Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

"We're almost there, almost there! As soon as we get there!" Malik pushed Kalim, who had lost his balance after the seahorse punched a [Skeleton], and helped him steady himself. His gaze was fixed on the distance ahead, where the end of the [Skeleton] swarm could already be seen. "If we escape this time, I'm going to have a good meal of honey-glazed grasshoppers!"

Just when they were about to escape the crisis, unfortunately no one told Maliku that you can't just make a promise lightly.

Among the countless seemingly identical skeletons, there was one skeleton that had always concealed its aura and power. Just when the group saw hope of escape, it finally erupted as it approached them.

Argento, who was clearing away the approaching skeletons, was unable to react at first. The difference between the skeletons in front of him and the other skeletons was so great that when Argento and Isis attacked with normal force to try to repel them, they finally realized that something was wrong.

"This is—uh!"

In a mere instant, the power erupting from the special "[White Bone]" annihilated "[Argento]", and Isis's face paled. But it wasn't over yet. After killing the "[Argento]" that had approached her, a beam of pale energy shot out from the mouth of the "[White Bone]" and hurtled towards Isis.

Among the group, Isis possessed the unique stone tablet monster capable of healing others' injuries. This information should have been known only to those familiar with the tablets held by the priests, but "[White Bone]" seemed to know this well, targeting Isis directly. Although Isis was exhausted, to eliminate any future threats, she had to be killed first!

Although he had always shown that he hated Isis and had previously abandoned everyone to run away without hesitation, when faced with the energy pillar spewed out by "[White Bone]", Maric gritted his teeth and threw Isis, whom he was carrying, out of the way, leaving himself to face the attack alone.

“I’ve always hated you, Isis, because I know better than anyone that you are more capable than me.”

Despite undergoing the same training, he couldn't gain the recognition of the Millennium Artifact like Isis. As the patriarch of the tomb-guarding clan, he only rose to the position through his father's seniority. He could only remember less than half of the clan's mechanical layout, and he wasn't even very good at riding a horse.

Under Isis's outstanding performance, Maliku appeared increasingly useless and worthless. This inferiority complex manifested in his arrogance. Precisely because he had nothing, he could only rely on what he already possessed and refused to let go.

"However, Isis, there's one thing I'm better at than you: I saved your life. Remember this day, because you'll never surpass me!"

Knowing he had no chance of survival against the attack of "[White Bones]", Maliku calmly closed his eyes, preparing to face death.

As if by some unseen force, something finally turned its gaze upon Maliku at this moment and revealed its presence to him.

However, he felt as if he had been pushed away.

"boom!"

A pale energy pillar, seemingly a symbol of death, swept past Maliku, who had been pushed over and was lying face up. Many of the skeletons along the way, which had not been killed before, were now completely annihilated by the attack of their own people.

Turning his head, Maliku saw Kalim, the one who had just pushed him. But as a price, his outstretched arm was erased by the attack of "[White Bone]".

Before Maliku could speak, pale-faced Kalim interrupted, "Who told you to push me from behind? Maliku Ishdar, are you looking down on me, Kalim, and thinking I can't stand up straight?"

"In that case, don't blame me for ruining your hopes of surpassing Priestess Isis."

Chapter 784 The Death of Kalim (Part 2)

"Ka...Kalim?"

"What are you doing, Karim!"

Looking at Kalim, who had lost an arm, Maliku said in a panic, "To save someone like me, your arm..."

He had only helped Kalim when he almost fell; it was nothing special, and Kalim owed him nothing. But now, Kalim had lost an arm to save his life!

"What's with that expression, Maliku Ishdar?" Kalim forced a smile. "I am Kalim, a priest of the Millennium Scales under the Pharaoh. Protecting others is my mission. It's just an arm; I'm betting it on the future!"

"Idiot, stop showing off!" Kaiba helped Kalim, who almost lost his footing because he was too excited, but was stubbornly pushed away. Helplessly, he stood next to Kalim and looked around.

After its previous attack, the peculiar skeleton stopped moving and stood motionless, a large amount of visible dark power gathering around it, as if it were charging up. As the peculiar skeleton launched its attack, the other skeletons also ceased their "human wave tactic" and formed a protective circle around it, seemingly to prevent the seahorse and its companions from getting close and interrupting its power-gathering.

It seems that the "White Bone" didn't possess such immense power from the start, but rather accumulated it gradually before unleashing such power in one go. For now, the group doesn't need to worry about a second attack coming immediately. However, if they don't find a way to interrupt the "White Bone's" power-building process, they will still be doomed, and they can forget about escaping.

“That monster isn’t a skeleton; it’s practically the ‘king’ of the other skeletons.” The seahorse confirmed that the skeletons surrounding them were only encircling the group but not getting any closer. He frowned and looked at the unusual skeleton. “Let’s just call it the ‘Skeleton King’ for now.”

"It's the last obstacle we have to face before we can escape the village!"

As he spoke, Seahorse subconsciously clenched his fist. He had been so tense that he had ignored the sensation in his hand until Kalim's accident. He relaxed a little and only then did he notice the pain in his palm.

“Even if you say that.” Getting up from the ground, Maric glanced at the condition of the others around him. Kaiba’s hands were trembling slightly. Isis had just been destroyed by the Slate Monster [Argento], and the “Soul” value on the Gladiator Disk was almost at its lowest point, not to mention Kalim. “How can we, a few small fry, possibly defeat such a powerful monster?”

"The other party doesn't seem like the type who can be held off by leaving one person behind."

“【The Bone King】, a very fitting name.” Glancing at the seahorse, Kalim hesitated slightly, then said firmly as if he had made up his mind, “Life is unpredictable, but life and death are orderly.”

"Everyone, you go first, I'll hold them off."

Kalim's calm tone startled Maliku, who then said, his voice trembling with emotion, "What are you thinking? Didn't you hear me just say that guy can't be held off by just one person? Besides, you're still—"

“I know, that’s why I stayed.” Kalim raised his only remaining left arm. Fortunately, he had just pushed Marik away with his right arm. Although the Millennium Scales he was holding in his right hand had been knocked away by the Bone King’s attack, the Gladiator’s Disk was still on his left arm and he could still summon the Slate Monster.

The sharp-eyed Kalim noticed that a skeleton had taken the Millennium Scales it had dropped and brought them to the Skeleton King's side.

Two more Thunder Dragons appeared in front of Kalim. With each one that appeared, Kalim's face grew paler. The only thing he could be thankful for was that the previous attack from the Bone King had been very thorough, causing Kalim's wounds to necrotize, which prevented him from fainting from excessive blood loss.

But how long can he maintain this appearance? The damage from Diaband's previous attack has not yet healed, and after the attack from the Bone King, he summoned three Thunder Dragons again. It's almost a miracle that Kalim can still stand.

Maliku wanted to say a few more words to Kalim, but the seahorse pressed down on his shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Do as he says. We don't have time left."

Without waiting for Marik's permission, he helped Isis up and pulled Marik away, while Kalim's Thunder Dragons worked together to clear a path to the exit for them.

The seahorse led Isis and Maliku to escape. The Bone King seemed unwilling to let anyone leave, so he ordered the skeletons to surround them. However, the skeletons he sent out were only halfway there when a bolt of lightning swept through and repelled them.

"Don't even think about going there, your opponent is me!" Commanding the three-bodied [Thunder Dragon] to coil around him, Kalim was temporarily unable to use the power of [Fusion] to synthesize his strongest [Two-Headed Thunder Dragon] without the [Millennium Scales], but even so, there was not a trace of fear in his eyes when he looked at [Bone King].

"It's amazing, but before today, I never thought I would have a moment to dedicate my life to others. My life plan has always been about standing in a higher position and having more power, until I met Mr. Hayato."

"However, rather than saying that Mr. Hayato changed my destiny, it would be more accurate to say that he made me see the direction of my own destiny for the first time, and for the first time, I decided the scenery at the end of my destiny."

"The encounters between people may truly be a matter of fate."

Taking a deep breath, Kalim looked at the Bone King, his pale face flushed with excitement, and shouted, "Bring it on, Bone King!"

The next moment, the long-charged attack of the [Bone King] arrived, and the pale energy pillar that had seized Kalim's right arm was launched again.

“If we are fully prepared, death will not come!” Kalim waved his only left arm, staggered forward two steps, and actually managed to jog. Meanwhile, the Thunder Dragons surrounded their master and charged towards the skeleton horde that was encircling the Bone King.

"The Thunder Dragon isn't just for show; one attack from it and I'll push it back!"

The Thunder Dragons met the Bone King's attack head-on. An attack that was enough to kill a single Bone King instantly was blocked by the combined efforts of the Thunder Dragons. In a moment, they exerted their strength together and deflected the Bone King's hastily launched attack by a few points, causing it to strike a nearby building wreckage.

The Bone King didn't move, but began to gather its strength again, directing the skeletons to attack Kalim, who was approaching along with the Thunder Dragons. However, since they didn't need to clear a path for the main force and were only protecting Kalim, the Thunder Dragons' burden was much lighter. In just a few breaths, Kalim was already close to the Bone King.

"I will dedicate my life to paving the way for the future of young people!"

Losing an arm made it difficult for Kalim to adapt to the changed balance. Unable to punch like the seahorse, he had a solution: he would leap up with all his might and kick, using his leg muscles to generate more power than his fists, enough to shatter the body of the [White Bone King].

Subsequently, the three-body [Thunder Dragon]'s full-force attack was enough to completely destroy the opponent's body. As for what would happen to him, who was unable to protect himself while the [Thunder Dragons] were attacking at full force and fell into the [White Bone] swarm, Kalim didn't think too much about it.

But as Kalim leaped into a flying kick stance, looking at the skeletal face of the [Bone King], he felt as if the other was looking at him with a mocking gaze. Then, to Kalim's surprise, the [Bone King], whom he had assumed would be unable to move during the charging-up phase, actually began to move!

As its skeletal body dodged Kalim's attack, it instantly completed the charging of its own attack, a white energy ball gathering in its hand, seemingly ready to be launched at any moment to kill Kalim?!

He had been completely fooled. The attack just now was just the enemy feigning weakness to lure him closer. The inability to move was also just an illusion. Looking at the positions of the Bone King, Kalim, and Maliku, who had not yet escaped far, it was clear that the enemy wanted to adjust to the best position to wipe out Kalim and Maliku in one fell swoop!

If Kalim were lucky enough to predict the launch angle, he might have a slight chance of escaping the [Bone King]'s attack, but Maliku and the others behind him would have no chance. Therefore, Kalim, thinking quickly, did not try to escape but remained standing in place.

The Thunder Dragons, who had been gathering their strength to annihilate the Bone King in one fell swoop, swooped down to block him. The intensity of the energy pillars that met them proved that Kalim's guess was correct; compared to the previous feint, this was the Bone King's true, fully charged attack.

[White Bone] approached the unprotected Kalim, and just when [White Bone King] thought its plan had succeeded, it saw through the gap between the [Thunder Dragon] that was being pushed back by its attack that Kalim was lying on the ground, propping himself up with one hand and biting something with his mouth.

"O holy and radiant God, who bestows all wisdom, glory and power, behold my heart, my faith and my authority. Bless me, for this is the final battle and the pinnacle of glory for Kalim, the priest of the Pharaoh."

"As long as I can still feel this moment of glory, I will never fall into that dark abyss."

"Look closely, this is me, my final [fusion]!"

"[Millennium Scales], [Thunder Dragon], respond to me!"

With Kalim's shout, Maric, who had been dragged away by the seahorse, successfully escaped the encirclement of the [Bone] horde with the help of Kalim's power. When he finally had a chance to look at Kalim's situation, he saw the [Thunder Dragons] disappear in the light and the [Bone King]'s attack almost engulfing Kalim's body.

"Kalim!!"

However, miracles are made more wondrous by appearing in times of despair. Just as Maliku thought Kalim was doomed, lightning struck from the sky from where Kalim was.

"boom!"

Unlike the yellow lightning used by Kalim's [Thunder Dragon] and [Two-Headed Thunder Dragon] before, the lightning that descended from the sky this time was a solemn cyan color, as if it were a miracle. Within the lightning, the [White Bones] that came close to Kalim were crushed into dust the moment they made contact, and even the attack of the [White Bone King] vanished in an instant.

The seahorse, startled by the commotion, also turned to look, staring at the green dragon that had unleashed lightning and was flying above Kalim's head: "That monster is—"

Opening his eyes, Kalim, who had narrowly escaped death, also turned his gaze to the monster above his head that was so closely connected to his soul, and smiled with relief: "I actually won my first gamble in my life. You responded to me, [Thunder Dragon]."

"No, [Thunder Dragon - Thunder Dragon]."

"Well, I guessed pretty accurately."

Unlike the immature two-in-one fusion of the previous [Two-Headed Thunder Dragon], this time Kalim used the [Millennium Scales] he had never succeeded in before to fuse a three-body [Thunder Dragon], which he had retrieved from the original location of the [Bone King].

Perhaps it was his willingness to die that led to a miracle for Kalim, perhaps it was the gods who truly cast their gaze and blessings upon him, or perhaps it was the [Thunder Dragons]' response to Kalim. The three-in-one [Thunder Dragons] gained the qualification to be given the name of "gods," and their power underwent a qualitative change, transforming them into a completely new realm!

Looking at the majestic Thunder Dragon, the Bone King, who should have been devoid of pain and emotions like the Skeletons, experienced fear and panic for the first time due to the intelligence bestowed upon it by the Dark High Priest for better combat. It completely abandoned its control over the Skeletons' actions, focusing only on escaping while relentlessly unleashing attacks at the Thunder Dragon behind it.

However, the Thunder Dragon did not move at all, merely soaring in the air. The lightning emanating from its flapping wings easily annihilated the attack launched by the White Bone King in its death throes.

The skeletons, no longer restrained by the Skeleton King, no longer acted in unison. Lacking intelligence and filled with malice towards living beings, they chased after the seahorse and his companions in a chaotic manner. Another group tried to approach Kalim's side, but with the presence of the Thunder Dragon, they had no chance of succeeding. On the other hand, Maliku and his group were forced to stop.

This time, however, the seahorse didn't need to pull him. Maric confidently carried Isis on his back and followed the seahorse to escape, because in his opinion, Kalim, who had summoned the [Thunder Dragon - Thunder Dragon], had nothing to fear anymore.

Watching Maliku and the others flee, Kalim felt relieved. 'That's it, Maliku, don't stop. As long as you keep moving forward, your future will continue.'

'Unfortunately…'

With his arms too weak to support his body, Kalim collapsed to the ground when Maliku and the others could no longer see him. Meanwhile, the lightning of [Thunder Dragon - Thunder Dragon] struck a second time, completely annihilating [White Bone King] while the split lightning also cleared away a group of [White Bones] that were chasing Kaiba and the others.

'I, Kalim, am about to make a graceful exit.'

Lying on the scorched earth of the thief village, an exhausted Kalim closed his eyes.

Chapter 785 I gradually understood everything

In the vast desert, the seahorse and Maliku, who was carrying Isis, ran one after the other. The seahorse would urge from time to time, "Don't be lazy, run faster!"

"If you're so capable, why don't you carry someone yourself!" Marik glared at the sarcastic seahorse, but his pace did quicken slightly. He had to hurry; the [White Bones] behind him were still relentlessly pursuing them even after they had been away from the thieves' village for nearly a kilometer, and Marik didn't want to be caught.

"Honestly, that guy Kalim was helping us out at the beginning, but now he's completely ignoring us. I don't know what he's doing." Marik seemed to be complaining about Kalim, but he wasn't worried about Kalim's safety because he didn't know Kalim's current situation. "But since he can summon such a powerful stone tablet monster, he should be fine."

"Ugh... how much longer do I have to run? I'm almost out of energy!"

"Save your energy, you idiot."

"They won't even let me complain, how can I possibly have the will to keep going?" Maliku, carrying Isis on his back, gritted his teeth and muttered to himself, "Anyone will do, just help me, I really can't hold on much longer~"

As Maliku was muttering to himself, he suddenly heard the seahorse's voice: "Lie down!"

As he spoke, the seahorse suddenly turned around, grabbed Mariko's shoulder, and jumped to the side. Then, he placed one hand on Mariko's head to control his struggles and prevent him from getting up.

The next moment, a purple magic ball flew from the direction they had been moving in, bypassing the three of them and crashing straight into the group of [bones].

As the magic missile blasted the swarm of skeletons chasing the three into the air, a voice rang out: