Chapter 26

"How about you, Bakura? Since you have your own deck, you must have a favorite card too." After learning Hoshino's favorite card, Yugi turned to ask Bakura.

"For me..." Bakura touched his deck and gently drew a magic card: "Change of Heart, this is my favorite card."

"Huh? You actually like that kind of card." Jonouchi twitched his mouth, somewhat unable to understand Bakura's preference.

Anzu nudged Jonouchi with her elbow and whispered, "Don't be like that, Jonouchi. Everyone has different preferences."

"Yeah, yeah, there's no rule that you have to like monster cards." Honda laughed, trying to smooth things over.

"How about it, Yugi? Would you like to duel with me?" Bakura suddenly suggested. "Of course, it won't be a star-stake duel, just a bit of entertainment before dinner."

"Great idea!" Jonouchi spoke up before Yugi could respond.

"Ever since we got to this island, it's been all serious and tiring duels. How about a lighthearted duel to relax?" Honda seconded the idea.

Seeing their expectant looks, Yugi naturally couldn't refuse. After all, he also enjoyed playing cards with his friends.

"I suggest an interesting rule: everyone puts their favorite card into Yugi's deck. What do you think?" Bakura smiled innocently, asking for their opinions.

"Sounds fun." Jonouchi immediately put his Flame Swordsman into Yugi's deck.

"It looks like a lot of fun." Honda and Anzu followed suit, handing their cards to Yugi.

Hoshino looked at the card in her hand, Mash, and hesitated for a moment. But seeing her friends' enthusiastic eyes, she reluctantly handed Mash to Yugi.

"Master, you better be careful. That guy gives me a bad feeling." A familiar voice echoed in Hoshino's mind, making her pause for a moment.

She tried to recall who the voice belonged to.

"Medea, is that you?" Hoshino finally found the answer.

"Oh, hehe, I can't believe Master recognized me just by my voice." The semi-transparent Medea appeared behind Hoshino, gently placing her hand on her shoulder.

However, none of the surrounding friends noticed anything unusual, proving that only Hoshino could see Medea.

"The darkness within this boy's soul surpasses even mine as a witch," Medea whispered mysteriously in Hoshino's ear. "So let me handle this."

With a soft blow in Hoshino's ear, the semi-transparent Medea dispersed like smoke.

Unnoticed by anyone, the card Hoshino was about to hand to Yugi changed from Mash to Medea.

"Alright, now that everyone's favorite cards are in Yugi's deck," Bakura shuffled his deck, a hint of a sinister smile on his lips. "Let's have an enjoyable shadow game."

"Shadow game? Bakura, what are you talking about?" Yugi looked at Bakura in surprise.

Ding ding ding~~

"Why is there a wind chime sound?" Anzu looked around, puzzled.

"Millennium Ring." Bakura's expression changed, and a golden disc-like object emerged from his chest, the wind chime sound coming from its decorations.

As the Millennium Ring appeared, the surrounding scenery rapidly changed into a closed dark space, and the five of them lost consciousness without warning.

"Hmph, Millennium Puzzle, so easy to get." With a smug look on his face, Bakura reached for the Millennium Puzzle on Yugi's chest.

However, just as Bakura was about to touch it, the Millennium Puzzle lit up with a familiar glow.

"It's really a Shadow game. Bakura, who are you?" The Pharaoh, who had taken Yugi's place, stopped Bakura from stealing the Millennium Puzzle.

"Bakura? Just a body unaware of anything." Bakura pointed to his own head. "We're the same, aren't we, Yugi? You should know, whoever gathers the Millennium Items can gain everything in this world."

"Don't compare my friendship with my friends to you." The Pharaoh waved his right hand, denying Bakura's words. "Enough talk, let's start the shadow game!"

"If you win, I'll restore everyone's souls. If you lose, the Millennium Puzzle is mine."

"If you think you can do it!"

The duel began, a dark game that was like a battle of proxies.

"My turn, draw!" The Pharaoh launched his first attack, looking at his hand.

"I summon, in defense mode, Commander!"

[Commander★★Dark][Warrior-Type][ ATK:750 DEF:700]

Commander wasn't originally in Yugi's deck; it was Honda's favorite card.

But the materialized Commander shocked Yugi. "Honda?! What's going on?"

Miniature Honda, dressed as the Commander, appeared on the field. "Yugi?"

Honda looked up at the gigantic Yugi and then at his own outfit. "What's going on? Did I turn into a Duel Monster?"

"No time to explain, Honda. This is a Shadow game. Help me."

The Pharaoh quickly understood the situation. Hoshino and the others' souls were sealed in their cards, and they would appear on the field when summoned as monsters.

"Heh, seems you catch on quickly, Yugi." Bakura laughed coldly. "But it's too late now. My turn, I summon in attack mode, White Robed Thief."

[White Robed Thief★★★Light][Spellcaster-Type][ATK:1000DEF:700]

"White Robed Thief, attack Commander!"

"Ah? What's happening!" Honda (Commander), easily defeated, disappeared from the field.

"Defeated monsters naturally go to the graveyard, and their souls follow the cards to the graveyard too." Bakura explained, "If lost souls stay in the graveyard too long, they'll be taken by the Reaper and never wake up again."

"What!" The Pharaoh had never anticipated such a rule.

"Your turn, Yugi, play your card!" Bakura spread his hands, indicating the Pharaoh to continue.

"Damn, I can't let Honda stay in the graveyard. My turn, draw!"

"Use Spell Card, Monster Reborn, revive Commander!"

[Commander★★Dark][Warrior-Type]

"That was close, Yugi, almost got caught by the Reaper." Wiping sweat from his forehead, Honda said fearfully.

"Seems Bakura was telling the truth." The Pharaoh glanced at his hand, which, apart from Jonouchi's Flame Swordsman, had no monster card strong enough to defeat White Robed Thief.

After some thought, the Pharaoh placed Flame Swordsman on the table.

"I leave it to you, Jonouchi."