Youyu stopped at the end of the alley, turned around, and waited silently for the person behind him to show up.
Moments later, a cloaked figure appeared.
It was a man fully wrapped in a pitch-black, oversized cloak, very short, looking like an elementary school child who hadn't graduated yet.
However, the cheap outfit like a black bag and the Duel Disc whose edges couldn't be hidden under the cloak—it's obvious that this was another Rare Card Hunter from the Ghouls Group, just like Pandora, who was previously reverse-killed by Youyu.
"To be able to notice my presence." The short hunter sneered, "Your alertness is quite high."
"A Rare Card Hunter, huh?" Youyu said blandly, "Truly haunting."
"Ha, since you said so, it seems that Pandora was indeed taken down by you." The short hunter snorted, "Information says he lost to a little imp like you. At first, I didn't quite believe it... But you sure have guts, even we Ghouls usually only steal Rare Cards, yet you directly took Pandora's whole deck..."
Youyu's mouth twitched.
Listening to you, it almost sounds like I'm the truly vicious villain here?
This talk even feels like admiration from fellow colleagues. It's as if saying, amazing, amazing, we usually only snatch one or two Rare Cards, bro, you actually want them all, that's truly impressive.
But it's not wrong to say that though. From the original work, Ghouls as a villain organization were respectful to their rules enough to be admired.
Clearly should be an evil organization, yet their group every time shows up will obediently reveal the Duel Disc to play cards with the protagonists, and only snatch Rare Cards after winning a duel, never directly assault relying on numbers.
And that's not all, occasionally, when a hunter who lost a duel to a protagonist tries to renege or attack directly, those who disobey the rules are often transformed into idiots by their boss Marik via remote memory tampering...
Youyu coughed awkwardly, "He himself demanded the deck gamble first."
"Hm, whatever, that loser who was defeated by you has already received punishment from the organization, his soul has been permanently banished into the darkness."
The short Rare Card Hunter unfolded the Duel Disc in his hand.
"While my mission is to reclaim the 'Dark Magician' that Pandora lost to you. If successful, I can report and replace Pandora, gaining a higher position!"
He said, grinning triumphantly.
"...Seems too easy this way."
"Hidden Mission, Challenge from Ghouls (II)!
After you defeated Magician Pandora, the powerful Ghouls Group still wouldn't give up and has sent new opponents to challenge you!"
Youyu indeed received the mission prompt again. However, the mission panel didn't provide an option to accept or reject, appearing to be a type of mission that forcibly executes upon triggering with no power to refuse.
But then again, Ghouls wouldn't let him leave like that.
In Yu-Gi-Oh!, most villains are rule-bound—as long as you honestly play cards with them, they will keep sending people to play cards following the rules, and most will honor their bets.
But once you refuse to duel and want to flee, sorry, we choose to directly hit.
"Duel!" x2
[Youyu, LP 4000]
[Rare Card Hunter, LP 4000]
"Then I'll go first and draw a card." The first turn belongs to the Rare Card Hunter from Ghouls, "I summon 'Machina Soldier' in Attack Mode!"
[Machina Soldier, ATK 1600]
"Then I activate the Magic Card - Ties of the Brethren from my hand!" He plays a Magic Card, "Paying 1000 LP, Special Summon two LV 4 monsters of the same type as Machina Soldier from my deck!" (Manga Effect)
[Rare Card Hunter, LP 4000 → LP 3000]
He draws from his deck, swiftly selecting two cards.
"Come forth, my Machinas! Special Summon 'Machina Sniper' and 'Machina Defender'!"
[Machina Sniper, ATK 1800]
[Machina Defender, ATK 1200]
Youyu narrowed his eyes.
A Machina Deck?
To summon three monsters at once like this, such fielding ability is quite strong in the current meta environment.
"Hey, now I have three monsters on the field." That hunter chuckled, "But unfortunately, the monsters specially summoned via Ties of the Brethren can't attack nor be used for Tribute Summon.
Then I'll Set a card, turn end."
Can't attack, and can't be used as tribute?
Youyu looked thoughtfully at the three monsters on the opponent's field.
So he has three LV 4 monsters. Could it be that he's planning to construct an XYZ network with them, performing an Xyz Summon of 'Ruler of the Color'...
...Oh, sorry, wrong place. There's no Xyz here.
(Note: 'Ruler of the Color', an Xyz Monster, requires 3 LV 4 monsters as its summoning condition. It's on the banned list due to its overpowering effect.)
But daydreaming is pointless.
"My turn!" Youyu declared, "Summon 'Elemental Hero Sparkman'!"
A blue warrior appeared on the field with a shout, surrounded by swirling electricity. (Sparkman: Why do I have a bad feeling I'm going to be worked to death soon?)
[Elemental Hero Sparkman, ATK 1600]
"Battle! Sparkman, attack the Machina Defender!"
Following his master's command, Sparkman leapt up with a shout, releasing a piercing stream of electricity. The lightning, like a javelin thrown across the air, targeted the weakest Machina Defender on the opponent's field.
"Heh, just as I expected!" The Hunter chuckled lightly, activating a Set Card, "Flip Cover Card, Negate Attack! Your monster's attack is negated, and the Battle Phase is forcibly ended!"
A wild wind blew from the flipped Trap Card, forming a vortex barrier that protected all the Mecha monsters on the field. Sparkman's electricity was swept into the storm and instantly dissipated, unable to penetrate the defensive barrier.
"What a shame, your attack didn't succeed." The Hunter sneered mockingly, "Your tactic is too predictable. You're just a brat after all..."
However, Youyu paid no attention to his trash talk.
At this moment, all of Youyu's focus was on the Trap Card 'Negate Attack,' which was slowly turning transparent and disappearing.
An early game-saving Divine Card!
Not only does it negate an attack, but it also forcibly ends the Battle Phase, and it's the fastest-acting Counter Trap, at least an SR-level Rare Card.
This card is indeed excellent, but it looks like it's going to belong to Youyu soon!
The Hunter realized after talking trash for a while that his opponent wasn't responding; he quickly noticed Youyu was staring intently at his 'Negate Attack.'
The Rare Card Hunter instantly became furious.
Goddammit, we're in the middle of a duel, and you're thinking of stealing my cards?
Who's the thief here, you or me?
Youyu, of course, didn't forget the matter at hand: "Set two cards, my turn is over."
The Hunter seemed to feel underestimated, his features contorting in anger. His already somewhat cramped features became even more abstract as he grew angrier.
"You brat, how dare you look down on me... My turn!"
Drawing a card from the deck, the Hunter forced out a twisted smile on his angry face.
"Let me show you why the organization chose me, my strongest combo!"
The Hunter laughed heartily, slapping a new Monster Card onto an empty card slot.
"Summon 'Commander Covington'!"
[Commander Covington, ATK 1000]
A warrior clad in pink Mecha, standing tall and straight like a sentry, appeared on his field.
"Now the conditions are met!"
The Hunter waved his hand triumphantly, smiling like a five-hundred-pound child.
"Commander Covington's special effect allows, at the cost of the player paying 1000 LP, the fusion of 'Machina Sniper,' 'Machina Defender,' and 'Machina Soldier'!" (Manga effect)
[Rare Card Hunter, LP 3000 → LP 2000]
Youyu raised an eyebrow.
A fusion monster?
The three Mecha monsters on the Hunter's field all levitated above ground, their metal bodies beginning to disassemble. Countless mechanical parts floated in mid-air, moving along their respective trajectories as if drawn by magnets.
Parts assembled with one another, gears meshed, metal Mechas collided and connected, constructing a giant Mecha whose body ascended higher and higher, resembling a steel summit standing imposingly in front of Youyu.
"Witness my strongest fusion monster, Machina Force!"
[Machina Force, ATK 4600]