"Are you all ready?" Isono announced. "We will now determine the attack order for the four duelists!"
"How do we decide it?" Jounouchi asked.
"Each duelist will choose one monster card from their deck. The higher the ATK of the revealed monster, the earlier you act. However—the chosen monster cannot be returned to your Deck."
So to seize initiative, you have to sacrifice a high-ATK monster… Yami Yugi thought, eyes narrowing.
Seto Kaiba's mouth curved into a confident smile.
First strike means first target selection. If I move first, I control the tempo.
Jounouchi, on the other hand, felt his stomach twist.
What do I pick? If I throw away a strong card, I'm weakening my deck… but if I don't, I'll get bullied…!
Otogi muttered from the viewing area, impressed. "The psychological warfare starts immediately…"
"Reveal your cards!" Isono commanded.
All four raised a card at the same time.
Kaiba: Masked Beast – Des Gardius (ATK 3300 / DEF 2500)"Hah. I stole this one anyway. I'm not sentimental. I'm taking first."
Yami Yugi: Kuriboh (ATK 300 / DEF 200)He kept his expression neutral, but his eyes were calculating.
Aoi Kisaragi: Darklord Amdusc (ATK 2300 / DEF 2000)Calm. Unbothered. Like she was selecting a tool, not making a sacrifice.
Jounouchi: Earthbound Swordsman (ATK 500 / DEF 1200)"I'm keeping my heavy hitters for later…" he muttered, forcing a grin that didn't reach his eyes.
"The turn order is decided!" Isono declared."Kaiba Seto, Aoi Kisaragi, Yugi Mutou, Jounouchi Katsuya!"
Kaiba's gaze slid toward Jounouchi with predatory amusement.
Good. The first bite goes to the weakest prey.
"Now begins the battle royale that will determine the semifinal matchups!" Isono's voice echoed.
"DUEL!" ×4
Kaiba LP 4000Aoi LP 4000Yami Yugi LP 4000Jounouchi LP 4000
"My turn. Draw!"
"I Normal Summon Spear Dragon in Attack Position!"
Spear Dragon (ATK 1900 / DEF 0)
"I set two cards. End."
No one can attack on turn one. But next round, I strike first. Kaiba's eyes gleamed.
"My turn. Draw."
A four-way free-for-all… interesting.
"I Normal Summon Darklord Ukoback in Attack Position."
Darklord Ukoback (ATK 700 / DEF 1000)
Yami Yugi's eyes sharpened.
Darklord…? Is this her prepared tournament deck?
"Ukoback's effect—when Summoned, I can send one 'Darklord' card from my Deck to the Graveyard."
"I send Darklord Superbia."
"I set two cards. End."
Aoi's posture never changed. Like she'd merely placed a marker on the board.
"My turn. Draw."
"I Set one monster face-down."
I'm not the aggressor right now. I need defense and options.
"I set two cards. End."
Jounouchi exhaled hard. "I'm last… which means I'm the easiest target."
"I play Graceful Charity! I draw three, then discard two!"
Then he Set one monster and two back row.
"End."
From the viewing deck, Honda said in relief, "First round passed without casualties."
Mai's eyes stayed sharp. "That peace ends now."
"My turn. Draw."
Kaiba's voice dropped into a cruel lecture tone.
"The ecosystem of battle. The food chain of dueling. I'll teach you a fact—trash doesn't get to touch the top."
"I Normal Summon Battle Ox!"
Battle Ox (ATK 1700 / DEF 1000)
"Battle!"
"Spear Dragon attacks Jounouchi's face-down monster!"
The face-down flipped—Red-Eyes Wyvern.
Spear Dragon's wind bullet slammed into it.
Kaiba smirked. "Spear Dragon inflicts piercing damage!"
Jounouchi's LP fell:
Jounouchi LP 4000 → 3700
His elevator platform crept upward—an insult made physical.
"Tch… of course he comes for me first."
"And Spear Dragon switches to Defense Position after attacking."
Kaiba didn't stop.
"Battle Ox—direct attack! Die, third-rate!"
Battle Ox raised its axe—
"Trap Card—Red-Eyes Spirit!" Jounouchi shouted.
Yami Yugi's eyes flashed. "Nice!"
"With this, I can Special Summon a 'Red-Eyes' monster from my Graveyard—"
Aoi's voice cut through the air like ice.
"Don't forget me. My objective matches Seto's right now."
She flipped a card.
"Counter Trap—Trap Stun Array. During the Battle Phase, negate the activation of an opponent's Trap Card and destroy it."
Red-Eyes Spirit shattered.
Jounouchi's eyes went wide. "What?!"
Kaiba laughed, delighted. "Perfect. Take it like a man."
But before Battle Ox's blade could fall—
"Not happening." Yami Yugi revealed a card.
"Continuous Trap—Rivalry of Warlords!"
Chains erupted from the trap, binding Battle Ox in place.
"When it's activated, I declare a Type. That Type cannot declare attacks."
He stared straight at Kaiba."I declare Beast-Warrior."
Battle Ox froze, trapped.
Kaiba's eyes snapped wide. "What?!"
Jounouchi almost collapsed in relief. "Yugi—thank you!"
Yami Yugi's voice remained calm, resolute.
"I'm honoring my oath as a Duelist… and my bond as a friend."
Kaiba's face twisted with rage."Damn you, Yugi! You're protecting that idiot?!"
Yami Yugi fired back without flinching.
"And you and Aoi are cooperating too."
Aoi didn't deny it—only smiled faintly, as if to say obvious.
Inside Yami Yugi's mind, the logic was colder than his words:
If I want a semifinal with Jounouchi, I can't let Kaiba and Aoi erase him early. Kaiba's momentum has to be broken—now.
The four-way duel had finally bared its teeth.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 155)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter200)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter110)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter230)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 200
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 180
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 230
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 220
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 120
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 135
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 110
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 100
My Harem Is Indescribable 90
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 95
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 80
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 70
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 75
Checking In in Demon Slayer 80
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 85
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 70
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 65
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 70
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 70
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 65
Why did they assign me to Uma 65
MYGO Beauties 65
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 55
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 65
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 45
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 45
The Uma Musume Who Became 40
I'm Definitely Not the King of 45
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
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