# Chapter 133: Top 4 Decided
Stepping down from the Duel Platform, Samejima let out a breath, adjusting his mindset and relaxing from the intense Duel. The Big Screen displayed the avatars of Samejima Iemitsu and Lemuria, but Lemuria's avatar had already dimmed, leaving only Samejima's still lit up.
The Old Butler glanced at Lemuria, who was leaving the Duel Field with a strange smile, but paid it no mind. Instead, he began to announce, "The fourth Match of the Duelist Kingdom Top 8 Qualifiers has concluded. The Winner is Player Samejima Iemitsu. With this, all the Players who have obtained Top 4 Qualification have been decided!"
The image displayed on the screen changed, showing the avatars of the four people one by one: Katsuya Jounouchi, Mutou Yuugi, Hayato Kobayashi, and Samejima Iemitsu. A line connected the avatars of the two Duelists standing side-by-side in pairs.
"What exactly did Hayato go to do? He's been gone this whole time and hasn't come back." Seeing Hayato's avatar appear on the screen, Joey Wheeler looked around, still not seeing Hayato's figure.
From when Yugi went on stage and started his Duel, Yugi defeated Kujaku Mai, Samejima Iemitsu went on stage to Duel, all the way until now when Samejima defeated that guy named Lemuria, Hayato still hadn't returned to the Spectator Area.
Bakura's face showed some worry. "Could something have happened to Hayato? He hasn't come back at all, it's really worrying."
"Relax, Bakura," Joey Wheeler boasted, "Hayato is a tough guy, he can at least handle half of what I can. But the fact that he hasn't shown up is indeed quite worrying. Wait, could he have eaten the Meal Pegasus prepared and gotten poisoned?!"
"While I know you really dislike Pegasus," Kujaku Mai looked at Joey Wheeler speechlessly and Ranted, "don't forget, we ate the Meal too, didn't we? Instead of worrying about that, you should worry about yourself. Tomorrow you're Dueling Yugi, you know, Idiot Joey Wheeler."
"While Dueling is important," Yugi said his opinion with a smile, "I think Friends are equally important. Today's Matches are over. Even if we're preparing for tomorrow's Duel, there's still plenty of time. I think it would be better to go look for Hayato."
Hearing Yugi's words, Kujaku Mai subtly pursed her lips and didn't say anything more. Although she got along well with Yugi and the others now, Kujaku Mai herself was quite clear in her Heart that whether it was Joey Wheeler, Yugi, or Hayato, her worldview didn't align with theirs.
For Duel Monsters, Kujaku Mai saw it as a tool to help improve her life, while Yugi and the others saw it as a Game that connected Hearts. Kujaku Mai pursued material reality and the Victory of the outcome, while Yugi and the others enjoyed the process of the Duel and liked intangible "Friendship" and "family bonds".
Even after Dueling Hayato, Joey Wheeler, and Yugi in succession and witnessing how their Decks responded to their Hearts, the Mist shrouding Kujaku Mai's Heart still hadn't Dispersed, and the Dark Cloud named "Confusion" still covered her Heart.
"What is Duel Monsters?" "What do you Duel for?" The two questions Hayato had once posed to her still hadn't been answered. However...
Glancing at Joey Wheeler roughhousing with Tristan and Bakura, Kujaku Mai couldn't articulate what she truly thought about Joey Wheeler. He was clearly just a half-baked Duelist, clearly a guy who had nothing but good Luck. Katsuya Jounouchi, this person, what exactly had been supporting him to Duel until now?
"Who's looking for me?"
A familiar voice entered Yugi and the others' ears. Their gazes turned towards the direction the voice came from, only to see Hayato, one hand on the Stairs railing, returning to the Spectator Area with steady steps, with an embarrassed look. "Oh dear, I'm really sorry. The Castle is just too big. I couldn't find my way back for a while. I almost got lost and couldn't return."
"What the heck, Hayato, you're way too lame. Not only Yugi and Miss Mai's Duels, even Mr. Samejima's Duel has already finished."
"Sorry, sorry." Hayato, with an apologetic look, walked towards the group, glancing at the Big Screen not far away. "Oh my, oh my, has the arrangement for tomorrow's Duel Opponents already been decided?"
"If Yugi is matched against Joey Wheeler, then my Opponent," Turning his head, Hayato looked at Samejima Iemitsu, who had a serious expression, "must be you, Mr. Samejima, right? That's a shame. I was originally planning to watch your Duel and modify my Deck accordingly, but I completely missed it."
"Yes, in that regard, I do have a certain advantage." Samejima Iemitsu scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed look, admitting Hayato's point. "But Hayato, I've already witnessed your Duels twice. I acknowledge you as a powerful Duelist. So even though it feels a bit awkward, I won't Go Easy in tomorrow's Duel."
Hayato responded with a smile, "Isn't that how it should be, Mr. Samejima Iemitsu?"
"Only a Duel where one fully invests their Heart and soul can be considered showing respect to other Duelists."
Looking at Hayato, the others didn't notice anything amiss, but Yugi frowned slightly with worry.
'Aibo, did you also notice the Aura on Hayato?'
Inside Yugi's Inner Thoughts, The Other Yugi said. Yugi nodded. 'Yeah, although Hayato looks like nothing's wrong, the Dark Power on him is really obvious. I noticed it just now when he walked past me.'
'Other Me,' 'do you think Hayato might be...?'
The Other Yugi—Pharaoh—shook his head. 'Hayato's Willpower is among the best of the people I've seen. Even that Millennium Item that looks quite ominous shouldn't be able to control him that easily.'
'Rather than being influenced by the Power of the Millennium Item, I think Hayato must have just had contact with some Dark Item rich in Dark Power.'
Pharaoh's intuition was indeed not wrong; the Dark Aura on Hayato, which ordinary people couldn't detect and was almost imperceptible, indeed came from a Dark Item rich in Dark Power. Not only that, this Dark Item was currently lying in Hayato's System's Warehouse.
It was a golden ring all over, its size just right to fit around a person's neck and be used as a collar. On the front of the ring was also engraved a pattern of the Eye of Wjat/Udjat, the same style as the Millennium Items. If this collar were placed in Hayato's previous life, many people who had watched the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Anime would probably recognize it with just one glance:
This thing, wasn't it the Dark Item worn by that vampire among the Seven Stars?
Recently I've been playing FGO, used one extra Paid Stone from the last Lucky Bag and got Oberon. The moth still loves me ()
Although FGO's Drop Rate is always criticized, my experience during this period has been really great. Among the five consecutive Limited releases on the JP Server, although Morgan and Fairy Lancelot didn't drop, Koyanskaya and Oberon both dropped. During this time, I only spent money on the Lucky Bag's 16 Paid Stones, totaling 100 yuan. The Lucky Bag gave me Merlin, and when Castoria Debuted, I also got her on the first try.
I still feel like I can't believe this kind of Luck.
(End of Chapter)