Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

Its voice abruptly ceased, and the last image in its consciousness was of the dragon beast ridden by [Shadowy Midrash] biting off its own throat with its mouth wide open.

[Tragodia] ceased to think.

Hayato picked up the card that Tragodia had been clinging to as a lifeline from the ground: the monster card [Tragodia].

“Oh? This card…” Beside Hayato, [Summoner-Aleister], who had just appeared in the duel and was now strolling around, examined the [Tragodia] in Hayato’s hand with great interest. However, after carefully sensing the card’s aura, he shook his head with a regretful expression.

"It's such a pity. If I had kept that elf, this card could have been a pretty good material, whether as a material for my spells or something else. It would have been very useful. But now, it's like the diamond has been removed from a diamond ring; it's just a pretty metal band now."

"Diamonds have no real value."

"So I was just using an analogy." [Summoner-Aleister] shrugged, having lost interest in [Tragodia], and returned to his cards.

Hayato didn't feel sorry about Aleister's words. Rather than squeezing out the value of Tragodia's cards without killing it, he felt it would be better to eliminate this pure scourge from the world, which would also improve his mood.

Besides, even without the spirits, who says the cards from [Tragodia] can't still generate some residual value? Hayato is an expert in this area.

"Everything I, Hayato Kobayashi, have achieved so far is entirely due to my own hard work and my own exceptional talent." Holding up the [Tragodia] card in his hand, Hayato, who often stole other people's decks and then sold them, opened the system shop with great skill. "System, sell this card for me."

[Card detection in progress... Card rarity: UTR, please select a selling method]

"Ok?"

Seeing unfamiliar words appear on the panel in front of him, Hayato curiously lowered his raised hand and carefully read the text displayed by the system.

Previously, there was no such step when recycling cards. Instead, a pop-up window would only appear showing Hayato the specific DP points he would receive after recycling the card, as well as a "recycle?" message to prevent Hayato from picking up the wrong card. Hayato could simply click "confirm" to finish the process.

But now, for the first time, the system is offering Hayato four options to choose from.

Option 1: Recycle the card [Tragodia] to obtain one card from each of the [Planet] special card sets.

Hayato switched the tabs, glanced at the number of planet cards he had collected so far and kept in his storage room, then looked at the other three planet cards in the Pegasus Night Walk deck scattered around him, and immediately passed on this option.

While Hayato does have a certain collecting habit, he doesn't have the kind of pointless interest in collecting another set when he already has almost all the cards.

Option 2: Recycle the card [Tragodia] (UTR) to obtain one [Tragodia] UR ​​card and 3000 DP points.

The second option intrigued Hayato: reclaiming a UTR-rarity [Tragodia] and obtaining a slightly lower-rarity UR-rarity [Tragodia], along with a whopping 3000 DP points. Although Hayato's daily DP points were less than 10000 due to frequent card pack openings, he wasn't about to be swayed by a mere 3000 points.

Speaking of which, this is the first time Hayato has ever recycled a card with a UTR rarity level. The system only gives card rarity levels of "N", "R", "SR" and "UR". The "UTR" level is also appearing for the first time. Hayato guesses that this rarity might be the reason why the system gave a different recycling plan for the first time.

In Hayato's understanding, the rarity of "UTR" in the past physical card market referred to "three-dimensional", "raised", and "embossed" cards. Compared with "UR" level cards, UTR cards have gold foil stamping on the card name and some parts of the card image have a slightly frosted shimmering effect, giving them a sense of depth.

However, when Hayato examined the [Tragodia] card in his hand, he did not see the 3D effect where different parts would light up when viewed from different angles. This suggests that the "UTR" determined by the system might be a different concept from the "UTR" that Hayato understands.

Looking at the system panel again, Hayato discovered that at the very bottom of the four recycling methods, there was a description of "UTR", which was quite simple and easy to understand.

【UTR: Refers to a UR-rank card that was once inhabited by a spirit, but has now disappeared, leaving only an imperceptible residual power】

The general idea is that the card itself is only a UR card, but because the evil spirit Tragodia once resided in the card and then died without transferring to another card, this card was defined as a UTR.

If Tragodia hadn't died, this [Tragodia] card might have been rated "HR," meaning it still harbors a powerful spirit. However, if Tragodia hadn't died, Hayato wouldn't have been able to have the system reclaim the card that didn't belong to him.

Hayato then looked at the remaining two options.

Option 3: Recycle the card [Tragodia] to unlock the hidden card [Mat].

This plan truly intrigued Hayato. Back when he first suspected that Pegasus Night Walk was related to [Tragodia], Hayato had specifically searched the system shop, trying to find the card [Mat], which had defeated [Tragodia] in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX manga.

When Tragodia was sealed away three thousand years ago by priests led by Aknadi, Kalim, and Set, in addition to creating "Planet" cards modeled after planets in the solar system as a seal, they also removed Tragodia's most powerful heart and created a card combining the power of light and darkness, which is the "Dragon of Light and Darkness".

In Egyptian mythology, Anubis, the god of death in the underworld, would weigh the hearts of the dead to decide how to deal with them. The weight of the heart was measured by feathers, and the Winged Kuriboh was once known as a "white-feathered spirit".

In the manga, [Winged Kuriboh] and [Dragon of Light and Darkness] are held by Jaden Yuki and Jun Manjoume respectively. During a confrontation with Professor Mackenzie, who was possessed by [Tragodia], Jaden printed... I mean, fused them into the card [Mat], named after the Egyptian goddess of truth and justice.

Its effect is quite simple. Stripped of all the fancy stuff, it's just pure card draw and high attack speed. Although it requires accurate prediction of the top card in the deck to activate continuously, the purer the effect, the more useful it is sometimes. For example, some cards have a lot of fancy effects, but they are not as simple, straightforward and cool as the effect of "Pot of Greed".

Even disregarding its effects, the card 【Mat】 itself has a very high aesthetic appeal. Because it was blessed with the power left behind by the priests three thousand years ago when it was created, it actually carries all seven 【Millennium Artifacts】!

The long staff, composed of the connected Millennium Key and Millennium Scepter, and the Millennium Scales are equipped on the left hand. Starting from the head, the wearer is adorned with the Millennium Eye, Millennium Jewelry, Millennium Wisdom Wheel, and Millennium Cone. Although the Millennium Cone is positioned slightly awkwardly at the crotch, it does not detract from the overall appearance of Matt.

Not to mention that this was the first time the system had informed Hayato that the shop, which seemed to contain all the cards, actually had hidden cards. No wonder Hayato couldn't find cards like [Kusan's Wrath] or [Tears of the Pearl] when he wanted to exchange for them.

Although he didn't directly obtain the [Mat] card but rather the "unlocking right," Hayato believed that no matter how difficult the unlocking conditions were, they would never stop his desire to collect everything. If he missed this opportunity, who knew when he would have another chance to obtain the [Mat] card?

As for why he didn't follow Jaden Yuki's example in the manga and fuse the "Dragon of Light and Darkness" that Hayato already had? Actually, back after the KC Cup, to comfort Jaden, who was feeling both relieved and disappointed after sending the "Yubel" card into space using Kaiba Corporation's rocket, Hayato gave Jaden the "Winged Kuriboh" card in advance.

After all, Hayato doesn't really need to use [Winged Kuriboh] much. Just because a card is powerful doesn't mean it's suitable for him. In fact, he has to rely on [Rainbow Kuriboh] more.

It wasn't just because Rainbow Kuriboh had been with him for so long and Hayato had formed such a deep bond with it; it was also partly because Hayato knew the inside story that Rainbow Kuriboh was born from Nefertari's heart and was a Pokémon created to protect "her".

There's also the "Dragon of Light and Darkness," a card that Jun Manjoume gave him as a gift during Duel City, hoping he could help Hayato become the Duel King—although he never got to use it in the end.

However, in reality, right after Manjoume handed the card to Hayato, the spirit of the "Dragon of Light and Darkness" within the card returned to Manjoume on its own and even created another card to reside in. Because of this, Hayato even considered suggesting that Manjoume could make money by selling the "Dragon of Light and Darkness" cards.

Hayato does have the [Dragon of Light and Darkness] in his hand, but it's just an empty shell, completely lacking the spirit of an elf. It's already a stretch to even use it in the deck. Hayato doesn't think that the [Dragon of Light and Darkness] can be fused with the "heart" and "feather" to form [Mat].

However, it seems that it's not just Hayato. It seems that Jun Manjoume's [Dragon of Light and Darkness] is too powerful, so every time he duels, [Dragon of Light and Darkness] in his deck will always move to the top and block his hand, forcing Jun Manjoume to summon it as soon as possible, and then using its forced activation effect to seriously trick Jun Manjoume.

In short, although Hayato hadn't read all four options yet, he had already basically decided on option three as his final choice. However, he still decided to read the fourth recovery method as well.

Upon seeing Option 4, Hayato was stunned. After hesitating for a moment, he resolutely abandoned Option 3 with a heavy heart and chose the fourth recycling method.

【Mat】Although it is a hidden card that Hayato's system cannot provide, it is still possible that it will be created in the future by Jun Manjoume and Jaden Yuki after they grow up, and it is only to satisfy Hayato's own collecting habit.

However, this fourth option is a genuine necessity and will soon come in handy. Moreover, if Hayato does not choose this option again, any future appearances of this option will become meaningless.

Because this plan clearly states—

Option 4: Recycle the card [Tragodia] to unlock the limited-time side quest - [The Pharaoh's Soul Returns to the Underworld, Unity and Friendship], and obtain the temporary card: [The Pharaoh's Judgment]

Chapter 905 Amazing or not, Brother Ji?

"I can't do it."

“We’ve known each other for so long, but this is the first time you’ve come to me for help. I can’t even remember the last time you invited me to your house for baby shakes.”

"Although I have many cherished cards created by you—to be honest, you never wanted my friendship; you were afraid of owing me favors."

“However, I understand you—” Hayato, who was sitting on the tiled flower bed by the roadside with a passing cat in his arms as if he were some high-ranking official, changed the subject and spoke in a nonchalant tone: “You think Kaiba Entertainment is heaven, and you have a very pleasant working relationship with Seto Kaiba. You’ve done a great job. With Seto Kaiba and Kaiba Group helping you, you don’t need a friend like me.”

“But now you come to me and say, ‘Hayato boy, please save Tenma Yago’… You have no respect for me at all, you don’t treat me as a friend.”

“You wouldn’t even call me ‘savior of evil men’.”

"And then, after I've brought your adopted son to this state, you try to bribe me to let him go?"

Hearing Hayato's inexplicable words, Pegasus, who had just gotten out of the passenger seat, was clearly confused: "Huh? But I haven't said anything yet?"

Because Hayato and Kaiba had left first and arrived at the Egyptian branch of Kaiba Entertainment Group, the car that Yugi and the others were in was driven by Malik, and Pegasus was the first to get out of the car while sitting in the passenger seat.

Hearing Pegasus's words, Hayato said with utter helplessness, "Pegasus, Pegasus... what did I do to make you disrespect me like that?"

Although Hayato tried his best to exude a chilling killing intent while simultaneously trying to persuade Pegasus like an old friend, Pegasus completely ignored his performance and asked Keihei, who was standing next to Hayato, "What's wrong with Hayato boy?"

"You know, it's like how girls are always a few days a month when they're really irritable. Hayato is also a bit abnormal for about thirty days every month," Keihei said casually. "But speaking of which, I have to mention his older brother. He's even more of a heavyweight. He's in a chuunibyou state for a full 25 hours out of 24."

"Tsk tsk tsk, you don't understand at all, Guiping. The Godfather is a man's romance. The lines you just heard are in the top 3 of my list of the most memorable lines in my life."

Seeing that none of the people present were cooperating with him, Hayato was forced to break character and let go of the surprisingly clean stray cat in his arms. Seemingly reluctant to leave Hayato's side, the cat rubbed against Hayato's trouser leg before leaving. "By the way, although it's in the Top 3, it actually has five lines."

"No, we're too lazy to even comment on that outdated 'five Heavenly Kings' joke anymore. But, Hayato-kun, you really are popular with cats." Keihei said casually, watching the cat walk away.

Compared to the leisurely Hayato and Keipi, Pegasus seemed a little more anxious, eagerly asking them, "Going off of that! Where is the night owl?"

In his haste, Pegasus even spoke in normal English, without his usual strange accent. Hayato noticed the change in Pegasus: "Because of the death of [Tragodia], have his distorted memories been corrected on their own?"

"[Tragodia], is that the name of a Duel Monster? Now I understand how painful it was for those who were controlled by my [Millennium Eye] power." Pegasus said somewhat awkwardly. He had used the power of the [Millennium Eye] to manipulate other people's minds, but now he himself had become one of the victims of mental manipulation.

“I should have noticed it sooner. Over the past ten years, Moon Boy and Night Boy have been the closest people to me, even more so than Mr. Krogate. I should have been the first to notice Night Boy’s unusual behavior.”

“As his guardian, I also bear an undeniable responsibility for everything he has done. So,” Pegasus looked at Hayato, “the Night Boy is now…”

Seeing Pegasus's worry about Pegasus Night Walk, Hayato shook his head and said, "Don't worry, that guy isn't dead. Although the Dark Games would have killed him and Tragodia together, I intentionally adjusted the severity of the Dark Games' punishment, leaving him and Tragodia alive."

"I have already retrieved and disposed of the [Tragodia] card. After all, I think it's much easier to solve it once and for all than to risk breaking the seal again someday."

Pegasus raised his hand and pointed into the distance. Following Hayato's direction, he saw Amelda and Kaiba, who were crouching down and seemingly gathered around something. "As for your troublesome adopted son, I'm too lazy to deal with him, so I'll leave him to you, Pegasus."

Seemingly recognizing his adopted son, Tenma Yexing, as the person lying on the ground, Pegasus jogged over without any elegance.

After Pegasus, Yugi and the others also got out of the car. Under the curious questioning of Jonouchi and Honda, Hayato told them everything he knew.

"Because of the birth of the [Millennium Item], he suffered a tragedy, and then he committed sins that caused tragedy for others." Bakura, who clearly remembered some of the crimes committed during the time when Dark Bakura controlled him and had also witnessed Bakura's past in the world of the King's Memories, couldn't help but feel a little sad. "Pitiful, yet unforgivable, and so am I."

"The union of humans and elves, is it like Mahad...?" Atum, who shared the game's perception within the Millennium Puzzle, thought for a moment and said, but then shook his head, "No, the Dark Magician who became one with the Illusionary Magician was based on having the same will. Mahad is also the dominant consciousness of the Dark Magician, but Tragodia and Pegasus Night Walk are just using each other."

"There's also the astrologer Tragodia, who merged with a monster three thousand years ago. Perhaps the inspiration for Mahad and Kalim's collaborative research on the fusion of humans and elves came from him."

Jonouchi patted Yugi on the shoulder, and said to Atum, who was of one mind with Yugi, "But no matter what, it's finally over. The real culprit and the mastermind behind everything have now been defeated by Hayato, and we no longer have to worry about encountering any danger."

"Is that really the case? I have my doubts..." Honda recalled his past experiences and couldn't help but complain, "Every time we go out together, something always happens when we're on public transport. I'm starting to wonder if one of us is cursed with some kind of 'vehicle killer' curse."

Jonouchi, however, thought Honda was serious and pointed to himself, saying, "Huh? Is it me?"

"No, it's impossible for you alone," the group said in unison.

Malik glanced at the group surrounding the fallen Pegasus Yagyō in the distance and asked Hayato curiously, "But brother-in-law, didn't you just say that the guy named Pegasus Yagyō turned into a monster form that fused with a card monster after you guys blew him up?"

"That's right."

Malik asked, puzzled, "Then why does that guy who fell over there look like an ordinary human? And he even has green hair. Could that guy be a seahorse, or is his surname actually Kaiba?"

“While Kaiba Noa does have green hair, Kaiba Gosaburo doesn’t. You’re overthinking it.” Hayato gave Malik, who was making wild guesses based solely on hair color, a look of disbelief. “Does that mean every woman with pink hair, leadership qualities, who pilots fighting machines, and leads a declining power to revive is necessarily Haman? Actually, it’s Kit.”

"You're talking about things that no one else can understand again. Just how much do you like robot anime from the last century? And what is Kit?"

"It's the Iron Beast Front active in the Treasure-Protecting Cannon Demon battle, isn't that amazing, Brother Ji?"

"By the way," Guiping sighed helplessly, looking at the curious Kyoko and Yugi, "Actually, Tenma Yagyō did appear in front of us just now in the form of the Duel Monster [Tragodia], and he wanted to duel with Hayato-san."

"Isn't this just asking for death? Who would be so foolish as to deliberately seek out Hayato to torture themselves?" Malik retorted.

"I think so too, but anyway, the duel just started, and then Hayato tortured that guy to death... I mean, after defeating his opponent fairly and squarely with an interesting duel, that guy muttered to himself for a while and then collapsed."

After a pause, Guiping added with some confusion, "What's strange is that after that guy lost the duel, his body quickly reverted to human form, just like a character in a tokusatsu drama who loses their transformation when defeated."

"Duel Monsters, isn't that amazing?!"

Uninterrupted by Hayato's interruption, Keihei looked at Pegasus and Kaiba, who seemed to be arguing not far away, and continued, "Although I didn't see any 'spirits' or anything like that, it seems that Hayato, Amelda, and my brother all saw them. My brother is very interested in Pegasus's 'HenShin,' so he's studying the unconscious Pegasus over there."

"I must dissect it immediately!" "This is the only living specimen!" "Don't use Nightboy as a test subject!"

"They're really full of energy, but it's all that Pegasus Night Walker's fault. I haven't forgiven him, not even now." Hayato said, looking at the group in the distance. He looked down and noticed another stray cat rubbing against his trouser leg.

"According to what you just said, you were the one who let that Pegasus Night Walker go, right, brother-in-law?" Malik teased. "Tsundere is a thing of the past. Only my sister likes you that much."