"Master Malik."
Lixid enters the room and respectfully bows.
"I've told you many times, that's unnecessary."
Malik, sitting on the sofa, waves his hand impatiently and says.
"The Pharaoh has returned to the Netherworld, and the Three Phantom Gods cards have disappeared from the world. Our Tomb Guardian Race's mission has long since ended; neither you nor I are bound by the chains of the past anymore.
From now on, we are just brothers. I am no longer the master you need to serve."
He had said similar words before, but Lixid, who had grown up in the Tomb Guardian Race, spent the first half of his life as a devoted servant to Malik. With such a long-standing habit, even if asked to change, it is difficult to adapt quickly.
"Never mind." Malik says, "Did you see that person?"
Lixid replies, "I did."
"Lost?"
Lixid says, "Completely defeated."
Malik nods, "He is, after all, a man who has earned the title of King; it would be strange if he didn't have such a level of strength."
However, Malik is not a man who would be scared by the title of Duel King. After all, he once stood at the pinnacle, wielding the Supreme Illusion God and competing against the strongest Duelists of the time.
Although his result back then was not satisfactory, he does not feel that he has been kicked out of the ranks of peak strongmen. He has always believed that if luck were a factor, he would have had a chance to beat at least Seto Kaiba, if not the Pharaoh.
Now, however, he has lost his previous desire for revenge and is uninterested in the empty titles of Duel King or world champion; he simply did not strive for them. Before this, he also did not deliberately inquire about the situation of the current strong players.
But now, the clash between his familiar subordinate and the current Duel King has piqued his interest somewhat, so he continues to ask, "So, what means did he use to break through your layers of trap locks?
A super-fast offensive? Did rapid summoning and attack speed outpace your trap deployment? Or did he summon a powerful ace monster with strong resistance? Or focus on breaking through with a strong offense targeting the back field?"
He mentions several strategies he can think of, but Lixid just shakes his head.
"No." Lixid says gloomily, "It wasn't him breaking through me; it was me failing to break through him."
Malik: "?"
"He started with Artificial Human Soga and Royal Palace Notice." Lixid says, "His Soga was relentless, no matter how many times it was solved; it could immediately resurrect and even evolve into a higher form.
My entire card deck was practically useless against it, couldn't win."
Malik: "..."
After pondering for a while, he says.
"Hmm... Soga, that's quite unfortunate. You've done your best, it seems this Duel King certainly has some means."
At this moment, a clear female voice comes from behind: "But isn't this a good thing for us?"
They turn to the voice and see Malik's sister, Isis, standing at the door.
"Sister." Malik stands up.
"The Evil God is awakening, and the strength we can gather is as strong as possible." Isis says.
Malik nods, "I hope he can handle it."
After a pause, Malik feels somewhat melancholic: "Since the battle with Seto Kaiba, it's been many years since I've seen the First Generation Duel King. If it was Muto Yuugi who personally sent the Pharaoh away during the Battle Ceremony, it would surely..."
Isis shakes her head, "So many years have passed, this world can't always rely on just him."
"Indeed."
Malik reclines back in the sofa, pondering silently.
...
...
Elsewhere.
A place of darkness, like a realm filled with despair. Dense black fog churns like a sea, with some vast dark shapes seemingly hidden within that cloud ocean.
In the darkness, a shape finally speaks.
"Did you fail?"
After several seconds of silence, another shape slowly rises from below the cloud sea, with a form vaguely seen with a long body, twisted tail, and wide wings, apparently resembling the "Evil God Eraser" that just battled Yugen.
"Caught off guard."
The Eraser speaks in a low, muffled voice.
A third shadow scoffs, saying, "It's not the Pharaoh, nor the Priest. Just an ordinary human being. Even the weakest of us, you've embarrassed yourself."
The Eraser, somewhat indignant, retorts, "That kid... that kid used a dirty trick! I was careless at the moment...
...and besides, that human host itself is too weak. I could only indirectly act from that weakling's body, greatly limited. If I could come out directly, such a mere human, how would they even qualify..."
"Enough."
The initial shadow interrupts its words. The Eraser immediately falls silent, its mouth closing firmly, daring not to speak further. Though dignified as an Evil God, it also seems to fear the pressure from this companion.
The initial shadow says, "After all, it comes back to this issue.
If not for that detestable Pharaoh, and those equally annoying human companions, we wouldn't be trapped in this situation?
If we were unbound by a seal, and completely unleashed, who in this world, among these Duelists, could be qualified to battle us?"
As the three Evil Gods, only the Pharaoh and those Priests held their regard. Now that the Pharaoh is gone, only the reincarnation of the Priests poses a threat in this world.
Among the reincarnated Priests, undoubtedly, Priest Set, also known as Seto Kaiba today, should be the most prominent. He should have been a threat, but when the Evil Gods last acted many years ago, they encountered him, and attached to Pegasus Nightwalker, they easily defeated Seto Kaiba, so a defeated adversary is no longer a concern for them now.
The biggest issue is that they don't have a freely moveable or sufficiently powerful corporeal form.
At this very moment, another surge of new power fills this dark world. As the black cloud sea rises, smaller than the three silhouettes, only a human-like figure can be seen.
Such a small human, yet calm in facing these three deities, appearing quite composed.
This is a man clad in black leather. Short-haired, with angular facial features as if carved by a knife, dark sunglasses perched on the nose, his expression seemingly always confident.
"Well then, since the great Evil Gods have many inconveniences, coincidentally, we happen to have an abundance of shells for convenient action."
"Therefore, regarding our previous proposal, what do the great Evil Gods think?"
The man adjusts his sunglasses, chuckling softly.
"If we could become the hands, feet, and eyes of the great Evil Gods, many things might become much easier, wouldn't they?"
The three Evil Gods remain silent for a moment.
Eventually, the initial dark shadow slowly speaks.
"Repeat your terms."