SailorStar9: With Chapter 74 uploaded, I present Chapter 75 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.
Disclaimer: I own nothing expect the Safiastra and Ami's dueling deck.
Chapter 75: One Strike That Changes the Future
"Ishizu, remember this." Kaiba stated. "I didn't choose God, God chose me."
On the sidelines...
"That woman's in the worst possible position." Jonouchi noted. "But she looks like she doesn't care."
"Maybe she does see the future and that's why she's so calm?" Honda suggested.
"How can that be?" Otogi was skeptical.
"I can't tell what Ishizu is planning." Anzu remarked.
"Her strongest Cards were dumped into the graveyard." Jonouchi pointed out.
"Graveyard..." Yami Yuugi was suddenly struck by a thought. If Marik and Ishizu are siblings, then Ishizu is also one of the Tomb Guardians. They protect the grave... protect? If this key word is also hidden in Ishizu's deck...
"Kaiba just dug his own grave." Marik stated.
On the Aerial Duel Ring...
"Reverse Card, open." Kaiba activated his face-down Card. "'Virus Cannon', activate. Send her Magic Cards to the grave. Ishizu, choose 10 of your Magic Cards and put them in the cemetery. Now your deck has been completely destroyed. Monsters and Magic, you've lost almost every basic requirement needed to duel. And yet you still try to claim I an destined to lose?"
"I shall not take back my words." Ishizu stood her ground. "I have already seen a vision of this happening."
"What did you say?" Kaiba retorted. "You still intend to put up a bold front?"
"It's you who fell into a trap." Ishizu fired back. "The trap of the Tomb Guardians; I shall reveal it right now. Reverse Card, open. I activate the Trap Card, '"Exchange of the Spirit'. I sacrifice 1000 points of my Life to exchange the living Cards in our decks with the deceased Cards in our cemeteries."
On the sidelines...
So, this is what Ishizu was aiming for. Yami Yuugi realized. Kaiba's deck will die and go to the graveyard and Ishizu's deck will revive. For this purpose, Ishizu sent her Cards to the grave one after another.
"Nee-san's still so scary with that strategy of hers." Marik admitted.
"Ishizu's graveyard was filled with Cards due to Kaiba's 'Crush Card' and they were mostly her main Cards." Yami Yuugi explained. "On the contrary, Kaiba only had six Cards in the graveyard. In seven turns, Kaiba won't be able to draw a Card and he'll lose."
On the Aerial Duel Ring...
"It seems to be my turn." Ishizu continued her turn. "I draw a Card and Summon 'Kelbek'."
I won't believe it. Kaiba growled. Are you telling me it's my future to lose?
"I set one Card on the field." Ishizu set one face-down Card. "I then end my turn."
"It's my turn." Kaiba barked.
"That's 'Virus Cannon'." Ishizu predicted. "I am not simply guessing right. To me, it's a future I experienced already. You are free to use that Card as you please."
"That's natural." Kaiba retorted. "'Virus Cannon'."
"At this moment, my Counter Trap activates." Ishizu countered. "Trap Card, 'Muko'. Please throw away 'Virus Cannon'. Next, you'll draw 'Crush Card'. And of course, I won't allow you to add it to your hand."
"Turn end." Kaiba ended his turn.
On the sidelines...
"On the turn just now, Kaiba's 'Dark Gremlin' had higher Attack Points than Ishizu's Monster." Jonouchi pointed out. "Why didn't he attack?"
"Kaiba's trying to Summon Obelisk." Marik supplied.
"If he is, he must have that in his hand." Yami Yuugi agreed.
On the Aerial Duel Ring...
As long as she gathers three Monsters on her field... Kaiba decided.
I know what you're thinking, Seto. Ishizu mused. The only means you have left is the Magic Card, 'Soul Exchange'. You're waiting for me to gather three Monsters on the field, to Summon the God that will lead to the road of destruction, 'Obelisk the Tormentor'. "It's my turn." she took her turn. "I Summon 'Zolga'. 'Zolga' attacks 'Dark Gremlin'. I'll then use 'Kelbek' to launch a direct attack on the player. I set a reverse Card on the field. Turn end."
"My turn." Kaiba took his turn.
"Trap Card activate, 'Muko'." Ishizu activated her second 'Muko' Card.
"I set a reverse Card." Kaiba set a Card face-down. "Turn over."
"It's my turn." Ishizu took her turn. "I set a reverse Card on the field. I'll then Summon another Monster." she Summoned 'Agido'.
On the sidelines...
"She sure is frightening." Marik whistled lowly. "Nee-san's morale has gotten even stronger."
On the Aerial Duel Ring...
"Reverse Card, activate." Kaiba activated his face-down Card. "'Zolga', 'Kelbek', and 'Agido'; Ishizu, I'll sacrifice your Monsters. Reverse Card open, 'Soul Exchange'. I'll show you God. Come forth, 'Obelisk the Tormentor'!"
On the sidelines...
"So, that's Obelisk..." Marik gawked.
On the Aerial Duel Ring...
"On my next turn, God's fist will shatter your future." Kaiba declared.
"Turn end." Ishizu ended her turn.
"It's my end." Kaiba took his turn.
Now, attack me. Ishizu thought. My last Reverse Card is already in the graveyard; it's an unseen Trap. A Trap that will activate when it's too late to stop it. Seto, the Trap has already been activated. When you sacrificed 'Zolga', 'Kelbek', and 'Agido'; when you sacrificed those thee Monsters, the unseen Trap is triggered. And the destroyed Monster's Attack Power will strike you as well. I caught a small glimpse of what will happen the moment the trapped Obelisk attacks. At that moment, just as the Millennium Tauk predicted, you will be guided to the path of failure.
"Ishizu, you don't have a Wall Monster on the field to defend you." Kaiba reminded. "You can surrender now. So how about it, Ishizu? You ready to feel God's wrath?"
There's no other way but to attack me with God. Ishizu mused. Like the future I saw:'Sacrifice's Blast', this Trap will trigger the moment he attacks with Obelisk. Now hurry and pull down the curtain of this act with your very own hands.
On the sidelines...
"This match is over." Marik was certain. "The moment Kaiba declares an attack, he will trigger the hidden Trap nee-san planted in one of the tribute Monsters. Nee-san truly is a fearsome opponent to be reckoned with. What is this..." he was taken aback when the Millennium Rod shone brightly.
"The Millennium Rod..." Yami Yuugi noticed the glowing Rod. "Kaiba stopped his attack." he turned to the duel ring, seeing Kaiba stop in mid-attack.
On the Aerial Duel Ring...
What is this... Kaiba wondered, bombarded with images of his past life as Priest Seto.
On the sidelines...
"Is is possible that his memory is sealed within the Millennium Rod?" Marik realized what happened.
"Then..." Ami breathed. "Kaiba is... Priest Seto!?"
On the Aerial Duel Ring...
"I activate a Magic Card from my hand." Kaiba declared. "'Silent Doom'. I revive a Monster from the graveyard in Defense Mode. I Summon 'Gadget Soldier'."
Impossible. Ishizu was stunned. This isn't the future I saw.
"In order to Summon 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' from my hand, I require two sacrifices." Kaiba announced. "In that case, I'll sacrifice God."
On the sidelines...
"What did he say?" even Marik was astonished.
On the Aerial Duel Ring...
"My pride and my soul." Kaiba remarked. "I decide my future. Obelisk, 'Gadget Soldier', for my loyal servant, you shall be sacrificed. Ishizu, I'll show you. The embodiment of both my pride and soul, my loyal servant. Come forth, 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon'."
"He changed the future..." Ishizu gasped.
On the sidelines...
"What in the world did Kaiba see?" Marik wondered.
"Kisara..." Ami whispered. "Even after so long, you still..."
On the Aerial Duel Ring...
Seto, you really are the White Beast Handler. Ishizu realized who Kaiba was the reincarnation of.
"Ishizu, in the vision of the future you supposedly saw, did the Blue-Eyes show up?" Kaiba snapped. "It seems it didn't. It's my future. Go, Blue-Eyes. Tear open the future." he had 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' make a direct attack on Ishizu, winning the duel.
"The winner is Seto-sama." Isono declared.
"That was outstanding, Seto." Ishizu praised. "You have just proved you truly are a wielder of the God Cards. But, why?"
"Everyone has something they believe in, even deeper than in Gods." Kaiba replied. "All I did was trust that."
"Seto, I took something important from this duel." Ishizu started. "And that is the light of hope; one not predicted in the future shown by the Millennium Tauk. I lost, but I now believe that the future can be changed. Seto, people can change the future."
"People who allow themselves to be chained by the future will never see that light." Kaiba advised.
On the sidelines...
"You don't seem too upset, nee-san." Marik addressed his elder sister.
Ishizu just smiled, the unseen future... I would like to believe in this.
SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.