"Fujiki... Yugen!?"
Saio's pupils contracted in surprise as he looked at the figure seated in the chair.
"It's me," Yugen said.
"Duel King?"
"Just a trifling title, nothing worth mentioning," Yugen was very humble.
Saio: "..."
Damn.
The reason he changed his plans and avoided Duel Academy all along was largely because of this person.
Not that he feared the Duel King. Even as a king, he was merely a ruler of this planet, while his true form was the Light of Destruction from the depths of the cosmos, naturally feeling superior upon arrival.
The reason for avoiding the Duel King wasn't necessarily fear.
But rather, the blade isn't sharp, and the horse is too weak. I don't wish to fight with you yet.
In short, the timing wasn't right, and he wasn't prepared.
But sometimes fate loves to play tricks. Clearly unprepared, suddenly, like turning a corner, so abruptly and unexpectedly face to face, in just a few steps.
Yugen found Saio Takuma's surprised expression quite amusing and smiled, "I heard Mr. Saio can foresee everything and grasp the destiny of all things. I thought you'd have predicted this meeting as well."
Saio, with a darkened expression, didn't respond, instead, he said, "If I recall correctly, this should be Prince Aojin's residence. I came to visit Prince Aojin."
He paused and asked, "Mr. Yugen, could it be you're also here to visit Prince Aojin? If so, I'll take my leave for now and visit another day..."
Yugen was amused. Was he trying to escape from a bad situation?
But before Yugen spoke, a female voice emerged from the darkness.
"Forget it, brother, no need to act."
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Saio was startled and looked behind Yugen. A beautiful woman in a kimono emerged from the darkness, her long black hair cascading like a waterfall. It was none other than his sister.
But at that moment, Saio Mizuchi stood behind Yugen, indicating her intention to stand with him against Saio.
Saio squinted: "Mizuchi, what are you trying to do?"
"Brother... or rather, the evil will parasitizing inside you," Mizuchi said coldly, "Your days of abusing my brother's body to do as you please are over."
Saio's face darkened: "Have you betrayed me, Mizuchi?"
"Betrayed? I've long seen through your true nature, merely waiting for the right moment."
"So you think the time is now? Because of him? This man?"
Saio looked at Yugen and sneered.
"This so-called Duel King, do you think he can defeat me?"
"Don't be ridiculous!"
Saio shouted, his facial expression suddenly twisted. His muscles contorted to an extent unattainable by ordinary people, displaying a rather grotesque facial art.
Even Mizuchi stepped back, frightened. Growing up closely with her brother, it was the first time she saw such a terrifying expression on his face, making her nervous.
Yugen remained calm. First, he'd already seen Saio's darkening—or should say whitening—face in the original work, so it wasn't unexpected.
Besides, facial art is a traditional segment reserved for Yu-Gi-Oh! bosses, a longstanding tradition.
"Duel King? This human? Deludedly attempting to stand against the wheel of destiny?"
Saio roared.
"Don't be ridiculous. Even as a king, you're merely a king among humans, mere ants manipulated by the strings of destiny. Since you're so eager to find death, very well..."
He slipped on the Duel Disc and shouted.
"I'll conveniently defeat you here, eliminating this major problem first, then deal with Prince Aojin and seize the key."
Saio squinted.
"Tonight... let the symphony of destiny come to its finale!"
"Duel!" x2
[Yugen, LP 4000]
[Saio, LP 4000]
"I'm going first, draw card!"
Saio glanced at his initial hand and quickly selected one of the cards.
"Summon 'Secret Ceremony Power 7-Chariot'!"
The summoned golden light rippled on the field, and the Tarot Chariot emerged from the golden glow. A black chariot with countless mechanical tentacles, surrounded by an eerie circle of eyes, its front tentacles equipped with cannon tubes.
[Secret Ceremony Power 7-Chariot, Attack Power 1700]
"When 'Secret Ceremony Power' is summoned, cards randomly rotate to gain different effects depending on the upright or reverse position."
Saio raised his arm high. The chariot's monster card image appeared above it, indeed beginning to slowly rotate.
"Just like the turning of the fate's wheels, it's precisely the most suitable power for me now!" Saio shouted, "While it seems random, fate has already decided!"
STOP!
The rotating card stopped, landing on its upright position.
"With this 'Secret Ceremony Power-Chariot' gains the upright position effect!" Saio laughed, "As for the specific ability... haha, I'll leave it to the King to slowly discover."
"Be careful."
Mizuchi advised beside him.
"This 'Secret Ceremony Power' is a product created by my brother's evil light power combined with his own superpowers. It's precisely his most fitting ability. Even I don't fully understand it..."
"It's alright."
Yugen smiled indifferently.
"You don't understand, but I do."
"Is this the King's confidence? Ha, then how long can this confidence last?"
Saio sneered, drawing another card from his hand.
"Cover a card in the back row, turn ends."
"My turn, draw card."
Yugen drew his card. But before he had a chance to make any moves, Saio interrupted from his side.
"Activate cover card! Continuous Trap Card 'Death God's Tour'!"
The hooded God of Death wielding a scythe appeared on the field, surrounded by rolling black fog.
The trap card also floated above Saio's field, rotating like the Secret Ceremony Power.
"Another card of fate manipulation?" Mizuchi noted.
"Exactly! Like Secret Ceremony Power, Death God's Tour is a manifestation of destiny's power! Of course, for me now, my fate is unstoppable!
STOP!"
With his command, the trap card stopped rotating.
Again, an upright position.
Saio laughed heartily.
"Death God's Tour's effect: this card must rotate once during each opponent's standby phase, gaining different effects based on upright or reverse position.
While the upright position's effect is, the opponent can't perform monster summon, special summon, or flip summon this turn!" (Original effect)
In reality, when turned into a physical card, it retained a similar effect but was slightly weakened. If it randomly landed on the upright position, the opponent was only restricted from "summoning and flip summoning," while special summoning was unaffected.
In the original animation, even special summoning wasn't allowed, making its suppression exist in a whole different dimension.
"Unable to perform any form of monster summon!?"
Mizuchi's expression changed slightly.
Wasn't this equivalent to sealing basic actions right from the start?