Fall

Chapter 27: Fall

Yu Ming had mentioned before that he really liked Yata-Garasu.

This wasn't flattery, of course; it was the truth.

Yata-Garasu (LV2)

Attribute: Wind

Type: Fiend

ATK/200 DEF/100

While its stats didn't seem particularly strong on their own, and it had the common drawback unique to Spirit Monsters—"returns to hand during the End Phase"—

its effect more than made up for its shortcomings: When this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent's Life Points, skip your opponent's next Draw Phase.

And when this card appeared without resistance, it meant that the seemingly formidable Pitch-Black King had completely lost the right to play the game.

"You're not allowed to play Yu-Gi-Oh!"

Yu Ming had never imagined that this slightly joking remark would fit a situation so perfectly.

This wasn't just about his setup being interrupted; it was about the Pitch-Black King losing the right to draw cards from that moment on.

"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, direct attack the player!"

[Pitch-Black King LP: 5000 → 2200]

"Yata-Garasu, direct attack!"

[Pitch-Black King LP: 2200 → 2000]

What was that?

A peck.

What was that?

A peck.

As long as Yata-Garasu was on the field, the Pitch-Black King was destined to remain with zero cards in hand.

He couldn't do anything, only passively take hits.

If there was anything to be thankful for, it was probably that his opponent wasn't that brutal.

"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, direct attack the player!"

"..."

[Pitch-Black King LP: 2000 → 0]

There was no torment, no chipping away 200 Life Points at a time. Instead, Yu Ming chose to end it quickly with Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi's higher attack power.

Yu Ming felt he had been quite merciful.

Congratulations, Host, for defeating the Duelist combination: 'Pitch-Black King & Dark Invader'. You have gained 350 points from this Duel.

"It's finally over..."

Of course, one could also say he was tired.

After all, drawn-out duels like this became quite boring, especially when the opponent had no reaction left.

Bzzzt, bzzzt

On the other side, flames still flickered, and the Pitch-Black King's armor, which should have been menacing, was now scorching his body like meat on a teppanyaki grill.

Even though the duel was completely over, the residual flames of the Eastern Fire God still danced and coiled around him.

Finally...

Crack!

The crack that had initially been only on his chest began to spread outwards. A wisp of smoky black mist rose, solidifying the crumbling armor into a card.

Picking it up, Yu Ming saw the fiend's figure emerge on the card art.

Its face was twisted, appearing coldly arrogant yet also bearing pain and torment as if enduring something.

Spell Card – Fall.

"Honestly, I thought it would be Dark King, but it's not even a Monster Card."

"Hmm, it looks like something was stripped from him."

"So that means..."

Casually tucking the card and the Pitch-Black King's deck into his pocket, Yu Ming looked straight ahead.

As the armor disintegrated, the Pitch-Black King's body and hair returned to their normal colors.

When he finally looked up, Yu Ming saw a familiar face—of course, familiar in the same way he knew the Invader and the King.

"Warrior Dai Grepher."

Just a normal Monster Card, an old one from the early days.

It's worth noting that several of the card illustrations Yu Ming holds are related to him, such as Unexpected Dai.

"Where...where am I?"

Hearing his name, the warrior, who had been somewhat confused and drowsy, seemed to find his bearings.

"Who...who are you people?"

The warrior asked in a low voice, looking very bewildered.

But before he could get an answer, pain and exhaustion swept over his mind, causing the warrior, said to possess hidden talents, to collapse back onto the ground.

Instantly, he began to snore loudly.

Although he appeared to be severely injured, his extremely steady breathing proved that his health was not in serious danger.

"So...should I congratulate you?"

After shifting his gaze from the warrior, Yu Ming looked at Noah.

"This guy feels like a...great warrior who hasn't completely succumbed to Fall?"

However, by the end of his sentence, he couldn't help but question it himself.

Whether he was great or not, Yu Ming didn't know, but judging by the related official cards, he was quite amusing.

"But no matter what, his previous performance was quite commendable, and besides, there should still be a lot to uncover about him."

"I know, I'll arrange these things."

Watching Grepher's sleeping form, Noah slowly closed his eyes.

"Their plans, their goals, and more importantly, how exactly they..."

Thud

A sudden thud evoked a hint of unease. When Yu Ming turned around, he saw the boy, who should have been elegant, suddenly collapse to the ground.

"Noah?"

"Mm..."

Fortunately, he hadn't completely lost consciousness.

When Yu Ming tried to help him up, his childish hand directly grabbed the corner of the table's cloth.

Stubbornly supporting himself like that, he slowly stood up.

"I'm fine, just a little tired."

In that inexplicable dimness and shadow, a difficult-to-describe weariness appeared on his pale face.

"After all, for me, a Shadow Game is quite a burden."

"Mm."

"..."

Perhaps because Yu Ming's response was too simple and direct, and he didn't press for more information, Noah found himself at a loss for words.

He opened his mouth several times, wanting to say something, but in the end, he just sighed:

"If possible, please don't mention any of this to others. I've always wanted to present a perfect image to everyone."

"Mm, I understand. As a leader, you can't let people see your vulnerable side."

"It's good that you can understand, thank you very much."

He casually turned on the desk lamp – it was green, just like the color displayed by a Duel Disk.

With a deep breath, Noah's complexion gradually improved, and that elegance naturally returned to his face.

He slowly walked to the still-present floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the city that belonged to him – New Domino City.

At this moment, the entire city was no longer as peaceful as before.

Factories had turned into a sea of fire, and black water churned in the harbor.

The city, which should have been high-tech yet strangely retro, had fallen into chaos, transforming into a chaotic battlefield.

Chaos Emperor Dragon Lesser Fiend Evil Knight Dragon

Shadows surged, and demons ran rampant.

Just by looking, Yu Ming could even see several monsters he recognized moving around.

"I'm very sorry."

Just as Yu Ming surveyed the scene that looked like order had collapsed, he heard Noah's voice.

"I originally wanted to personally show you this city that I'm so proud of, but now it's turned out like this."

"Then...do you need help?"

He turned his head.

Under the green glow, the shadows didn't dissipate; instead, they seemed to solidify even further.

A strange, illusory feeling permeated the air, as if the boy standing before him was nothing but a pure figment of imagination.

Fortunately, Noah's words shattered all illusions.

"No need, we can handle it."

BOOM

In an instant, an even more violent tremor echoed.

Within the burning factory, steel motor giants slowly rose, and massive combat boats surged out from the churning black water.

Cannons roared, spirits shrieked, and amidst the ash-like smoke, the residents of New Domino City finally launched their counterattack against the invaders.

"Ring, ring, ring!"

The phone rang.

This time, Noah didn't pick it up directly; instead, he reached out and pressed the speakerphone button.

Then, a clear voice came through the phone:

"Brother Noah."

The synthesized, almost mechanical voice sounded unfamiliar to Yu Ming.

However, Noah revealed a slight smile:

"What is it? Want to report your achievements?"

His voice clearly conveyed a hint of closeness.

Only...

"Something's happened, Brother Noah."

"Hmm?"

"Our frontline base has fallen."

"What?!"

"Uncle O'Brien sent a report about the front earlier."

The synthesized voice should have been emotionless, but Yu Ming could detect a hint of bitterness in it.

"He... he said the frontline battlefield completely collapsed, our defensive line has fallen, and then..."

The voice seemed unsure how to continue, but this brief pause only made it more unsettling.

Even the calmest person couldn't help but press for more:

"And then?"

"Uncle Gozaburo is now missing in action, giving others time to retreat."

At that moment, time seemed to stand still.

In the silent office, there wasn't even a whisper of breath.

After an unknown amount of time, Yu Ming heard the sound of a deep breath.

"Gather all representatives. I want to hold a battle meeting in half an hour... no, an hour."

Under the green desk lamp, his eyes swept over, gleaming with a profound depth.

At that moment, Yu Ming saw almost the same light in his eyes.

"Yu Ming, you'll participate too."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because you're also a Duelist, aren't you?"

What kind of ridiculous reason was that?