Yugioh [826-828] (Patreon)

Chapter 826: The Cat Laborer

"You plan to win like this!?" Weevil snapped in anger.

"Sa, what are you saying? I don't quite get it." Lyman smiled. "In a duel, as long as you win, does the tactic really matter?"

Weevil ground his teeth.

Well, he himself wasn't exactly some upright duelist either. He'd even secretly stuffed cards into his opponent's deck to win before.

But this still pissed him off!

Especially getting beat up by a cat—that was even more infuriating.

"Finally, I activate the Spell Card 'Black Process - Negledo,'" Lyman said. "This card can only be activated while there's a Chaos Distill on your field.

Banish all monsters on your field whose names include 'Alchemy Beast.' For each one banished, you draw two cards from your deck."

The Salamandra the Steel, the Leon the Lead, and the Ouroboros the Bronze on Lyman's field were all wrapped in golden light, then turned into three beams and were absorbed into the massive Chaos Distill in his backrow, disappearing with a low rumble as they were banished.

"I banished three Alchemy Beasts, so I draw six cards from my deck!"

Lyman's ammo was instantly restocked.

"Then I set one card and end my turn."

Weevil stood up with a dark expression.

"You damn cat… I'll make you understand what happens when you piss off Lord Weevil!

 My turn, draw!"

Weevil squinted at Rivalry of Warlords on the other side.

"You seem to think that with that up, I can't summon, but this level of lockdown can't hold me.

My turn, draw!"

Weevil set a backrow, then immediately swept his hand to flip it up.

"I activate my set card! Continuous Trap: 'DNA Surgery!'

 All monsters on the field become the Type I declare. I declare Insect!"

As his words fell, the three Ojama Tokens on his field began mutating, sprouting insect legs and mouthparts, like mutated creatures from a horror film.

"Hah, so you've got that trick too, nyaaa." Lyman smiled cheerfully. "Not bad. If they're all Insects, your summoning restriction is indeed lifted."

"Next I Normal Summon 'Pinch Hopper'!"

[Pinch Hopper, ATK 1000]

"Then I activate the Spell Card 'Eradicating Aerosol'!" Weevil swept out a Spell. "Destroy all Insect-Type monsters on the field!"

"I see—DNA Surgery plus Aerosol. Turn any opponent's monsters into Insects with DNA Surgery, then use Aerosol to wipe the field. A combo, huh?"

Lyman chuckled.

"Only thing is, I don't have any monsters right now, so the only thing getting destroyed is your own field, nyaa."

"Heh heh, I know… Why do you think I deliberately summoned Pinch Hopper before activating Aerosol?"

Weevil sneered, then swept his hand.

"Pinch Hopper's effect! If this card is sent from your field to the GY, you can Special Summon any number of Insect-Type monsters from your hand!"

He burst out laughing and raised a card high.

"My ace isn't just the Ultimate Insect. I'll make you understand this deeply—right now!

Descend, sovereign of insects—

—Insect Queen!!!"

A sharp feminine cry, followed by a tremor like the earth itself. A gigantic shadow appeared on the field, as if some mighty existence had answered the duelist's call and was about to descend.

Insect Queen, the new-generation ace Weevil showcased when he fought Joey in Battle City. Although she didn't look too strong back then, later generations proved this monster still had untapped potential.

The nostalgia-milking dogs at K gave Insect Queen a new form too: "Metamorphosed Insect Queen."

Compared to the original, it's a straight-up cannon-for-shotgun upgrade—more than a mere one-star bump.

However—

 "Error."

The Duel Disk emitted a warning tone, sparks flickering over the Monster Zone.

Then the massive silhouette simply vanished. The pitiful Insect Queen didn't even get to appear—only a resentful shriek remained before she faded.

"NANI!?" Weevil was shocked. "My Insect Queen? Why won't it let me summon?"

Duel Disk malfunction?

"Hahahaha, an interesting tactic. But your 'Pinch Hopper' only Special Summons Insects when it's 'sent from the field to the GY.'

Unfortunately,"

Lyman's ghost pushed up his glasses with a cold gleam.

"Your Pinch Hopper is never getting to the GY."

"What?"

Weevil finally noticed the face-up backrow Lyman had already activated.

"Continuous Trap: 'Macro Cosmos'!" Lyman said. "As long as this card is on the field, any card that would be sent to the GY is banished instead!"

Weevil's expression froze.

So now I don't even have a grave?

"Also, those three Ojama Tokens you just destroyed each have an effect," Lyman added. "Each time one is destroyed, you take 300 damage."

[Weevil, LP 2000 → LP 1100]

"And, with the advent of the Macro Cosmos, the ultimate alchemical life shall also descend."

Lyman raised his arm high, shouting with dramatic flair.

"Descend—

—Helios – The Primordial Sun!"

A pitch-black cosmic void, stars dimmed to embers. Solar flame ignited, as if the center of this Macro Cosmos was about to birth some central existence!

Weevil's pupils shrank. He held his breath, staring at the fireball, instinctively not daring to make a sound—

But nothing happened.

Lyman held his summoner's pose for several seconds, the mood growing awkward.

Weevil stared blankly for a few seconds, then slowly looked down. The fat orange cat was laboriously tugging the deck out of the Duel Disk and rifling through it with both paws and its mouth.

Weevil: "…"

Lyman sighed. "This is why I said the boss must be out of his mind, entrusting such an important job to a cat…"

The fat orange finally found the card, clamped it in his mouth, and placed it on the Duel Disk.

"Come, Helios!"

[Helios – The Primordial Sun, ATK ?]

"I don't know what you're trying to pull…"

Having been blown out by Macro and left with an empty field again, Weevil bit his lip but didn't give up.

"I activate the Continuous Spell 'Insect Barrier'!

 All Insect-Type monsters on your opponent's field cannot declare an attack!"

"Oho?" Lyman narrowed his eyes. "Combining it with 'DNA Surgery,' huh?"

"Exactly!" Weevil said. "No matter how powerful the monster, under Insect Barrier—"

"My turn. Draw."

Lyman gave him no quarter, flipping a card from his hand before Weevil could even finish.

"Quick-Play Spell: 'Double Cyclone.' Destroy one Spell/Trap on your field and one on your opponent's field."

Weevil's heart clenched at once.

In that instant, he almost understood:

He was already a dead man.

"Destroy the Continuous Traps 'Rivalry of Warlords' and 'DNA Surgery' together," Lyman smiled. "That way, my monsters are no longer Insects.

Insect Barrier is useless.

Then I activate the Spell Card 'Yellow Process - Kitolenics' from my hand!

 Tribute Helios; let the Primordial Sun evolve—Special Summon 'Helios Duo Megistus' from the deck!"

Lyman raised his arm and struck that signature ace-summoner pose unique to duelists.

And then… several seconds of excruciating silence.

Mm.

The orange chonk once again had to slowly yank out the deck and start searching…

 A fresh reminder of how important auto-searching, auto-shuffling Duel Disks are.

After a while, the chubby Pharaoh cat finally panted his way to dropping the monster onto the Disk, then, with effort, shoved the newly shuffled deck back in.

[Helios Duo Megistus, ATK ?]

"Then I activate the Spell Card 'Red Process - Rubedo'!

 Tribute Duo Megistus, another evolution! Special Summon 'Helios Trice Megistus' from the deck!"

The orange Pharaoh, who had just managed to stuff the deck back in, froze.

"Nyaaa?"

The Pharaoh blinked his big innocent eyes at the stylishly-posed ghost Lyman hovering midair.

The cat suddenly felt the urge to beat up this ghost…

 Weevil: "…"

But in the end, the Pharaoh drooped his head and dispiritedly yanked the deck out again and searched with great effort—

 "Show yourself!" Lyman shouted handsomely. "Helios Trice Megistus!!!"

[Helios Trice Megistus, ATK ?]

In stark contrast to the domineering ace blazing with three suns and the impassioned Lyman reveling in his ace's summoning stood the orange cat sprawled weakly on the ground.

The Pharaoh lazily glanced up at Lyman and meowed feebly.

As if to say: I'm doing all the manual labor here—what are you striking poses for?

"Helios's ATK is 300 times the number of monsters banished," Lyman said. "I banished three Alchemy Beasts, and your Pinch Hopper was also banished by Macro last turn.

So Helios's ATK is 1200."

[Helios Trice Megistus, ATK 1200]

"Mm, not that high, but just enough." Lyman beamed.

[Weevil, LP 1100]

Weevil trembled with rage.

"You damn cat—"

"Battle," Lyman said. "Helios Trice Megistus, direct attack."

The sun unleashed a spiral blaze that lanced through Weevil. He roared in unwilling fury and finally collapsed to his knees amid the rising flames.

[Weevil, LP 1100 → LP 0]

Chapter 827: Professional

"I'm beat."

Kira answered the call while lying back in a dorm lounge chair.

On the student terminal, the fat cat face of the Pharaoh filled the screen, but the voice was Lyman's. Kira knew the ghost of Lyman was probably floating just off-screen; you can't see ghosts through electronics—only face-to-face.

"Do you have any idea how exhausting a duel is for a cat?"

Teacher Lyman began arguing for his labor rights.

"I demand a raise! Overtime pay for dueling overtime!"

"Sure." Kira agreed cheerfully with a wave. "Three extra pounds of cat food tomorrow."

Lyman's ghost's face went black—though of course Kira couldn't see it through the screen.

Cat food, seriously!?

Kira spread his hands helplessly. "But professor, you're already a cat. What else should I reward you with? Or—how about I introduce you to a couple of pretty lady cats?"

"Shoo, shoo." Lyman grumbled. "Fine, forget the overtime pay. Vacation. I want time off!"

Having a cat run around doing everything all day was too much. Lyman felt he needed a break, and so did the Pharaoh.

"Okay, no problem."

Kira then said:

"By the way, what about that guy?"

"He's right here."

The camera panned, and Lyman turned it toward Weevil. The so-called legendary Bug Kid was lying on the ground, barely conscious, his glasses askew, muttering nonstop.

"No, this can't be real…"

"A cat's dueling is too terrifying…"

It's not like Weevil couldn't handle losing—he'd lost more than once. He'd had his share of crushing blows in life. But taking a heavy blow from a cat? That had to be a first.

Any grand ambitions of contending for Duel King and standing atop the world were shattered in an instant by the simple fact of not as good as a cat.

"Uh, you sure he's not broken?" Kira asked.

"Relax, nyaa, I know my limits, nyaaa." Lyman was full of confidence, but then his tone deflated. "But you'd better send someone to this location to pick him up.

I'm just a cat. Don't expect me to haul him back…"

"Got it. I'll arrange pickup. Get an interrogation room ready," Kira said. "Find out what's going on with that Advent Church, and what that data-lost spirit is."

The Eye floated beside Kira, protesting, "I am not a thing, thank you!"

Just then the maid Alice arrived with a tray, setting it on the table beside Kira. On the tray lay an exquisite fruit platter.

"Ooh, looks delicious—your skills are improving, Alice-chan!"

The Eye's big pupil grew even bigger, drooling over the fruit.

Maid Alice looked expressionlessly at the big eyeball. "Not for you."

"So heartless…"

The Eye drooped and asked listlessly:

"By the way, why are you so devoted to following this guy?"

Lowering its voice, it muttered quietly:

"He doesn't exactly look like a good person…"

Alice smiled faintly.

"One reason would be atonement. I once lost myself and nearly made a mistake. Kira-sama stopped me in time and brought me back to my senses.

Another reason…"

She paused, closing her eyes gently.

When she opened them, an eerie, sinister glint appeared; the corners of her lips curled into a chilling arc. On that delicate doll-like face spread a treacherous smile.

"Because watching Kira-sama mete out judgment to those self-satisfied, dark-hearted duelists, sending them to a land of despair where the sun never shines—it's just too satisfying…"

The Eye shuddered, instinctively floating back from the ominous doll.

"I get it now—birds of a feather…" it muttered under its breath.

At that moment Kira ended the call and turned his head. "Alice-chan."

"Here, here!"

Alice flashed to his side in an instant. The gloom on her face vanished at once, replaced by the sweet, pure smile of a girl-next-door; her eyes curved like crescents.

"What are your orders, master?"

The Eye's pupil almost popped out.

That face-change act is something else…

"Oh, nothing big. It's just that we may have an uninvited guest coming to the island soon."

Kira paused, then smiled mysteriously.

"I'd like you to handle the reception when the time comes."

Alice tilted her head in puzzlement and pointed at herself.

"Reception? Me?"

…

Somewhere else.

Deep underground, in a dark laboratory heavy with oppressive air. Strange glass apparatuses were arranged in the center, nearly reaching the ceiling, filled with unidentified liquid, colored somewhere between ink-black and deep blue.

Golden energy stirred within the liquid. At the very center, the densest cluster of gold condensed, gradually shaping a distinct form—

—a massive eye.

No eyelids. Just an eye. Its abyssal pupil seemed to harbor ravenous hunger.

"Wait for me, Jaden…"

It murmured softly.

"My beloved… Yuki Jaden."

"…"

Right above this laboratory, a man in a long coat sat with his legs crossed on a couch, receiving a mission brief.

"Duel Academy?"

The long-coat man frowned slightly.

"That's not an easy assignment."

He looked up at the other man before him.

A towering, burly figure with dark skin, standing like a small mountain.

His name was Thelonious Viper, a professor at Duel Academy's West Branch—nicknamed Professor Viper.

"Of course it isn't easy. But don't worry—the price is fair."

Professor Viper clasped his hands behind his back and spoke coolly.

"After all, it's the Duel King's turf. Not many in this world are willing to take such a commission. I'm aware."

"Good."

The long-coat man leaned against the wall, narrowed his eyes, and chuckled softly.

"The world fears the Duel King's name; I don't. It's not like I've never beaten a king before."

He toyed casually with a card in his hand.

"I've long wanted to test this so-called new Duel King, but sadly no one ever paid for it, so I never had the chance…"

"Now you do."

Viper said coldly.

"But I must remind you: the Duel King isn't the target. Avoid direct confrontation if possible…"

"I know, I know. That student named Yuki Jaden, right? See how far he's evolved… Don't worry. Leave it to me."

The long-coat man patted his chest with a grin.

"I'm a professional."

Chapter 828: Academy Ghost Story

Late at night, carrying Professor Viper's mission from the West Branch, the long-coat man set foot on Duel Academy Island.

His mind replayed Viper's words before departure.

"Remember, Duel Academy is nominally run by Chancellor Sheppard, but in reality it's already the Duel King's domain.

Keep a low profile there. Don't stir up trouble or unnecessary attention. Avoid a direct clash with the Duel King if you can; he isn't our objective, understand?"

The long-coat man clicked his tongue.

To be honest, he was a little dissatisfied with his employer's caution, because personally he really wanted to fight that Duel King.

Rumor had it the Duel King was not only incredibly strong, but had a penchant for collecting the decks of those he defeated. He'd beaten top-tier opponents—from cosmic invaders to resurrected ancient demons, to famed underground elite dark duelists.

And all of them, after losing to him, had their decks taken.

So you can imagine how rich his collection of rare cards must be.

That made the long-coat man even more interested in this legendary king. He felt the king was the same kind of duelist as himself.

Defeat the strong and take rare cards to make oneself stronger—that had always been his way.

It was a pity his employer wouldn't allow him to actively provoke the Duel King. And even if he did win, Viper wouldn't pay extra—because that would violate the commission parameters, i.e., personal action.

So though he didn't fear the Duel King, measured purely in pay, taking on such a fight would be a loss. He wasn't doing it.

"So this is Duel Academy, huh…"

As he landed on the island and moved through the dense forest, he couldn't help muttering.

It didn't match his mental picture.

Instead of the vibrant center of the dueling world he'd imagined, the place felt like a gloomy, isolated island. Thick, shadowy woods blanketed the land. The cold moonlight spilled down, its pallid beams unable to pierce the tightly woven canopy, dappling the ground like ghostly stains. The shifting light patches, swaying in the wind, looked like specters gliding across the earth.

Even a man who fancied himself hardened felt a chill.

A few steps further, he grew irritated to find he seemed to be losing his way.

"Hell with this."

He checked the map in annoyance.

"This should be the right direction…"

By the map, he should've already broken out of the forest—or at least he should be able to see the academy's landmark main building by now.

But where was it?

All around was still just forest, indistinguishable from where he'd first landed. Tree shadows stretched long in the night, weaving into a titanic net, as if determined to imprison any living thing that trespassed into this forbidden place.

He shook off the absurd thought.

If only he could find a student to lead the way…

 Just as he thought it, he seemed to spot a figure among the trees.

He moved in at once.

"Hey! Wait up, student—"

The small figure slowly turned around.

He blinked.

A very beautiful girl.

Features so perfect they hardly seemed real, skin pale to the point of bloodless, big eyes, long lashes, but her face was stiff and expressionless—almost like…

 Right: like a doll.

The girl stared at him, saying nothing.

"Right, so, uh, miss, I'm… an external… repairman. The academy reported equipment that needs service," he improvised. "But I got lost in the woods and can't find the main building. Could you lead me there?"

The girl remained expressionless, just looking at him.

Just as he started to feel creeped out, the girl slowly nodded.

Then turned to lead the way.

He exhaled in relief.

With a local guide, things were much easier.

He followed behind her through the woods. At first neither spoke, the silence growing strange. As they went on, he noticed the trees seemed to grow more numerous and towering. In tandem, the moonlight filtering through the canopy grew dimmer, until it was almost gone.

The atmosphere curdled into something uncanny. From beyond the woods came the occasional caw like a crow's, making him think of funerals.

He couldn't help asking, "Miss, I'm headed to the main building. You're sure this is the way?"

The girl still didn't reply. But they had come out of the woods; ahead stood an old dormitory building, fenced off and in disrepair.

He frowned.

The academy's abandoned dorm—he'd heard the rumors. Lots of missing students, plenty of ghost stories.

And right in the middle of the yard, there seemed to be… a transparent coffin?

 Crystal-like, dreamlike texture, completely see-through.

"Have you heard the forbidden tale of Duel Academy…"

A plaintive girl's voice echoed.

"In the abandoned dorm, there was once a girl who loved dueling."

"But she had no talent. Professors looked down on her, classmates mocked her."

"In the end, she died, and stayed here forever. But she didn't disappear. Her obsession with dueling was so strong it kept drawing lost duelists here."

"In this way… she could duel with them forever, and ever…"

As she spoke, the coffin opened on its own.

The girl inside slowly sat up, her head creaking around.

Then she showed the man a blood-curdling smile.

The long-coat man's eyes widened; he stumbled back two steps.

The one sitting up out of the coffin—was the very same girl who'd led him here!

Right, that girl—

 He whirled and looked behind him.

There, the girl now had her hair loose and wild, wearing the exact same expression as the one in the coffin. With a predator's grin, she slowly raised her Duel Disk.

Her airy voice continued:

"Let's duel—"

The long-coat man backed away, every hair standing on end. He'd never seen anything so eerie in his life.

Was this really Duel Academy?

Was it possible the truth, unknown to outsiders, was that the academy had been taken over by ghosts? That this was already the realm of the dead?

 But just as the ghost girl, hair disheveled, raised her Duel Disk and moved toward him—

"Kyaa!"

A hand from behind lifted the ghost straight off the ground like a chick.

The girl's feet bicycled in the air twice, then she gave up struggling. Blushing, she looked up. "Master, what are you doing? I'm working…"

"I just got some intel—small mistake. This guy isn't the kind of target you can handle."

Kira set the tousle-haired Alice aside and smiled lightly.

"I didn't expect Professor Viper to actually bring an elusive duelist out of hiding… I'll handle this one myself."