Jounouchi's voice rang out from the darkness ahead.
"You're here~"
"Jounouchi!" Yugi gasped.
Jounouchi stepped forward with a shadowed face, eyes sharp, a twisted grin tugging at his mouth.
"Come on, Yugi. I've prepared our death duel. Hurry up."
Yugi froze, visibly hesitating.
"Yugi," Kaiba cut in coldly, "a Duelist doesn't get to pick who stands in the way. If someone blocks your path, you defeat them. That's the fate of Duelists. If you can't do that, you don't move forward."
But Yugi didn't listen. He tried again—desperately—to reach the real Jounouchi.
"Jounouchi, listen to me! I've been waiting to face you in Battle City—but only if we're both real Duelists by then. A real duel, staking our pride. This—this is Marik's trap! This isn't the duel we promised!"
Jounouchi didn't respond. He simply turned and began walking toward the arena, then glanced back at Yugi with an ugly edge to his smile.
"Come, Yugi. The death-duel stage is over there."
"Jounouchi!"
"It's useless, Yugi." Anzu stepped down from a nearby boat, her eyes eerily calm. "No matter what you say, you can't avoid this duel."
"Anzu…?"
"Jounouchi is my puppet," she said flatly. "He's being controlled by the hateful memories I possess."
Yugi's face tightened.
"Anzu… you too…?"
"Come on, Yugi," Anzu urged, voice empty. "Jounouchi's already waiting. Don't keep him bored."
With no choice left, Yugi followed Jounouchi and Anzu toward the duel site.
Kisaragi turned to Kaiba, jaw set.
"Kaiba—we should go too. Maybe we can still help."
Kaiba nodded once.
"Stop right there."
A tall man stepped into their path. The left side of his face was covered in markings, like carved sigils burned into the skin.
Kaiba's eyes narrowed instantly. He pulled Kisaragi and Mokuba behind him.
"Who are you?"
Then Kaiba noticed the golden staff hanging at the man's waist.
Kisaragi's gaze sharpened. "If I'm not mistaken… that's a Millennium Item—like Yugi's. The Millennium Rod."
"That's right," the man said. "I am the leader of the Rare Hunters—Marik Ishtar."
"Marik?" Kaiba spat. "Why are you blocking us?"
"A critical duel is about to begin," Marik said smoothly. "I won't allow you to interfere. My people couldn't stop you… so I'll deal with you personally."
Kisaragi stepped past Kaiba, putting herself in front.
"So what is it—one at a time?" she asked, calm and taunting. "Or are you planning to duel both Kaiba and me at the same time?"
The man's eyes flickered—then a second voice answered, colder, more measured, as he lifted the Rod.
"Kisaragi… you've beaten several of our Rare Hunters already. This time, you face me."
"Kisaragi, this is the leader's duel."
The name landed like a blade.
"Rishid," Kisaragi said quietly.
Rishid raised the Millennium Rod.
"Let's play a Shadow Game."
Darkness surged—layer upon layer—wrapping around Rishid and Kisaragi like a closing mouth.
"Kisaragi!" Kaiba lunged forward, trying to grab her wrist and drag her out.
But the darkness was solid—repelling him.
Kisaragi turned her head just before the black swallowed her completely, and she smiled.
"It's fine, Kaiba. Go to Yugi—go to them. Don't waste time on me."
And then she was gone.
"Kisaragi!"
Kaiba slammed his fist against the barrier of darkness—once, twice—furious, powerless. The black fog didn't even ripple.
He dropped to one knee, then drove his fist into the ground with a brutal crack.
Mokuba swallowed hard. "Brother… Kisaragi's going to be okay, right? This feels different than the other duels."
Kaiba's mind flashed with a memory—Pegasus's victory, and the way Kisaragi had faded from his sight back then, like she was being erased.
His eyes went bloodshot.
"Marik… Rishid… whoever you are in there—if Kisaragi gets hurt, I'll crush Rare Hunters into dust. Every last one. And I'll personally tear you apart."
Mokuba's voice shook. "So what do we do? Stay here?"
"No." Kaiba forced himself upright, staring at the dark sphere like it was a sworn enemy. "We can't interfere with a Shadow Game. We go to Yugi's duel site."
He turned away, fists clenched so tight his knuckles whitened.
"You entrusted Yugi's side to me," he muttered, as if speaking to Kisaragi through the fog. "So I'll keep that promise."
He paused for a fraction of a second—just long enough to let the words turn into something personal.
"And you… you'd better come back safe."
Then he strode toward the death-duel arena.
Inside the Shadow Game
The world was black—until the darkness itself seemed to breathe.
Kisaragi stood opposite Rishid, expression composed, her voice even.
"This space… isn't something you created, is it?"
Rishid stiffened. "Don't talk nonsense. I activated this Shadow Game with the Millennium Rod."
Kisaragi looked at him for a long moment, then shrugged.
"Fine. If you won't admit it, I won't pry."
She slid her deck into place and snapped her duel disk open.
"Let's duel."
"Duel!"
Rishid: 4000 LP
Kisaragi Aoi: 4000 LP
"I'll take the first turn," Rishid declared.
"My turn—draw!"
He slammed down a Field Spell.
"I activate the Field Spell: Royal Treasure of the Kings!"
The pitch-black space warped—stone and gold surged up from nowhere—and in a blink the arena became a glorious ancient Egyptian temple, lit by torchfire that didn't flicker.
"When this card is activated," Rishid continued, "I can Set one Apophis Trap directly from my deck!"
A card slid into the temple floor and vanished face-down like it had been swallowed by sand.
"Now I Set one more card."
Then he pointed at the field again.
"And once per turn—if I have two or more Set cards, or if there's a Trap in my graveyard—I can add to my hand a monster that lists Royal Temple in its text."
He drew a card from his deck with deliberate confidence.
"Next, I summon—Inscribed Man!"
A figure draped in a deep violet cloak appeared. His hood hid most of his face, but the visible skin was carved with ancient letters—markings eerily similar to the ones etched into Rishid.
Inscribed Man (1000 ATK / 1000 DEF)
"When Inscribed Man is Normal or Special Summoned," Rishid said, "I can add to my hand a card from my deck—either Royal Temple, or a Spell/Trap that lists it."
He revealed the card with a flick.
"I add Guardian of the Temple to my hand."
He ended smoothly, without a hint of doubt.
"Turn end." (Cards in hand: 5)
Kisaragi watched him without blinking.
So he's not opening with the old "Royal Temple + Embodiment of Apophis" line, she thought. He adapted. After how hard I steamrolled the others, this world started leveling up again.
Her lips curled.
Good.
That just makes it fun.
She rested her fingers on her deck and smiled like she was about to enjoy herself.
"If you're done, then it's my turn."
But across from her, Rishid's eyes narrowed—unease flickering beneath the calm.
Why…? he wondered. Why is there no fear in her at all? Why does she look excited?
He tightened his grip.
It doesn't matter.
The traps of the royal tombs will swallow anyone.
Anyone.
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 138)
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 (Chapter160)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter98)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter175)
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 163
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 150
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 100
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 170
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 145
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 125
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 69
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 90
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 100
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 70
Uma Musume: I Want All 90
I Can Copy Unique Skills 65
Summoning an Evil God, but the 52
Supernatural Multiverse 65
My Harem Is Indescribable 55
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 55
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 55
Still playing traditional Honk 35
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 35
What Should I Do After Switchi 24
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 35
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 27
Transmigrated as Sukuna 27
Checking In in Demon Slayer 32
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 44
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