Although Yugi and the King had doubts about "Marik's" identity, they could not help worrying when they saw the Millennium Rod.
While everyone remained on guard, "Marik" put away the Millennium Rod. It seemed he had only used it to scare Jonouchi.
"Looks like you'll obediently Duel me after all..."
"..."
Rishid ignored Jonouchi.
The two then activated their Duel Disks.
"Duel!!" ×2
[Katsuya Jonouchi: LP 4000]
["Marik Ishtar": LP 4000]
Jonouchi drew a card first.
"I'll take the first turn! Draw!"
[Katsuya Jonouchi Hand: 5→6]
"Alright!!"
After glancing at his hand, Jonouchi pulled out two cards.
"I summon [Captain of the Charge] from my hand."
A warrior clad in bronze armor materialized before Jonouchi.
[Captain of the Charge: ATK 1200]
Illustration available in the updated version
"Next, I activate [Captain of the Charge]'s effect."
This effect could only be activated when this card was successfully summoned. Special Summon one Level 4 or lower monster from your hand.
"Come on, second [Captain of the Charge]!"
Jonouchi now had two [Captain of the Charge] on his field.
[Captain of the Charge: ATK 1200] ×2
[Katsuya Jonouchi Hand: 6→4]
"And thanks to [Captain of the Charge]'s effect."
As long as this card existed in the Monster Zone, the opponent could not select other Warrior-type monsters as attack targets.
"I have two [Captain of the Charge] on my field, so you can't choose either of them as an attack target. In other words, Marik, your attacks have been sealed! Heh heh, what do you think? This is the attack-locking combo I learned from Yugi!"
Jonouchi spoke smugly to "Marik."
"I see! Did Jonouchi come up with this from his previous Duel with AIBO!?"
The King recalled the Death Duel at the docks, where Yugi had used the combination of [Roadblock Rival] and [Valkyrie].
"Probably. I just didn't expect Jonouchi-kun to remember even that much from back then..."
Yugi was somewhat surprised as well.
"Hmph! Even a nobody can think up simple tactics!"
President Kaiba sneered from the side.
"I see. What a splendid combination!"
Even "Marik" could not help praising him.
"Heh heh, what's wrong? Are you scared?"
Jonouchi's expression grew increasingly smug.
"No, not at all. Unfortunately, I have no need to attack you right now. Such a tactic is meaningless to me."
"Marik" shook his head slightly.
"What!?"
Jonouchi felt like he was being looked down on.
"Tch, then I set one card and end my turn."
Irritated, he set a card from his hand and ended his turn.
[Katsuya Jonouchi Hand: 4→3]
The moment Jonouchi declared the end of his turn, "Marik" immediately drew a card.
"My turn."
["Marik Ishtar" Hand: 5→6]
After drawing, he took another card from his hand, opened the Field Zone slot on his Duel Disk, and placed the card inside.
"I activate the Field Spell [Temple of the Kings]!"
As the Field Spell activated, an ancient temple slowly rose behind "Marik."
"A temple appeared in his Field Zone..."
Jonouchi felt uneasy.
"After I use this card, this place becomes a sacred domain for worshipping the Pharaoh. Before this holy temple, no matter who comes, anyone other than a tomb keeper becomes an intruder."
"Marik" said something utterly incomprehensible.
"You said intruders!?"
Jonouchi could not understand his nonsense at all.
"That's right. Because of this card's power, the number of cards you can set each turn has been restricted."
Although he did not explain it in detail, it simply meant that the opponent could only set one card per turn.
Then four more set cards appeared in "Marik's" back row.
"These Trap Cards have been set to punish intruders who appear before the temple. I end my turn."
"Marik" directly set four cards and passed.
["Marik Ishtar" Hand: 6→1]
Seeing the four ominous face-down cards, Jonouchi's scalp tingled as he cautiously began his turn.
Trap Monsters
"Jonouchi-kun is in trouble. His opponent is actually using a Heavy Trap Deck..."
Yugi said worriedly.
"A Heavy Trap Deck!? A deck centered on Trap Cards—what a fitting name. Then Jonouchi really is in danger."
The King was worried as well.
"Come on, Jonouchi! Do you have the courage to step into this sacred domain, this hell of traps?"
When "Marik" saw that Jonouchi had not moved for some time, he spoke up.
"Tch! Don't think you can provoke me. My turn!"
[Katsuya Jonouchi Hand: 3→4]
After looking at the card he drew, Jonouchi broke into a wide grin.
"Alright! I'll use this card to bury you!"
As he spoke, he inserted the card into his Duel Disk.
"I activate the Spell Card [Hurricane]! All Spell Cards and Trap Cards on the field return to their owners' hands!"
[Katsuya Jonouchi Hand: 4→3]
A tornado immediately rose before him and swept toward the other side. But just as it was about to clear out the opponent's back row, the tornado stopped advancing and quickly vanished.
"What!?"
Jonouchi was immediately shocked.
"Jonouchi, you've fallen into my trap."
"Marik" spoke to Jonouchi with a calm expression.
"My [Hurricane]'s effect disappeared..."
Jonouchi began to feel uneasy.
"It's a set card!"
Yugi in the audience immediately realized what had happened.
"It seems you firmly believed that the Trap Cards on the field would activate when you launched an attack. But I was waiting for the moment you used a Spell Card."
After all, most Trap Cards were normally used during the Battle Phase.
"What did you say!?"
Jonouchi became even more unsettled.
"I knew you had [Hurricane] in your hand, so tactics at your level can never defeat me, Marik. The trap you triggered was this card, [Anubis's Judgment]!"
"Marik" flipped over the Trap Card he had activated earlier. A cloud of black mist appeared on his field and formed the shape of a wolf's head.
"This Trap Card activates when the opponent uses a Spell Card. It negates that card's activation, destroys all monsters on the opponent's field, and inflicts damage equal to half the combined ATK of the destroyed monsters."
The wolf's head split into two streams of mist that pierced through Jonouchi's two monsters.
"Oh no!!"
Unable to react in time, Jonouchi could only watch as both of his monsters shattered.
"Your monsters had a combined ATK of 2400, so as punishment, 1200 points will be deducted from your Life Points!"
As "Marik" finished speaking, the counter on Jonouchi's Duel Disk rapidly dropped.
[Katsuya Jonouchi: LP 4000→2800]
"You wiped out all my monsters. You really went for it..."
Without hesitation, Jonouchi pressed a button on his Duel Disk.
"I activate the Trap Card [Soul Rope] as well! When a monster on my field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I pay 1000 Life Points to select one Level 4 monster from my Deck and Special Summon it."
[Katsuya Jonouchi: LP 2800→1800]
He removed his Deck, selected a card, and slapped it onto his Duel Disk.
"I choose to Special Summon [Fuh-Raid the Iron Knight]."
A pitch-black Iron Knight immediately materialized on Jonouchi's field.
[Fuh-Raid the Iron Knight: ATK 1800]
"Next, I summon [Flame Swordsman] from my hand."
A blue swordsman appeared beside the pitch-black Iron Knight.
[Flame Swordsman: ATK 1800]
[Katsuya Jonouchi Hand: 3→2]
"I see. You want to decide the Duel in a single turn..."
The moment "Marik" saw Jonouchi summon those two monsters, he understood his plan. He then flipped over three set cards.
"But I won't let you do that. I activate two Continuous Traps, [Avatar of Apophis]."
Can only be activated during either player's Main Phase. After this card activates, it becomes a Normal Monster (Reptile-type/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 1600/DEF 1800) and is Special Summoned to the Monster Zone. This card is also treated as a Trap Card.
Before you continue