Yugioh [462-467] (Patreon)

Chapter 462: The Warriors' Unique Skills

"It's decided!"

"The winner is Fujiki Kira!"

"It's been eight years since the last Duel King was crowned. At this historic moment, we finally welcome the second-generation Duel King—"

"..."

The room was silent, wrapped tightly in the thick darkness of night, as though even the air had solidified into a shadowy mass. The only light in this darkness came from the television, where the news endlessly looped the same story.

Principal MacKenzie sat on the sofa, tapping his fingers on the armrest.

"Duel King, that Kira…"

He immediately recalled the two times he had indirectly crossed paths with this new Duel King.

Once was a riding duel in that small town. His invincible King Tiger Summon Lock ironically enabled the opponent's infinite burn damage LOOP.

The second time, he possessed his top general, Reggie Mackenzie, himself, using an aggressive Angel deck and even the planetary series' Venus. Yet not only did he fail to secure victory, Venus was even used by the opponent to backfire against him, locking him out with his own Venus, making him so mad he rage-quit the network.

And now, such a duelist had become the king of this era.

Principal MacKenzie fell silent.

It wasn't that he was afraid of this person. Tragoedia feared nothing—he once stormed the royal palace and challenged the Pharaoh and the Seven Priests head-on. He considered himself invincible and did not think he was afraid of any opponent.

He wasn't afraid, but just thinking about having to face this Duel King again in the future, remembering that endless stream of bizarre tactics, gave him a headache...

At this moment, his trusted aide, David Rabb, a student from the American Duel Academy like Reggie, entered the room.

"Well?" Without turning his head, Mackenzie asked indifferently.

"We've got her. Player Reina, ranked fifteenth in the pro scene, specializing in an Ice deck," David stood respectfully behind him. "She's strong—even I had to work hard to take her down."

"But she's under control now?" Mackenzie asked flatly.

"Of course, Professor. Just as you ordered."

David's lips curled into an increasingly twisted grin.

"That woman really put up a fight, struggling until the very end. Heh, but she's destined to be ours—like prey caught in a spider's web, the more she struggles, the tighter she's bound. That despair, though, is intoxicating..."

He only realized he was off-topic when he noticed the professor's displeased glare, quickly correcting himself.

"But she's completely under control now, a member of the 'Planet Users'," David said quickly. "You were insightful, Professor. She's got great synergy with the 'Mercury' of the planetary series."

Principal MacKenzie grunted heavily.

"Naturally," he said. "If I hadn't seen her potential, I wouldn't have sent you for her. Now that she's accepted Mercury and my power, as a Planet User, she might even become stronger than you, David."

"You should feel a sense of urgency, David."

A swirl of black mist rose from Principal MacKenzie's body, his eyes flashing darkly.

"Anyone—anyone—even you, who can't prove their worth will be eliminated."

David shivered inside, bowing repeatedly, but a flash of malice flickered in his hidden gaze.

Eliminated...me?

But Mackenzie didn't bother with his reaction, turning back to the TV.

"Fujiki Kira, the new Duel King," Mackenzie said coolly. "To be honest, he's a bit beyond what I anticipated."

"A tough opponent?"

David quickly regained his composure and asked.

"Not just that."

Mackenzie muttered, frowning deeply but not elaborating.

He'd been uneasy about that dark artifact Kira possessed—a Millennium Item lookalike, emanating the presence of the Pharaoh and Priests he hated most in his life.

And in the finals, that presence reached its peak, even summoning the supposedly extinct Egyptian God Cards.

Mackenzie stared hard at Kira's image on the screen.

"Just who is this guy?"

David suddenly asked, "Speaking of which, that troublesome duelist who's been chasing us hasn't made a move lately. Did you take care of him, Professor?"

Mackenzie immediately understood whom he meant.

That annoying guy who showed up at the American Champion's Night, almost ruining his capture of Koyo Hibiki. For quite a while after, that person relentlessly dogged his tracks, and they'd even clashed indirectly twice—very vexing.

"Sort of," Mackenzie replied vaguely.

"As expected of you, Professor—no opponent is a match for your direct action, even legendary duelists," David flattered.

But Mackenzie remained silent.

No match, huh... Only he knew how inaccurate that was. He'd remotely controlled a puppet to duel that person twice, with less-than-ideal results.

Now, the memory of those duels resurfaced in his mind.

Mackenzie: "My monster attacks!"

Opponent: "I activate the Continuous Trap 'Fairy Box'! When your monster declares an attack, you have to call a coin toss. Guess wrong, and your monster's ATK becomes 0."

Opponent: "...Haha, you guessed wrong. Your monster's ATK is now 0!"

Mackenzie: "..."

"..."

Mackenzie: "You have no cards in hand, and your Life Points are hanging by a thread. Soon your soul will be mine!"

Opponent: "You never know what can happen until the duel is over. I activate the Trap 'Ms. Judge'! If my opponent has six or more cards in hand and I have two or fewer, I can toss a coin. If I call it right, I draw until I have five cards; if wrong, I skip my next turn!"

Opponent: "...Haha, I called it! I draw five cards!"

Mackenzie: "..."

"..."

Mackenzie: "I activate 'Dark Grepher's' effect. Once per turn: discard a DARK monster from my hand to send another DARK monster from my deck to the grave."

Opponent: "Then I activate 'Lady Luck' on my field! When your card's effect activates, I toss two coins. If both are Heads, your effect is negated!"

Opponent: "...Hahaha, double Heads! Your Grepher's effect is negated!"

Mackenzie, rolling up his sleeves: "I swear I'm going to break every one of your damned coins—"

"..."

All unpleasant memories.

Tragoedia looked to the sky, lost in thought.

Three thousand years later, he thought, with no Pharaoh or Priests, he should be able to do as he pleased. But it turns out this era's duelists are all masters in their own right—not easy opponents at all.

Still...

He snorted coldly.

"Just some lucky punk who fights on dumb luck. I've already dealt with him," Mackenzie declared. "He's no longer a threat."

Chapter 463: The Darkness Within

"Welcome to the Link System."

"Countdown: 5, 4, 3..."

Jaden closed his eyes, instinctively shielding his face with his hand.

It was a feeling of unreality, as if breaking free from the shackles of the real world, his body pulled forward by invisible forces. Reality and illusion seemed to blur; he felt as if he were floating, becoming part of the endless stream of data.

The data flowed like a galaxy, interweaving at unimaginable speed. After traveling along those complex, dazzling channels for who knew how long, he finally felt himself land hard on solid ground.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

Jaden clutched his backside, feeling dizzy and disoriented. Forcing himself up, he glanced at Kira standing beside him—who had landed gracefully in a half-crouch and was already standing calmly.

"How'd you land so stably?"

Kira grinned and offered him a hand. "There's a trick to it. You get used to it after a few times."

Jaden laughed, taking Kira's hand and standing up. The two of them looked around.

They found themselves on a vast, boundless plain. Although it stretched endlessly, it also felt desolate and lonely, as if time itself had stopped here.

Silent Magician floated wordlessly into view, pointing in a certain direction with her staff.

"That way? Thanks."

Kira nodded, then moved in that direction.

Jaden quickly followed. "So this is the Spirit World?"

After all, he'd already traveled here once with Kira, so the existence of this alternate world was no longer unfamiliar to him.

"Yeah."

"Oh! The world where Duel Monsters live!" Jaden exclaimed excitedly.

"I've been wanting to come back ever since last time! You can just come here whenever you want? So jealous!"

"But this place is a bit different from before..."

Kira smiled, but didn't elaborate.

He had explored the Spirit World several times and mapped everywhere he'd been. Once he pieced the maps together, he finally found this particular dimension.

This wasn't just any random spirit dimension.

This was one of the Twelve Dimensions from the late GX story arc, the domain ruled by the legendary "Supreme King," where Jaden and his friends came to rescue Jesse.

This was part of why Kira brought Jaden here.

In his battle with the Arbiter, the Arbiter had hinted at this. The Supreme King may not have always been dormant inside Jaden; they were simply connected in some way.

The real Supreme King might have always existed in this spirit world, the true ruler of the Twelve Dimensions.

But even so, the link to the Supreme King remained a ticking time bomb inside Jaden. And Kira sensed that something inside Jaden had been triggered after that duel with the Arbiter.

It seemed the Arbiter, though not taking his soul, had somehow flipped a switch deep within Jaden's heart. The Supreme King's seal had loosened a bit—no obvious changes yet, but another emotional shock could set it off.

Especially with the upcoming battle against the Seven Stars. Even though Kira planned to be proactive, Jaden might still face several dark duels. The life-and-death pressure of a dark duel could shake his mental defenses, allowing the Supreme King to take over early.

But Kira already had a plan.

By using the Link System, projecting their consciousness into the Spirit World (just like how Duel Monster spirits appear in the real world), even if they were defeated, they'd simply return to reality. In other words, they were protected here.

So, why not use the Link System to address the bomb before it went off?

Kira's plan was to find the Supreme King.

Defeating the Supreme King might eliminate the threat, and could even help Jaden absorb its power early and accelerate his growth.

And, by taking the initiative, they could prepare thoroughly—far better odds than getting ambushed by the Supreme King someday.

"By the way, Kira, you said there was something important—what is it?" Jaden asked as they walked.

"It's more of a trial you must face," Kira replied. "If things go smoothly, you may overcome it ahead of time."

"My trial?" Jaden looked around curiously. "In this world?"

"All great duelists eventually have to confront the darkness in their hearts," Kira explained. "If you can't overcome your own darkness, you'll never reach your peak."

"There's no darkness in my heart," Jaden said with a laugh.

"Is that really true?"

Kira smiled mysteriously, giving him a meaningful look.

Jaden felt a little awkward under his gaze. "W-What?"

"Nothing."

Kira turned away, still smiling.

Jaden thought for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "You're already a top duelist, Kira. But what's the darkness in your own heart?"

Kira didn't answer.

They continued through the barren wasteland, seeing no signs of life. After a while, the outline of a town finally appeared ahead.

But as they drew near, the town was dilapidated and deserted. The architecture looked ancient, like something from a thousand years ago—crude stone buildings, desolate streets swept by cold winds, with not a soul in sight.

"This is a spirit town?" Jaden peered inside, curious. "But there's no one here. Is it abandoned?"

"Kuri, kuri!" Winged Kuriboh suddenly floated out, flapping its wings and pointing with its tiny paw. Following the hint, Jaden spotted a small figure peeking at them from behind a stone house. Noticing Jaden's gaze, the figure shivered and quickly ran off.

"Hey, wait!"

Jaden hurried after the shadow, weaving through several alleys. Suddenly, a scream rang out from around the corner.

Jaden rushed over and found a little girl on the ground—blonde, in a dirty patched dress, terrified and helpless.

In front of her was a hulking monster, scorpion-like, clinging to the wall and slowly descending, eyes full of malice and hunger.

"Well, what have we here? Such a tender little girl. Looks like I'm in luck today."

The scorpion monster leapt down, smacking its lips.

The girl shrank backward in terror, trying to get up, but her legs were paralyzed with fear.

Jaden didn't hesitate. Seeing the scene, he immediately leapt forward.

"Hey, stop!"

He spread his arms, protecting the girl.

"Hm?"

The giant scorpion was momentarily startled, then quickly noticed the duel disk on Jaden's arm.

Its eyes glinted with battle lust.

"A duelist? Here?"

Chapter 464: The Mountain God?

"I activate the Spell Card 'Polymerization' to fuse 'Elemental HERO Avian' and 'Elemental HERO Burstinatrix' from my hand to Fusion Summon Flame Wingman!"

"..."

"When Flame Wingman destroys a monster in battle, my opponent takes damage equal to that monster's ATK!"

"..."

"Quick-Play Spell 'De-Fusion'! I split Flame Wingman back up!"

"Avian and Burstinatrix, direct attack!"

"Ugh—argh!"

With a dazzling but straightforward combo, Jaden, going second, sent his hardworking HERO couple charging right through that scorpion.

Flame Wingman OTK. The scorpion was terrified, screaming as Avian's whirlwind blew it away.

"W-Who are you people!?"

Its eyes bulged in disbelief. This level of duelist was far beyond the local power curve, like a bronze-rank lobby suddenly invaded by a pro player.

But it never got its answer.

Its body was enveloped in a pale golden light, and, full of unwillingness, it dissolved into particles. Only its duel disk, stabbed into the ground, remained—like a sword left behind by a fallen warrior.

Jaden, for once, didn't say anything about "what a fun duel." He just stared at the vanishing opponent, a little lost.

"Another duel like this..."

He muttered to himself.

This world's duels were ruthless. There was no joy to be found; the only fate for the loser was death.

Kira stepped forward, deftly collecting the deck.

Hmm, mostly junk cards again. He'd just sell them off cheap when they got back.

Jaden turned to the rescued blonde girl.

"Are you okay?"

The blonde girl still seemed timid, not daring to meet his eyes, head bowed.

"Don't worry, it's all over now." Jaden glanced around. "Are you alone? Where's your family?"

The whole town was dead silent, so it was odd for a little girl to be here alone. There was still no sign of life anywhere.

The girl only shook her head, shrinking back further and hugging herself tightly.

"N-No, I don't want to go back."

Jaden asked, "Back where?"

"Back...home," the girl whispered.

Jaden was even more puzzled. "Why don't you want to go home?"

The girl hesitated for a long time, then cautiously glanced up at him. Maybe it was Jaden's warmth, but she seemed a little braver.

"They want to send me to the mountain god, to appease the mountain god's anger. But I don't want to go."

She bowed her head, voice trembling.

"Mari... my friend, she was sent to see the mountain god before, but she never came back."

"They all say the mountain god is kind, protecting and helping us. But I...I'm just scared."

Jaden sensed something was wrong, but couldn't put his finger on it. At that moment, the spirit of Black Luster Soldier appeared next to Kira, speaking solemnly: "Some evil creatures pose as gods, claiming to offer protection, but actually exploit the people, even demanding live sacrifices."

Jaden was shocked. "Live sacrifices... you mean...?"

He glanced at Black Luster Soldier, then at the pitiful, frightened girl.

Growing up in a peaceful world, Jaden had never seen such cruelty, and his eyes were full of disbelief. Black Luster Soldier pondered, then said, "I can't be sure, but it's very likely. I slew many such fiends back in the day."

"How could they? That's terrible."

Jaden stood up angrily. After a moment's thought, he made up his mind. "Then—"

He looked at the girl. "Do you know where the mountain god is? I want to pay him a visit."

He'd always admired heroes since childhood, dreaming of being like the Elemental HEROEs—fighting for justice beneath shining skyscrapers. Whenever he saw anything wrong, he had to step in. He was a classic hot-blooded shounen protagonist, so he couldn't just ignore this.

But Kira felt things weren't that simple.

From the moment they entered the town, he sensed something odd. Everything seemed orchestrated, like a mist hanging over them.

But Jaden's sense of justice overrode all doubts. Kira chose not to say more for now.

After all, they were just projections in this dimension, and with their skills, they were among the top duelists in most spirit worlds. Even if things were strange, they could handle it.

The girl hesitated, then slowly raised her hand and pointed outside town.

"That way?" Jaden asked.

"I...I think so."

She bit her lip, unsure.

"I just overheard the adults talking about it—they said they take people into the mountains, to a tree split by lightning. All the mountain god's offerings are there."

She stood up, brushing dust from her dress.

"I can take you near there."

Before Jaden could answer, his spirit partner Winged Kuriboh floated to his side.

"Kuriboh, kuriboh!"

"Oh, you can guide us, partner, once we're close?" Jaden patted its fluffy head approvingly. "You're so reliable—thanks!"

So the three of them set out for the mountains outside town.

"Sorry, Kira. I know this may delay what you wanted to do, but I just can't ignore this..." Jaden looked apologetically at Kira.

Kira smiled and waved it off. "No worries. You chose the path of a hero. If you didn't, you wouldn't be Jaden."

Jaden smiled sheepishly. "Haha, you really get me, Kira."

"But whatever happens, be careful."

Kira grew serious.

"We're just projections here through the Link System—supposedly, we can't truly get hurt. But nothing's absolute. If we run into a real powerhouse, their strength might cross dimensions and reach us."

"And..."

He paused, then added:

"The ruler of this world is a supreme dark overlord. We're trespassing in his domain. It's possible he—or his minions—have already noticed us."

Jaden was confused. "But we haven't done anything yet. Why would he notice us?"

"Because of you, Jaden," Kira said. "That overlord is called the Supreme King. The Supreme King...is the greatest darkness inside you."

Jaden: "?"

Chapter 465: If You've Come, Don't Even Think of Leaving

"Supreme King?"

Jaden was obviously thrown off for a moment when he heard that name.

It felt like a part of his sleeping memory had been jolted—his expression went blank for an instant.

But he quickly recovered, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"Seriously? Who would name themselves something so lame?" Jaden cracked up.

Kira: "..."

"But to rule twelve dimensions with the power of dueling... That must mean he's really strong, right?"

There was even a glint of expectation in Jaden's eyes. Kira recognized that look—the burning soul of a true duelist itching for a worthy opponent.

Kira suddenly thought, maybe he should try to get the President Kaiba and Jaden together as duel buddies someday, so they could ease their dueling cravings with some friendly matches instead of dragging others into it.

"But this Supreme King, you said he's the ruler of the spirit dimension, right? What does that have to do with me?" Jaden was still confused.

"Because you're the reincarnation of the Supreme King's original duelist body," Kira said offhandedly. "Only by one of you defeating the other can you become whole."

Jaden snorted and laughed.

"Pfft, sorry, that's just too funny—hearing you spout such nonsense with a straight face..."

Kira stayed expressionless.

Jaden reined in his laughter. "Wait, you're serious?"

His expression turned odd.

If anyone else had said this, Jaden would've thought they were talking nonsense in their sleep. Suddenly bringing up stuff like reincarnation and Supreme Kings—honestly, even for Jaden, it sounded way too absurd.

But then he realized Kira was actually serious...

He hesitated for a long while before finally asking, "Kira... how do you know all this stuff?"

Jaden was usually pretty dense about anything not related to dueling, but even he was starting to feel his companion was shrouded in mystery.

He couldn't even remember when it began, but Kira had always given them that unfathomable feeling—not just with his endless creative deck builds and tactics, but as if he had some all-seeing, godlike perspective.

But the conversation couldn't go on, since by now they were getting close to their destination.

The blonde girl had been leading the way up to now, and as the two of them talked softly, she hadn't overheard.

Jaden looked up and pointed ahead: "Hey, the tree struck by lightning!"

Kira followed his gaze. Sure enough, on the bare mountainside, the split tree stood out—obviously the place the girl had described.

But when he looked back, Kira narrowed his eyes.

"Where did she go?"

"Huh?"

Jaden snapped out of it and looked around. The girl was nowhere to be seen.

In the blink of an eye, the girl who'd been leading them had vanished.

They looked around, but all they could see were rolling hills, lifeless except for clumps of withered grass and bare rocks. The path was overgrown and tangled with vines. The wind blew through dead branches and leaves, making a rustling sound like ghosts sighing in the night.

"It's a barrier," Kira suddenly said.

"Huh?"

Jaden looked at him in surprise.

"We've been set up—this is a trap."

Even as Kira said it, his voice was as calm as ever, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with himself. Jaden, hearing him so unruffled in such a dire situation, didn't even react.

The next moment, though, he felt the ground beneath his feet shift, and a hand suddenly shot out from the earth, grabbing his ankle.

"Wah!"

Jaden yelped, instinctively trying to shake it off, but the grip was too strong.

Silent Magician, always ready, shot out from beside Kira, her staff glowing as she launched a Magic Blast at Jaden's feet. The magical light blew dirt everywhere, and a dark, twisted humanoid was sent rolling out of the ground, smoking as it tumbled aside.

It looked human, but its face was withered and haggard—a clear product of the Zombie-type.

At the same time, more shadowy figures began appearing from the black mist—some Demon-type soldiers, more undead, and even a giant black flower that screamed as it unfurled, its tentacles whipping toward them.

Kira stood his ground, not moving a muscle as a tentacle shot toward his back. But just as it was about to hit, a flash of sword light appeared from nowhere, slicing the tentacle into pieces in a single, invisible stroke.

The phantom of Black Luster Soldier appeared, his hand never even seeming to draw his sword, yet his chaotic sword aura swept back along the tentacle's path, shredding the monstrous flower to pieces.

"Flame Wingman!"

Jaden shouted. He reached for the top card of his deck, and without even looking, drew the trusty HERO combo and a Polymerization.

Fire exploded in the fusion vortex as Elemental HERO Flame Wingman descended, spreading one wing with a mighty roar. His dragon's head unleashed a torrent of flame.

A group of demons charging at them were instantly scattered by the fire dragon, two of them turned to charred husks in mid-air.

From ambush to counterattack, the whole process was lightning-fast—in an instant, the two were surrounded by top-tier monsters, sealed tight as a drum.

Their enemies were numerous, but in terms of Duel Monster levels, they were only two or three stars at best. With Kira and Jaden's aces on the field, just their presence kept the minions at bay, glaring but not daring to approach.

After only two or three seconds of this standoff, a hoarse voice called from the shadows in the forest behind.

"Duelists... how rare. To think we'd run into such interesting prey this time."

A black figure stepped out. The minions immediately parted to either side.

Silent Magician lifted her staff, summoning a ball of white light that hung in the air like a little sun, illuminating the scene.

In the magical glow, they could see the newcomer had a hideous green face, a devil's crown, and luxurious robes very different from the crude rags of the minions. On his chest was a skull with glowing red eyes.

The Dark Ruler Ha Des.

The Demon King's gaze flickered back and forth between the two.

"Tsk, tsk. That aura... could you be travelers from the Duelist World? Hehehe... what a big catch."

Ha Des sneered. Then he raised his arm, where a swirl of blood-like liquid condensed into a Duel Disk.

"No matter who you are," he said, "since you've come here... don't even think of leaving."

Chapter 466: Why Are You So Skilled at This?

"I see."

Kira calmly surveyed his surroundings and stepped forward.

"So this was all a setup, huh?"

"Eh?"

Jaden looked at him, still confused.

"That girl was told from the start—if anyone like us appeared, she was to lure us here. Everything we saw was just bait to trap us."

Kira thought for a moment.

"No, actually, it's more likely the girl herself was a plant, and everything was staged for our benefit. The story about the mountain god was made up, too."

He looked Ha Des in the eye.

"Right?"

Ha Des chuckled.

"You catch on a lot faster than your dumb friend," he admitted. "Let's be clear: I didn't lie about the mountain god. I am the mountain god here. All the locals pay tribute to me. It's only right that we protect them."

"I think the word you want is exploit," Kira noted.

No need for anyone to explain—the dead, dilapidated town made it obvious enough.

Ha Des burst out laughing.

"These lands are always fighting—there are always fools who resist the Supreme King's army, and some low-level thugs gather mobs to rob the weak. Our Supreme King's army provides protection from war and bandits. Isn't it only fair we charge a little extra for that?"

"Supreme King's army."

Kira calmly glanced around at the spirits surrounding them.

"You're under the Supreme King?"

"Oh? A traveler from another world who's heard of our lord?" Ha Des laughed. "Looks like his fame has spread across dimensions! Those who resist will be crushed, it's only a matter of time..."

He stepped onto the field, his arm morphing into a Duel Disk, a deck materializing within.

"For some reason, people like you have been showing up more often lately."

Kira walked up to face him. "People like us?"

"Travelers, from different dimensions," Ha Des said. "And I was ordered to station here just for your kind."

"To hunt and capture travelers and spirits from other worlds. The Supreme King is interested in you—and in the dimensions you represent."

"One day, the Supreme King's army will conquer even beyond the Twelve Dimensions."

"One day, every world we see will bow before our great Supreme King!"

"Ambitious, aren't you?"

Kira couldn't help but clap in approval.

"Not bad, not bad, that's some vision."

Conquering the multiverse by dueling, huh? But if you counted all the dueling parallel worlds, there were plenty of top duelists in each one. The Supreme King might not be able to handle them all.

"Wait..."

Finally catching up, Jaden blurted out, "So that girl tricked us?"

Everyone turned to look at him.

"She's under my command," Ha Des sneered. "Travelers from other worlds are always this gullible—same tricks work every time."

Jaden finally realized he'd been duped.

"So... there was never a girl being sacrificed by her family?"

Ha Des laughed. "Of course not. You were being toyed with from the start."

But he only got halfway through laughing before Jaden burst out laughing even louder, leaving Ha Des dumbfounded, staring at Jaden with wide eyes.

"What are you laughing about?"

"Haha, that's great. So, nobody was actually getting hurt?"

Jaden laughed with relief.

"I was so worried, but I was just tricked. That's a relief!"

Ha Des stared at the boy for a while. His happiness seemed so genuine, it was weird.

Don't you realize your own situation?

You're the victim! How can you say nobody was hurt?

"Sorry, my friend's just like that. Don't mind him."

Kira smiled calmly.

"And, to be honest, your trap was a bit crude. I couldn't be sure, but I'd already guessed most of it on the way here."

"Tch, if you saw through it, why walk into the trap?"

Ha Des scoffed. "This is the Supreme King Army's formation, a special barrier. Unless you win a duel, you can't leave!"

"I figured as much. But you seem to have misunderstood something."

Kira activated his Duel Disk.

"I didn't walk in because I was trapped by you—"

He paused, then gave a sunny smile so unnerving even the Demon Lord shivered,

"—but because you're now trapped here with me."

Ha Des: "!"

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't.

Why is this guy so confident?

The Supreme King Army's formation was similar to the "Seal of Orichalcos"—inside, neither duelist could leave until a winner was decided, and as the initiator, he gained the full power of the formation.

Ha Des had never lost here. Every time he drew a card inside the barrier, he felt overwhelming power, almost omnipotent.

With such a home-field advantage, how could he lose?

"Then, as you wish—a duel!"

Kira locked his deck and drew five cards.

Ha Des steeled himself too.

"Duel!" x2

 [Kira, LP 4000]

 [Ha Des, LP 4000]

"I'll go first. Draw!"

Kira said.

"Set one monster face-down, and three cards in my back row. Turn end."

Four cards set in an instant—Kira ended his first turn in a flash.

Jaden behind him opened his mouth: "Kira..."

But before he could say more, Kira waved a reassuring hand and smiled.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

So Jaden swallowed his words.

But he wasn't worried about Kira's skills.

He just wanted to ask...

Why are you so naturally skilled at getting into these duels?

I wanted to duel too!

Chapter 467: The Demon King of the Underworld

"My turn. Draw."

Ha Des drew a card.

"Activate Spell Card 'Pot of Greed'—draw two cards."

Ha Des felt a little nervous. They'd hunted visitors from other worlds before, but never had one given him this ominous feeling.

This guy didn't have the aura of a high-level spirit, so by all rights, he shouldn't be a threat. So why did his smile feel so creepy...?

Ha Des shook off his unease.

No matter—he'd just go all out from the start and finish it quickly.

"Activate the Field Spell 'Mausoleum of the Emperor'!"

A massive tomb dominated the field, its long stone steps as if welcoming visitors. Ancient totems and hieroglyphic stone walls glowed with eerie fire in the air.

On each side of the stone corridor, bottomless pits stretched away, shrouded in ominous mist. Countless terracotta warriors stood frozen in time, arrayed in neat rows in those pits.

"'Mausoleum of the Emperor' effect: In this field, both players can pay 1000 Life Points and use a terracotta soldier as a substitute tribute for Tribute Summons." 

In the anime, Aster Phoenix used this card, and its effect was different from the real card.

In the anime, you just paid 1000 LP to use the field's effect, and for any Tribute Summon—regardless of how many tributes were needed—you could use the terracotta soldiers as substitutes.

In the real card game, you paid 1000 LP per substitute. So 1000 LP for one tribute, 2000 for two.

But that change made sense. In the anime, everyone only had 4000 LP, so spending 2000 to summon a boss monster was a bit much. In the real game, people had 8000 LP, so it was much easier to use.

"Use one terracotta soldier as a tribute for a Tribute Summon!"

[Ha Des, LP 4000 → LP 3000]

A terracotta warrior floated up from the mist. Ha Des began a ritual dance, chanting an incomprehensible spell.

"The god who rules the underworld—myself—

 —Dark Ruler Ha Des, summon!"

A sinister aura erupted, as if a gateway to the underworld had opened. The demon king with horned crown held a wine glass filled with something crimson—who knew if it was wine or blood.

[Dark Ruler Ha Des, ATK 2450]

"Summoning himself so soon, huh."

Jaden, used to crazy duels, wasn't surprised, just thought the main act was starting early today.

"And I'm not done yet!"

With his avatar on the field, Ha Des's own aura grew even stronger.

"Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Ancient Rules' from my hand to Special Summon a Level 5 or higher Normal Monster!"

A giant scroll unfurled, and golden lightning flashed down!

"Appear, my powerful fiend ally—

 —Summoned Skull!"

Golden light crashed down from the sky, a demon king with skeletal armor descended, arms folded.

[Summoned Skull, ATK 2500]

Two high-level monsters, just like that!

Ha Des could feel the Supreme King Army's formation pouring power into him, making him feel invincible.

This was the gift of the Supreme King—even a tiny fraction of his power made them unbeatable!

"Go! First, my avatar—Dark Ruler Ha Des—attack the face-down monster!"

A wave of darkness shredded the set card. A quiet purple-haired witch took the attack head-on and was destroyed.

[Witch of the Black Forest, DEF 1200]

"Witch of the Black Forest," Kira said. "When this card goes to the graveyard, I can add a monster with 1500 or less DEF from my deck to my hand."

"Graveyard effect, huh?"

Ha Des suddenly burst out laughing.

"Haha! My favorite kind of card.

Dark Ruler Ha Des—effect activate! When a Fiend on my field destroys an effect monster in battle, all its effects are negated!"

A perfect counter to graveyard effects, fitting for the lord of the underworld. Souls destroyed by him had no rights left.

So the Witch's powerful search effect was useless.

"I was worried for nothing. With the Supreme King's power, you don't stand a chance!

Continue attacking—Summoned Skull, direct attack!"

Thunder crashed as lightning gathered on Summoned Skull. The flash struck Kira, the ground exploding in craters. Thunder rolled over Kira's body, and he seemed on the verge of collapse.

[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 1500]

"Kira!"

Jaden was worried to see him take such damage.

But Kira steadied himself, raising a hand.

"I activate the trap 'Damage Condenser.'"

He discarded a card as a complex machine appeared, absorbing all the lightning that struck him like a battery.

"When I take battle damage, I discard a card to Special Summon a monster from my deck with ATK less than or equal to the damage I took."

A card popped from Kira's deck into his hand.

"I took 2500 damage, so I Special Summon a monster with up to 2500 ATK from my deck.

I Special Summon 'Dark Scorpion - Meanae the Thorn!'"

A burst of golden light from the condenser, and a leather-clad female thief leapt onto the field, her whip swirling with life.

[Dark Scorpion - Meanae the Thorn, ATK 1000]

"Is this guy actually using taking damage as part of his strategy?"

Ha Des realized with a jolt.

He can take damage like it's nothing and make it part of his plan...

Suddenly, he was worried.