Chapter 24: Dark Duel
Chapter 24: Dark Duel
As You Xuan walked along the path in search of food, he took some time for self-reflection, pondering if his approach had been a little off.
Take the Electric Tribe from anime as an example. Their success relies on diligent cultivation and relentless practice, akin to a martial artist honing their skills day and night. Through sheer dedication, they master the art of card drawing, moving the Electronic Ending Dragon and earning the acknowledgment of the spirits.
Yet, at this moment, Silent Magician might be perplexed, wondering how she ended up with such an eccentric owner, where the method to summon spirits seems to be annoying her into submission.
However, from another perspective, looking at the outcome, can one even say that a summon occurred?
It seems that in the future, I'll have to give more thought to the proper way of fostering a bond.
You Xuan continued walking, deep in thought, when suddenly he sensed something amiss.
The night's alleyways were quietly hidden behind the bustling nightlife, serving as a shortcut to the commercial district, a mere 600 to 700 meters away, with street food and supper ahead.
The air was damp, carrying an unfamiliar scent. Under the dim light, the cobblestone path appeared uneven, and the cool breeze rustled the old trees at the mouth of the alley, creating a rustling sound.
After walking only a few steps, the dim light illuminated a wall ahead, blocking the path.
A dead end.
You Xuan furrowed his brows.
That's odd. According to his predecessor's memories, this path should lead through. Could it be that the memory inheritance was muddled, and he had taken a wrong turn?
Puzzled, he turned back and retraced his steps, only to encounter another anomaly upon reaching the end.
In the faint light, a wall appeared once more. It was clearly a different direction, yet the wall looked identical to the one before. Upon closer inspection, even the surroundings on both sides seemed eerily familiar.
Could this be the legendary ghost wall?
A sense of fear inevitably crept up, and every shadow seemed to hide vengeful ghosts or hideous demons.
However, You Xuan quickly calmed himself.
In any other dimension, such supernatural occurrences would mean certain death. But this place was different; this was the world of Duel Monsters.
Here, whether faced with heavenly demons or supernatural ghosts, the path to taking a life always led through a duel, didn't it?
You Xuan stood still, his guard up as he scanned the surroundings. Suddenly, from the darkness, a deep roar echoed as if emanating from the abyss. Then, a dark light pierced the darkness, and an invisible wave, like a sharp blade, swept towards him.
Caught off guard, his heart raced, and he instinctively took half a step back, raising his Duel Disk to protect himself. Suddenly, a white light flashed on his Duel Disk, and an ice crystal-like translucent magic array unfolded, firmly intercepting the unseen impact. The invisible wave spread in all directions, carving cracks in the ground and walls.
A translucent shadow appeared beside him, and Silent Magician, clad in a snow-white robe, brandished a staff that shimmered with cold light.
You Xuan let out a long breath.
Once again, he was convinced that having spirits was an absolute necessity in this world—one wouldn't dare step out without packing a few in their deck.
"So, you're also a Spirit Tamer?" A rough voice echoed from the darkness, and a figure in a black robe emerged from the mist-like surroundings.
"And a high-level one at that, with an advanced magician-type spirit. Today's my lucky day."
You Xuan narrowed his eyes, unable to make out the person's face, only catching a glimpse of the green glow beneath the hood.
"A Dark Duelist?"
"Heh, you know your stuff, kid," the man in black replied with a cold laugh as he unfolded his Duel Disk. It was a model that You Xuan had never seen before—a black design with five square zones that descended in a swirling motion, forming the Monster Zones when assembled.
"Since you know the rules, we can get straight to it. Yes, I am a Dark Duelist, and..."
He slowly lifted his hood, revealing a face etched with the marks of age, his eyes glinting with a dull green light. An aura of dominance seemed to radiate from his intangible presence.
"...I am Ghost Tsukahara Genichiro."
You Xuan racked his brains but couldn't recall ever hearing that name before. "Sorry, should I know you?"
Genichiro's expression turned awkward.
"Ahem," he said, furrowing his brow. "I was among the top 64 duelists in the third Duelist Kingdom tournament in Toddler's Field, known as 'Dinosaur Tyrant' in those days. Ring any bells?"
You Xuan felt embarrassed to admit that he hadn't seen the tournaments beyond the first one, which was the only one featured in the anime.
And if they were talking about dinosaurs, the first person that came to mind was Ryuzaki, who had just been defeated.
"By the time I rose to prominence, that legendary duelist, Dinosaur Ryuzaki, had already retired and disappeared. Some ignorant folks always say that if Ryuzaki were still around, I wouldn't stand a chance against him. How ridiculous!" Genichiro let out a chilly laugh.
"I now possess the power of darkness, and I will not lose to any duelist, no matter how powerful they may be. I heard that Ryuzaki was considering a comeback, and I immediately realized that this was the opportunity I had been waiting for." Genichiro declared loudly.
"I am the strongest Dragon Tamer! As a remnant of the past generation, he has no choice but to be consumed by darkness and face obliteration!"
You Xuan: "..."
Then why don't you go find Ryuzaki? What are you doing, blocking my way?
"Well, good luck to you, buddy," You Xuan said, shrugging. "I have things to do, so I'll be on my way."
"It's no use," Genichiro said coldly. "You cannot leave this domain. Only one of us will walk away from here alive."
"I saw how you defeated him in that tournament, Dinosaur Ryuzaki. It was a complete domination; he couldn't even touch your Life Points. That's when I changed my mind. You are worth more than Ryuzaki—worthier to be defeated and sacrificed to the darkness. If I can consume you into my darkness, I will undoubtedly advance further on my path as a Dark Duelist!"
You Xuan: "..."
"There's no point in talking," Genichiro said as he activated his Duel Disk. "Once a Dark Duel begins, it cannot be stopped easily. We will decide the victor, and our lives are at stake! Come, wager your soul as a duelist!"
Based on his knowledge of the original story, You Xuan knew that a Dark Duel wasn't entirely unstoppable. If someone with a significantly stronger dark power than the initiator intervened, they could forcibly terminate the duel or even modify the stakes. For example, the Pharaoh's Millennium Puzzle had that capability.
Or, in special circumstances, like during a Riding Duel, if you were about to lose, you could always sabotage your opponent's vehicle to bring the duel to an abrupt end.
However, it seemed that You Xuan was in a tight spot this time. He took a deep breath and activated his Duel Disk.
"Duel!" x2
(End of Chapter)
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