TESTING MY SKILLS
Seto Kaiba stood in the testing area of KaibaCorp. After getting that invitation to this Duel Monsters Rose Tournament in New York City next week, he immediately headed here, hoping to hone his skills; he needed to be at the top of his game, especially if he ended up facing off against Yugi Moto or Maximillian Pegasus. He no longer controlled Obelisk the Tormentor – he hadn't since he lost that card to Yugi during the Battle City finals – but with his deck built the way it was, he had no worries about losing.
He stood across from the computerized device, which was using a similar deck to Yugi. Seto, of course, was using his Blue Eyes deck. He checked the deck slot of his duel disk, making sure all his cards were in there. He set his Life Points to 8000 and drew five cards. The machine also drew five cards.
"I'll start this duel off," Seto announced, "by setting one card face down." He set the Spell Card Tribute to the Doomed in the Spell Card slot of his duel disk. "Then I'll summon Maiden With Eyes of Blue in Attack Position." A beautiful woman appeared, dressed in a tan dress with long flowing white hair. "And I end my turn."
"Draw Phase." The machine drew a sixth card. "Standby Phase. Main Phase One. Summon Level Four Machine/Effect monster Green Gadget in Attack Position," the machine announced in a computerized voice. The green machine appeared, resembling a green ball with arms and legs. "Effect: Add one Red Gadget from deck to hand." The machine added the appropriate card; shuffled the deck. "Set one Spell or Trap Card in the Spell and Trap zone. End Main Phase One. Battle Phase. Green Gadget attacks for 1400 points of damage."
"I switch the battle position of my maiden to negate your attack," Seto announced as he moved his Maiden into Defense Position. "By doing that, I can Special Summon one Blue Eyes White Dragon from the deck!" The massive white dragon appeared next to the woman, who barely came up to its knees. Its white scales shone against the bright lights of the room, and the room shook as it roared at the machine monster. "Continue or end your turn."
"Main Phase Two. End Phase," the machine announced. "Pass turn to Seto Kaiba."
Seto drew a card, the Spell Card Meteor of Destruction. "I play the Spell Card I just drew, Meteor of Destruction, to hit your for 1000 points of damage." The machine's Life Points dropped to 7000 as a large fireball hit it. "Next I'll summon Sage With Eyes of Blue in Attack Position." A tall man adorned in blue armor appeared next to he Maiden. "When he's Normal or Special Summoned, I can add one Level One Turner monster from my deck to my hand." He searched his deck. "And I choose my second Maiden With Eyes of Blue." He added the Maiden to his hand, then shuffled his deck. "Now, attack, Blue Eyes White Dragon! White Lightning!" The dragon fired a white stream of energy from its mouth, obliterating Green Gadget and dropping the machine's Life Points down to 5400. "And I end my turn."
"Draw Phase." The machine drew a new card. "Standby Phase. Main Phase One. Special Summon Trap Card Stronghold the Moving Fortress to the Monster Zone in Defense Position." A large mechanical figure appeared on the field. Seto was aware of this card; it was a Trap Card that could also act as a monster. The Paleozoic Frog archetype heavily relied upon cards such as that one. "Main Phase Two. Set one card face down in the Spell and Trap Zone. End Phase. Pass to Seto Kaiba."
The card Seto drew was the Spell Card Final Flame. "I play Final Flame to hit you for 600." The machine was enveloped in flames, and its Life Points dropped to 4800. "Next I'll summon my second Maiden With Eyes of Blue in Attack Position, and next, I'll tune her with my Blue Eyes White Dragon to Synchro Summon Azure Eyes Silver Dragon in Attack Position." The two monsters disappeared; in their place stood a large, silver dragon. It roared, causing small cracks to appear in the wall. "Now, Azure Eyes Silver Dragon, attack and destroy that Stronghold!" The dragon prepared to fire a burst of energy from its mouth.
"Opponent has declared an attack," the machine announced. "In response, chain Trap Card, Mirror Force."
"Sorry, but Azure Eyes Silver Dragon negates all other card effects until the end of the next turn, so you just wasted your Mirror Force," Seto boasted.
The dragon's attack continued, and Stronghold the Moving Fortress melted.
"Next I'll switch my Sage into Defense Position and end my turn."
"Draw Phase." The machine drew a card. "Standby Phase. Main Phase One. Set one monster in face down Defense Position. Main Phase Two. End Phase. Pass to Seto Kaiba."
"I draw," Seto announced. "During my Standby Phase, Azure Eyes Silver Dragon lets me Special Summon one monster from my Graveyard, and the monster I choose is my Blue Eyes White Dragon!" The Blue Eyes White Dragon appeared next to the Azure Eyes Silver Dragon. Both dragons roared. "Next I'll play the Spell Card The Melody of Awakening Dragon to add two dragons with 3000 Attack Points and 2500 Defense Points from my deck to my hand, and I choose my other two Blue Eyes White Dragons." He added the two dragons to his hand and reshuffled his deck. "Next I'll play Tribute to the Doomed. By sending Maxx 'C' from my hand to the Graveyard, I can destroy your monster." A mummified hand came up out of the floor, pulling his opponent's monster down with it.
"Activate Flip Effect of Old Vindictive Magician," the machine announced. "Destroy one monster on opponent's side of the field. Destroy Azure Eyes Silver Dragon." Azure Eyes Silver Dragon exploded.
"Not like it matters," Seto said smugly. "I tribute my two weaker monsters to summon one of my Blue Eyes White Dragons!" Sage and Maiden vanished, making way for a second Blue Eyes White Dragon. "I attack with both monsters for a total of 6000 points of damage and end this duel." Both dragons' attacks hit the machine, reducing its Life Points to 0.
Seto grinned. He still had it, and if a possible duel with Yugi went like this, then he had nothing to worry about.
If he was being honest with himself, it was Pegasus that concerned him.