[Yugi: 3800 → 2800 LP]
"This is the final blow, Weevil." Yugi said confidently, looking at the Set Card on Weevil's Field and his mere 300 Life Points.
After all, not everyone can pull off a Life Point Lock. Yugi had extensive experience in this area; he believed no one was better at it than him.
Among the Monsters on his Field, (Dark Magician), with an Attack of 2500, had not yet attacked. Using his Ace Monster to finish off Weevil was quite fitting.
As Yugi raised his palm above his head, (Dark Magician), in a rare moment of seriousness, began chanting a Spell. A purple magic circle instantly formed at the tip of his Staff, and streaks of Magical Energy lightning pulsed within it.
"(Dark Magician), initiate a Direct Attack on Weevil—"
"Before that! I Activate my Set Card!" Weevil quickly opened the only Set Card in his Back Row upon hearing Yugi about to declare an Attack. "(Call of the Haunted)!"
"Although (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames) possesses the ability to Negate Traps, that's only when it's on the Field." Weevil was unwilling to lose the Duel just like that. Through his Weevil Underwood's Glasses, Yugi saw his bloodshot eyes. "I've already abandoned my dignity to this extent, yet why is the Power I gained not even enough to threaten you!"
"I'm Controlling a 'God', I don't want to lose, I won't lose, I can't lose!"
"Because of (Call of the Haunted), Revive once more from my Graveyard!" Weevil's eyes widened. Due to repeatedly controlling (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames), Yugi could even clearly sense Weevil's Life Points dwindling, yet his current will to win made him seem full of vigor.
"Dignity, honor, even my Soul, I've given them all! Just bring me victory, create victory for me! Come, (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames)!"
A pillar of fire shot skyward from beneath Weevil's feet. Lethal high temperatures enveloped Weevil's body, but within the flames, Weevil laughed loudly: "This is the Power! Come, come!"
But looking at the completely deranged Weevil, Yugi coldly said, "Even now, you still show no remorse, still pursuing this illusory 'victory'?"
"Even if it brings victory, is a victory gained at the cost of honor and dignity truly a victory? A True Duelist would never pursue such a victory!" Yugi's gaze suddenly turned fierce. "Only a weakling like you would think of weakening others; a truly strong Duelist only ever thinks of making themselves stronger!"
"This is what they call, 'The weak raise their blades against the weak, the strong raise their blades against the strong'."
"'Insect' Weevil. No, Weevil of the Rare Hunters, you, who are more worthless than the dirty slush piled by the roadsides in winter, I shall cut off your last hope!"
"Activate my Set Card, Quick-Play Spell Card, (Trap Booster)!" Yugi Discarded one of the two Cards in his Hand to the Graveyard. "By Discarding one Card from my Hand, I can Activate a Trap Card directly from my Hand!"
"Muda muda muda! (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames) is immune to Trap Cards; it won't be affected by any Trap Effect!"
Hearing Weevil's words, Yugi merely smirked: "Sore wa dou ka na?"
"Although it's immune to Trap Effects while on the Field, when (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames) exists in the Graveyard, its Trap Resistance disappears. Didn't you just tell me that?"
"The Trap Card I'm about to Activate from my Hand is this one!" Yugi played the last Card in his Hand. "(The Great Burnt Offering)!"
"Can be Activated when the Opponent Activates a Card that Targets a Monster in the Graveyard—" The Graveyard zones on both Yugi's and Weevil's Duel Disks lit up simultaneously, and Phantom Images of Monsters slumbering in the Graveyard were released from them, one after another.
(Berfomet), (Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts), (Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast), (Doom Dozer), (Queen's Knight), (Man-Eater Bug), (Atomic Firefly), and (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames), which was just Targeted by (Call of the Haunted).
"Roar!" Within the pillar of fire, the Phantom Image of (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames), on the verge of returning to the Field, struggled unwillingly. Though it was a Fiend Type Monster that commanded LIGHT Attribute and FIRE Attribute, the very flames it bathed in betrayed it at this moment, searing its body and burning its Phantom Image!
"—All Monsters in both players' Graveyards are Banished from the Game!"
In an instant, the pillar of fire surrounding Weevil lost its source of Power. Although (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames) still struggled unwillingly, it ultimately could not transcend the Rule of Duel Monsters and was Banished from the Game along with the other Monsters.
Weevil hadn't even reacted. He subconsciously reached out his Hand, grasping at the sparks scattering in the air, futilely shouting, "Why, why, why?"
"Come back to me, I want victory, come out!"
"According to the Chain Link Resolution principle, (The Great Burnt Offering) Banished all Monsters in both Graveyards, rendering (Call of the Haunted)'s Activation invalid." Yugi pointed his Hand at Weevil. "Even (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames), which can Revive again and again by defying the Underworld's Rule, won't be able to return to the Field."
"As I said before, this is the final blow, Weevil of the Rare Hunters." (Dark Magician)'s Attack was already prepared. "(Dark Magician), initiate a Direct Attack on Weevil!"
"The final (Dark Magic Attack)!"
The pain lasted only an instant. A massive Magical Energy lightning bolt struck Weevil's body, completely wiping out his remaining 300 Life Points. Originally, according to the rules of the Shadow Game, Weevil should have died the moment he lost. However, because Yugi managed to Banish (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames), which had provided Weevil with the ability to initiate the Shadow Game, this despicable fellow was ironically saved by Yugi.
[Weevil: 300 LP → 0]
"I, lost?"
Seeing his Life Points drop to zero, Weevil couldn't believe the reality before him. He slapped himself hard, as if trying to wake from the nightmare of defeat.
"I lost the Duel. I, who obtained (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames), actually lost?" Weevil finally accepted his defeat, but the expression on his face was neither anger nor regret, but rather one of terror.
"No, no, I can't lose, I can't lose!"
His gaze fixed on Yugi, as if he'd seen a life raft. He suddenly broke into a run towards Yugi: "Save me, save me, Yugi!"
Chumley, who had been tricked by Weevil once before, saw his actions. Although he was bewildered by Weevil's inexplicable look of terror, he immediately threw the (Gaia) Card in his Hand.
With the defeat of (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames), the nameless Magical Energy that had spread throughout Domino City, originating from Yugi and Weevil's Duel, dissipated. The Duel Monster Spirits on the Cards regained their usual vitality.
As a Duel Monster Spirit in its second stage, with one foot already in the third, (Gaia) was quite confident in its ability to stop Weevil.
Because the previous Duel required leaving a Field for the massive Duel Monsters to stand on, Weevil and Yugi were still quite far apart. At the speed the (Gaia) Card was flying, Weevil would likely be intercepted by (Gaia) halfway there.
But just then, as he ran, Weevil's eyes suddenly widened, and his face instantly turned pale. As if his heart had stopped, he lost all strength in his body, collapsing onto the ground like a zombie. His Deck, inserted into his Duel Disk, had its securing mechanism broken by the fall, and all the Cards tumbled out of their slots, scattering across the ground.
At this, Yugi, Chumley, and even (Gaia) were dumbfounded. Was this guy faking it?
Stepping out from his hiding place, Chumley looked surprised at the (Gaia) Card flying back to his Hand, and asked it curiously, "Did you just take this guy out?"
"I don't know how to use an Attack like Catapult Blade yet." Under Chumley's recommendation, (Gaia) had recently taken a liking to a manga called "OJOJ's Bizarre Adventure." Moreover, as its Spirit Power Awakening deepened, (Gaia) now spoke more like a regular person, compared to its initial classical speech.
"Chumley, when did you get here?" Yugi asked, looking with surprise at Chumley who had emerged.
Chumley rubbed his chin, thinking, "Probably since Weevil Summoned (Uria, Lord of Searing Flames)?"
"So you came pretty soon after the Duel started, huh?" Yugi said helplessly. "Weevil was here for revenge against you, so why were you just watching?"
"My body is 'boroboro' from the hastily completed Duel Disk System." Chumley shrugged, making a small joke, then looked at the fallen Weevil. "Weevil, that guy..."
"It seems a bit late to call an ambulance now." (Gaia), acting for both Chumley and Yugi, went to check on Weevil's condition. His breathing had stopped, and his body temperature had dropped to freezing in a very short time.
"Did he just die like that, this guy?" With the end of the Duel, Yami Yugi, who had exerted considerable mental effort in the preceding Duel, returned to rest within the (Millennium Puzzle), and Yugi Muto reappeared.
Although Yugi felt more hatred than disgust for Weevil due to past events, living in an era of peace, this was the first time he had witnessed someone die right before him. While it didn't cause him to vomit or anything, there was an inevitable sadness regarding the passing of a Life.
Just then, besides Chumley, Yugi, and the deceased Weevil on the ground, a fourth person's voice suddenly echoed by the riverbank.
"Hoh-ya, hoh-ya, what a coincidence, if it isn't our two Duel Kings."
"That voice is..." Yugi and Chumley both turned towards the direction of the voice. From beneath the shade of a tree, a young man with white hair, hands in his pockets, slowly stepped out of the shadows and stood openly before them.
His former Domino High School uniform had been replaced by a white and grey striped T-shirt. The sneakers beloved by students were swapped for pointed leather shoes. His white, choppy hair was dishevelled, with two strands sticking up like rabbit ears, making him look both strange and handsome.
"Bakura-kun?" The easily trusting Yugi Muto's first reaction upon seeing Bakura's appearance was joy. He had thought he'd never see his friend again after Bakura transferred from Domino High School to another, so unexpectedly reuniting in Domino City, where Battle City was being held, made him a little happy.
But Chumley placed a Hand on Yugi's shoulder, who had not sensed anything amiss.
"Oh~ Hayato, after not seeing each other for so long, why are you so cold?"
Bakura put on a pathetic expression, just as he had during Duelist Kingdom. But Chumley was completely unmoved, simply looking at Bakura coldly: "It has indeed been a long time. Since you lost to me in that Shadow Game, it's probably been several hundred chapters, Bakura."
"No, perhaps 'Dark Bakura' is a more fitting name for you?"
"Tch, playing with overly smart guys is really no fun." Hearing that Chumley had seen through his true nature, Dark Bakura rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "So, are you going to kill me again? You, who obtained my (Millennium Ring), should now be able to initiate an even more terrifying Shadow Game, right?"
"What nonsense are you spouting? 'Your (Millennium Ring)'? Isn't this my possession?" Holding the (Millennium Ring) on his chest, Chumley picked it up and proudly shook it. "Or why don't you try calling out to it and see if it answers?"
Bakura's face showed considerable displeasure. "Hmph, still as annoying as ever. But it doesn't matter. While the (Millennium Ring) is the best choice, taking it back from you isn't worth the trouble, especially since I already have a pretty good substitute."
As he spoke, Bakura made a retching motion. Yugi and Chumley watched in wide-eyed horror as something moved upwards through Bakura's throat and into his mouth. After Bakura opened his mouth and revealed what he was biting, Yugi exclaimed in surprise, "Is that, Pegasus's (Millennium Eye)!?"
"I can't believe the one who attacked Pegasus was you, Bakura!"
Chumley's focus, however, was somewhat different from Yugi's.
"Listen, Pegasus's (Millennium Eye) was forcefully pressed into his eye socket, right? And he wore it for so many years without ever taking it out to clean it. You actually swallowed something like that, don't you find it disgusting?"
As he thought this, Chumley noticed another thing: "Also, the (Millennium Eye) is so big, how could your throat swallow it?"
(end of chapter)