Chapter 50: So I'm Actually Really Strong
Chapter 50: So I'm Actually Really Strong
As You Xuan's consciousness gradually returned, he felt the warmth of the sun and a gentle breeze carrying a hint of fragrance.
He slowly opened his eyes, momentarily blinded by the sunlight, and instinctively raised his arm to shield himself. He felt as though he was sitting on some damp grass.
As he tried to sit up, a hand reached out and supported his arm, helping him to his feet.
"Hmm?"
You Xuan stood up and turned his head, only to see none other than Silent Magician standing there, her white robe billowing in the wind, and a concerned look on her face as she regarded him.
Perhaps she had been worried that her master had gone crazy.
But as their eyes met, the girl was startled once more. She let go of his arm as if she had been electrocuted, lowering her head and retreating to the side with her staff in hand, looking uneasy.
Well, at least she didn't turn around and run straight back into the deck, You Xuan thought. He considered this progress in their relationship.
Wait, something's not right.
You Xuan frowned, sensing that something was amiss. He walked up to Silent Magician with a serious expression.
Then, he reached out and pinched her cheek, which was as white as fresh snow.
Her skin felt soft and warm, almost like a real person's. It was uncanny.
Silent Magician: "???"
She stood there, holding her staff, looking unsure of what her master was trying to do.
"So that's how it is, I can touch a spirit physically," You Xuan muttered to himself as he looked around at their surroundings.
The sunlight shone through the dense forest, casting golden, thread-like rays that created a dappled pattern on the ground. Tall, majestic trees spread their leafy branches like giant green umbrellas.
While it wasn't uncommon for spirits to take physical form, it was usually quite challenging and couldn't be maintained for long in the real world. Considering that his own spirit was rather reclusive, it was surprising that she hadn't turned back into a spirit or retreated into the deck. So, it was highly possible that...
"Am I in the Spirit World?" You Xuan ventured a guess.
Silent Magician nodded.
Indeed, he was right.
You Xuan's immediate guess was based on similar occurrences in the original work. For instance, when Yugi and Kaiba were transported to the Spirit World and asked by the Dark Magician Girl to defeat the God of Orichalcos to save the Spirit World, or the plotline in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's where the little dragon girl, Lua, traveled to the Spirit World to rescue Ancient Fairy Dragon.
"Was that stone slab in the ruins a gateway to the Spirit World?" You Xuan wondered.
It seemed that the research team excavating the ruins had no idea about this. Could it be that the gateway only activated when he approached? And he was certain that before he entered, he had heard a voice coming from the direction of the stone slab, saying, "Here."
Something had called out to him.
As he pondered this, he suddenly heard a rustling sound from behind. Turning around, he saw several dark figures emerging from the bushes, wielding spear-like weapons.
They resembled a type of goblin with black skin.
"Human!" the leader of the black creatures shouted.
You Xuan was surprised that he could understand the spirits' language, but then he recalled that in Yu-Gi-Oh!, the languages of spirits from various dimensions seemed to be mutually intelligible with human languages.
You Xuan was certain that their arrival was not a friendly welcome but rather a warning against intruders.
Indeed, more shouts echoed from all directions, and a large group of dark creatures rushed out, brandishing their spears as if they intended to make a meal out of him without even bothering to duel.
You Xuan was taken aback by their lack of regard for proper dueling etiquette. However, Silent Magician sprang into action, sweeping her staff through the air and creating a circle of light that exploded, sending the front row of goblins flying.
"Take down that Magical Knight first!"
Undeterred, the goblins charged even more fiercely.
Silent Magician continuously cast spells to hold off the enemies while also keeping an eye on her master's safety, an extremely challenging task.
But then, a sudden idea flashed through You Xuan's mind.
"Wait, if this is the Spirit World where the power of cards is materialized..." In the face of the urgent situation, he quickly drew the top fifteen or so cards from his deck, scanned them with his eyes, and swiftly picked one, slapping it onto the Duel Disk.
A summoning effect appeared before him, and a warrior clad in red battle armor and a flowing cape leaped out, holding a shield in his left hand and unsheathing his sword with his right. He charged into the enemy ranks, his sword flashing as he sliced through them with ease.
"Magical Warrior - Breaker!"
Just like in the GX dimension arc, even monsters without spirits could take physical form.
And it wasn't limited to just monsters.
You Xuan spread out his deck and selected a card, inserting it into his Duel Disk.
"Chirp!"
A goblin soldier in the forest cried out and shot an arrow at him. The arrow cleaved through the air, but just one meter away from You Xuan, it was as if it hit an invisible wall and was forcefully stopped.
A transparent, hemispherical barrier that had been invisible to the naked eye was triggered and revealed by the arrow.
"Holy Protection - Mirror Force!"
Indeed, You Xuan discovered that in the Spirit World, there were essentially no rules outside of dueling.
In this world, the cards in a Duelist's hand were their weapons. They could cast spells without incantations or skill requirements, simply by slamming down a Fireball card to cast a fireball spell or a Whirlwind card to create a storm. In theory, one could even cast up to five different skills simultaneously.
Realizing that he could turn the tables on his attackers, You Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Feeling pleased with himself, he waved his hand dramatically and declared, "Feel the sublime power of Hanano, and then fall into the abyss of eternity!"
Well, at least no one else was watching in this Spirit World. He could afford to do a little cosplay of Yugi Muto to express his joy.
Oh, Silent Magician was watching, but that wasn't a problem. At this moment, she was looking at him with admiration as the holy barrier's light swept across the entire forest.
An incredible power was unleashed from the transparent barrier, a dazzling blue radiance that exploded outward, radiating into a downpour of light that swept through the entire forest.
It was an all-encompassing area-of-effect attack, a dimensional strike against the goblins wielding swords, knives, and bows. The front row of goblins was hit head-on and instantly crushed into smithereens by the overwhelming light.
The goblins behind them were terrified and turned to flee.
"Duelist! There's a Duelist here!"
"Run for your lives! Get out of here!"
Indeed, in this world, the term "Duelist" seemed to strike fear into the hearts of these creatures.
From the perspective of the spirits, a "Duelist" was akin to a walking arsenal, capable of summoning powerful monsters with attacks in the thousands and casting screen-wiping ultimate moves like they were going out of style. They were the ultimate powerhouses.
The only beings capable of taking down a Duelist were other Duelists, through the legendary "sacred ritual of battle."
Otherwise known as dueling.
With the immediate crisis averted, You Xuan finally calmed down.
So, I'm actually pretty strong even in the Spirit World, huh?
Today, he searched for cards, and tomorrow, he would duel.
(End of Chapter)
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