I apologize for the long wait, everyone. My beta reader was away on a long vacation/honeymoon with their spouse and I was struggling with this chapter, but I managed to get through it after I got the details down and done. I even went back to some of the chapters in the first book to edit a few parts that would indicate that Kaiba was interested in someone a long time ago.

This chapter contains a Duel that I had to rewrite multiple times and keep tracks of the cards in the Duel script.

Special thanks to CitrusUnshiu who is my beta-reader!

The chapter begins in Estelle's point of view.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!

Chapter 5: A Blast from the Past

If the heatwave was the calm before the storm, then the storm literally showed up the next day after my friends and I left Goodwin's villa. The dark clouds chased me with thunder echoing from the horizon as I drove down the streets that led to the district where the Kaibas were living.

The Kaiba Seto had a child this whole time and nobody knew about it?! It was shocking news. I never once thought that Seto actually got intimate with someone and it resulted with a child he hadn't heard about until now. My brain was getting overwhelmed by all the questions that swirled around in my head, so I had to block the thoughts until I reached my destination.

The staff of the Kaiba mansion was expecting me, so they let me in and allowed me to park my Duel Runner inside the massive garage just as the first raindrops splashed onto the ground followed by a downpour. One of the maids escorted me to the reception room where everyone was waiting for me. You could feel the tension in the air inside the building. No one dared to even breathe a word about the major discovery of Seto's heir.

The maid reached the door for the selected room and lightly knocked the back of her fingers on it. "Ms. Estelle Goodwin has arrived", she called.

There was no verbal response, but Isono opened the door and allowed me inside the room. Isono may be in his late seventies, but he kept himself in good shape. He was no longer working as bodyguard but as the head butler of the Kaiba mansion. Although, I heard he was going to retire soon due to his age.

As soon as I stepped inside the room, I immediately felt the tension ten higher. Seto, Mokuba and their guests sat on two couches with a large coffee table between them. Seto was leaning his forehead against his intertwined hands while the elbows rested on his lap. Mokuba looked nervous with cold sweat running down his face in the same pace as the rain outside that rattled against the windows.

I turned my eyes to the trio that sat on the other couch and felt a gasp get stuck in my throat. They may have aged, but I immediately recognized the Ishtar siblings. Marik's platinum hair was cut short and looked thinner than it did in the anime. Just like Kaiba, he had a few wrinkles on his face. Ishizu, however, appeared to not have aged as much. She did have wrinkles, but she still looked beautiful for being over fifty years old like Ish. Her straight onyx hair reached her waist like a blanket and the gold hair accessories made it stand out even more.

The biggest surprise was seeing a carbon copy of Kaiba sitting between Ishizu and Marik, except he had dark tanned skin like the two Egyptians and the brown hair was slightly darker than Seto's and it reached down to the nape of his neck. He strongly reminded me of Priest Seto. His piercing blue eyes stared at me, but I didn't sense the coldness that Seto had when we met each other for the first time. He appeared to be around early thirties, so he was still quite young, but clearly older than me.

Feeling a little awkward, I decided to take the initiative to break the ice. "Hello. I'm Estelle Goodwin, Seto's goddaughter", I introduced myself to the Egyptians with a soft bow. "Nice to meet you."

Ishizu who sat closest to me got up from the couch and walked over to me with her eyes shining of endless wisdom and gentle warmth. "Hello, Estelle. I'm Ishizu Ishtar", the elderly woman introduced herself with a handshake. "I've heard a lot about you and your friends' heroism. Thank you for protecting the world."

I was a little embarrassed hearing the praise. "Thank you, Ms. Ishtar", I nodded.

"Please, call me Ishizu", Ishizu replied.

"Ishizu", I corrected myself before we let go of each other's hands so I could focus on the actual issue. "So… What exactly is going on here?"

Ishizu turned to the couch where Marik and Seto's claimed son sat and watched us. "My son, little brother and I traveled to New Domino City for an exclusive Egyptian exhibition I'm hosting for a limited time", she explained. "I heard the news of Kaiba had woken up from his coma, so I contacted him shortly after the World Racing Grand Prix to inform him about our child Seth."

Seth, huh? Ishizu must have decided on that name based on Seto's name. Then again, Priest Seto was sometimes called Seth by the fans back in my world.

"How or…when did this happen?" I asked as I tried putting the pieces together. "Seto was in a coma for over thirty years, so…?"

Seto didn't speak up to answer the question, even though he had a major involvement in the situation. His little brother had to step in to explain it. "U-Um… A-Apparently, on Seto's 18th birthday, before the experiment …some things happened", Mokuba stopped and blushed in embarrassment, clearly not wanting to go into details.

"Allow me to explain it", Ishizu raised her hand. "I admit I felt a small attraction toward Kaiba back during the Battle City tournament, but I was forced to suppress my feelings because I had to prioritize my duties and save Marik from the evil spirit who had him under their control."

Marik looked down and rubbed the back of his neck in shame. "Yeah, that was the darkest part of my life…", he admitted. "I know it was the evil spirit who committed the crimes by using my body, so I still feel a little guilty."

Seth, who had stayed quiet the whole time, patted Marik's shoulder softly to comfort him. "It wasn't your fault, Uncle", he said calmly, his voice strikingly similar to Seto's, except you could clearly hear the Egyptian accent.

Ishizu cleared her throat to get everyone's attention so she could continue her tale. "Kaiba and I stayed in touch after an incident occurred in Egypt involving Muto Yugi and his friends", she explained as she settled down on the couch. "We became good friends over time, so he invited me and Marik to his mansion for his 18th birthday party that Mokuba had arranged."

"Yeah, I remember that", Mokuba chuckled. "I wanted to give Seto the best 18th birthday party for becoming an adult. He deserved that more than anybody else I knew."

"And it was a great party", Marik grinned. "Except Kaiba looked quite bored throughout the whole evening."

"That's just the way he is", Mokuba responded, not taking any offense to what Marik had just said. "I could tell he was secretly enjoying himself."

"I think we're getting off tracks now…", I pointed out.

"Right. Sorry", Mokuba apologized.

"It was shortly after the guests had left, Marik included, when I stayed behind and had a long conversation with Kaiba before the topic about our…lack of knowledge about intimacy came up", Ishizu continued the tale as a hint of pink blush blossomed on her cheeks, probably recalling the fateful night. "None of us ever had a kiss with someone before, so I asked him if we could kiss each other to experience it. Kaiba had no objections, so we shared our first kiss. I still remember the spark I felt when our lips touched each other; it was magical."

I couldn't help but recall the first kiss Yusei and I had after our confession. There was something about that first kiss that ignites a candle inside you. I guess the storybooks were right that you'll feel a spark when you kiss the one for you.

"Things got a little heated after that kiss and Kaiba admitted he felt something for me too, although he couldn't articulate what those feelings were since they were foreign to him", Ishizu continued. "And then one thing led to another and we ended up spending a night together which ultimately resulted with me getting pregnant with his child. By the time Seth was born, I learned Kaiba had gone missing. I found it hard to believe, so I contacted Mokuba to ask him about his big brother's whereabouts and inform him about the child."

"I was shocked when I learned about Seto's child", Mokuba spoke up. "It was still very chaotic at the time with Seto being in a coma and KaibaCorp on the edge of being bought by one of our rivals, so I couldn't meet my nephew until a couple of years later when KaibaCorp was secured and I had legal rights over the company as an adult."

"So you knew about the existence of Seto's child?" I asked the younger Kaiba brother.

"Yes", Mokuba confessed. "To be honest, I was a little thrilled that Seto had a son, but it was hard wrapping it around my head at the time."

"That's when I told Mokuba that I would contact him again once the situation had calmed down", Ishizu added. "I didn't want to add more pressure on him."

"But that doesn't mean we stayed cooped up in Egypt with Seth this whole time", Marik commented. "We decided to have this tradition to visit Kaiba Land in Japan every year so Seth could learn more about his father and his achievements." He raised his left hand and played fondly with a gold ring on the ring finger. "We continued with the tradition even when I started my own family."

"I remember… It was on my seventh birthday when I met Uncle Mokuba for the first time in Kaiba Land", Seth said as a small smile crawled onto his lips. "He had quite a memorable expression when we saw each other."

"Yeah, I remember thinking you looked exactly like Seto when he was around that age", Mokuba chuckled at the memory before the smile dropped. "Sadly, paparazzi caught the words about Seto's illegitimate child, so I had to switch into Kaiba mode to threaten the newspapers with a lawsuit if they dared to spread any meaningless rumors."

I realized Seto hadn't said a single word ever since I had entered the room. He sat in the same position completely petrified. Not even his legs shook by the compressed feelings he was holding back. I couldn't tell if he was angry or shocked or even feeling a little ashamed that he had allowed himself to have intercourse without protection. He was usually composed like an adult even as a teen in the anime, but I guess even he couldn't resist the raging teenage hormones.

Seth got up from the couch and walked around until he stood next to Seto. He crouched down and placed a hand on his father's shoulder blades. Mokuba moved back a little with a nervous expression, fearing that Seto might actually explode. Even I stepped away in case the situation was going to escalate. Isono stayed in the corner where he had been the entire time, but his body language showed he would step in and restrain his boss if chaos were to break out. The Ishtar siblings didn't react in the same way as the rest of us. In fact, they remained on the couch and just watched calmly the father and son interaction.

"Father", Seth spoke calmly, even though Seto didn't react to it. "I know my existence must've come as a shock to you and I don't blame you. But I want you to know that I admire you. I watched old news clips of your achievements and events you arranged before and you…looked so cool in my eyes when I was a child."

Seto didn't look up even though he was getting showered by compliments, which was one of his Achilles' heels. Perhaps he refused to listen and just let the words go in one ear and go out through the other.

Seth's expression softened a little as he rubbed Seto's back. "You inspired me to study business so I could contribute to the gaming industry and…", the son trailed off as he collected his thoughts. "And I always hoped that you would be proud of me and we could work together in KaibaCorp as father and son."

As soon as that was spoken, Seto moved his head up from the hands and stared intensely at Seth. He clenched his hands so hard his knuckles were turning white and his eyes glowed with murderous intentions. "Are you implying…you wish to steal KaibaCorp from me?" he asked with a dead serious voice.

I got the chills when Seto said it like that. Didn't he do the same to his adoptive father when he took KaibaCorp from Gozaburo after suffering years of abuse and planning for revenge after his gaming ideas got rejected time and time again by the crazy self-absorbed war fanatic?

"Never", Seth shook his head. "I want to work side by side with you as a team. I want to know more about you. I want us to have a father-and-son relationship. We can take it slow if this is too sudden for you."

Seto's glare softened a little bit, but he still didn't respond to his son. I guess he needed time to comprehend his position as not only the CEO of KaibaCorp but also as a father to his biological child.

"I think it's best we retire for today", Ishizu said as she and Marik got up from the couch. "Seth, let's give your father some time to process everything that has occurred today."

"Yes, Mother", Seth nodded before giving Seto a final smile. "I hope you will think about this, Father." He straightened up and nodded to Mokuba. "I'll see you later, Uncle Mokuba."

"Yeah…", Mokuba replied hesitantly. "You can drive back to the hotel where you're staying with our limo."

Isono opened the door and let the Ishtar family step outside before he followed them to escort them to the limousine, leaving the rest of us alone. I was a little unsure about what I should do. The rain outside was still pouring down like mad and thunder lit up the dark sky. I knew I couldn't leave now, so I had no other choice but to stay until the storm had passed.

I walked over to the couch where Seto just stared in front of him with hazy eyes. "Seto… Are you okay?" I called softly.

"I…am flabbergasted", Seto responded before he brushed his hand across his forehead. "I was in coma for so long and I've just learned I have a child… An adult child."

"Seto…", Mokuba swallowed nervously. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I thought that…you were busy rehabilitating and returning to work and recap everything that happened while you were in a vegetative state that I didn't want to burden you with this shocking news. You already had a lot on your plate and I didn't want to overwhelm you with it."

Seto shook his hand in the air to tell his little brother to forget it. "I know. You wanted to do the best for me while I was in coma and left you with the huge responsibility to protect KaibaCorp", he said before he actually smiled softly for the very first time. "I'm proud of you, Mokuba." His eyes then quickly switched into his usual frown. "But you could've still told me beforehand I got the call from Ishtar."

"Yeah… Sorry about that…", Mokuba laughed sheepishly.

It came as a surprise that Seto wasn't as upset as I first thought. Now that the Ishtar family was gone, he was actually taking the news really good. I knew, though, I shouldn't speak too soon or I might jinx myself.

"What will you do now, Seto?" I asked as I crossed my arms to make myself comfortable. "To me, it looks like Seth really wants to bond and work with you in KaibaCorp and certainly not 'steal' it from you as you first claimed."

Seto exhaled deeply through his lips and rested his arms on the lap. "I don't know", he replied. "Being told I'm a father so late in life… Not knowing I conceived a child after that night… It's a lot to comprehend."

"Understandable", I nodded. "If I were you, I'd give him a chance. Seth said himself you can build up the relationship in small steps. The only thing he asked from you is the bond between you two, as father and son."

Seto inhaled as he rested the back of his head against the couch. "I may have achieved many things in life and read almost every book that exists, but I was never prepared to suddenly have the role of a father…", he mumbled. "I don't know where to start my thoughts."

"Take your time and follow your heart. That's all I can say", I told him just before I got startled by another lightning bolt and the ear-splitting bang that came after it. "Umm… Do you mind if I stay over the night? Until the storm is over?"

"Sure, Estelle", Mokuba nodded. "No way would we throw you out in that storm."

XXXXXXXXXX – Normal POV

Just like in old Kaiba fashion way, Kaiba came up with a proposal for his illegitimate son and demanded his little brother, the Ishtar siblings and Estelle to come with him to KaibaCorp as witnesses the next day straight after breakfast. The Priestess followed the Kaibas' limousine to the company on her Duel Runner while making sure to keep some distance between the vehicles. The roads were still wet after last night's storm and Estelle didn't want to get a cold dirty shower.

They first stopped by the hotel where the Ishtars were staying and picked them up before continuing to KaibaCorp. The limousine and the Duel Runner parked outside of the building before the occupants walked inside. It was a Monday, so the company was buzzing with life. The only one among the group with a hood covering their head and face was Seth, ordered by Kaiba. He didn't want any baseless rumors spread around and get leaked to the media just yet.

The group took the elevator to the top floor where Kaiba had his personal Dueling Arena that he still had to this day; a piece of history of the first product that had contributed to the Dueling world before the Duel Disks and Duel Mats were common. The Dueling Arena had been maintained for the last thirty decades under Mokuba's command.

After securing that nobody else was on the same floor, Seth was allowed to remove the hood and peeled the jacket off him as Kaiba led everyone to the Dueling Arena. Estelle looked around in awe, eyeing the massive arena and the multiple rows of seats in the gallery surrounding the huge machine. It was like they were standing in the middle of a soccer field.

Seth felt the same excitement as he inspected the Dueling Arena. He gently caressed the steel construction without getting permission from his father to touch one of his valuable devices. Kaiba resisted the instant urge to yell at his son to not touch one of his prized possessions, but a little touch could barely hurt the structure.

"It's extraordinary", Seth said with big eyes shining in awe. "So many Dueling Arenas were disassembled after the Duel Disks became popular, but only a few remain across the planet. This is my first time seeing one…" He turned to Kaiba with a curious gleam. "And you came up with the concept before you attended high school, Father?"

"Yes", Kaiba responded with a nonchalant voice and crossed arms.

Mokuba had a feeling his brother wasn't going to explain too much for Seth, so he stepped in to add more to the story. "Back before Dueling Arenas even existed, Seto was the world champion in Duel Monsters."

"Mokuba-", Kaiba warned him with an ice cold tone, but his little brother ignored it.

"He wanted to heighten the experience of the card game, so he collaborated with Industrial Illusions to bring cards to life with the help of holographic technology with the Dueling Arenas", Mokuba continued as he ignored the cold glare from his brother. "After that, it became a worldwide revolution and it's thanks to Seto we live in the world we know today."

"Fascinating…", Seth said with admiration glowing in his eyes before they switched into serious mode, the same glare as his father's. "So I assume this Dueling Arena has something to do with what you want to tell me, Father?"

"Correct", Kaiba nodded before he stood tall, emitting his iconic threatening aura. "Seth, if you still have the desire to work with me in KaibaCorp, you have to pass a test first."

Seth's lips shifted into a smirk with one of the corners twitching upward. "Let me guess… A Duel?" he asked.

"A Duel", Kaiba replied with a nod. "I want to test your skills. If you manage to lower my Life Points to 500 or defeat me, I shall accept you both as an employee…" The middle aged man hesitated for a short second before he continued talking. "…and as my son and heir of KaibaCorp." He turned to Ishizu who had stayed silent the whole time with her little brother. "And after the Duel, we need to have a private conversation, Ishtar."

"I understand", Ishizu nodded calmly. "I may not be able to foresee the future anymore, but I know you two will have a thrilling Duel."

"Let me guess; you're gonna use the Dueling Arena?" Marik asked.

"Yes", Kaiba nodded as his eyes softened when he stared at his large device, reminiscing the old days when he played with Mokuba in the first few test runs. Once he deemed the Dueling Arena programmed to perfection, he defeated one challenger after another with his Blue-Eyes White Dragons…before his unbreakable streak of victory ended with his loss to the ancient spirit of Atem who eliminated his dragons with the power of Exodia the Forbidden One. It was also thanks to Atem who Mind Crushed the evil in his heart that he could restart as a Duelist with a new mindset.

"It's a true honor to not just Duel you, Father, but also receive an opportunity to Duel with a Dueling Arena", Seth smiled before he grabbed his Deck from the pocket of his jacket. "I've brought my Deck with me, so I'm ready."

"Good", Kaiba nodded before he grabbed his own Deck. "Prepare yourself."

The father and the son stepped onto the elevator on their respective side of the Dueling Arena before they were elevated to the top of the podiums. The others walked to the gallery and went to the top so they could have a proper view of the whole play field.

"How is Seth as a Duelist?" Estelle asked, finally speaking up for the first time ever since they stepped inside the building.

"Seth has a unique Deck that can either be powerful or weak", Marik replied. "It all depends on what card he draws at the critical moment."

"Is it a dragon Deck?" Estelle wondered. "Or similar to the ones you had back in the days?"

"You will see", Ishizu responded to the brunette as her poker face slowly faded away and revealed a pair of worried eyes. "I do wish Seth can convey his feelings to Kaiba… He's lived his whole life without a father figure and he always wanted to live up to Kaiba's expectations if they were to ever meet each other…like now."

"Seto and I lost our parents when we were very young and our relatives left us in the orphanage, so we didn't really have a real parent around us while growing up…", Mokuba grimaced as he remembered the dark years when his and Kaiba's adoptive father was alive. He knew his big brother had hid a lot more than what he had told him before, but he didn't want to make Kaiba remember those abusive times. They should stay in the past, buried in the void where they belonged.

Estelle intertwined her hands and raised it up to her lips while closing her eyes. She prayed the outcome of the Duel would affect both parts positively.

Kaiba and Seth separated their Extra Decks from the main Decks and placed them in the Extra Zone of the miniature play field on the podiums. They then shuffled their Decks properly and placed them down on the computer desk.

"The rules are as follows; each of us has 4000 Life Points", Kaiba began explaining. "You are allowed to attack your opponent directly when their field is empty, except on the first turn. The Duel ends when one of us loses all of their Life Points. Any questions?"

"None, Father", Seth responded.

Kaiba nodded with a tiny smirk, silently calculating to himself that he would win in six turns. "Remember; you must reduce my Life Points to 500 or less if you wish to satisfy me", he reminded his son.

"I haven't forgotten about the condition, Father", Seth returned the smirk like a copycat.

"Duel!"

Seth: 4000 LP

Kaiba: 4000 LP

Both men drew the first five cards for their hand just as the Dueling Arena lit up at the activation. It was ready to bring the cards to life.

"I'll allow you to go first", Kaiba told his son.

"Thank you for the generosity, Father", Seth smirked as he reached for his Deck to draw his sixth card. "Draw!" He added the card to his hand and inspected the rest to see what he could use. "I summon Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress in attack mode!"

The Dueling Arena hummed loudly as the engines within it activated the Solid Vision. A large hologram of the Duel Monster appeared in the middle of Seth's field.

Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress, Level 4: ATK 1700

Estelle blinked her eyes in pure surprise when she saw Seth's Monster card. "Lightsworns?" she mumbled out loud, recognizing the archetype from her world. She hadn't seen those cards the whole time she's been in this world, so it was quite the surprise for her.

"Yep", Marik nodded. "They can be very strong if played correctly. However, they do have a drawback."

"I place three cards facedown and go to the End Phase", Seth called as the facedown cards were projected on the massive playfield. "Lyla's effect activates during my End Phase and forces me to send the top three cards of my Deck to the Graveyard."

Lyla aimed her wand at Seth and fired a light beam at him while he milled his Deck, sending the top three cards. He inspected each one and smirked mischievously when he saw the last card. Instead of discarding it to the Graveyard, he picked it up to show it to his father. "One of the cards sent to the Graveyard was the Trap card Lightsworn Judgment and it has an effect that activates when it's sent from the Deck to the Graveyard by the effect of a Lightsworn Monster", he called out. "I add Judgment Dragon from my Deck to my hand."

"So you have a dragon Monster in your Deck…", Kaiba muttered quietly to himself while Seth went through his Deck to add Judgment Dragon to his hand before shuffling the cards. The middle-aged man was now getting eager to have a clash with their dragons.

Seth placed down his Deck on the desk in front of him. "Now I'm done with my turn", he announced. "It's your turn, Father."

Kaiba nodded silently as he reached for his Deck while holding his five cards in the other hand. "Draw!" he called as he drew his sixth card and added it to his hand before grabbing another card. "I play One for One! I send my White Stone of Legend from my hand to the Graveyard to Special summon from my hand Master with Eyes of Blue in defense mode."

The Spell card materialized on the main field along with the White Stone of Legend. The white stone floated into the Spell card's artwork before it shone brightly in return. It didn't take long before Master with Eyes of Blue floated out of the card and took a stand on the field with his cane.

Master with Eyes of Blue, Level 1, Tuner: DEF 1200

"The White Stone of Legend's effect activates when it's sent to the Graveyard!" Kaiba continued. "I add one Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my Deck to my hand!"

The transparent image of the White Stone of Legend appeared on the field and emitted a bright white light. The light flew up in the air in the shape of a smaller version of Blue-Eyes White Dragon that shrieked like a baby dragon. The white energy dragon flew over to Kaiba and enveloped the Blue-Eyes White Dragon card the CEO added it to his hand.

Kaiba swiftly shuffled the Deck before continuing the Duel. "I release Master with Eyes of Blue to Tribute summon Krystal Dragon!"

Master with Eyes of Blue transformed into a rainbow orb and shapeshifted into a dragon made out of pure crystal. It let out a screech that sounded like a harmonious melody that echoed with crystals.

Krystal Dragon, Level 6: ATK 2500

"Battle!" Kaiba exclaimed. "Krystal Dragon, attack Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress!"

Krystal Dragon shrieked before it fired an energy beam from its mouth toward the female Duel Monster on Seth's field.

"I activate my Trap; Waboku!" Seth quickly yelled as he activated said card. "My Monster isn't destroyed by battle this turn and I take no battle damage!"

A trio of human priestess appeared in front of Lyla and protected her from Krystal Dragon's attack. The energy beam hit the priestesses instead and made them dissipate by the impact. Lyla was still safe and active on the field as the fragments of the priestesses flew around her.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes in frustration, but he recovered from the counterattack. "Krystal Dragon's effect activates during my Battle Step if it had battled this turn!" he yelled. "I can add one Level 8 dragon-type Monster from my Deck to my hand!" He grabbed his Deck one more time and went through it before he found one of the copies of the dragon he had picked out. "I choose Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon!"

Seth narrowed his own eyes, remembering the effects of the alternative version of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon from the videos he had watched from the exhibition match that had announced the return of his father. He knew it was going to be troublesome when Kaiba would summon it.

"Main Phase 2!" Kaiba called after he had shuffled his Deck. "I place one card facedown and end my turn."

"Draw!" Seth called as he drew his next card and placed it on the play field to activate its effects. "I play Pot of Greed! I draw two more cards from my Deck!"

The Pot of Greed materialized on the field with its iconic grin. The face laughed to itself as it released green smoke from the pot. Two cards appeared in the middle of the smoke and floated over to the top of Seth's Deck. The top two cards glowed in green before the adult drew them.

"I continue my turn by playing Charge of the Light Brigade!" Seth continued. "I send the top three cards of my Deck to the Graveyard and then add one Level 4 or lower Lightsworn Monster from the Deck to my hand." He milled the top three cards and placed one of them on the play field. "Wulf, Lightsworn Beast's effect activates when it's sent to the Graveyard by effect. He's Special summoned to the field in attack mode!"

The beastman appeared on the field next to Lyla and held his trident, ready to battle alongside his teammate.

Wulf, Lightsworn Beast, Level 4: ATK 2100

"For the rest of Charge of the Light Brigade's effect, I add Jain, Twilightsworn General from my Deck to my hand", Seth showed the chosen card before he finished shuffling his Deck. "Now I play March of the Dark Brigade! I target one Lightsworn Monster in my Graveyard that has a Level and add it to my hand. Then I banish a number of cards from the top of my Deck equal to the original Level of the Monster I add to my hand." He grabbed the pile of cards in the Graveyard Zone and picked out a Monster card. "I add Gragonith, Lightsworn Dragon to my hand. It's a Level 6 Monster, so I banish the top six cards of my Deck."

"Your Deck is getting small", Kaiba warned his illegitimate son with an amused frown. "If you continue milling, you will Deck Out."

"But it might work to my advantage in the end", Seth retorted with a smirk. "However, it's time for me to get serious. I summon Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn in attack mode!"

The first Tuner Monster of Seth's appeared on his field with his comrades welcoming him with soft nods.

Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn, Level 4, Tuner: ATK 1700

"A Tuner Monster…", Kaiba commented before he frowned once again. "So you're going to Synchro summon."

"Not yet, Father", Seth replied. "I activate my Continuous Trap; Glorious Illusion! I can target one Lightsworn Monster in the Graveyard and Special summon it to the field in attack mode! I Special summon my second Tuner Monster; Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden!"

A summoning circle replaced the activated Continuous Trap card and glowed in bright colors. A second summoning circle appeared on the Monster Zone next to Lyla's right side before Minerva levitated up to the field. The circle beneath her feet vanished, but the main summoning circle was still active and bound to her.

Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden, Level 3, Tuner: ATK 800

"What are you planning?" Kaiba asked while his brain came up with different scenarios to predict Seth's next move.

"I tune Level 4 Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn with Level 4 Wulf, Lightsworn Beast!" Seth answered. "Synchro summon! Ascend, Judgment, the Dragon of Heaven!"

The two selected Monsters transformed into tuning circles and Level Stars before they were replaced by the white and blue scales and feathers of the Synchro summoned dragon with four wings and blood red claws. Compared to Krystal Dragon, it was twice as big as the crystal beast on the other side of the Dueling Arena.

Judgment, the Dragon of Heaven, Level 8: ATK 3000

Kaiba stared at the Synchro Monster in slight awe. Its colors greatly reminded him of his signature dragon. He smirked to himself and thought to himself that his son had an excellent taste for monsters.

"I now tune Level 3 Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden with Level 4 Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress!"

The two female Lightsworns floated up and transformed into the same circles and stars while the summoning circle of Glorious Illusion dissipated now that its job was done. The stars emitted a bright light before a masculine silhouette appeared in the midst of it. The light faded away and revealed a gladiator clad in golden armor with mechanical wings and a large light sword in his hand. He was way smaller than Judgment, the Dragon of Heaven, only reaching to the kneecaps.

"Synchro summon! Arise, leader and founder of the Lightsworns; Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn!"

Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn, Level 7: ATK 2600

"Michael may look like a warrior, but he's actually a dragon Monster", Seth informed his father.

"A dragon?" Kaiba arched a confused eyebrow. "I assumed it was a warrior or a spellcaster."

"No, but his steed is missing, so I shall summon it now", Seth replied before he revealed Judgment Dragon in his hand. "Judgment Dragon can only be Special summoned when I have four or more Lightsworn Monsters with different names in my Graveyard. I've got more than four, so I Special summon Michael's steed; Judgment Dragon!"

The Dueling Arena hummed once as it projected the hologram of Judgment Dragon. It immediately crouched down to Michael and allowed its master to climb onto him. Once Michael climbed on top of Judgment Dragon's head, the dragon carefully straightened up and stood next to its Synchro self before it flapped its wings to ruffle its feathers.

Judgment Dragon, Level 8: ATK 3000

"Impressive…", Kaiba commented as he eyed the three powerful Monsters on Seth's field. Despite being in a disadvantage, he was very calm because he knew he would survive this turn with the help of his set Trap card.

"Battle!" Seth declared. "Judgment Dragon, attack Krystal Dragon!"

Judgment Dragon screeched as it flapped its wings and took up in the air. It flew toward Krystal Dragon with its front paws outstretched, its blood red claws eager to rip its opponent into pieces. It slashed the pure crystal dragon into pieces with crystals flying around it. Some of the fragments were thrown at Kaiba who felt the effect of Solid Vision as he took damage.

Seth: 4000 LP

Kaiba: 4000 LP – 3500 LP

"Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn, attack Father directly!" Seth commanded.

Judgment Dragon crouched down and threw its head up to give its master a boost for the jump. Michael got thrown up in the air far above Kaiba and readied his sword for the direct attack. Kaiba remained calm and seated as he watched the Lightsworn Monster descend from the air.

In the last second did he activate his Trap card. "I activate my Trap; Counter Gate!" Kaiba called. "When my opponent's Monster declares a direct attack, the attack is negated!"

A large mechanical object in the shape of a card appeared in front of Kaiba which Michael struck with his sword instead of the Duelist. The Lightsworn Monster grunted in disappointment and jumped back to Judgment Dragon who caught him with his head.

"Not only does Counter Get negate this attack, but I get to draw one card", Kaiba continued explaining. "If that card is a Monster card, I can immediately Normal summon it in attack mode." He drew the top card and smirked confidently before showing the card. "It's the White Stone of Ancients, so I can summon it."

The object in front of Kaiba split in half like a gate and created a white glowing portal that expanded in size. It levitated down to the field and remained there until the White Stone came through the portal successfully summoned.

The White Stone of Ancients, Level 1, Tuner: ATK 600

Seth gritted his teeth in frustration. He knew if he made Judgment, the Dragon of Heaven attack the White Stone of Ancients and sent it to the Graveyard, it would trigger its effect to Special summon a Blue-Eyes Monster from Kaiba's Deck. However, if he left the White Stone on the field, his father might tune it for a Synchro summoning on his next turn.

The son glanced quickly at his father. Kaiba stood straight with his arms crossed, waiting for him to make the next move. Seth wanted to choose the logical strategy and end the Battle Phase, but he remembered this was a test to display his Kaiba blood and the Kaibas showed no mercy toward anyone nor did they hesitate to conquer their target.

However, Seth decided to play in a different way; his way as Seth Ishtar. "I end the Battle Phase and go to Main Phase 2!" he called. "Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn's effect! Once per turn, I can pay 1000 Life Points to target one card on the field and banish it! I target the White Stone of Ancients!"

Kaiba held back a frown as he silently gritted his teeth while Michael activated his effect. His sword began glowing once again and aimed it at the White Stone. Michael then threw the sword like a lance and struck the Tuner Monster. The second the sword had pierced onto the White Stone, a wormhole appeared behind it and made sure to swallow it so it didn't leave any traces behind.

Seth: 4000 LP – 3000 LP

Kaiba: 3500 LP

"Smart move", Kaiba couldn't help but compliment his son. "You made sure to remove the White Stone of Ancients from play so I wouldn't have the chance to Special summon one of my Blue-Eyes Monsters."

"Yes, Father", Seth responded before finishing his turn. "End Phase! Judgment, the Dragon of Heaven's effect activates and I chain with Michael's effect and then chain again with Judgment Dragon's effect! For Judgment Dragon's effect, I send the top four cards of my Deck to the Graveyard."

Judgment Dragon roared as Seth sent the top four cards of his Deck to the Graveyard. However, instead of sending one of them, he picked it up and showed it to Kaiba. "Felis, Lightsworn Archer's effect! When she's sent from the Deck to the Graveyard by a Monster effect, she's Special summoned to the field!"

The green-haired humanoid Lightsworn was materialized on the field crouched down on one knee while having her bow loaded with an arrow for safety purposes.

Felis, Lightsworn Archer, Level 4, Tuner: DEF 2000

"Now, for Michael's effect, I send the top three cards of my Deck to the Graveyard", Seth continued discarding cards of his minimizing Deck while Michael raised his sword that emitted a bright light. "The effect of Twilight Twin Dragons activates when it's sent from the Deck to the Graveyard by a Lightsworn Monster's effect! I target Punishment Dragon in my Graveyard and add it to my hand before I banish the top four cards of the Deck!" Once again, his Deck lost more cards after he added the card of Punishment Dragon to his hand after finding it in the Graveyard. "And last, with Judgment, the Dragon of Heaven, the top four cards of the Deck are removed from play."

The Synchro dragon screeched as the four cards were banished and put to the side on the desk where there was an open spot for banished cards. Unfortunately, the pile in his Graveyard was three times bigger than his Deck that consisted of only two cards

"I still don't understand why you would use an archetype that mills your own Deck", Kaiba commented with a disapproving frown. "According to my calculations, you have less than five cards in your Deck." His son didn't really want to respond to that statement because he knew his father was right about it. "Very well, now that you are done, I shall commence my turn. Draw! I reveal Blue-Eyes White Dragon in my hand to Special summon Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon in attack mode!"

The alternative version of the original Blue-Eyes dragon appeared on the field with its glowing highlights that lit up the field.

Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon, Level 8: ATK 3000

"I activate Dictator of D.'s effect in my hand!" Kaiba continued. "I send one of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons from my Deck to Special summon him in attack mode!" He picked up his Deck and rapidly went through the cards until he found the second copy of his signature dragon. He flicked it to the Graveyard and shuffled the Deck before summoning the upgraded version of Lord of D. Just like with the humanoid Lightsworn Monsters, he was around the same size and looked like a dwarf next to the Blue-Eyes Monsters.

Dictator of D., Level 4: ATK 1200

"Dictator of D.'s second effect! I discard the Blue-Eyes White Dragon in my hand to the Graveyard to Special summon my other Blue-Eyes White Dragon that's in the Graveyard!"

Dictator of D. raised his hand with the Blue-Eyes wand before it started glowing. He then aimed the wand at the open spot next to him and allowed a white beam be released from the weapon. The beam struck the field and opened a gate. The head of Blue-Eyes White Dragon peeked out with a cry before its whole body flew out and landed on the ground once the gate was gone.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Level 8: ATK 3000

Kaiba smirked proudly at the sight of his signature dragon. It had taken him a while to bring out one of his loyal dragons, but it was worth it. Now it was time to crank up the heat and end the Duel. "Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon's effect! Once per turn, he can destroy one Monster my opponent controls, but he cannot attack for the rest of this turn! I destroy Judgment, the Dragon of Heaven!"

Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon screeched while it collected energy in its mouth, preparing itself to exterminate one of the dragons that were at the opposite field. It fired an alternative version of White Lightning at the selected target. The Synchro dragon got engulfed by the light and screamed in pain before it exploded into nothingness. Its comrades watched in horror as the dragon got incinerated.

"One down, three to go", Kaiba commented. "I activate Master with Eyes of Blue's effect in my Graveyard! I shuffle it back to the Deck and target Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon. It's sent to the Graveyard and my other Blue-Eyes White Dragon in the Graveyard is Special summoned!"

A mini hologram of Master with Eyes of Blue appeared above Kaiba's Graveyard on the desk and raised his cane while chanting a melody in an unknown language. The cane released a light that flew straight to the selected Blue-Eyes dragon. Master with Eyes of Blue dissipated before Kaiba placed the Tuner Monster's card on top of his Deck. He quickly shuffled the Deck before he grabbed the card of Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon and switched it with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon card that had just rested in the Graveyard. The hologram from of the alternative dragon began forming cracks on its body before it shattered and revealed the second Blue-Eyes White Dragon on the field.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Level 8: ATK 3000

Seth cold sweated at the growing field of his father's. He had two of his three Blue-Eyes White Dragons out and he knew this was just the beginning. He had to wait patiently to activate his Trap card that could be a game changer for him.

"I'm far from done", Kaiba called out. "I now fuse the two Blue-Eyes White Dragons on the field to Fusion summon Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon!"

Seth almost instinctively activated his facedown Trap card as the two dragons fused their bodies into one and became the entity of the Fusion dragon. Something in the back of his head told him to stay put and he was going to listen to that whispering voice.

Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon, Level 10: ATK 3000

Kaiba couldn't help but chuckle as he inspected the last card in his hand. "I may have not believed in the nonsense of the heart of the cards when I was a high schooler, but I think I understand now what the old man said", he spoke softly. "I play Dragon's Mirror! With this card, I can Fusion summon one dragon Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck by banishing Fusion Materials listed on it from both my field and Graveyard. I banish Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon and my two Blue-Eyes White Dragons from the Graveyard to Fusion summon Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

The mirror of the Spell card appeared on the field and began glowing in preparations for the summoning. The essence of the three Blue-Eyes dragons floated in front of the mirror in the shape of wisps before they were absorbed by the mirror. The reflective glass emitted a light brighter than anything that had shone upon the Dueling Arena this whole time. It didn't take long before the mirror expanded in size so the three heads of Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon could come through without getting stuck. The Fusion dragon flew out of the mirror and landed on the field with a blood-drying screech.

Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Level 12: ATK 4500

"I activate my Counter Trap; Vanquishing Light!" Seth yelled and activated said card the second Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon appeared on the field. "When a Monster is summoned, I can Tribute one Lightsworn Monster I have on the field to not just negate the summoning but also destroy that Monster!"

"What?!" Kaiba exclaimed in utterly surprise that he slammed his hands on the console.

Seth ignored his father's reaction as he sent the card of Felis, Lightsworn Archer to the Graveyard. "Felis! I ask of your help! Stop Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

Felis transformed into a light that changed into an arrow. The arrow fired itself up in the sky before making a U-turn toward the freshly summoned Monster. The arrow pierced through the Fusion Blue-Eyes Monster's chest, forcing a painful shriek out of the three heads before it crumbled into pieces, leaving Kaiba stunned by the shocking development. He did recover from the loss of his Fusion Monster fast as he remembered he had his other Fusion Monster on the field that could eradicate his illegitimate son's Monsters.

"I applaud you for eliminating Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon", the CEO commented before getting serious. "But I can still win without him! Battle! Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon, attack Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn!"

The two-headed Fusion dragon roared before it ran toward Judgment Dragon who still carried the Synchro Monster on top of its head. The humanoid Monster raised his sword to try blocking one of the heads that stretched itself to grab him with its teeth. The sword got knocked out of his hands by a quick sweep of the other head before the first head dug its teeth through the golden armor. Michael couldn't help but let out a cry of pain before he exploded into bits in the dragon's mouth.

Seth: 3000 LP – 2600 LP

Kaiba: 3500 LP

Seth blinked his eyes as some of the remnants of the Synchro Monster hit him and hurt his Life Points for the first time in the Duel. "Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn's effect! When he's destroy, I can target any number of other Lightsworn Monsters in my Graveyard and shuffle them back into the Deck and I'll gain 300 Life Points for each returned card!" He grabbed the pile of cards in the Graveyard Zone and went through them until he had finished selecting the cards. "I shuffle back nine Lightsworn Monsters to the Deck, so I gain 2700 Life Points!"

The illegitimate son made sure to show the cards to his father to prove that he was following the rules. The Lightsworn Monster cards that had been selected were Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress, Celestia, Lightsworn Angel, Jain, Lightsworn Paladin, Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden, Wulf, Lightsworn Beast, Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn, Lyla, Twilightsworn Enchantress, Jenis, Ligthsworn Mender, and Felis, Lightsworn Archer. He shuffled the cards back to his Deck so the amount of cards was now over ten and not one-digit as the remnants of Michael blessed him with the recovery of Life Points.

Seth: 2600 LP – 5300 LP

Kaiba: 3500 LP

"So you've increased your Life Points", Kaiba snorted unamusingly. "It won't help you much. Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon can attack a second time if there are two or more Monsters at the beginning of the Battle Phase, so… Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon, attack Judgment Dragon!"

The Fusion dragon screeched in response and snapped its heads at the solo Monster left on Seth's field. Judgment Dragon roared aggressively in return before the two dragons clashed against each other with their front claws. The Blue-Eyes dragon had an advantage because of its two heads that dug their teeth onto the dragon who was one of the protectors of the Lightsworns. Judgment Dragon screamed in pain by the dirty assault and disappeared in a flash of light with white feathers scattered in the air.

"Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon cannot be destroyed by battle, so that is the reason why he wasn't destroyed alongside Judgment Dragon", Kaiba informed his son who didn't look so worried about the disadvantage. "I was hoping to finish you this turn, but it appears there will be a delay. Dictator of D., attack directly!"

The spellcaster jumped up from the field so he hovered above Seth. He swung his wand and hit his master's child on the chest. Seth grunted by the strike and rubbed his torso to sooth the soft pain inflicted by Solid Vision.

Seth: 5300 LP – 4100 LP

Kaiba: 3500 LP

"I end my turn", Kaiba called when Dictator of D. was back on his side of the Dueling Arena. "I'd like to see whether you can defeat Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon. I warn you; I'll end the Duel on my next turn. Show me your true strength."

Seth looked too calm in Kaiba's eyes and it did bother him. It was like his son was confident that he had the victory grasped in his hand.

"I hate to inform you, Father…", Seth said as he looked up with the same serious eyes as Kaiba had displayed multiple times during the Duel. "But this Duel is over."

"Prove it to me", Kaiba demanded before he crossed his arms.

"I will prove to you…right now!" Seth exclaimed as he reached for his Deck. "Draw!" He added the new card to his hand and picked up another one. "I play Monster Reincarnation! I discard one card from my hand to add one Monster from the Graveyard to my hand. I discard Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner and add Judgment Dragon to the hand, but he won't stay there for long because I now Special summon him to the field thanks to the four Lightsworns that are in my Graveyard!"

Judgment Dragon raised up from the light of the Dueling Arena and roared at the Blue-Eyes dragon that snapped its teeth threateningly at the resurrected dragon.

Judgment Dragon, Level 8: ATK 3000

"So you brought back your Judgment Dragon", Kaiba commented nonchalantly. "What are you going to do with it? It cannot surpass Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon."

"That's true, so that's why I activate Judgment Dragon's effect!" Seth replied. "By paying 1000 Life Points, all the other cards, except Judgment Dragon, are destroyed!"

"What?!" Kaiba exclaimed as his eyes widened in surprise.

Judgment Dragon took a deep breath before exhaling a cloud of white feathers and light particles from his mouth. The cloud expanded and engulfed Dictator of D. and Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon as they moved around in hopes of making the light fade away. The feathers suddenly grew stiff and sharpened into knives before they struck the two Monsters. They screamed in pain as they got pierced by the hundreds of feathers until they were destroyed.

Seth: 4100 LP – 3100 LP

Kaiba: 3500 LP

Kaiba gritted his teeth with his eyes glaring at the change of flow of the Duel. "You may have eradicated my Monsters, but you won't be able to defeat me with only your Judgment Dragon!" he informed his son.

"You're right…", Seth nodded before he smirked softly. "So that's why I will now Special summon Punishment Dragon from my hand!"

The Monster Zone on Judgment Dragon's left emitted a black light as his dark counterpart raised up as he was projected by the Solid Vision. Punishment Dragon looked exactly like his light counterpart, except his feathers and scales were pure black.

Punishment Dragon, Level 8: ATK 3000

"Punishment Dragon can only be Special summoned when there are four or more Lightsworn Monsters with different names that are banished", Seth explained the summoning condition of the dragon. "I hate to say this, but this is the true end, Father."

"So it seems…", Kaiba mumbled quietly as he stared at the twin dragons. He was impressed, to say the least, that his son could control two powerful dragons with such ease.

"Battle! Judgment Dragon, Punishment Dragon, attack Father!" Seth commanded.

The twin dragons screeched as they gathered white respective black energy in their mouths for their unity attack. The light from both attacks lit up the arena as the power increased for each second. Kaiba just stared at the two dragons as they fired their attacks at him. He closed his eyes to not get blind by the brightness of the attack as it engulfed him.

Seth: 3100 LP

Kaiba: 3500 LP – 0 LP

The Dueling Arena powered down as soon as Kaiba's Life Points were reduced to zero. Mokuba, Ishizu, Marik and Estelle were silent as they processed the result of the Duel. Kaiba, who had been undefeated ever since he had woken up from the coma, lost to his son. Mokuba and Estelle hurried to the Dueling Arena while the Ishtar siblings walked calmly after them.

The podiums were lowered after Father and Seth had collected their cards and stepped down from the massive device. The illegitimate son was a little worried about his father who had been silent since his dragons defeated him. Was he disappointed in his Dueling skills? He did fulfill the requirement of defeating his father in order to get accepted as his son. That was the most important thing to Seth; to get recognized by his father. "Father…?" he spoke quietly.

"Seto?" Mokuba called out as the spectators approached the duo.

Kaiba stood silently with his arms crossed and closed eyes while contemplating the Duel. He soon opened his eyes and looked at his son. "Seth", he called out his name.

Seth's eyes widened in surprise as he got touched by hearing his father say his name for the first time. In his heart, it was already a sign of acknowledgement.

Kaiba's lips twitched upward into a small and proud smile. "You exceeded my expectations. You certainly carry the blood of Kaiba", he nodded. "I'll welcome you to the family as my son."

Seth felt like he had reached one of the biggest goals in his life. He could finally have a relationship with his father, the man who he had admired ever since he first learned about him when he was just a toddler. "Thank you… Father", Seth smiled before he wiped a tear from the corner of his left eye.

"But that doesn't mean you'll be the official heir of KaibaCorp just yet", Kaiba continued in his strict voice. "I'll have to discuss the rest with your mother."

"And I'm open for negotiations", Ishizu spoke up. "I hope we can come to a solution that benefits all of us."

Estelle watched in the background as the two families talked among them about how to solve the issue about the inside scandal of the Kaiba family. Whatever they'll choose, she hoped it wouldn't cause any hurt to Seth who just got reunited with his biological father.