Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist - Duel 155

The Cursed Bloodline! is the 155th chapter of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist manga and the 214th chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh! in the Japanese version.

Rishid Summons the guardian of the "Royal Temple," the "Mystical Beast of Selket." Jonouchi is driven back, but refueses to go down without a fight. His words cause Rishid to remember the days of his and Marik's childhood.

Summary
Rishid declares that the great scorpion God has risen. Sweatdropping, Jonouchi protests that he's got to be kidding as he looks at the scorpion monster. Rishid thinks to himself that "Selket" is only a demigod who proects the true God within the shrine, "The Sun Dragon Ra." The score stands with Jonouchi only on 50 Life Points compared to "Marik's" 1600. He wonders how he can fight a monster this powerful, and what should he do. Honda is horrified, wondering how Jonouchi's going to get out of this one. Dark Yugi thinks that Jonouchi has three monsters, but none of them are a match for "Selket's" 2500 ATK. The effects of the "Swords of Revealing Light" will wear off on Jonouchi's turn, but if he doesn't have some sort of plan by then, "Selket" will mercilessly destroy his monsters. Mai tells Jonouchi not to be a wuss, and Shizuka cheers him on, telling her brother that "Selket's" not that tough. Jonouchi promptly asks if they know what they're asking. Look at that thing!

Mai gets serious and turns to Yugi, asking if he knows what's in the box that "Selket's" guarding. Dark Yugi admits he was wondering the same thing, and Mai asks "You don't think it's..." Dark Yugi finished by thinking "a God card." But if his hunch is right, "Marik" shouldn't have that card. He muses on "something you can show, but can't see" as he looks at the box. Rishid himself asks Marik why he placed the God card in his Deck. Marik snickers, pointing out that Rishid is his shadow and double, that is why he's allowed to hold a God card. He needs it to pretend to be Marik. Rishid begins to ask if the card is... and Marik replies that it too is a double, a fake copy, a counterfeit "Sun Dragon Ra." Rishid is shocked as Marik explains that with the Ghouls rare card duplication technology, even God cards can be mass produced. Of course, his "Ra" is the original card. Rishid is still uneasy, and Marik knows what he's thinking. Misfortune falls on anyone who dares use a counterfeit God card. A number of Ghoul Duelists experimented by playing with Decks of counterfeit God cards, but the results were not pretty. Some lost their minds, some were crippled, some even died the moment they Summoned God. Perhaps it was the Gods' curse, who knows, Marik says. After more experiments, one fact became clear. Counterfeit God cards react to the hearts of their wielder. The were no Duelists in the experimental group with the strength of heart to control a copy of God. But a descendant of the Tomb Guardians might succeed. He tells Rishid that the strong heart he gained living with his family, living as one of the Tomb Guardians, will allow him to control the false God. Rishid is floored by his master's trust, but he doesn't believe that he needs God's help to win this Duel. He ends his turn (unable to attack with "Selket" since he Special Summoned it.) He reminds Jonouchi that it's been three turns, so the "Swords of Revealing Light" disappear.

Dark Yugi yells his friend's name, and Mai asks if there isn't anything Jonouchi can do, a card that can beat "Selket?" Jonouchi draws, but he doesn't have a high-level monster or a Spell Card to turn this around. He switches all his monsters to Defense Position and ends his turn. Rishid thinks that he must strike, and on his turn, attacks "Jinzo" with "Selket." "Selket's" claws grab "Jinzo" and the scorpion monster gobbles "Jinzo" up, much to the horror of everyone present - even Dark Yugi is unnerved. Rishid admits to the unpleasentness of the attack, but it's "Selket's" special ability, it takes enemies inside of itself, and adds half of their attack points to its own. "Selket" rears up, the eye on its back elongating as its ATK increases to 3700. Honda is surprised that "Selket" can absorb other monsters' attack points, and Mai adds that Jonouchi better do something or it'll keep getting stronger forever. Dark Yugi begs Jonouchi not to panic, but Jonouchi's already panicking; he can't do anything on this turn. He ends his turn, and Rishid orders "Selket" to eat "The Legendary Fisherman" and grow stronger. "Selket" gulps down the "Fisherman's" whale, while clutching the "Fisherman" himself in its claw, its ATK rising to 4625. Jonouchi sadly apologizes to Ryota and Esper Roba for losing the cards they gave him. Honda yells Jonouchi's name, and Mai tells Jonouchi not to give up and to trust in his next card. Shizuka begs her brother to win, and she covers her eyes, thinking that she can't watch anymore. Jonouchi glances at her, and tells his little sister to look at him, and not to cover her eyes. He might lose, but watch until the end. Shizuka uncovers her eyes, and Jonouchi tells her she found a light in the darkness, a light called courage, so don't hide in the dark anymore. Shizuka agrees, and Jonouchi gives her the thumbs up.

Jonouchi's words have touched Rishid, and he muses on them, thinking that it is the story of his life too. It began in a deep, dark place. It was the Ishtar couple who found him abandoned near a well 25 years ago. They raised him deep underground out of the sight of the common people, staring at one point of unreachable light. When he was four, he accidentially overheard the Ishtar family secret, the reason why they lived underground. It was their duty to protect two Millennium Items lying deep in the darkness, and the king's secret, guarded for 3000 years. Mrs. Ishtar suggested to Mr. Ishtar that if they are not blessed with a boy, perhaps the rite of the Tomb Guardians could be performed on Rishid. She suggested that they accept him as their own child when he became ten. Ishtar remained silent, breaking his bread, and Rishid wondered what they meant. A year later, the Ishtar couple was blessed with a daughter, their disappointment intense. Then, four years later, Master Marik was born, though his mother died giving birth. Marik is shown being raised towards the moon by his father, as Rishid reflects that he was the last heir of the Tomb Guardians, that lineage of darkness. And so, time passed...

Marik is shown sitting, reading his books, when he suddenly asks Rishid (his face still unscarred) if he knows what the "Rite of the Tomb Guardians" is. Rishid admits that he doesn't, and Marik replies that of course he doesn't, cuase he's never seen Marik's father's back. The Rite of the Tomb Guardians is a ritual performed on the eldest son. The heir to the bloodline has the secrets of the king's memories carved into their backs. From that day forward, they protect the secret with their life. Next week is Marik's tenth birthday, and they're going to perform the ritual on him. He asks if Rishid knows how much it hurts. They say the pain is so bad, you scream for a month. He angrily wonders why he has to go through it, he doesn't want to. He asks Rishid if he'll do the ritual in Marik's place, as he's always taken care of him. Plus then, he'll be accepted as part of the family. Rishid agrees to do so. Later he went to Ishtar, requesting to do the ritual and vowing to protect the honor and traditions of the Tomb Guardians. Ishtar asks if Marik talked Rishid into this, but Rishid claims that it was his own decision. Ishtar states that Rishid is just a servant, but Rishid continues, he has one wish, when the ritual is done; may he call Ishtar "father?" Ishtar yells at him to shut up. Rishid is not the rightful heir of the Ishtar family. He could never perform the ritual. And if he ever speaks of their family's secreat again. Ishtar will cut off Rishid's tongue and kill him. Rishid is horrified at the words.

Rishid remembers that the day of the ritual arrived, as a knife was heated in a candle flame to sterilize it, and the images were cut into Marik's back as he begged them to stop, biting down on a leather-wrapped dowel. As Marik continued to scream, Rishid heated his own knife, thinking his master's name. After the ritual was complete, Marik, his torso wrapped in bandages, staggered to the room where Rishid sat, angrily asking Rishid who to hate for this. Then he gasped in horror as he saw Rishid's face, dripping with blood from the scar he'd carved over the left side. Rishid states that if he cannot take Marik's pain, then at least allow him to swear his allegiance to Marik's family with this scar. Marik, with blood leaking through his bandage, calls it good, and he likes it (even as his eyes fill with tears). Because even before Marik was born, Rishid's always been his shadow. As the KaibaCorp airship soars through the sky, Marik tells Rishid that they will eliminate Yugi and everyone who stands in their way. This is the revenge of the clan of the Tomb Guardians.

Featured Duels: Katsuya Jonouchi vs. Rishid
 Turn 20: Rishid  Rishid has just Summoned "Mystical Beast of Selket." (2500/2000)

 Turn 21: Jonouchi  Jonouchi draws, then switches "Jinzo" to Defense Position.

 Turn 22: Rishid  Rishid draws, then attacks and destroys "Jinzo" with "Selket." The effect of "Selket" increases its ATK by half of the destroyed "Jinzo's" ATK. (ATK: 3700)

 Turn 23: Jonouchi  Jonouchi draws, and passes.

 Turn 24: Rishid  Rishid draws. He attacks "The Legendary Fisherman" with "Selket" and destroys it. The effect of "Selket" increases its ATK by half of the destroyed "The Legendary Fisherman's" ATK. (ATK: 4625)

Duel continues in the next chapter.

Production history
The Cursed Bloodline! is the 155th chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist. In the Japanese manga it is the 214th chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh!. It was first printed in Japanese in the V Jump magazine. It was reprinted in volume 24 of the Japanese graphic novels and volume 17 of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist graphic novels in English.