"Vampires?"
Judai was a bit surprised.
"Like the one Caesar encountered that you mentioned before, Yugen? But this isn't the Elf Realm..."
Yugen was not surprised and simply said, "The Elf Realm has humans, and various similar animals and plants just like our world. So, why is it strange that there are vampires in the Elf Realm?"
Upon hearing this, Judai thought for a moment and realized it made sense. He had momentarily forgotten that, since there are Vampire card decks in the Dueling Realm, there could naturally be vampires in the Elf Realm as well. It's just not likely related to Camilla's race.
Judai wanted to approach and eavesdrop on what the vampire team was saying. But before he could do anything, someone suddenly shouted, "Who's over there!?"
"Huh?"
Judai was startled.
Already exposed?
"The Blood Race's five senses are much more advanced than humans, it's not surprising they sense something amiss."
As Yugen spoke, he had already stood up and boldly left the hiding rock.
Seeing him do this, Judai followed suit, walking out together with Yugen to the front of the vampire team.
The team of the Blood Race was not large, just about a dozen people. As the two left their hiding place and approached, they realized this looked like a defeated army.
Each of them appeared wretched, some with pale faces still faintly showing bloodstains and wounds. Others had clothes and armor worn out, clearly cut by swords, indicating a fierce battle.
Aside from a few grunts that Yugen didn't recognize, the vampire leading the team had a distinctly different aura.
According to vampire standards, his features seemed decent, with a typical vampire face, blue hair, and dressed lavishly like a noble. Despite his injuries, he had an aura that set him apart from the minions around him.
This was a prominent upper-level vampire. Cursed Vampire, 6 stars, Attack Power of 2000. In the manga "Yu-Gi-Oh! R," it was the ace card of the card professor under Pegasus Nightwalker's command, calculated by the Maze Brothers' method, it could also count as a Legendary Monster that had "fought Muto Yuugi."
Of course, this one in front of them in the Elf Realm likely wasn't the same one from back then.
The vampire team was visibly changed upon seeing the two of them.
"Overlord's lackeys!"
Judai was taken aback, looking puzzled.
"Are they talking about me?"
Yugen patted his shoulder, reminding him, "We're riding the land birds and using equipment borrowed from the Overlord Army."
Judai then understood, "Ah, right..."
The land birds and the equipment both came from the Overlord's army, which would surely stand out to the local natives.
Currently, the Overlord Army is rising across twelve different dimensions, launching conquest wars in various places. Though many dimensions have largely been conquered, several local native forces are still resisting.
This group of the Blood Race was one of those forces. This team of vampires had retreated in defeat after battling the Overlord Army and, while marching to this location, happened to encounter what looked like two isolated lackeys of the Overlord, naturally inciting immediate anger and intent to attack.
Judai helplessly raised his hands, "It's a misunderstanding..."
Yugen pondered silently, considering that it was indeed not entirely a misunderstanding. Though they weren't lackeys of the Overlord, Judai's connection to the Overlord was certainly more intimate than a mere grunt...
"Stray soldiers, huh."
Unlike the outraged minions behind him, the Cursed Vampire remained calm. The demon-like single wing on his back gently flapped, seemingly signaling his subordinates to stay calm.
"Even if I say now that we have nothing to do with the Overlord, you won't believe it..."
"Indeed, pleading with such foolish lies is not an option."
The Cursed Vampire said indifferently, as a Duel Disc, resembling a biological structure, began to writhe on his arm. Crimson liquid, as if blood, seeped from its base and monster zones.
"The Duel Discs on your hands... it seems you're Duelists, at least a leading figure in the Overlord Army." He stated deeply, "Then let's speak in the manner of Duelists."
"That's quite the coincidence, for I was just about to say the same thing..."
Yugen smiled, his Duel Disc also unfolding.
Judai opened his mouth, realizing he had once again inadvertently missed the best opportunity to duel. However, he had enjoyed some good duels at the previous Overlord Army Camp, so he opted to keep quiet and step aside to watch for now.
The manifested Flame Winged People floated beside him with arms crossed, glaring at the dozen vampires around, guarding against sneak attacks. The Blood Race, seeing such a powerful upper-level hero guarding, was momentarily daunted, not daring to act rashly, and chose to observe their leader's duel with Yugen.
"Duel!" x2
[Yugen, LP 4000]
[Cursed Vampire, LP 4000]
"I go first, draw."
The Cursed Vampire took the first move.
"I summon the 'Vampire Bat Swarm' in defense position." (Original Card)
A swarm of red-eyed bats flew onto his field. They were the Undead Race's lower-level monsters used by Camilla in the animation.
[Vampire Bat Swarm, Defense Power 1200]
"Then I set a card in the face-down position in the backfield, ending my turn."
"Then it's my turn, draw."
Yugen glanced at the card he drew, breaking into a smile.
He managed to draw a heavyweight card right at the start.
So he didn't bother being polite to the Blood Race: "Then let me summon this card first... Summon Thunder King in attack mode!"
[Thunder King, Attack Power 1900]
Thunder King, a monster used by Yuki Judai in the manga, became notably active in the environment as a helper of lockdown decks once materialized into a physical card. It was once a Divine Artifact that drove players' blood pressure up at first sight.
A 4-star with a respectable attack power of 1900, it also had the effect of preventing both players from adding cards from their decks to their hands except through drawing. Additionally, by sending itself to the graveyard, it could negate and destroy one special summon.
It was a premium single card with obvious strength, combining attack and lockdown capabilities, and it was an essential lower-level card for lockdown decks of that period.
But this was not the main point.
"Next, I activate this card..."
Yugen waved his hand again, playing another card from his hand with a smile.
"Magic Card 'Celestial Obedience.' Pay 2000 Life Points, declare a Monster Card name. If your deck happens to have that card, you must choose to either add it to my hand or special summon it to my field in attack mode."
[Yugen, LP 4000→LP 2000]
The Vampire was shocked, "Declare my monster?"
"Yes," Yugen smiled.
Although he didn't know the opponent's deck composition, it wasn't a big issue.
Since this was the Elf Realm, and it was a prominent elf, there was one card that was bound to be in his deck.
"The card I'm declaring, of course, is... Cursed Vampire."
"KISAMA (You damn fool)!"
The Cursed Vampire glared fiercely.
Drawing such a card right at the start, what's your plan?
Still from my deck, can you believe it?
"Tch, adding to hand or special summoning, huh. Then the choice is naturally..." the Cursed Vampire said coldly, "add it to hand."
"I'm sorry, that's not possible."
Yugen gave a slight smile, pointing to the Thunder King on his field.
"While Thunder King is on the field, neither of us can add cards from our decks to our hands."
The Cursed Vampire was stunned.
His eyes widened, mouth slowly opening.
Nani!?
Cannot add cards from the deck to hand, meaning...
"Exactly, therefore, processing the effect of 'Celestial Obedience,' since I cannot add the card from the deck to my hand, you have no choice but to 'voluntarily' special summon yourself on my field."
The combination of Thunder King and Celestial Obedience was one of the favorite creative combinations among card players. If the opponent was cooperative enough to include "Light Creation God" in their deck, this combo could even summon Light Creation God disregarding its summoning conditions, securing an outright victory.
Indeed, "Celestial Obedience" could ignore summoning conditions to summon Light Creation God, with an official clarification even addressing adjustments specifically for Light Creation God's card.
In case you had Thunder King on the field and you activated Celestial Obedience declaring Light Creation God, unable to add the card to the hand, the opponent would have to "voluntarily" choose to special summon Light Creation God on your field, consequently securing a game-winning situation.
Yugen politely smiled, gesturing with a "please" sign.
"Go ahead, summon yourself."
Cursed Vampire: "......"
No, so what was the point of letting me choose at all?