"Yugi."
Mai's voice carried a trace of disappointment.
"Such a simple trap, and you walked right into it without hesitation… Seems like Duelists from Japan aren't much after all…"
She mocked Yugi, trying to stir up his fighting spirit.
To duel someone with no will to fight was far too boring.
Seeing Yugi end his turn, she gracefully drew a card from her hand and set it in her back row.
"I set one card and end my turn."
The pressure shifted back onto Yugi.
He took a deep breath, his fingers resting on the top of his Deck.
"My turn—draw!"
It was [Summoned Skull]!
"First, I set one card!"
A card was quickly placed face-down in the Spell/Trap Zone.
Then, Yugi's eyes burned with resolve as he raised the crucial card high.
"And then, I'll decide this duel with this card! [Summoned Skull]!"
KRA-KOOM!
Deafening thunder ripped through the Duel Arena!
Dark clouds gathered above, swirling violently as a massive bolt of lightning crashed down!
From within the blinding light, a pair of menacing demon horns pierced the darkness, followed by a hulking body wreathed in hellfire and wings covered in armored scales.
A hexagram array spun beneath its feet as an overwhelming aura engulfed the field!
[Summoned Skull] descended!
"Attack!"
Without a second thought, Yugi pointed at Mai's [Harpie Lady].
"[Summoned Skull]! Shatter [Harpie Lady]!"
"Heh-heh-heh…"
Mai let out a silvery laugh.
She didn't even glance at the terrifying demon. Calmly, she raised the gleaming Trap Card in her hand.
"Yugi, aren't you being a little too hasty? Did you already forget about my Trap? I activate Trap Card—[Mirror Wall]!"
VMMM!
Once more, the massive, gleaming wall of reflective energy appeared, firmly standing before [Harpie Lady]!
[Summoned Skull]'s earth-splitting bolt of lightning struck savagely against the Mirror Wall!
Blinding sparks crackled wildly, screeching with a piercing sizzle—but the furious energy was absorbed, diverted, and vanished into nothingness!
"It's useless!"
Mai's voice brimmed with unshakable confidence.
"The effect of [Mirror Wall] activates! Your [Summoned Skull]'s Attack is cut in half!"
[Summoned Skull, ATK: 2500 → 1250]
"What?!"
Yugi's eyes widened at the wall, still standing tall and shimmering with icy brilliance.
"A Continuous Trap?!"
"That's right!"
Mai's voice carried pride—and disappointment at Yugi's delayed realization.
"This card's effect will stay active on the field as long as it remains! Yugi, you realized it… far too late!"
The Mirror Wall's glow seemed to mock his negligence.
In the stands, Joey stomped his foot in frustration.
"Yugi! Snap out of it! This isn't like you!"
He could feel his friend's distraction.
Yuto sighed, spreading his hands helplessly.
Well, sometimes a Duelist has to learn the hard way—underestimating your opponent only teaches you when it blows up in your face.
Mai didn't move to continue right away. Instead, she crossed her arms, her gaze sharp, her tone heavy with disappointment.
"You really let me down, Yugi. From the very start of this duel, I haven't felt the slightest hint of fighting spirit or focus from you! Your eyes, your heart—they're not here at all!"
She paused, her voice rising into a sharp accusation.
"From the beginning, you decided Pegasus was the only opponent worthy of you, didn't you?! You never even saw me as a Duelist!"
Her words struck Yugi's chest like a hammer, leaving him stunned.
Mai's disappointment turned into anger.
"Yugi, you've completely disregarded me… That arrogance is exactly why you're in trouble now! Those who belittle their opponents are destined to pay the price!"
That said, even this direct rebuke didn't pierce the wall of obsession clouding Yugi's mind.
"Mai!"
He snapped his head up, his eyes burning with stubborn fire, his voice defiant.
"If you want to lecture me, then beat me completely in this duel first!"
Seeing Yugi's obstinacy, Mai shook her head, disappointed once again.
It seemed he still hadn't truly understood…
Yuto thought silently to himself.
Yugi was still too green.
Because of him, Yugi hadn't faced the life-or-death struggle against Kaiba, nor the heart-rending Shadow Game with Pegasus's mind-reading videotape.
He almost regretted stopping Kaiba that time…
"If that's how it is… I activate Equip Spell [Rose Whip]!"
The previously set card flipped open. A whip appeared in [Harpie Lady]'s grasp.
"[Harpie Lady]'s Attack increases by 300!"
[Harpie Lady, ATK: 1800 → 2100]
With a crack of the whip, [Summoned Skull] was torn apart, and Yugi suffered the overflow of battle damage.
[Yugi, LP: 1350 → 500]
"Turn… end!"
Yugi's voice quivered with frustration and faint panic.
He glanced at his single, lonely Set card in the back row—knowing if things stayed like this next turn, it was over.
Now, it was Mai's turn.
She elegantly drew a card, her eyes scanning it before a confident smile curved her lips.
"Hmm…"
Feigning thought, she tapped a card and set it face-down.
"I set one card. Then…"
Her gaze locked onto Yugi's fragile defense, her voice sharp and decisive.
"End my turn!"
"My turn!"
Yugi nearly shouted as he slapped his hand on his Deck, urgency in his voice.
He drew hard and stared—[Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1].
Damn it!
No strong Monster… nothing that could break through [Harpie Lady] and [Mirror Wall]!
No time for hesitation.
"I Set one Monster card in Defense Position."
He slammed the card face-down—his final shield.
But it was practically telling Mai outright: no threat here, just stalling for survival.
And the moment the card touched the field—
"This instant—!"
Mai's clear voice sliced through the air like a blade, precise as a predator's strike.
"I activate Trap Card—[Shadow of Eyes]!"
"What?!"
Yugi's pupils shrank, a chill crawling down his spine.
The Trap flipped open!
"Its effect forces the Monster you just Set to be flipped face-up in Attack Position!"
"Urgh…!"
With a pained growl, his card was wrenched face-up by an invisible force—revealing the pitifully weak [Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1], with only 1400 Attack!
It flapped its wings helplessly, laid bare before [Harpie Lady]'s deadly claws like a lamb to the slaughter!
Yugi clenched his teeth so hard his gums nearly bled.
It was over… his last defense torn apart…
Almost by pure instinct, he slapped his final card—a faintly glowing red Trap—into his back row.
If she took the bait…
...
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