Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"Ko~ko~da~yo~" Accompanied by a lively voice, a girl jumped out of the magic circle where [Magic Transformation - Rijin] disappeared, striking a pose full of energy.

Dark Magician Girls, ATK2000

However, upon noticing that the person opposite her was actually Hayato, [Dark Magician Girl] exclaimed "Ah!" and quickly hid behind Atem, seemingly quite wary of Hayato. There was no trace of the "I am the most beautiful girl mage in the world" aura she had displayed when she first appeared.

Atum glanced helplessly at Dark Magician Girl behind him. "Why are you so afraid of Hayato, Dark Magician Girl... Oh well, with Mahad on board, you won't be afraid anymore, right?"

Looking at Hayato again, Atem took out a card from his deck: "When [Magical-Rishin] is sent from the field to the graveyard, I choose one Spellcaster Normal Monster from my Deck or Graveyard and add it to my hand. I chose my most trusted servant - [Dark Magician]."

"Next, the spell card [Fusion] is activated, using [Dark Magician] from my hand and [Dark Magician Girl] from the field as fusion materials. The strongest spellcaster has an excellent disciple, and the strongest spellcaster combination is formed!"

"Fusion Summoning! [Grand Archmage - Dark Archmage's Apprentice]!"

Although it's called a fusion, it's actually just the spirit of [Dark Magician] - Mahad appeared behind Atem, grabbed [Dark Magician Girl] by the collar and dragged her away from Atem like a chick, bowed to express his apology, and then carried [Dark Magician Girl] back onto the field, standing beside her and watching over her.

And it seemed that with the support of [Dark Magician], [Dark Magician Girl] suddenly swept away all her fear and arrogantly put her hands on her hips to look at Hayato.

[Super Archmage - Dark Archmage's Apprentice] [8☆/Dark]

[Mage Race/Fusion/Effect]

[2800/2300]

With his hand reduced to three cards, Yugi took over from Atum, who seemed to have already completed his turn, and began his own: "Although I have already used my other card for a normal summon, Hayato, our turn is not over yet. I activate the Spell Card [Sealed Golden Chest] and banish one card from my deck face down."

"It's this card..." Atum glanced at the golden chest that had sealed a card in front of him and couldn't help but recall Yugi's prediction that he would seal [Monster Reborn] during the Duel Ritual. "The cards sealed inside cannot be used by either player until the second turn's preparation phase after activation, when they will be added to our hand."

After a pause, Atum continued, "Although it's a card that will only take effect in the future, it's not that it can't help in the present. The effect of [Super Magister - Dark Magister's Apprentice] can only be activated once per turn when the effect of a Spell/Trap Card is activated."

"I draw a card from my deck. If that card is a Spell/Trap Card, I can set it directly to the back row. If it is a Quick-Play Spell or Trap Card, I can activate it during the turn it is set."

"And this is the card I drew—"

Chapter 988 Prime Numbers Are Lonely Numbers

"The card I drew is a Trap Card, so I set it face-down on the back row."

Atum was responsible for drawing the cards, while Yugi was responsible for placing them in the back row. "Then I activated this face-down card, the trap card [Virtual World], to either add a Field Spell Card from my deck to my hand or activate it directly. I chose the latter."

Atum drew a card, lifted his Duel Disk to reveal the arena area: "What's that saying again? Mages also have arenas where mages excel at fighting."

"I activate the Field Spell Card, [Spellcaster's Village]!" Yugi continued. "If I have only one Spellcaster monster on my field, my opponent cannot activate a Spell Card. And if I don't have any Spellcaster monsters on my field, I also cannot activate a Spell Card!"

The particle effects that appeared when the virtual world started spread out from beneath the player's feet, quickly covering the previous "Mage's Rescue," and transported both sides, who were inside the Seahorse Egg, to a dense forest. Dense magical energy transformed into mist, enveloping the area. Without a skilled mage to guide them, they would likely only sink deeper and deeper into the fog.

Coincidentally, Atem's favorite monster, "Dark Magician," is a Spellcaster-Type monster. At this moment, both Atem and Hayato have Spellcaster-Type monsters on their fields, while Hayato does not, which puts Hayato in a state where his spell cards are sealed. He can't even use another Field Spell Card to replace "Spellcaster Village."

However, considering that Hayato's monsters include many like [Hellfire Lilith], which has a backrow clearing ability with the [Great Storm] effect upon entering the field, Yugi did not think that just one card could stop Hayato's offensive. He then activated a Field Spell Card and played another card.

"Continuous Spell Card, 【Sanctuary of the Spellcaster】: If any other Spell Card is face-up on my field, and a monster other than a Spellcaster is Normal or Special Summoned to my opponent's field, that monster cannot attack or activate its effects during that turn."

After explaining the effects of the activated Continuous Spell Card, Atem continued, "However, powerful cards often come with great risks. In my case, [Sanctuary of the Spellcaster] will self-destruct if there are no Spellcaster monsters present."

"However, this has successfully sealed your spell cards and monster effects, Hayato, and your trap cards can no longer be used to assist in the first turn."

"After all, when Aibo and I are together, we're invincible!"

Hayato and Yugi were well aware that Atum might become somewhat arrogant after gaining the upper hand. Although Atum seemed like a perfect duelist in the eyes of others, he actually had quite a few personality flaws. After all, as a pharaoh, although he was regarded by the ancient Egyptians as the representative of the gods on earth, he was still just a human being.

Even within the city, they could sense it to some extent. For example, Atum often deliberately stepped into traps in duels, even knowing that the opponent had set them up, and then launched a brilliant counterattack based on his prior preparations.

—Although I've been fooled more than once because of this, and only after I've really fallen into a trap have I become a little more restrained in this regard, but I still can't completely get rid of this habit.

That's why he took the initiative to take on the "defense" role, allowing Atum to attack boldly without any worries.

At this moment, although Atem's words seemed to be boasting, the game didn't think he was exaggerating. Without monster effects and spell cards, even he would probably find it difficult to make any impressive plays, not to mention that Hayato would have to face other interference later on.

"Set one card face down, and our turn ends." The game declares, inserting the last card from the hand into the Spell & Trap Zone, thus ending the turn.

[Yugi Muto: 4000LP, 0 cards in hand]

[Super Archmage - Apprentice of the Dark Archmage] [ATK2800]

[Black Magic Circle] [Sanctuary of the Magic Race] [Given (Eternal Soul)] [Given]

Location: [The Village of the Magic Clan]

With the combined efforts of Atem and Yugi, they unleashed an unconventional "T" formation in their first turn. The four spell and trap cards on the back field created a strong sense of pressure, and the monster on the field, [Super Magister - Dark Magister's Apprentice], was no pushover either.

And even though Yugi is currently empty-handed, Hayato has no doubt that in their next turn, both Atem and Yugi can easily draw the only "Heavenly Treasure" card from their decks of about thirty cards to overdraw and replenish their hands.

Spell card sealing, monster effect sealing—this field is incredibly strong. I can't beat it, how am I supposed to win?

Unless, by chance, Hayato happens to have a Spellcaster-type monster in his hand that can be normally summoned and released from the spell card seal.

Eh, what a coincidence! Hayato just happens to have a Magician monster that can be Normal Summoned!

"My turn, draw a card." After drawing a card, Hayato did not rush to play the Spellcaster monster in his hand, but instead said, "Pharaoh Atem, and Yugi Muto, the bond between you has been transformed into cards that have linked together, forming the predicament we are in now."

"When things get tough, counting prime numbers helps me calm down. This is usually what I do when I'm nervous because prime numbers are lonely numbers, and I also hate uncertainty."

"2, 3, 5... 31, 37, 41." Hayato drew a card from his hand and played it. "I've calmed down, and prime numbers have guided me to the key to breaking the blockade. Mathematics has given me enlightenment, and the enlightened are always happy!"

"I usually summon the mage-type monster from my hand, the [Mathematician]!"

[Mathematician] [3 stars/location]

[Mage Race/Effect]

[1500/500]

A little old man with a long beard appeared before Hayato, leaning on a cane. Mathematics is the most honest thing; if you don't know it, you don't know it. And to those who don't know mathematics, a "mathematician" who studies mathematics is indeed no different from a magician.

Seeing Hayato summon a Spellcaster monster, Yugi knew that this meant the effect of "Spellcaster's Village" in sealing spell cards would be nullified because Hayato also had a Spellcaster monster on his field. If Hayato were to seize the opportunity to activate a spell card, even "Spellcaster's Sanctuary" would be broken.

However, he had actually anticipated this situation. After all, Hayato's usual deck contained many Spellcaster monsters, so he wouldn't be easily shut down just because he didn't have a single Spellcaster monster in his deck. His face-down cards in the back row were specifically prepared to deal with the Spellcaster monsters that Hayato usually summoned.

"Chain [Mathematician]'s Normal Summon, open my backrow's face-down card, Trap Card [Bottomless Pitfall], can only be activated when the opponent successfully Normal Summons, Flip Summons, or Special Summons a monster, change those monsters to face-down Defense Position, and those monsters changed to face-down Defense Position by this effect cannot change their battle position!"

“I see. If it's changed to face-down defense position, even though we know that [Mathematician] is a Spellcaster-Type monster, it still doesn't satisfy the prerequisite of having a Spellcaster-Type monster on the field. In this way, Hayato's monster effects and spell cards are still sealed.” Atum saw Yugi's tactics and said approvingly, “Well done, Aibo.”

The game's concept is excellent. As long as you flip the Mathematician face-down to defense position the instant it is successfully summoned, you can restore the board to the state before Hayato summoned that monster, preventing the seals of the Magic Village and the Magic Sanctuary from being broken.

[The Mathematician] Although he saw a deep hole slowly opening beneath his feet, the elderly man was too old to move and fell in in an instant. The card beneath his feet also flipped over and became a face-down defense position.

Hayato, watching Yugi and Atem's actions, remained unconcerned: "In this way, my spell card is indeed sealed again, but even though it has been changed to face-down defense position, the normal summon of [Mathematician] was successful without a doubt. Therefore, after dealing with [Bottomless Trap Hole] which is linked to its normal summon, we can deal with the effect that was activated when [Mathematician] was normal summoned."

"Send one Level 4 or lower monster from my deck to the Graveyard."

I drew a card from my deck and sent it to the Graveyard. "The card I sent to the Graveyard is this [Shadow Dragon]. If this card is sent to the Graveyard by its effect, target one Spell/Trap Card on the field and destroy it!"

“A Shadow Dragon with the [Whirlwind] effect…” Atum frowned. “It seems this is the limit of the lockdown, but it has successfully consumed one of Hayato’s cards and one of his normal summon opportunities.”

Hayato didn't say which card the effect of [Shadow Dragon] would destroy, but Atem and Yugi could guess it. After all, the core of the blockade they had constructed was the field spell card [Spellcaster Village]. Destroying just that card would break the entire blockade in one go.

The Fiery Dragon, formerly known as "Suanni," was captured and transformed into one of the Shaddolls, gaining even greater power than before. After being sent to the graveyard, it appeared behind Hayato in the form of a phantom, raising its head and spitting out a jet-black shadow flame, evaporating the mist in the forest and igniting the bushes.

In an instant, the Field Spell Card "Spellcaster Village" was destroyed and disappeared due to the effect of "Shadow Dragon," and the duel environment returned to the high platform of the Kaiba Dome where it had been before.

The instant the field disappeared from the game, Hayato raised his Duel Disk, revealing the field area, and placed a card inside, saying, "I admire the first person to use a Field Spell Card, because they might be overtaken by someone else. In return, I'll use a Field Spell Card as well—"

"【Scars Engraved by Star Relics】, activate!"

As Hayato activates his Field Spell Card, it also means that the "Spellcaster Village" card in Yugi's back field becomes ineffective due to the presence of other face-up spell cards, and the surrounding environment, which had just returned to normal, changes once again.

This time, the gamers found themselves in ruins, surrounded by collapsed high-rises and the remains of buildings. In the distance, they could vaguely see a huge object standing abruptly on the ground, as if this were a battlefield that had experienced some great upheaval.

“Where exactly is this place…” Sera, who had been silently watching the battle, looked around and couldn’t help but say, “I feel a deep sorrow here. What exactly happened here?”

Hayato glanced at the colossal objects in the distance—the "Star Spear" and the "Star Shield"—and instead of answering Sera's question, he explained to everyone the story that had taken place in this world, on this land, about a boy and a girl who shouldered the fate of the planet and walked side by side toward the "Star Relics."

The game is more emotional than others, and the Prana talent is more obvious. Like Sera, he felt the sorrow of the suffering that the city had experienced. However, Atum was not so affected. He looked at Hayato and said, "Because the spell card appeared face-up on your field, Hayato, the [Spellcaster Sanctuary] is temporarily disabled."

“However, it’s also because you activated the Field Spell Card that the effect of [Super Magister - Dark Magister’s Apprentice] has been activated again, and I’m drawing a card from my deck.” As he spoke, Atum placed his finger on top of his deck and drew a card.

Unfortunately, the card Atem drew wasn't a Quick-Play Spell Card or Trap Card, or even a Spell Card, but a Monster Card. Therefore, he didn't show it to Hayato and set it to the back row.

But could Atem's card draw be wrong? Hayato wouldn't think that way. In any case, he could treat the card he drew as [Kuriboh] for now.

"Let me tell you, Yugi Muto also has Pharaoh Atem. Although Duel Monsters is a turn-based game, it is also like a real-time strategy game, requiring a certain ability to move and strategize."

"Your [Supreme Magister - Dark Magister's Apprentice] and that face-down card are in the same column. I Special Summon [Sky Knight] from my hand in Attack Position to my field in this column, based on its own effect!"

"Shouldering responsibility, we cast aside our physical bodies, carrying our will with the core of data, upholding our unwavering commitment to protecting the world, and engraving the traces of stars in the sky!"

"Come out, Wagha Tamashi!"

"【Azure Sky Knight】!"

A yellow mechanical humanoid, draped in a blue cloak, appeared in front of Hayato, directly facing the [Super Mage - Black Mage Apprentice]. Where human hands should have been, a pair of sharp longswords were attached. The blue core stones all over its body lit up one by one, giving Atum the feeling that he was being watched.

【Sky Knights】【5☆/Light】

[Psychic Clan/Effect]

[2000/2500]

Chapter 989 Gathered around Bayeri!

"【Machine Knights】? Another deck I've never seen before."

Yugi glanced at Hayato's [Azure Knight] on the field and said, "I've been wanting to say this for a while now. Hayato is just too favored by the elves of the other world. There are so many decks for him."

"【Machine Knight】, huh? That sounds like the name of a warrior or machine monster, but it turns out it's a telekinetic monster?"

Atum's statement wasn't meant to be literal "racist." It was simply because, in his understanding, monsters of races like warriors, dragons, mages, and demons generally possessed higher strength for various reasons, while the psychic race, although not without powerful monsters, had an average strength far inferior to other powerful races.

They're probably on par with the Rock Race and the Bird-Beast Race, right?

However, he did not look down on the [Sky Knight] because of this. After all, its user is Hayato, and the cards Hayato uses have a special feature: because Hayato is good at various forms of release, the card monster may not survive, but it will never be completely dead.

Even the [Disruption] class can impose area lockdowns, let alone the [Sky Knight] class, which looks quite formidable.

"【Machine Knights】are indeed mechanical creations, but their essence is a group of scientists who sacrificed their physical bodies to protect the world, using machines to preserve their thoughts and carry out their will. However, when a force that exceeds the balance appears in the world, they will take timely action to annihilate it."

Hayato pointed to the Yugi cards in the column where "Machine Knight of the Azure Sky" was located, "Most 'Machine Knight' monsters have the ability to Special Summon from their hand to that column when two or more cards appear in the same column."

"And the scars etched on this land by the 'Star Relic'—that is, the Field Spell Card [Scars Inscribed by Star Relic]—will grant each [Machine Knight] 300 ATK and DEF."

【Sky Knight of the Machines】【ATK2000→2300】

"When [Sky Knight] is successfully Summoned or Special Summoned from the hand, it can also activate an effect that adds [Machine Knight] monsters other than [Sky Knight] from the opponent's column to the hand, up to one of each of the same name."

[Sky Knight of the Machine Realm] raised his blade, and beams of light flew from [Super Magister - Black Magister Apprentice] on the game field and from [Eternal Soul], which was still face down, into [Sky Knight of the Machine Realm]'s blade, causing it to flash.