Joey Wheeler, who was skillfully held back by Tristan and Duke Devlin, before shifting his gaze back to the field.
Looking at Hayato and Yugi Mutou confronting each other, Kaiba said with a hint of expectation, "Now then, Yugi Mutou, Hayato, prove to me that your strength hasn't decreased in purity from associating with Third-Rate Duelists, and offer me a magnificent Duel!"
"Who are you calling a Third-Rate Duelist, you bastard!"
Joey Wheeler's antics in the audience had no influence whatsoever on Hayato and Yugi Mutou on the Duel Field. After each drawing five cards into their hand, Yugi Mutou's movements weren't as fast as Hayato's, allowing Hayato to seize the first turn.
"Heh heh, the first turn is mine. Draw!" After drawing a card into his hand, Hayato wasn't in a hurry to start his combo/play. Instead, he smiled and said to Yugi Mutou, "After all, I'm facing you, Yugi Mutou. I can't not seize the first turn and make some preparations."
"Although, I think I said something similar back in Duelist Kingdom."
Yugi Mutou, who had already switched to Pharaoh mode, returned a smile, "It really has been a long time, Hayato. But I'm sorry, to get the Three Egyptian God Cards, I have to keep winning. So I have to defeat you, Hayato!"
"Oh, bring it on, Yugi Mutou." Hayato smiled and drew a card from his hand. "During my Standby Phase, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card **Armed Dragon Lightning** from my hand. This card allows me to Special Summon one Level 3 **Armed Dragon** from my Deck in Defense Position."
"Next is the effect of **Ojama Mixed Match**. I Send one **Ojama** card from my hand or field to the Graveyard, and choose one **Ojama** monster with a different name and one **Armed Dragon** monster from my Deck or Graveyard to add to my hand." Hayato Sent two cards from his hand to the Graveyard. In exchange, he took out two cards from his Deck and revealed them.
"Because I Sent **Ojama Magic** to the Graveyard, I add **Ojama Red** and **Armed Dragon LV10** to my hand. And because **Ojama Magic** was Sent to the Graveyard, I can add **Ojama Yellow**, **Ojama Green**, and **Ojama Black** from my Deck to my hand."
"Then, with the effect of **Ojama Mixed Match**, after adding **Ojama Red** and **Armed Dragon LV10** to my hand, I can Normal Summon one of them onto the field. I will Summon **Ojama Red**."
"**Ojama Red**'s effect activates when Summoned successfully. I can Special Summon up to four monsters with 'Ojama' in their name from my hand in Attack Position. I Special Summon **Ojama Black**, **Ojama Yellow**, and **Ojama Green**."
"And then, during my Standby Phase, **Armed Dragon LV3** will evolve to the next stage! Come forth, **Armed Dragon LV5**!"
Through a series of operations, even though it was only his Standby Phase, Hayato used three cards from his hand and Summoned a total of five monsters onto the field: **Armed Dragon LV5**, **Ojama Red**, **Ojama Black**, **Ojama Yellow**, and **Ojama Green**, completely filling his field.
Yet, the number of cards in his hand hadn't decreased much. He still had a full 4 cards in his hand.
"Your card synergy is as powerful as ever, Hayato." Yugi Mutou couldn't help but praise. In this era where most Duelists used cards that weren't part of a series, Hayato's Deck had an incredibly unique coherence that left a deep impression on Yugi Mutou.
On Hayato's field, **Ojama Red** and **Ojama Yellow**, along with the others, gathered together and struck a strange pose similar to the Ginyu Force. However, due to the absence of **Ojama Blue** and the low-presence **Ojama Pink**, the pose wasn't entirely complete.
But this didn't affect the mood of **Ojama Yellow** and the others.
"That seven-colored bastard didn't show up,"
"And those dangerous XYZ monsters,"
"There's nothing that can stop us from becoming Aniki's Tamashii anymore!"
"Plan complete, ne!"
Accompanied by **Ojama Yellow**'s arrogant laughter, Hayato responded to Yugi Mutou's words and played a card: "Don't look down on the **Ojama** monsters just because they look ugly and have weak combat power. Even lackeys have their uses."
"I activate the Spell Card—"
"Hahaha, I didn't expect Aniki to rate us so highly." **Ojama Green** laughed smugly, noticing that the attention of its other brothers was completely focused on the Spell Card that appeared behind it. It couldn't help but turn around to look.
"Hmm, let me see, **The Cheep Chaining**, the effect is 'You can Send 1 face-up monster on your field that is not an Effect Monster to the Graveyard; draw 2 cards'?" **Ojama Green** read out the card effect word for word, still not understanding what it meant.
"[Yellow], what's a 'monster that is not an Effect Monster'?" Beside **Ojama Green**, **Ojama Black** asked **Ojama Yellow**.
"Hmph hmph, isn't that simple? There are only so many types of Duel Monsters. A monster that isn't an Effect Monster, isn't that a Normal Monster?" **Ojama Yellow** pulled out a pair of glasses from somewhere—perhaps its four-dimensional pocket?—and put them on its floating eyeballs, pretending to be knowledgeable.
"Oh, so that means this card lets you Send a Normal Monster to the Graveyard and then draw two cards," **Ojama Red** on the side said understandingly, then looked around. "Which card is Aniki going to Send to the Graveyard?"
"Yeah, yeah," "There are no Normal Monsters, ne," "Aniki, you got it wrong."
The three **Ojama** brothers also looked around, and failing to find a "Normal Monster," they immediately reminded Hayato, "Aniki, you don't have any Normal Monsters on the field, ne. You played the wrong card!"
"You three really are idiots." Hayato rubbed his temples helplessly. Honestly, he'd rather play Dark Games with Marik, Bakura, Maximillion Pegasus, and others for three days and nights straight than deal with these three annoying fools. "Take a good look at your own feet."
"The one I'm Sending to the Graveyard is **Ojama Green**, who is a Normal Monster!"
"N-Nani?!"
As Hayato designated the target, **Ojama Green** discovered in horror that large amounts of light particles were floating out of its body, gradually turning transparent. It quickly reached out to grab its brothers beside it: "N-No, Aniki, don't throw me into the cold Graveyard, ne!"
"Save me, [Black], [Yellow]!"
Facing **Ojama Green**'s plea for help, **Ojama Black** and **Ojama Yellow** exchanged a rare look of understanding, then simultaneously turned their heads and started whistling and chatting: "The weather is great today, ne."
"The scenery here is nice too."
"The sea breeze feels so good."
Seeing its two brothers pretending not to hear it, **Ojama Green** shouted angrily, "You two faithless guys!" and pounced towards them. However, before it could carry out its final revenge, **The Cheep Chaining** fully took effect, and it was Sent to the Graveyard, while Hayato drew two cards.
With the number of cards in his hand now at five, Hayato pondered briefly, then looked at Yugi Mutou: "My current lineup on the field is probably enough for ordinary opponents. But if my opponent is you, Yugi Mutou, perhaps I should go a step further."
"Activate the Spell Card **Level Up!**. I Send **Armed Dragon LV5** on the field to the Graveyard and Special Summon **Armed Dragon LV7** from my Deck! Then, I Tribute **Armed Dragon LV7** on the field and Summon **Armed Dragon LV10** from my hand!"
To deal with Yugi Mutou, Hayato could be said to be going at full power. In just one turn, he gave **Armed Dragon** an acceleration boost, rapidly climbing from LV3 to LV10.
The three weak, pitiful, and helpless **Ojama** monsters were squeezed out of their original positions by the immensely swollen **Armed Dragon LV10**, hiding in a corner, terrified that their own ally might accidentally move and wipe them out.
[Armed Dragon LV10] [ATK 3000]
"Set a card. My turn ends." With the final two cards remaining in his hand, Hayato ended his turn.
As the sun rose above the horizon, the morning sunlight shone on the silver-white Duel Tower top.
After departing from Domino City and enduring a day and night of airship travel, the semifinals of the Battle City tournament were about to begin. Everyone who had rested was now seated in the audience.
However, calling it "rest" was just them chatting together. The sleeping pods used to enter the virtual world had a strong sedative effect on the user's body while their consciousness was transferred into the virtual world. Because of this, theoretically, everyone who had been exhausted from the night's events felt no fatigue at all.
Under everyone's expectant gazes, Yugi Mutou and Kobayashi Hayato walked out of the lounge one after another and stepped onto the stage for the duel.
Staff members placed the photography equipment around the stage and turned them on one by one to record the upcoming duel from various angles. After Roland confirmed that all equipment was ready, he announced loudly:
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting. The first match of the Battle City tournament semifinals is about to begin. The players are Yugi Mutou and Kobayashi Hayato. The victor will advance to the finals and compete for the title of King of Games."
"Both players are ready, so I declare,"
"Let the match begin!"
"Duel!" x2
Watching the two on stage simultaneously draw their hands, Joey Wheeler shouted excitedly, "Go, Yugi! And Hayato too!"
"Who cheers for both sides like that?" Tristan , standing beside him, retorted.
Joey Wheeler shrugged, "But aren't both Yugi and Hayato our friends right now? That Hayato guy just had to be matched up with Yugi. I don't even know who to cheer for, so of course, I have to cheer for both sides."
"Hmph, you mediocre one. Cheering and shouting offer absolutely no use to a Duelist. Or do you think Yugi or Hayato need a Third-Rate Duelist like you to worry about them?"
Joey Wheeler didn't even need to turn around to guess who was speaking.
"Kaiba!"
"Shut up, close your mouth and watch the match quietly." Kaiba crossed his arms over his chest and coldly glanced at Joey Wheeler, who was skillfully held back by Tristan and Duke Devlin, before shifting his gaze back to the field.
Looking at Hayato and Yugi Mutou confronting each other, Kaiba said with a hint of expectation, "Now then, Yugi Mutou, Hayato, prove to me that your strength hasn't decreased in purity from associating with Third-Rate Duelists, and offer me a magnificent Duel!"
"Who are you calling a Third-Rate Duelist, you bastard!"
Joey Wheeler's antics in the audience had no influence whatsoever on Hayato and Yugi Mutou on the Duel Field. After each drawing five cards into their hand, Yugi Mutou's movements weren't as fast as Hayato's, allowing Hayato to seize the first turn.
"Heh heh, the first turn is mine. Draw!" After drawing a card into his hand, Hayato wasn't in a hurry to start his combo/play. Instead, he smiled and said to Yugi Mutou, "After all, I'm facing you, Yugi Mutou. I can't not seize the first turn and make some preparations."
"Although, I think I said something similar back in Duelist Kingdom."
Yugi Mutou, who had already switched to Pharaoh mode, returned a smile, "It really has been a long time, Hayato. But I'm sorry, to get the Three Egyptian God Cards, I have to keep winning. So I have to defeat you, Hayato!"
"Oh, bring it on, Yugi Mutou." Hayato smiled and drew a card from his hand. "During my Standby Phase, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card **Armed Dragon Lightning** from my hand. This card allows me to Special Summon one Level 3 **Armed Dragon** from my Deck in Defense Position."
"Next is the effect of **Ojama Mixed Match**. I Send one **Ojama** card from my hand or field to the Graveyard, and choose one **Ojama** monster with a different name and one **Armed Dragon** monster from my Deck or Graveyard to add to my hand." Hayato Sent two cards from his hand to the Graveyard. In exchange, he took out two cards from his Deck and revealed them.
"Because I Sent **Ojama Magic** to the Graveyard, I add **Ojama Red** and **Armed Dragon LV10** to my hand. And because **Ojama Magic** was Sent to the Graveyard, I can add **Ojama Yellow**, **Ojama Green**, and **Ojama Black** from my Deck to my hand."
"Then, with the effect of **Ojama Mixed Match**, after adding **Ojama Red** and **Armed Dragon LV10** to my hand, I can Normal Summon one of them onto the field. I will Summon **Ojama Red**."
"**Ojama Red**'s effect activates when Summoned successfully. I can Special Summon up to four monsters with 'Ojama' in their name from my hand in Attack Position. I Special Summon **Ojama Black**, **Ojama Yellow**, and **Ojama Green**."
"And then, during my Standby Phase, **Armed Dragon LV3** will evolve to the next stage! Come forth, **Armed Dragon LV5**!"
Through a series of operations, even though it was only his Standby Phase, Hayato used three cards from his hand and Summoned a total of five monsters onto the field: **Armed Dragon LV5**, **Ojama Red**, **Ojama Black**, **Ojama Yellow**, and **Ojama Green**, completely filling his field.
Yet, the number of cards in his hand hadn't decreased much. He still had a full 4 cards in his hand.
"Your card synergy is as powerful as ever, Hayato." Yugi Mutou couldn't help but praise. In this era where most Duelists used cards that weren't part of a series, Hayato's Deck had an incredibly unique coherence that left a deep impression on Yugi Mutou.
On Hayato's field, **Ojama Red** and **Ojama Yellow**, along with the others, gathered together and struck a strange pose similar to the Ginyu Force. However, due to the absence of **Ojama Blue** and the low-presence **Ojama Pink**, the pose wasn't entirely complete.
But this didn't affect the mood of **Ojama Yellow** and the others.
"That seven-colored bastard didn't show up,"
"And those dangerous XYZ monsters,"
"There's nothing that can stop us from becoming Aniki's Tamashii anymore!"
"Plan complete, ne!"
Accompanied by **Ojama Yellow**'s arrogant laughter, Hayato responded to Yugi Mutou's words and played a card: "Don't look down on the **Ojama** monsters just because they look ugly and have weak combat power. Even lackeys have their uses."
"I activate the Spell Card—"
"Hahaha, I didn't expect Aniki to rate us so highly." **Ojama Green** laughed smugly, noticing that the attention of its other brothers was completely focused on the Spell Card that appeared behind it. It couldn't help but turn around to look.
"Hmm, let me see, **The Cheep Chaining**, the effect is 'You can Send 1 face-up monster on your field that is not an Effect Monster to the Graveyard; draw 2 cards'?" **Ojama Green** read out the card effect word for word, still not understanding what it meant.
"[Yellow], what's a 'monster that is not an Effect Monster'?" Beside **Ojama Green**, **Ojama Black** asked **Ojama Yellow**.
"Hmph hmph, isn't that simple? There are only so many types of Duel Monsters. A monster that isn't an Effect Monster, isn't that a Normal Monster?" **Ojama Yellow** pulled out a pair of glasses from somewhere—perhaps its four-dimensional pocket?—and put them on its floating eyeballs, pretending to be knowledgeable.
"Oh, so that means this card lets you Send a Normal Monster to the Graveyard and then draw two cards," **Ojama Red** on the side said understandingly, then looked around. "Which card is Aniki going to Send to the Graveyard?"
"Yeah, yeah," "There are no Normal Monsters, ne," "Aniki, you got it wrong."
The three **Ojama** brothers also looked around, and failing to find a "Normal Monster," they immediately reminded Hayato, "Aniki, you don't have any Normal Monsters on the field, ne. You played the wrong card!"
"You three really are idiots." Hayato rubbed his temples helplessly. Honestly, he'd rather play Dark Games with Marik, Bakura, Maximillion Pegasus, and others for three days and nights straight than deal with these three annoying fools. "Take a good look at your own feet."
"The one I'm Sending to the Graveyard is **Ojama Green**, who is a Normal Monster!"
"N-Nani?!"
As Hayato designated the target, **Ojama Green** discovered in horror that large amounts of light particles were floating out of its body, gradually turning transparent. It quickly reached out to grab its brothers beside it: "N-No, Aniki, don't throw me into the cold Graveyard, ne!"
"Save me, [Black], [Yellow]!"
Facing **Ojama Green**'s plea for help, **Ojama Black** and **Ojama Yellow** exchanged a rare look of understanding, then simultaneously turned their heads and started whistling and chatting: "The weather is great today, ne."
"The scenery here is nice too."
"The sea breeze feels so good."
Seeing its two brothers pretending not to hear it, **Ojama Green** shouted angrily, "You two faithless guys!" and pounced towards them. However, before it could carry out its final revenge, **The Cheep Chaining** fully took effect, and it was Sent to the Graveyard, while Hayato drew two cards.
With the number of cards in his hand now at five, Hayato pondered briefly, then looked at Yugi Mutou: "My current lineup on the field is probably enough for ordinary opponents. But if my opponent is you, Yugi Mutou, perhaps I should go a step further."
"Activate the Spell Card **Level Up!**. I Send **Armed Dragon LV5** on the field to the Graveyard and Special Summon **Armed Dragon LV7** from my Deck! Then, I Tribute **Armed Dragon LV7** on the field and Summon **Armed Dragon LV10** from my hand!"
To deal with Yugi Mutou, Hayato could be said to be going at full power. In just one turn, he gave **Armed Dragon** an acceleration boost, rapidly climbing from LV3 to LV10.
The three weak, pitiful, and helpless **Ojama** monsters were squeezed out of their original positions by the immensely swollen **Armed Dragon LV10**, hiding in a corner, terrified that their own ally might accidentally move and wipe them out.
[Armed Dragon LV10] [ATK 3000]
"Set a card. My turn ends." With the final two cards remaining in his hand, Hayato ended his turn.
