Chapter 125: Can't Stop Yawning
Bandit Keith, having fallen unconscious for the crime of "attacking Pegasus," was carried away by Industrial Illusions personnel to an unknown location. In any case, according to Croquet, he would be expelled from the island and receive his just punishment.
The next duel, the third one, was between Yugi and Mai Valentine, which meant the fourth duel would be Sheppard against Camula. Pegasus had left after watching Chumley's Duel, seemingly uninterested in Yugi's upcoming Duel. This somewhat angered Joey, who felt that Pegasus was looking down on Yugi, and looking down on Yugi was equivalent to looking down on him.
Walking alone in the corridor, Chumley thought that perhaps Pegasus didn't see Yugi and Mai Valentine as evenly matched opponents. Mai Valentine lacked the ability to push Yugi to unleash more of his potential, which was why Pegasus wasn't very interested in the third Duel; he had already foreseen the outcome: only Yugi's victory.
After finishing his Duel, Chumley didn't stay in the Audience Seating to watch Yugi's Match. Instead, he told Joey and the others that he had left something in his room and needed to retrieve it, then left the Duel Arena. However, it was just an excuse.
Taking out two Cards, (Ojama Blue) and (Ojama Red), two Ojama Monsters jumped out from the Cards and appeared before Chumley.
"It's time for you Fodder Monsters to be useful."
"Yes, My lord!"
The two Ojama Monsters saluted Chumley playfully, then began searching for the presence of the Ojama brothers Chumley had left with Mokuba.
Although according to the anime's plot, Pegasus would release Kaiba, Mokuba, and Grandpa Muto after being defeated by Yugi, Bandit Keith's recent incident forced Chumley to consider a question: was Pegasus truly dead or alive in the end? Because according to the manga's plot, Pegasus was killed by Dark Bakura after his Duel with Yugi.
Although he had already banished Dark Bakura through a Shadow Game, considering that in the original work, Dark Bakura had repeatedly cheated death, Chumley had no doubt that the guy would return for revenge.
This way, the once-certain "defeating Pegasus will release the Souls he holds" became uncertain. If something unexpected happened, and Pegasus died, it would be terrible if Mokuba, Kaiba, and Grandpa Muto couldn't be returned to normal.
Just as he was thinking, (Ojama Blue)'s shout brought Chumley's wandering thoughts back: "Big Bro, I found Big Brother (Ojama Yellow) and them, nya~"
(Ojama Blue) was on all fours like a dog, sniffing around with its nonexistent nose. At this moment, it seemed to have caught the scent it wanted, excitedly stood up, and pointed in one direction: "They're over there, nya-lu! I smell Big Brother (Ojama Yellow)'s durian scent!"
An angry vein popped on Chumley's head. He grabbed (Ojama Blue) by the scruff of its neck and lifted it to his face: "Do you even listen to what you're saying? You idiot, you don't even have a nose, how can you smell durian!?"
(Ojama Blue) retorted confidently, "It's the Bonds of our Ojama Type, nya!"
"Alright, I'll believe you this once. Lead the way!" Chumley put (Ojama Blue) back on the ground, then looked up at the surveillance camera in the corridor, flashing a provocative smile at the person on the other side of it. "We need to steal the stuff before the master finds out. Phantom Thief of Hearts, attack!"
Watching Chumley put the Cards back into his pocket on the Screen and leave, Pegasus sat composed in his seat, putting down his fairy tale book, and revealed an amused smile: "As expected, you always manage to surprise me, Chumley-boy~"
Croquet, behind him, asked, "Maximillion Pegasus, should we move the Kaiba brothers?"
"No, leave them where they are. No matter where they're taken, Chumley-boy will find a way, won't he?" Croquet didn't have such talent, but Pegasus clearly saw (Ojama Red) and (Ojama Blue) appear next to Chumley. "The number of Card spirits he can control is increasing. I thought the power on Mokuba-boy was a contingency left by Kaiba-boy..."
"But now I see, it was Chumley-boy's ball of thread all along."
Pegasus calmly took a sip of red wine, savoring the liquid lingering in his mouth. He opened his single eye, revealed from beneath his silver hair: "In ancient Greek mythology, Theseus used a ball of thread to solve the Labyrinth of the Minotaur. But even a hero, desiring ultimate glory, must accept the 'Minotaur's' challenge."
He waved a hand behind him: "Let those two failed fellows go there. Consider it a chance for them to atone for their sins and prove themselves. And also, a small challenge for Chumley-boy."
"Yes, your will." Croquet bowed and left to carry out Pegasus's orders. The image on the Screen before Pegasus changed to the Duel Arena's feed; Mai Valentine and Yugi's Duel had already begun.
Originally, Mai Valentine, seeking an answer, followed Chumley's advice and challenged Yugi. However, halfway through, she was provoked by an arrogant Joey, changing her Duel opponent, and ultimately lost to the power of Joey's (Time Wizard) Card.
This time, Mai Valentine finally faced Yugi. Right from the start of the Duel, she Summoned her beloved (Harpie Lady), and with various Support Cards, she inflicted destruction on Yugi's Backrow, gaining the upper hand for a time.
"The (Harpie Lady) Cards are good at Backrow suppression; they can perfectly counter Yugi-boy's Deck, which primarily relies on Spell and Trap Cards. However..." Pegasus paused, then picked up his fairy tale book again. "Yugi-boy's potential is like an iceberg, with much more still undiscovered."
"Compared to a Duel that makes you want to sleep, this book's story is much more interesting," Pegasus murmured to himself, then burst into laughter, seemingly having found something amusing in the fairy tale book.
And under (Ojama Blue)'s rather unreliable guidance, Chumley actually found a passage leading to the castle's basement. He descended the stairs, pushed open a door, and what met his eyes were two rows of dark, eerie, empty cages.
(Ojama Red) hugged Chumley's hair, seemingly scared by the dungeon whose style completely differed from the castle above. "Eeek! This place looks so scary, nya! Nobody died here before, did they?"
"Not possibly, but definitely." Chumley walked forward along the central aisle of the dungeon, casually pointing at an empty cage beside them. A pale Skeleton arm reached out between the iron bars, its owner resting its head against the side of the cage.
(end of chapter)