Chapter 303: Releasing the Ultimate Power
[Hayato: 3000 → 500 LP]
As Gravekeeper's Oracle finished its attack, Hayato's Life Points dropped to a considerably dangerous level. Just one Fireball would be enough to finish him off.
However, unfortunately, the rules of Duel City were the same as those in Duelist Kingdom, not allowing the use of Finishing Cards like Thunder or Fireball.
It was also fortunate that the card Hayato Set was Book of Eclipse, which flipped Gravekeeper's Descendant and Gravekeeper's Summoner back Face-Down. Otherwise, he would have already lost.
"You managed to cling onto life, Hayato-kun. In that case, with your 500 Life Points, like a flickering candle in the wind, show me your resolve to transcend the future." Her words seemed merciless, but Ishizu's gaze towards Hayato was full of expectation. "I activate Gravekeeper's Visionary's effect, then end my Turn."
"During the End Phase, all Face-Down Defense Position monsters on my field will be flipped Face-Up Defense Position. And because two monsters were flipped Face-Up Defense Position, I can draw two cards from my Deck. Also, by using Gravekeeper's Visionary's effect, I add one Temple of Necrovalley to my Hand."
[Ishizu: 1800 LP, Hand 3]
[Gravekeeper's Oracle] [ATK 2500]
[Gravekeeper's Visionary] [ATK 2500]
[Gravekeeper's Descendant] [DEF 1200 → 1700]
[Gravekeeper's Summoner] [DEF 1500 → 2000]
Field: Necrovalley
Even though he only had his last 500 Life Points remaining, looking at the heavily guarded monsters on Ishizu's field, Hayato smiled. "You've really backed me into a corner, Ishizu. However, I don't have something like 'resolve to transcend the future'."
"Only immature people keep talking about 'Human's Resolve' or claiming grand titles. I don't have unnecessary things like 'resolve to transcend the future'. Because, as long as I intend to 'transcend the future', I will definitely be able to do it. In fact, I have already achieved it!"
"My Turn, Draw!" The moment he drew the card, Hayato felt as if he had drawn a sharp sword. The card in his hand was light, but the resolve entrusted upon it was incredibly heavy. "I activate the Spell Card, Card of Demise! I draw until I have five cards in my hand, then during my fifth Standby Phase after this card's activation, I discard my entire Hand."
"However, it won't take that long, because this Duel was already declared over the moment I drew this card!" Saying this, Hayato played a Monster Card from his Hand. "I Normal Summon the only Spellcaster Type monster in this Deck onto the field. Come forth, Malice Doll of Demise!"
The lazy girl appeared on Hayato's field with a delicate look. However, what surprised Ishizu was that Hayato actually Normal Summoned Malice Doll of Demise, which has 0 ATK, in Attack Position?
Seeing Ishizu's confusion, Hayato reminded her, "Ishizu, do you know? I have a Fusion Monster whose Summoning is extremely similar to Five-Headed Dragon. However, Five-Headed Dragon's Fusion Material is five Dragon-Type monsters, while my Fusion Monster requires five Spellcaster Type monsters as material. And coincidentally, there are exactly five Spellcaster Type monsters already gathered on the field."
Ishizu wasn't overly moved, but Marik in the Audience Seats frowned instead. He recalled a piece of data from his memory that Normal Marik had once looked through. It recorded that Hayato had once Summoned a powerful monster that was Fusion Summoned using five Spellcaster Type monsters, and with its power, he easily defeated the Enemy at the time.
However, limited by the distance and stealth during the information gathering, that Spellcaster Type Five-Headed Dragon-like monster only revealed three points: "4500 ATK", "highest Level 12 Star", and "has an effect that destroys all cards on the field". Beyond that, whether it had more effects, its Monster Attribute, and its specific Name were all currently unknown.
Although he didn't know how Hayato, who couldn't access Graveyard resources, would gather five Fusion Materials, judging by his words, it seemed he was fully prepared and about to start the Fusion Summon immediately.
"Heh, I was originally expecting a boring act, but it turns out he's revealing a card he's been hiding all this time. My Dear Sister has truly done me a great favor."
Yugi glanced at Marik beside him, who wore an Exaggerated Expression smile and was licking his Millennium Rod with his tongue. "Marik, are you targeting Hayato? What exactly are you trying to do?"
"What am I doing? Isn't it obvious?" Marik glanced at Yugi, his face twisted. "That guy dared to steal The Winged Dragon of Ra from me. Of course, I'm going to take it back and then punish him."
"The one destined to control the power of all Three Egyptian God Cards and ascend above all things can only be me, Marik!"
Kaiba, standing nearby, looked straight ahead but spoke up and joined the conversation. "I haven't heard of anything like that."
"You want to take Obelisk from my hands, and also take The Winged Dragon of Ra that Hayato somehow got hold of? With a rat from the gutter like you? Stop dreaming, Lackey."
Kaiba's tone was much calmer than Yugi's, but that only highlighted Kaiba's contempt for Marik even more. In Kaiba's eyes, although Marik previously possessed two Egyptian God Cards, his role, like Ishizu's, was merely that of a tool to provide the Three Egyptian God Cards.
In Kaiba's heart, there were only three people, including himself, who were truly qualified to hold the Three Egyptian God Cards and compete for the King of Games throne. Marik was not among them. Furthermore, he firmly believed that he was the final Victor.
"If I face you in the next round, just wait to face the wrath of Blue-Eyes and Obelisk, Lackey." Kaiba glanced at Marik, the corner of his mouth curved up, and his gaze shifted back to Yugi. "But thinking about it, it's impossible. Because if Yugi were to lose to a Third-Rate Duelist like you, he wouldn't be worth my attention until now."
And Hayato, on the field, amidst everyone's anticipation, held his Winning Ace card from his Hand high above his head, clasped between two fingers.
Even though he hadn't placed it on the Duel Disk, a powerful force erupted from the card in Hayato's hand. A torrent of wild magic power swept across the entire field, and even the cliffs on both sides of the solemn Necrovalley began to crack.
"What is this power?!" Gravekeeper's Oracle, who had been quite calm before, also changed his expression. From the card in Hayato's hand, he felt a terrifying power he had never seen before, in this life or the afterlife. It felt like the most ultimate Divine Power in the world.
No, perhaps even a God would find it difficult to resist the power of that card?
"I discard a card from my Hand to activate this ultimate card, the Quick-Play Spell Card, Super Polymerization!"
Hayato held Super Polymerization high, feeling the strange sensation of holding ultimate divine power in his hands, and spoke slowly, "Although I only have one monster on my field, Super Polymerization's effect is that I can use monsters on both fields as Fusion Material!"
"What!" Ishizu frowned. "In that case... because your Super Polymerization has the effect 'discard a card from your hand', I activate Gravekeeper's Watcher's effect from my Hand to negate Super Polymerization's activation and effect, and destroy it!"
Facing the increasingly strong wind pressure, Ishizu with difficulty drew out the Gravekeeper's Watcher card from her Hand. But as soon as Gravekeeper's Watcher, holding a Stone Tablet in its arms, appeared on the field and intended to use its power, the wall of fierce wind stirred up by Super Polymerization actually bounced it back into her Hand?!
"Gravekeeper's Watcher's effect cannot be activated! What's going on?"
Amidst Ishizu's sounds of doubt, Hayato said confidently, "It's useless. Super Polymerization is not an ordinary Duel Monster Card. This is the ultimate power that has been released, and no Spell, Trap, or Monster Effect can chain to its activation!"
Super Polymerization's effect is very simple. Besides being able to use monsters on the opponent's field as Fusion Material, it has this clause that it cannot be chained to. But it is precisely these two effects, combined with Super Polymerization itself being a Quick-Play Spell Card, that made it the legendary "Pseudo Spell Speed 4" card.
In Duel Monsters, effects have a "Spell Speed" Setting. Activated Monster Effects and Spell Cards are "Spell Speed 1". Quick-Play Spell Cards, Normal Trap Cards, and Triggered Monster Effects are "Spell Speed 2". Counter Trap Cards are the unique "Spell Speed 3".
Cards with the same Spell Speed can chain to each other, but lower speed effects cannot chain to higher speed effects. For example, Normal Spell Cards cannot chain to Quick-Play Spell Cards, and Quick-Play Spell Cards cannot chain to Counter Traps. However, higher speed cards can chain to lower speed cards.
Because of its "cannot be chained to" ability, even the highest speed Counter Trap Card cannot chain to Super Polymerization. However, because it is ultimately just a Quick-Play Spell Card and cannot chain to Counter Traps, it earned the title of "Pseudo Spell Speed 4".
Under the effect of Super Polymerization's power, Malice Doll of Demise on Hayato's field, as well as Gravekeeper's Oracle, Gravekeeper's Visionary, Gravekeeper's Descendant, and Gravekeeper's Summoner on Ishizu's field, a total of five monsters, were all sucked into the storm.
Subsequently, supported by a five-colored magic circle, the supreme Spellcaster descended onto Hayato's field.
[Quintet Magician] [ATK 4500]
Quintet Magician, who had just appeared, raised its hand and lightly snapped its fingers. Its powerful magic power effortlessly suppressed the entire field. Necrovalley on Ishizu's field was shattered in an instant, replacing the field back to the Sky Duel Arena.
"Quintet Magician is the strongest Spellcaster I possess. Its Fusion Material requires five Spellcaster Type monsters. And when it is Fusion Summoned using Fusion Materials with different names, it destroys all cards on the opponent's field."
In the fierce wind rapidly flowing atop the Airship, Hayato's voice reached Ishizu's ears.
As Necrovalley was destroyed, the Graveyard, which had been sealed almost since the start of the Duel, had its seal broken. The Winged Dragon of Ra, which had been waiting for quite some time, couldn't help but let out a cry from the Graveyard. Along with it came Rainbow Kuriboh's Call.
"Ying~"
"Kuri~"
Hayato raised his hand and pointed towards Ishizu, whose field was now empty. "This attack is the final blow, Ishizu!"
"Quintet Magician, launch a Direct Attack on Ishizu, Ultimate Quintet!"
Behind Quintet Magician, the figures of the monsters that were previously used as Fusion Materials appeared one by one. Following Hayato's command, coordinating with Quintet Magician's movements, they raised their staffs. Five magical energy beams were dyed into five-colored light pillars by the five-colored magic circle, entwining with the cannon fired by Quintet Magician, and struck towards Ishizu.
However, before the attack was about to reach Ishizu, Quintet Magician, which was guiding the magical energy beams, voluntarily cancelled the attack and absorbed most of the impact. What Ishizu, who had closed her eyes, felt in the end was merely a gust of warm gentle breeze coming towards her.
[Ishizu: 1800 LP → 0]
Ishizu, who had already prepared to receive the impact, opened her eyes and saw Hayato smiling brightly at her. "That was truly an interesting Duel, Ishizu."
"Mm, it was indeed an interesting Duel." Ishizu also smiled. "And Hayato-kun, you are truly gentle."
"Giving your full power in a Duel is respect for you as an opponent, but outside of the Duel, being considerate towards women is also respect for you as a woman."
On the Judge's Stand, having confirmed that Ishizu's Life Points were reduced to zero, Iso professionally raised his Left Arm. Hayato was to his left.
"The winner has been decided! Player Ishizu Ishtar's Life Points are reduced to zero, therefore I announce that the Victor of the third match of the Duel City Quarterfinals is—"
"Kobayashi Hayato!"
Putting away his Duel Disk, Hayato sorted his cards. Among them, the Super Polymerization card also slowly faded because the Duel ended, turning back into Sage's Stone - Hrairel. However, the usually dazzling Sage's Stone was now incredibly dim, as if its power had been completely drained.
He was putting the Sage's Stone - Hrairel card back into his Deck and taking out the card dropped during the System Settlement. Before he could check what it was, he saw three cards held by a delicate hand, handed to him. Looking up, it was a smiling Ishizu.
"Ishizu?"
"Mm, because it's a Duel City rule, so the loser gives the winner cards. It's a very normal thing." Ishizu said, putting the three cards into Hayato's hand. "In my Deck, these are the only cards that can be considered Rare Cards. Please take them and become the King of Games, Hayato-kun."
Hayato looked down at the cards handed to him by Ishizu. The famous "Exchange of the Spirit" ,Blast Held by a Tribute, and Painful Choice.