Yuto and his friends rushed toward the scream, only to see a staff member in a black suit roughly dragging along a struggling duelist.
"Hey! Stop! What are you doing?!"
Tristan was the first to rush forward, trying to separate them.
"Stay out of this!"
The staff member barked, violently grabbing the duelist's right hand and raising it high to show the others.
"Look closely! This guy's already lost all his Star Chips! I'm just following the rules and taking him to the harbor to leave the island!"
The Duel Glove on that wrist was completely empty—not a single Star Chip left.
It seemed they had misunderstood the staff… Just as the thought crossed their minds, the duelist being dragged cried out with a sobbing voice:
"N-no… that's not it! They were stolen! My Star Chips… and my Deck… they were all stolen!"
"Hmph, so what?"
The staff member remained unmoved, his tone cold.
"Trash that can't even protect their own Deck and Star Chips! Rules are rules—lose all your Star Chips, and you're eliminated!"
With that, he ignored the duelist's struggle and dragged him off into the distance.
The group stood frozen, the mood heavy.
"What do we do?" Yugi looked at Yuto, eyes filled with sympathy.
"The rules are the rules…" Yuto sighed, unconsciously patting the Deck in his pocket as he spoke gravely.
"There's nothing we can do. But this is a reminder for us—everyone, guard your Decks and Star Chips carefully! Stay alert!"
After this incident, the group pressed on and soon found a strange Duel Arena—still raised, not sunken back into the ground.
"Huh? Why is this arena still up?" Téa asked curiously, stepping closer. The screen clearly displayed "Duel in Progress."
"Maybe…" Yuto circled the platform, brow furrowed.
"That unlucky duelist's Star Chips and Deck were stolen right here."
Unfortunately, there were no obvious clues left behind.
"Guys!" Yugi proposed suddenly.
"Why don't we rest here for a bit? How about a nap?"
"Here?" The others were surprised.
"Yeah!" Yugi nodded firmly.
"Criminals always return to the scene of the crime, don't they?"
"Alright, let's rest a while…"
Just as Yuto spoke—
"Found you, Yuto Tenshou—!!"
A sharp cry rang out!
A short figure leapt from the bushes nearby!
His face was covered with a cloth like a thief's disguise, but his voice sounded unnervingly young.
"Yuto Tenshou! Duel me!"
The short thief pointed at Yuto and shouted.
"Why would I duel a thief?" Yuto's eyes went cold, his tone sharp.
Joey and Tristan instantly caught on, rolling up their sleeves and slowly surrounding the boy with menacing intent.
"Y-you! Damn it!"
The short figure, enraged and humiliated, suddenly lunged at Yuto, trying to snatch the Star Chips from his glove!
That said, stealing from Yuto? Impossible.
Wham!
A perfect over-the-shoulder throw!
The boy slammed into the ground, his mask and cloth falling off at once.
"Mokuba Kaiba?!" Yugi cried out in shock.
"The younger Kaiba brother?" Tristan grabbed Mokuba by the collar, glaring furiously.
"Talk! Why are you doing such sneaky tricks?!"
"B-because…"
Mokuba struggled, his voice breaking with sobs and frustration.
"Ever since my brother lost to Yuto, he's been crushed and disappeared! KaibaCorp's stock plummeted… Pegasus took the chance to move in, trying to swallow up the company!"
He panted, eyes burning with resentment.
"The board of directors—those old foxes—they said as long as Pegasus defeats Yuto at Duelist Kingdom, they'll make him the new president…"
Yuto was left speechless. Losing a card game could affect the ownership of a multibillion-dollar corporation? This world was insane…
"So… so if I don't defeat you here…" Mokuba's voice trailed off.
"Enough!" Yuto cut him off coldly, gesturing for Tristan to let go. He helped Mokuba up, staring straight into the boy's panicked eyes, speaking clearly and firmly.
"Mokuba Kaiba, listen. I, Yuto Tenshou, promise you this—I will never lose to Pegasus!"
He paused, voice resolute.
"Now return the stolen Deck and Star Chips to their owner. Do you understand?"
Mokuba stared at Yuto's deep, unwavering gaze, as if entranced by its strength.
He stammered, "I… I understand… I'll give them back…"
"To the harbor." Yuto pointed the way.
"That duelist was taken to the harbor. We'll 'escort' you there. Don't try anything."
With the group escorting him, Mokuba hurried to the docks.
On a small boat about to depart, the dejected duelist sat slumped.
"Wait! Stop!!" Mokuba waved frantically at the shore.
The boat paused.
"Here—take this back!" Mokuba hurled the stolen Deck and Star Chip pouch. It landed squarely in the duelist's arms.
Stunned at first, then overjoyed, the duelist's eyes lit with hope—he could return to the fight!
As the group sighed in relief, ready to leave, a sudden twist struck!
A ghostlike figure lunged from the side, seizing Mokuba's wrist!
"Let me go! Let me go!" Mokuba shrieked in terror, thrashing like a panicked animal, but against the trained staff, his resistance was useless.
"Please stop struggling, young master Mokuba." The staff's voice was chillingly calm, his grip unrelenting.
"Please come with me. Master Pegasus will be worried."
That "please" carried nothing but raw menace!
"Hold it right there!" Yuto stepped forward, blocking his path.
He raised his right hand, eight Star Chips gleaming in the sunlight on his glove!
"I wager all eight of my Star Chips and challenge you to a Duel!"
Yuto's voice was unyielding.
"If I win, you must release Mokuba!"
The staff hesitated, clearly caught off guard.
"A duel? I'm no duelist, I only follow—"
Before he finished, he seemed to receive an order through a hidden earpiece. His expression shifted slightly, and he changed his words.
"…Very well. However, your opponent isn't me."
He led them to a nearby raised Duel Arena, gesturing toward the stage.
"Yuto Tenshou, your opponent awaits there."
On the arena stood a lone figure.
That familiar uniform—it was Seto Kaiba!
"B-brother?!" Mokuba gasped, eyes wide with disbelief, torn between joy and confusion.
Onstage, "Kaiba's" eyes were like blades, locked onto Yuto with hatred and ice.
"Yuto Tenshou… I died a wretched death! Today, you'll pay with your blood—!!"
"Kaiba?!" Yuto's pupils shrank, staring at the all-too-familiar yet alien figure, doubts swirling in his mind.
In the original story, Kaiba came to him of his own accord. How could he be with Pegasus's men? And… dead?
"That's right!" The staff's voice took on an eerie persuasion.
"Your opponent is Seto Kaiba himself—returned as a vengeful spirit!"
"Brother?! W-what is going on?!" Mokuba's voice shook violently with terror and confusion.
...
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