"Silver Castle…?" Rafael's thoughts churned. She's been repeating that word since the start—so this is the core of her next line.
Yami Yugi and Kaiba both seemed to sense it too. Neither of them blinked. Their eyes stayed locked on Aoi, as if afraid to miss even a single card.
Aoi's Duel Disk chimed.
"Ariane the Labrynth Servant's effect," Aoi announced. "When she's Normal or Special Summoned, I can add one 'Labrynth' card from my Deck to my hand—except another copy of Ariane."
She drew a card with a soft, satisfied smile.
"I choose 'Labrynth Labyrinth.'"
Everything was in place.
Aoi slid the card into her Duel Disk.
"I now invite you… into my beautiful Silver Castle. I activate the Field Spell—'Labrynth Labyrinth!'"
The world shifted.
Pure-white walls rose around them, a vast castle unfolding like a stage set by a god. Aoi's silver hair fluttered in the new wind, almost blending into the pale radiance of the labyrinthine halls.
Rafael's eyes narrowed. "So this is your 'Silver Castle.'"
"That's right," Aoi said. "The stage is set—now we fight."
She pointed forward.
"Arianna attacks Backup Guard!"
Arianna dashed in, candelabrum raised—
But Rafael's graveyard flashed with cold white light.
"Not so fast," Rafael said, voice sharp. "I activate the effect of 'Salvation of the Buried Gods' in my graveyard. This one time only—when you declare an attack, I banish five cards from my graveyard, including this card if I want. That attack is negated, and the Battle Phase ends."
A barrier of pale radiance cut Arianna off mid-stride. The attack simply… dissolved.
Aoi clicked her tongue. "So you're blocking attacks with graveyard tech."
She set two cards.
"My turn ends."
Yami Yugi stared at the white castle surrounding the duel. "Labrynth… What kind of deck is that?"
Kaiba, arms folded, gave a quiet snort. Rafael's opening was strong—3000 ATK on turn one—but against Aoi, that still feels light.
"My turn. Draw."
Rafael set a card, then shifted his stance.
"I set one card. And I switch Backup Guard to Defense Position."
Aoi laughed softly. "So passive. I thought you'd swing immediately—my monsters are weaker than your Guardian Grarl, aren't they?"
Rafael's gaze sharpened. "Your trap line is obvious. You're waiting for me to attack."
Aoi's smile widened. "And?"
Rafael's tone hardened. "You can't beat me without attacking."
He raised his hand.
"Battle! Guardian Grarl attacks Arianna—Decisive Slash!"
The huge axe came down—
Aoi's voice cut through the air like a bell in a cathedral.
"You really went for it. Bold. But anyone who enters the Silver Castle must be purified."
She slammed a card down.
"I activate the Trap 'Dimensional Prison!' When you declare an attack, I banish the attacking monster."
A dark red rift yawned open in the path of the swing. Guardian Grarl's momentum carried it forward—straight into the裂缝-like void—vanishing as if it had never existed.
Rafael's pupils trembled. "My… Guardian Grarl…!"
Aoi's expression turned colder.
"Despair already? That's too early. The Silver Castle is only getting started."
The Field Spell pulsed, the castle itself responding.
"Labrynth Labyrinth's effect: when I activate a Normal Trap that isn't a 'Labrynth' card, I can Special Summon one Fiend from my hand or graveyard."
Aoi's hand lifted a card like a royal decree.
"I Special Summon the master of this castle. Come forth—'Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle!'"
A towering woman stepped from the white halls—regal, ruthless, clad in elegance sharp enough to cut steel.
Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle (2900/1900)
Rafael's eyes widened. "You banished my monster… and you bring out a boss that easily?"
Aoi's gaze narrowed, displeased—not with the situation, but with Rafael's hesitation.
"Rafael. You're supposed to be the strongest of Doma's Three Musketeers. Don't tell me this is all you've got."
Rafael's jaw tightened.
Aoi set her last card.
"My turn ends."
"My turn. Draw."
Aoi's fingers brushed her graveyard.
"I banish 'Welcome Labrynth Labyrinth—Welcome Welcome Grand Welcome' from my graveyard. Target one Fiend I control—return it to my hand."
Rafael frowned. "Why would you bounce your own monster?"
Aoi's eyes lifted, amused. "Who said I'm bouncing mine? Look at your field."
Rafael's heart dropped.
His Backup Guard was gone.
"What?!" Rafael roared. "Why is my monster—?!"
Aoi's tone remained calm—almost gentle.
"When I use that effect, if I control a Level 8 or higher Fiend, I can target an opponent's card instead."
She tapped her boss monster.
"I have Lady Labrynth. So I return your Backup Guard to your hand."
Yami Yugi's eyes narrowed with recognition. "She planned this from the start…"
Kaiba's lips curved faintly. It's over.
Aoi raised her arm.
"Battle. Lady Labrynth attacks you directly!"
Rafael snapped a card open.
"I activate the Counter Trap 'Negate Attack!' The attack is negated, and the Battle Phase ends!"
Aoi clicked her tongue. "I should've bounced your set card first. Whatever."
She set one card.
"My turn ends."
Then, quietly—almost conversationally—Aoi asked:
"Rafael. You're clearly strong. Why are you loyal to Doma?"
Rafael didn't answer immediately.
The first light of dawn spilled into Death Valley, painting the broken bridge and the endless drop beyond in pale gold. His voice, when it came, had a weight that didn't belong to the duel.
"Do you know what this place reminds me of?" he said. "It's like the island I lived on… a piece of land floating in emptiness."
He stared into the distance, as if seeing the past in the canyon walls.
"When I was a child, I went on a luxury cruise with my family for my birthday. We passed through the range of an undersea volcanic eruption. The ship went down."
His fingers tightened—then loosened.
"I was the only one who survived. In one day, I lost everything that mattered."
His eyes flicked to his cards.
"These 'Guardian' monsters… they were the last gifts my little brother and sister gave me."
A slow breath.
"It was so sudden. Fate stole everything from me in an instant. I convinced myself—if I survived, maybe my family survived too, somewhere out there."
"A tiny hope," he said, voice roughening, "was the only thing that kept me from breaking."
He looked at Aoi now—not as a duelist, but as someone who'd also seen too much.
"Have you ever lived three years without speaking to anyone? Without touching another human being? Alone—so alone you feel your mind cracking?"
Aoi didn't interrupt.
Rafael's voice dropped, almost a whisper.
"The only thing that kept me sane… was them."
He held his deck like it was a lifeline.
"They were my friends."
"And in the end… they became my family."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
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Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
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TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220)
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Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 220
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
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From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 110
My Harem Is Indescribable 100
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 80
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 85
Why did they assign me to Uma 75
MYGO Beauties 70
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 75
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 100
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 60
The Uma Musume Who Became 60
I'm Definitely Not the King of 80
After Maxing Out Every Class 80
Naruto: I'm Konoha's Local Men 44
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 57
I, the Elden Sword Saint 50
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No One Knows Pokémon Better 50
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 45
From Trilobites to Titans 45
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 55
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 60
An Anime Heroine Darkened 55
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