According to the rules, Duelists from both camps spread out into a circle, encircling Youyu and Rishid, who were to represent them in battle.
Both sides shuffled their decks, inserted them back into their Duel Discs, and returned to their designated fields.
However, this time, there was no Darkness Game mode where lives were wagered.
Youyu, of course, did not initiate the Darkness Game himself; he could at most summon spirits to fight. In the animation, Rishid also did not use dark powers when facing Jonouchi, and Youyu estimated that this brute may not be capable of using high-level Darkness Games.
From Youyu's perspective, he actually did not wish to defeat the brute before him or rather, keeping this brute named Rishid might be more beneficial.
According to the DM plotline, an evil Dark Personality also exists within Marik's body. Compared to Marik's outer self, the Dark Marik hidden deep within his heart is more evil, full of destructive impulses, more unpredictable... and more captivating.
When Marik was young, during the cruel ritual of the Gravekeeper Race which engraved the secret of the Pharaoh guarded by his people for generations onto his back, he couldn't endure the pain and thus harbored hatred towards the Nameless Pharaoh, and even the world, leading to the birth of a destructive persona.
Big brother Rishid is the key to suppressing Marik's Dark Personality. It was originally because Rishid fell during the duel with Jonouchi that the Dark Marik was able to awaken.
For now, Youyu still doesn't want Dark Marik to come out and cause chaos, so it's better for this big brother to stay with the Ghouls.
...Of course, the man can leave, but the cards have to stay.
"Duel!" x2
[Youyu, LP 4000]
[Rishid, LP 4000]
Rishid went first: "I'll go first, draw a card. I'll set three cards and end my turn."
Rishid is renowned in the DM early period for heavy traps, and this opening is just too Gravekeeper-like. No chatter, straight to setting three cards in the back row, a classic enclosed start.
But there's no problem. The advantage Youyu has compared to the original character is that he knows from the animation what cards Rishid will use and knows that ninety percent of his entire deck consists of traps.
In short, it's all pits, pure, heavy traps. Move one step and it's three traps, traps that make you question your existence.
Knowing in advance that the opponent plays enclosed, he can adjust his deck accordingly. Here, Youyu packs his hand with all the 'wind' cards, including Mystical Space Typhoon, Heavy Storm, and even Sandstorm Twister, which he had kicked out of his deck for a long time, just to deal with players like these.
Sure enough, the effects of these adjustments were immediate. Youyu drew his first card and directly drew a Mystical Space Typhoon, without hesitation, swapping one of the opponent's back row cards.
"Quick-Play Magic - Mystical Space Typhoon!" Youyu played this timeless classic trap-clearing card, "Destroy one Magic Trap Card on the field!"
The swirling storm accompanied by lightning swept towards Rishid's back row, lifting the leftmost of the three set cards. The shining lightning struck the card, the powerful wind pressure tearing the card into pieces.
It was a "Widespread Ruin," which triggers when a Monster attacks, with the effect of destroying the opponent's Monster with the highest attack on the field.
Trading this away isn't a loss.
"Then I'll summon from my hand, Breaker the Magical Warrior!"
The red-armored magical warrior appeared on the field, sword in one hand and shield in the other, swinging the blade horizontally while the magic indicator on the shield lit up.
"Breaker the Magical Warrior gains a Spell Counter upon successful summon, increasing its Attack by 300!"
Rishid squinted: "And by removing the counter, it can destroy a Magic Trap Card on the field, right? But it's not that simple!"
Rishid waved his hand: "Activate the set card - Trap Hole! When a Monster with 1000 or more Attack is summoned, destroy it immediately!"
A huge pit appeared beneath the Magical Warrior's feet. The red-armored warrior stepped into it, lost his balance, and plunged in.
But at that moment, Youyu swiftly played a card from his hand: "Quick-Play Magic - Illusion Magic! Sacrifice one Spellcaster-Type Monster on the field to add one 'Dark Magician' from the deck to the hand!"
The Magical Warrior that fell into Trap Hole was not shattered but transformed into a golden light, liberated under the Magic Card's power.
Youyu pulled out his deck, picked out the "Dark Magician" to show the opponent, and added it to his hand.
The players were highly excited at this moment.
"Here it is! The pioneer of trap-focused enclosed decks!"
"MD, can we have some Mortal World cards?"
"Players of dark decks should die..."
For many years, heavy trap enclosed decks have been a part of Yu-Gi-Oh, evolving with the game.
Players of Yu-Gi-Oh physical cards have more or less had the experience of traps making them question their existence, thus everyone felt a sense of shared indignation upon seeing decks like this.
"Go Youyu!"
"Right, quickly send that kind of enclosed deck back to the darkness!"
Though Rishid remained mentally stable, indifferent to players' curses, he couldn't help but be surprised by these shameless behaviors—
—who moments ago betrayed him to join the opposing side, now shouting so fiercely you'd think they were sworn brothers with Youyu...
It seems this group of fools' integrity might be wholesale, ten bucks per pound with discounts during promotional periods.
"By the way... does Youyu seem to know the opponent would play enclosed from the start?" a player realized the issue, "Why was his opening just a 'wind' and a Breaker?"
"Probably... didn't shuffle?"
"What do you know? This is the bond with the deck, do you understand?" a player immediately explained, "True Duelists can draw exactly the cards they need; you guys wouldn't understand a thing."
Youyu heard this and couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Pfft, I've packed my deck with six 'wind' cards, two Breakers, and a bunch of filters, and only drew two; this bond is already overdue for a recharge...
But it's still fine. He's familiar with Rishid's deck; the opponent's full of traps and has extremely poor attack capability, removing two traps this turn isn't too bad.
The key lies in what's next.
"My turn ends."
"Then it's my turn." Rishid drew his card, suddenly let out a low hum, his tone changing, speaking in a voice seemingly several tones lower, "Now you will enter an absolute forbidden zone, an area absolutely prohibited for anyone outside the Gravekeeper Race, where they'll be instantly killed by numerous mechanisms."
Youyu straightened his face.
Is it coming?
This is the card he's been waiting for.
"Activate from my hand," Rishid drew this card with an air as if performing some ritual, "Field Magic Card—
—Temple of the Kings!"