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Chapter 579: She Was the Woman Who Could Have Become My Mother
Kujaku Mai and Valon had met more than once; it would be inaccurate to say they didn't know each other. After all, she held grudges quite well and hadn't forgotten that Valon was the one who defeated her in the KC Cup.
Although Kujaku Mai's initial interest in Joey Wheeler was also due to being defeated by him once, her attitude towards Valon was somewhat different. He was merely "the guy who beat me once."
Valon, on the other hand, despite having defeated countless women up to this point – like how no one remembers how many slices of bread they've eaten in their life – paid special attention and care to Kujaku Mai.
On one hand, Kujaku Mai was indeed a beauty, and not the kind of weak woman Valon disliked, but rather quite independent and strong. On the other hand, perhaps because too much time had passed causing his memories to be blurry, or perhaps an unconscious association with Kujaku Mai due to his affection for her, Valon always saw the figure of a Sister he knew in his childhood in Kujaku Mai.
As a child, Valon was an orphan boarding at a Church. Because he had no parents and didn't have a good temper, young Valon often got into fights. Every time Valon got injured after a fight, it was the Sister who lived with him at the Church who would gently apply medicine and comfort him in a soft voice.
To Valon, that Sister was the woman who could have become his mother.
But the Sister died, killed in a great fire of mysterious origin, swallowed by the flames along with the Church. Valon, who was out at the time, narrowly escaped, but could only watch helplessly as the wreckage of the Church collapsed in the flames.
The Church where Valon lived was facing demolition at the time. The construction team, unwilling to pay the high demolition fee, hired a group of local thugs who frequently came to cause trouble. Valon often fought with these people to protect the Church. At the scene of the fire, Valon surprisingly saw these people appear again.
While other onlookers were surprised and sad at the sight of the Church in the firelight and the people who died inside, this group of thugs was happy because they had completed the construction team's commission and would get paid.
"It's just an old church, but it burned quite fiercely."
"Haha, this saves us the trouble of tearing it down."
"Doesn't that mean we did them a big favor? Heh heh."
Valon had no evidence to prove that the thugs, who had repeatedly caused trouble to drive away the Sister, were the arsonists. But it didn't matter. From the moment he witnessed the person he cared about die in the sea of fire, and the Church holding countless memories turn into ruins, Valon no longer had anything to care about.
That was the last time Valon fought for someone he cared about. When he came to his senses, he was the only one standing in the Alley, and the steel pipe in his hand was covered in the thugs' blood.
After that, Valon was imprisoned for murder. After being released from Prison by Dartz, Valon completely became someone who lived for himself.
It wasn't until Kujaku Mai appeared that Valon felt he had found a reason to fight to protect someone. That's why, upon seeing Kujaku Mai among Yugi's group and Alister about to activate a trap, he acted like a typical "useless teammate."
And now, even though he had actively stood in front of Yugi and the others and materialized his Armor, taking a battle stance, Valon genuinely didn't want to lay a hand on Kujaku Mai, even if Kujaku Mai always kept him at a distance with a reserved attitude.
"Valon, are you also part of that 'uncensored' organization?" Kujaku Mai sharply questioned, looking at Valon who had put on his helmet, hiding the helpless expression on his face.
"So you really know this guy, Mai?" Joey Wheeler asked Kujaku Mai. "I feel like I've seen him somewhere too."
Compared to Joey Wheeler, Yugi's memory was clearly much better. "It was during the KC Cup. I remember he was one of the players who made it to the main tournament using a Deck of Gemini Monsters, and he was the one who defeated Kujaku Mai back then."
Being reminded of her previous defeat, the strong-willed Kujaku Mai was clearly still a bit annoyed, but she continued Yugi's words. "That was indeed the situation back then, but I've improved a lot now. However, after Valon defeated me back then, he invited me to join his organization after the tournament, saying he could make me stronger."
"Only now do I know that your organization's name is 'uncensored', Valon."
Honda corrected, "It's 'Doma', not 'uncensored'. How come even Mai has the same habit as Joey Wheeler?"
"Whatever it is, 'uncensored' or 'less censored', in short, that guy named Valon, get out of the way and stop being a nuisance!"
Joey Wheeler impatiently said to Valon, who was blocking the way. "Although you just now saved us from that guy disguised as Pegasus, if you block us, don't blame us for not being polite!"
As he spoke, Joey Wheeler pretended to crack his knuckles, making a clicking sound.
However, don't think Valon is good-tempered just because he actively intervened to destroy Alister's plan for Kujaku Mai and can greet Kujaku Mai's unpleasant attitude with a gentle smile. Seeing Joey Wheeler threaten him with force, Valon immediately put on a fierce expression. "I said it, didn't I? One way traffic here."
Valon had seen all the continuous interactions between Joey Wheeler and Kujaku Mai since they entered. That ambiguous form made Valon's eyes bloodshot, and his annoyance towards Joey Wheeler had been building up for more than just a little time. "Don't think I'm on your side just because I saved you just now. As long as I'm standing, you won't get through here."
As he spoke, Valon said proudly, "Counting the time, even if Industrial Illusions' people are resisting, so much time has passed. Rafael and the others should be close to completing the seal on Pegasus's soul, right?"
"What!?" Hearing Valon's words, Yugi's expression froze. "Your goal really is Pegasus!"
"Heh heh, after all, he's the Father of Duel Monsters. It would be very troublesome if he managed to create some cheating cards to interfere with our plan. In his words, 'When facing a situation, first tribute the despicable card printer'."
Yugi frowned, feeling a sense of urgency.
They didn't just come to visit Industrial Illusions this time. Kaiba needed to get the Solid Vision data from Pegasus, and Yugi also really wanted to ask Pegasus, who might know something, about the Eye of Timaeus card he currently held.
And even if they didn't need anything from Pegasus, Yugi cannot accept another soul being sealed by the Doma people.
But to go to the higher floors, this guy named Valon in front of them was an enemy they had to defeat. Which meant, inevitably, they could only...
"Tsk, in that case, duel me, Valon. It's a good chance for me to avenge my previous crushing defeat."
Kujaku Mai took a step to the side, raised the Duel Disk on her wrist, and said to Valon. Valon immediately replied, "Alright."
Saying this, Valon actually followed Kujaku Mai to a slightly more open spot, deactivated the materialization of his arm Armor, and activated his Duel Disk.
"?"
Yugi, who had become somewhat serious, almost had materialized question marks popping out of his head.
Who was it that just now said, "As long as I'm standing, you won't get through here"?
How come Kujaku Mai just shouted "Duel me," and you happily ran off, not even bothering with the rest of them?
End of Chapter
Kujaku Mai and Valon had met more than once; it would be inaccurate to say they didn't know each other. After all, she held grudges quite well and hadn't forgotten that Valon was the one who defeated her in the KC Cup.
Although Kujaku Mai's initial interest in Joey Wheeler was also due to being defeated by him once, her attitude towards Valon was somewhat different. He was merely "the guy who beat me once."
Valon, on the other hand, despite having defeated countless women up to this point – like how no one remembers how many slices of bread they've eaten in their life – paid special attention and care to Kujaku Mai.
On one hand, Kujaku Mai was indeed a beauty, and not the kind of weak woman Valon disliked, but rather quite independent and strong. On the other hand, perhaps because too much time had passed causing his memories to be blurry, or perhaps an unconscious association with Kujaku Mai due to his affection for her, Valon always saw the figure of a Sister he knew in his childhood in Kujaku Mai.
As a child, Valon was an orphan boarding at a Church. Because he had no parents and didn't have a good temper, young Valon often got into fights. Every time Valon got injured after a fight, it was the Sister who lived with him at the Church who would gently apply medicine and comfort him in a soft voice.
To Valon, that Sister was the woman who could have become his mother.
But the Sister died, killed in a great fire of mysterious origin, swallowed by the flames along with the Church. Valon, who was out at the time, narrowly escaped, but could only watch helplessly as the wreckage of the Church collapsed in the flames.
The Church where Valon lived was facing demolition at the time. The construction team, unwilling to pay the high demolition fee, hired a group of local thugs who frequently came to cause trouble. Valon often fought with these people to protect the Church. At the scene of the fire, Valon surprisingly saw these people appear again.
While other onlookers were surprised and sad at the sight of the Church in the firelight and the people who died inside, this group of thugs was happy because they had completed the construction team's commission and would get paid.
"It's just an old church, but it burned quite fiercely."
"Haha, this saves us the trouble of tearing it down."
"Doesn't that mean we did them a big favor? Heh heh."
Valon had no evidence to prove that the thugs, who had repeatedly caused trouble to drive away the Sister, were the arsonists. But it didn't matter. From the moment he witnessed the person he cared about die in the sea of fire, and the Church holding countless memories turn into ruins, Valon no longer had anything to care about.
That was the last time Valon fought for someone he cared about. When he came to his senses, he was the only one standing in the Alley, and the steel pipe in his hand was covered in the thugs' blood.
After that, Valon was imprisoned for murder. After being released from Prison by Dartz, Valon completely became someone who lived for himself.
It wasn't until Kujaku Mai appeared that Valon felt he had found a reason to fight to protect someone. That's why, upon seeing Kujaku Mai among Yugi's group and Alister about to activate a trap, he acted like a typical "useless teammate."
And now, even though he had actively stood in front of Yugi and the others and materialized his Armor, taking a battle stance, Valon genuinely didn't want to lay a hand on Kujaku Mai, even if Kujaku Mai always kept him at a distance with a reserved attitude.
"Valon, are you also part of that 'uncensored' organization?" Kujaku Mai sharply questioned, looking at Valon who had put on his helmet, hiding the helpless expression on his face.
"So you really know this guy, Mai?" Joey Wheeler asked Kujaku Mai. "I feel like I've seen him somewhere too."
Compared to Joey Wheeler, Yugi's memory was clearly much better. "It was during the KC Cup. I remember he was one of the players who made it to the main tournament using a Deck of Gemini Monsters, and he was the one who defeated Kujaku Mai back then."
Being reminded of her previous defeat, the strong-willed Kujaku Mai was clearly still a bit annoyed, but she continued Yugi's words. "That was indeed the situation back then, but I've improved a lot now. However, after Valon defeated me back then, he invited me to join his organization after the tournament, saying he could make me stronger."
"Only now do I know that your organization's name is 'uncensored', Valon."
Honda corrected, "It's 'Doma', not 'uncensored'. How come even Mai has the same habit as Joey Wheeler?"
"Whatever it is, 'uncensored' or 'less censored', in short, that guy named Valon, get out of the way and stop being a nuisance!"
Joey Wheeler impatiently said to Valon, who was blocking the way. "Although you just now saved us from that guy disguised as Pegasus, if you block us, don't blame us for not being polite!"
As he spoke, Joey Wheeler pretended to crack his knuckles, making a clicking sound.
However, don't think Valon is good-tempered just because he actively intervened to destroy Alister's plan for Kujaku Mai and can greet Kujaku Mai's unpleasant attitude with a gentle smile. Seeing Joey Wheeler threaten him with force, Valon immediately put on a fierce expression. "I said it, didn't I? One way traffic here."
Valon had seen all the continuous interactions between Joey Wheeler and Kujaku Mai since they entered. That ambiguous form made Valon's eyes bloodshot, and his annoyance towards Joey Wheeler had been building up for more than just a little time. "Don't think I'm on your side just because I saved you just now. As long as I'm standing, you won't get through here."
As he spoke, Valon said proudly, "Counting the time, even if Industrial Illusions' people are resisting, so much time has passed. Rafael and the others should be close to completing the seal on Pegasus's soul, right?"
"What!?" Hearing Valon's words, Yugi's expression froze. "Your goal really is Pegasus!"
"Heh heh, after all, he's the Father of Duel Monsters. It would be very troublesome if he managed to create some cheating cards to interfere with our plan. In his words, 'When facing a situation, first tribute the despicable card printer'."
Yugi frowned, feeling a sense of urgency.
They didn't just come to visit Industrial Illusions this time. Kaiba needed to get the Solid Vision data from Pegasus, and Yugi also really wanted to ask Pegasus, who might know something, about the Eye of Timaeus card he currently held.
And even if they didn't need anything from Pegasus, Yugi cannot accept another soul being sealed by the Doma people.
But to go to the higher floors, this guy named Valon in front of them was an enemy they had to defeat. Which meant, inevitably, they could only...
"Tsk, in that case, duel me, Valon. It's a good chance for me to avenge my previous crushing defeat."
Kujaku Mai took a step to the side, raised the Duel Disk on her wrist, and said to Valon. Valon immediately replied, "Alright."
Saying this, Valon actually followed Kujaku Mai to a slightly more open spot, deactivated the materialization of his arm Armor, and activated his Duel Disk.
"?"
Yugi, who had become somewhat serious, almost had materialized question marks popping out of his head.
Who was it that just now said, "As long as I'm standing, you won't get through here"?
How come Kujaku Mai just shouted "Duel me," and you happily ran off, not even bothering with the rest of them?
End of Chapter
