Recently he had begun to notice something strange about Spirits. Much like how Yugi Muto's family could understand Kuriboh, he found that after spending enough time together, he could gradually understand what Silent Magician meant without words. Perhaps it was a sign that their bond had deepened.
Silent Magician nodded seriously.
Yugen considered the possibility. Could it be another Rift leading to the Spirit World, like the one near Abandoned Dorm before?
At that moment, a sound came from the forest.
It started faint but quickly grew louder, as if something was rushing through the trees toward them. Silent Magician stepped protectively in front of Yugen, staff raised as leaves and branches shook violently.
A dark figure burst out of the bushes.
"Whoa, it is me. Do not fire. I mean, do not shoot magic."
It was Judai Yuki.
Judai Yuki had nearly run straight into the glowing tip of Silent Magician's staff. He skidded to a stop with his hands raised in surrender. She lifted an eyebrow, then lowered her weapon and floated back.
"Judai Yuki?" Yugen asked. "What are you doing out here so late?"
"It is a long story," Judai Yuki scratched his head. "A student from Obelisk Blue ran into our dorm yelling for help."
Behind him, Sho Marufuji, Hayato Maeda, and Daidouji-sensei arrived, panting heavily.
"Bro, you ran too fast," one of them gasped.
"Yugen?" Daidouji-sensei looked surprised. "Why are you here?"
"I stayed late in the lab."
Judai Yuki suddenly remembered. "This is not the time. We need to save someone. We will explain while running."
Even without the explanation, Yugen had already guessed. This was one of the early GX plot points, when Judai Yuki first encountered a villainous Duel Monsters Spirit.
As they ran, Judai Yuki quickly explained. A club at the academy specialized in researching Duel Monsters Spirits. Three reckless members had tried a spirit summoning game using a special board. Instead of choosing something friendly like Dark Magician Girl or mild like Kuriboh, they somehow selected Jinzo.
The summoning partially succeeded. The Summon brought forth a half formed Jinzo that required three souls to become complete. Jinzo had politely asked if they could provide three sacrifices, and the students assumed he meant cards, not themselves.
Two days later, two of them had disappeared. The third realized too late what sacrifice truly meant and ran for help, crashing into Slifer Red Dorm and meeting Judai Yuki and the others. As soon as he finished explaining, the power at Osiris Red had been cut.
When the lights returned, Jinzo's Spirit had appeared and carried the unconscious student into the forest. They had chased it here.
They burst out of the woods to see a massive power station surrounded by fences. It supplied electricity to all of Duel Academy.
Lightning flashed overhead, and a bolt struck the ground, revealing a translucent figure. It was the famous Rare Card monster Jinzo.
"Ah," Daidouji screamed. "A Spirit. It really is a Spirit."
Yugen narrowed his eyes at him. The acting was as good as ever.
"Do not you always tell us Duel Spirits are real?" someone asked.
"Well, knowing is one thing," Daidouji adjusted his glasses. "Seeing one is another."
Judai Yuki stepped forward to speak, but Yugen moved first.
"The Spirit of Jinzo, right?"
Jinzo floated among arcs of electricity, silent. The three missing students lay unconscious nearby.
Seeing no response, Yugen revealed a Card. It was his own Jinzo card.
This time Jinzo reacted, stepping closer with clear desire.
"That card can help your full revival, correct? You want it?"
After a pause, Jinzo spoke in a low voice. "I want that card. But I will not give up these three sacrifices. They agreed to offer their souls."
Then he added firmly, "I want the card as well."
An adult Spirit, indeed. He wanted everything.
"You are a Duelist too," Jinzo said, pointing at the Duel Disk. "Settle it your way."
"As expected, a Duel." Yugen nodded.
"No problem. If you win, this card is yours and I will not interfere again. But if you lose?"
For Spirits, a Duel was sacred. The stakes had to be clear.
"If I lose, I will give up these three souls."
Yugen shook his head. "I do not know them."
Jinzo froze.
"So what do you want?" he asked.
"Every card is like life to a Duelist. I am wagering a partner equal to my soul. Should you not do the same?"
Jinzo hesitated. "You want my soul?"
"As expected of a high level Spirit. Quick to understand." Yugen smiled. "If I win, you will reside in this card. No more sacrifices needed."
Jinzo gave a low chuckle. "You wish to be my master? Then win my acknowledgment."
"Agreed."
Yugen activated his Duel Disk.
"Duel!"
Negotiations ended. The outcome would be decided by cards.
The others had no chance to interrupt. By the time they realized it, the two were already starting the Duel.
Judai Yuki suddenly blinked.
Wait.
Did that mean the card that came looking for him had just been taken by Yugen again?
"Duel!" x2
Yugen LP 4000 Jinzo LP 4000
"I'll go first. Draw." Yugen took the opening move. "I activate a Spell Card! 'Foolish Burial.' From my Deck, I send one monster to the Graveyard."
He pulled a card that the Deck automatically searched out. "I send 'Sinister Serpent' to the Graveyard."
Watching from the sidelines, the others quickly understood the strategy. "Sinister Serpent? So it's that tactic centered on Abyss Soldier," Hayato Maeda said, resting his chin on his hand. "I remember that deck being pretty strong."
"Yeah," Judai Yuki said with a grin. "I can't wait to see what kind of Duel Yugen puts on this time."
Sho Marufuji looked uneasy. "Am I the only one who thinks a Duel about finding sacrifices for a Spirit sounds kind of scary?"
"I set one monster in face down Defense Position, then set one card. End turn."
Jinzo spoke at once. "My Turn! Draw."
The Jinzo Spirit did not use a Duel Disk. Instead, a massive Card projection appeared behind him, its back facing the outside world. With a wave of his arm, faint arcs of electricity flashed, and a new card dropped from the air.
"I activate a Spell Card! 'Graceful Charity.' I draw three cards from my Deck, then discard two."
His voice was low and heavy. "One of the discarded cards is 'Jinzo - Psychic Returner.' When this card is sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one 'Jinzo - Psychic Intimidator' from my Graveyard!" (ANIME EFFECT)
Sho Marufuji and Hayato Maeda cried out together, "It's coming out already?"
"That's right."
A trace of excitement entered Jinzo's cold voice. "The other card I discarded was myself! By the effect of 'Jinzo - Psychic Returner,' I revive through this Duel!" (ANIME EFFECT)
He shouted eagerly, and his ghostlike body vanished. A second later, Jinzo appeared in the Front Row monster Zone, his form solidifying as if returning from a blurred state.
"Finally. The feeling of revival!"
But before he could savor it, Yugen flipped his set card. "Continuous Trap - 'Royal Oppression.' As long as this card is on the field, either player can pay 800 Life Points to negate a monster's Special Summon or an effect that includes Special Summoning, and Destroy that card!"
"Nani?!!?"
"Therefore I pay 800 Life Points to negate the effect of 'Jinzo - Psychic Returner.'"
Yugen LP 4000 to 3200
"Urgh!"
A bolt of force struck Jinzo like thunder. His newly formed body in the Front Row exploded into smoke, and half a second later his ghostly image flickered back to the Duelist position.
His revival attempt had failed. He steadied himself and growled, "Then I Summon 'Mad Dog of Darkness' in Attack Position."
Mad Dog of Darkness, ATK 1900
The yellow hound barked wildly the moment it appeared, baring its fangs. "Mad Dog of Darkness, attack!"
The beast lunged and tore into Yugen's set monster.
"You attacked 'Skelengel,'" Yugen Do said.
Skelengel, DEF 400
"Skelengel is a Flip Effect monster. When it's flipped, I draw one card."
Yugen drew.
"I set one card and end my turn," Jinzo said, forcing himself to stay calm.
"My Turn! Draw." Yugen Do continued smoothly. "The effect of 'Sinister Serpent' in my Graveyard. During my Standby Phase, I can return it to my hand."