Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

[Electrocution Torture Machine] [5 stars/Dark]

[Demon Race/Effect]

[800/600]

However, he remained outwardly calm. He put the deck back and activated the effect of the summoned monster: "When [Electric Torture Machine] is Summoned, Special Summoned, or Flip Summoned to the field, all face-down cards on the field return to their owner's hand."

"I completely tore apart your three face cards."

Hayato put the three cards back into his hand, subconsciously shuffled and swapped their positions, and looked at Thief Keith: "If [Sand Swamp Monster] is still face down in defense position, that would be troublesome. But in the current situation, you can't attack anyway, right?"

"Tch, three cards face down, my turn ends." Keith set his three cards face down, feeling troubled by the current situation. Because the destruction by [Double-Barreled Pistol Dragon] was completely unexpected, Keith had to start thinking about how to defend against Hayato's counterattack even though he had only just started the game, and even had to use a monster like [Electric Torture Machine], which was quite weak in both offense and defense, as a shield.

[Keith: 3700LP, 1 cards in hand]

[Electroshock Torture Machine] [DEF600]

[Signature Card][Signature Card][Signature Card]

"Then it's my turn, draw a card!"

Hayato glanced at his hand and drew one: "I summon 'Masked Dragon' in Attack Position, and then I activate the Spell Card 'Gigantify' and equip it to 'Masked Dragon'."

A robust dragon-type monster appeared on Hayato's field, holding a stone tablet engraved with strange characters in its arms. After a flash of light, the [Masked Dragon]'s size shrank to half of its original size.

【Masked Dragon】【3☆/Flame】

[Dragon Clan/Effect]

[1400→700/1100]

"It lowered its attack power as soon as it appeared? This monster's design is so stupid!" Jonouchi complained from the audience.

Yugi shook his head: "No, I think that's the effect of Hayato's [Gigantification] card that he just activated."

Reminded by the game, Jonouchi remembered that Hayato had indeed activated a spell card after summoning [Masked Dragon]: "Oh right, I remember now, Hayato's [Gigantify] effect seems to be—"

“When my Life Points are lower than yours, the ATK of the equipped monster will double; but now that my Life Points are higher than yours, the ATK of the Masked Dragon equipped with Giant Growth will only be half of its original ATK,” Hayato explained.

“After all, powerful cards often come with risks. However, with this card added,” Hayato paused, then played another card from his hand, “a spell card, [Toll Tax], which prevents either player from attacking unless they pay 500 Life Points.”

Chapter 118 Which priest healed the opposing team?!

"The moment you launch the attack, your Life Points will drop to 3500. Since that's lower than mine, the effect of that [Gigantify] card will turn positive, increasing [Masked Dragon]'s attack power to 2800?!" Keith wasn't a dueling novice either, and he instantly understood Hayato's combo, his expression becoming somewhat serious.

He currently only has 3700 base points, and if [Masked Dragon] successfully attacks him, he will be in danger.

"As expected of the All-American champion, 'Thief' Keith, you're absolutely right." Hayato complimented, then gave the order, "Now, let's enter the battle phase. I'll use [Sand Swamp Monster] to attack the [Electric Torture Machine] in defense position first."

"You want to clear out the monsters blocking your way first, and then use [Masked Dragon] to attack me directly?" Keith said through gritted teeth. "Then because of the [Toll] effect, you'll have to pay 500 Life Points."

[Hayato: 4000LP → 3500LP]

In that instant, because the difference in the two sides' base scores changed, the stone slab held by the Masked Dragon once again shone with light. However, this time the light did not shrink the Masked Dragon. Instead, it restored the Masked Dragon's body to its original size and then continued to enlarge it until its size doubled.

【Masked Dragon】【ATK700→1400→2800】

"A mere 500 base points! [Sand Swamp Monster], keep attacking! Sandstorm Funeral!"

A sandstorm swept across Keith's field. The Electric Torture Machine, which had previously dismantled all of Hayato's face cards, had a powerful effect, but due to the intricate internal parts, its attack and defense were quite low. It was easily destroyed by the Sand Swamp Monster, which had an attack power of 2000, and sent to the graveyard.

For a fleeting moment, Keith hesitated. Of the two cards he had set face-down last turn, one was "Time Machine," which could revive destroyed monsters. If he activated this card, he could summon the recently destroyed "Electric Torture Machine" again to defend against the impending direct attack from "Masked Dragon."

However, even if he did that, Keith would still have no effective way to destroy the Masked Dragon with an attack power of 2800 in the next turn; on the contrary, if he was directly attacked, his own life points would plummet to only 900, and even if Hayato had a dangerous Goblin Thief in his hand, it would be difficult for him to kill him.

Because of the change in life points, [Gigantify] will become a card that inflicts a debuff, and [Masked Dragon]'s attack power will drop back to only 700 points. In that case, you will have ample room to counterattack.

"Next comes the direct attack from [Masked Dragon]! Go, [Masked Dragon]! A megaton impact with an attack power of 2800 points!"

[Hayato: 3500LP → 3000LP]

Dragging its massive body, [Masked Dragon] obeyed its trainer Hayato Kobayashi's command and unleashed a Mega Impact, directly attacking Thief Keith with devastating damage!

"Cough!" Even Keith, who considered himself a tough guy, couldn't help but cry out in pain after being hit by the 2800-point impact simulated by the virtual projection system. His health points also plummeted instantly.

[Keys: 3700LP → 900LP]

Because of the effect of the megaton impact, the Masked Dragon was affected by the aftershock, and its body was unable to move. At the same time, its attack power dropped back to only 700 points.

"Set two cards face down." Hayato didn't play the [Goblin Thief] in his hand, but instead set it face down along with another card on the field. He didn't want to activate this card now, which would be actively helping Keith lower his health and lock it in. Anyway, he could activate it from the field whenever he wanted to use it to finish off the opponent. Setting it face down could also be used to bait out [Whirlwind] and save the other card.

"Sigh, what a pity. I feel like Hayato made a mistake." Jonouchi sighed. "If he hadn't equipped [Gigantification] to [Masked Dragon] but instead equipped [Sand Monster], wouldn't 2000 doubled to 4000? Hayato could have won with a direct attack."

After hearing what Jonouchi said, Mai glared at him irritably: "Where did you come from, you idiot? It's a disgrace to lose to someone like you."

"What do you mean?!" Jonouchi declared, "Even though you're a beautiful woman and in my strike zone, you absolutely cannot insult my dueling skills. Am I wrong?"

“Jounouchi-kun, actually, Hayato did nothing wrong.” Yugi tugged at Jonouchi’s sleeve somewhat awkwardly, stopping him from making any more foolish moves. “Hayato-kun’s [Gigantify] card only increases the monster’s original attack power.”

Samejima, noticing that Jonouchi still didn't quite understand even after hearing the game's explanation, added: "While the [Sand Swamp Monster]'s current attack power is 2000, that's because of the swap between its effect and defense. Its original attack power is still 1000. If you use [Gigantify], even if the doubling effect is triggered, it will still be 2000 attack power."

"He reduced that thief Keith's Life Points by so much in one go, Hayato-kun is amazing." On the other side, Honda, Kyoko, and Bakura, the "amateur duelist" group, looked at the field with eyes almost turning into stars and said admiringly, "Although [Masked Dragon]'s attack power has dropped back, that thief Keith on the other side only has 900 Life Points left, he's practically a candle in the wind."

Hearing the voice coming from Bakura's side, Hayato couldn't help but turn around and glare back—you traitor, are you giving them a buff? Everyone else is fighting for DPS in a raid, and you're putting healing spells on the boss?

Bakura was somewhat confused.

"Phew, that really hurt. This is the first time I've ever been hurt this badly on the dueling stage." With one hand on the armrest of the dueling stage, Keith recovered from the pain and looked up at Hayato. "You're much more interesting than that novice in the last match."

“Is that so? I’ll take that as a compliment.” Hayato said, about to say “My turn is over,” but Keith interrupted him before he could speak, “I’m going to activate my face-down card before your turn ends!”

"【Heart-Calming Teapot】!"

As Keith's back row card was opened, the two cards Hayato had just set in the back row suddenly fell into a jar, and a huge stone was placed on the mouth of the jar, sealing both cards inside.

"You can only activate [Heart Pot] by choosing two face-down cards in your back row. As long as this card remains on the field, your other two cards cannot be activated." With a smug grin, Keith remembered that one of those cards was [Goblin Thief]. This brat was clearly trying to trick me into using a card like [Whirlwind] to destroy his face-down cards.

I slapped down two cards in one go, and ended up using them myself. I was so greedy, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant, hahaha.

"Tch, I got greedy." Hayato regretted his actions, but he couldn't blame anyone else. He just hadn't expected Keith to bring a card like [Heart Pot]. In the Duel Kingdom, most duelists preferred tactics that combined Spell Cards with Monsters, or even simply focused on accumulating Monster counts; very few would actively set Spell/Trap Cards.

'Could it be that Keith's deck was specifically modified to counter me?' Hayato thought.

Chapter 119 What's Hidden Behind the Mask

However, no matter how much Hayato speculated about how many counter cards his opponent had in their deck, his turn eventually ended.

[Hayato: 3000LP, 0 cards in hand]

【Sand Monster】【ATK2000】

【Masked Dragon】(Gigantic Form) 【ATK700】

[Gai Ka] (Heart-shaped Teapot) [Gai Ka] (Heart-shaped Teapot) [Toll]

Although the Masked Dragon's attack power has been reduced to only 700 points, and although any monster could destroy it, Keith is unsure how to handle it. If he blindly summons a monster to attack it, even if he successfully reduces Hayato's life points, the monster used to attack will become Hayato's weak point.

On the one hand, the effect of the [Toll] is nothing on its own, but with Keith's current health points at only 900, he only has one last chance to use it for an attack.

"My turn, draw a card." Keith's eyes lit up when he saw the monster card he drew, which was the Machine-type [Cyber ​​Raider].

He placed a card face down on the field and Normal Summoned the card he had just drawn: "I will Summon this monster in Attack Position. Summon, [Cyber ​​Raider]!"

Amidst sparks of electricity, the [Electronic Raider], clad entirely in metallic armor, appeared on Keith's field in attack stance. Upon its appearance, its body suddenly began to enlarge, a process that continued until it reached twice its original size.

[Electronic Raider] [4☆/Dark]

[Mechanical Race/Effect]

[1400→2800/1000]

"It directly summoned a monster with 2800 attack power?! That must be a fake card!" Jonouchi in the stands stared wide-eyed, so excited he almost stood up from his seat.

Keith glanced at Jonouchi: "Hmph, [Cyber ​​Raider] itself certainly doesn't possess that much attack power, but if you utilize the other cards on the field..."

Upon closer inspection, Jonouchi suddenly noticed that the body of the Masked Dragon, which had been on Hayato's field, had returned to its normal size. The stone slab that had been held by the Masked Dragon had been taken away by the Electronic Raider and embedded in the armor.

"[Gigantification]!? How could this be..."

"【Cyber ​​Raider】is a monster specifically developed to counter Equip Cards. When it is summoned, it can destroy one Equip Card on the field or transfer the Equip Card to itself." Hayato knew the effect of 【Cyber ​​Raider】 and wasn't too surprised.

But it was Hayato's composed attitude that annoyed Keith: "You annoying brat, I have no idea what you're so smug about from the start. You've never even experienced the darkness of a duel, you're really infuriating!"

"【Electronic Raider】, attack that 【Masked Dragon】! Watch me shatter your disguise! Electromagnetic Shock Fist!"

[Keys: 900LP → 400LP]

Driven by electromagnetic forces, the massive body moved, and the [Electronic Raider] displayed an agility and speed that belied its enormous size, appearing in front of the [Masked Dragon] in an instant. Its massive iron fist destroyed the dragon with a single blow.

A cloud of dust enveloped Hayato's field.

[Hayato: 3000LP → 1600LP]

Although his vision was obscured by the inexplicably appearing smoke and he couldn't immediately confirm what was happening inside, Keith breathed a slight sigh of relief upon seeing Hayato's health points decrease.

"How does it feel, kid? How does the counterattack I brought you from the brink of despair taste?" Thief Keith laughed smugly, setting his hand face down. "Set one card, end of turn."

[Keith: 400LP, 0 cards in hand]

[Electronic Raider] (Gigantified) [ATK2800]

[Gai Ka] [Gai Ka] [Heart-shaped Teapot] [Gai Ka]

Hayato didn't rush to start his turn, but instead looked at the field. As the smoke cleared, the corpse of Masked Dragon, which had been killed by the Cyber ​​Raider, was revealed.

Keith frowned as he looked at Masked Dragon. If a Duel Monster is destroyed in battle, it should be sent directly to the graveyard; there's no reason to leave a corpse behind. What's going on with Hayato on the field?

"In the last round, the moment [Masked Dragon] was destroyed by your [Cyber ​​Raider], it used its last bit of life force to lay an egg. A new life was growing inside that egg." Hayato explained the effect of [Masked Dragon], which resembled Piccolo Daimaou leaving behind an egg.

"Based on the effect of [Masked Dragon], if it is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I can summon one Dragon with 1500 or less ATK from my Deck." Hayato retrieved a card from his Deck and played it onto the field. "Though it is a young dragon, its claws are already sharp enough. Fight for me! My Tamashi!"

"【Armed Dragon LV3】!"

"Awoo!"

With a roar of a fierce dragon, a bright yellow baby dragon flapped its small wings and hatched from the egg left behind by the Masked Dragon. Despite being a newborn dragon, the Armored Dragon LV3 was covered in metal armor, as if it were grown from its own body.

[Armed Dragon LV3][3☆/Wind]

[Dragon Clan/Effect]

[1200/900]

"LV!?" Keith had never heard of this suffix before; it sounded too much like a video game. "What kind of monster is that?"