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# Chapter 345: Call Out My Name!
"As expected, you made that choice, Hayato. But I won't let you have your way!"
Watching the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon faithfully execute Hayato's command, charging resolutely in a suicidal Attack against his Slifer the Sky Dragon On the Field, Yugi also declared firmly, "During your Battle Phase, I Activate the Effect of a Card in my Graveyard!"
"By Banishing Electromagnetic Turtle from my Graveyard, I will end this Battle Phase immediately!"
Just as the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon's Attack was about to hit Slifer the Sky Dragon, a bionic turtle made of steel leaped out from Yugi's Graveyard Zone, blocking the way for Slifer the Sky Dragon.
Although Electromagnetic Turtle was Destroyed in an instant, the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon's Attack was also blocked, foiling Hayato's plan to take down Slifer the Sky Dragon with it.
However, Hayato wasn't surprised by the appearance of Electromagnetic Turtle. When Yugi used Magical Stone Excavation to Send to Graveyard Cards from his Hand earlier, he had guessed that one of them might be Electromagnetic Turtle. It turned out he was right.
Yugi looked at the protected Slifer the Sky Dragon with a confident smile, but as soon as he shifted his gaze to Hayato, he noticed that the tall VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon behind Hayato was rapidly falling apart!
Only then did Yugi notice that an revealed Spell Card had appeared on Hayato's Field.
"The Quick-Play Spell Card, Mysterious Chinese Pot. Anyway, by the Next Turn, VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon would have difficulty escaping the Destiny of being Destroyed by Slifer the Sky Dragon, so I must fry it up and eat it immediately."
[Hayato: 300 → 3300 LP]
Hayato Activated Mysterious Chinese Pot in a Chain to Electromagnetic Turtle's Effect, Tributeing VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon. This Operation left Yugi quite confused.
Even though he recovered 3000 Life Points, Hayato had lost the last Barrier On the Field. Wouldn't he still have to face Slifer the Sky Dragon's Direct Attack Next Turn?
Looking at the bewildered Yugi, Hayato smiled and said, "Yugi, did you know that there's a Linkage between the three Decks I use: Ojama, Armed Dragon, and XYZ?"
"It's not just Ojama Linkage with Armed Dragon or XYZ. The final form of XYZ—VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon—also has the ability to Linkage with Armed Dragon!"
"The Card I'm about to use next has been seen by no more than five people. So, here I come!"
Just as VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon was Send to Graveyard by Hayato, a red and blue light shone in the Graveyard Zone of the Duel Disk on Hayato's wrist.
Behind Hayato, the Armed Dragon LV7 that had appeared earlier and the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon that had just entered the Graveyard appeared as Phantom Images. They both bent sideways, their hands touching each other's fingers, converging into a giant orange Magic Orb.
"Only in a Duel where I have Special Summoned both Armed Dragon LV7 and VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon, I can Banish the above Cards from my Hand or Field or Graveyard to Special Summon Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon!!"
"Os!"
After the Magic Orb dissipated, the Monster that Hayato Summoned by Banishing two powerful Monsters that could be called series Terminals from his Graveyard revealed its true form—V-to-Z Dragon Catapult Cannon disassembled, transforming into sturdy Armor that attached itself to the robust Armed Dragon LV7. While compensating for Armed Dragon LV7's lack of mobility with mechanical Power, it also gained sufficient flexibility thanks to Armed Dragon LV7.
However, despite its imposing presence, because it was Summoned while Slifer the Sky Dragon was On the Field, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon had just managed to strike a cool pose, displaying its cool Armor and giant cannon, when it was blasted in the face by a Thunder Force passively Activated by Slifer the Sky Dragon.
[Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon] [10Star/LIGHT Attribute]
[Machine Type/Fusion/Effect]
[3500/3000 → 1500/3000]
Its cool entrance was ruined by Slifer the Sky Dragon, and although its ATK was inferior to Slifer the Sky Dragon, the unyielding Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon glared angrily at the disdainful Slifer the Sky Dragon in the sky. If the Battle Phase hadn't already passed, it would have likely foolishly Attacked Slifer the Sky Dragon, whose ATK far exceeded its own.
After Summoning Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, Yugi noticed Hayato hesitate while looking at his Hand. After glancing at his Slifer the Sky Dragon On the Field, he Set three Cards On the Field and Declared, "Set three Cards in my Hand. My Turn End."
[Hayato: 3300 LP, Hand 3]
[Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon] [ATK 1500]
[Set Card] X3
"My Turn, Draw Card." Yugi drew a Card from his Deck and saw that it was Dark Magician Girl, which had been Recycled back into the Deck earlier.
Because of the Mysterious Chinese Pot Hayato Activated last Turn, his Life Points had Recovered to 3300. Even though the 3000 ATK VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon was replaced by the 1500 ATK Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, and Slifer the Sky Dragon's ATK had also Increased to 4000, it was still difficult to Deplete Hayato's Life Points.
Moreover, Dark Yugi, who often watched Original Yugi's Duels, would not take the three Cards Hayato had just Set in his Backrow lightly.
Summoning other Monsters now would likely trigger the Traps Hayato had laid, not only failing to reduce Hayato's Life Points but also causing Slifer the Sky Dragon's ATK to decrease. Rather than doing that, it would be better to use Slifer the Sky Dragon, which ignores Traps, to Destroy Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon first.
As for the completely unknown Effect of Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, Yugi didn't pay it any mind. Since Hayato didn't Activate its Effect immediately after Summoning it, perhaps its Effect was Weak?
However, what Yugi completely failed to realize was that it wasn't that Hayato didn't want to actively use Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's Effect, but rather that he couldn't. Its Effect was one of the few in Duel Monsters that could only be Activated during the Opponent Duelist's Turn.
"Slifer the Sky Dragon, Attack Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon!" Yugi ordered with a wave of his hand, failing to notice the corner of Hayato's mouth curling up, "Superconductive Wave - Thunder Force!"
[Slifer the Sky Dragon] [ATK 4000]
The red long Dragon opened its gaping maw, and a beam of lightning instantly converged within its mouth, transforming into a Light Pillar that struck towards the weakened Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon on Hayato's Field.
Although slightly regretful that Yugi didn't Summon other Monsters or Set two Cards, Hayato still commanded, "This is fine. Go, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon!"
"Erase the God!"
"Nani?!"
To Yugi's astonished gaze, the Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, whose ATK was reduced to only 1500, showed no fear facing the incoming Attack from Slifer the Sky Dragon. It simply raised the metal cannon barrel in its hand resolutely, operating it at full Power.
A beam of orange light burst forth instantly, shattering the "Superconductive Wave - Thunder Force" in the blink of an eye and pushing it back towards the bewildered Slifer the Sky Dragon, directly pierced through its two mouths.
Slifer the Sky Dragon, possessing what could be called the strongest Protection in Duel Monsters, was actually countered when Attacking Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, which only had 1500 ATK?!
"How is that possible?!" Yugi wasn't the only one surprised. In the Audience Seats, Kaiba was even more agitated.
In his mind, the God Cards were the strongest Power in Duel Monsters, but right before his eyes, Slifer, one of the Three Egyptian God Cards alongside Obelisk, was actually slain!
"How did that guy Hayato do it?"
What Joey Wheeler said was the common question in everyone's hearts at this moment.
And Hayato didn't leave them in doubt for too long. Facing Yugi's questioning Gaze, Hayato explained, "Indeed, the Protection of the God Cards is in some ways almost impregnable."
"They are unaffected by Monster Effects of Monsters below Level 10☆, Spell Cards not Activated in the current Turn, and Trap Cards targeting the God itself. They cannot be Destroyed by Effect by Cards other than Gods. Spell Cards Activated in the current Turn and Monster Effects of Monsters Level 10 or higher, unless they are Divine Attribute Monster Effects, only last for one Turn."
"But in other words, if there is a Monster that is Level 10☆ or higher, whose Effect is not Destroying, wouldn't it just happen to counter the God's Protection?" Hayato said, pointing to the imposing Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon On the Field.
"Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, because the movement aspects are entirely handled by Armed Dragon LV7, VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon can concentrate all its Power into one point. But because of this, its startup speed becomes much slower, making it impossible to use actively during my Turn."
"Once per Opponent Duelist's Turn, I Activate this Effect by Banishing one Card from my Deck, Banishing all Cards On the Field or in the Graveyard of the Opponent Duelist."
After taking down the high and mighty God with one shot, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon became even more rampant. It turned its cannon barrel towards Yugi's Graveyard Zone and fired another shot. With this shot, all the Cards in Yugi's Graveyard vanished without a trace in an instant, including the Three Knights Yugi used to Summon the God earlier, and the Mystical Swordsman of the Forest who had been slacking the whole time.
"All my Monsters were Banished!" Yugi widened his eyes, looking somewhat helplessly as all the Cards in his Graveyard were Banished from Play. "Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon actually has such a Powerful Effect, I was really careless."
"Not only that, as long as Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon is On the Field, the Opponent Duelist cannot Activate the Effects of Cards with the same Name as the Cards that have been Banished by Both players," Hayato added. "This means that Cards like Card of Demise, Pot of Avarice, Magical Stone Excavation, and Cost Down, even if you have a second or third copy in your Deck, you cannot use them if you Draw Card them."
Although on the surface, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's Banish Effect has extremely strong field-clearing ability, Hayato felt that its most powerful aspect was actually its Banish Seal ability. To say nothing else, Players who focus on Banish and Send to Graveyard, like Thunder Dragon Players, would practically drop dead on the spot if they faced Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon.
Yugi took two deep breaths before he Recovered from the shock of a God being 'destroyed' by an Effect. He was somewhat relieved that thanks to the threat of the three Cards Hayato had Set, he hadn't Summoned any Monsters and incurred additional losses. Now, even though the God had been repelled, he still had the Power to Counter.
After all, a God Card is just a powerful Power. What truly determines the outcome of a Duel is the Strength of the Duelist.
"I Normal Summon Magician's Valkyria, then Activate its Effect. This Turn, I can perform an additional Tribute Summon of a Spellcaster Type Monster. I Tribute it as a Tribute, and Tribute Summon Dark Magician Girl in Attack Position!"
Dark Magician Girl, who had been Send to Graveyard by Armed Dragon LV10 in the previous Duel, returned to the Field. Noticing the Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon opposite her, Dark Magician Girl showed a pouting expression, seemingly wanting Revenge, and glanced at Yugi.
Yugi nodded helplessly to comfort her, "Wait a moment, Dark Magician Girl, you'll get your chance for Revenge."
"When Magician's Valkyria is Send to Graveyard from the Field, its second Effect Activates. I can Add to Hand one Spellcaster Type Normal Monster from my Deck or Graveyard. I choose Dark Magician."
After Search Decking for the Dark Magician Card and Add to Hand, Yugi had three Cards left in his Hand. Because he had used the Fusion Card when Summoning Celestial Knight earlier, after it was Banished by Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, Yugi's ability to use Fusion and Cards with the same Name was Sealed. But fortunately, his Deck contained Cards with similar Fusion Effects.
"I Activate the Spell Card, Dark Magic Secret Art. I Send to Graveyard the Fusion Materials from my Hand or Field required for a Fusion Monster Card that includes Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl. The Fusion Materials I choose are Dark Magician Girl On the Field and Dark Magician that just joined my Hand."
"Fusion Summon, Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple!"
The Card Yugi had just added to his Hand was Send to Graveyard. A dark purplish-red Vortex appeared on Yugi's Field, and Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl stood together under a very perfunctory Effect covering them, completing the Fusion.
[Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple] [8Star/DARK Attribute]
[Spellcaster Type/Fusion/Effect]
[2800/2300]
Seeing the appearance of Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple, Hayato didn't hesitate and immediately Activated his Set Card in the Backrow: "So Powerful, too Powerful. I Activate my Set Card, Bottomless Trap Hole."
"When the Opponent Duelist Summons, Flip Summons, or Special Summons a Monster with 1500 or more ATK, Destroy and Banish those Monsters with 1500 or more ATK!"
A bottomless, deep Pitfall appeared beneath the feet of Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple, who had just finished Fusion and was striking a cool pose. However, Dark Magician reacted quickly. Before falling into the Bottomless Trap Hole, he pushed Dark Magician Girl in mid-air. Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl landed on either side of the Bottomless Trap Hole, completely unharmed.
However, this was just the scene displayed by the Virtual Projection.
"It's Bottomless Trap Hole, you really waited a long time," Yugi said helplessly. "Although Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple was ultimately Banished, there was indeed a process of being Destroyed. When it is Destroyed, I can Activate its Effect. I Special Summon one Dark Magician and one Dark Magician Girl from my Graveyard, Hand, or Deck."
[Dark Magician] [ATK 2500]
[Dark Magician Girl] [ATK 2000 → 2300]
Hayato noticed that the Dark Magician Yugi Special Summoned using Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple's Effect was not the same Dark Magician he had Send to Graveyard when Fusion Summoning Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple, but another one Special Summoned from the Deck.
Because of this, with one Dark Magician in the Graveyard, the ATK of Dark Magician Girl on Yugi's Field Increased by 300.
On paper, the combined ATK of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl on Yugi's Field had reached 4800, which was exactly equal to Hayato's Life Points of 3300 plus Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's 1500 ATK. However, Yugi's Battle Phase for this Turn had already passed, so even though he had enough ATK, he couldn't Destroy Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon.
Setting his last Card in Hand On the Field, Yugi Declared, "Set a Card. My Turn, End."
[Yugi: 1400 LP, Hand 0]
[Dark Magician] [ATK 2500]
[Dark Magician Girl] [ATK 2300]
[Set Card]
"My Turn, Draw Card."
Hayato Draw Card a Card and showed a mischievous smile: "Although Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon has the Effect of Sealing Cards with the same Name as Banished Cards, this ability only targets you, Yugi."
"I Activate the Spell Card, Magical Stone Excavation. By Discarding two Cards from my Hand, I Recycle one Spell Card from my Graveyard." Saying this, Hayato Discarded two Cards from his Hand, Recycled a Spell Card from his Graveyard back to his Hand, and showed it to Yugi, "The Card I Recycled is Limiter Removal."
"Although its main body is Armed Dragon, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's primary Attack method is handled by V-to-Z Dragon Catapult Cannon, so it is classified as Machine Type. I Activate the Equip Spell Card, Card 7, and Equip it to Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon to Increase its ATK. Then I Activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, Limiter Removal!"
The Armor on Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon began operating at full Power, even overloading. White smoke began to rise from the overheating. Armed Dragon felt the Power that had been stripped away by Thunder Force return to its body, and it couldn't help but let out a long roar towards the sky:
"Roar!!"
[Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon] [ATK 1500 → 2200 → 4400]
"This is the final blow, Yugi!" Hayato pointed at Dark Magician Girl on Yugi's Field. "Although it's regrettable, my Target is also the King of Games. Let's decide the outcome with this Attack!"
"Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, Attack Dark Magician Girl! Annihilation Utopia!"
With the Thrusters behind it Activated, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, despite its large size, moved with astonishing speed. In just an instant, it swept across half the Field and charged towards Dark Magician Girl. Dark Magician Girl only had time to unleash a Magic Orb to try and block it, but the times had changed. Dark Magician Girl was Destroyed and Send to Graveyard in an instant.
Yugi was also pushed back half a step by the aftermath of the Attack, and his Life Points decreased accordingly.
[Yugi: 1400 → -700]
"Hmm, he took 2100 Damage."
Hayato glanced at the amount Yugi's Life Points decreased, and nodded. It was exactly as he calculated.
"Huh?!"
"At the moment of Damage Calculation, I Activated this Card." Yugi, who was slightly out of breath from taking 2100 Damage, still had a confident smile on his face. "Nutrient Z. I can only Activate it when I receive 2000 or more Battle Damage. At that Damage Calculation, I Recover 4000 Life Points."
"As fellow Duelists, Hayato, I can feel your Duelist's Heart that yearns for Victory, but that's not enough to eliminate me just yet. I also have reasons why I must keep winning."
"When it comes to the desire and Resolve for Victory, I won't lose to you. I haven't lost yet!"
Looking at the determined expression on Yugi's face, Hayato was also startled, then smiled: "Is that so? My apologies, I thought too simply. I actually thought I could end the Duel with you so easily."
"My Turn End. Well then, continue, Yugi!"
As Hayato Declared the End of his Turn, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon exploded with a roar due to overload. The blast of air blew back Hayato's hanging hair. With no Cards left in his Hand, he raised his hand and brushed his Bangs upwards. His previously low-hanging hair stood up as if gelled.
[Hayato: 3300 LP, Hand 0]
[Set Card] X2
In the previous Turn, Hayato had gambled everything upon seeing a chance for Victory. After Yugi successfully withstood Hayato's Attack, the drawback of Hayato's gamble became apparent. He was left with only the last two Set Cards On the Field, while Yugi still had a Dark Magician On the Field.
"My Turn, Draw Card."
After dropping low, Both players' Life Points had successively Recovered to the same 3300 points. As a price, Both players' Hands and Resources On the Field were basically consumed.
The Card Yugi drew was Mystical Space Typhoon, which has the simple and brutal Effect of directly Destroying one Spell/Trap Card. But the problem was that Hayato had two Set Cards in his Backrow, and Yugi could only choose one of them to Destroy.
In other words, it was time to rely on the "Duelist's Intuition" again.
Yugi thought for a moment, inserted Mystical Space Typhoon into his Spell & Trap Zone on the Duel Disk, and pointed at one of the Set Cards on Hayato's Field: "I Activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, Mystical Space Typhoon! I choose to Destroy the Set Card on your right, Hayato!"
"As expected, you made that choice, Hayato. But I won't let you have your way!"
Watching the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon faithfully execute Hayato's command, charging resolutely in a suicidal Attack against his Slifer the Sky Dragon On the Field, Yugi also declared firmly, "During your Battle Phase, I Activate the Effect of a Card in my Graveyard!"
"By Banishing Electromagnetic Turtle from my Graveyard, I will end this Battle Phase immediately!"
Just as the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon's Attack was about to hit Slifer the Sky Dragon, a bionic turtle made of steel leaped out from Yugi's Graveyard Zone, blocking the way for Slifer the Sky Dragon.
Although Electromagnetic Turtle was Destroyed in an instant, the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon's Attack was also blocked, foiling Hayato's plan to take down Slifer the Sky Dragon with it.
However, Hayato wasn't surprised by the appearance of Electromagnetic Turtle. When Yugi used Magical Stone Excavation to Send to Graveyard Cards from his Hand earlier, he had guessed that one of them might be Electromagnetic Turtle. It turned out he was right.
Yugi looked at the protected Slifer the Sky Dragon with a confident smile, but as soon as he shifted his gaze to Hayato, he noticed that the tall VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon behind Hayato was rapidly falling apart!
Only then did Yugi notice that an revealed Spell Card had appeared on Hayato's Field.
"The Quick-Play Spell Card, Mysterious Chinese Pot. Anyway, by the Next Turn, VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon would have difficulty escaping the Destiny of being Destroyed by Slifer the Sky Dragon, so I must fry it up and eat it immediately."
[Hayato: 300 → 3300 LP]
Hayato Activated Mysterious Chinese Pot in a Chain to Electromagnetic Turtle's Effect, Tributeing VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon. This Operation left Yugi quite confused.
Even though he recovered 3000 Life Points, Hayato had lost the last Barrier On the Field. Wouldn't he still have to face Slifer the Sky Dragon's Direct Attack Next Turn?
Looking at the bewildered Yugi, Hayato smiled and said, "Yugi, did you know that there's a Linkage between the three Decks I use: Ojama, Armed Dragon, and XYZ?"
"It's not just Ojama Linkage with Armed Dragon or XYZ. The final form of XYZ—VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon—also has the ability to Linkage with Armed Dragon!"
"The Card I'm about to use next has been seen by no more than five people. So, here I come!"
Just as VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon was Send to Graveyard by Hayato, a red and blue light shone in the Graveyard Zone of the Duel Disk on Hayato's wrist.
Behind Hayato, the Armed Dragon LV7 that had appeared earlier and the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon that had just entered the Graveyard appeared as Phantom Images. They both bent sideways, their hands touching each other's fingers, converging into a giant orange Magic Orb.
"Only in a Duel where I have Special Summoned both Armed Dragon LV7 and VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon, I can Banish the above Cards from my Hand or Field or Graveyard to Special Summon Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon!!"
"Os!"
After the Magic Orb dissipated, the Monster that Hayato Summoned by Banishing two powerful Monsters that could be called series Terminals from his Graveyard revealed its true form—V-to-Z Dragon Catapult Cannon disassembled, transforming into sturdy Armor that attached itself to the robust Armed Dragon LV7. While compensating for Armed Dragon LV7's lack of mobility with mechanical Power, it also gained sufficient flexibility thanks to Armed Dragon LV7.
However, despite its imposing presence, because it was Summoned while Slifer the Sky Dragon was On the Field, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon had just managed to strike a cool pose, displaying its cool Armor and giant cannon, when it was blasted in the face by a Thunder Force passively Activated by Slifer the Sky Dragon.
[Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon] [10Star/LIGHT Attribute]
[Machine Type/Fusion/Effect]
[3500/3000 → 1500/3000]
Its cool entrance was ruined by Slifer the Sky Dragon, and although its ATK was inferior to Slifer the Sky Dragon, the unyielding Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon glared angrily at the disdainful Slifer the Sky Dragon in the sky. If the Battle Phase hadn't already passed, it would have likely foolishly Attacked Slifer the Sky Dragon, whose ATK far exceeded its own.
After Summoning Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, Yugi noticed Hayato hesitate while looking at his Hand. After glancing at his Slifer the Sky Dragon On the Field, he Set three Cards On the Field and Declared, "Set three Cards in my Hand. My Turn End."
[Hayato: 3300 LP, Hand 3]
[Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon] [ATK 1500]
[Set Card] X3
"My Turn, Draw Card." Yugi drew a Card from his Deck and saw that it was Dark Magician Girl, which had been Recycled back into the Deck earlier.
Because of the Mysterious Chinese Pot Hayato Activated last Turn, his Life Points had Recovered to 3300. Even though the 3000 ATK VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon was replaced by the 1500 ATK Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, and Slifer the Sky Dragon's ATK had also Increased to 4000, it was still difficult to Deplete Hayato's Life Points.
Moreover, Dark Yugi, who often watched Original Yugi's Duels, would not take the three Cards Hayato had just Set in his Backrow lightly.
Summoning other Monsters now would likely trigger the Traps Hayato had laid, not only failing to reduce Hayato's Life Points but also causing Slifer the Sky Dragon's ATK to decrease. Rather than doing that, it would be better to use Slifer the Sky Dragon, which ignores Traps, to Destroy Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon first.
As for the completely unknown Effect of Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, Yugi didn't pay it any mind. Since Hayato didn't Activate its Effect immediately after Summoning it, perhaps its Effect was Weak?
However, what Yugi completely failed to realize was that it wasn't that Hayato didn't want to actively use Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's Effect, but rather that he couldn't. Its Effect was one of the few in Duel Monsters that could only be Activated during the Opponent Duelist's Turn.
"Slifer the Sky Dragon, Attack Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon!" Yugi ordered with a wave of his hand, failing to notice the corner of Hayato's mouth curling up, "Superconductive Wave - Thunder Force!"
[Slifer the Sky Dragon] [ATK 4000]
The red long Dragon opened its gaping maw, and a beam of lightning instantly converged within its mouth, transforming into a Light Pillar that struck towards the weakened Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon on Hayato's Field.
Although slightly regretful that Yugi didn't Summon other Monsters or Set two Cards, Hayato still commanded, "This is fine. Go, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon!"
"Erase the God!"
"Nani?!"
To Yugi's astonished gaze, the Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, whose ATK was reduced to only 1500, showed no fear facing the incoming Attack from Slifer the Sky Dragon. It simply raised the metal cannon barrel in its hand resolutely, operating it at full Power.
A beam of orange light burst forth instantly, shattering the "Superconductive Wave - Thunder Force" in the blink of an eye and pushing it back towards the bewildered Slifer the Sky Dragon, directly pierced through its two mouths.
Slifer the Sky Dragon, possessing what could be called the strongest Protection in Duel Monsters, was actually countered when Attacking Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, which only had 1500 ATK?!
"How is that possible?!" Yugi wasn't the only one surprised. In the Audience Seats, Kaiba was even more agitated.
In his mind, the God Cards were the strongest Power in Duel Monsters, but right before his eyes, Slifer, one of the Three Egyptian God Cards alongside Obelisk, was actually slain!
"How did that guy Hayato do it?"
What Joey Wheeler said was the common question in everyone's hearts at this moment.
And Hayato didn't leave them in doubt for too long. Facing Yugi's questioning Gaze, Hayato explained, "Indeed, the Protection of the God Cards is in some ways almost impregnable."
"They are unaffected by Monster Effects of Monsters below Level 10☆, Spell Cards not Activated in the current Turn, and Trap Cards targeting the God itself. They cannot be Destroyed by Effect by Cards other than Gods. Spell Cards Activated in the current Turn and Monster Effects of Monsters Level 10 or higher, unless they are Divine Attribute Monster Effects, only last for one Turn."
"But in other words, if there is a Monster that is Level 10☆ or higher, whose Effect is not Destroying, wouldn't it just happen to counter the God's Protection?" Hayato said, pointing to the imposing Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon On the Field.
"Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, because the movement aspects are entirely handled by Armed Dragon LV7, VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon can concentrate all its Power into one point. But because of this, its startup speed becomes much slower, making it impossible to use actively during my Turn."
"Once per Opponent Duelist's Turn, I Activate this Effect by Banishing one Card from my Deck, Banishing all Cards On the Field or in the Graveyard of the Opponent Duelist."
After taking down the high and mighty God with one shot, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon became even more rampant. It turned its cannon barrel towards Yugi's Graveyard Zone and fired another shot. With this shot, all the Cards in Yugi's Graveyard vanished without a trace in an instant, including the Three Knights Yugi used to Summon the God earlier, and the Mystical Swordsman of the Forest who had been slacking the whole time.
"All my Monsters were Banished!" Yugi widened his eyes, looking somewhat helplessly as all the Cards in his Graveyard were Banished from Play. "Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon actually has such a Powerful Effect, I was really careless."
"Not only that, as long as Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon is On the Field, the Opponent Duelist cannot Activate the Effects of Cards with the same Name as the Cards that have been Banished by Both players," Hayato added. "This means that Cards like Card of Demise, Pot of Avarice, Magical Stone Excavation, and Cost Down, even if you have a second or third copy in your Deck, you cannot use them if you Draw Card them."
Although on the surface, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's Banish Effect has extremely strong field-clearing ability, Hayato felt that its most powerful aspect was actually its Banish Seal ability. To say nothing else, Players who focus on Banish and Send to Graveyard, like Thunder Dragon Players, would practically drop dead on the spot if they faced Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon.
Yugi took two deep breaths before he Recovered from the shock of a God being 'destroyed' by an Effect. He was somewhat relieved that thanks to the threat of the three Cards Hayato had Set, he hadn't Summoned any Monsters and incurred additional losses. Now, even though the God had been repelled, he still had the Power to Counter.
After all, a God Card is just a powerful Power. What truly determines the outcome of a Duel is the Strength of the Duelist.
"I Normal Summon Magician's Valkyria, then Activate its Effect. This Turn, I can perform an additional Tribute Summon of a Spellcaster Type Monster. I Tribute it as a Tribute, and Tribute Summon Dark Magician Girl in Attack Position!"
Dark Magician Girl, who had been Send to Graveyard by Armed Dragon LV10 in the previous Duel, returned to the Field. Noticing the Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon opposite her, Dark Magician Girl showed a pouting expression, seemingly wanting Revenge, and glanced at Yugi.
Yugi nodded helplessly to comfort her, "Wait a moment, Dark Magician Girl, you'll get your chance for Revenge."
"When Magician's Valkyria is Send to Graveyard from the Field, its second Effect Activates. I can Add to Hand one Spellcaster Type Normal Monster from my Deck or Graveyard. I choose Dark Magician."
After Search Decking for the Dark Magician Card and Add to Hand, Yugi had three Cards left in his Hand. Because he had used the Fusion Card when Summoning Celestial Knight earlier, after it was Banished by Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, Yugi's ability to use Fusion and Cards with the same Name was Sealed. But fortunately, his Deck contained Cards with similar Fusion Effects.
"I Activate the Spell Card, Dark Magic Secret Art. I Send to Graveyard the Fusion Materials from my Hand or Field required for a Fusion Monster Card that includes Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl. The Fusion Materials I choose are Dark Magician Girl On the Field and Dark Magician that just joined my Hand."
"Fusion Summon, Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple!"
The Card Yugi had just added to his Hand was Send to Graveyard. A dark purplish-red Vortex appeared on Yugi's Field, and Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl stood together under a very perfunctory Effect covering them, completing the Fusion.
[Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple] [8Star/DARK Attribute]
[Spellcaster Type/Fusion/Effect]
[2800/2300]
Seeing the appearance of Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple, Hayato didn't hesitate and immediately Activated his Set Card in the Backrow: "So Powerful, too Powerful. I Activate my Set Card, Bottomless Trap Hole."
"When the Opponent Duelist Summons, Flip Summons, or Special Summons a Monster with 1500 or more ATK, Destroy and Banish those Monsters with 1500 or more ATK!"
A bottomless, deep Pitfall appeared beneath the feet of Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple, who had just finished Fusion and was striking a cool pose. However, Dark Magician reacted quickly. Before falling into the Bottomless Trap Hole, he pushed Dark Magician Girl in mid-air. Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl landed on either side of the Bottomless Trap Hole, completely unharmed.
However, this was just the scene displayed by the Virtual Projection.
"It's Bottomless Trap Hole, you really waited a long time," Yugi said helplessly. "Although Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple was ultimately Banished, there was indeed a process of being Destroyed. When it is Destroyed, I can Activate its Effect. I Special Summon one Dark Magician and one Dark Magician Girl from my Graveyard, Hand, or Deck."
[Dark Magician] [ATK 2500]
[Dark Magician Girl] [ATK 2000 → 2300]
Hayato noticed that the Dark Magician Yugi Special Summoned using Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple's Effect was not the same Dark Magician he had Send to Graveyard when Fusion Summoning Archmage - Dark Magician and Disciple, but another one Special Summoned from the Deck.
Because of this, with one Dark Magician in the Graveyard, the ATK of Dark Magician Girl on Yugi's Field Increased by 300.
On paper, the combined ATK of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl on Yugi's Field had reached 4800, which was exactly equal to Hayato's Life Points of 3300 plus Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's 1500 ATK. However, Yugi's Battle Phase for this Turn had already passed, so even though he had enough ATK, he couldn't Destroy Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon.
Setting his last Card in Hand On the Field, Yugi Declared, "Set a Card. My Turn, End."
[Yugi: 1400 LP, Hand 0]
[Dark Magician] [ATK 2500]
[Dark Magician Girl] [ATK 2300]
[Set Card]
"My Turn, Draw Card."
Hayato Draw Card a Card and showed a mischievous smile: "Although Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon has the Effect of Sealing Cards with the same Name as Banished Cards, this ability only targets you, Yugi."
"I Activate the Spell Card, Magical Stone Excavation. By Discarding two Cards from my Hand, I Recycle one Spell Card from my Graveyard." Saying this, Hayato Discarded two Cards from his Hand, Recycled a Spell Card from his Graveyard back to his Hand, and showed it to Yugi, "The Card I Recycled is Limiter Removal."
"Although its main body is Armed Dragon, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's primary Attack method is handled by V-to-Z Dragon Catapult Cannon, so it is classified as Machine Type. I Activate the Equip Spell Card, Card 7, and Equip it to Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon to Increase its ATK. Then I Activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, Limiter Removal!"
The Armor on Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon began operating at full Power, even overloading. White smoke began to rise from the overheating. Armed Dragon felt the Power that had been stripped away by Thunder Force return to its body, and it couldn't help but let out a long roar towards the sky:
"Roar!!"
[Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon] [ATK 1500 → 2200 → 4400]
"This is the final blow, Yugi!" Hayato pointed at Dark Magician Girl on Yugi's Field. "Although it's regrettable, my Target is also the King of Games. Let's decide the outcome with this Attack!"
"Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, Attack Dark Magician Girl! Annihilation Utopia!"
With the Thrusters behind it Activated, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, despite its large size, moved with astonishing speed. In just an instant, it swept across half the Field and charged towards Dark Magician Girl. Dark Magician Girl only had time to unleash a Magic Orb to try and block it, but the times had changed. Dark Magician Girl was Destroyed and Send to Graveyard in an instant.
Yugi was also pushed back half a step by the aftermath of the Attack, and his Life Points decreased accordingly.
[Yugi: 1400 → -700]
"Hmm, he took 2100 Damage."
Hayato glanced at the amount Yugi's Life Points decreased, and nodded. It was exactly as he calculated.
"Huh?!"
"At the moment of Damage Calculation, I Activated this Card." Yugi, who was slightly out of breath from taking 2100 Damage, still had a confident smile on his face. "Nutrient Z. I can only Activate it when I receive 2000 or more Battle Damage. At that Damage Calculation, I Recover 4000 Life Points."
"As fellow Duelists, Hayato, I can feel your Duelist's Heart that yearns for Victory, but that's not enough to eliminate me just yet. I also have reasons why I must keep winning."
"When it comes to the desire and Resolve for Victory, I won't lose to you. I haven't lost yet!"
Looking at the determined expression on Yugi's face, Hayato was also startled, then smiled: "Is that so? My apologies, I thought too simply. I actually thought I could end the Duel with you so easily."
"My Turn End. Well then, continue, Yugi!"
As Hayato Declared the End of his Turn, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon exploded with a roar due to overload. The blast of air blew back Hayato's hanging hair. With no Cards left in his Hand, he raised his hand and brushed his Bangs upwards. His previously low-hanging hair stood up as if gelled.
[Hayato: 3300 LP, Hand 0]
[Set Card] X2
In the previous Turn, Hayato had gambled everything upon seeing a chance for Victory. After Yugi successfully withstood Hayato's Attack, the drawback of Hayato's gamble became apparent. He was left with only the last two Set Cards On the Field, while Yugi still had a Dark Magician On the Field.
"My Turn, Draw Card."
After dropping low, Both players' Life Points had successively Recovered to the same 3300 points. As a price, Both players' Hands and Resources On the Field were basically consumed.
The Card Yugi drew was Mystical Space Typhoon, which has the simple and brutal Effect of directly Destroying one Spell/Trap Card. But the problem was that Hayato had two Set Cards in his Backrow, and Yugi could only choose one of them to Destroy.
In other words, it was time to rely on the "Duelist's Intuition" again.
Yugi thought for a moment, inserted Mystical Space Typhoon into his Spell & Trap Zone on the Duel Disk, and pointed at one of the Set Cards on Hayato's Field: "I Activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, Mystical Space Typhoon! I choose to Destroy the Set Card on your right, Hayato!"
