Chapter 28: An astonishing 3600 attack points—so powerful, simply incredible.

It was no boast on Lucky’s part; he was truly the most formidable Duel Monsters player in prison. In fact, his successful escape owed much to the game, as he had won information regarding the prison guards’ patrol patterns from other inmates.

"I’ll take the first turn." Unapologetically seizing the initiative, Lucky drew a card from his deck.

[Hayato: 2000 LP, Hand: 5]
[Lucky: 2000 LP, Hand: 5 → 6]

Gripping his hand while keeping his pistol held steady, Lucky glanced down and a satisfied smirk spread across his face. "Just as I thought, these past few days have been my lucky streak. How truly 'Lucky'!"

"You're really out of luck, kid. Or perhaps I’m just that fortunate? To think I’d draw my ace monster on the very first turn," Lucky gloated, slapping a card onto the field. "I summon my strongest monster, TM-1 Rocket Launcher Spider!"

[TM-1 Rocket Launcher Spider] [7★/FIRE] [Machine/Normal] [2200/2500]

He drew his strongest monster on the very first turn? Hayato looked at the card Lucky had slammed down. This guy’s luck was bordering on absurd; he might as well be playing a Blue-Eyes deck and starting with a twenty-four-star hand plus Fusion and De-Fusion.

"My turn isn't over yet. I’m going to equip these two magic cards to my precious baby."

Lucky’s plays didn't stop at the summon; that was only the beginning. He unleashed two magic cards in one go—and both were "7 Cards"!

[7 Card]: Can only be equipped to a Machine-type monster. Increases the equipped monster’s ATK or DEF by 700.

"I’m choosing attack, of course. With the effect of two magic cards, my big baby’s attack power is now—"

"3600!"

[TM-1 Rocket Launcher Spider] [ATK 2200 → 3600]

"My turn ends." Lucky looked at the monster on the field, which boasted higher attack power than a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, feeling quite smug. Even when playing in prison, he had never pulled off such a smooth opening. This kid in front of him seemed exceptionally unlucky.

However, whether the kid was unlucky or not was no concern of his; as long as he was having fun, that was enough. "Kid, start your struggle. My Rocket Launcher Spider can easily crush any monster you throw at me."

[Lucky: Hand 6 → 3]

"Even if I'm struggling, I don’t need to start struggling while at full health. I’m not exactly Kaiba," Hayato replied, tossing out a niche reference Lucky couldn't possibly understand. He drew a card, then set three cards in his back row. "I set three cards. As for the monster I’m summoning, it’s this one."

The card Hayato played made Lucky laugh at the sight of it. "Haha! Knowing my Rocket Launcher Spider has such overwhelming power, you dare to summon a monster in attack position? I thought playing with you would help pass the time, but this is truly disappointing."

[Holy Knight Arthorius] [4★/LIGHT] [Warrior/Normal] [1800/1800]

"You shouldn't say that, Mr. Lucky. I believe that when faced with adversity, one must bravely meet it head-on." Hayato smiled slightly without further explanation. "My turn ends~"

[Hayato: Hand 5 → 6 → 2]

"My turn. Haha, it looks like this game is about to end." Lucky drew a card, glanced at it, and let out a chuckle. "Since you chose to take the beating, I’ll oblige. My favorite, TM-1 Rocket Launcher Spider, attack!"

"Well, given the massive difference in attack power, my Arthorius will be destroyed by the Rocket Launcher Spider, and I’ll take 1800 points of damage." Hayato sent the destroyed Holy Knight Arthorius to the graveyard, but his expression remained so calm that one couldn't help but wonder who was really at a disadvantage.

[Hayato: 2000 LP → 200 LP]

"Aren't you even a little worried about your Life Points?" Lucky asked, looking at Hayato with a strange expression.

"I’m nervous, of course. After all, my Life Points are like a candle in the wind, while yours, Mr. Lucky, are 1000% of mine." Hayato finally flipped over one of his set cards at a leisurely pace. "However, I did set this."

"Damage Vaccine ΩMAX?" Lucky had never seen that card before.

"The effect of this card is that it can be activated after I take damage from any source. No matter how much damage I’ve taken, I can recover an equal amount of Life Points," Hayato explained. "Because of the Rocket Launcher Spider’s attack, I took 1800 damage, so now I will recover 1800 Life Points."

[Hayato: 200 LP → 2000 LP]

"What kind of cheap card is that! Doesn't that make you unkillable?" Watching the damage he had just dealt vanish, Lucky felt incredibly annoyed. As a murderer, he took great pleasure in the destruction he caused, but if his opponent didn't care about the damage, it ruined the experience.

"Not necessarily. The recovery from Damage Vaccine happens after the damage is dealt. If the damage had been any higher, I would have lost," Hayato smiled. "I really am 'Lucky', aren't I?"

"You little brat. Hmph, my turn end—"

"Before your turn ends, Mr. Lucky, I have two more card effects to activate." Hayato cut off Lucky’s declaration and flipped the remaining two cards on his field.

"I’ll activate this one first, then this one. The effect of the second card will be processed first." Since the concept of a "chain" didn't even exist in this era, Hayato phrased it differently. "Time Machine. I can revive one monster that was destroyed this turn."

"Come back, Holy Knight Arthorius!"

[Holy Knight Arthorius] [ATK 1800]

"Damn it! Does that mean everything I just did was for nothing?" Lucky was in a foul mood now. In this single turn, the damage he dealt was recovered and the monster he destroyed was revived. Aside from forcing his opponent to use two cards, he had accomplished absolutely nothing.

"That’s not true. Didn't you summon three powerful monsters just now, Mr. Lucky?" Hayato smiled.

Lucky was confused. "What powerful monsters? I never summoned any monsters."

"You didn't summon them yourself, but I summoned them for you using this card." Hayato pointed to the card whose effect hadn't been activated yet. "Ojama Trio. Its effect is to send three burdens to the opponent’s side so they won't come back."

Unseen by Lucky, the three Ojama brothers—card spirits who had finally awakened—were tossed out from the card, carrying their little bundles. Floating in the air, the three spirits continued to bicker, calling out, "Ani-ge! Ani-ge!"

"It feels so light now that the annoying baggage is gone." Watching the three nuisances sent to Lucky’s side of the field, the smile on Hayato’s face was genuine; one could clearly see how much more relaxed he felt.