Chapter 2952 - YuGioh 5

The world goes dead around you as you lay your eyes on Kaiba, you only barely notice Yugi running past you and handing Kaiba his deck –Apparently someone dueled Yugi with it and Kaiba helped out?-- but it was all dead noise as you looked upon the only man who had ever beaten you.

'Heh, it appears that one of a kind card isn't so special after all, keep it, it's not worthy of a spot in my deck' Kaiba smirked, turning and beginning to walk away as you could do nothing but watch on your knees.

Your hands clench into fists at the memory, but you're snapped out of it as you feel a hand placed on your shoulder, turning and seeing Tea looking at you in concern.

"You okay? You look pretty angry." She says with concern.

You take a deep breath to try and calm yourself down and ask yourself one question, are you gonna say anything to Kaiba?

Okay, this wasn't the time. You were tired, just wanted to sleep, and the last thing you wanted to do was think about Kaiba—

"And what do we have here? Hanging around the losers nowadays, Makoto? Fitting, I suppose," Kaiba finally spots you and smirks.

...You're going to fucking kill him.

You shrug off Tea's hand on your shoulder and make your way over to Kaiba.

"Oh, and you're one to talk, aren't you? Last I heard, you dropped off the face of the earth in shame after losing—running with your tail between your legs," you snarled.

Kaiba scoffs. "I admit Yugi beat me, and I took a hiatus to help myself grow stronger—to avenge my defeat. But that's more than I can say for you. After I ground you into the dirt, you scurried back to petty tournaments against children and rank amateurs, using your shallow victories to convince yourself you're worth something," he mocked, a smirk on his face.

Your eyes narrow as you place your hand on your deck box.

"How 'bout we put that to the test, then? I'm sure there's a Duel Arena around here somewhere. I'd really enjoy showing you your place, trash," you growl.

Kaiba ponders for a moment before smirking again. "Heh, I suppose I can spare some time to show you your place," he says, then kneels down, unzips his backpack, and pulls out something.

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.....A frisbee?

Kaiba stands up and begins attaching the device to his wrist. "This is my new state-of-the-art Duel Disk, capable of full holographic technology on the fly—no Duel Arena needed," he explains proudly.

Neat.

"You trying to sell me on it?" you reply with a smirk. "Don't worry—I can wipe the floor with you, whether it's Duel Disk, Duel Arena, or just on the ground."

Kaiba scoffs at your bravado. "Just put it on and make whatever pathetic adjustments you think will save you," he says, already waiting.

You make your way over to the others, who help prepare the Duel Disk as you quickly run through your deck and spare cards. If you're going to have any shot at beating Kaiba, you need to be at your absolute best.

As you finish your adjustments, Yugi approaches you. "You don't need to do this, Makoto. I don't know what your history with Kaiba is, but you've had a long day. No one would fault you for backing down here," he says calmly.

That only fuels your anger.

...You don't back down from anything—especially not from snobby rich boys with too much time and money on their hands.

Joey waves Yugi off. "Y'are worryin' too much, Yuge! Makoto's gotta be the second-best duelist I've ever seen, right behind you! He'll send Kaiba packin' in no time!" Joey pats your shoulder as you slip on the Duel Disk.

You'll ignore that "second-best" comment for now—you can prove him wrong later. For the moment, you nod at Joey in appreciation and turn to face Kaiba.

But before you can step over, someone grabs your shoulder again.

You turn to see Mai, who shoots you a smirk and a wink before leaning in and whispering in your ear. "…You know, if you win this, and when this whole tournament is over, I wouldn't be opposed to continuing where we left off on the boat," she practically purrs.

You smirk back, shooting her a wink before heading over to Kaiba.

Well, now you've got even more reason to win—if you needed it.

"Finally done with your pathetic stalling? Hurry up—I've got things to do," Kaiba growls as you stand across from him, inserting your new and improved deck into your Duel Disk.

"Heh, unlike you, Kaiba, I actually have a social life. Have you heard of one of those, or can you not afford one?" you taunt as Kaiba inserts his own deck and activates his Duel Disk.

Kaiba scoffs. "Keep your pathetic jokes to yourself. I'm going to crush you—and then it's straight to that snake Pegasus!" he growls.

"Now! Let's duel!"

And with that, your match begins.

"I think I'll make the first move!" you say, pulling the card from the top of your deck.

...Rites of the Underworld? Looks like you and Hades are on the same page.

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"To start us off, I'll set three cards face-down and end my turn!" you yell, placing your cards on Kaiba's weird frisbee and throwing it out, glaring at Kaiba as he just smirks.

"Walling up already? How pathetic. At least last time, you attempted to fight back," he says mockingly, sarcasm coating his tone.

You grit your teeth, letting him talk shit. When he's down in the mud, you'll be the one laughing. "Just make your move, Kaiba—unless you're scared of embarrassing yourself?" you question, as Kaiba scoffs.

"Yeah! You tell 'em, Makoto! Wipe that smug look off the rich boy's face!" Joey cheered, quickly followed by the others.

…Huh, you weren't unused to cheering. But normally, it all blended together as a faceless audience.

You'd rather replace Joey, Tristan, and Yugi with cute girls, of course— but that's an idea for later.

For now, your attention is brought back to Kaiba as he begins his move.

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"If the fan club is finally done, I'll start my turn with this! Come, La Jinn, Mystical Genie of the Lamp!" Kaiba declared as a familiar figure appeared on his side of the field.

Judging by the way Kaiba's smirk widened, he noticed your expression darken. "Feeling nostalgic? If I remember correctly, this is how I began our last duel. Why don't we continue down memory lane? Go, La Jinn! Destroy his monster—now!" Kaiba yelled, throwing his hand forward.

His La Jinn seemed to smirk, holding out one finger as a laser suddenly shot forth from it, directly targeting your set card.

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"Not so fast, Kaiba! You've just revealed my Scapeghost! When it's flipped, they split into four Black Sheep Tokens!" you say, as your monsters reveal themselves before quickly separating to dodge La Jinn's attack.

You hear Tea let out an "Aww" as she watches your monsters bounce on the field.

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Kaiba didn't seem quite as impressed; he just scoffed at your monsters. "Pathetic. Stall tactics? Are you hoping I'll deck out, or is your plan to make me die of boredom?" Kaiba taunted as he laid down two face-down cards and went to end his turn.

As he did, you overhear Tristan whispering to Yugi in the background. "Uhh, I hate to agree with Kaiba on anything, Yugi, but why does Makoto play those wimpy cards instead of ones with more attack power?"

"Hmm, well, for one, they're a good stall tactic—like Kaiba said. Unless his opponent can deal with them all in one go, it'll take at least four turns to handle all the Tokens. But most importantly, Makoto is a Ritual Duelist. That means he needs lots of levels on the field to summon his big monsters. With all the Tokens, he's already halfway there after the opponent has used up their attack," Yugi explained as he watched the match unfold.

Damn, how the hell did Tristan get invited to this tournament if he needed something so obvious pointed out to him?

"Well, I just think they're cute!" Tea chirped from behind you.

…At least Tea had good taste.

Your attention is drawn back to the duel as Kaiba declares he's ending his turn.

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Hmm, from past experience, you knew Kaiba's Spell and Trap cards were on a whole other level compared to most duelists—especially his fucking Crush Card. Usually, he'd combo it with Saggi, but it was also possible he had Shrink set along with Crush, allowing him to lower La Jinn's ATK if you attacked.

Maybe it was a good idea to cut off that possibility by using your Dust Tornado?

"Before you end your turn, I activate Dust Tornado! Targeting your set card behind La Jinn!" you shout, as your Dust Tornado appears, sweeping up Kaiba's backrow and revealing—

—Shadow Spell.

Fuck, it would have been really nice if that was Crush Card. You couldn't let him get that off, no matter what.

In any case, you had another plan. "I use the secondary effect of Dust Tornado to set one card face-down!" you announce, setting your Mirror Force.

There—now you had an answer for his La Jinn, and if it went through, you'd wipe out nearly half his Life Points. The sooner you ended this duel, the better.

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"Now, I draw!" you proclaim, drawing your card and revealing Ritual Raven.

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Oooh, now this is something you could work with—a free Hades summon was always nice. But that was for later. For now, it's time to stay focused.

" I set another two cards face-down and end my turn!" you say, as Kaiba grits his teeth while the others voice their confusion behind you.

"Man, why is Makoto so on the defensive? Against you, it felt like he had a new threat every turn you had to deal with. But now, he's playing like a totally different duelist," Joey laments as he watches.

"Mhm. Remember, Joey, while Makoto did start out strong against me, after I dealt with his monsters, he had to scramble for a few turns until he drew Morphing Jar. He's probably playing it safer now and holding off until he sees an opening," Yugi explains.

…You weren't scrambling back then; it was all calculated.

Your attention is drawn back to Kaiba as he clicks his tongue. "I have to admit, Makoto, I'm disappointed. I expected at least some sort of fight here. Instead, all I've gotten is slaughtering pathetic sheep. I suppose it's time I sped this up," Kaiba states confidently as he begins his turn.

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"First off, I'll set three cards face-down, and then I activate my Card of Demise!" Kaiba declared as he activates his Spell.

…Fuck! That's one of the rarest and most powerful cards in the game! Of course Kaiba had a copy.

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"Judging by your expression, you're already familiar with this card, but I'll explain anyway for the sake of the peanut gallery," Kaiba said with a cocky smirk. "This card allows me to draw until I have five cards in my hand, but in return, during my fifth Standby Phase after activation, I must discard my entire hand to the Graveyard."

"What?! Five cards? Will the duel even get to the fifth Standby Phase with all that?" Tea cried out anxiously.

"Heh." Kaiba chuckled softly as he looked at his draws. "Looks like one of you has the good sense to realize what's about to happen."

You grit your teeth, and behind you, Joey growls. "How's that fair?! There's no way that's a legal card! Come on, tell me, Yuge!"

"I'm afraid it is, Joey," Yugi replied quietly. "It's an absurdly rare card, but I suppose when you have Kaiba's resources…" he trailed off, leaving the implication hanging.

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"I told you, Makoto, I'm speeding this game up. And Yugi, watch carefully—after I deal with Pegasus, you're next," Kaiba said, glancing over your shoulder at Yugi before turning his attention back to you. "For now, though, I'll deal with you, Makoto! Go, La Jinn! Attack his monster!" Kaiba yelled, as his genie began to point its finger once again.

"Not this time, Kaiba! You've activated my Trap—Mirror Force!" you shout, enjoying the slight widening of Kaiba's eyes as his monster's attack is stopped cold and reflected back at him.

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"Not so fast, Makoto! I activate Polymerization from my hand! Combining my La Jinn with my set Wall of Illusion, I summon my Dark Jinn, the Illusionist!" he cried, as both of his monsters suddenly fused together, revealing…

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..... An ugly fucker.

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As the reflected attack completely missed his monster, Kaiba just smirked. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait a turn to see what exactly my Dark Jinn can do, Makoto. I'm sure you're just shaking with anticipation," he taunted as he placed one card face-down and ended his turn.

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You click your tongue as you draw and glance at Kaiba's monster. Its ATK points were relatively low, but it was bound to have an effect since it was fused using La Jinn and Wall of Illusion.

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The real question was what you were going to do about it. Ultimately, there wasn't much you could do—especially with him sitting on four backrow cards. That doesn't mean you can't try to mind game him a bit, of course.

You just smirk. "Oh, I'm dying to know, Kaiba. Why don't you attack and show me then? Unless you're afraid of my face-downs, that is," you taunt.

In response, Kaiba just scoffs. "Don't think I'm a fool, Makoto. You're a lot of things, but this obvious isn't one of them—and you know that. Are you hoping to double-bluff me? Putting on this obvious song and dance, hoping I'll assume you're bluffing and then choose not to attack? Don't think I'm so easily led astray," Kaiba says confidently as he prepares to begin his turn.

"...Okay, Yuge, I don't think I caught any of that. Mind explain'?" Joey said from behind you, and you had to swallow your grin as Kaiba fell right into your trap.

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"Now, let's see what your pathetic card is! I set one monster face-down and switch my Dark Jinn to attack! Now, go, Dark Illusion!" Kaiba cried out as his monster prepared a purple light in its hands.

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"Before you do, I activate Rites of the Underworld! Tributing one of my Tokens and my Barrel Dragon to Ritual Summon my Hades! Lord of the Underworld!" you yell out as one of your Tokens and your Barrel Dragon fly into a familiar summoning circle, before your partner makes his grand appearance.

Kaiba just smirked as he beheld your ace. "And look who's making his grand appearance. I'll take great pleasure in crushing him once again," he promised, even as Hades loomed over him.

…God, you couldn't wait to close his smug mouth for good. Better yet, seeing him use it to scream in agony.

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"But for now, Dark Jinn! Continue your attack!" Kaiba screamed as his monster finally unleashed its assault, shooting a purple beam at your set monster.

As the dust settled, Kaiba's eyes widened as he gazed upon your Morphing Jar.

"Heh, judging by your expression, you know what happens next," you mock, repeating what he had said earlier, even as Kaiba begins to grit his teeth. Both of you discard your hands and draw five cards.

"Looks like that Card of Demise wasn't so helpful, huh?" you taunt as the others cheer behind you.

"Oh yeah! Makoto's back in it! With this, him and Kaiba are even again. Now he just has to take out that ugly genie!" Joey celebrates, pumping his fist in the air.

…This was nice—having actual people you know cheering you on during a duel. It was a good feeling.

You'd have to get some attractive cheerleaders once this whole tournament was finally over.

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"It doesn't matter!" Kaiba practically spits out as he places one card face-down. "We both know how this duel will end, Makoto," he says with a glare.

You just grin smugly at that. "I do, but I'm not sure if we're on the same page," you taunt as your turn begins.

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You draw and see a Lightning Vortex. Good—an effective answer to his big monsters.

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Though, looking at this hand, you didn't think you'd need it.

"Heh, I think it's about time I finally went on the attack like you want, eh, Kaiba? I set one more card face-down, then activate Tribute to the Doomed! Targeting your Dark Jinn!" you yell with glee as Tribute's bandages rush toward Kaiba's monster, though for some reason, he just smirks.

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"You fool! My Dark Jinn the Illusionist allows me to choose the targets for all your card effects!" Your heart stops as Kaiba's grin seems to grow even more feral. "And I think I know just the target—I choose your Hades!"

Suddenly, as the bandages lunged toward Dark Jinn, a haze falls over him and Hades, and they seem to switch positions, with the bandages now swerving to attack the 'Dark Jinn' on your field.

Fuck! You need to do something fast!

"Stop right there, Kaiba! I have a few tricks of my own. I activate my Dark Illusion, allowing me to negate any effect that targets a Dark Monster I control," you explain, though you can't quite hide your grimace as your Tribute to the Doomed just fizzled— that was a -3 you just took, all for nothing.

Judging by the way Kaiba's smirk widens, he's clearly aware of the major hit you just took.

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There wasn't much more you could do but set your Lightning Vortex and hope Kaiba overextended. If he summoned something strong enough, you might have a chance to win the duel next turn.

However, as you looked at Kaiba's full backrow, you doubted it would be that easy.

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Kaiba drew and started to shake his head. "How disappointing, I truly did expect better from you Makoto, but I see now I expected too much from you, first I'll activate my Mystical Space Typhoon!" Kaiba ordered as he flung out his Duel Disk.

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You just grit your teeth at that—looks like winning this turn is off the table.

"Well, did you expect this, Kaiba?!" you yell out, chaining your Lightning Vortex and discarding Advanced Ritual Art.

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In response, Kaiba's eyes widen slightly, but he quickly regains his composure. "Not so fast! I activate my second Polymerization! Fusing together my Dark Jinn, Saggi the Dark Clown, and a second Wall of Illusion to summon Saggi, Chaos Incarnate!"

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As the lightning rained down on Kaiba's monster, it danced and wove between each strike, while your teeth ground together in frustration. Kaiba's smug smirk only grew larger.

"Heh, it looks like your little spell didn't pay off," he taunted. "And now I have an even greater monster! Go, my Saggi! Destroy his Hades! Chaos Incarnation!"

Suddenly, his Saggi teleported directly in front of your Hades, then another appeared behind him, then another, until dozens of Saagi surrounded your Hades. Without warning, they all dived forward, transforming into a mass of purple energy that consumed your Hades.

As he shattered, you had to quickly regain your balance. Your emotions flickered down for a moment, but thankfully, your anger surged back to its previous level as Kaiba threw his head back and laughed.

"Hahaha! I told you before, didn't I, Makoto? A monster as pathetic as your Hades has no place in my deck if it can be taken down by even my Saggi," he taunted, his grin stretching across his face.

You kept gritting your teeth and clenching your fists at his taunts, but deep inside, a familiar fear settled in. Your mind flashed back to your first duel with Kaiba, where no matter how hard you tried, he constantly outplayed you—until he wiped out Hades with his Blue-Eyes.

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. You couldn't let him get to you. If you did, the duel was already lost.

…You still had a board full of monsters. There was more than enough time to mount a comeback—you just had to focus on that.

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As you draw for your turn, suddenly Saggi begins to glow. Kaiba's eyes widen in confusion—he clearly doesn't know what's happening either.

Above Saggi, a plus symbol appears, then quickly switches to a minus, and begins to rapidly alternate between the two.

…Is this some kind of gambling effect?

Abruptly, the symbol stops on minus, and a grin spreads across your face as you watch Saggi's ATK drop by 500 points.

"Ha! Looks like your big monster has a pretty big downside!" you shout, feeling a renewed sense of confidence after spotting its weakness.

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.... Hopefully, whatever the plus effect did wasn't too beneficial.

For now, there wasn't much you could do, so you simply set your Mystic Plasma Zone and pass.

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As he draws, energy once again forms above Saggi, eventually stopping on minus!

You see Kaiba visibly gnash his teeth as his Saggi's ATK drops to a more manageable 1700.

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"Ha! Looks like it's just not your day, eh, Kaiba?" you mock, flashing your smugest grin as Kaiba glares at you.

"We'll see how long that grin lasts after I activate this! Go, Raigeki!" Kaiba bellowed.

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Your grin suddenly drops as you watch a massive bolt of lightning fall from the sky, wiping out your remaining Tokens and Old Vindictive Magician. The attack deals 225 damage to your Life Points, leaving you with only a set Plasma Zone and just one card in hand—while Kaiba has four cards on his field and four in hand.

A wave of despair begins to wash over you as Kaiba continues to glare icily.

"I told you, Makoto," Kaiba states matter-of-factly, "it doesn't matter what you do or how many times you challenge me. I'll always win. You just can't compare." He sets one monster and ends his turn.

As much as you want to get mad, scream at him, or tell him you'll crush him like a loser, you can't bring yourself to do it. Because deep down, he's not wrong.

You've lost this duel. Even if you summon a monster, you'd just be stalling—Kaiba's smart enough not to overextend, leaving himself open for you to chesse a win out with Dark Hole. Maybe it's better for your dignity to surrender gracefully…

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As you reach to place your hand on top of your deck, Yugi suddenly calls out from behind you.

"You can still win this, Makoto! You just have to believe in the Heart of the Cards and your deck!" Yugi exclaimed.

You blink in surprise, glancing over your shoulder at him, while Kaiba scoffs dismissively.

"Please, Yugi. I'll admit your Heart of the Cards is strong and works for you, but for the average duelist, it doesn't matter. No matter how much they try, they can't put their heart into the game. Just let him surrender and save whatever dignity he has left," Kaiba said stoically, his eyes fixed on you seriously.

You ignore him.

…Well, why not? Magic was real, and at this point, you're willing to try anything.

Taking a deep breath, you focus your mind and prepare to draw, silently conveying your hopes to your cards.

As you rip away the top card, you slowly open your eyes, eyes fixed on the card in your hand, wondering if your faith will be rewarded. And you get—

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Breaker the Magical Warrior.

Huh, what do you know—maybe Yugi was onto something after all.

"Heh, I'm not sure if it's the Heart of the Cards or what, but there's one thing I do know, Kaiba. Both me and my deck want nothing more than to defeat you and ground you into the dirt! So come forth! Breaker, the Magical Warrior!" you shout as you slam down your monster.

"…Well, that's not exactly what I meant," Yugi mutters behind you, but your focus remains locked on Kaiba.

"When he's summoned, my Breaker gains one counter! Then I can remove that counter to destroy one Spell or Trap card you control—so I choose the one behind your Saggi!" you declare, and with a swing of his sword Breaker unleashes a wave of energy, destroying Kaiba's set Defense Paralysis.

Yes! With that gone, you might actually have a shot at victory. Even if your attack succeeds, you know Kaiba's sitting on some heavy hitters. All you need to do now is hold out until he's forced to discard for Card of Demise and slowly whittle down his field.

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"Now go, Breaker! Attack his Saggi!" you command as your Breaker rushes forward to strike Kaiba's monster.

"Not so fast, Makoto! You've activated my Trap Card—Negate Attack!" Kaiba declares. Just before Breaker's sword can land, a translucent barrier appears, catching his strike. The barrier then pushes Breaker back to your side of the field, and you scowl in frustration.

…Okay, annoying, but not the worst. He's still down one card.

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"I set one card and end my turn!" you say with a glare, as you place Dark Hole face-down.

As Kaiba's turn begins, his Saggi's effect activates once more, dropping it to another minus—weakening it even further. Kaiba nearly glares in visible frustration, his rage simmering just beneath the surface.

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"It doesn't matter how weak my Saggi gets! I have more than enough monsters in my deck to take you down! Go, Judge Man!" Kaiba declared, activating his duel disk once more. Judge Man materialized on his side of the field, slowly forming into the creature you knew well.

…Part of you had been hoping for his Blue-Eyes White Dragon, which, combined with your Dark Hole, could have dealt a hefty blow to his Life Points.

"Now, destroy his pathetic monster—Judge Man!" Kaiba commanded. His monster dashed forward, wielding two giant maces aimed directly at your Breaker.

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You could use Dark Hole now, but honestly, there's probably a better way to sequence this...

"I activate my Mystic Plasma Zone! Bringing my Breaker's attack to 2100!" you declare, a dark aura enveloping the field. Despite this, Judge Man's mace still crashes into your Breaker.

"Why did Makoto activate that card, Yugi? It didn't give his monster enough attack to save itself," Tea asked, confusion evident in her tone.

"Makoto probably wanted to reduce the damage he takes," Yugi explained. "Even though it wasn't enough to save his monster, it means he took less damage overall." Kaiba just clicks his tongue, unimpressed.

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"Tsk, a pathetic excuse for a strategy—just the sort of thing I'd expect from a cornered dog," Kaiba sneered, his tone dripping with derision. You grit your teeth, feeling the frustration simmering inside.

...You could really use the Heart of the Cards to come through right about now.

As you lay your hand on top of the deck, you can feel yourself twitch nervously—any Spell or Trap and you lose this duel. Before you can focus again, your attention is suddenly caught by Mai, who yells out to you.

"Remember our deal, Handsome! If you win this, when this whole mess of a tournament is over, I'll make what we did on the boat look vanilla!" she declares boldly, her words making your eyes widen in surprise.

Judging by the way Yugi and the rest of his friends' faces redden, they clearly aren't naive to the implications in Mai's words.

Your focus snaps back to Kaiba, who scoffs dismissively. "Please, you have groupies now? I didn't think you could get any more pathetic. Is your ego so fragile that you need some plastic bimbo on call constantly just to feel like you're worth a damn?" Kaiba practically growls, disappointment evident in his tone.

"Plastic?! I'll have you know, sweetheart—these are all-natural, thank you very much!" Mai practically screeches, then turns her attention back to you. "Oh, it's on now, Handsome. I want you to crush him. Hard. Do that, and I'll listen to whatever~ you say for an entire day. And as a little demonstration..."

Suddenly, Mai reaches up, grabbing her corset, pulling the front down, and flashing you. Your face flushes bright red in response.

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Tea's eyes widen in shock as she witnesses Mai's daring display. Instantly, she reaches out and grabs Tristan's and Joey's heads, forcing them to face forward, while Yugi, a paragon of willpower, simply stares straight ahead, his face burning bright red.

"…There, a little taste. Now wipe the floor with this guy!" Mai says casually as she pulls her corset back over her chest.

Well, those were certainly a pair compelling argument—hard to ignore.

With that in mind, you turn back to face Kaiba, who just looks vaguely disgusted. You place your hand on top of your deck, steeling yourself, and draw getting-

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Old Vindictive Magician!

Fuck yeah! You really did need to get proper cheerleaders if they could deliver results like this!

"First off, I activate my Dark Hole! Wiping out all monsters on your field except your Fusion!" you shout, as a swirling black hole appears above the field, sucking in Kaiba's Judge Man and the set Saggi, The Dark Clown. The destruction deals 1400 damage directly to his Life Points as he scowls in frustration.

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"Next up, I set one monster face-down and end my turn!" you declare, placing your trusty old Hag face-down on the field.

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This could be it—if Kaiba tries to go on the offensive, your monster could wipe him out in one move! And knowing Kaiba, you doubted he had any monsters with 1100 ATK or less besides Saggi.

Plus, there was one more thing about to happen that would really tip the scales in your favor…

As Kaiba's turn begins, the minus symbol appears above Saggi once again, signaling it losing ATK yet again. Kaiba grits his teeth and finally discards from Card of Demise.

"Heh, looks like this duel isn't quite over yet, eh, Kaiba!" you taunt, a wide grin stretching across your face—so much so that your cheeks hurt, while the others cheer you on in the background.

Kaiba shoots you an icy glare. "So you've managed to stall long enough for my Card of Demise. So what? It doesn't change the fact that I'll still be the one winning this duel, Makoto!" he roars, flipping Saggi to defense and ending his turn.

...Good. That Saggi was probably the best card he could use to beat over your magician, but Kaiba clearly wasn't willing to risk running into a defender or you drawing a monster with 1500 or more ATK on your next turn.

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You just grin at him and draw, revealing a Dragon Capture Jar!

Fuck yes! Now, if he summons any of his precious Blue-Eyes, you've got a counter waiting in the wings!

You can actually do this!

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You continue to grin smugly at him as you place the Dragon Capture Jar face-down on the field.

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Kaiba visibly grits his teeth as he looks at his draw, then glances over the field, shaking his head in frustration.

"Tsk, I end my turn," he says, his tone laced with irritation.

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Your heart pounds in your chest as you draw. You're so close…

Red-Eyes.

You could summon him now and try to go on the offensive, capitalizing on this moment…

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...No, don't get eager and overextend. His Saggi was low enough now that if his set was a Crush Card, you'd activate it if you attacked. Best to play it calm and patient.

You take a breath.

"I end my turn."

You still have your Old Vindictive Magician, and while she wasn't vampirized like she was against Keith, she could still win you the game all the same.

.

------------>

.

Kaiba's eyes seem to sparkle as he looks at his draw, even as Saggi hits a minus again, dropping its ATK to a mere 100 points.

"It's time to get a move on! I can't afford to play around with you much longer," Kaiba declares. "I summon another La Jinn, Mystical Genie of the Lamp, and set one card before ending my turn!" Another La Jinn appears on the field.

...Was this it?

No. One of his backrow was probably a Solemn or another trap, but still…

.

------------->

.

You draw and see Tri-Horn, your hands visibly shaking from nerves. Judging by the way Kaiba is gripping his arm, he's not much steadier.

…Do you go for it? Even if it's negated, you'd still bait out his trap.

.

------------>

.

..... Yeah, even when it's negated, you can still run over his La Jinn with Tri-Horn later, and when he negates the attack, that leaves Saggi and La Jinn alone on the board.

"First, I flip-summon my Old Vindictive Magician!" you declare, as your magician materializes with a crooked smile. You swear you almost feel a ghostly hand brush against your cheek, a giggling voice whispering in your ear.

As she unleashes her dark green energy toward Kaiba, you brace yourself, ready to summon Tri-Horn next—

"NO!" Kaiba yells, eyes wide with shock as your magician's blast hits its mark, destroying La Jinn and reducing Kaiba's Life Points to zero.

.

---------------->

.

You blink in shock as the others rush to your side, jumping on you, hugging, and congratulating you.

But your eyes remain laser-focused on Kaiba, who slowly pulls back his duel disk, gritting his teeth. His clenched fist trembles visibly with anger.

…Did you really win? Just like that?

…

…

…

…Huh.

(400 DP From beating Kaiba)

(500 DP From "Number 2 No More!")

(300 DP From "Unstoppable Force")

You stand there, stunned, half expecting to blink and find yourself lying on the ground with Kaiba's three Blue-Eyes looming over you—like this whole victory was just some elaborate fantasy your mind cooked up after losing. But no matter how much you blink, Kaiba remains standing there, gritting his teeth, making his way toward you. Mai is still hanging off your back, breasts pressed against you as she whispers filth into your ear, while the others pat your arms and congratulate you.

…Huh?

As you finally shake your head and regain your composure, Kaiba steps in front of you, his icy gaze locking onto yours.

"...I'm sure I don't need to tell you this won't be the last you hear from me. After I settle the score with Pegasus and rescue my little brother, both you and Yugi will be next on my list. But for now, I've got more important things to worry about, so let's hurry this up." He extends his hand.

You wonder what he's talking about for a moment before remembering the frisbee still attached to your arm. Hurriedly, you slip it off and hand it back to him, watching as he carefully places it back in his suitcase before turning to walk away.

…You're left standing there, unsure what to do. You'd fantasized about this moment ever since he humiliated you, but now it just didn't feel real.

A part of you wants to shout insults, taunts, even slurs—whatever it takes!

…But you can't bring yourself to do it. The only thing that escapes your lips as he walks away is this:

"...It was a fun duel."

You mutter, so softly your unsure if he even heard you.

Though judging by the way he stopped for a moment he clearly had, before he continued walking you hear him say just one thing.

"…I suppose it beat slaughtering rank amateurs." He says before vanishing into the treeline.

As soon as you're certain he's gone, you finally collapse to your hands and knees, the others yelling in worry as you fall.

…Fuck, why had that duel taken more out of you than all the Shadow Games?

Joey and Tristan help you to your feet, but you wave them off, trying to steady yourself.

"Heh… Think the day is finally catching up to me, y'know?" you say with a chuckle, awkwardly regaining your balance.

Joey nods empathetically. "I get ya. With all the duels today and all that magic possession mumbo jumbo, it's no wonder you're exhausted." He yawns loudly. "Aaaaahh… pretty tired myself. How 'bout we set up camp for the night? It's gettin' late."

You could probably just head to the castle now, but then you'd have to climb those long, endless steps exhausted—and no way you're doing that.

…And honestly, even if you'd never say it aloud, you're not exactly thrilled about being alone in the same place as the guy who has a habit of snatching souls and kidnapping kids.

As the others agree and begin setting up camp, Tristan can't resist ribbing Joey a little.

"Man, Joey, you gotta up your game tomorrow. You only dueled twice all day, while Yugi's dueled six times!" he teases as he starts the fire.

"Hey! I'll have you know, if it weren't for me cheering Yuge on and I went off on my own, I'd probably have all ten Star Chips by now!" Joey retorts, puffing out his chest.

"Hmm. So what's everyone's Star Chip count?" you interject, lifting your glove and pulling out the spares from your pocket. "I've got 15."

The others—except Mai—look shocked, surprised you're apparently an overachiever. Yugi lifts his glove next.

"Six," he says quietly.

You blink in confusion. How does that add up when he's dueled five times—plus you—and you know he earned three Star Chips from the Paradox Brothers?

Noticing your puzzled expression, Yugi explains that two of his Star Chips were lost in the ocean after an incident involving Kaiba's brother and Pegasus' men.

Mai lifts her glove proudly. "Eight for me, handsome. I lost one to little Joey here, but you'd be surprised at how many idiots see a girl and think she's an easy target." She winks, and the others blush, obviously recalling the promise made during the Kaiba duel.

Joey shakes his head vigorously. "Five for me! But just you wait—tomorrow, I'm aiming for twenty!" He pumps his fist, then looks at you shyly. "Uh… unless my good buddy Makoto wants to help spread the love with some spare Star Chips?"

You chuckle and shake your head. "Heh, not likely. I don't do handouts. But… if you want, you can duel me for them. Twenty does sound pretty nice now that you mention it…"

Before Joey can reply, Tea reaches out and pinches his ear. "Oh no, you don't! Think about your sister! You can't afford to lose before you even get to the castle!"

You raise an eyebrow, curious. "Sister? Mind elaborating?"

Joey suddenly grows serious, pulling out his wallet and showing a picture of a girl.

.

------------>

.

.... How cute.

"Serenity, my little sister. She's got a problem with her eyes, and unless we can afford some big-shot surgeon from Germany to do experimental surgery, she's probably going to go blind in the next few years. I gotta win and get that 200,000 cash prize," he says, his voice heavy.

…Damn. And here you were, just planning to sit on the prize money.

Noticing the solemn atmosphere, Joey perks up again. "Well, what about you, Makoto? What are you gonna do with the prize money? Mai's already said she's just gonna blow it on shopping, but what about you?"

You start to blush under the attention. "Uh… honestly, I was just gonna sit on it. I already got 100,000 from the Nationals, and I've got a pretty solid nest egg from previous tournaments…"

It feels awkward to say you're not planning to do much after hearing Joey's heartfelt reason.

But then, an idea forms.

"Huh. Tell you what, Joey. When I win this thing, I promise to donate the 200,000 to your sister's operation. I'd feel like a real jerk if I just sat on it after hearing all this," you say casually, trying to sound lighthearted.

Joey's eyes widen in surprise. "Really? You'd do that for me, man?"

You shrug. "Like I said, I don't really need it. I'm in the tournament for the prestige. Plus, I'll get a headline in the paper: 'King of Games Makoto Yuzuki Donates 200,000 Prize Money to Local Girl in Need of Surgery!' so not like I get nothing out of it."

Joey looks genuinely grateful. "Thanks, man. If you ever need help with anything, just send word my way."

You nod, and just before an awkward silence can settle, you glance over at Tea and Tristan.

"So, what about you two? What's your Star Chip count?"

They blink at you in confusion for a moment.

After a beat, Tea's eyes widen. "Wait, do you think we're participants?"

You blink back. "...Yeah? I mean, the only people on the island should be participants or Pegasus' people."

Tea shakes her head quickly. "Oh no! We stowed away on the ship to support Yugi. We didn't want him facing Pegasus alone!"

Huh. That made sense—you'd wondered why they weren't wearing Duel Gloves. You'd initially thought it was some tactical move not to reveal their Star Chip counts, you'd consider something similar but you wanted people to know you were hot shit.

…Though you really needed to get cheerleaders of your own that'd stowaway on a ship just to support you.

From there, the conversation trails off, until you all hear Joey's stomach rumble. You and Mai, having actually packed some food, step up to help.

While Mai and Tea go to a nearby makeshift shower, you and the other guys prepare the meal. Surprisingly, Joey's a pretty decent cook—turns out his dad was a real piece of work, so Joey learned to cook early on.

It's a relief, giving you plenty of time to edit your deck now that your duel with Kaiba is over.

-x-X-x-

As you finish editing your deck, Tea finally reappears, though noticeably without Mai.

"Yo, where's Mai at?" you ask curiously.

Tea sighs and shakes her head. "She said she wanted to go for a walk and be alone for a bit."

…Well, it'd be ungentlemanly not to go check on her now, wouldn't it?

You go to push yourself to your feet. "Ah, I should probably go check on her. You never know what's lurking in the woods, y'know?" But before you can get up, Tea places a firm hand on your shoulder and sits you back down.

"Oh no, Mr. Playboy! I am NOT sleeping next to two people smelling of THAT!" she says, crossing her arms with a huff.

…Okay, fair. Guess you'll have to get your fun elsewhere for now.

You raise an eyebrow and look at Tea innocently. "Smelling like what, Tea? I just want to check on her."

Her face flushes red, and she glares at you. "...Don't play innocent now, Casanova. I thought there was something going on between you and her, and I got WAY too much confirmation during your duel with Kaiba," she says, then settles beside you and reaches out for some food.

You chuckle softly, deciding to drop your teasing for now as everyone resumes eating.

As the evening wears on and Mai doesn't reappear, you all consider going to look for her—but before anyone can move, a rustling in the bushes behind you startles everyone.

Suddenly, a white-haired figure casually steps out of the foliage.

.

---------->

..

"It's Bakura!" Yugi exclaims, confusion in his voice.

You glance back at the others with a raised eyebrow. "You know this guy?" you ask, keeping one eye on him.

"Yeah! He's someone we know from school! I told you I'd been seeing him," Tea says, the tension easing as they recognize their friend.

The group quickly settles back around the fire, and you realize Bakura isn't another stowaway or supporter of Yugi, but just another participant in the tournament.

…Thank God. If he was, honestly, you might start feeling a little jealous.

As the conversation shifts, it eventually turns to favorite cards.

"Oh, it's gotta be this one—the Flame Swordsman!" Joey says, revealing the card confidently.

Not exactly a powerhouse, but considering Duelist Kingdom rules, it's not the worst.

"Mine's gotta be the Cyber Commander!" Tristan says, pulling out his card.

You silently thank whatever divine force let you find out he wasn't an actual duelist—if you'd kept believing that, your faith in humanity would've taken a serious hit here.

"Hmm, I've always liked Magician of Faith," Tea adds, and your eyes widen at her choice.

Damn, she really does have great taste. First your boys and now this?

"Good choice, Tea. I've got a Magician of Faith myself," you say, revealing her card from your deck. "But, well, you already know my favorite card."

You chuckle awkwardly, not wanting to get into specifics with Bakura nearby.

Bakura looks over at Yugi with a gentle smile. "What about you, Yugi? Which card is your favorite?"

Yugi flips through his deck and finally reveals his Dark Magician. "That's an easy one—the Dark Magician, hands down."

Joey leans forward eagerly. "And Bakura? What's your favorite?"

Bakura casually reveals a rare card. "Change of Heart," he says softly.

Hmm. That's a powerful card—something to keep in mind if you end up dueling him later. It could turn the tide of a game in an instant.

Bakura pauses, then adds, "How about a friendly duel? Not for Star Chips, just for fun. You guys can all put your favorite cards into Yugi's deck, and we'll have a casual match."

…What's his angle? Is he trying to scope out Yugi's deck? But then again, why ask to dilute it with everyone else's?

The others seem enthusiastic about the idea, though. No one looks worried.

Maybe Bakura just genuinely wants to duel for fun—no hidden motives, no everyone had some plot or scheme they were working on.

After everyone adds their cards to the deck, Yugi turns to you, a gentle expression on his face. "You don't have to participate if you don't want to, Makoto. I know how protective you are of Hades—and, well…" He trails off, clearly hesitant to mention Hades being possessed in front of Bakura.

…Well, you're not about to hand over Hades, but you're not going to be a total sourpuss either.

You consider your options. Maybe you could give him something else, you'd be right here watching and Yugi wasn't the type of guy to purposely damage your cards.

The question was what to give him?

"Hmm, not willing to let you use Hades," you say, reaching into your deck box for Old Vindictive Magician. As you pull her out, you swear you feel a hand brush against your own.

...Okay, that's definitely something to think about later.

"Here—the card that won me the duel against Kaiba. I think she's firmly established herself as my second favorite," you chuckle, handing Yugi the card.

'Hmph! Second favorite?! How rude!'

You swear you hear a voice for a second—please don't let it be more magic bullshit.

Yugi takes the card carefully, handling it with respect as he shuffles it into his deck. "Thank you, Makoto. I swear I'll take good care of it," he promises, and you believe him.

…God, when did you go soft?

You lay out a playmat on a nearby stump. Bakura takes one side; Yugi the other. But before you can even begin, Bakura's voice cuts through the air, ominous and low.

"Before we begin, there's something I'd like to share with all of you—especially you, Yugi," Bakura says, a sinister note in his voice. He raises his hands to his chest and begins to hum softly.

A heavy atmosphere descends as shadows gather around him. You immediately recognize what's happening.

More magic bullshit, of course…

Then a Millennium Item appears around Bakura's neck, and the entire area darkens, enveloped in shadows.

"You have something I want, Yugi, and I intend to take it," Bakura declares with a malicious grin spreading across his face.

…God, that's not how you looked, was it?

That thought flashes through your mind just before you feel a strange wave wash over you—a creeping sensation trying to crawl under your skin. But suddenly, a surge of energy erupts from within you, pushing back the darkness.

Bakura stands, eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Hmm? How interesting. I didn't think there were any sources of Shadow Magic left in this world besides the Millennium Items—especially not with such a familiar feeling. Still, it's merely a weak resistance. I have no quarrel with you mage. Allow me to take the Puzzle, and I shall leave you be," he says casually, walking around the stump to reach for Yugi's neck.

Yugi, however, is unresponsive—unconscious—and the others are out cold as well.

Before you can leap in to protect your Puzzle Yugi and the others, a sudden light emanates from it. The glow is so intense that you instinctively take a step back. Then, with a burst of energy, Yugi suddenly sits upright, eyes blazing with determination.

"…You want my Millennium Puzzle? Then you'll have to duel me for it," Yugi states confidently, his usual gentle demeanor replaced by something more intense. "But if I win, you'll release my friends and send us all back."

Bakura nods with a smirk. "Agreed."

You all kneel back beside the stump, forming a rough circle. Not the most dramatic duel setup, but it'll have to do.

Yugi shuffles his deck with steady hands. "Before we begin, I have one question for you, Bakura. Why did you take us to the Shadow Realm?"

Bakura chuckles, a cold sound. "Bakura isn't here anymore," he says maliciously.

Your eyes narrow. "You sure? I had a little episode earlier, but I was still in control. I'm wondering if you're going through the same thing I am."

He raises an eyebrow. "Oh? And you're still here? Well played, my friend. But unfortunately for you, if you were scheming to take the Puzzle later, I'm about to foil those plans right here and now." He smirks, and the tension thickens.

Okay, this guy actually seemed to know a little bit about what the fuck was going on, it might be good to grill him for some info before the duel proceeds properly.

"..... Okay, before you two get started, mind explaining what the fuck the Millennium Items even are?" you ask, frustration creeping into your voice. These objects had loomed over the entire day and the tournament itself, but you still had no real understanding of what they actually were.

Bakura? The evil spirit? Whatever the hell he was, just raises an eyebrow, genuinely confused. "You do not know? The Items are objects of great and terrible power born in the depths of Ancient Egypt. As it says, whoever possesses all seven will gain power unimaginable," he explains, surprisingly succinct.

A part of you wonders if he's bullshitting—given how easily he rattled off that answer—but then you feel a faint sensation of assent coming from your deck box.

…Considering what you could do with Hades, and what the Items are already doing on their own, granting 'unimaginable power' when together seems likely.

No wonder Hades was so eager to get his hands on them.

Before you can ask any more questions, Yugi begins the duel, clearly eager to finish this and free everyone.

The moment he plays his Cyber Commander and Tristan suddenly appears, wearing armor identical to the card—okay, apparently you owed Hades one.

As the duel progresses, Yugi is forced to summon more and more of your friends, since Bakura seems to have built his deck with this in mind. Looks like Bakura anticipated that getting the Puzzle wouldn't be as easy as simply grabbing it.

But you get a real shock when Yugi summons the Dark Magician—only for another Yugi to appear, and as you look between the two the one on the field claims he sometimes feels guided in a duel, like an external force helping him.

...Okay, that's something to digest later.

The board ends with Yugi? having all your friends on the field, plus one face-down monster and backrow.

You have a pretty good idea who the set is.

Bakura roars, "Heh, you fool! You've doomed yourself! I summon my Dark Ruler Ha Des!"

Your stomach drops. Tea is in ATK mode—if Bakura attacks, Yugi is about to lose, unless that face-down card is something—anything—protective.

"Go, Ha Des! Attack Tea! Eternal Oblivion!" Bakura commands.

Your heart stops as a wave of dark energy surges toward Tea, who flinches.

"Not so fast!" Yugi suddenly declares, flipping his backrow. "I activate Polymerization!"

Good—at least now he can save himself. But what about Tea? She's possessing the card, after all.

A vortex forms, pulling Tea into the portal along with your Old Vindictive Magician, and you bite your lip nervously as you watch her disappear.

From the portal emerges a figure with fiery red hair—definitely not Tea, but bearing a striking resemblance to your Young Vindictive Vampire.

.

----------->

.

She looks up at you with a sly smirk. "Hmm, I'd love to stay and play some more, handsome, but I can see your worried about the cute little thing I'm currently sharing space with, we really must talk later though," she purrs, licking her lips seductively before static crackles through the air.

Suddenly, Tea reappears—dressed in the outfit of the figure you just saw.

.

--------->

.

.... Great. Even more shit to unpack later.

Before you can ask about that, the duel continues.

"It matters not! Your monster is still too weak! Go, Ha Des! Finish your attack!" Bakura's spirit screams.

Yugi just smirks, and Tea, still shaken, manages to activate her own effect seemingly guided by some unseen force.

"Not so fast! I use Magus' effect to discard a card and set a monster face-down—go, Tea! Magical Reprisal!"

A blast from her staff hits Ha Des, forcing him into face-down defense.

The duel drags on, with Tea trying to hide her discomfort, occasionally commenting on a voice talking to her in her head—and occasionally blushing as she tries to use her robe to hide her revealing outfit.

.

------------->

.

Bakura's attempt to use Change of Heart to seize control of Yugi gets thwarted when the real Bakura's spirit breaks through, forcing him to target his own monster instead. Then, aided by the Puzzle, the spirit within Yugi switches the Bakuras places, destroying the monster possessed by the spirit of the Ring and sending it to the graveyard and winning Yugi the duel.

Both Bakura and Yugi collapse, exhausted from the soul-shuffling—guess that was some heavy magic work.

You kneel beside the unconscious Bakura, noticing the Millennium Ring still resting on his chest. It's possessed him, and even though Yugi destroyed the spirit, you can't imagine it's healthy for Bakura to keep the Ring.

…Really you'd be helping him out if anything, and well, if you also want the power? You're only human at the end of the day.

You're tempted to take it. The power—God, the temptation is real. Hades' approval flickers through your deck box, but you know it is to weak to influence you now.

…Should you do it?

"Fuck it," you mutter to yourself. If it's more trouble than it's worth, you can toss the Ring later.

Without hesitation, you reach down and grab it from around Bakura's neck, holding it carefully in your hands.

…Now, how the hell do you explain this?

As that thought crosses your mind, the Ring suddenly goes invisible.

…Huh. It was invisible when Bakura first appeared, wasn't it? Handy.

Fumbling for a moment, you slip the Ring around your own neck—quickly, as you see Yugi beginning to stir.

Yugi is the first to awaken properly, rubbing at his eyes.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," you say softly, kneeling beside him to check if he's okay.

"Y-yeah… are the others okay? What about Bakura?" Yugi asks, getting up and moving toward his friends, who are slowly waking as well.

"Looks like it. Thank god. Had me worried for a second," you reply, watching as Yugi approaches Bakura. His eyes widen at the lack of the Millennium Ring.

"What happened to his Millennium Item?" Yugi asks, glancing back at you.

Okay, Makoto, time to sell it—he'll probably be suspicious if you're not careful, especially after what happened earlier with his Puzzle.

"No clue," you say casually, feigning innocence. "I went over to try and get it off his neck, but the second I touched it, it seemed to disappear in my hands. I honestly have no idea where it went."

Now, to prepare for follow-up questions—think fast.

"Ah, okay. I suppose it is magic after all," Yugi nods, seemingly buying your story without a second thought.

…Way too naive.

As the others finally wake up, they talk about their strange dreams, while Bakura pats at his chest for the Ring eyes widening when he doesn't find it and a complicated expression crossing his face—though more importantly, you notice Tea's face flushes slightly as she looks your way, for some reason.

But before anything else can happen, a familiar voice screams from the woods, panic thick and clear in her tone.

"Mai!"

Your heart jumps. You spin around, eyes darting toward the sound, and immediately bolt toward the source of the cry, the others following close behind.

…She better be okay, or someone was going to fucking die tonight.

A surge of approval washes over you—not just from your deck box, but from the Ring around your neck—at the thought.

-x-X-x-

As you approach, you see Mai lowering from a Duel Pod, her face streaked with shame. Standing behind her is a big, ugly bastard with a malicious grin spreading across his face.

.

------------>

.

You stop in front of her, eyes narrowing. "...You good, gorgeous?" you ask softly, concern slipping into your voice.

Before you get an answer, the big fucker grabs her arm and jerks it roughly, a wicked smile spreading across his face.

"I'm afraid not, Makoto Yuzuki," he sneers, jerking Mai's arm. "She has been eliminated and removed from the tournament."

Your blood runs cold. The only thought running through your mind is how you're gonna make this guy suffer.

The others finally catch up, gasping as they notice Mai's missing Star Chips.

"She was one of my weakest victims yet! So pathetic!" PaniK sneers, shoving Mai toward you.

In an instant, you step forward, catching her in your arms. You can feel your rage boiling over, glaring at the bastard with murderous intent.

Behind you, the others begin to make noise, but Yugi steps forward, trying to intervene.

"Step back, Yugi," you growl, voice low and dangerous. "This one's mine."

Mai looks up at you from your arms, her voice quiet and ashamed—so unlike her usual confident, seductive tone. "...Don't, handsome. You've already got enough Star Chips to qualify for the finals. Dueling PaniK isn't about skill; he's twisted. You'd be better off just leaving me now."

Your anger surges, but you swallow it for a moment, looking down at her with a confident smirk.

"You don't have to worry about anything, gorgeous," you say softly. "Besides, I'm just here to wipe that cocky look off this trash's face. That's all." You gently set her aside and step up onto your platform.

PaniK's grin widens at that. "Oh? You know, Eliminators are forbidden from targeting those with ten Star Chips," he taunts. "But I suppose Pegasus can't complain if we're challenged."

He begins to make his way to the other side of the arena, leaving you glaring daggers at his back.

As you step onto your platform, you suddenly feel someone grab your shoulder. You turn to look—Joey. Expecting him to try and convince you to stand down, you meet his eyes, but instead, he offers a firm, serious look.

"Make sure you crush this creep, Makoto," Joey says quietly.

In response, you flash him a sadistic grin. "That's already the plan," you reply, giving his shoulder a quick squeeze before stepping back as your platform rises.

Your gaze locks onto your next victim, unflinching—even as you feel something clamp around your ankles.

"No running now, rabbit! Any chance of survival has passed you by!" PaniK taunts, expecting you to be afraid.

But your eyes narrow even further.

"Good. This just gives me more justification to annihilate you," you say coldly, emotionless.

PaniK's eyes narrow in turn. "Showboat all you like, fool! It won't matter when you're begging for mercy. Now, let's duel!"

He slams his hand down on his Duel Pod, and the duel begins.

Handsome just continues to stare at PaniK, dead-eyed, as he draws his opening hand. "I'm going first," he declares, even as you see PaniK visibly grit his teeth in anger.

You can't help but look away in shame. It's your fault he's in this mess. With how he's acting, it won't be long before PaniK unleashes the flamethrowers.

It still feels like a dream—no, more like a twisted nightmare. When he grabbed you, you hated to admit it, but you were genuinely frightened. It wasn't your first time in danger; the underground scene had toughened you up in ways most others couldn't understand. But being caught off guard like that? Today had thrown you off your game more than you'd like to admit.

Still, when he revealed he was just a pawn of Pegasus, you thought it'd be a quick game. You'd crush him easily, grab your remaining Star Chips, and then head back and start bragging, maybe tease Tea a little—poor girl was WAY too shy, especially considering she'd only seen you flash your tits.

And it looked like that was exactly how things would go—PaniK's monsters and shadow strategies were annoying, but nothing your Harpies couldn't handle.

Until he summoned that King of Yamimakai. You don't know why, but the moment it hit the field, a shift in the air changed everything. Its stats weren't anything special compared to some of the other monsters you'd seen today—practically fodder. But the second it appeared, PaniK's taunts and threats started to get under your skin.

Even still, you probably could've pulled out a victory. But once things started shifting in your favor…

"Let's see how well you fly on burnt wings, little bird!" PaniK yelled, slamming a button on his side of the field.

Before you could react, a wave of fire erupts near you—a blazing inferno that forces you to scream and crouch down desperately.

From that moment on, everything went downhill. Every time it looked like you were about to make a play, PaniK would trigger the flamethrowers again, slowly directing the flames closer and closer.

You just… couldn't handle it. Even now, the memory of the fire causes you to wrap your arms around yourself, desperately seeking some tiny shred of comfort.

Joey and Tristan grit their teeth even harder, glaring daggers at PaniK, while Tea wraps a comforting arm around your shoulders, her voice gentle.

"Don't worry, Mai. Makoto will beat this creep for sure," she says softly, rubbing her hand up and down your arm like you're some pathetic toddler who's had a nightmare.

But you murmur, voice trembling, eyes fixed on the arena.

"…It's not that I'm worried about," you whisper, your voice barely audible, heart pounding in your chest as Handsome begins to make his plays.

.

--------------->

.

"First, I set two cards face-down and summon my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" Handsome barks, his voice firm. His dragon materializes with a roar, its eyes burning fiercely. Its ATK skyrockets to 3120 from the field.

…That was impressive, you suppose.

While your Harpies couldn't go head-to-head with PaniK's monsters, it was a completely different story for Handsome. You don't think PaniK had summoned a single card with stats that high—and with Red-Eyes' Fireball, it could disperse the darkness if PaniK summoned his castle.

"Oh yeah! That creeps in for a world of pain now!" Joey yells excitedly, pumping his fist at the sight of Makoto's dragon.

You just shake your head, trying to focus on the present. You draw everyone's attention to yourself.

"...I told you. Dueling PaniK isn't about skill," you say calmly, voice steady despite the chaos. "I don't doubt Makoto could wipe the floor with him any day of the week. It's…"

But you freeze, the words caught in your throat. The memory suddenly hits you hard—the heat, the flames—intensifying, dangerously close.

Your chest tightens as the searing sensation floods your mind, and you begin to hyperventilate. Your hands tremble, and you feel the tears prick at your eyes.

Tea quickly squeezes your shoulder, her touch gentle and reassuring as she tries to ground you.

Slowly, you manage to breathe in and out, calming yourself enough to focus.

But then, Joey's voice shatters the moment—fury thick in his words.

"-K HIM UP, MAKOTO! DON'T LET THIS CLOWN STAY STANDING FOR ANOTHER SECOND!"

His voice is more intense than you've ever heard, and it snaps your attention back fully.

Makoto looks down at Joey's outburst, then at you—seeing you comforted by Tea—and something flickers in his eyes. That cold, calculating edge returns.

Before, he'd been trying to keep his composure, but now, a fierce, almost snarling expression takes over. His gaze sharpens as he turns back to PaniK, eyes blazing with resolve.

"Hmph. It'll be my pleasure," Makoto growls, voice low and deadly.

.

--------->

.

PaniK sneers as he begins his turn, drawing with a wicked grin. His eyes light up as he beholds his new card.

"Hmph. Save your pathetic showboating, insect," he taunts, voice dripping with contempt. "Soon enough, you'll be trembling with fear—just like that little bird." His disgusting grin causes a shiver to run down your spine.

"But first," he continues, "I summon my Castle of Dark Illusions!"

The castle materializes with a dark, ominous presence. Shadows swirl around it, thickening into a shroud of darkness that seems to swallow the entire field, leaving only the castle itself visible.

He chuckles maliciously. "While this card remains face-up, my side of the field is shrouded in darkness! And don't think I'll stop there."

Suddenly, the shadows billowing from the castle intensify, rising up and covering the fortress completely, cloaking it in utter darkness.

"Good luck attacking my castle with your pathetic monster," PaniK sneers. "And while you fumble around in the dark, my board will only grow stronger—until I drag you kicking and screaming into the shadows!"

He laughs gleefully, clearly expecting Makoto to panic.

But Makoto simply stares at him, ice-cold and unflinching.

"…God, after everything I've seen today, this? This is just sad," Makoto says, voice steady and laced with finality. "But don't worry, PaniK. Before this duel is over, I'll show you the real power of the shadows."

Tea bites her lip, her eyes flickering with concern. "...Is he being controlled by his card again? Should we do something?" she asks, glancing nervously at the others, a hint of panic in her voice.

Yugi looks worried too, about to speak, but Joey cuts him off calmly.

"Nah," Joey says, his tone surprisingly steady, hands clenched at his sides. "This? This is all him. Sometimes, in life, a man just has to put his foot down. And this creep? I've never seen someone more deserving of what's about to happen."

Tristan nods along, showing solidarity, even as Yugi, Tea, and the white-haired guy behind them exchange cautious glances.

.

--------------->

.

For some reason Makoto doesn't even look down as he draws, eyes firmly staring into PaniK's soul, as he grits his teeth at the lack of reaction Makoto is showing.

.

-------------->

.

"To start, I summon my Ritual Raven!" Makoto declares, and a cute, fat little bird appears on his side of the field, wings fluttering softly.

.

------>

.

"But he won't be staying around for long!" Makoto continues, a determined look in his eyes. "I activate my Rites of the Underworld!"

.

--------->

.

He sacrifices the Ritual Raven, and a dark aura envelops the field as Hades, Lord of the Underworld, materializes with an ominous presence. The weight of the monster causes a strange sensation to settle over the battlefield.

You expect to feel the same claustrophobic dread that had haunted the field during his duel with Yugi. But instead, it feels more like a comforting, warm blanket draped over your shoulders.

…This was nice.

Even though the warmth instinctively makes you think of the fire and the chaos it brought, strangely, it doesn't seem so bad now.

Makoto's eyes flick to the field, and with a confident smirk, he declares, "Next up, I'll attack! Go, Red-Eyes—!"

But suddenly, he halts mid-sentence, eyes widening in confusion as he looks down at his hand.

For a moment, he seems lost in thought, like a flicker of uncertainty crosses his face. He stares at his cards, as if he's forgotten what he was about to do—or perhaps something more strange is happening.

.

------------>

.

".... Fuck it," you swear you hear Makoto mutter quietly to himself, his voice edged with resolve before he straightens up.

"Red-Eyes! Aim to the rightmost side of the field! Inferno Fire Blast!" Makoto roars, his voice commanding.

Without hesitation, a blazing fireball streaks through the air, flying in a seemingly random direction before crashing into PaniK's castle, hidden within the darkness.

PaniK screams in fury as his castle shatters, the smoke and ash billowing out in a fiery explosion. "How?!" he roars, his voice filled with rage. "How could you possibly have known where my castle was hiding in the darkness?!"

He slams his hands down on his field, snarling.

Makoto simply lets out a low, malicious chuckle, a sadistic grin spreading across his face. "Heh. I guess the darkness is my ally, not yours," he taunts, his tone dripping with menace.

"...But trust me, PaniK," Makoto says with a sinister edge, "this is only the start."

.

---------->

.

And for some reason, even though you know PaniK has yet to unleash his true threat, you believe Makoto—believe that he's just getting started, and that things are about to get a whole lot worse for PaniK.

"Let's begin the finale," Makoto declares, his voice steady and unwavering. "I activate my set, Full Force Virus!"

Suddenly, his Red-Eyes explodes into a cloud of black dust, which rushes toward PaniK's side of the field. The dust swirls violently, engulfing PaniK in a shadowy mist.

"By tributing a monster with 2000 or more DEF," Makoto continues, "a deadly virus infects your deck! It destroys all monsters on your field and in your hand, and monsters you draw with 1500 or less DEF for the next three turns!"

A collective gasp escapes from you and the others as the black dust hits PaniK, causing him to flinch and desperately shield his face. Two cards in his hand are suddenly destroyed, and he grunts in pain, trying to regain his footing.

"Makoto's started a Shadow Game!" Yugi shouts, concern evident in his voice as he watches the scene unfold. Makoto remains silent, staring coldly at PaniK as he slowly gets back to his feet, coughing but grimly determined.

"...I-I don't know what game you're trying to play here, worm," PaniK yells, trembling as he tries to rally himself. "But it won't be enough! With your Red-Eyes down, I just need to deal with your Hades, and it's the end for you!"

.

----------->

.

Makoto's expression remains calm, almost detached. "...I suppose I had better empower him, then," he says casually, activating Polymerization.

"What?!" PaniK barks. "But you only have one monster on the field!"

Makoto just shakes his head as if PaniK is missing something painfully obvious. "My Hades is the Lord of the Dead. While he's on the field, I can fuse him with one monster in my Graveyard. And I think I know just the monster."

PaniK's eyes widen with terror as he realizes what's about to happen.

"I fuse my Hades with my Red-Eyes Black Dragon to summon my Stygian Dragoon Hades!"

Instead of the usual vortex, a ghostly specter of Red-Eyes appears, floating above Hades, its form flickering like a shadow. It lowers into Hades, enveloping him in a swirling black glow. From that glow emerges—a form that radiates dark power, clad in armor, wielding a spear, draconic in appearance, and exuding an aura of utter menace.

.

--------->>

.

Makoto's expression remains as calm as ever, even as the atmosphere thickens with intensity. To you, it feels like lying under the fluffiest blanket after a long, exhausting day—completely peaceful, utterly secure.

"...This is it, PaniK," Makoto says softly, almost like a whisper. No taunts, no threats—just a cold, absolute declaration that the fight is already decided.

PaniK begins to shake, his confidence crumbling. The fear in his eyes is impossible to miss. He can't bring himself to deny what's happening.

And in that moment, you realize—Makoto isn't just fighting for victory. He's already claimed it.

PaniK snarls as his turn begins, his body trembling violently, each movement seeming to drain what little strength he has left. He barely manages to draw his card, but in an instant, it erupts into another cloud of dark dust, billowing out like a toxic fog.

He starts coughing violently, clutching his throat as the shadowy particles find their way down his windpipe, causing him to gasp and splutter. His body trembles even more, sweat pouring down his face, eyes wild with desperation.

Finally, the coughing subsides, and PaniK glares at Makoto, his face less intimidating than it was moments ago—shaking, drool running down his chin, the look of a man pushed to his breaking point.

"I—I—I am PaniK! I WON'T BE INTIMIDATED BY SOME BOY!" he yells, voice cracking with forced bravado. His trembling hands slam down on the field as he desperately tries to rally himself.

"Come! KING OF YAMIMAKAI!"

He throws down the monster that had been the catalyst of your downfall, summoning the towering, shadowy creature once again. Its dark, menacing form looms over the field, but even as it appears, the tension hanging in the air feels different—almost like a desperate last attempt to cling to whatever hope he has left.

.

------------>

.

Makoto tilts his head slightly, a curious expression crossing his face, as if pondering something.

Before anyone can react further, the atmosphere shifts dramatically. PaniK's King of Yamimakai stares at Makoto's Dragoon with an almost unnatural intensity. The creature begins to tremble violently, as if seized by the unshakeable fear that had consumed you.

Suddenly, without warning, the monster raises both of its hands to its own head and begins to squeeze—twisting and contorting with a sickening crunch.

"King of Yamimakai?! What are you doing?!" PaniK screams in panic, voice trembling with fear and fury.

In an instant, the creature's form shudders violently, then collapses in on itself, imploding in a burst of dark energy. The monster destroys itself, leaving behind a lingering aura fear.

The battlefield falls eerily silent for a moment, the weight of what just transpired hanging heavy in the air.

.

----------->

..

PaniK finally stops trembling, his eyes fixed on the spot where his monster collapsed, wide with disbelief.

"...This isn't possible…" he whispers, so softly you can barely hear it.

He repeats it again, almost like a mantra, voice trembling. "This isn't possible… this isn't possible…"

Then, suddenly, he erupts into a furious scream. "THIS ISN'T POSSIBLE! I AM PANIK! I REFUSE TO BE HUMILIATED LIKE THIS!"

He slams his hand down on a button on his Duel Pod. The side of Makoto's Duel Pod begins to lower, revealing two familiar nozzles, aimed directly at Makoto.

Your heart leaps into your throat.

"Makoto! Look out!" you scream, rushing forward in a desperate attempt to warn him.

But before you can reach him, the twin streams of fire erupt from the nozzles, blazing through the air with deadly intent. The flames engulf Makoto in an instant, consuming him completely in a wall of searing heat and destruction…

(200 DP From defeating PaniK?)

Your heart stops as you watch the flames consume Makoto completely. You only vaguely hear the others yelling out in worry and PaniK roaring with laughter.

"I TOLD YOU, WORM! NOBODY MESSES WITH PANIK! NOBODY!" PaniK screamed, insanity thick in his voice.

Before you could scream, cry, or break down, your head shot up as you heard an ominous chuckle come from the flames.

"…Y'know, this is the second time today someone has tried to burn me alive. It's less impressive the second time," a voice says infuriatingly casually, considering you thought he'd been incinerated!

As the flames slowly die down, your eyes widen as Handsome is revealed, completely unscathed.

…Though, for some reason, his jacket and shirt seemed to have been burnt off.

"Now, how about we end this farce, PaniK? Dragoon, wrap this up," Makoto says oh-so casually, as his monster starts stepping toward PaniK.

PaniK takes a step back in fear. The only thing preventing him from falling off his Duel Pod is the safety railing at the back.

"I-I-It's still my turn! And besides! Duelist Kingdom rules prevent direct attacks!" he yells out wildly, desperately grasping at straws as the monster approaches him.

"…Hm? Oh, you still think we're playing Duel Monsters. How cute," Makoto drawls out as his monster suddenly leaps up onto the front of PaniK's Duel Pod, reaching forward and picking PaniK up by his throat, holding him aloft.

As Makoto's monster reaches toward PaniK with its free hand, planning to do god knows what to him, it abruptly stops as Yugi steps forward.

"Makoto, stop! You've won! You don't need to go this far!" Yugi yells desperately to Makoto, who just looks at him idly, eyebrow raised.

"…Maybe I don't, but after what he did to Mai? Well, I WANT to do this," he says, turning his attention back to PaniK, but then stops once again as Yugi speaks up.

"Why not ask Mai, then? If you're doing this for her, shouldn't you at least ask her what she thinks of this?!" Yugi pleads.

"…Hmm, I suppose you do have a point there, Yugi. Well, Gorgeous, what do you think? Want me to kill this roach here and now?" Makoto asks, turning his and everyone's attention to you suddenly, awaiting your answer.

…A part of you wants it. You want to see PaniK's throat ripped out, maybe follow the same route as his monster and get his skull crushed.

But more than anything else, right now you just wanted…

"…I just want this to be over and to get some sleep," you say tiredly. Today has been a nonstop cluster of disaster after disaster. You just want it all to be over and finally get some rest.

"…Well, not the decision I would have made, but if you so wish," he turns his attention back to PaniK, who seems almost relieved, obviously thinking he's going to get out of this. "Oh no, don't think you're getting out of this unscathed, rat. I just need to make your punishment quick!" Suddenly, the darkness that had enveloped the area is sucked up toward Makoto, as his Dragoon turns and holds PaniK out toward him.

"Let's see what this little trick does!" Makoto bellowed before suddenly throwing his arm out toward PaniK. "Mind Crush!"

Suddenly, all the shadows that had coalesced around him shoot forward directly toward PaniK, consuming him completely.

After a few seconds, PaniK is revealed, seemingly unharmed but unconscious. Makoto's monster then proceeds to throw his unconscious form in front of you and the others.

You just stare down at the unconscious PaniK for a few moments before Makoto finally makes his way over to you.

"…Feel free to take as many of his Star Chips as you want, Gorgeous. He certainly won't be needing 'em," he says casually as he kicks at PaniK with his foot.

…You are tempted. It'd be so easy—just grab the Star Chips and pretend this nightmare never happened.

But no, no matter how pathetic you look right now, you are still Mai Valentine. You have your pride.

"…I can't accept them. It doesn't matter the reasons; I still lost. I won't toss aside my pride by accepting a handout from the competition," you say stubbornly, crossing your arms and looking away.

Makoto has the audacity to roll his eyes at that. "...God, this is gonna sound sappy as hell, but I didn't duel PaniK because of the tournament. I dueled him because we're friends and he hurt you. That was it. Don't think of this as a handout—think of it as friends helping each other out."

…That was shockingly sweet, but still—

"Besides! If you really need to soothe your pride, just pay me back after the tournament," he says with a cocky and somewhat lecherous grin, his mind obviously in the gutter.

Hmph, men…

You just roll your eyes, the serious mood ruined.

Well, you suppose you could accept that.

"…Fine, but don't come crying to me when I beat you, okay? I swear if I hear one word." You mutter, leaning down and taking your eight Star Chips from PaniK's glove, but only eight.

"And I'm only taking what I lost—not a single one more. They're yours, Handsome," you say with a glare, making damn sure he knows you aren't about to budge on this.

He just shrugs at that. "Sure thing, but don't come crying to me if you don't get enough Star Chips to enter the castle," he says with a cocky smirk, leaning down to extract the remainder of PaniK's Star Chips.

"…Uh, I know I already asked, but you gotta have like twenty Star Chips now, Makoto! Come on! Be a pal and give your good friend Joey at least a couple!" Wheeler practically begged as Makoto just rolled his eyes while you all started your way back to camp.

"Nope!" Makoto chirped out as Joey pouted.

"…It's 'cause I don't have big tits, right—" Tea suddenly cut him off, slapping the back of his head as you all chuckled.

…God, how long has it been since you allowed yourself to relax around others?

You don't want to wake up. After yesterday's chaos, you could sleep for days without a single regret. But your peaceful rest is rudely interrupted by someone poking your cheek.

…If it's Joey, you're gonna knock his teeth out.

Turning over, you squint blearily to see who's bothering you.

And what you see makes your eyes widen—two enormous, perfect tits dangling in front of your face, attached to a familiar ghostly figure who's poking you with a pout.

.

------------->

.

Honestly, you could accept this kind of wake-up call.

You try to sit up, only to realize Mai has your arm locked in a vice grip.

…As cute as this is, you need to get up and handle whatever the hell this is.

"Ooh, use the pillow trick, 'Koto! Shimmy a pillow between you two so she latches onto it!" the witch—or ghost?—advises, smirking knowingly.

You decide to humor her. Grabbing the pillow you'd been sleeping on, you slide it between you and Mai until she readjusts, cuddling with the pillow instead, looking adorable as she presses her face into it and sniffs.

With a sigh, you push yourself upright and quietly slip out of camp, the spirit floating along behind you until you're far enough away that you won't wake anyone.

Turning to face her, you cross your arms. "...Okay, so, who the hell are you then?"

You're done with surprises after yesterday.

She grins widely, planting her hands on her hips and settling onto a nearby log, giving you a slow, deliberate look at her body as she leans back.

"Well, that's a pretty simple question! But first, why don't you quickly look through your deck?" she suggests, eyes teasingly glinting as she leans back, deliberately showing off her figure.

You hesitate, then shuffle through your cards. Suddenly, your heart skips a beat.

A strange sensation washes over you as you realize—your deck is missing a certain monster, replaced instead by two copies of the woman sitting right across from you.

Before you can freak out at someone tampering with your deck, she continues, voice calm and teasing.

"Now, now, I love how protective you are, sweetie. But take a look at the name and effect of this card first."

You exhale slowly, scanning the card.

.

--------->

.

Your eyes widen as understanding dawns.

"Yup~ You've always been quick on the uptake, 'Koto! Because you took such good care of me in my old age and fused me into younger, hotter forms. A little magic from the grouchy old man, the Ring, and presto—my spirit started to change. I could've prevented it, but honestly? I like this form so much better~" she purrs, licking her ruby lips and running her hands over her body, clearly reveling in her new appearance.

You shake your head slightly, sighing as you sit beside her. She smirks and shifts until she's shoulder to shoulder with you.

The first thing you notice is how strangely she feels—warm, but not quite like a normal person. When you rub your shoulder against her, her body feels like a pile of feathers—soft, almost weightless, giving way beneath your fingertips.

"So, you were Old Vindictive Magician—"

"I preferred just Vindictive Magician," she corrects, with a sharp smile.

"You're now Young Petty Magician?"

"I'd rather be called Young Pretty Magician, but yes." she says proudly, rubbing her shoulder against yours with a saucy grin.

"So," you say, voice steady despite her provocative posture, "what do you want? Where do we go from here?"

She leans forward slightly, exposing more of her cleavage, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Nothing much," she purrs. "I'm perfectly happy just staying by your side, being used by you~. You always seem to put me to good use…" she adds, biting her lip suggestively.

You raise an eyebrow but try to keep your expression neutral. "That it? You don't want me to steal the Millennium Items, kill people, or do some crazy magic stunt for you to stay young?"

"Nope~," she chirps cheerfully. "Thankfully, this form is permanent now. Honestly, I'd rather if you tossed away that nasty old Ring and the grouch—who needs them when you've got all this?" She gestures down her body with a wicked grin.

It's… weirdly tempting. No catch? Just a hot spirit who wants to stick around and well, considering the way she was acting it didn't seem like she'd be opposed to some fun…

Your mind flashes back to last night, to the Ring's whispers from Change of Heart as it helped you out, he (She? God was that confusing) might have directed you to destroy the castle but it was clear they had some hidden motive.

Noticing your hesitation, she continues with a playful tone. "Anyway, you've done good work with that blonde. But you really should give Tea some attention—she's repressed as hell. But I can tell you, the minute she's in your bed, she'd be an absolute BEAST in the sack, oh! And—"

You listen, half amused, half overwhelmed as she prattles on, clearly more than happy to spill her thoughts now that she can talk to you.

For now, you decide to roll with it. If there's some secret catch, you'll deal with it later. But honestly? Right now, this… this feels nice.