Duel Academy—
"Damn it! I didn't think the monster rampage would cause such a huge disaster!" A sexy girl in a blue uniform brushed the dust off her clothes as she spoke.
"Alexis, this isn't just a simple monster rampage. It's clearly a premeditated event!" Atticus Rhodes, who had just put away his duel disk, frowned as he spoke.
The two of them had clearly just gone through a battle, using their own Duel Monsters to defeat the rampaging monsters.
"Kaiser seems to have lost..." The tone of Atticus, who greatly respected Kaiser's abilities, indicated that this was no small matter.
"You mean that Zane?!" Alexis's eyes widened in disbelief, her expression filled with shock. "Are you joking, Brother? How could Zane possibly lose to a rampaging monster?"
"This rampage is being controlled by someone. Kaiser lost to the one controlling the rampaging monsters, and his Cyber monsters were stolen." Although Atticus looked laid-back, being a once-in-a-century genius, his deductive abilities were also first-rate.
"That's why a Cyber Dragon appeared among the rampaging monsters earlier!" Alexis suddenly realized.
"But if even Zane lost, it would be great if Jaden were here right now..." At that moment, the image of a boy in a red jacket, with an undefeatable smile and a knack for creating miracles, flashed through Alexis's mind.
"Roar!!" A deafening roar echoed from the distance.
"Alexis, over there!" Following the direction of the roar, Atticus saw something alarming.
"That's... Rainbow Dragon?!" The enormous Rainbow Dragon emanated a powerful pressure, far greater than the usual monsters wandering around the academy.
"Could it be that even Jesse...?" Alexis, covering her mouth, could hardly believe that their reliable companions were falling one by one.
"No, this Rainbow Dragon is different from Jesse's. Just look at its appearance." Atticus, analyzing the situation calmly, noted that while Jesse's Rainbow Dragon represented the light of the rainbow, this one symbolized sin and darkness.
"Also, the Rainbow Dragon seems to be fighting something..."
"It's Illya, Professor Hoshino's Duel Monster!" Despite the distance, Alexis clearly recognized Illya, with her radiant wings shining behind her.
"It looks like they're battling in the courtyard. Let's go, Brother!"
"Isn't that too dangerous? That dark Rainbow Dragon looks way too abnormal. The mastermind must be over there!" Atticus, concerned for his sister's safety, was hesitant to proceed.
"Are you kidding, Brother? If the mastermind is there, then Professor Hoshino must be fighting right now!" Scolding her brother, Alexis ran ahead, paying no mind to the blood seeping from the wound on her pale thigh.
"If even Professor Hoshino loses, there's no hope left for the academy..."
(****)
Sugoroku's Residence—
"Kaiba?! What are you doing here?" Yugi exclaimed in shock.
"Hmph, Yugi, you sure know how to make me wait."
"Huh, Kaiba's in Yugi's house? What's the deal with that?" Hoshino said as she walked into the living room, where she was greeted by Kaiba's prideful and haughty presence.
"Oh? So the unemployed bum who was rejected by KaibaCorp is now freeloading at Yugi's house?" Kaiba glanced down at Hoshino with disdain. "You think I want to be here? I'm only here by invitation."
"By invitation?"
"Hoshino, Yugi, let me introduce you." Sugoroku cleared his throat with a cough and gestured to someone standing behind Kaiba's tall figure. "This is an old friend I met back during my archaeology days."
"Yugi, Hoshino, hello, my name is Ishizu Ishtar." A mature, gentle female voice spoke.
"Whoa, she's so beautiful!" Hoshino quietly gasped. Even though Ishizu wore a headscarf, her exquisitely delicate features could not be hidden. Her smooth, dark brown skin gave off an exotic charm.
"I never knew you had such impressive friends back in the day, Grandpa!" Hoshino teased, nudging Sugoroku with her elbow. "You really surprise me sometimes."
"Oh-ho-ho-ho!" Sugoroku laughed proudly, clearly pleased by Hoshino's 'compliment.' "And Ishizu is now an important figure in the Egyptian government!"
"A person of such importance, coming all the way here, and with Kaiba no less?" Though the introductions cleared up her identity, Yugi still seemed confused about why she was here.
"Allow me to explain." Ever since Yugi entered the room, Ishizu had not taken her eyes off him.
"Recently, a large-scale Egyptian artifact exhibition has been planned for Domino City..."
She paused after saying this, then continued, "Of course, the exhibition is just a cover. The real reason I'm here is because the God Cards have been stolen."
"Report! I've solved the case already, Miss!" Hoshino proudly raised her hand, casting a scornful glance at Kaiba. "It's this man! He's stolen Obelisk the Tormentor!"
"Ridiculous..." Kaiba turned his head away, ignoring her.
"Ahem, Duel King Hoshino." Ishizu smiled awkwardly. "I've heard much about your feats, and Kaiba has also told me that you possess the power to stand against the God Cards. That Obelisk the Tormentor was a card I entrusted to Kaiba."
"You're so generous, Miss! Giving away such a precious card so easily," Hoshino said playfully, realizing she had wrongfully accused Kaiba. She tilted her head and put on an innocent face, trying to play it off.
"But didn't you just say the God Cards were stolen? Isn't one of them in Kaiba's possession?"
"That's because there are three God Cards." Ishizu's tone grew serious again, and she turned her gaze back to Yugi.
"Obelisk the Tormentor, Slifer the Sky Dragon, and The Winged Dragon of Ra. Altogether, these three are the rarest and most special cards in the world."
"Many years ago, Pegasus, inspired by ancient tablets, created the God Cards based on their depictions. However, perhaps angering the gods by creating these cards, all those involved in their creation, except for Pegasus, mysteriously died. Pegasus himself realized the danger of the God Cards and entrusted them to us at the Egyptian Bureau of Cultural Preservation for safekeeping."
"So the God Cards are really that terrifying?" Hoshino gasped, sucking in a breath upon hearing what sounded like an urban legend.
"But if the God Cards are so dangerous, who would dare to steal them?" As always, Yugi quickly honed in on the key issue.
"Because of their immense value and the power they represent. Even the God Cards can be used, but only by those like us, who are connected to the Millennium Items, Yugi Muto!"
"Those connected to the Millennium Items... so, Ishizu, you also possess a Millennium Item?" Yugi was shocked.
"No shit, Sherlock! She's got that huge golden eye around her neck. Were you pretending not to see it or what?" Hoshino quipped in disbelief.
"That's right, I am the holder of the Millennium Necklace." As she spoke, Ishizu gently touched the accessory on her neck. The golden choker was adorned with the distinctive Eye of Wdjat, shared by all Millennium Items.
However, what baffled Hoshino was the inhuman design, especially the sharp protrusions on both sides of the golden eye.
"Wouldn't it hurt your neck when you lower your head with those spikes?" Hoshino really wanted to ask, but it felt too impolite to joke about it with someone she just met, so she kept the question to herself.
"The Millennium... Necklace?" Upon realizing Ishizu was the bearer of a Millennium Item, Yugi's eye twitched slightly.
Hoshino, who noticed this small reaction, knew Yugi was likely thinking the same thing she was.
"Yes, the Millennium Necklace, which possesses the ability to foresee the future..." Ishizu stroked the necklace as though it were a part of her body.
"Foresee the future? That sounds like such a convenient power!" Hoshino exclaimed in surprise. If it could really predict the future, this item would be even more terrifying than the Millennium Eye, like an EX-level clairvoyance.
"Although it does allow me to see the future, it only shows events in the near future. Distant ones are quite vague." A slight blush appeared on Ishizu's dark brown skin.
"That's still amazing!" Yugi said excitedly.
"Wait a second..." Hoshino suddenly realized something was off.
"If only people related to the Millennium Items can use the God Cards, then why is Kaiba able to wield Obelisk the Tormentor?" Hoshino astutely pointed out the flaw in the logic.
"Hmph, I don't believe in such pseudo-scientific nonsense," Kaiba scoffed, giving his own answer, as if to say whether you believe it or not is up to you.
"The reason behind your connection to the God Cards is precisely why I'm here. Yugi, Kaiba, will you both accompany me to the Egyptian relic exhibit? I believe the ancient tablet will give you the answers you're seeking." Ishizu's expression turned serious once more.
"Huh? You're leaving already? At least stay for dinner," Sugoroku said reluctantly, glancing at the sky outside as he tried to persuade them to stay.
"Thank you, Sugoroku, but this concerns Egypt and possibly the fate of the world, so I can't afford any more delays," Ishizu politely declined Sugoroku's offer.
"Is that okay with you, Yugi? Kaiba?"
"Yes!" Yugi nodded firmly, glancing thoughtfully at the Millennium Puzzle hanging from his neck.
"Spare me the chatter. I'm only interested in knowing the whereabouts of the other two God Cards." Clearly, Kaiba's reason for being here was to find the ultra-rare cards; nothing else could have brought him along.
"Why does playing cards always have to be connected to the fate of the world?" Hoshino muttered to herself, feeling somewhat exasperated by how easily Yugi and Kaiba accepted Ishizu's reasoning.
"Excuse me, can I come too, Miss?" Hoshino wasn't looking to join just for fun, but if things were as serious as Ishizu claimed, especially with Da Vinci's previous warnings to her, it felt more advantageous to learn the truth rather than avoid the situation.
"I'd be honored, Duel King!" Ishizu's eyes gleamed, as though she had found an unexpected surprise. "Without a God Card, yet still able to fight against their power—if you join us, our chances of reclaiming the cards will certainly increase!"
"And you don't need to call me 'Miss' all the time, just Ishizu is fine~" Ishizu smiled warmly.
"Alright, Ishizu..." Hoshino scratched her head, feeling a little shy about calling such an exotic beauty by her first name. "But please, don't call me 'Duel King' anymore—just call me Hoshino."
"This idle chit-chat is a waste of time. Let's get moving..." Kaiba, as direct and tactless as ever, was clearly uninterested in pleasantries.
"Then let's go, Yugi, Kaiba, Hoshino." Ishizu nodded slightly to Kaiba, signaling everyone to follow her. "The exhibit's transport is already waiting for us."
"Grandpa, we're heading out now. Save some dinner for me, okay?" Hoshino called out, concerned that after skipping lunch due to the duel with Kaiba, her dinner might also be at risk.
(***)
Egyptian Artifact Exhibition Hall—
"Wow, wow, wow!" Hoshino couldn't stop exclaiming as they entered the hall, her head swiveling as though she wished she could turn it 180 degrees.
"Hoshino, is this your first time in a place like this? Domino City actually has quite a few museums too, we can visit them together next time," Yugi said, slightly infected by Hoshino's enthusiasm.
"This place... it's filled with holy relics!" That was the real reason Hoshino was so excited.
"Holy relics? What relics?" Yugi asked, confused.
"This museum full of outdated junk doesn't compare to my Kaiba Manor, showcasing the latest in cutting-edge technology!" Kaiba, for some reason, seemed intent on arguing with someone, looking at the exhibits with disdain.
"Your manor, filled with Blue-Eyes White Dragons, is so terrifying at night, let's not even mention it." Hoshino mercilessly pointed out the flaw in Kaiba's argument.
"You commoners and your lack of taste..."
"We're here," Ishizu interrupted, stopping at a downward staircase that led to the deepest part of the exhibit. "Below lies the legendary tablet that gave Pegasus the inspiration for the God Cards."
"It doesn't feel any different here," Hoshino muttered, looking around the underground-like space. Apart from it being slightly cooler, there wasn't much difference from above.
"Is that... the God Cards?" Kaiba immediately recognized Obelisk the Tormentor etched on the giant stone tablet displayed before them.
"Indeed, this is the tablet of the Three Egyptian God Cards," Ishizu confirmed, pointing at the tablet while keeping her eyes fixed on Yugi—or more specifically, the Millennium Puzzle on his chest.
"The ancient Pharaoh, who commanded the strongest of the Three Gods, ruled over both the earth and the heavens, the greatest existence of all!" Ishizu's voice grew louder and more imposing, radiating an inexplicable authority.
"And the image of the legendary Pharaoh is carved right into this tablet!"
"You're saying the Pharaoh is depicted on this tablet?" Hoshino's eye twitched as she processed Ishizu's words about a Pharaoh who ruled over the heavens and the earth. A certain ridiculous laugh echoed in her mind:
("Hahahahaha! There's nothing the Pharaoh cannot do on earth! All things in this world are under my control!")
(*****)
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