Yugioh [371-380] (Patreon)

Chapter 371: Mindset Is Everything

Worm Zero summoned!

Seeing his ace, the ultimate Worm, finally appear, Luca felt happier than ever—almost like his life was complete.

Finally!

Now victory was within reach!

"Worm Zero's effect depends on the number of fusion materials. First effect—"

Luca gestured.

"With two or more materials, once per turn, I can Special Summon a Reptile from my graveyard in face-down defense position.

I set 'Worm Apocalypse,' discarded by 'Card Destruction' in turn one."

A shadow flickered on his field as Apocalypse appeared face-down.

"Second effect: with four or more materials, I can banish a Reptile from my graveyard to send a monster from the field to the graveyard.

I banish 'Worm Barses' from my graveyard to send your 'Granmarg' to the graveyard."

He grinned coldly.

"Of course, thanks to your own Macro Cosmos, it's banished instead.

Now taste your own medicine—banished!"

Luca was elated. Worm Zero's effect engulfed Granmarg in darkness, banishing it.

"Hahahaha, banished! Now, die! Battle!

Worm Zero attacks 'D.D. Scout Plane'!"

13,500 ATK versus 800 ATK—a guaranteed kill.

"It's over!" Luca yelled.

But it wasn't.

Suddenly, a turtle spirit appeared, unleashing an electromagnetic wave that deflected Worm Zero's attack.

"What?" Luca frowned.

"'Electromagnetic Turtle' in the graveyard—banish it during the opponent's Battle Phase to end the Battle Phase."

Kira smiled.

"Card Destruction filled my resources, too, you know."

"Tch, saved yourself." Luca scowled.

No matter—Worm Zero was on the field with 13,500 ATK.

Nothing to fear.

"Worm Zero's third effect: with six or more materials, draw a card once per turn."

Luca drew, then played a card.

"Continuous Spell 'Mirage of Nightmare.' During each of your Standby Phases, I can draw until I have four cards in hand."

He set two cards.

"Set two, end turn."

Kira: "My turn, draw."

"Now, Mirage of Nightmare's effect—I draw until I have four cards."

Luca drew cards.

Kira watched, not in a hurry: "To draw Parallel World Fusion at that critical moment, breaking the lock with Macro Cosmos—impressive. You really are one of Doma's Three Swordsmen, not bad."

Luca: "…"

At first, it sounded like praise, but the more he listened, the more annoying it got.

He realized Kira had a terrifying talent—not just for dueling, but for influencing others' mindsets, affecting their momentum and performance.

Luca steadied himself, determined to keep a calm mind no matter what Kira did next. This was not an opponent to take lightly.

"I tribute 'D.D. Scout Plane.'

Sky's ruler, embodiment of the storm—descend—

—Raiza the Storm Monarch, summon!"

Green winds howled, swirling the black clouds as the green monarch descended.

[Raiza the Storm Monarch, ATK 2400]

"Raiza's effect: on Tribute Summon, return a card on the field to the top of its owner's deck.

Sorry, but your ultimate Worm is leaving—'Worm Zero' goes back to the Extra Deck."

A tornado surged upward, aiming straight for Worm Zero.

"Not so fast!" Luca sneered. "I activate my set card, Trap Card 'Skill Prisoner'!

Select one card on my field—its effects are negated for this turn!"

A protective barrier surrounded Worm Zero, blocking the tornado.

"Hahaha, did you think I wouldn't expect a Monarch effect?"

Luca laughed. With Worm Zero on the field, his confidence had returned.

"Nice try! This turn, all effects targeting Worm Zero are nullified—even if you summon more Monarchs."

Kira: "I activate my set card, Trap Card 'Spiritual Wind Art - Miyabi.' I tribute a WIND monster to return a card on your field to the bottom of your deck.

I tribute 'Raiza' to send 'Worm Zero' to the bottom of your deck."

Luca's smile froze.

Raiza, despite being negated, surged with energy, self-destructing to fuel the storm. The barrier was shattered, and Worm Zero was swept away by the tornado, vanishing into the sky.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

Luca was on the verge of losing it.

His Worm Zero—twenty-six materials, 13,500 ATK—

Not a single attack landed before it was blown away.

"I know you're in a hurry, but just relax."

Kira smiled.

"You never know what'll happen until the duel's over; mindset is everything, right?"

Chapter 372: Worm Victory

"End Phase. The 'D.D. Scout Plane' that was banished for Emperor's tribute returns to the field in Attack Position."

[D.D. Scout Plane, ATK 800]

"Turn end," Kira said.

Luca's smile faded along with his Worm Zero, returning to his default poker face.

"My turn. Draw." He glanced at his hand, then said with a sinister tone, "Quick-Play Spell: 'Mystical Space Typhoon'—destroy one Spell or Trap on the field.

I'll destroy my Continuous Spell 'Mirage of Nightmare.'

Normally, at my Standby Phase, I'd have to discard four cards due to its side effect, but if I destroy it now, I don't have to."

A cyclone whipped up, and with a burst of black lightning, his own Continuous Spell was obliterated.

"Mystical Space Typhoon, huh." Kira nodded.

Not Emergency Provisions, interesting.

"But was that really the best choice? Rare to draw a removal card," Kira smiled. "Wouldn't you rather get rid of 'Macro Cosmos'?"

"No need for your advice."

Luca waved his hand, eyes flashing with resolve.

"I flip-summon my set monster—'Worm Apocalypse'!"

[Worm Apocalypse, ATK 300]

"When this card is flipped, it destroys one Spell or Trap on the field.

Disappear, 'Macro Cosmos'!"

Finally, Macro Cosmos was destroyed. The deep cosmic background that had haunted Luca since the duel began faded, and the oppressive gloom in his heart lightened—just a little.

"Next, I activate my set Trap—'Needlebug Nest'. Send the top five cards of my Deck to the Graveyard."

He drew five cards, glanced at them, then slid them into the Graveyard one by one.

"Now, I tribute 'Worm Apocalypse' to Tribute Summon—

—Level 8, Worm Queen!"

[Worm Queen, ATK 2700]

"Even though she's Level 8, if I use a Reptile-type monster with 'Worm' in its name as tribute, I only need one."

Luca's tone was dark.

"You're getting a little too cocky, kid. Time for you to witness the true power and beauty of my Worm."

Kira watched as Worm Queen appeared on Luca's field.

Power and beauty? Somehow, I don't think 'Worm' fits either of those.

"Once per turn, Worm Queen can tribute a Reptile with 'Worm' in its name to Special Summon an 'Worm' from the Deck with a lower level than the tributed monster!"

"You only have Worm Queen on your field," Kira pointed out.

"Exactly. The Queen herself is a 'Worm' monster. I'll tribute Worm Queen herself!"

Golden light wrapped around the Queen, dissolving her into countless particles.

"Queen is Level 8, so I can Special Summon any Worm from my Deck with Level 8 or lower." Luca declared.

"I see," Kira said. "'Parallel World Fusion' shuffled all the banished Worms back into the Deck, right?"

A clutch draw in a desperate situation. Not only did he fuse for Worm Zero, if not for Parallel World Fusion shuffling monsters back, Luca would've run out of monsters by now—Macro Cosmos nearly wiped him out.

"From my Deck, I Special Summon this Worm."

Luca pulled out his chosen monster.

"Level 7—Worm Victory, Special Summoned!"

A golden beam descended. First, a pool of dark red, viscous liquid—like blood from the abyss—glistened with an eerie sheen on the ground.

A massive creature slowly emerged from the bloody pool. Its body was covered in hard, red-brown carapace, rough and cold, exuding ominous energy. Six thick, sharp claws looked capable of tearing through anything.

[Worm Victory, ATK 0]

"Victory's ATK increases by 500 for each Worm in my Graveyard," Luca intoned.

"I've got one Worm left from Card Destruction, just tributed Apocalypse and the Queen, and two more from Needlebug Nest—five in total.

So Victory's ATK becomes—"

[Worm Victory, ATK 0 → ATK 2500]

"Now, with the power of 'Seal of Orichalcos,' Victory gains another 500 ATK!"

[Worm Victory, ATK 2500 → ATK 3000]

"Go, Victory! Rip that Scout Plane apart!"

Victory's massive claws came crashing down, smashing the Scout Plane into sparking pieces.

[Kira, LP 4000 → LP 1800]

Kira took the hit, staggering back a few steps.

"Set two cards. Turn end."

"Summoning a new ace attacker right away? That's impressive," Kira remarked.

Luca: "..."

No, stay calm. Don't lose your cool.

Especially don't get physical—hitting people is against the rules, and in a shadow game, the consequences are... severe.

"My turn. Draw." Kira said, "I activate the Spell Card 'Card of Adversity'. If my opponent controls a Special Summoned monster and I have none, I draw two cards." (Anime card)

Kira drew two cards.

"Next, I banish from my Graveyard the LIGHT 'Zaborg the Thunder Monarch' and the DARK 'Apprentice Magician'—"

"Banish a LIGHT and a DARK? Chaos Warrior?" Luca tensed.

"Haha, sorry to disappoint, but not quite."

Kira revealed his card with a grin.

"Guided by the souls of light and darkness, the magician who commands chaos descends—

—Chaos Sorcerer, Summon!"

[Chaos Sorcerer, ATK 2300]

"Chaos Sorcerer..." Luca muttered, "A lower-tier version of the Envoy of the Beginning."

Not as powerful, but still with a dangerous banishing ability.

"Trying to banish my Victory? Not so fast."

Luca shouted, "Quick-Play Spell: 'Book of Moon'! Turn a monster face-down in Defense Position!"

"Oh?" Kira said. "Planning to flip my Chaos Sorcerer face-down?"

"Who said that?" Luca sneered. "I'm flipping my own Victory face-down!"

Victory turned face-down.

"Now I activate the Trap Card 'W Nebula Meteorite'! All face-down Defense monsters are flipped face-up in Defense Position.

Victory, flip!"

[Worm Victory, DEF 2500]

"At this moment, Victory's flip effect activates."

Luca spread his fingers, pointing fiercely at Kira's Chaos Sorcerer.

"When Victory is flipped, destroy all face-up monsters except Reptile-type monsters with 'Worm' in their names!"

Chapter 373: The Might of the Worm

Beneath the dawn sky, a tsunami of explosive energy erupted from the ground like a waking beast.

It was Victory's annihilating strike, surging like a raging tide and obliterating everything in its path. Even Chaos Sorcerer couldn't resist, crushed into fragments by the onslaught.

"You were planning to banish my Victory with Chaos Sorcerer, weren't you? Too bad, it's not that simple," Luca taunted.

Kira just shrugged. "Then I'll set a monster face-down, and set another card before ending my turn."

"End Phase: 'W Nebula Meteorite' triggers again!"

Luca swept his arm.

"All LIGHT Reptile monsters I control are turned face-down, then I draw cards equal to the number set this way.

So Victory goes face-down, and I draw one card!"

Luca drew, and the huge bug once again retreated into a set card.

"But that's not all. 'W Nebula Meteorite' lets me Special Summon a Level 7 or higher LIGHT Reptile from my Deck."

Luca searched and revealed his choice.

"Appear, my second 'Worm Victory'!"

A second Victory rose from the ground, its massive shadow looming like a mountain.

[Worm Victory, ATK 0 → ATK 3000]

"Worm never die! Defeat one, and another appears!" Luca declared. "My turn, draw!"

Kira just shrugged—without Macro Cosmos on the field, Luca was far more confident.

"I activate 'Spell Books from the Pot'. Both players draw three cards from their Decks."

After drawing, Luca grinned wickedly, regaining his earlier momentum.

"The Worms' assault is relentless. Activate this card from my hand—

—Continuous Spell, 'Future Fusion'!"

"Hm?" Kira frowned slightly.

So both the Equip and Continuous versions of Future Fusion exist?

Both did appear in GX—Zane had the Equip, Nightshroud had the Continuous. Kira had only picked up the Continuous version from a random duelist. 

"This version of 'Future Fusion' lets me select a Fusion Monster and send the required materials from my Deck to the Graveyard. After two turns, I can perform the Fusion Summon.

But that's not my main goal this time.

Of course, I choose the 'Worm Zero' that I shuffled back into the Extra Deck!

Now, from my Deck—"

Another handful of cards was pulled out.

"Send 23 different Worms to the Graveyard!"

Only 23 this time. There are 26 types total, minus Zero and the ones already in the Graveyard, and he's out of Worm Victory in the Deck.

Twenty-three cards cascaded into the Graveyard, charging the field with a surge of energy, as if pouring power into the massive bug on the field.

"Victory's attack increases by 500 for each Worm in the Graveyard," Kira realized.

"Correct," Luca replied. "With 23 added, Victory's ATK becomes—"

[Worm Victory, ATK 3000 → ATK 14500]

"Fourteen thousand five hundred attack, huh."

Kira looked up at the behemoth.

"Exactly! And don't forget, I still have another face-down Victory." Luca flipped his other Victory face-up!

[Worm Victory, ATK 14500]

"Victory's flip effect destroys all non-Worm face-up monsters, but all you have is a face-down, so nothing happens."

"Doesn't matter. With Victory's power, even the smallest wall will be crushed!"

Luca shouted.

"Go, Victory! Attack that face-down monster!"

Victory's gigantic form thundered forward, its claws smashing toward Kira's set monster.

"An attack power of 14,500, even greater than Worm Zero—this is the power of the Worms, the pride of the Doma Duelists?"

Kira gazed up, face solemn.

"Well, then. I activate a set card—"

He raised his arm, and a flash of golden light transformed into a pair of barrels.

Luca's heart skipped a beat at the sight.

That's—

Magic Cylinder!

"Negate the attack, and deal damage to you equal to Victory's ATK—14,500!"

"Magic... Cylinder!?"

Luca's eyes went wide.

You were holding Magic Cylinder all along with that pained, poker face?!

But Victory's punch was caught by the cylinder, its devastating force absorbed, ready to be fired right back.

If he took that head-on, he'd owe his own soul eight times over.

"Then, Quick-Play Spell—'Forbidden Chalice'!" Luca snapped. "Target a monster, it gains 400 ATK but its effect is negated.

I target my attacking Victory!"

"Victory's original ATK is 0. If its effect is negated, it becomes 0, plus Chalice and Orichalcos—so 900."

Kira nodded, smiling faintly.

"Not bad, you even survived Magic Cylinder."

"Don't get cocky, it's not over—Quick-Play Spell: 'Emergency Provisions'!" Luca said, "Send Forbidden Chalice and Future Fusion to the Graveyard, gain 2000 LP!"

[Luca, LP 1600 → LP 3600]

After resolving the chain, Victory's attack reflection only dealt 900, and Luca withstood the blow.

[Luca, LP 3600 → LP 2700]

"You're a sneaky one."

Luca wiped his brow.

"If I'd let my guard down for a second, you would've had me... Battle continues.

Second Victory, attack the defense monster!"

The set monster flipped, destroyed under the massive blow.

"That was 'Mask of Darkness'."

Before it hit the Graveyard, Kira revealed the card.

"When flipped, it lets me add a Trap from my Graveyard to my hand.

I retrieve—"

He took a card from the Graveyard.

"Continuous Trap: 'Macro Cosmos'."

Luca: "..."

Chapter 374: The Potential of Chaos Warrior

Macro Cosmos. Again.

Luca scowled.

He'd never heard of the card before today, but after this duel, he'd never forget it. Even just seeing Kira reveal it made his heart skip a beat.

Still, thinking rationally, Macro Cosmos wasn't so scary now.

Most of his Worms were already in the Graveyard—his resources were set. At this point, Macro Cosmos could only do so much.

And he still had two Victory with 14,000+ attack on the field.

Victory was within sight.

He could practically see Kira's LP dropping to zero, that annoying kid kneeling before him, soul being ripped out.

It would be more satisfying than any victory before.

"My turn. Draw," Kira said. "I activate 'Graceful Charity'. Draw three, then discard two."

He drew, then discarded two cards.

"Now, 'Card of Compensation' triggers. When discarded, I draw two more." (Manga card)

Kira drew again, and a faint, ominous aura shimmered behind him.

"What's that?" Luca frowned.

"Makyura the Destructor. When sent to the Graveyard, I can activate Trap Cards from my hand this turn."

Kira revealed his card.

"Continuous Trap: 'Macro Cosmos'!"

Once again, the field was transformed—dark starry skies replacing everything, as if they stood in a cosmic void.

"This again."

Luca grunted.

"But what difference does it make now?"

"We'll see," Kira smiled. "Next, I play 'Take Over Five'. Send the top five cards of my Deck to the Graveyard."

Luca: "?"

He watched as Kira sent five cards to the Graveyard, which Macro Cosmos instantly banished.

What kind of play is this? Macro Cosmos just banishes all his own cards?

But Kira didn't explain. Two cards shimmered in the banished zone.

"I banish the DARK 'D.D. Scout Plane' and the LIGHT 'D.D. Warrior Lady'."

He held up a card as golden light burst forth.

"Souls of Light and Darkness, offered to the field of chaos, summon the legendary warrior! Heaven and earth split—

—Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, Summon!"

A swirl of sword energy parted the endless void. The legendary warrior descended, sword and shield in hand, from the chaos.

[BLS – Envoy of the Beginning, ATK 3000]

"Now it's BLS," Luca frowned. "If he uses its effect—"

"BLS's effect: once per turn, banish a monster on your opponent's field. I target Victory."

Sword energy slashed, leaving a dimensional scar in the air.

"Then, from my Graveyard, I activate 'Skill Prisoner'!" Luca shouted. "By banishing it, I can target a monster and negate its effect this turn.

I target your chosen Victory!"

A shield appeared, blocking BLS's sword strike, dispersing the energy.

"Too bad, even the legendary warrior couldn't do it," Luca taunted.

"Yeah, what a shame. Oh well."

Kira sighed, as if forced to use a backup plan.

But Luca felt a chill—last time Kira used that tone, he almost lost to Magic Cylinder.

"Then I Normal Summon 'Rapid-Fire Magician'."

[Rapid-Fire Magician, ATK 1600]

"Now I activate 'Foolish Burial Goods'. Send a Spell or Trap from my Deck to the Graveyard."

Kira pointed to his field.

"At this moment, Rapid-Fire Magician's effect activates.

While it's on the field, every time I activate a Normal Spell, you take 400 damage."

A magical blast struck Luca, who barely flinched.

[Luca, LP 2700 → LP 2300]

"Four hundred damage? That's barely a scratch."

"Sorry about that."

Kira smiled, drawing a card that popped out of his Deck.

"Foolish Burial Goods sends 'Primal Seed' to the Graveyard."

"But with Macro Cosmos, it's banished instead," Luca reminded him.

"True."

Kira nodded, quietly smiling.

"But this card hides a power in my BLS that everyone's overlooked."

"Huh?"

That made Luca uneasy.

"Let me show you that power. I activate 'Primal Seed' from my hand!"

Luca was startled. "A second copy!?"

Kira: "If I control 'BLS – Envoy', I can return two banished cards to my hand."

BLS raised its sword, slicing open a dimensional rift.

"I return these two cards."

Kira revealed them.

"One is 'Grandmarg the Rock Monarch', banished by your Worm Zero, and the other is another 'Primal Seed'."

"You got back another Primal Seed?" Luca frowned.

"Yes."

Kira calmly explained, "And Rapid-Fire Magician's effect triggers—400 more damage."

Another magical blast, Luca staggered.

[Luca, LP 2300 → LP 1900]

Still just 400, but Luca could no longer ignore it—he was shaking.

"I activate 'Primal Seed' again. This time I return 'Electromagnetic Turtle' and the first 'Primal Seed'."

BLS slashed open space again, retrieving two cards.

Rapid-Fire Magician fired another shot.

[Luca, LP 1900 → LP 1500]

Luca was blasted to the ground, wide-eyed in disbelief.

BLS, Macro Cosmos, Primal Seed...

A wave of terror, mixed with outrage, surged within him.

—Is this the hidden potential of BLS?!

Why does your BLS look so different from everyone else's?!

Is this what it means to be a shadow duelist?!

"Seems you've realized it: as long as this combo's on the field, I can keep returning banished cards. Each cycle deals 400 to you.

Of course, it's not infinite."

Kira smiled.

"Each time, I must return two cards. The number of cycles equals the number of banished cards.

But my ammo—"

He glanced at his banished zone.

"Still plenty left. The real question is..."

Kira narrowed his eyes.

"Can you handle it?"

Luca: "N-no, please—"

"Hmm?" Kira raised an eyebrow. "What's that? Speak up."

Luca: "Please... stop..."

"Oh, so you want me to continue? Alright, I respect your choice."

Kira nodded.

"Let's keep going.

Primal Seed again, return two banished cards."

BLS slashed, two cards returned, Rapid-Fire Magician fired another shot.

"Ugh!"

Luca was blasted down again.

[Luca, LP 1500 → LP 1100]

Luca, face twisted, struggled up. "Damn you..."

"Primal Seed again."

Kira operated mechanically, not even explaining each step.

"400 more."

"Aaaah!"

"Primal Seed..."

The cycle was endless, a drawn-out execution. Two Worm Victory, each with over 14,000 ATK, stood helplessly as their master was pounded repeatedly, unable to intervene.

Kira simply ignored them—they were powerless.

"One last time—'Primal Seed'. Four hundred more."

The final blast decided the duel.

A proud Doma duelist lost his soul—and his dreams.

[Luca, LP 0]

Chapter 375: Where Is the Limit?

A match is decided, a soul is reaped. This is the rule of Seak of Orichalcos—an absolute law that even the highest members of the organization cannot change.

From this perspective, New Doma could even be considered a relatively honest villain; compared to some later villains who act arrogant when they win and pretend nothing happened when they lose, he's practically a moral model.

In the end, Luca collapsed to his knees, his consciousness fading, eyes emptying. Yet, he still seemed unable to fully accept reality.

Losing the duel was one thing—the confidence he had in his own invincibility, his ambition, all crushed by the student before him.

And then there was the fact he couldn't accept losing in this way, to this opponent.

If he had a choice now, he'd definitely pick a head-on fight with Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Why could someone turn even the Black Luster Soldier into a shut-in?

He even wondered if, in this person's hands, even the Blue-Eyes—the embodiment of power in the dueling world—might go astray.

Luca's instincts warned him such things could happen in the future. But, unfortunately, he'd never see it.

The now-faded Black Luster Soldier floated nearby, casting a complicated look at Kira.

Logically, discovering a new way to use his power should be a good thing.

But he suddenly had an odd premonition.

If he followed this master long enough, would he, the once-great Pioneer, end up with a reputation as a shut-in in both the dueling and spirit worlds?

Even as his soul was drawn away, Luca stared daggers at Kira, eyes bloodshot.

For some reason, seeing that look in the eyes of a dying man, Kira felt a strange "even in death, I won't forgive you" resentment.

But it didn't matter.

After all, this was the world of Yu-Gi-Oh—so what if you became a vengeful spirit? If you want revenge, you'll still have to duel.

If you couldn't beat me alive, you think you'll suddenly get better after you're dead?

"Don't get cocky—too soon," Luca said darkly.

"The last swordsman, and the master... they're both ready. The Duel City finals will become a bloodbath. You... don't stand a chance."

He barely finished before the green light faded, his soul was drawn out, and he slumped to the ground, unmoving.

"He's dead," Kira said.

He walked over, bent down, and took Luca's deck.

Worm deck: GET.

Kira pocketed the deck, then glanced at Luca's collapsed body.

"I feel stronger again," he muttered, looking at his hand.

Especially compared to his first encounter with Doma swordsman Shell, he felt much more at ease now. The first semester at Duel Academy had paid off.

But he wasn't sure exactly how much he'd improved.

That was fine, though. In a few days, Duel City's tournament would resume, and the top 8 bracket would be decided.

The top 8 should be tough opponents; logically, anyone making it this far wouldn't be weak.

Especially since the remaining Doma swordsmen and that so-called Arbiter cheat snake would be participating—along with Kaiba himself.

With this, the tournament should reveal his limits.

Kira raised his arm and looked at the deck on his duel disk.

"How strong am I now?"

His mindset was different from when he first arrived. Back then, he was cautious for every duel, preparing for every opponent.

Now, while he still prepared out of good habit and to increase his chances, he rarely worried about losing due to lack of preparation.

Honestly, even he was less and less sure of his own limits.

A duelist only senses their strength by facing powerful opponents. But after dueling so many, his only takeaway was: he still didn't know his limits.

So when people asked what his full power was, or where his limit lay, all he could do was answer helplessly—

—I'd like to know that too.

Unfortunately, most of his opponents just weren't up to par; most lost before they even got serious.

"Duel City GX, huh."

He left the power station, mounted the motorcycle waiting at the evacuation point, and muttered.

Hope this time will be different.

Before dawn, he returned to the station.

But this time, he didn't go in. He met Mai Valentine at the entrance and handed her a card.

Mai flipped it over and almost dropped it.

It was an Orichalcos soul seal card, showing Iwao chained and clawing at the edge of a cage.

Mai gasped, "You took him out!?"

"Uh, do I look like an Orichalcos minion?" Kira replied, exasperated.

Mai frowned, studying him.

This sunny aura, and remembering the ruthless tactics she'd seen him use—reminded her of that once-sunny boy Marik, who'd left her with psychological scars.

She hadn't thought of it before, but now that he mentioned it...

He really did resemble him.

"...So Iwao was taken by Orichalcos," she said, sighing.

"Shame. I only knew him a couple days, but he seemed like a good guy..." She looked again at the sealed card. "But maybe there's hope."

"Maybe," Kira replied.

He knew what she meant. Mai was familiar with Orichalcos' methods—she'd once joined Doma in pursuit of power, even losing her soul and being sealed, just like this.

But when Orichalcos' god was defeated by the Egyptian Gods, she and the other sealed souls were released and restored.

The souls sealed by Orichalcos didn't vanish immediately; they were more like stored for the serpent god's consumption. If you were unlucky, you'd be eaten. If you lasted long enough and the serpent god died, you'd return.

"But the plan worked," Mai said.

"The power station is back online, the system's up, and the train leaves in ten minutes. Coming with us?"

"I'll pass. You all go on ahead."

Kira shook his head with a smile.

"I've learned what I needed to here, so I'll take my leave."

"Makes sense. A duelist with powers like yours—this place couldn't hold you anyway."

"What about you, Miss Mai? Any plans?"

"I'll keep looking for that missing guy," she grumbled.

"Joey, huh."

Kira now knew the culprit here was the little dark crayfish. If Joey disappeared from here, maybe it's connected.

"Alright. If you get any leads, or need help, contact me," Kira said. "He's got plenty of friends worried about him."

"Many friends, huh. That suits him," Mai smiled gently. "I'll keep that in mind."

Chapter 376: Duel Maniacs

"So that's what happened in Shimizu Town?" Mokuba murmured.

"Yeah, some ancient monster was revived and is out gathering energy," Kira replied.

"Another ancient monster..."

Mokuba rubbed his temples.

"Another?" Kira noticed this wasn't the first time.

"Yeah." Mokuba shrugged. "With all the Duel Monster development, more relics keep surfacing, and ancient monsters keep popping up.

Just two months ago, the Greek branch reported digging up a so-called Hades, claiming he ruled the underworld. He possessed a local official and formed a group..."

"Hades, lord of the underworld?" Kira asked.

"Probably. You know him?" Mokuba replied.

"Not exactly," Kira said, face complicated.

It's not about knowing him—it's a Yu-Gi-Oh card. Level 6, Fiend, ATK 2450, makes your Fiends unaffected by being destroyed in battle. He thought it was pretty weak...

"What happened then?" Kira asked.

"Not much," Mokuba said. "KaibaCorp's Duel Enforcement Squad took them out. That Hades monster put up a fight, but they beat him two-on-one in a duel."

That weakling even caused trouble?

Kira hadn't seen the spirit's strength, but if it was the "Dark Ruler Ha Des" card, it'd probably be bottom-tier in his spirit team.

"No sign of Joey?" Mokuba asked.

Kira shook his head. "He was probably there, but gone by the time I arrived."

"I see. Thanks for your help," Mokuba nodded. "We've got this covered. You don't need to worry."

Kira didn't press for details. With Tragoedia's clone in Shimizu Town dealt with, KaibaCorp could handle the rest.

"But be careful with that monster," Kira warned. "This isn't your average dark spirit. Regular duelists may not be enough."

Mokuba smiled. "Don't worry. The squad's all top-level duelists."

Top level... Kira thought.

To him, today's pro duelists were like jonin ninja in another village. Fine for background noise, but in a real fight... not so much.

"What? You disagree?" Mokuba noticed Kira's expression.

"Hmm... I just think this monster, only Kaiba himself could handle."

"That strong?" Mokuba was surprised.

Kira nodded seriously.

He wasn't exaggerating.

Tragoedia's upper limit was unknown; in the GX manga, it was only defeated when Jaden received the Supreme Power from High Priest. Before that, it was far above every other character in power, but never directly fought a legendary duelist.

But its background was no joke.

Three thousand years ago, when the astrologer possessed by Tragoedia was caught by the priests, he revealed the darkest secret even the Pharaoh didn't know—the creation of the Millennium Items, and the massacre of the entire Kul Elna village as a sacrifice.

The final boss of DM, Zorc Necrophades, used Kul Elna's only survivor as his vessel. The future King of Thieves witnessed the slaughter and developed deep darkness.

The GX manga added that the survivor wasn't the only one.

Among the palace priests, an astrologer was also a hidden Kul Elna villager. He survived by working in the palace, and when he learned the truth, fell into despair, giving birth to Tragoedia.

That's why Tragoedia could rival the Millennium Items' darkness.

"I see. If even you thinks so..." Mokuba nodded seriously.

"I'll warn the investigation team and inform my brother. Thanks."

As they talked, they walked through KaibaCorp's lobby to the exit.

"The tournament resumes today. The top 8 will probably be decided soon," Mokuba said.

"Oh? How many spots are filled?"

Kira had made it before the suspension, along with Kaiba and, unsurprisingly, Koyo Hibiki, the world's strongest HERO user.

"Already five. Oh, your buddy made it too," Mokuba grinned. "Not bad for someone you recommended—I was surprised he's from Slifer Red, but he's really strong."

"Jaden?" Kira wasn't surprised.

They'd already teamed up to storm Doma's club; he was only two cards short then.

"Oh, and something interesting is happening at the finalists' gathering spot—your buddy's involved. Want to check it out?"

"Huh?"

Kira was puzzled.

But at the gathering, he understood.

On the city's waterfront, two duelists stood apart, dueling.

One was the classic Slider Red with jellyfish hair—clearly Jaden.

And the other...

"Koyo Hibiki?"

Kira was surprised.

Jaden was dueling the world champion?

"But they've both already qualified, right?"

"Yeah," Mokuba shrugged, "but your friend greeted his idol, they started chatting, got excited, and couldn't wait for the official match—so here they are."

Kira: "..."

What kind of duel-maniac meeting is this?

Chapter 377: Rich HEROes

[Jaden: LP 1000]

[Hibiki: LP 3300]

When Kira arrived, the duel was nearly over. Hibiki had "Elemental HERO Woodsman" in defense; Jaden's field was empty.

[Elemental HERO Woodsman, DEF 2000]

Both used HERO decks, but Jaden's was a budget build with the classic four vanilla HEROes you could buy anywhere.

Hibiki's deck had no basic cards, only rare HEROes, including some unavailable to the public.

In other words, Hibiki's HERO deck was a champion's luxury edition.

"I can feel your passion for your HEROes, Jaden," Hibiki smiled. "No wonder you made it this far."

Meeting a fan was always nice, and seeing Jaden reach the top 8 with a low-tier HERO deck was impressive.

After dueling, Hibiki was even more inspired by Jaden's passion.

"But your field is empty and you have one card in hand," Hibiki said. "With just one draw, can you break through Woodsman's 2000 defense?"

"I still have a draw left!"

Jaden grinned, rubbing his nose.

"Watch this, Hibiki! My draw!"

He drew, then lit up.

"Perfect—just what I needed!

First, I play 'Dark Factory of Mass Production' to return two Normal Monsters from my graveyard to my hand—'Elemental HERO Sparkman' and 'Elemental HERO Clayman.'"

"Returning those two HEROes..." Hibiki's eyes narrowed.

So Jaden's draw was probably...

"I play 'Polymerization'! Fusing 'Sparkman' and 'Clayman'—"

The two vanished into a swirling vortex, lightning crackled, and a giant descended—Elemental HERO Thunder Giant!

[Elemental HERO Thunder Giant, ATK 2400]

"You drew the key 'Polymerization' at the last moment," Hibiki said approvingly.

This kid...

Truly born to duel.

"When Thunder Giant is Fusion Summoned, he destroys a monster with lower original ATK!"

Jaden cheered.

"Go, Thunder Giant—

Lightning Flash!"

A surge of electricity blasted from the hero's palm, shattering Woodsman and leaving only smoke behind.

"Thunder Giant—direct attack!"

No defending monsters, no set cards. Thunder Giant unleashed a lightning spear, Hibiki taking the hit, coat fluttering but smiling with satisfaction.

[Hibiki, LP 3300 → 900]

"My turn's over," Jaden said, fired up.

"So close now!"

With Thunder Giant out, the tide had turned. Hibiki had no monsters, only one card in hand. Even with next turn's draw, taking down Thunder Giant wouldn't be easy.

But that only made it more exciting.

"What will Hibiki do next?" Jaden wondered, thrilled.

He was dueling the world's strongest HERO user, the champion—what could be better?

"I feel your passion. But this will probably be the last draw," Hibiki smiled. "Wish this duel could last forever."

"Haha, me too!" Jaden laughed.

Hibiki smiled, then grew serious. "My turn!"

But as he touched his deck, he froze, face flickering with pain.

"Ugh..."

His expression faltered, body swaying.

"Hibiki?" Jaden asked, surprised.

"It's nothing. More importantly, here it comes, Jaden!"

Hibiki's odd moment passed as he composed himself.

"I'll fight this duel out as a duelist to the end! I play 'A Hero Lives'!"

Kira narrowed his eyes.

Wow, this is the power of a champion.

Pulling out a single card that's a game-changer—this is a whole different level.

"A Hero Lives"—a staple when it was released, not just for HERO decks but splashed in many others. In the manga, it was Hibiki's card, and the real card was just as powerful as the original.

"If I have no face-up monsters, I pay half my LP," Hibiki declared, "and Special Summon a Level 4 or lower 'Elemental HERO' from my deck!"

[Hibiki, LP 900 → 450]

"So I Special Summon—

Elemental HERO Stratos!"

Kira was speechless.

Yep, the classic "A Hero Lives into Stratos." No wonder he's the champ.

While Jaden was the face of HEROes, most of the HEROes loved by players were Hibiki's. "World's Strongest HERO User" was no exaggeration.

But then Kira realized Hibiki didn't use Stratos's effect.

Normally, you'd use Stratos's effect to get another HERO—a staple move. But then Kira remembered:

Oh, right. This isn't the real card game's Stratos.

The real-life Stratos was buffed immensely. In the manga, "Elemental HERO Stratos" had 1800 ATK and could halve its own ATK to attack directly.

A far cry from the real card's power.

Kira stroked his chin, thinking.

Looks like there's still a lot of room for HEROes to grow in this world.

"I activate 'Miracle Fusion,' fusing HEROes from my graveyard!"

Hibiki showed the two cards in his graveyard.

"I banish 'Woodsman' and 'Ocean' to Fusion Summon!"

He raised his arm as the two monsters vanished into the vortex.

"Watch closely, Jaden—my ace, the world's only ultra-rare HERO—

—Elemental HERO Gaia!!"

Forest and ocean fused into the embodiment of the blue planet—an elemental giant descending onto the field.

Elemental HERO Gaia, summoned!

"Amazing!" Jaden's eyes sparkled.

"Gaia, the world's only ultra-rare HERO..."

Kira frowned slightly.

That wasn't just a projection. He could feel the unique pressure and power—the spirit possessing it was undeniably strong.

"Elemental HERO Gaia, from the Planet series. Didn't expect to see him here," Mokuba remarked.

"This tournament just got interesting."

"Gaia's effect: tribute a HERO to absorb its ATK and DEF!" Hibiki declared.

"I tribute Stratos to power up Gaia—

Magma Mode!"

The white giant turned crimson, magma erupting all over its body!

[Elemental HERO Gaia, ATK 4300]

"Here it comes, Jaden—final attack!" Hibiki roared. "Attack Thunder Giant!"

Gaia charged at full power, magma blazing like a sword. Thunder Giant was melted in the onslaught, flames filling the view—but Jaden just looked ecstatic.

"Gaia is so cool!"

[Jaden, LP 1000 → 0]

Chapter 378: Reggie Mackenzie

"Ahhh, I lost."

Jaden sprawled flat on his back.

"No helping it, Mr. Hibiki is really strong after all."

Hibiki walked over, sat down beside him with a smile.

"I'm the one who was surprised, actually. Jaden, you're really impressive. I never expected to meet another duelist so deeply bonded with heroes and so passionate about dueling.

Honestly, even I feel a bit inferior."

"Haha, people say that to me a lot," Jaden scratched his head, but then remembered something.

"By the way, Mr. Hibiki, during the duel earlier—did you feel a bit unwell?"

Hibiki fell silent, looking away.

He heard, like a hallucination, a devilish whisper by his ear.

"Duel on, and burn up the little life you have left, World Champion Koyo Hibiki."

From deep darkness, a pair of evil eyes stared at him, grinning. 

"Each card you draw is like your deck called 'Life' growing smaller."

"But even so, you can't stop, can you?"

"As a duelist."

"…"

Hibiki closed his eyes.

"Mr. Hibiki?"

Jaden sat up, looking worried. Hibiki snapped back to himself.

"Sorry, I'm fine."

He quietly took out his glasses from his inner pocket, put them on, then reached out and gently patted Jaden's shoulder.

"That was a fun duel, thank you, Jaden. I'm really glad someone like you was my opponent in this final stage."

"I'm happy to have met you too, Mr. Hibiki," Jaden said, puzzled. "But what did you mean by 'final stage'?"

Hibiki just smiled and didn't answer.

"In the future, you'll surely become a top duelist. So remember this," he said earnestly, "whoever your opponent is, never forget how you feel today.

Enjoy dueling, and let dueling bring you happiness. Be that kind of duelist."

"Okay!"

Jaden nodded, though to him, it seemed obvious.

Isn't dueling the most fun thing in the world?

"Alright then."

Hibiki perked up and stood.

"Now that it's over, I'm a bit hungry. How about you, Jaden?"

"Now that you mention it, I am a little…"

"The other qualifiers aren't all here yet. Let's go grab something to eat while we wait."

The first players who completed the puzzle cards and arrived had already registered and made the top eight. There was no need to stand around waiting.

"Yay! Food!" Jaden was excited.

Dueling and eating—probably the two greatest joys in his life at the moment.

"What do you want to eat? My treat."

"Eh, isn't that not right?"

"It's fine, don't worry about it."

"…"

The two walked off together.

Neither noticed that, not far behind them, in a shadow around the corner, a pair of unfriendly eyes watched them.

"The Planet series… Terra. Just as intel said, it's in Koyo Hibiki's hands."

The watcher narrowed their eyes, staring at Hibiki's back with a cold chuckle.

"The world's strongest hero, World Champion Koyo Hibiki… What a troublesome guy to have it. Always giving me the hardest jobs. Looks like…"

The figure's eyes grew cruel.

"I'll just have to… take him out, huh?"

But the shadow didn't realize that at some point, another person had appeared right behind them—so close they were nearly touching.

A warm, calm voice spoke up behind them: "Oh? Why do you want to take him out?"

Startled, the shadow instinctively jumped back, rabbit-like, and watched their rear.

Behind them stood Kira, appearing like a ghost.

Kira looked the person up and down.

Surprisingly, it was a girl—tall, shapely, blonde, blue-eyed—now with arms crossed defensively, glaring at Kira.

"Don't be so misleading," Kira complained. "Someone might get the wrong idea."

The woman realized she'd overreacted, lowered her arms, coughed, then regained her cool, villainous composure.

"Is stalking girls something Duel Academy teaches?"

But she still watched Kira vigilantly.

She hadn't even noticed when he'd circled behind her, or when he'd realized she was spying.

"You're Reggie Mackenzie?" Kira asked.

Reggie: "!"

He even knew her name?

"I thought so," Kira said. Reggie Mackenzie, top lieutenant of manga boss Tragoedia, though only because she was forced to be.

She's the daughter of Principal Mackenzie of the American Duel Academy. When she discovered Tragoedia had possessed her father, he split off a fragment of himself and forced it into her, making her his puppet.

Still, Reggie's dueling skills were solid—she easily defeated Alexis in the manga, and though she threw her duel with Misawa, she was always in control—so she should be stronger than Misawa.

So, according to the original, Kira guessed she was now a vanguard for the Tragoedia Faction.

"Hmm? Kira, what's up?"

At that moment, Mokuba walked over, seeing Kira staring down Reggie.

Mokuba didn't know Reggie. He looked her over, noted her fair skin and good looks, but nothing else.

Reggie looked away from Kira and turned to Mokuba.

"I've collected six puzzle cards," she said. "I want to advance."

"Oh, a contestant!"

Mokuba nodded, pointing to a spot along the shore.

"Register over there. The staff will give you your top eight contestant card."

"Okay."

Reggie pocketed her card and walked off.

For some reason, meeting Kira's gaze made her uneasy, as if something dangerous was watching her.

As she left, Mokuba asked, "So, is she with Doma?"

"Probably not," Kira replied, watching her go with a slight smile.

"This tournament might be even more interesting than we thought."

Chapter 379: Duel for the World

A burning village, hellish scenes. Flames danced like demons, devouring every inch of land. Green fields and old houses were reduced to ash. The air was thick with the smell of burning wood, cloth, anything that could burn.

People wandered like zombies, bodies twisted, skin rotting. Some were charred to cinders, yet their blackened forms still moved mechanically.

A boy sat on the ground, tears blurring his vision. He stared ahead, terrified, unable to speak.

A man crawled on the ground, skin blackened, desperately dragging himself toward the boy. The man opened his mouth, eyes hungry like a beast.

"…"

The dream ended.

The last of the Doma Three Swords, Loren, sat up, tears unconsciously falling.

"That dream again?"

A voice beside him.

Loren stood and bowed respectfully.

"Arbiter."

The Arbiter was a handsome man, quietly standing nearby.

"Yeah, another nightmare."

Loren sat up, rubbing his temples.

"It's fine. It's almost over. As long as I defeat him…"

He glanced at the Duel Disk and deck nearby.

Yes, as long as he won…

Or got defeated.

Either way, he'd be free of the nightmare.

"Get ready. The time has come," said the Arbiter. "The wheels of fate are turning. A new era is coming—no one can stop it."

"Yes."

Loren nodded and stood.

…

Zane was the sixth to register.

Though his loss to Kira had affected him, Zane quickly regained his rhythm and won the last puzzle card, securing the sixth spot in the quarterfinals.

"Oh, Zane made it too!"

Seeing his friend, Jaden rushed over excitedly.

"Maybe we'll face each other in the finals. I won't lose this time," Jaden grinned.

Zane's fighting spirit was back. Arms folded, he smiled: "Sure. But I won't hand over victory so easily."

Jaden: "Let's both give it everything and duel with no regrets!"

"Right!" Zane replied, fired up.

Kira appeared: "So you made it too, Zane. Congrats. Hope we meet in the finals."

"Kira…"

Seeing Kira, Zane's fighting spirit visibly dimmed.

"Yeah… okay."

He agreed, but his face showed anything but excitement. Maybe he was thinking, anyone is fine as an opponent—just not you.

Kira didn't mind, just smiled.

He didn't have Jaden's people-loving charisma, but that was fine. Winning was what mattered.

Kira looked around.

Most of the top eight were familiar faces. As they waited for the last two, finally, two people walked in at their own pace.

They were from Doma: the Arbiter and the last swordsman, Loren.

Kaiba, who'd been silently waiting, now glanced over with a meaningful smile.

"Finally here?" Kaiba said coolly. "Lucky for you, there were only two spots left. I thought you'd chicken out."

The Arbiter said calmly, "Fate has long been decided, Kaiba Seto. The last two spots are ours, just as the direction of the tournament was decided from the start."

Kaiba scoffed.

"I've heard that kind of crap too many times. Fate is an excuse for the weak. The strong carve their own fate."

The Arbiter just smiled, not arguing.

Kaiba now noticed the person beside the Arbiter, whose eyes had been locked on him the whole time.

"The moment has finally come, Kaiba Seto," Loren said coldly.

"And you are?"

"My name is Loren, the last of the Doma Three Swords, a revenant from hell. You stole everything from me—now I am your angel of vengeance."

Loren probably expected that to be dramatic, but Kaiba just snorted in dismissal.

"Take a number. Plenty of people want revenge on me."

He didn't even bother asking why.

"You!"

Loren grew angrier, stepping forward as if to fight.

Of course, going hand-to-hand against Kaiba, with his superhuman physique, would be a losing proposition.

"Oh? Planning to fight here?" Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

"I don't mind."

The Arbiter's eyes narrowed.

At that moment, it seemed as if dark clouds gathered overhead, sunlight dimming. Thunder rumbled—a sense of ancient beasts roaring in the clouds.

Even Jaden noticed something was wrong.

"Why is it suddenly dark?" Jaden asked, surprised.

Could it be this guy?

Could someone really change the weather with just a look?

"…Though we could settle this here, since we already agreed before, I suggest we duel instead. What do you say, Kaiba Seto?"

"My answer is the same," Kaiba said, arms folded. "So long as it's a duel, I accept any challenge."

The Arbiter smiled, and the clouds instantly cleared.

Settling things by duel was what both sides preferred.

Kaiba's logic: Summoning monsters for a real fight would cause too much collateral damage. If this guy really was the snake god who fought the Egyptian Gods, Kaiba had more faith in his dueling than his monsters.

As for the Arbiter…

He acted calm and in control, but as he passed Kira, he couldn't help glancing at him.

He didn't care about Kaiba or his Blue-Eyes; the only one here he was wary of was the boy or rather, the thing Kira had unsealed.

Once bitten, twice shy, as the saying goes. After getting ganged up on by the Gods years ago, even now he still felt the pain. If he could help it, he didn't want another Pokémon battle.

Better to bet on cards than war.

Chapter 380: The Top Eight Begins

Night fell, the skyline shrouded in purple twilight.

A massive, mysterious ship slowly approached through the mist, parting the sea with its bulk, leaving a trail on the horizon. Waves crashed against metal, blending with the thunder of engines in a grand symphony.

"Whoa, amazing!"

Jaden's eyes widened at the KC-branded vessel.

"It's huge! Looks like a battleship!"

"This is the new stage for the Duel City finals—the Duel Ship!"

Kaiba strode aboard.

"If you have the guts for the ultimate test, step onto this stage!"

The Arbiter followed silently, face impassive. Loren trailed behind, eyes never leaving Kaiba.

The others boarded in turn, and the ship set off.

Back in the original Duel City, Kaiba had a blimp, which even had a jet inside—pretty over the top.

"I see," Kira thought. "Bringing these dangerous people far from the city—if things go south and we have a Pokémon battle, at least civilians won't get caught up."

Before, just a bit of the snake god's power had caused a disaster big enough to halt the tournament. If they fought for real, who knew what would happen.

Kaiba had arranged a lavish banquet for the finalists, held on the top deck.

A long table, draped in white linen, silver cutlery, crystal glasses, and a variety of dishes, with classical music floating in the air.

Contestants could bring one or two relatives or friends, but Kira didn't have anyone in mind, so it didn't matter to him.

Hibiki, however, did bring family.

"Eh!?"

When Jaden saw a woman in a white shirt and high-waisted jeans smiling at him, he was shocked.

"Sensei? You're entering the tournament too?"

She was a teacher at Slifer Red Dorm. Jaden rarely stayed awake in her class, but he still recognized her.

She smiled. "I taught you for a semester, Jaden. I bet you don't remember my name?"

Jaden scratched his head, embarrassed. "Haha, you got me…"

"My name is Midori Hibiki," she replied. "Try not to forget this time."

"Midori Hibiki, Hibiki… Wait!?"

Jaden was shocked.

"Are you related to Mr. Hibiki?"

"She's my sister," Koyo explained, smiling. "Jaden's a good student, isn't he?"

"A good duelist, sure. As a student…"

Midori smiled slyly, arms folded.

"Even among Duel Academy students, it's rare to see so many failing grades in a single semester."

"Ahaha…," Jaden could only laugh awkwardly.

"Jaden, your dueling is top-notch, but theory matters too. Don't neglect it."

Koyo patted his shoulder, then gave his sister a meaningful glance.

"And trust me, making my sister mad is a bad idea. Even I stay out of her way then."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Midori huffed.

Watching their interaction, Jaden couldn't help but say, "That's nice…"

"What is?" Koyo asked.

"Oh, just seeing you two made me think—having siblings must be great. I didn't have many friends as a kid. I always wished for a brother or something."

"Is that so?"

Koyo smiled, eyes closed.

"Well, if you'd like, Jaden, I could… be your big brother."

"Really!?" Jaden was excited.

"Hey, you didn't ask my opinion," Midori interjected.

"Big sister Midori!" Jaden quickly corrected himself.

"Alright, alright," Midori laughed. "But don't think calling me that will help you pass next semester!"

"…"

After the feast, the contestants rested in their rooms, then were called to the top deck.

The dueling arena was already set up, with a Blue-Eyes lottery machine—a chibi Ultimate Blue-Eyes Dragon, its central mouth open behind a glass dome, the other two facing down.

Kaiba, ever extravagant, had even turned the lottery machine itself into a card.

[Spell Card - Bingo Machine, Go!]

[Effect: Reveal 3 "Blue-Eyes" monsters or cards that list "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" or "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon" except this card from your Deck, your opponent randomly chooses 1 for you to add to your hand, shuffle the rest into the Deck.]

Proof that in the Yu-Gi-Oh! world, anything can become a card.

A man in a black suit and sunglasses stood on stage.

"Welcome, duelists. I am Roland, judge for this KaibaCorp Duel City tournament."

Roland, the legendary judge who'd faced every crisis at Kaiba's side, always calm no matter what.

"We will now use this machine to randomly determine matchups. Please wait."

The Ultimate Dragon machine whirred, golden balls with contestant numbers spinning inside. Everyone held their breath.

"Who will I face first?" Jaden was excited.

"Everyone's a great opponent, can't wait!"

Two balls dropped from the dragon's mouths—the first match's contestants.

"Number one—Fujiki Kira!"

Roland held up the two balls and announced,

"Versus Number three—Reggie Mackenzie!"