Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

An Yugi, his mind far from at peace, walked among the kneeling servants on both sides of the road, ascending the steps one by one until he reached the empty throne. Somewhat awkwardly, he straightened his knee-length cloak, sat on the throne, placed his hands on the two armrests, and stroked the snake reliefs on the golden armrests, trying his best to adopt a dignified appearance befitting the title of Pharaoh.

'Is this the world I remember...?'

As An Yugi thought this, he saw the short man standing not far in front of him, waving his hand at the kneeling servants and announcing, "Gentlemen, raise your heads! A new Pharaoh has appeared before you!"

The fact that the short man could command his ministers before the Pharaoh once again proved that his status was indeed not low. As he stepped back to the right of the Dark Game's throne to avoid blocking the Pharaoh's view, the priests on either side of the throne, along with the attendants in the distance, raised their heads, which had been bowed, and looked at their new Pharaoh.

Dark Game glanced at them, but that one glance surprised him again, because he actually saw familiar faces in this ancient Egyptian palace from three thousand years ago.

"Miss Isis, Kaiba!?" The appearance of the male and female priests was virtually identical to that of Seto Kaiba and Isis Ishtar, whom Yami Yugi knew. Incidentally, Yami Yugi also suddenly recalled that their attire seemed extremely similar to the golden statue containing the Millennium Item that he had seen in the underground chamber of the Tomb Guardian clan's territory.

Shocked, Yami Yugi instinctively turned his head, only to see the short man who had been covering his face with a black cloth removing it, revealing a very familiar face with a thick beard. "Grandpa!?"

"Grandpa?!" Yami Yugi's address made "Muto Sugoroku" beside him widen his eyes, unable to understand why the Pharaoh would address him like that, and he was quite at a loss.

"Hmph?" The priest who looked like Seto Kaiba among the kneeling priests spoke up in an accent almost identical to Kaiba in Yami Yugi's memory, "Lord Simon, is the Pharaoh too tired?"

When Yami Yugi heard that "Kaiba" was using honorifics with someone else, he realized his mistake. He knew that the priest who looked exactly like Seto Kaiba was not Kaiba, and the others were not acquaintances he knew. He shook his head and said, "No, I'm fine. Let's continue."

“Yes, Pharaoh.” Nodding, Seto Kaiba stood up, his right hand emerging from his wide cloak. Yami Yugi saw the extremely familiar Millennium Scepter, which Seto Kaiba was now holding. Kaiba, standing before the assembled priests, raised his hands and looked down at the countless servants before him, declaring, “Only a grand feast can demonstrate the dynasty’s strength and the Pharaoh’s wealth.”

"Ladies and gentlemen, keep the music playing and keep dancing!"

Chapter 718 The Shuffle Deck is a Nightmare in Slate Duel

At the call of "Seto Kaiba", the servants and dancers began their performance, which they had rehearsed many times for the banquet following today's coronation ceremony. With drums and gongs, flowing skirts, and slender limbs dancing to the rhythm of the music, they were a sight to behold.

Putting others aside, although Yami Yugi wasn't really interested in the song and dance performance, the priest standing next to him who looked exactly like Sugoroku Muto and was called "Simon-sama" by Seto Kaiba was completely mesmerized. From this perspective, the resemblance between Priest Simon and Sugoroku Muto was more than just physical appearance.

At this moment, Yami Yugi's gaze kept sweeping over "Seto Kaiba", "Isis Ishtar", and the priest Simon beside him, unable to understand how an ancient Egyptian from three thousand years ago could look exactly like someone he knew in modern times.

If it were just "Isis Ishdar," that would be one thing—she was originally Egyptian—but what's with "Seto Seahorse" and the priest Simon? Why do you two look exactly like people from a Far Eastern island on another continent three thousand years in the future?

'What's going on? What exactly happened?'

Not only were the priest Simon and his few "familiar strangers," but Dark Game also did not overlook the other priests.

The old man, wearing a hood and cloak, with only his aged face visible, was wearing the "Millennium Eye," which once belonged to Pegasus, over his left eye.

A young man holding the "Millennium Key," his face mostly covered by a hood and his bare chest revealing muscular arms;

Compared to the previous young man who was just exercising, he was more like a fitness fanatic, a middle-aged man with a determined expression, his chest and back exposed, revealing his strong muscles, yet he held the Millennium Scales quite steadily in his hand.

There was one last person. Although the handsome face under the golden helmet looked extremely familiar, Yami Yugi just couldn't remember where he had seen him before. On his chest was the [Millennium Wisdom Wheel], which Yami Yugi had encountered countless times.

"[Millennium Artifacts]...Who exactly are they...?"

Although others couldn't hear Dark Game's low mutterings, the priest Simon, who was standing nearby, heard them clearly. Just a moment ago, he was focused on admiring the beautiful dance moves so as not to disappoint the maids who had been working so hard to rehearse. But upon hearing the Pharaoh's words, he immediately leaned close to Dark Game's ear.

"Pharaoh, what did you just say?" Although Simon felt that the Pharaoh had suddenly become a bit strange since the ceremony where he looked down upon his people, he didn't think too much about it and lowered his voice to say, "Aren't they all six priests chosen by the [Millennium Artifact]?"

Looking at the Millennium Items held by the six priests, some familiar and some unfamiliar, Yami Yugi couldn't help but lower his head and look at the Millennium Puzzle hanging on his chest, which he had long been accustomed to the weight of, as if it were three thousand years later. However, in its current complete state, it should perhaps be called the Millennium Cone.

Yami Yugi also recalled that the priest who resembled Seto Kaiba but was not the one wielding the Millennium Scepter must be the same priest he had seen on the stone tablet of the King's Memory, the one who confronted "himself" who controlled a monster resembling the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and a monster resembling the Dark Magician.

And then there's Simon, the Pharaoh's attendant priest who looks exactly like Sugoroku Mutou, and is even just as lecherous. Perhaps it wouldn't be a coincidence that Sugoroku Mutou will be able to retrieve the Millennium Puzzle from an ancient tomb that no one has ever successfully challenged three thousand years later.

His mind was filled with all sorts of doubts, but since they were in the midst of a grand banquet, there was no one he could ask. He could only keep his doubts to himself for the time being and try his best to play the role of a "Pharaoh" that he had no experience with.

On such a joyous occasion as the Pharaoh's coronation, the banquet held in the palace to entertain his subjects was naturally exceptionally lavish, featuring roast beef smeared with honey, stewed lamb and fish, seasonal fruit platters, wheat-scented bread, and an endless supply of wine. To An Yugi's surprise, he even saw foie gras, which was almost unlimited.

Although it was three thousand years ago, Yami Yugi never imagined that the ancient Egyptians' diet was so rich. You know, even in modern times, three thousand years later, Yami Yugi had only ever eaten foie gras in Pegasus's castle during the Duel Kingdom era.

However, among everyone Yami Yugi knew, it seemed that apart from Kaiba who liked foie gras steak, no one else—whether Hayato, Jonouchi, Kyoko, or Honda—was interested in this fatty liver that was basically just a mouthful of oil, and he was the same. At the same time, the wheat bread, which was not soft at all but crunchy and even contained ultra-fine sand, refreshed Yami Yugi's understanding of "bread".

Therefore, after only taking a few sips of wine, which he had never drunk in modern times because he was a minor, Yami Yugi considered the banquet over and sat on the throne watching the courtiers enjoy the extravagance of the banquet.

The priests didn't pay attention to why their pharaoh didn't have a big appetite despite the abundant food, assuming that his usual meals were no worse than today's.

While Yami Yugi was trying to play the role of "the pharaoh who watches his subjects enjoy themselves," the priests, except for Simon, did not indulge in pleasure in front of the holy and majestic pharaoh, and all of them guarded Yami Yugi's side quite seriously.

Just then, the only female priestess who looked exactly like Isis noticed a faint golden glow emanating from the Millennium Jewelry around her neck. She frowned and abruptly turned to look at a corner of the palace. In that corner, a man was crouching, holding a blowpipe and wearing a sinister smile.

"Someone is trying to assassinate the Pharaoh!" the female priestess shouted, calling to her companions who were closest to the Pharaoh, except for Priest Simon, "Mahad!"

Just then, the assassin blew a black poison needle from his blowpipe, heading straight for Yami Yugi. The male priest who Yami Yugi recognized upon hearing the call suddenly flung his cloak to deflect the poison needle's attack, glaring angrily in the direction of the assassin.

"Damn it, you bastard!" The priest named Mahad stood guard beside Yami Yugi, while the priest who looked like "Seto Kaiba" angrily pointed at the assassin and ordered the soldiers in the palace, "Arrest that bastard who deserves to die! How dare he assassinate the Pharaoh!"

Although today is the day the new pharaoh is holding a banquet to celebrate his coronation, apart from the important figures who are qualified to directly participate in the banquet, the soldiers guarding the pharaoh are not slacking off. Almost at the same time that "Seto Kaiba" gave the order, soldiers surrounded him from all directions and easily subdued the assassin. They used sharp blades to carry him down from the high place and escorted him to the pharaoh.

An assassination attempt on the new pharaoh occurred, and the banquet in the palace was abruptly canceled. Dancers and musicians, along with the palace maids clearing away the food, quickly withdrew, emptying the palace. Almost instantly, the banquet venue became an execution ground for the treasonous assassin.

"How dare they attempt to assassinate the Pharaoh and take his life! It's truly terrifying!" The female priestess looked at the assassin being escorted by guards to kneel before the Pharaoh's throne, her face showing an angry expression.

However, even though she tried her best to appear fierce as a woman, her intimidating presence was still insufficient. The assassin did not take her threat seriously at all. After glancing at the female priestess, his gaze swept over the people remaining at the scene. Even the Pharaoh could not make his gaze linger for a moment. However, he paused for a moment when his eyes met those of the oldest priestess.

The assassin felt no fear whatsoever of his impending doom, for he knew the capabilities of his employer; even someone who had committed an unforgivable crime like himself could be exonerated. But this very arrogance only fueled the priests' fury.

“Although you didn’t succeed in assassinating the Pharaoh, given your crimes, even being sentenced to be devoured alive by 100,000 scarabs wouldn’t be an exaggeration.” Looking at the arrogant assassin, the priest named Mahad said angrily, “But since today is a celebration ceremony, take this guy to the prison and lock him up.”

On the important day of the new pharaoh's coronation, there must be no ominous bloodshed, as that would be a desecration of the pharaoh. Even if an assassin were to kill the pharaoh in front of everyone, he could only be dealt with the next day.

“No, Priest Mahad, I have a better idea.” Just as Mahad ordered the guards to subdue the assassin and the assassin’s face showed a smug smile, the oldest priest spoke up. As he removed his hood, his aged face and the powerful “Millennium Eye” in his left eye looked down at the assassin.

In an instant, the assassin's mind went blank, and he couldn't say a word.

"Priest Aknadi?" No one noticed the assassin's unusual behavior; instead, their attention was drawn to the old man who had removed his hood—a priest named "Aknadi." Priest Mahad looked in his direction and asked what he meant.

Before Priest Aknadi could answer, Seto Kaiba, standing beside him, spoke up: "I understand what you mean, Lord Aknadi. You're thinking of taking this great opportunity to demonstrate the power of our new Pharaoh's strongest priests, aren't you? What a brilliant idea."

"What do you think, Lord Simon, and the Pharaoh?"

“That’s a very good idea, Priest Seth. This way, the ominousness of blood won’t taint the Pharaoh’s holiness,” Priest Simon said with considerable approval, glancing at Dark Game. “What do you think, Pharaoh?”

What advice could Dark Game offer at this moment? To be honest, he knew nothing about Egypt three thousand years ago. If his priests had already come up with a plan, he could simply grant the Pharaoh's permission as a man of few words: "Do as you say, Mahad, Aknadi, Simon, Set."

Although he didn't actively ask, just by sitting there, Yami Yugi had already managed to get the names of four of the priests around him. The names of the others were fine, but the name of the priest Seth really left Yami Yugi speechless, silently complaining to himself.

'Seto, Seto, what a coincidence! It's so coincidental I don't even know where to begin.' Looking at Priest Seto, who had turned around and joined the other priests in surrounding the assassin, Yami Yugi thought, 'Could it be that Kaiba's past life was Priest Seto? If so, perhaps Grandpa and Priest Simon, Miss Isis and that other priestess...?'

"Begin the execution of this man now!" With a shout from Priest Seth, six priests wielding the [Millennium Artifact] stepped forward, ready to attack the assassin who had inexplicably fallen into a dazed state.

"Today's Egypt, under the divine rule of successive pharaohs, has become a vast country. But, Pharaoh, the appearance of villains who are jealous of Egypt and of your glory has never ceased." Standing in front of Dark Game, Priest Simon said with a serious expression.

The female priest continued, "But please rest assured, Pharaoh."

“As long as the seven of us priests are still standing here,” Priest Aknadi said, glancing discreetly at Priest Seth beside him with his right eye, which was not wearing the [Millennium Eye], “the Pharaoh will not be harmed by even a single finger.”

"The punishment of the [Millennium Artifact] begins here. First and foremost, it is I, Priest Shada, with the power of the [Millennium Key]!" Compared to Aknadi and Set, the young priest, who seemed to speak less, held the [Millennium Key] in his hand as he walked out of the group, removing his hood to reveal a shiny bald head.

The moment Yami Yugi saw the bald man, he remembered where he had seen his face before. It was Shadi! He hadn't recognized him at all with his bald head covered.

Oh no, not Shadi. If my previous guess was correct, the previous incarnation of Shadi Xin, the tomb guardian of the clan three thousand years later, should be the priest in front of me, the priest Shadi.

Standing before the assassin, unfazed by his bewildered expression, Xia Da raised the Millennium Key and declared, "The Millennium Key possesses the power to open the gates of the heart, allowing you to see into the very soul of the sinner before you!"

As the [Millennium Key] released its light, the assassin's shadow shifted and took on the shape of a demon. Xia Da, unsurprised, remarked, "Hmm, this person can see the shadow of an evil demon within his heart."

Just as An Yugi was wondering what Xia Da might do next, to his surprise, Xia Da actually retreated back to the group, and Aknadi stepped forward in her place: "Then comes my Aknadi's [Millennium Eye], and the demon within will reveal its true form under the power of this Eye of the Mind!"

As a light flashed across the [Millennium Eye], the delirious assassin suddenly cried out in pain, and a large amount of shaped black gas suddenly spewed out of his wide-open mouth and gathered in the air.

"Demonic creatures born from anger and resentment within people will manipulate them into committing crimes to increase their anger and resentment in order to enhance their power," Simon explained, seemingly afraid that Yami Yugi might not understand. "However, the Millennium Key can detect the demons within people, and the Millennium Eye can extract them. And then there's this."

Just then, several muscular soldiers carried a huge rectangular stone slab into the palace and temporarily placed it in front of the Pharaoh's throne. The priest Set also stood in front of the stone slab, facing the "monster" in the air.

"Hmph, ugly monster, get back into the stone slab! Under the power of the Millennium Scepter!" Priest Seth raised his golden scepter and looked at the monster in the air with a sneer. His arrogant posture was too similar to Seto Kaiba's. Then, the Millennium Scepter shone brightly, and the monster in the air began to twist and struggle, seemingly unwilling to be sealed in the stone slab.

However, Seth was no pushover. He swung the Millennium Scepter again and confidently shouted, "The one with the upper hand isn't the monster, it's me, Seth! Shatter! Shatter! Cheers!"

The light on the Millennium Scepter surged once more, instantly suppressing the demon and forcefully shoving it into the stone slab carried by the soldiers.

Turn it off, Seahorse, I know it's you.

Although he should have been amazed by the true power of the Millennium Items, Yami Yugi couldn't help but want to cover his face when he heard the incredibly familiar words spoken by the priest Set.

However, as he saw the image of the monster gradually appearing on the stone slab, Yami Yugi remembered something else—not long ago, in the Doma incident, after Dartz fought against Yami Yugi, Kaiba, and Jonouchi, something seemed to have been mentioned.

As someone with a dual personality, he is from the "present" where Yami Yugi is from three thousand years ago. He lost faith in humanity after witnessing Duel Monsters and Yami Yugi being brought back to the world, and decided to continue his actions to destroy humanity.

Combining the Duel Monsters cards and games created by Pegasus, which were inspired by ancient Egypt, could the stone slab in front of us be the predecessor of Duel Monsters?

Looking at the massive stone slab, a conflicted expression appeared on An Yuqi's face, prompting Simon beside him to ask with concern, "Pharaoh, what's wrong? Is it because it's your first time witnessing the sealing of a monster, and you're tired after a long day?"

"No, I was just thinking that if we were to use a stone tablet for duels, shuffling the deck would be exhausting."

After sealing the monster within the stone tablet, the trial of the sinner was temporarily over. The assassin was unconscious and knelt on the ground with his head bowed. The priests left the matter of how to proceed to the Pharaoh and ordered the soldiers to take the stone tablet away for safekeeping.

But just then, a flippant voice came from the hall where a trial of the assassins had just ended: "Oh? You were a step too late and missed a performance. It's a real pity you didn't get to see how the stone tablet was sealed."

"That voice?!" Yami Yugi stared wide-eyed in the direction the voice came from, and saw a white-haired man emerge from the shadows. Although his white hair was covered with sand, which was unavoidable in the desert, making it look a bit messy, a pair of rabbit-ear-like hair strands stood up stubbornly and conspicuously, as if to prove their presence.

Chapter 719 Intruder Bakura

"Who goes there!?" Priest Seth looked at the mysterious visitor in the palace hall, his eyes narrowing slightly, somewhat annoyed. So, with the new pharaoh's coronation today, the assassins are never-ending, are they? He just dealt with one, and another one appears.

Not only was Seth annoyed by the reckless and audacious assassin, but he also glanced at the other two priests beside him: "Isis, what's going on? Why didn't you warn us?"

"Just by standing here, I can smell the stench emanating from this incredibly foul-smelling creature, a stench even worse than vomit. Why didn't you, with your 'Millennium Jewelry' that can foresee the future, foresee and warn us beforehand?!"

In a bad mood, Seth couldn't even be bothered to maintain the facade of harmony among his colleagues and questioned the female priest.

The priest named Isis frowned, his hands touching the [Millennium Jewelry] around his neck, which had only belatedly emitted a warning light: "I'm sorry, it's because my compatibility with the [Millennium Jewelry] is insufficient. I can only detect one person at a time, and I was held back by that assassin just now."

"Hmph, so that's how it is. You were caught in the gap between your two premonitions? Looks like your training is indeed lacking. Strive to be worthy of the Pharaoh's priestly title and stop dragging me down." Seth reluctantly accepted Isis's reasoning, glancing at Mahad on the other side, "And what's wrong with you, Mahad?"

"Isn't it you who's in charge of guarding the palace? What's going on with these repeated intrusions by assassins? Is your 'Wheel of Millennium Wisdom' just a pretty decoration?" Seth sneered, questioning Mahad, who posed the greatest threat to his position among all the priests. "The Pharaoh's tomb you were in charge of before was also attacked by tomb raiders, wasn't it?"

“You are not the Pharaoh I serve, Priest Seth, and I have no need to report to you!” Mahad did not seem to be one to submit passively. Faced with the aggressive Seth, he also adopted a confrontational attitude.

Despite the presence of a mysterious intruder in the hall, who had even quietly approached the Pharaoh's throne, the Pharaoh's priests were actually arguing amongst themselves. The white-haired intruder, seeing this, didn't rush to do anything, but watched the show with great interest, saying to Seth and Mahad, "Tsk tsk tsk, is this the level of the Pharaoh's priests? They're arguing right in front of me, completely ignoring me."

What he didn't notice was that although both Mahad and Seth looked like they were about to argue, there was no anger in their eyes. Instead, they were watching the soldiers quietly approach the intruder from behind under their cover.

"Now!" A soldier swiftly reached out and used a chain to lock one of the intruder's arms, subduing him. The other soldiers followed suit, shouting, "There's only one person there! Let's all go together and grab him!"

In an instant, the soldiers surrounded the invaders and seemed to have successfully brought them under control. However, beside An Yugi, who had just seen the invaders and stood up warily, Priest Simon leaned over and said, "Although Priest Mahad and Priest Set do have some friction in their daily lives, don't worry, Pharaoh, they were just trying to confuse the enemy."

"Hmph, it's true what Priest Simon said, but I won't hide my opinion of Mahad. He's a very incompetent priest." With his arms crossed, Seth snorted coldly.

Upon hearing Set's words, Mahad did not show anger as before, but instead acquiesced, kneeling before Dark Game and bowing his head: "Pharaoh, as Priest Set said, I, responsible for the city's security and the royal tomb, have failed in my duties. Recently, the pointer of the [Millennium Wisdom Wheel] has been spinning wildly, unable to fully detect the evil thoughts of sinners. I beg you, Pharaoh, to punish me."

“Let’s talk about that later, Mahad.” Yami Yugi glanced at the priests in the hall and pointed to the intruder surrounded by soldiers in the center of the palace. “That intruder is not someone that the soldiers can deal with by rushing in. That guy is someone that we have to go all out to fight.”