Is this the poker world?Ada thief!

"I'll take the First Turn, Hayato~"

After Hayato drew five cards, Pegasus quickly took the first turn, and Hayato did not stop him.

Even though neither Yugi nor Jonouchi revealed any specific information about Pegasus's new card, Hayato could still tell from Jonouchi's easy FTK that his new card was probably still just the "Duel Monster 1.0" type.

Although there has never been a specific classification, Hayato classified decks such as Tear of the Goddess as "Duel Monsters 2.0" based on whether they can be played during the opponent's turn, while the rest of the decks that can only be played during one's own turn are collectively referred to as "Duel Monsters 1.0".

It's not that a deck that can be played during the opponent's turn is necessarily stronger than version 1.0, but the latter's duels feel somewhat sluggish and it's difficult to keep up with the fast-paced environment.

Unless, of course, the value of 1.0 reaches the level of "powerful enough to make bricks fly".

“My Turn, Draw it~” Pegasus drew a card from the table, glanced at the card he had drawn, and smiled, “Hayato, do you still remember [Dark Rabbit]?”

"As one of my favorite cards in the past, it was a great regret of mine that it wasn't drawn as a Toon Monster before." He paused, then showed a card in his hand. "But now! It has joined my Toon army in a brand new form!"

"Normal Summon: [Funny Dark Rabbit]~"

As Pegasus put down the monster card, a closed book appeared on his field. From the gap in the book, a hand wearing a white glove reached out, as if trying to push the book open, but it was difficult to move.

The hand withdrew, and then emerged again with a shovel. This time, using the shovel as a lever, it exerted force, and the closed book was suddenly flipped open. The owner of the hand—the "Dark Rabbit" whose fur had faded from deep purple to purplish-red—fell out.

This cartoonish entrance is somewhat comical, which explains why it's now called "Comical Dark Rabbit".

【Comical Dark Rabbit】【4☆/Dark】

[Orc/Effect]

[1100/1500]

"The effect of 【Funny Dark Rabbit】 applies when it is Normal or Special Summoned," Pegasus explained. "During this turn, besides Normal Summon, I can only Normal Summon once during my Main Phase a monster-card with the 【Toon World】 card name listed."

"Just a regular additional Normal Summon effect? ​​Sounds pretty ordinary." Hayato raised an eyebrow, looking at the [Comical Dark Rabbit] who was grinning mischievously. "That card should have other effects, right?"

"Yup~ After all, this is the most perfect new cartoon army that I painstakingly completed!" Pegasus said proudly. "The second ability of [Funny Dark Rabbit] is that as long as there is [Cartoon World] on the field, it can also be transformed into an invincible cartoon monster."

"The third ability is—once per turn, during my Main Phase. Choose one [Toon] Field/Continuous Spell Card from my Deck and add it to my hand or place it face-up on my field!"

Upon hearing Pegasus's words, for some reason, Hayato heard a mysterious song in his ears, as if it were singing—

"I spread out my card deck, found a cartoon book~ flipped through it, and out jumped a rabbit~"

"It keeps jumping back and forth, we just can't keep up! Bookmarks, table of contents, and it's this book again!"

Pegasus then took a card from his deck and placed it on the table: "I have chosen the most crucial Field Spell Card among the seven cards I created this time, and I will place it face-up on my field!"

"Domain Expansion - [Perfect World - Cartoon World]!"

Behind the [Funny Dark Rabbit], the book that had been pried open with a shovel flipped through its pages rapidly until it reached an animated page, where cartoonish castles and trees sprang up as the page was turned.

Before it was raised, those were just flat pictures, but after it was erected, they quickly became three-dimensional as if they were inflated, as if a miniature world had really stood up on the pages of the book!
"Although it's placed face-up on the field, it also has the effect of being added to the hand, so theoretically I could use [Ash Blossom]." Hayato glanced at his hand and said helplessly, "It's just a pity I didn't draw [Ash Blossom] in my starting hand."

"Cartoons are the perfect world I love." Pegasus opened his arms and looked at the cards on the field. "In this world, there is no sadness of death, only endless joy. I sincerely believe that Duel-Monster is meant to bring joy to people!"

"—At least after activating [Perfect World - Toon World], I had a really happy smile on my face~" Pegasus told a joke and waved his hand, "While [Perfect World - Toon World] exists in the field zone, this card's name is used as [Toon World]."

"Then, activate the second effect of this, once per turn, during my Main Phase, add one [Toon] or a card with that name in its name from my Deck to my hand!"

On Pegasus's field, the already quite cartoonish [Comical Dark Rabbit] was enveloped by the mist released from [Perfect World - Cartoon World] and transformed with a "bang," becoming even more cartoonish.

The usual Duel Monsters are realistic in appearance. In comparison, the previous [Comical Dark Rabbit] was somewhat similar to the appearance of a 3D animation. But this one looks like it came straight out of a 2D animation, and it's a pure hand-drawn animation from the last century.

At the same time, a card popped out from 【Perfect World - Cartoon World】 and flew into Pegasus's hand, about to allow him to complete the search.

"Although I did say that I didn't draw [Gray], I never said that I didn't draw any hand traps."

Just then, Hayato played a card from his hand, "Since Jonouchi can use [Feather Duster] to counter your new card, it means you still haven't solved the old problem with [Toon World], right? As long as destroying your Spell & Trap Cards can effectively counter Toon Monsters, then—"

"—Now is the time for the [Ghost Rabbit] to unleash its power!"

Some sickly-looking "white-haired, youthful-faced" – that is, white-haired loli – appeared from Hayato's card. After glancing at Pegasus's "kindred spirits" on the field, [Ghost Rabbit] blinked its red eyes and, without holding back because there was also a rabbit on the other side, unhesitatingly threw out a ball of something next to it.

What looked like a rice cake dumpling but was actually a rabbit ghost's "flying device" slammed into the cartoon book, instantly shattering the "invincible" [Perfect World - Cartoon World] that Pegasus had just praised!
"When the effect of a monster on the field is activated, or when the effect of a face-up Spell/Trap Card on the field is activated, I can send this card from my hand or field to the Graveyard to activate this effect—destroy that card on the field!" As a member of the "Six Sisters of Hand Trap Cards," [Ghost Rabbit] is the most unique one, not only because the other five, such as [Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring] and [Yashiki-warashi], are Zombie-Type while she is a Psychic-Type, but also because her effect does not include negation, only destruction.

Cards like [Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring] can easily interrupt other players' plays, but the effect of [Ghost Rabbit] can only destroy and not negate, which means it can't interrupt plays in many situations. That's why Hayato didn't chain [Funny Dark Rabbit]'s effect to activate [Ghost Rabbit].

However, the Field Spell Card [Perfect World - Toon World] is different! Because Field Spell Cards crash, according to the rules of Duel Monsters, the effects of Continuous Spell Cards and Field Spell Cards that leave the field will not continue to be processed!

Therefore, as Hayato destroyed the Field Spell Card with [Ghost Rabbit], Pegasus naturally failed to catch the card that was almost retrieved!
"Gu is such an unpleasant card." Pegasus looked uncomfortable as he watched [Ghost Rabbit] obediently disappear after asking Hayato for a head pat as a reward.

"As the 'father of Duel Monsters,' I shouldn't have any aversion to a Duel-Monster card. It's just that I have a strange feeling—like that card might kill me?"

"Are you sure it's not because that card's effect counters your [Perfect World - Cartoon World]?" Jonouchi teased from outside the arena.

(See Chapter 139 of Volume 6, written four years ago. I never thought it would actually work on Pegasus.)

However, Yugi and Hayato had slightly different ideas. They both felt that Pegasus's intuition was quite accurate—because, strictly speaking, the previous owner of the Ghost Rabbit really did kill Pegasus.

The [Ghost Rabbit] card that Hayato is holding is not a product of this era, but one of the "strongest cards from various worlds" that Paradox from the future brought with him when he traveled back in time to "assassinate" Pegasus.

Hayato didn't quite understand at first. Although Pegasus's "Cartoon World" was indeed a bit troublesome, bringing along the "Ghost Rabbit" seemed rather pointless.

It seems that Paradox included this card to counter Pegasus's current [Perfect World - Cartoon World].

Even Hayato, who is currently wielding the Ghost Rabbit, once "killed" Pegasus when he joined Doma.

Hmm? Now that I think about it, could it be that the card 【Ghost Rabbit】 is inherently imbued with a murderous intent towards Pegasus? Otherwise, why would both of its previous owners have "killed" Pegasus?
After failing to retrieve [Perfect World - Cartoon World] and having his field destroyed by Hayato's [Ghost Rabbit], Pegasus glanced at his [Funny Dark Rabbit], which had exited its Cartoon Monster state and looked somewhat disheveled from being destroyed by [Perfect World - Cartoon World].

He pulled a card from his hand: "As expected of Hayato, you easily blocked my [Perfect World - Cartoon World]."

“But, I don’t intend to change my opinion that ‘the Cartoon Army strategy is unworkable,’ because even if you destroy one of them, Hayato—” Pegasus placed the card on the table, “—so, how will you deal with the second one?”

"Me activates the Spell Card [Toon Catalog], adding one [Toon] card from my Deck to my hand. Me chooses—the second Field Spell Card, [Perfect World - Toon World], and activates it again!"

The [Cartoon] deck, as an old system that has been around for many years, is as outdated as Pegasus and has long been surpassed by countless cards. However, there is one thing that makes Cartoon the strongest, and it is still difficult for anyone to surpass it to this day.

That is, its search capability.

[Cartoon Catalog], [Cartoon Bookmark], [Cartoon Flip] – these are the search cards that other decks crave. A single set of [Cartoon] cards can easily contain three of them. [Cartoon Catalog], in particular, doesn't even have a once-per-turn activation restriction; its effect is simply to search for a [Cartoon] card.

Furthermore, Pegasus's previous work, "Cartoon Dark Magician," also possesses powerful search capabilities. It can be said that, apart from the limitations of its terminal, Cartoon is actually quite modern in terms of resource allocation.

Although Pegasus got the new card, he didn't abandon the old one. He immediately used the [Cartoon Catalog] to easily find the second card, [Perfect World - Cartoon World]!
"So, you weren't worried from the start that I'd use a card like Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate the search for 'Funny Dark Rabbit' on the field." Hayato understood Pegasus's source of confidence. "After all, you already had a second search card ready in your hand."

"It's less about confidence and more about my understanding of you, Hayato," Pegasus wagged his finger. "After all, the opponent is the Duel King, and even I have to give it my all!"

"Twice, I activate the Field Spell Card [Perfect World - Toon World]."

Pegasus put down the card and continued, "Then, activate the second effect of this card a second time to search for cards from my deck!"

"Hmm? [Perfect World - Cartoon World] already activated its search effect once, right?" Hayato raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. "Even if the effect wasn't processed, it still activated once."

"Could it be that the effect of that card is similar to [Fountain of the Gods], although it's only usable once per turn, it's not the type where the card name says it's only usable once per turn?"

“Very close.” Pegasus proudly explained, “The second effect of [Perfect World - Cartoon World], although it is indeed once per turn, can be used up to three times per turn!”

"That means one card is equivalent to three [Cartoon Catalogs]!"

The gamers outside the game couldn't help but complain, "Not only does it retain the power of [Cartoon World], but it also stitches together the effects of three [Cartoon Catalog] cards. The remaining effect is almost equivalent to [Cartoon Kingdom] in terms of protection. What an unfair card!"

"Let's just declare him the winner." Jonouchi wholeheartedly agreed. "To only make cards that benefit himself, Pegasus, is so despicable!"

On stage, Pegasus looked troubled: "But I was clearly using the same standards to prepare a new card for you, Jonouchi."

"On the other hand, I think that a deck like the Toon does deserve some modern upgrades."

He immediately performed a lightning-fast change of expression, and under Hayato and Yugi's disdainful gaze, Jonouchi shamelessly said, "What? Pegasus agreed to this himself after losing the duel to me!"

"Anyway, keep showing me how overpowered your cards are, Pegasus." Hayato looked back at the field, watching Pegasus finally complete his search and take a card from his deck. "So what card did you add to your hand?"

"【Cartoon Dark Magician】? 【Cartoon Red-Eyes Black Dragon】 or 【Blue-Eyes Cartoon Dragon】?" (End of Chapter)