"Duel's over? You're seriously saying you'll finish me this turn?" the rare card hunter sneered.
"Of course," Kisaragi said coldly. "No matter what deck you're using, my victory won't change. That turn you just played was your first—and your last."
"Then take this! I activate the Quick-Play Spell Book of Moon! This card lets me change one face-up monster on the field to face-down Defense Position!"
"Yugi—then that means…!" Joey blurted.
"Yeah," Yami Yugi answered. "Kisaragi's going to turn Morphing Jar face-down again."
"Exactly. Just like Yugi said—I set Morphing Jar face-down in Defense Position, then I flip summon Morphing Jar again!"
"By Morphing Jar's effect, both players discard their entire hands, then draw five cards. And at that moment, Magic Thorn activates—since you discarded five cards from your hand, you take 2500 damage!"
A fresh wave of steel thorns erupted and coiled around the hunter's body.
"AAAH!"
Rare Card Hunter LP 2500 → 0
Kisaragi Aoi: WIN!
"Heh. Beautiful win—he didn't even get a chance to fight back," Yami Yugi said with a satisfied smile.
…
Kaiba Corp — Surveillance Room
"Yes! Kisaragi won!" Mokuba shouted, bouncing with excitement.
"Hmph. So the first victory of Battle City goes to Kisaragi," Kaiba smirked. "Then I can't just sit here."
"I'm heading into Battle City!" Kaiba turned and strode out.
"Alright! Then I'll patrol the streets as Battle City's operations chairman!" Mokuba hurried after him.
As he ran out, he shouted back:
"If anyone finds a God Card, tell my brother immediately!"
…
Kisaragi walked over, took the hunter's Locator Card, then glanced through his deck.
"Not a single good card… and they're all fakes."
She tore the deck to shreds.
"I… lost again…"
The hunter suddenly stood up. Kisaragi stepped back at once—Yugi and Joey rushed forward to shield her.
"Aaah—!" The hunter clutched his temples and screamed.
"Help… he's here… HE'S HERE… Lord Malik!"
A Horus Eye appeared in the center of his forehead.
"A Millennium Item symbol…" Yami Yugi muttered, startled.
After a moment, the hunter went eerily still.
Then he spoke—voice completely different.
"Long time no see, Yugi."
"And Kisaragi Aoi… defeating Pegasus really did prove you're something. But you're speaking to the weakest of the rare hunters. This isn't the true power of Ghouls."
"Hey—what is he even saying?" Joey frowned.
"Sorry, did I scare you?" the voice continued calmly. "The one speaking isn't this man. I'm somewhere a little farther away. I implanted my memories into his body. If I want, I can control him anytime… like this."
The hunter's body began moving in unnatural, puppet-like motions.
"What is wrong with him? That's disgusting!" Joey snapped.
"WHO ARE YOU?!" Yami Yugi roared.
"Like you, I'm someone chosen by a Millennium Item. This is the power of my Millennium Rod."
"Millennium Rod…?"
"Think of this as a greeting duel. My name is Malik. Malik Ishtar."
"Malik—what's your goal?!" Yami Yugi demanded.
"Of course—collect the God Cards. With them, Ghouls will gain the power to conquer the world. We already have two. The last one is in this city—in the hands of someone."
"Yugi, the game has only just begun. In this city there's already a rare hunter holding a God Card. No matter how strong you are, if you meet him, you'll be instantly killed."
At that moment, Kisaragi stepped forward.
"How interesting. A rare hunter with a God Card… what, another puppet you're controlling?"
"Heh heh heh… who knows?" Malik's voice sharpened into a warning. "But this duel is between me and Yugi. Don't interfere. Otherwise… I might prepare a special gift for you too."
Kisaragi ignored the warning completely.
"Then you'd better prepare well. Don't bore me."
"…This woman," Malik hissed.
Then Malik's attention returned to Yugi.
"Yugi—this thousand-year war begins now."
The possession ended. The hunter collapsed to the ground, motionless.
"He's gone?" Joey asked.
Yami Yugi didn't answer immediately—his gaze was heavy, burning.
"Malik… neither the title of Pharaoh nor the power to conquer the world will ever fall into your hands. And I have my own reason to fight—my lost memories. Malik… I will defeat you!"
The hunter lay still. Kisaragi and Yugi didn't spare him another glance.
"So what now, Yugi?" Kisaragi asked, unusually serious.
"If he's issued a challenge, then I'll answer it," Yami Yugi said. "And Battle City matters to me too… for—"
He stopped.
Seeing his hesitation, Kisaragi didn't press.
"So you have a reason you can't avoid this fight. But if he's holding two God Cards, he's a real threat. Be careful—don't go wiping out in the dumbest way possible."
Yami Yugi smiled faintly.
"Yeah. Until I wash away my defeat in Duelist Kingdom, I won't lose again."
"I'm heading out first," Kisaragi said, turning away.
After a few steps, she stopped.
"Watch your friends' safety."
"What do you mean?"
Kisaragi didn't explain. Without looking back, she waved.
"See you in the finals!"
"What… does that mean…?"
"Yugi! I'm heading out too!" Joey cut in, snapping Yugi out of it.
"Yeah, Joey—good luck."
"You bet! When we hit the finals, we settle this fair and square!"
"Deal!"
…
Far out at sea, a small cruiser cut across the water toward Domino City.
A man with runes covering the left half of his face approached the bow and knelt behind Malik.
"Lord Malik. As you ordered, everything is prepared. They'll duel those two at the designated time."
"Good work… Odion," Malik said, eyes fixed on the distant city.
"Yugi and Kisaragi… accept the gift Ghouls has prepared for you. Especially you, Yugi—our tomb keeper clan's hatred will be settled in this tournament."
…
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 132)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter140)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter95)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter165)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 145
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 135
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 95
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 155
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 125
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 105
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 62
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 80
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 80
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 62
Uma Musume: I Want All 65
I Can Copy Unique Skills 53
Summoning an Evil God, but the 41
Supernatural Multiverse 45
My Harem Is Indescribable 35
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 46
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