Chapter 726: Next Time, The Death of Mahad!
"The repair spell is... let me see, please wait a moment~"
Standing before a pile of Ruins, Mana extended her hand, summoning a book into existence out of thin air. She began flipping through the pages, while behind her, Mahad covered his forehead with a helpless expression.
"That's why I always told you to memorize the spells, Mana. Why are you only looking them up now? In a battle, the enemy won't give you this kind of free time to read a book."
Mana let out an "ehehe" laugh. She finally found the section she was looking for and, while looking at the book, replied to Mahad with full vitality, "It's fine, Master! After all, a true Magician doesn't rely on magic. Whether it's pretending to chant a spell and then pulling out an axe for a sneak attack, adding an enhancement magic to yourself and then pulling out a holy sword, or even creating a ring with great magical power to use as brass knuckles, it's all fine!"
"I think it would be better to just hit people with a fishing rod," came Dark Yugi's complaining voice. Following the notes in the book, Mana had already finished chanting the spell formula. Under the power of magic, the Ruins before her actually began to repair themselves as if time were flowing backward.
In just a few breaths, the wreckage of a house that had been burned down by Bakura's Subordinate yesterday was completely repaired, turning into a brand new two-story house.
"Hehehe, although it took a little time, slow work makes fine product. As expected, my Mana's magic is still very strong." Waving her hand to put away the magic book, Mana wiped the sweat from her forehead and put her hands on her waist, saying proudly, "With this, one house is completely repaired."
"Oh oh oh, is this the power of magic? It actually repaired a house that would take ordinary workers several days to fix in the blink of an eye. It's too strong!" The House Owner's exclamation came from behind Mana.
Hearing this, Mana said proudly without turning her head, "Hehehe, I, Mana, am going to surpass Master and become Egypt's Sai Q Magician! This kind of small matter isn't worth being surprised about at all."
Although she said that, Mana's face at this moment showed undisguised pride. Her whole body felt so light she was almost floating.
But when Mana turned around, intending to put on a look of authority and dignity to receive the praise from the people, she found that the House Owner who had just spoken wasn't talking to her at all, but was looking at the several Houses next to them that were automatically repairing.
In front of those buildings, Mahad stood casually, directing the repair magic like a conductor, restoring one building after another with extremely high efficiency, earning heartfelt praise from the House Owner.
"As expected of Lord Mahad, easily doing what we couldn't. We truly worship you!"
"It makes our hearts excited and fills us with admiration!"
"So you weren't praising me?! Show some respect for someone's effort, you bastards!"
A night had passed. Today was the second day since Dark Yugi arrived in this Memory World, and also the second day since he ascended to become Pharaoh three thousand years ago. Many matters in the City-State were waiting to be addressed, and there was also the mess left by Bakura yesterday that needed to be resolved. So, early in the morning, Dark Yugi left the Royal Palace to check on the repair situation throughout the City.
After the City was attacked by The Bandit, the newly appointed Pharaoh personally came to the City Outskirts to care about the people's losses, which could both leave a good reputation and encourage the people, making them continue to believe in the Pharaoh more devoutly.
And to achieve maximizing benefit from this, there was no more suitable choice than to mobilize the "Court Magician Group" - that is, Mana and Mahad, Dark Yugi's childhood friends.
Using magic to repair burned Houses that would ordinarily take two or three days of hard work to hastily complete, not only was it awe-inspiring, but the people would also believe more firmly that a Pharaoh who could even bring Magician with such great power under his command as Priest would inevitably be a greater existence.
However, for Mana, who had expected to show off properly but had her thunder stolen by Mahad's more skilled use of magic, this performance could be considered quite a failure.
Yes, it wasn't the "work" of repairing buildings, but merely a "performance" of repairing buildings. Although they had good personalities and didn't mind doing these things, surely no one would actually think that as Magician who mastered great power, Mana and Mahad, this Master and Disciple pair, would keep using magic to help the people repair Houses, right? Right?
This was truly just a performance. Once they stirred up the people's worship for the Priest and the Pharaoh, they would finish their work. As for the repair work on other Houses in the City, the Pharaoh's rule had a large quantity of Laborer slaves that could be dispatched and commanded.
Dark Yugi, who had indeed lived three thousand years ago but whose memory was mostly from modern times, didn't like the slavery system under the influence of modern society. However, he also understood the principle of "not demanding fictional worlds or ancient people adhere to Reality's modern moral standard," and didn't have the absurd idea of trying to abolish the slavery system unilaterally. He accepted the practice of commanding slaves to do hard Labor to repair the City-State.
Besides, Dark Yugi was the biggest beneficiary of the slavery system. It was truly annoying to be able to command a group of people however he wanted.
Alright, that was just a joke. Dark Yugi wasn't really that happy. He didn't have too much control. Compared to slaves, he preferred dueling more. Dark Yugi knew that rather than him giving orders, it was more that the slaves yearned to work rather than be idle.
After all, while the former would be very tiring, it also meant that as long as you were still useful, you wouldn't be killed arbitrarily for the time being. But the latter would only make the slaves fear if they were about to be killed immediately.
Another point was that although slaves in Ancient Egypt, a slave country, were merely the property of their Master, it was precisely because of this that their Master were unwilling for their property to be damaged. While they would make slaves work, there would never be excessive exploitation. They were provided with food and lodging and free Doctor visits. Roughly speaking, the treatment of some Corporate Slave under Capitalist in modern society was not as good as that of slaves.
But let's leave those later matters aside for now. At least at the present, the powerful magic displayed by Mahad instantly won him the affection of the people and made him very popular. Look, several Child were gathering around him, looking at Mahad with eyes full of eagerness and worship, secretly setting the aspiration of becoming a powerful Priest like Mahad in their hearts.
The sunshine illuminated everything on the Surface World, but even the sun has blind spots it cannot reach. While Mahad, who wasn't very good at interacting with people, awkwardly dealt with the enthusiastic people, and Dark Yugi comforted Mana without noticing he was being taken advantage of, on the Sand Dune in the distance, a tuft of White-Haired One rose up Among the Rocks.
After Bakura escaped from the Royal City yesterday, although he put on a posture of fleeing a thousand miles away, he actually benefited from the knowledge he learned in modern times: "The most dangerous place is the safest place." Bakura didn't leave the Royal City too far at all. He successfully hid in the blind spot of the Soldier searching outside and continued to lie in wait near the Royal City, preparing to seize an opportunity to act.
"Tsk, having to hide in this broken place because I had to avoid Hayato Kobayashi and Yugi. The wind is so strong too." Shaking the cloak that hadn't been changed all night and was full of sand, Bakura felt his pocket, but only pulled out a clove of garlic. "Damn, is this all that's left? And it's garlic?"
"Yesterday I was only focused on making a grand entrance when throwing out the gold. If I had known those Priest weren't interested in gold, I would have brought fewer jewelry and necklaces and stuff. Maybe I could have brought some roast pork or something."
Although he disliked garlic very much, it was the sole food Bakura could find on him. He blew away the fine sand from the garlic with a breath, and without peeling it, Bakura took a bite and chewed, looking at the prosperous Royal City in the distance.
"Heh, dealing with the trouble I left yesterday? They're quite fast. But this kind of prosperity is built upon darkness. Overthrowing it and watching it fall into the Abyss... just thinking about it makes me excited."
"But before that, I have to collect all the Millennium Items. There are a total of seven of them. It seems a bit difficult to snatch them all into my hand at once." Gazing towards the City, Bakura quickly locked onto Mahad, who was surrounded by the people outside the Royal Palace, with his extraordinary vision. "First, let's start with the Millennium Ring."
"It's the Millennium Item I like the most, and it fits my power the best, but what's annoying is that bastard Hayato Kobayashi snatched it from me. The Millennium Ring also has no backbone, just listening to that guy so easily. It makes me angry."
"Taking back the Millennium Ring will not only let me vent my anger, but also cripple one of the Nameless Pharaoh's most capable Subordinate. It's truly killing two birds with one stone. As expected, I'm a genius, hahahahaha..."
Sitting on the Sand Dune, Bakura laughed so proudly that he fell backward onto the Sand Dune and rolled down the Hillside. At the same time, Mahad, who was far away in the City, also seemed to sense something. He suddenly turned his head to look at the location where Bakura had been, but could only see the yellow sand being blown up by the wind on the Sand Dune.
'Is it a delusion?'
Thinking this, Mahad lowered his head to look at the Millennium Ring on his chest, but saw the five golden cones hanging beside the golden disk floating up against gravity, pointing towards the location where he had just felt something.
The Millennium Items actually have a distinction between good and evil. Among them, the Millennium Rod, Millennium Necklace, and Millennium Key are classified as "Good" Millennium Items. The Millennium Scale is considered a neutral attribute. And the Millennium Eye, Millennium Rod, and Millennium Ring are "Evil" Millennium Items.
Compared to the "Good" and "Neutral" Millennium Items, the "Evil" Millennium Items have great power that is easier to unleash, but they also have an influence on the User's body and mind. The more that power is used, the more they will be infiltrated by the dark power within, becoming unable to extricate themselves.
Therefore, the User of the three "Evil" Millennium Items are Seto, Aknadin, and Mahad, the three Strongest Priest among all the Priest. On one hand, there is the factor that they were selected by the Millennium Items, but at the same time, it is also because only they can suppress themselves from sinking into the darkness.
Priest Aknadin had already taken office as a Priest using a Millennium Item during the Previous Pharaoh's time. He and Priest Shimon, who used the Millennium Key at the time, were both capable Subordinate of the Previous Pharaoh, practically the Former Pharaoh's right hand. Priest Aknadin was usually a kind-hearted Priest who advocated acting with benevolence and was very willing to help others, which is why he was bestowed the Millennium Eye;
Priest Seto, although he had always been somewhat at odds with Mahad, Mahad also understood that it was because Seto had a strong competitiveness. Although his background was not prominent, according to him, his father seems like a Soldier who sacrificed himself while following the Previous Pharaoh to quell the war in his early years. However, Seto, through his own effort and under the guidance of Priest Aknadin, who seemed to think highly of him, surpassed a large number of Noble to stand in his current position. That's why he received the Millennium Rod;
And then there was Mahad himself. Although it sounds a bit like boasting, it is an undeniable fact that Mahad is very strong. Even without the power of the Millennium Ring and the Millennium Stone Spirit, he could defeat more than ten powerful monsters alone with his exquisite magic, earning him the title of "Strongest Priest". It was also because of this that upon obtaining the Millennium Ring, he was targeted by Priest Seto, who was determined to become the strongest.
However, compared to other Millennium Items that could be used freely, the ability of the Millennium Ring was merely "guidance of direction," which was the least helpful for battle. At the same time, the Millennium Ring also had the strongest dark power among all the Millennium Items, forcing Mahad to divide his own power to suppress its magical power.
It was because of this that the Millennium Ring, which should have been a crucial defense line for forewarning the future, similar to the Millennium Necklace which could foresee the future, always had an inconsistent state, often failing to detect approaching danger in time. Recently, two major events occurred consecutively: the theft of the Previous Pharaoh's Tomb and The Bandit breaking into the Royal Palace, and both were tasks that Mahad, who possessed the Millennium Ring, was responsible for.
Although the Pharaoh did not blame Mahad for this, he himself felt deeply guilt over his dereliction of duty and had been thinking about how to compensate for this mistake.
And right now, after a long time, the Millennium Ring was showing commotion again. It was important to know that although it had been inconsistent before, it had never pointed in the wrong direction. This meant that Mahad's special feeling just now was not a delusion!
"Thief Bakura, I will never let the Pharaoh's subjects suffer because of you again!" Clenching his fist, Mahad glanced at the Millennium Ring, which was still pointing in one direction, and resolutely walked towards Dark Yugi, who was not far away.
While the Millennium Ring had recovered its normal work, he had to quickly take people and set off to pursue Bakura!
4k is the limit of human. Yesterday I wasn't human, but now I've been kicked by an awesome full-bottle Kid and turned back into a human, hmm.
(End of Chapter)
## Chapter 727: Classic Three with Four
"Pharaoh, your subordinate, Royal Palace Guard Captain Mahad, is about to depart for the Tomb of the Previous Pharaoh, King Aknamkanon, to perform the ritual to establish a new Domain to protect the tomb."
After finishing the morning's patrol and returning to the Royal Palace, Dark Yugi nodded as Mahad knelt before the Throne. Although he lacked past memories, Dark Yugi already knew that the Previous Pharaoh Aknamkanon was his Father, and not long ago, the Domain around his Tomb had been destroyed and the Tomb itself robbed.
That Person was Bakura, who had attacked the Royal City with his Subordinates yesterday. After being defeated by Hayato and Dark Yugi teaming up, Bakura had escaped the Royal Palace, and the Army dispatched and the scouts stationed had yet to find any trace of him.
When Bakura escaped, he also left behind the Objects he had stolen from King Aknamkanon's Tomb besides the Duel Arena, which included Aknamkanon's Mummy.
Mahad's trip was not only to allow King Aknamkanon's Mummy to be 'laid to rest' again but also to repair the Domain around the Tomb.
Knowing that Mahad was a Childhood friend who had practically grown up with him, coupled with Dark Yugi associating Dark Magician with Mahad after Mana's reminder and noticing their similar appearance, Dark Yugi held a special trust in Mahad and felt very confident in his ability to handle things.
"Yes, I understand. King Aknamkanon... no, Father's mummy, I entrust him to you," Dark Yugi said solemnly, looking at Mahad.
Mahad also nodded, accepting the order. However, among the Priests on either side, one person spoke up: "Hmph, be prepared, Mahad. Although you rely on your Title of 'Strongest Priest' to gain the Pharaoh's trust, for letting the bandit break into the Royal Palace last night, coupled with the previous destruction of the Tomb, if you, who keep failing, fail again, even the Pharaoh won't be able to keep your position as a Priest, will he?"
"You, who are deeply trusted by the Pharaoh, represent the Pharaoh's reputation. If you are stripped of your position as Priest, it will cause the Pharaoh to lose face. So, if you encounter that Thief Bakura, don't try to fight him alone. After all, you're not his opponent and will only throw away your life for nothing."
He paused, crossing his arms over his chest, holding the Millennium Rod in one hand. Priest Seto slightly raised his head and said with some arrogance, "If you die before I defeat you and take the Title of 'Strongest Priest' from your hands, I would feel quite troubled and regretful."
Although his words seemed somewhat heartless, as if he had never taken his colleague relationship with Mahad to heart, because Dark Yugi knew Kaiba Seto, who was likely the reincarnation of Priest Seto from three thousand years later, he could tell at a glance that what Seto said to Mahad was merely his way of showing concern and giving a reminder.
It seemed this Tsundere trait had been passed down for three thousand years; it was truly inherited Tsundere.
However, while Dark Yugi could understand Seto's Tsundere nature, it didn't mean the other Priests could understand this advanced form of emotional expression. Isis, who was Mahad's friend, looked unhappy upon hearing Seto's words and said to him, "Priest Seto, you're going too far. Mahad's previous two instances were just mistakes."
"Mistakes? Heh, ultimately, it was due to insufficient ability, wasn't it? If the ability were sufficient, things like the Royal City falling and the Tomb being robbed would fundamentally not have been possible," Seto glanced at Isis and coldly snorted, speaking with full force and showing no mercy just because the other party was a woman.
"Only a third-rate Priest like you, using a fourth-rate Millennium Item, would use a word like 'mistake', Priest Isis." Seto didn't care about the angry expression on Isis's face and looked at Mahad, saying, "Or is my judgment very problematic, and actually, even you, Mahad, are just a Commoner like Isis?"
"You bastard!" Repeatedly belittled, Isis became even more angry. If this weren't in the Pharaoh's presence, she would probably have started fighting with Seto on the spot.
Because she was distracted by the Assassin yesterday and failed to give a warning about Bakura's appearance, Isis had already been taunted by Seto once. The highly self-esteemed Isis had decided then that she must work even harder to practice using the Millennium Necklace to show this arrogant guy how amazing a woman could be.
But last night, while diligently practicing using the Millennium Necklace to see the future, Isis discovered that ever since that Thief Bakura appeared, the Millennium Necklace's prevision of the future had become nothing but endless pitch-black. From that infinite darkness, she could only see infinite danger that was almost overflowing. Just looking at that darkness almost caused Isis's breathing to stop.
After trying repeatedly, Isis only managed to find fragmented pieces of the future. It was in a Tomb, and facing Mahad was Bakura, whom she had seen once before.
One moment, it was an image of Mahad making an attack move against the Thief Bakura, who had not a single monster beside him. But the next moment, Isis could only see an image of Mahad with a cut opened in his chest, most of his body covered in blood, flying backward.
The image seen by the Millennium Necklace might not be the absolute truth, but it was an image that would absolutely appear. Isis, who had great belief in the Power of the Millennium Necklace, didn't quite understand what was happening in the future she saw in that image, but no matter how she looked at it, the result was inevitable: Mahad would be killed by the Thief Bakura in a Tomb, with a cut opened in his chest. There was absolutely no mistake about this point.
As a fellow Priest, after learning that Mahad had actually volunteered to go to the Tomb of the Previous Pharaoh, King Aknamkanon, Isis immediately told Mahad about her prevision, warning him that he would meet his death there, hoping to persuade her friend to avoid it.
But Mahad countered Isis, asking that since the future seen by the Millennium Necklace would absolutely appear, then he was inevitably going to face the Thief Bakura alone, and it made no difference whether he went to the Tomb of the Previous Pharaoh or not.
If it wasn't the Previous Pharaoh's Tomb, it might even cause the battlefield of the two to transfer to another place Mahad was unfamiliar with. It was better to maintain the current approach; Mahad could even make some preparations based on the known future. Although, he couldn't change his death.
Being unable to change her friend's death made Isis feel very bad today, which was why she ended up arguing with Seto.
But what Isis didn't know was that although there was no one nearby when Isis told Mahad about this, Seto actually happened to pass by a corner they couldn't see and also learned about the future Isis had foreseen.
However, compared to Isis, Seto had always been indifferent to the ability of the Millennium Necklace. If the Millennium Necklace saw an image of him, Seto, flirting with a random woman he picked up on the street, would he have to marry that woman? Impossible.
Seto's goal was to become the strongest, and women were very troublesome.
After all, the future should be mastered by humans themselves. Therefore, Seto had always only treated the Millennium Necklace as a warning device not much different from the Millennium Ring and didn't believe that Mahad would die so easily. However, he still believed a part of Isis's prevision, which was why he specifically reminded Mahad here not to engage Bakura in battle.
Even with all the Priests present at the time, they were still not opponents of Bakura and Diabound. With Aknadin still unconscious and one Priest missing, even if the Priests faced Bakura again, they didn't have the confidence to win, let alone Mahad facing that Thief Bakura alone.
Although he had always wanted to defeat the other party to prove his ability was stronger, Seto actually regarded Mahad, who had always been one step ahead of him, as a special "friend". Wanting to defeat the other party was one thing, but Mahad dying was another.
Even if it was lost face, don't die. It's okay to escape, and you can even ask for help from me. This was what Seto wanted to express, but when he said it, it came out in a different way.
Perhaps he understood Seto's awkward concern, or perhaps he simply didn't take Seto's words to heart. Mahad said to Isis, "Priest Seto is right, Priest Isis. The previous two times were due to my insufficient ability. If I could fully control the Millennium Ring instead of constantly consuming Mystical Power to suppress it, those failures wouldn't have happened."
"This time, I will prove my ability to the Pharaoh," Mahad said, standing up and bowing to Dark Yugi on the Throne. He then turned and walked out of the Palace, adding the unspoken second half of his sentence in his heart, 'Even if it costs me my life!'
Carrying the numerous Objects that needed to be returned to the Previous Pharaoh's Tomb, such as replacement tablets, burial treasures, and the mummy of the Previous Pharaoh, King Aknamkanon, Mahad led a team of Soldiers out of the Royal City, through a stretch of desert, and into a valley.
This valley was Necrovalley, where the tombs of past Pharaohs were hidden among numerous Royal Family Tombs. The route was so complex that if Mahad himself hadn't known the location of the Previous Pharaoh's Tomb beforehand, it would have been difficult to find the real tomb even after spending a month or two.
Although the journey seemed to be uneventful, actually, after leaving the Royal City, Mahad had already released his Mystical Power in advance, weaving a Spell Formula around himself for perception. He had long since detected a "little tail" following them not far away. The Mystical Power on its body was exactly the same as that of the Subordinate of Bakura whom Mahad had interrogated yesterday.
Clearly, they were being tracked. Just as Isis's prevision foretold, the Thief Bakura would indeed come for them, and the situation would develop into a decisive battle between only himself and Bakura. In the end, he would die at Bakura's hands, with a cut opened in his chest.
Understandably, Mahad had already known this yesterday. Even though the Soldiers Mahad brought had trained diligently every day, they would find it difficult to contend with Bakura's Subordinates, who had been granted powerful Dark Power by Bakura. With no advantage in manpower, probably none of the Soldiers who followed him out of the City would survive a direct confrontation.
However, although the future could not be changed, the process from the present to the future could be changed. Mahad had a strategy in mind.
Time flew by quickly. In the blink of an eye, the day was almost over. Mahad, who had entered a Tomb early, had not left. The scout who had been following his team also waited for Bakura, who arrived with a team of people.
He even had the leisure to change clothes and take a bath before arriving. Bakura raised his eyebrows upon hearing his Subordinate's report. "That guy Mahad has been inside the Tomb for so long. Forget about this Tomb, he should have finished setting up the Domain for ten more Tombs by now, shouldn't he?"
"Tsk, is he provoking me? Heh, then I'll accept this challenge. After all, the final prize is something as tempting as the Millennium Ring." With an evil smile, Bakura, at the front of the team, called out, "Everyone, charge in with me! Kill everyone except Mahad!"
Saying this, he himself rushed towards the Entrance of the Tomb first, followed by all his Subordinates.
As the horses ran, the scarlet eyes hidden beneath the cloaks of Bakura's Subordinates, who had received a Dark Magic Power Boost, drew a long line under the night curtain, leaving no doubt that they would carry out a massacre of Mahad's manpower.
However, the moment Bakura rushed into the Tomb first, suddenly, over a dozen huge boulders fell from the valley above. Bakura, who had already entered the Tomb, was fine, but the Subordinates who were right behind him weren't so lucky and couldn't avoid them. Even with the Magic Boost, they were still just humans. Nearly ten unlucky ones were instantly crushed into meat paste. Even those who were lucky enough not to be directly hit couldn't brake in time and crashed into the falling stone, their horses and people suffering broken bones and missing limbs.
Bakura wasn't much better off. The falling boulders completely sealed off his retreat. Not only could he not leave here, but his Subordinates couldn't extend a plea for help to him, who was trapped in the Tomb!
"Tsk, I was tricked. Playing such petty tricks." Looking at the Entrance collapsed by the rubble behind him, Bakura's face was cold. "Although this level can't trap me, and I can break through with a little power, this feeling of being trapped is really infuriating."
Just then, Bakura also sensed Mahad's Mystical Power coming from the depths of the Tomb, alone.
"Hoho, you knew I sent someone to follow you, but instead of escaping, you stayed in a Tomb with no other exit and even provoking me, Priest Mahad?"
Flipping off his horse, Bakura twisted his neck, which cracked, and walked towards the depths of the Tomb. Although there were no fires lit for illumination on both sides of the Tomb's Passage, and his eyes met only pitch-black, Bakura could clearly see Mahad standing far ahead of him. The Mystical Power emanating from the Millennium Ring on his chest was so obvious in his perception.
"If I didn't stay here, you wouldn't approach me." With no one else around, Mahad released the Mystical Power he had been suppressing all this time without any apprehension. Black and purple radiance flashed in his eyes. "I'm waiting for you, Bakura!"
Chapter 728: When You Are Ready, the Reaper Will Not Arrive
"How delightful, you were waiting for me, waiting to give me the Millennium Ring?" Walking in the darkness, Bakura's gaze met Mahad's gaze, which was enhanced by magic. His fingers brushed past the indentations on the Mural on both sides of the Passage, and Bakura's footsteps didn't pause at all. "Heh heh, then come a little closer."
And accompanying Bakura's advance, in the darkness behind him, the figure of Diabound Kernel manifested. However, the appearance of Diabound Kernel that reappeared before Mahad's eyes had changed slightly compared to before. The pair of white wings it originally had on its back had turned into hollow metal wings that were closer to Drytron Alpha Thuban. Additionally, patterns very similar to those of Obelisk the Tormentor had appeared on its shoulders.
'That monster's form has changed?' Mahad's eyes were imbued with magic that allowed him to see freely in the darkness. He surveyed Diabound Kernel behind Bakura. Although the surroundings were completely dark, in his eyes it was as bright as daytime. Naturally, he noticed the obvious differences on Diabound Kernel's body, and felt a sense of vigilance in his heart.
Originally, he had planned to use the magic he had mastered to create an environment advantageous to himself. However, seeing Bakura like this, it was clear he could also see in the darkness. It seemed the dark environment didn't provide Mahad with much of an advantage.
Giving up on continuously maintaining the dark vision magic and wasting magical power, Mahad raised his hand, and a fireball quickly formed in his palm, flying towards Bakura in the darkness. But it was blocked by Diabound Kernel behind him immediately.
The fireball spell wasn't some profound magic. Mahad also didn't spend too much magical power on this spell. Furthermore, Diabound Kernel was not the usual monster Mahad dealt with. The fireball was bitten and shattered by the white snake on Diabound Kernel's lower body, yet it couldn't leave even a trace of scorched mark.
However, the instant the scattered sparks fell onto the Ground, flames quickly spread along the gaps between the stone bricks. In just the blink of an eye, the area where Bakura was located turned into a sea of fire!
Since he knew that Bakura had sent people to follow him, allowed him to choose the Field to welcome the battle, and also had ample time to prepare, Mahad naturally didn't waste it. Besides the rolling stones used before when he had his Subordinate Soldiers look for an ambush, he also prepared a large number of traps and mechanisms in this Tomb, to "welcome" Bakura!
However, Mahad didn't think this level of trap could defeat Bakura. He saw a curved impact suddenly spread out in the burning sea of fire, blowing away the fuel Mahad had prepared in advance in the brick and stone gaps in all directions. The flames were dispersed with this attack, fundamentally unable to harm Bakura in the slightest.
Not only that, but the blown-away flames also swept towards Mahad at the same time. Immediately, Mahad had already summoned the Millennium Stone Spirit guarding him — Magician of Black Chaos MAX revealed its figure. Raising the emerald green wand in its hand, it blocked all the flames and impact.
Cooperating with Magician of Black Chaos MAX, Mahad also released magical power to manipulate the flames in front of him, changing their form again, turning them into fire arrows, one after another. And with Magician of Black Chaos MAX providing the thrust, they attacked towards Bakura again.
"Enough with these boring small tricks!" Looking at the attacking rockets, Bakura wasn't flustered at all, but he was inevitably annoyed by the continuous attacks. He saw Diabound Kernel directly insert the metal wings on its back into the Ground in front of Bakura.
Between the seemingly hollow sextant-shaped wings, magical power flowed, turning into a barrier that blocked the attack again.
"Such small tricks are useless against me, you overconfident Priest!"
While Diabound Kernel was protecting Bakura with its wings, the white snake on its lower body wasn't idle either. It bit directly towards Mahad's location, forcing Mahad to stop cooperating with Magician of Black Chaos MAX and be led by the latter to move several meters backward to dodge the attack.
As soon as this attack stopped, the rhythm returned to Bakura's hand. As he walked forward, Diabound Kernel also acted freely because it no longer needed to defend against Magician of Black Chaos MAX's attack. Continuous attacks forced Mahad to retreat again and again.
"Heh heh, you spoke so confidently just now, but in the end, aren't you just running away?" Looking at Mahad dodging backward little by little, Bakura smiled proudly. "This Tomb isn't very big. You're already backed against the wall with no retreat. I'll finish you with this last attack!"
"Diabound Kernel, Use Spiral Wave!" Like a Trainer, Bakura pulled at the hood on his head and pointed at Mahad.
Diabound Kernel moved a step away from Bakura's side. Waving its fist, it attacked towards this side. Mahad could even vaguely see the shadow of Obelisk the Tormentor that the Pharaoh had summoned in the Royal Palace before, reflected in this punch. But facing the life-or-death crisis, Mahad's eyes held a firmness that Bakura couldn't quite understand.
At this instant, Bakura's heart trembled. He subconsciously turned his head, he saw a shriveled green monster beast, Shadow Ghoul, actually drilling out from the wall behind him, attacking towards himself, who had lost Diabound Kernel's protection!
"When was that!?"
"What did you think I was doing here for so long, Thief Bakura? I summoned Shadow Ghoul, which possesses the 'wall-passing ability', early on and had it set an ambush there, and used flames to prevent you from checking the surrounding environment, and continuously guided your Diabound Kernel to approach me. It was all for this instant!"
Looking at Bakura, who cried out in surprise, Mahad said firmly: "No one can defeat a fully armed Magician. When I am fully prepared, the Reaper will not arrive!"
"You lunatic, you actually had the plan long ago to use your own life as bait to trick me into letting Diabound Kernel leave my side, and seize the opportunity to kill me!?"
Bakura was shocked and enraged by Mahad's plan, which was almost a one-for-one trade with his own life. "Don't even think about it! My precious life won't be wasted on someone like you!"
"Return to my side, Diabound Kernel!"
Although a lot of words were spoken, Time stops when explaining during a battle; this is common sense. Actually, less than a second had passed since Bakura discovered Shadow Ghoul.
It was just a little bit away from attacking Magician of Black Chaos MAX and Mahad, but because Bakura cherished his life, the punching Diabound Kernel turned around with effort, forcibly changed the direction of its fist, and hit towards Shadow Ghoul that was attacking Bakura.
However, the attack only smashed into the wall. Actually, Shadow Ghoul's sneak attack plan had already been canceled due to failure when Bakura discovered it. Although it made a feigned attack action, it decisively retreated back into the wall to hide at the same time it tricked Bakura into ordering Diabound Kernel to stop and return to aid him.
Having broken Mahad's chain of calculations, Bakura subtly wiped away the cold sweat that had appeared on his forehead from fright. Just as he was about to utter a couple of harsh words, he saw a stream of magical power radiating from Magician of Black Chaos MAX's body, suddenly injecting into the Millennium Ring on Mahad's chest!
Subsequently, surging magical power suddenly expanded with Mahad as the center, sweeping across the entire Underground Tomb in an instant!
Chapter 729: Mahad, Falling…
Because it came too suddenly, Bakura had no time to evade. He only managed to raise his arms to protect his body, and the Mystical Power released by Mahad controlling the Millennium Ring swept over him.
There was no pain, nor did he feel even a trace of impact. It was just like being blown by a breeze. Bakura lowered his arms, feeling a bit confused, only to find that fundamentally nothing had happened to him.
"Huh, what was that just now? Dusting magic invented for germaphobes?" Bakura, who had expected to take a hit, found that not even a trace of change had appeared on him. With a hint of awkwardness and annoyance, he looked at Mahad and said, "You really startled me. That's truly annoying."
"It looks like you've exhausted your means. Then I'll just finish you off directly. Go, Diabound—"
Looking at Diabound, who was blocking his front and had also just suffered the Mystical Power Impact, Bakura was about to order it to kill Mahad, but Bakura's words stopped abruptly.
Because he saw it: Diabound's body was gradually becoming transparent. He could even clearly see the expression on Mahad's face opposite him, right through Diabound's body!
"'Shadow Ghoul is my ultimate technique,' Thief Bakura, you were thinking that just now, right? First the Fire Oil Trap, then the assassination by Shadow Ghoul. These schemes, seemingly capable of killing you, successfully led you to believe that I had used up all my ace cards."
"But from the very beginning, I didn't think such means could defeat you, defeat you who possess that one capable of contending even with the Divine-Beast the Pharaoh summons." The Millennium Ring on Mahad's chest floated up. Black-purple Mystical Power spread around him. "The Dark Magician, whom I summoned from the very beginning, its existence was completely ignored by you because of the preceding series of strategies!"
"The Dark Magician and I, by teaming up together, can unleash powerful magic. Combined with the power of 'Magic Interference' that I have kept sealed within the Millennium Ring, it has formed the Magic Storm that completely surrounds this Tomb at this moment. Within this range, no one can use the power of items like Millennium Stone Spirits and Millennium Items!"
"This is the last strategy that only I, who possess the strongest power among the Priests even without using Millennium Items and Millennium Stone Spirits, can use!"
The Dark Magician beside Mahad, being a Millennium Stone Spirit that received the Magic Storm Impact closer than Diabound, had already disappeared. However, Diabound in front of Bakura could also no longer maintain its own existence and disappeared before Bakura's eyes.
At this moment, within this Underground Tomb, only Bakura and Mahad faced each other. There was nothing else besides them!
"Diabound!"
Bakura tried to summon his inner monster, Diabound, again, but received not even a trace of a response. Even the Golden Duel Arena he was wearing on his hand, stolen from King Aknamkanon's Tomb, had become a pure decoration, unable to call forth even a single Millennium Stone Spirit.
Bakura, having exhausted his means, now stood before Priest Mahad, the Strongest Court Magician, his life was like a flickering candle!
Glaring angrily at Mahad, Bakura roared, "Mahad, you bastard, Onore!"
Calling forth a staff with Mystical Power, Mahad infused it with almost all the Mystical Power he could currently muster and charged towards Bakura. "Take this, Bakura, Magic Barrier with a twenty-meter radius!"
"For the Pharaoh!"
Because he was also affected by the influence of the Magic Barrier and couldn't use magic, Mahad, who was clearly a Magician, now swung his enhanced staff in his hand at Bakura like a Warrior. His strong physique, which he had specially trained on weekdays, truly came into use!
As the staff swung, the sound of it cutting through the air entered Bakura's ears. But as merely The Bandit, he was already malnourished. Without Diabound's protection, he fundamentally had no time to escape from Mahad's side, watching helplessly as the staff got closer and closer to his head!
If this blow hit his head, he would absolutely, absolutely, absolutely die on the spot! Bakura had no doubt about this!
Just as the staff was only an inch away from smashing into Bakura's head, abruptly, the sound of a clock stopping came from somewhere unknown.
Centered around Bakura's body, the World was quickly dyed black and white. Everything in this black and white World entered stagnation. Whether it was the Millennium Ring floating from Mahad's chest, the dust kicked up behind Mahad as he accelerated his charge, or the cold sweat on Bakura's forehead that wouldn't dry, Everything was preserved in this one instant.
The next second, the cold sweat on Bakura's forehead flowed down a little. He felt as if all his power had been drained, and he suddenly sat down on the ground, breathing heavily, his mind unsettled.
"Time enters stagnation here."
Muttering to himself, Bakura wiped his head several times with his robe before drying the cold sweat, his face still showing lingering fear. "Just that little bit... even if I had hesitated for one more second about whether to use this item, I would have been defeated."
Raising his head to look at Mahad, who had made him so wretched – his opponent was still maintaining his static state – Bakura spoke with malice. "You forced me to use a wasted item. The Nameless Pharaoh couldn't do it, and Hayato Kobayashi couldn't do it. Your schemes truly are endless."
"Shine, Mahad!"
"Puchi!"
Stabbing out his palm at the defenseless, or rather, fundamentally undefendable Mahad, Bakura's hand passed directly through Mahad's chest like a sharp blade. In his hand, he grasped the Millennium Ring he had taken from Mahad's chest.
Until Bakura pulled his hand back out, Mahad's face still showed no expression.
"Heh, that's how it is. In this static Time, the only one capable of action is me, the only one who used the 'Time Stop' cheat item. You haven't even realized that you're already dead, Mahad."
Bakura sneered, carelessly hanging the blood-stained Millennium Ring on his chest. "Originally, I was planning to maximize this item's effect, finding the right moment to seize all the Millennium Items in one go. As a result, I was actually forced to use it in a place like this by you! How detestable!"
"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"
Swinging several fists consecutively at Mahad's face, Bakura beat Mahad, who had no resistance, as if venting. But just as he was about to swing the fourth fist, he found that the movement of his fist was gradually slowing down.
"Tsk, is time almost up? Hmph, never mind. Anyway, I've vented enough." Looking at Mahad, Bakura smiled wickedly. "Die here within this Stagnation of Time, Priest Mahad!"
"Then, time flows again!"
The World recovered from its black and white state, and in the next instant, a loud noise came.
"Boom!"
The force Mahad had endured during the static Time was released in one go the instant time resumed flowing. His entire body was sent flying backward, crashing into the stone wall. With a large gash opened in his chest, he was undoubtedly going to die!
(End of Chapter)
"Prince, please stop!" Mahad said anxiously, looking at the Prince before him. "You are to become the Pharaoh in the future, how can you do such a dangerous thing!"
Just now, Mahad noticed a poisonous snake near the Prince and Mana under a tree. The two, engrossed in play, didn't notice the snake's existence at all, which startled and provoked the poisonous snake. Seeing this, Mahad decisively pushed away the Prince, who had been targeted by the poisonous snake, but he himself was bitten by the poisonous snake.
Mana, the youngest of the three, was instantly scared to tears. The Prince was also visibly shaken, but still worried about Mahad's condition.
Although Mahad endured the sharp pain and put on an expression as if nothing was wrong, upon seeing the blood flowing from the wound where Mahad was bitten by the poisonous snake, the Prince ignored Mahad's resistance and his own safety, forcefully using his mouth to suck out the poisonous blood from Mahad's wound.
Hearing Mahad's words, the Prince spat the poisonous blood onto the nearby grassland, looked at Mahad, and said, "But Mahad, how am I different from you? The blood in your body is red, and the same bright red blood flows through my body."
"Prince, Pharaoh, or whatever, we are all the same."
"Prince..." Mahad looked at the Prince before him, words caught in his throat, his heart filled with emotion.
"Mahad, I've always believed that one day there will be a world where everyone can live freely, regardless of status." The Prince reached out to Mahad, "So, let's start with us, and together create that world."
The scene before him became blurry. Mahad's line of sight returned to the Underground Tomb. His body was completely immobile, embedded in the wall by the previous attack. All the power in his body was drained as blood flowed heavily from his chest, and his head felt heavy, about to faint into eternal sleep.
'Was I just now recalling the past?' Mahad wanted to show a bitter smile, but at this moment, he didn't even have the strength to twitch his lips. 'Speaking of which, what was I trying to say to the Prince back then? Ah, right, I actually wanted to say that magic would be more effective than using your mouth.'
'It's just a pity, I won't be able to create that world with you anymore, Prince... no, Pharaoh.'
His eyes, gradually losing focus, saw Bakura holding the Millennium Ring and laughing. Mahad held onto his last will, squeezing out the last mystical power from every part of his body. 'It seems it's time to use that forbidden secret technique...'
As the Millennium Ring changed hands, the barrier that Mahad had previously set up to shield the stone tablet spirit dispersed into nothingness. After the magic storm subsided, Bakura did not hesitate to summon Diabound Kernel, which had disappeared earlier, to guard himself.
Having experienced such a dangerous situation just now was enough. Although he felt his attack had definitely defeated Mahad, the cautious Bakura felt it was very necessary to summon Diabound Kernel immediately just in case.
Not far from Mahad, the Magician of Black Chaos, which had also been shielded earlier, revealed its figure. However, perhaps out of spite, Diabound Kernel, under Bakura's command, immediately attacked it, now deprived of Mahad's support. The Magician of Black Chaos was defeated not far from Mahad, its figure flickering as if it could shatter and die at any moment.
Mahad's blood slowly flowed down the wall, pooling and inching towards the fallen Magician of Black Chaos.
'Can you hear me, Magician of Black Chaos...?'
His body couldn't move, and his thought was nearing stagnation, but Mahad's soul was burning brightly, calling out to the Magician of Black Chaos. 'If the Pharaoh knew I died, would he be sad? In the end, it seems I couldn't surpass Isis's prevision, and I'm about to die here...'
'My body is so cold, why is it so cold... my heart can no longer beat...'
Mahad was gradually losing his concentration. Although he was trying hard to think of what else he could do, his mind kept wandering. Various memories of the past flashed before his eyes, finally stopping at a mechanism he had prepared in this underground area.
'I... I remember now. If I press that mechanism, this place will collapse, and The Bandit's life will disappear with mine. However, even though I'm putting in a lot of effort now, my consciousness also seems to be on the verge of dispersing...'
'You seem to be the same, Magician of Black Chaos. That attack just now seems to have destroyed the tablet you were residing in from a thousand miles away, and you're also slowly dispersing in the same way...'
Mahad's blood got closer and closer to the Magician of Black Chaos. Just as Mahad thought, more than half of the Magician of Black Chaos's body was covered in cracks, and various parts were shattering and dropping like a broken clay doll.
That last remaining bit of mystical power was desperately squeezed out by Mahad, injecting into his blood, flowing towards the Magician of Black Chaos: 'Then you do it for me, Magician of Black Chaos. I give you everything I have.'
'My intellect is yours to use, my remaining life is yours to consume completely, I give it all to you...'
The flowing blood, carrying Mahad's last mystical power, last will, and last obsession, touched the Magician of Black Chaos, which was on the verge of complete collapse. Mahad, with his last power, cried out: 'Respond to me, Magician of Black Chaos!'
The next instant, within the Underground Tomb, a light beam of mystical power shot up into the sky!
"What's going on!" Bakura, startled like a bird, immediately hid behind Diabound Kernel, whose wings fully covered and protected Bakura. Through the hollowed-out wings, Bakura saw the light beam shatter something above the Tomb, his face filled with surprise and doubt. "What kind of power is this?"
One after another, huge, glass-like fragments fell from the air and sank into the ground. Amidst this rain of fragments, the environment that Bakura had thought was "King Aknamkanon's Tomb" changed. From a Tomb filled with burials, it became a bottomless Abyss, with only a single path to stand on in the very center.
The light beam connecting the ground below and the area above gradually shrank, revealing the wall where Mahad's trace was no longer present. Only the Magician of Black Chaos remained, its back turned to Bakura.
"That Mahad, disappeared? Is he trying to scare me even after he's dead? Heh heh." Saying this contemptuously, Bakura raised an eyebrow when he noticed the Magician of Black Chaos. "Strange, why does that stone tablet monster still exist now that Mahad is dead?"
"Hmph, it doesn't matter. I'll just defeat you and absorb you while I'm at it." Pointing at the Magician of Black Chaos, Bakura was about to order, "Diabound Kernel, attack---"
However, at that moment, the Magician of Black Chaos raised its head, revealing the appearance beneath its mage robe. For an instant, Bakura froze in place, disbelief on his face at what he saw.
Because beneath the Magician of Black Chaos's hat, the face revealed was not the abstract phantom appearance it had before, but Mahad's face!
At this moment, it was impossible to refer to the opponent as either the Magician of Black Chaos or Mahad. Bakura blurted out: "Dark Magician?!"
"You, Mahad, you actually turned yourself into a spirit!?"
"That's right, Thief Bakura. You are the Pharaoh's enemy. For the future that the Pharaoh dreams of, I will defeat you here, even if it means sacrificing my life and soul." The Dark Magician raised the staff in its hand and released an attack at a speed even faster than when Mahad and the Magician of Black Chaos worked together before. "Don't think you can escape from here!"
Diabound Kernel attempted to intercept this attack with its wings, but to its and Bakura's surprise, the power of the magic, like its casting speed, was boosted. Diabound Kernel, which had absorbed the power of Hayato's Drytron Meteonis Draconids and Dark Yugi's Obelisk the Tormentor, was actually no match for this attack and was directly blasted away, smashing into the wall!
"Boom!"
At this moment, the Dark Magician's power had already surpassed a god!
"Diabound Kernel, persist!" Bakura shouted at Diabound Kernel, but the latter wasn't some heaven-defying existence like Pikachu. After being hit by the Dark Magician's attack, it was almost destroyed again. However, it was just a tiny bit short of being truly destroyed.
Having experienced the battle in the Royal Palace, the Dark Magician had already formed a conjecture about the opponent's ability based on Diabound Kernel's changes before and after. It did not use its full power to defeat that monster, to avoid its own power being stolen and imitated. After incapacitating Diabound Kernel, it decisively swung its staff at Bakura, who no longer had a monster for defense.
A magic bullet formed at the tip of the staff, about to be fired to defeat Bakura, but at that moment, Bakura suddenly grabbed the Millennium Ring on his chest and raised it: "You bastard, you'd even turn everything you have into a spirit just to defeat me!? It won't be that easy!"
"I'll use your move against you!"
Just like the move Mahad used before, a domain to dispel spirits opened centered around the Millennium Ring. However, under Bakura's control, it completely avoided covering the defeated Diabound Kernel, instead stopping precisely after enveloping the Dark Magician.
"Ugh!" In an instant, the Dark Magician's state became extremely poor, almost dropping its staff and kneeling on the ground. The magic bullet at the tip of the staff flickered like a flickering candle.
The Dark Magician, a fusion of a human and a stone tablet spirit, certainly extended the lives of Mahad and the Magician of Black Chaos, which were on the verge of disappearing at any moment, and greatly boosted their power. But at the same time, the Dark Magician also became a special lifeform that was neither human nor spirit. Although it wasn't directly swept away by the domain that dispels spirits, it wasn't far from death either.
"Hoho, a nice move, although its applicability is very poor and there will hardly be any other situations where it can be used. But I'll still commend you for teaching me this move." Bakura said proudly, holding the glowing Millennium Ring. "As expected, this thing has the best synergy with me. Even a move you spent over ten years researching, I can master in an instant."
"Converting yourself into a spirit means that while gaining power, you also become an existence bound by shackles. Was the benefit the Pharaoh gave you that great? Why are you risking your life?"
While speaking, Bakura drew a dagger and approached the kneeling Dark Magician with arrogant steps, intending to finish the opponent himself.
Of course, actually, Bakura only had this one choice. Diabound Kernel couldn't move due to the domain's existence, but it didn't matter. Bakura felt that the Dark Magician couldn't exert much power within this domain anyway.
As expected, struggling to raise its arm, the Dark Magician fired the almost unsustainable magic bullet at Bakura, who was approaching it, but it was easily dodged due to its overly slow speed and pitiful size.
"Tsk tsk tsk, still struggling, idiot?" Bakura said proudly, watching the Dark Magician's arm drop powerlessly after he dodged its attack. "Muda Muda Muda, without the enhancement of spirit power, you only have the last remnants of mystical power from when you were human. How could such mystical power kill a person?"
While saying this, Bakura was about to raise his arm and swing the dagger.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing Bakura's words, the Dark Magician's lips curled up: "Who says you can't kill a person without mystical power?"
"Look closely, Thief Bakura! From the very beginning, I wasn't attacking you, but that spot!"
Following the Dark Magician's words, Bakura turned his head sharply, but saw the magic bullet he had dodged earlier moving slowly and firmly forward. Under his watching eyes, it precisely hit a flame that Mahad had released from the very beginning and that Diabound Kernel had pushed away.
The flame, upon touching the mystical power, was struck into the air in an instant. Bakura then also saw countless canisters spread throughout the area above, which he hadn't seen before and didn't know when they had been placed there. A strong smell of fuel emanated from them!
He had been tricked! Because of the sea of fire Mahad had set up at the beginning, he had smelled the scent back then, but had always thought it was coming from the underground instead of overhead!
The moment the flame touched that spot, it would likely cause a huge explosion, completely blowing this place up!
"Only realizing it now? Too slow, Thief Bakura!" the Dark Magician explained. "I set up an illusion from the start, and it extended not just here, but all the way outside!"
"King Aknamkanon's Tomb? No, this is a Magic Training Ground. Long ago, it stored numerous reserves of fuel for Magic Apprentices to practice spells. I collected all of it and arranged it overhead, and used illusion to make you and your subordinates think this was the Pharaoh's Tomb!"
"You, who fundamentally didn't learn your lesson, left your stone tablet spirit's side once again, didn't you!"
"Mahad, you schemed against me!" Bakura said with an angry expression, running backward regardless of everything, trying to get closer to Diabound Kernel for protection, shouting loudly, "Onore Mahad!"
"Let the flames purify everything, Thief Bakura, and let's enter the Abyss of death together!" Mahad looked at the oil canisters overhead and clenched his palm tightly. "Hah!"
In an instant, a violent explosion became everything that existed in this underground area. The rock walls and ground were completely destroyed in a flash. Diabound Kernel and Bakura were struck together into the endless Abyss below before they could meet up. The Dark Magician's figure also dispersed in the flames.
'I'm sorry, Pharaoh, I cannot continue to complete the unfinished tasks. Allow me to be slightly presumptuous and call you Prince one last time here...'
'I believe that one day, the future you described to me will arrive. It's just a pity, I won't be able to see that future...'
'If there is an opportunity, I am willing to once again be your loyal servant. This experience can definitely be used next time...'
"Boom!"
Mahad Arc, End
Hayato Arc, Grandly Serialized
(End of Chapter)