Chapter 22: You think using burn cards is despicable? Then what does that have to do with my life-steal cards?

“You speak as if it all makes perfect sense?” Jonouchi was left dumbfounded by Hayato’s words. When he thought about it, it did seem reasonable—there was no rule stating a person could only have one soul card, was there?

For example, if someone’s soul card was the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, did fusing three Blue-Eyes to summon the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon mean they had sacrificed their Tamashi?

Hayato didn’t continue joking around with Jonouchi; instead, he explained the effect of “Disrupt Trio” to the increasingly frustrated Masashi across the table: “The effect of this card I activated summons three ‘Disrupt Derivatives’ on your opponent’s field that cannot be tributed.”

“Cannot be tributed!?” Masashi was losing his mind. Under current rules, monsters don’t require tributes for summoning—only a few spell cards require tributes for their effects. For instance, a monster equipped with “Demon’s Axe” can tribute one monster upon destruction to return the axe to the top of the deck.

Similarly, Hayato’s “Soul-Eating Demon Blade” forces the tribute of his own normal monster upon activation.

“So you’re telling me these three disgusting monsters, like durians left to rot for a week, thrown off the sixth floor and crushed by a steamroller ten times over, will just take up space on my field indefinitely!?” Masashi exclaimed, ignoring Jonouchi’s strange analogy.

“That’s not all,” Hayato added, “when they’re destroyed, they deal 300 points of damage to you.”

“What kind of fake cards are these!?” Masashi, already distressed by the presence of “Death Count,” was now confronted with three even uglier monsters. “You three dung-like monsters, just go die already.”

“Eh~”

“Ha~”

“Burp~”

Like they were lounging on a beach, the three Disrupt monsters showed an incredible thick skin. Despite clearly hearing Masashi’s roar, they pretended not to notice, as if fearless of scalding water like a dead pig. Especially the one-eyed, long-tongued Disrupt Green, who flipped onto a beach chair, basking in the rooftop sun.

“Damn it!” Masashi gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more than to summon his own fist like Hayato and tear those Disrupt monsters apart. Yet Hayato refused to end his turn early, undeterred by Masashi’s disgust: “All the ‘Disrupt Derivatives’ are Beast-type, Level 2, Light attribute monsters with 0 attack and 1000 defense. While destroying one deals damage, unfortunately, the strongest monster in my hand is just this one.”

Slapping a card onto the field, Hayato summoned “Death Stalker.” Facing Masashi’s dual-wielding, 2500-attack “Death Count” and his own feeble 900 attack, the summoned scorpion warrior “Death Stalker” looked somewhat bewildered.

“No, boss, that’s not even the same league. I think you want me dead.”

“Hmph, you dare keep your ‘Death Count’ in attack position against me? Foolish,” Masashi chuckled at Hayato’s poor play. “With 2500 attack, my ‘Death Count’ outclasses your ‘Death Stalker’ by 1600 points, higher than your remaining 1400 life points.

“You wasted your summon on trash monsters. Even if you boost their attack with equip spells, what of it? Let me destroy those annoying Disrupt monsters; 300 damage is nothing. By my next turn, I’ll easily wipe out your life points!”

“Oh dear, I’m 100 points short of disrupting the Derivatives—what a blunder,” Hayato feigned regret and drew another card. “Just kidding, I’m activating this spell card.”

Before Masashi could even see what card it was, a sudden whirlwind erupted from the artwork, sweeping the relaxed “Disrupt Yellow” off the beach chair.

“Disrupt Black” and “Disrupt Green” turned their heads, surprised to see their previously lazy comrade now full of fiery spirit, clenching tiny fists and standing beside “Death Count.”

“The spell I activated is ‘Defense Lock.’” Hayato held the spell card on the field calmly. “Its effect turns one defense-position monster on your field into attack position. I chose the ‘Disrupt Derivative’ you just summoned.”

“A monster switching to attack position! That means Hayato can deal massive damage to that Manjoume at once—great!” Jonouchi’s face lit with excitement, though the game itself felt uneasy.

“Battle phase begins. Go, ‘Death Stalker,’ Crimson Venom!”

The scorpion warrior sprang up, its tail stinging as it thrust forward. “Disrupt Yellow,” caught completely off guard with a stunned expression, was instantly defeated, dealing 900 damage fully absorbed by Masashi.

[Masashi: 1500 LP → 600 LP]

But it wasn’t over! Because “Disrupt Yellow” was so weak, its defeated form flew up and collided with Masashi’s face as a virtual projection. An ugly yellow monster wearing disgusting red-striped underwear sat on his face, terrifying Masashi into swinging a punch—missing entirely as he remembered it was just a hologram.

Still, the life point loss was real.

[Masashi: 600 LP → 300 LP]

“Damn bastard!” Furious over the mishap caused by “Disrupt Yellow,” Masashi blamed Hayato entirely. “Next turn, my ‘Death Count’ will crush your trash monster. Taste the wrath of Manjoume!”

“Unfortunately, you won’t get a next turn.” Hayato did not declare the end of his turn after the attack. “According to the rules, after the battle phase comes Main Phase 2. Most ignore it, but it still exists. In my Main Phase 2, I activate this spell card.”

Hayato revealed a spell card and placed it on the field.

“A spell card too?!” Masashi’s eyes widened in disbelief, staring intently at the card to see its effect.

“This card is called ‘Goblin Thief.’ As the name suggests, it’s a professional goblin thief.” A chubby goblin sneaked out of the card, acting as if no one saw it, tiptoeing onto Masashi’s dueling platform and bending down to search for something.

“You’ve come onto my field again!” Masashi was near madness. First, the rotting corpse-like “Death Count,” then the disgusting Disrupt monsters, especially “Disrupt Yellow” nearly sitting on him. Now a greasy goblin!?

“The Goblin Thief doesn’t steal cards or monsters but your life points. By its effect, I can drain 500 life points from you.” As Hayato spoke, the goblin dug a glowing sphere from Masashi’s dueling platform and dashed back, placing it on Hayato’s field.

[Masashi: 300 LP → 0]

[Hayato: 1400 LP → 1900 LP]

“Congratulations, Masashi, your house has been robbed—completely wiped out.”

Masashi, enraged by Hayato’s words, shouted, “You shameless scoundrel, using such a lowly life-draining card is utterly unmanly!”

“Hold on, by your logic, wouldn’t volcano decks be the most despicable? Besides,” Hayato refused to accept Masashi’s accusation of “dishonorable,” “if you think life-draining cards are dirty, then what about my vampire cards?”