Chapter 410: Chakra Card Group
[TL/N: Read my new work - Detective Conan: I'm a Succubus?!]
----
-------
No one could have predicted this…
Poor Ishizu Ishtar had originally planned to make her grand entrance at the last moment—just before the airship was set to take off—relying on the future she had foreseen through the Millennium Necklace.
However—
Nami's interference had changed everything.
The future she once observed had now become completely unreliable.
As a result, she missed her opportunity to join the knockout round of the Duel Tournament.
For a brief moment, confusion flickered in Ishizu's eyes.
Then, she suddenly looked up at the sky, her gaze distant, her lips parting in a murmur—
"Has the being that shatters fate… arrived?"
An Hour Later – On the Airship
Under Kaiba Corporation's arrangements, the knockout round of the tournament was set to begin soon.
Without unnecessary delay, the group proceeded to the largest room aboard the airship—
A space that had been transformed into a broadcast studio for the elimination matches.
At this very moment, thousands of duelists were gathered in front of the big screen in Duel City, their excitement palpable as they eagerly awaited the start of the round.
In the center of the room stood a lottery machine, intricately designed in the shape of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Inside, eight small balls spun within its mechanism, each marked with a number from 1 to 8.
With the referee's explanation, the duelists quickly learned their assigned numbers based on their registration order.
Then—
With a loud buzz, the machine activated, causing the eight balls to spin violently.
Finally—
Two balls shot out, landing on opposite sides.
A brief silence fell over the room.
Then—
"Huh!?"
All eyes turned to Jounouchi Katsuya, whose confident smile had abruptly vanished.
The first matchup of the knockout round had been decided—
Jounouchi vs. Rishid (who was still disguised as Marik).
The duel would take place at the highest point of the airship, on a dueling arena that could extend upwards from within the aircraft.
It had to be said—
Anyone who had made it this far was no ordinary duelist.
Jounouchi might not have possessed rare and expensive cards, nor did he wield Duel Monsters of legendary fate, but—
His luck was unmatched.
And with that luck, he managed to defeat the impostor Marik, who relied on a trap-heavy deck!
However—
In a desperate bid to take Jounouchi down with him, Rishid activated a counterfeit version of the God Card—a move that incurred divine wrath.
At that moment—
With both duelists at a mere 200 Life Points, twin bolts of lightning struck from above, rendering them both unconscious.
For a moment, it seemed as if the match had ended in a draw.
But then—
Against all odds—
Jounouchi, fueled by the power of friendship, forced himself to stand.
The referee's final ruling echoed through the arena—
"Rishid is unable to continue! The winner of this duel is… JOUNOUCHI KATSUYA!!!"
However—
Just as the dust settled, the unconscious Rishid suddenly awakened.
Under the influence of an unseen force, he inadvertently revealed the truth—
He was NOT Marik.
And just like that—
The real Marik Ishtar, who had remained hidden all this time, was exposed before everyone's eyes.
Though Marik had no real intention of staying in hiding, the way his identity was revealed left one spectator particularly amused.
Nami.
Watching from the sidelines, she couldn't help but smirk, silently mocking the absurdity of it all.
"Sure enough, something is seriously off about this world… and the people in it."
With an entertained expression, she casually observed Marik's reaction while suppressing a chuckle.
Then again—
How serious could a world truly be where all power was expressed through a card game?
As the situation with Marik settled, Nami—who had been eavesdropping for a while now—finally pieced everything together.
At last, she understood what these people were after.
Their goal… was the same as hers.
They all sought to obtain the God Cards.
In that instant, Nami's mindset shifted.
Because now—
They weren't just competitors.
They were trying to take what was rightfully hers.
The God Cards were already something she had set her sights on!
Trailing behind the crowd, Nami's lips curled into a faint smile.
Her senses told her that two God Cards remained—
One in Yugi Muto's possession.
And the other…
With the real Marik Ishtar.
If she could win this tournament, then—
She wouldn't just claim victory.
She would secure an unexpected reward of 300,000 points!
The thought alone sent a rush of excitement through her veins.
And then—
"The second match—Mai Valentine vs. Marik Ishtar!!!"
The referee in black called out the next duel.
Instantly—
The atmosphere in the room shifted.
"Mai… against Marik!?"
Jounouchi's eyes widened in alarm.
He had barely survived a fight against a fake Marik—and nearly got struck by divine lightning in the process.
But now—
Mai was up against the real Marik.
A man who, like Pegasus, possessed a Millennium Item.
And worse—
A God Card.
Jounouchi clenched his fists, his mind racing with concern.
The methods used by this group of duelists were far beyond normal.
He wanted to warn Mai, to tell her to be careful—
But in the end—
All of his thoughts condensed into just one sentence.
With all the strength he could muster, he shouted—
"Mai! You got this!!!"
Mai's ears perked up at the sound of Jounouchi's voice.
For a split second—
Her earlobes turned red.
With an annoyed huff, she turned and rolled her eyes, though the slight smile on her lips betrayed her emotions.
Then, with a playful smirk, she shot back—
"Tch, you don't have to tell me! I'll do my best, too!!!"
As soon as the words left her lips, Mai strode confidently toward the duel arena.
However—
At that moment…
A voice broke through the air, halting her steps.
"Mai, this time, your opponent is formidable."
It was Nami, who had been watching from the sidelines, nearly invisible until now.
Then, she added—
"I permit you to use your full power~"
—Silence.
Mai suddenly stopped in her tracks.
After a brief pause, she slowly turned her head back, a confident smile forming on her lips. Her eyes glimmered with determination.
"Understood, Captain."
Everyone: ???
"Captain?"
Jounouchi and the others exchanged bewildered glances before turning their attention to Nami.
With a smirk, Nami crossed her arms over her chest, subtly lifting the considerable weight in front of her, and explained with a teasing grin:
"I lead a team of Card Hunters who duel others for rare cards."
"And Mai is now part of my crew."
Then, tilting her head slightly, she added with a playful glint in her eyes—
"By the way, you all seem pretty strong. Want to join us?"
"Card Hunter Squad?"
Yugi Muto's brows furrowed in concern.
Jounouchi, standing beside him, didn't hesitate—
"No way! Mai has turned over a new leaf! She'd never do something like that again!"
"Hey, hey~" Nami waved her hand dismissively.
"Relax! We're just making the game more interesting. It's not like we're committing a crime."
Then, with a knowing smirk, she leaned in slightly.
"Besides…"
"Isn't wagering rare cards a rule officially sanctioned by Kaiba Corp?"
The room fell momentarily silent.
A smug smile played on Nami's lips, but she no longer paid attention to Yugi and the others.
Instead, she followed Mai as they made their way to the duel arena.
Outside the airship, the howling wind whipped through the night, sending everyone's hair fluttering wildly.
With the grinding clank of gears, a platform slowly ascended from the airship's structure, rising into place.
On opposite ends of the dueling arena, the two combatants stood poised for battle.
Mai Valentine vs. Marik Ishtar.
At that moment—
Marik—the master of sinister expressions—tilted his head downward.
The shadows of his hair veiled his face, save for the sly grin curling at his lips.
Then, with a low, menacing chuckle—
"Heh… Hehehehe…."
Letting out a classic villain's laugh, he exhaled deeply, before finally setting his golden eyes on Mai.
"So… are you today's sacrifice?"
His voice dripped with mockery.
"My darkness has been thirsting… for so long."
As the winds intensified, Marik's smooth hair twisted into untamed spikes, reminiscent of a battle-ready beast.
It was a sign—
The dark personality within the Millennium Rod had now completely taken over.
One hand resting on his hip, Marik regarded Mai with utter disdain.
Yet—
His opponent remained unshaken.
Mai, seemingly unfazed, continued fine-tuning her deck, her eyes glimmering with intrigue.
"Since my opponent is a God… then it's only right that you show me—"
She tightened her grip on her deck and smirked.
"—the true power hidden within these cards."
Despite Nami's modifications to her body, Mai had only had these abilities for half a day.
Even she didn't fully understand the extent of her newfound power.
Before, Nami had restricted her, fearing that uncontrolled strength might unintentionally harm other duelists.
But now—
With her captain's approval, she could finally go all out.
Ignoring Marik's villainous monologue, Mai gave a slight nod to the referee—
Signaling the start of the duel.
"Tch. Arrogant woman!"
The instant Mai dismissed him, Marik's face darkened.
But there was no more time for words.
The referee gave the command, and in perfect synchronization, both duelists activated their Duel Disks.
In an instant—
The air crackled with energy, the tension rising like a storm about to break.
Here in this world—
No matter their motives, when the cards were drawn, everyone became serious.
Mai was no exception.
She smirked, confidently lifting her Duel Disk.
"My turn! Draw!"
With a swift, fluid motion, she pulled a card from her deck.
Then—
Her smirk deepened.
"I activate the effect of the Field Spell—[God Tree Sapling]!"
Gasps rippled through the spectators.
"A Field Spell… activated directly from the deck?"
At the announcement, duelists from both sides of the stage exchanged uncertain glances.
Even Kaiba, watching from above, narrowed his eyes.
"Another card that doesn't exist in any official records?"
His gaze flickered toward Nami.
Click!
One by one, Mai's cards slid into position, the duel disk seamlessly arranging them into place.
Then—
With a commanding gesture—
She spread her arms wide.
"Descend upon this world—God Tree Sapling!"
A radiant blue light flickered around her, illuminating her figure beneath the moonlit sky.
Then—
Without warning—
A God Tree erupted from the ground, its countless twisted branches spiraling upwards like ancient tendrils.
It stretched higher and higher, its gnarled limbs weaving together until they enveloped the entire dueling arena.
Then—
The branches spread outward, slowly wrapping around the airship itself.
A strange, almost fragrant scent filled the air.
Taking a deep breath, Mai savored the moment before declaring—
"The Field Spell [God Tree Sapling] bestows Chakra upon all creatures, transforming every monster on my field into a [Ninja]!"
She pointed toward the towering tree, her voice unwavering.
"Once transformed, each Ninja gains 500 Attack and Defense points."
"And once per turn, I can randomly draw from my deck a number of [Ninjutsu] cards equal to the number of Ninjas on my field."
Then, her smirk deepened.
"Lastly—so long as my Life Points remain untouched, this Field Spell cannot be affected by any card effects!"
A hush fell over the battlefield.
For a brief moment—
Even Marik's sinister smile faltered.
This was the power that Nami had carefully chosen for Mai—
A force that originated from the world of Naruto.
Ninja Power.
Through the transformation rules of the Yu-Gi-Oh! world, both Chakra and Ninjutsu had been adapted into cards that seamlessly fit the game's mechanics.
At this moment—
Marik's eyes narrowed.
"A card… activated directly from the deck?"
His gaze flickered toward the God Tree sapling that had now overtaken the entire duel field.
A strange sensation crept into his heart.
Yet, Mai gave him no time to dwell on it.
Without hesitation, she drew a card from her hand.
"I Normal Summon—[Cyber Harpie Lady]!"
A brilliant light erupted, illuminating the battlefield—
In a dazzling flash, a graceful young girl materialized before Mai.
She had an elegant figure, and mechanical wings adorned her back, glimmering with ethereal radiance.
Mai smirked.
"Due to the effect of [God Tree Sapling], [Cyber Harpie Lady]'s race changes from 'Harpie' to 'Ninja'!"
"And since I now control a Ninja monster, I can randomly draw one Ninjutsu card from my deck!"
The God Tree dominating the battlefield slowly extended a branch, reaching toward Cyber Harpie Lady.
At its tip, a mystical white fruit began to form, shimmering with energy.
Cyber Harpie Lady reached out, plucked the fruit of the God Tree, and ate it—
In an instant—
A surge of power coursed through her!
[Cyber Harpie Lady: ATK 1800 → 2300]
At the same time, a new card appeared in Mai's hand.
She glanced at it—
Then sighed slightly.
"Oh? Not an offensive Jutsu… What a shame."
Despite her feigned disappointment, she wasted no time—
"I activate the Equip Spell—[Ninjutsu: Hidden Mist Technique]!"
She swiftly placed the card onto her Duel Disk.
"This card can only be equipped to a Ninja monster."
"Its effect? It shrouds the equipped target in mist, rendering it untargetable by attacks or card effects!"
With a flick of her wrist, Mai set the spell in motion.
On the battlefield—
Cyber Harpie Lady pressed her hands together, forming a series of rapid hand seals.
Then—
She inhaled deeply, puffing up her cheeks—
And in the next instant—
A thick mist erupted from her lips, quickly spreading across the field.
Her silhouette vanished into the dense fog, completely concealed from view.
Mai chuckled softly.
"I'll set two cards face down and end my turn."
It was now Marik's turn.
Yet, instead of drawing his card immediately, he stood still—
His lips curled into a slow, mocking grin.
Then—
A low chuckle escaped his throat.
"Heh… Hehehe… Not bad."
"As a warm-up, you pass."
Then, with a flourish, he drew his next card.
"My turn!"
"I summon—[Regenerator Slime] in Defense Position!"
A grotesque, liquid-like creature slithered onto the field.
Its gelatinous body twisted unnaturally, revealing a ghostly face that seemed to wail in agony.
[Regenerator Slime: DEF 500]
Marik smirked.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card—[Multiply Slime]!"
The air crackled with energy.
"At the start of each turn, this card generates a Slime Token!"
Then, turning his gaze toward Mai, his smirk widened.
"So? What now, woman?"
His voice dripped with mocking amusement.
"If you don't attack me soon, my Slime monsters will multiply endlessly… until they completely surround you!"
A sinister glint flashed in his eyes.
"Tch! What a disgusting guy!"
In the stands, Jounouchi clenched his fists, glaring at Marik with barely restrained fury.
The arrogance in that man's voice…
It made his blood boil.
If not for the duel rules, he might have stormed onto the field himself for a more physical confrontation.
Yet—
Beside him, Yugi Muto stood silent, arms folded, his expression serious.
He had dueled Marik earlier that morning.
And now—
Marik was using the same strategy.
"Did he even shuffle his deck…?"
Yugi frowned.
However—
A sudden feeling pricked at his senses.
Subtle yet undeniable.
His eyes flickered toward the edge of the audience—
Where Nami stood, watching with an unreadable smile.
Yugi's instincts screamed—
There was something… unnatural about her presence.
Something that made even him feel uneasy.
And yet—
The moment he tried to focus on it—
It was gone.
Yugi's eyes narrowed.
"Was it… just my imagination?"
But before he could think further—
Nami suddenly turned her head, meeting his gaze directly.
For a fleeting moment—
The two locked eyes.
Yami Yugi wasn't one to shy away from a stare-down.
Instead, he spoke up first—
His voice was low and firm.
"Miss Nami, I don't know what your connection to Mai is… but if you truly care about her—"
His gaze darkened.
"Tell her to surrender before it's too late."
"That man—Marik—holds the power of a God."
A heavy silence followed.
Yami Yugi wasn't issuing a threat.
He was giving a warning.
A genuine one.
He had witnessed firsthand the terror of Marik's dark power—
And he knew what awaited anyone who challenged him.
But—
To his surprise—
Nami simply smiled.
A slow, knowing smile.
Then—
She spoke.
"I appreciate the concern."
"But whether Mai fights or not… that's her decision to make."
Then, her smirk deepened.
"Besides…"
Her voice softened, but the confidence behind it was unshakable.
"The power she's using now?"
She turned her gaze back to the duel field, where Mai stood, her stance unwavering.
Then—
With a chilling certainty, she finished:
"That's only the tip of the iceberg."