Chapter 134: Horcrux - Dark Lasso
In the early period of *Yu-Gi-Oh! GX*, a Dark Duelist Organization once appeared, named the "Seven Stars". Their goal was to seize the **Sacred Beast** cards sealed beneath Duel Academy, and they conducted Dark Duels to achieve this.
Just like the Four Heavenly Kings have five members, the "Seven Stars" organization actually numbered eight people. Excluding the leader of the "Seven Stars", the remaining seven Dark Duelists shared a common trait: they all possessed a **Dark Item** housing a dense Dark Power, subtly seeming like a tribute to the seven **Millennium Items**.
And this **Dark Item** named the **Dark Lasso** in Hayato's Warehouse could be said to be related to those seven **Dark Items**, or it could be said to have no relation at all.
The reason is that about more than half an hour ago, when Samejima's Duel with Lemuria had not yet ended, this golden collar was still just an ordinary collar.
Let's turn back time.
Third Bomb: Bites the Dust!
————touch it and it's gone————
In Hayato's Room.
"Whew, they're really heavy, almost killed me from exhaustion." Putting the people he was carrying on his back down onto his own bed, Hayato panted heavily and sat down leaning against the wall, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "You two Brothers better be grateful to me. I didn't even watch the Duel for you. If you don't give me eight or nine hundred million, this favor will never be repaid."
Fortunately, Yugi and the others were still downstairs at the Duel Arena watching Samejima's Duel with Lemuria. If they came to Hayato's Room now, they would definitely be quite surprised, because the Kaiba Brothers, whose Souls had previously been taken by Pegasus and turned into Puppets, were lying on Hayato's bed?!
Looking at Kaiba, who was lying there with eyes open like a Dead person, Hayato patted his face, and as expected, he showed no reaction whatsoever. And next to him, on Keipei, the **Ojama** three Brothers, who hadn't appeared for a long time, were smugly bragging about their experiences during this time to **Ojama Red** and **Ojama Blue**.
"You guys, you're too noisy, be quiet." Like dusting off clothes, he swept the **Ojama** five-member group standing on Keipei's chest onto the floor. Hayato casually took off the **Millennium Ring** hanging on his chest, letting the Spikes on the Golden Disk hang freely down onto Keipei's chest.
The **Eye of Wjat/Udjat** in the center of the **Millennium Ring** lit up, and golden light began to radiate from the Spikes.
A long time ago, Hayato had thought about something—what exactly are the abilities of the seven **Millennium Items**?
From their origin, the seven **Millennium Items** were originally powerful tools made from a dark and bloody Ritual Summon, and they even had the achievement of repelling invading vast armies with just seven users.
Symbolizing Royal Authority, the **Millennium Puzzle**; symbolizing Mind, the **Millennium Rod**; symbolizing Future, the **Millennium Necklace**; symbolizing Balance, the **Millennium Scale**; symbolizing life, the **Millennium Key**; symbolizing Direction, the **Millennium Ring**...
...and currently held by Pegasus, symbolizing Heart, the **Millennium Eye**.
As the first wielder of a **Millennium Item** to appear in *Yu-Gi-Oh!* besides Mutou Yuugi, Pegasus's use and development of the **Millennium Eye** has surpassed the level of proficiency. Relying on the most basic True Sight ability, Pegasus can even achieve outrageous abilities like wide-area Thought Stoppage.
Although Pegasus is quite thorough in the development of his abilities, there's one thing Hayato has always held a skeptical attitude towards until now, and that is: can he really seal other people's Souls into Cards?
Hayato, who has already had one Dark Game experience, is quite clear that whether it was the Duel with Yugi or the one with Kaiba, Pegasus did not initiate a Dark Game. The possibility of "using Dark Game Rules to seal Souls" is not valid. Moreover, he even had the deed of directly sealing Keipei's Soul without going through a Duel.
Then Hayato couldn't help but feel suspicious—were the things sealed into Televisions and Cards by Pegasus really Souls?
Combining the essence of the **Millennium Eye**'s Power, the answer is obvious—Pegasus has never had the ability to "seal Souls". He simply tampered with the Mental World of the Kaiba Brothers and Grandpa Solomon, merely stripping away their Hearts.
It's just that in terms of external appearance, Solomon Muto and the Kaiba Brothers, who remained after losing the ability to think, were indeed like soulless shells.
Grandpa Solomon's situation is relatively special, because his Heart was indeed transferred into the Television. But Hayato felt that relying on his **Millennium Ring**'s ability to break through **Millennium Items**, he might have a chance to wake up the Kaiba Brothers in advance.
After defeating the obstructing **Paradox Brothers**, Hayato indeed found the Kaiba Brothers, who had lost their Will, imprisoned in the Dungeon. Although he didn't quite understand what Pegasus was plotting by clearly sending people to obstruct him yet not transferring the Kaiba Brothers, Hayato still brought the Brothers back to his Room.
Carrying them like sacks of cement, Kaiba's head was accidentally bumped against the doorframe by Hayato during this time. But Hayato asked Kaiba if it hurt, he didn't answer, so it should, no, definitely didn't hurt, mm.
Golden light radiated from the **Millennium Ring**. Hayato looked expectantly at Keipei lying in front of him, hoping to wake the two Brothers up. But time passed minute by minute, the light on the **Millennium Ring** was still as dazzling as it was at the beginning, yet Keipei still showed no sign of waking up at all.
Somewhat boredly, he lifted the **Millennium Ring** up and then put it down. The Golden Disk was like a small light bulb, and Keipei was like a contact-based Power Source. When the Spikes touched Keipei, the **Millennium Ring** lit up; when separated, the golden light instantly extinguished.
Hayato hung the **Millennium Ring** back on his chest, resting his chin in one hand, looking at the Kaiba Brothers sleeping side by side, and frowned. "Unexpectedly, there was no effect? That shouldn't be the case. Can the **Millennium Ring**'s ability not even break the seal left by the **Millennium Eye**?"
Thinking this, Hayato subconsciously rubbed the **Millennium Ring** hanging on his chest. Suddenly, he was a bit stunned.
He hadn't noticed before, but now after hanging the **Millennium Ring** back on his chest, why did it feel like it was heavier than before?
Pinching the disk and holding it up to observe, Hayato discovered that the shape of the cone at the very bottom of the **Millennium Ring** was somewhat different from before. It was just like a piece of sponge that had absorbed water, its volume had expanded quite a bit.
"System?" When in doubt, Hayato turned to the System with a low sense of presence.
[Detected Dark Power, enable System Self-Cleaning Mode? (Note: Will consume Duelist 500 DP)]
"Scram, all day long you just stare at my Balance." Hayato Ranted, refusing the System's Suggestion. His DP Balance in the System had only just broken a thousand, and that was accumulated after Dueling Keith and the **Paradox Brothers**. He couldn't bear to spend it like this.
[Self-Cleaning Mode denied.]
[Suggestion Two: Duelist can export Dark Power onto other objects]
Seeing the second prompt given by the System, Hayato's gaze couldn't help but stare at the collar tied around Keipei's neck. He remembered something—this idea seems good. I remember I also have some Pustules in my Body that need to be expelled, right?
Golden light radiated again in Hayato's Room. After the radiance dissipated, Hayato weakly sat down on the sofa, watching the collar in his hand gradually being dyed gold. The Chains at the end of the collar also turned into Engravings wrapped around it.
Looking at the **Eye of Wjat/Udjat** gradually appearing on the Front of the collar, Hayato felt this sense of déjà vu was too strong, and couldn't help but quip, "So that means, this is the origin of **Dark Items**?"