Shadi has challenged Yugi to a Shadow Game. If Yugi refuses, Anzu will die. Shadi instructs Yugi to wait in the office for 10 minutes while he makes preparations, then he must come to the roof.

As Yugi waits for Shadi’s challenge, he thinks, Shadi…Why is he so determined to test my power? Does his bloodline want to use my power? Or do they want to eliminate me? The power of the Millennium Puzzle…Even I don’t know its full extent! But there, somewhere inside me…hidden in the room of my soul…it pulses quietly, waiting for the right time!

At the end of the 10 minutes, Yugi goes to the roof where he meets Shadi. To his horror, he sees Anzu standing on the edge of a plank that is hanging over the side of the building and being suspended by a rope tied to four ushebti being pulled against the fence.

“If you lose this game, it means the girls death,” says Shadi, “Before I explain the rules, I want to say one thing. I don’t know how you got your hands on the Millennium Puzzle, let alone how you managed to complete the puzzle that no one has been able to solve for 3,000 years. You seem to think it is a coincidence, but that is wrong. The Millennium Puzzle chose you after waiting 3,000 years. Somewhere in your heart, you are afraid of that power. You fear the unknown power of the Millennium Puzzle.”

Yugi denies being afraid, but then, one of the four ushebti suspending Anzu breaks.

“Yugi didn’t you realize the game has already started?” says Shadi, “The girl is standing on the bridge of life. It is supported by four ropes attached to four ushebti, but these ushebti are the reflection of your heart. When you show weakness of your heart, the ushebti will answer that weakness and break, one by one. And when the four ushebti that reflect your heart all shatter and fall, the girl will fall as well.”

Shadi then explains how Yugi can win. The Millennium Key is currently being held in place by another ushebti, and if it breaks, the Millennium Key will travel down the rope and touch Anzu’s hand, thus freeing her of the curse.

The game begins.

Yugi begins to see cracks forming in the ground. Out of the cracks, come hands that grab Yugi. These hands are attached to zombie-like creatures that are crawling on the floor.

Then Shadi says, “Answer my riddle: What creeps on the ground and clings to the pillars? Then you will know what surrounds you.”

Yugi tries to think about the riddle, but it is difficult to do so when zombies are trying to climb your body. However, what Yugi sees is only an illusion and when he shows weakness in his heart, he will drown in that illusion. Then Shadi says, “In the Shadow Games, those with weak hearts always lose!” (So is that why Yugi always wins?) Shadi says that the only way for Yugi to defeat that illusion is to hold his heart strong and find the true nature of this illusion.

As the hands of the zombies are climbing his body, Yugi is trying ever so hard to think of the answer to the riddle without showing weakness in his heart. Yugi realizes the best thing to do is not to rush, but to think, so he closes his eyes and thinks about the riddle. That which creep on the ground is these zombies, and the pillar they cling to is me! If I think of it the other way around…

“I’ve got it!” cries Yugi, “This illusion’s true nature is my shadow!“

As soon as Yugi answers the riddle, all of the zombies disappear.

“Somehow you managed to clear the first stage,” says Shadi, “But I was just trying you out. The next stage is even harder! Can you keep your heart strong?”

A hole then appears in the ground and two big eyes start gleaming from within. Two massive claws reach up and grab Yugi’s arms. Then a huge alligator-like mouth emerges from the hole.

“Is this another one of your illusions?” asks Yugi.

“That is correct,” says Shadi, “the thing that holds you, Ammit, is not ‘real’ in the way you use the word. But illusion or real, when you feel her teeth bite, you will die…and Ammit will consume your soul! The only way you can survive is to clear this stage and dispel the illusion of Ammit!”

Suddenly a three-by-three array of tiles appears before Yugi.

“Do you know the game Concentration?” asks Shadi, “Those stone plates, like cards, have pairs of pictures etched onto the reverse side. There is one extra plate in the middle. In this version of the game, you must name the picture etched on that middle. In this version of the game, you must name the picture etched on that middle plate. You don’t have to match the other pairs. If you can solve that puzzle, the illusion of Ammit will disappear. However, you are not allowed to turn over even one of the nine stone plates! Let me tell you the key to the puzzle, those stone plates are a mirror of Ammit!”

Yugi starts to think about the answer, but he thinks he has too few clues to solve the puzzle. Yugi starts losing focus, but then he remembers that Anzu’s life is in danger. I’ll solve this puzzle no matter what! thinks Yugi.

As Yugi has been battling Shadi on the roof of Domino University, Jonouchi has still been running from the zombie-professor Yoshimori. Jonouchi leads him into a classroom where he sprays him with a fire extinguisher, but then Yoshimori pushes Jonouchi out the window. Jonouchi holds on to the side of the building for dear life. And that’s when he looks up and sees Anzu standing on the edge of the plank.

“Anzu! What is she doing up there?” says Jonouchi.

Back on the roof, Yugi is still trying to figure out the answer to the riddle without showing weakness in his heart.

What was Shadi’s clue? thinks Yugi, These plates are a mirror of the monster. A mirror reflects your face and form! If the stone plates are a mirror then they must show parts of the monster! What does this monster have two of, and what does it have only one of? There are two eyes, nostrils, ears, hands, and there is only one…

“Mouth,” cries Yugi at the last second. All the tiles flip over and a mouth is on the center one.

Then Shadi says, “You have done well to beat my game, but this is the final stage! This challenge will be much more difficult than the ones so far!”

To Be Continued…

**Images from the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga were obtained from https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/yu-gi-oh