"My Turn, Draw." Kaiba glanced at the card he drew. It was the (Polymerization) Spell Card. He was a bit annoyed that he hadn't drawn a Monster Card. "Consider yourself lucky, Hayato. I didn't draw a Monster Card this turn, so your life has been extended for a little while longer."
"However! My (Blue-Eyes) hasn't forgotten what you did last turn, and it can't wait to crush that (XYZ-Dragon Cannon)!" Waving his hand forward with great momentum, Kaiba shouted, "Unleash your fury upon (XYZ-Dragon Cannon), my (Blue-Eyes)! 'Burst Stream of Destruction'!!!"
The torrent of light appeared once more. Even with the combined power of its two auxiliary machines, (XYZ-Dragon Cannon) stood no chance against the terrifying 3000 Attack points of (Blue-Eyes). It was easily shattered and sent to the Graveyard.
"Ugh!" Although Hayato took no damage from the (Blue-Eyes)'s attack due to the effect of (Dragon Shield), the Impact Simulation System didn't register the strongest dragon's attack as having no aftershock. Enduring the buffeting wind, Hayato flipped the card he had set last turn. "Because a Monster on my Field was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can activate this card!"
"(Grave of Revival)! Both players choose one Monster from their Graveyard and Revive it. But as a cost, the Revived Monsters can only exist in Defense Position as long as they are on the Field." Hayato retrieved a card. "I choose to Revive (XYZ-Dragon Cannon)."
[XYZ-Dragon Cannon] [DEF 2600]
"What a persistent pest. In that case, I'll Revive the Tribute for my White Dragon—(Kaiser Sea Horse)." Kaiba looked annoyedly at the (XYZ-Dragon Cannon) that had returned to the Field. After Hayato's Draw next turn, (XYZ-Dragon Cannon) would be reloaded with ammunition. Although his (Blue-Eyes) wouldn't be destroyed because of (Dragon Shield)'s effect, (Dragon Shield) itself was unlikely to survive.
[Kaiser Sea Horse] [Level 4/LIGHT]
[Sea Serpent-Type/Effect]
[1700/1650]
"End Turn."
[Kaiba: 1800 LP, Hand: 1]
[Blue-Eyes White Dragon (Dragon Shield)] [ATK 3000]
[Kaiser Sea Horse] [DEF 1650]
"My Turn, I Draw." Hayato glanced at the card he drew and activated it. "I activate (Mirage of Nightmare), and then I end my Turn."
[Hayato: 2800 LP, Hand: 0]
[XYZ-Dragon Cannon] [DEF 2600]
[(Mirage of Nightmare)] [(Frontline Base)]
"Then, during your Standby Phase, I activate the effect of (Mirage of Nightmare)! I can Draw cards until I have 4 in my Hand."
Watching Hayato replenish his Hand to 4 cards, Kaiba snorted coldly. "Hmph, but because of (Mirage of Nightmare)'s effect, during your Standby Phase, you'll also have to Discard cards equal to the number you drew."
"You don't need to worry about that, Seto." Glancing at the cards he drew, Hayato regained his confidence. As long as he could survive until his next turn, he would have a chance to turn the tables.
"My Turn!" Kaiba drew a card from the top of his Deck. He paused for a moment upon seeing its face, then burst into laughter. "Hmph hmph, hehe, hahahahaha! Hayato! You should be proud of your skill, because your desperate struggle has earned you the opportunity to witness an even greater power!"
"I Tribute the (Kaiser Sea Horse) on my Field to Summon the second (Blue-Eyes)!!!"
The second strongest dragon appeared on the Field. As fellow Level 8 Monsters, the oppressive presence of the (Blue-Eyes) completely overwhelmed Hayato's (XYZ-Dragon Cannon) on the Field, not to mention there were now two (Blue-Eyes).
"Your empty Back Row can no longer protect you! Now, taste the bitterness of defeat! (Blue-Eyes White Dragon), attack (XYZ-Dragon Cannon)!"
The newly Summoned (Blue-Eyes) opened its great maw, white light gathering within as it prepared to unleash a torrent of destruction.
"I won't let you! I activate the effect of (Rainbow Kuriboh) from my Hand!" Hayato interrupted Kaiba's attack declaration. "When your Monster declares an attack, I can Equip this card from my Hand as an Equip Card to that Monster. A (Blue-Eyes) equipped with (Rainbow Kuriboh) cannot Attack!"
"But I have two (Blue-Eyes)!" Kaiba said, annoyed, as he watched the (Blue-Eyes) he had just Summoned get bound by the seven-colored bands of light from (Rainbow Kuriboh) before it could even destroy a single Monster. "Although one (Blue-Eyes) had its attack interrupted by that Fodder Monster of yours, the other one hasn't attacked yet!"
"Burst Stream of Destruction!"
(XYZ-Dragon Cannon) was once again annihilated by the overwhelming Attack power of (Blue-Eyes White Dragon). Sending the (XYZ-Dragon Cannon) card to the Graveyard, Hayato let out a breath. He had somehow survived this turn.
If he hadn't drawn (Rainbow Kuriboh) with (Mirage of Nightmare), the Double Attack from the (Blue-Eyes) would have been more than enough to annihilate his (XYZ-Dragon Cannon) and wipe out his Life Points along with it.
"I end my turn." Kaiba said, a triumphant expression appearing on his face as he looked at Hayato's now empty Field. "(Blue-Eyes White Dragon) is the most powerful creature in Duel Monsters. Even if one is restrained, I only need the other to crush anything that stands in my way."
"Whether it's you, or Yugi!"
[Kaiba: 1800 LP, Hand: 1]
[Blue-Eyes White Dragon (Dragon Shield)] [ATK 3000]
[Blue-Eyes White Dragon (Rainbow Kuriboh)] [ATK 3000]
"Should I be honored by that, Seto?" Hayato said, looking at the now serious Kaiba. "The arrogant Kaiba of KaibaCorp, putting me on the same level as Yugi?"
"Don't flatter yourself, you're merely a second-rate duelist." Kaiba's face was cold. "How can someone like you, who can't even defeat my (Blue-Eyes White Dragon), possibly compare to Yugi, the one who wields (Exodia)!"
"Heh, then I'll just have to try and defeat (Blue-Eyes). My Turn!" Hayato activated a Spell Card from his Hand. "(Emergency Provisions)! I send (Mirage of Nightmare) from my Field to the Graveyard to restore 1000 of my Life Points!"
[Hayato: 2800 LP → 3800 LP]
"Dodging the cost of discarding your Hand and restoring Life Points? Hmph, a mere 3800 Life Points is as fragile as a candle in the wind before my (Blue-Eyes) White Dragon."
Hayato ignored Kaiba's attempt to Buff himself and drew a card from his Deck. "It seems my journey isn't over yet. I activate the Spell Card, (Dimension Fusion)! By paying 2000 LP, both players can Summon as many of their banished Monsters as possible to their respective Fields!"
[Hayato: 3800 LP → 1800 LP]
"Return to the battlefield, (X-Head Cannon), (Y-Dragon Head), and (Z-Metal Tank)!"
[X-Head Cannon] [ATK 1800]
[Y-Dragon Head] [ATK 1500]
[Z-Metal Tank] [ATK 1500]
(end of chapter)