[Bonus]
After about twenty minutes of walking, the bunker that the demons spoke of finally appeared before them.
It was a building in a wasteland, constructed from what looked like obsidian and dark granite. Its surface was shrouded in a perpetual gloom that even sunlight couldn't penetrate—a thick, oppressive darkness.
The heavy gate thundered down, kicking up clouds of dust as it hit the ground. Upon entering the bunker, a chilling atmosphere hit them in the face, the air thick with the pungent smells of sulfur and rust.
The lighting was dim. The only light in the long, narrow corridors came from torches hanging on the walls. The interior passages were complicated, like a giant maze.
Dark prison cells lined both sides of the corridor, each iron door tightly shut. But from behind a few doors, imprisoned monsters cast eerie glances, and the roars and howls of unknown creatures echoed from some cells.
As a jailer passed a certain cell, a demon's claw shot out, waving at him.
The jailer stopped. "What is it now?"
"Nothing."
The prisoner behind the door, seemingly also a demon, grinned at him.
"Just heard there's a newcomer in the bunker today?"
"You sure keep up with the news."
The jailer leaned against the door, humming.
"Yeah, heard a patrol squad got lucky and caught a lone kid—a traveler from outside."
"Hah, a traveler."
The demon behind the door threw his head back and laughed wildly.
"That's real tough luck. If he's made it to the bunker, that's probably the end of his journey."
"Yeah. But you didn't stop me just to say that, did you?" The jailer straightened up. "I have things to do. I'm not here to shoot the breeze with you. If the shift supervisor catches me slacking off…"
"Don't be in such a rush."
The demon hurriedly called after him, then grinned slyly.
"No other reason. You know the drill—just want to teach the newbie some rules, and help him learn to behave. Good for everyone, right?"
"Knew it."
The jailer chuckled.
He flipped his palm, and particles gathered in his hand, forming a green Spell Card. Invisible magic power radiated from the card, and with a click, the cell door unlocked and sprang open.
"The new guy looks human, and seems a bit weak." The jailer walked away, waving over his shoulder. "Don't go overboard. Leave him alive."
"No problem, I'm always careful."
The demon chuckled, patting his chest with a claw, and said with a sinister smile:
"I'll take good care of him."
…
Kira followed the group of demons underground, entering a spacious hall.
At once, he saw the massive arena in the center.
Tall, dark stone pillars surrounded the arena, with faint flames flickering above—like a kind of coliseum.
As soon as they entered, the escorting demons left, one of them giving Kira a malicious grin before locking the door with a click from the outside.
Of course, breaking the door open by force would be easy for Kira—just a single sword strike.
But he continued to observe his surroundings. Turning, he saw another group of figures slowly emerging from the shadows at the far end of the hall.
"So this is the new guy?"
"Heh, he does look weak."
Kira squinted, observing the newcomers—most appeared to be demon-like creatures. Some had dark red skin and horns sprouting from their foreheads, others were huge and muscular, and still others were grotesque with multiple eyes or sharp claws.
The leader was especially tall, with four eyes, arms crossed, and black scales covering his body.
None of them were spirits he recognized.
"Welcome to the bunker, the darkest place in your miserable life," the four-eyed leader grunted. "Every place has its rules, and I'm the boss here. I am the rule. Got it?"
Kira and the four-eyed demon stared at each other for several seconds.
"You mean, you're the warden?"
"What? No—I mean there are internal rules even inside the prison!" The four-eyed boss frowned, annoyed.
Immediately, a lackey barked, "Don't interrupt when the boss is talking!"
"Looking for trouble, huh?"
A lackey looked to the boss for confirmation. The four-eyed leader nodded, arms crossed. The lackey cracked his knuckles and stepped forward.
"Come on, little guy."
The demon grinned, revealing sharp fangs.
"Let me check if you're healthy."
The other demons jeered, laughing uproariously.
Thump!
Suddenly, the demon was sent flying like a severed kite, slamming against the far wall in a spread-eagle pose, stuck fast.
The laughter came to an abrupt halt.
Huh?
The demons' smiles froze. They glanced at the demon stuck in the wall, then at Kira, who stood calmly as if nothing had happened.
Their smiles slowly turned to terror.
Although none of them had seen what happened, they all felt it in that instant:
That was a spirit's power!
The four-eyed leader dropped his swagger, motioning for the underlings to back him up. Not that it was necessary—they'd already scrambled behind him in fear.
The four-eyed boss stepped forward. "Duelist?"
Just now, Kira had borrowed the power of the Silent Magician. The spirit hadn't fully manifested—just cast a simple magic barrier, which repelled the attacking demon.
The demons had sensed a wave of magic but hadn't seen the spirit's form—only sensed that the power was above their pay grade.
"Interesting." The boss narrowed all four eyes. "You're the fifth duelist locked in this bunker.
Everyone here has a chance to carve out their territory and gain influence through strength—"
As he spoke, he raised his left arm. The demon's arm began to transform, its muscle-like tissue writhing and extending out, eventually forming five card zones and what looked like a Duel Disk grown directly from his body.
"—by dueling."
The demon grinned menacingly.
"So? Got the guts to try?"
Sure enough, even in prison, card skills decide who's boss.
Kira eyed the Duel Disk sprouting from the demon's arm and smiled.
Duelists from another world sure are enthusiastic.
Well, let's start by taking this boss's deck.
...
Next: 2000