Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"Enough, Lord Hayato... How long are you going to keep humiliating my respect?"

Instead of responding to Hayato's outstretched hand, Saotome Rei took another step back. However, unlike her previous subconscious action, this time her retreat and the distance she created from Hayato were out of her own volition.

Still with her head bowed, Saotome Rei continued, "What you call accepting heartfelt sentiments is nothing but empty talk. Time and again, how many times have you defiled my worship with your disgusting evil! Are other people's sentiments and cards just commodities that bring you profit? How many people's cards have you sold for your own enjoyment!"

"Do you remember how many slices of bread you've eaten?" Hayato answered without changing his expression, his tone as calm as if he were saying, "I'll have cream puffs and meat buns for dinner."

The girl gritted her teeth, her tone no longer shy at the beginning, but filled with disappointment and anger: "You use others just to protect your own interests. As the Duel King, you actually treat the most important card for a duelist as a tool, just for your own selfish gain!"

"I... I can't understand you, and more importantly, I can't forgive you! You betrayed my heart!" Saotome Rei suddenly raised her head and glared at Hayato, her eyes filled with rage.

The power Saiou left in her was originally intended to be fully channeled into a card to forcibly awaken the card's spirit, and then the awakened but uncontrollable spirit would in turn affect Saotome Rei. However, now, Saotome Rei's "love" for Hayato has completely dissipated, and not even a trace of power can be channeled into the "Girl in Love" card. Even the "Girl in Love," which was faintly awakening and about to influence Saotome Rei, has been suppressed back into the card and fallen into slumber again due to the anger in her heart at this moment.

Instead, another card in Saotome Rei's deck, besides "The Girl in Love," which has a certain compatibility with the power left behind by Saiou and is more in line with her current mood, has been infused with magic, and a spirit is faintly about to awaken.

However, after the diversion, even if the sleeping spirit in another card is awakened, there will likely be insufficient power to control Saotome Rei.

But before that, Saotome Rei had one thing to do. She pointed at Hayato: "I want the world to see what kind of demon you are now. I want your fanatical followers, who are just like I was before, to see everything. They will know all your imperfections, and you will no longer be their savior, Kobayashi Hayato."

"No matter what you do, you will have no followers, no one will respect you, and no friends. You may still use your great strength to make the public accept you, but you will fail completely, be unloved, and only have your own loneliness!"

Hearing Saotome Rei's words, Hayato clapped his hands with a cold laugh: "Well said, very imposing, but it sounds like a cool line copied from some manga. But where do you get the confidence to think you can leave my mansion, leave Duel Academy Island, find a powerful media outlet, and how can you guarantee that others will believe what you say instead of me, the Duel King?"

"Before you even act, I will crush you and turn you into a puppet who has lost his own self!"

"Let's use Duel Monsters!"

As Hayato finished speaking, Rei Saotome saw that with a wave of his hand, a fireplace beside her suddenly opened its eyes and used its iron bars to form a tail, delivering a standard academy duel disk to her. Beside Hayato, Arias, the butler of Silver Castle who had left earlier, returned, carrying a soft and thick pillow with a duel disk on it.

"Lord, please use this."

Hayato picked up the duel disk that Arias had given him, while Saotome Rei also picked up the duel disk that the "Fire-Blowing Furnace of the Silver Castle" had handed her without hesitation. Saotome Rei, whose love had ended in failure, whose idol image had been shattered, and whose feelings had been humiliated, was filled with rage and would not refuse Hayato's duel at all. Instead, she wanted to beat Hayato up.

After putting on the Duel Disk and inserting the deck into the slot, Rei Saotome shouted at Hayato, "Duel!"

Hayato, on the other hand, glanced at the spot behind Rei Saotome where the "Girl in Love" card had disappeared. There was only a blurry white phantom there, indicating that Rei Saotome's emotions were not strong enough to fully awaken the card.

“I have no intention of fighting at home and making a mess of the house. So, let’s find a more suitable place to duel.” Saying this calmly, Hayato did not rush to unfold the Duel Disk, but instead took the lead in walking out of the mansion and into the garden outside, with Saotome Rei following without hesitation.

Arriving at the garden outside the mansion, the predatory plants slept peacefully under the moonlight until Hayato passed by. Only then did these bloodthirsty plants awaken again, swaying their branches and leaves without wind. When they noticed Saotome Rei standing opposite Hayato, they were so excited that they wanted to burst out of the ground immediately.

Being able to witness the master defeating the intruders makes even dying worthwhile!

"Although he's just a brat, he's defied me, a god, so I must unleash a devastating punishment." Having selected a deck and already adjusted it along the way, Hayato inserted the cards into the slots to activate and deploy the Duel Disk, connecting it with the Duel Disk worn by Rei Saotome. Both screens lit up simultaneously. "Duel."

[Saotome Rei: 4000 LP, 5 cards in hand]

[Kobayashi Hayato: 4000LP, 5 cards in hand]

"Okay, let's solve everything with cards. This time I'm playing a pure Shaddoll deck."

Hearing Hayato's inexplicable mutterings to himself, Saotome Rei didn't take it to heart at all. She drew a card from her deck and said, "Who cares what deck you're using? No matter what it is, I won't give up easily. That's true for me and my deck!"

"I'll take the initiative. My turn, draw!" After glancing at the card she drew and adding it to her hand, Saotome Rei considered her tactics briefly before playing a card and saying, "Activate the spell card [Pot of Greed]. I draw two cards from my deck."

“Then, at the very moment you draw your card, I activate the effect of this monster card in my hand, [Clown and Locked Bird].” Hayato revealed a card; the card art depicted a rabbit-eared girl picking up some precious ornament, and a monster bird swooping down to grab the girl’s hand. “During either player’s turn, if the opponent adds a card from their deck to their hand outside of their draw phase, I can send [Clown and Locked Bird] from my hand to the Graveyard to activate this effect.”

"This turn, neither player can add cards from their deck to their hand."

The Pot of Greed had barely appeared on Saotome Rei's field when it was shattered by the bloody hand that flew out of the card Hayato discarded, turning it into fragments of the Pot of Greed. However, Saotome Rei had already successfully drawn two cards before that, but—

Looking at the two cards in my hand, "Angel's Charity" and "Light's Reinforcements," I felt like I had only lost one card, even though I had drawn the card and the gift.

Chapter 1239: A full house and an empty house are separated by only a thin sheet of paper.

The ability to exchange "Pot of Greed" for "Angel's Charity" (which draws three cards and discards two) and "Light's Reinforcements" (which fills the graveyard with three cards for searching) seems like a good thing.

However, even the best cards are only usable resources if they can be played. Under the blockade of [Clown and Locked Bird], Rei cannot use these two cards this turn, making them mere decorations.

Looking at the other cards in her hand, Saotome Rei drew another card and said, "Although I can't add cards from my deck to my hand, 'Clown and Locked Bird' can't prevent me from Special Summoning monsters from my deck, right?"

"Spell Card [Rough Man's Expectation] activated! If I have no monsters on my field, Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from my Deck to my field!"

[A rough man's prediction] In the early days of Duel, this card had some strength because it was a Special Summon point. However, in today's Duel Monsters world, which has been accelerated to an extreme, this card, along with its associated Normal Monsters, has long become a marginal card that is rarely noticed.

If it weren't for her idol being Hayato, why would Rei Saotome include this card, which was quite active in Hayato's early duels, in her deck? Ironically, Rei still uses this card to fight Hayato.

In the crackling passage, Saotome Special Summoned a bizarre, abstract monster with a large black spherical head, bat wings, and eight legs onto her field.

[Divine Energy] [2☆/Light]

[Mage Race/Normal]

[600/800]

Despite its name, [Holy Energy] is clearly like the Holy Roman Empire, which is neither "holy," nor "Roman," nor "empire." It is neither "holy" nor has any "energy." At a glance, you can tell that it is just a small fry that can't even break the backsides of [Disruptors]. However, immediately after this monster appeared, Saotome Rei played another card.

"It's not over yet! [Holy Energy] is just a stepping stone. My special summoning will continue!" The card in my hand was inserted into the spell and trap zone, and [Holy Energy] on Saotome's stage was once again surrounded by lightning.

The lightning that had previously transported her to the ceremony grounds sent her away once again, to an unknown location. In her place, a shamanic sorcerer girl, finally possessing a touch of "holiness," was replaced by a cool white dress adorned with gold tassels.

"The Spell Card [Upgrade Transformation] can only be activated by sending one face-up monster I control to the Graveyard. Special Summon from my Deck a monster with the same Attribute and Type as that monster in the Graveyard, but with a Level 1 higher."

As Saotome Rei spoke, she placed the card she had retrieved from her deck face down on the Duel Disk. "What I Special Summoned is a Level 3 ☆ monster of the same LIGHT Attribute Fairy Type: Lightsworn Summoner Luminas. I Special Summon her to my field in Defense Position!"

【Lightsworn Summoner - Luminas】【3☆/Light】

[Mage Race/Effect]

[1000/1000]

With her hand size reduced to five cards, Rei Saotome finally revealed the deck she was using. Was it coincidence or fate? Hayato claimed to be using a "pure Shaddoll" deck, while Rei Saotome was using a Lightsworn deck, the opposite of Shaddoll, which was dominated by LIGHT monsters.

The Lightsworn, which immediately became a mainstream Duel Monsters deck upon release due to its unique deployment mechanism and powerful effects from its superior terminal, even reaching the World Championship and winning the title, is highly compatible with other decks that focus on graveyard battles. In fact, many interesting decks were developed by fans in the early days of Duel Monsters, such as the current Graveyard Lightsworn and the Bitter Selection Lightsworn.

However, it is clear that Hayato is unlikely to be able to obtain the ultra-rare card [Bitter Choice] from Saotome Rei in front of him. After all, as far as Hayato knows, only he, Isis, Malik, and Pegasus Yagyo seem to possess this card. The global issuance is less than fifty copies, not to mention [Reversal of the Reality and the Underworld], which only exists in the hands of Hayato and Isis.

In the accelerated Lightsworn 2.0, although Rei Saotome had already used one of the important components, [Lightsworn Summoner - Luminas], also known as "White Luminas", even though her deck also had another important component, [Twilight Shaman - Luminas], also known as "Black Luminas", she could not use the final piece of the puzzle, [Holy Demon Queen - Selene], because there was no Link Summoning in this world, and thus could not complete the game.

The final conclusion is that Saotome Rei's Lightsworn deck can only be the old-era Lightsworn deck that adheres to the principle of "filling the graveyard with cards during the end phase to maintain the battle line and using powerful ace cards to find opportunities to end the battle." It has a strong GS (Good-Stuff) element and focuses on the pure pursuit of individual card strength.

However, despite this style, Hayato can see from Rei Saotome's duel that she is somewhat approaching the style of the later [Lightsworn] style. The best evidence is the next card she played after "Hakuro" appeared.

"I activate the Spell Card 'Foolish Burial' to send one monster from my Deck to the Graveyard, and then I activate the effect of 'Lightsworn Summoner - Luminas' on the field." After sending a card from her Deck to the Graveyard, Saotome Rei unhesitatingly discarded the 'Angel's Charity' card from her hand, which was temporarily useless this turn. "Once per turn, discard one card from your hand, target one Lightsworn monster in my Graveyard with a Level 4 or lower, and Special Summon it to my field."

"The card I've chosen is this one that was just sent to the graveyard, [Lightsworn Assassin - Raiden]!"

With his bare torso revealing strong muscles and wielding two golden light blades, one large and one small, [Lightsworn Assassin - Raiden] was resurrected from the graveyard by a spell cast by [Lightsworn Summoner - Luminas] and appeared on Saotome Rei's field. After playing down to only three cards in her hand, Rei finally managed to summon a decent monster.

【Lightsworn Assassin - Raiden】【4☆/Light】

[Warrior Race/Effect]

[1700/1000]

"During my Main Phase, I activate the effect of [Lightsworn Assassin - Raiden], sending two cards from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard. Then, if any of the cards sent to the Graveyard by this effect are [Lightsworn] monsters, [Lightsworn Assassin - Raiden] gains 200 ATK until the end of my opponent's turn!"

Saotome Rei confidently placed her finger on top of the deck and said, "I feel it, I feel the emotions of my deck. They are angry with me for your evil deeds, Kobayashi Hayato!"

"Unleash your fury, [Lightpath Assassin - Raiden]!"

Rei Saotome drew the top two cards from her deck, while her Lightsworn Assassin Raiden swung its twin swords, leaving an "X"-shaped slash in the air. From that slash, the phantoms of two monsters vaguely appeared, then shattered, transforming into two beams of light that surged into Lightsworn Assassin Raiden's twin swords, amplifying their power!

[Lightpath Assassin - Raiden] [ATK 1700 → 1900]

"Since there's a Lightsworn monster in the deck that was sent to the graveyard, Lightsworn Assassin Raiden's ATK will be increased by 200!" After a pause, Rei Saotome retrieved one of the cards she had just sent to the graveyard. "Not only that, this card sent to the graveyard still has an effect that can be activated!"

"【Lightsworn Beast - Wolf】! This card cannot be Normal Summoned; it can only be Special Summoned by card effects. When this card is sent from the Deck to the Graveyard, you can activate this effect to Special Summon it from my Graveyard to the field!"

Wolf-Headed Guardian arrives on the field carrying a long-handled double-edged axe. His fur is braided and hangs down his back. His arms are also fitted with arm armor that can pierce out three golden claws. I wonder who designed this card. It's easy for someone to say that it's plagiarized from Gold Wolf and sue him!

【Lightsworn Beast - Wolf】【4☆/Light】

[Beast Warrior/Special Summon/Effect]

[2100/300]

Besides the useless "Light's Reinforcements," Saotome Rei had only two cards left in her hand. Looking at the three monsters that now existed on her field, she showed a satisfied expression. She felt that although she was annoyed by "Clown and Locked Bird" at the beginning of the duel, her performance was still pretty good.

In particular, she hasn't performed a normal summon yet this round, so she can't let her guard down now, or she'll suffer. She's the one who's invincible in the surrounding elementary schools, even though it was all thanks to her efforts to get close to the person in front of her without being able to see them clearly. But now that her fantasy has been shattered, she'll let the other person know the price of hurting a girl's heart!

Thinking of this, Saotome Rei drew another card from her hand and said, "I haven't performed a Normal Summon this turn. Speaking of which, you mentioned using a [Shadowdew], right? I don't know much about it, but it's definitely not a LIGHT monster. Coincidentally, I have this card in my hand, specifically designed to counter your monster!"

"Normal Summon [Shining Barrier Statue] in Defense Position! Then, while this card is face-up on the field, neither player can Special Summon monsters other than LIGHT monsters!"

A sacred barrier descended upon Saotome's stage. A golden barrier rapidly expanded and enveloped both sides as the magic circle above her head grew, suppressing all non-light-attribute monsters. Even the [predatory plants] watching from the sidelines were uncomfortable due to the intense light and shrank back halfway into the soil—after all, they still had to leave half of their bodies outside to watch the show, so even getting sunburned was worth it.

【Shining Barrier Statue】【4☆/Light】

[Angel Race/Effect]

[1000/1000]

Saotome Rei smiled happily because she was quite aware of the power of the card she was using. Under the restriction of the effect of [Shining Barrier Statue], any deck that does not mainly rely on the light attribute will become like fighting in a paste, with its development being affected by an extremely sticky effect. Because of this, many people who have dueled with her are unwilling to duel with her a second time.

Even among decks that primarily use the Light attribute, how many can truly rival the Lightsworn, which can simultaneously deploy its deck and fill the graveyard?

My own Lightsworn deck is invincible!

As Saotome Rei was laughing, she noticed that not only was she laughing so happily, but somewhat inexplicably, Kobayashi Hayato opposite her was also laughing happily. Was there some kind of joke she didn't know about?

"You idiot, you don't recognize the card I summoned, do you? That's why you're smiling like an idiot?"

Upon hearing this, Hayato shook his finger and said, "Although I can't remember anything from memorizing texts, don't underestimate the power of a card master's memory card effects, especially the [Barrier Statue] series, which has such a consistent effect. It's just a complete blockade of all attributes except for a specific one."

"Now that you know the effect, how can you still laugh?" Saotome Rei looked at Hayato's smile and felt a sense of unease. "Because of the existence of the [Barrier Statue], you can only summon one monster at most during the main phase, and then you can only use your one attack opportunity to destroy the [Barrier Statue] once you enter the battle phase."

"You can't make any decent plays and your other cards can't threaten me. You'll be defeated very quickly next turn!"

But Hayato shook his head and said, "Don't be so absolute. But let me ask you a question first—do you remember how many times you've Summoned or Special Summoned this turn?"

"Number of summons and special summons?" Although Rei didn't understand why Hayato suddenly brought this up, she still thought for a moment and said, "[Holy Energy], [Luminas], [Rayden], then [Wolf], and finally the [Barrier Statue] that was just normally summoned. Five times, what's wrong?"

“The number of times a monster is summoned in Duel Monsters has a special meaning,” Hayato said, drawing a card from his hand. “The first ‘one’ changes everything, the next ‘two’ acknowledges more, the following ‘three’ reveals the future, the next ‘four’ is hidden, but the final ‘five’ will lose its meaning.”

"The first monster played initiates the action, the second monster can be combined with the first to summon a third monster, and then the third monster will bring a fourth monster. Or, would it be easier to understand if we used the analogy of 'water machine creates everything'?"

"I don't understand any of that! What kind of nonsense is that! Who would understand any of that!"

Hearing Saotome Rei's吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical comments), Hayato finally flipped the card in his hand over: "Kids these days are so stupid. Well, let me put it more directly. This card's effect can only be activated during the Main Phase of the turn my opponent successfully Normal or Special Summons five or more monsters."

"This is the punishment for disobeying me, Kobayashi Hayato, who is a god. I, Kobayashi Hayato, will purge your monster, Saotome Rei!"

Seeing Hayato point to the sky, Rei subconsciously looked over, only to see that the moon was being blocked by something.

Enveloped in flames, something descended from the sky and grew larger and larger, seemingly falling this way!?