After walking for about twenty minutes, the Bunker the Fiends had mentioned finally appeared before them.
It was a structure built upon a desolate wilderness, constructed from what appeared to be obsidian and dark granite. Its surface seemed draped in a perpetual haze, a thick shroud of darkness that even sunlight could not penetrate.
A heavy gate thundered down, kicking up clouds of dust as it hit the ground. Entering the Bunker, a cold, damp draft swept over them, and the air was thick with the acrid stench of sulfur and rust.
The light was dim. The only illumination in the long, narrow corridors came from torches mounted on the walls. The internal passages were intricate and convoluted, resembling a massive maze.
Dark cells lined both sides of the corridor, each iron door shut tight. Yet, from behind a few of them, imprisoned monsters cast dark glares, and the roars and growls of unknown beasts echoed through the halls.
As a certain jailer passed one of the cells, a fiendish claw reached out and waved at him.
The jailer stopped. "What now?"
"Nothing much."
The prisoner behind the door appeared to be a member of the Fiend race as well, grinning at the jailer.
"I just heard that someone new arrived at the Bunker today?"
"You're quite well-informed, kid." The jailer leaned against the door and snorted. "Yeah, the patrol team got lucky. They caught a lone kid, supposedly a traveler from the outside."
"Ha, a traveler." The Fiend behind the door threw his head back and laughed wildly. "That really is a stroke of bad luck. Since he's come to the Bunker, I'm afraid his journey ends right here."
"True. But surely you didn't call me over just to say that?" The jailer stood up. "I've got things to do. I don't have time to stand around chatting with you. If the duty officer finds me slacking off with the prisoners..."
"Don't be in such a rush to leave." The Fiend called out quickly, his grin turning sinister. "I don't mean anything by it. It's just... you know, the old rules. I just want to teach the newcomer the local customs, help him learn to be law-abiding. It's for everyone's benefit, right?"
"I knew it." The jailer chuckled.
With a flick of his wrist, a flurry of particles condensed in his palm, taking the form of a green Spell Card. Invisible magical energy surged from the card, and the cell door clicked open instantly.
"The newcomer looks like a human. He seems a bit weak." The jailer walked away, waving his hand as he left. "Don't go overboard. Just make sure he stays alive."
"No problem, I have perfect self-control," the Fiend chuckled, patting his chest with a claw as he let out a dark laugh. "I'll take real good care of him."
Yugen followed the squad of Fiends all the way underground, eventually entering a wide, open hall.
He immediately spotted a massive arena situated right in the center.
Towering dark stone pillars surrounded the stage, with faint flames flickering atop them, making the place look like some sort of colosseum.
As soon as they entered, the Fiends escorting him retreated outside. One of them shot him a malicious smirk before clicking the door shut from the outside.
Of course, even if he had to break the door down by force, it would only be a matter of a single slash from the Envoy of the Beginning.
However, Yugen continued to observe his surroundings. He turned his gaze toward the front of the hall, where another group was slowly emerging from the shadows.
"So this is the newcomer?"
"Heh, he really does look like a weakling."
Yugen narrowed his eyes, noting that most of those walking out were creatures that resembled demons. Some had dark red skin with horns protruding from their foreheads. Others were massive in stature, with bulging muscles. Some had hideous faces with multiple eyes or sharp talons.
The leader was particularly tall, possessing four eyes and arms crossed over a chest covered in black scales.
Hmm, these are all Duel Spirits I don't recognize.
"Welcome to the Bunker, the darkest place in your miserable life," the four-eyed leader snorted. "Every place has its own rules. And I am the boss here which means I am the rules. Understand?"
Yugen stared back at the four eyes for a few seconds.
"Are you saying you're the warden?"
"What? I'm not I'm saying that even within a prison, there are internal regulations." The four-eyed boss frowned in displeasure.
Immediately, a lackey behind him barked, "Don't talk back when the boss is speaking!"
"Are you looking for trouble on purpose?"
"Get him!"
One lackey looked to the boss for permission. The four-eyed boss kept his arms crossed and nodded. The lackey immediately stepped forward, rubbing his hands together.
"Come here, little brother." The Fiend grinned, revealing sharp fangs. "Let me check if your body is healthy..."
The crowd of Fiends behind him began to jeer, letting out a burst of raucous laughter.
Thump.
The Fiend was suddenly sent flying like a kite with its string cut. He slammed into a wall over ten meters away, flattened into a star shape, buried so deep it looked like he would have to be chiseled out.
The laughter of the Fiends stopped abruptly.
"Huh?"
The smiles froze on their faces. They looked at the Fiend plastered to the wall, then back at Yugen, who stood there looking completely calm, as if he hadn't done a thing.
The smiles gradually turned into terror.
Though none of them had seen exactly what happened, they all felt it in that split second.
That was the power of a Duel Spirit!
The four-eyed Fiend at the lead dropped his casual attitude. He waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to fall back. Naturally, even without his order, the group was already terrified out of their wits and scrambled to hide behind their leader.
The four-eyed boss stepped forward, his voice heavy. "A Duelist?"
In that instant, Yugen had borrowed the power of the Silent Magician. However, the magician hadn't fully manifested; she had merely cast a simple defensive magic circle. The rebounding force was enough to blast away the Fiend who tried to lay hands on him.
Although the other Fiends had felt a slight ripple of magical power, they hadn't seen the full form of the spirit protecting Yugen. They only instinctively sensed that its power level was quite high certainly not something a bunch of low-level thugs like them could provoke.
"Interesting." The boss Fiend narrowed all four of his eyes, speaking in a low growl. "You are the fifth Duelist to be thrown into this Bunker. Everyone here has a chance to claim their own territory and use their strength to gain a voice..."
As he spoke, he raised his left arm. The fiendish limb began to warp, muscle tissue writhing and extending outward. Bit by bit, it morphed until it formed five slots and a Deck that seemed to grow directly out of his body.
"...through the way of the Duelist."
The Fiend's mouth twitched into a cruel grin. "How about it? Do you have the guts to try?"
As expected, Yugen thought, a slight smile playing on his lips. Even in prison, those who can play cards are the ones in charge.
He stared at the Deck protruding from the monster's arm.
The Duelists of this other world really were far too enthusiastic.
In that case, he would start by taking the Deck from this "boss."
"Duel!" x2
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