Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

With no cards in hand and no effects to activate in the graveyard, the mysterious man watched as Little Blue charged towards him and exclaimed excitedly, "Don't come any closer to me!!!"

"This is the final one, [Half-Dragon Maid - Laundry Dragon Girl]'s direct attack on the opponent's duelist." Hayato watched as Xiao Lan's wooden stick smashed into the opponent's face, and said casually, "A small token of concern, take it~"

“Waga Oyaji (Father) Yo~”

[? → Hiroyuki Kobayashi: 500LP → 0]

Chapter 887 The Most Pathetic Man is One Who Is Obsessed with Women

After the duel ended, Hayato collected and organized his cards and put them into the system warehouse. He then walked towards Kobayashi Hiroyuki, who was lying face down on the ground after being hit by Ran's stick.

Hayato recognized the mysterious man as his father, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, not long after the duel began. Besides the voice and physique, Hiroyuki Kobayashi's unintentional actions during the duel were also the reason why Hayato was able to recognize him.

Putting everything else aside, the flamboyant gesture Kobayashi Hiroyuki makes when he points at a monster to select a card effect target makes Hayato feel that it wouldn't be out of place for him to shout "Zawarudo" the next second.

Hayato's ability to recognize Hiroyuki Kobayashi was entirely due to his strong reasoning skills, and had nothing to do with the identification by the "Half-Dragon Maids" who had followed Hiroyuki Kobayashi, especially the identification by Ran, who often piled up some core cards in the graveyard, making it impossible to play and thus often receiving disdain from Hiroyuki Kobayashi.

"Waaaaaah, I, Xiao Lan, am truly invincible!" Xiao Lan casually tossed the stick aside, put her hands on her hips, and laughed triumphantly before disappearing as the duel ended. Hayato then squatted down and turned Kobayashi Hiroyuki over, who had a large, visible bump on his head, only to find that he had already passed out.

Although the damage caused by the Dark Game was minimized as much as possible, and even the damage from the final blow was just enough to clear Kobayashi Hiroyuki's base score without overflowing, the Dark Game is still the Dark Game.

Being able to change the loser's death into a coma was the limit of what Hayato could do. Although there were many questions, if Kobayashi Hiroyuki remained unconscious, Hayato would not be able to get anything out of him.

While one could use a Millennium Artifact like the Millennium Scepter to forcibly awaken a comatose person, doing so would definitely have an impact on the person being affected, and Hayato felt that doing so was not a good idea.

Thinking this, Hayato stood up and saw Misawa Hiroya lying in the same direction as Kobayashi Hiroyuki. The [Millennium Wisdom Wheel] that he had just put back in his arms was taken out by Hayato again.

Hayato moved closer, and Kaiba, who was squatting next to Misawa Hiroya, caught a glimpse of a golden light shining behind him. He turned his head and saw that Hayato was holding the Millennium Wisdom Wheel. He stood up and made room for Hayato.

At the same time, he said, "I think I remember this guy named Misawa Hiroya."

"Huh? Didn't you say that the people you defeated weren't worth remembering?" The Millennium Wisdom Wheel, acting as a transfer station, channeled the magic of the Millennium Scepter into the body of Hiroya Misawa, who was unconscious with his eyes rolled back. As the magic was poured in, a golden "Eye of Ugato" symbol faintly appeared on his forehead. Hayato said to Kaiba with some confusion.

"Hmph, I didn't say that I remembered him because of Duel Monsters." Kaiba snorted arrogantly, his face showing a hint of reminiscence. "It was around this time last year when I attended an international scientific research summit that spanned the millennium. I think I saw this person in the elevator at the time."

"He introduced himself and said that there was a research topic that the Kaiba Group would definitely be interested in. The research direction seemed to be the mass-energy conversion of unknown energy inside Duel Monster cards. He said that once this topic was solved, it would definitely become a great achievement that would affect the next few decades or even hundreds of years."

As he spoke, Kaiba shrugged: "But I wasn't very interested in that kind of thing. At the time, I was still planning the Duel City project. I was more interested in taking the Egyptian God cards from you and that Malik than studying the unknown energy inside the cards."

The more Kaiba continued, the more strange Hayato's expression became: "Let me interrupt you for a moment. From the New Year's Eve party to the self-recommendation in the elevator, you didn't ask the other person to wait for you on the rooftop for fifteen minutes and then go and sleep with other female scientists, did you?"

"Hmph, men who are obsessed with women are the most pathetic. I am going to become the world's strongest duelist. Women are just a hindrance."

Kaiba raised his chin slightly, looking quite proud. "Do you think I'm like you, Hayato Kobayashi? Many businesses in Domino City have already been acquired by the Kaiba Group. I know very well that on your days off, instead of thinking about improving your dueling skills, you always invite that Isis Ishtar who doesn't seem to be very good at cards to the movies, the amusement park, and..."

"Ahem, let's skip this topic. Besides, you're not much better. Saying women are in the way and carrying around the Blue-Eyes White Dragon card all day is no different from being obsessed with women." Hayato coughed twice, deliberately interrupting Kaiba, and looked at the still unconscious Misawa Hiroya again. "So, this guy is practically a scientist too?"

“That’s right.” Kaiba turned his head to look at Misawa Hiroya, whose “Ugato’s Eye” on his forehead was gradually disappearing as Hayato withdrew his dark magic.

Although he used the Millennium Item to awaken the other party, it wasn't a forceful awakening. While Hayato could do it, that would turn the damage to his memory and even his thinking from a "possibility" into a "certainty." Although Hiroya Misawa had intended to kill Kaiba when he attacked him, Hayato is always tolerant. At least until he gets some concrete information from Hiroya Misawa, Hayato won't let him become an idiot.

Hayato put away the Millennium Wisdom Wheel, squatted down next to Hiroya Misawa, and then slapped him across the face without hesitation.

"!?!" The next moment, Misawa Hiroya, whose face was red with a handprint, suddenly sat up, looking completely bewildered. "What happened?!"

He turned his head and saw Hayato and Kaiba with "kind" faces.

"Hey, you're awake, old man." Hayato held a sharp blade drawn from the Millennium Scepter, gesturing and threatening Misawa Hiroya in the air, while mimicking the trilled "r" sound he remembered from the Yakuza. "Honestly tell me everything you know. My blade is coated with a deadly poison that kills on sight. Don't get burned by my blade."

As he spoke, Hayato licked the blade, his idiotic behavior causing Kaiba to subtly shift his feet and create some distance between himself and Hayato.

However, to Hayato's surprise, although his performance did not intimidate the arrogant Misawa Hiroya at all, he was clearly prepared to release Gaia and the others if Misawa Hiroya did not cooperate, and let the materialized spirits give the opponent a "strongman lock".

However, Hiroya Misawa said somewhat flusteredly, "I-I understand, I'll tell you whatever you ask!"

"No, but I'm just an ordinary assistant at the research institute. Even if you want to ask me about some confidential information, I don't know anything about it."

To be honest, Hiroya Misawa's reaction surprised both Hayato and Kaiba.

"Why do I feel like this guy doesn't recognize us?" Hayato turned his head and glanced at Kaiba, who nodded in response.

"No, no, I do know Mr. Seahorse. Although I don't know if he remembers me, we met at a New Year's Eve scientific research summit last year—"

"You don't need to continue this part, I've already tasted it." Hayato waved his hand to interrupt Hiroya Misawa, staring into Misawa's eyes, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression. The confusion in Misawa's eyes didn't seem fake; it was as if he genuinely didn't know what was going on.

"You really don't know what happened?" Hayato asked again, still skeptical, picking up the Duel Disk of Hiroya Misawa that he had just "casually" taken. "Just now, you attacked us with this."

Looking at the Duel Disk in Hayato's hand, Hiroya Misawa had a strange expression on his face: "This is a Duel Disk? But this isn't mine. To be precise, I don't even have my own Duel Disk or Duel Monster Deck."

"Although I bought a pack of cards for my research project, it only had five cards in it, far less than a standard deck of forty. My son, on the other hand, is quite interested in Duel Monsters and has collected several decks. However, I still hope he can develop into a scientist. Recently, I've been having him read about Dr. Byinstein..."

"Stop talking nonsense. Are you trying to say you don't remember anything and are just pretending to be crazy?" Kaiba interrupted Misawa Hiroya impatiently as he talked about going off-topic again.

Looking at Misawa Hiroya, who seemed completely different from the third-rate duelist who had just hated him so much, he frowned and said, "You really don't remember anything? If you say this deck isn't yours, Kobayashi Hayato will take your cards."

“No, I don’t need to say anything, he’s already taking those cards.” Hiroya Misawa pointed in Hayato’s direction, and Kaiba realized that, just as he said, after hearing Hiroya Misawa say that the cards were not his, Hayato had already skillfully pulled out the entire deck and left.

"【Horse-headed Demon】, 【Ox-headed Demon】, 【Daitaro Hoshi】, 【Shuten-dōji】, they're all monsters! A true 'monster' deck! Kaiba said you were a scientist, but your deck is full of unscientific cards."

Hayato rummaged through Hiroya Misawa's deck, searching for cards he might be able to use and sending them to the warehouse. He casually sold the useless cards to the shop to replenish the DP points that had been consumed in large quantities for [Silver Castle], Hayato said casually.

Upon hearing this, Hiroya Misawa scratched his messy hair, somewhat helplessly: "These cards do seem to have come from the pack of cards I bought, but mathematically speaking, it's just a low-probability, accidental event. Besides these four cards, I also have another card that isn't from the Undead race."

Just then, Hayato flipped over a card, and Hiroya Misawa pointed to it: "This is the one. This one isn't an Undead card. I also found my current research topic from this card. I used to try to get investment from the Kaiba Group, but I was rejected."

"Huh? Wait a minute, Mr. Kaiba just said that you are Kobayashi Hayato? The Duel King Kobayashi Hayato?"

It wasn't until now that Hiroya Misawa remembered that Kaiba had called out "Hayato" earlier, and belatedly realized that the other person in front of him was actually the Duel King. "Oh dear, I haven't paid much attention to Duel Monsters, so I didn't recognize you at all. My son is actually a fan of yours; he even imitates you and trains himself to use multiple different decks in duels..."

"Okay, okay, I'll sign an autograph for your son later, Wu Ze Haiyang."

“It’s Hiroya Misawa, Mr. Hayato Kobayashi.” Hiroya Misawa didn’t get agitated when Hayato mispronounced his name and calmly corrected him.

Kaiba watched as Hayato stood up, skillfully put away the entire deck he hadn't finished looking at, and held a card in his hand. He asked, "What's wrong with that card? Also, you seem to have lost your hostility towards this guy?"

“Hmm, because I’ve discovered that this guy seems to be just a victim; the real culprit is someone else.” Hayato showed Kaiba the [Grand Jupiter] card in his hand. Another “planet” card, so the mastermind behind it all is undoubtedly that Pegasus Yagyō guy again.

Looking at Hiroya Misawa, Hayato thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "You just said you want your child to become a scientist, right? I'm more curious about whether you're somewhat unhappy that he prefers fighting monsters more?"

Although he didn't understand why Hayato asked this, Hiroya Misawa still answered quite honestly, "I don't think so, since the subject I'm researching is also about Duel Monsters cards. But if I had to say something, I'm actually a little disappointed and jealous that the person my child admires isn't me, his father, but you, Mr. Hayato Kobayashi."

Hayato nodded, then asked, "What about a year ago when Kaiba rejected your investment? Did you hate Kaiba then?"

Hiroya Misawa shook his head again: "No, I later reflected on my presumptuous behavior of asking Mr. Kaiba for investment. At that time, I tried to persuade Mr. Kaiba to invest with words without even making a specific plan. It was too rude of me. However, when I was directly rejected, I did feel that Mr. Kaiba did not know what he was good for, but I quickly came to my senses."

“Slight emotions are amplified, minor feelings are magnified, so that’s how it’s done.” Hayato muttered to himself, looking at Kaiba, “I think I understand how the mastermind manages to control others.”

"Hmph, is it going to be that supernatural ability excuse again? Don't try to pollute my brain with that stuff." Kaiba said disdainfully, glancing at the Duel Disk in Hayato's hand, his eyes narrowing. "This isn't a Duel Disk manufactured by the Kaiba Corporation. It seems the person who sent this guy is trying to hide their identity by using a Duel Disk that hasn't been registered with the Kaiba Corporation?"

"However, he probably doesn't know that after the trouble with the Doma organization last time, I added a new function to my Duel Disk, which allows me to hack into unknown Duel Disks when connected to them, in order to obtain information about their manufacturing location."

At this point, Kaiba chuckled smugly. Last time, Ameluda, Baron, Raferu, and the others were unable to launch a counterattack because they didn't know where the other party's headquarters was. They could only passively defend against the attacks and were unable to retaliate. It was only with great difficulty that they found clues about the Paradis Group and followed the trail to Dartz's lair on Doma Island.

If Kaiba had used this device on the Duel Disk back then, he probably would have known about the Paradis Group as early as when Ameluda first infiltrated the Kaiba Group to steal the card of "Obelisk the Tormentor".

Kaiba lifted his Duel Disk, took out a special transparent card from his body, placed it on the disk to activate the function, and a map was projected onto the Duel Disk.

"Right now, the decoding is complete, and the address of that hiding guy has been revealed—!?"

Hayato glanced at the map displayed on the Kaiba Duel Disk and said, somewhat puzzled, "Where is that? Why do you look so excited?"

"Of course I'm excited!" Seahorse snorted coldly, his eyes icy as he looked in one direction. That was the direction he and Keiping had come from—the Egyptian branch of the Seahorse Group. "This Duel Disk was actually manufactured in my company!?"

The title of Chapter 888 is excluded from the Divine Stele.

At the entrance of Haima Group's Egyptian branch, the electric glass doors automatically opened upon sensing someone's presence. A burst of loud music began to play—it sounded like an old song sung by a group called "Village-People"—and just then, four figures stepped into the lobby on the first floor.

"Hey~Young-Man!"

Wow! There are four big guys who look like they know how to play cards! Their shifty eyes and flamboyant postures tell you they must be top-notch card players!

"This is too much! Hayato-kun, why did you categorize me as a 'big guy' or something?" Keihei said with his hands on his hips, dissatisfied. "And what kind of weird songs have you copied into your Duel Disk? Your taste is so retro."

"Hmph, nonsense, I can't understand it." Kaiba looked at Hayato with some dissatisfaction. His musical preferences didn't include retro songs like "YMCA," but judging from the title, it seemed to be related to the YMCA, so it shouldn't be a big deal.

However, Ameruda knew this song better than Kaiba. It was a representative song in the 1980s. This made him glance at Keipai and sigh, "To play such a song for a kid like Keipai, Hayato Kobayashi, your influence on teenagers is immeasurable."

"Huh? What's wrong?" Guiping didn't understand Ameruda's meaning. "I think this melody is actually pretty good."

"Ahem, it's probably best if you don't know any more in-depth knowledge." Amelda glossed over the topic and looked at Kaiba beside her, saying, "So, we've arrived at your company now, Seto Kaiba. Have you found what you're looking for?"

Because it was the New Year, and the Egyptian branch of the Seahorse Entertainment Group had only been established for a short time and its basic operations had not yet fully commenced, most employees were given a three-day holiday. Only a few security personnel were patrolling outside the building, and there were only Hayato and his three companions in the lobby on the first floor.

Although it seemed that the four of them easily passed through the security guards at the entrance and entered the building, the electric doors in the lobby on the first floor were actually equipped with an identification system. Unless an unauthorized person smashed the glass, which was strong enough to deflect a large-caliber sniper bullet, they would have no chance of breaking in.

And because most of the employees were on holiday, and even those few who weren't on holiday were mostly those who had been transferred by Kaiba to the airport to maintain his Blue-Eyes White Dragon jet, the group didn't even have anyone to ask about the building's specific layout.

But this has no impact on the seahorse.

A prop resembling both an earphone and half a pair of glasses is hanging on the seahorse's ear. It is currently projecting a blue light screen in front of the seahorse. As the seahorse raises its hand to touch the light screen, the image on the screen changes and responds to the interaction.

Interactive projection technology may still seem like a magical technology that only appears in science fiction movies to the outside world, and it seems somewhat unattainable. However, it would be conservative to say that Haima Group's technological level is twenty years ahead of the outside world. In fact, it's not just about practical application; Haima has already miniaturized it and made it into the AR glasses that we wear.

Given time, no one can imagine how far the seahorse's genius will lead in its research into these products. However, the products the seahorse is currently able to produce are already far ahead of their time. In a sense, the seahorse possesses a kind of "divine talent."

"All departments checked, everything is normal?" The entire park where Haima Group's Egyptian branch is located was divided into countless blocks on the light screen, arranged neatly according to function. However, as the AI ​​program completed its self-check, Haima only received this report.

"Everything's normal? Looks like your so-called tracking program didn't work at all, Seto Kaiba. It even bugged and gave the wrong answer." Ameruda said with a smile, then glanced at the layout of the hall. "It's really quiet here, and there's no one at work."

"Because it's the holidays, the benefits at Seahorse Entertainment Group are really good. Not only do you get plenty of vacation time, but the salary is also quite high. Apart from the occasional overtime to satisfy my brother's capricious demands, there are almost no downsides." Compared to Seahorse, Guiping is clearly more suitable as a manager, and he didn't forget to take the opportunity to promote Seahorse Group to Ameruda.

However, even when Keibei spoke up, he couldn't sway Ameruda: "Forget it. Although I do need to earn money to make a living, if I say I won't touch Duel Monsters again, then I really won't touch them."

His gaze fell upon a massive device in the very center of the hall. "More than anything else, I'm curious about what that is. Is it some new dueling device?"

"Although this industrial park was built with funding from Haima Group, many of the supporting facilities are inadequate, such as the energy supply. Despite Haima Group's strong research capabilities, the most critical foundation of modern technology lies in energy. Without sufficient energy supply, even if you want to carry out some research projects, you will be like a skilled cook without rice."

The precocious Guiping shrugged helplessly. “Since the local power infrastructure is not enough to support the Haima Group, we have no choice but to find a solution ourselves. That device is a clean energy generator that uses cold fusion technology. My brother wanted to name it ‘Destructive Gale Burst,’ but I rejected that name. Now it’s called ‘Ark Reactor.’”

"No, this time I actually feel that the name 'Seahorse' is better than the name you chose. At least it doesn't infringe on any copyrights, Xiao Jie."

"Who is that? I'm Guiping!"

Compared to the laughing and joking Keihei and Hayato, and Ameruda who was just there for fun out of boredom, Kaiba had no interest in touring his own company building. He was focused on manipulating the light screen to inspect the major areas of the park, trying to find out if anything had been missed.

He refused to believe that the program he had personally designed and written could be wrong. The location information he had tracked earlier was definitely the Hippocampus Entertainment Group Industrial Park, and the place where the counterfeit Duel Disks were manufactured was definitely here.

However, even though he had already arrived at the central building where the signal was best and could cover the entire park, and had repeatedly reviewed all the information here using the park management AI five or six times, he still couldn't find anything suspicious.

If they still can't find it, they might as well just detonate the reactor and blow up the entire park. After all, that stuff is clean energy and has no pollution. As long as people are evacuated beforehand, the only loss will be some money. And as everyone knows, the Kaiba Group is almost broke except for money, and Seto Kaiba has never been interested in money.

However, the idea of ​​blowing up the reactor was just a thought for Kaiba. It was a last resort to vent his frustration when there was no other way. He had been nagged by Keipei several times for being too extravagant and not knowing how to save money. Besides, he didn't think he could really not find one with his abilities. He just hadn't gotten serious yet.

As Kaiba meticulously examined each of the various industry modules, Hayato stopped teasing Keihei and instead pulled out a few cards from his person.