The duel between Judai (LP1000) and Graveleader's Leader (LP900) is continued. Graveleader's Leader has two monsters, Gravekeeper's Curse (1300) and Gravekeeper's Assailant (2000) left on his field while Judai's field is totally wiped out. He has only a face-down magic card, Wing of Revolution, and the spirit of Hane Kurioh staying beside him. Judai is getting more depressed. If he is defeated, his friends' lives will be gone forever. People are worried about Judai, trying to cheer him up. However, Daitokuji teacher smiles and thinks that this shadow duel is gonna make Judai show his real capacity. Anyway, because the caskets are more close and blocks his sight, Daitokuji teacher speaks of loudly that can't see anything.

It is now Judai's turn. Drawing a card, Judai hears the voice of Hane Kurioh. He realizes he gets Hane Kurioh that actually comes out for him. He also tells it not to be worried since he won't think of giving up at all. Then, Judai summons Hane Kuriboh in a defense position [Winged Kurioh ~ Hane Kuriboh - 1/300/200: If this Monster is destroyed, any Battle Damage done in this turn is reduced to 0]. Telling his friends not to be worried because he will finally save them, Judai ends his turn quickly. Gravekeeper's Leader tells Judai that he seems not to understand his standpoint at all. Although an annoying Hene Kurioh has the special effect to negate all battle damages to Judai, it doesn't help him that much more than one turn. Judai tells him not to be worried about this since he has realized the situation very well. In fact, he has prepared something by his face-down card.

Gravekeeper's Watcher Monster Card

Turn comes to Gravekeeper's Leader. He draws a card and declares the attack of Gravekeeper's Assailant against Hane Kuriboh. This is, in fact, what Judai has waited for. He suddenly opens his face-down instant magic card, Wing of Evolution [Wing of Evolution ~ Shinkasuru Tsubasa - Instant Magic: Discard 2 cards from your hand. Evolve 1 of your Monsters on the Field]. Discarding two cards, Silent Dead and E-Hero Bubbleman, into the cemetery, Judai can evolve Hane Kuriboh to Hane Kuriboh LV 10. Gravekeeper's Leader asks him whether this combo actually what Judai has planned for. He suddenly activates the special effect of Gravekeeper's Watcher on his hand [Gravekeeper's Watcher ~ Hakamori No Kanshisha - 4/1000/1000: When your opponent activates a card that includes the effect of making your opponent discard from his/her hand (This doesn't include the cost of discarding cards), you can activate this card by discarding this card from your hand to the graveyard. Negate the activation and the effect of the card and destroy it]. At this moment, Gravekeeper's Watcher appears to attack Hane Kuriboh LV 10 while Judai doesn't understand what is going on. Gravekeeper's Leader explains that the special effect of monster can be activated when Judai plays a card that affects him to discard some cards into his cemetery. Discarding Gravekeeper's Watcher from his hand to the graveyard, Gravekeeper's Leader can negate the effect of Judai's card. In other words, the effect of Wing of Evolution becomes invalid, and Hane Kurioh LV 10 returns to original Hane Kuriboh.

Gravekeeper's Leader continues the attack of Gravekeeper's Assailant against Hene Kuriboh. Judai thanks Hane Kurioh for its help. People are all getting more worried by their destiny when Judai's combo didn't work. Gravekeeper's Leader asks what Judai intends to do next when such a small fish, Hane Kuriboh (He calls it "Sako"; Kaiba and Bakura usually use this word to call weak monsters of Yugi), was finally destroyed. Setting a face-down card, he ends his turn. At this point, Judai becomes angry because he can't forgive anyone who calls his friend a small fish. Gravekeeper's Leader laughs and challenges Judai to show what he is gonna do by the mean of unforgiveness.

Now, Judai starts his turn again. He draws a card, plays Pot of Gree to draw additional two cards, and gets Dark Catapulter and Drainging Shield [Pot of Greed ~ Kou Yuku Na Tsubo - Magic: Draw two cards from your deck]. Then, he summons Dark Catapulter in a defense position [Dark Catapulter - 4/700/1500: As long as this Monster is face-up on the Field in defense mode, put 1 Turn Counter on this card. During your turn, you may remove all Turn Counters on this card and remove cards from your Cemetery. For each card removed this way, destroy 1 Magic or Trap card on the Field]. Also, he activates the permanent magic card, Mirage of Nightmare, sets up three face-down cards on the field, and ends his turn. Judai plans to change this game by the great combo of Mirage of Nightmare and by destroying Necrovalley with the effect Dark Catapulter [Mirage of Nightmare ~ Akumu No Shinkirou - Permanent Magic: During your opponents Standby Phase, draw cards from your deck until your hand contains 4 cards. During your Standby Phase, discard cards from your hand equal to the number of cards you drew].

Gravekeeper's Chief Monster Card

Once the turn comes to the standby phase of Gravekeeper's Leader, Judai activates the ability of Mirage of Nightmare. It allows him to draw cards until he has 4 cards on hand. Judai is glad to see good cards he get: E-Hero Clayman, E-Hero Sparkman, E-Hero Necro Darkman, and the magic card, The Warrior Returning Alive. Gravekeeper's Leader understands that Judai may get some good card. Nevertheless, they still have no meaning against this shadow duel. Judai is curious Gravekeeper's Leader is planning to do. Sacrificing Gravekeeper's Curse, Gravekeeper's Leader declares to summon himself or Gravekeeper's Chief [Gravekeeper's Chief ~ Hakamori No Osa 5/1900/1200: You can only have 1 "Gravekeeper's Chief" on your side of the field. As long as this card remains on the field, your Graveyard is unaffected by the effect of "Necrovalley". If you Tribute Summon this card successfully, you can Special Summon 1 Monster Card that includes "Gravekeeper's" in its card name from your Graveyard to the field]. By the effect of Necrovalley, the attack points of Gravekeeper's Chief increases by 500, and finally become 2400 (1900+500). According to the special effect of this monster, his graveyard isn't affected by Necrovalley as long as it remains on the field. It means only Judai's graveyard is affected by Necrovalley. Moreover, when Gravekeeper's Cheif is summoned successfully, Gravekeeper's Leader can resummon a Gravekeeper monster from his cemetery onto the field. Thus, Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier is regenerated to the field.

Rite of Spirit Trap Card

Additionally, Gravekeeper's Leader opens his face-down trap card, Rite of Spirit, that allows him to resummon a Gravekeeper monster from his cemetery [Rite of Spirit - ~ Kourei No Kishiki - Trap: Select 1 Monster Card that includes "Gravekeeper's" in its card name from your Graveyard and Special Summon it. This card's activation and effect are unaffected by "Necrovalley"]. Judai is wondering whether more Gravekeeper monster is coming. Gravekeeper's Curse is finally resummoned onto the field. Its attack points go up to 1300 due to the effect of Necrovalley. Also, when this monster is normally summoned, specially summoned, or flip summoned, Judai gets 500 direct damage points. Therefore, Judai's LP decreases to 500 (1000-500). Judai feels painful by this direct strike, falling down on his knees. He has just realized what exactly the shadow duel is. Gravekeeper's Leader asks how Judai feels by the terror of the shadow duel. Because Judai's LP reduced, his friends are more sealed. The caskets are more shut down almost totally. Anyway, Judai tries to keep himself up and doesn't give up. He still aims to his final victory. Gravekeeper's Leader can see Judai's strong fighting spirit against the shadow power. Even Gravekeeper's Assailant seemingly looks worried by Judai's response. Judai starts getting up, saying that he can't befeated. He is the person who will become the duel king. It is his dream. Yugi, who passed through and won many shadow games, encourages him to fight. Therefore, he can't be defeated by this kind of duel.

Gravekeeper's Leader keeps on his move. He declares the attack of Gravekeeper's Assailant (2000=1500+500), which gains 500 attack points from Necrovalley, against Dark Catapulter. Also, by this monster's special effect, Dark Catapulter is turned to an attack position with 1000 attack points. Anyway, Gravekeeper's Assailant seems to stop the attack by herself and looks uncertain. Gravekeeper's Leader doesn't understand what is wrong with her and she doesn't go on the strike against Dark Catapulter. Meanwhile, Judai opens his face-down magic card, Emergency Provisions, to gain 1000 LP per a magic card sent to the cemetery [Emergency Provisions ~ Hijyoo Shoku - Magic: Send Magic or Trap Cards on your side of the field to the Graveyard to increase your Life Points by 1000 points per card. This card is excluded]. Due to its effect, Judai sends two magic cards, Mirage of Nightmare and another face-down magic card - Fusion Sage, to the graveyard to gain 2000 LP (1000*2). His LP goes up to 2500 (500+2000). Gravekeeper's Leader gives his order to Gravekeeper's Assailant to attack again by her Assailant Blade. Therefore, Dark Catapulter is destroyed, and Judai's LP decreases to 1500 (2500+1000-2000).

When Gravekeeper's Assailant returns to her field, Gravekeeper's Leader slaps her face because she hesitated to attack Judai. Of course, Judai is getting angry. For him, monsters are important friends. Thus, he really hates that act of Gravekeeper's Leader to his own monster. Then, Gravekeeper's Leader with 2400 attack points performs the attack by himself against Judai (Gravekeeper's Leader is now considered a monster after he summons himself or Gravekeeper's Chief). At this moment, Judai opens his last face-down trap card, Draining Shield, to negate the attack and gain LP equal to the attack points of Gravekeeper's Leader [Draining Shield - Trap: Activate when your opponent attacks. Negate the attack and gain Life Points equal to the attacking Monsters attack strength]. Therefore, Judai's LP goes up to 3900 (1500+2400). After that, Gravekeeper's Leader declares that attack of Gravekeeper's Spear (2000=1500+500) Soldier against Judai directly. Judai's LP reduces to 1900 (3900-2000). Finally, Gravekeeper's Leader lets Gravekeeper's Curse (1300=800+500) attack Judai directly again. Judai gets such another strong attack until his LP reduces to 600 (1900-1300). He screams loudly with pain from the dreadful hit. All people can hear his voice as the caskets more closes down. Daitokuji teacher says that he becomes more scared.

Royal Tribute Magic Card

Judai gasps for breath and becomes more exhausted. Gravekeeper's Leader asks how hard he feels by the true terror of the shadow duel. However, Judai gets up, smiles, and looks fresh and fine as usual. He says that he will win this game in the next turn. At this moment, Gravekeeper's Leader plays the magic card, Royal Tribute, to distroy all monsters on both players' hands to their graveyards [Royal Tribute ~ Ouke No Ikenie - Magic: This card can only be activated when "Necrovalley" is on your side of the field. Both players discard all Monster Cards in their hands to the Graveyard]. Gravekeeper's Leader intends to destroy Judai's hope in the next round. As a result, E-Hero Darkman, E-Hero Sparkman, and E-Hero Clayman on Judai's hand are sent to his cemetery. Gravekeeper's Leader notes that at this point, Judai and his friends will stay in this world forever. Judai looks on his hand and thinks about the current situation. He has only one the magic card, The Warrior Returning Alive; however, he can't activate it because of the constraint of Necrovalley. That means his destiny depends on his final draw.

It is now Judai's turn. Judai draws a card and gets E-Hero Edgeman. This is exactly his last hope. Gravekeeper's Leader guesses from Judai's face that he may get a strong monster. Nevertheless, Gravekeeper's Leader claims that Judai has no monster left for a tribute to summon it. As Gravekeeper's Leader said, Judai understands that E-Hero Edgeman requires two sacrificed monsters to be summoned. Also, he has nothing left to be used for the summon. Anyway, Judai smiles and gets some idea. Gravekeeper's Leader asks whether Judai is thinking about giving up the victory. Judai has realized well that Necrovalley protects the graveyard from any activation that may affect the world of death (Similar to the responsibility of gravekeepers to protect the royal family cemetery).

E-Hero Darkman Monster Card

Although Necrovalley is the field magic card that seals all effects of magic, trap, or monsters' effects affecting graveyards, it doesn't mean that it can seal the effects of monsters in the graveyard. In other words, the effects of monsters in the graveyard, which Necrovalley is protecting, are working. Gravekeeper's Leader reminds himself of what he played in the previous turn. He played Royal Tribute to send all Judai's monsters into the graveyard. Judai tells him that his trump card was sent to the cemetery by Gravekeeper's Leader. That key card is E-Hero Darkman [E-Hero Darkman - 5/1600/1800: While this card is in your graveyard, you may special summon a monster with E-HERO in it's name without any scariface for tribute. This effect can only be done once while this card is in the graveyard]. According to its effect, when sent to the graveyard, it allows Judai to summon a E-Hero monster from his hand onto the field without sacrification. Thus, Judai is able to summon E-Hero Edgeman onto the field without giving any tribute [E-Hero Edgeman - 7/2600/1600: If this Monster attacks a Monster in defense mode with lower defense strength than this Monsters attack strength, do Battle Damage to your opponent equal to the difference]. Of course, it has higher attack points than other Gravekeeper monsters.

Judai lets it attack Gravekeeper's Curse (1300), so Gravekeeper's Leader goes down to 0 (900+1300-2600) by one strike. Judai finally wins the game and this ordeal. All gravekeepers, which are the real human beings not monsters, are worried about their boss and try to hold him up. Judai is running toward him and worried about him, too. However, the gravekeepers turn their weapons against him. Gravekeeper's Leader tells them to stop. He was impressed by this great duel. Judai accepts the strength of Gravekeeper's Leader, saying that he enjoyed the duel as usual though he sometime felt painful. Gravekeeper's Leader is very wondering how Judai could enjoy the shadow duel. No one has passed through this ordeal for a long time. Of course, Judai got excited by dueling against real spirits of monsters. All people are very great. Then, Gravekeeper's Leader gives Judai a half pendant. He explains that this item may help Judai in the future when Judai has to fight in a shadow duel and can't hold it up again. Another half item is with another guy who also passed this ordeal. Judai feels very thankful to this amazing gift. Because Judai wins the game, Gravekeeper's Leader opens the caskets and returns his friends as promise. Asuka is glad and realizes that Judai should finally win the game.

Judai	Old guy! Are you alright?
Gravekeeper Leader	Stop! Boy...what a pretty good duel!
Judai	Not really, Old Guy is also strong. It really such a nice duel.
Gravekeeper Leader	What? You said that you enjoyed that shadow duel, didn't you?
Judai	I even dueled against the real spirits. It was my pleasure at most although I felt hurt a bit. You, you, you, and even you are of course supreme.
Gravekeeper Leader	No even a human has got over this ordeal until now. However, a person like you enjoyed the duel...? This.
Judai	Ahh...are you going to give it to me? Anyway, is it only a half piece?
Gravekeeper Leader	Another half piece is with another guy who also could get over the ordeal. When you have to fight is a shadow duel and can't hold it again, that item will probably give you some power.
Judai	Ah...I feel greateful!

Daitokuji teacher admires Judai as his great Osiris Red student. Then, Gravekeeper's Leader tells Judai to return to his world now. Anyway, Judai is wondering how he can do that. Gravekeeper's Leader explains that when the three lights become one, the gate of the royal family graveyard appears. While Judai seems confused, many soldiers approach him and try to make a judgement against him, the royal family intruder. Gravekeeper's Leader tries to stop them and explain that Judai already passed the ordeal completely. However, nobody appears to listen to him. While they are going to attack Judai, Gravekeeper's Assailant comes to the front line to protect him. She appears as Sara, the lady that saved Judai previously. She can't oppose her leader's order and wish to save Judai. Also, she tells Judai to give her words to another guy with another half pendant. Wherever Sara is, she has never forgotten about him. She still believes that she will meet him in some day. While Sara is holding the soldiers, she tells Judai and the others to leave now. Hane Kuriboh will bring them to the exit. Then, the spirit of Hane Kuriboh appears and lead them to the wayout. Judai tells everybody to follow it as Sho is getting amazed by the appearance of Hane Kuriboh.

People are running to the gate of the graveyard that they first came in. The three lights on the sky are becoming one. Hayato suddenly falls down and gets hurt at his knee. At this moment, the three lights has almost become one light. Hayato tells everybody to go now, but Judai insists to take him back with everyone. Then, the spirit of Des Koala appears from Hayato's bag. Sho is getting amazed by the spirit of monsters again. Des Koala carries Hayato while everyone keeps on running quickly to the gate. When the light becomes one light, a lot of beam is glowing from the ground and taking people back to the original world. Judai first gets up by the voice of Hane Kuriboh while the others still lose their consciousness. He takes up Hane Kuriboh card on the floor, looks at his friends, and thinks that everything might be merely a dream. However, seeing his half pendant, he rethinks that it wasn't the dream. The story about the shadow duel and the monster spirits is real.

Gravekeeper Leader	Well, you had better return to your original world now.
Judai	Anyway, how can we return to our original world?
Gravekeeper Leader	When the three lights of heaven pile up into one, and before the curtain of light comes out, the gate of the royal-family graveyard appears.
Judai	Haaa....?
Gravekeeper Leader	What are you going to do?
Soldiers	A person who intruded into the royal family graveyard must get the judgement, judgement!
Gravekeeper Leader	Stop it! This boy actually did the ceremony following the rule, and he could finally get over the ordeal.
Soldiers	Judgement! Judgement! Judgement! Judgement! Judgement! Judgement!
Asuka	Judai
Judai	You?
Sara	I am sorry. I am a gravekeeper's assailant. I couldn't oppose the words of gravekeeper's leader.
Judai	Is that so?
Sho	Big Brother! When has you become a friend with such a very pretty lady?
Judai	Why are you saying something like that?
Sara	When you return to your world, please forward my words to the person with another half piece of that item. No matter which strange worlds Sara is, I have never forgotten him. I still believe that we will meet each other in one day.
Judai	What....that isn't me...!?
Sho	Big Brother~
Sara	Don't move! This boy could win the ceremony. Have you already forgotten the high pride of royal us as gravekeepers? I won't forgive anyone who will lay his finger on them. Well, let's go home now!
Judai	Ahh...but which direction should we go?
Sara	In that case, your friend will lead you.
Judai	Hane Kuriboh!? Well, let's go everybody! Thank you very much!

"Everything might be just a dream. This is... hi, that wasn't the dream. The shadow duel, the world of spirits...they actually exist!"

to be continued...

[ Judai's deck list]
New cards played | E-Hero Darkman (M), Fusion Sage (S)

[ Gravekeeper Leader' deck list]
New cards played | Gravekeeper's Watcher (M), Gravekeeper's Chief (M), Royal Tribute (S), of Spirit (T)

M=monster, S=Spell, T=Trap