"That guy should still have two more copies of [Dark Magician], shouldn't he? What to do… should I win all of them too? If I recall correctly, all three of his [Dark Magician] cards were trimmed for cheating."
Sitting on the bench, Youmi held the [Dark Magician] she'd just taken from Pandora and examined it against the sunlight, checking whether it had any additional damage. The card was clearly in pain, but Pandora's cutting work was, annoyingly, quite neat… he had sliced off the outer border cleanly, with surprising precision.
Even so, Youmi could never forgive anyone who would mutilate their own cards, especially not for cheating in a Duel.
"If you need it, I don't mind giving you a few [Dark Magician] cards in perfect condition. But I suppose you wouldn't need them, would you, Silver Duelist—Youmi."
Marik, dressed in casual clothes instead of the standard Rare Hunter black robe, stepped down from a yacht and walked straight toward her. "From the very first Duel you fought in Domino City, we Rare Hunters have been keeping an eye on you. If you join us, we can provide you with any rare card you desire."
For someone who had invited her to a duel at the docks, Marik's opening with a recruitment offer was unexpected.
Still, given that this version of Marik retained some of his sinister tendencies, and that nearly every member of the Rare Hunters had been brainwashed by his Millennium Rod, it wasn't hard to guess that he might have the same manipulative intent.
Youmi flashed the three [Locator Cards] she had taken from Rare Hunter members, waving them teasingly. "Oh? I've already taken down quite a few of your so-called elites. And even so, you're still inviting me to join you? How generous of you, Marik Ishtar."
"It seems you're not entirely ignorant of our organization's affairs. Have you met my sister?" Marik kept his expression calm and almost friendly, eyes fixed on Youmi's indifferent face.
"And what makes you say that?"
Based on what she'd read in fanfics, travelers like her usually encountered Ishizu first—someone who played the dangerous [Exchange of the Spirit] Deck—but Youmi hadn't met the woman yet. So she was curious why Marik assumed she had already done so.
"You and my sister share a similar aura… no, compared to her, you're even more dangerous. Even if you threatened me, it would feel like striking cotton. If possible, I'd rather not duel you," Marik sighed, his tone oddly sincere. "Rather than making you an enemy, I'd prefer you as an ally. All I seek is revenge on Yugi Muto. If you wish, I can help you become the Duel City Champion. We Rare Hunters certainly have the resources for that."
'Ah, so Ishizu's given him trauma, huh?'
Youmi knew her own personality had grown somewhat vicious lately, but she hadn't expected Marik to give up on manipulation and instead approach her for cooperation. Now things were getting interesting.
"That's quite a tempting offer, isn't it? Perhaps I should give it some thought. Though first, why don't you give me an example of what you can actually offer?" Still unconvinced, Youmi stood up, slipped Pandora's red-clad [Dark Magician] into her card case, and gestured toward the spot where Pandora had been dragged away.
"After all, even with your Rare Hunter resources, that guy was completely helpless against me. If that's the level of strength you're offering, I think I'll do just fine on my own."
That said, Pandora hadn't been particularly weak; rather, Youmi had specifically built a deck of anti-Deck-Destruction viruses tailored to counter Marik's playstyle, and Pandora had just happened to get caught in the crossfire.
"What we can provide are cards of mythical rarity—the pinnacle of Duel Monsters—the entities known as the 'Egyptian God Cards.'" Hearing Youmi's half-interest, Marik began his sales pitch eagerly. "These are cards I would never entrust to a duelist of Pandora's level. However, if it's you, I'm willing to let you wield one—so long as you don't stand in the way of our vengeance against the Pharaoh, or if, when the time comes, you allow us to intervene in your duel with him."
As he spoke, Marik drew a red-backed card from his pocket.
"This is one of the Egyptian Gods—[Slifer the Sky Dragon]. If you accept the deal, it's yours." Marik extended the card toward Youmi.
Smack!
Youmi slapped his hand aside, sending the [Slifer the Sky Dragon] card tumbling to the ground. If a gust of wind blew by, it might have fallen straight into the sea.
Youmi met Marik's gaze, her smile turning cold. "I'm not interested in counterfeits. Try showing me something genuine next time. Or maybe your Rare Hunters need an appraiser to improve their forgeries? Negotiation requires real leverage, Marik. If this is all you've got, then I'd say we have nothing more to discuss, little brother."
"Hahaha! Truly worthy of being the duelist I chose! You saw through the imitation at a glance." Marik laughed brightly, unfazed by her rejection. "The real [Slifer the Sky Dragon] has already been given to one of my subordinates to hunt down Yugi Muto. If you're interested, we can go witness the power of a God right now. Once you've seen it, perhaps you'll come to desire the might of the supreme God in my possession."
If Youmi remembered correctly, the first to challenge Atem was supposed to be the Rare Hunter with the [Exodia the Forbidden One] deck… and then Pandora, the one she had already destroyed. Why was Marik suddenly skipping straight to his own duel performance?
Could it be because she had already eliminated both of them before the story properly began?
Almost as if sensing her confusion, Marik continued with a sigh of regret. "Originally, two of my subordinates were meant to duel Yugi Muto before this, but they both chose the wrong target… and that was you.
"Otherwise, we'd have had plenty of time to discuss a partnership between you and the Rare Hunters. But for now, let's head to my temporary base to witness the might of the God Card. Perhaps even without your aid, that power will be enough to make Yugi Muto pay dearly."
"Still, rest assured—if Yugi Muto falls here, my promise to support you as Duel City Champion will still stand. It's not every day I meet a duelist with both talent and familiarity that feels… oddly close, even in a foreign land."
...
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