From the other side of the forest, over the mountains, was the grasslands where Beast-Warrior and Warrior type monsters gain power due to the power boost. There, Usagi dueled the triplets one by one, taking down each one of their monsters with her "Sailor" monsters, along with Bakura cheering for her outside of the battle box. They may seemed cute and all but they were definitely some cards to never mess with. Pegasus made the cards specifically only for her, meaning that there was only one or two type of each cards to exist in the entire game of Duel Monsters. Usagi had deep love for her deck, not only because she had it for five years but because the monsters were like her friends back then. Dueling her mother with them was a very cherished moment. Ikuko knew a lot about the game but was quite shocked at the point when she lost her remaining life points from "Sailor Jupiter's Lightning Razor Fist" attack. It's been awhile since Usagi dueled Ikuko but later on got many requests from all over Juuban to challenge her into a duel, bringing up Usagi's reputation by a high amount, thanks to her cards. Unfortunately, deep within her heart, she knew they weren't real and always hoped that some day, she'll finally have the courage to make real friends until the time had came when she met Yugi and his friends.
"Okay! Time to finish this!," Usagi declared in a nice tone. "Go, Sailor Venus! Chained Heart Dagger Strike!"
The pretty monster appearance contained a orange sailor suit with frills running down on its orange skirt. In her bright yellow hair, she wore a fancy red bow on the back.
Sailor Venus: ATK/2000»2600 DEF/1600»2200 (Power Boost)
Effect: Monsters can't activate their effects as long as this card stays on the field.
Level: 6
The last triplet didn't had any card capable to stop the attack from destroying her "D.D Warrior Lady " and sadly, it was in attack mode. In addition, she was with only 300 life points left.
D.D Warrior Lady: ATK/1500»2100 DEF/1600»2200 (Power Boost)
Effect: After battling with a monster, banish that monster and this card.
Level: 4
Sailor Venus was able to jump to the air and strike down the opponent's monster with its chained heart-shaped dagger sharply through the chest, onto the field with fantasy blood running out of the monster's sliced body part.
Triplet #3: LP/0
The monster was defeated and the Chinese triplet's remaining life points fell to zero.
Winner: Usagi Tsukino
"I...lost...!," the triplet murmured sadly.
Usagi stood up from her side of the table and stretched out her right arm with an open hand. "That was an excellent duel! Well done!," she congratulated with a warm smile.
The triplet smiled back and shook her hand. "Thanks. My sisters and I had a great time dueling you, to be honest. You're probably the only duelist who gave us a hard time."
Both of them got out of the battle box as the other two sisters and Bakura came up to them.
"You were incredible, Usagi!," Bakura pointed out. "With those dueling skills, you'll surely be in the castle in no time!"
"Thank you, Bakura. I'm also thankful for your help of cheering me through the entire duels," Usagi noted, "it's better to have someone by your side to give you support rather than being independent all the time."
Their conversation lowered down as the one of the triplets came forward in front of Usagi. She held her hand up and open it to show three star chips laying on the palm of her hand.
"Here. They're for you to keep," she said as she dropped them on Usagi's deligate hand. "Also we're sorry for not introducing ourselves in the beginning. I'm Hana. To my left is my sister, Attakai and to the right is my other sister, Hikari. We're high-ranked duelists from Domino City but we previously use to duel back at Asia in China. My sisters and I love dueling other high-ranked duelists like you but we usually win against them because we have each other's backs so it was a surprise that all three of us lost to you," Hana explained throughly.
Usagi placed the star chips on her glove then looked back at the triplets with a smile that would brighten up their feelings.
"I know how you all feel. I do too need support from people who I care about like my friends. Doing something alone is nice but sometimes you'll need someone to be there for you when you're struggling to accomplish it."
The triplet's slightly disappointed face faded away when she heard those words being spoken.
"Thank you, Usagi. I'll remember that it's important to have people who are close to your heart to fight by your side when you need it. They'll be the ones who give you the courage to fight till the end."
The sisters walked away from the area and waved goodbye at Usagi and Bakura.
"Till we meet again, we'll be prepared!," Hana declared confidently.
"I'll be looking forward to our next duel!," Usagi answered back.
As they left, she turned her attention to Bakura who looked like he had something to say.
"Hey, Bakura, what do you think is important to you in life?"
He thought for awhile.
"Honestly, many things can mean a lot to others but to me, it's friends. What do you think it would be like if you were to stay away from everybody you care about and only think about yourself and future?"
"I'm not sure, Bakura but it's best to care for someone you love rather than caring about yourself all the time."
Bakura nodded.
"Well, we better get going now, Bakura. I don't want miss out on Yami's duel," said Usagi.
Bakura walked while Usagi was following behind him, ready to go back with their group of friends. Little did she know, she was actually following the spirit of the Millennium Ring that somehow gotten the good Bakura to wear the cursed ring over his neck.
"Those words that Usagi had just spoken...they seem quite familiar to me...could she truly be the one with the power of the Silver Crystal...?," the spirit thought, "her beautiful appearance equally matches the same moon princess back from 3,000 years ago...but does she hold the same power from before...?"
The spirit that controlled Bakura stopped all of the sudden, making Usagi trip a little over the stems of trees that were coming from the forest area, over the rocky mountains.
"Bakura...what's wrong?," she asked.
"Nothing. Let's keep going now."
Usagi didn't feel assured with his answer but continued to walk, still thinking about the way he replied to her question.
"That's weird. Bakura would usually reply in such a happy tone even if it's just a question but his tone was deeper and duller. Is that really him?"
Meanwhile, during Yami's duel against Haga, Haga had the upper hand at that moment because he had played so many insect monsters with high attack points on the the field looking like an infected garden full of bugs. One by one, Haga killed each one of Yami's defense monsters, leaving him not many to summon left.
"Yuk Yuk Yuk! It's time to celebrate your death, Yugi! This duel is way easier than I thought it would be! I don't even think it was worth fighting you at all!"
Haga laughed insanely and ended his turn, leaving yet another monster on the field to freely attack Yami's next defense monster, that is, if he has any left to summon.
"Grr...it's my turn. I summon "Black Magician" in defense mode," he noted as the dark mage appeared on the field on his knees. Of course, Yami wasn't a duelist to fool around with. He planted his trump card down on the field, waiting for Haga to get captured by it like a bear trap.
Black Magician: ATK/2500 DEF/2100
Level: 7
"Oho...the "Black Magician"! That's one of your best cards, isn't it? Instead of indiscriminately raining doom on you, like I was planning, I'll kill that first!" "Hrr...!" "Let's go! "Basic Insect Laser Cannon!" Your target, the "Black Magician!" ATTAAACK!"
Basic Insect: ATK/500»2600 DEF/700»2800 (Equipped with a magic card and powered up by power boost)
Level: 2
"HAHAHA!!! DEATH! DEATH TO THE MAGICIAN!"
Yami chuckles with his eyes looking directly at Haga.
"Huh? What's so funny!," Haga asked, badly irritated to see that grin on Yugi's face when he's about to win.
"You said "attack," right? It's too late to take it back now!"
"Huh!?"
"Remember that card I placed face down?"
"N-No way...a trap card!?!"
"That's right! When you called out an attack, you fell for it!," Yami announced loudly.
Mirror Force: Trap Card
Effect: When an opponent's monster attacks, destory all their monsters that are in attack position.
"GAAAHH! NO! MY INSECT ARMY! THEY'RE DESTROYED!," Haga cried worriedly.
Insector Haga: LP/450
"Heh heh. You must've won the tournament by dumb luck. The weakest duelist on this island...is you!" Yami yelled. "You heard me! You're a weakling!"
"Yeah! Way to go, Yugi!," Jonouchi cheered happily.
"Using a trap card to counter another, Yugi, you're a genius!," Honda pointed out.
"Yay, Yugi!," Anzu cheered along with the others. "You're truly a great duelist!"
"Tee hee hee, that was smooth alright..but Yugi-chan has only taken a small lead."
The words that were coming from behind them was no other than Mai Kujaku.
"Yugi-chan?! How dare she call him that! He's not a kid!," Anzu fumed in her mind.
"Oohh! Mai Kujaku!," said both Jonouchi and Honda as they looked over Anzu to get a glimpse at the beautiful bold female.
"A Duel Monster game can go from victory to defeat in one turn. It's too early to get cocky!," Mai noted.
The boys drooling faces quickly made Anzu almost as irritated as Haga.
"Stupid blonde! Why's she butting in all of the sudden and then calling Yugi, "Yugi-chan!" She clearly doesn't know how to respect personal space."
"Hey, what happen to Usagi? Did she already quitted your little group of friends?"
"Of course not! Usagi went to duel somewhere else and then meet up with us again!," Anzu replied with anger slithering through her tongue.
"Really? Or did she left to stay away from your loud annoying cheering?"
"Grr...!"
Mai smirked at Anzu then looked back at the rest of the group.
"Listen...Insector Haga is the Japanese Champion! He's a master planner with several winning strategies! The real duel is just starting so stop getting your hopes up!"
"I gotta agree with Mai, Anzu!," Jonouchi confessed.
"Yeah, me too!," Honda confirmed.
"What the hell is wrong with you guys!," Anzu yelled. "Just wait till you get beaten by Usagi, Mai! She'll teach you some manners!," Anzu thought.
Bakura and Usagi were barely entering the forest looking for the battle box hidden within the trees. The afternoon was getting passed by faster than Usagi thought it would.
"Hey, Bakura, have you spotten anything yet?," Usagi asked. "I seem to have forgotten where the box is located at."
He chuckled for some unknown reason.
"Umm...Bakura?"
"Hehehe...I found something way more important than that...Usagi...and that's you!"
The Millennium Ring then was visible now that it was out on his knitted sweater.
"B-Bakura...no...the spirit of the Millennium Ring, what do you want from me?"
"Please, call me Dark Bakura and don't worry about what I'm going to do to you..."
He lifted the cursed ring and pointed at Usagi.
"Now, Usagi, would you do the honors to sleep while I look through your soul?"
Before she could even answer, her eyes shutted down and was about to fall over but Dark Bakura caught her in his arms on time. He rested Usagi against to the nearest oak tree and kneeled down.
"Now let's see if you're truly the one with this power...Usagi...or should I say...princess."
He closed his eyes and began observing what lays within the soul of Usagi Tsukino. It was something out if the ordinary. Never Dark Bakura have ever seen something so unique before. There was a beaming light of hope coming from a precious prepossessing crystal slowly spinning with warmth glowing around it. It could easily erase any speck of darkness that would be wandering in anybody's soul.
"Hehehe...it is her after all...and looks like the crystal is still developing its power...that could be the reason why Usagi collapsed so quickly...and knew that I was the spirit of the ring right away..."
Dark Bakura opened his eyes again looked at Usagi. No doubt, her beauty was still the same from millennials ago but was she the actual princess back then rather than just a reincarnation?
"Interesting...I'll be watching you, Usagi...for now...I will be waiting in the Millennium Ring while my host, Bakura, watches over you for me..."
The spirit went back inside the ring and the other Bakura was back but with confusion on his face.
"Huh? What hap-"
Bakura stopped his words as soon as he looked down at his chest to see the cursed ring hanging on his neck. He took it off quickly as possible and placed it back into his backpack.
"What a fright! I don't remember wearing the Millennium Ring at all! I hope nothing strange happened...with...him..."
Usagi slowly opened her sapphire eyes and noticed Bakura looking at her with a worried face.
"Bakura? You look frightened...did something went wrong?," she asked softly. "Because I don't remember what we were doing here."
"Hmm...oh! That's right! We were looking for the battle box where Yami and Haga are dueling in," Bakura answered. "Here. Let me help you get up."
Bakura grabbed Usagi's hand and pulled her up from the ground of dead grass.
"Thanks, Bakura. I appreciate your helpfulness very much."
He blushed.
"Anything for a friend, Usagi. Now let's go with others. They're probably wondering when we will show up and I just hope we're not too late to see Yami's duel."
During the duel, Haga insulted Yami after his army of insects had fallen to their graves but secretly, he had the "ulimate weapon" hiding in his deck.
"Hmph. Your field looks quite empty, Haga. How about try summoning a monster?," Yami asked sarcastically.
"Shut up! You'll pay for what you did," Haga shouted back.
"Talking is cheap. Take your frustration and send me it through your cards...then I'll send it back to you!," Yami shot back.
"Grrr...I draw!," Haga announced. "Hehe. If I can play this card, win will surely be in my hands! Yugi, you can't escape your death!," he thought coldly.
"C'mon, Haga. Play your monster already!"
"I know that! I play "Larvae Moth" in defense mode!"
Larvae Moth: ATK/500 DEF/400
Level: 2
"Haga summoned "Larvae Moth" to the field...strange choice to make especially when it has low attack and defense points. He must be planning a combo with that card..."
Yami wasn't sure if he should attack or not but on the looks of it, he believed he shouldn't since there was still a face-down card on Haga's side of the field and could likely be a trap card waiting to be activiated as soon as Yami declared an attack.
"Heh heh. I won't be falling for that trick. One careless attack and I might lose all monsters, making me completely vulnerable. I could even lose most of my life!"
Haga sat there with a smirk.
"Go on, Yugi...attack me!"
"I must get rid of his trap card!," Yami thought. "I active "Monster Recovery"! Return to your cards!"
All at once, Yami's monsters disappeared into his deck then he drew three cards after shuffling it.
Monster Recovery: Magic Card
Effect: Take all your monsters from your side of the field and combine it with your deck. At the same time, shuffle your entire hand with the deck and shuffle it. Then draw three cards from the shuffled deck.
"Hmph. Very smart...avoiding my trap!," Haga thought disappointly.
Yami studied the cards he drew and formed smile.
"From those cards I just drew, I pick my weakest card to sacrifice it to set off your trap!"
He summoned "Kuriboh" and exploded when Yami declared an attack with it.
Kuriboh: ATK/300 DEF/1300
Effect: At the damage step, when a monster attacks, you can send this card from your hand to the graveyard to take no damage from the attacking monster.
Level: 2
Yami: LP/1050
"Now your trap card is destroyed...at minimal cost to me!"
Haga was miffed.
"Next I play "Louise the Beaver Warrior" and end my turn!," Yami stated.
Beaver Warrior: ATK/1200 DEF/1500
Level: 4
"Heh heh...HYUK YUK YUK YUK!" Haga laughed chaotically.
Yami's smirk changed into a serious face expression, knowing that Haga lost his mind at that very moment when he ended his turn.
"You fool! You've done exactly what I wanted!"
"What?"
"This is my trump card, Yugi! The "Cacoon of Evolution"!! I equip it on "Larvae Moth!"
The larvae monster had silk wrapping around it like a blanket, transforming itself into a cacoon.
"Wh-what? "Larvae Moth" has been surrounded by a giant cacoon!," Yami pointed out, his crismon eyes studying the massive cocoon that stood in front of him.
Cacoon of Evolution: ATK/0 DEF/2000»2600 (Power boost)
Effect: When played on "Larvae Moth," it evolves into "Ultimate Perfect Great Moth" in five turns. While equipped, the ATK and DEF of "Larvae Moth" becomes the same as "Cocoon of Evolution."
"Yuk Yuk Yuk! For the next five turns, "Larvae Moth" will gradually evolve into the "Ultimate Perfect Great Moth"! If that happens, the great moth will be invulnerable!!," Haga stated loudly.
Yami was shocked.
"What's more due to the power source, it's defense rises high up making it nearly impossible to touch it with any cards!! In five turns, my moth will chew you up like an old coat!"
Yami was worried about the situation he was in right now.
"This is bad...! If that cacoon hatches by the end of the fifth turn, I won't be able to win! I have to destroy the cacoon before that happens!"
It was now Yami's turn to draw card.
"Here we go! I'll play "Gaia the Fierce Knight" to the field! Attack the cacoon with "Spiral Saber!!"
Gaia the Fierce Knight: ATK/2300 DEF/2100
Level: 6
Usagi and Bakura finally arrived to the area where all their friends were waiting for them. Usagi instantly looked surprised to what monster Yami was up against inside of the battle box.
"It's no use, Yugi! The saber bounces right off and now you lose life points! Hahaha!," Haga pointed out and laughed at the same time.
"He's right. With the power boost raising the monster's defense, I can't penetrate it! Another careless attack will cost my remaining life points...!," Yami thought worriedly.
Usagi stood in shock to see him losing his courage to win the duel.
"Yami! Don't give up!," she cheered. "No matter the odds of winning, there's always a way to get through the biggest conflicts!"
Yami turned to see her courageous face looking directly into his eyes.
"Usagi..."
"C'mon, Yugi!," Anzu motivated.
"Haven't you beaten that cacoon yet?," Jonouchi asked.
Mai chuckled quietly. "How sad to see them still cheering on Yugi thinking that he can win...the "Cacoon of Evolution" combo is something that no one has ever beaten. What will you do, Yugi?"
Yami: LP/750
"Give it up, Yugi! Your cards can't budge the cacoon!"
Yami couldn't stand hearing Haga telling him about his slim chances of winning the duel, even if they were true.
"None of my monster cards are good in the forest. Even if I use a multiple card combo, with my current hand, there's no card to surpass the cacoon's high defense!," Yami thought.
"Luckily for you, Yugi, I can't play another card until the "Cacoon of Evolution" reaches to its ultimate form. In other words, my turn comes to an end but monster is evolving steadly for each turn...what now, Yugi?"
"Tch...I'm wasting my turns and yet I still haven't found a solution...will I be beaten?" Yami's annoyed and low-confident face brought joy to Haga.
"Hehehe...just two more turns until the great moth finally hatches...I win!"
"Go, Yugi! You can do it!" Bakura, Jonouchi and Honda encouraged.
"You've gone too far, Yugi! Don't give up now!," Anzu stated.
Usagi threw a fist to the battle box to get Yami's attention.
"Listen to me, Yugi! We three came to the tournament to win the honors of the duelist king! Even burn down the whole forest if that what it takes to beat that cacoon!," Usagi encouraged with all her heart.
Yami then created an idea from her words.
"Hmph. You amateurs talk too much. Once a duelist sits down for match, he or she will only hear themself. Yugi won't listen if you guys just keep repeating, "Yugi!" "Yugi!" all the time," said Mai calmly.
"He'll listen to us! He will hear our feelings, Mai!," Anzu announced.
"What a softie."
"Just you watch! Yugi will win!" Mai's bored face then turned into a surprise expression when she saw Yami looking at them with a bright confident smile and a big thumbs up.
"He's ready to go guys!," Jonouchi noted.
"Yugi, you can do it!," Anzu and Usagi cheered happily.
"Does that mean...he found a way out of this solution?," Mai thought.
"Go, "Curse of Dragon"! Burn down the cacoon with "Flames of Hell"! Combo Attack!"
Curse Dragon: ATK/2000 DEF/1500
Level: 5
"I told you, stupid! Your dragon's attack power is 600 points lower than my cacoon! Why are you atta-"
"Heh heh...who said I was going to attack the cacoon? I'm burning the forest itself!"
"Wh-What!?"
Burning Land: Continuous Magic Card
Effect: Destroy all Field magic cards.
"No way! The forest is...the forest is burning away into ashes!," Haga cried.
Yami smirked.
"Now that the field power is gone, the "Cacoon of Evolution" no longer has high defense. Therefore it is now easier to defeat it!"
"Urk..!"
"Go, "Gaia the Fierce Knight"! Take down that cacoon once and for all!"
Gaia grasped onto his sharp pointed spear and stabbed the cacoon deeply.
"Yeah! That cacoon is toast!," Jonouchi announced gleefully.
"W-Wait guys! What's that hiding within the cacoon?," Bakura asked as he looked at the burnt cacoon.
"The monster is still alive!?," Usagi thought.
Everyone was surprised.
"Hehe...my cacoon may didn't reach it's final form but it did get to reach to "Great Moth"! It's still powerful enough to take you down, Yugi!"
Great Moth(Evolution Stage 4): ATK/2600 DEF/2500
"Hehe...when I see a tougher monster, I get excited!"
Yami looked at Usagi from inside the battle box and smiled.
"Thank you, Usagi."
She smiled back.
"I'm here when you need support and courage, Yami, because that's what a friend does to show their love."