The attacks from both sides struck their respective targets, and a loud 'boom' resounded. The smoke, which hadn't fully dissipated, thickened again, obscuring the situation on the Field.
"Who won in the end?" Joey had already stood up from his seat, leaning over the railing at the front of the Audience Seating, gripping the handrail tightly with both hands, his mind filled with extreme tension.
Sheppard frowned: "While Hayato's [Card Blaster] on the Field has an effect to increase its ATK, it can only activate during Hayato's own turn. Furthermore, even if boosted to its maximum, its ATK is only 1900, which is still lower than Yugi's [Summoned Skull]."
"Theoretically, Yugi should be the victor. However…"
"But that Hayato, since he activated a card like [Last Turn]!, it means he must have some trick up his sleeve, right?" Mai Valentine, thinking this, relaxed instead and sat back down in her seat.
The smoke gradually thinned, and what first entered everyone's view was Yugi's [Summoned Skull] on the Field, completely unharmed. Its bony claws casually swept across its chest; the previous attack from [Card Blaster] hadn't caused it any damage. [Summoned Skull] looked disdainfully at its opponent.
"As expected, did Yugi win in the end?" Tristan, seeing [Summoned Skull] appear, asked with a doubtful tone. After all, according to the rule of [Last Turn]!, if Yugi still had a monster on the Field, then it was his victory.
But Bakura, among everyone else, saw the situation within the smoke: "No, Hayato's Field also has a monster! [Card Blaster] was not destroyed!"
"What?!"
The smoke on Hayato's Field quickly dissipated as well, revealing the figure of [Card Blaster]. However, in front of [Card Blaster], there was another crouching figure, holding a shield as tall as the figure itself.
"[Shield Warrior] was one of the three cards sent to the Graveyard by [Card Blaster] earlier." Hayato drew a card from his Graveyard and showed it to Yugi. "When a monster on the Field engages in battle, [Shield Warrior] can be banished from the Graveyard to protect my monster on the Field from being destroyed by battle."
"Both sides' Fields have monsters present, so the result, I don't need to explain, right?"
"Hmph, what an unyielding guy you are, Hayato." Yugi said, smiling, and looked at Croquet by the Duel Arena. "Then, Mr. Referee, please announce the results of the duel."
Croquet looked up at Pegasus on the high platform. After receiving his approval, he picked up the microphone: "According to the effect of [Last Turn]! activated by player Hayato, both player Yugi and player Hayato have monsters remaining on their Fields, resulting in a draw!"
"I announce that the final Champion of the Duelist Kingdom tournament, and the recipients of the 'Duel King' title, are Hayato and Yugi!"
On the large screen, Hayato's and Yugi's avatars simultaneously lit up side-by-side, their originally brown avatar frames now shining with golden borders. At the same time, the words 'Duel King' appeared on the screen.
"There are two winners?!" Joey exclaimed in surprise, then heartily burst into laughter: "That's great! It's a draw between the two of them, so no one lost!"
"What an unexpected outcome." Sheppard also smiled and began to clap.
Clap, clap.
Clap, clap, clap, clap.
Inspired by Sheppard, Téa, Tristan, Bakura, Mai Valentine, Joey, and even Croquet, the referee, all began to clap, clapping for the birth of the Duel King, and for the magnificent duel offered by the two duelists on the Duel Arena.
"Well played, Yugi." Hayato also clapped his hands. "Honestly, I felt like I used every trick in the book, but in the end, I could only manage a draw with you."
"But this duel also pushed me to my limits, Hayato." Yugi also clapped. "[Yata-Garasu], [Gaia], [Earth Spirit God], your bonds with your cards truly impressed me. That was truly an interesting duel."
As the two enjoyed the congratulations of their friends, from the high platform, Pegasus's voice drifted down faintly: "Interesting, Hayato boy, Yugi-boy~"
Both turned their heads in unison to look at the high platform.
Pegasus was leaning over the railing, looking down at Yugi and Hayato below, as if a king high above was looking down upon actors who had presented him with a magnificent play, a mysterious smile on his face, and he too was clapping.
However, compared to the enthusiastic applause of others, Pegasus's clapping seemed somewhat feeble.
"To have defeated so many opponents and reached the pinnacle of all duelists, could it really be the two of you? Oh~, even me didn't anticipate this situation. If me had known, me should have prepared a few more prizes."
Pegasus said, a smirk on his face, and extended his hand towards Hayato and Yugi: "Then, Hayato boy, Yugi-boy, the cards me mailed to you should still be on your person, yes?"
Hayato and Yugi exchanged a glance, and each pulled an envelope from their person, from which they drew two cards—[Glory of the King's Right Hand], adorned with a treasure motif, and [Glory of the King's Left Hand], with a blank card art.
"As a reward for the superb duel you two presented to me, me can make an exception for you, and offer two prizes~" Pegasus looked at the two. "The right hand symbolizes wealth, and you can obtain a large sum of prize money; while the left hand symbolizes glory, offering you the chance to challenge me."
"Now, how will you choose? Will you use the left hand?" Pegasus said, his smile vanishing from his face. "However, if you choose to use the left hand, the loser of that duel will face the same fate as Kaiba boy, you see?"
Pegasus's question, neither Hayato nor Yugi needed even a second to easily make their choice.
"Heh heh, heh ha ha, heh ha ha ha ha!" Hayato glanced at the card in his hand and suddenly burst into laughter. "Pegasus, for a question like this, isn't there only one answer?"
"Grandpa, Kaiba, Mokuba, you brought them pain." Yugi glanced at the card in his hand and also suddenly laughed. However, it wasn't a gentle smile, but a cold, battle-ready smirk. "Our choice is—"
"To challenge you, to swing the scythe of judgment at you, and settle the sins that stain your hands!"
With movements perfectly synchronized, Hayato and Yugi simultaneously presented the cards in their hands. It was the blank [Glory of the King's Left Hand], and its effect was something both Hayato and Yugi had witnessed firsthand: soul sealing.
"Splendid! You two truly haven't disappointed me, Hayato boy, Yugi-boy!" Pegasus looked at the two below him, filled with fighting spirit, and also laughed confidently.
"Then, I hope you perform splendidly in tomorrow's duel~"
Having said that, Pegasus, accompanied by his 'hohoho' laughter, turned and left, disappearing from the high platform.
(end of chapter)