After carrying the unconscious Marik—whose dark personality had vanished but who now lay in an inexplicable slumber—onto the hotel sofa, Youmi changed back into her casual clothes. Picking up the Millennium Rod from the floor, she glanced at the menacing Yami Bakura and asked, "What? Are you here to duel me too?"
With a voice that made the scene feel surreal, Yami Bakura—or rather, the Zorc Necrophades—approached, the Millennium Ring around his neck glowing ominously. "Compared to a normal duel, I'd much rather settle things with the power of darkness itself. Of course, if you'd prefer to hand over the Millennium Rod right now, I wouldn't mind. My goal is the Millennium Items, after all. Helping Marik was merely… entertainment."
Youmi stared at the Millennium Rod in her hand, which was utterly unresponsive, like a useless stick, uncertain whether she even possessed the darkness necessary to fight Bakura directly.
"So what did you do to Odion? Don't tell me you killed him." There was no way Youmi would believe that Yami Marik could manifest if Odion was still unharmed. After all, Odion was Marik's most trusted confidant and emotional anchor—so long as he lived, Yami Marik couldn't act out. If the dark side had come for an assassination, then Odion must have…
"Relax. I didn't want to cause a scene with so many people around. He'll just be asleep for a few days, that's all." Letting out a sinister laugh, Bakura pressed his hand against the Millennium Ring, unleashing a beam of dark energy straight toward Youmi.
Youmi flicked a sleeved card outward from her left hand—protected by both inner and outer sleeves—splitting the blast in two. Conjuring her battle axe, she pointed it directly at him. "You looking to get smacked with this axe?"
"Hmph~ Then let's find out which of us is stronger!"
······
A white-haired young man crashed through the glass from the second floor of the hotel, rolling across the ground before glaring up at the glowing-eyed demoness framed in broken glass. He clicked his tongue in frustration.
"I'll let you go for now, but don't think you've seen the last of me!" Yami Bakura pointed at Youmi like a comic book villain, declaring revenge and turned to flee—only for a double-bladed axe to crash beside him, embedding itself deep into the concrete.
Now clad in her default [Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle] attire, Youmi leapt down from the second floor. The Millennium Rod was tucked clumsily at her waist, and she extended her left hand toward the axe. A surge of unseen power drew it back into her grasp. "Oh? Not letting me go so easily? What a shame. Since we don't get along, I suppose I'll just have to eliminate you completely. How about saying goodbye to this world right here and now?"
As she spoke, Youmi pulled a green card from her chest. The Field Zone on her right arm's Duel Disk opened up. "You're not getting away that easily—Field Spell [Labrynth Labyrinth], activate!"
The Millennium Rod glowed, and the real, non-projection version of the Silver Castle materialized around them, pulling both Youmi and Bakura into its depths.
To an outside observer, a ripple passed through the air, and both figures simply vanished.
Abruptly, in that instant, another presence stepped through the threshold.
"Now it's the second turn. Enjoy your final moments in my domain!" Dismissing her Duel Disk, Youmi swung her axe with her left hand, her heeled right foot driving her forward like a fired cannonball—an attack aimed to kill.
A flicker of fear crossed Bakura's face. He slapped his hand against his Deck Box, and dark energy surged forth, materializing monsters from his Deck. Dark-blue puppets and hordes of Zombie and Fiend monsters rushed to intercept. Yet Youmi sliced through them all—graceful, efficient, unstoppable—though the effort did buy him a few precious seconds.
"You plan to kill me? My host is a friend of Yugi and the others! What will they think if you kill me?" When even [Dark Necrofear] failed to stop her, Bakura summoned [Zoma the Spirit], whose effect dealt damage equal to the Attack of the monster that destroyed it. When Youmi instinctively cleaved it in half, the explosion blasted her back hard enough to send her rolling across the ground.
Her silver armor was scorched and smeared with ash as she wiped the dirt from her face, revealing not the warm smile people knew—instead, the chilling grin of a true villain. Her tone was that of a final boss. "And what does that have to do with me? If you die here, no one will know. You'll simply vanish—unseen, unheard, forgotten."
"You… you're as dark as I am. You'd make a fine host for me. But I can't die here! I'll have to unleash—" Before Bakura could finish, Youmi's axe slammed into his face.
She didn't actually intend to kill him. This was more like Go Shūsuke pushing Jack into a bungee jump to force a transformation—she knew Zorc wouldn't die with Bakura.
'Come on, let's see you stay hidden now!'
Just as Yami Bakura was about to be forced out of Bakura's body, Youmi's own form was enveloped in golden light—and she vanished.
Moments later, Yami Bakura, too, was consumed by light and disappeared from the Labyrinth.
Unlike him, though, the air around where Youmi had been standing cracked open again. Shielded by the protection of [Ten Thousand Dragon], she tore through the rift back into [Labrynth Labyrinth]. Though winded and exhausted, she glared furiously at the one who had interfered.
Shadi Shin.
He was sometimes called "Director Shadi," though Youmi had no idea where the nickname came from.
"Prana from another world, you must not overstep in this dimension. Your interference will bring about conflict."
Wearing a tattered green robe, Shadi looked like he had just clawed his way out of an abyss. His clothes were shredded as though he'd endured ninety-nine trials.
Despite his state, he held the Millennium Puzzle's counterpart—the Millennium Cube—from The Dark Side of Dimensions—and fixed his gaze on Youmi. "Zorc's soul cannot perish here. I ask that you calm your boundless fury."
"If I'm furious, it's not because of that idiot Zorc. Try falling for a few hundred meters yourself and see how calm you feel." Planting her axe into the ground for support, Youmi pulled herself upright.
Returning to this dimension using the power of [Ten Thousand Dragon] hadn't taken long—albeit, free-falling across stretched space-time cliffs several times before reaching solid ground had nearly killed her. Not even Loki had it worse.
The servants of the Silver Castle rushed to her side.
"Apologies, Great Mistress! That intruder's power was too strong… we couldn't stop him even after eighty traps! Next time, we'll add two more!"
"Great Mistress, should we prepare a change of clothes? The Master will arrive soon."
Two demon maids, one carrying a ring of keys and the other a tall candelabra, stood beside the Labrynth Archfiend, guarding their lady.
"Prana and Card Spirits from another world, I mean you no harm. I only ask—" Before Shadi could finish, [Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle] swung her axe down, forcing him to roll aside. "I only ask that you not interfere with destiny's intended course. If you do, then even if it means defying the highest beings behind you, I will drive you from this world."
"Bold words for a mere spirit," said [Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle], lowering her axe and helping Youmi up—though her hands lingered longer than necessary. "This is our domain. Since you came uninvited, don't expect to be treated as a guest."
Breaking free from Labrynth's embrace, Youmi stepped forward and said, "I admit, trying to kill Zorc on the spot might've been a little excessive. Still, that doesn't justify you tossing me into a damn freefall."
She rubbed her thumb and forefinger together.
"If you want me to stay out of it, you'll have to make it worth my while."
...
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