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# Chapter 373: Be Banished to the Darkness Along with the Truth
Harpie's Feather Duster, a powerful Spell Card that, aside from its name, has practically no connection to the Harpie Lady Deck. Although not as rare as Red-Eyes Black Dragon, it still possesses a considerably high rarity.
Even after giving one each to Hayato and Joey Wheeler, Mai Valentine still had three in her hand.
The effect of Harpie's Feather Duster is very simple: without any cost, it directly destroys all Spell/Trap Cards on the opponent's field. It's practically the "table-flipping" card of backrow destruction.
Of course, in terms of practicality, Heavy Storm, which can also blow up your own cards, is more useful. However, given the current situation on the field, Harpie's Feather Duster was more than enough.
As Hayato raised Harpie's Feather Duster high and slammed it onto his Duel Disk, a giant feather duster appeared out of thin air. With just one swing, it instantly whipped up a violent tornado, depleting all five cards on D.D.'s backrow in one go!
Whether it was Misdirection, Absorption Shield, Adhesion Trap Hole, or the Axe of Despair and Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca equipped to Plasma - D!
"D-damn it! All my cards were—!" Seeing his full backrow instantly depleted by "Shin Kuroto Dan" with a single card, D.D.'s confidence twisted into panic in an instant. "Now, my Plasma - D—!"
"Huh? What strange things are you saying?" Hayato played Change of Heart, looking at Plasma - D, which had lost the protection provided by Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca and had its control transferred to his field, and showed a wide smile.
"Look, isn't Plasma - D clearly my card?"
It wasn't just Plasma - D that was brought to Hayato's field, but also the young Aster Phoenix, who was being held hostage under Plasma - D's control by D.D.'s command.
"Hehehe, boy, sing and praise the benevolence of God to your heart's content!" As he spoke, Hayato waved his hand, signaling Aster Phoenix to move back and away from the field. Aster Phoenix obediently retreated several steps and stood behind Hayato. "Because the game that's about to take place is adult content, only for those eighteen and over."
Although, coming from Hayato, who was also under eighteen, this statement held no persuasive power whatsoever.
Aster Phoenix obediently stepped back half a step, looking at D.D. on the opposite field with a face full of unwillingness and rage, and Hayato with a confident smile.
Although he always referred to himself as God in a chuunibyou manner when speaking, and although his smile was so sinister it made one feel like he was the villain, at this moment, Aster Phoenix suddenly felt that this man named "Shin Kuroto Dan" was truly a real hero!
Even after just taking a fatal blow from the bastard D.D., with his Life Points dropping to just 1, he could still smile and create a miraculous victory. Aster Phoenix couldn't help but feel ashamed of the fear he had felt inside when he heard "Shin Kuroto Dan" say he was going to "take his life".
D.D.'s state of mind was completely different from Aster Phoenix's.
The meticulous defense set up in his backrow was depleted by one card, and his powerful monster was taken control of and moved to the opponent's field. At this moment, D.D.'s face seemed to wear a mask of pain, and his gaze towards "Shin Kuroto Dan" was full of panic.
Seeing that "Shin Kuroto Dan" was about to issue the attack command to Plasma - D, D.D. was unwilling to accept defeat just like that. He was about to open his mouth to beg for mercy when he heard "Shin Kuroto Dan" on the opposite side looking at the Plasma - D card and nodding repeatedly.
"Hmm, I see. A card inhabited by a soul, truly a genius design. Only this kind of card is worth being included in the game."
"So, D.D., as punishment for opposing me, I shall reveal your 'truth'!"
As he spoke, Hayato glanced at D.D., then turned his head to Aster Phoenix and showed a smile: "Aster Phoenix, why would D.D. commit murder just for a card? Why did D.D. become your guardian? Why has D.D. never used the Plasma - D card!"
"There is only one answer, Aster Phoenix! That is, D.D.'s own kind soul has long been devoured by Plasma - D. The one currently occupying D.D.'s body is an evil soul!"
"What?! Is that how it is!" Aster Phoenix was shocked upon hearing Hayato's words, looking at the bewildered D.D.. "D.D.'s body was actually possessed by an evil power!"
"Precisely! Within the Plasma - D card, the soul of the kind D.D. told me everything." Hayato put on a moved expression. "I never expected the truth to be like this. Evil soul, your destiny shall be changed by me!"
D.D. frowned: "I'm dead? How would I not know? What the hell is an evil soul? I am clearly D.D. him—"
"Silence, Evil Demon! Do not attempt to deceive us with words!" Hayato put on a righteous facade. "I shall take revenge for D.D., who sacrificed himself for justice!"
"Judgment time has arrived. I shall claim victory in this duel." Hayato issued a command to Plasma - D on his field. "To give you the final blow with your own monster... Yosh, name decided!"
"The Unflushed Poop Demon's—Chantala Blood Rain!"
"That's not it, I am clearly—!"
D.D. desperately tried to speak to prove that he was D.D. himself, but saw Plasma - D on Hayato's field instantly transform into a water pillar composed of blood. In the blink of an eye, it struck D.D.'s abdomen, causing him pain and preventing him from speaking further.
Immediately after, the overflowing blood gathered towards D.D. again, completely surrounding his body in a translucent sphere. While unable to move, he could no longer make any sound.
Wearing the blade-like Duel Disk, Hayato calmly paced over to D.D., who was surrounded by blood. He reached into the blood sphere and pulled, grabbing D.D.'s head and pressing it against his own, whispering softly into his ear: "Just kidding, how could I not know you're D.D. himself?"
"Ugh!" D.D. tried to open his mouth to curse, with Hayato holding his head, but Hayato's hand pressed down too tightly, preventing D.D. from even opening his jaw to speak.
"Seriously, scum like you deserve to die. You were just a waste to begin with, and out of greed, you stole someone else's cards, and then killed someone after being discovered." Hayato held D.D.'s jaw, a look of disgust on his face. "Although the Light of Destruction incited that last step, the fact that you're scum hasn't changed in the slightest."
"Afterwards, in order to stay informed about the case investigation in real-time, you bastard shamelessly became the guardian of the child whose father you murdered, and even used the father's cards to kill for pleasure in underground duel arenas. There aren't many people as despicable as you, D.D.."
Saying this, Hayato released D.D.'s head, but before he could beg for mercy, the blood sphere pulled him back in.
"You should perhaps thank me. Originally, after your past actions were exposed, you would only become the object of that boy's hatred, and your reputation would be infamously bad. But now, with my 'help', that child will only remember that you were actually a hero who sacrificed himself to fight against the darkness."
"To some extent, I've fulfilled your dream."
Grabbing D.D.'s shoulders with both hands, Hayato straightened his right leg behind him. "Now, not in the name of 'Dan Kuroto', but in the name of 'Kobayashi Hayato',"
"Be banished to the darkness along with the truth, D.D.!"
With a sudden lift of his leg and a knee strike, the power of the Millennium Item held by Hayato actively participated in the punishment of this duel. As the blood sphere surrounding D.D. violently exploded, D.D.'s soul was completely destroyed and annihilated.
"Fuc—" Even his final curse, D.D. couldn't utter.
Along with this, the power of the Light of Destruction, which was too late to withdraw from D.D.'s body and return to the Plasma - D card, was also severely damaged. With a malicious roar that no one but Hayato noticed, the power of the Light of Destruction vanished from D.D.'s body.
[D.D.: 1 LP → 0]
This Dark Game, initiated by D.D., ultimately ended with D.D.'s defeat. And right as the duel concluded, Hayato also received the duel settlement reward delivered punctually by the system.
Because his Life Points were suppressed to only 1, and he ended the game on the fifth turn, plus achieving difficult conditions like "finishing off the opponent with their own monster" and "not receiving battle damage", Hayato gained a full 1000 DP this time.
However, what surprised and also pleased him was that D.D. had left him a gift—dropping the highest reward obtainable from dueling him, D-Hero - Plasma.
Although the D-Hero - Plasma Hayato obtained was the Physical Card Version, losing the ability to "gain the effects of equipped monsters", Relatively, the Physical Card Version combined the ability to negate the effects of monsters on the field, which the Anime Version D-Hero - Plasma needed the synergy of D-Force to obtain, onto a single card. Rounding up or down, it wasn't considered a buff or a nerf.
Maintaining his usual good habit, he casually took all the cards from the fallen D.D.'s Duel Disk. Glancing at the young Aster Phoenix, who was still immersed in D.D.'s death, Hayato took out a few cards and walked over to him.
"D-Hero - Plasma's card, recovered. But its appearance is truly ugly, completely unfitting my aesthetic." With a disgusted expression, Hayato performed a flexible bend at the waist, looking down at the sad-faced Aster Phoenix. "Answer me, your name."
"Me?" Aster Phoenix looked at the lively Hayato and said politely, "My name is Aster Phoenix, Mr. God Dan Kuroto."
"Not Dan Kuroto, but Shin Kuroto Dan!" Casually changing his name again, Hayato shoved the few cards in his hand into Aster Phoenix's arms. "These terrible cards are a perfect match for an idiot like you who can't even remember my name. Quickly take these few cards and disappear from my sight!"
Ignoring the dumbfounded Aster Phoenix, Hayato's gaze glanced towards the face of the man who had appeared behind Aster Phoenix. That man looked very similar to Aster Phoenix.
What Hayato had just said wasn't entirely false. He hadn't seen D.D.'s soul in the D-Hero - Plasma card, but the souls of the dead who had lost their lives to D.D. all resided within D-Hero - Plasma.
Among them was Aster's Father.
However, without the power of the Light of Destruction, his soul wouldn't be able to stay in the D-Hero - Plasma card for too long. Let this father see his child for a little longer.
Harpie's Feather Duster, a powerful Spell Card that, aside from its name, has practically no connection to the Harpie Lady Deck. Although not as rare as Red-Eyes Black Dragon, it still possesses a considerably high rarity.
Even after giving one each to Hayato and Joey Wheeler, Mai Valentine still had three in her hand.
The effect of Harpie's Feather Duster is very simple: without any cost, it directly destroys all Spell/Trap Cards on the opponent's field. It's practically the "table-flipping" card of backrow destruction.
Of course, in terms of practicality, Heavy Storm, which can also blow up your own cards, is more useful. However, given the current situation on the field, Harpie's Feather Duster was more than enough.
As Hayato raised Harpie's Feather Duster high and slammed it onto his Duel Disk, a giant feather duster appeared out of thin air. With just one swing, it instantly whipped up a violent tornado, depleting all five cards on D.D.'s backrow in one go!
Whether it was Misdirection, Absorption Shield, Adhesion Trap Hole, or the Axe of Despair and Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca equipped to Plasma - D!
"D-damn it! All my cards were—!" Seeing his full backrow instantly depleted by "Shin Kuroto Dan" with a single card, D.D.'s confidence twisted into panic in an instant. "Now, my Plasma - D—!"
"Huh? What strange things are you saying?" Hayato played Change of Heart, looking at Plasma - D, which had lost the protection provided by Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca and had its control transferred to his field, and showed a wide smile.
"Look, isn't Plasma - D clearly my card?"
It wasn't just Plasma - D that was brought to Hayato's field, but also the young Aster Phoenix, who was being held hostage under Plasma - D's control by D.D.'s command.
"Hehehe, boy, sing and praise the benevolence of God to your heart's content!" As he spoke, Hayato waved his hand, signaling Aster Phoenix to move back and away from the field. Aster Phoenix obediently retreated several steps and stood behind Hayato. "Because the game that's about to take place is adult content, only for those eighteen and over."
Although, coming from Hayato, who was also under eighteen, this statement held no persuasive power whatsoever.
Aster Phoenix obediently stepped back half a step, looking at D.D. on the opposite field with a face full of unwillingness and rage, and Hayato with a confident smile.
Although he always referred to himself as God in a chuunibyou manner when speaking, and although his smile was so sinister it made one feel like he was the villain, at this moment, Aster Phoenix suddenly felt that this man named "Shin Kuroto Dan" was truly a real hero!
Even after just taking a fatal blow from the bastard D.D., with his Life Points dropping to just 1, he could still smile and create a miraculous victory. Aster Phoenix couldn't help but feel ashamed of the fear he had felt inside when he heard "Shin Kuroto Dan" say he was going to "take his life".
D.D.'s state of mind was completely different from Aster Phoenix's.
The meticulous defense set up in his backrow was depleted by one card, and his powerful monster was taken control of and moved to the opponent's field. At this moment, D.D.'s face seemed to wear a mask of pain, and his gaze towards "Shin Kuroto Dan" was full of panic.
Seeing that "Shin Kuroto Dan" was about to issue the attack command to Plasma - D, D.D. was unwilling to accept defeat just like that. He was about to open his mouth to beg for mercy when he heard "Shin Kuroto Dan" on the opposite side looking at the Plasma - D card and nodding repeatedly.
"Hmm, I see. A card inhabited by a soul, truly a genius design. Only this kind of card is worth being included in the game."
"So, D.D., as punishment for opposing me, I shall reveal your 'truth'!"
As he spoke, Hayato glanced at D.D., then turned his head to Aster Phoenix and showed a smile: "Aster Phoenix, why would D.D. commit murder just for a card? Why did D.D. become your guardian? Why has D.D. never used the Plasma - D card!"
"There is only one answer, Aster Phoenix! That is, D.D.'s own kind soul has long been devoured by Plasma - D. The one currently occupying D.D.'s body is an evil soul!"
"What?! Is that how it is!" Aster Phoenix was shocked upon hearing Hayato's words, looking at the bewildered D.D.. "D.D.'s body was actually possessed by an evil power!"
"Precisely! Within the Plasma - D card, the soul of the kind D.D. told me everything." Hayato put on a moved expression. "I never expected the truth to be like this. Evil soul, your destiny shall be changed by me!"
D.D. frowned: "I'm dead? How would I not know? What the hell is an evil soul? I am clearly D.D. him—"
"Silence, Evil Demon! Do not attempt to deceive us with words!" Hayato put on a righteous facade. "I shall take revenge for D.D., who sacrificed himself for justice!"
"Judgment time has arrived. I shall claim victory in this duel." Hayato issued a command to Plasma - D on his field. "To give you the final blow with your own monster... Yosh, name decided!"
"The Unflushed Poop Demon's—Chantala Blood Rain!"
"That's not it, I am clearly—!"
D.D. desperately tried to speak to prove that he was D.D. himself, but saw Plasma - D on Hayato's field instantly transform into a water pillar composed of blood. In the blink of an eye, it struck D.D.'s abdomen, causing him pain and preventing him from speaking further.
Immediately after, the overflowing blood gathered towards D.D. again, completely surrounding his body in a translucent sphere. While unable to move, he could no longer make any sound.
Wearing the blade-like Duel Disk, Hayato calmly paced over to D.D., who was surrounded by blood. He reached into the blood sphere and pulled, grabbing D.D.'s head and pressing it against his own, whispering softly into his ear: "Just kidding, how could I not know you're D.D. himself?"
"Ugh!" D.D. tried to open his mouth to curse, with Hayato holding his head, but Hayato's hand pressed down too tightly, preventing D.D. from even opening his jaw to speak.
"Seriously, scum like you deserve to die. You were just a waste to begin with, and out of greed, you stole someone else's cards, and then killed someone after being discovered." Hayato held D.D.'s jaw, a look of disgust on his face. "Although the Light of Destruction incited that last step, the fact that you're scum hasn't changed in the slightest."
"Afterwards, in order to stay informed about the case investigation in real-time, you bastard shamelessly became the guardian of the child whose father you murdered, and even used the father's cards to kill for pleasure in underground duel arenas. There aren't many people as despicable as you, D.D.."
Saying this, Hayato released D.D.'s head, but before he could beg for mercy, the blood sphere pulled him back in.
"You should perhaps thank me. Originally, after your past actions were exposed, you would only become the object of that boy's hatred, and your reputation would be infamously bad. But now, with my 'help', that child will only remember that you were actually a hero who sacrificed himself to fight against the darkness."
"To some extent, I've fulfilled your dream."
Grabbing D.D.'s shoulders with both hands, Hayato straightened his right leg behind him. "Now, not in the name of 'Dan Kuroto', but in the name of 'Kobayashi Hayato',"
"Be banished to the darkness along with the truth, D.D.!"
With a sudden lift of his leg and a knee strike, the power of the Millennium Item held by Hayato actively participated in the punishment of this duel. As the blood sphere surrounding D.D. violently exploded, D.D.'s soul was completely destroyed and annihilated.
"Fuc—" Even his final curse, D.D. couldn't utter.
Along with this, the power of the Light of Destruction, which was too late to withdraw from D.D.'s body and return to the Plasma - D card, was also severely damaged. With a malicious roar that no one but Hayato noticed, the power of the Light of Destruction vanished from D.D.'s body.
[D.D.: 1 LP → 0]
This Dark Game, initiated by D.D., ultimately ended with D.D.'s defeat. And right as the duel concluded, Hayato also received the duel settlement reward delivered punctually by the system.
Because his Life Points were suppressed to only 1, and he ended the game on the fifth turn, plus achieving difficult conditions like "finishing off the opponent with their own monster" and "not receiving battle damage", Hayato gained a full 1000 DP this time.
However, what surprised and also pleased him was that D.D. had left him a gift—dropping the highest reward obtainable from dueling him, D-Hero - Plasma.
Although the D-Hero - Plasma Hayato obtained was the Physical Card Version, losing the ability to "gain the effects of equipped monsters", Relatively, the Physical Card Version combined the ability to negate the effects of monsters on the field, which the Anime Version D-Hero - Plasma needed the synergy of D-Force to obtain, onto a single card. Rounding up or down, it wasn't considered a buff or a nerf.
Maintaining his usual good habit, he casually took all the cards from the fallen D.D.'s Duel Disk. Glancing at the young Aster Phoenix, who was still immersed in D.D.'s death, Hayato took out a few cards and walked over to him.
"D-Hero - Plasma's card, recovered. But its appearance is truly ugly, completely unfitting my aesthetic." With a disgusted expression, Hayato performed a flexible bend at the waist, looking down at the sad-faced Aster Phoenix. "Answer me, your name."
"Me?" Aster Phoenix looked at the lively Hayato and said politely, "My name is Aster Phoenix, Mr. God Dan Kuroto."
"Not Dan Kuroto, but Shin Kuroto Dan!" Casually changing his name again, Hayato shoved the few cards in his hand into Aster Phoenix's arms. "These terrible cards are a perfect match for an idiot like you who can't even remember my name. Quickly take these few cards and disappear from my sight!"
Ignoring the dumbfounded Aster Phoenix, Hayato's gaze glanced towards the face of the man who had appeared behind Aster Phoenix. That man looked very similar to Aster Phoenix.
What Hayato had just said wasn't entirely false. He hadn't seen D.D.'s soul in the D-Hero - Plasma card, but the souls of the dead who had lost their lives to D.D. all resided within D-Hero - Plasma.
Among them was Aster's Father.
However, without the power of the Light of Destruction, his soul wouldn't be able to stay in the D-Hero - Plasma card for too long. Let this father see his child for a little longer.
