"The second match will begin in one hour. All duelists in the next bout, make your preparations!"
Kaiba gave Yugi a cold look, then left the Duel Tower without another word, heading back toward the Duelship.
"That Kaiba… what a poser," Jounouchi muttered.
Yami Yugi's gaze sharpened. The mural he'd once seen flashed through his mind.
"Kaiba… It feels like the battle from three thousand years ago is about to repeat itself."
Inside Room 2, Aoi stood at the window, staring out into the distance. For some reason, the image of Kaiba losing to Yugi in the original timeline kept flickering in her mind—tightening something in her chest.
After a moment, she turned and walked to Room 1.
The moment she slipped inside, she saw Kaiba dozing on the sofa, unaware she'd entered. His deck—still being tuned—lay on the table in front of him.
Aoi quietly took a single card from behind her back and slid it into his deck.
"Let this change your future," she whispered.
"…Aoi?"
Kaiba's eyes snapped open. He sat up, pinching the bridge of his nose as he focused on her.
"Aoi. When did you come in?"
"Just a minute ago. You looked like you were actually sleeping, so I didn't wake you."
Aoi shook her head. "You've been pushing yourself too hard. Rest a little more. The next duel could be a real war."
Kaiba gave a short, self-mocking breath. "So I was careless enough to fall asleep…"
He stood, straightened his coat, and tightened his posture like he was putting armor back on.
"No. Enough."
He turned toward the door. "Let's go. It's about time."
Aoi nodded. "Yeah."
They stepped into the corridor and immediately ran into Yugi's group, who were also heading out for the tower.
"Aoi, we're leaving."
Kaiba didn't even acknowledge the others. He took Aoi with him and strode past.
"Kaiba's got some nerve," Jounouchi snapped, watching his back.
Yugi stayed quiet, but Honda shrugged. "That's just Kaiba. And it's their duel next—he's not about to chat with a crowd right now."
Yugi nodded once. "Let's go."
On the way to the Duel Tower, Aoi spoke softly.
"Seto… you were a bit too cold back there."
"It doesn't matter," Kaiba answered without slowing. "They aren't my allies. And in a few minutes, they'll be my enemies. I have no interest in getting tangled up with them."
The air between them grew heavy.
Aoi tilted her head, deliberately brightening her tone. "Alright, alright. Then at least let me give you some advice for the duel?"
"I don't need it," Kaiba said, still sharp—but his expression wasn't as rigid as before. "I'll duel my way."
Aoi caught the shift and let it go, choosing silence over pushing him further.
At the top of the Duel Tower, Kaiba climbed onto the platform first.
Wind tore at his hair, but he didn't move—just stood there, waiting.
Soon Yugi's group arrived, with Ishizu and Malik close behind.
Kaiba and Yugi faced each other across the arena, and the air tightened until it felt like it might snap.
"It's finally beginning," Ishizu murmured. "Their fated clash spanning three thousand years… a battle of gods against gods."
Malik swallowed without meaning to.
But was that ancient battle truly Pharaoh versus priest…? Ishizu's thoughts drifted back to the mural—and to the things Aoi had said.
Kaiba's voice cut through the silence.
"Yugi. You've seen the ancient Egyptian mural in Domino City's museum, haven't you?"
Yami Yugi's eyes narrowed. The moment he'd seen it, he'd felt the pull of inevitability—like he was destined to meet Kaiba in a final duel. Now, standing here, he wanted answers.
Kaiba scoffed. "Hmph. Meaningless. Whatever happened in the past has nothing to do with me. I've never treated baseless legends as 'destiny.'"
"Kaiba," Yami Yugi shot back, "if you don't even know your past, what right do you have to speak of the future?"
Kaiba's gaze hardened.
"The reason I created Battle City was simple: to obtain the three God Cards—then stand at the top of this tower as the ultimate duelist."
"If you come at me clinging to the past, you'll lose. Victory only smiles on those who face forward."
"Stubborn," Yami Yugi said, voice low. "If you deny what came before, you're just running blind."
Kaiba turned slightly, as if the arena itself was beneath him.
"This stage isn't worthy of our duel."
He keyed commands into his Duel Disk.
In an instant, the scenery transformed into a Roman coliseum—just like earlier. Only now, the roaring crowd chanted "Kaiba! Kaiba!"
Aoi immediately covered her face.
"…So embarrassing."
Kaiba glanced back. "You don't like it?"
"I'm not you," Aoi muttered through her fingers. "If I liked this, something would be seriously wrong with me."
"Then we'll keep going," Kaiba said, utterly unbothered.
"Now begins the Battle City semifinal match two: Seto Kaiba vs. Yugi Muto! Duel start!"
"DUEL!"
Seto Kaiba LP 4000Yami Yugi LP 4000
Kaiba raised his hand with absolute certainty.
"Yugi. I'm taking the first turn."
"My turn—draw."
The card he drew slid into his palm, and the corner of it—Obelisk the Tormentor—made his mouth curl in a cold, confident smile.
"I activate the Continuous Spell Sanctuary of Spells!"
"When this card is activated, both players can add one Spell from their Deck to their hand. And while it remains on the field, both players can activate Spell Cards during the opponent's turn."
Kaiba and Yugi each searched their decks and added a Spell to hand.
He's letting me choose a Spell? Yami Yugi's mind raced. What did Kaiba take that makes him willing to risk this?
"Next, I activate the Field Spell Union Hangar!"
"When it's activated, I can add one LIGHT Machine Union monster from my Deck to my hand."
"I add Z-Metal Tank."
Kaiba's fingers didn't pause.
"I Normal Summon X-Head Cannon in Attack Position!"
X-Head Cannon (ATK 1800 / DEF 1500)
"Now—Union Hangar's effect. Once per turn, if I Normal or Special Summon a LIGHT Machine Union monster, I can equip it with a different Union monster from my Deck that can legally equip to it."
"I equip Y-Dragon Head to X-Head Cannon."
The two machines pulled together and locked into formation.
"While equipped, if the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle or card effect, destroy this card instead. And the equipped monster gains 400 ATK/DEF."
X-Head Cannon (ATK 2200 / DEF 1900)
Kaiba slid two cards into his back row.
"I set two cards."
"End turn." (Cards in hand: 3)
He didn't look away from Yugi for even a second.
"From the next turn on," Kaiba thought, "I strike first."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 155)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter200)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter110)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter230)
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Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 200
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 180
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 230
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 220
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 120
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 135
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 110
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 100
My Harem Is Indescribable 90
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 95
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 80
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 70
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 75
Checking In in Demon Slayer 80
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 85
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 70
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 65
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 70
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 70
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 65
Why did they assign me to Uma 65
MYGO Beauties 65
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 55
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 65
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 45
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 45
The Uma Musume Who Became 40
I'm Definitely Not the King of 45
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
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