Chapter 511: How Dare He Keep Me in Suspense, Unforgivable, Pegasus!
Pegasus found himself appearing in a desert in a daze.
"Where am I?"
The bewildered Pegasus looked around and found that he seemed to be in the center of a desert. Besides the incredibly calm sand dunes under the pitch-black night sky, there was nothing else around. Even the airflow was stagnant here.
However, it couldn't be said that there was "completely nothing else in existence." Following a shadow on the ground not far away, Pegasus looked up into the sky and observed three majestic figures.
The long red dragon named "Osiris," who took over the duty of the Underworld King from Anubis, Slifer the Sky Dragon;
The blue giant god named "Obelisk," the symbol of the God of Destruction Seto, Obelisk the Tormentor;
And the golden dragon-falcon named "Ra," the Sun God, head of the Ennead, supreme in Egypt, who rises again even after once setting, The Winged Dragon of Ra.
"These are the Three Egyptian Gods?"
As the creator of Duel Monsters Cards who personally depicted the "Three Egyptian Gods" from the tablets that recorded them onto cards, and who "slightly" beautified the somewhat awkward tablet designs of the three giant gods, Pegasus naturally wouldn't mistake the three deities.
Even though who knows how much time had passed, Pegasus still felt lingering fear for the tragic deaths of the other creators who made the "Three Egyptian Gods" cards with him back then.
However, while being wary of the Three Egyptian Gods, Pegasus was not only puzzled as to why he appeared in this strange place but also had new doubts.
"I should have been holding the Duel Monsters Convention in Domino City yesterday. After it ended perfectly, I should have safely returned to the Castle on Duel Kingdom Island by aircraft."
"Furthermore, the Three Egyptian Gods shouldn't be here. Aren't they all in Hayato boy's hands?"
However, before Pegasus could figure anything out, the stagnant air around him suddenly began to flow again. Airflow rose from his feet, blowing his silver long hair and simultaneously sending countless golden light points before Pegasus's eyes.
Pegasus looked around in surprise, finding that everywhere his gaze reached, countless tiny light points, like fireflies, rose from the vast and boundless Desert, rushing straight towards the Three Egyptian Gods in the sky!
Although those golden light points looked so sacred, the "Three Egyptian Gods" all let out sounds of pain upon contact with the light points. Clearly, these light points made them quite uncomfortable, and even The Winged Dragon of Ra, the highest-ranked among the "Three Egyptian Gods," was no exception.
The God Cards began their respective actions. For a time, lightning, gale, and intense flames filled the space between the golden light points. The "Three Egyptian Gods" attempted to disperse these light points that caused them such discomfort in this manner. However, their effort was completely negated. Not only did the light points not disperse, but they gathered even more as time passed.
To the surprise of Pegasus, who watched with some terrified eyes from the sand dune, he saw the light points gather together to form a four-sided pyramid-like shape, completely sealing the "Three Egyptian Gods" within, and even further condensing into a giant glass pyramid!
On the side of the giant pyramid facing Pegasus, there was a huge golden engraving of the "Eye of Wjat/Udjat." This was not a mark that could be left on just any object. The "Eye of Wjat/Udjat" symbolized "punishment" and was the incarnation of a part of the soul of the former Underworld God "Anubis" in Egyptian Mythology, capable of monitoring the souls in the Underworld and the living beings on the ground.
Even among the precious Millennium Items, not all items were qualified to be inscribed with the complete "Eye of Wjat/Udjat." Only the Millennium Puzzle was engraved with the same symbol, and coincidentally, the shape of the Millennium Puzzle was exactly the inverse of the glass pyramid before him.
However, compared to the Millennium Puzzle, which symbolized "royal authority," the "Eye of Wjat/Udjat" on the pyramid before him gave off a feeling of extreme darkness and strangeness. The pupil position of the "Eye of Wjat/Udjat" was not the usual golden color, but a blood-red filled with evil energy. Just looking at that red circle, Pegasus felt as if his soul was about to be drawn into it!
"Ugh!!" Pegasus woke up abruptly, sitting up in bed, covered in cold sweat from his face to his body, even soaking the pajamas printed with a cute chibi Relinquished that he was wearing.
The Toon Dark Magician Girl doll he usually loved so much was knocked onto the carpet by his movement of getting up, but Pegasus didn't pick it up immediately. Instead, he sat on the bed, panting heavily, looking completely shaken.
After a long while, Pegasus's vision focused. He got out of bed, picked up the doll that fell onto the ground, placed it by the bedside, and arranged it in a cute pose, but his mouth was still muttering, "What was that dream about..."
While arranging the doll, due to the angle, the light entering the room through the gap in the curtains shone across Pegasus's eye. He glanced towards the window, walked over, and pulled open the curtains, allowing the sunlight to fully pass through the balcony outside the window into the room.
"Is it morning already?" Pegasus pressed his temples slightly, feeling annoyed.
For some reason, even though everything went smoothly yesterday, Pegasus himself had a constant illusion that he had been killed by someone somewhere. Then, after the Duel Monsters Convention ended and he returned to his residence, he had such an uncomfortable nightmare in every aspect.
This feeling was even worse than walking downhill on an icy road with his hands in his pockets in the middle of winter, accidentally falling down before he could take his hands out, and then sliding into the smelly ditch by the roadside.
However, instead of continuing to waste brain power on that annoying dream, Pegasus was now looking at a contrail in the sky that split the clouds, muttering:
"Is that, Kaiba boy?"
Although the aircraft gradually approaching Duel Kingdom Island did not display any identification, Pegasus could determine it was Kaiba just by the shape of the jet plane.
For no other reason than the fact that no one in the world would design the appearance of an aircraft, especially a jet plane, to be completely unrelated to a "streamlined shape" and full of sharp angles like a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, just because it looked good. They even added four large output nozzles to the rear of the plane for this, as if to prove that sheer power allows even bricks to fly.
Pegasus felt that he wouldn't be surprised if one day Kaiba sent a Blue-Eyes White Dragon-shaped satellite into space using a Blue-Eyes White Dragon-shaped rocket, after all, it was Kaiba Seto.
However, Pegasus, who had a nightmare that felt like blacking out from drinking, also recalled that shortly after the Duel Monsters Convention opened yesterday noon, he had sent Kaiba a video email, wanting to make a deal with him.
Also during the Duel Monsters Convention yesterday, Pegasus, who had just arrived at the scene, had just gotten off the helicopter and was looking at the Domino City Commercial Street Central Plaza with hardly anyone there, wondering if he was outdated and had no influence anymore, when Hayato dragged him away to help hypnotize the crowd.
Pegasus now thought that his nightmare might be due to Hayato asking for his help. After losing his Millennium Eye, the dark power he could use was not as strong as before, and the nightmare was related to the Three Egyptian Gods that Hayato held.
Then, after he finally finished being busy, Hayato asked him to call people to move and preserve the wreckage that looked like a motorcycle, saying it could be sold for a high price, and also asked Pegasus to find someone to bury the remains that looked like a robot.
Despite being somewhat skeptical of Hayato's words, Pegasus still chose to believe Hayato. Anyway, even if something needed to be done, he didn't need to do it himself when he was already exhausted. As a result, before the Duel Monsters Convention even ended yesterday, Pegasus received good news from his adopted son, Tenma Tsukihiro.
Although neither of the two wreckage pieces was in complete condition, even with the simplest disassembly, they could see that the level of technology contained within surpassed the current world's level by at least several hundred years. The technological level was at least two or three stories high.
Even with the limitations of the basic technology not being fully developed, as long as detailed research could be conducted on them, at least dozens of technologies surpassing the era could be developed.
However, this was limited to the "humanoid" one.
Due to the death of his first love in the past, Pegasus, after establishing Industrial Illusions, primarily focused on Duel Monsters, but also made some achievements in the medical field. Thus, he reached a level where he could barely understand the technology used in the "humanoid." However, they were helpless regarding the "motorcycle."
At most, they could only tell that the "motorcycle"'s power system seemed to be based on a certain substance, but when they attempted reverse engineering experiments, there was no substance existing in nature that responded.
After some hesitation, Pegasus chose to follow Hayato's advice. He did not conduct in-depth research on the "humanoid" but had Tenma Tsukihiro bury it. The "motorcycle" that could not be utilized was the item for Pegasus's deal with Kaiba.
Although researching the "humanoid" seemed to yield greater profit, just as Pegasus reflected and repented after being defeated by Hayato and Yugi back then, he would try his best to atone for his sins in his future life. While he might not be able to do much, he would at least no longer harm others for profit, not even a deceased person.
The jet plane landed in an open space not far from the Castle where Pegasus lived. By the time Kaiba, guided by a servant, met Pegasus, he found the man sitting in the spacious dining room, enjoying breakfast alone at the long table.
Besides Pegasus, even the butler who usually served him in the Castle was not in the dining room. The guiding servant also exited the room immediately after leading Kaiba to Pegasus and closed the dining room's great gate, creating a one-on-one conversation space for the two inside.
"Hmph, you're quite leisurely, Pegasus." Holding a briefcase in his hand, Kaiba looked coldly at Pegasus leisurely cutting a piece of cake and putting it into his mouth. "As you invited, I have come to make a deal with you. I have also agreed to your previous request."
"Unbelievable! Kaiba boy, me started off thinking you wouldn't agree to my outrageous demand. Me even prepared to haggle with you." Pegasus had a smile on his face, a composure about him, showing no sign of his disheveled state when he woke up this morning.
Although Pegasus proposed a deal to Kaiba and also sent Kaiba the preliminary appraisal report of the "motorcycle," he demanded 10% of KaibaCorp's stock held by Kaiba in exchange.
One must know that although the current Kaiba had successfully reclaimed the stock held by The Big Five, he held a total of 70% of KaibaCorp. The remaining stock was 20% held by Keipei and 10% held by other shareholders and retail investors.
To trade 10% of his stock for a scrapped "motorcycle" he hadn't even seen, Pegasus never believed such a deal would be established from the bottom of his heart. He thought Kaiba would definitely cut the price, so he just casually gave an excessively high price.
As a result, Kaiba actually agreed?
Pegasus never thought Kaiba was an idiot. On the contrary, he had always thought highly of Kaiba, who developed the virtual projection system that was incredibly compatible with Duel Monsters. Kaiba agreeing to such a deal seemed very wrong.
However, Pegasus was not in a hurry to talk business. He put down the knife and fork in his hand and extended them towards Kaiba, causing Kaiba, who had been watching Pegasus, to finally notice that there was another untouched cake and clean knife and fork on the dining table.
"Now, don't be in a hurry, and don't be shy. I suppose Kaiba boy, you haven't had breakfast yet either. Me had someone specially prepare it for you."
But Kaiba merely glanced at the cake, uninterested: "I don't really like sweets."
It wasn't a habit like "tough guys don't eat sweets." The main reason was actually that there was nearly half a day's time difference between Domino City, where Kaiba was before, and America, where Pegasus was.
Although Pegasus had just woken up and was eating breakfast, Kaiba had already eaten dinner before setting off, and he ate his favorite foie gras beef tenderloin.
"In that case, it would be a wasted effort. Ah, could you help me get the cherry on the cake? Although it's a bit greedy, me really like cherries."
Kaiba casually pushed the cake with the plate towards Pegasus.
"Thanks~" Pegasus thanked him casually and reached out to pick up the cherry from the plate and put it in his mouth. However, just as Pegasus was about to perform his cherry-eating skill, Kaiba spoke up, interrupting him.
"Let me confirm something with you first, Pegasus. You undoubtedly positioned yourself as the 'creator' of Duel Monsters in the past, right? However, you created the powerful Three Egyptian Gods that even you couldn't control." Kaiba looked down at Pegasus sitting in his seat. "Don't you feel even a trace of unwillingness in your heart?"
"Judge with your eye as the Father of Duel Monsters. Does that newly completed Blue-Eyes you mentioned possess power even greater than the deities?"
Upon hearing this, Pegasus sighed helplessly: "As expected, Kaiba boy, you didn't just come for a deal."
"If Kaiba boy, you just came seeking an answer, then me can tell you, the answer is yes. That card, completed based on the data of the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon you gave me, undoubtedly possesses power that surpasses deities, surpasses duels, and even surpasses destiny."
"But, me cannot give Kaiba boy that card now."
Chapter 512: The Duelist's World, Where Everything is Decided by Duels
Kaiba's already cold expression turned grim upon hearing Pegasus's words, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Pegasus, who was casually eating cherries.
"What do you mean you can't give me that Card?"
"You said that Card was already complete, didn't you, Pegasus?"
Stared down by Kaiba's aggressive gaze, others might have found it unbearable, but Pegasus was no ordinary person; his thick skin was already like a city wall.
Spitting out a cherry pit, Pegasus turned his head to look out the restaurant window. Through it, he could overlook the beautiful and harmonious natural scenery of the island from the castle.
"The meaning of life, you shouldn't JUST pursue POWER, Kaiba boy." Without preamble, Pegasus uttered these words and stood up with a light laugh, "Perhaps you should pause for a moment and look behind you."
As he spoke, Pegasus rose from his seat and began to pace aimlessly around the restaurant.
Behind Pegasus, Kaiba, not one to give up easily, followed him, stating firmly, "Hmph, my eyes have always been fixed on the future, with no room for the past. Moreover, what's wrong with pursuing greater strength? Is it only acceptable for others to grow stronger, but not for me?"
Kaiba's words, however, were met with Pegasus's light chuckle: "Grow stronger, you say? Kaiba boy, your goal is to surpass Hayato boy and Yugi-boy, isn't it? As someone aiming to become the King of Duelists, have you noticed that the gap between you and them is growing wider due to your differing records?"
"That's natural. After all, since the end of Duelist Kingdom until now, Kaiba boy, YOU haven't grown stronger by a single iota."
With that, Pegasus shook his head, his back to Kaiba, and walked towards the tightly closed restaurant door, seemingly intending to end their conversation.
However, Kaiba reached out and placed a hand on Pegasus's shoulder, as if to forcibly detain him.
"You say I haven't grown stronger by a single iota?" Kaiba's voice was not calm; it was clear he was suppressing his anger. "What right do you, who are standing still, have to evaluate me? My Blue-Eyes has already evolved to a new realm. Do YOU wish to taste MY wrath?"
Pegasus turned around, looking at Kaiba, who was glaring at him, and sighed helplessly. As he spoke, he reached up and swept aside the silver hair that covered the left side of his face.
"Kaiba boy, YOU completely misunderstand MY meaning. Wielding the strong POWER of Cards requires a matching level of Heart. YOUR Blue-Eyes has indeed grown stronger, BUT Kaiba boy, I have not seen a single shred of progress in YOUR Heart."
"If you continue like this, the tragedy YOUR Heart will witness is..." Pegasus lowered his hand, revealing his left eye socket, then his silver hair once again obscured Kaiba's view. "This is the dead end that those seduced by POWER will inevitably reach."
"Tsk..."
Kaiba's momentum faltered slightly at Pegasus's words. His main reason for anger was that he believed Pegasus was denying all the growth his Blue-Eyes had achieved so far, which had infuriated him.
Now that Pegasus had acknowledged that Blue-Eyes had grown significantly, his anger subsided somewhat. Coupled with Pegasus's talk of "Heart," Kaiba couldn't help but feel a little shaken.
However, after only a brief moment, Kaiba still made up his mind: "Even if you say that, I still need the power of that Card."
"Kaiba boy, the POWER of the CARD YOU need is very dangerous. The current YOU is not mature enough. At least, YOU must wait until YOUR Heart grows to a certain extent before I can confirm YOU are worthy to be that CARD's user."
Pegasus was somewhat exasperated by Kaiba's stubbornness and shook his head helplessly. His left eye usually wore a Millennium Eye, as his hair could easily be blown by the wind, and Pegasus would be heartbroken if he startled children during an event.
Because he had some suspicions about the reasons behind Kaiba's overly simple acceptance of the trade, Pegasus had specifically chosen not to wear his Millennium Eye, precisely to show Kaiba his own fate. Unfortunately, Kaiba was as stubborn as a rock and could not be persuaded by words.
His remaining right eye glanced behind Kaiba, observing the Duel Monster Spirit that seemed to be awakening yet not fully awakened, and Kaiba, who was completely oblivious to the Spirit's presence. Pegasus felt a pang of regret.
He genuinely respected Kaiba's Dueling skill; at present, he was at least among the top five in the world. However, those stronger than Kaiba, whether it was Hayato, the two Yugis, or America's "Guardians," all had the blessings of Duel Monster Spirits.
If such a powerful Duel Monster as Blue-Eyes successfully awakened its Duel Monster Spirit, Kaiba's strength would undoubtedly skyrocket, surpassing that "Guardian" would be inevitable, and he might even have a chance to surpass Yugi.
Alas, it couldn't be helped.
"Worthy? I'll prove that with a Duel!" Kaiba declared.
Seeing Kaiba's resolve, Pegasus had no choice. After all, he had proactively requested the data for Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon from Kaiba back then. Now that Kaiba was here to claim the Stakes, Pegasus couldn't stop him. The only thing he could do was offer a slight resistance in a Duel to show his determination.
Kaiba was led by a servant called in by Pegasus to the Duel Arena he had used during Duelist Kingdom. Pegasus, on the other hand, returned alone to his bedroom. Walking to the wall directly facing his bed, Pegasus twisted the tail of the Toon Blue-Eyes White Dragon on the wall. The wall slid open, revealing a very concealed safe.
From the safe, Pegasus took out a briefcase. After confirming there were no signs of it having been opened, he didn't bother to check the cards inside and simply carried it out of the room. In his opinion, the location of this briefcase was known only to him, so nothing could go wrong.
Soon after, Pegasus arrived at the Duel Arena with the briefcase. Kaiba had been waiting there for a long time.
"Still using those ancient Duel Stages, huh? Hmph." Kaiba placed his briefcase on the table, watching Pegasus approach him. "Truly an antiquated Dueling System. Never mind, it will be over quickly anyway."
Pegasus walked to the table and stood, placing his briefcase on it: "Kaiba boy, the CARD of surpassing DIVINE POWER YOU need is in this box. If you want to take it, then defeat ME."
"Hmph, so it's the Card Gambling Rules. Then my Stakes will be this document in the box, transferring 10% of KaibaCorp's shares. My name is already signed; it just needs one more signature to take effect." Kaiba said with a cold laugh, crossing his arms over his chest. "However, I imagine you won't need it."
After Kaiba and Pegasus confirmed the Stakes of the Duel, they each stood at one side of the Duel Arena and placed their Decks. Kaiba suddenly seemed to remember something, turning his head to look at the wall behind him as if searching for something. Finding nothing, he turned back to Pegasus: "You haven't used any underhanded tricks like before, have you?"
"Hm?" Pegasus didn't quite understand Kaiba's meaning, but Kaiba interpreted it as feigned ignorance.
"Hmph, do whatever you want. It doesn't matter if you see through my hand like before; you won't stop my progress, Pegasus."
As he spoke, Kaiba drew five cards into his Hand. Pegasus also gave a cold smile: "Even if YOU say that, I still have to try, don't I?"
"Duel!" x2
[Kaiba: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
[Pegasus: 4000 LP, Hand 5]
"FIRST, it's MY Turn, DRAW!" Pegasus, speaking in his broken mix of Japanese and English, took the First Turn and drew a Card. "Let ME remind Kaiba boy of YOUR past crushing defeat! I Activate the Normal Spell Card, Toon Bookmark! From MY Deck, I Add one Toon World or a Card that lists Toon World in its text, except Toon Bookmark, to MY Hand."
"MY choice is THIS, Toon World! Then, I Pay 1000 of MY Life Points to Activate it!"
[Pegasus: 4000 → 3000 LP]
As Pegasus Paid his Life Points, from the Card he placed in his Back Row flew out a storybook with a cute pink animal on its cover—a book clearly meant for tough men. It was the undisputed Core Card of the Toon archetype, Toon World.
Even Kaiba, who always held a prejudice against Pegasus, had to somewhat acknowledge Pegasus's "fairness" regarding Duel Monster Cards.
Back in Duelist Kingdom, Pegasus's Toon World had no Cost to Activate; it only required a 500 LP payment each Turn to maintain. What was truly unfair was that it would even Recover Life Points if it was Destroyed.
Because of this Effect, Téa and the others watching at the time had even complained about how "broken" the Effect was.
However, later, Pegasus surprisingly took the initiative to adjust his Card's Effect, changing Toon World's per-Turn LP payment to a 1000 LP payment upon Activation, and also canceling the Life Point Recovery Effect upon Destruction.
"Then, I Set three Cards, and I Summon a monster in face-down Defense Position on the Field. Turn End~"
[Pegasus: 3000 LP, Hand 1]
[Face-down Monster]
[Toon World] [Set Card] x3
Pegasus's Dueling style truly brought back memories for Kaiba of Duelist Kingdom; his technique was truly extremely simple. Aside from Searching for Toon World from his Deck, there was no board development.
Even if you randomly picked a Duelist who qualified for the main tournament in the KC Cup, their board development would be much more elaborate than Pegasus's.
However, Kaiba also knew that sometimes a simple layout could be more troublesome than a flashy Combo. If the Opponent was Pegasus, even he needed to raise his guard slightly.
"My Turn, Draw." Drawing a Card, Kaiba confirmed his Hand and then Summoned one of them to the Field. "I Normal Summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands! When Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands is Normal Summoned or Flip Summoned, I can Add one Ritual Monster or Ritual Spell Card from my Deck to my Hand."
"Then, I Activate Chaos Form from my Hand! I Tribute Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my Hand as material for my Ritual Summon, to achieve a total Level of 8!"
Using Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to Add Chaos Form to his Hand, Kaiba revealed a Blue-Eyes White Dragon from his Hand and Sent it to the Graveyard.
"Pegasus, let me show you the Power of what you called my 'lack of growth'! Bow down and worship before this new form of Blue-Eyes!" Kaiba Summoned the blue-bordered Ritual Monster to the Field. "Embrace the DARK Power and reach a new realm of chaos! Evolve into another dimensional form, Blue-Eyes!"
"Ritual Summon! Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon!"
Completely different from the sacred Light Power of a usual Blue-Eyes, accompanied by the Activation of Chaos Form, purple lightning filled with Dark Power descended from the sky onto Kaiba's Field. Amidst the roar of intertwining and colliding Light and Dark powers, the azure Great Dragon spread its wings of light and descended!
[Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon] [Level 8/DARK Attribute]
[Dragon-Type/Ritual/Effect]
[ATK 3000/DEF 0]
Kaiba watched as Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon appeared, his gaze darting to Pegasus, finding that he still had no intention of Activating his Set Cards in the Back Row.
'Does he not have Set Cards that can be used in response to an Effect Activation or Special Summon? Or is he still holding back?'
Kaiba couldn't be sure what Pegasus's Set Cards were, but it didn't matter now, because Pegasus would soon reveal his hand.
"Since you're not Activating your Set Cards, then keep them until you lose." Kaiba pointed his hand at the face-down Monster on Pegasus's Field. "Enter Battle Phase! And I will use Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon to Attack that face-down Monster on your Field."
"Then, when Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon, Ritual Summoned using Blue-Eyes White Dragon as a Tribute, Declares an Attack, I Activate her Effect!"
"Change the Battle Position of all Monsters on your Opponent's Field, and those Monsters whose Battle Position changed by this Effect have their Attack and Defense become 0!"
The azure Chaos Dragon spread its wings of light behind it, and the crystals covering Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon's entire body lit up one after another. The powers of light and darkness harmonized perfectly within her, spreading throughout the entire Field via her wings of light.
However, while this unstable chaotic environment thrived for Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon, for other Monsters, this power was a fatal poison. The Set Card on Pegasus's Field also Flipped due to Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon's Power, revealing its true form.
[Toon Goblin Attack Force] [DEF 0 → ATK 2300 → ATK 0]
The Monster Pegasus had Set was the Toon version of Goblin Attack Force, a Level 4 Monster with 2300 Attack but only 0 Defense. Although its Defense was 0, it was a Toon Monster with a "cheat-like" Resistance that prevented it from being Destroyed, so Pegasus had placed it in Defense Position.
But now, Toon Goblin Attack Force was forcibly changed to Attack Position by Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon's Effect, and its relatively excellent 2300 Attack was reduced to 0!
If Pegasus took this Attack from Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon, he would suffer a full 3000 points of Battle Damage, completely wiping out his remaining 3000 Life Points after Paying 1000 to Activate Toon World!
Therefore, Pegasus finally Flipped one of his Set Cards in the Back Row: "I Activate..."
(end of chapter)
"I activate the Continuous Trap Card, (Dragon Capture Jar)!"
On Pegasus's Back Row, as his Set Card activated, a brass jar appeared, imprinted with a dragon head relief on its front, though it almost felt like the words "targeting" were etched onto it.
"Do you still remember this card, Kaiba boy?" Pegasus said triumphantly. "Back then, your (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) was easily sealed by this card, and even if your Blue-Eyes monsters have evolved, they still can't escape this rule's limitation."
"You should know this card's effect, shouldn't you?"
"As long as (Dragon Capture Jar) exists on the field, all Dragon-Type monsters existing in face-up position on the field are changed to Defense Position and cannot change their battle position," Kaiba said unhappily, reciting the effect of the familiar (Dragon Capture Jar). "Aren't you tired of the same old tricks, Pegasus?"
"But Kaiba boy, you must admit, even though such moves are old, they're still quite useful, aren't they?" Pegasus chuckled. "I know about (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon). It has the ability to not be targeted by my effects and cannot be destroyed by effects, right?"
"If it were a card like (Sakuretsu Armor), it would be nullified, but (Dragon Capture Jar) can perfectly counter it."
During Kaiba and Pegasus's exchange, (Dragon Capture Jar) released a unique power. This power had no effect on Kaiba's (Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands) or Pegasus's (Toon Goblin Attack Force) on the field, but it exclusively affected Kaiba's (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon).
The light on the azure Blue-Eyes dimmed, and its light wings folded. Under the influence of (Dragon Capture Jar), even the highly resistant (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) was forced to change its battle position due to this powerful non-targeting effect, retracting its attack and revealing its weak defense.
(Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) [ATK 3000 → DEF 0]
Seeing his (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon)'s attack blocked by Pegasus, Kaiba clicked his tongue in annoyance and said, "Even though (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) was changed to Defense Position, (Toon Goblin Attack Force) was also changed to Attack Position and its ATK dropped to 0. My (Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands) on the field can still attack."
(Toon Goblin Attack Force) [ATK 0]
(Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands) [ATK 1400]
"(Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands), attack (Toon Goblin Attack Force)! Thousand Hands Attack!"
The bronze god statue with countless arms shouted strange "Ora Ora!" calls and swung its arms, attacking (Toon Goblin Attack Force). Pegasus, seeing this, laughed. "You're too hasty, Kaiba boy, you've completely fallen into my trap."
"In chain to (Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands)'s attack declaration, I activate this Set Card, the Trap Card, (Interrogation). I can check your hand, Kaiba boy. If there is a monster card in it, (Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands)'s attack is nullified, and afterwards, I can choose one monster from your hand to discard."
Pegasus pointed his hand at Kaiba's hand. "Even without looking, I can sense it, Kaiba boy. You must have another Blue-Eyes in your hand, right?"
The annoyed Kaiba, constrained by the rules of the duel game, flipped his hand over to show Pegasus. Indeed, among his cards—one (Polymerization) and one (Counter Gate)—there was also one (Blue-Eyes White Dragon).
It was clear that this time, Kaiba uncharacteristically did not draw all three (Blue-Eyes White Dragon)s on the first turn, though he could have still brought out a (Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon).
"Hehe, then because of the Blue-Eyes in your hand, Kaiba boy, (Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands)'s attack is nullified, and I can choose to discard the only monster card in your hand—(Blue-Eyes White Dragon)."
As (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) was sent to the Graveyard, Kaiba's expression was clearly displeased. He had thought that with his current strength, dealing with a slacker like Pegasus would be easy. Yet, after a few exchanges, he found that Pegasus could still suppress him just like in the past.
This made it seem like Pegasus was right; he hadn't grown a single bit since Duelist Kingdom.
The frustrated Kaiba had no recourse against Pegasus, as both of his monsters had already attacked. He could only relent. "I set a card. My turn ends."
[Kaiba: 4000 LP, Hand 1]
(Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) [DEF 0]
(Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands) [ATK 1400]
[Set Card]
"Now, my turn, draw." Pegasus said lightly as he drew a card. Unlike the tense Kaiba, Pegasus was much more relaxed about dueling now, truly treating it as a game.
However, there was also a sense of "being at ease" in his demeanor.
Glancing at the drawn card, Pegasus smiled and said, "So lucky. I drew a very nice card, Kaiba boy."
"I activate the Spell Card, (Magical Planter)! I send the Continuous Trap Card, (Dragon Capture Jar), from my field to the Graveyard, and draw two cards from my Deck." Pegasus voluntarily removed (Dragon Capture Jar). Although (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) was liberated, Kaiba felt no relief whatsoever.
Because Pegasus's move likely meant he had found a way to win.
"Quick-Play Spell Card, (Toon Flip-Through)! This can only be activated if (Toon World) is on my field." Pegasus placed a freshly drawn card on the duel arena. "I choose three Toon monsters with different names from my Deck, and then you, Kaiba boy, will randomly pick one. That Toon monster will be Special Summoned to my field, ignoring its summoning conditions."
"The three monsters I choose are (Toon Black Luster Soldier), (Toon Dark Magician), and (Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon)."
Seeing Pegasus's smile, Kaiba clenched his fists. "This routine again? Are you trying to provoke me on purpose, Pegasus?!"
The three chosen cards appeared face-up on Pegasus's field, then they were all flipped and shuffled together. Kaiba unhappily pointed at the middle card. "I choose the one in the middle."
The card flipped over, revealing (Toon Dark Magician) to be the one Kaiba had pointed at. Pegasus saw this and showed a regretful expression. "Oh, too bad, I was hoping to let you see the lovely (Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon) a bit longer, Kaiba boy."
"Then, the chosen (Toon Dark Magician) will be Special Summoned to my field, and the other two unchosen cards will return to my Deck."
(Toon Dark Magician) [Level 7 / Dark Attribute]
[Spellcaster-Type / Toon / Effect]
[ATK 2500 / DEF 2100]
Accompanied by anime-like smoke and star effects, the chibi (Dark Magician)—(Toon Dark Magician)—holding a magic wand, leaped out from Pegasus's (Toon World) on the Back Row, landing gracefully and striking a cool yet cute pose.
"The biggest limitation for Toon monsters is that they require preparation time after appearing, just like a perfect performance needs prior setup. The Special Summoned (Toon Dark Magician) cannot participate in attacks this turn, so unfortunate." Pegasus spread his hands helplessly, then paused before continuing, "But, (Toon Dark Magician) can assist me in my preparation."
"Once per turn, I can discard one Toon monster from my hand,"
As Pegasus spoke, he showed the (Toon Egg Dragon) in his hand and sent it to the Graveyard. "I can add one Toon Spell/Trap Card from my Deck to my hand, or Special Summon one Toon monster."
"I will Special Summon (Toon Black Luster Soldier)!"
(Toon Black Luster Soldier) [Level 8 / Earth Attribute]
[Warrior-Type / Toon / Effect]
[ATK 3000 / DEF 2500]
Pegasus looked at the two monsters on Kaiba's field and snapped his fingers. "(Toon Black Luster Soldier) also cannot attack. But, once per turn, (Toon Black Luster Soldier) can target one monster on the opponent's field and banish it directly."
The (Toon Black Luster Soldier), wielding a sword and shield, raised its long sword above its head, and black and white chaos power gathered at its sword tip.
"(Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) has the ability to not be targeted by your effects," Kaiba added. Pegasus nodded. "Of course, so I will banish your (Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands), Kaiba boy."
As Pegasus selected his target, (Toon Black Luster Soldier) swung its long sword, and a crescent-shaped slash instantly expelled Kaiba's (Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands) from the field. After activating this effect, (Toon Black Luster Soldier) slumped over, looking exhausted.
"Finally, I activate this card from my hand, (Toon Rollback), granting the only Toon monster on my field that can battle, (Toon Goblin Attack Force), the ability to attack twice during one Battle Phase. Then, I enter Battle Phase." Pegasus said, pointing at Kaiba's (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) in Defense Position. "Attack Kaiba boy's (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon)!"
Kaiba was puzzled that Pegasus would use his last card—(Toon Rollback), which allows a Toon monster to attack twice—on (Toon Goblin Attack Force). "Did you make a mistake, Pegasus? (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon)'s effect that nullifies (Toon Goblin Attack Force)'s ATK and DEF is permanent."
"A (Toon Goblin Attack Force) with 0 ATK attacking a (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) with 0 DEF? Neither can damage the other."
Pegasus curved his lips. "Really? As Yugi-boy would say, 'Sore wa dou ka na?'"
"Quick-Play Spell Card (Shrink) activate! Targeting my (Toon Goblin Attack Force), its ATK becomes half its original ATK until the end of turn." Pegasus picked up his last card from the Back Row, shaking it slightly triumphantly. "Kaiba boy, I recall you often used this card, didn't you? You should know its effect."
"Although its ATK was changed to 0 by (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon)'s effect, due to (Shrink), they were reset to half its original ATK, which is 1150 ATK." Kaiba said coldly, stating the applicable conditions for (Shrink).
Pegasus nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this. "Bingo! Kaiba boy, you truly understand (Shrink). Then, continue your attack, (Toon Goblin Attack Force)!"
The (Toon Goblin Attack Force), which had been dispirited by (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon)'s effect, now invigorated by the power of (Shrink), despite its size being halved, regained its original morale. It charged aggressively towards the (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) in Defense Position.
(Toon Goblin Attack Force) [ATK 0 → 1150]
Although (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) tried to resist, as the cost of acquiring chaos power, (Blue-Eyes White Dragon)'s impressive 2500 DEF, enough to make (Red-Eyes Black Dragon) frown, also disappeared. Finally, accompanied by a dragon's roar, (Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon) was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard.
However, because it was in Defense Position, Kaiba did not take damage. But Kaiba also did not forget that (Toon Goblin Attack Force) had a second attack opportunity due to (Toon Rollback)'s effect.
While (Toon Goblin Attack Force) boasts an excellent 2300 ATK for a Level 4 monster, it is a chaotic aggregation of rabble, and it has the negative effect of becoming fatigued after attacking. Predictably, after defeating the mighty Blue-Eyes monster, the (Toon Goblin Attack Force) became careless and was about to sit down and rest where they were.
However, as if a television anime had been rewound to be watched again, the (Toon Goblin Attack Force) made strange movements as if time was rewinding for a few breaths, returning to Pegasus's field, and then launched a direct attack at Kaiba, whose field was now empty.
As the goblins, brandishing spiked maces, snarled and lunged towards him, Kaiba said with a cold face, "Pegasus, are you trying to humiliate me with these fodder monsters? There's a limit to how much you can underestimate someone. Besides, did you forget that you just saw my hand last turn?"
"Activate the Set Card, (Counter Gate)! This can only be activated when directly attacked by an opponent's monster. That attack is nullified. The attack of a mere (Toon Goblin Attack Force)? Watch me send it back!"
The goblins' attack was blocked by a wall that appeared before Kaiba. The gray dimensional barrier seemed to divide two worlds, protecting Kaiba from the (Toon Goblin Attack Force)'s attack.
Pegasus could understand Kaiba's anger. After all, Kaiba had always been an arrogant person. He could accept defeat in an evenly matched struggle, but he could not tolerate the humiliation of being damaged by fodder monsters.
Although, Kaiba often found himself humiliated by Chumley with fodder monsters.
"Of course, I haven't forgotten your cards, Kaiba boy, but using (Counter Gate) for a mere 1150 damage leaves you with no cards to protect yourself next turn."
Pegasus said triumphantly, having factored Kaiba's psychology into the battle and laid out such a strategy.
(end of chapter)
Pegasus's reminder made Kaiba feel a bit displeased.
Generally speaking, even if Toon Goblin Attack Force successfully landed a Direct Attack on him, it would only reduce his Life Points by a mere 1150. For Kaiba, whose Life Points were currently at a full 4000, it would be practically negligible.
To use the potentially life-saving Counterattack Gate for a mere 1150 points of Damage was indeed somewhat wasteful, but even if Kaiba knew this, he would never admit to making any mistake.
"To nitpick over such a trivial amount of Life Points, your purity is only this shallow, Pegasus."
The Dimensional Wall in front of Kaiba retracted to his Deck Zone, and after negating the Attack of Toon Goblin Attack Force, the Draw Effect of Counterattack Gate awaited Kaiba's action.
Taking a deep breath, Kaiba coldly looked at the three Monsters on Pegasus's Field: "While you are, as always, calculating immediate gains and losses, I have already found the path I must follow, that glorious avenue leading to the far side of victory!"
"Draw!"
Looking at the drawn Card, Kaiba's lips curved: "Hmph, as expected, victory has already fallen into my hand."
"Prepare to face the ultimate defeat I shall bestow upon you, Pegasus, creator of 'Duel Monsters'."
'That look!' Pegasus's eyes met Kaiba's, and he was greatly alarmed. 'He doesn't see me at all; he's looking at something else beyond me!?'
"At the end of my Battle Phase, Toon Goblin Attack Force changes to Defense Position, and cannot change its Battle Position until the end of my next Turn. Then my Turn ends, and the Effect of Shrink disappears from Toon Goblin Attack Force, restoring its ATK to its Original ATK value."
With an empty Hand, Pegasus had no Cards to Set on his Back Row, and thus ended his Turn.
[Pegasus: 3000 LP, Hand 0]
[Toon Dark Magician] [ATK 2500]
[Toon Black Luster Soldier] [ATK 3000]
[Toon Goblin Attack Force] [ATK 1150 → DEF 0]
[Toon World]
Even though he had a full three powerful Monsters gathered on his Field, Pegasus felt not an ounce of security under Kaiba's icy gaze.
Kaiba's Back Row and Monster Zone were both empty. In his Hand, besides the Card he just Drew with Counterattack Gate's Effect, he only had one Polymerization that he had confirmed last Turn. And even for Kaiba's strongest Fusion Monster, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, two of the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons needed as Fusion Material had already been sent to the Graveyard.
On his side, Toon Goblin Attack Force had changed into a safe Defense Position due to its own effect. Besides that, the other two Monsters were Toon Dark Magician with 2500 ATK, and Toon Black Luster Soldier, whose ATK was equal to Blue-Eyes White Dragon's. Even for the Toon archetype's biggest vulnerability, he actually had hidden means of protection.
Pegasus glanced at his Graveyard. There, the Toon Bookmark he used to Search for Toon World in the First Turn was slumbering, possessing the ability: 'If Toon World on your Field would be destroyed by a card effect, you can Banish this Card from your Graveyard instead.'
Under such complete preparation, where did his unease stem from?
Pegasus didn't know.
However, it was now Kaiba's Turn. He Drew a Card from his Deck: "My turn, draw."
"Hmph, first I Activate Pot of Greed, I Draw two Cards from my Deck."
Drawing two Cards, Kaiba's brow twitched as he saw one of them, and a cold smile played on his lips: "I truly didn't expect to Draw this Card. I was originally planning to use that Monster, but in that case, I'll use you instead."
"I Activate the Spell Card Dark Factory of Mass Production, adding two Normal Monsters from my Graveyard to my Hand. Had enough rest, Blue-Eyes White Dragons!"
Kaiba's actions were imposing. He retrieved two Blue-Eyes White Dragon Cards from his Graveyard, causing Pegasus to freeze: "Could it be?"
"I Activate the Spell Card Polymerization, using the two Blue-Eyes White Dragons I just Added to Hand, and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon that was Added to Hand earlier by the Effect of Counterattack Gate—these three Monsters as Fusion Material!" Kaiba's right hand closed into a loose fist, as if grasping the future in his own hands. "Since the goal is to interrupt you, this Monster should be more suitable."
"Surpass the boundaries of time and space and appear before me, the strongest, most ultimate White Dragon in history!"
"Fusion Summon! Burū-Aisu-Arutimetto-Doragon!!"
"Resilient! Invincible!! Strongest!!!"
Despite being a mere Normal Monster with no Effect, when Kaiba Activated Polymerization, combining the Power of three Blue-Eyes White Dragons into one, Pegasus was astonished to find that the appearance of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon caused such a stir that it was like a Shadow Game. Cracks appeared in the center of the Duel Stage they were using, as if the very space itself was about to be torn apart!
"It's, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon?" At the same time, Pegasus didn't quite understand why Kaiba would use Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon instead of Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. "With only 4500 ATK, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon shouldn't be as good as Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon."
"Hmph, what a crude thought, Pegasus. Don't think I'm someone who would abandon everything for the pursuit of Power like you." Holding the last Card in his Hand, Kaiba's lips curled into a sneer. "In my eyes, both Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon and Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon are equally important existences."
"To simply defeat you, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon is sufficient. Consider it the conclusion to that Duel where I once fell to your hand!"
As he spoke, Kaiba placed the Card in his Hand on the Duel Stage: "Activate the Spell Card Ultimate Burst, then enter my Battle Phase."
"Ultimate Burst grants my Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon the ability to Attack three times during a single Battle Phase, and my Opponent cannot Activate any Spell, Trap, or Monster Effects in response to Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's Attack until the end of the Damage Step!"
"Swallow the surging storm and brilliant light, and unleash infinite fury, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" Kaiba's hand pointed at the Toon Dark Magician on Pegasus's Field. "Attack Toon Dark Magician, Burst Stream of Destruction!!"
One of the three heads of the Ultimate Dragon opened its mouth, and shimmering light gathered in its maw, forming a dazzling orb that poured forth as a torrent of light. Seeing this, Pegasus reluctantly said: "Toon Monsters cannot be Destroyed—"
"But you still have to take the Battle Damage!" Kaiba's icy voice interrupted Pegasus. "Only Destruction can create. You, who don't understand this path, shall be swallowed by Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's Attack and drown in the 'present'."
The other two heads of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon were also ready, and immediately after the first Attack, two more Dragon's Breaths were unleashed with Kaiba's voice.
"As for me, I will stride forward relentlessly on the path to the future!"
"Crush!"
"Annihilate!!"
"Grand Applause!!!"
"Uwaaah!!!!"
[Pegasus: 3000 → 1000 → 0 → 0 LP]
Although it was merely a Virtual Projection, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's triple Attack carried such powerful impact that it sent Pegasus flying directly off the Duel Stage and into the corridor behind him, where he struggled for a while, unable to get up.
Kaiba, for his part, didn't care about Pegasus's thoughts. Under Pegasus's gaze, he merely picked up the Cards from the Duel Stage and walked with steady, resolute steps to the table where they had previously placed their briefcases, opening the box Pegasus had set down.
Inside the box was a small stack of Cards, well-protected and neatly arranged without damage. Kaiba reached out, picked up the stack, and fanned them out.
The Cards placed in this box were not merely the one Pegasus had created based on Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's data. There were also many Cards he had successfully designed and created but, for various reasons, had not directly brought out; for instance, Kaiba saw a Card named 'Clash of Destiny'.
On that Card Art, Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician were starkly depicted, facing each other. Pegasus had clearly designed this Card, inspired by the Stone Tablet currently on display at the Egyptian Antiquities Exhibition Hall in Domino City.
However, Kaiba, who hadn't paid much attention to Ishizu's words back then, completely disregarded 'Clash of Destiny'. Instead, he took two of the six or seven Cards in his Hand: "Then, I'll take these two Cards. As for the transaction, I will personally seek out Hayato and Yugi."
"Two Cards!? How can this be!" Pegasus, lying on the ground, looked utterly incredulous. "Didn't we agree on just one? Why are you taking an extra one? Is stealing my Cards really that amusing?"
I thought only someone like Hayato would steal other people's Cards. Who would've thought, who would've thought that you, Seto Kaiba, such a thick-browed and prominent-eyed fellow, would also steal my Cards!
If I had known this, I would have only brought out one Card!
"Wait! Kaiba-boy!"
Pegasus struggled to his feet, wanting to stop Kaiba and make him return the extra Card, but Kaiba was too fast. He had already exited the Duel Arena, and hadn't forgotten to take his briefcase; after all, it contained the signed stock transfer agreement.
——————Blue-Eyes Jet Dragon flying——————
Domino City, Egyptian Antiquities Exhibition Hall.
Although the exhibition hall's existence at the time was primarily a cover for the Egyptian God Cards, it was important to complete things thoroughly from start to finish. As the person in charge of the Antiquities Exhibition, Ishizu remained in Domino City.
'Egyptian Antiquities Exhibition' was not, in fact, an 'exhibition touring the country' in the conventional sense. After all, Ishizu's initial objective was to lure Marik, who was then with the Rare Hunters, to Domino City. It was impossible to travel all over the country. The so-called 'exhibition' actually referred to the 'circulation' of the artifacts.
That is to say, at a fixed location, a portion of the artifacts would be displayed for a period before being replaced by other artifacts. The only thing that needed attention was the preservation of the artifacts; there was no need to even build a new exhibition hall.
Hayato, with a camera hanging from his chest, casually took a picture of the Pharaoh's Sarcophagus that hadn't yet been placed under a glass display: "So this is Tutankhamun? Doesn't look like it has a Curse."
"'The wings of death shall be upon those who dare disturb the Pharaoh's sleep.' Although such words were carved outside the Pharaoh's burial chamber, it is regrettable that the so-called 'Pharaoh's Curse' is merely an unfounded rumor. Pharaoh Tutankhamun possessed no great power during his lifetime."
Ishizu, standing nearby, smiled as she introduced this to Hayato. Because it was her workplace, Ishizu was wearing her face-veiled Egyptian attire today.
"Because Pharaoh Tutankhamun was one of the few Pharaohs whose Burial Site had not been visited by graverobbers, the archaeological team, led by British archaeologist Howard Carter, discovered a large amount of gold, silver, treasures, and valuable artifacts in Tutankhamun's tomb. To prevent graverobbers from coveting them, they deliberately fabricated this rumor."
Upon hearing this, Hayato scoffed: "I don't think it was just to deter graverobbers. It was probably also to scare the locals from entering the Graveyard, so they could transport the artifacts to the British Museum, wasn't it?"
"After all, it's well-known that once the British Museum returns artifacts to their original owners, there's nothing left inside."
Ishizu smiled faintly. Like Hayato, she had little fondness for the 'archaeological teams' who, under the guise of protecting artifacts, plundered them from other countries back then: "However, Hayato, you were wrong about one thing. The artifacts from Tutankhamun's tomb were not taken by them. In fact, all the Egyptian artifacts in the British Museum are fake."
"After all, while the Tomb Keepers live in reclusion, we cannot simply stand by when someone lays hands on a Pharaoh's Burial Site."
"In that case, Sister, stop chatting with brother-in-law for a moment and come help me instead of just standing there watching~" Behind Hayato and Ishizu, Marik's voice called out.
Marik was seen holding a sealed box in his hands, walking slowly towards Hayato and Ishizu, complaining as he went: "Once you have a sweetheart, you completely forget you have a younger brother, and even though artifacts can't be photographed, you didn't even stop brother-in-law, and even made me do all the hard work..."
"Alright, alright, Marik, why have you become so nagging lately? I'll help you carry it." Hayato said with a helpless expression, walking up to Marik and taking the box, telling Marik to rest for a bit.
As he took the box, Hayato felt that its weight was unusually heavy; it seemed to contain something extraordinary: "What's inside...?"
"This box?" Ishizu glanced at the box Hayato was holding, recalling the catalog of artifacts being rotated this time. "Ah, yes, this box contains a Stone Tablet. It's an artifact newly excavated about eight years ago, and several other artifacts unearthed at the same time will also be displayed together this time."
"Furthermore, this Stone Tablet is actually very special," Ishizu paused, then looked at Hayato. "Because on the Stone Tablet, the existence of the Egyptian God Cards is also carved."
Ah, 'Pyramid,' grand serialization!
(end of chapter)
Ishizu helped move the Stone Tablet from its box to a glass display case at the end of the exhibition hall. She put on gloves to prevent sweat from corroding the tablet, then opened the box.
Watching Ishizu take the Stone Tablet out of the box and place it into the open glass display case, Hayato's gaze was drawn to something next to the recently placed Stone Tablet.
It was a crystal-like Pyramid model, almost identical in size to the triangular Stone Tablet Ishizu had just taken out. In the center of its front face was a golden 'Eye of Udjat' bas-relief, but the eyeball itself was red.
If Pegasus were here, he would immediately recognize this as the Pyramid that appeared in his dreams last night, the one that sealed the Egyptian God Cards. Unfortunately, Pegasus was once genuinely interested in archaeological artifacts from various countries, but his sole purpose was to revive his first love. Now, he no longer held any interest in artifacts.
"This Stone Tablet and this crystal Pyramid were excavated together. Although the Stone Tablet looks very similar to the Millennium Puzzle that the Nameless Pharaoh resides in—almost as if it were directly inverted—the direction of the writing on the Stone Tablet confirms this is indeed the case."
Ishizu explained to Hayato as she leaned the Stone Tablet against a stand. As the director of the Egyptian Antiquities Administration, an important figure in the Egyptian Government, and the leader of the Tomb Keepers, such basic knowledge came naturally to Ishizu.
"It is recorded on the Stone Tablet that this crystal Pyramid was called 'Light' in Ancient Egypt, symbolizing the King of Light. It is, in a sense, the complete opposite of the 'King of Darkness', the Nameless Pharaoh's Millennium Puzzle, or perhaps the Millennium Rod."
"However, compared to the Millennium Puzzle, which clearly symbolizes 'kingship', the symbolism of the Pyramid of Light is much more vague."
Ishizu reached out, pointing to the securely placed Stone Tablet and gesturing for Hayato to look. Her finger traced several Hieroglyphics on the Stone Tablet. "'Gods', 'Exile', 'Destruction and Creation', 'Light'—on this Stone Tablet, only the specific description of the Pyramid of Light has been damaged beyond recognition. Only these few characters can be read."
Marik, standing beside them, also listened to Ishizu's explanation of the Stone Tablet, his face clearly showing his annoyance. "This feeling of having crucial information cut off is exactly like when an author deliberately leaves a cliffhanger at the end of a chapter in a serialized novel, only telling half the story. I suddenly hate grave robbers too."
Hearing Marik's words, Ishizu realized he might have understood the Stone Tablet's damage as having been caused by grave robbers. She casually closed the glass display case containing the Stone Tablet and the Pyramid of Light, shaking her head as she continued to explain, "No, the damage to this Stone Tablet was not man-made; it was an accident. The archaeological team from the Egyptian Government originally discovered this Stone Tablet and the Pyramid of Light, but a strange collapse occurred at the excavation site. This led to the entire archaeological team being wiped out beneath the rubble, and the Stone Tablet being damaged."
Ishizu paused slightly at this point, looking towards a glass display nearby where a sarcophagus was exhibited.
That sarcophagus was excavated from the same Burial Site as the Stone Tablet and the Pyramid of Light. Among the three artifacts, only the crystal Pyramid of Light, which appeared to be the most fragile, was completely undamaged. The wooden sarcophagus and the stone Stone Tablet both suffered varying degrees of damage.
The mummy inside that sarcophagus was undamaged, and the bas-relief of Anubis, the God of the Underworld, on its exterior was also perfectly intact. Only the Ancient Egyptian writing on the side of the sarcophagus, which also recorded something, was partially destroyed, leaving only about half of its inscription preserved.
It was recorded that—
"Oh, this sarcophagus?" Just as Ishizu's thoughts drifted, Hayato heard a familiar voice from nearby. Looking over, he saw two spiky, multi-colored "starfish" leaning against a glass display case.
Hayato looked again and realized his mistake. It was Yugi and his Millennium Hostage, Grandpa Solomon Muto, standing in front of the display, accompanied by Joey, Téa, and Tristan.
"Huh? Hayato, are you here too?" Compared to Yugi and his Grandpa, who were engrossed and fascinated by the mummy around the sarcophagus, Joey wasn't fond of mummies. He was looking around, and was the first to notice Hayato and his two companions, who had also spotted them.
Although usually outgoing and lively, Téa was a girl after all. She had been hiding behind Yugi, who was shorter than her, to avoid seeing the scary mummy. Hearing Joey's words, she found a way to distract herself and immediately turned around. "Ms. Ishizu is here too? Are you on a date with Hayato?"
"Even if you're looking for thrills in a haunted house, no one would come to a museum full of mummies for a date, right? And Ms. Ishizu is the director, so it's perfectly normal for her to be here." Tristan casually retorted. After seeing Marik, they exchanged distant nods as a greeting.
Hayato's camera, which hung around his neck, swayed as he moved. He picked it up by its strap with one hand. "That kid Marik was roped into helping Ishizu, and I came along to take photos for the newspaper's publicity."
"But you guys, I remember seeing a 'Temporarily Closed' sign at the main entrance of the exhibition hall, didn't I? How did you get in?"
Hearing Hayato's question, Joey and the others didn't react much. However, Solomon Muto and Yugi, who had been engrossed in watching the mummy, exchanged glances and sheepishly looked at Hayato, then honestly confessed everything.
The story actually goes back to yesterday, after the first Duel Monsters tournament held in the Central Plaza of the shopping district, when Hayato and Yugi saw Yusei Fudo and Jaden off, and everyone headed home.
Although they had been out all day, during which they not only dueled Paradox with the future of the world at stake but also dealt with troublesome fans, Yugi wasn't particularly tired when he returned home; he was still quite energetic.
Grandpa Muto was the same; despite his age, he didn't feel tired after staring at pretty girls for half the day. He was equally energetic.
So, as soon as the two energetic individuals returned home, they accidentally ripped open the bags of household trash that Yugi's mom had spent all day painstakingly sorting and bagging. The only silver lining was that what spilled onto the floor was just recyclable waste like old newspapers and such.
As a result, Yugi's mom, whose presence was often so subtle that Joey once mistakenly thought she didn't live with Yugi, was so enraged that she lectured the Grandpa and grandson for a long time, punishing them by making them clean up the scattered cardboard and newspapers on the floor.
Yugi and Solomon both knew it was truly their fault, so after seeing Yugi's mother leave to make dinner, they honestly began to clean up the papers on the floor.
As they started tidying, Yugi and Grandpa Muto actually found quite a few old items: drawings Yugi made in art class during elementary school, a life plan Solomon had made in his youth but never executed, and even an IOU from when Professor Arthur once borrowed money from Solomon during an archaeological dig in Egypt because he didn't have any cash for drinks.
For a time, it also brought back many memories for the two of them.
As they searched, Solomon Muto found an old newspaper from about seven or eight years ago. It reported an incident where an Egyptian archaeological team encountered an unexpected collapse during an excavation, resulting in dozens of deaths. This brought back many memories for Solomon Muto from his own archaeological days in Egypt. He then casually told Yugi how he had also faced many dangers, with collapses being the most terrifying.
Other crises, whether traps in a Burial Site or poisons in the desert, brought pain and death in an instant. But a collapse could trap people in a confined space, slowly dying amidst drought, constraint, hunger, darkness, and utter hopelessness—it was the most despair-inducing way to die.
Back then, Professor Arthur and Solomon Muto were both buried under the rubble of a collapse. It was during that incident that Professor Arthur gave his Blue-Eyes White Dragon Card to Solomon Muto as a symbol of their friendship.
Hearing his Grandpa bring up the matter again, Yugi suddenly remembered that after seeing Paradox's Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon, when he asked Paradox how he managed to steal Kaiba's Blue-Eyes, Paradox said that his deck contained the strongest cards from various eras, but he kept avoiding a direct answer to Yugi's question.
—Could it be that guy actually stole the Blue-Eyes White Dragon from Grandpa in the future, and was too embarrassed to admit such a shameful act?
Incidentally, Yugi also noticed a black and white picture printed in the newspaper article about the archaeological accident—it was precisely what Ishizu called the Pyramid of Light. He asked Solomon Muto what it was.
Having experience in Egyptian archaeology, Solomon Muto, although unable to read Ancient Egyptian Priest script, could still manage to read some basic and simple Egyptian texts. Using the Stone Tablet next to the Pyramid of Light, Solomon Muto translated an explanation that was essentially the same as Ishizu's.
Coincidentally, at that very moment, the open television was broadcasting news that the previous batch of artifacts at the Egyptian Artifacts Traveling Exhibition had reached the end of their display period and would soon be replaced with a new collection. Several official photographs taken by the Egyptian Antiquities Administration were shown, including the Pyramid of Light that Yugi and Solomon Muto had just noticed.
Yugi felt a subconscious connection between the Millennium Puzzle, which housed another self, and the crystal Pyramid. Solomon Muto, on the other hand, was interested in the sarcophagus that was excavated at the same time but whose side inscriptions were unreadable due to the unclear eight-year-old photographs. The Grandpa and grandson instantly hit it off and decided to visit the exhibition hall the next day.
The next day, as the Grandpa and grandson were just leaving, they happened to run into Joey, Téa, and Tristan, who had come to find Yugi to play. They extended an invitation to join them, and thus, the group of five arrived at the exhibition hall.
As for the "Temporarily Closed" sign at the entrance of the exhibition hall, and (The Security) tasked with blocking unauthorized personnel, well, it was unfortunate. Although they were professional and diligent, they were no match for the delinquent Joey and the hooligan leader Tristan. They were easily lured away, allowing the group of five to "infiltrate" in broad daylight.
After Yugi finished speaking, Ishizu could only sigh in exasperation. It was a good thing that the infiltrator was Yugi, the Host of the Nameless Pharaoh, and the others had no intention of theft. Otherwise, the loss of precious artifacts would have been a grave matter.
Especially since there were several important sarcophaguses here, containing the mummies of the most significant Pharaohs in Egypt's history—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them national treasures. For example, there was the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, which Hayato had just photographed earlier, and the mummy of Ramesses II, which had been taken down but not yet transported away.
"Next time, you can just say you're here to see me," Ishizu could only say.
Yugi and the others knew that what they did was wrong, and to be caught red-handed by the very person in charge, they apologized sincerely. "Sorry, we absolutely won't do this again in the future."
After an exceptionally standard 90-degree bow of sincere apology, Solomon Muto's gaze returned to the nearby sarcophagus, his face filled with regret. "What a pity. Nearly half of the text inscribed on this sarcophagus was destroyed by that old collapse. The latter half of the inscriptions is almost completely unreadable."
"And unfortunately, I haven't studied that first section much. I should have learned more from Arthur back when we were in Egypt."
"Huh? Master can't read it either?" Joey scratched his head in distress, and Tristan also looked regretful. "What a shame, then we broke in for nothing."
Grandpa Muto had come to the museum precisely out of curiosity regarding the incomplete records on the Stone Tablet, wondering if the sarcophagus excavated alongside it might contain additional information. Now, although he knew there was indeed writing on the sarcophagus, with half destroyed and the other half unreadable, it was truly a pity.
But Téa remembered something else. "Grandpa Sugoroku, you forgot, Ms. Ishizu is right here with us."
Hearing this, Yugi, who was also very interested in the sarcophagus, his eyes lit up. "That's right! Ms. Ishizu is from the Tomb Keepers, and the Egyptian Antiquities Administration has been studying this sarcophagus for so many years. She must know what's written on it." Saying this, he looked at Ishizu with an expectant gaze.
Ishizu, observed by their gazes, turned her head to glance at Hayato. Seeing Hayato shrug helplessly, she nodded and walked to the sarcophagus, looking at it. "Although the lower half of the text on the sarcophagus was largely damaged by the original accident, after many years of restoration, the Egyptian Antiquities Administration has managed to fill in some of the text. It specifically states—"
"'The King of Light will bury the King of Darkness through battle, but when Light overflows, the King of Destruction will revive from the Light',"
"And,"
"'The Sun King will use [ ] to set and destroy, but destroy will also take away [ ]'."
Ishizu finished, then added, "The latter sentence was filled in by the Egyptian Antiquities Administration, but what specifically belongs in that blank is beyond the limits of restoration, and we have no way of knowing."
(end of chapter)