For the first time in the duel, Shadow showed emotion, smirking darkly. "Exodia Necross can only be destroyed by targeting monster effects, but of course I have cards to stop that. He's not destroyed by targeting spells or traps, and he's completely unaffected by any effects that don't target. Every turn Exodia Necross gets stronger, and even if you summon a monster more powerful than him, I will not take any battle damage from him, or any other monster I summon. You cannot stop me."

'Wait…' Yami said, taking control of Chris' body. 'I recognize that tone of voice!'


"Atem," Yami's eyes widened at hearing his true name. "I think you know who I am. And I just want to warn you: this time, you cannot stop me."
"Ba… kura?" Yami murmured.

"Oh, it seems you've finally figured it out! It took you long enough! And now, since you know, I assume that you won't mind if I take this to the Shadow Realm!" 'Bakura' cackled as the purple fog began to shroud the two spirits.


OMG! 99 reviews! C'mon, just 1 more til 100! (mahad, y couldn't u just review?1?)

Vyser Dragoon: Yeah, I forget why exactly I chose to make it Exodia Necross... and I dun think it was too big of a twist. I think the biggest twist in the fic was the end of chapter 15...

Kyoda: Yeah, Forbidden Barrier is one of my most favorite made-up cards in the entire fic. It actually makes Exodia Necross playable. And it seems that everyone liked Shadow/Bakura... And I wanted a good twist for these chapeters. This is really the halfway point of the fic... (although it's 1 off, since the fic will be 52 chapters)

Ninja Wolf 25: I dun really know myself (sweatdrop) I think it was a combo of Shadow and Bakura, but now it's going to be just Bakura. But it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that Bakura used the Millennium Rod to make Shadow initiate the duel and stuff

ForensicDuelist4137: Kura-cha (:P at KK) can't stay still, 'cause then my fic would be (even more) boring, and I'd stop getting all my review ;-; And I'm not going to make it as anti-climatic as EF or Brain Control... just wait and see!

Katoma: Ya, as I said, Forbidden Barrier is one of my favorite made-up cards

Since no one said anything, I'll keep my 'chapter previews' the same


Chapter 25: Possessed Dark Soul

"Bakura! But… how?" Yami asked. "How can you control Shadow?"

"I believe you are familiar with the powers of the Millennium Rod," Bakura said through Shadow.

"You have the Millennium Rod?" Yami's eyes widened. "Well, since this is a Shadow Game, if I lose then I have to give you my Millennium Puzzle. However, doesn't it also mean that if I win I can take your Millennium Rod?" It appears Bakura is indeed collecting the Millennium Items. The Millennium Rod is one of the most powerful, and I must make sure he does not have it!

"Actually, I think there is something you might want instead." Bakura smirked as he reached into Shadow's pocket and pulled out a small loop of gold.

"The Millennium Necklace! You took that from Sarah!" shouted Yami.

"Of course," Bakura replied. "But she lost the duel, fair and square.

"Anyway, it is still my turn. I didn't want to overwhelm poor Chris, but you're a different story. I activate Necross Power (4), so now Exodia Necross (1800+500/0) will gain 1000 attack points each turn instead of the normal 500! Anyway, take your turn."

'I don't have many options, since Chris depleted his hand,' Yami thought as he drew (3). 'However, the options I have are still good enough!' "I activate Mystical Space Typhoon (2) to destroy Shadow Cross! Now Exodia Necross can be affected by my Swords of Revealing Light (1)! I end my turn by summoning Queen's Knight (0;1500/1600) in defense mode."

"Good move. Of course, I shouldn't expect less than you," Bakura commented as a small gust of wind appeared around Exodia Necross, and then several glowing swords. Bakura drew (5) as Exodia Necross' power increased to 3300. "Since I cannot attack, I must pass."

"Then it's my draw again (1)!" Yami declared. "And I think I'll draw twice more (3), thanks to Pot of Greed (2)! I summon King's Knight (1;1600/1400) in defense mode, also brining out Jack's Knight (1900/1000). I conclude my turn with a set card (0)."

"Looks like I must pass again," Bakura sighed after he drew (6) and his monster's attack increased further to 4300. "However, there is only one turn left."

'He's right; I need to figure out a way around Exodia Necross!' Yami worriedly thought as he drew (1). 'And this might be it!' "I'll set the only card in my hand (0), and end my turn."

"Those three turns went by rather quickly," Bakura observed as he drew (7). "I set this (6) and end. Now Exodia Necross' power is at 5300, and next turn it will be 6300! Are you sure you don't want to surrender now?" He asked as the shining swords disappeared.

"I'm going to fight you to the bitter end, Bakura," Yami sternly said as he drew (1). "I can't do anything now, so I will also pass."

"Good, because now it's time for me to blast through your defenses!" Bakura laughed as he drew (7). However, the card he drew caught his eye. "I play Necross Fury (6), allowing Exodia Necross to attack all your monsters this turn! As I believed you use to say: Exodia, obliterate!" Exodia Necross let out a giant wave of black energy, destroying Yami's monsters. "Now I'll give you a turn to recuperate."

Yami silently drew (2). "I set a monster (1) and end."

"Running out of options, I see," Bakura taunted as he drew (7) and his monster's attack increased further to 7300. "I think it's time to end this! I activate Nobleman of Crossout (6), to remove your face-down card from play! If you remember, Chris used this against me, but it did not work out nearly as well for him as it did for me!" The knight appeared and instantly destroyed Yami's monster.

"Exodia Necross, attack Yami directly with your 7300 attack points! It's over!" Bakura cackled as his monster began to charge up its massive dark ball of energy.


"Chris!!" Sarah screamed as the Shadow Game began to materialize. She got out of her seat, and rushed down to the black sphere.

"Sarah, what's going on?" Sarah heard Kengake ask. Sarah turned around to see her friend standing there, a worried and confused look on his face.

"Well… uhm… you see… well…" Sarah was at a lost for words; she didn't want to tell Kengake about the Shadow Realm and magic. But how would she—or anyone else, for that matter—explain the Shadow Game without magic?

"You don't know?"

"No," Sarah sighed. She was glad she wouldn't have to explain the Shadow Game.

"How do we get inside? Can we just walk in?" Kengake asked.

"Should we try?" Sarah quietly asked.

Kengake sighed. "We might as well…." Kengake extended his hand, and Sarah grabbed it. Together they walked into the dark sphere… and came out on the other side.

"Attention students, please calm down and return to your seats!" One of the teachers yelled over a loudspeaker. Some other students had come down to investigate the sphere, but now they returned to their seats. Sarah and Kengake reluctantly followed suit.

If I had my Millennium Necklace, I might have been able to stop the Shadow Game, or at least entered it, Sarah thought, touching her bare neck.

"Don't worry, Chris will be okay," Kengake told Sarah, reading her sad facial expression. They had not sat down, but stood in the aisle since they didn't want to separate.

"Yeah, you're right," Sarah smiled.


Exodia Necross released its dark energy, but it was turned to light halfway through the attack, and was then absorbed by Yami. Bakura: 1000; Yami: 8600

"What was that?!" Bakura asked as Yami's lifepoints skyrocketed.

"It's called Draining Shield," Yami explained. "Now only does it negate your attack, but I also gain lifepoints equal to your monster's attack!"

"I wasn't expecting that," Bakura admitted. "I'll just end my turn with this set card (5)."

"Draw(2)!" Shouted Yami. A huge grin spread to his face when he saw what he had drawn. "Bakura, are you ready, because here I come! I summon Skilled Dark Magician (1;1900/1700)!" The dark-clad magician appeared on Yami's field, wielding his staff. "Next I play Card of Sanctity (0)! So while you draw one card (6), I draw six (6)! Oh, and Skilled Dark Magician also gains a spell counter." Yami inspected his hand as the orb on Skilled Dark Magician's staff began to glow. "Next I play Dimensionhole (5)!"

"But why?" Bakura asked. "You'll just remove your own monster from play, making you open to attack!"

"Not exactly," Yami replied. "I chain my Mystical Refpanel, so now your monster is removed instead of mine!"

"What?" Bakura's eyes widened as Exodia Necross was sucked into a strange hole. Skilled Dark Magician's staff also began to glow more.

'Thank you for the idea of that combo,' Yami said.

'No problem!' Chris smiled. 'I'm glad I could help out in defeating Bakura.'

"Now, for my final spell card: Reload (4)!" Yami shouted. He shuffled his hand into his deck and redrew four cards, as Skilled Dark Magician glowed and became Dark Magician (2500/2100). "Next I play Dedication Through Light and Darkness (3) evolving Dark Magician into Dark Magician of Chaos (2800/2600). When Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned, I can return Mystical Space Typhoon (4) to my hand! Now, Dark Magician of Chaos, attack Bakura directly with Chaos Blast! Now I win!"

"Not yet! I use my face-down, Ties of Hate!" Bakura countered. Yami's monster began to attack, but stopped as Bakura's set card flipped face-up. Smirking, Bakura strolled around Dark Magician of Chaos to Yami. Yami tensed up, expecting the worst, but Bakura just extended his hand.

"What… is this?" Yami asked.

"A handshake," Bakura explained. "That's it. It's part of the effect of Ties of Hate, but whether you accept my handshake is completely up to you."

After staring at Bakura's hands for a few moments Yami spat, "You're not worth it, and I'm not letting your activate your card's effect."

"Interesting choice," Bakura remarked as he began to walk back across the field. "Especially since Ties of Hate's effect activates when you don't shake my hand."

"What?!" Yami yelled. "Then what happens now?"

"Look at the lifepoints," Bakura explained as his increased and Yami's decreased. "Our lifepoints now average out. However, I must discard half my hand (3)."

Bakura: 4800; Yami: 4800

"Anyway, now that I've absorbed your lifepoints you may continue your attack."

Yami gritted his teeth as Dark Magician of Chaos charged up his staff, and then attacked Bakura.

Bakura: 2000; Yami: 4800

Bakura silently drew (4), and then declared, "I pass."

"I draw (5), and then your Exodia Necross returns," Yami said, "But only with 1800 attack points. I use Mystical Space Typhoon (4) to destroy Spirit Barrier, and then attack Exodia Necross with Dark Magician of Chaos!" Yami's magician let out a round of black and white magic through Exodia Necross into Bakura.

Bakura: 1000; Yami: 4800

Bakura glanced at his set card, but refrained from using it. I need to wait until the last moment… I must use my card only when absolutely necessary.

"I set this card (3) to end my turn."

Bakura drew a card (5), and inspected his hand as Exodia Necross' attack increased to 2300. "I switch Exodia Necross to defense mode. However, next turn I will destroy your Dark Magician of Chaos!"

"Maybe, but I'm going to decrease your lifepoints even more!" Yami declared as he drew (4). "I had a feeling that you'd do that, so I will also switch Dark Magician of Chaos to defense mode, but then I use Zero Gravity to switch both monsters to attack!" Both monsters floated up, but came down to the ground in attack mode. "Now Dark Magician of Chaos will attack Exodia Necross again!"

Bakura: 500; Yami: 4800

I now have barely any lifepoints. I could have used my face-down, but next turn Dark Magician of Chaos will be destroyed, so I shouldn't get any more battle damage, Bakura thought.

"I end my turn," Yami said. 'Dark Magician of Chaos is going to be destroyed now, but with my current hand I should be able to handle it.'

"I draw (6), and Exodia Necross' attack increases to match Dark Magician of Chaos', and then I equip Exodia Necross with another Shadow Cross (5). Hm… judging from your face, it seems you have a good hand. However, since I do not have such a good hand, I'll use Card Destruction (4). Now we must each discard our hand (0), and then draw four new cards (4)."

Yami gritted his teeth as he drew his new hand. 'My old hand was great… now I have nothing to protect me from Exodia Necross!'

'Don't worry, Yami! I'm sure you'll figure out something!' Chris told Yami.

'I hope you're right.'

"Oh, you didn't get such a good hand?" Bakura asked, inferring this from Yami's face. "Now, to continue with my turn, I'll set a monster (3). I then play Pump Up (2), discarding my remaining hand (0) to temporarily increase Exodia Necross' attack to 5600!" Exodia Necross got a giant black aura, and launched a ball of energy at Dark Magician of Chaos without even being ordered. Yami protected himself, raising his arms in front of himself.

Bakura: 500; Yami: 2000

"I end my turn. I'd like to see you try to win with an empty field and a bad hand!"

"Bakura… I will not let you win!" Yami shouted. "Not only will you see me try to win, but you'll also see me succeed!" Yami ripped a card off of his deck (5), and smiled. "It's time to destroy Exodia Necross!"

"Oh really? How?" Bakura asked. "The only way to destroy him is with a targeting monster effect, and I doubt you have any!"

"Well, there is that method of destroying Exodia Necross, but he also as another weakness," Yami smirked. "I shall destroy Exodia Necross, and free Shadow's soul! Go: Soul Release (4)!" Yami's spell card glowed, until neither duelist could see.

The glowing subsided, revealing the Shadow Game had dissipated, and Shadow and Chris were standing in the arena, both fields clear except Shadow's set monster and trap.

"Where… am I?" Shadow asked, holding his head with his left hand.

"Shadow, don't you remember?" Chris asked. 'And Yami, why aren't you in control?'

'Soul Release released Shadow's soul from Bakura's grasp,' Yami explained. 'However, Soul Release also seems to have freed your soul from me. I feel very weak; I can't take control of your body.'

'That's okay, I want to duel Shadow anyway!' Chris said.

"No, I don't," Shadow admitted. "What happened?"

"Well, we were dueling for our midterm, and then a Shadow Game started," Chris said. However, he made sure to say "Shadow Game" quietly so the audience didn't hear him.

"Wait, why am I dueling for the midterm?" Shadow asked, looking around the arena. "I'm supposed to duel a teacher…"

"But you requested to duel a student!"

"I did?" Shadow asked. "This makes no sense…." But I can't surrender, or else I'll fail the midterm. "Let's just end the duel already," Shadow declared, looking over the field and recovering his emotionless face.

"Okay then, let's!" Chris shouted. "I activate Premature Burial (3), so now Mystic Swordsman LV6 (2300/1700) comes back from my graveyard!"

Shadow: 500; Chris: 1200

'Chris, I'm back!' Mystic Swordsman LV6 happily exclaimed as he reappeared. 'And you destroyed Exodia Necross! Congratulations!'

'Well, Yami was really the one who did it,' Chris admitted. "Now, Mystic Swordsman LV6, attack Shadow's set monster with Mystic Slash!"

After taking a quick look at his set cards, Shadow countered, "I use Negate Attack to stop your attack."

"Then I end my turn," Chris sighed.

Shadow silently drew a card (1). After studying his drawn card for a moment, he said, "I flip summon my Big Eye (1200/1000). Now I can rearrange the top five cards of my deck." Shadow picked up the top five cards of his deck, and without giving any hint to what they were with a facial expression, rearranged them and put them back on his deck. "I set the last card in my hand (0) and end my turn."

'Why did he leave such a weak monster in attack mode?' Chris wondered as he drew (4). "Mystic Swordsman, atta…" Chris stopped in mid-sentence, thinking. 'Those eyes… that face-down… I can usually tell when people are bluffing from their eyes. But Shadow's eyes… he's not bluffing… he's not afraid… in fact, it's almost like his eyes… like his eyes… are coaxing me into attacking! He's not afraid of me attacking; he wants me too!' "Shadow, I'm not falling for your trap! I'm not going to attack, but instead I'll use Pigeonholing Book of Spell (3). This has the same effect as Big Eye, but with only three cards." Chris picked up the top three cards, and smiled when he saw the last one. He immediately placed it on top, and then returned the three cards to my deck. "The card I placed on top of my deck was Silverwind Swordsman (1600/1600)! Next turn I'll be able to use him to win!"

"There won't be a next turn," Shadow sighed, drawing (1). "You could have won just now, but instead you hesitated, and that will cost you the match. I use my face-down." Chris felt like an idiot as he started into the grinning green pot. "I am now allowed to draw two cards, due to the effect of Pot of Greed (3)."

"Why did you set Pot of Greed?!" Chris exclaimed.

"It's called a bluff," Shadow sighed.

"But that means… I could have won?" Chris asked.

"Yes, you could have. However, you did not. I equip Festering Darkness (2) to Big Eye. Now he gains 500 attack points, and 500 more each turn. Then I play Time Jump (1), so Big Eye's attack increases to 3200." A dark aura developed around Big Eye, and then flared out as Time Jump resolved.

"Your monster might be strong, but it's still not strong enough!" Chris shouted. "I'll still win on my next turn!"

"Big Eye might not be, but my next monster is," Shadow sighed. "I tribute Big Eye for Shadow Beast of Darkness (0;?/?)."

"You tributed that… for a monster with an unknown number of attack points?" Chris asked.

"Not exactly," Shadow explained. "You see, for each counter that was on Festering Darkness, Shadow Beast of Darkness gains 1000 attack and defense."

"So he only gets 1000?" Chris asked.

"No. Did you forget about Time Jump?" Shadow asked.

"Oh yeah," Chris remembered. "That gives him three extra counters, which means…"

"He has 4000 attack and defense," Shadow finished. His monster, which was a wolf made completely out of shadows, flared up as its power rose up to 4000. "Shadow Beast, attack Mystic Swordsman LV6." Shadow's monster plowed through Mystic Swordsman LV6 as if he wasn't there into Chris.

Shadow: 500; Chris: 0

"I… lost," Chris murmured, sinking to his knees.

"I'm disappointed in you," Shadow said. He had someone glided over to the other side of the arena, and was standing in front of Chris. "You should have known something was wrong when I was going to duel you. You should have confronted me or a teacher before the duel."

"But… how was I supposed to know?"

"You should have asked anyway," Shadow simply replied. "That was one of my better decks. Now I won't be able to use it again." I also need to confront Casatos about this, Shadow thought, looking up to the top of the arena where Casatos stood. Shadow walked off to the Chancellor.

"Wait!" Chris called out as Shadow began to walk away.

"What?" Shadow asked.

"Your pocket…" Chris said. Shadow reached in and pulled out the Millennium Necklace.

"This yours?" Shadow asked.

Chris just nodded, and Shadow gave him the Millennium Necklace.

"Chris! You're okay!" Sarah screamed, latching herself around Chris.

"Here's your necklace back, Sarah," Chris said, giving her the jewelry.

"Yeah, good duel," Kengake said, walking up to the arena.

"I concur," said Sam, appearing.

"Sam! You're here!" Sarah exclaimed, letting go of Chris.

"Yeah, I just got back in time to see the end of the duel," Sam explained. "You may have lost, Chris, but you still dueled well!"

"Thanks, Sam," said Chris.

"Hey, Chris, do you know what that that weird sphere-thing was?" Kengake asked.

"No, I don't…" Chris sighed.

'Chris, it's only going to get harder from here on, and Bakura will attack more and more,' Yami said. 'Maybe it's time...'

'Yeah, I think you're right,' Chris agreed, after thinking for a moment. "No, wait, I'm sorry. Kengake, I do know," He admitted, looking down on the ground. He then looked up to see his friend's smiling, supportive, worried, faces. "Guys, I have something to tell you…."


Yep. See why this is half-way through the fic? Anyway, we had a good 10 chapters of plot, but now it's going to be fillers for a little bit. (not pointless fillers from before, but plot-fillers)

Anyway, they are still good duels, so it doesn't matter!!

RER!

Oh, and please don't ask about "Disunity" (read Ties of Hate's effect). It wasn't necessary, and I couldn't think of an effect for it.


Card of the Day

Exodia Necross (DARK)
Spellcaster/Effect
Level 4
ATK 1800/DEF 0
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by the effect of "Contract with Exodia". This card is not destroyed by battle or by the effects of Spell or Trap Cards, and during each of your Standby Phases, increase the ATK of this card by 500. This card is destroyed when any of "Exodia the Forbidden One", "Right Arm of the Forbidden One", "Left Arm of the Forbidden One", "Right Leg of the Forbidden One", or "Left Leg of the Forbidden One" is not in your graveyard.


Original Cards

Necross Power; Equip Spell; If "Exodia the Forbidden One", "Left Arm of the Forbidden One", "Left Leg of the Forbidden One", "Right Arm of the Forbidden One", and "Right Leg of the Forbidden One" are not in your graveyard, remove this card and the equipped monster from play. Increase the ATK of the equipped monster by 500 during each of your standby phases.

Shadow Cross; Equip Spell; Only equip to "Exodia Necross". The equipped monster is unaffected by your opponent's non-targeting effects.

Necross Fury; Spell; Select 1 "Exodia Necross". During this turn only, the selected "Exodia Necross" can attack all monsters on your opponent's side of the field once. No other monsters may attack this turn.

Mystical Refpanel; Trap; Change the target of a spell card that designates one player to another.

Ties of Hate; Quick-Play; Offer your opponent a handshake. If they do not accept your handshake, each player's Life Points become half the combined Life Points of both players, and then discard half your hand (rounded up). If you have "Disunity" in your hand and show it to your opponent, they must decline the handshake.

Pump Up; Spell; Discard your hand. Double the ATK of one of your monsters until the end of this turn.

Silverwind Swordsman; level 4; Warrior/Effect/WIND; 1600/1600; This card can attack your opponent's lifepoints directly. If this card attacks your opponent's lifepoints directly with this card's effect, all battle damage done is treated as 1000.

Festering Darkness; Equip Spell; Only equip to a DARK monster. When this card is activated, and during each of your standby phases, put 1 counter on this card. Increase the ATK of the equipped monster by 500 for each counter on this card.

Time Jump; Spell; Progress the duel by three turns of each player.

Shadow Beast of Darkness; level 8; Fiend/Effect/DARK; ?/?; This card cannot be normal summoned or set. This card cannot be special summoned except by tributing a monster equipped with "Festering Darkness". This card's original ATK and DEF are equal to the number of counters on "Festering Darkness" x 1000.


Next Time: Huge Revolution