Yugioh [778-780]

Chapter 778: Don’t Even Think About Leaving Today

“The source of darkness? Me?”

Joey looked at Pegasus, baffled.

“That’s right, Joey Boy.” Pegasus’s expression was grave. He leaned forward slightly and asked in a low voice:

“Have you, recently… come into contact with an existence from another dimension?”

Joey froze, then suddenly understood.

Right. The so-called cosmic darkness, the power of the root of darkness… could he mean the Supreme King?
If that’s the case, then it’s true. Not only had he made contact—he was practically living with that source now. He also knew the Supreme King had already entered Jaden’s body.

“Well… you could say that.” Joey looked up at the ceiling.

“We’ve confirmed that it’s an extremely dangerous existence,” Pegasus said. “If you know what that root is—or who it is—please cooperate with us.

Because this concerns world security.”

Joey fell silent.

If it was about world security, he could understand. He knew how dangerous that being called the Supreme King was. That overwhelming darkness ranked near the top among all the villains he’d seen in his life—and he, Joey the streetwise, had truly seen a lot; there weren’t many big scenes he hadn’t witnessed.

But…

“If you find out who it is,” Joey looked up and said, “then you’ll take extreme measures to control him—or even eliminate him, right?”

“Only if necessary—but yes.”

Pegasus didn’t dodge the point and answered frankly.

“We must think of the world’s safety.”

“I see… well, that’s understandable.” Joey nodded. “All right. If I learn anything, I’ll contact you immediately.”

But Pegasus didn’t accept that. His one remaining eye narrowed further.

“You refuse to cooperate, Joey Boy,” he said. “You’re trying to protect that person. Why?”

Joey went quiet again.

Then he spread his hands helplessly.

“Okay, since you can already tell… yes.” Joey said seriously, “I’ve gotten to know him well, so I trust that kid. I know he won’t be a threat.

And there’s one more thing you should know, Pegasus.”

He held his serious expression for a few seconds.

Then suddenly grinned.

“I, Joey Wheeler, have never in my life done anything to betray a friend.”

Pegasus stared at him blankly for a moment.

Then he sighed lightly and brushed aside the long hair covering half his face.

“Well, I figured you might say that. As expected, Joey Boy—you’ve already been ‘infected by the Cosmic Dark.’”

“What?” Joey muttered. “I’m not infected by anything—”

As he spoke, there was a metallic clang. Joey turned toward the sound and saw every window and the main door of the castle room drop thick metal shutters in unison, like armor plates, sealing the chamber airtight—not even a mosquito could get out.

Joey sprang to his feet.

“Pegasus, what does this mean?”

Pegasus also rose, unhurriedly walked to the opposite side, and slipped on a Duel Disk from who-knows-where.

“It means you’re not leaving here today, Joey Boy.”

Joey finally realized what was going on. “Wait—are you really Pegasus?”

“Of course, the genuine article. I’ve merely gained a brand-new perspective.” Pegasus said coolly. “And now, through a duel, I’ll share that perspective with you.”

“Tch, looks like there’s no avoiding a fight. Fine by me.”

Joey unfolded his Duel Disk as well.

“You were never that great to begin with, Pegasus—but at least you were more normal than you are now. I’ll use this duel to knock some sense back into you.”

“Heh.” Pegasus sneered. “Back in Duelist Kingdom, I didn’t even spare you a glance. You were nothing but Yugi Muto’s accessory, an insignificant little sidekick.

From Duelist Kingdom to now, our difference in strength hasn’t changed one bit—allow me to show you.”

“Duel!” x2
[Joey, LP 4000]
[Pegasus, LP 4000]

“I’ll go first. Draw!”

Joey slapped a monster card onto the disk.

“I Normal Summon ‘The Black Stone of Legend’!”

A black stone radiating dark red light appeared on Joey’s field, with a fiery glow within like rippling magma.

[The Black Stone of Legend, ATK 0]

“The Red-Eyes Black Stone—quite a rare Red-Eyes support card.” Pegasus smiled. “Seems you haven’t been idle these years, Joey Boy.”

“Then I tribute ‘The Black Stone of Legend’ to activate its effect!” Joey said. “By tributing this card, I can Special Summon a Level 7 or lower ‘Red-Eyes’ monster from my Deck!

Show yourself, my soul, the legendary black dragon that forges infinite possibility—

—Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Summon!”

It was like the pent-up fury deep within the earth finally erupted; unstoppable magma surged like a raging tide, the primordial roar of the land itself.

Scalding currents danced through the air; as they crashed down, blazing fragments scattered. The churning magma coalesced into draconic claws. The heavy flow condensed into jet-black scales; a long tail unfurled, its surface etched with molten trails. Giant bone-wings spread slowly under a baptism of lava, as if forged from pure flame.

Red-Eyes Black Dragon descended!

[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK 2400]

“The legendary dragon stands proud as ever, no matter how much time passes.” Pegasus paused, then chuckled. “But if I’m not mistaken, it was Rex Raptor’s soul card originally, wasn’t it?”

“A-hem…”

Joey coughed, indicating that maybe they shouldn’t bring that up.

Yeah… his summoning chant now called it his own soul, but Red-Eyes originally was Rex’s. Back on this very island, he’d defeated then world runner-up Rex Raptor and took Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

Since then, Red-Eyes’s family name has been Joey.

“I set one card and end my turn!”

“My turn. Draw.”

Pegasus drew, glanced at his hand, and revealed a slightly dangerous smile.

“Back then in Duelist Kingdom, we never faced each other directly, did we? Well, that was your good luck, Joey Boy.”

Joey said nothing.

Hard to refute. He’d been a rookie, and Pegasus the final boss. Even Yugi struggled, and Kaiba lost and had his soul stolen.

But Pegasus had the Millennium Eye then; now he’d lost his main power source. And Joey himself was no longer the same.

“Let’s make up for the missed match today—”

Pegasus revealed a card.

“I activate the Continuous Spell ‘Toon Kingdom’!”

Chapter 779: Reunion with an Old Foe

Toon Kingdom, activate!

A massive book appeared on Pegasus’s field and flipped open with a flutter. A tiny cartoon castle popped out from the pages, torches lit on either side of the gate, and red pennants fluttered atop the tower.

“To activate Toon Kingdom, I must banish the top five cards of my Deck face-down.” (Anime effect)

Pegasus calmly drew the top five cards from his Deck.

“I banish the top five cards of my Deck.”

“Toon… Kingdom?”

Joey felt a twinge of unease and focused.

Pegasus claimed to be retired, but clearly hadn’t been idle. He was sure Pegasus didn’t have this card back in the day.

Joey knew Pegasus used “Toon” cards—Pegasus, the father of Duel Monsters, had printed himself an exclusive deck, one of a kind in the world. The monsters were all cute, mischievous caricatures.

But back then the key card of the Toon series was the Continuous Spell “Toon World.”

All Toon monsters depended on Toon World being on the field to exist. Joey had never heard of “Toon Kingdom” back then.

Toon Kingdom first appeared when Pegasus reappeared in GX. It didn’t get printed right away; only the contemporary video game “Tag Force” featured it.

In Tag Force, Toon Kingdom matched the anime effect exactly and was a Continuous Spell. When it was finally printed in real life, it became a Field Spell with some tweaks.

Compared to the anime, the printed card added protection—“Toon monsters you control cannot be targeted by your opponent’s card effects”—which was overall a buff.

“Be careful, Joey Boy,” Pegasus smiled. “My Toons come out guns blazing.

I Normal Summon ‘Mystical Elf’!”

A blue-skinned, blond-haired elf-like caster appeared, hands clasped as if in prayer.

[Mystical Elf, ATK 800]

“Then I activate the Quick-Play Spell ‘Magical Dimension’!” Pegasus said. “I can activate this only while I control a Spellcaster-type monster.

I tribute one monster I control and Special Summon a Spellcaster-type monster from my hand!”

He pointed at the newly summoned mage.

“I tribute ‘Mystical Elf’ and Special Summon from my hand a Spellcaster—”

Pegasus beamed and flashed a card.

“Come forth, my cutest Toon monster—

—Toon Dark Magician Girl, Summon!”

Toon Kingdom’s giant book snapped shut, then whooshed open again. A petite magical girl flipped gracefully through the air, landing light as a feather—fair legs in round-toed boots, a pretty, youthful face, and an impish gleam in her eyes.

[Toon Dark Magician Girl, ATK 2000]

“Toon Dark Magician Girl?”

Joey stared at the chibi Dark Magician Girl that popped out.

“You bastard—you even tooned Yugi’s Dark Magician Girl…”

Back then, Pegasus loved turning others’ ace monsters into his own Toons: Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes became Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon, Yugi’s Dark Magician became Toon Dark Magician, even Toon Summoned Skull, and so on…
But Joey remembered there wasn’t a Toon Dark Magician Girl back in Duelist Kingdom—Yugi hadn’t even summoned DMG yet; she debuted in Battle City.

“Indeed. See? Isn’t this version much cuter?”

Pegasus gestured proudly at his chibi DMG.

“No way! The original is obviously cuter!” Joey retorted righteously.

“Tsk tsk.”

Pegasus shook his head.

“You really don’t appreciate art. My Toons are cuter in every way. You can feel her power with your body.”

He swept his hand.

“Magical Dimension’s follow-up effect isn’t over!

After Special Summoning a Spellcaster with this effect, destroy one monster your opponent controls!”

Pegasus pointed at Joey’s field and sneered.

“Red-Eyes is nostalgic and all, but he can leave now.”

Boom!
Red-Eyes Black Dragon was sucked into a golden coffin-like container, chains crisscrossing to bind it. With an explosion, the coffin and the dragon were blown to ashes.

“Red-Eyes!”

Joey raised his arm to shield himself, calling out instinctively.

Pegasus chuckled.

“I said my Toons start at full blast. If you let your guard down even a little… Hm?”

He frowned.

As the smoke cleared, the mighty Red-Eyes still stood on the field—as if a magician had escaped the coffin in the split second before detonation.

Not only that—Joey’s field revealed another dragon’s shadow behind the smoke.

It was also black-shelled like Red-Eyes, quite similar but a size smaller—still fierce, roaring at Pegasus as if to provoke him.

“You didn’t think I’ve been standing still all these years, did you?”

Joey smirked.

“Effect of ‘Red-Eyes Retro Dragon’ in my hand.

If a Level 7 or lower ‘Red-Eyes’ monster you control is destroyed by battle or by an opponent’s card effect and sent to your GY, Special Summon this card from your hand in Defense Position. Then revive the destroyed monster in the same position if possible!”

[Red-Eyes Retro Dragon, DEF 1600]
[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK 2400]

“Too bad—my Red-Eyes isn’t so easy to get rid of. Just like me.” Joey puffed out his chest.

“I see… perhaps you are a bit different from back then.”

Pegasus paused, then chuckled.

“But my Toons aren’t bound by common sense either, as you should remember.”

“What?”

“Battle,” Pegasus said. “Toon Dark Magician Girl—attack Joey directly!”

Joey: “!”

“You’ve forgotten that only Toons can block Toons, haven’t you?” Pegasus laughed. “If your opponent controls no Toon monsters, Toon monsters can attack directly.

Go, Toon Dark Magician Girl!

Toon Dark Burst!”

The chibi DMG flipped, skipped right over the heads of Joey’s two Red-Eyes, and came straight to Joey, bringing her staff down with a bonk on his forehead.

Stars danced in Joey’s eyes as the cheeky little mage stuck out her tongue at him, slung her staff over her shoulder, and somersaulted back to her master.

[Joey, LP 4000 → LP 2000]

“Hahaha! Nicely done, my Toon girl!”

Pegasus laughed coldly.

“A pleasant reunion, alas soon to end.

I next activate the Spell Card ‘Shadow Toon’ from my hand!
It can be activated while ‘Toon World’ is on my field—though I don’t have Toon World,

the Continuous Spell ‘Toon Kingdom’ is treated as ‘Toon World’ while it’s on the field.”

Another spell appeared as a book. It opened, and ghostly shadows flew out, copying the form of Joey’s Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

“Red-Eyes?” Joey was startled. “What’s going on?”

“Hahaha! Shadow Toon’s effect—select a monster your opponent controls and inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster’s ATK!

Naturally, I choose… Red-Eyes Black Dragon!”

[Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK 2400]
[Joey, LP 2000]

Joey: “!”

Chapter 780: The Evolution of Friendship

Joey had mentally prepared himself—Pegasus might be trouble.

Even fallen, he was still the Father of Duel Monsters, once chosen by the Millennium Eye. He designed the God-tier monsters, the Egyptian Gods and even the Sacred Beasts—the latter created after he’d lost the Eye.

No ordinary duelist could pull that off without immense destiny.

Even so, going for an OTK right off the bat was surprising.

It wasn’t that Joey had a bad memory—when he first saw Toons in Duelist Kingdom, the rules were different. Everyone had only 2000 LP, and there was no such rule as monsters attacking the player directly.

So Toons worked differently then. Joey remembered that Toons could only be attacked by Toons: all of Yugi’s monsters’ attacks were dodged with exaggerated, slapstick antics. He didn’t expect that trait to be standardized into “they can attack directly if the opponent controls no Toons.”

Running into it for the first time now gave him a headache.

Toon monsters routinely have 2000–3000 ATK—if they can all go direct, that’s busted.
Like now: a bonk from Toon DMG and one more hit would have finished him.

If he didn’t have a second line of defense.

“I activate my set card!” Joey said. “Counter Trap ‘Trap of Board Eraser!’
When a non-battle damage effect would be inflicted: negate that damage, then discard 1 random card from your opponent’s hand!”

His counter neatly blocked the shadowy Red-Eyes’s strike; the damage was negated.

Pegasus slapped his forehead theatrically: “Oh no! Unbelievable, Joey Boy!

Not only did my OTK fail, I have to discard a card!”

After two seconds of hamming it up, Pegasus smiled again.

“If… my last remaining card weren’t this one, I’d be in trouble.”

He revealed it.

“My only card is the monster ‘Electric Snake.’ When this card is discarded by an opponent’s card effect and sent to the GY, I can draw 2 cards.”

Joey’s mouth twitched.

Come on, seriously? That lucky?

“I only have one card, so I must discard it.”

Pegasus leisurely pitched the card.

“Then ‘Electric Snake’ activates—I draw two.”

Joey: “…”

Well, that just proved Pegasus still had it. Even without the Millennium Eye’s mind-reading cheat, he was a legendary, troublesome opponent.

Joey straightened, confidence returning.

Hey—he’s a legend too.
They missed their match back then; time to make up for it and prove himself.

“I set one back row and end my turn,” Pegasus said.

“Good—time to press the attack!” Joey said. “My turn—draw!”

He swept his arm.

“I tribute ‘Red-Eyes Retro Dragon’ to Tribute Summon!
Demon that calls lightning with the power of darkness—

—Summoned Skull, descend!”

The still air split; a blazing red body overlaid with intricate white bone plating appeared as black clouds rolled at its command. Light itself was shrouded, golden thunder smiting like divine wrath.

[Summoned Skull, ATK 2500]

This had been Yugi’s monster, but after Yugi fused Summoned Skull with Joey’s Red-Eyes, Joey’s deck also developed related lines. Now he had his own versions.

“Then I activate the Spell ‘Fusion Substitute’!”

He played the Spell.

“This card is treated as ‘Polymerization’ by rule, but it can only use monsters on the field as Fusion Material!”

Being “treated as Polymerization” is a rule text, not an effect—meaning it counts as Polymerization for all purposes, and the combined copies of Polymerization and this card in your Deck can only total three.

Unlike Polymerization, this can’t fuse from the hand; only from the field. In exchange, by banishing this card from your GY, you can return a Fusion Monster from your GY to the Extra Deck and draw one—more of an endurance-focused Fusion Spell.

“I fuse ‘Red-Eyes Black Dragon’ and ‘Summoned Skull’ from the field!”

“Oh! Red-Eyes and Summoned Skull!” Pegasus said. “Are you showing me Black Skull Dragon, Joey Boy?”

He meant the monster Yugi made in Duelist Kingdom by fusing his Summoned Skull with Joey’s Red-Eyes—the proof of their friendship.

“Haha—not quite.”

Joey’s face grew solemn.

“I don’t know where Yugi is now—we haven’t met in a long time—but our bond, our friendship won’t fade with time or distance.

If anything, time has tempered it into something stronger.

Behold—the evolved Red-Eyes is proof!”

Joey raised his hand.

“From the evolution of friendship, a new crystal is born—descend now—

—Archfiend Black Skull Dragon!”

Same materials, same recipe, but a completely different flavor. A brand-new evolution of Red-Eyes and Summoned Skull, fusing into a pillar of blazing flame!

Black flames and lightning intertwined; churning stormclouds and golden bolts encircled a demonic dragon clad in bone, standing like a tyrant atop a volcano.

Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, descends!
[Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, ATK 3200]

“So Black Skull Dragon evolved into a new form…”

Pegasus murmured, growing more serious.

“Go, Archfiend Dragon—show your stronger, evolved might!
Attack ‘Toon Dark Magician Girl’!”

The dragon roared; thunder gathered in its black flames, a pillar of fire shooting skyward!

“Whatever it evolved into…”

A glint flashed in Pegasus’s eye.

“To be safe, you can exit the stage now.

I activate my set Trap, Mirror Force!
When an opponent’s monster declares an attack: destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls!”

“Muda!”

Joey cut the spell off.

“When Archfiend Dragon engages in battle, from the start of that battle to the end of the Damage Step… neither player can activate Spells, Traps, or monster effects!”

Pegasus’s face finally changed.

“NANI!?”