Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!

The sword light from Black Luster Soldier fell, and the black mist forming Tragoedia's body finally began to collapse and evaporate like a puddle under the sun.

"Damn… whatever. I've absorbed enough power here anyway; I can't get any more even if I stay."

Tragoedia glared coldly at Kira.

"This time you're lucky. But I'll remember you, duelist. We'll meet again soon."

He paused, his voice turning even colder.

"And it might be sooner than you think."

As he finished, his figure faded away completely, dissolving into nothing.

"So that's the culprit behind all this?" Iwao murmured, watching the darkness fade.

"Most likely."

Kira silently took the deck Tragoedia had used, stood up, and got back on his motorcycle.

"Let's go. We still have a plan to execute, don't we?"

"Oh, right. Let's hurry."

Iwao quickly turned his bike around. The power plant was just ahead, and the two sped inside at full throttle.

From what Tragoedia said, Kira guessed this zombie crisis was probably his doing. In the manga, Tragoedia was unearthed by a so-called "anime team-wipe engine" archaeology group, but even then he was only partially unsealed, far weaker than before.

Maybe he'd turned this whole town into his personal feeding ground, using each zombie to help him absorb more energy. Every person attacked and drained of darkness became another zombie.

Come to think of it, Tragoedia's original sealing was a bit ridiculous.

Back then, he inhabited an astrologer. When he tried sneaking into the forbidden palace where the Pharaoh stored his Duel Monster tablets, the priests caught him.

They summoned the spirit "Winged Kuriboh"—and in the manga, its feathers were pure white back then. Kuriboh could extract a person's heart and place it on the priest's "Millennium Scales" to judge their sins.

Tragoedia sneered as the priests took his heart and placed it on the scale. Instantly, the scale slammed into the floor, showing his darkness exceeded even the Millennium Scale's limit.

He then revealed his true form, laughing arrogantly: "Shocked? Tremble before my power, you foolish priests!"

But the priests whipped out their Millennium Items and pinned him down instantly. Only then did Tragoedia realize something was off.

Wait, my heart?

Without it, he was powerless.

He'd gotten so carried away showing off his endless darkness that he forgot to retrieve his heart from the scales—so he was sealed by the priests.

Cause of death: showed off so hard, he lost his heart.

Possibly the funniest boss defeat in all of Yu-Gi-Oh.

But even then, the priests were shocked to find that, sealed in a tablet, he could still retain consciousness and even curse their ancestors from within. Such a powerful monster was rare even in their careers.

They all wiped sweat from their brows.

Thank goodness this demon was strong but not smart. If they'd had to fight him head-on, it might not have gone so well.

Tragoedia said they'd meet again. Clearly, this wasn't his real body just now—only a fragment. The real body was still out there.

Plus, this world wasn't identical to the manga; who knew how strong Tragoedia was now? If he'd already found his lost heart and was at full power, that'd be a real problem.

If that happens, they'll just have to take advantage of his dim-wittedness.

But for now, it was best to focus on the task at hand.

Boom!

A wall collapsed with a deafening crash as Silent Magician burst through a hole.

All the zombies were drawn to the noise, shrieking as they converged. Silent Magician floated in midair, sweeping his staff to unleash a rain of magical blasts.

Explosions and zombie screams filled the hall, the air thick with smoke and dust.

The rest was simple.

Silent Magician alone could hold off nearly all the zombies, covering the two as they charged into the control room.

Iwao rushed in first, while Silent Magician cast a massive magic circle at the door. Any zombie that touched the edge was blasted back by the recoil, unable to get close.

"We did it!" Iwao cheered.

The machines in the power plant rumbled to life, electricity surging through the cables and spreading to every corner.

"Easier than I thought," Iwao laughed. "Let's go."

Their escape route was already planned using the plant's map. All they had to do was leave through the emergency exit, where a new motorcycle was waiting to return to base.

That was the plan.

Kira led the way, exiting through the emergency corridor first.

Iwao followed—until, just steps from the exit, there was a loud clang.

His only escape, the iron door just before him, slammed shut.

Iwao froze, then hurried to the door.

Through the barred window, Kira stood silently on the other side, the moonlight casting an eerie chill on his face.

Kira had left first and closed the door, locking Iwao inside.

"Why!?" Iwao yelled in disbelief.

"I've already removed the magic barrier at the other end of the corridor. In about thirty seconds, the zombies should be here," Kira said calmly.

"Why!?" Iwao's eyes bulged with rage. "Weren't we partners!?"

"I don't recall ever agreeing to that."

Behind him, zombie moans echoed down the corridor.

A handful of the fastest had already entered, advancing step by step toward Iwao. In maybe ten seconds, he'd be overwhelmed.

"Open the door!"

Iwao pounded furiously.

Kira waved dismissively. "Good luck."

He turned away, leaving the angry shouts, pounding, and zombie howls behind.

But he hadn't gone far when—

Bang!

A tremendous force exploded behind the sealed door. The metal was smashed inward like a piece of scrap paper.

"Tch, knew it wouldn't be that easy…"

Kira stopped and turned.

The door had been blasted open, and Iwao stepped out, eyes glowing an eerie green. The zombies that had cornered him were scattered on the ground.

His whole aura had changed.

"Knew it," Kira said, unfazed.

"You're not Iwao, are you?"

Iwao stopped several meters away, smirking lazily.

"When did you figure it out?"