Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pitfall Hero

"...Hahahaha!!!"

With a triumphant laugh, Keith, having captured another [Jewel Beast], began explaining the effect of the trap card: "[Capture Trap] is a trap card that uses captured prey as bait to capture other prey as well. Under this card's effect, the Amber Mammoth will become my prey, just like the Amethyst Cat!"

-

Hunting Net

(Counter Trap Card)

effect:

You can activate this effect when a monster card on the field returns to your hand.

That card is not returned to your hand, but is placed face-up in your Spell/Trap Zone to negate its effects. Place 1 Prey Counter on that card.

-

A trap to capture them alive

(Trap Card)

effect:

You can activate this effect while a card with a prey counter is on your field.

Negate the attack of one of your opponent's attacking monsters; negate the effect of that card in your Spell/Trap Zone and place it face-up. Place 1 Prey Counter on that card.

-

The monsters that were previously captured by the Trap Cards are now all in Keith's Magic Trap Zone.

Unlike the monsters that were taken away by the "Great Arrest," these monsters located in the magic trap area cannot act as meat shields to take the damage from the attacks for Keith.

"Hehehe... The real hunt is not about shooting weak prey with guns, but about predicting the movements of those inferior animals and then luring them into a pre-prepared trap."

Keith glanced sideways at John, a smug look on his face, and slowly said, "Do you understand now? A trap like this requires someone like me to make."

"But even I, who set the traps, didn't expect to capture so many precious beasts so easily and in succession... Hey hey, I didn't use a huge net to hunt, I just used some handy little traps, so what's going on? Is it because the prey is too stupid?"

John: "..."

Keith: "Hehehe... Looks like I'll be able to capture all the [Jewel Beasts] alive before the duel is even over~"

Although the captured [Jewel Beast] is in the opponent's back row, there is also a [Dealt Spirit] in Defense Position on Keith's field.

The previous Amethyst Cat was forced back into the hand by the effect of this monster, which led it into Keith's trap and made it into his trap.

As for John, if he wants to harm Keith, then this monster with a defense rating of 0 is the one he must overcome.

"My turn, draw a card!"

Without his monster, John could no longer attack. Keith, who forced his opponent's turn to end, drew another card from the Duel Disk and entered his Main Phase.

"I Tribute this card to the [Entrapment Spirit] on the field to Tribute Summon it!"

Replacing the monster with 0 DEF on the field, Keith placed a new monster card on his Duel Disk: "Tribute Summon, come forth—[Hellhound] (ATK: 1000)!"

Two thick black cannon barrels were slung over his shoulders. A large watchdog with a row of barbs down its back and flames spitting from its mouth appeared on Keith's field as he moved.

Although it's a 5-star monster, this dog's attack power is a pitiful 1000 points, completely unworthy of its star rating and fierce appearance.

"Ha, without prey, there is no more hunting."

Keith glanced at John, whose field was completely empty, and sighed with regret. He then gave the attack command to the monster on the field: "Go! [Hellhound], launch a direct attack on the opponent!"

"...Awooo!!!"

At Keith's command, the Hellhound immediately took off and pounced straight towards John's location.

"He also has a trap card on his field... No, this cunning guy shouldn't be unprepared, so that card..."

John glanced at the face-down card in Keith's back row, gritted his teeth, and activated his own face-down card in the back row against the charging Watchdog: "Trap Card [G-Power] activated! According to this card's effect, the monster attacking from the opponent can battle against the [Crystal Beast] monster in my hand!"

Blue Cobalt Eagle: "Yoshi! Leave it to me!"

John reveals the Blue Cobalt Eagle with 1400 attack power in his hand and then intends to summon it to his field.

707 The time for a counterattack has come!

"【G·Power】? A trap card that allows you to Special Summon monsters from your hand to battle? Hah... that won't do!"

Keith's 5-star monster, Hellhound, with only 1000 ATK, is clearly no match for Blue Cobalt Eagle, which has 1400 ATK.

Therefore, at this moment, Keith, who was prepared, also activated his face-down card in the back row in conjunction with John's activation of the trap card: "In conjunction with your [G-Power], at this moment... I will activate the counter trap card [Trap Interference Array]!"

"...【Trap Interference Array】?! It's actually this card?"

The card art depicts a trap trapped in a magic circle shrouded in blue mist, unable to break free no matter what.

John, who recognized the card after seeing Keith's counterattack, couldn't help but widen his eyes.

"...Heh, you should know the effect of this card even if I don't tell you, right?"

A pleased smile played on Keith's lips as he pointed a finger at John, who was looking on in surprise: "According to the effect of the noble counter-trap card—[Trap Interference Array], the effects of the trap cards you activated during the Battle Phase are negated and destroyed! Therefore…[G Power] will be destroyed!"

--Snapped!

Blue Cobalt Eagle: "Tch, can't I even make an appearance?"

Having lost its chance to appear, the phantom of the Blue Cobalt Eagle sighed subconsciously.

Under the effect of [Trap Disruptor], the trap card activated by John shattered with a sound, turning into specks of light and being sent to the graveyard.

At the same time, the unhindered [Hellhound] had already rushed in front of John, baring its sharp fangs at him.

"Take this! Hell Hunt!"

"……Well!"

(John LP: 2800→1800)

As Keith finished speaking, the Hellhound unleashed a direct and unreserved attack on John's body with its sharp claws and teeth.

John, knocked down, slumped to the ground behind him, his health points dropping by 1000.

"It's not over yet! At this very moment, I activate the effect of [Hellhound]!"

With his arms outstretched and a smug look on his face, Keith continued, "When [Hellhound] deals damage to the opponent, it can destroy one of their cards!"

With a single swipe of its claws, the Hellhound struck and destroyed the Blue Cobalt Eagle, which had previously failed to make an appearance.

Logically, the Blue Cobalt Eagle should be sent to the cemetery at this time.

However, the precious jade beast has the characteristic that it cannot be easily destroyed.

Therefore, the [Jade Beast Blue Cobalt Eagle] that was destroyed by the [Hellhound] effect was not sent to the graveyard, but remained in John's magic trap area in the form of an irregular sapphire.

"Tch, it won't be destroyed; that's precisely the characteristic of our Jade Beasts!"

Faintly, Keith seemed to hear the disdainful words that the Blue Cobalt Eagle was throwing at him.

Keith, who witnessed this miraculous scene firsthand, couldn't help but have a gleam in his eyes.

"This is... the ability of the [Crystal Beast]?! Even if it is destroyed, it will not be sent to the graveyard, but will remain on the field as a Spell/Trap Card!"

"Such a wondrous and unique ability...tsk tsk tsk!!!"

A greedy glint flashed in his eyes, and Keith couldn't help but exclaim, "Amazing! Just a single Jewel Beast possesses such power, so what kind of being must the [Ultimate Jewel God Rainbow Dragon] be, which gathers the power of seven Jewel Beasts? It must be an absolutely, absolutely indescribably powerful monster!"

Keith sensed the value of the Gem Beast from the Blue Cobalt Eagle.

This fueled an even more undisguised greed in his mind.

Whether it's the seven [Sapphire Beasts] or the legendary [Ultimate Sapphire God Rainbow Dragon] that combines the power of the [Sapphire Beasts], these cards... will all belong to him!

"Rainbow Dragon? You... you actually know about the existence of the Rainbow Dragon?"

Upon hearing Keith's involuntary exclamation, John, sensing the meaning behind it, couldn't help but show a look of astonishment.

Even though I've never used the ultimate trump card of that [Jewel Beast], where did this guy find out about this?

Could it be that he's been watching my every move the whole time?

"Of course, I know everything about the [Jade Beast] perfectly well!"

With one hand on his hip, Keith, who had temporarily stopped the duel, boasted to the stunned John, "I've used every method imaginable to investigate Rainbow Dragon's information!"

John: "..."

Keith: "Ha, you don't believe me? Then let me tell you, the place where the Rainbow Dragon Slab lies dormant... that place is the origin of rainbows, located in the great rift of this world..."

"A...crack in the world?"

Although John received the Rainbow Dragon from Miss Kei as a gift from Pegasus, he himself did not know the card's exact origin.

According to legend, the seven precious jade beasts were born from seven different kinds of precious jade.

Therefore, it is only natural that Rainbow Dragon should also come from a similar place.

Most likely, like the ancient stone slab that housed the seven divine artifacts, the stone slab originally intended to be inlaid with the seven precious stones as a monument was the origin of the Rainbow Dragon.

After a long period of time, this huge stone slab located in the crack of the world was eventually discovered by Pegasus, the president of the International Fantasy Society. Based on this, and relying on the advanced technology of the Yu-Gi-Oh! world, he successfully created the Rainbow Dragon card and delivered it to John.

From the current situation, John keenly realized one thing—

That is, Keith, who was slightly behind on the news, was unaware that the [Ultimate Jewel God Rainbow Dragon] had already been born and was currently dormant in John's deck.

"Heh... No matter what, you've been carrying those gem beasts around with you all this time in order to get the Rainbow Dragon, haven't you?"

"How could that be? Don't lump me in with someone like you!"

"Huh, really?"

After roughly pointing out the location of the Rainbow Dragon Slab, Keith, unaware that his information was somewhat outdated, scrutinized John from head to toe with a critical gaze: "Rainbow Dragon... that's an extremely precious card, you'd be crazy not to want it."

"John... do you know how many billions Rainbow Dragon is being offered for on the black market? That's an astronomical figure you can't even imagine!"

With his arms outstretched, Keith stared at John across from him with an all-knowing look: "You're the same, aren't you? You've gone mad with desire for the Rainbow Dragon, haven't you?"

"...No! I have a bond of friendship with the Jewel Beasts. They are like family to me. I won't allow you to treat them like merchandise!"

John, who was waving his arms in front of him and exuding an aura of rejection, decisively rejected Keith's presumptuous conclusion: "You idiot, stop talking nonsense! I'm not like you!"