Chapter 1310

In fact, among the characters in the original Yu-Gi-Oh! story, Joey Wheeler is in some ways a character very similar to Seto Kaiba.

Kaiba started with both parents dead and a younger brother to take care of, while Joey started with divorced parents and a younger sister to take care of. Later, Kaiba encountered Gozaburo Kaiba, who was a foster father in name but practically a demon in reality, while Joey had a father who was a father in name but practically a useless old gambler.

Similar beginnings. What supported Kaiba all the way, allowing him to grow until he finally usurped power and ascended the throne, was his only relative, Mokuba; while Joey, an innocent boy thrown into the cruel whirlpool of society, was also supported by his only sister, Serenity, to stand up.

But although the beginnings were similar, the growth of the two was completely different.

A cruel childhood taught Kaiba that power is everything one can believe in, and he would stop at nothing for wealth and power. In the end, he won, drove Gozaburo to his death, and became the victor.

But it was precisely this growth experience and the philosophy of life it taught him that turned Kaiba into the kind of person who "cannot live without an enemy." This is also why he was so obsessed with Yami Yugi afterward, going so far as to dig up graves and go to the Underworld just to play cards.

Joey is different. Joey is the kind of person who, even when whipped by reality, even when betrayed, even when his family is torn apart, is still willing to believe and forge new bonds.

Among his friends, he often takes the initiative to act as a mediator. Perhaps it was precisely because of the lack of bonds in his childhood that he cherished hard-won friendship more than ordinary people. Therefore, he is the kind of hot-blooded man who would go through fire and water for his friends without regard for the consequences.

When Yugi's Exodia was thrown into the sea, he jumped in without a second thought; he retrieved the Millennium Puzzle for Yugi in the fire; he stood up for Mai Valentine in front of the divine power of The Winged Dragon of Ra; and he launched a desperate challenge for a Shadow Game against Marik...

Having experienced all this, he fought through it all as a mortal, fighting to the end for his most important companions.

Even at the very end, during the Ceremonial Battle, when everyone was begging Yami Yugi not to leave, only Joey said with a smile, "Even though you are a King, you are still Yugi, and even after a thousand years, we are still partners!"

"How much do you think I, Joey Wheeler, have been through to get to where I am today? These little tricks don't work on me!"

Joey shouted.

Kujo Mahiru sighed: "Fine, it's surprising that it takes so much effort for just a mortal; your willpower is indeed astonishing... well, it doesn't matter anyway."

Kujo revealed his Duel Disk and narrowed his eyes.

"Although it's a bit more troublesome than expected, let me just settle it with a duel."

"A duel? Just what I wanted!" Joey said. "Let me, a top-four duelist of Battle City, be your opponent!"

However, upon hearing this title, Kujo was not only not intimidated but laughed as if he couldn't help himself.

"Top four of Battle City, huh... in your eyes, this is probably already an incredible, glorious title?" Kujo Mahiru chuckled. "Well, after all, you are the best among the primitives."

Joey frowned: "What kind of nonsensical things are you saying?"

"Nothing... then let's go," Kujo said. "Let me show you the power of our Academy, and what a real duel is!"

"Duel!" x2

【Joey, LP4000】

【Kujo Mahiru, LP4000】

"Then I'll take the first move, draw!"

Joey drew a card, carefully looked at his starting hand first, and then cautiously sized up his opponent.

Although he didn't know where the other party came from and what the other party said was nonsensical, Joey could feel one thing: this opponent was indeed extraordinary.

"Then let me respond with 120 percent enthusiasm!" Joey said. "I activate the Ritual Spell 'Black Dragon's Descent' from my hand!

This card allows me to offer monsters from my hand or field whose total levels are 4 or higher as an Offering to Ritual Summon 'Paladin of Dark Dragon' from my hand!"

Joey showed another monster card in his hand and then sent it to the Graveyard: "I send the Level 4 'Iron Knight Gearfried' from my hand to the Graveyard, Ritual Summon! Descend————Paladin of Dark Dragon!!!"

An altar appeared on Joey's field, and pitch-black flames were lit one after another, connecting in a circle around the ritual magic circle. Black flames erupted from the center of the circle, briefly twisting into the form of a burning black dragon in the air. Then the flames dissipated, and a human figure appeared within the burning dragon form, riding a black dragon, wielding a black blade in his hand, with cold light reflecting off his armor.

【Paladin of Dark Dragon, ATK 1900】

"Next, the monster effect of Paladin of Dark Dragon!" Joey said. "By offering this card as an Offering, I can Special Summon one 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' from my hand or deck!

I'll have Paladin of Dark Dragon transform directly into Red-Eyes Black Dragon!!!"

The knight swung the long sword in his hand, and spiral black flames enveloped both the black dragon and the knight, turning into an Offering and soaring into the sky. The black dragon's wings scattered the curtain of black flames, its eyes glowing with a dark crimson light, and it breathed black flames from its mouth.

【Red-Eyes Black Dragon, ATK 2400】

"Summoning Red-Eyes Black Dragon right off the bat, how impressive," Kujo sneered.

"Heh, it's too late to be scared now! That's right, this is my trump card, Red-Eyes!" Joey said. "After Battle City, I have evolved even further; dealing with a small fry like you is a piece of cake!"

"Evolution, huh..."

Kujo Mahiru's expression became even stranger, as if he had heard something extremely ridiculous.

"What a nonsensical guy... but anyway, I just need to win the duel." Joey inserted all his remaining hand cards into the back-row slots in one breath. "I set three cards, turn end!"

Three set cards appeared in his back row, announcing the end of the first turn.

"Finished, huh? Then it's my turn," Kujo said in a deep voice. "And it will also be the last turn of your life!"

Joey: "What?"

"My turn, draw!"

Kujo Mahiru drew a card and then slapped a monster card from his hand directly onto his Duel Disk.

"Only when the opponent controls a monster and I control no monsters, this card can be Special Summoned directly from the hand!

I Special Summon 'Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit'!"

A holy white dragon, covered in golden armor, possessing an angelic temperament and the physique of a dragon, descended under the shroud of a halo.

【Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit, ATK 2100】

"Hieratic?" Joey said. "Never heard of it, but it seems to be a Dragon-type."

Joey laughed.

"Heh, if it's a Dragon-type, my Red-Eyes Black Dragon won't lose to anyone!"