# Chapter 57: Is Destiny Unchangeable?
Although Weevil seemed quite short, that was only when compared to taller individuals like Joey Wheeler and Hayato. His actual height was around 1.6 meters, coincidentally the same height as a certain extremely clean freak (clean freak) soldier. With the full force of his charge, Yugi had no time to react and could only desperately cling to the Round Table fixed to the Deck beside him, as well as the five Cards in his hand.
But even so, one Card, [Exodia the Forbidden One]—the one symbolizing the Head and Torso—slipped from Yugi's fingertips.
Yugi and Weevil both lost their balance and fell to the ground simultaneously. However, Weevil, who had initiated the attack, was quicker to scramble up and was about to rush towards Yugi to snatch the Cards again, but he was struck by a punch from Hayato, who was standing nearby. Hayato's heavy fist landed squarely on Weevil's nose, causing blood to gush out. His nose was crooked to one side, looking like an overturned oil and sauce shop, with salty, sour, and spicy flavors all spilling out at once.
Seeing Weevil about to get up again, the Staff members swarmed forward and held him down firmly on the Deck, restraining his Limbs. His head made zero-distance contact with the Deck, and he kept making muffled sounds from his mouth. This time, he couldn't bite anyone even if he wanted to.
"Are you okay, Yugi?" Joey Wheeler 's hand was bleeding from where Weevil had bitten him, but he was much better off than those who would cry and make a fuss over a cut Finger, demanding bandages and medical attention. Enduring the pain, he went to Yugi, who was on the ground, and helped him up.
Yugi got up from the ground, covering the back of his head with one hand. "I'm fine, Joey Wheeler ."
Weevil's attack just now had nearly knocked Yugi off the third floor—like Cruella's birth mother's dog hitting Cruella's adoptive mother—but even though he didn't succeed, Yugi's large head had collided hard with the railing when he fell. He couldn't help but feel a bit dizzy now.
But when Yugi's gaze shifted to the [Exodia] he had been desperately clinging to, he instantly sobered up. "[Exodia]! Grandpa's Card is missing one!"
In his hand, there were now only four [Exodia] Cards left. The four Limbs of the Forbidden One were still there, but the most important "Head" had vanished without a trace.
Hayato suddenly realized something belatedly. He pushed away the Staff security guards, grabbed Weevil by the hair, and lifted his head from the ground. He saw Weevil chewing on something with puffed-out cheeks, his face smeared with blood from his nose, yet he was looking at Hayato with a cold sneer.
Hayato was no gentle soul. Seeing Weevil look at him with a provocative gaze, he delivered another punch to his eye. The blow split Weevil's eye socket and made his black pupils seem to burst out, like opening a colorful silk shop with red, black, and purple colors blooming forth. Weevil saw stars, his vision went black, and his mouth involuntarily opened, revealing the thing he had swallowed.
This guy, he still hadn't given up. He had directly swallowed the [Exodia the Forbidden One] Card that Yugi had accidentally dropped, and now half of it had been brutally chewed off by his teeth. Even if they were to cut Weevil open and retrieve the fragments of the Card, it would be impossible to restore a Card that was so thoroughly destroyed.
'Is this the Plot Inertia? Grandpa Solomon is destined to have his Soul sealed by Pegasus, and Weevil is bound to break apart [Exodia].' Hayato felt the deep malice from the world. Was everything in this world fixed? Were all people merely Slaves of Destiny?
He was furious, yet he laughed instead. He slapped the unconscious Weevil across the face, waking him up. This slap was like performing a grand Buddhist ritual with all the instruments—the temple block, the cymbals, the handbells—sounding together. The unconscious Weevil was actually slapped awake by Hayato.
Grabbing Weevil by the Collar, Hayato vented all his frustration on the person before him. His fist was raised again, ready to fall, but it was stopped just as it was about to land.
The ones who stopped him were the Staff members who had just helped Hayato restrain Weevil. One of them grabbed Hayato's raised fist, while two others grabbed Hayato and Weevil respectively, taking Weevil back from Hayato's grasp and quickly pulling the two apart.
"Let go of me!"
The Staff members heard Hayato's words but showed no change in expression. "We apologize, Mr. Hayato. Although you are a distinguished guest, Mr. Weevil is also a Player invited by Mr. Pegasus."
"This Player just used underhanded means to tear up someone else's Card!" Hayato pulled his hand back from the Staff member's grip, trying to get to Weevil, but he was blocked by a human wall formed by several Staff members. He could only see Weevil being carried down the Stairs by two Staff members holding him under the armpits through the gaps.
"You should have just disqualified that Insect bastard," Joey Wheeler 's face was also very displeased. He was feeling both angry and guilty, because if he hadn't let go due to the pain at that moment, Weevil would have had no chance to succeed.
"We do not have the authority to disqualify a Player, no matter what he does on the ship. As long as he does not directly harm another Player's Life Points, we must follow Mr. Pegasus's Order and bring him to the 'Kingdom'," the Staff member said to Joey Wheeler , his tone cold as if he didn't care about other people's Life Points at all.
Yugi covered the back of his head. Even with his kind nature, he was quite angry now. "Wantonly destroying someone else's cherished Duel Monsters Card, that guy Weevil simply doesn't understand the Heart of the Cards. If Pegasus were here, he would definitely—"
"Definitely disqualify Hayato boy, right, Yugi boy?" The Staff member suddenly spoke, interrupting Yugi's words. However, the voice coming from his mouth sounded strange no matter how Yugi listened, and it also felt very familiar. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he looked at the Staff member wearing sunglasses in disbelief. "Pegasus!?"
"Yes, I am!" The Staff member, who had just been unusually serious, suddenly acted like a lively child, giving Yugi a thumbs-up and saying playfully. After the Staff member lifted the bangs from his forehead, Yugi and the others saw that he had the symbol of the Eye of Sigatos tattooed on his head, which emitted a faint golden light in the night.
"[Exodia] is indeed a quite precious set of Cards. Seeing it bitten and damaged by Weevil boy through this Puppet made me feel quite regretful too, just like when Kaiba boy tore up the fourth [Blue-Eyes]. Should I say he truly lives up to being 'Insect' Weevil, who eats plants?" The Staff member manipulated by Pegasus spoke in Pegasus's signature peculiar Catchphrase. "But unfortunately, I will not disqualify Weevil boy for such a small reason."
"Although I care deeply about Duel Monsters, my Love for Duel Monsters is quite broad. In my eyes, this 'Duelist Kingdom' Tournament is much more important than a mere Card."
"Because it's the only 'Love' you have now, you've poured your entire Heart and Body into it, and as a result, you completely disregard everything else, right, Pegasus?"
"Absolutely correct, Hayato boy. To understand me so well, I wonder who is truly the Master of the [Millennium Eye]."
Listening to Pegasus's strange Catchphrase, Hayato looked at the Staff member being controlled by Pegasus. "I heard you Plan to introduce new Rules in this Tournament, right? To prevent other Duelists from having difficulty understanding, how about holding a Demonstration Duel in front of your Castle?"
"Betting on your respective Stakes just like in a formal Match. I've already found the Players for you, that Insect Weevil and me."
Everyone is a Slave of Destiny, but they are all 'Sleeping Slaves'. As long as they are Sleeping Slaves, after Awakening, they can forge a very meaningful Path. (After watching Jojo Part 5)
Next chapter, the Duelist Kingdom Arc officially begins, Protagonist vs. Weevil.
Let's briefly explain the special Rules of the Duelist Kingdom (limited to this book), lest you say I'm padding the word count in the next chapter.
1. First Turn Draw One Card.
2. 4000 Life Points (LP) (Key point).
3. Direct Attack is allowed. Having No Monsters on Field at the End Turn does not affect the Victory or Defeat.
4. Fusion Summon can only Fuse Monsters on the Field.
5. Specific Type Monsters receive a fixed value (not percentage) bonus based on the Field.
6. Spell and Trap Cards exist, but all can be Activated during the Opponent's Turn (as there is currently no distinction between Normal/Quick-Play).
7. Making things up is allowed (Although it's not written on this Card, it can Special Summon.jpg / I want to Attack the Equip Spell Card Moon of the Wicked.jpg).
8. 1-4 Star (Level) Monsters do not require Tribute unless they are a Special Type. 5-6 Star require one Tribute. 7 Star and above require two Tributes unless special.
9. Attack Position Monsters do not Lose Life Points when Destroyed by Effect.
10. Operations like Battle Replay are allowed, but can be avoided by Chain-ing Spell, Trap, or Monster Effect.
(End of Chapter)