Chapter 284: Valley of the Gravekeepers

Everything seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.

A spectacular celestial phenomenon erupted, and then the sun split into three, hanging fiercely in the sky. A lonely ruin stood beneath the scorching sun, covered in the dust of ages and mottled moss.

When they came to their senses, the group found themselves in the very center of the ruins, surrounded on all sides by a large mob of ancient-clad soldiers who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

Teacher Misawa Daichi raised his hands first and screamed, "What is going on, meow!?"

"Didn't you bring us here, Teacher?" Marufuji Sho also cried out, clutching his head. "Shouldn't you be the one explaining the situation right now?"

"I don't know either, meow!"

Of course, it was all an act. Misawa Daichi naturally knew they had arrived in the Spirit World, the resting place of the royal family guarded by the Duel Monster spirits of the "Gravekeeper" tribe. As uninvited outsiders, they were blasphemers who had trespassed on forbidden ground; their only fate was to be made into mummies and remain forever in this land of eternal slumber.

Coming here had been part of his plan from the start.

However, according to his original script, his cat should have "accidentally" triggered a mechanism buried beneath the ruins, causing a dimensional distortion that would bring them to this spirit realm. He just hadn't expected Fujiki You Xuan to seize the opportunity first.

While performing his panic-stricken act, Misawa Daichi stole a glance at Fujiki You Xuan out of the corner of his eye.

From their very first encounter, he had sensed something off about this student. As time passed, that feeling had not faded; instead, it seemed to grow even more pronounced.

Sometimes, he truly felt he could not see through this student at all.

Clearly, he himself was a behind-the-scenes boss-type figure hiding a belly full of secrets, yet somehow he felt this person knew no less than he did.

No, sometimes he even felt that this student might be acting just like him—that he was actually an even bigger boss.

Of course, he only thought this occasionally. But as soon as such a notion arose, even Misawa Daichi himself found it too absurd and quickly dismissed it.

"They have appeared again, those who trespass on the royal family's forbidden grounds."

A squad of soldiers surrounded the group with spears, while the speaker approached from behind their ranks.

Fujiki You Xuan recognized him at once: the leader of this graveyard, the Duel Monster spirit "Gravekeeper's Chief," the very same person who had dueled Jaden in the anime.

The corners of Fujiki You Xuan's mouth lifted slightly.

Target acquired.

"What is it?" Jaden frowned. "Old man, you don't look like you're from Duel Academy."

Marufuji Sho, with a face ready to cry, said, "Bro, anyone can tell that just by looking."

The Gravekeeper's Chief swept a cold gaze over the few of them, seemingly unwilling to say more, and simply waved his hand. "Take them away. Make them into mummies and bury them."

"Eh!?" Marufuji Sho was nearly peeing himself in terror. "How can this be!?"

Misawa Daichi also ramped up his acting desperately. "Help! I don't want to die, meow!"

The Gravekeeper's Chief ordered his subordinates to proceed and turned to leave, but Fujiki You Xuan smiled and called out to stop him. "That won't do, Chief of the Gravekeeper tribe, Duel Monster spirit 'Gravekeeper's Chief'."

The Chief paused, turning back with a hint of surprise.

"You know what this place is," he said, narrowing his eyes.

"Indeed," Fujiki You Xuan replied. "It just seems the honorable Chief has forgotten a few things."

"Oh?"

"The honorable Gravekeeper tribe never denies a warrior the chance to fight for their life," Fujiki You Xuan said, gesturing toward his Duel Disk.

The Gravekeeper's Chief displayed a surprised expression. "You know the rules of the Sacred Ritual?"

Those who strayed into the Gravekeeper's domain were destined to die, but there were exceptions. Over the years, countless people had broken in here: innocent wanderers, curious explorers, and malicious thieves seeking profit.

Most of them had been executed and buried in the royal family's eternal resting place, with only one exception.

That was Tenjoin Fubuki, Asuka's older brother. He had defeated the Gravekeeper's Chief in a duel and won the chance to leave this place.

"So you seek to win a path to survival through the ritual of battle?" the Gravekeeper's Chief said in a deep voice. "Heh, interesting. Among all who have trespassed here, you are the first to dare to challenge me to a ritual duel proactively."

"Then let's set the rules first: the stakes of the duel," Fujiki You Xuan said.

"Rules? Naturally, if you can defeat me, you may leave here alive," the Gravekeeper's Chief said coldly. "If not, then like all who have come before, you shall all sleep eternally here."

"Is that so? But that sounds rather unfair, doesn't it?" Fujiki You Xuan smiled. "According to these rules, doesn't it mean our stake in this duel is the lives of everyone in our group?"

"Yet the stakes your side offers do not seem quite equivalent."

"Are you questioning the rules of the Valley of Eternal Sleep?"

The Gravekeeper's Chief frowned. He stepped forward as if to act, but instantly seemed to sense some extraordinary pressure emanating from the youth before him.

In a daze, he seemed to see the phantom of a warrior flash behind the boy—a warrior of an even higher level than himself, holding a cold, sharp blade, as if gazing down at him coldly from the far end of the void.

The Gravekeeper's Chief's pupils contracted, and he instinctively stepped back half a pace.

"You?"

"I think the rules here are a bit too domineering," Fujiki You Xuan continued. "They need to be changed."

The Gravekeeper's Chief: "..."

He had intended to say that their lives were already in his hands; with just a crook of his finger, his soldiers could rush forward and take their lives. The ritual of battle was the mercy the Valley of the Royal Family granted them, offering a chance to fight, so on what grounds could they bargain with him?

But before the words could leave his mouth, upon seeing that phantom figure just now, he suddenly began to reflect that perhaps he had spoken a little too loudly just now.

Not only that, but having paid no attention before, he now looked again at the few people surrounded by the soldiers' spears and suddenly felt they seemed somewhat extraordinary.

That man with glasses, clutching a fat cat in his arms and constantly crying "We're going to die, we're going to die," looked like a complete coward at first glance, seemingly useless.

But looking closely now, he felt this person also harbored a special fluctuation within. Though not obvious, perhaps he was intentionally restraining and suppressing it; in reality, he might not be easy to deal with.

Looking next at that red-clad jellyfish-haired boy, he felt this person likewise hid something extraordinary. At first glance he seemed ordinary, but his body concealed certain untapped potential; once unleashed, they might not be able to suppress it.

The blonde girl in blue nearby, though not quite on their level, also emitted a slight fluctuation of power. As a spirit, the Gravekeeper's Chief could sense that certain spiritual power must be dwelling within her deck as well.

Even looking at that chubby fellow who resembled a koala, though very weak, he seemed to sense a faint aura of spiritual protection.

In the anime, Hayato later discovered he also possessed a talent for spirit affinity; his "Koala" in his deck was likewise a spirit. It was just that his spirit affinity talent was weaker; he could not see spirits, only hear their voices.

So this group actually each possessed unique skills?

Only then did the Gravekeeper's Chief truly take these people before him seriously. Immediately after, he shifted his gaze cautiously to Marufuji Sho, sizing him up from head to toe.

Hmm, this one is utterly ordinary; he really does seem to be a good-for-nothing.

For a moment, even the Gravekeeper's Chief found it strange.

Your teammates each have something special about them; how did you manage to hitch a ride on this journey?

"Fine, then tell me, what stakes do you want?" the Gravekeeper's Chief said in a deep voice. "If you think it unfair, using my soul as the stake is also no problem."

Fujiki You Xuan shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I am not someone who delights in killing, nor do I take pleasure in taking others' lives; it brings me no benefit whatsoever."

"How about this: if I win, you must not only let me go, but from now on we shall become friends. When needed, you must lend me your power. Is that acceptable?"

Every member of the Gravekeeper tribe bore the mission of guarding the Royal Valley. For spirits, rather than abandoning this sacred land to follow another master, they might prefer death.

Therefore, Fujiki You Xuan did not actually want this team of spirits. All he desired were the cards of the Gravekeeper tribe.

If it was just the cards, to the spirits it was equivalent to an avatar. They could remain here to guard the sacred land, merely lending their power to the duelist in the form of cards.

"Make friends, huh? Interesting."

The Gravekeeper's Chief chuckled lightly.

"Then it depends on whether you can prove yourself worthy of this opportunity."

He turned and waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to lower their spears.

"Follow me," the Gravekeeper's Chief said. "To the sacred arena of battle."

(End of Chapter)