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"You will never conquer Death-T!"
"Kaiba!" Jounouchi stepped forward. "Count me in too! I'm not letting Yugi go alone!"
Kaiba laughed. "Moron... You'll regret that foolish friendship when you experience Death-T."
"Listen, Kaiba!" Jounouchi said. "I could punch in your lily-white face with my fist right here and now! But that wouldn't mean anything. Yugi will beat you at your card game!"
"You talk big when you're hiding behind Yugi. That must be some friendship."
Jounouchi clenched his fists. "But I can give you one for Grandpa!" He pulled back his arm and charged at Kaiba. Instantly, two guards were on him, holding him back mere inches from Kaiba. The crowd booed him.
Kaiba laughed, smiling wickedly. "Open the gate of Death-T!"
The gates opened with a hiss.
"Step through the gate, Yugi! We're all waiting for you!"
As they walked through the gate, Kaiba called after them, "I'll be waiting for you at the top."
-----
They reached the chamber beneath the haunted house only to find Johji in a dark room across the way. Suddenly, a bright screen flickered to life.
"It's Kaiba!"
"What do you think everyone?" Kaiba asked. "Are you enjoying Kaiba Land's games of death?"
"Kaiba," Jounouchi yelled. "I don't know where you're hiding but if you have any guts, come out and talk to us in person."
Kaiba chuckled under his breath. "Of all games, I like card games the best, but chess is my second favorite. Right now, you are living chess pieces on the giant board that is Kaiba Land! I watch as each move brings me closer to checkmate and I'm enjoying it immensely."
Jounouchi walked forward. "That weird-looking diaper bag as saved our lives more than once. I hate his guts, but I pay what I owe." He strode into the dungeon cell.
Immediately, the door slammed shut behind him.
*With this move, I capture Jounouchi, the knight.*
"Jounouchi! I knew you'd come for me," Johji said.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'. Just stay put." His feet slid beneath him. "What the hell? Oil? There's oil on the floor!" Picking his way carefully forward, he picked up Johji, only to be handcuffed to a chain.
"Don't get mad at me," Johji said. "Kaiba made me do it! I'm too cute to die."
"Now the game is set!" Kaiba smiled. "Allow me to introduce you. This is the Chopman!
"Master Kaiba! Cad I cud him ub?"
"Not until I give the signal."
Jounouchi glared and steadied his body.
"The rules of the game are simple," Kaiba said. "After the signal to begin, you each pick a weapon and fight to the death! Your choices are hung from the ceiling. Stand on the middle podium to reach them. Be careful not to slip on the oil on the floor!" Kaiba's voice was almost sing-songy, as if this was nothing more than a normal game.
"Are you ready, Jounouchi? Game start!"
The Chopman immediately climbed up on the podium, searching for the best tool to use to kill Jounouchi. Jounouchi, on his end of the chain, looked for something to pick the lock. The Chopman selected a chainsaw and climbed back down to the floor.
"Are you ready, Jounouchi?" Kaiba taunted. "The Chopman is."
The Chopman started the chainsaw. It came to life with a vicious roar.
Jounouchi ran.
"You can't escape, Jounouchi," Kaiba said as the Chopman yanked on the chain, pulling Jounouchi off his feet and back to the podium. He hit the bricks with a solid thud.
"I slice you in two!" yelled the Chopman, bringing the chainsaw down. Jounouchi rolled out of the way just in time. The chainsaw buried itself into the podium.
"Idiot, pull it out," said Kaiba.
"De teeth is stugk!"
Jounouchi took this chance to get back on his feet and run. "I have to get this handcuff off! There has to be something. Something with a point!"
Yugi suddenly shouted, "Jounouchi! Over there." Jounouchi looked in the direction Yugi pointed. A candlestick was stuck onto the wall.
"Of course! It has a point to stick the candle on." He began to pick the cuff. "But the door is too heavy to bust through and it's still locked."
The whir of the chainsaw started up behind him.
"Jounouchi, I have an idea," Yugi said.
Kaiba sighed in frustration. "Get him back to you."
The Chopman raised his arm. "Cobe here!" He pulled on the chain with all his strength.
The door pulled right out of the frame.
"What?" Kaiba exclaimed, leaning forward. "He got the handcuff off and attached it to the door! Along with the candle. Then that means--!"
"I just used that monster strength of yours," Jounouchi said. "Thanks for opening the door for me."
The door flew through the air, the candle falling from its place on the candlestick.
"Kaiba," Jounouchi said, "when you teamed up with the Chopman it was a demon's mind with a monster's power. That was a combo made in hell. Too bad it's over now."
The candle lit the oil as Jounouchi stepped out of the door and into safety. The last thing Kaiba heard before he turned off the screen were the anguished screams of the Chopman burning.
So, this Jounouchi had survived one more level. That was nothing. There were still more to come and the next would challenge their friendship all the more.