Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

But Hayato just smiled contemptuously, spreading his arms wide: "Hehe~ Not going to run away? You saw me summon the [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] and you weren't afraid to run away? No, you're already terrified, terrified of me, Kobayashi Hayato, just like a snail encountering a snail-eating beetle, trembling and unable to move!"

"Then let me show you even more fear! The effect of [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] can be activated once per turn, targeting one monster on the field. Until the end of the turn, that monster's ATK becomes 0 and its effects are negated!"

Hayato naturally wouldn't target his own Pteranodon (a plant that can be targeted) with its effect, and Diablos (the Dark Lord) has resistance to being targeted. So, he naturally chose Lava Burner (another plant that can be targeted) on Tragodia's field in Attack Position!

"Hehehe...I want a hot dog~" That seems to be the meaning behind the cry of the [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon]. It released a "wired floating cannon" from its body—a thorny wing with sharp teeth—which pierced into the body of the [Lava Burner] and drained the massive [Lava Burner] of all its power in just an instant!

[Lava Burner] [ATK2100→0]

"Entering the battle phase, use [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] to attack [Lava Burner], Furukawa Bread with Akiko Jam!"

Upon hearing Hayato shout out the name of a move that sounded like it could kill someone with poison, [Greed Poison Fusion Dragon] took a deep breath and suddenly exhaled a purple dragon breath towards [Lava Burner]!

Chapter 900 This is a necessary sacrifice

"Attack power of 3300 points, does that mean I'm going to take 3300 points of combat damage?!" Tragodia said unwillingly, looking at the attacking [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon]. "I won't be defeated by you so easily!"

"Open the face-down card, the trap card [Explosive Armor]! This card can only be activated when the opponent's monster declares an attack, destroying that attacking monster!"

Tragodia said smugly as he pressed the button to activate the card, only to find that Ameruda and the others who were watching the duel on the sidelines all showed a bored expression after seeing the [Explosive Armor].

Ameruda: "It's actually explosive armor?"

Guiping: "Are you kidding me? This card isn't going to blow people up, is it?"

Seahorse: "It's over."

Although it may sound like superstition, just as it is common knowledge that "a duelist has a high probability of drawing a lucky number when he is in dire straits," the "curse" that "[Explosive Armor] is either ineffective or destroyed, and can not be used" is also a "curse" that duelists generally know.

Tragodia, who was controlling Pegasus during the Night Journey, was also aware of this "common sense," but he did not believe in such things at all. If he really believed in things like "curses" and "fate," he would not have tried to rebel against the Pharaoh, the agent of the gods, three thousand years ago for the destruction of his village.

A beam of light flew out from the opened face-down card and landed on the Lava Burner, whose power had been stripped away by the Greed Poison Fusion Dragon. It transformed into a layer of sturdy armor on the Lava Burner, and then the Greed Poison Fusion Dragon's attack, which was even stronger and more powerful than the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's breath, came down.

The armor on [Lava Burner] was like the reactive armor on a tank designed to counter anti-tank weapons. It responded to the breath of [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] and detonated itself, not only neutralizing the breath of [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] but also unexpectedly affecting [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] in the air, killing her on the spot!

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Ameruda looked utterly disillusioned. "The [Explosive Armor] actually managed to destroy the monster!?"

"I must be dreaming, huh?" Guiping said, somewhat surprised. "That super dangerous-looking monster that Hayato summoned doesn't have any resistance to destruction or anything like that?"

Although Kaiba didn't say anything, his eyes were full of doubt as he looked at Hayato.

Seeing the same surprise and astonishment on Hayato's face, Tragodia thoroughly enjoyed his shocked expression and said smugly, "Hehehehe, you've been acting like everything's under your control since the beginning. I really wanted to see that look on your face, that look of astonishment that the situation has slipped out of your control!"

"Your [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon], which you wanted as your trump card, has been destroyed. Next turn, your only remaining [Predatory Plant - Pitcher Dragon] will also be crushed. You're next, Hayato Kobayashi!"

Upon hearing Tragodia's words, Hayato scratched his head in confusion: "Why do you sound like you've already secured victory? I'm just a little surprised that you would even consider destroying the [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon]. It's just another way to die."

“No, rather, it’s like stepping into a deeper hell.” Hayato said, snapping his fingers. “The [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] is the form that the [Hungry Poison Fusion Dragon] evolved into for greater destructive power, so it naturally doesn’t need to have destructive resistance.”

"But that doesn't mean that destroying [Greed Poison Fusion Dragon] through combat or effects is a good choice. The moment [Greed Poison Fusion Dragon] is destroyed by [Explosive Armor], its hidden effect will activate!"

"A hidden effect?" Tragodia was feeling smug when it heard Hayato's words and looked at the [Greed Poison Fusion Dragon] that it thought had been blown up and sent to the graveyard. There, at the spot where the Poison Dragon had been hit by [Explosive Armor], the [Greed Poison Fusion Dragon], missing half its body, seemed to have gone berserk due to its severe injuries and loss of control, causing the remaining half of its body to swell up.

The out-of-control magic had nowhere to go, so it rushed into the magic-storing gems on the body of the [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon]. The scarlet gems glowed, and with Hayato's voice, cracks appeared on those gems.

"If [Greed Poison Fusion Dragon] is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, this effect activates, destroying all monsters on both players' fields, including your [Lava Burner], [Diablos the Dark Lord], and my [Predatory Plant - Pteranodon]." Pointing to the monsters on Tragodia's field, Hayato waved his hand, "Art is an explosion! Let the world feel pain, [Greed Poison Fusion Dragon]!"

Code name: 2887!

Upon receiving Hayato's command, the [Greed Poison Fusion Dragon], clinging to its last breath, unleashed its full power. All the jewels on its body shattered, and the magic and poison contained within transformed into a torrential downpour that filled the entire space, piercing through all the monsters on both sides of the field!

"Wow, it's this effect! Even after sending cards like [Spiritual Exophysis] to the graveyard, you still managed to make your monster self-destruct!" Tragodia said grimly, watching the explosion engulf all the monsters on both sides' fields, and his own two monsters being pierced by the poison spikes shot out by [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon].

"But so what? Even if all my monsters are destroyed, you won't have any monsters left to use, and next turn, [Supreme Sun] will wipe out your remaining 3000 points of life points, which are as fragile as a candle in the wind!"

Hayato clapped his hands when he heard Tragodia's words and said, "How terrifying! If the Supreme Sun were to punch me, I might actually be killed. But unfortunately, I didn't allow that monster to hurt me. I only accept being hurt by my own monster."

"The effect of [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] doesn't end there. Haven't you noticed something's wrong with the monsters on your field?"

Upon hearing Hayato's words, Tragodia subconsciously glanced at the monsters on his field and discovered that those monsters destroyed by the effect of [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] had not been sent to the graveyard, but remained on his field, glaring at him fiercely with bloodshot eyes.

"【Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon】destroys monsters and inflicts damage equal to the original ATK value on the controller of those monsters. The more monsters on the field and the stronger they are, the more dangerous the effect becomes. I have a 【Nepenthes Wyvern】 with 600 ATK on my field, so I will also take 600 damage as a result."

Hayato looked at Tragodia with ill intent, "But compared to you, it's just a mere 600 points of damage."

"Then, [Lava Burner] and [Dark Lord Diablos], for the sake of your respective masters, unleash your fury upon this hideous monster! This is a necessary sacrifice!"

With another snap of his fingers, the three monsters affected by the [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] detonated simultaneously at Hayato's command!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

"Buga!"

In the violent explosion, Tragodia's body was blown away. After all, the attack power of [Dark Lord Diablos] was 3000 points, while the original attack power of [Lava Burner] was 2100 points. The combined attack power of the two monsters reached a total of 5100 points, which was already the final blow that reached the realm of gods!

Tragodia: 1500LP → 0

With a staggering 5100 points of effect damage, Tragodia was defeated!

Chapter 901 A Strange Metaphor for Duel Monsters

[Hayato: 3000→2400LP]

"Ouch~ That hurts unexpectedly..." Hayato also gasped as he took 600 damage from the [Predatory Plant - Pitcher Dragon] due to the same effect of [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon], contributing to the greenhouse effect.

As an evolved form of the [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] that has absorbed a great deal of dark power, Hayato's [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] possesses power that surpasses the original version, combining the advantages of both the physical card version and the anime version.

The anime version of [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] has the same ability as [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon]: "When destroyed, it destroys monsters on the field and inflicts damage." It also has the ability to grant fusion materials the ability to "revive [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] if it is destroyed, by banishing itself."

While the physical card version is not as effective as the anime version, the requirements for fusion materials have been relaxed. The original condition of "a [Predator Plant] monster plus a DARK monster of level 8 or higher" has been relaxed to "a DARK monster whose original level is 8 or higher". This is more in line with the characteristic of the [Predator Plant] deck that lowers the opponent's monster level by placing Predator Counters.

As Tragodia's basic points were depleted, the [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon] let out a comfortable low groan, as if it was groaning because it had completely digested the power it had plundered from Tragodia. Before disappearing, it came to Hayato's side and affectionately rubbed its cheek against him before retreating.

As Hayato feeds the [Fierce, Hungry, Poisonous Fusion Dragon] with more dark power, it will continue to grow, eventually reaching a form that even Hayato doesn't know what it will look like. The sense of accomplishment from nurturing a brand-new card he has never seen before, bit by bit, is incredibly exhilarating for Hayato.

But before he could sing a song and rub his temples with his fingers, Hayato had to deal with the guy he'd just knocked away.

"Hayato, stop dawdling and put the card away! That guy's moved again!"

Guiping's voice came through. He seemed to see that Tragodia, who had been knocked away by Hayato, was still alive. He reminded Hayato in surprise, but Hayato didn't take Tragodia to heart and said unhurriedly, "Of course you have to put the cards away after you finish playing a game, just like you have to put away a CD after you finish listening to it."

"Damn it!" Tragodia struggled to its feet, its body wracked with pain and barely able to move. As it moved, dense cracks appeared on its carapace, showing how much damage the [Greedy Poison Fusion Dragon]'s self-destruction had inflicted.

If it were an ordinary human, that attack would have killed them long ago. Although Tragodia's body was a product of the fusion of Pegasus Nightwalker's body and [Tragodia], materialized with a large amount of dark power and the power of the card spirits, it still survived because of the support of dark power.

In fact, given enough time to recover, even such an injury can heal quickly.

However, the biggest crisis Tragodia is facing now is not its injuries, nor even Hayato Kobayashi, who has put away the cards on the Duel Disk and is walking towards it.

Above Tragodia's head, the dark energy that had overflowed during the duel swirled and converged, forming an invisible vortex that was imperceptible to ordinary people. A dangerous aura was constantly emanating from it, locking onto Tragodia, the loser.

"Powerful cards often come with great risks," and the same is true of great power. In a dark game that can take another's life, even the player who plays the card will fall into the same predicament after defeat.

Although this dark game was not initiated by Tragodia but rather a wild fantasy, the rigid rules of the dark game didn't care about such things. They silently locked onto Tragodia, the loser, and were about to strip him of his soul.

'I, Tragodia! I, Tragodia! How could I have been bullied like this by that monster, more disgusting than frog pee! My whole body is covered in wounds that bastard left me, just like the cheese in the comic 'Talking Tom and Jerry'!'

Looking up at Hayato approaching, Tragodia was furious. 'That look in his eyes...it was as cold as looking at a pig in a pig farm.' 'How pitiful, you'll be a piece of pork in the butcher shop tomorrow morning.' Although he didn't say anything, that cruel look clearly conveyed that meaning.'

'Damn it, how did Tragodia end up like this? If I could, I'd kill you, Kobayashi Hayato! I'd slice your upper body in half from shoulder to waist like a trevally! No, I'd slice your flesh off piece by piece like a radish!'

"But not now. I must live. My precious life cannot disappear from this world, and your life, Hayato Kobayashi, is my life's most important asset!"

The thought process was completed in an instant. Before the Dark Game could begin and punish the loser, Tragodia's expression shifted, and he looked at Hayato, saying, "What an interesting duel, Hayato Kobayashi. Thanks to you, my body, which had been corrupted by dark forces, was injured, and my former human soul has been restored."

"I am so sorry for what I did before. I'm so sorry, so can you save me? I want to atone for the mistakes I made before. I know you have the ability to save me."

Tragodia struggled to control the expression on his face, no longer the distorted expression of hatred and anger he had shown before, but rather the serene and peaceful expression one would have when a son is talking to his mother.

However, Hayato remained unmoved. How could Tragodia's petty tricks fool him? Feigning remorse to get Hayato to let him go? That was a tactic Hayato had already mastered!

Seeing that Hayato remained unmoved, Tragodia knew that Hayato had seen through his acting, and the vortex above his head was beginning to exert a pulling force, about to kill him.

Not wanting to die like this, he couldn't be bothered to keep up the act any longer. His expression turned fierce again, and he said, "Hayato Kobayashi! Are you really going to watch me die like this? If I die, you won't get away with it either; you'll have to be buried with me!"

"Huh?" Hayato didn't understand what Tragodia meant, tilting his head and looking at it in confusion.

"Remember that [Dark Deck Destruction Virus] from earlier? That wasn't just a virus that destroyed decks; under the influence of my power, those toxins also invaded your body. Once I die, those viruses will erupt!" Tragodia said arrogantly. "Didn't expect that, did you, Kobayashi Hayato? This is my escape route!"

Chapter 902 The Duelist's Survival Instinct (For Real)

"You didn't expect this, did you, Kobayashi Hayato? This is my escape route!"

Feeling that he had Hayato's life in his hands, Tragodia added, "Hayato Kobayashi, you don't want to lose your life like this, do you?"

"This body belongs to Pegasus Nightwalker. His soul is still suppressed and dormant by me. You can do it. I know that the [Millennium Artifact] on you has the ability to intervene in the Dark Game and modify and transfer the punishment to Pegasus Nightwalker!"

Hayato looked terrified, raising one hand to cover his chest and grabbing the wrist of the other hand, appearing extremely frightened, tense, and distressed: "I... I've been infected with a virus? You're kidding me!?"

"Hey, Hayato Kobayashi, hurry up and get it out." Looking up at the vortex above his head, Tragodia was no longer nervous. "Hurry up and get out the Millennium Item. The punishment from the Dark Games is about to begin."

"If you don't take it out quickly, once I die, there will be no one to cure the virus in your body."

"Hurry up, help me transfer it, help me break free from the Dark Game's lock and return to the card. Quickly transfer the Dark Game's punishment to Pegasus Nightwalker, and I'll spare your life."

"Hurry up..."

Tragodia seemed to be closing in on Hayato step by step, and a bead of cold sweat trickled down Hayato's forehead. Tragodia urged again, "Hurry up and take it out. You and Tenma Yagyō aren't exactly on good terms, are you? Don't forget, he tried to kill you before."

"You can be saved if you use the [Millennium Artifact] to kill him."

"Do you want to die?"

Seemingly persuaded by Tragodia, Hayato nervously said, "If I... if I save you with the Millennium Item, if I transfer the punishment of the Dark Games to Pegasus Night Walk..."

"W-Will you really spare my life?"

"Hey~" Hearing Hayato's words, Tragodia was absolutely certain that Hayato Kobayashi had wavered. All he needed to do was give him a guarantee, and Hayato would obey his orders and be forced to save him when his life was threatened. Tragodia was so pleased that he even laughed out loud.

Three thousand years ago, when he was still human, he broke into the forbidden Stone Temple and merged with a demon to rebel against the priests and pharaohs because his village was destroyed in the process of creating the Millennium Item. Now, three thousand years later, the reincarnations of the pharaohs and priests, as well as the wielders of the Millennium Item, remain his primary targets for revenge.

However, three thousand years have passed, and its hatred has long since changed. It is no longer just about revenge for the village, but more about wanting to retaliate for the suffering it has endured.

Although it held Hayato's life in its hands, and theoretically it could forcibly take Hayato's life with it, it didn't want to do that, it didn't want to die like that.

“Yes, of course, I can agree to your request. It’s a deal,” Tragodia promised Hayato. “I’ll exchange your life for the Pegasus Night Parade, which has nothing to do with you. Hurry up, hurry up and bring out the Millennium Item…”

Upon hearing Tragodia's words, Hayato, clutching his chest, reached into his robes, grabbed something, and pulled it out. A corner of the golden disc appeared before Tragodia's eyes. It was the Millennium Wisdom Wheel, possessing the most powerful dark energy among all seven Millennium Items, fully capable of interfering with the Dark Games.

Under Tragodia's expectant gaze, Hayato slowly raised his head, his tense expression vanishing instantly, and said firmly, "But I refuse!"

"What?!"