Episode 23: Believe in the Miracle of Friendship
This was it, everything had all come down to this. 'Yugi' was riding on the elevator, about to face off against the final and greatest challenge yet in this Ultimate G.A.M.E. Tower. After he defeated Mokuba Kaiba in a game of Capumon on the last floor, and saving him from his punishment game, he was taking the lift to head to the fifth floor of the Tower, where Seto Kaiba would be waiting for him. He was currently alone, and would most likely face his final match on his own. At least he would have his friends watching him, so he wouldn't really be on his own. The machine lifted him towards the destination, as he took the chance to get out his Duel Monsters deck that was given to him by his Grandfather. He held the cards close to his chest, thinking back over all of the people who have helped him get this far.
'Kaiba… So many people have suffered because of what you have done. I swear, no matter what it takes, I will knock you off your peg.' 'Yugi' thought to himself. Once the elevator stopped, the doors opened to reveal the new floor. He stepped out, heading down the catwalk to the center of the ground where a large, dome-like glass surrounding the middle of the floor with a table and two chairs were set up around large panels. The moment the crowd saw him, they all cheered. 'Yugi' looked around, noticing that the stadium was much bigger than the ones from Mokuba's floor. Obviously Seto wanted everyone to see him crush the one he viewed as a rival. Yugi even noticed some cameras that were pointing at the center, which meant this would be broadcasted.
Speaking of the other Kaiba sibling, on the other side of the room the doors opened to reveal a brunet as he stepped out. The people within their seats roared and screamed in excitement once again, ecstatic to see what the outcome of this match would be. When he walked over to 'Yugi', a smile spread on his lips. "Welcome Yugi, to the final stage of Ultimate G.A.M.E."
'Yugi' could only glare at the one who orchestrated this whole event. Where he and his friends had to go through many hardships just to build up to this scene. "Kaiba. Mark my words, I will make you pay for what you have done." He threatened.
Within the front row of the crowd, Anzu, Jounouchi and Miho watched as their friend would be battling against the final boss of this Tower. It would no doubt be a long and brooding match, yet they were going to remind 'Yugi' what he was fighting for. Hopefully that motivation would be enough for him to win and let them walk away from here.
"Good luck, Yugi." Anzu spoke as she stared over at the alternative version of her childhood friend. The one who had saved her countless times and had grown feelings for.
Miho looked around as she noticed it was just the three of them. "Shouldn't Cosmo have been here by now? The match is about to start." Miho began to grow worried.
The blond of the three was gripping the railing of the stands, as he looked over at the two that would be starting their duel. He heard what Miho said, so he responded. "She'll be here when she can. I know she wouldn't want to miss this, but we can't go back for her now." Miho wanted to protest a bit, but she didn't want to argue either. Her eyes went back to the stage, hoping that Cosmo would be able to see what was happening wherever she was.
While they stared over at the arena, Bakura appeared as he walked in from one of the openings between the stands. No one saw him, but he was just as invested as his eyes were glued to where Seto and 'Yugi' were. 'Looks like the final battle is about to begin.' He thought to himself while staying in the background, avoiding being seen by the others. Still, he was compelled to see the outcome of this duel and who would reign as the winner.
The two entered the dome, looking over each other with their eyes. Despite the harshness inside of Seto, he didn't hold any bad intent, yet 'Yugi' did not believe that. "Normally, I wouldn't need to speak as I want to get started with the Duel. However, I wish to say a few things since it is you I am talking to."
This caused 'Yugi' to raise a brow, surprised by the civility that Seto was showing off. "And what is that?" He asked.
Seto sat down on his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he began to speak. "I wanted to thank you for saving my brother from that punishment game." 'Yugi' perked up as that sentence caught him off guard. Was Seto thanking him for saving Mokuba? He didn't expect that. "I warned him that having a punishment game at the end would have been too much." Seto continued. "But I didn't want to object since he seemed so determined. I wanted to teach him that being too cocky would be a factor to his downfall, and clearly he was overly confident when he went up against you. I had a hunch you would defeat him, though even I was surprised with how close the match was."
'Yugi' interjected what Seto had said. "Your brother is much like you: strong-willed and determined to win no matter the cost. But he was blinded by believing he needed strength alone in order to win. He had a strategy, yes, but he clearly lacked any backup plans."
The brunet scoffed as he looked down at the table. "He may be knowledgeable in certain games, but he is still a child. He has much to learn. Regardless, I did not want him to suffer such a penalty. I may not like failure, but I am not a monster. At the end of the day, Mokuba and my Game Masters were human. They made a mistake that cost them a win, that was on them. Even so, everyone slips up now and again. Sometimes it can not be helped."
'Yugi' didn't expect any of this to have come out of Seto himself. He had always envisioned the CEO to have been ruthless and didn't tolerate failure. Yet here he was, admitting he openly accepted the flaws his Game Masters had. While he didn't seem as terrible as a man many would first perceive, 'Yugi' believed it didn't excuse his actions in terms of making him and his friends suffer. He would make sure that Seto would pay for what he put him and his friends through. While it wouldn't be on the same level as what Mokuba would have faced, if this was to be a Shadow Game, the loser has to face a penalty.
"Although, I am glad it turned out this way." Seto admitted. "After all, I said it to you before: If there was ever going to be anyone to defeat you in a game, it would be me." The CEO pulled out his deck of Duel Monsters cards, showing them up for 'Yugi' to see. "We both have gotten stronger than last time, but in the end it is up to us to determine who the winner will be." Seto set his deck on his side of the table, ready to start the match.
'Yugi' held up his cards as well, keeping that straight expression on his face. "I'll be using the deck that belonged to my Grandfather. I'll trust his soul, which he used to make the cards, that they will lead me to victory." He sets his own stack on the table, as they each took their opponents cards. They began to shuffle the folds, making sure that they had a fresh hand for when they would draw their first five cards.
As they were randomizing the decks, Seto looked over at 'Yugi', seeing how serious he was compared to his smaller self. This was the 'Yugi' he wanted to face again, the one who forced him into a draw. 'I can see that you want to end this fight quickly.' Seto thought to himself as he looked over at his enemy. 'But you are still holding up a front and going in strong. Just like before, but this time it will be different. This time, I'll make sure to bury you in shame and humiliation like you did to me. After all, my deck has three new monsters that will be an unstoppable force once they are joined together.'
'Yugi' looked just as determined as he stared at his opponent. He wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. At the same time, he couldn't underestimate Seto. He no doubt had something planned, and if he wasn't cautious enough he could fall into a trap. 'I have to remain vigilant. As long as I believe in my Grandpa's cards, I know I'll be able to win.' Once they were finished shuffling, they handed their decks over and set the stack down on their sides of the table. They both drew the five cards they needed in their hands and stared at one another.
"This is the moment you have all been waiting for, ladies and gentleman!" The female announcer declared. "The Duel Monsters matchup between Yugi Mutou and Seto Kaiba, is about to begin!" The crowd went wild as they were on the edge of their seats, not taking their eyes off of the show.
"This is it…" Jounouchi breathed in anticipation.
"Come on Yugi, we believe in you." Anzu urged.
"Since you helped to save Mokuba, I wish to repay you by letting you decide if you wish to go first or second." Seto told Yugi.
The young man looked over his cards as he pondered if he should take the first turn or not. Ideally, it would be a good tactic to set up a monster in defense to make sure one would have a barrier to protect themselves. However, in going second he would be able to draw a card. Not to mention he would be able to actually attack on his second turn rather than just defend. "I'll be fine going second. By all means, take the first turn." 'Yugi' stated.
Seto smiled as he checked his hand. "Very well, let us begin this Duel!" He picked out one of the five cards in his hands and set it down on the table. "I summon 'Hitotsu-Me Giant', in attack position!" The card wasn't anything special, just a vanilla monster with 1200 attack points. The moment the creature was placed on the surface, however, smoke began to fill the enclosed box. This caught 'Yugi' off guard as he looked around to see what was going on. To his surprise, the smoke began to form into a figure, and displayed a living version of the green cyclops.
The stadium of people cheered as they were watching the holograms appear in the dome. "What the?!" Jounouchi gasped as he and the two girls saw this.
"No way! The monster appeared inside the dome!" Miho shouted in shock.
Seto gave a sly smile over to 'Yugi' as he could see his baffled expression. "Impressive, isn't it? I have designed cutting edge virtual simulation systems to project life-sized images to liven the matches of the games. You've experienced them before with some of the other Game Masters." 'Yugi' looked over at Seto, remembering his Duels with the first and fourth Game Masters, and how that technology was used to make the battles more enticing. "This project has been one I have worked on for a while." Seto admitted. "But it was only after the Duel we had where I decided to craft this advanced mechanization to enhance the experience of these battle games from Capumon to Duel Monsters. I do want to thank you for giving me that idea, which helped to set up this theme park and gain attraction."
"So, this is how you want to defeat me?" 'Yugi' asked.
"I thought this is what you wanted. You're not the only one who wants to make a game more challenging." Seto pointed out. "Turn end." He finished his first turn without placing any other cards down.
'Yugi' scoffed as he drew a card from his deck. "So, this is what you wanted to go for. No matter what you may throw my way, I'll take it on! It's my turn now!" He picked out a card from his hand. "I summon 'Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress' in attack mode!" He set his own monster down in the same position to represent that he was using the monster to attack. The smoke filled the room yet again, but on 'Yugi's' side, eventually creating a blue dragon with a round belly and smushed in snout. This monster only had 1400 attack points, but it would be enough to take out Seto's current monster. "Fireball attack!" 'Yugi' ordered. The dragon on the field began to spark smoke in its mouth, followed by flames. The 'Winged Dragon' morphed the flames into a ball and shot it directly at the other monster. The 'Giant' took the hit, turning to smoke as the collision was enough to make Seto cover his face for protection. Despite it being only a hologram, it seemed like the effects were just as real.
When the 'Cyclops' was gone, Seto's Life Points dropped from 2000 to 1800. Around that time, Mokuba managed to make his way to the stands, being on the opposite side where the other high schoolers were. He wanted to see the Duel that would be taking place, especially since it was a big one for his sibling. "Big brother!" Mokuba shouted, seeing that Seto's life point counter decreased.
The other three though were pleased with the result. "All right! Well done buddy!" Jounouchi praised, raising a fist in the air.
Anzu smiled as she was just as gleeful. "That's the way, Yugi!"
Miho looked over at the brunette. "Looks like Seto is falling behind!" She giggled.
While the three were watching over their friend, Bakura observed from the sidelines and took mental notes on how the match was playing out. 'Right now, Yugi has a difference of 200 Life Points compared to Seto. But it isn't a big enough gap to be called an advantage. Although, Yugi does have a monster on his side while Kaiba has none and no face down cards. The only way he could beat Yugi in his next turn is to play a combo. The question is, what kind would he use to give him a chance of redemption?'
Seto managed to collect himself, shaking a bit as he regained his smile. "Not bad… I should have expected that you would want to start off strong as well. Preserving your dignity in just the first turn alone. But you haven't beaten me yet."
"That's usually how a Duel Monsters match works, isn't it?" 'Yugi' smiled, as he was not too worried by Seto's threats. Although he did have one thought that was reeling in his mind. 'Kaiba is no doubt just baiting me. I'm certain he has more powerful cards in his Deck waiting to be unleashed.' He remembered the monsters that Kaiba used against the Risa Triplets, which helped him beat the sisters. 'Yugi' didn't forget them, and he knew Kaiba was stalling to get them for his victory. 'If he manages to draw one of his two Blue Eyes White Dragons, it will be hard for me to get the upper hand. I have to make sure to end this Duel quickly, but cautiously as well. He probably has some other tricks up his sleeves waiting for me while he delays in getting his win.' 'Yugi' still could not underestimate Seto. While he may have the most powerful cards in Duel Monsters within his Deck, he knew it would be foolish to rely on those cards alone. Especially when there was no guarantee when he would draw them. "I end my turn." 'Yugi' declared, as there was nothing more he could do.
"My turn, I draw." Seto pulled a card from the top of his deck, checking each one over. He grinned as he placed a card in the Monster Field zone. "I'll attack using this card." The monster appeared on Seto's side of the field using smoke and holographics. This creature was more humanoid, supporting a white-face and was dressed in a clown costume with dark colors.
'Yugi' stared at the creature in confusion. "'Saggi The Dark Clown'?" He was baffled that Kaiba would end up summoning such a weaker monster than the one he had previously. After all, 'Saggi' only had 600 Attack Points, which was less than half of what 'Winged Dragon' had. It would have been a foolish move to set such a monster in that position, unless that meant he was plotting something.
His suspicions were correct as Seto looked over and began to speak. "I can see that you are confused. While it's true that your 'Winged Dragon' is far more powerful than my 'Dark Clown', you seem to have forgotten your lesson that you shouldn't underestimate the weak." Kaiba mocked, twisting 'Yugi's' own words. "So, I'll infuse 'Saggi' with this Magic Card!" 'Yugi' narrowed his eyes as he watched Seto lay a green-printed card on his side of the field. No doubt it would be used to help increase the monster to take down his own. "I activate 'Negative Energy Generator'. This card can only be activated if I have only one monster on my side of the field and it's a DARK type. It increased that monster's Attack Points by multiplying their level times 400. Since 'Saggi' is a level three monster, he gains 1200 additional attack points." Seto explained.
The 'Dark Clown' Seto had begun to grow in size on the field, as black and purple lightning effects surrounded it. The spell card caused this growth to occur, reflecting the new powers 'Saggi' had. With the boost increase from the Magic Card, 'Saggi's' attack strength was now 1800. It was more than enough to take down 'Winged Dragon'. "Of course," Seto continued to speak as he looked down at the two cards that were on his side of the table. "The downside to this card is that I can not summon any other monsters as long as the equipped card is on the field. But, given how much stronger 'Saggi' is right now, it's a small price to pay." Supporting a wicked smile, Seto looked over at the opposing monster. "Go on, 'Saggi The Dark Clown'! Destroy the 'Winged Dragon' with Dark Glide!" The DARK type Monster raised up his arms, creating a black ball between the hands. 'Saggi' aimed the ball right at the blue winged-beast, which hit it right in the gut. The 'Winged Dragon' began to spin around as it slowly shrunk inside of the hole, until it disappeared. Once it was gone, 'Yugi's' Life Points went down to 1600. "So, what did you think of the combo attack of 'Dark Clown Saggi' with 'Negative Energy Generator'?" Seto laughed. "That is all I can do for now though, so I'll end my turn.
'Yugi' glared at the field, starting to sweat a bit after taking such a devastating blow. 'Damn that Kaiba! He's clearly made adjustments to his deck! I should have expected nothing less from an expert in Duel Monsters.' He thought to himself, understanding his opponent while doing his best to observe the situation. 'Then again, it is true that winning with strong monsters alone would be a foolish move. He's clearly thought ahead and created some combos with his Monsters to help him until he can get Blue Eyes.' At the moment, 'Yugi' couldn't do much.
"What's the matter? The battle has only just begun." Seto eyed his opponent with a toying smirk. He was definitely trying to get under 'Yugi's' skin, and for a moment it seemed to have been working. He felt his eyes waver a bit, shaking as he felt himself becoming subdued by the overwhelming power of the 'Dark Clown'. He looked back over at the bleachers, seeing his friends standing by the railing as they were staring at him with passion and care.
'Calm down… it may be a strong Monster, but even with the power boost, it is not as tough as the best Monsters.' His hand reached over to the deck, slowly gripping the top card as he did his best to keep his composure together. 'No matter what happens, I'll believe in my Grandfather's deck. He put his heart and soul into these cards, so they must hold something to help turn this around.' He held onto that belief as he drew the top card from the stack and looked it over. He grunted in disappointment as he saw a monster card in his hand, but it was only a right golden leg with an ankle shackle. The monster itself only had 200 Attack Points and 300 Defense Points. 'This card won't be able to beat the 'Dark Clown'! None of the other monsters can do the job either.' He looked back over at his hand, seeing nothing there that would help him out for a counter attack. The Monsters had pretty weak stats.
'Looks like the only thing I can do now is to endure the onslaught of attacks and play it safe. As long as I put my Monsters in Defense Mode, I'll lose them but my Life Points will be safe.' It was the only strategy he could play at this point. He chose a random Monster, setting it face down Defense Position. "I place one Monster face down, and end my turn." He declared.
Seto scoffed, seeing the move 'Yugi' made. "Looks like that is all you can do. 'Saggi the Dark Clown', attack with Dark Glide!" Seto's Monster summoned another black hole, aiming it at the card 'Yugi' had. That Monster suffered the same fate as the 'Winged Dragon'. However, this Monster had a special ability, unlike a vanilla Monster.
"I activate 'Sangan's' special ability." 'Yugi' declared, holding up the effect monster that had just been destroyed. "When it's sent to the Graveyard, I can search my deck and add one Monster with 1500 or less Attack Points into my hand, then I shuffle my deck." He explained, doing that action as he grabbed another monster that would help him out, before shuffling the cards.
"Well, at least you did something other than play Defense." Seto noted. "But, is that all you can do?"
"Just wait and see." 'Yugi' declared. Even though he said that, for the next few turns all he could do was set up a wall against Seto's one Monster. There were no cards he had that could match the Attack Points of 'Saggi', nor did he have any Monsters with enough Defense Points to be a better barrier. He ended up playing Defense mode for two whole turns, which meant that was two more Monsters that were sent to the Graveyard. He hated this, but it was all he could do.
"That's Seto Kaiba for you." One of the people in the audience called out.
"Considering this Yugi kid must be an amateur, he's at a complete disadvantage against the master!" Another stated.
"Yeah, this isn't even a real match anymore." Someone complained.
At this point, the group of high schoolers could hear what the crowd was saying, and it made the one boy of the trio become infuriated even more by the way his friend was playing. "What're you doing!?" Jounouchi demanded as he pounded on the railing. He was more upset with the fact that Seto still had the advantage over 'Yugi' than how his buddy was playing. He knew that 'Yugi' was trying his best, but if he didn't get any luck soon, Seto would wipe the floor with him.
"Easy, Jounouchi." Miho warned as he was gripping the railing to the point that his knuckles were turning white. "Yugi is doing all he can."
The blond gritted his teeth. "I wish he could be doing more! Kaiba is wiping out his Monsters left and right!"
Anzu looked at Jounouchi as she narrowed her eyes. "Give him a break! He's doing all that he can! And unless you can go in there and take his place, we have to respect his strategy." The blond looked over at the brunette, seeing how harsh her stare and words were. As much as he wanted to fight back with her on that one, he stayed down. Anzu looked back over to see 'Yugi'. "Right now, Yugi is struggling, and we have to stay here and remind him what he is fighting for. I know it is upsetting to only play the supporting role, but we have to let Yugi do what he can and hope that it will be enough." She seemed just as upset about the fact that she could only be on the sidelines instead of helping 'Yugi' to defeat Seto. Even so, she held her hands together in a prayer-like manner, doing her best to believe in 'Yugi' so that way he can come out of this match on top and get them all out of here. Miho did the same thing, remaining silent but giving her support as best she could. While Jounouchi was still peeved at the idea of not being of much physical support, he could only watch and cheer for his friend. After all, he's managed to get them out of tougher messes before, surely he could get back on track and beat Seto!
"So, this is the deck that your old geezer gave to you before the start of Ultimate G.A.M.E.?" Seto mocked as he looked over at 'Yugi', still having a smug grin on his face. "I have to say, I'm slightly disappointed. I wonder what his reaction would be if he saw how poorly your Dueling skills are because of the cards he gathered."
'Yugi' was not going to take that lightly, he glared at Kaiba with loathing. "Grandpa gave these cards to me because he believed in me to use them for this very moment! The burning ambition from his soul is something I can feel with every card that is drawn!" He narrowed his eyes over at his opponent. "That is a belief I doubt you hold highly of with your cards!" 'Yugi's' words did strike some sort of nerve within Seto, making that smile upon his face vanish. He stared at his opponent in awe as he still held onto his hope of turning things around. It was 'Yugi's' turn, as he placed his hand on the deck to grab the top card. "I will believe in my cards to the very end!" He slowly picked up the top card of his deck, bringing it up to his face to see what he had. His belief was what kept him dreaming he would be able to defeat 'Saggi' and be one step closer to winning this match. He looked at the Monster he drew, a smirk graced his lips as this would be what he needed. "And now I summon 'Dark Magician'!" 'Yugi' placed his Monster down in the Attack Position. It was a level seven-star Monster supporting 2500 Attack Points, enough to take down the opponent. The holographic images began to create the illusion of the Spellcaster-type Monster. A human figure with purple armor and cloak that matched his long hair and slanted eyes. He held a green emerald staff in his right hand.
Seeing the Monster appear on 'Yugi's' side made Seto jump back in surprise. He had that kind of card in his deck? And he drew it right at that moment?! There was no way it could have been a coincidence! "No way!"
"My 'Magician' has more than enough Attack Points to take down your 'Clown'. Here I go, 'Dark Magician'! Attack 'Saggi'! Dark Magic Attack!" The Spellcaster held up his staff, aiming an attack at the 'Dark Clown', causing the illusion of the monster to disintegrate and took a big chunk out of Seto's Life Points as they dropped to 1100.
The crowd cheered, impressed by the sudden comeback that 'Yugi' had made. This was shaping up to be an interesting match for everyone's enjoyment.
Jounouchi jumped in joy, raising up his fist as he saw the comeback his friend made. "Alright, good job Yugi!"
Anzu smiled as she looked at the field. "Now with this, Yugi is in the lead again."
"Looks like the match has once again fallen into my favor." 'Yugi' told Seto as he now had a satisfied grin on his face.
Seto glared over at his opponent, seeing how cocky he was with just a small advantage. "We still don't know who the winner will be yet!"
"Oh? Are you wanting to prolong this game?" 'Yugi' questioned.
"Are you enjoying the match yourself?" Seto asked in a mocking manner to match 'Yugi's'. "And here I thought you wanted to end this quickly."
"The idea is to humiliate the opponent when you win, right? But that doesn't mean you can't knock them down during this Duel."
Seto smirked at the high schooler with a soft scoff. "You catch on quickly. You would think by now I would have learned to not overlook your ability and personality."
"What can I say? I'm full of surprises. It isn't over until it's over, at this point it's up to our decks and cards to determine who will claim the victory of this match." 'Yugi' finished his turn.
"Well, we can not disagree on that. My turn, I draw." Seto picked up the top card from his deck and scanned the print. His eyes narrowed at it, while keeping that grin. "Looks like you aren't the only one that has some tricks up your sleeve." When he heard that, 'Yugi' grew tense with worry. Could it be… did Seto get the one card? "The conclusion for this match has already been decided! I summon 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon'!" He placed the card down, as the technology solidified the monster with white skin and piercing blue eyes to become real. It was far larger than 'Dark Magician', but given how much more powerful it was, the size matched that. The crowd once again went wild, seeing the legendary dragon appear right in front of them.
Bakura stared with wide eyes upon the dragon. 'He managed to pull the card he needed to overturn his disadvantage! His skills really are on par with Yugi's.' He thought to himself.
"So you finally drew it!" 'Yugi' gasped, watching in horror as the most powerful Monster in Duel Monsters was the one he would have to face now.
Jounouchi gulped as he saw the dragon manifest onto Seto's side. "No way… he has a 'Blue Eyes'!"
"I thought Grandpa was the only one who had that card…" Miho was confused.
Anzu shook her head solemnly. "No, Kaiba does have two 'Blue Eyes'..." She admitted, remembering back when that Risa girl and her sisters cornered Yugi, taking away one of his Monster cards and his Millennium Puzzle. Due to him still having a fever, he was unable to fully challenge them to a Duel. If it hadn't been for Seto stepping in, they would have fallen victim to those triplet witches. But she and Yugi were aware that Seto now had two of the legendary dragons of white within his deck. The brunette shook while biting her lip. She knew full well the kind of devastation this Monster was capable of.
"You've already seen the power of 'Blue-Eyes', but experiencing it is a whole other matter. 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon', attack!" Seto ordered. "Burst Stream of Destruction!" The 'White Dragon' opened its jaw, creating a large ball of blue and white lightning inside of the mouth. Once it was fully formed, the energy shot into a beam, directly towards 'Dark Magician'. The Monster 'Yugi' had screamed in pure shock, as there was nothing it could have done to prevent its untimely death. 'Yugi' shielded his face as the light blinded him. Once the brightness had died down, he looked back at the field and saw his Life Point counter was now down to 1100. "With that, 'Dark Magician' has been pulverized!" Seto chuckled. "So, what do you think? This is your first time being the target of 'Blue-Eyes'. It's the ultimate card in Duel Monsters to date! With such high Attack and Defense points, practically nothing can defeat it. And I'll tell you this right now: I still have two other 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons' that are hiding in my deck. Once I gather all three onto the field, there will be no success in winning." Seto narrowed his eyes which held sickening and twisted determination. "I'll end my turn right here." He declared as he had done enough damage for now.
After hearing that bit of news, it caused 'Yugi' to panic slightly. 'I should have known he was stalling just to bring 'Blue-Eyes' out.' He thought as he felt the sweat collect on his face. While it may have been just a card and hologram, it was still overwhelming to take on. With such a powerful offense, it would be tough to get rid of. 'Even with just one 'Blue-Eyes', the power alone from such a beast is enough to make anyone shrivel in fear. If he manages to gather all three together, I will be of no match.' He looked back at his hand, drawing another card from the deck. It was yet another weak monster that looked similar to the golden leg with the shackle, but it was a right arm. 'None of the Monsters in my hand can match up with 'Blue-Eyes'. I don't have enough Spell and Trap cards that can increase their attack points to even match with that Dragon. The best I can do is go back to playing in Defense.' At the moment, it was the only strategy he could do until he could find a way to destroy the 'Blue-Eyes' on the field. If he could end up getting rid of that one, then he would have a better chance at defeating Seto.
'Yugi' placed a Monster card in face-down Defense Position before ending his turn. Seto raised a brow at his rival. "Do you really plan to keep using defense? You'll use up all of your Monsters at this rate before they can even attack." He pointed out. "Then again, that seems to be all you can do as nothing can match up against 'Blue-Eyes'." He stated as he drew a card to begin his turn. That smile on his face grew as he looked at what he got. "But if one 'Blue-Eyes' is giving you trouble, then I doubt you will fare well against two." He placed a card on his side, as it manifested a second 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' onto the field who joined alongside its brethren. With Seto's orders, the newly summoned monster attacked the Defensive one 'Yugi' had, making his field wide open. "I would advise you to just give up and accept the loss while you still have some pride left. Then again, I wouldn't want to disappoint the fans who have come all this way just to see an anticlimactic surrender. And the look in your eyes tells me that you don't want to lose so easily." Seto observed.
Jounouchi banged his fists on the railing, glaring over at Seto. "That bastard! Having one 'Blue-Eyes' was bad enough, and now he's got two! That's just overkill at this point!"
Miho held her hands together, shaking as her eyes wavered. "Poor Yugi, even he looks worried." She pointed out.
"Don't give up, Yugi!" Anzu begged as she watched their friend. "Remember, you aren't fighting alone! We all are right here watching over you and supporting you!"
'Yugi' narrowed his eyes while gritting his teeth. Despite the disadvantage, there was no way he was just going to walk away. He had come so far, and with his Grandpa and friends still on the line, backing down now would only insult him and them as well. "I'll never give up. I'll keep fighting no matter what!" He still held onto the belief that his Grandfather's deck would be able to help him overcome these difficult obstacles. He held onto that hope as he reached to his deck and drew his next card. It was one of green printing, while his eyes dilated as he read the words. ''Swords of Revealing Light'! It won't destroy the 'Blue-Eyes, but it should at least give me enough time to figure out a way to remove them from the field.' He thought. It was the best choice he had so far, so he went with it. "I play a Magic Card, 'Swords of Revealing Light'." Once he placed the card on the field, an illusion of swords that were shrouded in blinding brightness surrounded the two 'Blue-Eyes' and encased them in a prison. "For three whole turns, all Monsters on your side of the field are unable to declare an attack." He explained while breathing in relief. Hopefully he would have a break from the destructive powers of the two Dragons for now.
Seto did not waver as he watched this action, merely finding it amusing. "Stalling for time? Even if you managed to buy yourself three whole turns, there isn't anything you can possibly do to turn this around. But then again, I suppose it is too soon to tell. So, why not prove me wrong by putting into motion your plan?"
As much as 'Yugi' wanted to talk back to him and defend his honor, his eyes looked at the cards in his hands. 'Kaiba isn't wrong. I don't have a single Monster right now that could even match 'Blue-Eyes'. On top of that, I only have two strange cards that look more like pieces of a Monster rather than a real one.' At this point, 'Yugi' closed his eyes as he attempted but failed to focus his energy into the game. How could he when even he was aware that nothing in his hand was capable of giving him the advantage he needed? 'There's just no way… I can't continue to fight with this. I'm sorry Grandpa… Everyone…' For a moment, he did consider giving up on the Duel. Even with the three turns he bought himself, there was nothing he had that could overcome the devastation of two Legendary Dragons.
"Giving up already? That doesn't seem like you, Yugi." He gasped as he could hear his Grandfather's voice speaking to him inside his head. When he turned around, the ghost of his guardian looked over with a smile and passionate eyes.
'Grandpa…?' 'Yugi' spoke to him through this mind link. He knew this was all in his head, but if he could be given any advice that would help him, he would take it.
"Listen, my Grandson. Do not doubt yourself now. You've faced greater challenges in the past before, and they all have helped you to prepare for this very moment. Ever since you solved the Millennium Puzzle, you have been able to gain so much knowledge and power that no mere mortal could ever hope to achieve."
'Yugi' turned to fully face his Grandfather while his eyes downcasted to the treasure around his neck. 'The Millennium… Puzzle?' He held it in his hands, thinking back on the nights where he would stay awake just to figure out which pieces would fit together. The gift his Grandfather gave to him, a game that he had been trying to solve for the past eight years just so he could be granted his one wish.
"You didn't give up on the Millennium Puzzle then, so why are you giving up now?" His Grandfather questioned him.
'But Grandpa… I don't know what to do. He's got two 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons' on his side, and none of the cards I have will be able to stop him…' 'Yugi' looked down in disappointment. 'I don't want to give up, but at the rate this Duel is going…'
"Nonsense!" Sugaroku declared with a bellowing laugh. 'Yugi' looked back up at him as he wondered how could he be so peppy despite the situation? Then again, he wasn't the one Dueling against two 'Blue-Eyes'. "Listen, Yugi. While it is true that 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' is a powerful card in Duel Monsters, it isn't the only one. There are others out there that can even blow it away. But some of these cards don't just come to you in a single piece. Sometimes, you need to put them together, just like a puzzle. You need to find all of the pieces." Those were his words of advice before his figure started to fade into the darkness.
'Grandpa!' 'Yugi' called out as he reached his hand to beckon for Sugaroku to come back. Although, his words kept echoing within his mind.
"You need to find all the pieces, Yugi!" Pieces? What did he mean? What kind of Monster could possibly exist in Duel Monsters that would involve collecting them like… it was that moment he remembered something his Grandfather told him a while back. When he was just starting to learn the basics of the game.
"Grandpa? Could you tell me what the most powerful Monster in Duel Monsters is?" Yugi asked with a smile, as he and his Guardian were separated by the counter while Sugaroku was behind with the shelves and games.
"Oh-ho! Interested in that, are we?" He asked with a few cards spread out across the surface.
Yugi gave a nod as he looked them over. "I want to get started on building my deck, but I'm not sure which Monsters would be the best to use."
"So you want to know what the strongest Monsters are to build up that kind of deck?" Yugi nodded at the question with a smile. His Grandfather was a master at this game, and he knew that if anyone could give him some tips, it was Sugaroku Mutou. The old man laughed which caused his grandson to be confused. "Yugi, Duel Monsters isn't about having the most powerful cards. One could build a deck with nothing but strong Monsters, but that won't give them the edge to win." He explained. "A great strategy is about combining your deck with not just Monster Cards, but Spell and Traps as well. The Spell cards are to help increase your Monster's strength while the Trap Cards are to weaken your opponent. Only by having a deck with such a balance of Monsters, Spells and Trap cards can you create a recipe for success and victory."
Yugi awed at what his Grandfather had told him. He neve knew Duel Monsters was so complicated, but that just made it even more fun. "Will you be able to teach me more and help me build my own deck?!" He begged.
"Of course, only if you are willing to learn that is." Sugaroku pointed out. "There is still so much that you have yet to learn about this game before you can go ahead and play. For example, you need to know that some monsters have certain requirements that you must meet before you can use them." Yugi tilted his head, wondering what the old man was going on about. Sugaroku smiled as he asked his Grandson a question. "Yugi, what do you think is the strongest Monster card in all of Duel Monsters?"
The young child hummed as he tapped his chin, thinking it over. He beamed as he believed he had the answer. "The 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon', right? After all, it has 3000 Attack Points with 2500 Defense Points. And because of its incredible strength, they ended up canceling production of it, so there are only four in the world."
Sugaroku crossed his arms over his chest. "Well it is true that on its own, 'Blue-Eyes' is a pretty powerful card. However, there is one in all of Duel Monsters that when you play it, you automatically win the Duel, despite your opponent having all four 'Blue-Eyes'."
"Really?! Such a card like that exists?!" Yugi's attention was at its peak as he wanted to know what this overpowered card could be to beat such a legendary Monster.
Sugaroku could see how invested his grandson was, so he continued. "It's called 'Exodia, the Forbidden One'. By using this Monster, you are guaranteed victory no matter what your opponent has on their side of the field. However, getting it is not easy. You see, 'Exodia' is so powerful that they couldn't contain it in a single card. So they sealed the Monster in five separate cards. Only when you gather all five of them together, can you summon 'Exodia' and gain a certain victory." Sugaroku sighed before he looked up at the ceiling. "However, to this day no one has been able to draw those five cards. Meaning that no one has been able to see that mystical god, 'Exodia'."
"But you have those cards, don't you Grandpa?" Yugi asked as he leaned in closer. "After all, you are a great Duel Monsters Collector, so you must have at least some of those pieces?!"
Upon the old man's face, a grin graced his lips when he saw how excited his grandson was. "Tell you what, when you are ready to play Duel Monsters and have your own deck, I'll let you play against me. And who knows, depending on your luck, you might just see that 'Forbidden One' yourself." Sugaroku advised, which made Yugi even more excited.
Thinking back on that memory, 'Yugi' should have realized sooner. The two pieces he had in his hand, that of the sealed arm and leg… these were it! The pieces he needed for his victory against Seto: Exodia! 'So Grandpa did have Exodia after all! That means, if I can get all five cards, I will be able to defeat the 'Blue-Eyes' on the field and crush Kaiba! This was the puzzle he was talking about!' 'Yugi' knew what he had to do. It wouldn't be easy, he still needed three cards after all. And he only had three turns until 'Swords of Revealing Light' would no longer be in effect. It was a heavy gamble, but at this point it was his only hope.
Seto stared at 'Yugi' as his opponent looked over his deck and hand. The brunet wondered if he was actually considering surrendering. "It's your turn, Yugi. Hurry and draw your card. Or are you just that desperate in stalling for your life?" He mocked.
'Yugi' looked up at Seto as he placed a blank expression on his features. Now that there was hope in his Deck, he was not going to give up. He still had three turns until 'Swords of Revealing Light' wore off, and he needed three other pieces of Exodia if he was to win. He would put all of his trust and some of his powers to use as he reached for the top card of the stack. "My turn, I draw." He picked it up, looking over the paper and saw what he got. It was the right leg of 'The Forbidden One'. Now he had three pieces, which meant he needed two more and he would be able to pull a certain victory against the match. For now, he would have to wait. "I end my turn without playing a card."
Seto shrugged, going to his Deck and pulling out the top card. "Looks like you weren't able to find what you needed after all. And you only have two more turns until my 'Blue-Eyes' are free to attack." He looked over what he had in his hand, while thinking. 'It doesn't matter what he draws, there's nothing that can match up, much less defeat, 'Blue-Eyes'. If only I didn't have the 'Swords' to keep my Monsters down, I could attack as much as I want. But, if he's going to stall for time, I suppose I will as well.' His cold eyes looked back over at the stack of cards he had, doing his best but failing to contain his smile. 'I still have one more 'Blue-Eyes' in my stack. Before I crush Yugi, I'm going to unleash it and have all three attack at once. That will be the most crushing defeat he will have. But until then…' Seto shuffled his card into his hand and turned back to 'Yugi'. "I'll also end without doing anything. Go ahead and draw." Seto urged.
'Yugi' glared upon Seto and his smug expression. 'He's no doubt taking his time as well. Probably waiting until he can find the third 'Blue-Eyes'. He wouldn't want to end the Duel unless he has all three, since he wants to overpower me.' He reached and grabbed a card from his deck, then looked at the content. 'The right arm of Exodia!' He mentally gasped, as he now had four of the five pieces. He was almost there, just on the verge of winning. "I end my turn without playing anything." He declared.
"It seems that the standstill is affecting both players. Neither of them are putting any cards down while 'Swords of Revealing Light' is in play. Perhaps they are using this time to strategize." The female announced.
"Yugi is just drawing cards but he isn't doing anything else." Miho noted as she was watching.
"Even with the time he managed to get, he hasn't gotten anything to help him out in the end." Jounouchi grunted.
Anzu looked back at the others, trying to be the one to rally them together. "There's still time. We have to believe that Yugi is planning something, and that he will use it to turn the Duel around." She turned back to the match, biting her lip. "Come on Yugi, you can do this!"
Seto gave another shrug as his hand reached over and took another card from his Deck. It was not the one he needed for his set, but he figured it would help him. "I'll set a card face down, then end my turn." He sat back and watched as he waited to see what 'Yugi' would do next.
'He set a card in the back row…' 'Yugi' noted, his eyes glanced over as he pondered what it could be. 'That row is used for Spell and Trap Cards. Is it some sort of Spell to help boost his monsters even more?' Just the idea of the 'Blue-Eyes' growing even more powerful was a frightening sight. However, he doubted that there was anything Kaiba had on him that would beef up the Dragons. After all, he seemed more interested in quantity not quality. So it was probably a trap card of sorts. Even though 'Yugi' had nothing to get rid of the Monsters, Seto was making sure he had a backup plan. 'Still no third 'Blue-Eyes'. Even if he did draw it and play it, it would still be imprisoned by the Swords. But I don't have much time left.' 'Yugi' thought to himself, taking in a deep breath as he drew the next card, believing it was the final piece he needed. Instead, it ended up being a card with purple text: A Trap Card. 'This isn't what I need, but some extra protection never hurts anyone.' He placed his own card face down in the back row. "I'll set one card face down, then end my turn." He stated, leaning back and letting Seto take his turn. He still had one turn left before his Spell Card would be removed from the field, but for now, he would have to wait.
"This is where it ends!" Seto proclaimed, pulling another card from his Deck. He looked at it with shining eyes and smirked. "Looks like things are about to be over." He placed the card he retrieved on the field, letting 'Yugi' see his demise. "This is it, Yugi! The third and final 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon'!" The third dragon manifested into a holographic solidified version, completing the set. Everyone in the crowd gasped and applauded as three of the four 'Blue-Eyes' were together, ready to dust their foe. "And to make sure that I can attack now, I will activate my Spell Card!" Seto flipped his one face down, showing what it was. On the green card showed an image of a purple and gold padlock with a key in it. "The Magic Card: De-Spell. I can destroy one spell card on the field, and I choose your 'Swords of Revealing Light!" Seto declared, making the Swords vanish around the 'Blue-Eyes' so they were freed.
"No way!" 'Yugi' gasped, seeing that he was wide open for an attack against all three 'Blue-Eyes'.
"He can't be serious!" Jounouchi complained. "Yugi's got no Monsters on the field! He can attack directly!"
Seto laughed, believing he was the victor of this Duel. "Yugi, it looks like you will be buried six feet under the might of the 'Legendary Dragons'. Attack him, 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons'! Crush him with your 'Burst Stream of Destruction!" The three Monster's opened their jaws, summoning their spheres of white lightning in their mouths as they aimed it directly at 'Yugi'.
The three high schoolers who were watching from the sidelines gasped. "Yugi!" Jounouchi shouted.
"I can't watch!" Miho covered her eyes, not wanting to see the outcome.
"No… Yugi!" Anzu screamed.
The three dragons merged their beams into one, aiming it straight at 'Yugi' to take down the rest of his Life Points. And it would have happened, had 'Yugi' not had one final trick up his sleeve. "Reverse Card, open!" 'Yugi' shouted, flipping his one face down card over. "Negate Attack!" He shouted. Just before the beams of white lightning could even touch 'Yugi', they were blocked by an invisible barrier that stopped them.
"What the?!" Seto gasped, not expecting such a card to foil his killing blow.
'Yugi' smiled as he explained. "Negate Attack nullifies any oncoming attacks from Monsters and ends the Battle Phase."
Once again, Seto glared as he became unamused. "You may have stalled for another turn, but the next turn will be the finale! Once it's my move, all three 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons' will wipe out the rest of your Life Points. So go ahead and pull your last card."
'Yugi' looked back at his deck, shuddering as he tried to keep his composure steady. Seto was right, he was bidding his turns until he could get what he needed. 'Right now, I have four of the five cards I need to assemble 'Exodia'. But I still need the head of 'The Forbidden One' in order to summon it. It all comes down to this.' He lifted up his hand, slowly reaching over to the Deck, ready to pull his next card. As he reached for it though, he paused when he felt his skin getting goosebumps. 'This will be the last card I draw, and if it isn't the last one I need, then I won't be able to win. Drawing the final card is very unlikely. Once I pull this card, everything will be over.' The roars of the 'Blue-Eyes' rang out in his ears. He knew what would await him should he not get the card he needed. 'No matter the result, I need to draw…' That's what he believed, yet for some reason he wasn't convinced. His mind played a trick on him, where as he reached for the stack, the cards would move away from his fingers. Further and further as they became out of reach. 'Why are the cards leaving me?'
Beyond the Duel Monsters cards, he could envision Seto with his three 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons'. They were ready to destroy him and make him perish within their 'Burst Stream of Destruction'. That was the fate waiting for 'Yugi' should he fail to summon 'Exodia'. 'It's not the cards that are getting further away! I'm the one that's running from the cards! I'm scared…' He finally admitted. 'If I do not draw what I need then I won't be able to win… I'll fail myself… I'll fail everyone…'
He was clouded by his own insecurities and fears, the confidence he usually had was starting to slip. He felt that it was all over. No matter what he drew, he doubted it would be the final piece he needed to summon his ace Monster. "Don't you dare give up, Yugi!" His eyes shot open suddenly upon hearing that voice. He turned to his side, seeing Jounouchi, Anzu and Miho against the railing as they were watching over him.
"Everyone…" He breathed, looking at their faces of encouragement.
The blond gripped the railing with a motivational grin. "Remember that you are not fighting alone! Remember what it was that I told you the day when we first met?! 'What is it that you can see but cannot see'? You know the answer, don't you, Yugi?!" He shouted over to him as loud as he could.
'Yugi' gasped, thinking back to the day when he and Jounouchi became friends. It was the day after Yugi completed the Millennium Puzzle, where he wished to have true friends that would be with him no matter what. And on that morning in Domino High, Jounouchi swore his loyalty to Yugi. The blond kept that promise no matter what obstacles were thrown his way. And they were still the best of buddies even now.
"You're backed up by the hearts of your friends!" Jounouchi cried out. "We ain't giving up on you, so don't you dare give up on us! Beat that bastard at his own game, ya hear me?!"
"Jounouchi…" 'Yugi' gasped as he listened to what his friend was saying. How he still believed in him despite the scoreboard and the field.
Anzu nodded as she turned towards 'Yugi'. "We're fighting by your side, Yugi! Keep on going!" She held her hands together like a prayer.
Miho cheered on as well. "Even if all of us aren't here together physically, we will be by your side spiritually. So fight on!"
'Yugi' could hear them, even though Cosmo, Honda and Grandpa weren't there with them, he could still picture them standing with the others, smiling and assuring him that he had this. Taking a deep breath, 'Yugi' looked back at his deck, which was waiting for him to draw the final card. He held that stunning gaze, reaching over to slightly grip the top card of the stack. 'I… I am not afraid anymore!'
Seto was able to hear what 'Yugi's' friends were saying, and though he found it a bit annoying, he figured there was no harm. But as he turned back to his opponent, he was surprised to see that 'Yugi' went from nervous to confident. 'What's this? Yugi's expression has changed?! What is he plotting?!'
'Yugi's fierce eyes looked upon his rival while his voice spoke in a fluent manner upon smiling. "Kaiba, I have hope within my hand. And now that I know what is on the line, I will not lose!" He declared, slowly picking up the card from the top of his deck. He glanced at it, making sure it was what he needed. The grin on his face grew wider when he saw what was in his hand. "And now… the card I have drawn…" Flipping over, 'Yugi' revealed the Monster that would guarantee his victory. "'Exodia, The Forbidden One!'"
All the color on Seto's face drained as he watched 'Yugi' set all five of the cards onto the Monster Zone. His eyes wavered and mouth agape in pure shock. "Impossible! You have Exodia?! You managed to collect all five of those rare cards?!"
The satisfaction on 'Yugi's' face showed as he called the 'Forbidden One'. "Come forth, 'Exodia'!" The cards on the field began to create smoke, as the illusion from the technology in the dome made a large star appear behind the high schooler. A giant golden arm came out of one point of the star, then another followed. Two legs emerged from the bottom points until a giant head wrapped in an Egyptian style royal-headpiece came out of the very center. There it was: 'Exodia, the Forbidden One'. He had the shackles around his ankles and wrists, as if to represent those that imprisoned him were trying to hold him down. He had on a short kilt around his waist, just barely touching his kneecaps as his large muscles overtook the majority of the dome. He appeared even bigger than the 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons', to the point they even cowered in fear upon the arrival of a god greater than them.
Seto could only stare with so many emotions written on his face. There was fear, astonishment, regret, and failure. Because according to the text written on 'The Forbidden One', those who could manage to gather all five pieces would have an automatic win in Duel Monsters. So this was what 'Yugi' was waiting for! He was stalling just to wait until he got the cards of 'Exodia' to turn the game in his favor. He managed to beat the odds and come out on top, while Seto was powerless to stop it from happening.
"No way!" One of the people in the crowd gasped. Whispers amongst the crowd began to rise for even the two Dueling to hear.
"He managed to get 'Exodia, The Forbidden One'?!"
"I thought that it was impossible for someone to summon that Monster!"
"There's no way that the 'Blue-Eyes' are going to survive!"
"This is it, Kaiba!" 'Yugi' declared. "Lights Hellfire! Exodia's Flame!" The largest Monster held his hands together to create a golden sphere between the palms. It was far brighter than the sun itself and once it was big enough, the ball aimed straight at the three Dragons. The Monsters were engulfed in the rage that was 'Exodia', being disintegrated within the flames and turned to dust. Their Attack Points didn't matter, for 'Exodia' always brought victory.
"Unbelievable! In a sudden turn around, Yugi Mutou was able to summon the most powerful Monster in all of Duel Monsters to destroy the three 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons'! I can not believe I am saying this but… the winner of this match is: Yugi Mutou!"
Once again, the crowd awed as their voices rose. "I-I can't believe it…"
"Seto Kaiba, Japan's number one Duelist, lost to some nobody!"
"And the match was official, so the title has been lost on Kaiba's part!"
Even Mokuba was stunned as he backed away in slight horror. "No way… Big brother lost in Duel Monsters!"
The other three high schoolers looked at one another, jumping in joy. "Hell yeah!" Jounouchi screamed. "He did it! That's our Yugi for ya!"
"He managed to pull it off in the end!" Miho cried out with a bright smile.
Anzu gave a nod as her face lit up to turn back to the stage. "You did it, Yugi."
Seto was still stunned, lost in the events that transpired. His Life Points were down to zero, indicating he lost the game. His brain could not fully register as it didn't want to accept the outcome, yet there was no denying it.
"Kaiba, no matter how strong a card is on its own… it's useless if you can not connect your heart into it. Only when your deck and heart become one, can you achieve a miracle." 'Yugi' gave his final piece of advice to his rival.
Seto's body kept shaking while he stared at the table, where the three 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons' lay in the graveyard. "I-Impossible…. How could I have lost?" He wanted to know! He had to know! How could 'Yugi', who only had a few Monster cards with such low Attack and Defense Points, pull out such a high-leveled Monster without much effort?!
'Yugi' was not yet finished though, as he narrowed his eyes angrily right at Seto. "As the loser of this match, you will receive a punishment game! You will now atone for the evil that resides inside of your heart." A golden eye appeared right on his forehead, as he reached his hand over, opening his fingers to reveal his palm while shouting at the top of his lungs. "Mind Crush!"
Seto screamed, as he could feel his mind breaking and his heart aching. Even though only 'Yugi' and Seto could see it, there was an illusion of a black sphere crumbling into pieces as a heart was glowing brightly in the center. Seto's heart had been clouded with some guilt and regrets from his past, ones he couldn't get over. Now… he could find himself again. It would be a long and harsh mental journey, but in the end it was Seto who would have to embark on it. "I have shattered the evil within your heart." 'Yugi' stated, not wavering at all in expression or voice.
Seto sat in his seat, his eyes unblinking, his mouth not moving. If it wasn't for the fact his chest was rising and falling, anyone would have thought he died. "Seto! Seto!" Mokuba's pained cries called out as he ran inside of the dome, going to his brother's side. He took hold of his shoulders, shaking him in the hopes to wake him up. "Snap out of it! Come on, wake up big brother!" The younger sibling began to grow in a panic state, not that anyone blamed him. He had already lost his parents, he didn't want to lose the only family he had left. With a crying and enraged face, he turned towards 'Yugi', who was just getting up from his seat. "What did you do to him?! What happened to Seto?!"
'Yugi' stood up with a nonchalant expression. He knew how upset Mokuba was, but this would do the brothers some good in the long run. "Mokuba… right now, Kaiba is lost. He is currently in the darkness gathering the fragments of his heart to rebuild himself. It will be up to him to piece his heart back together. I don't know how long it will take, but he will return. Until then, he will be in this shallow state, but he is still inside." That was all he had left to say before heading over and exiting the dome. Mokuba stayed with his brother, uttering 'Yugi's' name one last time as he watched him go. It was over now… at least, this portion of it was.
By the time Yugi managed to walk over to the side where the crowd was, he had lost that supernatural confidence and went back to his regular self once again. The three headed towards him and congratulated him on his victory. Jounouchi patted his back, grinning as wide as he could. "Way to go, Bud! I knew ya could do it!"
Miho went over to Yugi and gave him a small peck on the cheek, as a way to congratulate him. "You did amazing, Yugi." The boy blushed from the contacts of the lips, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.
Anzu gave a nod his way, brightly smiling. "I never doubted you for a second." Yugi chuckled, glad that his friends were by his side to celebrate with him after such trials and errors they made along the way.
"Yugi Mutou and friends?" A gruff voice called out, making the four turn to see a tall, muscular man in a black suit and tie. They were a bit on guard, not trusting this man since they felt he had some sort of connection with Kaiba. And if that were the case, he may not like the idea that his boss just got beaten. "I'll be taking you out of the building with your other friends and family members." He gestured, waiting for them to follow. The four looked at each other, still believing this to be a trap. Yet with Seto out of the picture, they doubt any of his bodyguards would try anything.
The four were soon led towards the entrance of the front of Kaiba Land Beta. Again, they were more or so on guard just in case there was a final trick up their sleeve. To their surprise though, right near the doors were none other than Honda and Yugi's Grandfather. This caught the young high schooler off guard, but he didn't care. He ran over to his guardian, hugging Sugaroku who laughed as he was embraced. "Grandpa, you're alright!"
"Of course, I was watching the whole thing." The old man patted his grandson on the shoulders. "You did amazing, Yugi. I'm so proud of you." The young child gave a small beam on his face, enjoying the praise.
Jounouchi went over to the brunet. "For someone that got crushed by some blocks, you sure look alright."
Honda chuckled. "Once the blocks covered the exit you guys escaped into, they stopped falling. A few of the guards helped me get out of the room, but took me to where Grandpa was and I watched the last two matches."
"Well, what matters is that you're safe." Miho stated, going over to hug him. "We were all really worried about you."
The brunet rubbed the back of his neck, blushing slightly as he was enjoying the comfort. "Eh-hehe… nothing I couldn't handle. I would have done it again for you guys…"
Yugi was glad that both him and Sugaroku were okay. All of his stress washed away, the events of today feeling like a bad dream. Though, as he looked around the entrance, he noticed that someone in the group was missing. "Wait… where's Cosmo?"
Sugaroku and Honda looked at one another, confused. "Come to think of it, she didn't meet up with us back at the final level of G.A.M.E. Tower." Anzu realized.
Everyone began to grow worried, wondering if she got lost or if something happened to her. The guard that escorted them to the exit spoke up. "Do you mean that young girl with green hair? Someone brought her to our health center a while ago. Apparently she had gotten a fever and we had to call her guardians to pick her up."
"A fever?!" Yugi repeated, feeling his anxiety spike.
"She did look kind of pale…" Miho added.
"Is she alright?" Jounouchi asked.
The guard raised his hands up. "She was taken by her guardian about half an hour ago. We did all we could to keep her fever down, but she was stable when we handed her off."
Yugi sighed in relief. "Galaxina probably took her home…" He noted, hoping that Cosmo would be able to recover. He looked down at the floor in guilt, since he was so focused on saving everyone else that he didn't notice Cosmo was feeling sick. He felt ashamed that he didn't try to help her out.
Anzu noticed this, seeing the face Yugi had on him. She gave him a small smile. "Don't worry, Yugi. I'm sure she'll be alright. We should be able to see her when she gets better." She tried to reassure him, making an effort to comfort him as best she could. Even though he was still worried, he made sure to promise himself to check up on her later.
"Well, you all may head out now. You all are free to leave." The guard stated. None of them wasted any time as they walked out of the building and were glad to be seeing the light of the sun, even though it was beginning to set.
"Man!" Jounouchi stretched out his arms as he sighed in bliss."Today was a hard day!"
"You've said it. I hope I never have to go through something like that again." Sugaroku noted.
"Agreed!" Honda nodded.
Anzu looked back at Yugi, seeing he was his goofy and kid-like exterior again. 'You were great out there, Yugi… Both Yugi's were.' She kept the thoughts to herself.
Jounouchi looked over at his friend, with a serious look on his face. "Hey, uh… Yugi…?"
"What is it, Jounouchi?" The short one looked over at the blond.
A tint of pink came across Jounouchi's face, as he hid his hands in the jeans of his pockets. "F-Forget it! Never mind!" He began to run off from the group.
Yugi was even more curious as he ran after him. "J-Jounouchi, wait up!" He did his best to catch up with his friend, wanting to know what it was that he was going to say. Then again, Yugi already knew what it was. Because even though he didn't remember a lot about the final battles, he knew that the memories of fighting with everyone that day would not disappear from within himself.
Everyone else in Kaiba Land Beta were beginning to make their way out of the building. Now that Ultimate G.A.M.E had ended, and Mokuba was tending to a defeated Seto, many of the guests didn't see any point in staying. One of those people was walking down the halls all on their own. A familiar powder blue-haired male with the same colored eyes had the events of today still fresh in his memory. "I still can't believe Yugi was able to beat Kaiba. To think he was able to summon 'Exodia' and turn the match around." Bakura chuckled slightly. "Way to go, Yugi." He was pleased to have seen his friend able to pull a miracle just in the nick of time. Yugi must have been a great gamer.
Bakura suddenly paused in his movements, looking down at his chest as his eyes shook. He felt that same pain from yesterday, but it was much stronger than before. "W-What's going on? I-it feels like something is burning inside of me…" He gasped in pain, leaning against the wall. The pendant around his neck shone as the eye glowed, surrounding the young man in a blinding light. He shuddered for a moment before the pain stopped. His hair was more wild and slightly spiky, and his eyes, while they were still blue, were more of an icy and piercing gaze than before. "Yugi…" His voice turned deeper while sounding more cunning. "You are indeed worthy of possessing the Millennium Puzzle. But now… it will be I who shall be your next opponent!" 'Bakura' declared, having an idea for a game ready in mind.