"Yugi, there's mail for you!" Sugoroku called his grandson.
"I'm coming!" Yugi ran down the stairs and took the letters from his grandfather.
"Yugi Muto,
You and any guests of yours are formally invited to the official opening of Kaiba Land in Domino City, I apologize for any inconvenience that Mokuba caused to you and your companion. I hope that we can salvage our relationship.
From one champion to another, Seto Kaiba."
"Kaiba Land?"
"I was invited too! He invited me to an exhibition match of Duel Monsters! Maybe you should bring your deck too? Facing an old rival would be a great comeback!" Sugoroku smiled.
"I don't know…" Maybe Yugi should give Seto Kaiba another chance? Like Anzu told him, maybe this is all a misunderstanding!
Yugi fished his deck from his drawer and called his friends.
Yugi met Anzu in front of his grandfather's store, Katsuya and Hiroto would meet them on the way.
"Yugi! I told you that something was off!" Anzu smiled. The huge key hanging from her neck looked out of place with the rest of her outfit, which consisted of navy blue shorts, a white dress shirt and a light blue hoodie.
"We'll see," Yugi was still a little skeptical, but was happy to give Kaiba a chance. Maybe he would make a new friend!
"Honestly, Yugi? Jonouchi was right. Your fashion sense really doesn't fit you!" Anzu chuckled at Yugi's black metal t-shirt and leather pants.
"Shut up!" Yugi punched Anzu's arm playfully.
"Are we interrupting something?" Katsuya laughed as he and Honda approached them. The blonde was wearing a simple combination of jeans and a white t-shirt while the brunette was wearing the same but with a black jacket.
"Where's your gramps? He was invited too, right?" Hiroto asked.
"He went on ahead, he's part of an attraction!" Yugi smiled.
While the group talked, a limousine approached them. From the car, a tall teenager came out.
"Muto-kun, it's good to see you." He gave a friendly smile.
"Kaiba-kun! It's been a while." Yugi returned the smile, he had to be friendly, right?
"You must be his friends. My name is Seto Kaiba, it's a pleasure to meet you." The group exchanged greetings, "Please, come in! I'll take you to the park!"
The group entered the limousine, feeling out of place in the luxurious vehicle.
"Kaiba-kun, just a little question. Have you ever seen this before?" Yugi handed him the old threatening letter.
The young CEO froze as soon as he saw the handwriting, he quickly scanned the contents, tightening his hand more and more.
"I assure you that I never saw this in my life, but I recognize the handwriting. I apologize for this." The rest of the ride was in complete silence, no one wanted to annoy the furious guy who could throw them out of the car's window.
They soon arrived at their destination. The large building was surrounded by kids and teenagers of all ages, above the entrance the sign with the words 'Kaiba Land' could be easily read.
"Welcome to the first Kaiba Land! An indoor amusement park with a focus on augmented reality! Only today, entrance is free to everyone!" Seto walked to the building and cut the red tape in front of the entrance, and then he opened the large doors himself, "It's open!" The crowd rushed in as soon as he got out of the way.
Yugi smiled when he saw the expression of pure happiness on the taller teenager.
"Having a theme park…it's been my deepest dream since I can remember…But enough of this! Enjoy your stay, you'll be called when the main attraction begins! Excuse me, I have business to attend to." He bid farewell and abandoned the group.
"Maybe I was wrong about Kaiba-kun…" Yugi smiled.
"Let's go! It's not everyday that you can go to a high tech park for free!" Katsuya dragged his friends inside the park.
Seto punched the wall.
"Gozaburo…How dare you! Were you afraid that I would lose again? Afraid that I would tarnish your name? Damn you!" Seto punched the wall repeatedly, furious that Gozaburo would go to such lengths to ensure his victory, "I was not going to lose again! I rebuilt my deck! Created better strategies! I could defeat Muto anyday!" He kept punching, "Damn you! Damn you! DAMN YOU!" He lost strength and fell to his knees.
"It's no use…The plan is already in motion. I'll defeat Yugi Muto." Seto stared at his bloody hand, "...I really changed, didn't I?"
The group enjoyed their day at the park, it had all kinds of attractions like rollercoasters with monster holograms, VR shooters and all kinds of arcade games! It felt like a piece of the future!
"Muto-kun, it's time for the main attraction!" The group was eating hot dogs when Kaiba approached them.
"It's a duel with my grandpa, right?" Yugi asked as the group followed their host.
"Yes, I was hoping to face you instead but you retired."
"Maybe we can duel after?"
"Maybe." Kaiba smirked.
Seto took them to a stadium with a glass box in the middle, Sugoroku was patiently sitting at the table inside the box.
"Muto-kun, watch closely, this box is the latest technology of Kaiba Corp made specifically to make duels more immersive!" Kaiba entered the glass box.
"Yugi, I have a bad feeling about this." Katsuya frowned.
"Don't worry! My grandpa has the Blue-Eyes White Dragon! It's one of the strongest cards in the game!"
Duel
Sugoroku Muto: 8000
Seto Kaiba: 8000
"You can go first, Muto-san." Seto smiled politely.
"Thank you." The old man frowned, something fishy was going on here.
Turn 1:
"I'll start by setting a monster in defense position and a facedown card. I end my turn."
Turn 2:
Seto smiled as he drew his card, "I'll Normal Summon the A-Assault Core!" When he put the card on the table, a machine appeared above the card.
A-Assault Core: LVL 4/Light/Machine/Union/Effect/1900 ATK/200 DEF
"W-What is this?!" The old man cried out in surprise.
"This is the latest dueling technology! This glass box creates holograms to make duels more immersive!"
"I-I see…"
"If I can continue my turn, I'll activate the spell card, 'Unauthorized Reactivation'! It allows me to equip an appropriate Union Monster from my hand or deck to an Union Monster I control! I'll equip C-Crush Wyvern from my deck on my Assault Core!" A mechanical dragon appeared on the field, folded its legs and connected with the previous machine, "A monster equipped with Crush Wyvern is not affected by my opponent's trap cards! I attack your set monster with Assault Core!"
Sugoroku flipped the monster, revealing a stone warrior who deflected the machine's attack.
Sentry Soldier of Stone: LVL 3/Earth/Rock/Effect/1300 ATK/2000 DEF
Seto LP: 8000 - 100 = 7900
"I'll set a card and end my turn." Seto frowned,
Turn 3:
"I draw! I'll set a monster in defense and end my turn!"
"Staying on the defensive won't win you the duel, Muto-san."
"I know what I'm doing, son."
Turn 4:
"I draw!" Seto smirked, "I'll summon the Assault Wyvern!" A dragon flew around them, before stopping over its card.
Assault Wyvern: LVL 4/Light/Dragon/Effect/1800 ATK/1000 DEF
"I attack your set monster with my Wyvern!" The old man flipped the card, revealing the Sangan.
Sangan: LVL 3/Dark/Fiend/Effect/1000 ATK/600 DEF
"I'll activate Sangan's effect! When Sangan is sent from the field to the graveyard, I can add a monster with 1500 attack points or less from my deck to my hand! I'll add the Artillery Catapult Turtle!"
"And I'll activate my own monster's effect! When Assault Wyvern destroys a monster, I can tribute it to Special Summon a dragon-type monster from my hand or graveyard! I'll Special Summon the Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand!" The majestic beast roared as it came to life.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon: LVL 8/Light/Dragon/3000 ATK/2500 DEF
"I-Impossible!"
"I attack your Sentry! Go, Blue-Eyes! Burst Stream of Destruction!" The dragon shot a beam of pure energy, destroying the stone warrior, "Now I attack directly with Assault Core!" The machine shot an energy beam at the old man, who closed his eyes, expecting a pain that never came.
Sugoroku: LP: 8000 - 1900 = 6100
"I end my turn." The teenager grinned.
"Yugi, he also has Blue-Eyes!" Anzu said.
"Yeah…this doesn't look good." The short teenager frowned.
"Hey, Yugi! Can you teach me this game later? It looks really fun!" Katsuya asked.
"Of course! Honda-kun, do you wanna learn it too?"
"Nah, not my cup of tea."
Turn 5:
"I draw!" Sugoroku frowned at his hand, "I still don't know which card he set facedown, it could be a Mirror Force or something like that…but it could also be a bluff…" "I'll Normal Summon the Artillery Catapult Turtle!"
Artillery Catapult Turtle: LVL 4/Water/Aqua/Effect/1000 ATK/2000 DEF
"I activate its effect! I tribute the turtle to Special Summon from my deck Gaia, The Magical Knight!" The turtle's catapult charged and shot, the shot turned into a knight as the turtle disappeared.
Gaia The Magical Knight: LVL 7/Light/Warrior/Effect/2300 ATK/2100 DEF
"Effect! When Gaia is summoned, I can Special Summon a LVL 5 dragon from my hand or graveyard in defense position! I Special Summon from my hand, Curse of Dragon The Cursed Dragon!" A skeleton dragon appeared flying around Sugoroku, creeping the man out.
Curse of Dragon, The Cursed Dragon: LVL 5/Dark/Dragon/Effect/2000 ATK/1500 DEF
"Effect! When Curse of Dragon the Cursed Dragon is summoned, I can add to my hand a spell or trap that lists 'Gaia the Dragon Champion'! I'll add Spiral Fusion!"
"Wow, that was a cool combo!" Anzu was impressed, she was barely a beginner so seeing this veteran comboing off was a sight to be seen.
"He's not done yet!" Yugi smiled.
"I activate Spiral Fusion to fuse my Gaia and Curse of Dragon into Gaia, The Magical Knight of Dragons!" The knight jumped from his horse, the dragon flew to catch its new rider.
Gaia The Magical Knight of Dragons (Gaia The Dragon Champion): LVL 7/Wind/Dragon/Fusion/Effect/2600 ATK/2100 DEF
"Gaia's name becomes Gaia the Dragon Champion while on the field! When Spiral Fusion is used to summon 'Gaia The Dragon Champion', it gains 2600 attack points and can make up to two attacks per battle phase! Effect! When Curse of Dragon is sent to the graveyard, I can target one 'Gaia The Dragon Champion' and negate the effects of all of my opponent's monsters with less attack than Gaia until the end of this turn!"
Gaia The Dragon Champion: 2600 ATK → 5200 ATK
"Impressive…" Seto was not impressed.
"I'll attack your Assault Core! Arcane Spiral Lance!" The knight flew to the machine and stabbed it, but the machine remained on the field.
"When a monster equipped with C-Crush Wyvern would be destroyed, I can destroy Crush Wyvern instead! Effect! When Crush Wyvern is sent to the graveyard, I can Special Summon a Union Monster from my hand! I'll Special Summon the B-Buster Drake in defense position!" The new machine appeared in a crouching position.
B-Buster Drake: LVL 4/Light/Machine/Union/Effect/1500 ATK/1800 DEF
Seto LP: 7900 - 3300 = 4600
"I'll attack your Blue-Eyes!"
"I activate Negate Attack! Negating your attack and ending your battle phase!"
"I activate Gaia's Effect! I reduce its attack by 2600 points to destroy one of your cards! I'll destroy your Blue-Eyes!" Gaia pulled his arm back and threw his lance, impaling the dragon.
Gaia The Dragon Champion: 5200 ATK → 2600 ATK
"I end my turn!" The old man smiled.
Turn 6:
"I draw!" Seto smirked, "I'll banish the A-Assault Core and B-Buster Drake from my field along with the C-Crush Wyvern from my graveyard to Fusion Summon the ABC-Dragon Buster!" The three machines assembled into the ultimate instrument of war.
ABC-Dragon Buster: LVL 8/Light/Machine/Fusion/Effect/3000 ATK/2900 DEF
"I activate Gaia's effect! I'll destroy Dragon Buster!"
Gaia The Dragon Champion: 2600 ATK → 0 ATK
"I activate Dragon Buster's effect! I discard the Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand to banish Gaia!"
"A-Another one?!"
The monsters destroyed each other.
"I activate my spell Magnet Reverse! It allows me to revive one machine or rock monster that is in my graveyard or banished! Come, ABC-Dragon Buster!" The machine returned, "I'll attack you directly! ABC Hyper Buster!" The machine shot powerful energy beams at Sugoroku, scaring the old man.
Sugoroku: LP: 6100 - 3000 = 3100
"I end my turn." The young CEO smirked.
Turn 7:
"I draw!" Sugoroku frowned, "I'll activate the spell De-Fusion! I'll send your Dragon Buster back to the Fusion Deck!"
"I'll activate ABC's effect! I'll tribute it to Special Summon my banished A-Assault Core, B-Buster Drake and C-Crush Wyvern!" The monster broke apart and its original components returned in defense mode.
Sugoroku smirked, "I'll activate the spell Ancient Rules! It allows me to Special Summon a LVL 5 or higher Normal Monster from my hand! Come forth, my Blue-Eyes!"
Blue-Eyes White Dragon: LVL 8/Light/Dragon/3000 ATK/2500 DEF
"I attack your Assault Core!" The dragon destroyed the machine, "I'll set a card and end my turn!"
Turn 8:
"My turn! I draw!" Seto grinned widely, "I'll summon the Lord of D!" A magician with draconic armor appeared on the field."
Lord of D: LVL 4/Dark/Spellcaster/1200 ATK/1100 DEF
"I'll activate my spell, Dragon Revival Rhapsody!" A guitar appeared on the mage's hands, "If I control a spellcaster, I can revive two Dragons from my graveyard, including at least one Normal monster! Go, Lord of D, call my dragons!" The mage shredded a guitar solo, Kaiba's two Blue-Eyes White Dragons appeared by his sides.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon: LVL 8/Light/Dragon/3000 ATK/2500 DEF
Blue-Eyes White Dragon: LVL 8/Light/Dragon/3000 ATK/2500 DEF
"My opponent don't take damage during this turn, so I'll end it here."
Turn 9:
"I draw! I'll attack your Buster Drake with my Blue-Eyes! Burst Stream of Destruction!" The dragon destroyed the machine, "I'll set a card and end my turn!"
Turn 10:
"I draw! Victory is mine! I activate Heavy Storm! Destroying all spells and traps on the field!" A tornado appeared on the field, destroying Sugoroku's set card.
It was Mirror Force.
"Now, I'll tribute my Crush Wyvern and my Lord of D to summon my last Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"Y-You have three?!"
"Yugi, this doesn't look good!" Katsuya leaned on the railing.
"No, it doesn't!" Yugi bit his lip. What was Kaiba's endgame? Did he invite his grandfather just to humiliate him? To provoke Yugi?
The third dragon roared as he joined his siblings.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon: LVL 8/Light/Dragon/3000 ATK/2500 DEF
"I attack your Blue-Eyes with my own! Burst Stream of Destruction!" The teenager roared.
"You'll sacrifice your own monster?!" Sugoroku watched the dragons destroy each other.
"Of course! I only need two to end this! Attack directly, my Blue-Eyes!" The monster shot Sugoroku with an energy beam.
Sugoroku: LP: 3100 - 3000 = 100
"And the other one!"
Sugoroku: LP: 100 - 3000 = 0
"I-I lost…"
"Now, this is your punishment for losing!" Seto grabbed the old man's Blue-Eyes and ripped the card.
"No! My Blue-Eyes!"
"I still have use for you, old man!" Seto pressed a button on the table and scary holograms jumped in Sugoroku's direction.
"No! Get away!" He knew that the creatures weren't real, but it didn't make it less scary!
Seto got out of the box, locking the old man inside with the holographic monsters.
"Kaiba-kun! Let my grandpa out now!" Yugi yelled at the rich boy.
"We ran experiments on the box, we came to the conclusion that the average man goes insane in about 10 minutes! And considering gramps age, it wouldn't be surprising if he had a heart attack, right?" Seto smiled sadistically.
"Kaiba-kun, please, why are you doing this?" Yugi's eyes started to water.
"I'll free him with one condition: Swear to face the attraction that I made just for you, the 'Death-T'!"
"Death-T? W-Whatever! I'll do whatever you want! Release him, please!"
"Very well, stop the simulation!" One of his henchmen stopped the simulation, Yugi ran in and hugged his grandfather.
"Yugi…I'm sorry…that young man will do anything to win…even kill a man…"
"Grandpa, please! You don't need to talk!"
"Yugi…please…take my deck…combine those cards with your own…and beat him…please, this deck is my soul…"
"Yes, grandpa! I'll beat him!"
"Yugi, we called an ambulance! Quickly, get your gramps!" Katsuya ran to help Yugi while his other friends opened the way for the medics.
"I see that you're holding those pathetic cards, Yugi." Seto chuckled.
"My grandpa deck has no pathetic cards, Kaiba!" Yugi snapped.
"We're on the second floor now, we'll have our duel on the dome on top of the building. Each stage you clear will open the way to the next floor…but you'll never conquer my Death-T!"
"We'll not let him go alone, Kaiba!" Honda yelled.
"He'll have us on his side!" Anzu put her hand on Yugi's shoulder.
"We'll not let this slide, moneybags." Katsuya glared at the rich teenager.
"Bring an army if you want! It won't matter! Open the Death-T!" Seto shouted to his lackeys, and they opened a large steel door.
"Go, Yugi. I'll be waiting for you at the end." The group entered through the steel door.
"We can do this, Yugi!" Anzu smiled at her friend.
"Yes!" The short boy pocketed his grandfather's cards.
We finally reach the Death-T! I really hope that I didn't lost count of the cards in each player's hands LOL, I don't want to accidentally give someone the ability the materialize cards in their hands.
Maybe you're thinking "But Golden Lord, you used Dragon Buster in the shittiest way possible!" and you're absolutely right! I wanted to update Kaiba's old XYZ strategy with ABC, the problem is: Dragon Buster is an extremely good card, with a god-like effect, easy summoning requirements while also being a 3K ATK beatstick! In the original draft I tried giving Kaiba an actual ABC deck with multiple copies of every monster, field spell, etc, but I struggled to write a duel that lasted over 2 turns, so I nerfed him by giving him a single copy of the three main deck monsters, a single copy of Dragon Buster and no field spell, I think that I managed to write a good duel. Remember, card games are a narrative tool, not a professional duel between meta decks.