"Huff... Huff..."
Zarug was panting heavily, looking rather bruised and battered. Mina and Cliff beside him were also injured. As for Takaga and Zik, they were already suspended upside down in transparent Energy Capsules.
The man stood before them with a Duel Disc on his arm, holding an Energy Whip in his hand, his face showing a playful smile.
"Is this all you've got?" the man sneered, "I suggest you give up and join me."
"Screw you!"
Zarug was furious.
"I haven't even warmed up yet... cough... cough..."
He struggled to move forward, but after taking just two steps, his injuries seemed to flare up, forcing him to kneel on the ground clutching his chest.
Zarug was shocked and couldn't help but look up at the man.
The situation was bizarre.
Those Capture Capsules and the strange weapons, including the man's Energy Whip. They appeared to be human technology, yet they could harm them as Elves.
Even disengaging from physical form didn't help. Those weapons seemed to have the ability to ignore intangibility, even ghostly Elves were not immune.
Even the injuries Zarug was feeling now. As Elves, they often seemed invincible in the real world because their true form was a card.
Just like in the Duel. Monsters summoned to the field could be sliced in half or shattered, but a revival card would have them bouncing back to life. Even in a Dark Duel, usually, the Elves wouldn't be harmed.
In materialization outside of Duels, it's the same. The materialized Monsters, even when destroyed, wouldn't mean the card is finished. As long as the card is intact, the Duelist simply uses the Duel Disc to revive the Elf.
But now Zarug clearly felt as if he was injured. Not just a temporary physical injury, but a more profound damage.
He didn't know it was possible for him to be hurt in this world.
"Boss!"
Mina suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
Zarug turned around, "What's up?"
Then he immediately realized, oh, she wasn't calling me.
She was calling our bigger boss.
Yugen walked out from the forest and approached them. The thieves immediately started complaining.
Mina: "Boss, you have to stand up for us!"
Zik, trapped in the Capsule, desperately reached out: "Boss! Help! Help!"
Yugen frowned slightly as he looked at the two Elves already locked in the Capsule, and then at the man opposite.
The man on the other side examined him for a moment, also frowning slightly, "Hmm, that's unexpected. Just capturing a few Elves, and their boss turns out to be the 'King'?"
"Let me guess," Yugen stared at the man for a moment, "Elf Hunter?"
"Impressive, as expected of the King, you have a keen eye."
The man chuckled heartily.
"Indeed, I am the Elf Hunter, Keith."
It turns out to be the same name as a thief from a certain DM.
Yugen remembered. This guy was also a character appearing around this time in the GX animation. His purpose on Duel Academy Island was for John Anderson, or more precisely, John's Jade Beast.
As the name suggests, Elf Hunters are people who hunt Elves. Unlike Rare Card Hunters like Mr. Malikma's Gulus in DM, relying on Dark Duelists or gambling, Elf Hunters are even despised in the orthodox dueling realm, and among Dark Duelists.
Because for them, dueling is the final, not the usual method. In most cases, they don't like to use dueling to hunt.
They rely on theft.
Just like shown earlier, they have the technological means to harm and capture Elves. They often prefer sudden ambushes, taking advantage of the owner's distraction to capture the Elves using technology, then fleeing with the Elves in hand. If possible, they avoid direct duels with the Elf's owner.
This is why even Dark Duelists look down on these people.
"Since we have a guest, we should entertain them properly."
Yugen smiled, revealing his Duel Disc.
Since he caught him, this Hunter won't escape so easily now. Of course, this Hunter didn't seem to want to run either.
"Fine by me," Hunter Keith laughed softly, "Though it's a bit unexpected to meet the King here, I did have plans to visit."
"Oh?"
"One of my goals coming to the island this time is the legendary, incredibly valuable 'Jade' Elf. As for the other goal..."
Hunter Keith squinted his eyes.
"Rumor has it in the industry that the current King possesses a Divine Level Elf, and as the most outstanding hunter, I've long wanted to acquire a heavyweight Elf to play with..."
"Is that so," Yugen activated his Duel Disc, "Alright, here's the deal.
If I lose, all my Elves are yours to choose from.
But in return..."
Before he could finish, Keith chuckled.
"Of course, all the Elves I've captured in my hunting career will be at your disposal. I'll retire from being a hunter, never touch cards again, nor duel... there's no problem with that, right?"
"Agreed."
A fair bet.
"Duel!" x2
[Yugen, LP4000]
[Keith, LP4000]
"I'll go first, drawing a card!"
Keith drew a card and glanced at his hand.
"In defense position, summon 'Bait Illusion'." (Original Card)
An anime-original card without physical form, privately printed by the Hunter organization in this world. Many of the cards Elf Hunters use are hunting decks tailored to their profession and habits.
What was summoned onto the field was a shadow that stood up from the ground, transforming into a grinning face, black eyes, like a body made of transparent mist.
["Bait Illusion," Defense Power 0]
"Then I set a card, ending my turn."
Mina immediately felt uneasy seeing the phantom on the other side: "This guy's deck feels off, Boss, be careful."
"No worries, I will," Yugen smiled, "My turn, drawing a card."
Glancing at his hand, he pulled out a card and gestured to set it down.
"Cover a card on the field.
Then activate the Magic Card 'Handwriting Erasure' from my hand."
Yugen sent all the remaining cards in his hand to the graveyard in one go.
"Both players send all cards in their hands to the graveyard, then draw the same number of cards from their deck."
Keith remained silent, also sending his hand to the graveyard as per the instructions, before exchanging them.
After exchanging, Yugen immediately activated the previously set face-down card.
"Activate the Magic Card 'Double Gate'.
Banish a card with the same name from the graveyard to draw two cards from the deck.
Banish another 'Double Gate' from the graveyard, draw two cards." (Original Card)