Note: Don't Forget to join my Patreon.com/flokixy to get access to +50 Advance Chapters or unlock the full story from the shop support so I can bring more Chapters for you
I have a financial situation and I hope for your support 🙏
When his consciousness gradually returned, You Xuan felt the warmth of sunlight and a gentle breeze carrying faint traces of fragrance.
He slowly opened his eyes, momentarily blinded by the bright light, instinctively raising his arm to shield himself. He could feel that he was sitting on something akin to damp grass.
As he tried to sit up, a hand steadied his arm, helping him rise.
"Hmm?"
You Xuan turned his head and was startled to see the Silent Magician standing beside him, her white robes fluttering in the wind. Her gaze held a hint of concern, as if worried her master might have hit his head too hard.
But the moment their eyes met, the girl flinched, quickly withdrawing her hand as if shocked. She lowered her head, gripping her staff nervously and stepping back to the side.
Well, at least she didn't immediately retreat back into her card form. You Xuan figured this was progress in their relationship...
...Wait, something wasn't right.
You Xuan frowned, sensing an anomaly. He stepped forward seriously, approaching the Silent Magician.
Then, he reached out and gently pinched her snow-white cheek.
The texture was soft, warm, and incredibly lifelike—like touching a real person...
This was illogical.
Silent Magician: "???"
She stood there awkwardly, clutching her staff, seemingly confused about what her master was doing.
"So that's how it is—spirits can manifest in physical form..."
You Xuan surveyed his surroundings.
Golden threads of sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The towering trees, with their lush branches and leaves, formed green umbrellas overhead.
Though spirits could materialize in the real world, it usually required significant effort and couldn't be sustained for long. Moreover, considering that his spirit was typically reclusive, the fact that she hadn't reverted to her ethereal form or retreated back into her card suggested something important...
"Am I in the Spirit World?" You Xuan ventured a guess.
The Silent Magician nodded.
Indeed, he was.
You Xuan's quick deduction stemmed from similar events in the original series. For instance, Yugi and Pharaoh Atem had been transported to the Spirit World, where Dark Magician Girl begged them to defeat the Ode of Orichalcos and save the Spirit Realm. Similarly, in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Ruka ventured into the Spirit World to rescue Ancient Fairy Dragon.
"Could that blank stone tablet in the ruins have been a gateway to the Spirit World?" You Xuan pondered.
Yet, the excavation team seemed completely unaware of this phenomenon. Could it be that the reaction was triggered only by his presence?
Moreover, he was certain he'd heard the voice saying "here" emanating from the direction of the stone tablet before being pulled in.
Something—or someone—had called out to him.
As he mulled over these thoughts, a rustling sound came from behind him. Turning around, he saw several shadowy humanoid figures emerge from the bushes, wielding spear-like weapons.
They resembled goblins of some dark-skinned race.
"Human!"
The leader of the dark-skinned creatures let out a shrill cry.
For a brief moment, You Xuan was surprised that he could understand their language. But then he remembered that in the world of Duel Monsters, spirits from various dimensions spoke a universal tongue—it wasn't unusual.
You Xuan was also certain that the shout was a warning rather than a warm welcome.
Instantly, more cries echoed from all directions. A large group of dark-skinned creatures poured out, brandishing spears as if they intended to make him tonight's meal.
You Xuan's heart skipped a beat. These natives had no sense of fair play—they were summoning themselves directly into battle without giving him a chance to duel!
The Silent Magician sprang into action, her staff sweeping outward to unleash a radiant circle of light that blasted away the first wave of goblins charging toward them.
"Take down that magic guardian first!"
The goblins weren't deterred. Instead, they charged even more ferociously. The Silent Magician continued to wield her staff, firing magical projectiles in every direction. However, the sheer number of enemies overwhelmed her, and reinforcements began appearing on both flanks, armed with javelins and bows.
These savages even had specialized roles.
While the Silent Magician fought tirelessly, she also had to keep an eye on her master's safety, putting immense pressure on her.
But You Xuan's mind raced, and a sudden realization struck him.
Wait—if this is the Spirit World, where the power of cards manifests physically...
With no time to deliberate further, he swiftly drew the top dozen cards from his deck, scanning them quickly. He selected one and slammed it onto his duel disk.
A glowing summoning circle appeared before him, and a warrior clad in red armor leaped forth. With a shield in his left hand and a sword in his right, he charged into the enemy ranks, cutting through them like a hot knife through butter.
Magical Swordsman - Buster Blader.
Just as in the GX Dimension arc, even monsters without spirits could materialize here.
And it wasn't limited to just monsters.
You Xuan spread his deck and inserted another card into his duel disk.
"Screech!"
One of the goblin archers cried out, drawing its bow and firing an arrow at him. The projectile streaked through the air but stopped abruptly about a meter away, as if it had hit an invisible barrier.
A previously transparent, dome-shaped protective shield shimmered into visibility, triggered by the impact.
Sacred Barrier - Mirror Force!
Yes, You Xuan realized that in the Spirit World, there were virtually no rules outside of dueling. Cards in a duelist's hand became weapons, functioning like spells cast without incantations or cooldowns. Fireball cards produced fireballs, whirlwind cards summoned storms—there were no limitations. In theory, a duelist could unleash up to five different effects simultaneously.
Discovering his newfound ability to counterattack, You Xuan relaxed slightly, his mood improving. With a grand flourish, he declared, "Feel the mighty power of Hannover, and descend into the abyss!"
Ah, well, no one else in the Spirit World was watching, so a little cosplay as Left Arcarium wouldn't hurt.
Oh, except for his own spirit, the Silent Magician. But that wasn't a problem—she was currently gazing at him with admiration as the Sacred Barrier unleashed its devastating effect.
The transparent barrier erupted with astonishing force, emitting a surge of blue light that radiated outward in a shower of radiant rain. The dazzling display swept across the entire jungle.
A full-screen area-of-effect attack—an overwhelming blow against the goblins wielding swords, spears, and bows. The front row of goblins was obliterated instantly, crushed beneath the torrent of light.
The remaining goblins panicked, turning tail and fleeing.
"Duels! There are duelists here!"
"Mama mia, retreat! Run…!"
Indeed, in this world, the term "duelist" seemed to evoke terror.
From the spirits' perspective, duelists were walking arsenals capable of pulling out monsters with 3000 or 4000 attack points at will, unleashing devastating spells without restraint. They were beings who could wipe out entire armies with ease.
The only ones who could oppose duelists were other duelists.
And the sole method for two duelists to determine life or death was through the legendary "ritual of sacred combat."
Commonly known as dueling.
With the threat neutralized and the battlefield cleared, You Xuan finally felt his nerves settle.
What? So I'm actually pretty strong even in the Spirit World?