Semi-final pairings

The next morning, after everyone gathered, Roland announced: "The semi-final match-ups will be decided by a four-way battle royal. The first two Duelists to lose will face each other. The order will be decided by removing one monster from the Deck for the duration of the Duel, and the players with the monster that had the highest ATK will go first."

After four monsters were revealed, the order was as follows: Yugi, Kaiba, Ishizu, Marik.

"Duel!" x4

[Yugi, LP 4000]

[Kaiba, LP 4000]

[Ishizu, LP 4000]

[Marik, LP 4000]

Yugi: "I Normal Summon 'Beaver Warrior'. Set a card, I end my turn."

[Beaver Warrior, ATK 1200]

Kaiba: "I Normal Summon 'Vorse Raider'. Set a card, I end my turn."

[Vorse Raider, ATK 1900]

Ishizu: "I Normal Summon 'Gravekeeper's Priestess'. Set a card, I end my turn."

[Gravekeeper's Priestess, ATK 1000]

"Priestess' effect - All 'Gravekeeper's' monsters on the field gain 200 ATK/DEF."

[Gravekeeper's Priestess, ATK 1000 → ATK 1200]

Marik: "Are you copying each other? Then I won't be left behind. Normal Summon 'Newdoria'. Set a card, I end my turn."

[Newdoria, ATK 1200]

In the battle royal, nobody could declare an attack on their first turn. So Yugi was the first to attack.

Yugi: "My turn, draw! I Tribute 'Beaver Warrior' to summon 'Summoned Skull'.

[Summoned Skull, ATK 2500]

"Battle! Summoned Skull, attack 'Newdoria'! And at this moment, I activate the Quick-Play Spell 'Rush Recklessly'! Target 1 face-up monster on the field; it gains 700 ATK until the end of this turn!"

[Summoned Skull, ATK 2500 → ATK 3200]

The archfiend released a rain of lightning which easily burned the demon on Marik's field to ash.

[Marik, LP 4000 → LP 2000]

However, Marik wasn't displeased. He laughed: "But the effect of 'Newdoria' is also activated! If this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the GY: Target 1 monster on the field; destroy that target!

I destroy your 'Summoned Skull'!

Kaiba suddenly roared: "The only one allowed to defeat Yugi is me! Open the set card: Trap Card - Ring of Destruction! Destroy 'Summoned Skull' and inflict damage to each player equal to its ATK!

[Kaiba, LP 4000 → LP 800]

[Yugi, LP 4000 → LP 800]

[Ishizu, LP 4000 → LP 800]

Marik only had 2000 LP left. If he took this hit, his LP would return to zero!

But Marik still grinned: "What a coincidence! I also think the only one allowed to defeat Yugi is me too.

In that case, I'll make you out first! Open the set card: Quick-Play Spell - Spell of Pain! When the opponent activates a card or effect that would inflict effect damage to me, they will take the effect damage from that card or effect instead.

Take back your 3200 damage and die!"

At that moment, Ishizu waved her hands: "Open the set card: Counter Trap Card - Imperial Tombs of Necrovalley! When a card effect is activated while both a 'Gravekeeper' monster and 'Necrovalley' are on the field: Negate the activation and destroy that card!"

Then she added: "While Gravekeeper's Priestess is face-up on the field and there is no Field Spell, the field is treated as 'Necrovalley'. So 'Imperial Tombs of Necrovalley' can be activated."

Marik looked at his sister in disbelief: First, you gave Kaiba the card "Obelisk the Tormentor", now you help him to defeat me? Big sis, do you love him? What do you see in him?

He is just handsome, tall, rich, youthful, and has a lot of power and influence...

Wait, does that mean Kaiba is the ideal man?

But he didn't have the chance to say anything. His 'Spell of Pain' was negated, so the explosion took all his remaining LP.

[Marik, LP 2000 → LP 0]

Next was Kaiba's turn. Although Ishizu helped him avoid losing in the previous turn, he didn't seem to be touched. All he cared about now was to have a match with Yugi, so he coldly summoned 'Battle Ox' and attacked her. Without any defense means, Ishizu was defeated.

Roland announced: "The match-ups have been decided. The first semi-final is Player Marik VS Player Ishizu."