Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"Both sides' graveyards?!" Upon hearing the first part of the [Summoning Magic] effect, [King's Shadow - Lopto] didn't pay much attention. Instead, he looked down on [Summoning Magic], which was not even as good as a regular [Fusion] Spell Card. After all, a regular [Fusion] uses monsters on the field and in the hand as fusion materials, while [Summoning Magic] is limited to the hand.

But the second half surprised and even terrified him. He stared at Hayato helplessly, "Wait, wait a minute, you wouldn't be going to...?"

"Hehe! I'm going to exclude the monsters from your graveyard and use them as fusion materials for my Fusion Monster!"

"You can't, you can't do that!"

"*Domino City swears*, I can do it, huh!" Hayato grinned and pointed to the graveyard of [King of Light - Lopto]. "The monster I'm going to fuse summon is [Summon - Merkaba]. The required fusion materials are [Summoner - Aleister] and one LIGHT monster. The fusion materials I've chosen are [Summoner - Aleister] from my graveyard and the LIGHT monster from the opponent's graveyard - [King of Light - Queen Mador]!"

"Hahaha, how do you feel watching your hard-won [King's War] being taken away, [Lopte]?"

Above Hayato's field, a summoning circle opened, and the [Summoner-Aleister] who had just left returned to the field to participate in this fusion, along with [King of Light-Queen Mador] from the graveyard of [King of War-Lopt].

Even though she was about to be excluded, she didn't show any change in expression—after all, Hayato had only excluded one of the several [King of Light - Queen Mador] cards that were controlled by [King of War Shadow - Lopto]. Moreover, even if he excluded all three possible cards, he might not be able to take control of [King of War] from [King of War Shadow - Lopto].

[Summoning Magic] Extracts the power of the fusion materials and shrinks them to a size large enough for one person to pass through. Then, it slowly moves and "spits out" the fused monster—a silver chariot.

"Chariot of Light, named after the hexagram of God, dispel all and bring me victory!"

"Fusion Summon, Level 9☆"

"[Summoned Beast - Merkaba]!"

[Summoned Beast - Merkaba] [9☆/Light]

[Mechanical Race/Fusion/Effect]

[2500/2100]

"It feels wonderful to fuse with someone else's monster." Looking at [Summon - Merkaba], a Level 9 ☆ Light-attribute monster like [Queen Mador of Light], yet showing no resemblance to its pre-fusion form, Hayato wore a delighted expression. "Mmm~ I love it so much~"

"I'll annihilate you! Once I win the duel, I'll definitely annihilate you!"

In stark contrast to Hayato, [King's Shadow - Lopto] was furious. For the first time, he experienced the utter disgust and revulsion of NTR (Netorare), and wished he could stop the duel immediately. "You inherently evil human brat, I'll personally—"

"Tsk tsk, just bluffing, isn't it? Only third-rate trash would spout such nonsense, like 'I'll kill you' or 'I'll take care of you.' A true strongman would have already taken down his opponent before even uttering those words." Hayato smiled contemptuously, conjuring a card out of thin air. It was none other than the card of [Summoner-Aleister], which should have been banished just now with the activation of [Summoning Magic]. "If [Summoning Magic] exists in the Graveyard, it can be activated by targeting my banished [Summoner-Aleister]."

"Return the [Summoning Magic] card from the graveyard to the deck, and then add the target monster, [Summoner Aleister], to my hand."

"Heh, still collecting cards there? But in the end, all you've summoned are two monsters with a maximum attack power of only 2500 points." Looking at Hayato's hand, [King of War Shadow - Lopto] said disdainfully, "Don't even mention [King of Todoroki - Hal], you can't even break through [King of War Shadow - Lopto]'s defense!"

"The weak are just weak, only fit to be dominated by the strong. Those few weak monsters can't even withstand my next attack, let alone launch an attack against me, right?"

"There is no need to fear or refuse; this is the truth of the world: the strong are meant to bully the weak!"

Looking at the arrogant [Shadow of the Kings - Lopte], Hayato raised an eyebrow: "Still playing the Shada game? The last Shada I encountered has turned into a card. Speaking of which, that guy [King of the Void - Utgard] was also called 'Loki'."

"However, while that's true, I do agree with your point—that the strong should bully the weak. But the strong one refers to me, [Shadow of the King - Lopt], ​​and you are the weak one!"

"【Summoner-Aleister】's first effect! You can send this card from my hand to the Graveyard and target a Fusion Monster on my field to activate this effect. Increase the targeted monster's ATK and DEF by 1000 until the end of this turn. This effect can also be activated during your opponent's turn. And the monster I choose to target is naturally the only Fusion Monster on the field—【Summon-Merkaba】!"

[Hayato Kobayashi: 4000LP, hand 6→5]

[Summoned Beast - Merkaba] [2500/2100→3500/3100]

"Shaddoll Beast, Shaddoll Hound, Shaddoll Lizard, and Summoner Aleister. It's a real shame that I already have five Spellcaster monsters in my graveyard, but two of them have the same Shaddoll Beast name, and Shadowwing Wendy is a Psychic-type. Otherwise, I could have used Fusion Magic to play Five Magicians and blow up the field, which would have been a sure win. Unfortunately, I can't trade them."

While talking to himself, Hayato played a card, "However, it's rare to let an old friend show off in a new guise—if I have a LIGHT Machine-Type Fusion Monster or Union Monster on my field, I activate the effect of this monster card in my hand and Special Summon it from my hand!"

"Wake Up Breaking! Get CROSS-X Cannon!"

Chapter 1407 A Long-Awaited Old Friend

"If I control a LIGHT Machine-Type Fusion Monster or Union Monster, I activate the effect of this monster card in my hand and Special Summon it from my hand!"

"Wake Up Breaking! Get CROSS-X Cannon!"

On Hayato's field, a blue spatial tunnel appeared that was extremely similar to the effect of [Rough Man's Expectation]. The figure of [X-Boss Cannon], which Hayato used very frequently during the Duel Kingdom era, appeared on the other side of the portal.

However, as it passed through the portal to Hayato's field, countless mechanical arms emerged from the space tunnel and began to replace its parts—outdated cannons were replaced with energy weapons, its armor was replaced with new ones, and many engraved details and even panel lining were added. Finally, many parts of its armor were sprayed with new colors to create color contrast.

The "[X-Boss Cannon]" that appeared on Hayato's field has a similar overall design to the past, but upon closer inspection, you can see that its overall style has at least jumped from "Yu-Gi-Oh! DM" to "Yu-Gi-Oh! DM: The Dark Side of Dimensions" (lol).

"This is... [X-Boss Cannon]?" [King's Shadow - Lopto] frowned uncertainly. So many students enter the "Duel-Links" world, and while the [XYZ] series cards are rare, they aren't exclusive cards—Kaiba also has a set, but after learning that Hayato used it, he never used it again to avoid having the same card—naturally, some students bring one or two into the virtual world, which has allowed [King's Shadow - Lopto] to learn about them.

But why does this look different from the one he saw before, which was just a regular monster image of [X-Boss Ganon]?

"How did you figure out that this is [X-Boss Ganon]'s?" Hayato felt that [King's Shadow - Lopto]'s eyesight wasn't very good; how could he mistake such an obvious difference?

"I've been the largest shareholder of the International Illusion Society for five years now, making hundreds of robes in vain. How could I not have his... cough cough, sorry, I mispronounced the word. I've printed so many cards for other people, how could I not print a few new versions for my old friend? XYZ deck, haven't used it in ages!"

"Its current name isn't [X-Leader Cannon], it's [X-Interlaced Cannon]!"

【X-Cross Cannon】【4☆/Light】

[Mechanical Race/Effect]

[1800/1500]

"Tch, it's just a new outfit with the same attack power, defense power, level, and attributes as the original. What's the difference? In fact, because of the name change, cards that originally supported [X-Boss Cannon] can no longer be used on this [X-Cross Cannon]!"

Hearing what [King's Shadow - Lopto] said, Hayato replied indifferently, "Indeed, [X·Y·Z Combination] and [X·Y·Z Super Cannon] are no longer able to support the current [X-Cross Cannon].

"But is it possible—I mean, just maybe—that [X-Cross Cannon] is now less powerful than it used to be?"

"Let me show you the power of the strongest evolved Machine-Type monster!" Shamelessly plagiarizing Kaiba's lines, Hayato waved his hand, "This can only be activated during my Main Phase. At the cost of not being able to Special Summon a non-LIGHT monster from my Fusion Deck this turn, the second effect of [X-Cross Cannon] is activated!"

"The 'Cross' in the name 【交错甘农】 can be interpreted not only as 'intersecting', but also as 'time travel'!"

"The Machine race calls upon its allies! Let the doors of alliance within the communication deck be opened!"

"Om-"

As Hayato gave the order, [X-Cross Cannon], which looked completely different from its past days as a regular monster, proudly used an effect that its past self could never activate. Now, it was so different that it had enough power even without other support cards—the best evidence of which was another portal that had appeared in front of it in response to its call!

On the other side of the portal, [Y-Dragon] appeared. As another pair of "red, yellow, and blue" starter dragons that rival [Sky Dragon of Osiris], [Y-Dragon] is also repeatedly persecuted because it always appears in an extremely delicate position after each fusion.

(【Y-Dragon Head】: Quack! I don't want to form a crotch!)

Just as the [X-Leader Cannon] was strengthened into the [X-Interlaced Cannon] after passing through the space tunnel, the [Y-Dragon Head] also underwent continuous modifications as it came from the other side of the portal. While maintaining its basic shape as a flying dragon, it added a lot of engraved details and sharp parts, giving the impression that the rounded Sword King Dragon O-Maru had been transformed into the Earthly Star O-General by the Chinese model manufacturer MoO Core.

However, unlike the [X-Interlaced Cannon] which appeared independently, the [Y-Dragon Head], upon reaching the other side of the portal, suddenly shattered into many scattered parts. It felt as if hasty modifications had caused the [Y-Dragon Head]'s body to become mushy, with even the fixing screws not being tightened, leading to its sudden disintegration like a Sue.

Before [Shadow of Kings - Lopte] could even utter a few sarcastic remarks, blue lightning suddenly lit up the scattered parts and connected them to [X-Cross Cannon]. The dragon wings overlapped into single pieces, attaching to the back of [X-Cross Cannon] along with the dragon tail. The dragon claws were also attached to the lower body of [X-Cross Cannon] as legs, and the dragon head was directly worn on the right hand of [X-Cross Cannon].

(Image reference)

The mix-and-match style in front of us has a chaotic feel, like "a Gundam with a Zaku head," and even Hayato couldn't help but want to complain—isn't this cosplaying as the Flame Wingman?

However, despite his inner complaints, Hayato still explained the effect of his monster: "During my Main Phase, the second effect of [X-Cross Cannon] can be activated. It can equip a Machine-Type LIGHT Union Monster that can be equipped to it as an Equip Spell Card of that effect from my Deck. Therefore, at this moment, [Y-Dragon Head] is considered to be equipped to [X-Cross Cannon] by its own effect."

"No, it's not quite right to call it 'Y-Dragon Head' now. It should be 'Y-Agile Dragon Head', although I don't quite understand why 'Dragon-Yearhead' is translated as 'Agile Dragon Head' either."

"【Y-Agile Dragon Head】As a Union Monster, it can naturally be Special Summoned back to my field by its own effect and by removing its equipment status. However, before that, I must activate this card in my hand." Selecting a card in front of him and playing it, a hexagonal hangar appeared on Hayato's field.

It wasn't a large hangar cluster like the Alliance Hangar, but a single maintenance container with many robotic arms in operation, exactly the same as the robotic arms used to modify the X-Leader Cannon and Y-Dragon in the space tunnel.

"The Spell Card [Union Activation] is activated. This card's effect is to send a single LIGHT Machine-Type Normal Monster or Union Monster from my Deck or hand to the Graveyard, and then add a single LIGHT Machine-Type Monster with the same ATK but a different original name from that monster from my Deck to my hand."

"And the card I'm sending to the graveyard is this LIGHT Attribute Machine-Type Alliance Monster, [Y-Agile Dragon Head], followed by [Z-Infinite Tracks], a Machine-Type LIGHT Monster with the same ATK as [Y-Agile Dragon Head] (which has 1500 ATK)!"

Precise stacking and precise detection—that's the true value of the evolved [XYZ]!

Watching Hayato send one of his [Y-Agile Dragon Head] cards to the graveyard and then add the [Z-Infinite Tracks] cards, which had also "evolved" like the other two, to his hand, [Shadow of Kings - Lopto] sensed danger: "[X] followed by [Y], and now [Z]? I don't know how your [XYZ], which is so different from the past, is different, but it should also require combining the fusion materials on the field to manifest, right?"

"However, your Normal Summon has already been used on [Summoner - Aleister], and without other Union Monster support cards, you can't summon [Z-Infinite Tracks]!"

"Sorewadoka?" However, Hayato responded with a confident smile to [King's Shadow - Lopto], "I haven't introduced the effects of [Y-Agile Dragon Head] yet, have I? If possible, I was actually planning to call it [Y-Year Dragon Head], it sounds better."

“So first, I’ll use the effect of [Y-Agile Dragon Head], a Union Monster, to remove its Equip status and Special Summon it to my field in Attack Position.” Hayato paused, then waved his hand. “And at that very moment, the first effect of the Special Summoned [Y-Agile Dragon Head] activates!”

"Similarly, I cannot Special Summon a non-LIGHT monster from my Fusion Deck this turn, but since I've already used the effect of [X-Cross Cannon], it doesn't matter! Similar to [X-Cross Cannon], but different, [X-Cross Cannon] equips a Union Monster from the Deck, but the effect of [Y-Agile Dragon Head] is to equip a Level 4 LIGHT Machine-Type monster from my hand or Graveyard as an Equip Card!"

"And the monster I'm equipping is—another one in my graveyard, [Y-Agile Dragon Head]!"

Having detached from [X-Cross Cannon] and released the [Flame Winged Man] cosplay state, [Y-Agile Dragon Head]'s power is "excavating time," different from [X-Cross Cannon]'s "space-traveling." An ancient aura emanates from the earth, and then suddenly, the dilapidated remains of another [Y-Agile Dragon Head] rise up!

Just like before, the [Y-Agile Dragon Head] was disassembled and then equipped to the [X-Cross Cannon]. Blue electricity connected the two [Y-Agile Dragon Heads] together, and then... Oh my god!

The pair of wings became wider after being combined, and the original two-legged dragon was changed to a four-legged shape due to the addition of extra dragon claw parts. The addition of extra parts made the dragon tail longer and the body more robust, but the most eye-catching thing is the two dragon heads side by side!

Following Jaden's [E·hero Flame Wingman], it was Kaiba's turn to have his [Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon] imitated by Hayato's "New [XYZ]".

(Styling reference; this is also a kind of tribute (I'm sure of it))

"It's not over yet! Unlike [X-Interlaced Cannon], where both effects can only be used once per turn, or even once per card name per turn, the only restriction on the effects of [Y-Agile Dragon Head] and [Z-Infinite Tracks] in my hand is that the second effect can only be used once per turn, but it's not a restriction of once per card name per turn. The first effect has no restriction at all!"

"I activate the effect of my second Equip Card, [Y-Agile Dragon Head], to Special Summon it to my field, and then equip [Z-Infinite Tracks] from my hand using the effect of [Y-Agile Dragon Head]!"

As if afraid that Kaiba would come looking for royalties, Hayato quickly disintegrated [Y-Agile Dragon Head], then played [Z-Infinite Tracks] from his hand and equipped the second [Y-Agile Dragon Head] with it. This time, the long-absent [Z-Infinite Tracks] didn't do anything fancy like the previous two; it simply disintegrated and became an "External Soul Bone" that was equipped on [Y-Agile Dragon Head].

【X-Crossed Cannon】【ATK1800】

【Y-Agile Faucet】【4☆/Light】

[Mechanical Race/Effect]

[1500/1600]

【Y-Agile Lead】(【Z-Infinite Tracks】)【ATK1500】

"Although the special effects look impressive, none of them are any decent in terms of power. They can't even produce one with an attack power exceeding 2000." Looking at the three-body monster that appeared on Hayato's field, [King's Shadow - Lopt] smirked. "And I noticed that neither [Y-Agile Dragon Head] nor [Z-Infinite Tracks] increased the attack or defense power of the equipped monster when they were equipped as Equip Cards to other monsters? It's even more laughable that they're so weak."

"Also, from what you're saying, [Z-Infinite Tracks] can also be Special Summoned to the field using its own effect, right? But unfortunately, your field is completely full, with no space left, not even a single monster. In other words, this lineup is probably the final lineup you can use to fight against my [King's Battle] monsters!"

"Poor, poor, poor, poor!"

"That's a strange idea. Why would you think that a full grid means you can't summon any more monsters? I can just clear the grid, right?" Hayato raised an eyebrow and looked at his field. "Although there's no convenient summoning method like Link or Xyz, everyone knows that Fusion is the noblest summoning method—like the 'Contact Fusion' I'm about to perform! Right now, right here!"

"I banish the Machine-Type, LIGHT-attribute monster [X-Cross Cannon] and my first summoned monster, [Y-Agile Dragon Head], from my field! Then, I Special Summon this Level 6 powerful monster!"

"Command input: Left ←! Right →! Beware of the Winged Dragon!"

To the bewildered gaze of [Shadow of Kings - Lopte], the two mechanical monsters who had just cosplayed as [Flame Winged Man] reunited. After a complex and inexplicably impressive transformation, what appeared before him was—

A game controller!?

"Come forth! [Alliance Manipulator]!"

Chapter 1408 Vibrant Life, All Things Flourishing

"Come forth! [Alliance Manipulator]!"

[Alliance Manipulator] [6☆/Light]