The Mystery Duelist (1)
As another day begins, Solomon Moto is sweeping the front of the Game Shop as Téa arrives to walk to school with Yugi. As Solomon calls out to his grandson, who is still getting dressed in his room, Yugi is trying on the Millennium Puzzle, which he has attached to a chain instead of the old piece of cord. As Yugi worries about how people seem to be constantly trying to steal the Puzzle, Yami informs him that the Puzzle is more important than ever as it is the only thing connecting the two of them. He also warns his partner that fate has a lot in store for them but Yugi is not worried, confident that if they stick together they will be alright.
Finally finished getting ready, Yugi catches up with Téa who is still waiting outside the shop and as she tells him that they will be late for the big game he explains that he and the spirit of the Puzzle were talking and that their destiny together is currently unclear. Yugi informs his friend that he fears there is something worse than Pegasus out there and that things are not any easier due to the fact that Yami has no memory of his past. However this soon becomes insignificant as the two remember that they need to get to school for the soccer match.
On the way to school, Téa asks Yugi who he thinks will win the soccer match, but he does not reply as he has become intruiged by a fortune teller who has set up business along the side of the street. Hoping that the mystic may be able to help Yami find answers to some of the questions he has, Yugi goes oover to see the man but is unsure about handing over the Puzzle when the man asks him for it. Against his better judgement Yugi hands over the Puzzle, but as he does so the fortune teller runs off down a dark alleyway.
Determined to not lose the Puzzle, Yugi chases after the man while Téa tries to cut him off from a different direction. As Yugi enters the alley, the man has vanished although a series of arroows stuck to the wall seems to be leading Yugi in the direction that he went, however Téa is having less luck and seems to have lost both the fortune teller and Yugi. As she tries to find where the two have gone, Bakura sees her run past and calls out to her to ask what is wrong. As Téa explains the predicament, Bakura offers to head to find help hoowever as Téa leaves Yami Bakura takes control of his host’s body determined that nobody but he will be the one to take control of the Puzzle. Taking out the Millennium Ring, Bakura uses its points to track down the Puzzle but as his search leads him to the alleyway with the arrows he begins to change their directions so that Téa and the others will not be able to follow him.
Having followed the arrows through the dark passages, Yugi eventually reaches a clearing where the final arrow is pointing into a large warehouse. Wondering what the thief could want with the Puzzle, Yugi cautiously enters the building and is immediately able to sense Yami’s presence within the room. As a spotlight is switched on, Yugi is able to see that the Puzzle has been secured to the side of a duelling arena and the voice of the fortune teller calls out to him, explaining that the two of them are going to duel for the rights to the Puzzle. The man goes on to explain that although he has stolen the Puzzle he must still win it in a duel.
Slightly worried by the man’s knowledge of the ways of the Millennium Items, Yugi is still reluctant to duel but realises that he does not have much choice, however as he tries to connect with Yami he is unable to do so and must therefore duel alone, putting all of his faith in the heart of the cards. As the two prepare to duel, the mysterious opponent warns Yugi that this will be his last duel while Yugi is also concerned about what the outcome may be. However he is still determined to defeat his opponent and as he makes his first move he summons the Celtic Guardian [1400/1200]] in attack mode.
With Yugi’s first turn at an end, the fortue teller sets one monster and ends his first turn as well. Confident at the fact that his opponent is too worried to face him head on, Yugi orders his Guardian to attack, however as it destroys the fortune teller’s monster it is revealed to be Cyber Jar [0900/0900, FLIP: Destroy all monsters on the field (including this monster). Both players then pick up five cards from the top of their respective Decks and show the cards to each other. Immediately Special Summon and Monster Cards of Level 4 or lower among them on the field in face-up Attack Position or face-down Defence Position. The rest of the cards picked up are placed in the player’s hand.].
With Yugi’s Celtic Guardian destroyed, he sets one monster while his opponent summons two into attack mode: Mechanicalchaser [1850/0800] and Ground Attacker Bugroth [1500/2000]. Suspicious about the large number of Machine-Type monsters being used, Yugi wonders whether his opponent may be Bandit Keith and as he voices his suspicions his opponent reveals himself to be none other than the person who Yugi believed him to be.
Shocked to see Keith after his sudden departure from Duellist Kingdom, Yugi asks Keith why he stole the Puzzle annd asks what has happened to him, but the oddly dazed looking Keith explains that altough this is Bandit Keith’s body it is being controlled by somebody else. The unknown controller explains that he found Keith floating in the sea after being expelled from Duellist Kingdom by Pegasus and that he rescued Keith from the raging waters. However as the controlled Keith goes on to inform Yugi that he will do whatever it takes to get the Millennium Puzzle, the real Keith temporarily breaks free from being controlled and calls out for Yugi to help him.
As Keith’s controller regains control over him, he makes his next move and summons Machine King [2200/2000, Increase the ATK of this card by 100 points for each face-up Machine-Type monster on the field.]. With this new monster’s ATK at a high 2500, it is easily strong enough to defeat Yugi’s set monster, Silver Fang [1200/0800]. Keith warns Yugi that he should give up now but Yugi is in no mood to surrender as he sets a new monster. However as Keith summons Mega Sonic Eye [1500/1800], his Machine King’s ATK raises to 2600 and he makes mincemeat out of Yugi’s Giant Soldier of Stone [1300/2000].
With another of Yugi’s monsters destroyed, he begins to worry that he will be unable to defeat Keith without the support of his friends to help him out. Meanwhile, Téa has arrived at school and as she, Joey and Tristan prepare to head off and help Yugi when they are stopped by Coach Morty who reminds them that they had promised to help out at the soccer match. As Joey tries to persuade the Coach that they have to go, Tristan explains that Téa’s cat is sick and that they need to get it to the vet’s as soon as possible. Unable to stand the thought of a sick animal, Coach Morty insists that the three get the cat some medical assistance as soon as possible.
Back at the warehouse, Keith tells Yugi to stop stalling and just give up but Yugi refuses and as he summmons both Curse of Dragon [2000/1500] and Gaia, the Fierce Knight [2300/2100] he fuses them together using Polymerization [Magic Card, Fuse 2 or more Fusion-Material monsters to form a new Fusion Monster] to form Gaia, the Dragon Champion [2600/2100]. With one of his most powerful monsters now on the field, Yugi takes the opportunity to attack Keith’s Mechanicalchaser, destroying it easily [K’s LP: 1250].
Worried by the strength of Yugi’s Dragon Champion, Keith switches his Mega Sonic Eye and Ground Attacker Bugroth to defence mode before playing Machine Conversion Factory [Magic Card, Increase the ATK and DEF of all Machine-Type monsters by 300 points.] to further power up his Machine King’s ATK to 2800, enough to wipe out Yugi’s Champion [Y’s LP: 1800]. With Keith’s machine army overwhelming him, Yugi wonders whether there is any way to win but is determined not to give up even though he is up against an army of rare and powerful monsters.
Playing Makiou [Magic Card, Destroy all face-up Magic and Trap cards on the field. You may also negate one enemy attack when this card is activated.] Yugi plays his Summoned Skull [2500/1200] which gains a 30% ATK rise thanks to Makiou raising its ATK to an awesome 3250. As Yugi destroys the Machine King [K’s LP: 500], Keith’s controller comments that he is doing better than expected but that he will still be defeated evntually.
Back in town, Téa, Tristan and Joey have returned to the alley where Yugi chased after Keith, however as they enter it they have no idea where Yugi went thanks to Yami Bakura moving all of the arrows around. As the three begin to search for any sign as to where Yugi has gone, their friend’s duel continues as Keith plays Graceful Charity [Magic Card, Draw three cards from your Deck, then discard any two cards from your hand.] but rather than drawiing three random cards, he uses a spring mechanism hidden in the sleeve of the cloak he has been wearing to place the cards he wants on top of his deck.
Playing this new card, Zera Ritual [Magic Card, This card is used to Ritual Summon “Zera the Mant”. You must also offer monsters whose total Level Stars equal 8 or more from the field or your hand as a Tribute.] Keith surprises Yugi who has never seen the card before. However even without any prior knowledge of the card, Yugi is confident that Keith does not have Zera the Mant in his hand, but as Keith continues his turn he tributes the two monsters remaining on his side of the field to summon Zera the Mant [2800/2300, This monster can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Magic Card “Zera Ritual”. You must also offer monsters whose total Level Stars equal 8 or more from the field or your hand as a Tribute.] onto the field.
As Keith’s new monster destroys Yugi’s Summoned Skull [Y’s LP: 1500], Yami Bakura has reached the warehouse and can sense a dark presence connected to the Shadow Realm inside. Meanwhile, Téa, tristan and Joey are still hopelessly lost and Yugi is worried that he won’t be able to defeat Keith’s army of rare monsters. However as Keith temporarily breaks free from his controller’s grip once more and begs for Yugi’s help, Yugi is afraid that without Yami’s help he will be defeated by Keith and the mysterious stranger who is controlling him.
