Apology

Shadow Game.

Damage was fed back directly to the body and even the soul. In extreme cases, there could even be casualties—the loser died.

That was where the saying about playing cards for lives came from.

However, this could also be considered from the opposite direction.

"As long as my LP doesn't hit zero, I won't fall."

"But what can you do now?"

Keith spoke unhurriedly.

"I cut more than half your LP in the very first turn. You can barely even stand now, can you?"

Keith Howard LP: 3000

Yu Ming LP: 1500

Of course, those were merely the "extras" brought about by the Shadow Game.

The more important point was this:

"Don't forget, my turn isn't over yet."

"That's true."

Without even considering the resources in the Graveyard, Keith still had a "Cannon Soldier" on the field and three cards in his hand. He still had plenty of room to maneuver.

"But you have no way to reduce my LP anymore, do you?"

It had nothing to do with the duel at all. It was simply a basic fact:

"Otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here."

"Tch. Sharp-tongued little brat."

Keith frowned at that, but when he saw the card in his hand, his previously unpleasant expression suddenly relaxed.

"I'd like to see how long that mouth of yours can stay tough—I Set a card, then activate this!"

Three radiant swords descended, sealing Yu Ming in directly before them.

"'Swords of Revealing Light'—this card prevents you from attacking for three turns. I end my turn like this."

After making his declaration, Keith folded his arms.

"But in truth, there's no need to wait three turns. Once my next turn arrives, that life of yours, flickering like a candle in the wind, will be over!"

"Is that so?"

Watching Keith's mocking expression, Yu Ming no longer answered with the sharp retorts he had used before.

After taking a deep breath, he placed a hand on his deck.

Vaguely, he felt that burnt smell of scorched meat begin to fade.

Even speaking seemed to come a little easier.

Then...

"My turn. Draw."

"Tch, that same expression again."

Watching Yu Ming's calm demeanor, Keith gritted his teeth.

"Then at this moment, I flip my Set Card!"

At his command, ghostly forms spread across the field, followed by the appearance of a grave.

"Trap Card—'Call of the Haunted'!"

From the newly formed grave, a moss-covered machine slowly crawled out.

"Through this card's effect, the 'Motor Smasher' in my Graveyard is revived in a decayed state."

"Motor Smasher"

"ATK/2100"

Despite its rusted body, its gun-like arms still gleamed with chilling light.

Yet its own attack power did not seem to be the important part right now.

"You know its special effect, don't you?"

He sneered, his gaze beneath his sunglasses stabbing over like blades, as though he wanted to poke several holes through Yu Ming.

"Even rusted scrap metal leaves behind a few parts. That means I can fire three times!"

Wasn't that effect only supposed to trigger when it was sent to the Graveyard after a Tribute Summon? But thinking about it, the original version did not have so many restrictions after being adapted either.

Whatever.

"Yes, I know."

But that plain response provoked even greater dissatisfaction.

"Tch, why do you still have that expression?"

Watching Yu Ming's calm face, Keith gritted his teeth.

"Do you understand what kind of situation you're in? Your measly fifteen hundred LP is nothing but something I can wipe out in an instant!"

He roared.

"You're finished next turn! Understand, you little punk?!"

"So what are you so anxious about?"

That brief question froze the vicious expression on Keith's face.

"Keith Howard, what exactly are you trying to obtain?"

Looking at the card he had drawn, Yu Ming slowly added it to his hand.

"You keep emphasizing your advantage, keep belittling your opponent. Do you want to see despair and panic on my face so you can enjoy it, or..."

He looked at the man who seemed to have gone blank.

"Are you merely trying to prove something?"

"What a joke!"

Recovering his senses, Keith spoke coldly.

"What do I need to prove?"

"That you're still the American champion?"

"..."

Facing Keith's seemingly hesitant expression, Yu Ming merely shook his head.

"Come to think of it, I seem to owe you an apology."

"What..."

"I admit that I did look down on you before. Keith Howard, you're arrogant, selfish, heartless, and consumed by greed... Many people think your downfall began after Maximillion Pegasus defeated you, but I think you deserved to be toyed with by Maximillion Pegasus."

"You little brat..."

Seeing Keith's expression turn hideous once more, Yu Ming closed his eyes.

In the original story, the public challenge match between Bandit Keith and Maximillion Pegasus had not been described in much detail.

It had merely served, through Seto Kaiba's words, to convey the terror of Maximillion J. Pegasus to the protagonist, Little Yugi.

Yet the essence of that match could actually be pieced together from what came before and after.

First, Dark Yugi had personally confirmed that Maximillion Pegasus's Millennium Eye had no ability to foresee the future. It could not see what cards would be drawn from a deck.

Yet during that public match, Maximillion Pegasus had won against Keith in the first game by relying on a note he had left behind, even after casually abandoning the duel.

That could only mean one thing:

"You were already cheating back then, weren't you?"

"..."

"But even so, you were still impressive."

Amid the champion's silence, Yu Ming continued.

Of course, he was not trying to excuse or whitewash the man before him.

To some extent, he was actually saying those words to himself.

Just as he had once promised in the Heart Room:

"I won't underestimate you again, Champion."

"..."

Keith was stunned.

Perhaps things had developed in a way completely different from what he had imagined. The former champion had no idea how to respond to that straightforward sentiment.

He did not continue cursing. He merely swallowed those foul words back down.

"It's too late to flatter me now, brat."

"No, this isn't flattery. I'll utterly crush you out of respect for your strength."

In other words...

"I will win."

"Win?"

"Yes."

"You?"

"That's right!"

On this alone, he would never yield.

Only that victory!!

"Then let me see exactly how you plan to claim victory in this situation!"

He swept out a hand.

Yu Ming's gaze returned to this battlefield known as a duel.

Right now, the barrier of light swords blocked every normal means of attack, while Keith still had two monsters on his field.

Yet at the same time, his back row was perfectly clear—there were only two cards that had already been activated.

In other words—no traps, full speed ahead!

"Prepare..."

With a hoarse voice, he closed his eyes.

It was not just a phase; it was also the preparation he himself needed.

Then...

"Main."

He spoke.

In this era, there theoretically were no hand traps that needed to be activated in a situation like this, so let's begin!

"I Set two cards in my back row, then activate this card."

Bzzzt.

The sealed room was suddenly torn open, and a chaotic passage to another dimension opened.

"Spell Card—'Unexpected Dai.'"

This card was something Yu Ming had obtained from a preconstructed card pack from another dimension. The pack itself did not form an archetype, but its artwork clearly told the story of a group of people crossing through another dimension.

Of course, that was not important right now.

What mattered was that this card was a tremendous boost to his deck and card pool, because its effect was as follows:

"This card can only be activated if I control no monsters. I Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from my deck. I choose..."

Bzzzt, bzzzt.

From the unstable dimensional passage, a fierce warrior stepped forth.

"'Warrior of Darkworld - Dark Blade.'"

The rift closed, leaving only the warrior standing upon the field, twin blades in hand.

Beneath his silver battle helmet, a pair of eyes radiated surging fighting spirit.

"Warrior of Darkworld - Dark Blade (Lv. 4)"

"Attribute/DARK"

"Type/Warrior"

"ATK/1800 DEF/1500"

Long ago, when Yu Ming had still been a child who did not know how to play cards, he had liked this card very much.

For no other reason than that it looked cool.

Unfortunately, after he truly got into this damned game, this card had never appeared before him again—to be precise, it could not make it into his deck builds.

Basically, he could only play it now, when he had nothing else.

"..."

He did not know whether it was an illusion, but at that moment, Yu Ming felt as though the warrior on the field had turned around.

After meeting its eyes, he pushed those random thoughts aside.

"I'm counting on you. I'll give you a weapon."

It seemed to nod.

Then...

"Equip Spell—'Axe of Despair.'"

A massive axe spun through the air. The warrior put down his twin blades and gripped it tightly in both hands.

Then, bloodthirsty red light burst from his eyes.

"This card increases the equipped monster's ATK by 1000 points."

"Warrior of Darkworld - Dark Blade"

"ATK/1800 → 2800"

"That's a massive increase in ATK all at once. The brat's got some skill."

After all, this was the early era. In the relatively slow environment of the present, a high-ATK monster capable of holding the field was enough to draw amazement.

But this was not over yet!

"Then, I activated this card."

Boom!

An arcane formation gathered, and a green flash tore open a passage.

"I activated the Ritual Spell—Advanced Ritual Art."

"It was actually a Ritual Summon?"