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Chapter 587: Picking Up the Napkin
Facing Hayato's 【Infernoid】 monsters, Yugi and Joey Wheeler, through the bond between them, created a miracle called 【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】.
If their opponent had been someone else, perhaps Joey Wheeler and Yugi would have truly achieved victory in the end. However, before 【Super Polymerization】, 【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】 merely served as material for the evil predatory dragon—【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】—to grow its fatally beautiful flower, alongside the 【Crawler】 on Hayato's Field.
"【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】 should have the ability to not be targeted by effects, so why was it used as Fusion Material by 【Super Polymerization】?!" Joey Wheeler said unwillingly. "Damn it, if I had a Hand, maybe I could negate the effect of 【Super Polymerization】."
"Hehehe, foolish, Joey Wheeler. 【Polymerization】 is essentially sending to the Graveyard without targeting. A mere resistance to targeting trying to resist the power of 【Super Polymerization】 is like...! Fusion Summon is the noblest Summoning Method!"
Hayato, who was commanding 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 to attack, laughed loudly, "Furthermore, 【Super Polymerization】 has the ability to prevent the activation of Spell/Trap and Monster effects in response to its activation. No matter how powerful 【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】's effect is, it's meaningless if it can't be activated!"
"This is the final blow! Joey Wheeler and Yugi, become fodder for my 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】!"
【Joey Wheeler: 2000 LP, Hand 0】
【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】【8☆/Dark】
【Dragon Type/Fusion/Effect】
【2800/2000】
With no cards left to activate, the predatory dragon opened its mouth, revealing its poisonous teeth, and lunged towards Joey Wheeler and Yugi. Even the quickest to react, Joey Wheeler, could only manage to push Yugi aside before the rapidly approaching attack hit, then rolled on the ground to avoid being directly bitten by 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 as much as possible.
And Joey Wheeler's reaction was indeed very fast. 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】's sharp fangs bit empty air, directly smashing through the wall behind Joey Wheeler and Yugi, further damaging the top floor of the Industrial Illusions Headquarters Building.
After absorbing the power of 【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】 with the ability of 【Super Polymerization】, even though it was the first time Hayato had used it, 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 was already a materialized Duel Monster. It was fortunate that Joey Wheeler reacted quickly, otherwise, the two who were directly bitten by this attack would have likely died on the spot!
However, they only avoided the direct bite of 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】. This wasn't an Action Duel where dodging an attack meant truly avoiding it. Then, 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 flicked its vine-like emerald body, its slender body striking Yugi and Joey Wheeler. The spikes on its body scraped their skin, drawing blood, and the battle damage still fell upon the two.
"Ugh!" "Hiss!"
【Yugi + Joey Wheeler: 2000 LP → 0】
The moment the poisonous spikes pierced their skin, Yugi felt something seep into his body through the wounds. It was poison, the predatory poison this monster, 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】, carried, which was literally "ferocious" and eternally "hungry"!
In just an instant, Yugi felt the dark magic power released from the 【Millennium Puzzle】 protecting him from damage being completely absorbed. Intense pain pierced through the defense of his nerves, and his personality was forcibly sealed back into the dimmed 【Millennium Puzzle】, leaving Yugi Mutou in control of the body.
Compared to Yugi, the pain Joey Wheeler felt was even more intense, as if lava had been injected into every fine nerve in his body. The burning sensation rapidly spread from the location of the wounds.
This feeling was exactly like a carnivorous plant injecting digestive fluid into prey caught in a trap, intending to turn the entire person into a puddle of liquid for easier digestion!
Even with his strong will, Joey Wheeler was helpless under this level of pain, his limbs going limp and unable to get up. He and Yugi lay side by side on the ground, only able to gasp in pain.
Seeing the duel end and looking at the painful expressions of Yugi and Joey Wheeler, Rafael, who had approached Hayato, found Hayato's merciless act of dealing such a deadly blow to his former friends somewhat unacceptable. "Did that monster just inject some fatal poison into them? How cruel, Hayato Kobayashi."
Nonsense, I clearly just had 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 inject some adrenaline into Yugi and them, alright?
Because Hayato remembered Rafael was nearby from beginning to end, not only did he not forget to act during the duel, but he also had the 【Infernoid】 monsters and the attacking 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 act along.
The 【Infernoid】 monsters could have attacked directly but deliberately only used flames. When attacking, the spectacle was grand, tearing down buildings and causing the surroundings to collapse, but in reality, if Rafael had felt it himself, he would have found that the temperature of those flames, aside from causing instinctive discomfort, couldn't even melt butter.
And 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】, when attacking, deliberately waited for Joey Wheeler to push Yugi away before crashing its attack towards a direction that wouldn't affect the two. Not only did it deliberately slow down, but even when flicking its tail, it intentionally retracted the sharp blade at the tip, only using the spikes to scrape out some superficial wounds that looked scary.
To make the effect more realistic, Hayato even had 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 substitute the secreted poison with adrenaline, which can effectively stimulate nerves and indeed cause intense pain afterward, but the dosage was completely controlled to be harmless to the human body, thus deceiving Rafael.
Hayato retorted inwardly, but said aloud, "Hehehe, I am quite satisfied with the power of 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 that awakened through the duel with them. This is the powerful power that suits me. With this level of power, I will undoubtedly become 'Invincible', stronger than 'the Strongest'!"
"That was truly an interesting duel, but all good things must come to an end, even for us, Joey Wheeler, and Yugi." As Hayato spoke, he deliberately slowly pulled out a card from his Duel Disk—the Field Spell Card 【The Seal of Orichalcos】. "I didn't have much chance to use this card during the duel just now, after all, my opponents were the two of you."
Calculating the time, besides the adrenaline used for acting, the other power of 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】, or more precisely, the power residing within 【Super Polymerization】, should have taken effect by now.
"But now you have no ability to get up from the ground and resist, do you? Hehehe, just let me seal your souls."
Saying this, Hayato, as if to stall for time, even showed the card in his Hand to Yugi and Joey Wheeler before placing it into his Duel Disk. Rafael didn't find Hayato's actions strange, merely watching him prepare to act against Yugi and Joey Wheeler.
However, just as Hayato was about to place the card in his Hand into the Duel Disk, a loud dragon roar suddenly came from beneath his feet, followed by violent trembling of the ground!
Immediately, Hayato retracted the 【The Seal of Orichalcos】 he hadn't intended to activate anyway, and with a wave of his hand, summoned the 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 that hadn't yet dispersed, which soared into the air and leaped off the cliff behind him. Rafael also hurriedly used the power of the "Orichalcos Fragment" to grant his Card Spirit, 【Guardian Eatos】, the power of materialization, and leaped out after Hayato.
He didn't forget to look back at Yugi and Joey Wheeler, only to find that beside the two of them, the phantoms of two different colored giant dragons had materialized. They were destroying the building, which seemed like tofu dregs to them, and carrying the two towards the location from which the dragon roar had come, as if to converge with something.
"That's what happened, Lord Dartz." In the Doma base, Rafael, standing at the bottom of the Stairs, reported to Dartz, who had his back to him. "Although we sealed the soul of Pegasus J. Crawford, the 'Father of Duel Monsters', when we tried to seal the soul of the Nameless Pharaoh, we were stopped by the giant dragons that appeared on him and Katsuya Jounouchi. We had to leave."
"Legendary Dragon, huh? Tsk, causing trouble again. Is ten thousand years of slumber not enough for them to learn their lesson?" From Rafael's description, Dartz naturally recalled the experience of the first cleansing of the surface civilization ten thousand years ago, which was interfered with by the Legendary Dragon from the Spirit World. Even someone as composed as Dartz couldn't help but show an annoyed expression.
He remembered clearly that many Atlanteans had become monsters in the truest sense from the inside out due to spiritual corruption. When Dartz decided to destroy the Atlanteans to preserve their dignity and prevent the spread of this darkness, the first person who didn't understand him and even wanted Atlantis to continue their ugly, dying struggle was his own father—the former Emperor of Atlantis, Aiaheart.
Due to their disagreement, Dartz didn't kill him but merely expelled him. He didn't expect that while he continued to use the power of the "Orichalcos God" to execute his cleansing plan, Aiaheart somehow managed to go to the Spirit World to call for help, bringing the Legendary Dragon to stop him.
Dartz was extremely annoyed by this. In his view, whether humans lived or died was a matter for the Human World, and it was none of the Spirit World's business. As the Emperor of humans, if he was to be stopped, he should only be stopped by human power. Can't you guys from the Spirit World just die?
Then, Dartz clashed with the Legendary Dragon. The result was that the "Orichalcos God," which had only recently awakened, was directly knocked out and fell into slumber, and Dartz was also affected. The Legendary Dragon didn't get off easy either, also being knocked out and falling into slumber for nearly ten thousand years.
He didn't expect that while he was waiting for the "Orichalcos God" to recover its will and find a way to be awakened in recent years, the Legendary Dragon also seemed to have awakened, and moreover, it had found the Nameless Pharaoh, whom he had observed three thousand years ago, to be its current user.
It was just slightly strange that in Dartz's impression, there should only be one "Legendary Dragon," named 【Timaeus】. But now, according to Rafael and Alister, the Nameless Pharaoh was using a strange card called 【The Eye of Timaeus】, and Kaiba Seto also had a card called 【The Fang of Critias】 in his Hand.
What, did the Legendary Dragon not sit idle for the past ten thousand years and give birth to a new one?
Dartz didn't quite understand what was going on, but he also had no interest in figuring out the situation.
Even if the Legendary Dragon returned, what of it? Just interrupt it again.
"The Nameless Pharaoh's current vessel is entrusted to you, Rafael. However, rather than hunting his soul, prioritize dealing with the card in his Hand."
Turning around, Dartz looked at Rafael and the other two before the Stairs. "Then, Kaiba Seto, you, Alister, will continue to be responsible for him. As for the unnamed card in Katsuya Jounouchi's Hand—"
"That guy, I'll handle him, Lord Dartz!" Valon volunteered. "How did that guy do it? Mai kept mentioning his name even during my duel and even kept encouraging herself. It makes me incredibly annoyed, like when you're stepping on bricks and accidentally land on a black brick when you wanted to step on a white one!"
"If I don't defeat that guy and prove I'm stronger than him, I won't be able to regain my calm mood!"
Dartz glanced at Valon and said indifferently, "Since you've said so, then Katsuya Jounouchi will be your opponent, Valon."
"Also..."
Turning to look at Hayato, who was sitting by the Round Table, Dartz's expression was as authoritative just now when facing Rafael and the other two, as it was radiant now when looking at Hayato. "How do you feel about Doma, Hayato?"
"Feelings? It's probably like the water drunk by a Princess playing a harp on the Alps, super refreshing, even making my thirsty heart, which yearns for power, quiet down like a hibernating catfish." Hayato was fiddling with his 【Infernoid】 Deck. "Suitable, perfectly suitable. Only a Deck with such powerful power can satisfy me. My mood is soaring right now, hahaha."
"You've given birth to monsters using the power of 'Orichalcos', huh? From your appearance, they seem like very powerful cards. As expected of you, Hayato." Dartz smiled, seeing Hayato so satisfied. "Feel free to use Doma's power to become stronger, Hayato. I will support you from behind, my hero~"
Hayato glanced at Dartz, not bothering with him further. Instead, he reached out and took a can of soda from the drinks placed on the Round Table. Without pulling the tab, he casually picked up a pen from the side and stabbed it into the bottom side of the can, making a hole. He then held the can and drank the soda flowing from the hole.
His actions, as if no one else was present, didn't cause Dartz any dissatisfaction. He merely smiled, took the large stack of cards containing the sealed souls of Duelists—including Pegasus—that Rafael had collected during this time, and prepared to offer them as a tribute to the "Orichalcos God."
Watching Dartz leave, Rafael couldn't help but turn his gaze towards Hayato, who was acting completely at home.
"Hayato Kobayashi, may I ask you a question?" Rafael said, looking at Hayato, who had finished his soda and casually discarded the can. "You've said more than once that you want greater power, right? But you've only ever said you need power to stand at the peak forever."
"What is the reason you pursue power?"
Valon and Alister had planned to rest after Dartz left, taking a short break from their continuous hunting Duelist souls during this time, and also preparing for their respective future opponents, Joey Wheeler and Kaiba. But upon hearing Rafael's words, they stopped just as they were about to leave, clearly interested in what kind of answer Hayato would give to Rafael's question.
"Seeking power" was indeed the goal Hayato had mentioned as his reason for staying with Doma. Alister and Valon had heard this before, and Rafael at the time had also expressed understanding that someone standing at the peak would not want to step down.
However, Hayato seeking power to stand at the peak was merely a goal. What was the motivation driving him to achieve this goal? This interested them greatly.
Just like Valon wanted to enjoy a peaceful life, so he was willing to accept Doma's power. Alister needed power to achieve retaliation against KaibaCorp. And Rafael accepted power to realize the new world that Dartz spoke of.
They also needed power, but power was merely a tool to achieve their respective goals, not the ultimate goal itself.
Hayato, with a bit of soda on the corner of his mouth, glanced at Rafael. "Hmm? The reason for seeking power..."
"Instead of saying things you might not understand, how about I answer your question with a question?" As he spoke, Hayato pointed to the Round Table in front of him. "When you are sitting at a Round Table and find napkins on both your left hand and right hand sides, which side's napkin would you pick up? The 'left' side facing you? Or the 'right' side?"
"Huh? Suddenly saying something nonsensical?" Valon frowned in dissatisfaction, hearing Hayato talk about napkins as if changing the subject. "Generally speaking, it's easier to pick up the 'right' side's napkin, right?"
However, Alister had a different opinion. "No, although most people are right-handed, if you're at a dinner table, your right hand is used for knives and spoons. Relatively speaking, the left hand, which only needs to hold a fork, has more free space, so you should pick up the 'left' side's napkin."
Rafael frowned. Like Valon, he thought Hayato's question was too strange and completely unrelated to the question he had asked earlier. However, Hayato still looked at Rafael, waiting for his answer.
"Would you pick up the 'left' side's napkin, or the 'right' side's napkin?"
"In my case, I would pick up the 'left' side's napkin."
Hearing Rafael's answer, Hayato nodded and said, "Hmm, that's also considered a correct answer."
"However, in this 'Society', that is not the case. It is also perfectly fine to substitute the word 'Space'."
"Space?"
"The correct answer is 'the person who first reached out and picked up the napkin'," Hayato announced the correct answer, seeing Rafael's puzzled expression. Rafael was startled upon hearing this, then remembered that it indeed seems like what Hayato said was true. Although the direction for picking up a napkin at a dinner table isn't fixed, it seems like it is determined by the person who first reached out and picked up the napkin.
"Suppose someone picks up the 'right' side's napkin first, then everyone else has no choice but to follow and pick up the 'right' side's napkin; and if they pick up the 'left' side, then everyone else will also pick up the 'left' side. It has to be done this way."
"This is what is called 'Society'."
Saying this, Hayato stood up from the dinner table and walked around the Round Table to the opposite side under the gaze of the three.
"Who determines the value of land? And before that, someone determined the value of money, who was that?"
"What about the size of train tracks and the specification of electrical appliances? Decrees and laws? Who was the first to define these things?"
"Is it because democracy is practiced, allowing everyone in the World to decide together, or is it through free competition?"
"Wrong!"
"The answer is still, determined by 'the person who first picked up the napkin'!"
As he walked and spoke, Hayato's finger traced the surface of the Round Table, disorderly sweeping aside the plates and cutlery that had been neatly arranged on the table.
"The rule of the World is 'either left or right'! As soon as an equilibrium state like this Round Table changes, everyone has no choice but to follow suit and take action! In any era, the movements of this World will only be like these napkins!"
"And the person who picks up the napkin first must necessarily be someone who is 'Respected', such as the 'Host of the Party' or an 'Elder'. Everyone will follow them in picking up the napkin out of 'Respect'."
"And this 'Respect' is relative. It's like the Pope is an important person who is 'Respected', but if Christ is sitting at the dinner table, the Pope also has to follow Christ in picking up the napkin out of 'Respect'."
Upon hearing this, Rafael's eyes widened slightly. Although somewhat vague, he seemed to understand what Hayato was trying to say.
But Alister behind Rafael frowned. "Christ or whatever, what does that have to do with the question? What exactly do you mean?"
"It doesn't mean anything, that was just an 'example'. And what I mean is, I want to obtain something that can make everyone express 'Respect' towards me, express 'Respect' that cannot be shaken by anything, 'Respect' that is as certain as burping after drinking soda."
Hayato stopped and looked at the three. "That is, 'True Power'!"
"Under 'True Power', everyone will only become my 'Companions'. I can be the one who picks up the napkin first. I, Hayato Kobayashi, am destined to sit in the Master's Seat at this 'dinner table'!"
Saying this, Hayato reached out towards a napkin on the table.
"This is the 'napkin on the Round Table'. Everyone in the World after me must abide by this rule!"
"I, Hayato Kobayashi!"
"I have already picked up that first napkin!"
Facing Hayato's 【Infernoid】 monsters, Yugi and Joey Wheeler, through the bond between them, created a miracle called 【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】.
If their opponent had been someone else, perhaps Joey Wheeler and Yugi would have truly achieved victory in the end. However, before 【Super Polymerization】, 【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】 merely served as material for the evil predatory dragon—【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】—to grow its fatally beautiful flower, alongside the 【Crawler】 on Hayato's Field.
"【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】 should have the ability to not be targeted by effects, so why was it used as Fusion Material by 【Super Polymerization】?!" Joey Wheeler said unwillingly. "Damn it, if I had a Hand, maybe I could negate the effect of 【Super Polymerization】."
"Hehehe, foolish, Joey Wheeler. 【Polymerization】 is essentially sending to the Graveyard without targeting. A mere resistance to targeting trying to resist the power of 【Super Polymerization】 is like...! Fusion Summon is the noblest Summoning Method!"
Hayato, who was commanding 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 to attack, laughed loudly, "Furthermore, 【Super Polymerization】 has the ability to prevent the activation of Spell/Trap and Monster effects in response to its activation. No matter how powerful 【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】's effect is, it's meaningless if it can't be activated!"
"This is the final blow! Joey Wheeler and Yugi, become fodder for my 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】!"
【Joey Wheeler: 2000 LP, Hand 0】
【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】【8☆/Dark】
【Dragon Type/Fusion/Effect】
【2800/2000】
With no cards left to activate, the predatory dragon opened its mouth, revealing its poisonous teeth, and lunged towards Joey Wheeler and Yugi. Even the quickest to react, Joey Wheeler, could only manage to push Yugi aside before the rapidly approaching attack hit, then rolled on the ground to avoid being directly bitten by 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 as much as possible.
And Joey Wheeler's reaction was indeed very fast. 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】's sharp fangs bit empty air, directly smashing through the wall behind Joey Wheeler and Yugi, further damaging the top floor of the Industrial Illusions Headquarters Building.
After absorbing the power of 【Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon】 with the ability of 【Super Polymerization】, even though it was the first time Hayato had used it, 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 was already a materialized Duel Monster. It was fortunate that Joey Wheeler reacted quickly, otherwise, the two who were directly bitten by this attack would have likely died on the spot!
However, they only avoided the direct bite of 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】. This wasn't an Action Duel where dodging an attack meant truly avoiding it. Then, 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 flicked its vine-like emerald body, its slender body striking Yugi and Joey Wheeler. The spikes on its body scraped their skin, drawing blood, and the battle damage still fell upon the two.
"Ugh!" "Hiss!"
【Yugi + Joey Wheeler: 2000 LP → 0】
The moment the poisonous spikes pierced their skin, Yugi felt something seep into his body through the wounds. It was poison, the predatory poison this monster, 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】, carried, which was literally "ferocious" and eternally "hungry"!
In just an instant, Yugi felt the dark magic power released from the 【Millennium Puzzle】 protecting him from damage being completely absorbed. Intense pain pierced through the defense of his nerves, and his personality was forcibly sealed back into the dimmed 【Millennium Puzzle】, leaving Yugi Mutou in control of the body.
Compared to Yugi, the pain Joey Wheeler felt was even more intense, as if lava had been injected into every fine nerve in his body. The burning sensation rapidly spread from the location of the wounds.
This feeling was exactly like a carnivorous plant injecting digestive fluid into prey caught in a trap, intending to turn the entire person into a puddle of liquid for easier digestion!
Even with his strong will, Joey Wheeler was helpless under this level of pain, his limbs going limp and unable to get up. He and Yugi lay side by side on the ground, only able to gasp in pain.
Seeing the duel end and looking at the painful expressions of Yugi and Joey Wheeler, Rafael, who had approached Hayato, found Hayato's merciless act of dealing such a deadly blow to his former friends somewhat unacceptable. "Did that monster just inject some fatal poison into them? How cruel, Hayato Kobayashi."
Nonsense, I clearly just had 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 inject some adrenaline into Yugi and them, alright?
Because Hayato remembered Rafael was nearby from beginning to end, not only did he not forget to act during the duel, but he also had the 【Infernoid】 monsters and the attacking 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 act along.
The 【Infernoid】 monsters could have attacked directly but deliberately only used flames. When attacking, the spectacle was grand, tearing down buildings and causing the surroundings to collapse, but in reality, if Rafael had felt it himself, he would have found that the temperature of those flames, aside from causing instinctive discomfort, couldn't even melt butter.
And 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】, when attacking, deliberately waited for Joey Wheeler to push Yugi away before crashing its attack towards a direction that wouldn't affect the two. Not only did it deliberately slow down, but even when flicking its tail, it intentionally retracted the sharp blade at the tip, only using the spikes to scrape out some superficial wounds that looked scary.
To make the effect more realistic, Hayato even had 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 substitute the secreted poison with adrenaline, which can effectively stimulate nerves and indeed cause intense pain afterward, but the dosage was completely controlled to be harmless to the human body, thus deceiving Rafael.
Hayato retorted inwardly, but said aloud, "Hehehe, I am quite satisfied with the power of 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 that awakened through the duel with them. This is the powerful power that suits me. With this level of power, I will undoubtedly become 'Invincible', stronger than 'the Strongest'!"
"That was truly an interesting duel, but all good things must come to an end, even for us, Joey Wheeler, and Yugi." As Hayato spoke, he deliberately slowly pulled out a card from his Duel Disk—the Field Spell Card 【The Seal of Orichalcos】. "I didn't have much chance to use this card during the duel just now, after all, my opponents were the two of you."
Calculating the time, besides the adrenaline used for acting, the other power of 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】, or more precisely, the power residing within 【Super Polymerization】, should have taken effect by now.
"But now you have no ability to get up from the ground and resist, do you? Hehehe, just let me seal your souls."
Saying this, Hayato, as if to stall for time, even showed the card in his Hand to Yugi and Joey Wheeler before placing it into his Duel Disk. Rafael didn't find Hayato's actions strange, merely watching him prepare to act against Yugi and Joey Wheeler.
However, just as Hayato was about to place the card in his Hand into the Duel Disk, a loud dragon roar suddenly came from beneath his feet, followed by violent trembling of the ground!
Immediately, Hayato retracted the 【The Seal of Orichalcos】 he hadn't intended to activate anyway, and with a wave of his hand, summoned the 【Starving Venom Fusion Dragon】 that hadn't yet dispersed, which soared into the air and leaped off the cliff behind him. Rafael also hurriedly used the power of the "Orichalcos Fragment" to grant his Card Spirit, 【Guardian Eatos】, the power of materialization, and leaped out after Hayato.
He didn't forget to look back at Yugi and Joey Wheeler, only to find that beside the two of them, the phantoms of two different colored giant dragons had materialized. They were destroying the building, which seemed like tofu dregs to them, and carrying the two towards the location from which the dragon roar had come, as if to converge with something.
"That's what happened, Lord Dartz." In the Doma base, Rafael, standing at the bottom of the Stairs, reported to Dartz, who had his back to him. "Although we sealed the soul of Pegasus J. Crawford, the 'Father of Duel Monsters', when we tried to seal the soul of the Nameless Pharaoh, we were stopped by the giant dragons that appeared on him and Katsuya Jounouchi. We had to leave."
"Legendary Dragon, huh? Tsk, causing trouble again. Is ten thousand years of slumber not enough for them to learn their lesson?" From Rafael's description, Dartz naturally recalled the experience of the first cleansing of the surface civilization ten thousand years ago, which was interfered with by the Legendary Dragon from the Spirit World. Even someone as composed as Dartz couldn't help but show an annoyed expression.
He remembered clearly that many Atlanteans had become monsters in the truest sense from the inside out due to spiritual corruption. When Dartz decided to destroy the Atlanteans to preserve their dignity and prevent the spread of this darkness, the first person who didn't understand him and even wanted Atlantis to continue their ugly, dying struggle was his own father—the former Emperor of Atlantis, Aiaheart.
Due to their disagreement, Dartz didn't kill him but merely expelled him. He didn't expect that while he continued to use the power of the "Orichalcos God" to execute his cleansing plan, Aiaheart somehow managed to go to the Spirit World to call for help, bringing the Legendary Dragon to stop him.
Dartz was extremely annoyed by this. In his view, whether humans lived or died was a matter for the Human World, and it was none of the Spirit World's business. As the Emperor of humans, if he was to be stopped, he should only be stopped by human power. Can't you guys from the Spirit World just die?
Then, Dartz clashed with the Legendary Dragon. The result was that the "Orichalcos God," which had only recently awakened, was directly knocked out and fell into slumber, and Dartz was also affected. The Legendary Dragon didn't get off easy either, also being knocked out and falling into slumber for nearly ten thousand years.
He didn't expect that while he was waiting for the "Orichalcos God" to recover its will and find a way to be awakened in recent years, the Legendary Dragon also seemed to have awakened, and moreover, it had found the Nameless Pharaoh, whom he had observed three thousand years ago, to be its current user.
It was just slightly strange that in Dartz's impression, there should only be one "Legendary Dragon," named 【Timaeus】. But now, according to Rafael and Alister, the Nameless Pharaoh was using a strange card called 【The Eye of Timaeus】, and Kaiba Seto also had a card called 【The Fang of Critias】 in his Hand.
What, did the Legendary Dragon not sit idle for the past ten thousand years and give birth to a new one?
Dartz didn't quite understand what was going on, but he also had no interest in figuring out the situation.
Even if the Legendary Dragon returned, what of it? Just interrupt it again.
"The Nameless Pharaoh's current vessel is entrusted to you, Rafael. However, rather than hunting his soul, prioritize dealing with the card in his Hand."
Turning around, Dartz looked at Rafael and the other two before the Stairs. "Then, Kaiba Seto, you, Alister, will continue to be responsible for him. As for the unnamed card in Katsuya Jounouchi's Hand—"
"That guy, I'll handle him, Lord Dartz!" Valon volunteered. "How did that guy do it? Mai kept mentioning his name even during my duel and even kept encouraging herself. It makes me incredibly annoyed, like when you're stepping on bricks and accidentally land on a black brick when you wanted to step on a white one!"
"If I don't defeat that guy and prove I'm stronger than him, I won't be able to regain my calm mood!"
Dartz glanced at Valon and said indifferently, "Since you've said so, then Katsuya Jounouchi will be your opponent, Valon."
"Also..."
Turning to look at Hayato, who was sitting by the Round Table, Dartz's expression was as authoritative just now when facing Rafael and the other two, as it was radiant now when looking at Hayato. "How do you feel about Doma, Hayato?"
"Feelings? It's probably like the water drunk by a Princess playing a harp on the Alps, super refreshing, even making my thirsty heart, which yearns for power, quiet down like a hibernating catfish." Hayato was fiddling with his 【Infernoid】 Deck. "Suitable, perfectly suitable. Only a Deck with such powerful power can satisfy me. My mood is soaring right now, hahaha."
"You've given birth to monsters using the power of 'Orichalcos', huh? From your appearance, they seem like very powerful cards. As expected of you, Hayato." Dartz smiled, seeing Hayato so satisfied. "Feel free to use Doma's power to become stronger, Hayato. I will support you from behind, my hero~"
Hayato glanced at Dartz, not bothering with him further. Instead, he reached out and took a can of soda from the drinks placed on the Round Table. Without pulling the tab, he casually picked up a pen from the side and stabbed it into the bottom side of the can, making a hole. He then held the can and drank the soda flowing from the hole.
His actions, as if no one else was present, didn't cause Dartz any dissatisfaction. He merely smiled, took the large stack of cards containing the sealed souls of Duelists—including Pegasus—that Rafael had collected during this time, and prepared to offer them as a tribute to the "Orichalcos God."
Watching Dartz leave, Rafael couldn't help but turn his gaze towards Hayato, who was acting completely at home.
"Hayato Kobayashi, may I ask you a question?" Rafael said, looking at Hayato, who had finished his soda and casually discarded the can. "You've said more than once that you want greater power, right? But you've only ever said you need power to stand at the peak forever."
"What is the reason you pursue power?"
Valon and Alister had planned to rest after Dartz left, taking a short break from their continuous hunting Duelist souls during this time, and also preparing for their respective future opponents, Joey Wheeler and Kaiba. But upon hearing Rafael's words, they stopped just as they were about to leave, clearly interested in what kind of answer Hayato would give to Rafael's question.
"Seeking power" was indeed the goal Hayato had mentioned as his reason for staying with Doma. Alister and Valon had heard this before, and Rafael at the time had also expressed understanding that someone standing at the peak would not want to step down.
However, Hayato seeking power to stand at the peak was merely a goal. What was the motivation driving him to achieve this goal? This interested them greatly.
Just like Valon wanted to enjoy a peaceful life, so he was willing to accept Doma's power. Alister needed power to achieve retaliation against KaibaCorp. And Rafael accepted power to realize the new world that Dartz spoke of.
They also needed power, but power was merely a tool to achieve their respective goals, not the ultimate goal itself.
Hayato, with a bit of soda on the corner of his mouth, glanced at Rafael. "Hmm? The reason for seeking power..."
"Instead of saying things you might not understand, how about I answer your question with a question?" As he spoke, Hayato pointed to the Round Table in front of him. "When you are sitting at a Round Table and find napkins on both your left hand and right hand sides, which side's napkin would you pick up? The 'left' side facing you? Or the 'right' side?"
"Huh? Suddenly saying something nonsensical?" Valon frowned in dissatisfaction, hearing Hayato talk about napkins as if changing the subject. "Generally speaking, it's easier to pick up the 'right' side's napkin, right?"
However, Alister had a different opinion. "No, although most people are right-handed, if you're at a dinner table, your right hand is used for knives and spoons. Relatively speaking, the left hand, which only needs to hold a fork, has more free space, so you should pick up the 'left' side's napkin."
Rafael frowned. Like Valon, he thought Hayato's question was too strange and completely unrelated to the question he had asked earlier. However, Hayato still looked at Rafael, waiting for his answer.
"Would you pick up the 'left' side's napkin, or the 'right' side's napkin?"
"In my case, I would pick up the 'left' side's napkin."
Hearing Rafael's answer, Hayato nodded and said, "Hmm, that's also considered a correct answer."
"However, in this 'Society', that is not the case. It is also perfectly fine to substitute the word 'Space'."
"Space?"
"The correct answer is 'the person who first reached out and picked up the napkin'," Hayato announced the correct answer, seeing Rafael's puzzled expression. Rafael was startled upon hearing this, then remembered that it indeed seems like what Hayato said was true. Although the direction for picking up a napkin at a dinner table isn't fixed, it seems like it is determined by the person who first reached out and picked up the napkin.
"Suppose someone picks up the 'right' side's napkin first, then everyone else has no choice but to follow and pick up the 'right' side's napkin; and if they pick up the 'left' side, then everyone else will also pick up the 'left' side. It has to be done this way."
"This is what is called 'Society'."
Saying this, Hayato stood up from the dinner table and walked around the Round Table to the opposite side under the gaze of the three.
"Who determines the value of land? And before that, someone determined the value of money, who was that?"
"What about the size of train tracks and the specification of electrical appliances? Decrees and laws? Who was the first to define these things?"
"Is it because democracy is practiced, allowing everyone in the World to decide together, or is it through free competition?"
"Wrong!"
"The answer is still, determined by 'the person who first picked up the napkin'!"
As he walked and spoke, Hayato's finger traced the surface of the Round Table, disorderly sweeping aside the plates and cutlery that had been neatly arranged on the table.
"The rule of the World is 'either left or right'! As soon as an equilibrium state like this Round Table changes, everyone has no choice but to follow suit and take action! In any era, the movements of this World will only be like these napkins!"
"And the person who picks up the napkin first must necessarily be someone who is 'Respected', such as the 'Host of the Party' or an 'Elder'. Everyone will follow them in picking up the napkin out of 'Respect'."
"And this 'Respect' is relative. It's like the Pope is an important person who is 'Respected', but if Christ is sitting at the dinner table, the Pope also has to follow Christ in picking up the napkin out of 'Respect'."
Upon hearing this, Rafael's eyes widened slightly. Although somewhat vague, he seemed to understand what Hayato was trying to say.
But Alister behind Rafael frowned. "Christ or whatever, what does that have to do with the question? What exactly do you mean?"
"It doesn't mean anything, that was just an 'example'. And what I mean is, I want to obtain something that can make everyone express 'Respect' towards me, express 'Respect' that cannot be shaken by anything, 'Respect' that is as certain as burping after drinking soda."
Hayato stopped and looked at the three. "That is, 'True Power'!"
"Under 'True Power', everyone will only become my 'Companions'. I can be the one who picks up the napkin first. I, Hayato Kobayashi, am destined to sit in the Master's Seat at this 'dinner table'!"
Saying this, Hayato reached out towards a napkin on the table.
"This is the 'napkin on the Round Table'. Everyone in the World after me must abide by this rule!"
"I, Hayato Kobayashi!"
"I have already picked up that first napkin!"
