Chapter 20: Goodbye

Kongque Wu:?????

You're kidding ghosts?

What's the Second Law of Duel? And what even is the First Law??

Seeing Kongque Wu's face covered in dark lines, You Tian stopped teasing.

"Hehe~ Sister Wu, before your monster attacks, I've already activated a Trap Card."

You Tian stepped aside, revealing the Trap Card behind him.

"Trap Card? Impossible! I already activated the effect of 【Amazon's Child Soldiers】! 【Amazon Female Emperor】 is invincible this turn! Even 【Holy Passport Reflective Force】 can't block the attack!"

But when Kongque Wu saw the Trap Card You Tian activated, she fell silent again.

Trap Card 【Conscription Order】

【Effect: Reveal the top card of your opponent's Deck. If the revealed card is a monster that can be Normal Summoned, Special Summon it to your field. If it's any other card, add it to your opponent's hand.】

"That's right—I just Special Summoned a monster from your Deck."

Saying this, You Tian picked up a card from the Duel Disk.

【Amazon's Pet Tiger】【Defense Power: 1500】

"You Tian, emm, you… why are all your defense cards this type?"

You Tian shrugged.

"Dunno. Whatever I bought, I used."

Kongque Wu: …

She sighed helplessly.

"Since a new monster has appeared on your field, I can only have 【Amazon Female Emperor】 attack 【Amazon's Pet Tiger】."

Boom!

(PS: Clarification here—【Amazon's Cry】 allows your monsters to attack all monsters on your opponent's field. This effect is instantaneous; the number of attacks your monster can make is determined the moment it's activated. Even if your opponent summons a new monster afterward, it doesn't increase the number of attacks.)

You Tian also breathed a sigh of relief.

Lucky—the 【Conscription Order】 actually summoned a monster. Otherwise, I'd have been done for.

My Life Points are at 1300. The outcome will depend on the next turn.

Kongque Wu: "But!"

You Tian: Hm?

"In Main Phase 2, I activate the effect of 【Amazon's Archer】!"

"This card allows me to Tribute two monsters on my field to deal you 1200 points of damage!"

"I Tribute 【Amazon's Archer】 itself and 【Amazon's Spirit Mage】 to deal you 1200 points of damage!"

【You Tian LP: 1300→100】

You Tian: 6! Locked in!

If Sister Wu could just add "candle in the wind" now, it'd be even more solid!

Kongque Wu looked at You Tian's expectant little gaze, and a question mark slowly appeared above her head.

Wait, what's going on with You Tian, little brother?

His Life Points are only 100—why does he look so happy?

Oh! I get it—he's happy for me! He's thrilled that I've surpassed my own limits!

Kongque Wu felt warmth in her chest, her vision slightly blurred.

Who would've thought—after twenty years, I'd still feel familial care like this!

Kongque Wu quietly wiped away the moisture at the corner of her eye.

She decided: from today on, You Tian is her little brother.

"My turn ends."

Hm? What's Sister Wu doing? Did her eye get filled with foot sole black?

Not hearing the line he wanted, You Tian sighed slightly in disappointment.

Should I say it myself?

Nah, too embarrassing.

You Tian slowly placed his hand on his Deck, calming his mind.

"Sister Wu, your Life Points are only 150, and mine are only 100."

"The card I draw next will decide our victory!"

You Tian slowly closed his eyes, his mind sinking deeper.

Gradually, he lost all external senses—even time seemed to pause for a moment.

The only thing he felt was the contact between his fingers and the Deck. The only sound he heard was his own heartbeat.

Thump~

Thump.

Thump!

Kongque Wu lightly pursed her lips, eyes fixed unblinkingly on You Tian.

The next moment, You Tian opened his eyes.

"My turn, Draw Phase!"

Along with a golden arc, You Tian's lips curled into a faint smile.

"I Special Summon 【Giant Rat】 from my hand in Attack Position."

【Attack Power: 1400】

"Next, I'll activate my deck's strongest trump card!"

The strongest trump card!? Could it be a monster stronger than 【Light and Dark Mask】?

Kongque Wu involuntarily swallowed.

You Tian smiled brightly.

"I activate the Magic Card, 【Forced Transfer】! Both players swap control of one monster on the field!"

Kongque Wu:...

"We each have only one monster on the field, so, Sister Wu, you have no choice—you must exchange your 【Amazon Female Emperor】 for my 【Giant Rat】!"

【Amazon Female Emperor】: Do I have to betray you too?

With no other monsters to choose from, Kongque Wu could only transfer 【Amazon Female Emperor】 to You Tian.

Yet at this moment, she truly relaxed.

Kongque Wu wore a smile—both helpless and relieved.

This You Tian really is...

"Next, I'll use 【Amazon Female Emperor】 to attack your 【Giant Rat】!"

【Kongque Wu LP: 150→0】

【Winner: You Tian!】

At a dock somewhere in Jounouchi, Malik, clad in a black robe, finally stepped onto land.

"Lord Malik, we've prepared the chips and Duel Disk for you!"

Several Gurus members eagerly handed him a Duel Disk and six chips.

"Hmph." Malik took them with ill grace.

"Have you found the whereabouts of those two 【Light and Dark Mask】?"

Member A trembled slightly.

"W-we found them."

"They were defeated, and their deck, Duel Disk, even their clothes were stolen."

Malik's motion of putting on the Duel Disk froze.

The next instant, the Eye of Wdjat on his Millennium Rod glowed.

"Ahh... ahh! Lord... Malik, spare me...!"

Member A collapsed to his knees in agony, clutching his own throat with both hands.

Malik's eyes turned fierce; he directly invaded Member A's memories. Moments later, Malik frowned and ceased his punishment of the subordinate.

"Interesting. It seems certain individuals, unexpected to me, have appeared in this city."

"You Tian, you really want this?"

"Yes, Sister Wu, I want this one! I don't want anything else. Please, just give me this!"

Kongque Wu looked at the boy before her with a strange expression.

After their Duel ended, according to Duel City rules, Kongque Wu gave You Tian the four chips she had collected.

Also, per the card-betting rule, Kongque Wu had to give You Tian one Raya Card.

But for some reason, You Tian didn't want the 【Feather Brush of the Phantom Bird】 he had prepared to give—instead, he specifically requested another ordinary card in her deck.

Sigh, little You Tian doesn't want to take away my Raya Card!

He really... I'm crying!

In truth, You Tian very much wanted the 【Feather Brush of the Phantom Bird】. After all, up until now, his deck had not a single Wind card.

And the 【Feather Brush of the Phantom Bird】 was practically a perfect Magic/Trap counter.

But that card was just too perfect! Perfectly suited to his deck's style! He couldn't not take it!

"Fine, fine, here you go."

Kongque Wu, moved, handed him the card.

After receiving the new card, You Tian grinned like a Niu Tounren warrior.

"By the way, Sister Wu, what are your plans now?"

Kongque Wu gazed at the sky, lost in thought.

"Perhaps I'll travel to other cities."

You Tian nodded.

"I'll find you a secondhand phone... bah!"

"Don't worry, Sister Wu—I'll keep my promise to you!"

Kongque Wu turned to him, puzzled.

You Tian beamed.

"Next time I see Jonouchi, I'll tie him up and bring him right to you!"

"Hahahaha!" This time, Kongque Wu genuinely laughed at the boy.

"He's not weak. You won't catch him."

You Tian didn't care.

"Hmph! Jonouchi? I just need a flanking move, then a wrist twist... ugh... ugh..."

Suddenly, Kongque Wu hugged You Tian, burying his head in her chest.

"Ugh... can't... breathe..."

"Goodbye, Younger Brother You Tian."

After a long while, Kongque Wu finally released her grip.

"Whoa..." You Tian quickly breathed in the fresh air outside.

He wanted to say something more, but Kongque Wu had already turned away.

"Goodbye!"

In that moment, You Tian inexplicably felt a pang of reluctance—it was like the sorrow of a family farewell.

He raised his hand unconsciously.

"Goodbye! Sister Wu!"

Hm?

Suddenly, You Tian noticed a card had appeared in his hand.

"【Feather Sweep of the Demon Bird】?"

"Sister Wu, you..."

You Tian's next words went unspoken.

After a moment of stunned silence, he whispered, "Thank you, Sister."