Yugioh [417-419] (Patreon)

Chapter 417: Toward the Future

The earth was torn open, as if a force from the very core of the planet erupted, shaking every inch of space.

The air twisted, the temperature surged, as if the soul of a dormant volcano had been awakened. Huge cracks split the ground like ferocious wounds, spewing endless torrents of lava—like thick blood under the setting sun, or the eternal flames of hell.

And from within that searing chaos, a massive hand reached out, slamming down onto Kaiba's field.

The rolling lava consumed the Grinder Golem, and even the invincible Ultimate White Dragon. Not even the noble ultimate resistance could stand against the unstoppable Lava Golem.

In an instant, the president's Ultimate Dragon was devoured. Then the burning fool poked its head out from the lava onto this field, glanced at the president now locked in an iron cage, and somehow, its abstract face seemed to crack a simple, honest smile.

There was even a hint of "pleased to meet you" in its demeanor.

 Kaiba: "..."

[Lava Golem, ATK 3000]

The audience was speechless.

How to put it—

 The way Kira played this card, it really was intense. Like a classic duelist, trusting his deck, drawing the key card at the crucial moment, changing the world with a miraculous draw.

But usually, miracle draws are about summoning a flashy monster to turn the tables. Especially in a situation like this, shouldn't it be "since all effects are negated, just break through head-on," then summon a monster with 5000 or 6000 attack to cut down the Ultimate Dragon?

 But just as the tension peaked, this guy brings out a Lava Golem.

 How do you even judge this move? Most people wouldn't know what to say.

"Tch, Marik's monster, huh."

Kaiba snorted, but his mood was still stable.

As expected of the president—any other duelist in this world, if their Ultimate Dragon with full resistance got devoured like that, would probably be rolling up their sleeves to fight already...

 But it wasn't over yet.

"I activate the spell card 'Take Over Five', sending the top five cards of my deck to the graveyard." (Anime card)

 Kira drew five cards and sent them to the grave.

"One of the cards sent is the monster 'Learning Elf'," Kira said. "When this card is sent to the graveyard, I draw one card." (Manga card)

 He drew another card.

"Next, I activate the spell card 'Owner's Seal'," Kira said. "All monsters on the field return to their original owners' control.

Come back, Lava Golem!"

Full and satisfied, Lava Golem patted its butt and leapt straight to Kira's side of the field.

Kaiba: "..."

"Lava Golem, direct attack." Kira declared. "Infernal Volcano Impact!"

Lava Golem's palm crashed down, bringing a wave of scorching fire. With Kaiba's field wiped out, he took the full brunt of Lava Golem's attack, his coat billowing in the flames.

[Kaiba, LP 4000 → LP 1000]

"I set one card face-down and end my turn," Kira said.

"It hit!" Jaden cheered first. "As expected of Kira's soul card, Lava Golem! So strong!"

Zane looked conflicted.

Well, how to say it...

 You can't say he's not impressive.

It's just... complicated.

Facing Kira and his blazing Lava Golem, Kaiba was silent for a moment, but didn't draw right away.

A few seconds later, he spoke.

"I haven't participated in any tournaments for many years, chasing after honors and all those things I once craved."

He looked up at Kira and said calmly,

"But now I'm back, back on this stage, just like the starting point years ago. Still in Duelist Kingdom, still on this stage. Do you know why?"

Kira shook his head.

He really didn't know.

Back then, the title of "King of Games" was something Kaiba dreamed of. He challenged again and again, failing each time, but growing stronger with each setback, determined to win at any cost—as if that honor was the ultimate goal of his life.

But after Atem left, and Yugi Mutou sealed his cards away, the title became all but his for the taking—yet he abandoned it.

From Kira's perspective, he could only guess Kaiba felt that if he hadn't beaten the true strongest, the title was meaningless—a recognition from the world, but not from himself.

But why did Kaiba now decide to make a comeback? That, Kira didn't understand.

"That infuriating guy once told me, 'Those without a past will never have a future.'"

Kaiba closed his eyes, a faint smile as he recalled the memory.

"Ironically, for the old me, all light existed only in the future, and the past was just a trail I'd left behind—meaningless to me.

Who would have thought that one day, even I would become stuck in the past, unable to move forward?"

From the audience, Mokuba was dazed. "Big brother..."

As Kaiba's younger brother and the person who knew him best, Mokuba vaguely sensed when this change began.

It seemed to start when Kaiba insisted on going to the Underworld to face Atem.

After returning, Kaiba never spoke of what happened there, not even to Mokuba. No one knew what happened, whether he met Atem, or who won that duel.

Or perhaps, something happened in that duel—a message or something said by Atem—that pushed Kaiba to change.

Yes, ever since Atem left, Kaiba too was stuck in the past, unable to move forward.

He couldn't let go of Atem, nor the unresolved rivalry. Once, his ambitions were all in the future, so the past was meaningless. But after Atem's departure, the future suddenly lost its brilliance, and the future he pursued so desperately became pointless.

It was only after returning from the Underworld that he seemed to find direction again.

"I made a promise with that guy—a true duelist never stops, no matter where the road leads," Kaiba said solemnly. "If gods block the way, then defeat the gods and keep going.

Now, I have surpassed even the gods! For the chance to face that annoying guy again. Next time...

 I will stand before him as King of Games!"

His finger touched his deck.

"—Draw!"

The moment he drew, it was as if endless azure light burst from the deck, as if just drawing the card released terrifying energy!

 Kira frowned slightly.

That feeling... It seemed Kaiba had drawn something incredible.

It was here.

Kaiba's face clearly showed it, a confident smile on his lips.

As if this draw had secured victory once again in his grasp.

He slowly looked up.

"Next, you'll see the ultimate evolution beyond Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon—the strongest Blue-Eyes in history!"

Chapter 418: Dragon of Light

The strongest Blue-Eyes in history.

 Given that this was the anime world, and facing Kaiba, Kira had an idea of what it might be.

If it was "that"... well, in theory, that card shouldn't exist anymore.

But in any case, the answer was about to be revealed.

"I activate the spell card 'Shuffle Reborn'," Kaiba declared. "This card can only be activated when I have no monsters on the field. I select one monster from my graveyard to Special Summon."

Azure data streams coalesced into a card, exiting his graveyard slot.

"My strongest servant, the Ultimate Dragon—Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, revive!"

A blinding white light and earth-shaking presence—the invincible three-headed White Dragon returned in all its glory!

[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, ATK 4500]

"So fast, he brought back Ultimate Dragon already—not bad, President," Kira smiled. "But monsters summoned by Shuffle Reborn have their effects negated, and are banished at the end of the turn."

"Huh?" Mokuba blinked. "But with 'Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon' in the graveyard, big brother's Ultimate Dragon is invincible—it's immune to all card effects!"

"No, it's 'immune to opponent's card effects'," Jaden grinned.

"But Shuffle Reborn is Kaiba's own card, so its side effect can't be avoided."

"I see..."

"Still, knowing Kaiba, he must have a plan," Zane said.

He was right.

Kaiba slowly drew out a card from his hand.

"At last," he said quietly. "After so many years, I've finally regained this power.

Grant me this power once more—descend in your ultimate form—"

Kaiba's pupils narrowed as he raised the card, a beam of brilliant blue shooting into the sky. Lightning dragons roared amidst the clouds.

Jaden stared in shock.

Something big was about to appear...

"I tribute 'Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon'!"

The crowd was stunned.

A monster that strong—he's sacrificing it? What kind of monster could require such a condition?

"Summoned from beyond the ultimate beast, a dragon of light that erases everything—appear now—

—Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon!!!"

From the light emerged the legendary ultimate monster. Armored in refined steel and stardust, its deep blue radiance was pure and intense as a newborn blue sun.

No, it wasn't just a dragon—it was more like a guardian deity.

Worshipped as a god by ancient Egyptians, it first appeared in card form in Pegasus's hands, briefly becoming Kaiba's trump card that surpassed even the gods.

But at the end of the Pyramid of Light movie, Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon burned itself out to destroy the final boss's "Pyramid of Light," vanishing as a result.

This was the peak of White Dragon evolution Kaiba had reached. Even after all these years, he hadn't developed a stronger form. So of course, he used every resource to try and recreate this card.

Now, after so many years, he had finally succeeded.

Back then, Atem was the first and only opponent Kaiba faced with Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon. Now, Kira became the second.

[Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, ATK 3000]

"Whenever Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon would be affected by a card effect, its controller can choose whether to accept or ignore it." (Anime effect)

Kaiba declared,

"This is the ultimate evolution of White Dragon, with absolute resistance!"

"Choose whether to accept any effect!?" Zane's face changed.

Does such resistance even exist!?

"That really does surpass even the Ultimate Dragon's resistance," Jaden agreed.

It's Kaiba Seto, after all. The previous Ultimate Dragon with full resistance was already a legendary monster in their eyes—yet now, Kaiba had immediately surpassed even that.

 "...I activate the spell card 'Dragon Shrine'," Kaiba said calmly. "I send one Dragon-type monster from my deck to the graveyard. If it's a Normal Monster, I can send another."

His deck automatically ejected two cards.

"I send two 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons' from my deck to the graveyard."

"'Ultimate Fusion' returns fusion materials to the deck," Kira understood. "To boost Shining Dragon's power?"

Kaiba snorted.

"Hmph, you know quite a bit. Yes, Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon's attack increases by 300 for each Dragon in my graveyard!" Kaiba announced. "For every Dragon in my graveyard, Shining Dragon's ATK rises by 300!"

Images of the dragons in his graveyard appeared one by one.

From the first turn's discarded Dragon for the XYZ Cannon, to the discarded Tyrant Dragon, the Neo Ultimate Dragon, the tributed Ultimate Dragon, and the two White Dragons sent by Dragon Shrine Effect...

 "Six Dragons in total, for an ATK increase of 1800!"

[Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, ATK 3000 → ATK 4800]

"Even its ATK surpasses Ultimate Dragon!" Jaden couldn't help but exclaim.

"And the terrifying thing is, this ability has no limit," Zane said seriously. "Even with full resistance, Ultimate Dragon is only 4500 ATK.

But Shining Dragon's ATK can just keep climbing as more Dragons hit the graveyard..."

With this dragon, there was no telling how high its ATK could get.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he'd never believe such a monster could exist.

He glanced at Kira again.

Facing such a duelist and monster... could he still be as composed as always?

"I really got to see it."

Kira looked up at that godlike, shining form and murmured,

"The anime effect of Shining Dragon."

And neither Jaden nor Zane knew that even now, Shining Dragon wasn't at full power. It had a hidden ultimate effect, a trump card not easily used, but not to be underestimated.

"Shining Dragon's power will secure victory in my hands. But before the battle..."

Kaiba waved his hand, activating a face-down card.

"I activate the face-down spell card 'Ancient Rules'. I can Special Summon a Level 5 or higher Normal Monster from my hand.

Appear, Dragon Spirit of White!"

In a white glow, the Dragon Spirit of White descended, spiraling towards Kira's back row.

"When Dragon Spirit of White is summoned, it can banish a Spell or Trap Card on the field," Kaiba declared, "banishing your set card!"

Kira's set card was revealed—Trap Card "Dimensional Wall."

A trap that could reflect battle damage back to the opponent.

Jaden realized,

"Oh! That move!"

"Yeah, even if Shining Dragon can ignore any effect, Dimensional Wall reflects battle damage without affecting the monster," Zane said.

The monster may be invincible, but the duelist is not.

If Kaiba relied only on his invincible Shining Dragon and attacked recklessly, Kira's Dimensional Wall would have meant instant defeat for Kaiba.

Losing like that would be intolerable.

 He glanced at Kira again.

Such devious tactics, one after another...

"Hmph, Dimensional Wall? Useless against me."

Kaiba raised his voice,

"Now, this is the true end!"

His gaze was resolute.

More than winning against Kira, or making the finals or becoming King of Games, this duel had a special meaning for him.

This was his comeback, and a new step toward the future.

He was going to carve out a bright future with his soul and his strongest servant.

"Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, attack!

Shining Burst!!!"

Chapter 419: Dragons Must Die

"Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, attack!" Kaiba shouted.

"Attack 'Grinder Token'!!!"

[Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, ATK 4800]

[Grinder Token, ATK 0]

The Grinder Golem's summoned token had to be in Attack Position, a glaring weakness on Kira's field. Shining Dragon's attack would end this duel.

But Kaiba frowned slightly.

Could it really be that simple?

Would this guy really...

 As expected. Just as the Shining Dragon's finishing blow fired, a burst of electromagnetic sparks exploded, and a powerful invisible force repelled both the light blast and the dragon's body—the white light soared into the sky, vanishing.

"Huh?" Mokuba exclaimed. "But Shining Dragon can ignore any effect, why was its attack stopped?"

Kaiba noticed a fleeting turtle-shaped shadow on Kira's field and snorted softly.

"That monster again..."

"Electromagnetic Turtle in the grave," Kira revealed the card banished from his graveyard.

"During your opponent's turn, you can banish this card from your graveyard to end the Battle Phase." Kira smiled. "Shining Dragon ignores card effects, but this isn't an effect that targets the monster.

Even a monster that surpasses the gods can't break the rules of dueling. When the Battle Phase is forcibly ended, the attack just fails."

Kaiba smiled faintly.

Just like back then.

"..."

Kaiba: "Obelisk the Tormentor, tear Slifer apart!"

"In the grave, Electromagnetic Turtle's effect..."

"MUDA! Fodder monsters' effects don't work on gods!"

"I know, but this isn't an effect on a god," Yami Yugi replied. "Electromagnetic Turtle ends the Battle Phase—so even a god's attack is meaningless!"

"..."

That infuriating attitude, always—but that's why that person mattered so much to him.

For Kaiba, duels with that person were always full of strategy and spirit, pushing him to his limits, time after time.

That person's very existence made his blood boil.

That's why, even after all these years, he couldn't forgive the guy for snatching victory and leaving as the winner.

And now, through this duel, Kaiba increasingly saw a bit of that person's shadow in Kira.

Was it an illusion?

It didn't matter.

The only thing that mattered was that this was the kind of battle he sought and recognized.

"I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

Kaiba swept his arm, setting two more cards.

The situation was clearly dire for Kira.

Kaiba's deck had surpassed everything in this era, and now he'd brought out a trump card like "Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon."

"Ultimate-resistant Ultimate Dragons and Shining Dragons, one after another with no breathing room—President really doesn't give you a break..."

Kira smiled wryly.

Well, the result of this duel didn't matter. He was just testing his own limits; win or lose, he didn't care.

No fear of defeat, no obsession with victory. As Jaden often said, he was simply immersed in the duel, living in the moment with all his might.

"My turn, draw!"

At that moment, the Sealing Device seemed to flicker. The Eye of Horus flashed gold.

Kaiba's pupils narrowed slightly.

That sense of power, that blood-stirring feeling...

"During this turn's Standby Phase, the effect of 'Take Over Five' in the graveyard activates. This card and any copies in the deck are banished, and I draw one card."

The spell card vanished in a shimmer of gold; Kira drew a card.

"But during the Standby Phase, Lava Golem's downside also activates," Kaiba said coldly.

Kira nodded. "I know. During the Standby Phase, the controller takes 1000 damage."

[Kira, LP 1850 → LP 850]

The golem let out a muffled sound, hanging its head in apparent dejection. But Kira just smiled. "No problem."

Then he revealed another card.

"I activate the spell card 'Advance Draw'," Kira said. "I tribute Level 8 'Lava Golem' to draw two cards."

Lava Golem melted away, and Kira drew two cards.

He slowly drew one of the cards he'd just drawn.

"Then I activate this card—"

He raised his arm, and a green spell card appeared.

"Spell Card, 'Fusion Birth'!" (Manga card)

 Jaden nearly jumped up.

"Ah! The same card as mine!"

"Oh?" Kaiba said. "You're using Fusion now?"

"Fusion Birth: send the top five cards of your deck to the graveyard. If among them are the Fusion Materials for a Fusion Monster, you can Fusion Summon that monster!"

"If you draw them," Kaiba smiled.

Kira nodded. "If I draw them."

Zane murmured, "He's put everything on the draw for victory..."

For this guy, that's rare. But after all, his opponent is Kaiba Seto.

It meant, without relying on this, he couldn't win anymore.

 Still...

 Kaiba narrowed his eyes, still smiling.

Come, show me, Fujiki Kira.

The brilliance of you as a duelist.

"Draw!"

Five cards in one go.

Two of them instantly flashed gold, transforming into monster images in midair—a regal warrior in blue armor wielding a massive sword, and an armored dragon warrior.

"Among the cards I drew, these two—"

Kira announced.

"Buster Blader, and Dragon-Type monster 'Troop Dragon'!"

"Buster Blader!?" Mokuba exclaimed.

Then he realized—right, after beating Gozaburo, Buster Blader was given to Kira. Facing Big Brother, of course Kira would use it.

 This was the true dragon-killer.

And also, a card series inspired by Atem's deck.

"Fusion materials: 'Buster Blader' and any Dragon-Type monster," Kira said. "Fusing Buster Blader and 'Troop Dragon'!

 The ultimate Dragon-Slaying Swordsman, with a blade to carve out the future—

—Buster Blader, the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman—summoned!!!"

Having gained the power of Dragons, the ultimate Buster Blader! Thick armor, a massive dragon-slaying sword, and eyes sharp as rubies.

The swordsman appeared, facing the godlike White Dragon, hand on his sword, utterly fearless.

[Buster Blader, the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman, ATK 2800]

This card was specially developed by Gozaburo's spirit to counter Kaiba; no one else had seen it, and everyone was stunned by the swordsman's presence.

"So cool!" Jaden exclaimed. "When did Kira quietly get such a powerful monster?"

"Dragon Destroyer Swordsman's effect," Kira said. "As long as this card is on the field, all Dragon-Type monsters your opponent controls are switched to Defense Position and cannot activate their effects!"

The crowd was even more shocked.

What the—!?

What a "Dragons must die" effect!