Chapter 33 – The House Always Wins

Bonus Chapter

The atmosphere inside the conference hall had become electric.

The spectators were no longer simply watching; they were invested. After all, this was it. One duel. One winner. One place in the finals.

The Head Judge raised his hand, "Final Duel. Begin!"

Both players drew their opening hands, and since Dante had won the previous duel, Chuck took the first turn.

He studied his opening hand briefly before summoning Battle Ox.

[Battle Ox – 1700 ATK / 1000 DEF]

Then he set a card, "Turn end."

Dante nodded approvingly, "No dramatic opening?"

Chuck shrugged, "You'll survive."

Several spectators laughed, and even the old gambler chuckled, "Good answer."

The duel quickly developed into the most competitive game of the match.

Unlike the previous two duels, neither player managed to establish control.

Every advantage was answered, every strong monster met resistance, every successful attack was eventually repaid.

Dante began one of the early turns by drawing a card and studying the field.

Battle Ox still occupied Chuck's side of the field.

The old gambler smiled and said, "Let's see how stubborn that thing really is."

He selected a card from his hand and placed it onto the table while announcing, "I summon Axe Raider."

[Axe Raider – 1700 ATK / 1150 DEF]

A murmur spread through the spectators.

Alexander immediately noticed the situation and commented, "Same attack points..."

Dante pointed toward Chuck's field and declared, "Axe Raider attacks Battle Ox."

Without any hesitation, both players moved their cards toward their Graveyard as both monsters were destroyed as a result of that attack

At the same time, the audience erupted into cheers.

"Double knockout!"

"They took each other out!"

"That's one way to clear the field!"

Dante simply chuckled, "Heh... Fair enough."

With neither monster remaining, he casually slid a card facedown onto the field and said, "Turn end."

Chuck nodded and immediately drew.

Unlike earlier in the tournament, he barely reacted to the card entering his hand.

No smile, no tell, no hesitation, something that Dante noticed immediately.

Chuck selected a card and placed it onto the field, "I summon Koumori Dragon."

[Koumori Dragon – 1500 ATK / 1200 DEF]

Before he could continue, Dante tapped his facedown card and said, "Not so fast... I activate Trap Hole."

The trap card flipped face-up.

Several spectators immediately recognised it, and a wave of applause followed.

"That's gone."

"Perfect answer."

"Didn't even stay on the field!"

Chuck clicked his tongue but remained calm and nodded as Koumori Dragon was sent directly to the Graveyard.

His monster had been removed before accomplishing anything.

With no worthwhile attack available and no other play to make, he simply placed one card facedown and announced, "Turn end."

The crowd settled back into their seats.

Neither duelist had gained any advantage, and everything was being answered. Everything.

Dante drew for his turn.

His eyes moved over the card for only a second before he smiled, "Now this one is fun."

He slapped the card onto the table, "I summon Jirai Gumo!"

[Jirai Gumo – 2200 ATK / 100 DEF]

Several spectators reacted immediately.

"Oh, that's risky."

"He's actually playing it?"

"Classic Dante."

The old gambler laughed, "What can I say? I like living dangerously."

He pointed toward Chuck's side of the field and declared, "Jirai Gumo attacks, and it activates its effect."

Immediately, as the monster's effect activated, Dante reached into his pocket and produced a coin before saying with a wide smile on his face, "It's time to gamble."

The crowd cheered.

"Heads!"

"Tails!"

"Call it wrong!"

Dante flipped the coin high into the air, making the entire hall follow its arc.

"Heads."

The coin landed.

Heads.

A roar spread through the spectators.

"He got it!"

"Of course he did!"

"Still lucky!"

Dante grinned, "That's pure skill."

The audience laughed.

They reached forward to change Chuck's Life Points value, but then Chuck calmly raised a hand and said, "Not happening."

A facedown card flipped over as he announced, "I activate Mirror Force."

For a split second, silence filled the hall, then realisation hit.

"NO WAY!"

"Mirror Force!"

"What a blowout!"

"He walked right into it!"

Dante looked down at the revealed trap and immediately started laughing.

The judges confirmed the effect, "Jirai Gumo is destroyed."

Dante picked up the monster card and placed it into his Graveyard.

The old gambler shook his head as his monster was sent to the Graveyard, "Well..."

He pointed toward the empty field, "That could've gone better."

Chuck allowed himself the slightest grin.

The exchange perfectly summarised the duel so far.

Axe Raider had answered Battle Ox. Trap Hole had answered Koumori Dragon. Mirror Force had answered Jirai Gumo.

Neither side could gain meaningful momentum, and the crowd loved it.

Each turn felt important. Each draw felt significant.

Meanwhile, Dante continued talking.

"You know," he said while drawing a card, "you always lean forward when you've got something good."

Chuck ignored him, and Dante raised an eyebrow.

A few turns later, he tried again, "You're considering attacking."

But again no reaction; Chuck simply played his turn.

Several spectators noticed that the old tricks weren't working, and Dante noticed too.

The old gambler smiled; he didn't look disappointed, but rather he looked pleased as if he had been hoping for exactly this.

Alexander noticed it immediately, 'Dante wanted him to adapt.'

The realisation felt strangely fitting, as if this wasn't just a duel but also a lesson, and Chuck had learned it.

Life Points continued to fall.

[Chuck – 2500 LP]

[Dante – 2200 LP]

The duel remained balanced with neither side finding the decisive breakthrough.

Then Chuck drew, and his eyes widened slightly.

The reaction was subtle but not subtle enough.

Several spectators closest to the screens immediately noticed, and whispers spread through the audience, especially those who had seen him play before.

"Oh."

"No way."

"Does he have it?"

People immediately looked toward Chuck's field, then toward his Baby Dragon.

The realisation spread rapidly.

Even Alexander leaned forward slightly.

Chuck calmly placed the card onto the field and said, "I activate Polymerization."

For a moment there was silence, then the entire conference hall erupted.

"No way!"

"Fusion Summon!"

"He's doing it!"

The excitement became contagious; even spectators unfamiliar with the combo had started cheering.

Chuck showed both monsters and said, "I fuse my Baby Dragon on the field and Time Wizard in my hand to Fusion Summon..."

He picked up the only card in his Extra Deck and shouted, "...Thousand Dragon!"

[Thousand Dragon - 2400 ATK / 2000 DEF]

The reaction was immediate as several spectators stood from their seats and even some of the judges couldn't hide their smiles.

The monster looked incredible; the excitement was impossible to contain.

Chuck pointed forward and declared, "I attack!"

The newly summoned dragon destroyed Dante's monster.

[Dante – 1800 LP]

For the first time in the duel, Chuck had seized momentum, then he set one monster and ended his turn.

The crowd exploded.

Then Dante smiled, "Very nice."

He drew, and a moment later he placed a card onto the field, "I activate Graceful Charity."

The old gambler drew three cards and discarded two, then placed another card on the field, "I activate Monster Reborn and Special Summon Barrel Dragon from my Graveyard."

[Barrel Dragon - 2600 ATK / 2200 DEF]

The crowd erupted again.

The monster was a worthy answer and a worthy rival.

Chuck immediately grinned in excitement.

Dante pointed toward the field, "I activate Barrel Dragon's effect."

Several spectators immediately leaned forward.

The old gambler picked up three coins and tossed them.

The entire hall watched.

Head. Head. Tail.

The crowd erupted as Barrel Dragon's effect activated and one of Chuck's Thousand Dragons was destroyed, and the set monster was destroyed by the follow-up attack.

Momentum shifted.

Dante's successful coin flip had put him back in control of the duel, and the old gambler intended to press the advantage.

A turn later, he drew and immediately smiled, "Let's see if Lady Luck still likes me."

He placed a card onto the field, "I summon D. Human."

[D. Human – 1300 ATK / 1100 DEF]

The modest warrior wasn't particularly impressive compared to Barrel Dragon, but everyone understood its purpose.

More pressure, more damage, more ways to force Chuck onto the defensive.

Dante immediately pointed toward the machine monster beside it, "Barrel Dragon's effect."

The crowd leaned forward.

The old gambler produced three coins once more.

"Come on," someone shouted.

"You got this!"

Dante tossed them into the air.

The entire hall watched, and soon the coins landed.

Tail.

Tail.

Head.

A collective groan filled the room.

"No good."

"It failed."

"Aw, come on!"

Dante glanced at the result and shrugged, "Can't win them all."

The audience laughed.

Without missing a beat, he continued, "Battle Phase."

Barrel Dragon attacked first.

Chuck calmly flipped over his facedown monster.

"Dragon Piper."

[Dragon Piper – 200 ATK / 1800 DEF]

A few spectators nodded in understanding.

A respectable wall that also protects Chuck's favourite monster from a very common anti-dragon card, but unfortunately not respectable enough.

"Barrel Dragon attacks Dragon Piper."

The machine dragon's attack overwhelmed the defender, and Dragon Piper was sent to the Graveyard.

Dante immediately followed up, "D. Human attacks directly."

Chuck nodded as the attack connected.

[Chuck – 1200 LP]

The spectators erupted.

The duel was getting dangerously close.

One mistake could end everything.

Dante simply announced, "Turn end."

Chuck drew; his expression remained calm despite the pressure.

Three cards remained in his hand.

He studied the field.

Barrel Dragon. D. Human. Nothing in the Spell and Trap zones.

A dangerous position but not a desperate one.

After a few moments, he made his decision.

Instead of summoning the only monster in his hand, he set one card down and then another.

The crowd immediately noticed.

"Double set?"

"He's turtling."

"Must be planning something."

Chuck offered no explanation.

With only a single card remaining in his hand, he ended his turn.

Dante drew, and his eyes immediately lit up, "Oh, that's useful."

He placed the card onto the table and announced, "I activate Harpie's Feather Duster."

The reaction was immediate.

Several spectators stood from their seats.

Both of Chuck's facedown cards were suddenly in danger.

"That's huge!"

"He'll wipe the whole back row!"

For the first time all turn, Chuck reacted instantly, "No."

One of his facedown cards flipped faceup as he announced, "I activate Magic Jammer. When a Spell Card is activated, I discard 1 card, and if I do, I negate the activation, and if I do, I destroy that card."

The audience erupted.

Chuck discarded the final card from his hand and placed it into the Graveyard.

For a moment, Dante stared at the trap card, then he laughed, "Fair."

The judges confirmed the ruling, "Harpie's Feather Duster is negated and destroyed."

A wave of applause spread through the conference hall.

Chuck had protected his remaining defence, but now his hand was completely empty.

Both duelists were running out of resources.

Dante simply shrugged, "If one plan doesn't work, try another."

He selected a card from his hand and placed it onto the field, "I summon Jirai Gumo."

[Jirai Gumo – 2200 ATK / 100 DEF]

The spectators immediately recognised the monster.

A few even began laughing before anything happened.

"Oh no."

"Not again."

"The gambling spider."

Dante grinned, "What? It worked last time."

The audience laughed.

He pointed toward Chuck's empty field, "Battle Phase."

Jirai Gumo attacked, and immediately its effect activated.

Dante pulled out a coin once more.

The crowd cheered louder than before.

Everyone knew what was at stake.

"Heads!"

"Tails!"

"Don't miss this one!"

The coin flipped high into the air as Dante watched it carefully and called out, "Tails."

The coin landed.

Heads.

For a brief moment, there was silence, then the entire hall exploded.

"He missed!"

"No way!"

"He called it wrong!"

Dante looked down at the coin and winced, "Ouch."

The judges immediately announced the result.

[Jirai Gumo's effect activated]

[Dante – 1800 LP → 900 LP]

The crowd roared.

The duel had suddenly become even closer.

Dante shook his head, "See? This is why casinos make money."

Laughter spread through the room; still, the attack continued.

Jirai Gumo surged forward.

Chuck calmly reached toward his remaining facedown card, "Not this time."

The card flipped faceup, "I activate Mirror Force."

The conference hall erupted.

A wave of realisation swept through the audience.

"No way!"

"Again?!"

"Another one!?"

"He saved it!"

Dante threw his head back and laughed before the judges had even finished confirming the effect.

Mirror Force resolved.

Jirai Gumo was destroyed.

Barrel Dragon was destroyed.

D. Human was destroyed.

Every monster on Dante's field was sent to the Graveyard at once.

The audience exploded into applause.

What had looked like complete control only moments earlier had vanished instantly.

Chuck had survived but barely.

Dante had lost his entire field, and somehow, after all of that, the duel was closer than ever.

Back and forth, back and forth, Life Points continued falling.

Every successful attack felt decisive, every defensive card felt crucial.

Soon both duelists had been pushed to the edge.

[Chuck – 1200 LP]

[Dante – 900 LP]

The spectators barely spoke now as the tension had become too great.

Everyone understood that one opening, one mistake, one draw was all it would take.

Then Chuck drew and quickly his eyes moved across the field, across his hand and across Dante's remaining cards and empty field.

For a moment he froze, but not from uncertainty, from realisation.

Across the table, Dante smiled as he had seen it too.

Both duelists understood that the duel was over.

The only question was whether Chuck had recognised it, but the grin spreading across his face answered everything.

Dante laughed softly, "There it is."

Chuck then activated Monster Reborn and revived his Thousand Dragon, then he pointed forward and announced, "Battle Phase."

The room held its breath as he declared, "Thousand Dragon attacks!"

Dante made no move has he had no response.

The attack connected.

[Dante – 0 LP]

Silence.

A single heartbeat, then the conference hall exploded.

Thunderous applause filled the room.

The Head Judge stepped forward and raised a hand, "Final winner and first finalist..."

The room immediately quieted.

Then came the announcement everyone had been waiting for, "Charles Irvin Zane!"

The hall erupted once more.

Chuck immediately pumped a fist as he yelled, "HELL YEAH!"

Across the table, Dante simply laughed; it was a warm, genuine laugh. Then he stood and extended his hand, "Good duel."

Chuck looked at it for a moment before shaking it, "It was."

The old gambler smiled, "You learned. You stopped listening to me"

Chuck grinned and replied, "Yup. Had to."

Dante nodded approvingly, "Smart decision."

Then the old man laughed, "That's probably why you won."

More applause followed as Dante left the table, not as a loser, but as one of the most popular players in the tournament.

For a brief moment, the noise of the crowd seemed to fade, then the applause returned in full force because the first finalist had been decided.

Meanwhile, Alexander's attention shifted toward the remaining semifinalists.

Virginia Potts and Victor Von Doom.

Unlike the previous match, neither looked particularly interested in smiling.

The next duel would decide who faced Chuck for the championship, and somehow Alexander had a feeling it would be far more intense than the previous one.