Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

[Reinforced Support Mechanics - Heavy Armor] [ATK500]

[Perfect Mechanical King] [ATK2700→3700]

Previously, Maeda Kumazo had been sending monsters to the graveyard with "Scrap Metal Recycler," but in return, he unleashed a devastating attack in this single turn. With almost no space on the field, he managed to Special Summon three monsters in a row, creating a powerful monster called "Perfect Machine King" with an attack power of 3700, far surpassing the legendary "Blue-Eyes White Dragon"!

Facing the equally empty field, Maeda Hayato said without hesitation, "Now it's my turn to attack. Step back, kid!"

"Entering my battle phase, I will use [Perfect Machine King] to directly attack the opponent's duelist!"

"Super Electromagnetic Cyclone Impact!"

Two cables extended, connecting the two mechanical monsters. The Perfect Machine King raised his hand and launched a rapidly spinning fist, aiming to wipe out Maeda Hayato's life points in one blow!

Will they lose in Chapter 1261? They will win.

Seeing the Perfect Machine King launch a direct attack on Maeda Hayato, Marufuji Sho in the audience held his breath: "Is he going to lose?"

Manjoume shook his head in disappointment: "I should have been the one to go from the beginning, or at the very least, Professor Chronos would have been fine."

"I can hear what you're saying, huh?!" Professor Chronos said irritably, sitting just a few rows away from Manjoume and the others. "Don't think I won't get serious with my students, huh?!"

Compared to the others, Jaden showed an excited expression upon seeing the direct attack from [Perfect Machine King]: "So that's how it is! So that's what 'Satsuma Dimensional Style' is all about. It's a duel that transforms from the ultimate swordsmanship of one-hit kill. The so-called 'concentrating on one point and reaching the pinnacle'!"

"What kind of time is this? Big brother, you're still marveling at how strong your opponent is. Maeda is about to lose the duel!" Marufuji Sho said nervously, tugging at Judai's sleeve.

However, Judai remained calm and confidently stated, "We will win."

"Eh?"

“Even though there are no cards on the field, Maeda’s eyes don’t show any sign of giving up.” Hearing Judai’s words, Misawa also carefully observed Maeda Hayato on the field. “Even at this point, he hasn’t given up. Even if his talent is not as good as others, Maeda’s will is truly that of a genuine duelist.”

Are all the students in the Red Dormitory monsters?

"No, it has nothing to do with the Red Dorm. If I had to say, it's probably more related to Judai." Asuka said, looking at Judai. "If Maeda had been in this state in the past, he would never have had to repeat a year. And the biggest difference between him in the past and him now is that he met Judai, right?"

On the field, facing the direct attack from [Perfect Machine King], Maeda Hayato took a deep breath and shouted, "I won't... just lose to you, Daddy!"

"【The Unyielding Beast Servant】!"

At Maeda's shout, a wounded wolf beast wrapped in bandages suddenly appeared out of nowhere on his field and blocked the flying punch of [Perfect Machine King], taking it head-on!

Although the wolf-like beast was destroyed the next moment due to the overwhelming attack power, it still astonished Maeda Kumazo: "Where did that monster come from!?"

"Does that mean only you, Dad, are allowed to secretly open the trap card? I also used cards from my hand during the main phase before entering the battle phase."

As Maeda Hayato spoke, he raised his Duel Disk, drawing the attention of Maeda Kumazo to the cards he had placed there at some point. “【Surf Prosecutor】, 【Perfect Machine King】, and 【Enhanced Support Machine - Heavy Armor】 can only be activated during the Main Phase of the turn in which the opponent has Special Summoned three or more monsters. This allows me to Special Summon 【Unyielding Beast Servant】 from my hand or Graveyard. This effect can also be activated during the opponent’s turn.”

"Tch, so it's that kind of troublesome effect?" Maeda Kumazo scoffed. "I was careless. I should have summoned a stronger monster."

Hearing Kumazo's words, Maeda Hayato wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and smiled, saying, "Now, you're finally taking me seriously?"

"You only survived one monster attack, you're getting too cocky. Kid, are you underestimating your old man?" Maeda Kumazo frowned and waved his hand. "Even if I can't use [Perfect Machine King] to wipe out your Life Points, the remaining two monsters haven't attacked yet, so I'll reduce your Life Points for now."

"A direct attack from [Surfing Prosecutor] and [Reinforced Support Mech - Heavy Armor]!"

"Well!"

[Hayato Maeda: 3200→1200→700LP]

The previously seen [Unyielding Beast Servant] was Maeda Hayato's only means of defending against attacks, leaving him with no room to withstand the two subsequent direct attacks from monsters. Under the direct attacks of [Surf Prosecutor] and [Enhanced Support Machine - Heavy Armor], his base score dropped twice in a row, finally reaching 700 points!

"I'll save the last 700 life points for the next turn." Looking at Maeda Hayato's life points, which were hanging by a thread, Maeda Kumzo sneered and glanced at the few cards left in his hand. "After the battle phase, I will activate the effect of [Enhanced Support Machine - Heavy Armor] during my Main Phase 2."

"Equip it as an Equip Card to [Perfect Machine King] so that it cannot be targeted by your opponent's card effects. If the equipped monster is destroyed, you can destroy it instead."

"Next, I set a card face down, and my turn ends. At the same time, the Surf Inspector Special Summoned by the effect of Shuffle Resurrection is banished from my field."

On Maeda Kumazo's field, the cables on [Enhanced Support Mech - Heavy Armor] were severed, disintegrated, and were equipped on [Perfect Mech King] to become additional armor. Meanwhile, [Surf Prosecutor] disappeared on his skateboard, just as he had when he arrived.

Despite losing two monsters to support it, [Perfect Machine King]'s attack power has decreased, but it is still a formidable enemy under the cover of Maeda Kumazo's face-down cards in the back row.

[Maeda Kumazo: 2100LP, 2 cards in hand]

【Perfect Mech King】(Premature Burial, Enhanced Support Mech - Heavy Armor)【ATK2100】

[Flip the table] [Frontline base] [Cover up the card]

"Not only does he exert immense pressure when attacking, but even if his attack fails, he can still deploy a full array of cards in his back row for defense." Asuka looked at Judai, "Even with an opponent like this, Judai, do you still believe that Maeda can defeat him, defeat his powerful father?"

“Of course! I saw Maeda’s eyes getting brighter and brighter.” Jaden’s tone was full of certainty. “Maeda must have heard the deck’s response to him. Trusting the deck, he naturally gets a response in return. He’s no weaker than anyone else, and he’s sure to put on a spectacular duel!”

Half a minute had passed since the end of Kumazo's turn, and Maeda Hayato still hadn't drawn a card. This prompted Kumazo to say, "Hey kid, what are you dawdling for? It's time to draw your card, or are you afraid you're about to lose?"

"No, quite the opposite, I feel rather happy right now." Looking down at his deck on the Duel Disk, Maeda Hayato smiled and said, "In the past, when faced with difficulties, my biggest thought was to run away, as if that would make the problem disappear. But now, I'm thinking about how to defeat you, Dad."

“Even you are the same, Father. Before, you just condescendingly scolded me for my incompetence and shortcomings. You never treated me like this before, as a duelist that you had to be serious to defeat.”

How could I not be happy in this situation?

"Kid... don't act like you have a chance to beat your old man. Who are you underestimating?"

“Although you keep saying I look down on you, it’s you, Dad, who’s really looking down on me!” Maeda Hayato said, drawing a card. “My turn, draw! And then, I’ll make you acknowledge me, Dad!”

"Acknowledge? Your talent? Or your strength?"

"Both!"

As he spoke, Maeda Hayato drew three cards from his hand at once: "The [Death Kangaroo] that Sho gave me, and my [Giant Koala], I activate the Spell Card [Fusion] to use these two cards from my hand as Fusion Materials for Fusion Summoning!"

"Let the gathered hope lead to a new horizon, transforming into a path of shining light! What I summon through fusion is this strongest ace that Jaden gave me!"

"Come forth, Lord of OZ!"

The so-called "OZ" certainly doesn't mean the abstract form of "OTZ" or "Orz" representing a disappointed forward bend, but rather it's an abbreviation for "Australia," since the "koala" and "kangaroo" in the fusion material are both iconic Australian animals.

After the kangaroo dressed as a boxer merged with the giant koala, the enormous boxer koala [Lord of OZ] stepped onto the dueling arena, causing the ground to tremble and drawing everyone's attention to [Lord of OZ]'s interface.

【Lord of OZ】【9☆/Land】

[Orc/Fusion]

[4200/3700]

Although it's a blank slate fusion monster, like Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, which is neither an effect monster nor a normal monster, and although it looks a bit like a repairman, when Professor Chronos saw OZ Lord's attack power of 4200 points, which is even higher than Obelisk the Tormentor or Cyber ​​Ender Dragon, he couldn't help but exclaim, "An attack power of 4200 points?! My goodness!"

"That makes me think we can win!" Even though he had been pessimistic about Maeda Hayato's duel just now, just like Manjoume, Marufuji Sho was excited to see Maeda use the card he had given him to fuse and summon the powerful [Lord of OZ]. "If we use [Lord of OZ] to attack [Perfect Machine King], it should deal a whopping 1500 points of battle damage, right? After that, we just need to Normal Summon any monster with an attack power of over 600 to wipe out our opponent's Life Points and win!"

However, Marufuji Sho was too optimistic. Manjoume scoffed and reminded him, "Idiot, is the [Enhanced Support Mechanism - Heavy Armor] just for show?"

"【Reinforced Support Machine - Heavy Armor】can replace one destruction for 【Perfect Machine King】, and also grants 【Perfect Machine King】resistance from being targeted by the opponent's effects. Even if 【Lord of OZ】 is summoned, it won't be that easy to break through," Misawa analyzed with a frown. "Besides, the face-down cards in the back row might not be just for show..."

Sure enough, just as Misawa finished speaking, Maeda Kumazo pressed the button to activate the face-down card, saying with a hint of emotion, "A monster with 4200 ATK, even I have to admit that I may have misjudged it a bit. You might be stronger than I thought."

"But, its strength is limited!" Kumazo flipped the face-down card over and waved his hand, "Trap Card [Sticky Trap Hole], this card can only be activated when your opponent successfully Normal, Flip, or Special Summons a monster, causing that monster's original ATK to be halved as long as it is face-up on the field!"

"Even the Lord of Oz, with an attack power of 4200, will only have 2100 attack power left under the effect of Sticky Pitfall!"

Beneath the massive Lord of OZ, the ground suddenly collapsed, revealing a deep pit. Although the pit was only deep enough for less than half of Lord of OZ's lower body to sink in, the slime inside the pit held it firmly in place, preventing it from escaping and drastically reducing its attack power!

[OZ Master] [ATK4200→2100]

Faced with this situation, Maeda Hayato showed no fear: "If that's all the defense you have, Father, then I'll take the victory in this duel!"

"Huh? The monster's attack power has been reduced, yet it still has that kind of confidence?"

Seeing Kumazo's confusion, Maeda Hayato played a card from his hand and said, "【Lord of OZ】 doesn't have the same effects as other powerful monsters. All it has is the attack and defense power gained from training to the extreme. But even so, it will one day shine with its own unique light! Just like me!"

"The Spell Card 'Price of Horse Bones' can only be activated by sending a monster other than a face-up Effect Monster on my field to the Graveyard. I send 'Lord of Oz,' whose ATK was reduced, to the Graveyard, and then draw two cards from my Deck!" After sending the monster he just summoned to the Graveyard, Maeda Hayato drew the card, saying, "This is a necessary sacrifice!"

"Then, I will activate this card, [Sunrise at Ayers Rock]!"

After inserting the card into the Duel Disk and briefly reading the data, Maeda's Duel Disk projected a huge rock behind him!

Maeda Kumazo raised his thick eyebrows, scrutinizing the rising boulder: "That card... I've never seen it before. Wait, 'Ayers Rock'... could it be—"

Seeing his father react, Maeda Hayato clenched his fist: "That's right, this card is the one I designed and made. The prototype is Ayers Rock, which you took me to last year after I repeated a grade!"

“I was walking in the dark, feeling frustrated and wanting to give up the duel, but when I saw the sunrise on Ayers Rock, I changed my mind.”

"I don't want to give up fighting monsters. Even if you don't acknowledge my talent, Dad, no matter what happens, I will firmly walk my own path, together with the friends and partners I care about!"

Retrieving the card that had just been sent from the graveyard, Maeda Hayato said, "Under the effect of [Sunrise at Ayers Rock], I Special Summon a Beast-Type monster from the graveyard. [Lord of OZ] is no longer restricted to being Fusion Summoned, and since it has already made one regular appearance, it is no longer restricted from being revived."

"Rise once more upon the earth, Waghat Mashi!"

The Lord of OZ, now back on the field, was no longer affected by the Sticky Trap Hole, since even it wouldn't fall into the same trap twice. At the same time, a sun rose from Ayers Rock, causing Asuka, Manjoume, Misawa, and Marufuji Sho to simultaneously hallucinate the Jaden monster, E. Hero Sunrise?

"What was that feeling like?"

Their doubts were quickly dispelled by Maeda Hayato. Behind Maeda, the monsters he had used before—the Correcting Chow Chow, the Unyielding Beast Servant, the Death Kangaroo, and the Giant Koala—manifested one by one, led by the awakened spirit, the Death Koala.

"The sunrise I saw on Ayers Rock gave me the courage to continue on my path of Duel Monsters, and my friends gave me the unwavering will to face difficulties. There is only one sun in the sky, but in my heart, two suns shine forever!" Maeda Hayato waved his hand, "The follow-up effect of [Sunrise on Ayers Rock] is: if there are face-up monsters on your opponent's field, those monsters' ATK is reduced by 200 points for each Beast, Winged Beast, or Plant monster in my Graveyard until the end of this turn!"

"There are a total of five Beast-type monsters in my graveyard, therefore the attack power of [Perfect Machine King] will be reduced by 1000 points. This effect does not target and cannot be blocked by [Enhanced Support Machine - Heavy Armor]!"

"Then, let's enter the battle, Lord of OZ, attack the Perfect Machine King!"

He made his second declaration of attack in this duel, but this time, Maeda Hayato seemed less confused than before. Whether he could use the duel to make his father admit that he was no longer important, because from the moment he fused and summoned the Lord of OZ, and brought him back under the expectant gazes of his companions with the Sunrise over Ayers Rock that he had designed, he finally understood one thing.

That is, he absolutely must continue on the path of Duel Monsters, no matter what happens or what others think. Even if he suffers countless setbacks and falls head over heels, even if he regrets his lack of talent, at least at this moment, all he can feel from Duel Monsters is endless brilliance.

I am now undoubtedly walking on a glorious path, therefore—

Goodbye, Dad, and goodbye to my cowardice! Maeda Hayato waved his hand, "Galaxy Phantom Magnum Super 44 Caliber Ultimate Jab!"

【OZ Master】【ATK4200】

[Perfect Mechanical King] [ATK2700→1700]

Seeing the giant koala swinging its fist at him, Maeda Kumazo couldn't suppress a smile. He glanced at the card in his hand, then calmly opened his arms to meet the oncoming impact.

[Maeda Kumazo: 2100LP→0]

Chapter 1262 The Unpredictable Stage of Fate

"What a foolish idea to say he won't hold back and will completely suppress his disobedient son." In the passageway leading out of the dueling arena, Maeda Kumazo heard a voice say, "Isn't he holding back quite a bit?"

Looking in the direction of the sound, Maeda Kumazo saw a pair of dazzling golden eyes that, even in the dimly lit passageway, were instantly noticeable. That sharp gaze and the arrogant air of self-importance were almost like something out of those eyes—

"You have a lion in your eyes, right? A lot of people say that, I almost thought I was some kind of hybrid too." Even though Maeda Kumazo hadn't said a word, Hayato "guessed" what he was going to say without missing a beat. "Unfortunately, my personality is as pure as my deck, it's incredibly pure, after all, I'm a pure lover."

"It's all nonsense I can't understand. I can't get along with people like you." Maeda Kumazo, not understanding what Hayato was saying, pretended not to hear him and simply corrected him, "Besides, I didn't hold back."

"When I played Zhu Zi, I initially thought Ye Ci was pretty bad, after all, she actually put Crystal Flower in the last slot." Saying this seemingly unrelated thing, Hayato had a subtle smile on his face, "[Shuffle Resurrection] revived [Surfing Prosecutor], and [Premature Burial] revived [Perfect Machine King], this is the first time I've seen such a ridiculous move, after all, if the order were just switched, [Unyielding Beast Servant] wouldn't even be able to play, right?"