"In other words, any monster that is Special Summoned to your field from now on will be in Attack Position and will be forced to attack my **X-Head Cannon**!"
Chikuzen Ohoka frowned, somewhat puzzled. "It's just a card that seals my ability to Special Summon monsters in Defense Position. It's nothing to fear."
Chikuzen Ohoka, at this moment, still hadn't realized the true nature of what he was about to face.
"Is that so? Indeed, fear only arises when you understand the full picture of your opponent. Humans fear elephants, but mites don't fear humans." Hayato smiled, opening the second-to-last card in his Backrow. "My perfect puzzle leading to the path of victory is now complete! I Activate the Trap Card, **Wrongful Rebirth**!"
"Select one monster from your opponent's Graveyard and Revive it to their Field in Face-Up Defense Position!"
"Don't be shy, accept the gift I'm giving you! I choose to Revive **One-Eyed Shield Dragon**!"
**One-Eyed Shield Dragon** [700/1300]
On Chikuzen Ohoka's field, **One-Eyed Shield Dragon**, which had been Tributed last turn for a Tribute Summon of **Blade Knight**, was Special Summoned in Defense Position. Just as he was about to say that Hayato was acting like an idiot by sending cards to his own field, Chikuzen Ohoka seemed to notice something, and the face of the **Judgment** suddenly turned quite unpleasant.
"The look on your face is exactly like when you go to the toilet with a friend, mock them mercilessly for not bringing paper, and then realize you didn't bring any either. What, have you figured out the truth of my combo?"
"But unfortunately, it's too late. My combo is complete, you're one step behind!"
Along with Hayato's taunt, the **One-Eyed Shield Dragon** that had just been Revived to Chikuzen Ohoka's field suddenly went berserk, abandoning its sturdy Defense and recklessly crashing into the **X-Head Cannon** on Hayato's field. Although its ATK had decreased due to its joints being covered by vines, it was still higher than **One-Eyed Shield Dragon**'s.
"Boom!"
"First hit!"
"Cough!"
[Ohoka: 4000→3800LP]
With a loud shout from Hayato, **X-Head Cannon**'s cannon easily annihilated **One-Eyed Shield Dragon**. At the same time, in the spot where **One-Eyed Shield Dragon** disappeared, a Plant-Type monster covered in thorns was Special Summoned in Defense Position.
"Because a monster was Destroyed by Battle, **X-Head Cannon** gained the **Cactus Fighter**'s Effect, Special Summoning a **Needle Token** in Defense Position on my field. Then, **Summon Limit - Aggressive Monsters** makes the Special Summoned **Needle Token** change to Attack Position and forced attack **X-Head Cannon**?!"
Hayato didn't even need to explain; Chikuzen Ohoka himself had already understood the attack Hayato was about to unleash. Just as Hayato said, after his puzzle was completed, it led to "victory," and it was so perfect that Chikuzen Ohoka could barely find a flaw!
Seeing the **Needle Token** on his field change to Attack Position and crash its 500 ATK into the 900 ATK **X-Head Cannon**, Chikuzen Ohoka, in his **Judgment** avatar, quickly brought down the gavel in his hand!
"Don't think you've already won, Kobayashi Hayato! The court is full of reversals and comebacks!" A white light burst from the gavel in Chikuzen Ohoka's hand, striking towards the **X-Head Cannon** on Hayato's field. "You're not the only one who possesses a **Deck Master**!"
"By paying 1000 Life Points, I Activate the **Judgment**'s Effect! I can Banish all monsters on your field and inflict 500 Damage for each one!"
[Ohoka: 3800→2800LP]
Chikuzen Ohoka raised his hand to adjust his glasses but found nothing there, saying annoyedly, "I must admit, I made the wrong choice before when comparing benefits and losses. But now I understand, trying to defeat you with the fantasy of 'no losses' is simply wishful thinking. I now have resolve!"
"Heh, hearing such protagonist lines from a villain like you, something must be wrong." Watching the **Judgment**'s Effect hit the **X-Head Cannon** on his field, **X-Head Cannon** was surrounded by a white light, seemingly about to be banished from the game. Hayato, however, spoke calmly,
"And you seem to have misunderstood some premises, Chikuzen Ohoka."
"Whether an ant chooses to run away or chooses to resist with 'resolve,' it ultimately cannot defeat an anteater. An unbeatable enemy cannot be defeated just because you have things like 'resolve' or 'belief.' Those things only allow you to fail with more dignity."
The white light wrapped around **X-Head Cannon** suddenly shattered, revealing the unharmed **X-Head Cannon**. Its shoulder cannon calibrated its position and fired fiercely at the charging **Needle Token**, crushing it!
"Boom!"
[Ohoka: 2800→2400LP]
"Heh heh, second hit."
"H-how is that possible?!"
"The **Judgment**'s ability didn't work!"
In his surprise, Chikuzen Ohoka finally noticed that the last set card in Hayato's Backrow had been opened at some point.
"When did that card open!?"
"Well then, when did you get the misconception that I hadn't opened this card?" Hayato smiled, watching the **Needle Token** reappear on Ohoka's field and launch a suicidal attack on **X-Head Cannon**. "Trap Card **Magnet Force**. Only during the turn it is Activated, monsters whose original Type is Rock or Machine Type are unaffected by the effects of opponent's monsters other than themselves."
"Even as a **Deck Master**, **Judgment** is still just a monster. Its effect won't work on the Machine Type **X-Head Cannon**. Now, the third consecutive hit!"
"Boom!"
[Ohoka: 2400→2000LP]
The **Needle Token** was destroyed by **X-Head Cannon** again and again. Although each time it was only 400 Battle Damage, the Damage caused by the duel in this Virtual World felt like a Dark Game directly affecting the soul. Countless instances of 400 Damage, like death by a thousand cuts, quickly reduced Chikuzen Ohoka's Life Points to 0.
After the last **Needle Token** was destroyed, like the final straw that broke the camel's back, the environment around Hayato shattered, and Chikuzen Ohoka, who had transformed into the **Judgment**, fell from the judge's bench, collapsing to the ground and returning to his original appearance.
You Win!
Before Hayato, a screen appeared, like completing a video game. A chibi green-haired Seto Kaiba—that is, a small figure of Noah—appeared in the bottom right corner of the screen, holding up a sign to celebrate.
Chikuzen Ohoka, defeated in the duel, sat up from the ground, his face showing an inability to accept the reality, and he roared angrily at Hayato, "Why, how did you do that, you guy!"
"I am an elite! My talent is among the best in the legal world! I am a genius who graduated from Tokyo University! Why would someone as great as me lose to a mere high school student like you!"
"Why is it that every card you draw is useful, even though I've also learned Duel Monsters!"
Hayato picked at his ear, looking contemptuously at the furiously raging Chikuzen Ohoka. Clearly, the immediate opportunity to "gain a body and return to the real world" slipping away from his grasp was something he couldn't accept.
"The rules of Deck Master are utterly childish. Only The Big Five and that Noah would like such rules. Creating extra conditions favorable to yourself outside of Duel Monsters, even a third-rate duelist who can't make it wouldn't like such boring rules."
"The most important thing in Duel Monsters has never been powerful monsters or useful combos. The bond between the duelist and their deck is the most important thing." Squatting down, Hayato's hand brushed across his chest, and the Millennium Puzzle manifested out of thin air. "Everything about a true duelist is inevitable. Even drawing cards can be decided by themselves. This is a truth that you electronic ghosts will never understand."
"Go to the afterlife!"
The Millennium Puzzle was held in Hayato's hand. The golden disk tapped Chikuzen Ohoka's forehead, dispersing the soul that was lingering in the world due to unwillingness.
"With this, The Big Five are missing one person, and **Five-Headed Dragon** won't be able to appear either." Hayato glanced at the glittering Millennium Puzzle, snapped his fingers lightly, and was about to dispel its manifestation.
Although this place appeared to be the Virtual World, Hayato, who had been here once before, knew that this world was anything but ordinary. For one thing, in the previous DM Online Game World, Hayato obtained an Earthbound Immortal card, and Yugi Mutou also had his gains. Such bizarre occurrences couldn't be explained by just being a Virtual World.
Noah Kaiba, who was theoretically just an AI, possessed his own thoughts and emotions. Card Spirits could even manifest directly in this world. All these phenomena indicated the uniqueness of this world.
Just then, a voice sounded, interrupting Hayato's thoughts.
This voice didn't come from the environment around Hayato after it shattered, nor from **Rainbow Kuriboh** or **Ojama Yellow**. The source of the voice was actually the Millennium Puzzle on Hayato's chest?
"Where is this?"
Although the voice sounded quite weak, Hayato instantly recognized its owner. It was clearly Marik's voice!
"Yo, you're awake, three-year-old." Lifting the Millennium Puzzle before his eyes, Hayato looked through the central eye and saw Marik—or rather, Regular Marik—waking up from within it.
"You are, Kobayashi Hayato?! Like an abyss, Marik, who was being gazed upon, also noticed Hayato's presence and said in surprise, "Where am I?!"
"Even if you ask me that, I'm also looking for the answer to that question," Hayato said, looking around and holding up the Millennium Puzzle in his hand. "Come with me to find the answer to the question, Millennium Puzzle. The truth shouldn't be too far away."