Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"It's just your imagination." Caesar turned his head away, actually quite curious to see what kind of power the [Ultimate Jewel God - Rainbow Dragon] would unleash after equipping his [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon].

"Then don't tilt your head like that! Explain yourself properly!"

As Caesar's [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] pierced the earth like tentacles through its nerve-like tubes, attempting to drag [TG Halberd Gunner/Explosive Body] from its graveyard, Hayato waved his hand: "That won't do, Marufuji. You're not allowed to touch my cards without my permission. If you want to take my power, you know the rules—at least endure the effects of the monsters on my field first!"

"Once per turn, when the effect of another Level 5 or higher monster on the field is activated, you can activate the effect of my [Phantom Wing Synchro Dragon]. Negate that activation and destroy it! The [Phantom Wing Synchro Dragon] summoned by [High Speed ​​Machine/Phantom Wing Mount] is more than just for show!"

With its emerald green reflectors adjusted and aimed at [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon], Hayato's [Phantom Wing Synchro Dragon] on the field suddenly unleashed a beam of light. The beam was focused and reflected by the reflectors into an extremely fine beam, which shot towards [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon], which currently had no equipment cards on it!

However, at that moment, Caesar picked up a card from his back row and said, "Mudata! [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] has an effect that can be activated by sending one Equip Card from my field to the Graveyard when the opponent activates the effect of a Spell, Trap, or Monster. This effect does not require that the Equip Card be equipped to [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] itself!"

"My Cyber ​​World Serpent exists for this purpose. Send the Cyber ​​Dragon equipped on it to the Graveyard to activate the effect of Cyber ​​Dark Dragon, negate and destroy Cyber ​​Synchro Dragon!"

The [Cyber ​​Serpent], named "Jormungandr," snaked its body and blocked the laser beam fired by the [Phantom Wing Synchro Dragon]. Not only was it not pierced by the laser, it also reflected the attack back, destroying the [Phantom Wing Synchro Dragon] instead!?

Then, [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] successfully found the card it wanted to equip in Hayato's graveyard. [TG Halberd Gunner/Burst], which had only been in the graveyard for a short time, was dragged out and forcibly equipped on [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] - but in terms of actual performance, it felt more like [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] was clinging to [TG Halberd Gunner/Burst] like a mistletoe.

"The final effect of 【Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon】 is that this card's ATK increases by the ATK of any monster equipped to it by this card's effect. 【TG Gunner/Explosive】's original ATK is 4500. Therefore, 【Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon】's ATK will increase by the same amount!"

【Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon】(TG Halberd Gunner/Explosive Body)【ATK2000→6500】

"Not only that! Under the effect of the Field Spell Card [Cyber ​​Dark Inferno], my [Cyber ​​Dark] monsters equipped with Equip Cards cannot be targeted by my opponent's effects, nor can they be destroyed by their effects." Kaiser looked at Hayato's only three monsters on the field and smiled. "This is the pinnacle of 'Reverse Cyber ​​Stream'!"

—Although the card name doesn't seem to be written, the "Cyberdarkness" in the name of 【Armored Dragon - Cyberdark Dragon】 is actually the same as "Cyberdarkness", and it also has the "Cyberdark" field in 【Cyberdark】.

"But it's not over yet! I'll activate the second effect of my [Cyber ​​Serpent]!"

Picking up the card "Cyber ​​Dark Dragon" from the Duel Disk, Caesar said, "I need to return one of my 'Cyber ​​Dragons' to my hand to activate this effect. While 'Cyber ​​Dark Dragon' is on the field or in the Graveyard, its card name is treated as 'Cyber ​​Dragon,' and I return it to my hand."

"Add one [Fusion] card from my deck/graveyard to my hand."

[Ryo Marufuji: 4000 LP, hand 1→3]

“Next, I activate the Spell Card [Molten Hammer], returning this card and the other two cards in my hand to my deck, shuffling them, and drawing the same number of cards.” After playing [Molten Hammer] with its animation effect, Caesar returned three cards to his deck and drew three cards, then activated another card, saying, “Then I activate this card—the Equip Spell Card [Eternal Evolution Flame]!”

Although Caesar's old friend, [Electronic Terminator Dragon], did not appear, its hazy image appeared behind Caesar after [Eternal Evolution Flame] was activated, and then attached itself to [Armored Dragon - Electronic Dark Dragon].

"【Eternal Evolution Flame】is an Equip Spell Card exclusive to Machine-Type Fusion Monsters, and I equipped it to 【Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon】."

"Then there's the effect of this [Cyber ​​Wing] card in my hand. It can be activated by targeting a [Cyber] monster that is a Dragon-Machine type on my field. It can be equipped to the target monster as an Equip Card from my hand or field. I still choose [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon]."

With two cards equipped in succession, the [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon], which was already quite bulky due to the addition of [TG Gunner/Explosive], now appears even larger due to the new parts.

"The new Equip Card allows [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] to continue using its effect, and [Cyber ​​Wing], when used as an Equip Card, increases the equipped monster's ATK by an additional 600 points!"

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh, this is the final monster that will decide the outcome of this duel!"

【Armored Dragon - Electronic Dark Dragon】(TG Halberd Gunner/Explosive Body, Eternal Evolution Flame, Attached Electronic Wings)【ATK6500→7100】

"A powerful resistance, a three-color combo that can be activated multiple times in the same chain, and 7100 attack power. What an amazing finale, Marufuji." Hayato clapped his hands. "Watching you unfold this far without interrupting is what I, as your teacher, expect from my student; but from now on, I'll be showing my serious level as a duelist."

"During the main phase for both players, activate the effect of [Great Radiant Saint of Hellflower - Strychia] to Special Summon one Level 6 or lower [Radiant Saint] monster from my hand or Graveyard. After that, I can reduce the Level of all Level 4 or higher monsters on the field by 3 until the end of this turn. I also enter a self-restriction that prevents non-Synchro monsters from being Special Summoned from the Extra Deck this turn."

Upon hearing Hayato's intention to Special Summon a monster from the Graveyard, Kaiser unhesitatingly removed the card he had just placed on the back field: "Then, I will send the Equip Card 'Cyber ​​Wing' to the Graveyard to activate the effect of 'Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon,' negating and destroying the effect of 'Great Radiant Saint of Hellflower - Strychia'!"

Of the three equipment cards for [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon], [Auxiliary Electronic Wing], which has a built-in attack power boost, is actually the most useless and naturally the first to be used as ammunition by Caesar. The giant cannon on the back of [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] is charging up and about to fire.

"Now I'll activate this card again. The effect of 【Radiant Holy Song of the Prison God】 is: During both players' Main Phases, you can target a monster in my Central Main Monster Zone, increase its Level by 3 stars, and then Synchro Summon a 【Radiant Holy】 Synchro Monster or 【Prison God - Junora】!"

"The monster in my central monster zone is [The Great Saint of Hellflower - Strychia], its level has increased by 3 stars!"

Hayato's actions are somewhat unclear in their implications. After all, the only Synchro Monster with the "Radiant Saint" trait is "The Great Radiant Saint of Hellflower - Strychia," which is a Level 7. The Level 10 "Junora the Hell God" requires two other Tuner monsters to be Synchro Summoned, which seems impossible for Hayato to Synchro Summon with his current monsters, not to mention the need to use the effect of "The Hell God of Radiant Saint" to raise its level.

—But the problem is, Caesar doesn't know that. His only way of contacting Synchro Summoning is through Hayato himself. He only learned how Synchro Summoning works today. [Radiant Saint] is also a deck he'd never heard of before. He put himself in Hayato's shoes, thinking about how his "Cyber ​​Stream" and "Reverse Cyber ​​Stream" focus on Fusion Summoning and have so many Fusion Monsters to choose from. So, isn't it only natural that [Radiant Saint] has multiple Synchro Monsters to choose from?

Therefore, Caesar's first reaction upon seeing Hayato's actions was that Hayato wanted to use the effect of [Radiant Hymn of the Prison God] to Synchro Summon [Great Radiant Saint of the Prison Flower - Strychia] to summon a new monster.

"Is this the same 'accelerated fusion' as before? Trying to dodge the effect of [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] won't be that easy!" Caesar pulled out the card again. "This time, I'll send [Eternal Evolution Flame] to the graveyard and activate the effect of [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] again!"

Although [Eternal Evolution Flame] has the "Battle Phase Three-Seal" effect that is the hallmark of the [Ancient Gear] deck - the opponent cannot activate the effects of Spells, Trap Cards, and Monsters during your Battle Phase, it can be regarded as a manifestation of Professor Chronos that Kaiser received in the past, and it also has the ability to play consecutively by banishing [Cyber ​​Dragon] monsters from the Graveyard, similar to [Chimera Overload Dragon].

However, it would be troublesome if Hayato summoned some powerful new monster, so even if it means giving up combos, we must shut down the opponent's strategy!

However, Hayato activated the card for the third time after Caesar had already used up two of his three-color cards – the last face-down card in his back row.

"Can you keep up with my speed, Ryo Marufuji? Don't get left far behind." Hayato picked up a card from the back row and showed it off. "Trap Card [Synchro] activated!"

"You can only activate this effect by targeting a monster in my Graveyard. Negate its effect and Special Summon it to my field. Then, Synchro Summon a DARK/Dragon/Fiend Synchro Monster using only monsters on my field, including that monster, as materials!"

"The monster I want to Special Summon is the [Transcendent Synchro Dragon] in my Graveyard!"

Upon hearing Hayato's intention to Special Summon [Phantom Wing Synchro Dragon] back, Caesar hesitated for a moment. Activating the effect of [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] had a significant cost; two of the three Equip Cards were consumed within a single chain, and the last one was [TG Halberd Gunner/Explosive Body] equipped by [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] using its own effect.

Without this card, [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] would lose the power of its final activation effect, and its attack power would drop to 2000, making it completely unable to compete with Hayato's [Prison God - Junora] with 3100 attack power on the field.

But if we don't use the effect... well, as I said before, who knows what new troublesome monster Hayato will summon with Synchro Summoning!

"Then I will activate the effect of [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] for the third time, sending [TG Halberd Gunner/Explosive Body] to the graveyard, thus negating and destroying [Synchronization Shout]!"

In the end, Caesar used the final effect of [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon], completing three counters at the end of this long chain.

C1【狱花之大燿圣-斯特里奇亚】C2【铠狱龙-电子暗冥龙】C3【燿圣诗之狱神精】C4【铠狱龙-电子暗冥龙】C5【同调呼喊】C6【铠狱龙-电子暗冥龙】！

The chain reaction continued, and the giant cannon of [Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon] fired three times in succession, destroying all of Hayato's monsters except for [Prison God - Junora]. However, the cost was that its equipment was also completely destroyed, and its attack power dropped back to its original value.

【Armored Dragon - Electronic Dark Dragon】【ATK7100→2000】

"What a pity, I was planning to Synchro Summon [Chaos Dragon - Chaos Ruler] to fill the graveyard." Hayato sighed, sending his destroyed cards to the graveyard one by one, except for [Great Saint of Hellflower - Strychia].

Chapter 1795 As everyone knows, a bitter choice refers to the bitterness on the other side.

"That card?"

Seeing Caesar's confusion, Hayato pointed to the cards in the back row: "Although the activation of the effect of [Great Saint of Hellflower - Strychia] was negated, because it is located in my central monster zone, [Radiant Saint ~Homecoming Parallelism~] has given it resistance to be destroyed by card effects."

"So it's still on the field...?" Caesar glanced at the two monsters remaining on Hayato's field. After completing the chain, he took out another card from his own graveyard and said, "If the [Cyber ​​Wing] equipped to a monster is sent to the graveyard, you can target any [Cyber] monster in my graveyard that is a Dragon-Type or Machine-Type other than this card and Special Summon it to my field."

"The monster I Special Summon is—Sebadorgon!"

"Although you've almost used up all the cards on my field, there are still two monsters left with stats over 3000," Hayato reminded Caesar. "Cyber ​​Dragon's attack power is 2100, so I'm just a little short of breaking through that barrier."

"Strategies like direct attacks are useless. As long as there are monsters in my central monster zone, the opponent's monsters can only attack them under the effect of [Radiant Saint ~Rhapsody of Rhapsody~]. Then, [Radiant Saint ~Return to Homeland Parallelism~] grants [Great Radiant Saint of Hellflower - Strychia] in the central monster zone resistance to being destroyed by card effects. It's impossible to destroy it directly with cards like [Evolutionary Flame]."

So... what was your last card in hand?

Hearing Hayato's words, John couldn't help but turn his gaze to Caesar beside him and asked, "Is this the end, Caesar?"

However, Caesar responded with a cold laugh: "That's it? You mean the hell I'm in is only this deep, and that I'm just going to stop here?"

“I’m still far from it, far from the duel I want, far from the victory I want, and far from everything I want…” Caesar raised his last card and shouted, “You can’t see hope without being plunged into despair, you can’t make sacrifices without giving your all! This last draw is my last struggle for victory!”

"Spell Card, Pot of Greed, activated!"

Previously, Caesar used the effect of "Cyber ​​World Serpent" to return "Cyber ​​Dark Dragon" to his hand to search for "Fusion," and with the help of "Magic Hammer," he drew the card from his deck, which has remained with him ever since. Surprisingly, the card that an ordinary person would play immediately upon drawing it is the Normal Spell Card "Pot of Greed"!?

“Unlike how Professor Chronos taught his students, you’re saving [Pot of Greed] for last.” Hayato was actually quite excited to see Caesar about to make his final draw. “Then let me see just how far you’ve progressed in ‘Hell,’ ‘Hell Caesar.’”

"Draw!" Caesar drew two cards, saw one of them, and smiled. "Falling into the deepest depths of hell, yet seeing light in the face of despair, how interesting!"

"I haven't used a Normal Summon this turn, so I'll give this opportunity to this card in my hand—[Cyber ​​Dragon Core]—and Summon it to the field in Attack Position."

"And at this moment, if [Cyber ​​Dragon Core] is summoned, I will add one [Cyber] or [Cyber ​​Tech] Spell/Trap Card from my Deck to my hand. I choose [Cyber ​​Load Fusion]!"

[Ryo Marufuji: 4000 LP, hand 1→2→2]

【Armored Dragon - Cyber ​​Dark Dragon】【ATK2000】

【Electronic World Snake】【DEF2100】

【Electronic Dragon】【ATK2100】

【Electronic Dragon Core】【ATK300】

Backcourt: [Ultra-futuristic Fusion] [Cyber ​​Dark World]

Venue: [Electronic Dark Inferno]

"While it is on the field or in the graveyard, the name of [Cyber ​​Dragon Core] is also used as [Cyber ​​Dragon]. Next, I activate this [Cyber ​​Load Fusion] to return the monsters on my field and those that have been banished to the Deck as Fusion Material, and perform a Fusion Summon of a Fusion Monster that requires [Cyber ​​Dragon] as Fusion Material."

"Retrieving the Cyber ​​Dragon that Hayato banished at the beginning," Kaiser said, "The Fusion Material I've chosen is the combined three Cyber ​​Dragons that were banished from my field!"

"This is the limit of 'electron flow'! Show your perfect form, my old friend!"

"【Electronic Terminator Dragon】!"

From "surface electron flow" to "inner electron flow," Caesar has now transformed back into "surface electron flow," which signifies graduation from "electron flow" and is a symbol of "licensed mastery." It also marks the arrival of the [Electron Terminator Dragon], which has accompanied Caesar in his dueling battles for many years!

【Electronic Terminator Dragon】【10☆/Light】

[Mechanical Race/Fusion/Effect]

[4000/2800]

The mechanical dragon appeared and let out a loud roar towards the sky. Its lifelike performance surprised John: "This feeling, although no specific spirit appeared, I can feel that the dormant mind in this [Electronic Termination Dragon] card has been awakened."

"Could it be that, Caesar, you...?"

John retracted his earlier statement. He had assumed that Caesar, as he claimed, was willing to sacrifice everything for victory, even his old friend, Cyber ​​Dragon. But now it seemed that even if he said that, Caesar had never truly abandoned his cards in his heart, and the current state of Cyber ​​Dragon was the best proof of that.

You could call him "hypocritical" or "tsundere," but Marufuji Ryo isn't the cold-blooded duelist John initially perceived him to be. Perhaps, as he said when he activated the Pot of Greed, he's the type who would sacrifice his own life before making cold, indifferent sacrifices for others.

"Can everything be sacrificed for victory, including oneself...?" John murmured unconsciously, lost in thought.

After playing [Cyber ​​End Dragon], Caesar did not play the other card in his hand. He then waved his hand and commanded, "Then let's enter my battle phase. Go for it and attack the opponent's monster!"

"Because of the effect of [Radiant Saint ~Rhapsody of Rhapsody~], the only monster you can attack is the [Great Radiant Saint of Hellflower - Strychia] in Defense Position," Hayato reminded him.

Caesar smirked: "Thank you for the reminder, Hayato-sensei. Now, would you like me to remind you about the effects of [Cyber ​​Terminator Dragon]?"

"When attacking a Defense Position monster, Cyber ​​Terminator Dragon can convert any ATK exceeding its Defense stat into battle damage against its opponent."

"—Eternal-Evolution-Burst!"

The red, yellow, and green gems embedded in the three dragon heads of the [Electronic Terminator Dragon] lit up one after another. The moment it was fully charged, the blue gem on its body shone brightly, and three thick beams of light burst forth and merged into one during the propulsion process, bombarding the bewitching flower and bird body and piercing through the body of [Great Saint of Hell Flower - Strickia]!

[Hayato Kobayashi: 2000→1000LP, 1 card in hand]

"We've successfully reduced Hayato's life points!" Seeing that Hayato's life points weren't reduced by his own actions, but by their attack, John shouted excitedly, "Caesar, what's your last card? Maybe we can press our advantage—"

“It’s impossible.” However, Caesar interrupted John and said calmly, “The price of [Cyber ​​Load Fusion] is that this turn I can only use [Cyber ​​Ender Dragon], which is Fusion Summoned by its effect, to attack. Not to mention that I don’t have any usable cards in my hand, even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to let other monsters participate in the attack.”

"Being able to break through Hayato-sensei's lines head-on is something I've never done in the past three years of my school life. As proof of my descent into the depths of 'hell,' this result is satisfactory for me and can be used next time."

As Hayato sends the destroyed [Great Saint Strychia of the Prison Flower] to the graveyard, Caesar places his last card face-down on the back row and says, "My Battle Phase ends here. Then, during my Main Phase 2, I set one card face-down and end my turn."

[Ryo Marufuji: 4000 LP, hand 2→1→0]