When Yuto opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in a desolate graveyard. A thick mist blanketed the surroundings, blurring everything from view.
He looked down at his left arm—there, fixed in place, was a device resembling a Duel Disk, displaying his Life Points. Cards were slotted into the Deck zone.
However, upon closer inspection, it was simpler than the Duel Disks he knew, lacking clear combat zones.
"It seems this world is deeply connected to Duel Monsters…"Yugi stared at the cards on his arm, his tone calm yet grave.
"We know nothing about this world's rules. We'll have to move carefully," Yuto warned.
"Got it!" Joey said sharply, his gaze sweeping across the eerie headstones. His brow furrowed."This place… feels familiar somehow…"
They moved cautiously through the mist-shrouded cemetery.
Suddenly, three dark silhouettes appeared silently ahead of them. As the distance closed, the shapes became clearer through the fog.
"This is…!"Yuto recognized them instantly."They're the same monsters from Bonz's duel with Joey!"
As if responding to their realization, glowing panels materialized before them, displaying the Attack and Defense Points of the zombie monsters.
"In that case…"Joey's fighting instincts flared. He drew a card from his Duel Disk without hesitation."Let's go! [Flame Swordsman]!"
A blaze of light erupted—the warrior, wielding a sword engulfed in flames, leapt forth! With one sweeping strike, his flaming blade cleaved through the three zombies in a flash.
Albeit, the undead did not stay down. Their shattered remains writhed, reforming amid low, guttural moans. Their presence grew darker—stronger—their Attack Points had risen!
"Tch… just like before…"Seeing that ordinary attacks wouldn't finish them, Joey drew another card."I activate the Spell Card—[Shield & Sword]!"
An unseen power surged. The zombies' Attack Points instantly dropped to zero. They howled in despair as their bodies crumbled like sand in the wind, finally vanishing into the mist.
In their place hovered a faintly glowing card, spinning slowly.
"[Gold Coin]?"Yuto stepped forward and picked it up. On its surface was the number "5."
"Is this the currency of this world?" he wondered, carefully pocketing the card.
Then his gaze turned toward [Flame Swordsman]—whose image was already fading, as if his task was complete."He can't stay on the field for long, huh…" Yuto muttered, a trace of regret in his voice."I was hoping I'd get to deploy an MS here… what a letdown."
"Hey, look over there!"Joey suddenly pointed to a cracked gravestone nearby.A small head peeked out timidly from behind it, a pair of pointed ears twitching nervously—it was a tiny sprite!
"In games, sprites usually mean treasure or guidance, right?" Joey's eyes lit up.
The little creature studied them cautiously with large, clear eyes, as if judging their intent. Then, seemingly reassured, it leapt from behind the stone, fluttering its translucent wings and darting into the distance.
"Wait!" Joey shouted, sprinting after it.
Yuto, Yugi, and Mokuba exchanged glances, then followed close behind, disappearing into the rolling fog.
Chasing the faint, flickering glimmer of the sprite, they weaved through the mist and gravestones.
Gradually, the hard, cold ground softened beneath their feet. The smell of decay in the air faded away. The scenery transformed as if washed clean—twisted, dead trees gave way to lush green ones, dry soil turned to vibrant grass, and even the light became warm and golden.
They had escaped the oppressive graveyard!
The sprite's glowing figure led them up a gentle rise to an open highland.It hovered briefly, glancing back at them. In its wide eyes shimmered what looked like a playful smile. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, it vanished—leaving behind a few drifting motes of light.
"Eh? We lost it…" Joey groaned, punching the nearby tree in frustration, sending leaves rustling down.
"Easy, Joey," Yuto said, his calm voice cutting through the air. His sharp eyes swept across the landscape below."Look there."
Beyond the treetops and winding stream, a town spread out before them. Neatly arranged houses dotted the landscape, thin trails of smoke rising lazily from chimneys, painting a tranquil picture of life. Tiny figures moved along the roads like busy ants.
"A town!" Mokuba exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement, fatigue forgotten.
"What are we waiting for?"Joey's frustration vanished instantly, replaced by energy. He took the lead, stepping forward eagerly."Let's go!"
Hope lay just ahead. With renewed determination, they descended the slope toward the lively town below.
...
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