~Ari~

"Why isn't she waking up?" Serenity says.

"Her mind is in the Shadow Realm." Joey says.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Tristan says.

"Not now." I say.

"Why don't you guys watch the next duel? I can stay here and watch Mai." Serenity says.

"You sure?" Joey says.

"Of course. All of you are so strong and brave, along with Mai. And I want to be just like her! So the least I can do is keep an eye on her."

"Alright, thanks sis."

All of us head back up to the roof where Kaiba is waiting to have his duel. The eighth duelist still isn't here though. But Marik did show up; joy. "If the eighth duelist doesn't show up in five minutes, Seto Kaiba will be given an automatic victory." Roland says.

We stand around for another minute, but still no sign of duelist number 8. Kaiba seems rather smug about it though, probably thinking that the person backed out when they found out who they were dueling. The light above the elevator lights up. That must be them.

The doors open to reveal a woman with tan skin and wearing a white dress, along with white cloths covering her head and face. She walks onto the dueling field, "You've got some nerve coming here late! Who do you think you are?" Kaiba says.

The woman takes off the cloth covering her face; Ishizu?! "What is your name?" Roland asks her.

"My name is Ishizu. Ishizu Ishtar." She says.

Wait, Ishtar? Isn't that Marik's last name also? "Is she related to Marik?" I say.

"It could be." Yami says.

"So you've come to win back Obelisk?" Kaiba says.

"I've come here for a greater importance. I need to save my brother." Ishizu says.

"Oh geez, we're already having enough trouble with one Ishtar." Joey says.

"Don't worry Joey, Ishizu's not like that. I hope." I say.

"Kaiba, as you know my Millennium Neclace has the power to gaze into the future, and it tells me that you'll lose this duel." Ishizu says.

"Enough with the Millennium Items! I don't believe in any of that crap! And just because you gave me Obelisk, doesn't mean I won't use it to destroy you. And I don't like the idea of you using my tournament to solve your little family issues, the only reason I started this was to claim my spot at the top!" Kaiba says.

"Have you forgotten that it was my idea to hold this tournament? That it would be used to lure in people like Marik. And it worked. But the only way to complete this task is to use the Pharaoh's help, the same one who lives within the Millennium Puzzle."

"How lame. You went through all that trouble just to follow some stupid Egyptian Fairytale? I must be surrounded by nitwits."

"But no matter how much you may deny it, you can trace your origins back to Egypt."

"Enough! I know who I am and I'm a far better duelist than you are! Let's just start this duel already!"

"Let the duel begin!" Roland announces

"I'll go first; I summon Vorse Raider in attack mode! Then I'll set one card face-down." Kaiba says.

Ishizu draws a card and doesn't bother to look at it, "I summon Keldo. I then activate Michizure of Doom. This card allows both of us to discard two cards from the other player's hand, and I choose Polymerization and Kaiser Glider."

"Now show me your hand!" Ishizu turns around her hand, "Discard Monster Reborn and Spell Reproduction!"

"As you wish." Ishizu says sending them to the Grave.

Kaiba has Vorse Raider attack Keldo, and then he sets one card. Ishizu summon Mudora in attack mode. She then activates Sword of Dogra to raise its attack. Mudora goes to attack Vorse Raider, but Kaiba activates Shrink to halve Vorse Raider's attack. Kaiba is now down to 2950 Life Points. Then he activates Crush Card to destroy every monster with 1500 or more ATK in Ishizu's deck. But if she can see the future, then couldn't she see that coming? Ishizu then activates Swords of Revealing Light and then sets one card.

Kaiba plays Dark Gremlin in defense mode. Then he sets one card face-down. Ishizu draws and passes her turn. Kaiba draws then also passes. Ishizu draws and passes again. Kaiba does the same. Ishizu passes again. Swords of Revealing Light goes away now. Kaiba draws, "Dark Gremlin attack her directly!" he says.

Ishizu is down to 2400 Life Points. "Now I activate Virus Cannon, to send all magic cards in your deck and hand to the Graveyard! Man, as if your deck wasn't pathetic enough! Still think I'm going to lose this Ishizu?" Kaiba says.

"Yes Kaiba, you've sealed your own fate." Ishizu says.

"Nonsense. I've heard enough of your false predictions."

"My predictions are quite real. And now you've fallen straight into my trap; reveal Exchange of the Spirit! At a cost of 1000 Life Points, we swap the cards in our decks with the ones in our Graveyard."

That leaves Kaiba with only six cards, and Ishizu with all of her powerful monsters and magic cards. "I'll also summon Kelbek in attack mode and set one card." Ishizu says. "And the card you're going to draw is Virus Cannon. You can't escape destiny Kaiba. So go ahead, play your trap."

"I'll make my move when I want to! So I activate Virus Cannon!" Kaiba yells.

"My trap will destroy it. I activate Muko, which will negate the effect and send Virus Cannon straight to the Graveyard. And I believe it's my turn now. I summon Zolga in attack mode, now I'll have it destroy your Dark Gremlin!"

Kaiba is down to 2850 Life Points. Kelbek also attacks him directly, leaving him at 1350. Ishizu also sets one card. "I draw!" Kaiba says.

"Activate Muko! Now your drawn card is destroyed."

Man, Ishizu might win this. Kaiba sets one card. "I'll set one card. And then I'll summon Agido in attack mode." Ishizu says.

"Now I activate Soul Exchange! Now all of your monsters belong to me! Now I'll sacrifice these monsters in order to summon my Egyptian God card! Show yourself, Obelisk the Tormentor!"

A blast of blue light appears behind Kaiba and Obelisk shows up on the field. Ishizu still predicts that she'll win, but how will she take down a beast like Obelisk? Is the Millennium Necklace wrong? Or does she have some kind of strategy for this? "Obelisk, attack her directly!" Kaiba demands.

I then look over at Marik to see the Millennium Rod glowing brightly. What's going on? Kaiba then stops demanding the attack and just stands there; motionless. "Why is the Millennium Rod affecting Kaiba?" I ask.

"I'm not sure; it must have something to do with his connection to the ancient past." Yami says.

Our attention then turns back to Kaiba, who seems back in the game, "I activate Silent Doom! This card allows me to summon one monster from my Graveyard, and I choose Gadget Soldier in defense mode! The time is now, I decide my future!" he says.

"What's he planning?" Yami says.

"I sacrifice Obelisk the Tormentor and Gadget Soldier to summon my Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Ishizu, if you can see all of my moves, then why does Blue-Eyes surprise you? Time to finish this, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack her directly!"

Ishizu's Life Points drops to zero, winning Kaiba the duel. "The winner of this duel is Seto Kaiba! Roland announces.

"Very good Kaiba, you were able to overcome the power of my Millennium Necklace. I hope this teaches you a lesson in destiny." Ishizu says.

"Save it. The only reason I won this duel was because I'm the superior duelist. And I'll win this tournament to prove myself as the number one duelist in the world!"

"But you did teach me a lesson. You've taught me not to rely on my Millennium Necklace for everything, but to see destiny with my own eyes. You've given me hope for the future of my brother. So, thank you."

"Whatever. Believe what you want to." Kaiba says as he walks off the dueling field.

Well, the quarter-finals are over. I wonder what who destiny will pair up for the next duels.

Hmm, maybe that was a cheesy last line, but hey, I don't care. I'm going to give a heads-up now, okay? The Virtual World arc will be in this story, NOT in its own separate one. I feel that it will save everyone time and plus Battle City is still at the end of season 3.