"Are you a remnant of Doma?" Youyu asked casually.
It wasn't his sharp gaze; the deep blue Duel Disc of Doma was simply too conspicuous. Their Duel Discs didn't use the system created by Kaiba Company, but were entirely developed internally by Doma. Even now, they are rare collector's items, not available to the general public.
...Of course, Youyu had quite a few of them.
They were spoils of war from the large-scale faction battles with Doma back in the day.
Despite that battle, the once supermassive dark organization Doma, which had once controlled the globe, had essentially collapsed and vanished. But an organization that large doesn't just disappear overnight.
Youyu speculated that Dartz might have held card games with major world leaders and Fortune 500 CEOs, using the power of the Darkness Game to control the world.
Because after Dartz's fall, Doma's dominating influence immediately vanished. Now, the name is pretty much despised and hunted down by everyone, national armies are in full pursuit, and Inner World organizations tolerate no trace of it.
It could be said that Doma's living conditions are the worst in a millennia, practically on the brink of extinction.
"Calling us remnants sounds awful, Duel King." The man sneered, "My name is Ahmed, once one of Dartz's most trusted subordinates, potentially one of the Doma Three Musketeers."
Youyu nodded: "That doesn't sound all that impressive."
"We are the successors of Lord Dartz and the will of Orichalcos," he said. "Our existence is the continuation of Doma. Even if Lord Dartz has fallen and the power of Orichalcos has faded, as long as our belief remains, the day of judgment will eventually come again."
"So you hunt souls," Youyu understood, "because you hope to continue collecting souls to resurrect the God of Orichalcos?"
"Exactly!" Ahmed said proudly at this point, "Just as Lord Dartz persisted for a millennium, we too will persevere endlessly.
If it's not us, it'll be the next generation, and if it's not the next, we'll carry on. One day, our god will descend upon this filthy world again, bringing judgment to the present world!"
Youyu squinted his eyes, thinking that Lord Dartz didn't collect souls like this bunch of lowlifes sneaking around at night...
Besides, at this point, why still the God of Orichalcos?
Your god was obliterated into ashes, and the endless cycle was ended by the King.
No matter how many souls you gather for sacrifice, that being cannot come back to life.
Wake up, the Qing Dynasty is long gone!
"Duel King Youyu, I long anticipated that we couldn't avoid confronting you on our path to revival." Ahmed said coldly, raising his Duel Disc, "I've also long wanted to test if your skills are truly as legendary as rumored... and whether you really did defeat Lord Dartz as the rumors say."
"Rumors, huh?" Youyu laughed indifferently, "Seems like I've really been underestimated... Alright then."
He looked around, glancing at the duelists around him who had been beaten up by his Masked Heroes.
"Seems like you're the only one left capable of fighting here," Youyu said calmly, "If I take care of you, then tonight will be about wrapped up. Let's settle this quickly, within five minutes."
Ahmed squinted: "Five minutes, huh? Even for a Duel King, overconfidence can lead to destruction."
"You'll find out if you try."
By now, the crowd waiting outside had already flooded in—though there wasn't much left for them to do upon entering.
They arrived just in time to get front-row seats to an epic showdown.
The group couldn't help but get excited.
Front-row seats to witness the Duel King's battle!
This wasn't just some ordinary exhibition match; it was a true life-and-death Dark Duel!
"Duel!" x2
[Youyu, LP 4000]
[Ahmed, LP 4000]
"I go first, draw card." Ahmed sneered, "Let me show you here and now, the undying flame of my phoenix! I summon 'Defender of Nephthys', in attack position!"
A whirlwind of flames emerged, revealing a woman clad in shining gold armor, holding a large golden sword, with a bright red cape flowing behind her.
[Defender of Nephthys, Attack 1400]
"Activating the effect of Defender of Nephthys!" Ahmed drew two cards, "By destroying one card from my hand as a cost, I can special summon a 'Nephthys' monster from my hand that isn't 'Defender of Nephthys'!"
"Come forth! 'Hand of Nephthys'!"
Flames engulfed his hand card, reducing it to golden dust. At that instant, a sharp cry of a phoenix seemed to echo from the void, the illusionary image of a golden divine bird flashed and vanished, with sacred golden flames bursting forth briefly.
Next emerged a flame-wielding mage, graceful in build, with dark skin and a golden headdress covering most of her face.
[Hand of Nephthys, Attack 600]
But more than the two ladies on the field, Youyu was focused on the card Ahmed had just destroyed by effect.
That fleeting fire shadow from just now.
"The card you just destroyed... if I'm not mistaken, was 'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys', right?" Youyu said calmly.
"Oh? As expected of the Duel King, sharp eyes." Ahmed smiled smugly, "Yes. When 'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys' is destroyed by an effect, it's special summoned during the standby phase of my next turn.
And when special summoned by this effect, all spell and trap cards on the field are destroyed!"
"So no matter what setup I leave in my back row next turn, it'll all be wiped out by your turn?"
"Precisely," Ahmed sneered, "But to witness the noble form of the phoenix, you don't have to wait until then."
He raised his voice and shouted: "'Hand of Nephthys', activate effect! By sacrificing herself and another monster on the field, 'Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys' can be special summoned directly from the deck!"
He gestured to the two Nephthys ladies before him.
"I offer 'Hand of Nephthys' and 'Defender of Nephthys', as tributes!"
The two monsters rose from the ground, transforming into two fiery pillars. The blazing flames combined, shooting into the sky like an erupting volcano.
"From the eternal flames, reborn through nirvana, the undying firebird descends now!"
As Ahmed raised that card, thick snakes of flame seemed to coil around his strong arm.
"Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys descends!"