Ch. 2: United

Joey came over to Grandpa's card shop with a grim face since he didn't get the invitation and duel disk in a package delivery like Yugi. He felt down about his abilities as a duelist. Soon he arrived at the card shop.

"Joey, I am glad you are here since I must have missed this in the delivery," Grandpa said.

"Whoa, it's my own package. I thought it came over to the duelist's home." Joey said to Grandpa.

Meanwhile, Ryo Yama was creating a giant stone tablet with a monster on it like how the pharaoh sealed away duel monsters into tablets long ago. After he finished creating the tablet with his incantations, Ryo turned it into a modern Duel Monsters card.

"Ryo, do you know how much easier it is to create a modern Duel Monsters card than creating a Duel Monster?" Umbra Ryo asked.

Ryo replied, "I don't know. But this card you created looks good. Why can't you make it stronger though?"

"The incantations decides," answered Umbra Ryo.

"What will this dark element monster be called?"

"We hold the Negation Demon from the Depths in our hand. As you can see, this level 6 fiend has an attack power of 100 and a defensive power of 2650, Ryo."

"I suppose you will surprise me with its effect later."

"I will surprise you. Now, we must prepare the deck," Umbra Ryo stated.

At Grandpa's shop, Bakura received his package in the evening.

Grandpa sighed and said, "All the packages for the tournament are handed out. Now, it's time to relax."

Grandpa sat in his chair. However, Joey and Yugi came over.

"Hey, Gramps, can I get a booster pack?" Joey asked.

"Ohh… don't disturb an old man resting, Joseph. Okay, what you want?"

"What do you recommend?"

"Hmmm, let me see," Grandpa said while searching for a booster pack, "Ahhh… how about this one?"

"Okay, you know best," said Joey while exchanging his money for the pack.

"Let's see… bad card, useless, okay, not so good… WHOA, SEVEN TOOLS OF THE BANDIT!!!" Joey exclaimed with excitement.

"Joey, that is a great card. At the cost of 1000 life points, you will be able to negate a trap card just played and destroy it!" Yugi commented.

"Yep, but I owe you for the Time Wizard. Take this card," Joey offered.

Yugi said, "No need. I am comfortable with my deck already and I gave you Time Wizard as a gift."

"Okay, Yugi."

A loud snore was heard and it belonged to Grandpa.

"I'll leave. Have a good night, Yuge."

Soon, it was time for Yugi and the gang to leave for the big tournament.

"Grandpa, are you sure you don't want to go?" asked Yugi.

"No, I need to take care of the shop. Go ahead, Yugi."

Serenity, Joey, Tea, Tristan, and Bakura were there to leave with Yugi.

"Ready?" asked Bakura.

"Let's go, guys!"

Meanwhile, Seto and Mokuba Kaiba were heading to the tournament by the means of Kaiba's jet. Kaiba and Mokuba were sitting in the luxury of the jet, eating the great food, and drinking the jet's drinks. Joey and Tristan were choking down all the airline food on the Advance Tech jet. Tea and Serenity were getting some shuteye. Yami Yugi was wondering what could happen to him and Yugi during the tournament. Yami Bakura was scheming about the Umbra Sorcerer's Items but he didn't know much of their history just they are able to rival the Millennium Items. When they arrived, Mako Tsunami, Weevil Underwood, and Rex Raptor were all bragging that they gotten better and stopped when they had to move. Mai Valentine decided to spend time with her friends so she joined up with the gang. When the duelists walked to the castle, Ryo came out of the castle and made his announcement.

Ryo Yama said, "Welcome, duelists. Don't forget the ante rule and the other rules. You will earn more duel points by wagering them it duels during the tournament and I would keep track with KaibaCorp's technology. You all have two duel points recorded on you duel disk. Watch mine."

Ryo had his duel disk up and pressed a button that revealed a hologram of two stars. Everyone else tried their duel disk to see his or her duel points.

"Good, everyone tried it. You will be able to compete in the finals when you earn ten duel points meaning you don't have to duel. The tournament officially begins with the fireworks tonight and duels may start tomorrow. Finally, for now you can duel stay in your rooms, eat, rest up, and many other activities," Ryo finished.

The gang decided to check in and get good rooms in the castle. After that, Joey and Tristan went off to the buffet. Mai, Tea, and Serenity decided to go into Mai's room to hang out. Bakura said he'll look around and Yugi went off on his own.

Ryo and Yami Bakura met in one of the castle's hallways.

Ryo said, "Move it."

"You own all the remaining Umbra Sorcerer's Items because you are the descendent of the creator of those Items," said Yami Bakura.

Ryo's Umbra Sorcerer's Puzzle activated.

Umbra Ryo said, "Why hide the truth when you won't believe it's not true? Anyway, Yami Bakura, you want all the Millennium Items, right? Your Millennium Ring is helpful for a task like that. Searching for the other Items."

"True. This fool mortal's body is helpful since he is so close to the pharaoh, too," Yami Bakura agreed.

"My plan is to show they could rival those Items. I was the grandson of the sorcerer who wanted to defeat the pharaoh. He reincarnated as Kaiba. When I first created the Umbra Sorcerer's Items, the people thought I would use them to rule the world. They were correct. They destroyed the Eye, the Key, and the Scale. Another owns the Ring. I own the other three, the Puzzle, the Rod, and the Necklace. I gave the Necklace the power to arrange the deck as a please, which took a spell requiring many Big Eyes. Basically, my Items negate spells, conjure ancient spells, hold spirits, and absorb the powers of their Millennium Item duplicates and multiplies their power."

"So this means I will be able to multiply my strength when I find the Umbra Sorcerer's Ring," commented Yami Bakura, "I will then reside in that item. Imagine how powerful I will be. We should speak someone else though."

"Nonsense. No one is here. I would know anyway and if the pharaoh followed us you with the Millennium Ring would know since it detects nearby Millennium Items."

"Good point, my ally. I just revised my plan. I wonder how you control your host."

"I am not control by you, Umbra," Ryo said to him privately.

"My host knows when I have proven one of the Umbra Sorcerer's Items have enough power to conquer the world. The reincarnation, Kaiba, will be revived as his old self and have no need for KaibaCorp."

"Why are you allowing me to know this?"

"We could be great allies, Yami Bakura."

"Then, I am off to find the owner of the Umbra Sorcerer's Ring."

"Hmmm… I think I have my answers," Yami Yugi said secretly to himself as they left elsewhere…

Author's Cliffhanger: Can the pharaoh stop Umbra Ryo and Yami Bakura's evil? What is the effect of Negation Demon from the Depths?