Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

A gigantic fist, as massive as a mountain, crashed down. [Nasagi] resorted to its old trick, summoning [Sky Magician] as a substitute. The magic beam collided with the giant fist, and Hayato's two monsters perished together, leaving the field.

[Sacrifice Demon] [2800/2000→0/0]

"Since [Sky Magician] has left the field, I can activate its effect! Target one card on the field and destroy it!" Pegasus glared at [Blue-Eyes White Dragon]. "Go back to the graveyard, [Blue-Eyes]!"

"Don't even think about succeeding! Activate face-down card, [Attack Invincibility]!" The magic power left behind by the [Sky Magician] locked onto the [Blue-Eyes White Dragon], and Hayato activated the face-down card without hesitation. "This card can only be activated during the Battle Phase. Select one monster so that it cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects!"

"[Blue-Eyes], the final blow is up to you!"

"Destroy Burst Stream!"

"Roar!"

The destructive white breath, carrying the rage of the Blue-Eyes, engulfed the Sacrifice Demon, which had exhausted all its substitutes.

"Ughhhhh!!!" Passing through the [Sacrifice Demon] with zero attack power without any hindrance, the [Blue-Eyes White Dragon]'s 3000 attack power bombarded Pegasus without missing a single point, causing him to let out a painful howl.

[Becas: 4000→1000LP]

The stronger character that appeared after defeating the strongest boss in Chapter 175 is like a newly released character in a card game.

After a dazzling white light, Hayato opened his eyes wide and looked at the dueling platform opposite him.

The [Sacrifice Demon] has been effectively destroyed and sent to the graveyard by the attack of [Blue-Eyes White Dragon], and Pegasus's face-down card has not been opened, indicating that the attack has been successful.

"Roar~" Hayato's Blue-Eyes on the field had vented his anger after successfully reducing Pegasus's Life Points by a large amount. At that moment, Haku turned his head and looked at Hayato, who was breathing heavily, with concern.

"No, I'm fine. It's just a mere 100 points of damage, nothing at all," Hayato said defiantly, but he knew very well that the dangers of the Dark Games were never just about the reduction of life points.

In Dark Games, the minds of Duel Monsters and Duelists are linked more closely than ever before. Once a monster is destroyed, even if it does not damage the Life Points, it will still cause severe damage to the player's spirit.

The Earth Spirit was the monster that caused Hayato the most burden among all his monsters. In addition, it perished together with the Sky Magician, which originally belonged to Hayato. Hayato suffered two blows at the same time.

Although he can still persevere and not collapse, Hayato's current condition is far from good.

"My turn is over."

After saying this, Hayato gripped the armrest of the dueling platform tightly, his eyes somewhat glazed over.

'The Sacrifice Demon has been successfully defeated. I've done my best. Now it's up to you, Game…'

[Hayato: 3700LP, 0 cards in hand]

[Entertainment Partner - Helping the Princess] [ATK3700→1200]

[Blue-Eyes White Dragon] [ATK3000]

It was Pegasus's turn again, but looking at Pegasus lying on the dueling platform, Yugi, who had replaced him in the game and sent him back to rest, had some doubts about whether Pegasus still had the ability to continue fighting.

Although it was Yugi who took the brunt of the attack reflected from the [Sacrifice Demon], the two Yugi were of one mind, and when Yugi returned to the [Millennium Puzzle], he also felt intense pain. And that was only 600 points of damage.

Pegasus took the full damage from the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. To be honest, Yugi thought it was already amazing that Pegasus could still breathe normally. In the Dark Games, even a little bit of damage is enough to cause excruciating pain. Every bit of damage felt like scraping flesh from the soul.

However, it seems that King Yu underestimated Pegasus. After Hayato announced the end of his turn, Pegasus actually slowly straightened up on the dueling platform, the only difference being that the "Eye of Ugato" on his forehead was even brighter than before.

"Activate the face card on the field the instant your turn ends." Pegasus spoke weakly, it seemed that the furious attack from [Blue Eyes] had indeed caused him great damage. Perhaps the reason he could continue to move now was because he had completely surrendered his body to [Millennium Eyes]?

“My card is [Dead Soul Fusion].” The dark power in Pegasus’s [Millennium Eye] has become even more intense than before. Yugi feels like he can’t breathe, and even simple breathing has become heavy and difficult.

In Pegasus's graveyard, the Thousand-Eyed Cult God, previously used as a sacrifice for the [Sacrifice Demon]'s descent, and the [Sacrifice] that Hayato had painstakingly defeated, reappeared on the field as phantoms. Their souls shattered simultaneously and then merged together, appearing on Pegasus's field in a form even more terrifying than the [Sacrifice Demon].

"The [Nasakar] and the [Millennium Cult God] in my graveyard will be removed from the game face-down, and the deepest darkness of Duel Monsters will awaken before you!" Pegasus said viciously. "Be swallowed by endless darkness, Yugi Muto and Hayato Kobayashi!"

"An evil god has descended! [Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon]!"

Based on the appearance of the [Najima], the [Najima], resurrected from the graveyard, absorbed the [Thousand-Eyed Cult God] and its originally pale blue body turned yellowish like the underworld. Except for the areas covered by white periosteum, the [Najima]'s muscles began to swell and bulge, as if small balls were wriggling inside.

No, it's not an illusion! Goosebumps rose on the game's skin. Suddenly, cracks appeared all over the [Sacrifice Demon]'s body, revealing countless eyeballs. People with trypophobia might faint on the spot!

Completely ignoring the disturbance caused by someone suddenly fainting in the audience, Pegasus smiled confidently: "Yugi Muto, Hayato Kobayashi, this is my strongest and final ace monster, [Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon]!"

"Your lives will come to an end here!"

"My turn, draw a card!"

Pegasus drew a card and immediately played it onto the field: "Equip the Spell Card [Demon Wand]!"

A sinister-looking magic wand appeared in the hand of the Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon. All the eyes on its body opened at once, and the eerie purple light made people feel uneasy.

"The effect of [Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon] is absolute battle lockout. As long as it exists on the field, none of your monsters can attack. Furthermore, due to the effect of [Demon Staff], all your monsters will have their ATK reduced by half."

Pegasus reached out his hand towards Hayato's Blue-Eyes White Dragon on the field: "Don't even think about escaping my grasp, Blue-Eyes! Be devoured once more!"

Just like its original form, the Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon opened its abdominal maw and devoured the wailing, struggling white dragon. Nourished by the strongest dragon, the Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon's attack power surged, and it even had surplus power to supply the Demon Staff.

【Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon】【1☆/Dark】

[Mage Race/Fusion/Effect]

【0/0→3000/2500】

[Entertainment Partner - Helping the Princess] [ATK1200→0]

"I remember that troublesome [Rainbow Kuriboh] had the annoying effect of reviving from the graveyard when it attacks directly, right?" Pegasus glanced at Yugi, who only had one face-down card on the field, and then turned his gaze to Hayato, who only had [Help Princess] with 0 attack power on the field.

"You've stopped me time and time again, and saved Yugi Muto's life time and time again. Hayato Kobayashi, you're really good to your friends," Pegasus sneered. "But now, your crisis has arrived. Will your good friend—Yugi Muto—save you? No, he can't even save himself!"

"【Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon】, attack that 【Help the Princess】, use Fantasy Gale Burst Bullet!"

"Fall into darkness, Hayato Kobayashi!"

The Blue-Eyes, now under control again, opened its mouth in resentment, and a black Gale Burst hit the Help Princess, whose attack power had been reduced to 0 on Hayato's field. The vengeful Pegasus returned the pain he had suffered in the previous turn—being directly hit by the attack of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon with 3000 attack power—to Hayato.

"Ughhhhh!!!"

[Hayato: 3700→700LP]

"Hayato!" Gazing at the arena where Hayato was buried in black smoke, Yugi called out Hayato's name anxiously. However, there was no response from Hayato within the smoke for a long time. In the Dark Games, the pain inflicted by 3000 points of damage was more than enough to destroy a person's will.

Chapter 176 Game: Hayato said, "Let's go!"

Hayato felt as if he were being swallowed by darkness.

My last consciousness was that of the moment just before the attack of the Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon was about to hit me; my last memory was the game's shout; and my last feeling was a pain that seemed to be etched into my soul.

"How pathetic. Compared to other transmigrators, I'm probably the most embarrassing one at playing cards." Hayato laughed self-deprecatingly, feeling his eyelids were incredibly heavy, and he just wanted to fall asleep.

Just close it for a moment, just for a second...

Just taking a short break...

"Curry!" A voice called out in my ear.

However, they were unable to wake Hayato.

"Ani-gei!" The noisy voice is really annoying.

Hayato is still asleep.

"My Lord!" Is that Gaia? Stop arguing.

Sleeping peacefully like a baby.

"Fus Ro Dah!" A few dragon roars, probably from the Armored Dragons? Whatever.

Hayato's will seemed to sink into darkness.

Just then, he heard a strange sound—

"You look so ugly and pathetic. I would never admit to looking like this." A voice as bright as the sun rang out, accompanied by dazzling golden light.

Under the bright light, Hayato found it hard to sleep, struggling to keep his eyes open and see which bastard was so blind. But just then, he suddenly woke up.

"Hayato!" Hayato heard the game's shout and realized that he was lying on the dueling platform.

"Hayato, how are you!" Yugi's voice was full of urgency. Although the pain in his body hadn't subsided at all, somehow Hayato felt that he could still endure it. Supporting himself on the table with one hand, Hayato replied, "For now, I'm not going to die."

"Huh? You didn't have your brain burned out by the [Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon's] attack?" Pegasus looked at Hayato with great interest. "Losing your will is your good fortune; waking up will only be your misfortune. Because there is only one path ahead of you—that is, to be dragged into the bottomless darkness by my [Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon]!"

"My turn is over."

[Becas: 1000LP]

【Thousand-Eyed Sacrifice Demon】(Blue-Eyed White Dragon, Demon Staff)【ATK3000】

"I refuse to accept such a future." Leaning against the dueling platform, Hayato, though successfully awakened, had suffered real damage from the 3000 points of damage he had inflicted. Hayato felt he could faint at any moment. "The existence of a path should never be decided by others; those who walk the path of destiny should be ourselves."

"If darkness lies ahead, then we will use the bonds we've forged to create a new path of light. As long as the light of bonds remains, the darkness of death will never be able to engulf us!" Yugi was quite pleased to see Hayato awaken and responded to his words, "Pegasus, let us show you the future created by bonds!"

"At the very end of your turn, I activate my face-down card, [Grave Robber], pay me 1000 Life Points to activate! Cough!" Yugi finally revealed the card he had been face-down for so long. Because of the Life Points payment, he stumbled and almost fell off the dueling platform. "A mere 1000 Life Points is nothing compared to the damage you inflicted on Hayato, Pegasus!"

[Game: 1700 → 700 LP]

“Choose a card from my graveyard?” Pegasus scoffed. “No monster or card capable of defeating the Thousand-Eyed Raider exists in my graveyard. Your struggles are nothing but ugly, futile efforts before your demise!”

"Heh, Pegasus, I think you completely misunderstand Duel Monsters." Hayato said with a smile, trying to stay calm. "The most important thing about Duel Monsters is never the monsters on the field or the abundance of cards in your hand. The most important thing is actually the life points of both players."

"My base score is 700 points, which is lower than your 1000 points. This meager base score has already declared our victory."

"Hmph, has the Dark Game ruined your brain?" Pegasus sneered, spreading out his graveyard. "Choose the card you want to steal, Yugi Muto. Anyway, this turn is your last stand!"

To Pegasus's surprise, the game ultimately chose not his Toon Monster, nor a powerful card draw card like "Heavenly Treasure," but rather "Dead Soul Fusion," which he had just activated that turn.

"Based on the effect of [Tomb Raider], if a monster is selected, it can be Special Summoned to the field; if a Spell/Trap Card is selected, its effect can be activated immediately." Yugi, panting heavily, laboriously activated the transferred [Dead Soul Fusion] on the field. "I...I'm using [Dead Soul Fusion]..."

"That's enough, Aibo." A gentle voice reached the game's ears. "Leave the rest to me and Hayato."

'Then, I'll leave it to you, my other self...'

"I'll use the effect of [Dead Soul Fusion]!" Having shaken off his previous weakness, Yami Yugi, taking over from Yugi, declared, "I'll banish a monster from the Graveyard face-down and Special Summon it. However, Pegasus, you should be very familiar with this effect."

As Yugi spoke, he drew the card "Dark Magician" from his graveyard and looked to the other side: "Hayato, it's time to go!"

“Ah, go for it, game. Just like before.” Hayato laughed as he pulled [Entertainment Partner - Sky Magician] from his graveyard.

"【Dark Magician】 and 【Sky Magician】, is this a fusion of your two ace monsters?"

Game: "The condition is that you have a Dark Magician and a Mage-type monster!"

Hayato: "Except for the two, Oppa-kun!"

The two players simultaneously slammed their cards onto the field, and the power of the Duel Monsters transformed into a miracle of light, creating a brand new Fusion Monster that appeared out of thin air on their field—

"Fusion Summoning, [Grand Archmage - Dark Magician and Apprentice]!!!" x2