101 Who says you must win a duel? Losing can be even better!

PS: A quick question for everyone—after Malik’s duel, would you be interested in seeing the author’s reinterpretation of the “Jounouchi vs. Mai” and “Kaiba vs. Isis” duels, different from the original anime? Both would use their respective signature decks.

A: Yes.

B: No.

C: Just one of the two duels.

I’m coding and releasing this in real time, so when I finish Malik’s final chapter tomorrow, I’ll decide the storyline’s direction based on your choices.

……

“Attack, Sun God Ra! Direct attack on our beloved Shrimp Dumpling!”

“God Blaze Cannon!!”

Facing the divine might of the God Blaze Cannon, whose attack power was just one point shy of the 2500 attack of the flagship monster from the Yu-Gi-Oh! era protagonists, Yugi was sent flying backward in a sorry state.

There was no way around it—the only wall monster on the field was the “Lamb Derivative,” which had already been taken out by the Fiendish Shape Pestle earlier. His back row was filled with face-up life-draining combo cards. What could he possibly use to block the attack of the Pharaoh’s dragon?

Yugi’s sturdy physique, indomitable will, and prior experience feeling the power of the other two Pharaohs’ gods allowed him to merely be knocked back normally. Had it been anyone else, they might have been knocked out cold or worse, unable to continue the duel.

“No wonder this is the highest-ranked of the three Pharaoh gods! That attack really packs a punch!”

Despite his rough landing, Yugi’s clothes were only rumpled, and the skin that touched the ground was a bit red and itchy.

“Hmph! Holding up well, are we?”

Though the beam’s attack was just one point under 2500, that all depended on who was firing it!

The Sun God of the Three Pharaohs! An ordinary duelist would have fainted on the spot from just one hit!

“But that sound… it’s really beautiful~!”

The cry of surprise Yugi let out as he was flung away still echoed in the ears. Malik hugged his upper body, twisting around in obvious delight.

Once Yugi regained his stance at the duel position, Malik returned to normal and continued his turn.

“Now, I will activate the final effect of Sun God Ra’s second ability! Quick-Play Spell ‘Polymerization Release’ targeting myself!”

“What?! Polymerization Release on yourself?”

Jounouchi was dumbfounded watching Malik activate a card he had set earlier. Polymerization Release is a spell designed specifically to affect Fusion monsters, so was Malik sure he wasn’t mistaken? Or was he claiming to be a Fusion monster himself?

“Jounouchi! You’re not wrong to say that!”

Yugi cast an approving glance at Jounouchi. Whether Jounouchi had guessed or figured it out, it didn’t matter—he had spoken the correct answer.

“You probably remember, right? When Malik activated Sun God Ra’s second ability, he said, ‘The second special ability of the Sun God is to fuse the player with the god itself...’”

“Now, since Malik dares to activate Polymerization Release on himself, it means the fusion between player and god under Sun God Ra’s second ability counts as a ‘Fusion monster.’”

As Yugi analyzed, the duel system actually accepted Malik’s declaration. Under the effect of Polymerization Release, Malik’s form vanished from atop Sun God Ra’s head and returned to his original duel position, merging back with the Left Eye he had kept on the field.

“Yugi! Look quickly! Sun God Ra’s second ability has another effect!”

Following Jounouchi’s prompt, everyone turned to the small screen and saw that Malik’s life points, which had been reduced to 1 to activate Sun God Ra’s second ability, had now risen to 2500—the attack power of Sun God Ra plus one.

“The last effect of Sun God Ra’s second ability—after separating the fusion with the god and restoring the player’s human body, the god’s attack power becomes zero, and the lost power is converted into life energy, replenishing the controller’s life points!”

That explained why Malik’s life points had suddenly reached a safe threshold.

‘Just the second ability alone has so many overpowered effects… If all of them were unleashed…!’

Paying life points down to 1 and converting the god’s attack power; absorbing the souls of other monsters on the field to empower the god itself; using the Quick-Play spell “Polymerization Release” to separate the fusion—just this two-speed polymerization release could do so much; finally, all the god’s power converted into the controller’s life points!

And that was only Sun God Ra’s “second ability.” If the others were also revealed…

He didn’t dare think further, fearing his awe for the gods would only grow.

However, unlike Jounouchi and the others’ fear, Yugi and Kaiba were restless inside. Neither of them had yet personally experienced or faced the gods’ full power.

The top four! If they won their elimination matches, they’d face Yugi holding the three Pharaoh god cards in the semifinals!

Wait! Why were they so certain Yugi was one of the top four, wielding all three Pharaoh gods?

Just look at the current state of the duel—

“Malik! As your life points recover, I chain a trap card!”

Seeing Malik’s life points rise, Yugi activated the only set card on Malik’s side.

“Woodda! The trap card…”

“You want to say, ‘Trap cards have no effect on gods,’ don’t you?”

“…”

Suddenly interrupted by someone he despised, Malik’s face turned dark—though his skin was naturally a bit dark.

“Sorry! The trap card I activated, ‘Side Effects of Medicine,’ doesn’t target the Sun God behind you, but you—Malik! The dueling player!”

As Yugi revealed his target, Malik’s recovering life points suddenly halted, then plummeted rapidly toward the minimum life points of a duel monster!

“Side Effects of Medicine can invert the opponent’s life point gain effect, turning it into a reduction by the same amount!”

Hearing Yugi’s explanation and watching his life points crash, Malik chuckled before deciding to activate the card he had set at the start.

“Trap card ‘Damage Vaccine MAX’ activates! It transforms the recovery effect of Sun God Ra’s second ability—already inverted into damage by your ‘Side Effects of Medicine’—back into a healing effect! My life points still recover 2499 points!”

With Malik’s explanation, his life points halted again before rapidly climbing back to the original 2500.

“But what’s the use? At the end of your turn, your life points will drop back to three digits!”

Yugi shook his head. Wouldn’t it be easier just to let him drain the life points? Why bother with these pointless maneuvers?

Fusion quick-play to the graveyard, Interrogation Room + Necrovalley drains 600 life points; Sun God Winged Dragon to the graveyard, second time draining 600; now activating “Damage Vaccine MAX,” which will also be sent to the graveyard at turn’s end, triggering a triple 600-point drain combo.

“Say what you will.”

Malik, uncharacteristically silent, offered no rebuttal. Once “Damage Vaccine MAX” resolved, he declared the end of his turn. As Yugi predicted, the triple discard triggered a threefold combo—

“My turn. Draw!”

Watching Yugi start his new turn, Malik let out a smile—not the manic grin from before, but one born of genuine delight.

‘Who says you have to win a duel? Losing is even better!’