Original Yu-Gi-Oh Series

Parallel

Chapter 072

Originally Written: Friday, May 6, 2022 650PM to 736PM

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Ishizu and Seto returned to their little hideout not long after. Ishizu presented Seto to Joey, Yami and Duke with a little spin and a flourish. Seto's glasses now hung on the front of his shirt, and seemed to stay there, even when he was looking far into the distance. He also wielded the Millennium Rod more frequently, using it to amplify his strength by leaps and bounds.

True to Ishizu's claim, Duke quickly became an asset for the group and those working with them. Duke told them about Noah, and how he went ahead as a decoy for Duke, as there was only one individual besides Zorc-Amane who could injure him. Duke pulled off an arm warmer to show them. Scars of bite marks and scarred areas clearly indicating points where flesh was ripped out from him litter his arm.

"Zorc can't really get me, if I stay away from him, but once he gets close…I can't physically pull him off. He jumps like a fucking lion, with the speed of a roadrunner. It's fucking nuts. I'd be dead if Pegasus hadn't healed me." Duke fixed his arm warmer, "but I don't feel whole, and that sucks more than him biting chunks out of me."

He gave them an edge that Zorc-Amane wasn't pleased with. Duke weaved through the lines, coordinating forces with Seto and Yami's instructions fueled by their strategic minds. He made item runs, transporting technology and supplies, as well as guiding weapons where they needed to go or be set up. Unlike he originally believed, Seto informed him that a small portion of his luck did transfer to those he was allied with, but he needed to maintain focus on spreading it, instead of keeping it locked on himself. This came at a cost however, as it would reduce Duke's own luck, increasing his chances of injury or death.

Duke also brought the Millennium Eye, the Scales and the Key with him. He further explained that Zorc couldn't hurt Shadi, but Shadi couldn't hurt him, or protect the items from Zorc. So he gave them to Duke for safe keeping, with the instruction that Duke give them to Joey, Seto or Ishizu as soon as possible. Ishizu took the Scales. They gave her visions a clarity she hadn't thought possible. Seto held onto the Millennium Key. Joey held onto the Eye, but didn't put it into his head. With Seto always mentally scanning around them, he hadn't needed to. Yami agreed, for now.

The many advantages Duke brought to the group had them believing that perhaps they had a better chance at defeating Zorc than they originally thought. Joey let the group know that he was working on a little project involving Yami, that could also prove to be a boon great enough to turn the tide of this drawn out war. All the better, because Duke had also let them know that even though Zorc was struggling to keep control of Domino City and Japan, he was gaining ground across the globe.

Zorc-Amane must have thought the same about her odds of victory, for she called back her prized general, who was spreading her forces.

The first time Zorc, the cannibal, accosted them was during a routine transport trip done by rebel forces. The Duel Monsters could easily go toe to toe with Zorc, but the humans did not have such luck. Wherever Zorc showed, chaos ensued. He distinctly remembered Seto dropping his red sports car on top of his head over a half a decade prior, and went after Seto with a vengeance. When Seto evaded him, he'd goad Seto into jumping back into the fray by going after Duke. Duke held his own however, and more than one time completely blew Zorc's head clean off with a few well thrown dice. It was unfortunate for them that Zorc's head reformed each time.

Zorc pushed them back, further back to Domino City's edges. They all knew that this was solely to give Zorc the time he needed to fully escape Bakura's seal. Thanks to Zorc, an overwhelming majority of Non-Millenium item holders helping them went from being the group's largest boon, to their biggest obstacle. Zorc moved with speed that seemed near teleportation speeds, and he gutted anyone caught unaware. This included Millennium Item holders as well.

One dark, dreary day, a battle between them and Zorc started like any other. Zorc would chase after Seto or Joey, and when they backed off or held him off long enough he would switch to going after Duke. Suddenly, without warning, Zorc appeared in front of Ishizu.

Ishizu only smiled when she looked at him.

"Did you see this in your necklace, bitch?" Zorc snarled with a hand on Ishizu's face, smothering her.

"I did." She spoke in a calm voice, though Zorc's hand muffled her greatly. "How will you drop me?" Her hand glowed against Zorc's stomach.

Zorc grunted, choking as blood bubbled out of his mouth, and the wound she had rendered through him straight through. Zorc stumbled, as his body tried to regenerate the portion of spine she had disintegrated.

Seto screamed as the two disappeared. Her Millennium Necklace hit the asphalt with a metallic clang. The clang rang like jewelry against tile. Large strikes of white lightning hit the ground as the skies turned dark. Duke fell to his rear too stunned to remain standing.

Joey immediately looked around, eyes searching. Yami screamed orders to him in his head. "Seto!" He shouted a few moments after. "Shadow Realm! East! Go!"

Seto disappeared in a swirl of darkness.

"Kiba, you're up!" Joey snarled. A large furry claw slashed a corrupted Duel Monster to shreds shortly after. Joey circled around, still following Yami's directions. For all Joey's power, he could not enter the shadow realm. It knocked him unconscious within moments. The effect was bodywise as well, for when Yami took him over, that was successful, but he couldn't move. The puzzle always felt like a heavy weight holding them down there.

All they could do was fight here. Joey focused on shielding Duke, who could not move. The corrupted monster's swarmed them, and Duel Monsters joined to assist them. Even mostly locked away, Yami's magic was powerful, and nearly knocked Joey to his knees with each use. Joey slowly let Yami take over, as he was better equipped for it.

The threat dwindled. Yami grabbed Ishizu's Millennium Necklace and relieved control, noting that Ishizu still had the scales on her. Joey slumped against Duke, nearly unconscious. Duke pushed all his luck onto Joey as they waited. Kiba remained transformed, and kept guard.

A/N: Duke is wearing his DSOD outfit, if you were wondering.