Reading settings
Chapter 569: Adramelech: I Died, I Lived Again, Hit Me, Idiot~
At the location where Keith's BM-4 Blast Spider was destroyed, a mechanical dragon head, extremely similar to the Barrel barrels on the head of the Barrel Dragon he had previously Tributed, drilled out of the ground. Following closely behind were its arms, also shaped like gun barrels.
Its rivet-covered metal body stood tall on Keith's field. As soon as Desperado Barrel Dragon appeared, it immediately locked its sights onto Infernoid Adramelech and Infernoid Baal on Hayato's field!
[Desperado Barrel Dragon] [Level 8 / DARK / Machine / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2200]
"Once per turn, during either player's Battle Phase, I can activate Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect: toss a coin three times, then destroy face-up monsters on the field up to the number of heads!" Keith pointed at Hayato. "Let the coin decide our destiny, Hayato Kobayashi!"
A coin appeared on each of Desperado Barrel Dragon's three barrels and was tossed into the air, spinning and flipping. When they landed, they revealed two skull patterns and one Blue-Eyes White Dragon pattern. The result was one heads and two tails.
Although he didn't get the best result, Keith wasn't overly disappointed. Getting one heads was enough.
"The number of heads is one. Destroying the Infernoid Baal that had already attacked was meaningless, so I chose to destroy the Infernoid Adramelech on your field that hadn't attacked yet!"
A fatal bullet shot out from Desperado Barrel Dragon's barrel, firing towards the Infernoid Adramelech on Hayato's field that hadn't attacked yet. Although Infernoid Adramelech's aura was incredibly powerful, it was still bound by the rules of Duel Monsters. Without effect destruction resistance, if it were hit by this bullet, the result could only be—
"Clang!"
Under Keith's gaze, Desperado Barrel Dragon's bullet landed on Infernoid Adramelech's body, but it didn't even scratch its paint and was easily deflected?
However, at the same time the fatal bullet was deflected, a dark green light tube on Infernoid Adramelech's body suddenly shattered.
Hayato took a card from the Graveyard and explained: "The effect of Infernal Devotee, which I sent to the Graveyard with Power Wall last turn. When an Infernoid monster on my field would be destroyed by effect, I can banish this Infernal Devotee from the Graveyard as a substitute for that monster's destruction."
He looked at Keith with a cold snort. "In the end, it's still the same old routine, Keith? Did you think I'd be stuck in my ways like you?"
"`Tsk`, you actually have a way to defend against effect destruction?" Keith frowned, glancing at the two monsters on his field.
Blowback Dragon has 2300 ATK, and Desperado Barrel Dragon has 2800 ATK, the same as Infernoid Adramelech. Even if Hayato continues to attack with monsters, he can only destroy Blowback Dragon and take 500 damage. With his current 2800 Life Points, he can withstand it.
And Hayato's Life Points currently have 700 points remaining. With Barrel Blast on his field, there is a way to achieve victory.
"Because a Coin Toss effect occurred, I will use Barrel Blast's power to inflict 500 damage to you."
Keith used Barrel Blast's once per turn effect. A phantom bullet instantly shot through Hayato, taking away 500 of his Life Points.
[Hayato: 700 → 200 LP]
"Heh heh, now your Life Points are down to the last 200 points, like a flickering candle, Hayato Kobayashi."
Hearing Keith's words, Hayato said with disdain: "Idiot, Life Points are the cheapest thing in a Duel. As long as Life Points haven't reached zero, they are infinite."
"My Battle Phase is still continuing. I use Infernoid Adramelech to attack your Blowback Dragon!"
"Infernal Unrivaled Wave Cannon!"
The peacock Demon spread its sky-blue wings, and the tail feathers behind it fanned out, revealing not the beautiful patterns expected of peacock tail feathers, but a giant fan made of flames.
With a flick of its tail, Infernoid Adramelech's attack instantly hit the Blowback Dragon on Keith's field, destroying the monster and, as if in retaliation, also inflicting 500 damage to Keith.
"Ugh!" His Life Points were deducted again. Keith still couldn't maintain a poker face like Hayato, who even seemed to be enjoying it. He let out a pained groan with a distressed expression.
[Keith: 2800 → 2300 LP]
"Activate Infernoid Adramelech's effect when it destroys an opponent's monster by battle, allowing it to make a consecutive attack." Hayato emotionlessly ordered the peacock Demon on his field that had just achieved a result. "This is a necessary sacrifice. Attack Desperado Barrel Dragon, Adramelech!"
"Infernal Unrivaled Bursting Wave Cannon!"
"Don't think adding 'Bursting' makes this attack any more amazing!" Keith said, annoyed. "You're fighting with two monsters that have the same ATK. Are you trying to make both monsters result in mutual destruction!?"
Hayato didn't answer Keith, just extended his finger with a cold snort. Infernoid Adramelech, which had just finished its attack, also began to act again.
Seeing this, Keith let out a cold snort: "`Tsk`, in that case, I can't lose in aura at least. Counterattack, Desperado Barrel Dragon!"
The peacock Demon's tail feathers, wreathed in flames, swept the mechanical dragon's metal body. At the same time, the bullet from the mechanical dragon's head barrel hit the giant Demon's light tube at point-blank range. Both monsters were hit in their respective vital spots, fought to a standstill, and were simultaneously sent to the Graveyard.
For Infernoid Adramelech, or rather, for all Infernoid monsters, being sent to the Graveyard is completely fine, like going home. And the word "Desperado" on Keith's Desperado Barrel Dragon wasn't added for nothing either.
Compared to Barrel Dragon, its conditions for appearing and the effects it uses on the field are more convenient and powerful. Even when it is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, it still has an effect that can be activated.
"When Desperado Barrel Dragon is destroyed, I add one monster with a Coin Toss effect and Level 7 or lower from my Deck to my hand."
"I choose the Level 4 Blowback Dragon."
Adding the searched card to his hand, Keith thought to himself:
'Blowback Dragon is a monster whose Coin Toss effect triggers upon Normal Summon. It can Coin Toss twice, and by utilizing the effect of Second Chance, I'll have a full four chances to toss the coin.'
'As long as I can toss heads once in these four chances, I can utilize the effect of Barrel Blast to take away Hayato Kobayashi's last 200 Life Points. The failure rate for this strategy is only 6.25%. No matter how I look at it, I'm guaranteed to win!'
Looking at the secretly proud Keith, Hayato, who had finished his Battle Phase, said: "At the end of the Battle Phase where Infernoid Baal attacked, I will activate its effect, choosing one card on the field to banish."
"The one I will banish is that Barrel Blast card on your field, Keith!"
"Nani!?"
Keith didn't expect that just as he came up with a strategy, Hayato would immediately put his plan to naught. The lightning from Infernoid Baal's spear landed on Keith's Set Card in the Spell/Trap Zone, instantly erasing the Continuous Trap, Barrel Blast.
While Infernoid Baal was taking action, Hayato wasn't idle either. He took a card from the Graveyard: "During my Main Phase 2, because the total Level of Effect Monsters on my field is 7, which is below 8, I activate the effect of Infernoid Adramelech in the Graveyard."
"Banish two Infernoid monsters from my Hand, then Special Summon it from the Graveyard."
"Revive, Adramelech!"
As Hayato banished two cards from his hand, Keith finally understood why Hayato had planned to make Infernoid Adramelech and his Desperado Barrel Dragon destroy each other earlier.
It turned out that his Infernoid monsters had no once-per-turn restriction on their special effects and could regenerate infinitely as long as there were enough Graveyard resources. Even though his Desperado Barrel Dragon could search for a card when sent to the Graveyard, it was still too much of a loss compared to the Infernoids that could revive directly.
The orange radiance lit up again, but was quickly eroded into a dark green light by the Field Spell Card, Lair of Darkness. The Demon reappeared on Hayato's field.
[Infernoid Adramelech] [ATK 2800]
But that wasn't all. Having just revived Adramelech, Hayato said with a cold snort, as if he had thought of some wicked idea: "When any Duel Monsters are sent to the Graveyard, it usually means the end of their life. When they are attacked, they feel pain, fear, or reveal a flaw."
"However, for the immortal Demons, the Infernoids, who have no sense of pain, they can follow like the fear that grips the heart, always present. Reviving from the Graveyard again and again is no problem."
Hearing Hayato's words, Infernoid Adramelech's mechanical face showed a human-like confused expression. It turned its head to look at Infernoid Baal next to it.
You told him we don't feel pain?
How would I know?
For some reason, listening to Hayato talk to himself, Infernoid Adramelech suddenly had a strange feeling, as if some destined event was about to descend upon it.
And when Keith heard Hayato's words, his eyebrow also twitched. "What are you trying to do by saying all that?"
"Heh heh, there's only one answer, Keith. That is, I will activate Infernoid Adramelech's effect, which allows me to Tribute one monster on my field once per turn to banish one card from your Graveyard!"
"Your Desperado Barrel Dragon is truly too powerful. To prevent you from reviving it with cards like Monster Reborn, I will Tribute Infernoid Adramelech itself, and then banish the Desperado Barrel Dragon from your Graveyard!"
Hayato said proudly, completely ignoring how the lights on Infernoid Adramelech's body trembled violently upon hearing his words.
However, Hayato had already declared a clear instruction. Infernoid Adramelech was completely unable to resist. The lights on its surface radiated with intense radiance!
"Sacrifice yourself for the greater good!"
Following Hayato's "grieved" wave of his arm giving the instruction, Infernoid Adramelech, which had just been revived less than a minute ago, was sent to the Graveyard once again. At the same time, Desperado Barrel Dragon in Keith's Graveyard was also banished, losing the possibility of being revived by Monster Reborn.
Keith, with a grim expression, looked at the two cards in his hand, Call of the Haunted and Monster Reincarnation, and frowned.
He was still thinking that even if he couldn't use Blowback Dragon in conjunction with Barrel Blast and Second Chance for a direct attack to chip away Life Points and gain victory next turn, he could still revive or recycle Desperado Barrel Dragon for another push. But being banished was not something Keith's usual strategy accounted for.
Furthermore, Hayato's Infernoid monsters, combined with the Field Spell Card, also have the annoying ability to Tribute Keith's monsters and banish cards from Keith's Graveyard during Keith's turn. He can't win this, how can he win this?
What made Keith's face darken even more was that Hayato actually banished two cards from his hand again. Infernoid Adramelech once again bounced back and forth between the Graveyard and the field, reappearing on the field.
"Set two cards. I end my turn."
[Hayato: 200 LP, Hand 0]
[Infernoid Baal] [ATK 2600]
[Infernoid Adramelech] [ATK 2800]
[Set Cards] x2
Field: Lair of Darkness
Looking at Hayato's field setup, Keith checked his hand again, unable to find any possibility of breaking through.
Blowback Dragon has the effect that upon Normal Summon, you can choose one card, Coin Toss twice, and if both results are heads, you can directly destroy one card. However, it can only destroy one of the two Infernoids on Hayato's field.
Even if one is destroyed, that destroyed Infernoid can immediately chain its own effect to Tribute Blowback Dragon for mutual destruction. This would leave Keith with an empty field with no monsters.
Call of the Haunted can revive a monster from the Graveyard. However, the strongest monster currently in Keith's Graveyard is just Blowback Dragon, which is no match for either Infernoid Baal or Infernoid Adramelech.
What's more, Keith didn't mind speculating about Hayato with the greatest malice. Given his past performance, it's possible that after Keith activates Call of the Haunted, Hayato might chain an Infernoid monster's effect to banish the target monster being revived, causing Call of the Haunted to be negated directly. That would be an annoying situation.
Various strategies flashed through Keith's mind. Although he couldn't see any hope of victory, Keith inexplicably felt excited. He lowered his head to look at the Duel Disk on his left hand.
At the location where Keith's BM-4 Blast Spider was destroyed, a mechanical dragon head, extremely similar to the Barrel barrels on the head of the Barrel Dragon he had previously Tributed, drilled out of the ground. Following closely behind were its arms, also shaped like gun barrels.
Its rivet-covered metal body stood tall on Keith's field. As soon as Desperado Barrel Dragon appeared, it immediately locked its sights onto Infernoid Adramelech and Infernoid Baal on Hayato's field!
[Desperado Barrel Dragon] [Level 8 / DARK / Machine / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2200]
"Once per turn, during either player's Battle Phase, I can activate Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect: toss a coin three times, then destroy face-up monsters on the field up to the number of heads!" Keith pointed at Hayato. "Let the coin decide our destiny, Hayato Kobayashi!"
A coin appeared on each of Desperado Barrel Dragon's three barrels and was tossed into the air, spinning and flipping. When they landed, they revealed two skull patterns and one Blue-Eyes White Dragon pattern. The result was one heads and two tails.
Although he didn't get the best result, Keith wasn't overly disappointed. Getting one heads was enough.
"The number of heads is one. Destroying the Infernoid Baal that had already attacked was meaningless, so I chose to destroy the Infernoid Adramelech on your field that hadn't attacked yet!"
A fatal bullet shot out from Desperado Barrel Dragon's barrel, firing towards the Infernoid Adramelech on Hayato's field that hadn't attacked yet. Although Infernoid Adramelech's aura was incredibly powerful, it was still bound by the rules of Duel Monsters. Without effect destruction resistance, if it were hit by this bullet, the result could only be—
"Clang!"
Under Keith's gaze, Desperado Barrel Dragon's bullet landed on Infernoid Adramelech's body, but it didn't even scratch its paint and was easily deflected?
However, at the same time the fatal bullet was deflected, a dark green light tube on Infernoid Adramelech's body suddenly shattered.
Hayato took a card from the Graveyard and explained: "The effect of Infernal Devotee, which I sent to the Graveyard with Power Wall last turn. When an Infernoid monster on my field would be destroyed by effect, I can banish this Infernal Devotee from the Graveyard as a substitute for that monster's destruction."
He looked at Keith with a cold snort. "In the end, it's still the same old routine, Keith? Did you think I'd be stuck in my ways like you?"
"`Tsk`, you actually have a way to defend against effect destruction?" Keith frowned, glancing at the two monsters on his field.
Blowback Dragon has 2300 ATK, and Desperado Barrel Dragon has 2800 ATK, the same as Infernoid Adramelech. Even if Hayato continues to attack with monsters, he can only destroy Blowback Dragon and take 500 damage. With his current 2800 Life Points, he can withstand it.
And Hayato's Life Points currently have 700 points remaining. With Barrel Blast on his field, there is a way to achieve victory.
"Because a Coin Toss effect occurred, I will use Barrel Blast's power to inflict 500 damage to you."
Keith used Barrel Blast's once per turn effect. A phantom bullet instantly shot through Hayato, taking away 500 of his Life Points.
[Hayato: 700 → 200 LP]
"Heh heh, now your Life Points are down to the last 200 points, like a flickering candle, Hayato Kobayashi."
Hearing Keith's words, Hayato said with disdain: "Idiot, Life Points are the cheapest thing in a Duel. As long as Life Points haven't reached zero, they are infinite."
"My Battle Phase is still continuing. I use Infernoid Adramelech to attack your Blowback Dragon!"
"Infernal Unrivaled Wave Cannon!"
The peacock Demon spread its sky-blue wings, and the tail feathers behind it fanned out, revealing not the beautiful patterns expected of peacock tail feathers, but a giant fan made of flames.
With a flick of its tail, Infernoid Adramelech's attack instantly hit the Blowback Dragon on Keith's field, destroying the monster and, as if in retaliation, also inflicting 500 damage to Keith.
"Ugh!" His Life Points were deducted again. Keith still couldn't maintain a poker face like Hayato, who even seemed to be enjoying it. He let out a pained groan with a distressed expression.
[Keith: 2800 → 2300 LP]
"Activate Infernoid Adramelech's effect when it destroys an opponent's monster by battle, allowing it to make a consecutive attack." Hayato emotionlessly ordered the peacock Demon on his field that had just achieved a result. "This is a necessary sacrifice. Attack Desperado Barrel Dragon, Adramelech!"
"Infernal Unrivaled Bursting Wave Cannon!"
"Don't think adding 'Bursting' makes this attack any more amazing!" Keith said, annoyed. "You're fighting with two monsters that have the same ATK. Are you trying to make both monsters result in mutual destruction!?"
Hayato didn't answer Keith, just extended his finger with a cold snort. Infernoid Adramelech, which had just finished its attack, also began to act again.
Seeing this, Keith let out a cold snort: "`Tsk`, in that case, I can't lose in aura at least. Counterattack, Desperado Barrel Dragon!"
The peacock Demon's tail feathers, wreathed in flames, swept the mechanical dragon's metal body. At the same time, the bullet from the mechanical dragon's head barrel hit the giant Demon's light tube at point-blank range. Both monsters were hit in their respective vital spots, fought to a standstill, and were simultaneously sent to the Graveyard.
For Infernoid Adramelech, or rather, for all Infernoid monsters, being sent to the Graveyard is completely fine, like going home. And the word "Desperado" on Keith's Desperado Barrel Dragon wasn't added for nothing either.
Compared to Barrel Dragon, its conditions for appearing and the effects it uses on the field are more convenient and powerful. Even when it is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, it still has an effect that can be activated.
"When Desperado Barrel Dragon is destroyed, I add one monster with a Coin Toss effect and Level 7 or lower from my Deck to my hand."
"I choose the Level 4 Blowback Dragon."
Adding the searched card to his hand, Keith thought to himself:
'Blowback Dragon is a monster whose Coin Toss effect triggers upon Normal Summon. It can Coin Toss twice, and by utilizing the effect of Second Chance, I'll have a full four chances to toss the coin.'
'As long as I can toss heads once in these four chances, I can utilize the effect of Barrel Blast to take away Hayato Kobayashi's last 200 Life Points. The failure rate for this strategy is only 6.25%. No matter how I look at it, I'm guaranteed to win!'
Looking at the secretly proud Keith, Hayato, who had finished his Battle Phase, said: "At the end of the Battle Phase where Infernoid Baal attacked, I will activate its effect, choosing one card on the field to banish."
"The one I will banish is that Barrel Blast card on your field, Keith!"
"Nani!?"
Keith didn't expect that just as he came up with a strategy, Hayato would immediately put his plan to naught. The lightning from Infernoid Baal's spear landed on Keith's Set Card in the Spell/Trap Zone, instantly erasing the Continuous Trap, Barrel Blast.
While Infernoid Baal was taking action, Hayato wasn't idle either. He took a card from the Graveyard: "During my Main Phase 2, because the total Level of Effect Monsters on my field is 7, which is below 8, I activate the effect of Infernoid Adramelech in the Graveyard."
"Banish two Infernoid monsters from my Hand, then Special Summon it from the Graveyard."
"Revive, Adramelech!"
As Hayato banished two cards from his hand, Keith finally understood why Hayato had planned to make Infernoid Adramelech and his Desperado Barrel Dragon destroy each other earlier.
It turned out that his Infernoid monsters had no once-per-turn restriction on their special effects and could regenerate infinitely as long as there were enough Graveyard resources. Even though his Desperado Barrel Dragon could search for a card when sent to the Graveyard, it was still too much of a loss compared to the Infernoids that could revive directly.
The orange radiance lit up again, but was quickly eroded into a dark green light by the Field Spell Card, Lair of Darkness. The Demon reappeared on Hayato's field.
[Infernoid Adramelech] [ATK 2800]
But that wasn't all. Having just revived Adramelech, Hayato said with a cold snort, as if he had thought of some wicked idea: "When any Duel Monsters are sent to the Graveyard, it usually means the end of their life. When they are attacked, they feel pain, fear, or reveal a flaw."
"However, for the immortal Demons, the Infernoids, who have no sense of pain, they can follow like the fear that grips the heart, always present. Reviving from the Graveyard again and again is no problem."
Hearing Hayato's words, Infernoid Adramelech's mechanical face showed a human-like confused expression. It turned its head to look at Infernoid Baal next to it.
You told him we don't feel pain?
How would I know?
For some reason, listening to Hayato talk to himself, Infernoid Adramelech suddenly had a strange feeling, as if some destined event was about to descend upon it.
And when Keith heard Hayato's words, his eyebrow also twitched. "What are you trying to do by saying all that?"
"Heh heh, there's only one answer, Keith. That is, I will activate Infernoid Adramelech's effect, which allows me to Tribute one monster on my field once per turn to banish one card from your Graveyard!"
"Your Desperado Barrel Dragon is truly too powerful. To prevent you from reviving it with cards like Monster Reborn, I will Tribute Infernoid Adramelech itself, and then banish the Desperado Barrel Dragon from your Graveyard!"
Hayato said proudly, completely ignoring how the lights on Infernoid Adramelech's body trembled violently upon hearing his words.
However, Hayato had already declared a clear instruction. Infernoid Adramelech was completely unable to resist. The lights on its surface radiated with intense radiance!
"Sacrifice yourself for the greater good!"
Following Hayato's "grieved" wave of his arm giving the instruction, Infernoid Adramelech, which had just been revived less than a minute ago, was sent to the Graveyard once again. At the same time, Desperado Barrel Dragon in Keith's Graveyard was also banished, losing the possibility of being revived by Monster Reborn.
Keith, with a grim expression, looked at the two cards in his hand, Call of the Haunted and Monster Reincarnation, and frowned.
He was still thinking that even if he couldn't use Blowback Dragon in conjunction with Barrel Blast and Second Chance for a direct attack to chip away Life Points and gain victory next turn, he could still revive or recycle Desperado Barrel Dragon for another push. But being banished was not something Keith's usual strategy accounted for.
Furthermore, Hayato's Infernoid monsters, combined with the Field Spell Card, also have the annoying ability to Tribute Keith's monsters and banish cards from Keith's Graveyard during Keith's turn. He can't win this, how can he win this?
What made Keith's face darken even more was that Hayato actually banished two cards from his hand again. Infernoid Adramelech once again bounced back and forth between the Graveyard and the field, reappearing on the field.
"Set two cards. I end my turn."
[Hayato: 200 LP, Hand 0]
[Infernoid Baal] [ATK 2600]
[Infernoid Adramelech] [ATK 2800]
[Set Cards] x2
Field: Lair of Darkness
Looking at Hayato's field setup, Keith checked his hand again, unable to find any possibility of breaking through.
Blowback Dragon has the effect that upon Normal Summon, you can choose one card, Coin Toss twice, and if both results are heads, you can directly destroy one card. However, it can only destroy one of the two Infernoids on Hayato's field.
Even if one is destroyed, that destroyed Infernoid can immediately chain its own effect to Tribute Blowback Dragon for mutual destruction. This would leave Keith with an empty field with no monsters.
Call of the Haunted can revive a monster from the Graveyard. However, the strongest monster currently in Keith's Graveyard is just Blowback Dragon, which is no match for either Infernoid Baal or Infernoid Adramelech.
What's more, Keith didn't mind speculating about Hayato with the greatest malice. Given his past performance, it's possible that after Keith activates Call of the Haunted, Hayato might chain an Infernoid monster's effect to banish the target monster being revived, causing Call of the Haunted to be negated directly. That would be an annoying situation.
Various strategies flashed through Keith's mind. Although he couldn't see any hope of victory, Keith inexplicably felt excited. He lowered his head to look at the Duel Disk on his left hand.
