Hearing the old man's words, Yugen burst into laughter.
Kagemaru simply sat in the life support pod filled with liquid, silently watching him, not speaking for a while.
"I understand."
Yugen chuckled.
"You think that by saving a life, it makes it justifiable to take another."
"Not just one, but many. And by living, I can save more people, do more things, far more than the contributions that person with a mundane life could ever make."
Kagemaru said.
"Is that how you justify yourself? That must make you feel better, right?" Yugen said.
"I regret every life I had to take." Kagemaru said calmly.
He wants to live, at any cost. Forbidden alchemy is the method he has been seeking, even if it requires sacrificing living people as the price.
Even his once most trusted friend, the alchemy genius Daitokuji, no longer approves of his path.
Daitokuji told him this path won't work, that alchemy cannot solve his problems, and promised to obtain the Three Phantom Demons, which would surely save his life.
Kagemaru knew that even Daitokuji was unwilling to accompany him on this bloody alchemical journey any longer. But if he could obtain the Phantom Demons, indeed the problem would be solved, so he let him go.
"You're just afraid of death." Yugen said.
"That's right, I am afraid of death."
Kagemaru also openly admitted.
"I fear aging, fear being trapped in this wretched body, decaying, and having to die."
"I have done so much, saved so many people. Defeated dark overlords, malicious elves, using the power of duels against wicked villains..."
"And now, I simply don't want to die."
"I regret your condition, truly. I also believe you once were an upright Duelist, using all your power and resources to do the right thing; otherwise, Seto Kaiba and others wouldn't agree for you to be the behind-the-scenes director of Duel Academy."
Yugen said, his Duel Disc already unfolded in his hand. The ethereal blue light shone, like ghost fire burning in the dark room.
"So, I knew it. Duel King, not so easily persuaded."
Kagemaru sighed lightly.
"I had somewhat anticipated this long ago. To achieve immortality, to keep living, I must pass this hurdle."
"Glad you know it."
"Alright, let's begin."
In the pod was an elderly man nearing his end, yet his eyes shot out a lion-like light. It was as if trapped within that decaying body was still an indomitable fighter.
"My life has also been the life of a Duelist."
"Let me prove the pinnacle of my life by dueling with the King."
His life support pod's mechanical arm had long mounted the Duel Disc. A domineering dark windstorm erupted, centering on him, enveloping both of them.
Dark Duel.
During the animation, even while dueling with Judai, he hadn't initiated the Dark Duel.
As the Master of Seven-Star, capable of gathering three thousand-year-old mummies, vampires, and otherworldly spirits under his command, surely Kagemaru couldn't lack the ability for the Dark Duel; his level as a Dark Duelist must be high.
But in the animation when he appeared, he already had the Three Phantom Demons, and had no quarrel with Yuki Judai, thus didn't intend to take Judai's life. His goal was just to absorb the life energy of the Duel Monster Spirits through the Phantom Demons and return to his peak.
Therefore, after being defeated by Judai, he just reverted to an old man hanging by a thread, and didn't die directly.
Yet now, he initiated the Dark Game, clearly at a high level.
The implication was equally clear.
This battle, he won't hold back, will go all out.
Not just to determine victory or defeat, but also life and death.
"Duel!" x2
[Yugen, LP 4000]
[Kagemaru, LP 4000]
Yugen glanced at the indicator lights lit on the Duel Disc and unceremoniously took the first move.
"I'll take the lead, draw a card."
Then, sweeping his eyes over the hand, he waved decisively.
"Set two cards, end my turn."
Kagemaru squinted his eyes.
Only Cover Cards, was it because of his current appearance that he looked down on the old man...
No, he investigated, this Duel King originally prefers using interference and resistance tactics, achieving victory without fighting by 'forbidding opponent's duel' tactics.
It wouldn't be surprising for such a person to use trap strategies.
"It's my turn, draw."
Kagemaru's mechanical arm drew a card from his hand.
"Magic Card 'Angel's Charity'.
Draw three cards from the deck, then discard two from the hand."
After drawing, the slender metal arm placed two cards from his hand into the graveyard.
Since his severe illness, Kagemaru had rarely engaged in duels, but the brief duel with Titan had been a mere trial run. Even if he hadn't wielded cards for years, he was still quite confident in his strength, no matter how rusty, it wouldn't be something like Titan could challenge.
He had once been a dominant force in the Extraordinary World, had reached the peak.
If only he were younger, if only he had his peak body's vitality and mind...
Kagemaru shook his head to dispel these thoughts.
The chance would come.
Phantom Demon, that is his future, and his only future. If he attains the Power of Phantom Demon, he can easily regain his youth, stay forever at the peak.
All who thought he was old, that he could no longer battle, even those scheming for his company wealth and assets... all who underestimated him will pay the price.
Yet before the Phantom Demons, the strongest barrier he faces is right here.
Which is why he directly initiated the highest intensity of the Dark Duel.
If he does not win this battle, he has no hope for survival.
"Summon 'Synthetic Air Hummingbird'!"
[Synthetic Air Hummingbird, Attack Power 1000]
Before the bird appeared on the field, it already stirred a whirlwind, currents formed a transparent vortex in the air, the Air Hummingbird flapped its wings as if riding the wind, landing in front of Kagemaru on the field.
The Air Hummingbird deck's original card from the manga, but Yugen had only just seen it in the previous duel.
"Upon successfully summoning Synthetic Air Hummingbird, Special Summon one 'Air' with Level 4 or lower from the graveyard."
One of the two cards just discarded through the magic effect had already been ejected from the Duel Disc with a flash of light, was grasped by the slender mechanical arm and placed in the Monster Zone of the Duel Disc.
"Special Summon 'Air Hummingbird' from the graveyard!"
Also a monster used in the recent duel with Titan, the smallest and most exquisite 2-star Air Hummingbird.
[Air Hummingbird, Attack Power 400]
"Exactly as you said, I fear death, and don't want to die. Even if living means plundering from others, even if all obstacles must be swept aside."
The old man's hoarse voice cut forth like a steel blade.
"If you stand in my way, Duel King, Fujiki Yugen."
"Then let me shatter even this towering mountain!"