Chapter 76: Machine and Ocean
"Huh?"
Hayato had been in the Yu-Gi-Oh! World for quite some time now, and he had experienced his fair share of Duels. However, among all the reasons for Dueling he had heard so far, the one given by the bearded man in front of him was the most bizarre.
"No, Uncle, why are we Dueling? Just because I didn't sell you this thing?"
Because of the Duelist Kingdom Rules, Hayato couldn't refuse the Duel invitation from the strange bearded man before him. He reluctantly stood up and pulled out his Deck. The Side Effect of the Earth Spirit God was much milder than that of Summoning the Three Egyptian Gods; it only drained his stamina. Hayato was just feeling a bit listless at the moment.
Still, "Eye contact is the signal for Battle"? Could this uncle have run over from the Pokémon set next door for a cameo?
The bearded man took his Deck from the man in the suit behind him and laughed heartily, "Heh ha ha ha ha, I'm quite fond of that 'Ill-Omened Item' of yours. But looking at your eyes, I know you're probably the type who can't be convinced unless you're defeated in a Duel, right?"
"You talk like you know me so well," Hayato muttered, standing side-by-side with the bearded man and watching a Duel Platform slowly rise from the ground not far away. While waiting, Hayato noticed that the Duel Glove on the bearded man's Left Hand was already inlaid with four Star Chips. "You're fast, Uncle. You've already collected two in just one morning?"
"Aren't you the same, young man?" Hayato was observing the bearded man, and the bearded man was also observing Hayato. "You already have five. Besides the two you got from defeating that short guy who plays with bugs, you've collected another one."
Hayato didn't explain that he had given one to Joey Wheeler . He noticed that the man in the suit who had been following the bearded man didn't have a Duel Glove, which symbolized a Duelist Identity, on his hand. "I say, Uncle, are you also a special guest invited by that guy Pegasus?"
"That's right. Pegasus's Industrial Illusions does a lot of business with my company, and I happen to have a bit of interest in Duel Monsters, so he invited me. Since the spot was empty anyway, I brought Socrates—that guy there, my assistant—to This Island. Aren't you the same, young man?"
Hayato glanced at Bakura. "I just have a lot of interesting Ideas about Duel Monsters that Pegasus found intriguing; I wasn't invited because of a business partnership like you, Uncle. As for him, he's my classmate."
After the Duel Platform fully rose, Hayato and the bearded man stepped onto opposite sides of the Duel Platform. Placing his Deck on the Duel Platform, Hayato was about to say something when he suddenly realized awkwardly that he didn't know the name of the bearded man opposite him. "Um, Uncle? My name is Hayato Kobayashi."
"Hahaha, I've known for a long time, I've watched your Duels." The bearded man smiled, and just as he was about to introduce himself, the man in the suit next to the Duel Platform—Socrates—suddenly spoke,
"Please listen well, Duelist opposite. The person standing before you is the Steel Wheel Ship, Aristotle I, Conqueror of the Five Oceans, King of Shipping, King of Ferries, Navigation, and Cargo, Greek God of War, Lover Boy, Mr. Aristotle Anassis!"
"Are you some kind of Daenerys? There's not enough room on the Duel Platform for that many people," Hayato Ranted casually, but the name "Anassis" sounded somewhat familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before. Perhaps on the news? "Anyway, Uncle Anassis, if you want me to wager this 'Ill-Omened Item,' you have to wager something as well, according to the Rules."
"Of course! What I like most is a fair trade where both parties are willing. Hmm, but it's really hard to think." The bearded man looked troubled. "I can't really think of a suitable Stakes right now, and you definitely wouldn't want money. How about this, young man, you make a request?"
"Even if you let me, I can't think of much," Hayato wasn't really interested in money, unless it could be charged into the System to exchange for DP Points; otherwise, he felt that having enough was fine. "How about this, I think your beard is quite strange. If you lose, you shave it off."
Hayato noticed that the bearded man opposite him stiffened for a moment, but quickly recovered. "O-of course, no problem, ha, haha. Then it's settled. If I win the Duel, I get that thing on your chest without spending a single cent. If you win, I shave off my beard."
Hayato nodded and took off two Star Chips from his glove. "But those are extra conditions. Star Chips still need to be wagered. I'm wagering two here, is that okay, Uncle?"
The bearded man laughed heartily, "Of course, no problem! It's only half, the risk isn't too big, I'm in. Besides, I'm definitely winning this Duel!"
"Don't speak too soon, Uncle."
Hayato and Anassis each Drew a Card from their Decks and simultaneously shouted, "Duel!"
[Hayato: 4000 LP]
[Anassis: 4000 LP]
"Strike first! I'll take the First Turn, Draw a Card!" Although Anassis looked burly, his hand movements were not slow at all, even faster than Hayato's as he Drew five Cards.
"I don't really like this environment, so I'm Activating a Field Spell Card! Let's change the Battle environment!" Anassis laughed loudly and placed a Card from his Hand into the Field Zone. "Activate Magic Card, Umi!"
"He actually has a rare Field Spell Card?" Hayato was slightly surprised, but considering this guy might be super rich, he wasn't too surprised that he could collect a Field Spell Card that wasn't yet widely circulated.
As Anassis played the Umi Card, the Duel Platform immediately projected a virtual Ocean. Surging waves instantly swallowed the entire Field, leaving not a single trace of land.
"I remember you're good at using Warrior Type Monsters, right? This way, your Warriors won't have a place to stand and will have to fight in the Ocean, you know?" Anassis smiled. "Then I'll Summon a Monster in Face-Down Defense Position! Dive into the seabed, my Card!"
Anassis played a Monster Card, but only a faint light glowed slightly in the Ocean on the Field; it was impossible to tell where the Card actually appeared.
"My Turn ends," Anassis smiled. "My Monsters are all the best at fighting in the Ocean. Face the threat from the deep sea, young man!"
[Anassis: 4000 LP, Hand 4]
[Set Monster] (Hidden)
Field: [Umi]
Hayato calmly Drew a Card. "My Turn, Draw a Card."
Looking at the Monster that joined his Hand, Hayato showed a smile to Anassis opposite him. "Don't get happy too soon, Uncle. Since I already know your Monsters are good at water combat, I won't be foolish enough to enter the water."
"Summon V-Jet Tiger! Let's have a magnificent aerial Battle!"
(End of this chapter)