"Joey?" Hearing the familiar voice, Chumley and Yugi exchanged glances and walked towards the field from which the sound came.
Pushing through the onlookers, Chumley and Yugi arrived at the edge of the Duel Field. Calling it a Duel Field didn't seem quite right, as the interior of this field wasn't divided into the large rectangular zones typically used for Duel Monsters, but rather meticulously partitioned into countless squares.
One of the combatants on this field was indeed Joey. However, what surprised Chumley and Yugi was that Joey's opponent wasn't Tristan, but a young man with a ponytail and a headband adorned with a black square tied around his forehead.
"What is Joey doing?" Although there were slight differences from his appearance in the anime of his previous life, Chumley, relying on the cheers of the surrounding onlookers, guessed the young man's identity. "How did he end up Dueling Duke Devlin, and with Monster Dice Roulette at that?"
"Duke Devlin? Is he that Genius Game Designer who invented Monster Dice Roulette?" Yugi had also heard that name.
Joey, focused entirely on the Duel, didn't notice Chumley and Yugi in the crowd. Instead, he looked proudly at Duke Devlin opposite him: "If you've seen how awesome I am, then hurry up and surrender! Apologize properly for what you said, and I, the great Joey, will magnanimously forgive you."
On the field before Joey, three familiar Duel Monsters—(Barbarian #1), (Barbarian #2), and (Panther Warrior)—had all appeared, forming a solid defensive formation in front of his Duel Arena. Before Duke Devlin, however, his Monsters had been destroyed, with only one (Gargoyle) remaining.
However, the cost of holding his ground was that over half of the field's colors were Duke Devlin's blue, while Joey's red area occupied only a tiny portion.
"It looks like Joey has the upper hand?" After observing the field, Yugi roughly understood the rule. Monster Dice Roulette was a game where Monsters were placed on the field using dice, then territories were occupied and battles waged. Both players acted as dungeon lords, each starting with three Life Points, and one point was lost each time a Monster was attacked.
Joey still had two Life Points, while Duke Devlin had a full three Life Points.
But Chumley knew that Duke Devlin was a complete schemer. Not only did he enjoy hiding the rules and not explaining them all at once, but he also especially loved playing desperate Counterattacks. Although there was only one Monster left on the field, Chumley looked at Duke Devlin's mysterious smile and felt that he still had a trick up his sleeve.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Joey, don't forget that even though your Monsters have almost wiped out mine, I still have a full three Life Points," Duke Devlin habitually brushed his bangs to the right and said confidently, "Your Monsters, always turtling on your own field, won't be able to defeat me."
Joey scoffed, "Hmph, it's rare for the great Joey to be so magnanimous. It looks like you're just eager to witness your own defeat."
"Then it's my turn! I roll!"
Three dice were tossed from Joey's hand and landed on the field before him. The dice stopped, revealing three Movement Crests, which filled Joey with joy.
"Yatta! So lucky! With the accumulated movement from before, my three monsters can advance all the way to your side!"
"My monsters, charge!"
As Joey's command was given, the Monsters that had been entrenched on Joey's field all advanced forward, stepping into Duke Devlin's territory and approaching his Duel Arena.
"Then, roll the dice!"
It was Duke Devlin's turn. He rolled three Spell symbols, and a look of regret crossed his face: "Oh dear, I still haven't Summoned a Monster. This is bad."
"As expected of one of Duelist Kingdom's Top 4, Joey Wheeler, to push me to such a state."
"Hehe, of course!" Hearing Duke Devlin's words, Joey chuckled triumphantly, took out the three dice he drew this turn, and threw them. The result: two Attack symbols and one Movement.
"Yosh! With this symbol, (Barbarian #1) successfully reaches your side!"
Joey commanded his (Barbarian #1) to move forward, ignoring the (Gargoyle) that was not obstructing its path, and successfully reached Duke Devlin's Duel Arena. The wild Warrior raised its club and slammed it down, successfully deducting one Life Point from Duke Devlin.
However, as a cost for the advance, Joey's previously accumulated Action Points were finally used up this turn.
Seeing this, Duke Devlin suddenly burst into laughter: "Heh heh, heh ha ha ha!"
"Heh ha ha ha ha!!!" He pointed at Joey with one hand, while the other brushed his bangs, "You fell for it, Joey Wheeler! My Attack route is completely clear!"
"Dice roll!" He casually threw the dice in his hand, revealing an exaggerated, almost maniacal smile. "Two Level 4 symbols! I'll Summon my strongest Monster, (Demonic Ogre)!"
But to Joey's surprise, Duke Devlin didn't place this Monster on his own field to block Joey's Monsters' Attack. Instead, he placed it directly in front of Joey's Duel Arena.
"N-no, this is bad, all my Monsters are on the opposing field!" Only then did Joey realize something was wrong. It turned out that Duke Devlin had deliberately used rhetoric to lure his Monsters away from their formation, then seized the opportunity to launch a sneak Attack. "You scoundrel, that's too despicable!"
"Hmph, it was just a simple word Trap. You, who fall for such a basic scheme, are the fool, Joey Wheeler!" Duke Devlin pointed arrogantly at Joey. "Before I get revenge for That Lord, you'll make a fine appetizer!"
"(Demonic Ogre), advance to Joey's Duel Arena, then Attack!"
"Divine Sword Slash!"
With a powerful downward swing of the greatsword, Joey's Life Points dropped to only one remaining. Duke Devlin, however, still had two Life Points. Even if a Direct Attack continued next turn, Joey's Life Points would be depleted first.
"Damn it, I have to roll a Counterattack this turn." Joey threw the dice in his hand. The dice stopped, but not a single Movement Crest appeared.
"Haha, with this, you lose!"
Unexpectedly, Joey confidently declared: "Hmph, as if! This is my way of defending!"
"Because I rolled two Spell symbols, I Activate (Panther Warrior)'s special Spell ability, to instantly destroy one Monster!"
"Die, (Demonic Ogre)!"
Duke Devlin, however, showed an expression that indicated everything was under his control: "Is this all your last struggle amounts to? You're too pathetic as a loser. Allow me to crush your delusion!"
"By using two Defense symbols, I Activate (Demonic Ogre)'s Effect, negating the special Spell Attack!"
"What!?"
After absorbing two Spell symbols, (Panther Warrior), from across the field, threw its scimitar. However, Duke Devlin's (Demonic Ogre) simultaneously absorbed two Defense symbols, forming a Spell Barrier on its giant sword, completely blocking the Attack.
"How could this be!"
Joey's incredulous expression immensely pleased Duke Devlin. He threw the last dice: "Three Attack symbols! Then (Demonic Ogre), defeat this waste and make it leave the field!"
With a swing of the sword, Joey's Life Points were completely depleted, and the match ended.
On the surface, Joey had dominated the first half, but by the latter half, Duke Devlin used his words to lure Joey into an Attack, then burst forth to finish him directly. This game was completely within Duke Devlin's control!
Thinking this, Chumley turned his head to look at Duke Devlin, only to find that the man seemed to have noticed Yugi and himself long ago, his eyes fixed on their direction.
(end of chapter)