"So, if we defeat this shadow of the Pharaoh from three thousand years ago... we can learn the real name of the other Yugi?" Jonouchi asked.
"I don't know." Yugi shook his head, "Maybe."
Youyu checked the quest details again, frowned, and felt it might not be that simple.
Because the reward section said "unknown reward", which immediately made it seem like the ultimate item wouldn't be handed over so easily.
But now, there was no choice but to accept this trial. After all, a certain unscrupulous Great Evil God had already erased the "Name of the King", and there seemed to be no other way to obtain this ultimate item than to follow this lead.
Yugi seemed a bit hesitant, as if he was almost ready to step up.
After all, until now, he had always been watching from behind his other self, and whenever combat was needed, it was always the kingly Dark Yugi who stepped up to fight.
But the time for separation was near.
He clearly understood that he could no longer rely on his other self. He had to quickly stand on his own, to take on the title of "Duel King" himself.
Because if he didn't do this... he wouldn't be able to leave with peace of mind.
Seeming to understand what he was thinking, Youyu patted him on the shoulder and chuckled softly.
"It's okay, leave it to me this time." Youyu said, "Your battle is still ahead."
Yugi was taken aback, bit his lip, and nodded firmly.
"Alright." He said resolutely, "I trust you, Youyu, always have. So I'll leave it to you."
Youyu stepped forward, arriving in front of the ancient king. Golden light poured forth from the open door, making the image of this king appear somewhat distorted.
He indeed looked exactly like Dark Yugi, but perhaps it was more apt to call him the "Nameless Pharaoh" now — after all, he was a copy of the Pharaoh from three thousand years ago, without the experiences of meeting Yugi.
Youyu activated the Duel Disc, and the system triggered duel mode, with the Card Deck auto-shuffling in the card slot.
The opponent was a king from three thousand years ago — even if he wasn't the real one and his power might be diminished, there could be no room for carelessness.
The Pharaoh also spread his fingers over the golden ancient Dueling Disc, and five beams of golden light magically formed into tablets before him.
Youyu held his breath, steadying his focus.
This duel absolutely had to be given his all!
[Youyu, LP 4000]
[Pharaoh, LP 4000]
"Looks like I'm going first."
The indicator on Youyu's Duel Disc lit up. He confirmed with a glance, looked up at the opposite side, and only after the Pharaoh gave a slight nod in agreement did he begin his turn.
"It's my turn, draw." Youyu quickly revealed two cards from his hand, "I activate the Magic Card 'Destiny Draw' from my hand. By discarding one 'Destiny Hero' from my hand, I can draw two cards from my deck.
I discard 'Destiny Hero Malicious' to the graveyard and draw two cards."
Trading the Destiny Hero card for two new cards, Youyu added them to his hand and then drew another card from his hand.
"Summon 'Elemental Hero Blazeman' in Defense Position."
[Elemental Hero Blazeman, DEF 1800]
"Blazeman's effect." A card in the lower middle part of Youyu's thick card deck automatically popped out, and he drew it, "When successfully summoned, add a 'Fusion' Magic Card from the deck to your hand."
He briefly displayed "Fusion", added it to his hand, and then drew another card, inserting it into the Duel Disc.
"Magic Card 'Over Destiny'! Select a Destiny Hero Monster in the graveyard, and Special Summon a Destiny Hero with a level half or less than that monster from the deck.
I choose the level six 'Destiny Hero Malicious' in the graveyard, appear now! Level one, Destiny Hero Disk Commander!"
The trajectory of cuts crisscrossed, and a hero equipped with discs all over his body let out a clear shout as he arrived on the field, the discs on his body spinning rapidly, creating a slight wind noise as they cut through the air.
[Destiny Hero Disk Commander, DEF 300]
"Next, I activate the Magic Card 'Fusion' from my hand!" Youyu raised the card from Blazeman's search, "By sending Fusion Material Monsters on the hand and field to the graveyard, perform a Fusion Summon!
I fuse the 'Elemental Hero Blazeman' on the field with the Water Attribute 'Elemental Hero Liquidman' from my hand!
Fusion conditions are met with an Elemental Hero plus any Water Attribute Monster for a Fusion Summon!
Born from the depths of extreme cold, capable of freezing all with absolute icy power—
——Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!"
Snowstorms whipped up, with snowflakes swirling with ice crystals along vortexes of airflow, the frigid storm resembling a high-speed spinning drum.
The hero stepped forward, his snowy cloak billowing between snowflakes, pure white boots spreading transparent ice crystals with each step, threatening to freeze the entire dueling platform.
[Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, ATK 2500]
"As the effect of 'Elemental Hero Liquidman', sent to the graveyard as Fusion Material, draw two cards from the deck, then discard one card from your hand."
Youyu drew two cards, adding them to his hand, then quickly selected one to send to the graveyard. Immediately, a light flashed in the Duel Disc's grave zone, causing the recently sent card to pop out again.
"The card I just sent to the graveyard was 'Elemental Hero Shadow Mist'." Youyu said, "When 'Shadow Mist' is sent to the graveyard, add a 'Hero' Monster from the deck to your hand.
"I add another 'Elemental Hero Liquidman' from the card deck to my hand."
He drew Liquidman from the deck, briefly displayed it, and the deck automatically shuffled back in the slot.
Youyu quickly scanned the remaining cards in his hand, confirmed the situation on the field, and then drew two more cards.
"Set two cards onto the field, turn over."
For a starting hand, he felt this lineup was passable and should be enough to withstand the attack.
Now, the key is to see how this Pharaoh from three thousand years ago will attack.
"This brother is amazing..." Mana whispered.
"Of course, Youyu is the Duel King in our world!" Jonouchi started to brag.
"King?" Mana blinked, "Like the Pharaoh?"
"Uh... it's a bit different, but sort of."
"Amazing!" Mana marveled, "No wonder he's a Prince's friend! No, wait, a Pharaoh's..."
Youyu finished his move, and the ancient king opposite began his actions.
"It's my turn." He gracefully raised his hand, as a stone slab thundered down.
The familiar voice of Dark Yugi, yet sounding colder and more uncaring, like a ruthless card-playing machine.
His cold pupils moved, resting for a moment on a stone slab, then slowly raised his hand.
"Discard a stone slab." He said indifferently, "Summon the spirit of the Magician 'Illusionist'."
The magician spirit with question marks on its head and chest appeared on his field, with a magician's cloak draped behind.
Illusionist, can be special summoned by discarding a card from the hand.
[Illusionist, Attack Power 2000]
"Banish the 'Rock Soldier' discarded to the graveyard." He said coldly, "Come, 'The Rock Spirit Titan'."
The Rock Spirit Titan, can be special summoned by removing an Earth Attribute monster from the game.
[The Rock Spirit Titan, Attack Power 1700]
"Magic 'Fiend's Sanctuary', activate."
The Pharaoh's gesture subtly changed, as if silently issuing a command, and the stone slab before him received the order and slowly flipped over.
A small figure forged from silver-gray metal emerged from the slab, gently landing on the ground in front, positioning itself before the Pharaoh.
[Metal Fiend Token, Defense Power 0]
Fiend's Sanctuary, Magic Card, summons a "Metal Fiend Token" to your field. Battle damage from this token is taken by the opponent.
"Three monsters in an instant!" Yugi exclaimed in surprise.
"Masaka!?" Jonouchi couldn't help but cry out.
Three monsters, and no opportunity for a normal summon...
No doubt!
The Pharaoh's hand holds the power of the Egyptian God!
"Is he really planning to summon a God onto the field in the first turn!?" Yugi hurriedly said, "Youyu, be careful!"
"I know." Youyu's face darkened.
The Three Egyptian Gods are the Pharaoh's strongest servants, indeed, it is recorded that three thousand years ago, he summoned the Three Egyptian Gods and the Great Evil God Sok to battle, but failed to succeed. Thus, the Pharaoh finally had to sacrifice his name and identity, using his soul to seal the Great Evil God.
Youyu expected his opponent would summon the Egyptian Gods, but not this fast.
Is this the power of the "Millennium Draw"?
But it won't be that easy!
"Flip Cover Card!" Youyu snapped his fingers, the card flipped over in front, "Quick-Play Magic - Mask Change! Send a Hero Monster from your field to the graveyard, transform into a Masked Hero of the same attribute!
I send the Water Attribute 'Elemental Hero Absolute Zero' to the graveyard, Mask Transformation!
The hero of extreme cold dons the mask and reappears — Masked Hero: Mist Water, summon!"
Cold air erupted, frost swept the field, and the effects of water and ice transformed into a clear, transparent armor covering Absolute Zero's body, instantly transforming him into a new form!
[Masked Hero: Mist Water, Defense Power 2000]
"At this moment, Absolute Zero's effect! When this card leaves the field, destroy all monsters on your opponent's field!"
Youyu waved a large hand.
"Absolute Zero!"