Discovering the exact way to open the Spirit World, Yugen wasn't so anxious anymore. He thought about it, he had entered through the stone slab relic, but after entering, he couldn't see any similar slab-like objects or doors nearby.
So how was he supposed to get back?
He thought for a moment, then looked at his spirit: "Silent, what do you think?"
Silent Magician shook her head, seemingly having no clue either. After all, the Spirit World was vast, and although generally called the Spirit World, it actually consisted of many different dimensions. This place didn't seem to be a dimension she was familiar with. But she tilted her head in thought, then extended her hand and pointed towards a place not far down the hillside.
Yugen followed her指 direction and found that it looked like a town.
"I see, should I ask the local spirits then?"
Indeed, there was no better immediate solution. In the anime, the inhabitants of the Spirit World were generally friendly, and the locals might know some way out.
Yugen descended the hillside and entered the town. The streets were paved with bluestone, and the stones lining the road bore mottled marks left by time. The buildings had white stone structures, with stained-glass windows, intricate totems and patterns carved into the walls, and some unfamiliar signs and writings.
Strangely, there wasn't a single soul in the city.
Lonely shops, closed windows. Hanging signboards swayed gently in the wind, and a light breeze rustled fallen leaves, creating a soft swishing sound.
"Is this normal in the Spirit World?" Yugen asked.
Silent Magician shook her head, gripping her staff with a wary expression. This clearly wasn't normal.
She guarded Yugen's side as they continued forward. After walking for about a few minutes, they seemed to hear some strange noises from behind a row of buildings.
Yugen remained calm, followed the sound down a narrow alley, and hid in the shadows to observe the situation. He saw a few small spirits running in a panic. He only recognized one of them — a small body carrying a giant key on its shoulder, highly recognizable. In the Duel Monsters card game, that was [Key Mace], a 1-star Normal Monster with 400 ATK.
And chasing behind these few spirits were clearly the black Goblins similar to those he had just seen. The Goblins shrieked and rushed forward, continuously firing arrows from their bows.
The arrows seemed to be imbued with some kind of magic. The hit spirit immediately groaned and fell to the ground, then instantly turned into a heavy stone slab, clattering loudly as it landed.
Yugen was shocked. Good heavens, getting hit by these arrows actually turns them directly into cards?
He just didn't know if it was only effective against spirits.
Thinking about his recent experience in the forest, he immediately felt a bit scared. What a close call, luckily I'm a higher tier, my holy protection came out quickly.
It seemed that the spirits originally living in this town had been attacked by an invading race, and possibly all of them had been turned into stone slabs, which is why the place looked deserted.
Silent suddenly became alert, and with a flash, she shielded him from behind. Yugen turned around, only to see that a team of black Goblins had appeared at the gate behind them at some point.
"Boss, it's him!" A Goblin shrieked, "It's a duelist! A duelist has invaded our territory!"
The Goblin ranks split to both sides, revealing a path. A certain monstrous spirit with a gloomy aura and wearing a mask slowly emerged.
Yugen remembered seeing that monster before.
[Grand Tiki Elder]
A 4-star Normal Monster with 1500 ATK, used by Marik's subordinates Lumis and Umbra in DM.
However, the spirit's combat power at the moment didn't seem that important. Because he noticed at a glance that this spirit was different from the others.
He wore a Duel Disk-like device on his arm.
"There's even an outsider duelist." The Sorcerer grunted, "But if you dare to invade my divine domain, you must have been prepared to become a sacrifice."
He waved his hand, dismissing his subordinate grunts, and swiftly activated his Duel Disk.
Or rather, although it was also a Duel Disk-like device, compared to the clear technological device in reality, this one felt more organic, as if it was made of flesh and blood, growing out of his arm.
"The outcome between duelists can only be decided through a ritual battle. All you minions, retreat, this one is mine."
"Hmph, as expected, another card game."
Yugen knew that duels in the Spirit World were similar to Shadow Games, life-and-death ritual battles. This match was going to be played, but it seemed like only this one spirit knew how to duel here, so once he was dealt with, the rest were just fodder.
"Duel!" x2
[Yugen, LP 4000]
[Masked Sorcerer, LP 4000]
"I'll go first, draw card."
The Sorcerer won the coin toss.
"First, I'll set one monster, and set one Spell/Trap. Turn end."
A relatively standard opening.
But his Goblin minions behind him had already started cheering.
"Great Sorcerer, boundless magic!"
"How dare you challenge our Great Sorcerer, you're finished."
"."
Yugen ignored the minions' mental harassment: "My turn, draw card."
He sent a card from his hand to the Graveyard, then revealed another card.
"From my hand, 'The Tricky''s effect. Although this card is a Level 5 monster, it can be Special Summoned by discarding one card from my hand.
Therefore, I discard a card from my hand to Special Summon 'The Tricky'!"
[The Tricky, ATK 2000]
"And the card I just discarded to the Graveyard is the Quick-Play Spell 'Silent Burning'."
The card that had just entered the Graveyard then automatically left the Graveyard zone of the Duel Disk with a burst of golden light.
"By banishing this card from the Graveyard, I can add one 'Silent Magician' monster from my Deck to my hand.
Therefore, I banish 'Silent Burning' and add 'Silent Magician' from my Deck to my hand."
Yugen revealed his Deck to confirm, then played the next card.
"I Normal Summon 'Breaker the Magical Warrior'!"
[Breaker the Magical Warrior, ATK 1600]
"When 'Breaker the Magical Warrior' is successfully Summoned, it places one Spell Counter on itself, and its ATK increases by 300.
However, I will activate its other effect. By removing one Spell Counter from itself, I will destroy your Set card."
The Magical Warrior swung its sword, and a magical sword wave circled towards the Sorcerer's backrow.
But the Sorcerer waved his hand: "Then I activate my Set card, Quick-Play Spell 'Scapegoat'. I Special Summon 4 'Sheep Tokens' to my field."
Four sheep tokens of different colors lazily jumped onto the Sorcerer's field.
[Sheep Tokens, DEF 0] x4
"During the turn 'Scapegoat' is activated, I cannot Summon any other monsters, and these Sheep Tokens cannot be used as Tributes for a Tribute Summon." He paused, chuckling, "Of course, this isn't my turn, so I couldn't have Summoned anyway."
Yugen thought to himself, indeed, in this era, it was still so simple, you couldn't summon on your opponent's turn. If it were modern Yu-Gi-Oh, a three-to-five minute combo during the opponent's turn would be normal.
"Then I will Tribute 'Breaker the Magical Warrior' whose Spell Counter has been used."
The Magical Warrior's body turned into golden light, circling down into the opened magic circle on the ground. Holy and gentle white light erupted, and the center of the magic circle seemed to converge stars. A slender figure slowly emerged, dressed in a white robe swaying gently in the breeze, with silver hair flowing under a cool light, emitting a faint glow.
"Silent Magician, Special Summon!"
[Silent Magician, ATK 1000]
"'Silent Magician' cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. It can only be Special Summoned by Tributing a Spellcaster monster you control." Yugen said, "Also, 'Silent Magician''s ATK increases by 500 for each card in my hand.
Currently, I have three cards in my hand, so its ATK increases by 1500."
[Silent Magician, ATK 1000 → ATK 2500]
The Goblins watching from behind immediately erupted.
"He Special Summoned two monsters with 2000 or more ATK on Turn 1!"
The Sorcerer, however, remained calm, merely saying indifferently: "Quiet."
The grunts immediately dared not make a sound.
"."
"Proceed to Battle Phase." Yugen commanded, "Silent Magician, The Tricky, attack two 'Sheep Tokens' respectively."
Like sleepy lambs, they naturally couldn't resist the combined attack of the two great mages, and immediately two Sheep Tokens exploded into dust respectively.
"Then I'll Set one card to my backrow, turn end."
[Silent Magician, ATK 2500 → ATK 2000]