Turn 3
"Hey, Marik, what exactly did your evil personality give to Bakura?"
Watching Yami Bakura smile even more brightly after drawing his card, Youmi suddenly felt as if the world's concentration of dark spirits was fixed—and it had simply shifted from Yami Marik to Yami Bakura. "Like, for instance, those cards that tribute two monsters to summon one to the opponent's field..."
Hearing that, Marik fell into thought. Although he had inherited Yami Marik's memories, he hadn't fully digested them and couldn't immediately recall everything he had given Bakura.
"I discard one card to activate the Spell Card [Dark Spirit's Mastery]. I add one [Destiny Board] or one Level 8 Fiend monster from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand. I add [Lava Golem] to my hand." As expected of Yami Bakura, he immediately pulled out a heavy hitter. "I Special Summon [Lava Golem] to your field!"
Both [Dark Paladin] and [Dark Magician] vanished in twin cries as they were offered as Tribute, and Yami Bakura Special Summoned [Lava Golem] to Yami Yugi's side of the field.
"What? A monster that uses my monsters as Tributes for its Special Summon? And it has 3000 Attack?!" Though he had lost two of his key monsters, Yami Yugi now had a 3000 Attack Effect Monster comparable to [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] under his control.
Examining the card Yami Bakura had sent his way, he at once grasped the scheme. "I see now… you plan to chip away at my Life Points each turn using this effect. However, that means you can't Normal Summon this turn. Planning to attack with your [Emissary of Darkness Token]?"
"Don't rush, my dear Pharaoh. I activate [Graceful Charity] from my hand—I draw three cards and discard two."
After cycling through three more cards, Yami Bakura wore a confident grin, like a schemer who had predicted every step. "Now for the main event. I banish [Gorz the Emissary of Darkness], [Puppet Master], and [Doomcaliber Knight] from my Graveyard to Special Summon [Dark Necrofear]!"
"And now for the moment you've been waiting for—the Battle Phase. [Emissary of Darkness Token], attack your [Dark Magician Girl]!"
Wielding a long blade, [Emissary of Darkness Token] cut down Yami Yugi's [Dark Magician Girl], dealing 200 damage.
[Yami Yugi, LP: 4000 → 3800]
"[Dark Magician Girl]!" As his monster was destroyed, Yami Yugi felt a sharp mental pain. "This is... a Shadow Game?"
"That's right—a Shadow Game! The blood-soaked Millennium War! Isn't it the perfect stage for such a duel? Main Phase 2—I activate the Field Spell [Dark Sanctuary]!
"As long as this card remains face-up on the field, whenever an opponent's monster declares an attack, this effect must activate: toss a coin. If it lands on heads, the attack is negated, and your opponent takes damage equal to half that monster's Attack!"
The surroundings grew darker and more oppressive as Yami Bakura Set two more cards and ended his turn.
Turn 4
"I see... so it's meant to restrict my attacks, huh? My turn—Draw. During the Standby Phase, due to [Lava Golem]'s effect, I take 1000 damage. Agh—!"
[Yami Yugi, LP: 3800 → 2800]
Reeling from the Shadow Game's mental toll, Yami Yugi clenched his teeth and flipped his face-down card. "I activate [Call of the Haunted]! I Special Summon [Dark Magician Girl] from my Graveyard!"
"Next, I activate [Dark Magic Inheritance]! I banish two Spell Cards from my Graveyard to add one Spell or Trap from my Deck that lists [Dark Magician] or [Dark Magician Girl] in its text. I add [Dark Burning Magic] to my hand!"
Once again, Yami Yugi used the same Spell he had employed in his duel against Slifer the Sky Dragon—but this time, the card he searched was even more powerful. "Then I pay 800 Life Points to activate [Premature Burial], Special Summoning [Dark Magician] in Attack Position!"
[Yami Yugi, LP: 2800 → 2000]
With [Dark Magician] and [Dark Magician Girl] reunited, their eyes met, a wordless understanding passing between them.
Yami Yugi raised the card he had just added to his hand. "When Master and Apprentice stand together, the ultimate secret art of Dark Magic is revealed! I activate [Dark Burning Magic]! If I control both a [Dark Magician] and [Dark Magician Girl], I can destroy all cards my opponent controls!"
"Nani?! All of my cards?! But—" Though shocked by Yami Yugi's sudden revival of his key monsters, Yami Bakura still had a counter ready. "I activate my face-down Counter Trap—[Solemn Judgment]! I pay half my Life Points to negate the activation and destroy it!"
[Yami Bakura, LP: 1500 → 750]
Yami Yugi, as if expecting that move, flipped his own card. "Counter Trap—[Seven Tools of the Bandit]! When a Trap Card is activated, pay 1000 Life Points to negate and destroy it!"
[Yami Yugi, LP: 2000 → 1000]
The ultimate Dark Magic activated successfully. Yami Bakura's field was wiped clean, including an unused [Destiny Board].
"Still, [Dark Necrofear] has a special effect! When this card in the Monster Zone is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, during that turn's End Phase, I can target one face-up monster your opponent controls and equip this card to it as an Equip Card—then I take control of that monster!"
Yami Bakura glanced at the [Juragedo] and [Forbidden Chalice] given to him by Yami Marik. If he could just survive this turn, he might yet steal the Pharaoh's victory.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans—
[Lava Golem] suddenly plunged into a massive iron pot and was fried alive.
As Yami Bakura attempted to activate [Dark Necrofear]'s effect, Yami Yugi flipped another face-down card. "Quick-Play Spell—[Mystik Wok]! I Tribute one monster I control and recover Life Points equal to either its ATK or DEF. I choose its Attack, and recover 3000 LP!"
[Yami Yugi, LP: 1000 → 4000]
"Looks like my skill surpasses yours, Bakura! Battle Phase—[Dark Magician], attack directly! Dark Magic Attack!"
There was no need for [Juragedo] now—even if Yami Bakura used it, [Dark Magician Girl] would have finished the job. Lowering his head in resignation, Yami Bakura muttered, "This time I lose... but don't think it's over, Yugi! And that woman too! I will return!"
The dark spell struck him down, sending him rolling across the ground before he lost consciousness.
The Millennium Ring shone with a final flash of light—and vanished.
...
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