Only Other Bakura draws attention to the fact that none of the other players have noticed anything strange going on with Monster World. He identifies this game as a shadow game, and thinks about how, as Game Master, he's got the authority to judge and punish the players in any way he chooses. His chosen punishment for this game is trapping the players in his game world forever. Other Bakura stares at the puzzle around Yuugi's neck, because that's his target in this game. He's planning on making the puzzle's powers his as well as his Millennium Ring's power to trap souls in dolls.
Jonouchi moves his piece forward with the intent of getting out of there, and Yuugi agrees with this action. They all move forward again until Other Bakura states that they're halted once more by noticing that something is lying in their path. It looks like a character that is lying on its stomach, collapsed in the road. Other Bakura, while typing on his laptop, says that they're unable to determine who the person is or whether they're alive or dead. He gives them the option of just stepping over the person and continuing on, and asks them what they'll do.
In their conference on the matter, Anzu says she feels sorry for the character and wants to help them, as long as they're not dead. Yuugi isn't sure about this, because it seems like a trap to him. Jonouchi decides he's come up with a solution, and declares that his character will poke the person with his sword. Yeah, put a few holes in them, Jonouchi. If they weren't dead before, they will be now.
Other Bakura narrates the action Jonouchi's piece, and says that the figure moves in response. It stands to reveal that they're a young human type who's afraid by the strangers' appearance. Jonouchi tells the person to relax because they aren't an enemy, but the figure still looks apprehensive.
Anzu reminds her friends that the villager from before told them not to go into the forest, but Jonouchi tells her that the sword is appealing. Yuugi wonders if they can really get a sword that defeats their enemy so easily, and is suspicious about whether that NPC could become an ally or foe. After all, he is controlled by the Dark Master of the game. The pieces conference as well, and I'm still scratching my head over how this is supposed to work.
The adventurers turn back to Figure!Bakura and agree to go into the forest, and he in turn tells them he's going to guide them. Other Bakura states that they all head toward the forest together as the forest on the board flips over to reveal squares that match the board surrounded by a few trees. Other Bakura informs them as they enter this forested area that monsters appearing has risen to 80%. Yuugi and Jonouchi look shocked by the likelihood while Other Bakura rolls those ten-sided dice to decide if they'll meet a monster.
The dice show a 05, which Other Bakura says isn't good at all. The lower the roll, the stronger the monster. So...
Yuugi and Honda declare Jonouchi's move lame over his shoulder. Honda then takes the dice with the intention of going next, blowing on them for luck. Again, a recap of his character's stats and equipment is drawn before he throws the dice, over the knocked-over piece representing Jonouchi on the field. He rolls a 21, which according to Other Bakura is a direct hit. His piece shoots one of the monsters with its double-barreled pistol, and Other Bakura announces that this was a significant blow to the monster. Yuugi praises Honda's hit as his piece blows the smoke from his pistol. Jonouchi admits that the move was pretty cool.
The monsters all growl and groan as Yuugi takes up the dice for himself. His throw reveals a 25, and Other Bakura explains that Yuugi's power, as a beast tamer, is to turn an enemy monster into an ally. Since his accuracy rate is at 50%, Yuugi's efforts are a success. He picks out his monster and gets to work on it.
Other Bakura reminds them that three monsters are left to defeat. It's Anzu's turn to grab the dice and give it a go, and Yuugi encourages her to roll well. She tosses the dice and they land on 00!! Other Bakura is shocked by what he calls a super critical move, and narrates that a secret move by her class is suddenly unleashed. Anzu's piece raises its arms over the field, radiating some powerful magic, while Jonouchi's piece still lies on its face in the foreground.
All three monsters are incinerated in a devastating explosion that the Other Bakura calls "Apprentice Final Big Bang." Who comes up with these attack names? Anzu is surprised that she managed to kill three monsters as Yuugi congratulates her and Jonouchi salivates over the power of rolling two zeroes. The celebrations end with him encouraging everyone to get going, but suddenly that turbaned Bakura-like stranger chuckles behind them. Jonouchi's and Yuugi's pieces turn around to find him outright laughing.
The joke turns out to be that they're the adventurers who seek Zork, and they were so very easy to lure into the forest they were told not to enter. The stranger declares he'll bury them. Yuugi's piece asks who he is, and in response the turban and robe flutter and expand around him, which Other Bakura calls a transformation. The real identity of the turbaned youth is a horned and clawed monster known as...
Zork tells them that there's no such thing in this world as a sword that can defeat him. Soooooo... is there a weapon OUTSIDE this world that can defeat you? Someone ask that question, please. I want to see what his response is. Too bad Other Bakura has declared them too off their guard and defenseless before any questions can be asked. He also says that they'll have to take the attack that he rolls for Zork with the same dice they've been using. He rolls a double zero and announces that the super critical attack of darkness is aimed at... Anzu. Other Bakura shouts his own attack, "Soul Transfer: Mime Doll," and Anzu's soul floats out from her mouth just as Imori's had from his.
So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I'm really sorry to be a squeaky wheel here, but it's still so unclear what is being seen and heard by the characters, so I can't determine what's actually HAPPENING here. The pieces are drawn doing things, but since no one thinks this is odd, I want to assume it's not really going down outside of everyone's imagination. Anzu's piece moved well before it had a soul in it, but the piece that DID have a soul - Karita's - moved too. How am I supposed to tell the difference if all of the pieces move and interact with the board whether or not they have souls?
Usually, Takahashi has the problem of being on the other end of the spectrum, expositing things that people can clearly glean from the drawings alone. Now the pendulum has swung all the way over to where he needs to explain some things, and he's not bothering to. It's driving me up the wall because I don't understand why he can't just find that happy medium of using the exposition for where it's actually needed.
Just... someone wake me up when this makes some modicum of sense.
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