**Chapter 865: Force of Habit**
"I'm soaring!"
Even bearing the name of "God," before the power of **(Super Polymerization)** which surpassed "God," **"Despair God - Anti-Hope"** was pulverized without resistance, merging with the power of **(First of the Dragons - Ancient Dragon)**, and transforming into a "vine" on **Hayato's** Field.
"Whether it's ancient history, shadows, or despair, all are nourishment for the flower blooming in the depths of Hell. Absorb power and bloom, my Soul!"
**Hayato** roared, and hearing **Hayato's** voice, the vine-like purple Dragon suddenly opened its eyes!
"Fusion Summon! **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)**!"
**(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)** [Level 8/DARK Attribute]
[Dragon-Type/Fusion/Effect]
[2800/2000]
"H-He actually used my 'God' as material!?" On **Syrus's** Duel Disk, with **(Super Polymerization)'s** activation, the card for **"Despair God - Anti-Hope"** vanished, heading to the Graveyard. The one who was just so arrogant finally showed a panicked expression. "Without my 'God,' how can I Duel any further!?"
"No! I need to calm down!" His fingernails dug into his flesh from his clenched fists. The pain made **Syrus** calm down for a moment, looking at the **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)** in Attack Position on **Hayato's** Field. "It's just a Monster with 2800 Attack Points. It cannot destroy **(Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union)**. I still have my last resort—"
But **Syrus's** muttering was interrupted by **Hayato's** words: "Actually, the Material requirements for **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)** are just two DARK Attribute Monsters. However, when all the Materials used for its Fusion Summon are Monsters on the Field, its first Effect activates, and its Attack becomes equal to the combined Attack of all Special Summoned Monsters on the opponent's Field until the end of this turn."
"That means, **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)'s** Attack at this moment will increase by the Attack of **(Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union)**, which is 3600 points."
**(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)** obeyed, extending several vines that instantly wrapped around **(Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union)** on **Syrus's** Field. The orbs all over its body lit up with dazzling, beautiful, yet dangerous purple light, and its Attack surged dramatically.
**(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)** [ATK 2800→6400]
He wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but the moment **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)'s** Attack increase was complete, **Hayato** saw several orbs seemed to have absorbed enough nutrients, splitting open like plant seeds. However, he paid it no mind; instead, he waved his hand under **Syrus's** terrified gaze and said:
"Enter Battle Phase! Target **(Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union)**! Attack, **(Starving Venom)**!"
"Ancient Abyss, open! Light that covers the Earth, Darkness that obscures the sky, sink into the Abyss that even time cannot reach!"
"Moon Pearl that veils the twilight!"
Even though it was daytime, the moment **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)**, with its Attack surging to 6400, attacked, many people present felt they saw a crescent moon, casting a mind-altering moonlight that drove them to madness. The purple orbs on **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)'s** body shone even brighter.
When the light dissipated, the enormous **(Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union)** had been silently destroyed, its wreckage covered by vines; even its metal became nourishment, feeding the growth of the vines. **Syrus**, moreover, was knocked directly to the ground and fell unconscious, just as he had done to his older brother, **Zane Truesdale**.
The numbers on his Duel Disk rapidly dropped to zero.
[**Syrus**: 500 LP→0]
With only 500 LP remaining, after this Duel transformed into a **Shadow Game** and then taking 2800 Battle Damage from **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)**, which exceeded **(Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union)'s** ATK, it wasn't hard to understand why **Syrus**, merely an annoying ten-year-old brat, would simply pass out.
However, while **Hayato** and the others were accustomed to this sight, many of the Apprentices observing the Duel were astonished by the World of Duel Monsters, which they still didn't deeply understand, even starting to back out.
"I-It's just a card game, how did two people pass out like this?" "Duel Monsters is too dangerous, isn't it? I never knew it was such a dangerous game!" "While it's hot..."
It seems some strange remarks were mixed in?
But **Hayato** didn't care if those **Cyber Style** Apprentices would fear Duel Monsters just from watching a single Duel. If they flinched at this level, their purity wouldn't be much, and it wouldn't suit the straightforward **Cyber Style**. He still had very important tasks that he couldn't entrust to anyone else.
He removed **Zane Truesdale's** Duel Disk. Only when using someone else's Duel Disk did **Hayato** realize again how incredibly useful **Mokuba's** modified Auto-search and Auto-shuffle function was on his own Duel Disk. After tidying his Deck and returning it to his card box, **Hayato** wasn't in a hurry to return the Duel Disk to the still-unconscious **Zane Truesdale**; instead, he quickly walked over to the fallen **Syrus**.
Subconsciously, **Hayato** was about to skillfully remove the opponent's Duel Disk and take out their entire Deck.
"Tsk, I almost did it out of habit."
After a brief pause, **Hayato** only took a few **(Roid)** cards, then retrieved the **"Despair God - Anti-Hope"** card from the Graveyard Zone of **Syrus's** Duel Disk.
His purpose in interrupting **Syrus's** Duel with **Zane Truesdale** midway was for this card. He was extremely curious why this card would appear in **Syrus's** Hand. However, it wasn't suitable to study the card in public. **Hayato** simply put the **"Despair God - Anti-Hope"** card into the card box on his waist, planning to examine it carefully later.
He wasn't worried at all about this **"Despair God - Anti-Hope"** card being placed in the card box, in case it was stolen or secretly tried to influence others around **Hayato**. After all, **Hayato** always kept his Deck in the system's inventory; the card box merely served as a disguise, containing the **Earthbound Immortals** and the **Egyptian God Cards**.
Although **"Despair God - Anti-Hope"** had a considerable presence in the manga, judging by the power of this card that **Hayato** obtained, not to mention the **Egyptian God Cards**, even **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)** possessed stronger power than it. If it truly dared to do anything under the suppression of his ace monsters, **Hayato** would have to commend its courage.
Speaking of **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)**, **Hayato** also recalled the changes he noticed on **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)** during the Duel, and casually opened his system. Right after the Duel, besides the DP points settlement notification, he recalled hearing another message. And as soon as he opened the system, he received an achievement completion notification.
[Congratulations, you have completed the **Hidden Achievement**: "It branches and sprouts day and night until it bears bright fruit"]
[Achievement Details: Summon **(Starving Venom Fusion Dragon)** with **(Super Polymerization)** and devour a certain number of times (3/3)]
[Note: The devoured target has a strength requirement; this **Achievement** is unknown until completion]
[Reward: 1000 DP, obtained **(Predaplant)** Structure Deck]
(end of chapter)