Yu-Gi-Oh!

Duel for the Souls IN THE BEGINNING II: Return of the Rare Hunter

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Mokuba Kaiba is kidnapped, and his big brother Seto Kaiba vows to rescue him. Meanwhile, Yugi and his friends leave for a weekend of fun in Domino City, not realizing that a new evil is rising, and it is more brutal than anything they have ever faced.

"What do you mean, you can't help me?" Seto Kaiba, creator and CEO of KaibaCorp Technologies, shouted in the face of the portly police officer.

"Now, Mr. Kaiba—" he began.

"My little brother has been kidnapped, out of the most secure building in this entire country, and you can't help get him back? You make me sick. Get out, before I call security on you!"

"Mr. Kaiba, I, uh, I—"

"Get out!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. He wouldn't do what he'd do with someone else—lift him up by his shirt collar and thrown him out. But, he couldn't do that with law enforcement officers.

It would be far too much paperwork to fill out, after all!

But, without them, how was he going to track down the monster that had taken his brother? It wasn't Maximillion Pegasus, the creator of the world-famous Duel Monsters game, and it wasn't that creep Marik Ishtar. Both of them had practically dropped off the face of the planet, since, well, since Yugi defeated them.

Kaiba's blood boiled as that name rushed through his mind. Yugi Muto, the King of Games, the Battle City Champion, the Duel Monsters World Champion.

All things that Kaiba should be.

Sure, Kaiba was famous. He was the creator of the biggest innovative technology company in the history of the earth. He, Kaiba, designed the VirtualPod virtual videogame world, the holographic dueling arenas, and the portable Duel Disks.

Not to mention that Kaiba had, at one time, been the unquestioned World Champion of Duel Monsters, until Yugi, and then Pegasus, defeated him. It had almost cost him his life, when he lost to Pegasus. But, of course, Yugi beat Pegasus, and rescued Kaiba and Mokuba, his little brother.

Once again, Mokuba had been kidnapped.

Nobody knew who had done it, where they were, or why. All Kaiba knew was that he had to get his brother back. No matter what, he would. Without help, if necessary.

"I'll save you, Mokuba," Kaiba whispered, once security had chased the police out. "I won't fail you. Not ever again."

"Hey, guys, wait up!" Yugi Muto cried out, his short legs pumping furiously to keep up with his friends. He was a few heads shorter than all of them, so it was hard work. Yugi, after all, had always been short for his age, which was more evident in his junior year at Domino High School than ever before.

Joey Wheeler, the tall blond duelist who had, over time, become Yugi's best friend, dropped back. "Hey, Yug, you're slowing us down!" he said. With a smile, he matched his pace to Yugi's, as Tristan Taylor and Tea Gardner dropped back as well.

"Sorry, but, in my opinion, you guys are just too tall!"

"We can't help that," Tristan, wearing his leather jacket and some motorcycle equipment, responded, "any more than you can help being the King of Games."

"Well, when he's right, he's right," Joey said. He grinned again, and looked from Yugi to Tristan to Tea. "Listen, guys, I've got a little problem," he began.

"Well, out with it!" Tea said. She was the mediator and problem solver of the group, and she always got into other people's problems.

"Well, I'm going to be entering that big Duel Monsters tournament that's been on the news the last few nights."

This was news to Yugi. A new tournament?

"So, what's the problem, Joey?" Tea responded.

"Yeah. You did come in the semifinals of Battle City, and you were Duelist Kingdom's runner-up, after all," Tristan goaded.

"Well, you should know, Tristan. After the way you took to my sister Serenity," he shot back angrily. That meant it had something to do with his little sister.

"Is there something wrong with her eyesight?" Yugi asked.

Joey's face softened. "Yeah. She was just admitted into the hospital last night. That operation last year didn't do the trick, and now her eyes are worse than ever. If she doesn't get another operation, at a special hospital in America, then she will go blind in a month."

"Don't you still have a million dollars left over from the Duelist Kingdom prize money?" Yugi wondered.

"Yeah, but, between plane tickets, the hospital fees, and all the rest, it totals over five million dollars," Joey informed them.

"So, how much dough does this other tournament provide?"

"Tristan, I'm glad you asked. Six million US dollars, on a check. More than enough to get through the operation, and put me and Serenity both in nice colleges."

"I didn't see you as the intellectual type, pal," Tristan joked.

Joey's face turned red, but his left jab missed by a foot. "Well, at least my brain isn't rotted by thoughts of motorbikes and girls," he snapped.

"Easy, Joey. We'll help you out. But, I don't think I'll be entering this tournament, since I'm not after any titles or anything." I only entered Duelist Kingdom to save Grandpa, and Battle City to help Yami save the world. Yami was the spirit that resided inside the Millennium Puzzle, an ancient Egyptian artifact. Yugi assembled the Millennium Puzzle years ago, and his life hadn't been the same since.

"You won't be? Great—I mean, that's too bad, Yug."

Yugi laughed. "I know how you feel—if I'm not there, than you won't have to face me." Tristan snickered at this, drawing another dirty look from Joey.

"Hey, I beat you at Battle City!" Joey protested.

"Actually, that was Marik. Besides, I let you win, when I didn't reflect your attack with my Refpanel card."

"He's got you there, Joey," Tea giggled.

"What? Whose side are you all on?" he demanded, but neither answered.

"Come on, Joey. We don't want to get to Duke's store after it closes," Yugi said as he started to walk away, breaking the awkward silence. "Oh, and I think they're on both of our sides."

"Yeah, both," Tristan agreed tentatively, and Tea nodded. Yugi laughed to himself.

They reached the game store owned by Duke Devlin about five minutes of mindless chitchat later. It was a huge three-story building, with a carnival air. Yugi knew that the top floor was office space and a pair of dueling arenas, both of which could be used for either Duel Monsters or the dice game Duke invented.

They walked in, under the awning and giant clown doll, up to the front desk, where Duke was idly polishing some of his crystal dice. Joey ran right up to him, and took one of the crystal cubes out of his hand.

"Cool. So pretty! Who's it for?"

"Hey! Give me that!" Duke said, swiping at it. "It's a gift for my mother." He snatched it back, and set it in a concealed shelf inside the counter. "Now, what can I get you? Outgrow that dog costume already?"

Joey growled, but then said, "I need some cards. I'm entering the new tournament, and I'll need some extra firepower."

"Ah, the new tournament. I was thinking of going." He looked over Joey's shoulder. "Are you entering it, too, Yugi?"

"No. I don't really care about these tournaments." Yugi shrugged. "I think I'll take some packs, though."

"Don't tell your grandpa," Tea whispered.

"Right. I forgot. Anything good, today?"

"Just like any other day—nothing but the newest and best. Or the oldest and best. Well, I just have the best!"

"Such as?" Joey prompted.

"I just got a shipment in from Industrial Illusions yesterday. It's a whole crate of Labyrinth of Nightmare packs. You know, the set that has the Spirit Messages in it." Apparently, Joey didn't know, and Duke started to get angry. "Spirit Messages. You know, when you play all of them with Destiny Board, you win automatically."

"It's that card combo Bakura used on me at the Battle City finals," Yugi explained to Joey.

"Oh! Those freaky ghost things with the scrolls. The ones that spell 'Final!'"

"Right. Very powerful stuff, too."

"I think I'll take five of those," Yugi said, taking out a wallet. "How much is it?"

"Well, for you, free," Duke said. "You still have plenty of unused space on that tab of yours."

"No, I have to pay. How much?"

"Fine, if you insist, it'll be $21.00 even."

"Thanks. Here you go," Yugi said, handing Duke the money.

"I think I will use up my tab, and get a variety of packs," Joey said.

Duke shook his head. "What tab? It's been used up."

"Fine, then. Put it on Tristan's."

"Actually, Joey, I think I'll be buying some of these DungeonDice things. So, don't even think about it."

"Thanks, pal."

"Use mine, Joey. Don't worry about it. It is for your sister, after all."

Duke's head came up. "What about his sister?"

"Well, it seems that her operation failed, so Joey's entering the new tournament to win enough money to have another done."

"Oh. Joey, I'm sorry. I didn't realize—here, take any five packs you want, on the house."

"Thanks," Joey said, looking at Duke warily. Yugi knew that Joey wasn't blind to either Tristan or Duke taking an interest in Serenity. "I think I'll take one of those Revival of Demons, a pack of Advent of Union, Phantom God, Booster Chronicles, and, lastly . . . Spell of Mask."

"Here you go," Duke said, handing Joey the five packs Joey immediately ripped the wrapping off of the Advent of Union pack, and thumbed through the five cards. "Wow! The XYZ Dragon Cannon!"

"Kaiba has one of those," Yugi said. He'd heard about the amazing power of the Dragon Cannon, and its counterparts. They were some of the most powerful monsters in the game.

"And let me see . . . I got Fleeing People, Oppressed People, and Revolutionaries. Hey, Yugi, you have these cards."

"Right. They go with a great combo, but I don't remember what it was with."

"Well, I also have a new Poison of the Old Man card."

Duke leaned over to look at it. "It has too effects. Either you gain 1200 life points, or you can take away 800 from your opponent."

"Cool."

"What did you get in the other packs?" Tristan called over his shoulder. Yugi looked, and saw him covered in a mountain of DungeonDice-based toys.

"Don't know yet. I think I'll open Spell of Mask next." He did, and looked through. "Mask of Brutality, Amphibian Beast, Infinite Card, Mage Power, and Offerings to the Doomed. Nice!"

He moved on to Booster Chronicles. "Winged Dragon #2, Crawling Dragon, Bean Soldier, a brand new Garoozis, and Dragon Seeker."

"Some of those are really good cards. Dragon Seeker will be excellent if you ever go up against Kaiba."

"What about those other two packs?" asked Tea.

"Well, let me see what's inside." He tore the wrapping off of the Phantom God pack, and nearly fell over. "I can't believe this!" he cried.

"What?" everybody demanded.

"I got—I got—it's—"

"What?"

"A Red-eyes Black Dragon card!" Joey held it up like a trophy.

"Great!" Yugi said. Joey had lost his first Red-eyes card to a Rare Hunter, right before the Battle City tournament kicked off. In the first duel of the tournament, Yugi won back the powerful dragon card, and offered it to Joey.

Joey refused to take it, realizing that Yugi would need all the firepower he could get. Then, when Marik Ishtar took control of Joey's mind, Yugi used the Red-eyes to break Joey free.

"Wow! Another Red-eyes card!" Tea said. "Now both you and Yugi have one."

"That's right, Joey. You still have one more pack to open, too, don't forget."

"What could be in this that could beat my Red-eyes Black Dragon card?" Joey asked, not looking as he tore the wrapping off the final pack. "I mean—what on earth?"

"What is it this time?" Tristan called, finally pulling himself out of the pile of dice.

"It's a Summoned Skull!" Joey crowed. "Now I can create a Black Skull Dragon without taking control of an opponent's cards!"

"That makes you a serious contender now, Joey" Yugi said. "With these new cards, your deck can become more powerful than ever."

"I can, can't I?"

"Don't let it go to his head," Tristan warned.

"Yeah; my store isn't big enough for his ego and all of us."

"I know you'll win, Joey," Yugi said.

"Thanks pal."

"Well, what did you get, Yugi?" Duke asked. "Why don't you open those packs here, and destroy the evidence."

"Right. Uh, wow! Spirit Message 'I!'"

"Anything else?"

"Another Fusion Gate, a Bait Doll, The Emperor's Holiday, and Maryokutai." Yugi thought for a moment. "Maryokutai fuses with Zombyra the Dark, to form the Last Warrior from Another Planet. I have that card."

"Great. That thing is very powerful—and dangerous." Duke looked right at Yugi. "While it's on the field, no player can summon monsters."

"Then how are you supposed to beat it?" Joey asked.

Duke grinned. "You can't summon monsters, but you can still set them. A Man-eater Bug does wonders."

Yugi then opened the other packs. In each one was a Spirit Message card, except for the last one. Inside the last pack was Destiny Board, the card needed to even play the Spirit Messages.

"Amazing! I've never seen such luck before! All four Messages, plus Destiny Board. Four rare cards, and an Ultra Rare!"

"It's too bad that you aren't entering this tournament, Yugi. With those cards, you'd definitely win."

"Well, in that case, here, Joey," Yugi said, handing all of the cards to him. "Take them. That way, you have an even better chance of saving Serenity."

"Gee, thanks, Yug. You're always doing stuff like this. Like when you gave me that Time Wizard. If it weren't for it, I wouldn't have made it past my first duel."

"Don't worry about it, Joey. It's the least I can do."

"Listen guys, we have to get going," Tea said.

"Why?" Tristan asked, carrying an armful of dice.

"Because this is a Sunday, and I close earlier," Duke offered.

"Actually, it's because I have to get home early," Tea explained.

"Okay, then. Duke, just put these on my tab," Tristan said, dumping the pile onto the counter. "Okay?"

"Fine. That will, however, max it out."

"Fine by me," Tristan said. "I got some real good ones—check it out: a Blue-eyes White Dragon, in dice form!"

"Tristan, I should warn you—that's a very high-level dice, and almost impossible to dimension."

"But if I do, I have a big advantage," he pointed out.

"Yeah. Most people would just quit once they faced a Blue-eyes," Tea laughed.

"Well, see you later, Duke," Yugi said.

"Maybe I'll face you in the tournament," Joey called over his shoulder. Tristan and Tea both said their goodbyes, and left.

"Can we get something to eat, first?" Joey asked Tea, a few minutes later.

"Sure. I don't have to be home for another hour, but I expected you to ask." She winked at Joey. "The diner?"

"You mean that place you used to work at?" A few years earlier, Tea had gotten a job, illegally, at the Domino Diner, to raise money to go to dance school in New York. Yugi and Joey discovered her, but didn't turn her in. After that, they became friends.

"Yeah. Alright with you?"

"Fine with me," Joey said, and the others nodded their assent.

Awaken my mind slave.

The words rushed through the man's mind before he could even register it. He was up in an instant, but he hadn't told his body to do anything. He couldn't control his own body. But he still had his memories, and knew exactly what was happening. It wasn't the first time, and, he knew, it wouldn't be the last.

This man was once a Rare Hunter, and had once served under Marik Ishtar, who, at the time, possessed the mind-controlling Millennium Rod. He was the first to face Yugi Muto, and the first to lose. His mind had been trapped in the Shadow Realm, until the Millennium Rod changed hands, to someone else even more sinister.

And, now he was being ordered to do something.

After his soul was returned to his body, the Rare Hunter joined up with former Intercontinental Duel Monsters Champion "Bandit" Keith Howard. He learned much of what a loser did. They spent a lot of time in back allies and bars. He'd managed to assemble one set of Exodia cards to replace the three Yugi had destroyed in Battle City. This time, they were not coated in ink.

Find Yugi Muto, and destroy him.

"I will find Yugi Muto . . . and destroy him."

"That was good," Joey said, rubbing his stomach. It was starting to get late, and the sun was setting.

"You're right. That has to be the best meal I've had in a while."

"Tristan, that's because you make your own food now," Joey said, shuddering.

"Hey! Don't make fun of my cooking talents!"

"Or lack there-of," Yugi added. Tristan glared at him.

"Would you three stop bickering? Gees, you act like a bunch of little boys."

"Well, I am a little boy," Yugi replied sheepishly. Tea sighed.

But then, Yugi was thrown to the ground. He heard the other gasp, and then thuds, as they, too, fell.

Yugi was up on his feet in an instant. "What's going on?" he demanded.

A familiar laugh emanated from the shadows of an alley, and a cloaked figure emerged. On the hood of his cloak was the Eye of Anubis, the Millennium Symbol. It was the traditional garb of a Rare Hunter.

And this one was tall, taller than any of the others. His voice was deep, scratchy, and malicious. That meant that he was the one who took Joey's Red-eyes Black Dragon, the one with Exodia.

"What do you want, Rare Hunter."

"I want to duel you, and have a rematch from Battle City. I doubt you can beat me this time—my Exodia deck is even more formidable than before."

"I don't have a duel disk," Yugi said. He was stalling for time, hoping his friends would recover.

Yugi! He heard Yami say through their mental bond.

What is it?

I feel a connection between him and someone else. I think he is under the control of the Millennium Rod.

Just great, Yugi thought to himself.

The Rare Hunter pulled open his cloak, showing that he had a KaibaCorp Duel Disk on each arm. "I figured as much, so I brought two." He tossed it to Yugi, who caught it and slipped it on his arm.

"What do you really want? And who are you? You think I can't tell that this is just a messenger; that he isn't under the control of a Millennium Item?"

The Rare Hunter growled, but then smiled. "You are quick. Yes, I want to invite you to join my tournament. If you win this duel, I will give you a piece of information, and allow you to take all five pieces of Exodia in this pathetic fool's deck."

"Why should I duel?"

"Because, if you don't, I will seal all of your friends in the Shadow Realm for all eternity."

"Well, in that case, what have I got to lose?"

"Your Millennium Puzzle."

Yami, you better take over now.

Right.

Power surged through Yugi, and then he felt Yami's presence inside him. "You will never claim the Millennium Puzzle," he said.

"That's what you think. Let the duel begin."

"Fine by me. Shall you go first?"

"It makes little difference, but I shall."

"Fine." The Duel Disk snapped into position, and fired off the portable hologram generators. Each landed two meters away from the Duel Disk and user, forming a rectangle, four meters by eight meters.

"For my move, I play Graceful Charity. A wise hunter knows to replace his weak hounds with healthy ones."

He isn't being controlled any more! Yugi realized.

But he isn't backing down meaning he was willingly under control, Yami pointed out.

"And, I play Sangan, in defense mode, and set a card face-down."

"My turn. I play Celtic Guardian, in attack mode. Destroy Sangan." The pointy-eared elf swordsman leapt into the air, and slashed with his giant sword. The three-eyed fuzz ball was cut in half.

"Now I can take a monster from my deck, one with less than 1500 attack points."

"A piece of Exodia, no doubt."

"Right. I'll also activate this trap card, Call of the Haunted, and revive Sangan, in defense mode. And, for my turn, I'll play the Mystic Tomato, and have it attack your Celtic Guardian."

"Both of them will be destroyed, though!"

"Right. And, when Mystic Tomato goes to the graveyard as a result of battle, I can summon another Dark monster with less than 1500 attack points to replace it: Witch of the Black Forest, attack!"

The black-robed Spellcaster fired a ball of energy at Yugi, causing him to back up a few steps. His life points dropped to 2900. He's doing well. When we last faced him, he had a completely defensive strategy. I wonder what he's up to now.

"Come on, Yugi!" Tea cried. "You can beat him!"

"Yeah! Kick his can, like you did last time!" Joey added.

"Beat him so good he doesn't ever duel again." Tristan shouted.

"This duel is almost over. I already have one piece of Exodia in my hand—and, if you attack, I will get two more."

"Not if I take them out of play," Yami shot back.

"How? With a Lesser Fiend card? Well, here's something to dissuade you from playing one: Prohibition. I select Lesser Fiend as a card neither of us can play."

"Who even said I had a Lesser Fiend card in my deck? No, I have more dangerous ways of taking those cards out."

"You're all talk."

"And you're not? I believe I am the one who won our last duel, not you. And I shall win this one, as well."

"That's what you think. But, I've already won. Even though I can only have one Witch of the Black Forest and Sangan in my deck, I can still revive them with an assortment of rare and powerful recursion cards." The Rare Hunter laughed. "Like a Revival am, they will keep coming back, until you destroy enough for me to play Exodia the Forbidden One, and take you down completely."

"I know of ways to take out your monsters before they can be revived. So, for my turn, I play Beta the Magnet Warrior, in attack mode." The yellow ball bearing warrior materialized in front of Yugi, and pointed both of its magnet hands at the Rare Hunter's monster. "I also play Premature Burial, reviving my Celtic Guardian. Finally, I'll activate this face down card: Royal Decree. It deactivates all traps, so whatever that other face-down card is, it won't work."

"I still get to add another two pieces of Exodia to my hand."

"But that's all. I activate Soul Release, removing Sangan and the Witch from play."

"What? Oh, no!"

"Make your move."

"Fine. I play another Graceful Charity card, drawing three more cards. Then, I will set Stone Statue of the Aztecs in defense mode." A huge statue situated itself between Yugi's monsters and the Hunter.

"Back to making walls, Rare Hunter? Well, allow me to break them down. I sacrifice my two monsters to summon the Red-eyes Black Dragon, in attack mode."

"That's the card you won from me in Battle City!"

Joey glared daggers at the Hunter. "You mean the one you took from me!"

"Red-eyes Black Dragon, Inferno Fireball!" The giant black dragon roared, and belched up a huge ball of flame. The statue shattered. "So much for your defenses."

"Hah! You've fallen right into my trap. For my turn, I set a card, and activate Swords of Revealing Light." He grinned. "I have four Exodia card in my hand. And, without being able to play any trap cards, you won't be able to prevent me from assembling all five, and defeating you for good!"

He's right. That Royal Decree helps him as much as it does me. And, with it in play, I can't play Lightforce Sword, to keep one of his Exodia cards out of play. I can't use anything that can prevent him from drawing, or anything light that.

"For this turn, I play the Big Eye face-down. Next turn, when I flip it, I will be able to rearrange the top five cards on my deck, and if the final piece of Exodia is there, you will be finished!"

There's nothing I can do! No card in my deck can stand up to Exodia. With that Swords of Light card on the field, I can't even attack!

We're through.

Deep in the shadows of his inner sanctum, a man laughed. It was a deep, booming laugh, filled with hatred and dripping with malice. In his hand was a long, golden rod. One end was a sharp point, and the other was a round ball, with small wings on the sides. On the ball at the end was a hieroglyphic shaped like an eye.

And the eye was glowing.

"Good work, my mind-slave," he said, in his scratchy voice. "Soon, I will own Yugi Muto's Millennium Puzzle, and I shall then take the others from the Guardians. The power to rule the world shall soon be mine!"

"Master?" one of the simpletons asked from the doorway. Light spilled in, revealing a boy, with white hair and pale skin, dressed in a robe of violet. The simpleton was a tall, muscular man, wearing a suit. "Shall we begin the preparations?"

"Yes. I want invitations sent to all of the major duelists from both Duelist Kingdom and Battle City. Also, I want the Rare Hunters. Their skills will work perfectly for Duelist Eliminators."

"Anything else, master?"

"I want you to get me the phone number of Seto Kaiba. Soon, I will tell him of his little brother's plight, and that, if he wants him back, he'll enter my tournament."

"Yes, master, at once."

"Be gone." The simpleton left. "Soon, all of my plans will cone together, and I will take all that I deserve!"

TO BE CONTINUED . . .