Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"I dream that my country will be ruled by power, not by committees, that laws will be amended to apply to every individual, not the other way around; that all justice and power will return to themselves, to the hands of the people themselves!"

"Huh?" Hayato was completely baffled by what the other person said.

Fanny Valentine, still immersed in her "dream," continued, "I dream that everyone can think and act freely—for themselves."

"To the lawyers who swear *American*, to the bureaucrats who swear *American*, to all those 'American pride' figures, to all the media, and to all the 24/7 online gossip and celebrities who swear *American*, all of you *swear* get the hell out!"

"America is terminally ill and rotten to the core. It is beyond saving, and the culprits are giants like the International Illusion Company and the Seahorse Group, who simultaneously control wealth, social status, and the power to fight monsters!"

Valentine looked at Hayato, "I'm going to uproot you all, clear out this land where the Seahorse Group and the International Illusion Society are based, and burn it to ashes!"

"Duel Monsters will no longer need to be negated by a 'ban/limited list' arbitrarily proposed by the Kaiba Corporation; the strength of Duel Monsters will no longer be suppressed by Duel Kings; and the number of Duel Monster cards will no longer be arbitrarily controlled by Mirage International!"

"—Then, let America rise from these ashes! An evolved, untamed America!"

(Kojima's forward-thinking approach led him to propose MAGA as early as 2013.)

“The weak will be eliminated, the strong will prosper, and live freely in whatever way they deem appropriate, and they will ‘Make-American-Great-Again’!”

With arms outstretched and envisioning the future, Fanny Valentine declared, "The current Duel Monsters are monopolized by you, by the International Illusion Society, and by the Kaiba Corporation. This rigid class system is what I will destroy."

"You who operate Duel Monsters merely as an entertainment project do not understand its true potential. It should become a substitute for war. And as long as the Kaiba Corporation, the International Illusion Company, and you, Hayato Kobayashi, are gone, Duel Monsters, which replace war, will become a tool in my hands to guide the world's direction!"

"I can make the Duel Monsters war start like a business, make me elected president again and again, and I can also make the war end like a business."

"In my new America, people can die or kill for their own beliefs, not for money, not for oil, not for what they are told is right. Everyone is free to fight for themselves!"

"I will rid the world of those meaningless wars, and you who merely collect Duel Monsters as artifacts are the greatest obstacle in my path as I intend to distribute Duel Monsters as swords to everyone!"

Looking at Fanny Valentine pointing at him, Hayato simply picked at his ear: "I regret listening to you finish; it was all nonsense."

"Put on your Duel Disk, draw a card, and then prepare to die. That's all." Hayato said, already opening his Duel Disk. "Duel."

[Kobayashi Hayato: 4000LP, hand card: 5]

Chapter 2098 The Dragon Maid's Maze - Part 1

"Duel!"

Seeing Hayato unfold his Duel Disk, Fanny Valentine also unfolded his own Duel Disk—although he was a clone, he still prepared a Duel Disk for each clone, "making a huge contribution" to the Kaiba Corporation's revenue.

Fanny Valentine: 4000LP, Hand: 5

He had anticipated Hayato's reaction, since he had come with the intention of killing him, and it was only natural that he would receive such an attitude.

But after Hayato asked his question, he still stated his position. From the beginning, his aim was not to persuade Hayato or change his mind, but rather—

"I'll let you have the first strike, Hayato Kobayashi." After a moment's thought, Fanny Valentine decisively gave up the chance to take the first strike, because if he did, Hayato might be able to decide the outcome of the duel in the second round and defeat him.

However, if Hayato attacks first, although there's still a possibility of being FTK'd by the opponent, if you're lucky enough, you might be able to stall until at least the third round before being defeated by Hayato, buying enough time for the other side...

"You just had a disastrous start yesterday, with your hand wiped out, and you still dare to give up the first move in front of me?" Hayato raised an eyebrow and didn't stand on ceremony with his opponent, accepting the first move. "Then it's my turn, draw a card!"

"And then because I need to use my normal summon [Half-Dragon Maid - Laundry Dragon Girl] - Come forth, Future Dragon Emperor - Little Blue!"

"Waaaaah, it's me, Lord Blue, making my dazzling entrance!" Blue jumped out arrogantly from Hayato's hand.

【Half-Dragon Maid - Laundry Dragon Girl】【2☆/Water】

[Dragon Clan/Effect]

[500/1600]

After entering the field, Hayato waved his hand and said, "And Blue's effect can only be activated when this card is Normal or Special Summoned, sending three cards from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard."

Although Fanny Valentine gave up the first move, it didn't mean he wouldn't react to Hayato's actions. Seeing that Hayato was planning to build a graveyard, he immediately played a card from his hand and said, "Then I'll chain to the opponent's [Half-Dragon Maid - Laundry Dragon Girl] and use the effect of this card in my hand."

"When I have no monsters on my field and my opponent activates a monster's effect, I can activate this effect: Special Summon this [PSY Skeleton Gear Gamma] along with my hand, Deck, and Graveyard combined [PSY Skeleton Driver], and negate and destroy the activation of that monster's effect!"

Hayato was shocked upon hearing this: "You actually took Kang Xiaolan?! Are you even human?"

"Quack!" Struck by a beam of electricity, Hayato's Blue Monster failed to complete its graveyard construction. Instead, it was blasted into a dusty mess by the electric shock and sent to the graveyard. Meanwhile, Valentine's field gained two more monsters.

【PSY Frame Equipment - γ】【2☆/Light】

[Psychic/Special Summon/Effect]

[1000/0]

(Fun fact: The PSY frame series is based on the psychoframe from Gundam.)

【PSY Skeleton Driver】【6☆/Light】

[Psychokinesis/Normal]

[2500/0]

Although these two monsters are not considered rare cards in the Duel Monsters environment of another world, the last time Hayato saw them was at the Light of Destruction.

“Are you surprised, Hayato Kobayashi? This power was created based on research on you 'New-Types'.”

However, Valentine thought Hayato was surprised because he saw a card he had never seen before, and explained, "At first, there were some short-sighted fools who wanted to use this device, which was named 'Psycommu,' in the military field, but only I know that Duel Monsters are the most important thing for the future."

"The Duel Monster 'Psycho-Skeleton' [PSY Skeleton], born from the Psycommu System, is one of the Duel Monster cards I brought to destroy you!"

"You really dare to say that, but if simply blocking the activation of Little Blue's effect makes you so confident that you can beat me, aren't you underestimating me?"

Hayato played a card from his hand. "Now that Little Blue has been sent to the graveyard, I'll use the effect of this card in my hand: [Fire Furnace of Silver Castle]."

"Send this card from my hand and field to the Graveyard, and discard one card from my hand—this [Half-Dragon Maid - Dormitory Dragon Girl], also known as Little Black—to activate its effect."

“I select one [Rabilins] Spell/Trap Card from my hand or Deck and Set it on the field. I then Set [Rabilins Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!]”.

Hayato dropped a card from his deck and smirked: "Hmph, that's right, the deck I'm using this time is the 'Dragon Maid Silver Castle' deck!"

"Then, I will discard the [Half-Dragon Maid - Starry Night Dragon Girl] in my hand to activate its effect and Special Summon all [Half-Dragon Maid - Starry Night Dragon Girl] monsters in my Graveyard except for the banished [Half-Dragon Maid - Starry Night Dragon Girl].

"Get back to my field, Little Black!"

Hayato discards "Big Black" and retrieves "Little Black" from the graveyard. The human-shaped dragon maid, "Half-Dragon Maid - Bedroom Dragon Girl," appears on Hayato's field and retrieves a card for him to add to his hand.

[Half-Dragon Maid - Bedroom Maid] [4☆/Dark]

[Dragon Clan/Effect]

[500/1800]

"This effect can only be activated when [Half-Dragon Maid - Dormitory Maid] is Normal or Special Summoned. I add one [Half-Dragon Maid] Spell/Trap Card from my Deck to my hand. The card I choose here is [Half-Dragon Maid's Welcome]."

(I've always been a die-hard fan of Kuro.)

【小林隼人：4000LP，手牌：5→6→5→3→2→3】

Adding the retrieved card to his hand, Hayato continued, "Next, I'm going to banish both [Half-Dragon Maid - Dormitory Dragon Girl] from my field and [Half-Dragon Maid - Starry Night Dragon Girl] from my Graveyard!"

"Be ever-changing, Kira☆Kira's personal maid!"

"Contact Fusion, Level 8☆!"

"【Half-Dragon Maid - Personal Dragon Girl】!"

[Half-Dragon Maid - Personal Dragon Girl] [8☆/Light]

[Dragon/Fusion/Effect]

[2000/3000]

The little black girl in Hayato's arena and the big black girl in the graveyard disappeared together and were removed from the duels. In their place, an elegant new maid appeared in Hayato's arena.

"I can Special Summon Little Gold by banishing one 'Half-Dragon Maid' card of the same Attribute but different Level from both my field and Graveyard from my Extra Deck." Hayato took a card from his Deck. "And if Little Gold is Special Summoned, activate its effect!"

"I will Special Summon a Half-Dragon Maid monster with a Level of 4 or lower from my Deck. I will Special Summon Half-Dragon Maid - Living Room Dragon Girl."

"Come out, Little Green!"

Chapter 2099 The Dragon Maid's Maze - Part Two

A verdant breeze carried desserts and tableware as "Little Green," the woman in charge of the living room—[Half-Dragon Maid - Living Room Dragon Girl]—came to Hayato's side at the summons of [Half-Dragon Maid - Personal Dragon Girl].

(Little Green is so pretty!)

【Half-Dragon Maid - Living Room Dragon Girl】【3☆/Wind】

[Dragon Clan/Effect]

[500/1700]

"When Little Green is Summoned or Special Summoned, it can also activate its effect, sending one 'Half-Dragon Maid' card other than 'Half-Dragon Maid - Living Room Dragon Girl' from my Deck to the Graveyard. I chose 'Half-Dragon Maid's Changing Clothes'."

After sending the card to the graveyard, Hayato played another card from his hand: "Next up is this Continuous Spell Card, 'Half-Dragon Maid's Welcome.' While this card is on the field, it increases the ATK and DEF of all monsters I control by 100 points each of the 'Half-Dragon Maid' monsters I control."

"However, that's not the point. The point is that if I have two or more 'Half-Dragon Maid' monsters on my field, I can target one 'Half-Dragon Maid' card in my Graveyard and add that card to my hand. This effect can be used once per turn."

Hayato pulled a card from the graveyard and said, "I'm recycling this [Half-Dragon Maid - Laundry Dragon Girl]."

"And the effect of 'Half-Dragon Maid's Changing Clothes' in the Graveyard: While this card is in my Graveyard, you can target one 'Half-Dragon Maid' monster on my field and add the targeted card and 'Half-Dragon Maid's Changing Clothes' from the Graveyard to my hand."

"I will collect the [Half-Dragon Maid - Living Room Dragon Girl] on the field along with this [Half-Dragon Maid's Changing Clothes]."

【小林隼人：4000LP，手牌：3→2→3→5】

After collecting several cards, Hayato played them again: "Next, I will activate the Spell Card [Half-Dragon Maid's Changing Clothes] and use my Level 8 [Half-Dragon Maid - Personal Dragon Girl] on the field and this [Half-Dragon Maid - Living Room Dragon Girl] in my hand as Fusion Material."

"The required materials are: a Half-Dragon Maid monster plus a Dragon monster of level 5 or higher!"

"Soaring through the radiance of black wings, emerge, perfectly elegant half-dragon maid!"

"Fusion Summon, Level 10☆!"

"【Half-Dragon Maid - Radiant Dragon Girl】!"

Under the effect of [Half-Dragon Maid's Changing Clothes], Hayato's little gold quietly left the field, and then a beautiful dragon with black, red and white colors appeared!

【Half-Dragon Maid - Radiant Dragon Girl】【10☆/Light】

[Dragon/Fusion/Effect]

【3500/2000→3600/2100】

Having spent three cards to create [Half-Dragon Maid - Radiant Dragon Girl] to provide three-color counters, Hayato's actions did not stop. Instead, he pointed to his back row.

"It's not over yet. Next, I'll show my opponent this [Rabillins Welcome, Welcome, Great Welcome] card, which is face down on the field, and return it to my hand."

"Special Summon the blue-colored Oni of Change from my hand—[God-Slaying Sword Oni - Mizuko-no-Mori]—in Defense Position!"