Hey there, YGO fans. Hope you all are doing alright.

Just got out from surgery and I'll be soon going to start physical therapy… mm, it is weird having metal rod in my hip but – no pain! Well, the old pain… just dealing with the aftermath of surgery pain cut…

'sigh' it's hard to sit down normally right now, but sooner or later I'll be back to normal… well, half normal as I still have pain in mu ankle and that's been going on for four years now…

Anyway, done ranting, here is the next duel/chapter for Yami. I couldn't really change the duel since it is Dark Magician Girl's first appearance, but I think I can a few things in the next duel.

So, thanks to those who read my story so far… oh, right.

To those that are messaging about doing art and/or comic for this story, please hold on to it until I'm not that busy with physical therapy and doctor's visits… it's a good thing that I typed season two ahead of time before the surgery.

If you guys have some ideas in future duels of Yami, leave a PM or a review.

Right! Enjoy this chapter!

After defeating Espa Roba, Joey was going to find another duelist while Yugi, Tea, and Solomon went to find Yami. Nearby, the older Muto was walking through the streets when a harlequin pops out from behind the trees.

Yami frowned, 'A Rare Hunter?'

The harlequin pointed to the left to where it leads to a tent before disappearing into the bushes. Yami narrowed his eyes before heading towards the tent.

A block away, Yugi, Tea and Solomon were walking pass until Yugi spots his brother.

Inside the tent, Yami sees the harlequin enter a magic box which gestures Yami to follow him. The older Muto looked uncertain but followed the harlequin into the magic box.

Unknown to Yami, the moment he steps inside the magic box, it collapsed, leaving no trace of the older Muto. Which Yugi, Tea and Solomon witness.

Meanwhile, the Kaiba brothers were walking through the streets after Seto dueled a bully, arrogant duelist. That's when Mokuba got a message from his hand-held computer.

"What!? Seto!" Mokuba looked at his brother, "The surveillance center said that Yami's ID signal vanished!"

"What? He vanished?" Seto frowned, 'Is it the Rare Hunters?'

He looked at his younger brother, "Mokuba, have them investigate this thoroughly!"

Mokuba nodded and typed the message in his hand-held.

Seto narrowed his eyes, 'The duel disk constantly emits an ID signal. If we can't detect it, he's in a location where the signal is being blocked… but why?'

Somewhere unknown, Yami exits out of the magic box and enters a dark room. In front of him, he sees a computer displaying his duelist data.

But the Dark Magician in his profile on the screen suddenly changed, its cloak turned red, and its smile evil. That's when the Dark Magician materializes in the room.

"I've been waiting for you, Yami Muto. I'll show you that there is only one true user of the ultimate spellcaster," the red Dark Magician points its staff at the older Muto, "And that person is Pandora the Illusionist!"

Yami smirked, "Stop this petty trick and come out – Rare Hunter!"

On the right, appearing from the shadows was a man with a mask and wearing a red suit. "Welcome. I am the second Rare Hunter, Pandora the Illusionist. Also known as the Conjurer, the Dark Magician user."

"Dark Magician user, eh?" Yami said.

"Yami, I know you too play with Dark Magician. You've used it to defeat many foes!" Pandora stood in front of the red Dark Magician, "But I am the true Master of Magicians!"

"Are you sure?" Yami smirked, "Out of the thousands of cards available, duelists build their decks by choosing cards they trust. But… cards also choose duelists!"

He took out his deck, "Card and duelist… when the two hearts are bound by trust, the card will display its true powers," he shuffles his deck, "You Rare Hunters don't have the heart of a true duelist!"

Pandora gritted his teeth.

"I accept your challenge, Pandora," Yami drew the top of his deck, "My Dark Magician will defeat you."

His Dark Magician appeared behind him.

"How kind of you to accept, so there's no need for force," said Pandora as the two magicians disappeared. "However, this room is too small to fight properly. I have prepared a duel arena in the basement of the shop."

Pandora gestured to a stairway that leads underground.

Yami narrowed his eyes but followed the Illusionist downstairs with caution.

Pandora chuckled, "Incidentally, Master Marik told me you might be dropping by. I took the time to set up something… special, so you wouldn't get bored."

Yami stopped, "Marik? Where is he? Answer me, Pandora!"

"I wonder where he is," Pandora stops and turned around, "Maybe he's nearby… maybe he's in here," he said as he pointed to his head.

'That's right, Marik has the power to possess his underlings and make them to whatever he wants,' thought Yami with a bit of caution.

"Here we are. This is my underground arena," said Pandora.

The two were in front of a metal door with a question mark on it.

Pandora opened the door, revealing a circular duel arena, "Welcome to Pandora's room."

Yami looked around the room, 'All kinds of magic tools and occult paraphernalia. This room looks like a bad dream…'

"A conjurer has many abilities from simple card tricks to bringing nightmares to life. And now, I believe this is a worthy stage for a match between two Dark Magicians."

The two placed their decks on the table.

"Now, let's shuffle our decks," said Pandora.

As the two shuffled, the older Muto noticed how Pandora was shuffling his cards. Yami closed his eyes, "Shuffling shotgun-style will damage your cards you know."

Pandora shrugged, "I'm used to shuffling this way."

Once finished, both duelists placed their decks on the table.

"I'll cut your deck," said Yami.

"Go ahead. There's an old saying among gamblers: Trust your friends, but always cut the cards," said Pandora.

Yami cut Pandora's deck three ways before putting them together again.

"Friends?" Yami glared at the illusionist, "I don't make friends with Rare Hunters."

Pandora smirked, "What a pity… but now that we are committed to dueling, I'll like to show you something that will prove that we're truly blood brothers…."

He pulled a chain, "A nightmare show with you as the star!"

That's when the floor beneath them moved while the table sinks into the floor. Once in their positions, their legs were locked in place with shackles that emerge from the sides of the ring.

"What!?" Yami said.

"Yes, both our legs are locked up. Neither of us can escape," said Pandora.

Yami glared at the illusionist, "Why you…"

"And now you will witness the greatest show of the century – Pandora's daring escape from the very jaws of death!"

That's when Yami saw a circular saw coming out from the side of the ring.

Pandora laughed, "That's right! A 100-tooth carbide tipped saw blade, just like they use to saw women in half! As I'm sure you've guessed already – this duel will use my house rules!"

Yami gritted his teeth.

"Do you see the numbers marked on the cutter's rails? Those are the players' life points," said Pandora.

Yami gritted his teeth, "As the player's life points reach zero, the blade gets closer until…"

"Until chop! This is a Nightmare Game where the loser's body will be sawed apart!" Pandora said. He pointed down to his feet as a small box came up, "Now look! You see the box?"

Yami looked down, "Yes. What's inside the box?"

"A key that will unlock the shackles on our legs. The display on the box shows the enemy's life points. It is designed to open when it reaches zero!" Pandora made a vile smile, "In other words, only the winner can escape!"

"Pandora, you're crazy!" Yami gritted his teeth, "This is fun to you!?"

"Hmm?" Pandora said.

Yami glared at the illusionist, "A battle that kills people… I'm asking you, is it fun?"

Pandora smirked, "Why yes because I'm the one who'll win!"

Yami gritted his teeth, "You're rotten!"

Pandora just laughs with glee.

"Then I'll take you to the very edge of your life!" Yami said.

Then the two activated their duel disks and drew their cards.

Yami: 4000 vs Pandora: 4000

"I'll go first," said Yami.

Pandora smirked upon seeing what he has in his hand.

'Luck is on my side! I already drew my Dark Magician. Of course, it wasn't just luck. As a professional stage magician, I know more than 1,000 techniques to cheat at cards. It's simple to draw whatever card I need from my deck… there are so many marking techniques to distinguish cards from the back.'

Pandora glanced at Yami, 'For this occasion, I've used that's called the stripper technique. I've shaved off the edge of the card to make it just slightly smaller than the others. Naturally, all three of my Dark Magician cards have been treated this way!'

'I set it up so when Yami cut my deck before the duel, the Dark Magician would be on top,' Pandora chuckled a bit, 'I'll teach you the hard way, Yami! No one outwits a conjurer when death is on the line!'

"I set a card. Then I summon Alpha the Magnet Warrior (1400/1700) in defense mode. I end my turn," said Yami.

"My turn. Legion the Fiend Jester (1300/1500) in defense mode," said Pandora. 'If I summon another monster, I can tribute them to summon my Dark Magician.'

"My turn, draw," said Yami as he stares at Pandora with uncertainty. "I'll play a spell card, Card Destruction!"

Pandora paled, "What! Not Card Destruction!"

"Yes, we must discard our entire hand, Pandora!" Yami said.

Pandora gritted his teeth, 'My entire hand… I must discard my Dark Magician!'

"By the look on your face, I guess you did have Dark Magician," said Yami.

Pandora glared at the older Muto.

"Only a fool would duel a conjurer without taking precautions against cheating," Yami frowned, "Someone who 'shotgun shuffles' their cards obviously don't care about hurting them. I knew you'd cut up your cards and mark them without thinking twice!"

"T-Then you cut my deck knowing my trick?" Pandora said.

The older Muto just let out a small chuckle as the two discarded their cards to the graveyard and drew new cards from their decks.

"My turn's not over yet! I activate the spell card, Brain Control!" Yami continued.

'Brain Control? Is he going to take over my monster?' Pandora thought as his monster went over to Yami's field.

"Next, I tribute these two monsters to summon the Dark Magician (2500/2100)!" Yami said. "Pandora! I'll teach you how your cards feel when you cut them up!"

'He summoned his magician before I could!' Pandora thought, angrily.

"I'll play any game, no matter how dangerous! But if you want to kill me, you better be ready to play the price!" Yami said. "Dark Magician, attack him directly! Black Magic!"

Pandora: 4000 to 1500

"With that one attack, your life points are cut in half!" Yami said. "Now, let's see this 'show of the century' you were talking about!"

At that moment, the circular saw came close to Pandora which caused the illusionist to panic.

Yami pointed at him, "Pandora, you sliced your cards and cheated. If you continue this game, you will feel the pain that those cards felt. You still have time to give up!"

"G-Give up? Never!" Pandora laughed, "This is great! It's so fun! The taste of death! The tension! The frisson! I wish you could taste it too!"

The older Muto gritted his teeth.

"Yami, I'm a conjurer! I'm in control here! You are just the audience for my show – Pandora's Great Escape'!"

Pandora chuckled, 'I wouldn't be a real magician if I didn't have some tricks up my sleeve…'

"I am the one who will win… I am the one who will live – You're the one who'll be chopped to mincemeat! You, Yami! You!"

"…so much for audience sympathy. Let's get this game over with, Pandora!" Yami said.

Meanwhile, Yugi, Tea and Solomon were running through the streets, looking for Yami.

"Where did Yami go?" Solomon asked.

"Yugi, you don't think those Rare Hunters are behind this?" Tea asked.

"If they are, we need to find him!" Yugi said. "Who knows what they could do in close doors!"

"But we have no leads, so where are we supposed to search?" Solomon said.

Back to the duel…

"My turn," said Pandora. "I summon Mystic Tomato (1400/1100) in defense mode. And then I set a card and end my turn."

'He only has one defense monster, but…' thought Yami.

'Go ahead and summon your monster,' thought Pandora, 'And when you do, my Dark Magician will be revived!'

"My turn. I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior (1700/1600)," said Yami.

'Got you!' Pandora grinned, "I activate my trap card, Dark Renewal! It takes in summoned monsters. Dark Renewal offers our monsters' souls to resurrect a Dark Magician's soul from the graveyard."

'He's bringing back his Dark Magician!' Yami thought.

"Come out, my Dark Magician!" Pandora said.

The coffin opened, revealing the red magician.

'Two magicians are on the field. The real battle begins,' thought Pandora.

'Since their attack points are equal, neither of us can attack carelessly. Which one of us will use spells and traps to destroy their opponent's Dark Magician first? That will determine the victor,' thought Yami. "I set two more cards this turn. I end my turn."

'So, you're not entirely ignorant of how to fight a Dark Magician,' thought Pandora. "My turn. I also set two cards and end my turn."

The two duelists set cards until they had four on each side.

"I'll get things started with the spell card, Mystic Guillotine!" Pandora said.

'A guillotine appeared on the field!' Yami thought.

Yami's magician was captured in shackles around his wrists and pinned to the base of the guillotine.

"Your Dark Magician is finished," said Pandora.

The blade from the guillotine starts to drop.

"Reveal my spell card, Magical Hats!" Yami said.

A black hat appeared over Dark Magician and when the blade came down, it destroyed a hat but not Yami's magician.

'Cursed those hats! He got away!' Pandora gritted his teeth, "This spell card will find it! Thousand Knives!"

A couple of knives appeared around the red magician. The knives were able to detect which hat Yami's magician was hiding and went to it.

"Got you!" Pandora said.

"In that case, I activate De-Spell!" Yami said.

The knives and the hats both disappeared.

'So close,' thought Pandora angrily, "Dark Magician, attack!"

Both magicians attacked each other but end up destroying each other. But both duelists used the spell card, Monster Reborn to bring back their magicians.

"It seems our magicians are evenly matched," said Yami.

Pandora gritted his teeth.

'I've evaded his attacks so far,' Yami thought before glancing over to his magician. 'But I have faith in my Dark Magician.'

His magician glanced back at Yami with a small smile.

'Which one of us will trust himself and his cards till the end? That will be the key to victory!' Yami thought.

'The legends don't lie. Yami… your skill in magic is plain to see, but I have the upper hand!' Pandora smirked, 'I've been preparing to fight you with the ultimate anti-spellcaster card!'

Meanwhile, Yugi, Tea and Solomon were looking all over the streets trying to find Yami.

'Yami, where are you?' Tea thought.

Returning to KaibaCorp…

"The new duel disk system shouldn't work unless it's connected to Kaiba Corporation's main computer. But this control room can't find it. If Yami is dueling a Rare Hunter, they must be on a different duel system. Search for duel arenas in Domino City whose computers are compatible with duel disks!" Seto ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

"Which of these facilities isn't connected to the main computer and has a basement that blocks all signals?" Seto wondered.

There were a couple of spots until less and less showed up on screen. After a few seconds, there was only one spot that stayed lit.

"I'll go there right now," said Mokuba before dashing back to the elevator.

Seto narrowed his eyes at the screen, 'I swear if those snakes hurt him in any way…'

Back to the duel…

"It's my turn," Pandora draws, "I set a card and end my turn."

"My turn," Yami draws, "I set two cards and end my turn."

"My turn! I activate the spell card, Beckon to the Dark!" Pandora said. A giant hand appeared above the ceiling.

'A giant arm! It's going to grab my Dark Magician!' Yami thought.

"The 'hand of the void' will take one of your monsters into the darkness forever!" Pandora explained. "That's right! Say goodbye to your Dark Magician!"

The hand was ready to grab Yami's magician.

"I won't let you!" Yami said. "I activate the trap card, Mystical Refpanel! I'm going to turn your spell right back at you!"

Pandora smirked, "You fell for it."

"What!?" Yami said.

"It was a decoy to make you use your trap card," Pandora laughed, "This is my real goal! I activate my trap card, Nightmare's Chains!"

Chains wrapped around Yami's magician and pinned him onto a cross, entrapping him.

"Now your Dark Magician can't move and can only watch his master be tortured to death," said Pandora.

'With Dark Magician out of the picture, he'll be able to attack my life points directly,' thought Yami, gritting his teeth.

"Are you ready?" Pandora asked with glee. "Go, my servant Dark Magician! Attack him directly! Black Magic!"

Pandora's magician attacks Yami while Yami's magician looks on in helpless anger.

Yami: 4000 to 1500

"And now, it's showtime!" Pandora said.

Yami turned his head to see that the circular saw was getting close to him.

"Are you ready to be dismembered?!" Pandora said. "When your life points drop to zero, my great escape will be complete, and you'll bring down the curtain with your own blood! Now, Yami! It's your last turn!"

Meanwhile, back to the streets, Yugi, Tea and Solomon were taking a break.

"Even if we keep searching around the city, it'll be impossible to find him," said Solomon.

"But if we don't find him…" Tea stopped when she spots the younger Kaiba running through the streets, "Isn't that Mokuba?"

Yugi and Solomon turned around to see it was Mokuba who stopped in front of them.

"Mokuba, we got a problem!" Yugi said.

"Yami is missing!" Solomon said.

"Someone must've kidnapped him," said Tea.

"I know where he is. I'm on the way there," said Mokuba.

"Then we'll go with you," said Solomon.

"Let's hurry!" Mokuba said as the four of them started to run.

-Break Line-

What do you guys think?

P.S: What was your reaction when Rafael told Yami he was an evil Pharaoh? I wanted to struggle him!

I swear it's almost like they erased the plot of season two and evidence that Yami was a good Pharaoh and a reason why his memories and name were locked away…

What do you guys think?