Ishizu was staying by Rishid's side, trusting Akia with her brother. She also hoped that, if Rishid were to wake up, she'd be able to bring him to their duel so that he could help save Marik as well.
Honda was with Anzu, who was still out cold from Marik possessing her body. Shizuka was staying with Mai. Kaiba was not in the mood to watch the duel since Yugi defeated him in his own tournament. Mokuba decided to be with his brother in case he needed him.
Yugi, Jounouchi, and Otogi were the three assisting to Akia's duel.
It was now Akia's turn. Her Life Points stood at an impressive 8700, while Marik's had 3750. On the other hand Akia only had Soul Absorption active on her side of the field, while Marik had Juragedo (1700/1300) in attack position, Swallowtail Spike Dragon (1900/700) in face-up defence position, and four facedown cards. He also had the face-up continuous spell card, Vengeful Bog Spirit, which made it so that no monsters on the field could attack during the same turn that they are summoned. Marik's dominant personality and Akia's past self were the hostages and victims of this Shadow Game. Both were awake. Marik was looking on worriedly as his evil counterpart had no reservations about hurting Akia without the former to stop latter. Akia's past self knew there was a way to save him, but she needed all the pieces to be placed correctly for it to happen. She just hoped that her modern reincarnation could hold on long enough.
"Draw!" Akia started her turn.
"Trap card, activate! Coffin Seller!" Marik interrupted her. "Now that your cards will be going to the graveyard instead of being banished, this is the perfect card to grind at your Life Points. Each time one of your monsters is sent to the Graveyard, you will lose 300 Life Points."
"Only 300? It'll take you quite a while to get me down to 0 Life Points," the young woman replied.
"There will be more where that came from, I assure you," the evil personality chuckled.
"I'll continue with my turn," Akia brushed his comment off and proceeded. "I'll summons Kycoo the Destroyer (1800/700). I'll also set three cards facedown."
"Time for another trap card! Nightmare Wheel!" Marik activated his trap card. "I'll have that attached to your monster. Now it won't be able to attack or change its battle position. Also, during each of my Standby Phases, you take 500 points of damage."
"He countered her again!" Jounouchi exclaimed.
"Akia must be feeling pretty frustrated..." Yugi added, seeing the scowl on his sister's face.
"Great... I end my turn then," Akia sighed in defeat.
Marik drew his next card.
"Trap card, activate!" Another interruption came from Akia. "Jar of Greed! This card allows me to draw one card from my deck." After her interruption, Marik's Life Points went up by 1000 points.
"What?!" Akia exclaimed. At the same time, she lost 500 Life Points because of Nightmare Wheel that was attached to her monster, bring her Life Points down to 8200.
"Remember my Swallowtail Spike Lizard? As long as it's in face-up defence position on my side of the field, I gain 1000 Life Points on my turn," Marik informed her. As his Life Points reached 4750, his dominant personality recovered the part of his arm that had been eaten by darkness. Akia couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as that happened.
Marik then summoned Bowganian (1300/1000). He then switched Swallowtail Spike Lizard (1900/700) to attack position. "Swallowtail Spike Lizard! Attack Kycoo the Destroyer!" Marik declared.
"I won't let you! I activate my trap card, Widespread Ruin! This destroys your attack position monster with the highest attack. And that happens to be your Swallowtail Spike Lizard!" The young woman retorted.
Marik frowned a little when his monster was destroyed. "Your petty little tricks won't always save you. Turn end."
"Yeah! Akia's still owning this game!" Jounouchi yelled out.
Yugi was also feeling relieved that his sister hadn't lost her cool. He knew she was an exceptional duelist, but he had feared that fighting against Marik might break her spirit.
"I draw!" Akia started her next turn. "I'll set one monster in facedown defence position and I will activate my spell card, Hammer Shot! This card destroys the monster with the highest attack on the field."
"That's her own monster!" Otogi said.
"She probably wants to get rid of the continuous effect of Nightmare Wheel to stop losing Life Points every turn," Yugi theorized.
As Akia's Kycoo the Destroyer was destroyed by her Hammer Shot, so was Marik's Nightmare wheel. The effect of Coffin Seller activated as Akia's monster was sent to her graveyard, causing her to lose 300 Life Points.
"I'll end my turn," the red-eyed girl said. As soon as she did, Bowganian shot an arrow at her heart, causing her to lose another 300 Life Points, bringing them down to 7600. "Another effect...?" Akia gasped from the surprise and pain.
"As long as my Bowganian is face-up on the field, you will lose 300 Life Points at the end of each of your turns," Marik's evil personality chuckled. "I told you I'd keep chipping away at your Life Points from all directions. My turn, draw. I'll attack your facedown with Juragedo!"
"You've activated my Man-Eater Bug's flip effect!" Akia interjected. "I get to target one monster on the field and destroy it. I choose Bowganian!"
Man-Eater Bug dragged Bowganian along with it to the graveyard. Coffin Seller activated once more, causing Akia to lose yet again 300 Life Points, bringing them to 7300.
"I guess I'll finish my turn by summoning another monster. Come, Melchid the Four-Face Beast (1500/1200)!" Marik ended his turn afterwards.
During Akia's next turn, she drew her D.D. Warrior Lady and set it in facedown defence position.
"Draw!" Marik looked at his next card and smirked widely, his face distorting, veins popping up.
"Let's stir things up before the main event! I'll summon Gil Garth (1800/1200)! Attack Mode! All the puzzle pieces are in place. I sacrifice Juragedo and Melchid the Four-Face Beast to perform a special summoning. Now, come forth, Masked Beast Des Gardius (3300/2500)!"
"Two monsters in one turn?!" Otogi exclaimed.
"And it's so powerful!" Jounouchi added.
"Since his Masked Beast Des Gardius is a special summon, he was able to normal summon a monster during the same turn," Yugi explained.
"At least he can't attack the same turn or Akia would've been in a lot of trouble..." Jounouchi muttered.
Marik's dominant personality grit his teeth. This was one of the strongest monsters in his deck. He hoped Akia would be able to overcome it somehow.
"Let's see your next move, woman," Marik's evil personality let out a low and threatening laugh. "Turn end."
Akia gulped while looking at the giant monster in from of her. She drew her next card, hoping for something that could help her. Unfortunately, she drew D.D. Scout Plane (800/1200) which was not helpful other than providing another layer of defence agains the upcoming onslaught. She set in on the field in facedown defence position, hoping that Marik would choose to attack it with his Gil Garth and attack her D.D. Warrior Lady with his Masked Beast Des Gardius, so that she could remove it from play along with her monster.
"Draw..." Marik had a disturbing gleeful expression. "I'll use this spell card from my hand, Tribute Burial! By removing from play one monster from each of our Graveyards, I can summon a level five or higher monster from my hand without the need for sacrifice. I'll remove Jeroid and Kycoo the Destroyer to summon Helpoemer (2000/1400) in attack position! Enjoy the 1000 Life Points you're gaining while you can."
Due to the banishing of the two monsters, Akia recovered Life Points, just like Marik said, bringing them up to 8300.
"Let's see now," Marik looked at both of Akia's set monsters. He knew there had to be one of them at least that had an annoying effect. "I guess it comes down to luck. I'll use Gil Garth to attack the monster the left."
Akia let out a frustrated sigh. He chose D.D. Warrior Lady. Using her ability, both monsters were removed from play, granting Akia another 1000 Life Points. Marik used his Masked Beast Des Gardius to obliterate her D.D. Scout Plane, causing Coffin Seller to activate and remove 300 Life Points from the young woman. Her Life Points now stood at 9000, with no monsters left on her side of the field.
"Hahahaha, I guess luck is on my side in this duel!" The young Egyptian man laughed triumphantly.
"Don't count me out just yet! I draw!" Akia retorted. "I'll set two cards facedown and set a monster in facedown defence position. Turn End."
"Is that all? So much for the Queen of Games," Marik ridiculed her. "Draw! Helpoemer! Attack her facedown monster!"
The monster was revealed to be Morphing Jar (700/600). Its flip effect made both Akia and Marik discard their entire hands, before drawing five cards each. Both of them only had one card in hand, so this was a well-needed replenishing of their hands. Coffin Seller also activates, dropping her Life Points to 8700.
"You just signed your death warrant with that flip effect," Marik laughed, the veins popping up more from how strained and distorted his expression was getting. "I'll continue with my attack. Masked Beast Des Gardius! Attack her directly!"
The force and strength at which she was attack, launched Akia backwards, making her tumble on the ground while letting out a pained scream. Her Life Points dropped to 5400 after the massive direct attack of 3300.
"Akia!" Jounouchi, Yugi, and Otogi called out to her.
"Get up! You can do this!" Her past self encouraged her.
Marik's dominant personality was horrified at the scene unfolding in front of him. "Akia! Please be okay...!" He yelled out, fearing the worst.
Akia, hearing everyone's voice, gathered up her strength and shakily got up. She was panting from the effort, but her fighting spirit was not shaken.
"Oh, I'm impressed," Marik's evil personality said. "Your little body sure can take it."
"Just continue your turn," Akia breathed out. "I can't wait to finally get rid of you and recovering the real Marik."
"I am the real Marik," the man chuckled. "Let's continue the onslaught. I set one card facedown and activate my spell card, Monster Reborn!"
"I won't let you! I activate my counter trap, Magic Jammer! This negates and destroys your spell card!" The red-eyed girl interjected.
"Fine, then I'll summon Makyura the Destructor (1600/1200)..." Before he could continue, Akia interrupted him once more. "I'll activate my trap, Bottomless Trap Hole! This card destroys any monster that is summoned with 1500 or more attack points and removes it from play!"
Her Life Points were recovered thanks to Soul Absorption, bringing them up to 5900.
"Tch," Marik let out an annoyed sound. "Turn End."
"If it weren't for Akia's Soul Absorption, she'd have lost more than all of her Life Points right now with the amount of damage that Marik is dealing..." Otogi commented.
"It's all part of her strategy," Yugi said. "The excessive amount of Life Points acts like a shield for her until she gets the cards she needs."
"I can't help but feel worried about her, though," Jounouchi confessed.
"Same here..." Her brother agreed.
The duel continued, with no one knowing how it would end and who would be victorious.