Chapter 116: Hayato VS Keith
The first match concluded, but the subsequent matches still needed to continue. While Joey Wheeler was on his way back to the Spectator Area, the Old Butler had already initiated the process and begun arranging the players for the second match.
In the two Avatar Frames, Joey Wheeler and Ptah Gallum's avatars no longer appeared. The avatars of the remaining six players rapidly changed, quickly coming to a stop.
It was Hayato, and Bandit Keith.
"Tch, it's actually this guy. What bad luck." Sitting in the highest part of the Spectator Area, Bandit Keith saw his avatar appear on the screen and unhappily glanced at Hayato, who was not far ahead.
Because of the Demonstration Duel held at the opening of the Duelist Kingdom, almost all participating players had a deep Impression of Hayato, who had defeated Japan's national Champion, Weevil Underwood. The Permanent Effect Version of Ojama Country, the constant back-and-forth between the Graveyard and the Field, the Ojama Yellow that was even cooked and eaten, and that tricky Rainbow Kuriboh.
Although he believed he wouldn't lose to a "brat" like Hayato, it didn't stop Keith from taking Hayato seriously.
'However, that brat's Deck Composition was almost completely exposed in the previous Battle, and none of the people who witnessed my Duel are here. Looking at it this way, my advantage is clearly greater.' Keith stood up, intending to leave first and go to the Player Preparation Area Backstage to modify his Deck, especially to include a few Cards specifically targeting Warrior Type monsters.
But Keith, walking towards the Backstage with his back to everyone, didn't know that Hayato also glanced at him, his thoughts being:
'I remember, Bandit Keith's specialty Monster seems to be Gambling Monsters as well, mostly Machine Type? Should I put in a few System Down Cards?'
Ten minutes quickly passed. Hayato and Keith had both prepared their Decks for the Duel and stood on the elevator automatically heading to the Duel Platform.
Looking at Hayato opposite him, Keith felt quite annoyed: young age, decent Dueling Prowess, and handsome too – this kind of brat was just too irritating. And he heard that he was specially invited by that scoundrel Pegasus?
"Hey, brat."
Hayato had just taken his position on the Duel Platform and was about to take out his Deck to place it on the Duel Platform. Hearing Keith's voice, he looked up at him: "What is it, Uncle?"
"No, nothing, just a friendly reminder from an adult." Keith showed a mysterious smile. "Although you have some Strength in Duel Monsters, the waters here are very deep, you can't handle it."
"Especially, the thoughts of adults are much more profound than you brats who are ignorant of the world."
Hayato looked at the smug Expression on Keith's face, somewhat confused, but returned a smile as well: "Then, please give me some good pointers, Uncle?"
The Old Butler stood by the Duel Platform and announced: "Both players are ready. I declare the second Match of the Duelist Kingdom Top 8 Selection Match, between Player Hayato Kobayashi and Player Keith Howard."
"The Match, officially begins!"
"Duel!" X2
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
[Keith: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
"I'll take the First Turn! My Turn, Draw!" Hayato forcefully claimed the First Turn Right with full Aura, drawing a Card from his Deck. Looking at his perfect Hand of red and green Cards, Hayato smiled. "A Duel, you see, must be with a smile. Keith Uncle, let me bring you joy through Dueling!"
"Set one Monster in Face-Down Defense Position, then Set three Cards." Setting the only Monster in his Hand, Hayato skillfully arranged three Set Cards in his Spell/Trap Zone. "My Turn ends."
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand 2]
[Face-Down Defense]
[Set Card] [Set Card] [Set Card]
'Setting up Defense on the First Turn, trying to survive my first round of Attack, and then planning to counterattack me next Turn?' Keith glanced at the Monster on Hayato's Field, showing a smile. 'But ah, I've already considered this situation!'
"My Turn, Draw a Card!" Drawing a Card from his Deck and adding it to his Hand, Keith played a Card from his Hand. "Summon Twin-Barrel Dragon in Attack Position!"
A mechanical beast on four legs, like a hunting dog, appeared on Keith's Field. Although the general Body was bionic, the head of this Twin-Barrel Dragon was in the shape of a Handgun. As soon as it appeared on the Field, Twin-Barrel Dragon's head shot out a red laser, aiming at the Face-Down Defense Position Monster on Hayato's Field.
"When Twin-Barrel Dragon is Summoned to the Field, you can choose one Card on your Field and Activate its Effect to Destroy it," Bandit Keith explained. "However, Twin-Barrel Dragon's gun barrels only have a one-half Probability of being loaded with bullets, so the Probability of its Effect activating is also one-half."
"So, it's a Gambling Card too. It's a real shame Joey Wheeler isn't Dueling you, I was really looking forward to a Gambling King Showdown." Hayato shrugged indifferently, as if he didn't care about Keith's Monster Effect at all. "But, I think my luck is pretty good."
"Heh heh, then let's see whose luck is better." Keith gave the Order. "Twin-Barrel Dragon, shoot that Face-Down Defense Position Monster!"
"Click, click, click, click!"
At the Order, the Mechanism in Twin-Barrel Dragon's head deformed, making "click" sounds. The two gun barrels, originally arranged one above the other in a line, combined end-to-end, forming a long gun barrel. Behind it, a magazine popped out and connected to the gun barrel.
Amidst expectant gazes, the trigger connected to the gun barrel was pulled.
"Bang!"
The firing pin ignited the gunpowder, and a bullet shot out from the gun barrel, instantly Destroying the Monster Hayato had Set. Clearly, Twin-Barrel Dragon's Effect had successfully Activated.
"Oh no, in that case, isn't Hayato's Field completely exposed?" Joey Wheeler in the Spectator Area said with some concern. "If he gets hit by a Direct Attack, it'll be bad."
[Twin-Barrel Dragon] [4☆/Dark]
[Machine Type/Effect]
[1700/200]
Watching the Monster on Hayato's Field be Destroyed, although he couldn't see what Monster it was, it didn't seem to be the Rainbow Kuriboh he was most wary of. Bandit Keith said smugly, "With this, I can Direct Attack."
"Twin-Barrel Dragon, Direct Attack the Duelist!"
Twin-Barrel Dragon's head Mechanism had just folded back when it received its controller's Order again. Being a machine, it wouldn't complain. Twin-Barrel Dragon's head finished loading bullets, and a bullet shot out from the gun barrel.
But to Bandit Keith's surprised Expression, that bullet hit a wall that suddenly appeared, making a "clang" sound, completely failing to penetrate. A Hand reached out from the wall made of sand and stone, grabbed the bullet that hit it, and let out a howl like a living creature. It then threw the bullet back at Bandit Keith's Field, and the attacking Twin-Barrel Dragon was instead Destroyed by the bullet it shot itself.
Even Keith himself took Battle Damage as a result.
[Keith: 4000 LP → 3700 LP]
"What! Where did that Monster just come from!"
Looking at Bandit Keith's surprised Expression, Hayato explained: "Sand Stone's Effect is that when it is Destroyed by Means other than battle while in Face-Down Defense Position and Sent to the Graveyard, it is Special Summoned to the Field after Swapping its ATK and Defense (DEF)."
"Weapons and guns are always double-edged swords. Don't suffer the consequences of your own actions, Keith Uncle?"
[Sand Stone] [4☆/Earth Attribute]
[Rock-Type/Effect]
[1000/2000 → 2000/1000]
(End of this chapter)