Chapter 103: Comedic Characters Are Invincible
"Hey, Pegasus! Why is Kaiba Dueling you?!" It was Joey who spoke. "Didn't you say we needed to collect ten Star Chips to Duel you?!"
Pegasus looked at Joey, a thoughtful expression on his face. "You are... Oh~ Yugi-boy's companion, Joey-boy, aren't you?"
"According to the Duelist Kingdom's rule, that is indeed the case. However, Kaiba-boy's stakes in this Duel are simply too high for even me to refuse his challenge, oh~"
"After all, he gambled his own Soul, didn't he~"
"Hmph!" Kaiba glared fiercely at Pegasus. "Stop with your pretentious words. If you hadn't hypnotized Mokuba, how could I possibly have agreed to your conditions!"
"Enough talk, Duel!"
Seeing that the Duel between the two was about to begin, Yugi quickly shouted to Kaiba below: "Kaiba, you must be careful of Pegasus's (*Dragon-Sealing Jar*)! That Jar renders even a (*Blue-Eyes White Dragon*) powerless!"
"You must carefully choose the Cards you use, Kaiba!"
When Yugi spoke, not only did his words reach those below, but even Chumley and the others beside him all turned to look at Yugi. Joey complained to him, "Why are you giving that guy Kaiba advice, Yugi! If that guy wins, then Grandpa will be...!"
"But Kaiba is also Dueling to save his younger brother, risking his life!" Yugi looked at Kaiba, their eyes meeting. In Kaiba's gaze, Yugi saw a hint of madness mixed with confusion, struggle, and anger. Knowing Kaiba's personality, Yugi had no doubt what he would do for victory. "So, he also has a reason why he can't lose!"
"Yugi... I understand! Your message, I've received it!"
Kaiba, below, took the First Turn and Drew a Card. Meanwhile, by the railings, the crowd, including Bandit Keith, saw a white-haired old man approaching from nearby.
"Croquet."
Chumley had seen this man behind Pegasus; he was the butler of Pegasus's castle.
"Chumley-san." Croquet bowed slightly, greeting Chumley. He then respectfully extended his arm and palm in one direction, speaking to Yugi and the others: "All of you qualifiers who have earned your Duelist Kingdom Top 8 qualification, congratulations on passing the Selection Stage."
"At Maximillion Pegasus's behest, all qualifiers, and the qualifiers' friends, if you are interested in Maximillion Pegasus's Duel with Seto Kaiba, please follow me to the Audience Seating to watch."
The group thought it better to sit than stand, and following the butler's arrangements, they all went to the Audience Seating. Yugi, Chumley, and Joey sat in the front row. Mai Valentine sat in the same row, one seat away from Joey. Téa, Tristan, and Bakura sat in the row behind them, while Bandit Keith stretched his legs out like a lord, monopolizing the very last row.
Unlike the towering Duel Arenas scattered across Duelist Kingdom Island, the Duel Arena in Pegasus's castle, being installed in the hall, wasn't very high. Combined with the Audience Seating being on the second floor, spectators didn't have to crane their necks to watch the entire Duel as they would outside. Now, from an elevated view, they could see the situation on the Duel Arena much more clearly.
Below, Pegasus and Kaiba's Duel was growing increasingly intense.
Kaiba, who took the First Turn, Summoned a (Lord of D.) and then Activated (The Flute of Summoning Dragon) to Summon two almost invincible (*Blue-Eyes White Dragon*)s. Boasting high Attack Points, they also gained the 'cannot be Targeted by card Effects' Effect from (Lord of D.). His two Set Cards in the Backrow also seemed to have protective Effects.
Under Duelist Kingdom rules, which allowed for direct attacks, any other duelist would struggle to survive even a single turn against this.
But the person opposite Kaiba was the creator of Duel Monsters, Pegasus, famously known as the "'Card Printer'".
Facing the invincible (*Blue-Eyes*), he first Summoned a Fodder (Normal Monster), (Archer Mermaid), then Activated a Spell Card, (*Toon World*), said to be the only one of its kind globally.
"In the world of Toons, there is no bloodshed, no death. It is the best and most beautiful world," Pegasus declared, speaking of his love for (*Toon World*) in a tone like a young girl talking about her first crush. "In (*Toon World*), my Monsters will never die!"
"That's too unfair! That kind of Card will ruin other duelists' experiences!" Joey watched as Pegasus's (Archer Mermaid) on the Field entered (*Toon World*), transforming into a (*Toon Mermaid*). Although its Attack Points, DEF, Type, Attribute, and Level remained unchanged, the entire (*Toon Mermaid*) Monster's art style dramatically shifted.
If one had to describe it, it went from the realistic-style Duel Monsters Chumley was used to seeing, to the 2D anime art style of the Cards he used to Duel with in his previous life—its eyes became large and watery, and even its shell grew a chibi-style face; its skin became smooth and soft, without a single wrinkle no matter how it moved; the bow and arrow it originally held looked like a child's toy, losing all sharpness.
If you thought (*Toon Mermaid*) was nothing special because she became cute, you'd be sorely mistaken. Under Pegasus's Improvised Rules, (*Toon Mermaid*) could not only bypass the wall formed by Kaiba's three powerful Monsters on the Field and Direct Attack Kaiba himself, but it also possessed an immunity of 'unaffected by card effects,' rendering it 'absolutely indestructible.'
Whether it was (Thunder Crash), (Man-Eater Bug), or even (*Lightning Vortex*), whether it was a Monster Effect, a Monster's Battle, or a Spell/Trap Card, and regardless of Targeting, Toon Monsters, whenever on the verge of death, would always manage to avoid the Attack and escape with various bizarre poses, just like protagonists in shonen manga who always find a way to turn the tide in a crisis.
No wonder Joey said such a thing.
"In cheerful Toon cartoons, no matter how much Damage they take, the characters can instantly recover and never die. Toon Monsters inherit this wonderful quality," Pegasus said proudly, even having the inclination to look towards the Audience Seating. "However, Toon Cards only me possess worldwide, so they won't affect other duelists' experiences~"
"After all, me also wish for Duel Monsters to develop even better~"
"He's gotten even more shameless, seriously," Chumley snarked.
Even Bandit Keith in the last row couldn't stand it anymore: "That Pegasus, he's as annoying as ever!"
* The anime version of Toons is ridiculously unfair.
* In the anime version of (*Toon World*), the protection has always meant it doesn't accept any attacks. This means that even cards like (Giant Rat) or (D.D. Assailant) can't destroy them in battle.
* They cannot be Destroyed, and they don't have the Real Card's Cost of 'banishing a card from the top of the Deck Face-down Position'.
* The Real Card for (*Toon World*) requires Paying 1000 LP. In the anime, it's 500 LP per Turn, but the fact that it can return (Can be Returned When Destroyed) is absurd. The manga version is even more outrageous, not even needing a Payment to become a Toon Monster directly.
* Direct Attacks don't waste an Attack.
* And what's more, they're cards Pegasus 'printed' himself.
* (Then I happily went to draw cards again, and got the fox killer! Yay~ Praise the developers!)
(end of chapter)