Chapter 242: Dragon of Thunder
Slifer the Sky Dragon, without needing Marik's declaration, fired a Thunder Force, which landed on the Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 Hayato had Special Summoned with the effect of Armed Dragon Thunder LV7.
Amidst the overflowing lightning, Slifer's Thunder Force finally took effect, destroying it the moment it appeared. But before Marik could even smile, the Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 on Hayato's field, which had just been destroyed by the Thunder Force, reappeared as if time had reversed.
[Armed Dragon Thunder LV10] [3000 ATK/2000 DEF → 3000 ATK/0 DEF]
"Because I Special Summoned Armed Dragon Thunder in Defense Position, Slifer's effect activated, reducing its DEF to 0 and triggering its destruction effect. Armed Dragon Thunder should have been sent to the Graveyard," Hayato explained.
"But because of the effect of Ojama Pajama Party on my field, when an Armed Dragon monster is destroyed by battle or effect, I can banish one Ojama monster from my Graveyard as a substitute."
In front of Armed Dragon Thunder LV10, in its Defense Position, the figure of Ojama Blue gradually dissipated.
"At the same time, because it was sent to the Graveyard to activate the effect of an Armed Dragon monster, Armed Dragon Thunder LV7's effect activated, allowing me to add one Armed Dragon card from my Deck to my Hand."
Although he didn't quite understand the concept of Card Advantage, because he often used Slifer the Sky Dragon, Marik paid a bit more attention to his Hand than other Duelists of the same era.
Looking at Hayato catching a card that popped out of his Deck, Marik finally noticed something: Hayato had seven cards in his Hand at the start of his turn, and after upgrading the monster on his field, he actually still had a full five cards in his Hand?
This was even without him using Hand-replenishing cards like Card of Demise!
"I Set two cards and end my turn."
Under Marik's wary gaze, Hayato ended his turn.
[Hayato: 4000 LP, Hand 3]
[Armed Dragon Thunder LV10] [0 DEF]
[Ojama Pajama Party] [Set] X2
"My turn! Draw!"
[Slifer the Sky Dragon] [4000 ATK → 5000 ATK]
Marik glanced at the card he drew; it was Golden Ladybug. Although its ATK and DEF were quite weak, because it had the effect to recover Life Points from the Hand every turn, Marik included it in his Deck.
"In my Standby Phase, I activate the effect of Golden Ladybug in my Hand." Marik revealed the card. "By revealing it until the end of the turn, I recover 500 Life Points."
[Marik: 4000 → 4500 LP]
"Then, I Normal Summon Vampire Baby in Attack Position."
On Marik's field, a baby with a pacifier still in its mouth appeared, wearing a black cloak, looking at Armed Dragon Thunder on Hayato's field, and showed an evil smile.
[Vampire Baby] [Level 3 / DARK Attribute]
[Zombie/Effect]
[700/1000]
At the same time, Slifer the Sky Dragon on Marik's field also had its ATK decreased due to the change in the number of cards in his Hand.
[Slifer the Sky Dragon] [5000 ATK → 4000 ATK]
"Enter the Battle Phase!" Marik sneered and pointed forward. "Slifer, attack that Armed Dragon Thunder! Superconductive Wave - Thunder Force!"
The giant dragon bearing the name of the God of the Underworld opened its fanged mouth again. This time, however, unlike when it fired the Thunder Force using its upper mouth just now, Slifer the Sky Dragon opened its lower mouth.
Lightning converged into a huge ball of thunder almost the size of Slifer the Sky Dragon's entire head; with a single blast, the thunder ball transformed into a thick energy cannon and blasted towards Armed Dragon Thunder on Hayato's field.
Although its name contained "Thunder," just like Dark Knight is an EARTH Attribute monster and Swift Wind Dark Knight is a DARK Attribute monster, having "Thunder" in its name didn't mean Armed Dragon Thunder had immunity to lightning. What's more, its current DEF had been reduced to 0 by the previous Thunder Force, so it had no ability to withstand this attack at all.
"Activate the effect of Ojama Pajama Party! I banish one Ojama monster again!" Hayato waved his hand. A card of Ojama Red popped out of the Graveyard, banishing it from the game to substitute for Armed Dragon Thunder's destruction.
"Heh heh, you completely fell for it, Hayato." Seeing that Slifer's attack didn't work, Marik suddenly started laughing. "If you had just honestly let your monster be destroyed, at most you would have only taken Vampire Baby's direct attack and lost 700 Life Points."
"But now, you've completely stepped into my trap!" Marik pointed proudly at Vampire Baby. "I will use Vampire Baby to attack your Armed Dragon Thunder, and at the end of the Battle Phase when it destroys your monster, I can Special Summon that monster to my field!"
"What? It has that kind of effect!" Ishizu outside the field was startled. If the Armed Dragon Thunder that Hayato had finally managed to Summon was just taken by Marik like this, that would be terrible!
"Want to steal my monster? No way! I'm the one who steals monsters around here." Hayato looked at Vampire Baby obeying Marik's command and pouncing towards Armed Dragon Thunder. "Activate the effect of Armed Dragon Thunder LV10! When it is Special Summoned by the effect of an Armed Dragon and its ATK is 1000 or more:"
"Once per opponent's turn, you can discard one card, then target another card on the field and activate this effect. Destroy that card, then this card gains 1000 ATK."
"Counterattack, Armed Dragon! High-Pressure Electric Shock!"
One card from Hayato's Hand was sent to the Graveyard, transforming into powerful energy to power up Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 on the field. Vampire Baby, which had flown up to Armed Dragon Thunder, had just taken off its pacifier and was about to bite it, but was instantly electrocuted into a pile of ash by the uncontrolled lightning overflowing from Armed Dragon Thunder.
[Armed Dragon Thunder LV10] [3000 ATK/0 DEF → 4000 ATK/0 DEF]
"It increased its own ATK? Damn it!" Marik's eyes narrowed. Now Slifer's ATK was only 4000, and Armed Dragon's ATK had actually become equal to a God's; he felt things were not looking good. If it weren't for the fact that only the effect of a monster with a Level higher than a God's could affect a God, Slifer would probably have been taken down just now.
Without Setting any cards either, as that would only continue to decrease the God's ATK, Marik hastily ended his turn. "I end my turn."
[Marik: 4500 LP, Hand 4]
[Slifer the Sky Dragon] [4000 ATK]
[Set]