Is this the poker world?Ada thief!

Chapter 1729 Move, Theo! Why aren't you moving!
"I'll take the first turn! Draw!" Hayato, who understands the principle of "five cards for the first player, none for the second," naturally wanted to take the initiative by drawing a card from his deck first, especially since he was playing the [Wind-Traveling Bird] deck.

While it doesn't have a catchy theme song like the [Summoner] deck that almost categorizes Duel Monsters as a music-themed deck to describe its opening, the [Windwalker] deck's opening is actually quite easy to understand; basically, summoning a card first is always a good idea.

"Spell Card [Planet Terraforming] activated. Search my deck for one Field Spell Card and add it to my hand." Hayato waved his hand, and a card appeared. "If you were to travel, where would you like to go?"

"I add the Field Spell Card 'Wind-Walking Bird and Mysterious Map' to my hand, and then activate it!"

Despite being called a Field Spell Card, the surrounding environment remained unchanged, still within the original forest. The only difference between Hayato activating the card and its activation was that behind him, three [Wind-Traveling Birds] were flying in the air, each carrying a rather textured wooden map, chattering as if discussing where they would travel next.

The "mysterious girl" didn't seem too concerned about the map card activated by Hayato. After all, her elven tribe, like the Harpy, had its own methods for dealing with spell and trap cards, so the effect of Hayato's field spell card wouldn't have much of an impact.

Hayato then explained: "The first step in traveling is to confirm your destination. Once you have a clear goal, you won't feel lost anymore. During my Main Phase, I can activate the first effect of the Field Spell Card 'Wind-Traveling Bird and Mysterious Map'. I reveal one Level 1 'Wind-Traveling Bird' monster from my hand to my opponent, and then banish one 'Wind-Traveling Bird' card from my Deck with a different name than the revealed monster. After that, I Summon the monster that was revealed to my opponent."

“I reveal the Level 1☆ [Windwalker x Bald Eagle] from my hand, then banish the [Windwalker x Robin] from my deck, and then Normal Summon the [Windwalker x Bald Eagle].

On the map above Hayato, the city icon corresponding to the United States in reality lit up. A portal to a bustling metropolis opened out of thin air, and under the dazzling lights, a giant raptor with enormous wings suddenly took flight, soaring through the air as if surveying a new territory. Its image was none other than the bald eagle, the national bird of the United States, which was legislated to become the "national bird."

【Migratory Bird on the Wind × Bald Eagle】【1☆/Wind】

[Bird/Beast Race/Effect]

[800/1000]

"Level 1☆?" Looking at the newly appeared monster, not only the "mysterious girl" opposite Hayato, but also the other bird-beast spirits around them increasingly underestimated the power of [Windwalker]. Were they really going to believe that a monster with no stats or star rating could unleash any real power?
"Is level important? The effect should be more important, right?" Hayato retorted, waving his hand. "When [Windbird x Bald Eagle] is successfully summoned, its effect activates. However, similarly, [Windbird x Robin], even when banished, also has its effect activated."

"Self-chain C1 [Wind-Walking Bird x Bald Eagle] C2 [Wind-Walking Bird x Robin] First is the effect of [Wind-Walking Bird x Robin]: If this card is banished and I have a Winged Beast monster on my field that I can activate, add this card to my hand."

"Then there's the effect of [Wind-Traveling Bird x Bald Eagle]: If it is successfully summoned, add one Level 7 or higher Winged Beast monster from my Deck to my hand. After that, you can summon one Winged Beast monster."

Hearing that Hayato's Field Spell Cards not only grant additional summons, but also that the effect of [Wind-Traveling Bird x Bald Eagle] grants additional summons, the "Mysterious Girl" was completely oblivious to the fact that the characteristics of the [Wind-Traveling Bird] deck were already beginning to emerge: "What's the point of letting you Normal Summon such weak monsters five times to fill the field? There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Then you'd better not be afraid." Hayato recycled the banished [Windwalker x Robin] into his hand, and then used the effect of [Windwalker x Bald Eagle] to search for it. "Under the effect of [Windwalker x Bald Eagle], I add the Level 10 [Windwalker x Emperor Penguin] from my deck to my hand, and then summon the [Windwalker x Robin] that I just recycled."

Because the summon was performed using the effect of [Windwalker x Bald Eagle], Hayato still held onto one normal summon without using it. Following [Windwalker x Bald Eagle], the clock tower icon on [Windwalker and the Mystery Map] that corresponds to the location of Victoria in the human world lit up, and accompanied by a clear and melodious chirping sound, a robin flew out.

【Migratory Bird on the Wind × Robin】【1☆/Water】

[Bird/Beast Race/Effect]

[600/1200]

One reason why the [Flying Birds] monsters are primarily summoned as "Normal Summon (NS)" is that the Arctic tern, their prototype, migrates from the far north to the far south. This is why the attributes of [Flying Bird x Bald Eagle] and [Flying Bird x Robin] seem random, but are actually divided into wind and water attributes based on their geographical location in the eastern and western hemispheres. The same applies to other [Flying Birds] monsters that have not yet appeared.

The robin, also known as the "Red-breasted Robin," is a national bird, just like the "White-headed Eagle." However, it is much cuter than the "Wind-Walking Bird × White-headed Eagle," which is still fierce even when it becomes a card monster. After perching on the branch extending from its own card image, it even picked up a few fruits and tossed them to Hayato as a sign of friendliness.

Hayato caught the fruit, watched it transform into a card, smiled and nodded to Robin, then explained, "Like [Windwalker x Bald Eagle], [Windwalker x Robin] also has an effect that can be activated when the summon is successful."

"Add one Level 4 or lower Winged Beast monster from my Deck to my hand, and then I can Summon one Winged Beast monster."

"I add the Rank 4☆ [Wind Barrier Statue] to my hand, and then Tribute Summon [Wind-Traveling Bird x Robin] and [Wind-Traveling Bird x Bald Eagle] that I control!"

"The Destroyer of the Antarctic World, the Emperor Emperor Emperor Enterprise!"

Before the baobab tree representing Africa and the Amazon rainforest representing South America on the map, the penguin icon representing Antarctica at the bottom of the 【Migratory Birds and Mysterious Map】 lit up. Then, a penguin's head popped out of the map, as if asking everyone present, "Want to top up your QQ coins?"

The monster that appears in exchange for freeing Hayato's two monsters on the field is the "Emperor Penguin," a level 10☆ and the largest of the penguin family. However, it is more commonly known as the Emperor Penguin, and Hayato prefers to call it "Emperor Penguin Bro." Just like the previous [Windwalker x Bald Eagle], although penguins have lost their ability to fly and cannot fly, it does not prevent [Windwalker x Emperor Penguin] from being classified as a wind attribute due to its geographical location.

【Migratory Birds on the Wind × Emperor Penguin】【10☆/Wind】

[Bird/Beast Race/Effect]

[2700/1000]

To be honest, although the [Windwalker x Emperor Penguin] card still looks "cute" like the other two [Windwalkers], its level and stats immediately stunned the surrounding bird-beast spirits. Why didn't you say you had a high-level monster in your deck? That 2700 ATK is more powerful than anything else!
After all, Winged Beast monsters have never been known for their attack power. Even in the future, the highest-attack Winged Beast monster would only be a Rank 13 Xyz monster with 4000 ATK from a [RR] deck possessing "Iron Will and Steel Strength." In the current era, the [Blackwing] deck already boasts the [Assault Blackwing - God-Standing Onimaru Blade Bird], whose 3000 ATK is already at its peak, as Hayato has witnessed in duels before. The highest ATK [Harpy] monsters can pull out is around 2700. The so-called "Absolute King of Winged Beasts" should have this kind of stats to be believable.

However, the "mysterious girl" was not impressed by the attack power of the [Wind-Walking Bird × Emperor Penguin] and said disdainfully, "A mere 2700 points of attack power is nothing special. It is far inferior to that being, not to mention that being has the powerful ability to be immortal and destroy everything."

"But... why didn't those two monsters enter your graveyard?" The "mysterious girl" asked curiously, looking at the two [Wind-Traveling Birds] that, after being freed, did not enter the graveyard but instead returned to the map they had passed through when they arrived, which had been excluded.

“This is also one of the common effects of the lower-level [Windwalker]. If a face-up [Windwalker x Robin] or [Windwalker x Bald Eagle] leaves my field, it will be banished. This effect is a passive effect that does not need to be activated.” Hayato said, looking at the “mysterious girl” whose expression had suddenly changed. “And judging from your expression, you realize what this means, right?”

"Like other lower-ranking [Windwalker], [Windwalker x Emperor Penguin] also has an effect that activates upon successful summoning: add one [Windwalker] Spell/Trap Card from my Deck to my hand, and can also summon it once more after that."

After a pause, Hayato waved his hand again, "Although the effect of [Windwalker x Robin] was already used when it was recycled just now, and its effect is limited to once per turn by the card name, I haven't used the third effect of [Windwalker x Bald Eagle] yet. If I have a Winged Beast Monster - [Windwalker x Emperor Penguin] - Summoned while it is banished, I will add it to my hand."

"Self-propelled chain C1 [Migratory Bird x Emperor Penguin] C2 [Migratory Bird x Bald Eagle]!"

The monster that had just been released was back in his hand in the blink of an eye. Hayato snapped his fingers: "The card I will search for with [Wind-Traveling Bird x Emperor Penguin] is this Continuous Spell Card [Wind-Traveling Bird and Unknown Wind]. Then, by the effect of [Wind-Traveling Bird x Emperor Penguin], I will Normal Summon this Winged Beast Monster in my hand in Defense Position - [Gale Barrier Statue].

Visually, it's a verdant statue of a crouching bird-beast warrior lying on Hayato's field, exuding a sense of "holiness." Above it, a halo with mysterious inscriptions expands to cover both sides' fields. It's more like a field spell card than "Wind-Walking Bird and Mysterious Map," but its effect doesn't bring any changes to Hayato's monsters—at least for now, nothing special seems to be happening.

【Barrier Statue of Gale】【4☆/Wind】

[Bird/Beast Race/Effect]

[1000/1000]

"This turn, I haven't used my most basic Normal Summon yet. I'll Normal Summon 'Face Bat' to my field in Defense Position." Then, he casually played a seemingly ordinary weak monster and played several cards on the back field. "Then, I activated the Continuous Spell Card 'Wind-Traveling Bird and Unknown Wind' and set two cards."

"My turn is over."

【小林隼人：4000LP，手牌5→6→6→5→4→5→5→5→4→1】

【Migratory Birds on the Wind × Emperor Penguin】【ATK2700】

[Barrier Statue of Gale] [DEF1000]

【Face-faced Bat】【1☆/Land】

[Bird/Beast Race/Adjustment/Effect]

[0/0]

Backcourt: [The Wandering Bird and the Unknown Wind] [Face Card] x2
Location: [The Migratory Bird and the Mysterious Map]

Despite being unable to Special Summon, Hayato managed to field three monsters, one green zone monster, and two face-down cards thanks to the continuous additional summons granted by [Wind-Traveling Bird]. He only had [Wind-Traveling Bird x Bald Eagle] in his hand, which he had just recovered.

"I see, so it's a type that focuses on continuous summoning? But this level is far from being 'the absolute king'." The "mysterious girl," who didn't understand anything from Hayato's finale, only glanced at the [Wind-Traveling Bird × Emperor Penguin] with the highest attack power a couple more times before turning her gaze to [Gale Barrier Statue] and [Face Bat]. "Especially since there are also those weak monsters to make up the numbers."

"It seems you really don't understand the value of '0% attack, 0% defense.' And, is the [Gale Barrier Statue] being underestimated too?" Hayato didn't explain much, just smiled mysteriously. "Considering that my current situation is only half-finished, it's understandable that you think that way, but how about we try to break this situation first?"

"Hmph, don't try to boss me around! I can break through this level of lineup in an instant." The "mysterious girl" said confidently, "Let's use the power of [Nephthys] to purify everything with flames!"

"My turn, draw a card!"

"Mysterious Girl"—no, "Guide of Nephthys"—draws a card and begins her turn!
"I activate the Spell Card 'Preparation for the Ritual,' selecting one Ritual Spell Card from my Deck and one Ritual Monster from my Deck or Graveyard whose name is written on that Ritual Spell Card. I add both cards to my hand." Having achieved a two-for-one trade by playing a card first, 'Nephthys's Guide' proudly declares, "I add 'Nephthys's Reincarnation' and 'Nephthys's Azure Phoenix God,' whose name is written on 'Nephthys's Reincarnation,' to my hand!"

[Nephthys' Guide: 4000 LP, Hand size 5→6→7]

"Next, I'm going to activate the Ritual Spell Card [Nephthys' Reincarnation] to summon [Nephthys the Azure Phoenix God]!" He triumphantly played the card, ready to bring his god down, but [Nephthys the Guide] never received the offering of a sacrifice; [Nephthys' Reincarnation] failed to activate at all.

"Move, [Nephthys's Cycle], why aren't you moving?"

　The new TCG card is really cool! One-Way Dimensional Rift is also a buff to Ashes.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)