Chapter 1343: Contempt

"Dark Armed Dragon's effect: destroy the face-down card in the back row!"

Bakura pointed at Dartz's back row. At the same time, Dark Armed Dragon fired its second cannon blast, the pitch-black necromantic projectile locking onto that face-down card.

This was one of the great strengths of Dark Armed Dragon; as long as the prerequisite of "three Dark-attribute monsters in the Graveyard" was met, it could be summoned for almost no cost, and its card-destruction ability had no "once per turn" restriction.

This was precisely why Dark Armed Dragon had been all the rage back in the day, achieving a remarkably high usage rate in the competitive environment.

Yet, Dartz remained calm as he watched the cannon blast from the Armed Dragon, seemingly unconcerned about his defensive line being breached. He snapped his fingers casually.

"Then, I chain the face-down card targeted by the Armed Dragon," Dartz said. "The Trap Card, 'Sixth Sense'."

"After this card is activated, I can declare two numbers from 1 to 6, and then my opponent rolls a die."

"If the result of the die roll is one of the numbers I declared, I can draw that many cards from my Deck."

"Conversely, if the die roll does not result in one of the numbers I declared, I send that many cards from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard."

As he spoke, a massive die appeared above the two of them, spinning at high speed in the air until it became a blurred afterimage.

Bakura: "Oh? Want to gamble on luck?"

"There is no such thing as luck, only fate," Dartz said indifferently. "The numbers I declare are 5 and 6. But in truth, I don't need to declare two numbers at all; if the card's effect allows, the only number I need to declare is '6'."

Sure enough, the spinning die tumbled down, rolling and flipping nimbly until it came to a stop, the face pointing upward truly showing the number 6.

Bakura laughed: "Your beginner's luck is decent, but you wouldn't happen to be saying this is proof that so-called 'fate' is on your side, would you? If you're going to say that, I actually knew a mediocre human with no talent who had that same ability..."

Dartz said loudly: "This is precisely fate! Because the future of this world is leaning toward me, toward Orichalcos. You had your era, but that has already passed. Even an existence like you needs to see the torrent of fate clearly."

Bakura burst into loud laughter, laughing until he was clutching his stomach, laughing until he nearly choked.

After a long while, he wiped his stomach and reached out a hand: "So-sorry, I really apologize, it's just too hilarious. Watching you, knowing nothing, spouting nonsense with such a straight face, and even treating it like some kind of holy scripture..."

Dartz frowned slightly, seemingly starting to feel a bit displeased. He didn't speak again, simply accepting the power of that forbidden card as he drew six cards from his Deck in one go.

"But this way, you only have one face-down card left on your field, and I still have ammunition remaining," Bakura said. "Activating 'Dark Armed Dragon's' effect for the third time!"

"Banishing a Dark-attribute monster from the Graveyard as cannon fodder, firing again!"

The final monster emerged from the Graveyard and was absorbed into the body of the pitch-black Armed Dragon. The Armed Dragon fired its third blast, this time aiming at the last remaining face-down card in Dartz's back row, the black projectile tearing through the air.

Boom!

The third shot fired, and the face-down card was burned to ashes in the pitch-black flames. With this, Dartz's entire defensive line finally collapsed completely, leaving him with absolutely nothing.

"Now you've truly been stripped bare," Bakura shouted. "Dark Armed Dragon, direct attack!"

Dark Armed Dragon spat out darkness from its mouth, black flames erupting like a tidal wave, sweeping majestically over Dartz.

【Dartz, LP 5100 → LP 2300】

The pitch-black dragon's flames roared over his body, as if to tear him apart. But Dartz remained standing, his expression devoid of joy or sorrow, his gaze cold as if it were not his own body being ravaged by the black flames, but someone else's.

Bakura smiled playfully: "What? Even like this, your thoughts haven't changed? You still think fate is on your side?"

Dartz brushed off the remaining dim sparks from his body and said in a calm tone: "It is irrelevant whether I believe it; this is the fact. Just as your seemingly heavy attack just now is still futile in the face of the destined outcome."

"And this card is the proof."

As he spoke, he drew a card from his hand and inserted it directly into his Duel Disk.

"I discard one card from my hand to activate the Trap Card 'Rainbow Life' from my hand!"

The trap was inserted into the Duel Disk, and seven-colored rainbow light converged, transforming into a rainbow-like bridge. That bridge poured down waves of warmth, and the ink-like golden radiance was absorbed into Dartz's body.

Bakura: "Activation from the hand... the last face-down card you just destroyed?"

"Correct. The last trap you destroyed just now was 'Cross Counter Trap'. When this card is destroyed, I have one opportunity this turn to activate a Trap Card from my hand."

Dartz shook the Trap Card he was holding up.

"'Rainbow Life' is activated by discarding one card from my hand; it allows my Life Points to recover to the value they were at the start of the turn, and on top of that, recover Life Points equal to the amount of damage I received this turn!" (Anime effect)

【Dartz, LP 2300 → LP 5100 → LP 7900】

Bakura cupped his chin: "Tsk, are your Life Points actually increasing the more I attack?"

"This is exactly what I have been telling you," Dartz said. "I said it before: you are now standing on the opposite side of fate, attempting to resist the great trend of the era."

"The more you resist, the more counterproductive it will be. This is why you cannot win, why it is impossible for you to defeat me. Give up, and watch quietly from the sidelines. At least we both know that when this world is destroyed and reshaped by the hands of the Orichalcos God, you have the capital to stay out of it, don't you? Why must you risk it?"

"Risk it?" Bakura laughed again upon hearing this. "You don't actually think you could pose even the slightest threat to me, do you?"

A flash of displeasure crossed Dartz's eyes again briefly.

He had been treated with contempt again.

From the start of this duel... no, even before it began. The opponent had constantly treated him with contempt, looking at him as if he were examining a lowly ant.

Even though he had continuously gained the advantage during the duel, continuously neutralized the opponent's moves, and suppressed the opponent into a corner (at least that was how Dartz felt), that annoying attitude on the other side hadn't changed in the slightest.

"Fine. If you truly believe this is your fate, and believe in your god, then seize the opportunity I've given you and come at me with everything you've got."

Bakura played two more cards.

"I set two cards face-down, turn end."

Dartz took a deep breath.

Stay calm, don't be bewitched by the opponent's words. The advantage in the duel is still his own; the opponent's continuous 'NTR' behavior has all been blocked by him beautifully, and even Dark Armed Dragon's triple destruction was handled.

There is nothing to be afraid of.

Dartz: "My turn, draw!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 1344 =====