"I'm going to beat you to death today!"
No splitting. Zero splitting.
Standing by the dueling ring, the bounty hunter named Rutz didn't even look like a normal human. He was over two meters tall, bald, and his muscles were so massive it felt like he could perform a "clothes-bursting" technique just by flexing. By comparison, even though Zero had a normal build, he looked far too frail.
Fortunately, the method of combat was cards. If it were a physical brawl, Zero figured his odds of winning were 3-to-7 at best—three punches from Rutz, and Zero would be in seven pieces. But then again, the man was a professional bounty hunter. Facing an opponent like Zero, who looked like a total "junk" rookie, why would he bother with a money-splitting deal?
Furthermore, Zero couldn't just forfeit. Finis's condition was that he had to give it his all. Forfeiting would mean no pay and a ruined reputation. Wait, do I even have a reputation?
"Big guy, what's with the attitude!"
Since it was the pre-battle trash-talk phase, Wangchuan You, as his best bro, naturally had to stand up for him. "Those are just fake muscles! Zero could take a punch from you standing still and not even lose his breath!"
=(´ﾟдﾟ`) Are you really my best friend with 100 favorability?
"Don't be afraid, Zero," You whispered, giving him a wink. "Let him hit you once. He'll be imprisoned by Eva for violence, and you'll win instantly. We'll save the whole duel!"
Yeah, save the duel and lose my life.
Finis frowned slightly. "As the rumors said, Rutz's personality has changed a lot recently."
The bounty hunter profession was about winning duels to earn money. The motto of the trade was generally to avoid unnecessary trouble. But this big guy looked as irritable as someone who ate children for breakfast.
Zero couldn't help but wonder, "Is he on something? This isn't boxing; do performance-enhancing drugs even work for card games?"
"Hahaha! Finis, the dog you brought along is quite amusing."
A boisterous laugh that didn't make Zero feel very "boisterous" came from behind them. A man who bore a slight resemblance to Finis approached, a meaningful smirk on his face as he tapped Finis on the shoulder.
Hearing the familiar voice, Finis didn't even bother to turn around. "Second Brother, I figured you'd show up."
"Hahaha! This is my lovely sister's first time fighting for the family's interests. How could I miss such a fascinating event?"
Finis's second brother was Karl Wynn, the man who looked down on her illegitimate status and sidelined her within the family. "Father must be getting old to hand a 26-million-point contract to you." Karl shrugged. Though he was Finis's brother, his hair wasn't the same pale red; it was closer to a brownish-red.
One had to admit the Wynn genes were good. Finis's beauty went without saying, and even her brother was handsome enough that Zero felt they might be evenly matched.
"26 million isn't much, but it's no different from handing it to the Nanguiyuan family on a silver platter. Alas, I have an important client to attend to tonight, so I can't stay in the cheap seats with my lovely sister."
Finis gritted her teeth. "I haven't lost yet. Whose side are you on, Second Brother?"
"Hahaha! I'm on the side of the spectators, of course! But the dog you found is indeed interesting." Karl took his hand off Finis's shoulder and turned his gaze to Zero. "A duelist from Sector 32, using junk monsters with zero combat power, actually wanting to challenge the bounty hunter Rutz. Is that not the height of entertainment?"
It was clear from his words that Karl had investigated Zero's background. The duel with Nikaido yesterday had reached the Wynn family's ears through various informants. Naturally, that included Amano Zero's name.
"Amano Zero, I have high hopes for you!" Unlike the tap on Finis's shoulder, Karl slammed both hands onto Zero's shoulders, acting as if they were old friends. "I've put a heavy bet on you! I bet you'll go down within six turns. Don't hold out too long~"
With those words, Karl laughed and walked away toward the top-tier VIP boxes to meet his "important client."
"What an annoying guy!" Wangchuan You gave a polite middle finger to Karl's departing back.
"Sorry about that, Amano. My brother is just like that. Don't let him get to you. It looks like it's about to start." Finis pointed toward the central ring. Rutz was already standing on his side of the field. He even had servants from the Sharia Group massaging his arm muscles and swapping out his mouthguard.
Are we really not boxing? By contrast, Zero had only two supporters.
"Need a massage, Zero!" You's fingers moved nimbly, his eyes sparkling with anticipation as he looked at Zero.
"No thanks." Even though You's fingers were long and slender, the way they were wiggling so flexibly was actually a bit creepy. Zero rubbed his own neck, which was already stiffening from the pressure, and stepped toward the ring. He'd rather be massaged by a real beautiful girl, not a fake one.
"Good luck, Amano!" The real beautiful girl, Finis, offered only verbal support. "Don't let my brother get to you. Make sure you last more than six turns—whatever you do, don't let him win any money!"
"..."
If possible, I'd prefer you bet on me winning. Even if that was a highly impractical delusion.
As Zero entered the central ring, he could feel the clear flow of emotions from the rowdy crowd.
"Where'd this brat come from?" "Look at how scruffy he is. Can he even afford strong cards?" "Is he just a sacrificial lamb the Wynn family found?" "Rutz, take him out in one hit!"
No one believed Zero could win this duel. Even Zero's initial goal was just to survive and take the money. But as he stepped onto the real battlefield, as the iron cage of the ring rose to lock them both inside...
I want to win! I want to slap these people's faces! Even in another world, he was still a Duelist who pursued victory at all costs.
Amidst the boos, a voice of a completely different nature reached his ears. "Crush him, Zero!"
Not everyone thought he would lose. He still had a "true brother" with 100 favorability expecting a fight.
"Bring it on, Baldy!"
Zero's Eva Terminal flashed with a deep blue light. He switched to Duel Mode, and with a crisp mechanical sound, the watch-like terminal expanded into a blue Duel Disk.
"You're going to regret standing here!" Rutz roared, his veins bulging as he deployed his own Duel Disk. His disk had a row of steel spikes around the outer edge, looking more like a weapon than a game accessory. Zero really wanted to ask if the man had ever killed someone with it.
Since the underground duel bypassed Eva's rules, the opening announcement was read by the arena's own system.
[Duelist: Amano Zero] [Duelist: Rutz] [Data Network Hacked. Dueling Field Generated.] [Special Add-on: Deathmatch] [Duelists who bet everything... let the outcome of the duel be the scale that weighs your lives!] [DUEL!!]
This time, the first turn didn't go to Zero. Rutz's dangerous-looking Duel Disk lit up first.
"DRAW—!!"
His violent draw was so powerful that Zero could feel the wind pressure even across the cage. After scanning his hand, Rutz glared. "Fighting a penniless opponent like you, I won't even get any cards worth taking."
There was an additional rule in underground duels: the winner could take any one card from the loser's deck. Since it was outside Eva's jurisdiction, this was treated as a gambling stake. No matter how valuable the card was, the loser had to hand it over. Compared to the famous Rutz, Zero really didn't have any good cards.
Rutz pulled three identical cards from his hand; they looked tiny in his massive fingers.
"I activate the Spell card, Polymerization!"
"Right off the bat? Fusion?" Zero's brow jumped. As a professional bounty hunter making millions per duel, Rutz could easily afford to use a 30,000-point Polymerization.
"I fuse Giga-Tech Wolf and Cannon Soldier from my hand! Fusion Summon! Charge into the iron cage—Labyrinth Tank!"
Labyrinth Tank [Level 7 / Dark] [Machine / Fusion] [ATK: 2400 / DEF: 2400] [Giga-Tech Wolf + Cannon Soldier]
With the high-speed rotation of its drills and the violent roar of its engine, the tank's materialized steel body charged into the cage. This thing looked far more terrifying than a truck. If he got hit by this with high physical feedback, it would be no joke. Fortunately, the player who goes first cannot attack.
"It's not over!" Rutz wasn't finished. "Quick-Play Spell, De-Fusion! I return Labyrinth Tank to the Extra Deck to Special Summon its Fusion Materials, Giga-Tech Wolf and Cannon Soldier, back to the field!"
The Fusion that had just been completed was split apart in the next instant. Giga-Tech Wolf had 1200 ATK, and Cannon Soldier had 1400. Splitting them up didn't seem like a wise move.
However, the move elicited a roar of cheers from the Sharia Group's side.
"It's coming!" "Is he going to show us that?!" "One of Rutz's ace monsters! To think he'd summon it on the first turn! That kid is dead!"
Rutz held up a card surrounded by lightning effects. "I haven't performed my Normal Summon this turn! I Tribute both monsters on my field to Tribute Summon!"
In Yu-Gi-Oh! rules, Level 5 and 6 monsters require one Tribute, while Level 7 and higher require two.
"Descend, O Demon God sleeping in the depths of the labyrinth! Bring the judgment of thunder upon the intruders! Tribute Summon—Sanga of the Thunder!"
Sanga of the Thunder [Level 7 / Light] [Thunder / Effect] [ATK: 2600 / DEF: 2200]
The massive demon god descended into the cage, its arrival seemingly sending an electric current through the iron bars. This was the summon the Sharia Group was so excited for—what Rutz was "showing" them.
But the more Zero watched, the more familiar the sequence became. Isn't this the classic Jaden Yuki five-for-one from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX? Using five cards from your hand to bring out one high-level monster.
Rutz, you bastard! So you have a HERO's soul too?!
────────────────────────────────────────
🔥 Want more chapters & early access?
Support me here:
👉 https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
✨ Get:
• Early access chapters
• Full access to all released chapters
• Support the story you love ❤️
📖 Yu-ki-oh:King of the Scraps (86 Chapters – Ongoing)
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────