"Haaahhhhhh—!!!"
Facing the crushing shadow of death and a dead end, Tristan's roar exploded like a wounded beast!
"Even if I'm gonna die—it's gotta be on my own terms!!!"
His words were nearly frenzied, but in the peak of despair burst forth a terrifying ferocity!
He skidded to a sudden stop, planting himself as if rooted to the ground, and spun around!
Muscles bulged across his body, his right fist clenched tight, carrying the resolve to shatter jade and stone along with all his strength, swinging toward that terrifying boulder filling his vision—
"Break for me!!!"
The punch howled through the air!
Téa, Yugi, and Bakura had already shut their eyes in despair, unwilling to witness the next moment of blood and gore.
Their hearts pounded as if to burst from their chests!
Bang—crash!
The expected impact and shattering never came. Instead, there was a loud, almost comically so—
Explosion?
Right after, countless thin fragments pattered to the ground.
"Eh…?"
Everyone cautiously opened their eyes in confusion.
The ferocious "boulder" that seemed ready to crush everything had vanished without a trace.
On the ground lay heaps of grayish-white, crumpled…balloon scraps?
Tristan remained frozen mid-punch, the space before his fist empty, his face a mixture of savage fierceness, lingering fear, and…a dazed bewilderment at striking nothing.
He looked like a ridiculous statue that had just finished a "heroic" pose.
"It's…a balloon?"
Téa gaped, completely unable to comprehend the absurd twist.
Yugi's sharp gaze swept to the side of the passage—a square speaker disguised as a rock lay quietly there, its connecting cable exposed.
"The sound…came from that disguised speaker…"
He pointed at the "culprit" on the ground, his tone complicated.
Yuto glanced at the mess of balloon scraps, then at the statue-still Tristan. The corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably before it finally became a sigh filled with exasperation and irritation.
"...We were played for fools."
"..."
Tristan finally snapped out of his "heroic sacrifice" stupor.
He slowly drew back his fist, looked at his own hand, then at the balloon shreds and that damned speaker…
A tidal wave of fury at being tricked instantly swept away all reason!
His entire face flushed red, veins bulged on his forehead, and he suddenly threw back his head to roar thunderously into the depths of the cave.
"Pegasus—!!! You bastard!!!"
His bellow rumbled through the tunnel, full of enraged humiliation.
Fortunately, after this "scare," the path ahead seemed to settle down, with no further tricks.
The group, carrying a sense of absurdity after surviving and suppressing their urge to laugh at Tristan's "hero moment," retraced their steps to the fork.
They passed through a relatively normal corridor until the space suddenly opened up—a chamber hewn by human hands, outfitted with a standard Duel arena, appeared before them.
And on the arena, the figure they had been desperately searching for was completely absorbed in a Duel!
"Joey!"
They shouted Joey's name in unison.
"Everyone—?!"
Joey spun around, eyes lighting with sudden joy at the sight of his friends at the arena's edge!
"Joey!"
Tristan dashed to the arena's side in a single stride, demanding anxiously.
"What the hell is going on?! Why are you having a Duel in a place like this?"
"You think I want this?!"
Joey angrily pointed toward several malicious figures across the arena.
"It's them! They used dirty tricks to force me into this match!"
"What?!"
Yuto, Yugi, and Téa's faces instantly darkened.
At that moment, two hostile figures closed in fast, blocking the path between the group and the arena.
One was tall and skinny like a bamboo pole, eyes sinister; the other was thick with muscle, face full of brutish menace.
"Stop!"
Yuto and Tristan barked the order almost simultaneously, stepping forward without hesitation to shield Téa and Yugi, their cold gazes locking on the blockers.
"What do you want?"
"What do we want?"
The tall one let out a chilling laugh.
"Of course, we're here to make sure the Duel goes smoothly. We won't let meddling pests like you spoil Mr. Keith's fun!"
The burly man cracked his knuckles with a loud pop, grinning viciously.
"That's right! You wanna pass? Get through us brothers first!"
"Hmph! Overestimating yourselves!"
Yuto snorted coldly, his eyes flashing like lightning as he looked past the thugs to the figure lounging with legs crossed at the back of the arena, a stars-and-stripes bandana on his head—Bandit Keith!
"Then try us! Haaah—!"
Tristan's hot temper ignited in an instant!
With a furious roar, he lunged first at the muscular thug like a tiger descending the mountain!
Almost simultaneously, Yuto's figure became a swift gale, striking at the lanky one with deadly speed!
In a flash, the heavy thuds of fists and the cries of pain echoed one after another!
"Ugh—"
The two goons crumpled to the ground, completely unable to block them anymore.
"Enough!"
Yuto stepped to the arena's edge, eyes blazing as he fixed his gaze on Bandit Keith.
"A Duel forced by such despicable means is invalid! End it now!"
"Hmph! Shut your mouth!"
Bandit Keith finally spoke lazily, his contemptuous eyes sweeping over Yuto before landing back on Joey.
"Brat, don't make excuses! No matter the process, by the rules, once he stepped onto the arena, that means he accepted the challenge!"
His voice was hoarse and arrogant, dripping with rogue authority.
"Tch…!"
Tristan ground his teeth, kicking the groaning muscleman on the ground, then suddenly pulled Joey's yellow wallet from his pocket and hurled it forcefully toward the arena!
"Joey! Look at this! Don't lose to this trash! Think of who you have to protect!"
The wallet arced through the air.
Joey instinctively caught it, fingertips brushing the familiar edge of a laminated photo.
He looked down, and Serenity's gentle smile instantly filled his vision.
"Tristan…"
Joey tightened his grip on the wallet, a burning surge rushing to his eyes, his once-wavering gaze turning fiercely resolute.
"Enough talk already, huh?!"
Bandit Keith impatiently tapped his boot against the floor.
"Kid, stop wasting my time! Either surrender now, hand over your Star Chips, and scram! Or…"
He bared his teeth in a cruel grin.
"Continue! Let me savor every second of your dying struggle!"
...
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