**Chapter 51: Hesitation Leads to Defeat, Decisiveness Leads to Giving It All Away**
"To be able to discern a part of the truth of my abilities, Yugi-boy, you have qualified. It's time I got serious!"
Pegasus finished speaking, and under Yugi's tense gaze, he drew a card. He then revealed a surprised expression: "Oh~ unbelievable! Yugi-boy, I've drawn a magnificent card~"
What appeared before Yugi's eyes was (Illusionist Faceless Mage). Neither its 1200 ATK nor its 2200 DEF could resist Yugi's (Dark Magician). But Pegasus, after showing it, immediately Summoned it to the Field.
"(Illusionist Faceless Mage) is Summoned to my Field, and then I Activate the Spell Card (Eye of Illusion) from my Hand." Playing a card from his Hand, Pegasus pointed a finger at the silent (Dark Magician). "Now, I will use it to attack your (Dark Magician) on your Field, Yugi-boy."
Yugi looked at the strange monster that appeared on Pegasus's Field; its empty face sent shivers down one's spine. "It's a Rare Card I've never seen before, but as a Spellcaster, (Dark Magician) won't lose to any monster!"
The dark magic energy surging from the emerald staff collided with the eye-shaped attack released by (Illusionist Faceless Mage). But to Yugi's surprise, neither monster was destroyed, and neither Pegasus's nor his own Life Points fluctuated.
"What's going on? If their ATK were equal, both monsters should have been destroyed simultaneously, right?" Yugi was utterly confused by this situation.
"Oh dear, what a blunder, I almost forgot that the game's time was almost up." Pegasus's feigned voice drew Yugi's attention from the Field to the countdown in the upper right corner of the videotape. Less than five minutes remained until the end time. According to the rule agreed upon at the very beginning, the one with higher Life Points when the time ran out would be the victor.
[Yugi: 1500 LP]
[Pegasus: 1200 LP]
If Yugi were willing to be shameless and stall for time, Pegasus would automatically be defeated the moment time ran out, and Yugi would be the victor. But anyone who thought about it would know, Yugi wasn't the kind of person who could accept such a victory.
"Only cowards would stop here, I will keep dueling! Summon (Celtic Guardian) and attack (Illusionist Faceless Mage)," Playing a card, Yugi's mouth curved into a smirk, as if he could see the future where (Illusionist Faceless Mage) was destroyed. "Although I don't know what just happened, there's no doubt that (Illusionist Faceless Mage)'s ATK is still 1200, and it will be defeated by (Celtic Guardian) with 1400 ATK."
"Whoa, you've taken the bait, Yugi-boy~" Pegasus's face still held that detestable smile.
Just as (Celtic Guardian) was Summoned to the Field, and before it could attack, a powerful dark magic power suddenly surged from its side, destroying it, and Yugi's Life Points plummeted by a full 1100 points.
"1100 points of damage! Why, why would (Dark Magician)...?" Yugi wore an incredulous expression, looking at (Dark Magician) attacking (Celtic Guardian).
Pegasus spread his hands and explained, "The effect of (Eye of Illusion) isn't just to increase ATK; your (Dark Magician) has already been charmed by (Illusionist Faceless Mage) and become my puppet~ Yugi-boy~"
[Yugi: 1500 LP→400 LP]
"Yo ho, this way, by the time my turn ends, time should be almost up, right?" After drawing a card, without making any other moves, Pegasus glanced at the countdown with only ten seconds left, and ended his turn. "Just as I said before, boring obsession will only lead you to a losing end, Yugi-boy~"
The Life Points difference between both sides had reversed again, changing from Yugi having the advantage to Pegasus having higher Life Points, and only the final 10 seconds remained. Once the ten seconds passed, Pegasus would naturally achieve victory in the duel.
But Yugi negated this with his stubborn gaze: "No, the duel isn't over yet, Pegasus! My last monster is this, (Summoned Skull)!"
The skeletal demon that had once defeated Chumley's (Gaia The Fierce Knight) reappeared. Just as it extended its arm from the Card Art, it eagerly began to gather lightning in its palm and attacked (Illusionist Faceless Mage).
But even with a desperate rush, just before the lightning attack could touch (Illusionist Faceless Mage), the videotape's countdown officially hit zero, and this game ended with Pegasus's victory.
"Oh my, that was a close call, you were just a hair's breadth away from turning the tables on me, Yugi-boy~" Pegasus's image did not disappear with the end of the videotape, but instead, on the television screen, he gestured a "tiny" distance to Yugi. "I have a premonition that in the 'Duelist Kingdom' match, I will definitely face you again."
Yugi, having lost the match, was in a foul mood and said testily, "What if I say no?"
"No, No, No, Yugi-boy, you will definitely participate." As he spoke, Pegasus once again swept aside the long hair on his left side, revealing the golden "Millennium Eye" that Yugi had noticed before. "This eye is called the (Millennium Eye), just like the (Millennium Puzzle) on your chest, they are both super~ rare Millennium Items."
"Millennium Item?" For some reason, upon hearing this word from Pegasus's mouth, Yami Yugi's mind felt a tremor, as if the word had a deep connection to him.
"The dark power of the Millennium Eye can see through people's hearts, that's why I said before, that you, Yugi-boy, only saw through a part of the truth of my abilities." A powerful energy emanated from the empty (Millennium Eye), as if it wanted to draw everything around it into its void. "Let us meet again in Duelist Kingdom, Yugi-boy~"
"If you still wish to reclaim your precious treasure—"
"Ding—!!!"
Pegasus's figure was completely engulfed by the golden light released by the (Millennium Eye). The light even pierced through the television and flew beyond the screen, passing straight through Yugi, whose vision was obscured by the light, and was about to fly towards the direction Joey and the others had just left, out of the living room.
And at this moment, Chumley, who had been leaning back on the sofa, suddenly raised his right hand. A semi-transparent long spear flew out from his right palm, striking the golden light. "Don't think you'll have your way, Pegasus!"
"Gai—a——!!!"
The reason he had taken Grandpa Muto and the others out of the living room as much as possible, and then had the spirits support him back into the living room, was because all of Chumley's prior preparations were for the spear strike he was about to unleash at this moment. This spear strike gathered the full power of the five card spirits he carried — (Rainbow Kuriboh), the (Ojama) brothers, and (Gaia The Fierce Knight) — all to prevent Pegasus from seizing others' souls.
In Chumley's estimation, although the dark power of the Millennium Item was incredibly potent, Pegasus was, after all, not physically present. He had to both maintain the Shadow Game and see through hearts, with seizing souls coming afterwards. With his power dispersed among multiple tasks, perhaps he could contend with it to some extent, and his previous success in regaining mobility within the Shadow Game with the help of several spirits confirmed that he did possess some ability to resist.
However, Chumley underestimated Pegasus's determination to "invite" Yugi, and underestimated the dark power he expended on "seizing souls."
Under his astonished gaze, the culmination of the five card spirits' power — the ethereal image of the Knight's spear in (Gaia The Fierce Knight)'s hand colliding with the light released by the (Millennium Eye) — only managed to hold for less than a second before shattering explosively. He felt only a powerful impact in his mind, and before he could even cry out in pain, he passed out.
P.S. First, a big thank you to 'Joyful Duck Egg Stewed Clams' for the 500 point reward, much appreciated~
In the Yu-Gi-Oh story, the worst is the Shadow Game. In a Shadow Game, ordinary people without power, even Joey – though he could be considered to have won – was ultimately just an ordinary person unable to persevere to the end, which was truly regrettable.
The origin of Chumley's formidable power also began to emerge from this defeat.
(end of chapter)