Right now Hayato Kuroda felt as if life had just done him dirty.
How many times had he played Card Destruction in his dueling career?
Fifty? A hundred?
He couldn't remember.
And he was certain he wasn't the only frequent user. As a non-rare staple shown later in Yugi Muto's deck during Duelist Kingdom era coverage, this card had enjoyed hefty adoption for years. Plenty of people used it.
So everyone runs it. Opening hand bad? Card Destruction. Want to fill the GY? Card Destruction. Why has nothing ever gone wrong for anyone else?
Why did mine blow up everything?
Kira nearly burst out laughing.
"Honestly, I've run this deck a long time, but someone as enthusiastic as you, charging headfirst into the trap on your own? That's a first."
Protector of the Sanctuary plus Card Destruction can nuke the opponent's entire hand in one go and immediately strip any ability to play—practically revoking their license to play Yu-Gi-Oh.
But it's not easy to assemble: while Protector of the Sanctuary is face-up, "opponent can't draw" means Card Destruction can't be activated. You have to activate Card Destruction first, then chain a separate effect to bring Protector of the Sanctuary onto the field before resolution.
So to pull this off with perfect "cooperation" from both sides… talk about bad luck.
"But anyway, don't you Society of Light folks say everything is fate? Every draw and every outcome preordained?"
Kira grinned.
"So are you telling me that the great Light fated you to blow up your own hand this turn?"
Hayato: "…"
He twitched, glared, and couldn't find words.
Soon he snorted heavily.
"Of course, everything is the best arrangement of fate. Even if you destroyed my hand, I still have 'Assault Cannon Beetle' on the field."
I still have the advantage!
"Assault Cannon Beetle, attack!" Hayato roared. "Crush Protector of the Sanctuary!"
Assault Cannon Beetle charged, as if carrying its master's fury.
"On your attack declaration, activate the GY effect of 'Kuribohrn,'" Kira said. "If it's in the GY when the opponent declares an attack, I can banish it to Special Summon any number of 'Kuriboh' from my GY."
"Kuriboh?" Hayato frowned.
"Special Summon 'Winged Kuriboh' and 'Kuriboh' from the GY."
[Winged Kuriboh, DEF 200]
[Kuriboh, DEF 200]
Seeing the fluffy balls fly out, Hayato furrowed his brow: "Cards you dumped off Card Destruction, huh."
But with 200 DEF walls, he wasn't too concerned.
Protector of the Sanctuary was cleaved and shattered into glittering fragments.
Breaking it now was more catharsis than utility—he had no hand anyway.
And besides attacking, he had nothing else he could do, since—again—no hand.
"My turn, draw."
Kira glanced at the card, smiled mysteriously.
"Since you're so devoted to the Light guiding your fate, let me show you this instead—the incarnation of your so-called Light!
I discard two cards to Special Summon the avatar of Light of Destruction—
—Candelato, the Beast of Light!!!"
Hayato: "???"
As the pillar of light crashed down and that mighty form emerged, Hayato's eyes went wide.
He could feel it. His soul, "purified by light," sensed it—the opponent wasn't lying.
This was the very incarnation of the Light that guided their fate!
[Candelato, the Beast of Light, ATK ?]
It was, of course, that alien's card Jaden had defeated before. After the alien was beaten, the deck was confiscated and studied by KaibaCorp. With sufficient data and testing, it eventually found its way to Kira.
By now it no longer housed Light of Destruction, just a faint residue. But since the monster itself was something not of Earth, a crystallization of that Light's power, a Light believer like Hayato was naturally shaken.
"H-how do you have a card like that!?"
He stared at Kira, an absurd thought bubbling up.
Could it be… the Duel King is one of us?
"Big reaction?" Kira smiled. "If you like it that much, I'll give it to you.
Activate Spell 'Creature Swap.' Each player chooses a monster they control; swap control."
Hayato froze.
What?
He's being this nice—handing over the glorious incarnation of Light…
He grew more suspicious.
Is he really one of us?
"Of course, you only have 'Assault Cannon Beetle,'" Kira said. "So that's your only choice. I'll give you 'Candelato, the Beast of Light.' Use it well."
The monsters swapped; Candelato went to Hayato, Assault Cannon Beetle to Kira.
"Oh right, forgot to mention," Kira squinted. "Candelato's ATK equals the controller's hand size x 1000.
Your hand size is 0. So Candelato's ATK is…"
[Candelato, the Beast of Light, ATK 0]
Hayato: "…"
He instantly realized how naïve he'd been to suspect the man might be "nice"…
"Gifting me a 0 ATK target?" Hayato said darkly.
"Is it, though?"
Kira smiled.
"Your Assault Cannon Beetle is quite the monster. You just don't seem to know how to use it. Let me demonstrate."
Snap.
"Assault Cannon Beetle, activate effect: tribute 1 monster you control; inflict 800 damage to the opponent.
I tribute 'Winged Kuriboh'—800 damage."
[Hayato, LP 4000 → 3200]
"Pathetic," Hayato grunted. "Only that much—"
"Next, tribute 'Kuriboh.' 800 damage."
[Hayato, LP 3200 → 2400]
Hayato's face went black. He said nothing.
That's the terror of Assault Cannon Beetle. At first glance, tributing a monster for only 800 damage looks weak—but the key is, it doesn't say "once per turn."
Across Yu-Gi-Oh history, any effect that tributes monsters to deal damage—whether 800 or a measly 100—tends to be heinous, made for the banlist waiting room.
Only two shots in, and Hayato was already at a dangerous 2400—exactly within his own beetle's kill range.
Kira had swapped away his beetle, gifting him a 0-ATK Gandora instead. If an attack went through, his fate would be sealed.
"Assault Cannon Beetle, attack 'Candelato, the Beast of Light.'"
"Not so fast!" Hayato shouted. "Counter Trap: Negate Attack! Negate that monster's attack and end the Battle Phase!"
It was a card he'd set on turn one.
But this was the first time Kira had gone on the offensive, so the first chance to use it.
"Fine," Kira said. "Turn end."
Hayato's turn. He took a deep breath, calming himself.
Stay cool.
As a member of the Society of Light, the most important thing is to always believe everything is arranged for the best. The Light has laid the path to victory. No matter what happens, remain composed.
Trust that the next draw will reveal the road to victory.
"My turn, draw!"
"Sorry, no," Kira smiled. "Candelato's other effect: while it's on the field, its controller cannot draw during the Draw Phase."
Hayato froze mid-motion.
Huh?
Can't draw?
He stared at the Light of Destruction's exalted avatar on his field. The dragon stared back, both heads blinking innocently.
Seconds ticked by.
Then he exploded.
No draw? What kind of self-nerfing abomination is this?
Why does this thing exist?
Candelato looked down at him—both heads lowered—blink blink, all innocence.
But Hayato had snapped. The awe he'd felt at sensing the Light's power evaporated, leaving one thought—
—Screw your destiny of Light.
Light of Destruction? What a joke!
Why would the Light's power incarnate into something so stupid?
His hand was gone by his own doing, now he couldn't draw, and he could do literally nothing.
All he could do was switch the stupid dragon to defense and wait to die.
Unless the opponent was kind enough to kill it for him in DEF.
But of course, Kira wasn't that kind.
"My turn, draw," Kira said casually. "Normal Summon 'Clear Kuriboh.'
Activate Assault Cannon Beetle: tribute Clear Kuriboh, 800 damage."
[Hayato, LP 2400 → 1600]
"Turn end."
Kira made a little "after you" gesture.
"Your turn again. You still can't draw. Please proceed."
Hayato: "…"
He still had LP left, but he knew.
He was already dead.