Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"The effect of 【Labyrinth Welcome Welcome Big Welcome】is similar to 【Labyrinth Welcome】 in that it Special Summons a 【Labyrinth】 monster, but the difference is that its Special Summoning range is my hand, graveyard, and even my Deck! Here I Special Summon the 'Big Sister' of 【Silver Castle】 from my Deck!"

"A boss-level monster awaits its visitor at the end of the labyrinth, a beautiful castle riddled with traps? Princess, you've always been well-prepared!" Hayato shouted as he played a card, "Special Summon, Level 8!"

"—【Rabillins of Silver City】!"

"Ugh! She used to call me 'Sweetie' when we looked at the moon together, but now she's calling me 'Big Sister'! That's too much, Darling!"

The silver-clad girl, who seemed more like a "princess" than a "young lady," was initially laughing arrogantly when she appeared. However, upon hearing Hayato's address to her, [Rabilins of the Silver Castle] immediately pouted and puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

Hayato, however, showed no mercy and poked her with his finger, causing her to exhale: "Stop making up things that don't exist. I'm a pure love advocate and I would never be two-timing—if I were to be two-timing, I'd jump on eight ships."

Rather than Hayato "flirting" with his spirit, Caesar was more concerned with the "physical attributes" of the appearing [Rabilins of the Silver Castle] – referring to attack and defense stats, etc.

【Rabilins of the Silver City】【8☆/Dark】

[Demon Race/Effect]

[2900/1900]

"A monster with 2900 ATK, appearing so easily?" Caesar glanced at the petals still fluttering in the air, watching as [Rapilins of the Silver Castle] was summoned from the deck by Hayato's card effect and was playing a classic "I kill myself" game with [Silver Princess of the Labyrinth Castle] in a race to see who could get closer to Hayato. It seemed that the effect of [Rapilins Welcome, Welcome, Great Welcome] was not over yet.

“Oh? You noticed? After all, it’s an upgraded version of the effect of [Labyrinth Welcome]. As we all know, in Duel Monsters, ‘powerful cards are often accompanied by great risks,’ and even more powerful effects naturally come with corresponding ‘costs.’” Hayato said, shaking the card he took from the Duel Disk. “The follow-up effect of Special Summoning a monster is that I need to return one monster on my field to its owner’s hand.”

“Without a face-down card in the back row, the resistance of [Silver Princess of the Labyrinth Castle] naturally disappears. To prevent you, Caesar, from taking advantage of the situation, it’s time for her to ‘strategically retreat.’ Come back, [Silver Princess of the Labyrinth Castle]. With that, just like a Pokémon Trainer picking up a Poké Ball to retrieve a Pokémon, Hayato picked up the [Silver Princess of the Labyrinth Castle] card from the Duel Disk and put it back into his hand.”

"Hmph, now that troublesome guy's gone, Niiiiice!" Watching [Silver Princess of the Labyrinth Castle] leave the field, [Rabillins of the Silver Castle] seemed quite pleased. "Now I can stick close to Darling... [Ariana], what are you doing!"

The emotionless girl, Ariana, the Summoner of the Silver Castle, had already slipped away while her two masters were arguing, and had somehow managed to grab Hayato's arm. When she heard her mistress's question, she remained expressionless and said without changing her tone, "I'm protecting my master!"

"Is this how you protect someone? Let go of me! I haven't even—"

The noisy elf girl beside him made Hayato scratch his ear helplessly, then raised his duel disk and said, "Women are such a nuisance; they only affect my efficiency in playing cards."

"If a monster leaves the field due to the effect of my Normal Trap Card, the effect of [Rabillins of the Silver Castle] is activated, destroying one card from your opponent's hand or field."

C1 [Rabilins of the Silver City]...C2!?

As Hayato finished speaking, the effect of [Rabilins of the Silver Castle] did not proceed. Instead, a new chain followed. Hayato looked at Caesar's field and found that the card he had previously set up on his back field had disappeared.

"I didn't say before that the only cards that 【Chimera Berserker Dragon】was meant to destroy were the face-down cards in your back row, Principal Hayato, right?"

Although he wasn't very good at sneaking up on his opponents to activate effects when they weren't looking, Caesar had learned Hayato's other trick—"using one purpose to cover up another"—and used it at this moment.

Holding the [Cybernet] card he had taken from the Duel Disk, Caesar said, "I searched for this [Cybernet] card using the effect of [Cyber ​​Dragon Core]. Although it can't be activated during the turn it's set because it's a Trap Card, it still has a second effect that can be activated when it's destroyed—and just now, when [Chimera Rage Dragon] destroyed [Rabillins Welcome Welcome Big Welcome], I had it destroy this card as well, triggering its effect here!"

"[Cybernetic Network] If a monster is sent from my field to the Graveyard, activate this effect—Special Summon as many of my banished Machine-Type LIGHT monsters as possible!"

With his palm outstretched, Caesar proclaimed, "Cyber ​​Dragon Sub-Star and Cyber ​​Dragon, banished by the Fusion Gate, shall return to my field!"

Beneath his feet, the green world of the [Gate of Fusion] was instantly transformed into a deep cyan-blue. The unfolded virtual world converged back beneath Caesar's feet, beginning to deform upwards, transforming from a two-dimensional plane into a three-dimensional model. It was none other than the [Cyber ​​Dragon - Next Generation Star] that had previously disappeared from Caesar's field, along with the [Cyber ​​Dragon] that had been banished from his hand!

【Electronic Dragon Next Generation Star】【ATK200】

【Electronic Dragon】【ATK2100】

Chapter 1416 I Must Pull the Plug Immediately

[Ryo Marufuji: 4000LP, 3 card in hand]

【Electronic Eternal Dragon】【DEF4000】

【Chimera Tyrannosaurus Rex】【ATK2100】

【Electronic Dragon】【ATK2100】

【Electronic Dragon】【DEF1600】

【Electronic Dragon Next Generation Star】【ATK200】

Location: [Gate of Fusion]

Along with the destroyed [Cyber ​​Network], two monsters, [Cyber ​​Dragon Next Generation] and [Cyber ​​Dragon], were Special Summoned to Kaiser's field. However, his [Fusion Gate] shattered with a "bang" after the Special Summon was completed.

"The follow-up effect of [Cybernetic Network] destroys all the Spell & Trap Cards on my field, and monsters Special Summoned by its effect cannot activate their effects. Also, I cannot enter the Battle Phase during the turn this effect is activated." Kaiser opened the Duel Disk's field area, removed the card [Fusion Gate], and sent it to the Graveyard. "This is also one manifestation of the saying that 'powerful cards often come with great risks.'"

"Tsk tsk, not bad, but next we'll have to deal with the effect of [Rabillins of Silver City]." Hayato glanced at Caesar's hand and said decisively, "Although on the surface destroying your [Cyber ​​Dragon] on the field seems like the best option, since you've gone to such lengths to gather so many [Cyber ​​Dragons] on the field, you don't happen to have another [Fusion] in your hand, do you?"

“In that case—” Hayato said, pointing to the leftmost card in Caesar’s hand, “I’ll use the effect of [Rabillins of the Silver Castle] to destroy one of your cards! I choose your leftmost card!”

After hearing Hayato's words, Caesar fell silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "As expected of the 'Duel King,' his keen intuition is as if he can see with his own eyes what kind of cards I have."

He drew the leftmost card from his hand, then flipped it over to show Hayato, saying, "The one sent to the graveyard by the effect of [Rabillins of the Silver Castle] is this [Demon King of the Swamp]."

The flying axe struck the card in Caesar's hand. The "Demon King of the Swamp," which Caesar could have used to search for "Fusion," was destroyed and sent to the graveyard by Hayato's "Rabillins of the Silver Castle" before it could even activate its effect. Catching the returning double-edged axe, "Rabillins of the Silver Castle" boasted to Hayato, "Look, look, Darling, how did I do?"

"Well done, yo-shiyoshiyoshiyoshiyoshi~" Hayato rubbed the face of [Rabilins of Silver City] until it blushed and stopped making a fuss, successfully appeasing it before turning to Caesar. "Although you filled the field with monsters, without [Fusion] to concentrate the monsters' power together, your [Cyber ​​Dragon Next Generation] and other monsters have become my weak points in the next attack."

"You now have only two cards left in your hand. Have you reached your limit?"

"The limit?" Caesar glanced at the card in his hand, a smirk playing on his lips. "【Cyber ​​End Dragon】is the 'perfect' symbol of 'Cyber ​​Flow,' but 'Cyber ​​Flow' is limitless!"

"Even if I only have one card in my hand, it doesn't mean I've reached my limit, let alone the fact that I still have two cards in my hand now?"

Caesar drew a card from his hand and announced, "Quick-Play Spell Card [Photon Generator] activated!"

"This card can only be activated by Tributing two of my Cyber ​​Dragons on the field. This Cyber ​​Dragon in Attack Position that I Tribute, and Cyber ​​Dragon Next-Generation Star whose card name is treated as Cyber ​​Dragon."

Seeing Kaiser remove the card "Cyber ​​Dragon Next Generation", Marufuji Sho said in confusion, "But, isn't 'Cyber ​​Dragon Next Generation' Special Summoned by 'Cybernet' unable to activate its effect?"

"Idiot, so you're just a bad student in the Red Dorm." Manjoume glanced at Marufuji Sho with disdain. "【Cyber ​​Dragon - Next Generation Star】 just can't activate its effect, but its card name is considered the effect of 【Cyber ​​Dragon】 so it doesn't need to be activated."

“Even without the fusion provided by the [Demon King of the Swamp], Caesar is still able to transform the monsters on the field into new power.” Jaden said excitedly, “It feels like Caesar has become even stronger than when he dueled me before, and he gives off a different vibe.”

“That’s only natural, isn’t it? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Jaden, but Ryo’s deck is quite different from before.” Fubuki smiled and pointed to the field. “Have you noticed—from the start of the duel until now, Ryo hasn’t used any of those ‘Reverse Cyber ​​Stream’ cards even once.”

"Huh? It really does seem so!"

"The effect of [Photon Generator] is to Special Summon one [Cyber ​​Laser Dragon] from my hand, Deck, or Graveyard." Kaiser drew a card from his Duel Disk. "Come forth, [Cyber ​​Laser Dragon]!"

Watching the Cyber ​​Dragon Next Generation Star on Caesar's field absorb the Photon Generator, disintegrate, and then transform into an "External Soul Bone" to equip on another Cyber ​​Dragon, changing its shape to become rounder and adding a laser cannon to its tail, Hayato said with great interest, "They've actually started using such 'retro' cards... no, are they starting to return to basics?"

【Electronic Laser Dragon】【7☆/Light】

[Machine Race/Special Summon/Effect]

[2400/1800]

"【Cyberlass Dragon】cannot be Normal Summoned, it can only be Special Summoned by the effect of 【Photon Generator】." Kaiser waved his hand, commanding the newly summoned 【Cyberlass Dragon】to activate its effect, "And once per turn, 【Cyberlass Dragon】targets one monster with ATK and DEF equal to or greater than its own, and destroys it!"

Looking at the monsters on Hayato's field, Kaiser wasn't sure if [Summoner of the Silver Castle - Ariana] had any effects other than those triggered upon entering the field, but he was at least aware that [Rabilins of the Silver Castle]'s destruction effect was quite troublesome, and its attack power was also quite a headache for the monsters on his field.

"My chosen target is [Rabilins of Silver City], whose attack power is 2900 points, higher than [Electronic Laser Dragon]'s 2400 points!" Caesar pointed his finger directly at the Silver Princess. "Destroy her, [Electronic Laser Dragon]!"

"Laser Flame!"

Previously, Caesar tried to destroy [Silver Princess of the Labyrinth Castle] but failed. Hayato managed to remove its resistance but successfully retrieved it into his hand. Since that's the case, let's change our target to [Rabillins of the Silver Castle], since both monsters are the same person anyway.

"Oh no, Darling, help me!"

However, when faced with Labyrinth of Silver Castle's plea for help, Hayato calmly replied, "This is a necessary sacrifice..."

"Yamete-!"

"boom!"

Under the effect of [Electronic Laser Dragon], [Rabillins of Silver Castle] was blasted into a mess and sent flying. Forced to leave Hayato's field, she was forced to return to the graveyard, where she could at least touch up her makeup and wipe the grime off her face.

With that, Hayato's field was now reduced to only one monster: [Summoner of the Silver Castle - Ariana]. However, Caesar suddenly realized something—wait a minute, isn't this my first turn? Why am I already clearing the opponent's monsters like I'm going second?

However, [Cyber ​​Laser Dragon] still played a significant role – not only did it eliminate the threat of [Rabillins of the Silver Castle], which had high attack power on Hayato's field, but it also provided the conditions for him to activate another card.

"The Normal Spell Card [Pot of Greed] can be activated by targeting five monsters in my Graveyard: [Swamp Demon King], [Cyber ​​Dragon Core], [Cyber ​​Dragon Core], [Cyber ​​Dragon], and [Cyber ​​Dragon Next Generation]."

Caesar retrieved five cards from the graveyard in one go and put them into his deck. He then said, "I'll shuffle these five monster cards back into the deck. After that, I draw two cards from the deck."

"Draw!"

Glancing at the two cards he had drawn, Caesar played one of them: "Then I activate this Pot of Greed again, and I draw two more cards from my deck."

"Next, I activate the effect of [Chimera Raging Dragon] once per turn during my Main Phase, sending up to two Machine-Type LIGHT monsters from my Deck to the Graveyard. I choose [Cyber ​​Dragon II] and [Cyber ​​Dragon IV]."

"Finally, I'll place three cards face down to end my turn."

【凯撒：4000LP，手牌0→2→3→0】

【Electronic Eternal Dragon】【DEF4000】

【Chimera Tyrannosaurus Rex】【ATK2100】

【Electronic Laser Dragon】【ATK2400】

【Electronic Dragon】【DEF1600】

[GaiK] X3

Looking at Caesar's final setup on the field, Hayato nodded approvingly: "So strong, so incredibly strong. Even under constant interference from the opponent, he managed to create such a setup—though he lacks resistance and counters. But as a student and a newcomer to professional dueling, he's more than qualified."

"While it may seem a bit late to say this now that the duel has begun, even without a challenge, true duelists should be able to see the difference in our strength without even exchanging blows." Hayato raised his duel disk and pointed it at Caesar, saying, "Should I say you have courage, or are you simply ignorant?"

"Ambition!" Caesar replied matter-of-factly to Hayato's question, a bloodthirsty smile on his face. "As duelists, who wouldn't crave victory and grow stronger?"

There's an old saying, "A soldier who doesn't want to become a general is not a good soldier." Naturally, a duelist who doesn't want to draw his sword for the strongest position is not a true duelist!

"Let me see the true level of a strong person, Principal Hayato! No, 'Duel King'!"

“Ambition…” Hayato received the answer from Caesar, his expression unchanged, making it impossible to tell how he felt about the answer. But then he raised his hand, brushed his bangs aside, making his hair stand up as if it had been sprayed with hair gel, and laughed, “Hehe, hehe, humhahahahaha!”

"Good answer! A weakling who jumps out of the well and starts dreaming of soaring through the sky has quite an interesting 'ambition'!"

"Although I've never been in the professional duelist circle, that's only because I've been above it from the very beginning. Fine, then let your despair etch your mark on the vastness of this world and what it means to be strong, Marufuji Ryo! No, 'Hell Caesar'!"

Even though he knew that Caesar was no match for him, at least for this moment, Hayato began to refer to Caesar by the "codename" he planned to use when he entered the professional dueling circle. This meant that Hayato temporarily abandoned the relationship between the two as "principal" and "student" and instead faced this graduation model duel as "opponents".

"My turn, draw!" Hayato draws a card from his deck and plays it without even looking at it. "Then I activate the Spell Card 'Neighbor's Grass Cut,' sending cards from my deck to the graveyard until the number of cards in my deck matches the number in my opponent's deck!"

Caesar glanced at his deck on his duel disk. This time, he hadn't added any "Reverse Cyber ​​Flow" cards to his deck. His deck had exactly 40 cards, and after one turn, he had 21 cards left.

In contrast, Hayato used the maximum of sixty cards, and even after the consumption of cards such as [Heavenly Treasure Card] and [Rabillins Welcome], he still had a full forty-eight cards left!

In other words, if Hayato's "Neighborhood Grass Cutting" passes through, he can dump a total of 27 cards into the graveyard at once, more than the remaining cards in Kaiser's deck!

"I won't let you have it so easy!" As Hayato played his card, Caesar immediately pressed the button to activate a face-down card. "Chain with [Neighborhood Grass Cutting], I activate the Continuous Trap Card [Royal Decree]!"

"As long as this card is in the Spell & Trap Zone, all spell card effects on both players' fields are negated!" Caesar paused, then added, "The cost is that I, who controls this card, need to pay 700 Life Points during each player's Standby Phase to maintain its existence."

In a prolonged battle, "Royal Decree" would obviously place a burden on the controller, but aside from a few players—referring to Samejima—who might exhibit a steady and methodical style, "Cyberflow" mostly focuses on aggressive attacks to quickly resolve the battle. Furthermore, with spell cards including "Fusion" restricted, "Cyberflow" can compensate with cards like "Cyber ​​Lighthouse."