Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

The Manhattan borough where Times Square is located is not too far from Greenwich. By tram, Malik and Hayato arrived at Brick Street, where Hayato was going, in less than an hour.

Walking down the street, Malik glanced at Hayato, then looked at the passersby who seemed indifferent to Hayato's presence, and said somewhat strangely, "I remember that in America, people are quite enthusiastic about Duel Monsters, right?"

“Yeah, look over there.” Hayato pointed to the park on one side of the street. The park, which should have been occupied by couples and passersby, was now full of Duel Monsters enthusiasts standing on the dueling platform and playing cards.

"For victory, I will sacrifice my old friend, the Death Stalker, as a sacrifice to summon the gods! Come forth, Lion Wizard!"

"What? It's the invincible [Lion Wizard]! Damn it, you won again."

"Hmph, what an interesting duel."

Although some of the duelists in the park were so enthusiastic that their presence could be heard from a great distance by Malik, who was standing outside the park, he was more interested in complaining about something else.

"If that's the case, these people should at least have seen your duel videos from Duel City, so why didn't anyone recognize you on the street?"

Hayato pushed up his glasses: "Of course, it's because of my perfect disguise."

"What kind of disguise is a pair of glasses?!"

"You don't understand, do you? That's how Americans are. A pair of glasses can make it impossible for people to associate a reporter in a suit with an alien wearing his underwear on the outside. Similarly, even though your chin looks like a pair of butts, as long as you cover the upper half of your face, no one can tell who that raspy-voiced bat costume weirdo is."

Hayato, bluffing Malik, the professional comedian, walked side by side along the street looking for house number 177A. Before long, they arrived at a dojo with a distinctly oriental aesthetic. In front of the dojo hung a sign that read "Electronic Flow," a rather peculiar sign in Chinese, Japanese, and English.

"Hmm, I think this is it." Putting the note back in his pocket, Hayato took advantage of Malik's distraction while he was looking at the gym in front of him to secretly glance at his phone, whose screen was always lit up.

“Electronic Flow?” Malik looked at the gym in front of him. “Is that Samejima guy’s ‘Electronic Flow’? Interesting.”

Malik also knew Samejima. The two had met in the KC Cup qualifiers and were kindred spirits. The two underworld duelists fought each other with great difficulty, chipping away at each other's health and even destroying the Great Dao.

“But is this place really ‘Electronic Flow’? I remember Samejima said that ‘Electronic Flow’ has been passed down for many generations. This place looks quite new.” As he spoke, Malik stepped closer to the pillar in front of the door before Hayato. “Even the paint is new, it’s not even dry yet.”

"It seems that lately, duelists are less willing to advocate for the 'Electronic Flow' training that requires apprentices to endure hardship and training. Samejima got some inspiration from certain novels and, as a contemporary teacher, divided the inner and outer sects." Hayato shrugged, not revealing that it was actually he who gave Samejima this suggestion.

"The inner disciples are the core disciples who are willing to endure hardship, while the outer disciples just charge tuition and teach some non-core content. After all, the tuition fees for apprentices are a major part of the dojo's income."

"Making money is nothing to be ashamed of."

Malik curled his lip: "Shabby, damn shabby, this Shark Island is really lame."

Malik, who had personally disbanded his own organization, looked on with disdain.

Just then, a hand gently rested on Malik's shoulder, and a woman's voice entered his ears: "So, you're very brave?"

"Just kidding, I'm super brave," Malik answered instinctively, then realized something was wrong.

This voice doesn't seem to be Hayato's usual husky voice; it sounds like a woman's.

Turning his head, Malik nearly jumped out of his skin: "Sis?! What are you doing here?!"

Watching Malik being held by the shoulder by Isis with a friendly expression, Hayato stood aside, casually turned off location sync on his phone, whistled indifferently, ignored Malik's pleading eyes, and walked into the "Electronic Flow" gym.

Just as Malik had seen before, Hayato turned his back to Malik and waved his hand.

Chapter 471 Okay, this time we're playing the XYZ deck.

Pushing open the door of the "Electronic Flow" dojo and walking inside, Hayato was greeted by an extremely spacious area.

Inside the dojo, many people stood in neat rows, each wearing a wooden model on their wrist that resembled a duel disk, and they all made a card-drawing gesture in unison.

"Draw!"

The shouts from the same voices certainly startled Hayato, who had just walked in.

Hayato's appearance also caught the attention of an elderly man with white hair standing at the head of the line. However, after looking Hayato up and down, he didn't look at Hayato again, but said to the line in front of him: "Alright, that's enough for today's morning practice. Everyone can practice freely from now on, but don't be lazy with your studies."

After saying that, the old man turned to look at Hayato again: "You, you're not here to join our Electronic Stream, are you? You're here to see that kid Samejima?"

Samejima? I thought Samejima was getting on in years?

However, judging from the old man's white hair, he really does have the right to call Samejima Iemitsu "kid".

Hayato nodded, about to say something, when the old man suddenly snorted coldly, looking at Hayato with an icy expression: "Hmph, as expected, I could feel the sharp aura of a duelist on you as soon as I entered. But dealing with you challengers, we don't need that kid Samejima to make a move!"

"Huh?" Hayato was taken aback. He had come as a guest of Samejima, not to cause trouble. What had this old man misunderstood? He immediately explained, "No, I didn't—"

"So you're saying you didn't come here to see me, but rather that you think only by defeating Samejima, the contemporary master of Electro Flow, can you truly say you've conquered Electro Flow? Humph!"

The old man finally brought his hand out from behind his back, revealing a Duel Disk that he had been carrying behind his back as if it had been prepared all along. "Standing before you is the master of Cyber ​​Style, the former teacher. Take out your deck and prepare to face the complete domination from Cyber ​​Style!"

Although he looked white-haired, the old man spoke with a strong voice. The apprentices who had been arranged by the old man to practice freely did not actually disperse, but instead surrounded Hayato and the old man, both to support the old man and to take the opportunity to join in the fun.

However, among the apprentices watching the commotion, a blue-haired boy who looked to bewildered Hayato, who was trying to explain something but was repeatedly interrupted by the old man, seemed to recognize him, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

"I already told you, I only—"

"Don't look down on me, kid!"

"I didn't, I just—"

"Then let's duel!"

Hayato tried to explain again and again, but was repeatedly interrupted by the stubborn old man in front of him. Even he couldn't help but get a little angry.

Hayato took out his deck and placed it in the Duel Disk, gritting his teeth as he said, "There's a limit to how much you can rely on your seniority, old man. Since you're so eager for a duel, then I'll show no mercy. Don't blame me if you end up with a herniated disc!"

"Duel!"

The duel disks of both sides were connected through the mysterious black technology of the Haima Group. However, the two beacons used for the virtual projection system were not released. Instead, several projection devices were extended from the ceiling of the seemingly ancient dojo.

After all, Samejima had mentioned before that this was the newly opened "outer gate" of Electronic Flow. Although it looked very old-fashioned, it was equipped with all the latest equipment, including a virtual projection system.

A virtual scoreboard lit up around both sides.

[Hayato: 4000LP, 5 cards in hand]

[Previous generation instructor: 4000LP, 5 cards]

With the scoreboard now displayed, the theoretical next step should be for Hayato and the former master of the electronic style to compete for the first move based on their respective hand speeds.

However, surrounded by a group of electronic flow apprentices, Hayato and the former master, each holding five cards in their hands, did not make a move. They just stared at each other, and an awkward silence fell.

The scene was very embarrassing.

"Um, would you like to draw a card first?"

"No, you go ahead and smoke."

"No, you go first!"

You go first!

Just moments ago they were locked in a tense standoff, practically ready to slap each other's Duel Monster cards in the face, but when it came to the first move in the duel, they unusually became deferential to each other.

It's not that Hayato suddenly developed a sense of respect for elders and care for the young. When dueling with others, having the first move to draw a card is very advantageous, but if the opponent is an electronic player, Hayato would rather be the second mover.

Although there is an atypical Electro-Style duelist like Samejima, the main characteristic of Electro-Style should be a combination of speed and power in its aggressive attacks.

In another world, there are two extremely vicious curses associated with duels involving electronic decks.

If you're playing an electronic style, then I wish you the best of luck in getting the first move every game;

If your opponent is playing electronically, I wish you good luck in getting the first move.

Take the classic example of "Power Combination" + three "Cyber ​​Dragons" to summon an invincible "Cyber ​​Terminator Dragon" with 8000 attack power and a built-in armor penetration effect. If you don't prepare in advance, your opponent can play a "Limit Removal" card that doubles the attack power again. Even a mainstream deck will be defeated if it doesn't have a countermeasure.

Of course, if the opponent of the electronic deck is a shady deck filled with red and green cards like "Magic Cylinder," that's a different story. However, Hayato doesn't think his deck is that shady, so he thinks it's better to play it safe and let the opponent go first.

However, it's quite obvious that the other party thinks the same way.

He even spoke quite righteously: "Hmph, even if they are unwelcome guests who come to challenge us, our Electronic Flow Dojo still has the most basic etiquette. Stop being so timid and keep drawing cards."

According to the old man, Hayato was afraid to duel and that's why he didn't take the first strike. Since the old man had said that, Hayato had no choice but to put his finger on his deck and say, "In that case, it's my turn. Draw a card."

Hayato drew the trap card "Union Emergency Response," which is a support card for Union series monsters, but it's practically a dedicated support card for the "XYZ" deck.

After a long absence, Hayato brought out his pure [XYZ] deck for the duel, and he was quite lucky, drawing his main cards in the first turn.

"I activate the Spell Card [Planetary Transformation], adding one card from my Deck to my hand, and then I activate the Field Spell Card added to my hand!"

Hayato pinched a card between two fingers and arrogantly flicked it downwards, sending it right into the Field Spell Zone on his Duel Disk. "Since my opponent is a Machine-type Cyber ​​Dragon, then to deal with you, wouldn't it be better to use another Machine-type, XYZ?"

"Heroes have their battlegrounds, and mechanical creations naturally have their workshops for maintenance. Field Spell Card [Union Hangar] activated!"

As Hayato activated his Field Spell Card, a massive mechanical pillar rose up in the open space behind him. The pillar had multiple sections that seemed to be able to rotate independently, and each section was connected to a container holding something. There were a total of eight containers, each labeled with one of the eight letters: “A”, “B”, “C”, “V”, “W”, “X”, “Y”, and “Z”.

The old man opposite Hayato noticed the pillar rising behind Hayato and asked curiously, "What's with these letters? And where did the D through U go?"

"Yes, why? I'm also looking for the answer to that question." Hayato said perfunctorily, placing his hand beside the deck and catching the card that was automatically retrieved and popped out of the deck. "Based on the effect of [Union Hangar] when activated, I can add one Machine-Type LIGHT Union Monster from the deck to my hand."

"The monster I joined is [A-Assault Core]."

"And I'll call its attack on the field a Normal Summon!"

As Hayato's monster card was summoned, the top layer of the towering mechanical pillar behind him began to rotate, and the container marked with the letter "A" moved above Hayato as the pillar rotated.

The hatch of the container opened, and a yellow combat vehicle emerged from it, landing steadily on Hayato's field using the nozzles under its tracks. Its beam emitter, shaped like a scorpion's stinger, aimed at the direction of the former Electronic Flow instructor.

[A-Assault Core] [4☆/Light]

[Mechanical Race/Allies/Effect]

[1900/200]

"It's clearly a Level 4 monster, yet its attack power is already 1900 points, and it's a Alliance Monster. Is it the same type as [XYZ]?"

The former master of the Electro-Flow style frowned as he looked at [A-Assault Core]. He didn't really take the monster with 1900 attack power too seriously, since Electro-Flow had never been afraid of anyone when it came to sheer attack power. What truly made him serious was the other purple pterosaur that landed on Hayato's field along with [A-Assault Core].

Along with the container marked "A", another container marked "C" was opened. The purple pterosaur flew out of that container, and as soon as it landed, the purple mechanical pterosaur disassembled itself into several parts and installed them on the [A-Assault Core].

Although both Hayato and Kaiba use the [XYZ] Union Monster deck, it is not uncommon and not cheap enough to cost 50 yen per card. However, many duelists whose decks are compatible with this deck include it in their decks to fill out the slots. Therefore, the former master of the Cyberse style has also seen this type of Union Monster.

The connection between the purple pterosaur and the yellow tank in front of me does indeed look like a representation of an Allied Monster. However, even though the purple pterosaur has been equipped as equipment on the [A-Assault Core], its attack power has not changed at all.

"The effect of [Union Hangar] is that once per turn, if a Machine-Type LIGHT Union Monster is Normal or Special Summoned to my field, I can choose one Machine-Type LIGHT Union Monster with a different name that can be equipped to that monster from my Deck and equip it to that monster."

Hayato explained, "The card I chose is [C-Crushing Winged Dragon], which has a different name from [A-Assault Core]. However, although [C-Crushing Winged Dragon] has the ability to remove its equipped status and Special Summon itself, due to the influence of [Union Hangar], the [C-Crushing Winged Dragon] equipped to [A-Assault Core] cannot be Special Summoned this turn because of its effect."

"In addition, although it cannot increase the ATK and DEF of the equipped monster like other Union Monsters, [C-Crushing Wyvern] will grant the equipped monster the ability to be unaffected by the opponent's Trap Card effects."

"Hmph, it's just a monster with an attack power of 1900. If it can't be affected by trap effects, why not just destroy it in battle?" the former instructor said dismissively.

Hayato smiled and revealed a card from his hand: "I never said my turn was over. On the contrary, my turn has just begun. I can't unleash the full power of my mechanical equipment without having it all ready."

"The Continuous Spell Card [Frontline Base] is activated, and its effect applies: Once per turn, I can Special Summon one Union Monster directly from my hand to the field!"

Seeing the card Hayato activated, the former master of the Electronic Stream's pupils contracted, because he knew Hayato's next move.