Hearing Gozaburo's words, Kaiba was momentarily taken aback. He froze for a few seconds before he couldn't help but throw his head back and roar with laughter.
"Is this some kind of pathetic joke, Gozaburo?"
Gozaburo didn't get angry. He simply said, "Of course. I expected as much from you, Seto. But that is only because you haven't yet shed the shackles of your mortal coil; you are unable to view things from a higher perspective.
"But it doesn't matter. I will help you see clearly."
He reached out his hand, and a stream of data converged onto his arm, materializing into the shape of a Duel Disk.
"Hmph, interesting." Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "Are you inviting me to a duel?"
"When you were still a child, you defeated me in the realm of chessthe field I was most proud ofwinning yourself the chance to step into the Kaiba family," Gozaburo said.
"And now, I am challenging you in the field you excel at most. What do you say, Seto? Do you accept?"
"Heh, interesting. The other you said the exact same thing before he died."
Kaiba gave a cold chuckle.
"I told you, I am different from that inferior product of the old era," Gozaburo said indifferently. "Our intelligence, dueling prowess, and calculating power have already surpassed your imagination."
He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Fujiki Yugen... I've noticed you're paying quite a bit of attention to that young man. You see his potential, don't you?"
"Is that why you targeted him?" Kaiba asked. "Just because of my interest?"
"That is one aspect of it." Gozaburo paused. "Coincidentally, he has also entered our domain. The highest-performing intelligence I have created should have found him by now.
"Allow me to show you the strength of our evolved, next-generation intelligence."
With a grand wave of Gozaburo's hand, an image was projected into the space.
It was the footage of Yugen and Delta's duel, playing out like a live broadcast.
Yugen: "Raiza the Storm Monarch's effect! Bounce Darkstorm Dragon to the top of the opponent's deck!"
"..."
Yugen: "Trap card, Spiritual Wind Art - Miyabi! Send Darkstorm Dragon to the bottom of the deck!"
"..."
Yugen: "Trap card, Phoenix Wing Wind Blast! Once again, bounce Darkstorm Dragon back to the top of the deck!"
"..."
Yugen: "Trap card, Dark Advance! I Tribute Summon Raiza the Storm Monarch again and bounce Five-Headed Dragon back to the Fusion Deck!"
Delta: "Aaaaagh!!!"
The AI wore a mask of pure agony, teetering on the edge of a total system crash.
But the torment wasn't over.
"Conscription," Yugen declared. "I Special Summon the Darkstorm Dragon from the top of your deck onto my field."
Delta had completely lost the will to live.
Gozaburo silently cut the live feed.
Ahem. There must be something wrong with the way I opened that stream.
Kaiba, on the other hand, was extremely satisfied with Yugen's performance, the corners of his mouth curling upward uncontrollably. Although the image had been cut, the duel no longer held any suspense. He turned to Gozaburo with a mocking sneer.
Is that it? That's your so-called highest-performing next-gen intelligence?
"Hmph, what an insidious brat," Gozaburo grumbled.
"As you can see, Gozaburo, you know absolutely nothing about what it means to be a true Duelist. But since you're so intent on seeking death, I don't mind personally sending you on your way again."
Kaiba snapped his own Duel Disk open.
"No matter the time, no matter the person, I will accept any challenge to a duel. Come!"
"Good. Then the stakes for this duel shall be your very self, Seto. If I lose, the program carrying my soul will be deleted from this domain.
"But if you lose, your consciousness will be digitized, and you will remain by my side forever as my right-hand man."
Kaiba gave a confident smile. "Hmph. If you can actually win, then do as you please."
"Duel!" x2
[Seto Kaiba, LP 4000]
[Gozaburo Kaiba, LP 4000]
Gozaburo: "I'll take the first turn. Draw."
Kaiba watched his opponent calmly.
What kind of tactics will this guy use this time?
The last time he fought Gozaburo's ghost in the virtual world, Gozaburo had used Exodia the Forbidden One. It was because that had been Kaiba's most painful defeat; his first loss in a duel had been to Yugi's Exodia.
What would it be this time?
"I Normal Summon Skilled White Magician," Gozaburo declared.
[Skilled White Magician, ATK 1700]
"As long as Skilled White Magician is on the field, it gains one Spell Counter every time a Spell Card is activated by either player."
Gozaburo revealed another card from his hand.
"First, I activate the Spell Card, Graceful Charity! I draw three cards from my deck, then discard two."
"And in this instant, Skilled White Magician gains a Spell Counter."
An indicator light on the white-robed mage's body flickered to life.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card, Spell Power Grasp," Gozaburo continued. "I place one counter on a card I control that can hold Spell Counters.
"Because a Spell Card was activated, Skilled White Magician gains one counter. Then, due to the effect of Spell Power Grasp, it gains another.
"Therefore, the Spell Counters on Skilled White Magician increase to three."
Three indicator lights on the white-robed mage lit up simultaneously.
"Next, I can add another copy of Spell Power Grasp from my deck to my hand."
Gozaburo drew the new Spell Card as it ejected from his deck.
"Then, I Tribute the Skilled White Magician with three Spell Counters!
"When Skilled White Magician with three counters is Tributed, I can Special Summon this card from my hand, deck, or Graveyard!"
Gozaburo raised his arm high and shouted.
"The legendary dragon-slaying warrior"
"Buster Blader, come forth!"
[Buster Blader, ATK 2600]
"Buster Blader, hmph," Kaiba snorted.
He was certainly no stranger to this card.
After all, it was one of the aces used by his only fated rival, Yami Yugi. In that fateful battle at the Sky Arena, his Blue-Eyes had fallen to the fusion of Dark Magician and Buster Blader.
"Correct, Seto. He is the warrior best suited to deal with you as you are now," Gozaburo said.
Kaiba sneered. "Is that so? If it were 'that guy's' Buster Blader, it might be worth fearing. But can a third-rate Duelist like you truly handle it?"
Gozaburo didn't respond. "I Set three cards. Turn end."
"My turn, draw!"
Kaiba drew his card.
"First, I activate the Spell Card, The Melody of Awakening Dragon! By discarding one card, I can add up to two monsters with 3000 or more ATK and 2500 or less DEF from my deck to my hand!"
He discarded a card, then pulled two cards from his deck.
"Next, I reveal the Blue-Eyes White Dragon in my hand to Special Summon Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon!"
[Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon, ATK 3000]
"Buster Blader's effect," Gozaburo interjected. "His ATK increases by 500 for every Dragon-Type monster on your field or in your Graveyard. Since you've summoned a Dragon, his ATK rises by 500."
[Buster Blader, ATK 2600 -> ATK 3100]
"It doesn't matter," Kaiba sneered. "Effect of Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon! Once per turn, by giving up my right to attack this turn, I can destroy one monster you control.
"Even a dragon-slaying sword is useless in the hands of a third-rate swordsman."
Kaiba made a sweeping motion with his hand.
"Buster Blader, get off the field!"
"Then I activate my Set card, the Trap Skill Prisoner," Gozaburo countered. "I target one card I control; until the end of this turn, monster effects that target that card are negated.
"I use Skill Prisoner to protect Buster Blader. Therefore, the effect of Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon targeting my monster is negated."
An invisible shield seemed to wrap around Buster Blader. The burst of light spat out by Alternative Dragon slammed into the barrier and vanished instantly, failing to deal any actual damage.
"It won't be that easy, Seto," Gozaburo said.
"Now then, the Blue-Eyes' offensive has been halted, and Buster Blader's attack power has already surpassed that of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Continuing to summon Dragons will only make him stronger. What will you do now?"
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access 400+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).