"Yugi?"
"The Joey I know, even though he often doesn't even read his own card effects and prefers powerful Monsters over Spell/Trap Cards, he's never been an indecisive person." Yugi smiled. "You and I, Joey, are the same; we both have reasons to make it to the end of Duelist Kingdom."
Joey understood; Yugi had seen through his current unusual state and was reminding him. "Let's Duel, Joey, staking our honor as Duelists, letting go of all burdens and Dueling without worries."
Joey lowered his head and remained silent for a moment, then looked up again, a smile appearing on his face. "I understand, thank you, Yugi."
"Then, my attack is coming!" Joey's previously somber mood was re-invigorated, his voice rising several decibels. "I activate the Spell Card in my Hand, (Forbidden Chalice)! It increases my (Panther Warrior)'s ATK by 400 points, but its effect is negated!"
A golden goblet appeared in (Panther Warrior)'s hand. Taking a sip of the red, blood-like liquid, (Panther Warrior)'s aura intensified considerably.
[(Panther Warrior)] [ATK2000→2400]
Joey wiped his nose, smiling as he said, "While (Forbidden Chalice) can increase other Monsters' ATK, its effect is usually a drawback. But for (Panther Warrior), its own effect is the biggest drawback!"
"(Panther Warrior), attack that (Giant Shield Gardna) in Attack Position on Yugi's Field!" Joey commanded. The panther warrior immediately gripped its scimitar and appeared before the shield-wielding warrior. The sharp blade cut through the air, leaving a crescent arc, and (Giant Shield Gardna) was indeed destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. "This is my earnest Duel in return for you, Yugi!"
"I accept your sentiments, Joey." Even though his Monster was destroyed and his Life Points dropped significantly, Yugi smiled.
[Yugi: 4000 LP→1700]
The smoke and dust left behind after (Giant Shield Gardna) was destroyed quickly dissipated, but amidst the swirling dust, a figure slowly stood up.
"After you destroyed (Giant Shield Gardna), I activated this Set Card." Yugi pointed to the revealed Card in his Back Row. "(Dark Boundary)! After I take damage, I can Special Summon a DARK Spellcaster-Type Monster with ATK equal to or less than the damage I took from my Deck."
"Hehe, it's me!" the Monster that appeared on Yugi's Field said playfully. Beneath a sky-blue, low-cut mage's robe and a cute pink skirt was fair, white skin. She wore a slightly oversized hat on her golden hair. Noticing Hayato's gaze on her, she even winked cutely in his direction.
"S-so cute!" Joey covered his nose with one hand, his cheeks flushing red, seemingly captivated by the Monster's cuteness. "To make a Duel Monster's projection so cute, that Kaiba guy, he actually has some skills."
As soon as this sentence was uttered, the others didn't react much. Mai Valentine, however, stood up from her seat and shouted towards Yugi, "Hey, Yugi! Give that Joey guy a good lesson for me! Don't hold back!"
Mai Valentine, shouting and yelling contrary to her usual lady-like demeanor, made Sheppard lean his head towards Hayato's ear in surprise. "Um, Hayato? Is Miss Mai always like this? And why is she suddenly so agitated?"
"They're a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman; it's normal for us not to understand the ambiguous stuff between men and women, Uncle Sheppard." Hayato lowered his voice, freely spreading gossip about Joey and Mai Valentine, knowing they couldn't hear him. "I'm telling you, they're actually 'that kind' of relationship, you know."
"Oh, she's jealous."
Suddenly encouraged by Mai Valentine from the sidelines, even the usually calm Yami Yugi couldn't help but be slightly surprised, but he quickly recovered and said to Joey, "Ahem, anyway, the Duel continues."
"The Battle Damage I took from (Panther Warrior) was 2300 points. So, with (Dark Boundary)'s effect, I can Special Summon a DARK Spellcaster-Type Monster with 2300 or less ATK from my Deck. And the one I Summon is this, the 2000 ATK (Dark Magician Girl)!"
[(Dark Magician Girl)] [Level 6/DARK]
[Spellcaster-Type/Effect]
[2000/1700]
"So, you guided me earlier not to hesitate and to Duel seriously, was it just so you could Summon a Monster with even higher ATK? Yugi, you're really underhanded!" Joey retorted, glancing at his empty Hand, then said resignedly, "Well then, My Turn ends."
[Joey: 3200 LP, Hand 0]
[(Gearfried the Iron Knight)] [ATK1800]
[(Panther Warrior)] [ATK2400→2000]
Yugi: "My Turn, Draw!"
Looking at the Card he just added to his Hand, Yugi smiled. "Then I'm going on the offensive, Joey."
"I Normal Summon (Queen's Knight) in Attack Position, which returned to my Hand earlier! Then I activate the Spell Card, (The A. Forces)!"
The valiant female knight — (Queen's Knight) — returned to the Field once more. As soon as she appeared, a blue light emanated from (Dark Magician Girl) and entered (Queen's Knight)'s body.
[(Queen's Knight)] [ATK1500→1900]
"It gained 400 ATK in one go?"
Yugi explained, "(The A. Forces)'s effect is: for every Warrior-Type or Spellcaster-Type Monster on my Field, all Warrior-Type Monsters I control gain 200 ATK."
"I have the Spellcaster-Type (Dark Magician Girl) and the Warrior-Type (Queen's Knight) on my Field. Therefore, all Warrior-Type Monsters on my Field gain 400 ATK." Yugi paused, a smile appearing on his face. "Although I say 'all,' my only Warrior-Type Monster is (Queen's Knight)."
"Then, (Queen's Knight) and (Dark Magician Girl), attack (Gearfried the Iron Knight) and (Panther Warrior), respectively!"
Through the sacred F2 connection, Yugi's 'Amazoness army' on the Field launched a full-scale attack on Joey's Monsters. (Queen's Knight), receiving Support from (Dark Magician Girl), had its ATK increased to 1900 points, which was exactly 100 points higher than the ATK of (Gearfried the Iron Knight), which had almost destroyed her earlier. With a single swing of her blade, she cut through steel, successfully avenging herself.
Meanwhile, (Dark Magician Girl) and (Panther Warrior), with identical ATK, were caught in a Mutual Destruction.
(end of chapter)