Chapter 174: Relinquished, Subjugation
Relinquished's Attack successfully activated, but Pegasus frowned. He noticed that on the Duel Platform, Mutou Yuugi's Scoreboard still showed his Life Points unchanged at 2300.
"When Relinquished activated its Attack, I activated a Set Card," Hayato said, raising his hand to point at the Set Card he had just flipped. "Covering Fire. This Card can only be used when your Monster declares an Attack."
"Its Effect is to increase the ATK of the attacked Monster by the ATK Value of another Monster on the Field. In other words, Dark Magician's ATK will increase by the Value of my Performapal Helper Ant on the Field."
Dark Magician [2500 → 3700]
"Hmph, then I'll use Archfiend Soldier as a Substitute for Relinquished." The smoke cleared, and Pegasus also saw Performapal Helper Ant standing beside Dark Magician, helping him withstand the Attack.
He wasn't annoyed, merely sneering as he sent the Archfiend Soldier that Yugi had forced upon him back to Yugi's Graveyard, along with the overflowing 600 points of Damage.
Relinquished [ATK 3100 → 3600]
[Yugi: 2300 → 1700 LP]
"Ugh!" The Pain Hayato had experienced was now Yugi's turn. Although it was only a mere 600 points of Damage, because the external personality at this moment was Yugi Mutou, who had relatively weaker Endurance, he almost fainted from the pain. He barely managed to hold on with his Willpower.
'Aibo, let me take over!' The Pharaoh's voice came from within the Millennium Puzzle. 'The Dark Game is too much of a Mental Burden for you!'
Yugi forced himself to stay conscious, holding onto the railing of the Duel Platform as he stood up. "I, I can still hold on for a while, The Other Me. Until you think of a possibility to defeat Pegasus, I will keep holding on!"
Sending the returned Archfiend Soldier back to the Graveyard, Yugi did not activate its Effect again. Previously, due to his unclear understanding of Relinquished's Effect, although Yugi had reduced its ATK, he failed to Destroy it. Instead, he had released Rainbow Kuriboh's Shackles on Relinquished.
Equipping Archfiend Soldier to Relinquished again would be useless. Pegasus could completely rely on Relinquished's characteristic of using absorbed Monsters as Substitutes to launch suicidal Attacks. At that time, it would be Hayato and Yugi whose Life Points were reduced.
"Oh? Do you feel the pain of the Dark Game now, Mutou Yuugi? Remember this suffering in your Heart, because this is the Damage brought to you by the 'Bond' and 'Friendship' you constantly talk about!" Pegasus's face was twisted in a grimace. "End Turn."
[Pegasus: 4000 LP, Hand 0]
Relinquished (Performapal Sky Magician, Performapal Sky Pupil) [3600/2800]
[Set Card]
"My Turn, Draw a Card!"
"Then I use Pot of Greed! I Draw two more Cards!"
Drawing two Cards from his Deck, Hayato looked at the two Cards he drew and felt a bit tricky.
Don't look at Relinquished's current ATK of 3600 points, seemingly invincible. Hayato's Hand had indeed Assembled a combination sufficient to defeat Relinquished.
However, it was not without Stakes. Hayato looked at Yugi, suddenly smiled, and resolutely activated the Effect of a Card in his Hand: "I Activate the Effect of Earthbound Immortal Gransel from my Hand! When the number of EARTH Attribute Monsters in my Graveyard is exactly five, I can Special Summon it from my Hand!"
On Hayato's Field, the figures of five Monsters appeared. Thanks to the Wall of Power Hayato had activated earlier, he was able to Assemble five EARTH Attribute Monsters in his Graveyard. Lightning roared, the Ground trembled, and a giant Spirit God awakened from underground. After absorbing the Soul Power of the five Monsters, it roared towards the sky!
Earthbound Immortal Gransel [ATK 2800]
"On the Turn Earthbound Immortal Gransel is successfully Special Summoned, I Activate its Special Effect! I can Revive one Monster from the Graveyard!" Earthbound Immortal Gransel raised its Arm, then forcefully plunged it into the Ground, as if trying to pull something out from deep underground.
"Is this your true Ace Monster, Earthbound Immortal Gransel, Hayato Kobayashi?" Because of Earthbound Immortal Gransel's appearance, Pegasus's Right Eye briefly regained clarity for just a moment, but it was quickly covered by madness again. "But it's useless! No matter what Monster you Revive, it's impossible to defeat Relinquished!"
"Even a Divine-Beast will only become its Material!"
Hayato felt a constant throbbing pain in his Temples. This was the second time he had used Earthbound Immortal Gransel in a Dark Game, and Hayato still couldn't adapt to the heavy Burden that came with it. His Breathing also became much heavier.
Forcing himself to gather his spirit, Hayato smiled provocatively at Pegasus: "Is that so?"
"Although there are no powerful Monsters in my and Yugi's Graveyards, Earthbound Immortal Gransel's control over the Graveyard includes yours, Pegasus!" Hayato smiled, pointing his Finger at Pegasus's Field. "You've been looking forward to this for a long time, haven't you? The chance for Revenge for your Master?"
"Soar from the Graveyard, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"What?!"
Brilliant Holy Light burst forth from the Passage Earthbound Immortal Gransel had opened to the underground, accompanied by a loud Dragon roar, dispelling all Darkness. The White Dragon, like an Incarnation of Light, appeared!
That was none other than the Blue-Eyes White Dragon that Pegasus had stolen and thrown into the Graveyard at the very beginning of the Duel!
Blue-Eyes White Dragon [ATK 3000]
"It's, it's Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Even Yugi was shocked. Looking at the White Dragon soaring up and roaring at Pegasus, the sense of oppression he had felt when facing Blue-Eyes White Dragon before was now matched by the sense of security it brought.
"To deal with you, I can't leave Kaiba out of this." Hayato played the last Card in his Hand. "Activate Spell Card, Inheritance of Power! Yugi!"
"Go ahead and use it, Hayato!" Not much Communication was needed. The Understanding between Hayato and Yugi was enough with just a glance.
"I Tribute Dark Magician to increase Performapal Helper Ant's ATK!"
Performapal Helper Ant [ATK 1200 → 3700]
"Its ATK, it exceeded Relinquished's?" Pegasus couldn't help but widen his eyes. "This is bad!"
He also understood Hayato's Plan, but he had no way to stop him.
"Witness our Power, Pegasus!" Hayato waved his Hand forward. "First Attack, Performapal Helper Ant!"
"Yahoo!" Completely integrating the surging Mystical Power inherited from Dark Magician into the Staff in its Hand, Performapal Helper Ant took aim, and like throwing a Javelin, threw the Palm Staff with its middle finger raised towards Relinquished, hitting its Eye precisely!
"Damn it, I'll use Performapal Sky Pupil as a Substitute!" Pegasus responded, not to be outdone. With a Black Light Reflection, Performapal Sky Pupil returned to Hayato's Graveyard, and Hayato's Life Points decreased as a result.
Relinquished [3600/2800 → 2800/2000]
[Hayato: 3800 → 3700 LP]
"It's not over yet! Second Attack, Earthbound Immortal Gransel!" Hayato seemed to not notice the Damage, ordering with high fighting spirit, "Divine Fist Smash Attack!"
The giant fist, as massive as a mountain range, pressed down. Relinquished used the same trick again, bringing out Performapal Sky Magician as a Substitute. The Mystical Power Cannon and the giant fist collided. Hayato's two Monsters were Mutual Destruction and left the Field.
Relinquished [2800/2000 → 0/0]
"Because Performapal Sky Magician left the Field, I can Activate its Effect! I choose one Card on the Field and Destroy it!" Pegasus glared at Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "Go back to the Graveyard, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"Don't think you'll succeed! Activate Set Card, Impenetrable Attack!" The Mystical Power left behind by Performapal Sky Magician locked onto Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Hayato flipped his Set Card without hesitation. "This Card can only be Activated during the Battle Phase! Choose one Monster; it cannot be Destroyed by battle or Effect!"
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon, the Final Blow is up to you!"
"Burst Stream of Destruction!"
"Roar!"
The white Breath of Destruction, carrying Blue-Eyes White Dragon's Wrath, engulfed Relinquished, which had exhausted all its Substitutes.
"Ugh ahhh!!!" Piercing through the Relinquished with Attack Power becomes 0 without resistance, Blue-Eyes White Dragon's 3000 points of ATK blasted onto Pegasus's body without missing a single point, causing him to let out a painful wail.
[Pegasus: 4000 → 1000 LP]
Pegasus purely entered the LP Lock Stage.
I saw some opinions from readers saying that writing only one or two turns per chapter is too slow and there's no need to write so much plot description.
Actually, I can still write purely based on the Duel Links style, for example—
Pegasus: "Activate Advanced Ritual Art, Discard Millennium Cult God from Graveyard, Special Summon Relinquished."
Hayato: "Magician's Right Hand negated it."
Pegasus: "Activate Ice Lock Snowstorm Counter, Special Summon successful, then absorb Performapal Sky Magician, Direct Attack."
Hayato: "Kuriboh equips itself to you."
Pegasus: "End Turn, your turn."
Like this, I can write several turns in one chapter, and I save the trouble of thinking about plot description. You guys can also finish reading a duel in one chapter. But is that interesting?
I might as well just go play a couple of games in YGO, DL, or similar games, and then just paste a link to the replay in the main text for you guys to watch yourselves.
(End of Chapter)