The King asked again.
"Maybe it wasn't just that..."
Yugi said uncertainly.
"..."
Since Yugi could not answer, the King stopped dwelling on it.
Still, the second match finally ended without incident.
"Has the future changed? Why did this happen?"
A puzzled female voice rang out in one of the rooms aboard the Duel Airship.
"The f9ate has become so 0chaotic... Where did the er changes begin...〇"⌒♀
The future Isis had seen was gradually deviating from its original course.
She did not know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Just like in the original story, the next match was Mai against Marik.
Before their match began, Yugi had warned her not to set her sights on the Sun God. However, she refused to listen. She stole the Sun God and released all the monsters on her field, but because she could not recite the chant, she could not use it. Marik took back the Sun God, and she soon lost.
Fortunately, Marik was currently in his normal personality. He could not be bothered to open a Dark Duel against someone who was not that important to him, so Mai suffered far less trauma and did not fall into a deep sleep.
As for the remaining two, President and Isis, their Duel was affected by the fate Yugi had altered. Isis was no longer as composed as she had been in the original story and quickly gave up the match. Of course, the Genmei she activated later still caused President plenty of trouble.
After that, Marik never appeared again.
Later, Rishid said that Marik had fallen asleep for some unknown reason, so he stayed in Marik's room to watch over him.
As for what exactly had happened, no one knew.
Chapter 33: Battle Against the Great Five Elders
"Mm, this is..."
Yugi opened his eyes.
"AIBO, did you forget? We've already entered virtual space."
The King reminded him from beside him.
"Ah, right. We've entered the enemy's home ground..."
Yugi immediately remembered what had happened before.
While the Duel Airship was heading toward the next tournament venue, it was suddenly hijacked by a child calling himself Noah. The Duel Airship landed uncontrollably at the enemy's base, where they were forced off the ship at gunpoint. The Kaiba Brothers and Yugi's companions had no choice but to disembark, and afterward, they encountered five nasty old men known as the Great Five Elders.
Those five old men were Kaiba Corporation executives who had betrayed President. They had once tried to seize President's company through dirty methods, but after losing a game they had set up to President and the King, they were imprisoned in the computer world. Unexpectedly, they had come back to disgust everyone again.
Afterward, Yugi and the others were trapped in the virtual space arranged by the Great Five Elders and Noah. To escape, everyone was sent to different locations to challenge their respective opponents.
"Then who will my opponent be?"
Yugi walked through the forest and reached the shore of a pond.
"Ha ha ha ha..."
He suddenly heard laughter. Then a shadow appeared on the pond's surface, and the water quickly churned. A green figure wearing a Duel Disk emerged from the water.
"I'll be your opponent."
The figure spoke.
"That's [Deep Sea Warrior]!?"
Yugi recognized the figure.
"As a loyal subordinate of Kaiba Corporation, I devoured many other companies. This form, imagined from my methods and abilities, has [Deep Sea Warrior] as its Deck Master. In other words, I myself am the Deck Master."
This Deep Sea Warrior was one of the Great Five Elders.
Simply put, a Deck Master was a Duel rule unique to virtual space. A monster serving as the Deck Master possessed an effect similar to, but different from, that monster's original effect, and it could also be summoned onto the field as a Monster Card. However, once the Deck Master was destroyed, the player immediately lost.
"There's one thing I forgot to mention. Once you lose the Duel, we'll take your bodies. My companions will soon come for your friends as well."
That was probably the Great Five Elders' true objective.
"That's bad. I need to defeat this guy quickly and find Anzu and the others."
This time, Yugi chose to act himself. It would be faster that way.
"All right, let's begin. Your Deck can't be used in this world, so build a new one."
After Deep Sea Warrior said that, images of countless cards floated before Yugi.
"This is the card data owned by Kaiba Corporation. Use your finger to touch the cards you need."
Hearing that, Yugi hurriedly looked through them. He found that many cards from his current Deck were missing, naturally including cards like the [Silent] series and [Gandora]. However, he also discovered some rather interesting cards.
"Although the cards I want aren't here, if I want to defeat him quickly, then it has to be..."
Without hesitation, Yugi tapped five cards in succession that he would need next.
"AIBO, those five cards are... Don't tell me you..."
The King quickly realized what Yugi intended.
"Yes, exactly as you think. Those five cards will be the core of this Deck."
As he spoke, Yugi continued selecting the remaining cards. After choosing for a while, he finally finished building the Deck.
"That'll do. Let's begin."
Yugi raised his Duel Disk and casually chose a monster as his Deck Master.
"Kuri kuri~~"
A mascot-like sound came from behind him.
That was right. Yugi's Deck Master was now [Kuriboh].
"Duel!!" ×2
[Yugi Muto: LP 4000] [Deep Sea Warrior: LP 4000]
"My turn, draw!"
[Yugi Muto Hand: 5→6]
Yugi seized the first turn. After glancing at the card he drew, he smiled.
"Hey, Other Me, do you know what FTK is?"
He suddenly asked the King.
"Hmm!? FTK? What's that?"
The King did not know the term.
"Then let me tell you. FTK is short for 'First Turn Kill.' It means winning the Duel on the very first turn."
Yugi explained it to him.
"Winning on the first turn!? AIBO, don't tell me you..."
The King was greatly shocked.
"That's right. The moment I drew this card, the outcome was decided."
As he spoke, Yugi directly inserted the card he had just drawn into the Duel Disk.
"I activate the Spell Card [Last Will]. Instead of one monster sent to the Graveyard this turn, I can Special Summon one monster with 1500 or less ATK from my Deck."
[Yugi Muto Hand: 6→5]
Once Yugi played that card, this Duel could already be said to be over.
Chapter 34: Last Will Exodia
"A monster with 1500 or less ATK!? Aren't those all weaklings?"
Deep Sea Warrior had yet to realize the severity of the situation.
"That's what you think!"
Yugi gave a mysterious smile.
"What!?"
Deep Sea Warrior instinctively responded.
At that moment, Yugi had already inserted another card from his hand into the Duel Disk.
"I activate the second Spell Card, [Double Summon]. This turn, I can conduct two Normal Summons."
[Yugi Muto Hand: 5→4]
Then, he placed two cards from his hand onto the Duel Disk at once.
"I Normal Summon [Cannon Soldier] and [Gravekeeper's Servant] from my hand."
A mechanical soldier fitted with a cannon and a grim reaper carrying a scythe materialized before Yugi.
[Cannon Soldier: ATK 1400] [Gravekeeper's Servant: ATK 1600] [Yugi Muto Hand: 4→2]
"These two meaningless monsters are..."
Deep Sea Warrior completely failed to understand why Yugi had summoned those two monsters, but he would soon learn of the terrifying tactic awaiting him.
"Watch closely, Other Me. Next, I'll let you witness the true terror of an [Exodia] Deck."
Hearing Yugi say that, the King immediately focused.
"Here I go. I activate [Cannon Soldier]'s monster effect."
You could Tribute one monster on your field to inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.
"I Tribute [Gravekeeper's Servant]."
Gravekeeper's Servant was quickly absorbed by Cannon Soldier and turned into a shell, which was fired at Deep Sea Warrior.
Bang—!
[Deep Sea Warrior: LP 4000→3500]
"Mm... What a completely harmless attack..."
That tiny amount of damage did little to affect Deep Sea Warrior, but that was not Yugi's objective.
"Then how about this? Next, I activate [Gravekeeper's Servant]'s effect."
When this card was sent from the field to the Graveyard, each player selected one Level 3 or lower Normal Monster from their Deck, revealed it to each other, then added it to their hand.
"A Level 3 or lower Normal Monster!? Aren't those all weaklings?"
Deep Sea Warrior's tone was full of disdain.
"Oh~~! Are you sure? Take a look at what this card is."
As he spoke, Yugi turned the card he had searched out toward his opponent.
"What... Is that!!"
Deep Sea Warrior looked over dismissively, only to see a card that filled him with fear.
—[Left Arm of the Forbidden One]!
"Using [Gravekeeper's Servant]'s effect, I add this card to my hand."
[Yugi Muto Hand: 2→3]
Before you continue