"I go first."
Kite gripped the cards in his hand, taking deep breaths ceaselessly.
When he'd learned his little brother had been possessed by the Goddess of Despair, causing his personality change, Kite had gained motivation to duel his opponent. But when the duel really began, when the opponent began speaking, he knew he'd still have great difficulty going full serious.
Nothing else.
But because...
Even if the current Hart was controlled by the Goddess of Despair, a large part of what he said was still what he truly wished for.
Hart wished to duel him, perhaps not in this kind of scene, but at home, at the villa, or at the laboratory. A long-overdue duel between brothers, not needing Duel Disks, not needing D-Visors, not even needing projected images, just needing to sit down together and play cards.
And this heartfelt wish spoken at this time made Kite even more uncomfortable.
"Activate Spell Card, Photon Sanctuary."
Kite raised a card in his hand: "Special Summon 2 Level 4 LIGHT-Attribute Thunder-Type Photon Tokens with 2000 ATK on my field in Defense Position. These tokens cannot attack and cannot be used as Synchro Material."
The galaxy's radiance gathered into silver-white particles, manifesting on Kite's field.
"Tribute two monsters with 2000 or more ATK, Special Summon..."
"Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!"
Kite raised a massive red cross and hurled it into the sky. Beneath the enormous cross, radiance transformed into substance. A dragon with an entire galaxy's radiance in its eyes was born in the light.
Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon. Level 8, LIGHT Attribute, Dragon-Type. ATK 3000.
However, the usually imposing great dragon at this moment looked very listless. It merely appeared and stood there without roaring.
"...End turn."
Cold sweat slowly dripped from Kite's temples, tapping crisp sounds on the floor and making the three watching Team 5D's members grow grim.
"A soul monster with 3000 ATK... indeed very strong, but..." Jack's tone was slightly heavy.
"Yeah..." Crow also nodded, expressing the same worry.
Special Summoning one's soul monster on the first turn was something many people persisted in doing.
But this didn't seem like Kite's usual "first turn."
You have to know, when they'd first seen Kite duel, they'd been extremely shocked.
In just one turn, Kite had rapidly overlaid several Xyz Monsters through just a few hand cards. Those Xyz Monsters had then Rank-Up Summoned multiple times during the duel.
In just an instant, Kite's opponent had lost. Even with multiple monsters as high as 3000 ATK, they'd been utterly unable to withstand Kite's assault.
At that time, Kite's performance had made all of Team 5D's treat him as a great enemy. Because they clearly understood, one moment of inattention and they'd be instantly defeated.
And afterward, in the Star War Dimension, Kite hadn't shown that terrifying oppressive presence. Though still very strong, perhaps because the opponent was too strong, his first turn had been rather ordinary.
But that didn't mean he was "weak."
Even in that duel, Kite's first turn had, in a few simple Special Summons, set up protection and prevention. It could be called quite cautious.
But today, Kite had only Special Summoned Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon with 3000 ATK.
His strength, his power hadn't changed, but his mental state grew worse and worse.
This was unavoidable.
At first, he'd wanted to attract Hart's attention.
Then he'd realized Hart might be controlled and unable to see him, so he'd sought opportunities.
Finally, at this moment, he had to personally face Hart in a duel.
His pressure grew higher and higher. His mental state grew more broken. Naturally, his performance grew more dangerous.
"Brother's first turn, I've already seen through it."
Hart expressionlessly drew a card from his deck, then looked at his opponent and said: "Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon is the Xyz Monster killer. No matter what Xyz Monster, battling it results in being banished and its Xyz Materials being swallowed."
"So he's using Photon Dragon's characteristics for a war of attrition?"
Yusei understood Kite's thinking.
For Kite, winning or losing the duel with Hart was actually completely secondary. The most important thing was saving Hart.
So in a situation where he had no idea how to save him, naturally trying more was better. This way, so long as there was sufficient time, perhaps before the duel decided a winner and caused unnecessary pain, he could awaken Hart's true heart and end this duel that didn't need to happen.
Wise choice.
But would it be so simple?
"My turn, draw."
Hart drew a card from his Duel Disk, then flashed it.
"If I control no monsters, this card can be Special Summoned from my hand."
"Special Summon, Primitive Butterfly."
A six-winged butterfly flew out from the card, dancing lightly. Although an insect, its appearance looked very beautiful, making the starlight even more colorful.
Primitive Butterfly. Level 5, WIND Attribute, Insect-Type. ATK 1200.
"Primitive Butterfly!?"
Kite's pupils shrank. Past events flashed through his mind.
Back when Kite's body wasn't so bad, Kite would accompany Hart at the villa.
To make Hart happy, he'd specifically built a small ecosystem in the villa, with flowers, birds, and trees. Naturally there were also some beautiful butterflies.
This butterfly...
His mind reflected the Hart of the past.
Little Hart released the butterfly with both hands and said to Kite.
"Brother, can we let it go?"
"A brief life, only spent in a cage, is truly too pitiful."
Kite could barely keep his expression. He felt his heart was in intense pain.
If Hart had been a mischievous rascal since childhood, then fine. He could act coolly, treating it as teaching his brother a lesson or something.
But Hart had been very kind since childhood. Though he himself was afflicted with illness, he still wished for other lives to have it better.
"Activate Spell Card, Phantom Scales." Hart pulled out a card from his hand. "When an Insect-Type monster exists on the field, I can Special Summon 1 monster with the same name from my Deck."
"Second one, Primitive Butterfly."
Boom.
Flying out from the pollen was a second Primitive Butterfly!
"Two Level 5 monsters?"
"Is he going to Rank 5 Xyz Summon?"
The three Team 5D's members analyzed the situation.
"Activate Primitive Butterfly's effect. Once per turn, increase all Insect-Type monsters on the field by 1 Level."
"There are two Primitive Butterflies on my field, so each of them can activate this effect once!"
Primitive Butterfly, Level: 5 → 6 → 7.
"Level 7..."
Kite was startled.
Clearly, the monster that would next appear was an Xyz Monster he'd never seen.
"Using the two Level 7 monsters, construct the multidimensional network."
Hart raised his hand, calling forth the monster. The two butterflies transformed into golden orbs and merged into the suddenly appearing black vortex. Then, an enormous mechanical structure slowly emerged.
The eerie characters "28" appeared on the machinery. Then this machinery began transforming, changing. Finally, it became an enormous insect!
"Number 28: Titanic Moth!"
Magma erupted in the room. The plant-filled environment was instantly destroyed. An insect floated above the raging fire, examining what lay ahead.
Number 28: Titanic Moth. Rank 7, FIRE Attribute, Insect-Type. ATK 2400. Xyz Materials: 2.
"ATK 2400?"
"Lower than Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon."
"Then he must have some other effect to respond, right?"
Hart commanded the giant moth on the field, speaking: "If I control no other monsters, Titanic Moth can directly attack the opponent. The battle damage inflicted to the opponent by that direct attack becomes halved."
Direct attack!?
Kite's face changed.
"Battle. Titanic Moth conducts a direct attack on the opponent.
Firestorm Whirlwind!"
Flames wildly burned. Endless fire transformed into a whirlwind, burning onto Kite's body.
His body was scorched by the raging fire. In just an instant, black marks appeared everywhere on him.
Kite, LP: 4000 → 2800.
"Ugh..."
The flames burning Kite's body brought searing heat that was uncomfortable. But compared to the physical pain, Hart's cold, merciless attack made him more sorrowful.
"Not over yet. Activate Titanic Moth's effect!
When this card successfully attacks directly, I can detach 1 Xyz Material, inflicting 500 damage times the number of cards in the opponent's hand!"
"Not only direct-attacked, but has to endure damage from three hand cards?" Crow's face changed. "Can his body withstand this much damage in such a short time?"
He could withstand it! Easily, simply!
Kite's left eye squinted from pain. Then he saw the raging fire flying from afar. With three loud crashes, Kite's already fire-scorched body became even more battered.
Titanic Moth, Xyz Materials: 2 → 1.
Kite, LP: 2800 → 1300.
"Battle Phase ends. Activate Spell Card, One Day of Peace.
Both players each draw 1 card from their deck. Until the end of the opponent's next turn, all damage taken by both sides becomes 0."
Kite covered his left eye. Hearing this card...
"Bad... it's actually One Day of Peace."
"A cold-blooded tactic."
The three Team 5D's members were skilled in various duels and quickly understood this card's line of thinking.
"Number monsters can only be destroyed in battle by Number monsters. So even if Kite uses Galaxy-Eyes to attack Titanic Moth, at most he can only activate Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon's effect to banish it and swallow its Xyz Materials." Crow's brow furrowed tightly.
"But even without Xyz Materials, Titanic Moth can still attack." Jack lightly nodded. "Titanic Moth's ATK is 2400, halved is still 1200. Just slightly raise its ATK by two hundred and Kite's Life Points will disperse like a candle in the wind."
Also, though it said both sides' damage becomes 0, fundamentally, he was only enjoying the benefit himself. The damage the opponent should have taken had already been taken. Activating it now, for the opponent, was meaningless.
The pain wouldn't disperse!
It had already been left on Kite's body.
"This kind of duel is absolutely not Hart's duel..." Kite slowly rose. His body was scorched by flames. Even at this moment, the raging fire was still boiling.
However, he slowly loosened his hands, slowly straightened up, slowly stood tall.
The wounds on his body, the pain on his body, was slowly dispersed by the power of a pure duelist. In no time the flames dispersed and instead transformed into power, feeding back to himself.
"So exaggerated." Crow softly exclaimed.
"Interesting... Kite really is extraordinary." Jack also seriously nodded.
Yusei looked over Kite, unable to help feeling emotional.
Hikaru's earlier evaluation of this Kite was indeed not wrong.
This person absolutely couldn't be explained with ordinary duelists.
"Hart! Tell me, what are you actually thinking!" Kite's presence rose step by step. Just by presence alone, he could drive back and suppress the surrounding raging fire, the Number monster's raging fire!
Clearly a powerful Number monster, yet Titanic Moth, under the pressure of Kite's presence alone, kept slowly retreating in flight, as if being suppressed by some terrifying giant.
But Hart Tenjo showed no emotion at all facing this pressure.
Duelists could feel their opponent's soul from a duel, feel their opponent's emotions. The stronger the duelist, the more they could feel each other's hearts. Yet after taking a full 2700 damage, Kite felt only emptiness from Hart.
This meant Hart's true heart was actually locked at the very bottom of his heart!
But this was instead an opportunity!
As long as Hart's true heart was known, then the duel's result was nothing to Kite!
Isn't it just LP? Take them!
"I..."
Hart lowered his head lightly and couldn't help slowly speaking: "Not long after I was born, father knew my body was weak. He exhausted every method to treat me but couldn't cure me. In the end he even framed his two best friends, all to trade for me growing up to now, making himself a criminal. Now, so I can be healthy, father has brother collect Number monsters in battle, not only getting injured but also destroying the Astral World...
Everything is because of me.
Rather than continuing to burden brother and father like this, it's better to just leave."
Hearing this said, whether the dueling Kite or the three Team 5D's members, all fell silent.
Because they were very, very certain of one thing.
Even if this line was something Hart Tenjo only said under the Goddess of Despair's influence, absolutely, there had absolutely been a moment when Hart Tenjo really thought about this!
"Hart!" But quickly, Kite instantly thought of the answer. "Hart! This isn't your fault!
As someone born into the world before you, not bringing you a more beautiful world, not creating opportunities for you to live normally, that's the mistake.
How could you, not yet born, be at fault? Even if you were, it would be the fault of us as older brother and father."
"Hart, you are absolutely innocent!
Because you were born with this abnormal special constitution, that's unavoidable. If this is a mistake, then anyone in the world would necessarily carry mistakes at birth! Because no one is born perfect!
Some people aren't good at music, some aren't good at sports, some aren't good at thinking. Hart, you just have a weak body. Once cured, you're still that kindest child!
Creating a more perfect world for those who come later is the duty of those who came first."
Hearing this, the three Team 5D's members were quite shocked. They glanced at each other and saw each other's burning passion and impulse.
Yes!
Wasn't what they were doing exactly for this kind of future!
However...
After this heart-stirring brother-doting declaration was said, Hart silently lowered his head, not looking at Kite.
"So that's how it is..." Kite understood. His voice hadn't reached Hart.
Whether it was the Goddess of Despair or Hart himself closing off, in any case, the voice hadn't reached Hart's inner heart.
"One Day of Peace..."
That was fine too!
Kite took a deep breath.
"My turn, draw!"
Since Hart wouldn't take damage, wasn't that even better!
This way, he could try harder to find a way to awaken Hart!