The rumble of the KaibaCorp blimp's engines was a constant backdrop, a dull growl that seemed to vibrate through the walls. The dueling arena was brightly lit, a stark contrast to the storm-dark clouds rolling past the glass windows outside. Spotlights circled overhead, illuminating the battlefield where Connor Hawkins and Bakura faced one another.
Connor stood with his duel disk strapped to his arm, his jaw set tight, his young face locked into a mask of determination. His emerald eyes narrowed, reflecting both the glowing life point counters and the cards in his hand. He had been through countless duels already, but this one was different. This one wasn't just about pride. If he lost, Mai Valentine's soul would remain imprisoned by the darkness festering within Bakura's deck.
Across from him, Bakura smirked, his pale skin almost ghostlike under the white lights. The wicked grin stretched unnervingly across his face, his eyes glittering with sadistic delight. He tilted his head slightly, his long hair falling in front of one eye.
"Your soul will make a fine addition to my collection once I've finished with you," he sneered, his voice low and dripping with malice.
Connor didn't flinch. Instead, he raised his duel disk, the Life Point counters flashing into place. His voice rang out, firm and steady, cutting through the growl of the engines.
"No, Bakura. When I win this duel, you're going to release Mai's soul. That's my condition," Connor declared, his emerald eyes blazing with conviction. "I won't let you keep her—or anyone—trapped in your twisted games any longer."
For a heartbeat, Bakura's smirk faltered, his expression twisting into mock surprise before curving back into a malicious grin. He chuckled darkly, the sound echoing in the chamber.
"Such noble words," Bakura purred, tilting his head as though amused. "But if you think you can wrest her soul from the grip of darkness, you're even more foolish than I thought. Defeat me first, boy, and then we'll see whose will prevails."
Connor's jaw tightened, his fists clenched at his sides. His heart hammered in his chest, but his voice was unwavering. "Then get ready, because I'll defeat you and free her. That's a promise."
"Let's duel!" both shouted, the arena erupting in light as the duel began.
Connor LP: 4000
Bakura LP: 4000
Connor drew his opening hand, his eyes scanning quickly. Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning. Chaos Sorcerer. A few support spells. His heart quickened—if he played this carefully, he could set the tempo. His expression softened briefly, determination flashing. He could do this.
Bakura, meanwhile, chuckled darkly as he gazed at his hand. His lips curled into a grin so wide it looked unnatural. He already had Dark Necrofear. The thought of it being unleashed made him chuckle, and his shoulders quaked with restrained laughter.
Turn One – BakuraBakura placed a card face-down onto his disk, the hologram slamming onto the field with a crackle of energy. "I'll begin with a set monster, and one face-down card," he hissed. The face-down glowed faintly purple, pulsing ominously.
"That will do for now."
His eyes locked onto Connor's, his smile daring him to make the first mistake.
Turn Two – Connor
Connor inhaled sharply and drew. His hand grew stronger: D.D. Warrior Lady. Perfect. His lips tightened as he slid the card into place.
"I summon D.D. Warrior Lady (ATK 1500)," he declared. The armored warrior materialized in a flash of white light, her blade gleaming menacingly as she stepped forward into a battle stance.
The monster's presence gave Connor a measure of confidence. He pointed forward, his voice sharp and commanding. "Attack his face-down!"
D.D. Warrior Lady lunged, her sword cleaving downward at the concealed card. The card flipped, revealing Sangan (ATK 1000 / DEF 600). The tiny creature shrieked before bursting into a spray of shadowy pixels.
Bakura's smile widened unnaturally, his teeth flashing like fangs in the spotlight. "Perfect. When Sangan is destroyed, I can add one monster with 1500 or less ATK from my deck to my hand."
He slid a card from his deck with deliberate slowness, holding it aloft just long enough for Connor to glimpse it. The sight made the air around them feel heavier.
"I'll choose my Man-Eater Bug," Bakura purred, tucking the card into his hand. "One wrong move, and it will devour your precious monsters."
Connor frowned, his brows knitting tightly, though his eyes remained steady and focused. "Your tricks won't save you."
"I set one card," Connor said firmly, sliding a face-down into his duel disk. The hologram shimmered into place, glowing faintly like a shield. "And end my turn."
Turn Three – Bakura
Bakura drew, his grin never fading. His pale fingers lingered on the card he pulled, his lips curling back into a sadistic smile. He licked his lips as if savoring the despair yet to come, his eyes glinting with malice.
"I'll start with this—Pot of Greed!" Bakura declared, slamming the card into his duel disk. A grotesque face erupted from the hologram, cackling madly as two cards slipped from the top of his deck into his hand. He drew them slowly, deliberately, as though savoring the weight of each one.
Connor's eyes narrowed. He knew that in the hands of Bakura, even a simple draw spell could mean disaster.
Bakura's grin widened. "Now, I'll use my spell card—Change of Heart!"
A sinister, angel-demon hybrid figure spread across the holographic field, its eerie aura snaking around Connor's D.D. Warrior Lady. She stiffened, her eyes glowing under its possession before turning toward Connor with her blade raised, no longer his ally.
Connor's expression tightened, a flicker of frustration flashing across his face, but he stood his ground.
"With your monster under my control, I'll use her as a tribute!" Bakura bellowed, his voice filled with glee. He raised his hand high, and D.D. Warrior Lady dissolved into particles of light. "I sacrifice your warrior to summon the ruler of the fiends—Dark Ruler Ha Des (ATK 2450)!"
The air around the arena grew heavy as a towering demon emerged, cloaked in shadows. Its eyes blazed crimson, horns curling upward like jagged spikes, and its laughter was a deep, guttural growl that shook the floor.
"Now, Dark Ruler Ha Des," Bakura commanded, his voice dropping to a chilling hiss, "attack Connor's life points directly!"
The fiend raised its massive claw and lunged forward, shadows trailing from its body like smoke.
Connor's face hardened, emerald eyes flashing with defiance. He tapped his duel disk sharply, his voice cutting through the darkness. "Not so fast! I activate my trap—Mirror Force!"
The set card blazed to life, shattering into shards of light. A massive, shimmering barrier appeared across Connor's field, reflecting the demon's attack back upon itself.
Bakura's eyes widened slightly, his pupils contracting. For a brief moment, surprise cracked his façade. But then, his grin returned, twisted and sharp. "Tch… clever."
Dark Ruler Ha Des roared as the reflected energy slammed into it, the fiend exploding into fragments of shadow that rained down across the arena.
Connor exhaled slowly, but his focus never wavered. "Your monster is finished."
Bakura chuckled low in his throat, the sound gradually building into manic laughter. His shoulders shook, his head tilting back. "You really thought you could rid me of Ha Des so easily? Foolish boy… The darkness doesn't vanish so quickly."
He slapped another card onto his duel disk with a flourish. "I activate Monster Reborn!"
A glowing ankh rose from the ground, its radiant light twisting and warping into shadows as it pulsed with unholy power. The fragments of Ha Des reassembled, its monstrous form clawing its way back onto the battlefield. It bellowed in triumph, its crimson eyes blazing brighter than before.
Connor's jaw tightened, though he remained composed. "So you've revived him… but you still haven't gotten through my defenses."
Bakura's grin returned in full force, his pale face illuminated by the ominous glow of his fiend. He leaned forward slightly, his voice dripping with venom. "Patience, Connor. I'll break you down piece by piece. Your monster is gone, and soon, your soul will follow."
The duel arena seemed colder as the turn ended, Ha Des standing tall on Bakura's field like an omen of death.
Turn Four – Connor
Connor drew again, his emerald eyes flashing as he scanned the card. A grin tugged briefly at the corner of his lips before hardening back into determination. Chaos Sorcerer was ready… but not yet. He needed to prepare the field."Perfect," he whispered under his breath, his voice low but steady. His gaze snapped upward, sharp and unyielding.
"I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior (ATK 1600)!"A burst of red energy erupted onto the field. The crimson-armored warrior emerged, runes glowing along his massive blade. A shining counter appeared on his shoulder plate, pulsing with arcane power."Breaker's effect activates,"
Connor declared, pointing sharply at Bakura's back row. "I'll remove one counter to destroy your face-down card!"Breaker raised his glowing sword, a surge of crackling magic firing toward Bakura's set card.But Bakura only chuckled, his grin spreading ear to ear. His pale hand flicked upward as his trap flipped open with a hiss.
"Not so fast, boy! I chain my face-down trap—Threatening Roar!"A spectral beast materialized above Bakura's field, unleashing a thunderous roar that reverberated through the arena.
The sound crashed like a shockwave, forcing Breaker to stagger backward."You cannot declare any attacks this turn," Bakura sneered, his voice dripping with glee. His sharp teeth glinted under the lights. "No matter what you summon, your monsters will cower before me."
Connor's jaw tightened, but his expression didn't falter. "Even so… I can still turn the tide." He slid another card into his disk with force."I play the equip spell—Snatch Steal!"Chains of radiant light whipped out from the card, wrapping tightly around Dark Ruler Ha Des. The fiend roared in fury, struggling against the bonds as its crimson eyes flickered. But slowly, its movements shifted. The chains dragged it across the arena until it took its place on Connor's side of the field, bowing its massive form before him.
Bakura's eyes widened for just a heartbeat, his grin twitching with irritation. His nails tapped against his cards like claws scraping glass. "You dare use my fiend against me?" he hissed.
Connor's emerald eyes gleamed with fire. "I'll use whatever it takes to beat you, Bakura. Ha Des fights for me now."The sight of the mighty demon towering at his side bolstered Connor's confidence. But he wasn't finished."I activate Pot of Greed!" Connor snapped, sliding the spell into his disk.
A grotesque face appeared once more, cackling wildly as Connor drew two fresh cards from his deck. He glanced at them, his lips tightening into a subtle smile. His plan was building, piece by piece.
"I set one card face-down," Connor continued, sliding the card into place with precision. The hologram shimmered into existence, faint light pulsing from the trap's back."Since I can't attack this turn thanks to your trap, I'll end it here."The field pulsed with energy—Breaker the Magical Warrior stood ready, Dark Ruler Ha Des loomed like a beast leashed to Connor's will, and a hidden defense lay in wait. Connor's expression was resolute, his eyes locked onto Bakura."Your move."
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