It was the first day after the tournament and Seto Kaiba was sitting in his office, at his desk, though not in front of a computer screen. He had placed it to the side and in front of him was the newest duelling system. The very item he had completed when others had been preparing for the tournament. The device was actually made out of two separate devices that were linked together, to create a playing field with two card zone's attacked to either side, much like the duelling arena, but much smaller. The field itself was not bigger as a chess board when linked together. A five by five grid between the two card zone's, the area where all the cards could be placed, allowed the users to play the game at home, but with holographic images rather then just the cards. The duel monsters themselves, who appeared on the five by five grid in the middle, were not larger then chess pieces, but extremely detailed. The Home Duelling System was Seto's newest invention and he hoped it would focus the attention from that rumoured game to the technology KaibaCorp actually made.
Seto glanced over the playing field to the other side of the desk, where Yugi was sitting. A bit further away were Mokuba and Melissa, who were observing the demonstration. The duel was in progress and so everything seemed to work like it should.
When the device had been completed, Seto had thought real hard as to who he could ask to properly test the first duel on the system. In the end he had settled for Yugi, who was not just good at duel monsters, but was interested in games in general. If anyone could appreciate it, he figured it would be Yugi. And why not have a challenging duel to test the system?
Maybe Yugi was his rival, a rival ever since the first time Yugi had defeated him, but Seto acknowledged Yugi as a good duellist, just as Yugi acknowledged him as a good duellist. And with everything that had happened, Dartz, ancient Egypt, Seto had noticed it was not as easy to see Yugi just as a rival. Seto had thought a lot about that when he had taken some time off to finish this duelling system, just as he had thought a lot about his first defeat and the heart of the cards back when he had worked on his first portable duelling system, back in the day Pegasus the enemy. During his recent stay at the white mansion on top of the sea cliff, Seto had come to the conclusion that Yugi, even though his biggest rival, was a respectable duellist and one that could be trusted. Though he would never admit Yugi was better them him, he knew he would be able to defeat him and prove that one day.
"As you see, it works just like all the other duelling systems. You place your cards and you see the effect in holographic images on the board."
"I think it's fantastic," Yugi said. "It's just like playing on those paper fields, but, well, with images."
Seto made an agreeing sound and placed one card face down on the magic and trap card zone. As he did, a white square on the field lit up as well. "Your turn."
Yugi drew a card from his deck and placed it in his hand. "You know what I like about this?"
"What?"
"This is a way to play duel monsters in a calm way. It's just like playing chess or another board game, you don't have to shout at one another across a large field and have large holograms in between you and your opponent." Yugi looked up at Seto. "Don't get me wrong, I like playing this game with your Duel Disk and I enjoy a trip to the Duelling Arena's in your gaming hall, but this is nice as well. Oh, and I'm playing this one face down," he added as he placed a monstercard facedown. "And attack your Battle Ox with my Cursed Dragon."
Seto watched the small Cursed Dragon launch it's attack on the playing field and destroy his Battle Ox. "That was my aim. After taking the game and make it bigger, I thought it would be nice to make something that would fit in the living room and can be played inside on a rainy day."
Mokuba watched the game as well and then looked at his brother. He had been surprised when his brother suddenly invited Yugi over to test his new invention, but he enjoyed watching the duel. The head of the PR department, standing next to him, seemed to agree with the new Duelling System, he could tell by the smile on her face.
"I will create a computer that can be linked to it," Seto then said, "so that you don't have to be with two to play the game. I'm also exploring the possibility for double duels with this device, but that's for when this Home Duelling System is received well enough. Of course every addition will have to be purchased separately."
"Those sound like great plans," Yugi said.
The duel continued, until Seto had 100 lifepoints left and Yugi 500. Yugi had his Dark Magician on the field and Seto had his Judgeman on the field. It had been a tough duel so far and Seto looked at his deck. He only needed one card to win this. Just one. What were the odds he'd draw it? On the other hand, he had managed to pull that off a couple of times. Drawing exactly what he needed. It had worked with Alister. Back then, on the crashing plane, there was also just one card that could save him and he had managed to draw it. 'Come on, I can't lose my first duel on my new Duelling System. I can't, I have to draw it!' Seto reached out for his deck and took the top card from it. He watched it silently.
"It isn't the card you hoped for?" Yugi asked.
"It's exactly the card I had hoped for and it will be your downfall, Yugi. If you can't stop this, you'll lose."
They looked each other straight in the eyes and Yugi nodded once. Then Kaiba placed the card he had just drawn on the field in face-up attack position: Lord of D.
Yugi looked at the card and then at his face-down card.
Seto smirked as the took another card from his hand. "Care to venture a guess, Yugi?"
Yugi showed a smile as he looked up. "No, I think we both know what that card is."
"I play my Flute of Summoning Dragons."
Yugi nodded, he had expected it to be that card, just as he knew his face-down card would not help him. He watched the small Lord of Dragons on the field get a small Flute of Summoning Dragons. The details were really amazing, Yugi was impressed.
"And I use it to summon my Blue Eyes White Dragon," Seto continued and next a small Blue Eyes White Dragon appeared on the field, spreading his wings in a menacing way. "And I will use my Blue Eyes White Dragon to destroy your Dark Magician," Seto concluded and they both watched the Blue Eyes unleash it's Burst Stream of Destruction attack on the Dark Magician.
"Wow," Yugi said. "Good duel, Kaiba. And your new Duelling System works great!" He reached out his hand over the board to Seto.
Seto looked at the extended hand for a moment, before he too reached out to shake his opponent's hand. A part of him couldn't believe what just had happened, had he actually defeated Yugi in a duel for once? Another part of him was shouting 'Ha, I knew I could defeat him!'. A third part of him was just proud of his new Duelling System.
"Too bad this wasn't the final battle of the tournament," Seto said and Yugi had to laugh at that.
"I look forward to that, Kaiba," Yugi said, still smiling. "It's going to be some duel, I know it will."
Mokuba came standing next to his brother, all excited about the demonstration. "That was a great duel, brother! And this new Duelling System rocks! This will surely make them forget the rumours about that war-game."
"Let's hope so," Seto said with a sigh. "I'm getting sick and tired of hearing about it. I'm very close to take the file, mail it to Zigfried myself and let him come out with that stupid game. Without the KC weaponry of course, I would sue him for everything he owns if he would dare to do that."
Now Melissa came closer as well. "Mister Kaiba, when do you wish to announce this Home Duelling System?"
Seto glanced aside to the head of his PR department. "After the tournament. Maybe two or three days after. Are you pleased with the new item?"
"Yes sir, very much. It will surely draw the attention away from the rumours. It's something new and yet the same and it had KaibaCorp written all over it. I think this is a great idea of you, sir, and I will make arrangements for a press conference and demonstration immediately."
Seto nodded and looked at Yugi once again. "I expect of you to stay silent until the official announcement of Kaiba Corporation."
Yugi quickly nodded. "Don't worry, Kaiba. My lips are sealed." After this, the small teen got up from his chair. "I'll be heading home. I'll see you tomorrow, Kaiba. I'm looking forward to our duel!"
"So am I," Seto said and as he spoke those words, he realized he meant it. He really was looking forward to this duel.
