Walking down an endless trail, the group had seen just a small portion of the land's beauty. Filled with color and life, the air had never been so clean, the weather never so perfect, the atmosphere never so peaceful. Not a single cloud floated in the sky as the sun shone strongly onto the land. Flowers grew from the ground, and many fruits grew from the trees and bushes. As they continued on the trail, the grass faded away, and they approached a large, tan canyon. None of them had ever seen a canyon from this viewpoint before, and they dazed at its allurement. The cliffs were wonderfully figured and shaped, and the sunlight beaming down on them only added to the great sight. The trail led them down into the canyon, so carefully they climbed down into it.

For a while, it seemed the trail had only guided them to view the sights. After traveling for quite some time through the canyon, they had run into Anubis. Surprised at first, they all stepped forward in preparation of attack.

"All versus I? That is not fair," he laughed. Of course, he alone, with his God powers, could probably take them all on. "This will not be all on one, but one on one. It is not just a fight versus me, but versus you. Unable to defeat neither yourself nor I, and you will fall, one by one."

They stood up straight. They understood now that only one person at a time would be able to battle him, and each time the circumstances would be different. Though unsure of what he meant about fighting themselves, they felt ready and confident at beating him at his own games.

Disregarding his statement, Yugi let his anger overcome him and immediately went to attack. Seto and Honda held him back, not wanting him to die so quickly. Yugi calmed down and stopped.

"Who will it be? Who will accept the first challenge?" he stood patiently, blocking them from proceeding further down the trail.

Yugi moved his foot forward, but Otogi stepped in front of him. He would not let anyone else challenge him now, especially Yugi. He looked back, his eyes telling Yugi that he had this one.

"Don't be a fool. I'll defeat this jackass and save you the trouble," he told Yugi. He turned to Anubis. "I'll take you on."

Otogi walked away from the group and towards Anubis, keeping his distance. Anubis smiled as he showed a rocky staircase which led up to the center of the left cliff.

"Take the stairs up the cliff. I welcome you all to watch," he told them.

Consciously, the remainder of the group took the stairs up the cliff. With each step, they waited for something to happen. Nothing had occurred as they proceeded up the stairs, which was unexpected. After Jounouchi, the last person in line, had finished climbing them, the stoned stairs shattered to pieces. Now the only way back down was to jump or to climb, and being a bit high up, neither looked so delightful. Still under the belief Anubis would strike them all down at once, the group spread out from one another.

"Good luck, Otogi," Anzu mumbled to herself.

Anubis turned away from the group on the cliff and faced his opponent. Otogi had a fearless, angry look on his face, though some of it was merely a mirage.

"There will be no interferences," he reminded him.

"I don't need anyone else to defeat you," Otogi growled selfishly. "You're paying for what you did to Yugi."

"Will I? By your hands?" he snickered. "We will see. I only hope you do not get lost in the game, only to die alone."

"Let's start it already," he said.

"Very well."

The earth began to shake. Everyone but Anubis began to hold onto something to prevent them from falling. Behind Anubis, thick, elevated walls began coming out of the ground. These walls were so tall that there was no way to climb over them, so thick they could not be broken through. When the walls had finished growing, the earthquake stopped. From above, the group could see the formation of the wall. It was nothing more than a giant maze.

"Behind me," Anubis began to explain to Otogi, "is a dungeon maze. You are to pick three monsters to accompany you on your journey through this dungeon, and you are to lead them around the maze, they never to leave you. You must scurry around and assault the other player's monsters, destroying each of them. After destroying one of his monsters, you are to let them escape for one minute exactly before you begin once again your search and assault. When you have nothing left to defend yourself, you must lead yourself out of the maze the same way your opponent entered to safety. Fail to do so and the other player will slaughter you."

Otogi understood what was going to happen. He had gone through mazes before. His Dungeon Dice Monsters game had been designed about monsters making their way through a dungeon to the heart points of their opponents. But unlike his game, the stakes were much higher. It mattered not to him what was on the line! He would prove his value and defeat his opponent.

"Pick your three monsters," Anubis told him.

Otogi thought quickly yet carefully. He thought of his own deck, more so his Dungeon Dice Monsters deck. He figured the power indicated on the card would not precisely be the same as the real monster that would be with him, but he still tried to use the card information to think strategically. His most powerful monster would obviously be with him, but he also wanted some speed and defensive power with him. After much debate about his final two monsters, he finally came to a decision.

"Under my arm, I'll take God Orguss, Black Ninja, and Battle Ox," he said.

Behind him, hologram looking figures of the monsters he had picked stood behind him. A short fighter illusion, dressed in black, a tall armored knight, and an axe wielding ox on two legs stood behind him. After Otogi turned to them, they no longer became see through. They had been given life as Otogi watched in amazement.

"I will take Buster Blader, Rude Kaiser, and Sword Stalker," he called.

Just as what had happened for Otogi, Anubis' monsters appeared behind him, becoming real creatures.

"I will start at the maze's other end. Have no fear of them not understanding you or not listening to you. They are quite the obedient. Wait for the sound of the bell, for that is the sound of the beginning," he quickly explained. Using the unoccupied side of the canyon, Anubis retreated to the other end, the stone stairs again bursting after their use.

As the minutes before they would begin ticked away, Otogi tried thinking of some strategy he could use. He knew not the format of the maze, so he would have to go solely by instinct on which direction to take. Around every corner, he would have to move carefully, not to be caught off guard, or perhaps to find a way to sneakily attack his enemy. His back would also have to kept on watch, for when he would be stalked would be unknown. He thought he had picked his monsters perfectly, and they would not let him down. Finding nothing else to keep in mind for this challenge, he turned towards the entrance of the maze, waiting for the bell.

"I'm ready for you," he whispered words of encouragement to himself.

Ding!
The bell had rung. Both Otogi and Anubis dashed into the maze, their monsters following close behind.

Otogi had taken several turns in the complex dungeon. Within a matter of minutes, he was lost. He had thought he had traveled in a large circle already, but he was not sure. Every now and then, he would have his monsters check the rear in case they might have been followed. As time wore on, he started carefully checking the corners, trying to be sly. The fight had gone on for ten minutes, and nothing had occurred yet.

From above, everyone could see both Otogi and Anubis moving through the maze at their own paces and with their own strategy. Anubis was not as cautious as Otogi, but he did not by all means move quickly. The maze's largeness was taking a toll on Otogi, as he became tired after running around it aimlessly for a little bit. Yugi watched them both closely, watching them run around, unaware of how much closer to one another they were becoming.

"Be careful, Otogi," he said aloud. "He's coming for you."

Unable to hear his friends, Otogi continued to move through the maze. He ran straight for a while until he was forced to turn right. There was not a sign of his opponent. He heard no foot steps, nor breathing of anyone else. He almost began to suspect that it was too quiet. Checking behind him once more, he continued ahead.

This is too weird, he thought to himself. Why have I not seen him yet? Why hasn't he attacked? He has to be near.

He turned the next left corner when he heard the unsheathing of a sword. Barely around the edge, Otogi looked ahead of him first, seeing if Anubis was in the path in front, but he knew he would not make such a foolish mistake as to make a noise. He turned around, his monsters still behind him, two of them not fully around the corner yet. He went back around the corner he had just turned, and saw Anubis behind him. Sword Stalker had equipped its sword, and sliced the monster leading the back, Otogi's Battle Ox, into two. Battle Ox disappeared after the attack, its large axe remaining. Otogi stood in shock. He was now one monster short, with only two left.

"One of your fighters has fallen. All that remains are two, then it is you," Anubis laughed as his Sword Stalker returned to him. "You have only a minute! Flee!"

Otogi remembered that he only had a minute to create some distance between him and Anubis. Delaying no longer, he ran the path he had planned to go before. After a bit, he thought he had lost him, and stopped for a breath.

I let my guard down, he thought. Now I'm a monster short. I have to find a way to even the score.

After catching his breath, he began moving through the maze again, moving back on the same path he had just come from. He hoped to run into Anubis again if he moved backwards. Some time passed, and again they had not seen one another. Turning right, Otogi saw a shadow ahead of him turning left. It was Sword Stalker, one of Anubis' monsters. This was his chance! Carefully and quietly, he followed them for a little bit until he thought of a perfect execution of attack.

Black Ninja is sly, small, and nimble. If I send him to attack on the next corner they turn, it could sneak attack Sword Stalker.

He figured it would work, and any way of attack would be good for him at that point, being down a monster. Anubis, now holding the axe of Battle Ox, took a left turn, and Otogi quietly signaled Black Ninja to attack. The ninja, hardly making a sound as it moved, ran in its toes as the distance between it and Sword Stalker lessened. Otogi cautiously followed his monster to make sure his plan did not end up backfiring. When Black Ninja turned the corner, Otogi and God Orguss stayed behind, but looked around that corner to watch the slaying. Black Ninja withdrew four long bladed, powerfully sharp throwing knives between its fingers in its right hand. It leaped into the air and viciously released all four knives from his hand. The blades dug themselves into the flesh of Sword Stalker's back, and Sword Stalker disappeared. Its weapon, like Battle Ox's, remained.

"What now, bitch?" he taunted his opponent as if he had just one a street fight. "I've defeated one of your own!"

The group on the cliff cheered as Anubis sighed and smirked. He ran off knowing he only had a minute to get away. He had no concerns about one of his monsters being destroyed. He knew he would avenge its fall.

Otogi waited for one minute to pass, and once it was up, he was quickly off again. His confidence had overgrown, and he felt nothing could go wrong now. He felt great enough to think that he could run anywhere and run into Anubis again, and take down another one of his monsters. With his head up in the clouds of glory, Otogi dashed through the maze insensately, having no clue where he was going or why.

All the while, Anubis followed. Patiently, he had hidden in a path near where Otogi had been waiting to go on the attack again. It was a path Otogi did not take, and as soon as he passed, Anubis stealthily trailed him. He knew Otogi would be in a state of euphoria, and be unaware of an immediate attack.

"Otogi," Anzu yelled from above, "Behind you! Watch your back!"

Her voice was hardly a silent sound of wind blowing. Otogi could not hear anything any of them said. He continued to fatuously wander around the maze, Anubis slowly closing the gap between them.

"Why isn't he listening? That idiot's going to get himself killed!" Honda complained.

"I don't know…" Yugi mumbled. "Can he not hear us?"

Otogi continued running straight, unaware of the fact he could have taken a shorter path on the trail before to reach the area path he was on. Anubis had take this path, and waited for Otogi to run by. He rested his back against the side of the wall which would hide him from Otogi. As he expected, Otogi ran right by him, and Anubis already had his Rude Kaiser ready to strike. The monster last in line, Black Ninja, followed him. The second Black Ninja was next to it, Rude Kaiser assaulted it. It jumped atop its foe, and using the axe blades attached to its arms, cut it to pieces. Black Ninja was gone. Hearing the cutting, Otogi spun around as his Black Ninja disappeared.

"What the-" he grumbled.

"One," was the only word Anubis said to him.

Deeply afraid, Otogi ran, his only monster trailing behind him. He was running like a chicken with its head chopped off. It was unbelievable! Another one of his monsters had been destroyed! If he lost his last monster, surely he would be killed. The dungeon maze was nearly impossible to figure out. He would not know the first route to escape. Otogi felt an urge of desperation. He was so afraid that he noticed not a minute had passed, and Anubis was after him again.

I…I need to find a way…out…was the only thought on his mind. He had already given up.

He had been so scared he noticed not that he was running in circles for a little bit. When he finally did, Anubis had already found him. With only one monster left, Anubis did not have to worry about anyone else attacking his monsters. As Otogi circled around again, he sent Rude Kaiser to distract his God Orguss. Otogi this time was more aware of the attack, and sent his God Orguss to defend him. His large arm shoved Rude Kaiser aside, but the force of his shove made his body turn away from the front, making way for Buster Blader's attack. With its masterful sword, Buster Blader stabbed straight through Orguss' armor. It ripped the sword out as God Orguss collapsed and disappeared. Otogi watched as his strongest beast was killed. All his monsters, gone. He nothing left to defend himself. All he could do is run in different directions in hopes that he would find the exit. Anubis was in no rush to go after him. He patiently stood as he waited for the one minute limit to be up.

"Otogi!" Honda screamed to him.

Upset, he ran to jump off the cliff and into the maze, but ended up running into something else, stopping him from doing so. He fell back as the others ran to see what it was he had run into. Carefully feeling, they felt another wall in front of them, only it was unseen. Its purpose was obviously to prevent Otogi from hearing them, and from them going into the dungeon maze themselves.

"Anubis, kisama…" Yami Yugi growled to himself as he sat in anger.

They all sat with him, angry at the fact Otogi was helplessly lost in a maze which he could not solve. There was nothing they could do but watch. They prayed that somehow, he would find a way out. Even hope would not help him. Otogi was still stuck in the center of the maze, and he was making no progress in getting towards the exit.

Out of breath, Otogi quickly took a right and ran straight only to find he had reached a dead end. There was nowhere else to go but back. He turned away to see his enemy slowly approaching him. He was trapped.

"Arrogance," Anubis spoke to him as he took slow steps. Otogi backed up against the wall. "Your own disgraceful arrogance has caused all with you to fall. It is only fitting for you to fall at your own arrogant hands. You will lead no one down any longer."

He was sweating immensely and shivered. Otogi rethought about this entire fight. He remembered how cocky he was after he had destroyed Anubis' Sword Stalker, and how that led to the destruction of his Black Ninja. He thought even harder back to when he had first met Yugi, and how much of a selfish scum he was to him then while playing against him in Dungeon Dice Monsters. As he thought harder about it, he realized that this was similar to that match…and now he was paying for forgetting.

"Otogi-" his friends called to him, but as usual he could hear nothing.

He looked up to them as Anubis' shadow covered him from the sun. Anubis lifted the axe above him. Otogi's eyes told them how sorry he was that he failed, and he was willing to pay the price of death to save them.

The axe swung horizontally, slicing deeply through Otogi's throat. Blood splattered on the wall nearby as the dead Otogi collapsed.

They could not stay any longer. Otogi was gone, and they could not bring him back, nor could they have done anything to stop his death. More upset than ever, they ran from the scene. The fact that yet another one of them was lost was eating away at them.

The monsters that had been behind him had disappeared. Anubis stood proudly over Otogi's body as he watched Otogi's friends flee.

Run, he thought. Run all you wish, but that will not escape you from your past; from your fate from the Gods; from yourself.