"But... Jonouchi, you really are a disaster!"
Mai gave Jonouchi a slap on the back.
"Ow... What was that for? Mai, are you making fun of me?"
Jonouchi complained.
"Let's go, Mokuba."
With the matter settled, President Kaiba prepared to leave with his younger brother.
"Kaiba..."
Yugi couldn't help calling out to President Kaiba.
"I'll be waiting for you at the Duel City finals venue!"
With that, President Kaiba and Mokuba gradually disappeared from Yugi and the others' sight.
The next morning.
"Big brother! Yugi and the others are here!"
As Mokuba spoke, Yugi's entire group of friends entered the Domino Stadium indicated by the Puzzle Cards.
"So this is where the finals will be held? But it's still under construction, isn't it?!"
"Are we really going to duel here?!"
Everyone was doubtful.
But Yugi didn't think too much about it. He believed President Kaiba must have other preparations in place.
Before long, Yugi, Jonouchi, and Mai received room key cards from the staff and registered for the quarterfinals.
After that, the other participants entered one after another.
"You bastard, you're the one person I'll never forgive!"
When Jonouchi saw the man before him, he looked ready to summon his fists.
"Do you want to be controlled again?"
The tall man in a standard Gryus cloak spoke calmly to Jonouchi.
"Even though I'd love to take you out right here, I'll wait and beat you fair and square with Monster Cards. You'd better prepare yourself!"
Jonouchi said furiously.
"As the tournament host, Marik, I could disqualify you right now. The only reason I won't is because I intend to defeat you and claim the God Cards!"
President Kaiba arrogantly declared war on the man who appeared to be Marik.
"That's right! Big brother will avenge everyone!"
Mokuba chimed in from the side.
Afterward, "Marik" ignored the noisy main cast and silently registered with the staff.
Still, Yugi felt that something was off.
"Hey! Other Me! Don't you think that 'Marik's' voice sounds strange?!"
Yugi asked the King for confirmation.
"AIBO?!"
The King hadn't noticed that issue.
"Compared to him, that man called 'Nam' seems more like Marik."
Yugi looked toward the man who had gotten along well with Jonouchi and the others from the moment he arrived. Jonouchi and the others had said that after this Egyptian helped the injured Bakura, Gryus had appeared. An Egyptian showing up where Gryus was involved—such a coincidence was highly suspicious, as if he had deliberately approached them.
"Now that you mention it, he really does seem suspicious..."
After thinking it over, the King also felt that there were too many coincidences.
"And Bakura also seems a little strange."
Yugi looked again at the white-haired boy standing with his companions.
"How so?"
The King also looked at Bakura.
"His arm is obviously injured, yet he still entered the tournament, and he even collected six Puzzle Cards..."
At that point, the King understood what Yugi meant.
"You're saying the one standing here is his dark personality?!"
As he spoke, the King became wary as well.
After seven duelists had arrived, they waited a while longer. When no one else showed up, President Kaiba simply waved his hand and summoned an airship!
This was the true finals venue President Kaiba had prepared.
Everyone with a room key card successfully boarded the Duel Airship. Yugi's group of friends also boarded after Mokuba ordered the staff to let them through.
Once all the contestants had boarded, the staff prepared to close the doors.
At that moment, a dark-skinned woman finally arrived. With that, all eight quarterfinalists were present.
First Match
Inside the hall, everyone gathered around a Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon-shaped bingo machine used to determine the matchups.
"The contestants in the first match are... Duelist Number Six, Bakura!"
After seeing the first number fall, referee Isono announced it immediately. Then the bingo machine began selecting again.
"Bakura's opponent is... Duelist Number Three, Yugi Muto!"
The first match would be Yugi against Bakura.
"Huh~~! I have to duel Yugi-kun!? This is really troubling..."
Bakura looked deeply troubled.
"Bakura..."
At that moment, the King looked at Bakura, observing him closely.
Before long, under Isono's guidance, the King and Bakura took the central elevator to the Duel Airship's special arena, the Sky Duel Arena, a dueling platform located at the very top of the airship.
Once both the King and Bakura were in position, the platform rose into the air.
"So this is the Sky Duel Arena?!"
"It's so cold..."
"You expect us to duel in a place exposed to the wind like this?!"
Yugi's group of friends was thoroughly confused.
"The Duel Airship is currently at an altitude of one thousand meters. Sudden currents will strike duelists with pain like blades tearing through their bodies. The finals will be held under these harsh conditions!"
This was probably just to satisfy President Kaiba's chuuni soul.
Back on the dueling platform.
"You can stop hiding your true face now, can't you? You're not Bakura, are you?!"
The King suddenly questioned the person across from him.
"Heh heh heh heh..."
At that moment, the two tufts of white hair on either side of "Bakura's" forehead stood upright as if defying Newton's laws, like a pair of white rabbit ears.
"You're the dark resident dwelling within the Millennium Ring..."
After the King spoke, the Millennium Ring appeared on "Bakura's" chest.
"Yugi, it's been since the Dark Yami in Duelist Kingdom that we last dueled like this, hasn't it?"
Dark Bakura said carelessly.
"You've controlled Bakura again. What exactly do you want? You're after my Millennium Puzzle, aren't you?"
The King continued questioning him.
"Heh heh, what do you think... Yugi, I only entered this tournament for one reason: the God Cards you possess!"
Hearing that answer, both the King and Yugi felt that something was wrong.
"It's the simplest thing in the world. For someone who wants to dominate the game world, isn't it only natural to aim for the title of King of Games by conquering the strongest tournament?"
The King and Yugi still couldn't believe Dark Bakura's explanation. In their eyes, Dark Bakura definitely had some other objective.
"Whatever his goal is, we have to defeat him and save Bakura! Please, Other Me!"
Yugi pleaded from behind the King.
"Yeah! I know. Bakura is my companion too!"
After responding to Yugi's request, the King unfolded his Duel Disk.
"Now beginning the first elimination match of the Duel Airship finals—duel!"
After Isono announced the start, the King's and Dark Bakura's Duel Disks began counting.
[Yugi Muto: LP 4000] [Bakura: LP 4000]
"I'll go first. Draw!"
[Bakura's hand: 5→6]
"I summon [Hidden in the Painting] from my hand in Attack Position."
A painting appeared on Dark Bakura's field, and a demon crawled out from within it.
[Hidden in the Painting: ATK 1200] [Bakura's hand: 6→5]
"My turn ends."
Dark Bakura ended his turn just like that.
"My turn, draw!"
[Yugi Muto's hand: 5→6]
"I summon [Skilled Dark Magician] from my hand in Attack Position."
A magician holding a wand topped with a black orb materialized on Yugi's field.
[Skilled Dark Magician: ATK 1900]
Then the King inserted another card from his hand into the Duel Disk.
"Next, I activate the Equip Spell [Robe of the Dark Magician] and equip it to [Skilled Dark Magician]. For every Spell or Trap Card on my field, the equipped monster gains 500 ATK and DEF."
[Skilled Dark Magician: ATK 1900→2400]
"And according to [Skilled Dark Magician]'s effect."
As long as this card remains in the Monster Zone, whenever either player activates a Spell Card, place 1 Spell Counter on this card, up to a maximum of 3.
The black orb on one of Skilled Dark Magician's shoulders lit up.
[Skilled Dark Magician: Magic Counters 0→1]
Before you continue